The other day someone commented on a post and said: “…how many times are you going to change your mind…?” To which I replied, “As many times as it takes to get it right.” If you’ve been around here for a while, you should know the answer to that question. I will continue to weigh options, change my mind, modify a plan, and make adjustments until a project is completed. And even when it’s finished, nothing will be safe in my house. Something can be my favorite thing in my house today and be on the cutting board tomorrow. And you know what? that’s ok.
With that being said, I’m going to start over with my plan for our bedroom. The three rugs are back and I abandon the idea of using the curtain fabric I already had on hand.
When I found that fabric and realized I had enough to make curtains for all three windows in the bedroom (if I only use one panel on each window on each side of the bed), I was so excited about the idea of saving money by using something I already had. I had on hand. And I think the fabric is very pretty and matches the teal grass fabric perfectly (not including the decorative band and the green Greek key border on the edge of the panel).
But as I tried to make it work, I found myself struggling with it. Obviously, based on the response to my post about the three rug options, the second rug was the best option to pair with this fabric. It looks like it was made to match this fabric.
But I just can’t get myself to like it. I don’t know why, but I can’t. I have tried. I’ve had it in that room like this so I can see it every time I walk in, hoping that eventually I’ll love it, but I just can’t get there.
So all three rugs are coming back and I gave myself the freedom to dream a little. If I didn’t force myself to use that curtain fabric, what would the room be like? I immediately recognized the problem. I need warm colors, even if it’s just a small accent color. I realized that I bought that curtain fabric when I was still trying to make the greens and teals work on their own, and long before I realized my love for pink, orange, and coral.
I started looking for a new fabric as a starting point for our bedroom and wanted one that ticked all the boxes. Green, teal, and a warm color (pink, orange, or coral). And of course with me there are always extra important points if there are birds, flowers and/or trees.
And all of you. I found it. It is the perfect fabric. If this doesn’t have my name written all over it, I don’t know what does.
I will say that I have a sample of this fabric in my possession. It’s here, on my desk, next to my computer. And I can say that Ballard Designs’ photos of that fabric are horrible. That fabric has a nice creamy background. It’s not completely white, but it’s not what they show either. I tried to adjust the color in the photo above a little to make it look more like the real thing, but I ended up making the background too green.
This is rather a faithful representation of the color of the fabric…
This image below looks a little boring for my taste, but I’m including it so we can see what this fabric looks like as curtain panels. A pattern/design is often lost in the folds.
I don’t want the pattern to get lost, so I also tried it on a Ballard Designs headboard.
This is all. This is, without a doubt, the one. I’m going to order the fabric today, but first I need to make a pretty big decision.
Like I said, I started looking for new curtain fabrics. I love this fabric and want to use it, but I don’t know if I love it as curtain panels. I prefer it as a headboard. That leaves me still needing curtain fabric.
Well, at the same time I ordered that sample, I also ordered a sample of Ballard Designs’ Signature Teal Velvet and oh my goodness, this is gorgeous. This image doesn’t do it justice. at all. It is so beautiful in person and has so much richness.
I originally ordered this sample thinking it might be a possibility for the headboard. But now I’m thinking…velvet curtains? I love velvet curtains. I have them in the breakfast room. They add luxury and warmth to a room. And this particular velvet is an appropriate weight for curtains. It wouldn’t be as easy to work with as decorative cotton, but you could do it.
With this new direction in mind, I started going through fabric samples I already had and putting together some based on that bird fabric, and this is where it went…
Aside from the grasscloth wallpaper, the teal velvet (which is dark and glorious, but not as dark in person as shown in that photo), and the bird/branch fabric, nothing here is a definite part of the plan. These are just samples I had on hand that I pulled based on the greens in the bird/branch fabric. But I would LOVE to have my reading chair covered in that plush green velvet! That’s the luxurious velvet sample I originally ordered as a possibility for my studio desk chair. It is about 1/4 inch thick, if not more. I imagine curling up in it with a book. And although I had that particular coral on hand, I think it’s probably too bright. I have ordered several more coral samples, both solid and patterned. I need one that is a little toned down. But at least this gives me a good idea of where I’m headed, and I love this direction much more than the other.
I’m still undecided whether to use the birds/branches on the headboard and the velvet on the curtains, or use the velvet on the headboard and the birds/branches on the curtains. You may have to make a mockup of each option to really visualize them.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself over the last few years, it’s that I need warm colors. They don’t need to be dominant in the room at all, but they do need to be present in some way. While teal will always have my heart, followed closely by greens, those warm colors just add so much life to a room that, IMHO, can look a little bland without them.
It’s okay to change your mind. I promise. It only hurts a little.
UPDATE: I made a decision. I just ordered the bird fabric for the headboard and will be using the teal velvet on the curtains. I’m so excited!! I love this new direction!
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 upper that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has MS and can’t do physical work, so I do most of the I work at home alone. You can learn more about me here.
