A beautiful baroque interior by Tony Duquette.
As you probably gathered from the last post bemoaning my indecision on carpet choices, there are some changes afoot here at home. I’ve always been a creature of change, never settling for long on one thing or another. Not shoes and never jobs, and least of all the environment around me. I’m an easily discontented sort, always on the look out to improve, embellish or otherwise chase some other version of perfection. Which is why my career as a style blogger and vintage hair & makeup artist is such a constant source of joy to me. It is always and forever changing.
This time, my living space is once again in the line of my decorative fire. I’ve spent the better part of the last four days hauling furniture, trawling Pinterest, climbing ladders and annoying carpet sales men. Anyone around me at these times knows that the correct response to any of my queries is, “Oh that’s genius!” “Absolutely, ‘Lime Dream’ is an inspired choice.” (Which is by the way, the name of the colour I have only just today finished painting in my studio.)
I’d like to tell you that my decorating efforts take place from the comfort of a deck chair, gin and tonic in hand whilst an army of minions completes the tasks. But no, being the pedant I am (read – control freak), all decorating efforts take place at the hands of me and my very patient father. This is the one time you’ll find me in spandex yoga pants, balancing on one foot atop a ladder, in some oddly contorted position, paint brush in hand. Yes, it is still with red lacquered (but somewhat paint spattered) nails, lashings of mascara and chiffon scarves.
Decorating, like ironing; is for me a kind of Zen. I have some of my very best thoughts doing this kind of work. It is probably the only time I have a single track mind without the usual multiple mental conversations. And today I had another thought. I think the candidate most in need of a makeover at present is the internet, or should I say, the way people behave to each other on the internet. This was not prompted by any particular moment, comment or thought, but just by a general observers view as I wade through hideous Facebook posts, dreadful comments and other ‘ugly’ sentiments.
So while I kick start this (yet another) decorating phase, I’m inspired to think of decorating our insides just as we do our outsides. Shining a light on those neglected corners of friendship, dusting off the cobwebs of forgotten manners and finding a shade of attitude that compliments us well.
