I have a secret. I really, really enjoy reading home decor and home improvement blogs and magazines. To borrow Grandmother's description of reading cookbooks, I read them like fiction. I love imagining myself painting rooms, refinishing furniture, building things, crafting, and ultimately living in a magazine-like house. But do I do any of those things? No.
Partly, of course, because I'm a renter. And partly because I have no idea where I'll settle down geographically, but I'm 100% sure it's not this apartment in Cambridge. So when Colin decided to commit to staying in his apartment in New Haven through the end of his PhD (which is about three years away, unless I jinxed that by announcing it to the world), that felt like long enough to decorate a little. Have I mentioned that I also enjoy decorating much more when it involves other people's things...
What Colin wanted for his apartment, other than upgrading from leftover-from-college furniture, was the bright, calm feel of Greece: crisp white buildings with blue roofs against the clear blue Aegean. He thought painting a blue accent wall in his bedroom would do the trick (and by only painting one wall, he would minimize the repainting effort when he moves out). I immediately volunteered to help. Finally, I had the perfect chance to try out all the techniques I've been reading about for years!
We were both very pleased with the result. Unfortunately, my love of decor blogs has not translated into immediate talent. The next wall I paint will go smoother, I'm sure... and in the meantime, I can keep reading painting tips! Hooray! I am guessing that I will be invited back when it's time to repaint the wall white in three years, so I'll get more practice before busting out my decorating skills in a house of my own. And for now, Colin can fall asleep in his lovely handpainted oasis of Aegean blue.
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| In love with the bright blue! |
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| First stroke of blue on the white wall... no turning back now! |
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| I used the roller while Colin edged around the ceiling and trim. |
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| The finished product! Eventually Colin will hang art or something, too. |
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