Much to Mr. Sugarplum’s chagrin, I’m one of those people that takes the Christmas decor down as soon as the calendar turns to December 26. You know, the type that follows around a person ripping open their package with a trash bag. I’m responsible for everything but the tree and outdoor lights (the hub’s department). Which means all the decor is now boxed up, except the tree and outdoor lights remain on display indefinitely. Don’t be surprised if I show Valentine crafts hanging from a Christmas tree this year.
Apart from baking and wrapping gifts, I didn’t do one single creative thing during the break. Instead of being grateful for free time while the kids watched movies, I joined them. Instead of running to the computer while they played, I curled up on the couch with my new Nook Tablet (thanks babe!) But as much as I adored our Pink Christmas and down time, I’m ready for a clean slate and a return to creativity. I love the bare, minimal look of our house after all the decor comes down. Sometimes I long for pure, clean interiors.
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There is something so calming about white interiors. It’s like the eye can relax and breathe. Well, your eyes don’t breathe, but you get what I’m ineffectively saying.
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As I was gathering pictures for this post, I was oohing and ahhing over the peaceful interiors, and became fully convinced I needed more spaces like these.
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But if you’ve been following this blog for long, you know what started to happen.
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My search started expanding to rooms with pops of color.
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And eventually they became rooms with a full assault of bright hues.
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Then I left the white all together and my heart quickened when I spotted rooms hosed down with intense pigments.
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So while I love, and can truly appreciate a serene, neutral room, I’m drawn to rooms like this like white on rice.
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What about you? Do you prefer neutrals, the whole Crayola box, or something in between? I took advantage of a newly cleared-off mantel and created something for Winter…I’ll show you tomorrow.
Am so thankful I am not the only following my family around with a trash bag!! LOL Love whites rooms, but tend to long for color more. Our master is pretty neutral, so that is my one "serene" room.
I feel the same way about color. Love white rooms. Love white rooms with a pop of color. Love deep, intense colors. Decisions, decisions.
Amen!! I finally got allll the Christmas taken down and in boxes and up to the attic yesterday. It felt so good. And two thumbs up for you for enjoying your vacation at home. I did pretty much the same thing–lots of playing and having fun. No stressing about the blog or what to write/create for readers to see. 😉
Love all the inspiration shots–I like a neutral base with pops of color as accents. 🙂
I like neutrals, and since we live in an apt., I'm forced to deal with white walls. However, that last image is my favorite! I love that it doesn't have too much going on, but is still such an interesting room.
BTW, I also like to take Christmas decor down in a timely manner, and trash bags were always present on Christmas morning at my parent's house.
girl I can so relate! My furniture is screaming to breathe from all this Christmas decor. And yes my tree is still up too-if hubby had his way we would just cover it with a sheet till next year.
And sooo funny about all the white rooms -I have a post ready for tomorrow that is all about white rooms. In Jan I crave white rooms but come spring/summer Im ready for pops of color.
I love it all! I seriously don't know what I like better.
i adore a lot so colors layered together but after the chaos of the holidays I crave some paired down white interiors as well!
xo Allison
Spicer + Bank
http://www.spicerandbank.blogspot.com
At least your tree is pink? Still works for Valentine's Day, right?
I love it all too – in phases! I think it's the change or possibility of change that excites me the most – grass is always greener, right? Either way, love your style!
I used to be an all color gal, but now find myself camping out somewhere in between. Boxing up Christmas today myself! And looking forward to some fresh winter decor!
Happy New Year!
My mother is all about natural wood and rustic, so when I was younger I really loved that type of decor, but now that I have my own house I find myself attracted to neutrals with pops of color and a mix of wood and trendy furniture. I kind of like a little bit of everything…
You sound like me. I look at those neutral, serene rooms and literally feel a sense of calm wash over me… but I am drawn to color like a moth to flame. I love it…. both in my wardrobe and my home.
Maybe I need to do one room that is calm and serene so I can go somewhere and rest my eyes. LOL
I love pops of color but think all of those rooms are so so pretty!! It's hard to choose!
Hubby is in the military, so we move, a lot, and I have to deal with neutral walls in rentals or base housing. I HATE it! But I've gotten used to it and I make do with pops of color. I do have to say my favorite neutral is tan, and I had it in my last house as well as my current house and love it! I could almost do a tan and white color scheme, maybe, but I'm not sure. Give me my pops of red and blue, and the most recent fav is black!
My entire house is a clean slate of muted tones – I used some blue in my living room but it was almost gray. Then you get to my office and it's green walls and glossy furniture – to get me inspired, I guess!
So funny that you'd post this today! Last night my 11 year old daughter and I re-did her room. She had just enough of all of the 'stuff' causing 'visual clutter' (my words). So after emptying about 1/2 of the stuff out of there we had a good, clean slate! We didn't put back too much either but kept it simple yet 'her'. She is like us and loves color (our home is in Tuscan-style colors and muted tones) but needed her eye to rest in order to rest properly in her room. She slept great last night!
SATURATED Babe! That's me. Cannot be helped. Even if I did manage to paint something *white* in my house, you can be sure I'd have chased it doen in a week to add hot pink or sun yellow. I y'am what I y'am.
PS – my Christmas lights are still up too, I make Hubs do mine red every year so I can say they are Valentines.
I like the last photo best. I think it represents my style. But lately I feel myself longing for a white kitchen…..I am tired of the dark cabinets and hardwood we currently have. It feels like a cave. The hardwood floors can stay but I am dying to take some white paint to those cabinets!
Oh, my tree is stll up as well. Maybe I will get it all put away this weekend. Oh well, so much to do, so little time.
I agree, love to look at all white rooms but I want to live with COLOR !
Okay the all white rooms are clean, classy, clean, did I say clean but I love pops of color!! Beautiful pics! Thanks for sharing!
I also run around on Christmas with a trash bag! One for paper, one for plastic, one for cardboard. And boy, is there a LOT of cardboard when you have a kid!!
I love, love, love the room with the yellow curtains. I am on a yellow and grey kick that I cannot get over!
I would love to do a white room, but I have a two year old boy. Simply not possible. End of story.
That last room is amazing, and I love the clean white rooms too! But I think living in an all white room would lose some of its serenity with trying to preserve its whiteness (especially with 2 pups). And your entire first paragraph is perfection. Cracks me up!
I love the progression…yep, that's usually what mine looks like, too…as much as I love and can appreciate a white room, it's just not for me (nor for children and my OCD self *CRINGES* at the thought of unleashing my little monsters into a room like that!), I *NEED* COLOR! And the bolder the better, I say (c:
Love to look at the white rooms but I gravitate toward warmer neutrals with pops of color. Laughed at the progression of the pics – we just can't fight who we are, can we? The last pic seems much more you!
My decorations will come down late today…I tend to follow the 12 days of Christmas and today is the Epipphany. I did cheat and take down one room yesterday, but it's only because I have so much darn stuff. I always feel sad to take them down as it leaves my house looking so bare. But that just tells me I need to work on my decor for the rest of the year!
Too hard to choose – depends on my mood white or color….
I am with you on ripping everything down on the 26th! Nothing like a cleanse.
White rooms are beautiful to look at, but I don't trust myself!! I'd spill or something (: Besides, colors are one of the things that bring me such joy! I like neutral spaces with pops of color!
White rooms look so fresh and pure but I forget what they look like after I look away. My most favorite rooms that I can remember from magazines 3 years ago B.P. (before pinterest) were colorful and vibrant.
ooo i love white on rice but only really follow that in my master. it's such a pretty and clean look but with baby on the way i'm thinking it's not so practical…
Oh my goodness. Those last two shots had my heart quickening too! I love me some color! I don't think I could do all white for more than half a day without definitely a serious nervous tic. I do like the concept. Just ain't who I am.