Happy New Year! Some BIG changes are coming in 2015 (more on that in a later post)... However this is how we spent the first day of 2015.
Our home celebrates it's ten year anniversary (since we moved in) on January 3rd. We had a five year plan when we moved in and I guess we just doubled that.
All in all our 130 year old home isn't a bad home. It's certainly not brand new, but I have always been raised with this motto, "You make the best with what you have."
It's been 10 years since any paint has hit the walls on our first floor. Painting is well, well overdue...especially with two kids and the rest of furry family making memories on these walls.
Last week we tackled the living room and wow...AMAZING transformation with just a single coat of paint and hours or tedious trim painting. The room looks at least 2 sizes larger. We took down our blinds (that never really fit our 9ft windows to begin with) and our drapes. The room went from a greenish color (technically called Holly Hock) to a beige/tan color (called Chalkware). We decided not to put any window covering back up to allow as much light into the room and keep the space feeling so open. I have an awesome design by Poppy Tree for frames for the main wall of the living space so I can get a pop of color since we have gone to more neutral (blah) but brighter color.
As much as I wasn't convinced that Chalkware was the right color for the living room, the adjoining formal dining room was primed and painted the same color today. It took a few days to for the color to grow on me . I am certainly a color person. We loved the choices of colors we put on the walls 10 years ago. And in all to be fair, they aren't bad colors---just not colors ideal for this home. Even with having 9 ft windows out home lacks natural light making rooms feel darker and smaller. Also from a photographer's stand point, the more light the better! We plan to hang the blinds when finished, but we will likely do away with the drapes to keep it even lighter.
I have never been so excited about painting! Even with the 5....no wait 6 blisters that I am sporting from the rollers. No pain no gain right?
I am so excited I decided to let Harrison help me paint. To be honest...I had a lot of hesitation. I mean seriously this paint is permanent and he likes to overuse paint in art projects so I had rejected his multiple "I want to help paint," requests when we painted the living room.
Today I had a change in thoughts and put myself in the shoes of a 5 year old. What is more awesome than helping do something? This age is full of learning, full of chances, full of exploration.... So I let my guard down and let him help me prime the dining room.
BEST DECISION.
This kid rocked at painting. He took his time, apologized when he took a little too much paint or dribbled a bit of it on the floor and what's even more awesome---he painted for 3 hours. He was so exited to have helped paint the ENTIRE room. And I lost track how many times he said, "See Mommy, I told you I could do a good job...Look how good I am doing." I don't know why I ever doubted him---he is just awesome.
Thanks buddy for being my painting partner and making the first day of 2015 an awesome one.
