Monday, March 05, 2007
Catching Your Eye ~ Part 1
Room A
Room B
I cannot remember a time when I did not love to tour homes and see how people decorate. I still get excited as dusk comes, and people have their window treatments open. It gives me a chance to see (snoop? :-) at what is on their walls, tables, etc. What a thrill to grasp a person's "taste" in decor! After years of housecleaning, the dust is not what I notice first; it is the decor.
It is also fascinating to learn what catches your eye. What is it with you - pictures, candles, lighting fixtures, furniture, rugs, flowers, dust. . .? While chatting with a friend, we began discussing a table setting we had seen, and Janelle was gasping a the beauty of the silverware. Silverware?! Oh, yes, they do have those on tables! I hadn't thought to look there! I never would have noticed the silverware. My eyes were glued to the floral masterpiece standing in the middle of the table! My opinion of the silverware? It was. . .ummm. . .silverware! Oddly, thanks to Janelle, I now look at silverware. Sometimes. If I remember. If there isn't a floral masterpiece to which I am glued! :-)
In the next days/weeks, I will be posting several pictures of different rooms. Please comment and let me know the main two or three things that "catch your eye" in each room. This is part of a decorating challenge, so I am anxious to see your comments. I will also be adding my thoughts in the comment section. I want you to view the pictures before you see any opinions! :-) Thanks for your help!
Name:
24 Comments:
ROOM A - 1. The urn with purple & white floral stems.
2. No window treatments - I love the simplicity of it!
3. The white freshness and calm feeling of the entire room.
ROOM B - 1. The bench! Oh, how I love that bench and the door!!!
2. The vibrant color mixture.
3. I really like the chasm of difference with a fluffy chair close to a plain wooden chair/desk. The variety makes them noticed.
4. Candles on one side of the mantel. (I am not the biggest fan of symmetry.)
Guess I will stop. . .I could type many things about rooms! :-)
All right--Room #1 hits me as being a seaside cottage. As fresh and clean as it looks, it's a little too bland for my taste. My observations:
1. Of course, the floral arrangement smack dab in the middle of the room.
2.The painted paneling and ceiling beams.
3. The yellow kitchen!
Room #2--I loved this room. Very homey and cozy. First observations:
1. The frog pillow on the chair. I want one!
2. The mosaic tile (or whatever it was) around the fireplace.
3. The bench--I loved the bench!
4. The idea that the decorator didn't have to go out and buy anything special to make this room look great!
This is fun, Martha! You need to do a couple more!
Very neat idea!!
Room 1- very clean and fresh looking, I like the painted walls and ceiling. Not enough color for me.
Room 2- I love the bench and the quilt. They definitely could walk hand in hand. I love "country and comfy".
*I'm so with you on looking in homes of those who leave their windows open after dark,--especially in our little town where you know just about everyone. VERY INTERESTING!!!:-)
Room A: I notice the only color in the room--the flower arrangements. Much too white and bland for me.
Room B: The warm cozy feeling and mixture of colors, the quilt and the ugly bench that needs some painting.
OOO,OOO I love doing this! Okay, Room #1 - I instantly loved the huge window and the exposed beams on the ceiling. Next I noticed that the couch and chair seemed very inviting, tho I don't care for the gathered fabric at the bottom of them. Room #2 Love the rug, bench and door. I also like the bold colors and the wing-backed chair.
I love the first room because of it seems to have alot of natural light. I love rooms that feel open and airy!!! but I think that I would have to put in a little more color if I lived there:-)
The second room the things I noticed first were the quilt (very comfy) the bench(ummm...not sure about that-a little too rustic for me)
I would love to look closer to the tiles around the fireplace!!!
Room #1 - needs more color to warm it up a bit more. Also, while I don't like all the floral stuff on the couch and chairs, it does look inviting and comfy. The room looks cozy.
Room #2 - this room to me looks stiff. The straight back chairs would not be comfy, I don't think. And I think of mucho, mucho splinters when I look at the bench. Oh, and I don't care for the carpet -- too much going on with it.
I like Room A the best. It is simple and gives an open, fresh feeling. I love all the light. It did have a little to much on the end stand and a few to many pillows for my taste but overall I liked it. Room B was okay. I wouldn't want it for myself. It gives me the impression of clutter. Too much stuff!
I love the clean and airy feel of Room A. I noticed the coordinating rose pillows at first glance. I would prefer a light valance and take away some of the "extra" stuff they have sitting around. The less stuff, the better I can relax. :)
Room B: The patchwork patterns are busy and the whole room feels overwhelming to me. The center bench is interesting and if J. Manley had it in her house, I would think it was cute.
Janice
Room 1....too blah and too white to focus on any one thing I like. Although, the white walls are clean and appealing, I just would've put color in the furniture.
Room 2...too country and disjointed to focus on any one thing. It's too cluttered.
Sorry to be so negative...:) but hey, I did like the white painted walls! lol!
Room A- Too white, in desperate need of color anywhere. I also noticed the flower pot sitting in a basket on the table. The pot would be fine without the basket, or the basket without the pot.
Room B- A little overwhelming with the carpet, and that bench needed to go. Doesn't surprise me that you loved it and I didn't. You could probably do more with that bench than that photo did.
Room A - Exposed beams are nice; yucky ruffles; room might be okay as a game room in an all-ladies nursing home.
Room B - way too cluttered; too much dissonance; very ugly carpet
I'm sorry ladies, but you could only sip tea in Room #1. Room #2 is the kind of room for coffee or hot chocolate! :D
Oh yes, and the splintery bench would be the "naughty seat"!
All of you gals are great! I have enjoyed the feedback. I really like the "naughty seat." That's funny, Carrie! :-)
Anon 2, I see you are back. . .How about being brave enough to email your true identity.
Now, if "Martha Stewart" would give an opinion on the rooms. . .
Oops. Forgot to ask Carrie a question. . . What happens when a body does not care for tea or coffee? Am I banned from both rooms, or am I allowed to tag along with my water or milk? :-)
This was fun! I love to see what other people like and don't like. Some have mentioned things I didn't even notice -- like the frog pillow (Carrie). I will say that I am also guilty of looking in people's houses when their windows are open and lights are on. PLUS I am guilty of watching the real estate channel just to see people's decor! *blushing*
Did all of you know that you could be arrested for being "peeping tom's"? I must keep my blinds closed from now on so know one sees my horrible decorating (or lack there of) abilities!!!
Ha! You're funny, Les. We didn't say we were standing on someone's front lawn and looking in the windows. All we're doing is gazing as we drive down the road, and we are not using binoculars! :-)
I also know that you are only looking at the decor!
Okay, room #1... all the white would stress me out, mainly because I can't imagine trying to keep it clean with three kids! Although I love the airy look, and the purple flower arrangement. i also like the coffee table. although the furniture seemed a little crowded.
room #2... way too much going on in that room for me. i liked the bench, but it needs to be used in some other fasion, the fireplace, however, was very inviting and cozy.
Ok OK. I'll indulge you just this once. I don't like the rooms because there clearly is a huge lack of lace doilies. Lace doilies make any room feel "homey". Another serious lack is veneer (i.e.Sauder)furniture. I just can't imagine why they didn't shop at Walmart for a coffee table instead of having that solid wood bench. The bench would probably look ok with a plastic canvas tissue box on it. I mean, what are you to do if you have to blow your nose? Also, I can just see a Home Int. picture on the one white wall, complete with brass sconces and a brass shelf beneath. Yeah..these two rooms SURE need some work. But it's nothing an orange and brown afghan can't fix.
Both rooms make good use of light, whether it's windows, lamps or the fireplace. I'm big on light. Neither room is my absolute favorite, but I'd lean more toward Room A because it's more airy (but too white) and because the other one is country enough to scare me! I love the quirky accents in both, though.
Martha, as long as you'll let me bring my Mountain Dew, since I like neither tea, nor coffee, you can bring your milk and water! :)
Ok, for all you peeping Toms. A legal, non-invasive way of doing this is to go to realtor.com and take all the virtual home tours you can! :)
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