WHAT IS THE POINT OF USING MOLDINGS IN A ROOM???

I love the architecture and interest that moldings can bring to a room
I have been noticing a trend in moldings lately. Have you all noticed that there are some that are painting the walls and the molding the same color?  Sometimes they are even done in the same finish!

I recently went to a Restoration Hardware store and they are completely re-vamping their look and their store. I could do a whole post on just their look, but today I want to talk about their walls and their moldings.

We all know that gray is the new “IT” color and I guess they thought so too.  All the walls and the moldings are painted in a medium value gray and dimly lit by halogen lighting.

I have to say it was depressing. There was no life, no color. The variations in the rooms came in the form of textural differences, but the colors lacked luster at best. I know that this is a particular style trend, but I for one am not impressed with a whole room or house done in this look. The word that comes to mind is “Boring!” IMHO.

I digress, back to moldings and walls painted the same color.  Here are a few examples where the walls and the moldings are painted in the same color.

Next I am going to show you some rooms with a subtle contrast in the colors used for the walls and the moldings.

Now let’s look at high contrast between the colors used on the walls and molding.

What would this room look like with the moldings painted the same color and finish as the walls?

This is what I have concluded from thinking about this new trend. I personally do not like the moldings and the walls painted in the same color and finish. I prefer contrast, whether it is subtle or a high contrast.

I think when the walls and the moldings are painted the same it makes the room look dull and as if it was a spray and go paint job. I know we have all seen those before. I actually saw a job where the painter sprayed all the walls in a home and when it came to the kitchen he sprayed down a wooden spoon in the kitchen drawer. Unbelievable!!

I am a detail girl and I love nothing better than a beautiful simple molding treatment that stands out subtly or in a high contrast way. I for one hope this new trend does not stick around  too long.

So after seeing all the above images, have you noticed the rooms that are being featured with no contrast in the moldings? How do you feel about this look????

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Studying the new trends and deciding if you would like them in your home.

Kathysue

Mind Your “P’s” and “Q’s”

We have all heard the saying mind your P’s and Q’s! Well, I like minding my P’s.

This past weekend my granddaughter decided to make a chart listing all of the letter P’s in my home. I thought it would be fun to show you all the P’s we discovered.

This is in our guest room. The walls are a soft French vanilla, bedding all white with soft blue sheets, moldings are all white with a very, very soft blue ceiling. I liked the way this almost took on a shell effect.

Master bath vanity with glass vessel sink and iridescent tile back splash.

Guest bathroom towels done with black and white checked floors and white woodwork and toile wallpaper. All my towels are monogrammed but we did not count all the towels, way too many.

Letter P on family room wall. It is from Ballard and it was gold so I brushed it with black paint.

A tiny distressed framed P that is on the letter holder that is on my childhood desk.

Paper weight on my desk.

John Derian cream tray that is in my kitchen.

Pottery Barn chalk board pitcher in the corner of my kitchen.

Small cheese knife in my spooner.

Cutting board to go with small cheese knife.

Framed P that I made and put in a black frame that is part of a grouping of my grandchildren’s pictures in varying size of the same black frame. I am not one that can have unorganized things on the front of my fridge. I love looking at my grand kids at different ages, they are my JOY!!!

Ceramic P plaque inside kitchen dish cupboard with a mirrored back.

So there you have all the letter P’s in my home. If you would like to see my Kitchen go here. Master bathroom here. Guest bathroom here!!

This was fun for me, I did not realize I had so many. Funny how you start a collection because you love something and before you know it , it is a full blown collection.

Do you have letters in your home? What do you have in your home that has become a collection before you realized it?

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Discovering that you have a collection of something that you love!!

Kathysue

Playing Dress-Ups!!

As we become older I think we sometimes forget to play. Play can come in all different forms to different people. I love being a girl, so playing for me usually will involve something to do with fashion, make-up, hair or, what I like to call, “Playing House.”  I wrote about in my other post.

I am very fortunate to have wonderful friends around me that I can play with. The other day a very close friend of mine and I did a day that I liked to call playing dress-up.

We went to a store called Ulta. It is a make-up and hair care product store. We went up and down the aisle trying different colors of make-up and finger nail polish. What we were really looking for was some hair care products.
 Both of us are going to be taking a little trip to where we will be in the sun and we like to protect our hair.

I volunteered to go on-line and investigate some products. We opened several bottles to smell the fragrance of each and there was one that stood out more than the others!!

Oscar Blandi Sun Shield. The fragrance in this product reminds you of being in Hawaii. It reminded me of the Plumeria flower. We are both going back to get this on a special sale event!!

The other product that we fell in love with the feel and the fragrance that it left on our hair was Alterna’s anti-aging hair spray. It is a bit of a luxury as far as hair spray goes but Oh my!!! does is smell amazing. I am waiting until it is on a special to make a purchase. Alterna products are what Jennifer Anniston uses on her hair. I figure if it is good enough for Jen it is good enough for Kathysue.

I was surprised after a day in a make-up store that I did not buy a new lipstick or lip-gloss. I actually think this is a first!

I love being a girl and playing dress-up with my friends!!

What do you do when you play dress-up?!

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Being a grown-up girl and still playing dress-up with your friends!

Kathysue