The Next Big Project

This is the knotty pine paneling that graces the walls of our second story bedroom suite. Until the decision was made to paint over it, it was impossible to choose new flooring. We decided to use an engineered wood flooring, but it was hard to conceive of a pretty oak against all this pine. I trekked around and looked at a million samples, but nothing looked right. Finally, when I mentioned the struggle to Mark, he said, "Well, why don't we just paint it?" Huh? Boys hate to paint real wood. I never imagined.
Here is why we NEED new flooring. The picture does not do justice to the disgusting that has become the light-colored carpet. Long ago, big buckles appeared in the carpet and it drove me crazy. Then came Ruby and she made very quick work of destroying it completely by peeing EVERYWHERE. I have shampooed this so many times... Finally, I made the unpopular-with-Mark decision to start demolition. (Watch for more pictures!) He hates the state of undone while a project is underway. To me, it looks like progress.
Here is the carrot that I am dangling in front of my own donkeyish nose on this one! It is barely enough to keep me going for all the work we're looking at, but it is something! Our duvet-cover is the green graphic print. Then, I saw this adorable embroidered pillow at IKEA. We have some red accent pieces (which is decorating-talk for "junk I've picked up along the way and painted") and I was hoping to keep them. For some reason, I never tire of the red.

That said, I am not about to paint the walls red. Mark said he trusted me to pick the paint.

Now, let me stop for a moment and say that this is the first time ever that he has articulated this sentiment. I grew up in a household where Mom made every decorating decision, so I thought that was the way life was. Not so. Mark typically likes to weigh in on this stuff. He has definite opinions and he cares. Wow. What a source of frustration for the "queen" of this castle. But he likes the funky living room paint job I came up with, so now he trusts me.

OK...back to the bedroom paint. I'm working with this yellow-green and want to keep some red and my mind keeps running to blue for the walls. Hmmmm. I got a quart of light, dusty, robin's egg blue to test out on the walls and have splotches covering three different areas in the room. I'm thinking I like it...and then an unexpected trip to IKEA brings me the gift of this Alvine pillow. It's got my colors! Yeah!

I think I'll go for it.