1/29/2009

Interiors

More than thirty years ago, I pasted this cheap and cheerful paper onto the walls of my laundry room.

I couldn't have known that 4,500 km away, someone thought it would be just perfect for the long wall in their living/dining room. After bitching about it for over 6 months, we finally rolled up our sleeves and did this:

And this:


After Mr. D*S washed and primed the wall I was truly on the hook, so I picked my colours and invited the family over to help with this:


That's my incredibly hard-working brother Bob, cheerfully finishing up that evening. Thanks also to Emil, my brother-in-law, who was volunteered for the job, and laboured like Hercules nevertheless.

How I obsessed over that colour. For months I sat in libraries scanning decorating books and mags for colour ideas, worried that I would pick something and hate it later. I wanted a calm room with light colours, but felt hamstrung by our humongous black couch. When I found Shadow Grey and Sweet Innocence by Benjamin Moore, I worried that it would be too dark. But as it turns out, it was an inspired choice: greys with just a touch of blue. The long wall is a little darker and the lighter wall colour ranges from violet to charcoal depending on the light and angle but it's hard to see in the photos.




It's just the beginning, of course. I'm just starting on freshening up the paint on the baseboards and we have plans for stripes on the end wall in the dining room. Then it's fabrics for drapes and pillows, moving up the piano, looking for art, a mirror, side tables and lamps, maybe a rug. I don't know how long it all will take, but it feels so good to finally start to make this house our own.

1/28/2009

1/23/2009

The Deeply Suburban Family Grows


If you've ever taken on the task of raising, housebreaking, training, cleaning up after, entertaining, worrying about and paying for, a new puppy, you'll know I'm a little pressed for time. And stressed out. Bijou's Moxie Crimefighter lies sleeping for the moment at my feet. But not for long.

Sure, she looks sweet. But what you don't see is those razor-sharp teeth that she obsessively tries to attached to anything that passes. Your ankles. Your couch. Your down-filled ski jacket. Your snow boots. Yes, even sprayed with "Bitter Yuck," those boots are irresistible.

Did I mention ankles? And fingers? And the soft, fleshy part behind-the-knees?