{living room + entry: color notes}

i was sketching the other day on an envelope and this is what resulted. sometimes answers can be found in the most random places. wait a moment and you'll see where i'm heading with this. after looking at it, instead of discarding my doodles as i often do, i photographed it and put it on flickr because i liked the pattern. the colors felt 'right' to me. this little doodle gave me the inspiration for a photograph I took a day later. this is a collection of pretty things picked from my backyard. then i sat down yesterday for a cup of tea and noticed the beautiful sunset. the soft glow filled and warmed the room. i quickly grabbed my camera and snapped a photo. again, notice the colors. see a pattern yet? then i started thinking about my new living room and bathroom, what colors i want to use, and so i started randomly pulling together images from my 'apt inspiration' folder on my desktop. as i dropped images onto a linen background i started laughing. out loud. at myself. the colors have been there all along. red-violet, yellow-green, blue-green... i don't think i can ignore this. :) a sign of sorts i believe. a path to follow.
(click image to enlarge)
as i look at my mood board i feel inspired but also a little frustrated. i mean hello holly. here i said i would do something different in my new space yet i'm using blues and yellows all over again just as in my current home. but i like blues and yellows. it's hard to break free from what one is naturally attracted to, but as i type this i think does one need to break free from what they love? it's not like eating donuts. using the same colors over and over again certainly won't damage me. i read so often in decorating magazines that it's vital to experiment with other colors, to jazz things up with the color-of-the-moment. i don't need to experiment if i'm happy with using colors that inspire and comfort me. when it comes to my own space i continue to realize how completely unnecessary it is to follow popular trends just because my profession insists that i stay on top of the latest. if i love blues and yellows, then good for me. if you use the colors you adore in your home, good for you too. good for us all. :) (image by holly becker for haus maus)

Comments

please sir said…
Good for you! I agree...go with what you love, not what other people say is the "in" thing. Because what you love is going to stick around longer than a passing trend. Great colors by the way!
SimplyGrove said…
I love this post! I always feel somewhat guilty for continually going back to black and whites with splashes of green and yellow but thanks to you I dont feel so bad anymore! I love your color choices!!
Anonymous said…
Holly, I have the same "problem" - the colors I gravitate towards are always the same, in my wardrobe, house, etc. I just picked out a color for my bedroom after spending many days thinking on it and narrowing down swatches. It turns out that when comparing swatch cards, the color I went with is soo similar to the nursery and a lighter shade of my living room. Oh well, at least we know what we like!
Juliette said…
oh i hear you! both my husband and I love blue and red - our whole house is various shades of blue and red. (except our spring green bedroom) Our clothes are all blue and red so often we find we look all matchy-match, and I'll usually make him go change, lol.

Do what you want! I'm going to live vicariously through your yellow kitchen b/c a green or yellow kitchen is my dream, but probably won't happen for a long time!
Dovely said…
This is my favorite combo too!! check out my living room: http://www.flickr.com/photos/megmcg/429541480/in/set-72157594537208023/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/megmcg/462445210/in/set-72157594537208023/

good luck!
Anonymous said…
There is nothing wrong with sticking with what you love! I have finally accepted this fact with my waredrobe. I keep trying to work in new colors...it just never feels right!
muralimanohar said…
Good to hear people who actually know anything about design do that, too....I continually, obtinately, gravitate towards greens and reds, and then feel like I am a total dud cause I have zero desire to change it up, lol.
samantha hahn said…
Wow Holly, those colors are gorgeous. I'm beyond flattered that my dancing girls print is part of your vision!!...oh and I have something to send you, can you email me where to send it. I have your states address but you are too international these days!!
Anonymous said…
Your doodle would make a totally cool area rug. That's the first thing I thought when I saw it!

Kim
Anonymous said…
Holly,

You are so darling; yes go with what you love; only mix it up if you feel you need to stretch for you own sake. I am stretching in my new design studio in the conference room, still twinging from the stretch, but hoping that it will come together once all is warmed with furnishings, artwork, textiles, etc; can you say melon. :) Love your board, and love paisley.

support to you on this journey, jana
I say "go with what you love"...it is your home after all....not anyone else's. I seem to repeat colors in my home too and they comfort me. You can't help but, be drawn to what you love. Go for it!
xo
Melissa
Anonymous said…
I'm in agreement, Holly -- surround yourself with the things that you love. These colors will even help you to make the transition into your new home easier since these shades are already comforting to you.

And they remind me of one of my favorite posts of yours on decor8 -- the store you featured earlier this year called Rice (I bookmarked it!). Although your palette is a tad softer, they seem to have a lot of blues, yellows, and purples that will be in your new space. Love your mood board.

Kylie
Anonymous said…
The color combination is beautiful! You should stick with it, why change something you like just to try something new.. These colors obviously make you feel good, which is very important.
Anonymous said…
I really enjoy aqua and turquoise with lemon yellow right now, too. And really, your version of "blue and yellow" is current and fresh. And I think adding spice (like changing a throw pillow) is one thing, but who really needs to completely mix it up? Don't the best designers really just become more of themselves?
Anonymous said…
It's funny because I recall a post of yours from a year ago on Decor8 - you did a "Color of the month" post on purple in which you said you didn't like purple very much and didn't own anything violet (I remember because I also don't like purple - whereas my roommate's room is ALL purple). Over the past year there has been a lot of purple hues featured in one way or another and I think it has been kind of "trendy". And here that lavender color looks very purplish to me! So maybe you are trying new things?
haus maus said…
Ashley -- You're right! And while I still do cringe at the sight of purple, red-violet or mid to pale violet has made its way into my color palette. I think it has to do with all the nature photography I've been doing lately. We have loads of lilacs here and the more I photograph them I'm starting to become very fond of this color. It's interesting to realize suddenly how nature photography is inspiring all of this.
Anonymous said…
I can attest to the stick with what you love! I've always had very colorful "character" homes and recently moved to the southwest. I was excited to have this new decorating adventure in the local palette of reds & browns. (Homes here have loads of gigantic windows with gorgeous red rock vistas beyond, so most interiors are designed to blend seamlessly with the outdoors.) Anyway, I am SO OVER these taupe walls! :-) I'm testing one room with a paler version of your aqua right now!
beauty comma said…
Hello Holly, welcome to Europe!

I just discovered a collage of Etsy stuff on Flickr - lots of blue/yellow/green that you might like! The username of the guy who made it is Brazan Design; link to the collage is

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25128631@N03/2533363944/

Like everybody else who've commented says: of course one should stick to what feels right! The basic colours in my apartment are always the same, but the opportunity to play with other colours is still available through accessories.

I'm looking forward to following your new house project!

Best wishes,
T
beth said…
Back to Ashley- I just read a book about color (when color sings by gretchen schauffler) and it made so much sense after I read it, but color is not an island it is a relationship. So, while you don't like purple in a traditional sense, when you pair it with certain colors it can be really beautiful. You can also find this in nature all the time. I am not a purple lover either, but I do like it in the pictures you took!
Unknown said…
I love this post as much as I hate following trends just to be on top!
besides i love to see your inspiration board!
Anonymous said…
I just sent you an email about discovery journals and then i read your post on here about how you'd been following the signs and collecting images too!thats what i meant about your inner self speaking to you through what catches your attention and lifts your heart. with color it can be what you need to feel good, so why change it, if you love them thats all that counts isnt it.
and the mood board and flowers in those colors are certainly guiding you to that,they are gorgeous shades together.
it was beautiful reading on flickr about your german connection, thankyou for sharing it. i don't have many ways to meet guys yet so your story of how love found you, really helped me keep believing that time will come for me,the internet is a wonderful connector of like minded/hearted souls isnt it
Kathryn xox
Anonymous said…
I really like that combination of colors in your design and flowers. I often get color-inspiration from fresh flowers. Combining flowers in different color tones is a really good way of trying how different colors work together on a small scale.
And I think we all have certain preferences in colors that keep coming back...
Anonymous said…
Good Job! :)
Coco said…
wow these pictures are beautiful!! I'm totally amazed, these are the exact colors I want for my living room only with more pink (my boyfriend thinks turquoise is too cold so he (we) satisfied with pink).

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