Tip of the Week: Make Bold Choices
Monday, March 5, 2012 at 11:35 PM 
This morning I woke up, and in that state of sleepiness that came before I opened my eyes, I actually thought (for some strange reason) that today was Thursday. I smiled and told myself, "two more days," meaning two more days until the weekend.
It didn't take long until I realized my weekend dreams would have to wait just a bit longer. I was crushed when I ultimately remembered that today is Tuesday...and I still have an entire work-week to go before I can dive into my next project.
Can anyone else relate?
I usually don't have too big of a problem getting through the work-week...but when I have an idea for a project in mind it's like I'm a kid waiting for Christmas! Oh, the excitement!
Well, if anyone else has a case of the "thought-it-was-Thursday-but-found-out-it's-Tuesday's," hopefully this tip of the week will put some bounce in your step. This tip of the week was actually inspired by the project I will hopefully be starting this weekend. I'll give you a clue...it involves "grellow." Bright, beautiful, grellow!
...And so, I'm inspired to recommend that you make bold choices when it comes to your home's decor. My husband sometimes gives me a hard time for the choices I make in colors, accessories, etc. He calls the color of our master bedroom, "army green," and smirks when I bring home quirky items from Craigslist. In fact, the other day when I brought home my two nightstands, I also brought home an antique wall-mount ironing board (maybe you'll see it pop up in a project someday...can't decide if I'm keeping it yet). I thought it was great...but Mark felt differently. He said, "Kelli, for every $25.00 pair of night-stands you bring home, you bring an equal amount of ironing boards home."
I thought it was funny, and true...but I'd rather bring home a whacky ironing board and have something unique in my home, than go for the same ol' boring stuff you see time-and-time-again. I'd rather pick a paint color that I enjoy than worry about if it's too dark, too, bright, or too "me" to deal with. I think home decor should always be this way!
You shouldn't be afraid to make bold choices in your home. In fact, if you're creative, chances are you'll be the next trend-setter. Here are some of my favorite bold designs from my Inspirational Spaces board on Pinterest. Each of these designs feature bright colors, bold artwork, or other unexpected elements that make them unique.
I love the bold use of color in this space. The orange bench draws in your attention right away, and the striped floor features complimentary blues and yellows, which turns the entire space into a playful place to greet guests!
Of course I'm in love with the yellow accents in this room! How could I not be? I think this is a great example of how easy it is to design with bright color, even if you also want your space to be somewhat neutral. Just look at how the bold yellow stands out against the natural wood tones and the creamy counters/floors. So simple, yet such a powerful combination!
Art is a great way to introduce a bit of bold attitude into a space. Check out the bold prints in this space! First, red and green are complimentary colors, which means they pair well together automatically. Second, even though the artwork doesn't match it goes well together because the images relate to one another. I'm seriously thinking of making my own rendition of this artwork because I love it's simplicity, and bold impact.
Who doesn't love this color combination, orange and aqua?? It pairs well together (because blue and orange are also complimentary colors), and the white accents hold everything together. I think it goes to show that you can make really bold choices in your home, without letting things become overwhelming. It's all in how you combine your choices, and how you balance them with the neutral elements in the space.
So, what's the boldest thing you've done in your home design/decor so far? So far, my selections have been pretty mellow, but I have big plans to use bright colors in the studio...and I'm even toying with the idea of using yellow (or grellow) to accent in my family room.
On a side note...I've decided not to host link parties with each of my scheduled posts afterall. Why, you might ask? Well, I actually had a much better idea (at least I think it's better)! The one thing I've always hated about link parties is the fact that they shut down...which means, week-after-week all of these wonderful projects are added, but there's no real way to keep track of this wealth of creativity. So I had the idea that maybe there should be a link party that never goes anywhere. Somewhere that could serve as a resource for anyone looking for a vast database filled with project ideas, tutorials, and inspiration. Then I thought, why couldn't that somewhere be right here?? Of course it could be!
And so, the Never-Ending Link Party was born! I spent some time this past weekend getting everything set up, and it's ready to be put to work showing off your projects...I just need help spreading the word. If you have any projects you'd like to share, please add them to the link party. I am hoping it can eventually become another library filled with inspiration from each of you!
Thanks for dropping by!
Reader Comments (4)
Came upon your site. Tried to look at some of your features ... but they all say restricted. What's that about?
Hey Becky,
The only features that should be restricted are the Best of Blogland galleries. This is content reserved for registered members, and is accessible if you register with my site. There is no cost, but I actually might be removing that content in the near future since I've introduced the Never-Ending Link Party. (It seems like too similar of content to have both.)
Was that the content you were referring to? If not I may have overlooked a setting somewhere. Let me know if it was somewhere else, other than the BoB. Thanks for letting me know!
Xo, Kel
You have a great site and I think your never ending link party is such a fun idea! Looking forward to seeing your weekend project.
Thanks Danielle!
I appreciate it! I think my weekend project may have just changed. It looks like Young House Love & Bower Power are doing the Pinterest Challenge again. Now I'm wracking up ideas! Ha!
Thanks for stopping by!
xo, Kel