Can't say as I have anything colorful in my home to show you but when I find that I need to fantasize about having great color I sit and look at the Annie Selke web site. Luscious!

Just saw this link yesterday

There is also a cottage decor page on the gallery side of things:)

Here is a link that might be useful: colorful pics at the bottom

Thanks for the links! The craving for color was like an itch I couldn't quite scratch. The links gave me something new to look at, which helps.

The cottage decor page on the gallery side is so large it crashes my computer. Maybe when I get my new hard drive....

I share your feelings! After decades of barracks beige and military housing white; I know just what you mean by "confetti factory explosion" happiness. I'm going for the "Walt Disney drops acid" look myself.

None of my rooms are "finished," but I have a "Lilac Vapor" sewing room; a "Picnic T@ble" red office; a yellow main hall, a "Safari" sage green bedroom; a "Sunny Day" yellow laundry/mud/side entry room, and will have either a sage of plum colored living room.

The bathroom is black and white, all stark, and hopefully the k1tchen will be screaming yellow!

(They typos were on purpose to hopefully get rid of the hyper-links!)

Okay, Caroline, pictures please. GRIN We must be long lost sisters...

I have quite a few yellow (my favorite) and green rooms. Just the other day, I was pondering how to work a deep, smoky plum color into the living room. I just wish I could bring more color into my furniture.

Maybe I need a new box of crayons to play with.

"Walt Disney drops acid"

lol! :D

happyintexas-

Check out Susan Sargent's website, it's more like Jackie O on acid than Uncle Walt on same (more sophisticated than Disneyesque), but her products and rooms are vibrant, colorful and so much fun.

sandyponder

Here is a link that might be useful: Susan Sargent Website

Happy In Texas...Hello Sister!!!

I'm thinking "green and purple" in the living room, meaning a sage and a dusky plum combo...with brighter accents.

DH isn't feeling it, but he will, sooner or later. I'm hoping for sage walls and plum furniture. However, if he insists on dull, neutral, green furniture, then I guess the walls will have to be purple/plum.

On our last base my living room walls were painted "Key Lime Pie;" it's less blue and more greyed than it appears in these two photos. I was allowed to paint because the house was scheduled to be torn down.

The sage paint was beautiful with the wild lilacs.

The base kitchen was painted "Lemon Curd," and matches my Kitchen Aid "Meyer Lemon" mixer. I'm hoping I can work the same color into our soon-to-be remodeled kitchen. The pothos vines are real, the true color is the brighter yellow near the stove.

The new/old house mudroom, in remodeling progress, is painted "Sawdust," which is as yellow as "Lemon Curd," but not as crazy bright.

Mudroom still in progress, and we asked the plummer to re-arrange the faucets and sprayer so the sprayer is now on the right. Geesh.

New/Old house bedroom, in progress, is painted "Safari." Another greyed sage, but in the north-facing room has too much of a yellow undertone. I prefer the "Key Lime Pie" and may repaint.

"Lilac Vapor" Sewing room and DH installing the closet shelves.

And a touch of red. Red is a neutral, isn't it? LOL

You can see DH's Lee Teeter print moved from the base dining room to the new/old house office.

Caroline, what brand of paint is the Key Lime Pie??

The "Key Lime Pie" is so much prettier than it shows in my pics. It truly is a greyed sage. No blue undertones at all.

It's a Dutch Boy paint. I used the old formula, DC186, with an "eggshell" finish in their Dimensions line. Two coats of paint was beautiful, but being the OCD person I am, I used three. I get obsessive with painting. I wash and prime everything, and tape off ceilings and floors and spend far more time "preparing" than actually "painting."

Their new chips show "Key Lime Pie" as DC429. It seems to be half-a-hair lighter, maybe, but just as beautiful. Depending on our new furniture, I'm using it in this new/old living room too.

Some of my friends scoffed at the less expensive Dutch Boy paint, but I love it. It goes on beautifully; and washes like a dream. I have two, huge, rambunctious, playful hunting dogs that live in the house. I wipe up their nose and paw prints, toy marks, and bumps and scuffs with a wet rag and the paint is still beautiful.

The "Lilac Vapor" (eggshell) is also a Dutch Boy paint, DC024. Lemon Curd is DC006; I used a semi-gloss in the base kitchen.

The "Sawdust" (eggshell) laundry room is a Pittsburgh paint, Morning Light Collection, 16A-3. The bedroom's "Safari" is also a Pittsburgh color but I can't find the chip. It has a noticeable yellow undertone.

The "Picnic T@ble" red, MS003, and "Spool," beige, MS093, are both old Martha Stewart formulas in Valspar paint. If I have a choice between Valspar and Dutch Boy, or Dutch Boy and Benjamin Moore, Dutch Boy Dimensions wins every time. I didn't like anything about the Valspar paint except for the colors. Next time I'll mix them in the DB Dimensions base.

You are tired of brown and I just had my dining room painted brown and it's making me happy. :)
{{!gwi}}

Thanks for all the links and the photos, fellow decorators. I woke up slightly more sane this morning. (My family may disagree, but...) A wandering window shopping trip is on my schedule for either this afternoon or tomorrow. Perhaps I'll find a visual treat to cure my color craving.

Caroline, it's clear we are long lost sisters. I could happily move right into your colorful rooms. Thanks for sharing. And because you sound like a military family--thanks for serving. I think the families at home serve as well as the soldiers on the line. You are appreciated.

Sundownr, what a lovely rich dining room. I can see why it is making you happy. It's such a pulled together look. I think that may part of my problem...my rooms need some major pulling together. That's one of my failings--follow through with the details.

Again, thanks for the links and photos and comments.

Thanks for the info Caroline!!

Here's the short term fix...I hit a girlie store this morning and found a sage green hat. Perfect for summer. Ran by the stained glass shop to pick up some lush, rich glass for a project. Since I was near the quilt shop, I ran in and found a couple of fabic pieces to make throw pillows for the boring brown couches. Gorgeous colors. I grabbed a sandwich and went to the local botanic gardens to enjoy the breathtaking spring bloom. Redbuds, cherries, daffodils, and early iris were all blooming. That's some serious color.

Lastly, I ran by a garden center. Just seeing all those colors did a happy dance in my heart. I told my dear husband that we saved an incredible amount of money this week because I only went to those shops instead of redecorating the entire house. I hope he remembers how much I saved when I finally do decided to spend.

Hi happyintexas,
It sounds like you have found your solutions, but I can't help to share a color, you mentioned a deep smoky purple.
Tell me what you think of BM Kasbah. I love this color and want someone to use it to see it!!

Color is living..

je

Here is a link that might be useful: haute home