My love of black continues.� Funny, because for years I hated black.� I didn’t own a scrap of black in closet or home.� Now I credit my new love of black to my friend, Nicole, of Pink Loves Brown and Making it Lovely.� I had been on the hunt for curtains for some time (nothing expensive, since we’ve only been here 3 years and my style for this house is still in a state of flux) and it was Nicole who recommended to me the IKEA curtains I bought last year.� When I first saw them in the store, I thought the were awful with that busy, black pattern.� In fact, I walked by them countless times without looking at them twice until Nicole convinced me to put them up.
She was right.� Once I put them up, the black helped so much in balancing the room against all the brown I have everywhere.� Since then, I’ve been adding black where I can on a conservative budget, which brings me to my indecisive moment of the day.� Should I dye these ottoman covers black or just make new ones?� (Ignore the terrible picture, please!� Consider it for survey purposes only.)
I think they will dye easily enough. I hope the stripes will take the dye differently, resulting in a tonal look. Maybe charcoal, black, and gray?
Oh, and that’s a rubber carrot on the rug.� Obviously, I didn’t notice I had a rubber carrot on the rug or I would have removed said rubber carrot.� The eyes of a mother turn blind to plastic toys.� Blind, I tell you!
Also, I am very tempted to paint my front door black or, if not black, the color I painted my back splash last week (pictures coming!), which is a green so dark it occasionally looks black.
Paint the door black you will not regret it.
MaryBeth–I am really thinking the same thing.
I love black! I’ve painted many pieces of junky furniture black and they have become my favorites. So much more sophisticated than shabby chic white. And all of my picture frames are black (w/ white matting). It makes the home very cohesive.
my vote (me, who lives in an ikea infested closet in brooklyn) is to dye them. the clean black lines would offset the photo ledge so nicely.
OMG I am such an idiot!
Okay, you all don’t know this, but this entire week the posts were written ahead of time. I had this weird burst of energy on Saturday, and wrote 4-5 posts for no reason. Then, on Sunday I got a MAN COLD and have been incapacitated every since. I just put up all the posts I wrote on Saturday and moaned into a tissue.
All this to say that in THIS post, the first post I have written all week, I forgot to mention that I will either dye the covers black or make new ones. Err, convince a friend who can sew to make new ones for me.
Anyway. That is the question: dye them black or make new ones?
I LOVE the idea of painting your door black! That would make that door look sooooo great!
I say paint the door black, or alternatively red if you think it would match the decor. And I’d say try to dye the ottomans, and if that doesn’t work, convince a friend to make covers for you.
PS: I think I caught the SAME MAN COLD this week. Was yours intensely awful but short as well?
Nina–NO. My man cold is still on going! I am MISERABLE. I just started antibiotics yesterday…I guess it is a sinus infection. UGH!!
I would have to agree with Nina, go ahead and dye them first and live with them for awhile and if it doesn’t work out to your liking make slipcovers!
Are those the ottomans you were talking about?! I could definitely show you how to make covers for those! OOOooo, and we could take a trip down to LA to find some amazing fabric. . . just sayin’. . . ;)
Oh, Larissa! That would be awesome! I would love to get fabric for pillows and curtains, too. Let me know when you are ready to start teaching classes. You know I will be there!
I say def. paint the door…..would look great! As for the ottomans I would dye first and if you hate it then make covers. Can’t wait to see the after pictures….feel better!!
most definite paint the door black, love this idea. And recover the ottoman, it would be a piece of cake to recover. I wished I had it in me to add black to my Tommy Bahama house, not sure how this would go??? Have fun Jules !!!
dye the ottoman covers! dying things is fun! and then larissa can help you make new ones, too. no reason you can’t do both.
Dye ’em! And paint the door too! Fun! Let’s do my house next. ;)
I’ve always considered black to be somewhat of a character actor. It’s willing to let other colors hog the lime light. Actually, that’s what it does best – gives color a chance to shine. That said, I’d give the dye a try. However, if it’s too dark, I’d probably add colorful pillows, or throw in a bit of color with the pics. Maybe I’d even go wild and crazy and paint whimsical flowers on the wall behind the ottoman … with long lime stems and bright petals! GASP!!! What? I’m getting out of control? Right-o. So. Dye them; if you don’t like them, make something new!
And I’m feeling some love for the idea of a black door.
Other than that – wretched sinuses! Do feel better soon!
Totally for painting the door, I love that! And I like the carrot it has a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’
Dye them black!! Then show us what they look like. :-) And, yes, I’d paint the front door black too. (my hubby would kill me if I did that, but yours appears to be much more accomodating). Remember the itchy pillow covers I told you about? I had an epiphany while I was dying (ok, resting) on the couch with my own man cold: I have quite a few yards of very smooth black fleece and I think I might make my own pillow covers out of fleece. Now those would be comfy wouldn’t they?
I think if you were to put a colour punch anywhere in that room it should be an old fashioned wagon RED on the door. I am a huge fan of Black it’s pretty much all I wear because then I am always matching and apprppiately dressed for almost any occaission – although yesterday, I did find baby slobber/snot on my shoulder -which did not look good with black – maybe I should rethink the black shirt thing…anyhoo I digress. I LOVE Ikea curtains always fun and affrdable – I’ve found some steals on window wear in the As-Is too!