Heeding advice from Amanda Nisbet
"I should add that...it's a mistake to let objects get too comfortable in their places. I'm constantly changing artworks and moving accessories around the house; putting things in different locations gives them new lives--you see them in a new way, and experience the space with a fresh perspective."
I'm loving this advice from Amanda Nisbet in this month's Lonny. I'm going through one of those periods of moving things about, testing and trying. My graphic embroidered throw (African, I think), migrated from the back of the living room loveseat to the foot of my bed a while back, where it is resting nicely. (You can see it in the gallery wall photos from last week--did you notice?)
We really can get stuck, you know. I'm guilty of it with certain things, scolding "that's not where it goes." angling it the way it is "supposed to be." It's easy to stop seeing the possibilities.
Two examples from the guest room. Can you spot the changes in this little vignette? (as if you're paying such close attention!)
There was a little wood chair in there that needed refinishing. The plan was to strip it and stain it the same color as the desk. But, of course, I'm lazy about that sort of thing. It took me 10 months (TEN!) to realize that this other small-scale Nakashima-like chair (found here) was already basically the same stain as the desk. The right scale and sculptural quality, a simple swap made me love this corner again, and freed up the other chair to be painted (so much easier than stain!) for my girlies' room.
And then there are the lamps. I've been threatening to recover those shades forever. (You want proof?). At the same time I have been trying to find a place for these vintage block-print octagonal shades I scored at an antiques mall back in February. I grabbed them for a project, but the background color was a little off. I'm clearly a genius, because it only took about 7 months for me to put that one together (and this one was literally two plus two!)
Tell me: do you find the "perfect" place and leave it be? Or are you more of a re-arranger? It's chronic around here, but I know many of you out there are worse!
P.S. If you follow me on facebook, you know one of my recent "tweaks" was painting the fireplace wall black. I promised to reveal it last week. Oops! Just one more little project in there before I can show you.