It Was Time

Today my white rain lily has every stage of bloom.  One bloom is completely shriveled and spent and another is on it's way out. One more opened yesterday and is just perfect today and yet another one just started to open today.  

One bud will open tomorrow or Friday...and there are at least 3 other little tiny buds coming in the center. Patty stopped by and indulged me while I celebrated it with her....we decided it's a full circle of life moment.  

Paul has been in the mountains of Colorado with his seminary buddies for the past week....so I've been on my own.  He and I do really well together....but I do like having the house to myself once in a while. I had a long list....but the week just flew by. He gets in late tonight. I've missed him....so it will be good to have him home.

The rest of this post is about decorating....so if that's not your cup of tea....just move on with your day.  I know I tend to go on and on.

We've owned our condo for 4 years...and have lived here full time for almost 7 months and I've had almost nothing hanging in the long narrow hallways.  It was time.  Most of the week Paul was away I had photos laying on the floor as I auditioned placement.  I didn't mind stepping over them....but it would have driven him crazy. 

I've been a little baffled with the narrow entry wall.  I've thought about shelving...hooks....something to break it up and give it some interest. I'd love something architectural like wainscotting....but we're being frugal with our money.....maybe on down the road. I didn't think I wanted to be greeted by coats....so hooks were out.

I still had a lot of art pieces I loved looking for homes....so I decided to make use of what I already had and got started. 

Do you see the yellow blurry object in the lower right corner of the photo?  It's the pencil in my ear....I thought it was funny it made the photo. 

At one end I mixed a collection of Jo Diggs fabric landscapes and some tiles I had used in the kitchen in Lexington.  The blue and green color palette is soothing and plays nicely with the brightly colored rug.  At this point I was thinking about adding three little plates....so auditioned with paper versions. At the other end I hung two prints from a local Maine artist. I have some ideas for the transition between the two....but that will evolve.  It needs to be something totally different.

I think the sun tile in the top right is going to go.....thankfully it's just up with a command strip.

It makes such a difference to have something on the walls as you walk in.....it's not a hollow cave anymore....it feels more warm and homey.  And I'm not done yet.

I hung this shelf this evening.....and I'll fiddle with it tomorrow.  It's companion is a little further down the hall opposite the dining room....creating a nice flow. (you can see it in the above photos)  Or at least that's the plan....and it sounds like "decorator language."

I used the same strategy for the long hallway going to the master bedroom....the photos sat on the floor for a nearly a week. It's a variety of old family photos, an art piece from Angie....and a special poem written by a friend for our wedding.

The only new addition is the silhouette of Paul we got from Paul's mom and it became the focal point. I may tweak some of the photos that are in the frames...it's a work in progress.  It was time to just get started!