The Great Neutralization
I really didn’t care what we scanned. As Rick and I chose the items that would fill our first home, I was too excited about getting married to care about any of the stuff we would get. Towels, sheets, dishes … all of that seemed rather insignificant. I just nodded my head and went along with a ginormous smile across my face.
Months later, after the wedding, the honeymoon and a few weeks back at school, I looked around our little apartment and realized it didn’t reflect me. In my giddy love-struck state, I let him choose everything. Not that I didn’t like it! We had nice stuff, but everything was either blue or beige. While I still agreed that it was all rather insignificant, I decided that I wanted more of me in the home made of us.
Blue and beige are not me.
Two states, ten years and three homes later, I felt our house was perfect. Well, maybe not perfect, but I loved it. It was finally me! A red kitchen, a green living room, bright blue for Zach’s room and bold black furniture in our bedroom. I was convinced anyone who visited us would envy our cozy cape and all the lively decor.
Rick, however, felt we lived in a clown house. (His words, not mine.)
Bright colors are not him.
His confession was the catalyst for finding center. We started out all him, then ricocheted to all me. We needed to find middle ground. And he had a good point: when and if we decide to move, we’d have to repaint everything while stressing over packed boxes, changing schools and whatever else would come with that decision. Better to neutralize now and be ready. Just in case.
Yesterday I began The Great Neutralization.
In the morning, our living room looked like this:
If you visited in the afternoon, you would have seen this:
By the time Rick arrived home last night, it looked like this:
One wall down, several more to go. And don’t worry — I’ll get my color in there eventually; it just won’t be on the walls. I’m actually pretty excited about the new room, but for the moment I mourn the cloaking of my lovely green. It didn’t help that Zach and Ellie kept singing the Imagination Movers’ color song:
“Brown and white make beige.
Boring, boring, boring, boring beige!”
Any Imagination Movers fans out there? The kids constantly tease Rick about being too much like Uncle Knit Knots. He’s the one on the far left. (Uncle Knit Knots, that is, not Rick.)
It is Tuesday.
Mama Loves color. But I love my husband more!
Posted on September 29, 2009, in home, Mama Loves. Bookmark the permalink. 7 Comments.
Sounds like us! I love bright colors (and I love the green you have on your walls), but Chris is more of a neutral guy. Actually, he wants everything to be white–it looks clean and crisp and open to him. So we’ve had to find ways to compromise.
The color is “Kiwi” by Benjamin Moore. It’s definitely my favorite wall color ever. You have my blessing to use it anywhere you want!
Ohh, pretty. is the kitchen done? Is that why you painted that again so soon also?
We do the whole pendulum thing here to. Life, I guess.
No. Our contractor (Steve Abma) will be ripping into the kitchen on Monday. I’m doing this now because I already bought the new slipcovers for the sofa and can’t stand having two main rooms be “in process” at the same time. I’m a terrible multi-tasker and … well, you know my low tolerance level for chaos!
I’ll post before and after pics of the kitchen once it’s done.
You are a good wife. There’s nothing that says you can’t have the bright colors on a pillow or a photo frame.
I think this is a rather sweet commentary on your marriage! You know, the give and take and compromise.
I don’t know if I’m just tired or what, but I keep going back to this line: “He’s the one on the far left. (Uncle Knit Knots, that is, not Rick.)” It makes me laugh every single time.
love the green. How bout 1accent wall of it and the rest boring boring booooorrrrrrrinnnnnnngggg beige. (no offense, I’ve lived in too many apartments & I hate that color except in my coffee cup)
thanks for the name & mfg of that gorgeous green by the way…wish I could use it somewhere. it’s peaceful to gaze upon. Good for you valuing your hubby that way though. You are right, he is more important than colorful walls. My take-away is that I will make a note to myself to inquire of a future hubby his color tolerance.