MY LIFE AS BLACK AND WHITE .....

cottage living

I am certainly on a major black & white kick as I think about how I want to decorate my new home.   I don't know why I am on such a limited color palette.  Yes, I do have lots of art that is full of color and I suppose that in the back of my mind,  I think that the black & white will be a great background for my paintings.  My pillows are colorful.  My sets of china are either in great yellows or rosy pinks with lots of patterns.  Is it that I don't have to worry what goes with what when I use black & white as my backdrop?

My latest obsession is the black & white striped rugs.  It's probably passé but who cares?  I love the graphics of the strong stripes in a room.  Love the rug in this room but probably would add some hot hits of color to this room so that the rug wasn't quite so dominant.  

calliegrayson.blogspot.com

 Love these stairs and this is what I will be doing to my set of steps.  They become like a black & white rug don't they?  The daybed adds a bit of spice to the black & white striped rug in this room.  This  rug can work well in a more casual or a more formal room depending on the accessories.  Lots of options.

decorpad.com

 Here's another black & white pattern but I prefer the plain black & white stripe in the first two photos.  I also prefer the black & white rug on a white floor as opposed to a dark floor.

 This striped rug is a little more subtle.  The softer grays and taupes look better in a room with some color on the wall.  

The problem is that I'm not feeling subtle these days.  Going to the big city is like a huge step for me and I think psychologically, I want to make more of a statement.  

annesage.com

Now this room has something to say.  Not that it's one of my favorites, but it is quirky and certainly has some very interesting eye candy.   I'm not crazy about the zebra rug on top of the striped rug as I'm not an animal print kind of gal ... but the patterns against each other are fun.

I think this big change in my life is calling for lots of freedom to try new things and not be held back by "what goes with what" restrictions.  I want the canvas of my life to be black & white with strong hits of color, patterns and textures that can change at a moment's notice.  I am so excited about the new opportunities, new ideas and a lifestyle that is so different from what I have lived for the past 20 years.  I am a little bit scared and sad about leaving my present life but I am even more ready to take this big leap.  Maybe the black & white decor that I'm so attracted to these days is like a blank canvas.  Until I begin my new life at the end of February, I just don't know what to expect and maybe,

 black and white is a good place to start.