Liking Lichen Green Living Rooms

Maire Claire Maison great room

I love a foresty lichen green. Perhaps because I like fungi? Could be it, but these two rooms are tops. This first rooms is from Maire Claire Maison. It was a cool article that took an unbelievably beautiful space to begin with and gave it 3 makeovers. I like the lichen green one for many reasons. Like I said, this was a great room to begin with. It has dark wood floors in immaculate condition. The ceilings are tall and the natural lighting is breathtaking. And there are great features such as millwork, the fireplace, the door hardware. I love the lichen green walls with the milk chocolate brown trim color. This is unexpected and a bit “moody”. The red accents make the green color pop. I like the room because it has a  cozy feel. Open shelves make books accessible and the large ottoman acts as table. And I’m a fan or antlers/horns. You put those in a room and I’m in love. This room has a very “exotic” feel to it because of the color combination and the mix of objects and textiles.

The other room, a foyer, was featured in Coastal Living. I love this room because the color combination is unexpected and I love this earthy green with wood tones. I also like this room because it is a coastal house that isn’t all light and white. I have been totally inspired by this room. I love the salmon door. I would love to see the exterior of this home. But, it looks awesome against the lichen green. I know what that color combo dominating some portion of my house. Lichen green walls and salmon painted thrift furniture or

Coastal Living lichen green foyer

salmon walls with lichen green fabrics…But, all of the colors work in here from the green to salmon to chartreuse to sky blue to sea pebble gray. I love it. Plus, the space isn’t too shabby with the all of the hardwoods. I also like steps playing bookshelf and the cool collection of pictures and how they line the stairs. And I love ship art. Especially ship art in a seaside home.

So, yeah. I’m liking lichen green rooms.

-Victoria

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Going Coastal: Oyster Shell Lighting

Coming from a landlocked state to a state with generous coastline, I love anything “sea” related. Ocean stuff and aquatic life is so novel and exotic to David and me. We should really be playing up our proximity to the ocean in our home decor. We have a few things but I really should have went “coastal cottage” out. When your dog is out on the deck barking at seals barking, then you have a right to have sea-themed decor.

Coastal Living white dining nook

I lust over oyster lighting. It’s a bit “brutal” in appearance and too “Grotto” for my decor. But, oysters are another cool thing about living next to the water. David and I have learned to love raw oysters. We aren’t oyster snobs yet, but I see it happening. It happens to people in the Seattle area. Anyways, I found these 2 rooms on Coastal Living website.

The first room is a white dining nook with incredible views. This room would be awesome regardless of lighting. But, I love the lighting/chandelier. It adds to this stark white space. *On a side note, I’ve realized that we’ve really underutilized white in our home. We have no rooms that are white. We are so obviously first time home owners that rented for many years. White didn’t seem appealing because we’ve stared at white apartment walls for years, but now I see the appeal. White is so seaside and coastal. But, if you do white, then do white. I like when everything is white.

The other room from Coastal Living is an adorable kitchen. It also features an oyster chandelier. It’s a white and rustic room. Rustic goes with a seaside cottage.

Coastal Living kitchen

Something is different with this oyster chandelier. It has pops of aqua. I love the pop of chartreuse on the cabinet door. This is a great way to deal with and work with a house if your cabinets are less than perfect. Take off the doors, paint everything crisp white. Keep one rustic door and paint it a bold color. It doesn’t even need glass. I would have added a bit of fancy trim to the top, but that’s me.You know the more I look at this, is this a kitchen or a bathroom? Anyways, you get the point.

I like oyster lighting, but I know there are many haters out there. They think it looks ugly, dirty, etc. That’s why I like it. It’s nature. Things in nature aren’t always beautiful or glimmer like crystals. The sea is rough and gritty. I think these are a cool way to bring that inside.

Now, these things are expensive. These “chandeliers” usually retail for $1k+ I know everyone looks at them and says, I can make one of these. They probably can, but I have a feeling it isn’t as easy as it looks. After collecting a ton of oyster shells either from a bar, the beach, or purchasing them and eating oysters for months, and you’ve drilled through 60+ oyster shells and secured them with wire, you’d charge at least $700 to do it for somebody else. And if you work full-time. It’ll never get finished.

These “style” of chandeliers are found at little seaside shops, especially in Savannah, GA. And on www.cottageandbungalow.com. (Great lighting on this site but expensive. Oh, check out their blog. It’s adorable).

-Victoria

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I Love Putty Colored Rooms.

I’m learning to love neutrals again. I always wear neutrals but usually prefer brights in the home. I guess I am growing up because I can’t get enough of elegant neutral shades ranging from taupe to rocky cliff gray. It’s that sea pebble addiction that I have. The dining nook will be painted a gray shade and I hope it turns out nicely (this is one of the last projects on the list). Neutrals create such an elegant backdrop for all of your things. I do love my stuff.

Coastal Living dining room

This first room is amazing. I love this formal dining room found in Coastal Living magazine. The millwork is amazing I really do love the choice of colors. The lighting isn’t too shabby either. I could live without that hokey hardware on the buffet and I want to slap whoever spray painted that antique mirror, but hey, it’s a beach home. Beach homes think they can get away with that kind of stuff. I think I am going for this shade because it is so beachy. It’s beachy without being a vacation home shade. We often forgot (somehow) that we live less than 4 blocks from the sea. This is novel to us since we are from a landlocked area. The locals don’t get it because it rocky beaches don’t feel beachy. But, anyways. I thought this was a room that was well executed.

The 2nd room is something from apartmenttherapy.com. I mainly care about this pic because of the buttermilk Frenchie resting under the chair like a big knot on a log. Anybody with a French bulldog has great tastes, right? 🙂 Well, one I got pass the “him a cute baby” phase of looking at the picture, I realized that I like the colors used as well. They are neutral and really bring the room together without being intense.

Apartment Therapy living room

It’s a cute room and I love that they chose a softer white to paint their trim with. This adds so much class. I’m a sucker for putty shades. Every time I see them in use, I want to paint the entire house in these colors. Off subject: I know people love the color coordination of books but it is my pet peeve. Why is that? I organize mine by type, like a library would. I just don’t like the color thing because it is like you don’t read, you just look. Maybe you can remember a book by its cover but I don’t. What do you do with a Pocket Poet’s series?

-Victoria

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