An Impasse Whilst Wicker Furniture Shopping + A Short Quiz

March 12, 2015January 26, 2016 / Ally Bean / 18 Comments

THE STORY:

Zen-Den and I have been researching online and shopping around town for wicker furniture to replace the sad stuff that’s in our screened-in porch now.

Currently, our furniture is a country look with a Band-aid beige wicker frame, tufted parchment-colored cushions + old floral pillows.

It’s ugly. It’s worn out. And its days are numbered.

So now in an effort to upgrade the furniture and to continue transforming this house into a home, we’re faced with yet another expensive decorating decision.

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Example of traditional country-style wicker furniture that we now have and may buy again. [source]

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THE CONVERSATIONS, MORE OR LESS:

HIS IDEA: “This may sound boring, but we could buy the exact same pieces of furniture again, only this time in dark brown wicker with off-white cushions.”

MY [1st] IDEA: “We could buy the same country-style furniture, but in different pieces, in a warm medium brownish wicker with subtly patterned cushions– coordinating floral and stripes, perhaps.”

HIS IDEA: “This may sound boring, but we could buy the exact same pieces of furniture again, only this time in dark brown wicker with off-white cushions.”

MY [2nd] IDEA: “We could replace the existing furniture with the same pieces, only this time get a light gray wicker frame with medium to dark-toned blue cushions that wouldn’t show the dirt.”

HIS IDEA: “This may sound boring, but we could buy the exact same pieces of furniture again, only this time in dark brown wicker with off-white cushions.”

MY [3rd] IDEA: “We could go with a completely different frame, one that is more modern & linear. Then we could get a nut-brown wicker with ecru + tan striped cushions. Plus two new matching end tables in the same wicker with glass on top.”

HIS IDEA: “This may sound boring, but we could buy the exact same pieces of furniture again, only this time in dark brown wicker with off-white cushions.”

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Example of more up-to-date, linear wicker furniture that we might buy this time. [source]

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THE QUIZ:

What do you think that Zen-Den wants the new furniture to look like?
Which of the two people involved in this decision has the most creative ideas?
If you were to place money on it, which person do you believe will make the final decision about the furniture that we buy?

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[Hello FTC! Please note that there’s no monetary &/or other compensation involved regarding our preference for this brand of furniture. Considering how pricey this furniture is, would that it were so, but that ain’t gonna happen. Hoping that all is well with you, FTC. Long time no see.]

The Fine Art Of Indecision: A Gallery Wall, Maybe

February 10, 2015June 22, 2015 / Ally Bean / 25 Comments

THE PROBLEM [as a reformed perfectionist sees it]:

I’ve been thinking that I might want to put a collection of frames, with yet-to-be-named images, on the big blank wall in the TV room. This wall, painted SW6142 Macadamia, is across from a run of five divided-light windows that allow us to look out into the woods behind the house.

I want something going on across from the windows but am uncertain about how much pattern I want to see over there when I look into the TV room from the kitchen. I tend to be a bit pattern-phobic, but can stand pattern, which to me often looks cluttered, IF the pattern/shapes/colors makes sense to me.

Therein is the problem.

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AN ASIDE [for those interested in fine art]:

While I wasn’t blogging in December one of things that we did was visit NYC for a short getaway. I’ve not spoken of it before because overall it was a lousy experience that left me wondering about humanity and my ability to deal with said humanity.

However, there were a couple of wonderful adventures during our few days in NYC. One of which was going to MOMA to see Henri Matisse: The Cut-Out Exhibit [also here via NYT: A Walk Through The Gallery].

To see his work up close was amazing. First, I’d never realized how intensely colorful it is, and that before he cut out his shapes, his students painted white paper these bold colors for him. And second, the thing that struck me about the exhibit was that the cut-outs, which are easily recognizable as a whole, were not perfect in the small details.

At all.

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MY CONCLUSION [albeit a wishy-washy one]:

Looking through all the gallery wall images that one can find online, I realize that anything goes. And I’m cool with that, in theory. But when it comes to actually putting a framed “art” collection on my TV room wall, I hesitate.

I look at what other people have done and see that the gallery walls that appeal to me are balanced, yet stunning in their uniqueness. There’s a flow and cohesiveness to the frames and images that I adore, but so far I haven’t been able to translate this feeling onto our TV room wall, which remains blank until I decide what to do about it.

Soon, I hope.

I Will Not Let One Tulip Get Me Down

January 28, 2015January 28, 2015 / Ally Bean / 33 Comments

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I bought a bouquet of 20 tulips at Kroger because I like how graceful tulips look in a vase and because a bit of cheerful color in mid-winter is a good thing. I put 17 of the tulips in a large vase and set it on our kitchen table.

Upbeat.

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Three of the tulips wouldn’t fit into the large vase so I put them in a smaller crystal bud vase and set the bud vase, on a saucer, on top of the chest of drawers in our bedroom. I liked how the 3 tulips looked reflected in the mirror on the wall above the chest of drawers.

Artsy.

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HOWEVER, a few hours later when I walked back into the bedroom I noticed that 1 tulip had given up. Cracked under the weight of blooming.

Sure it was still a bit of cheerful color, but it was not working with the other tulips to create a tiny uplifting bouquet. And I had the distinct impression that the Universe was messing with me via these 3 tulips.

But you know what? I didn’t care, so I left the tiny bouquet just as it was as a reminder that we all do what we can to make each day special & unique. In our own way. Regardless of what other people may want us to do.

N’est-ce pas?

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Doesn’t Everyone Have A Sofa In The Middle Of Their Kitchen?

June 27, 2014June 27, 2014 / Ally Bean / 27 Comments

I’ve gotten away from talking about our home redecoration projects here on The Spectacled Bean. I don’t know why, because they continue on behind the scenes and influence my life every day.

Often because the project is in the middle of everything.

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That being said, now that I’m in the final days of NaBloPoMo June 2014 and I need something to write about, I’ll revert to my blogging roots and tell you what we’re up to around Chez Bean.

In July or August when furniture goes on sale, we are going to buy a new sofa and chair for the TV room. This is why the current sofa got itself moved into the kitchen. I needed to get an idea of what the TV room would look like without a large blue object influencing me.

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Now having seen the TV room, sans blue, with my makeshift ottoman-esque example of what a khaki-gold sofa might look like against the wall, I think that a neutral-colored, nubby-textured sofa and chair will look great in this room. With lots of colorful pillows, of course.

So that, my gentle readers, is what’s going on here… right now… in the middle of our kitchen.