"While You Were Out" Part XV - Accent Walls and Artwork!

Well, we're officially in the Home Stretch now - Yippeeeee!!!

Painters arrived bright-and-early (I think it was, like, quarter-to-eight! I was all bedraggled and mussy!). Thank Gawd I bought the paint yesterday!!!

Anyway, they jumped right into it and had the job done well-before noon. Room looks much "crispier" now (yeah, I know it s/b "crisp" not "crispy" - but I prefer "crispy!" ;-). Paying for Pros was definitely a Good Decision.

And I *did* get my Accent Wall. And I abso-freaking-lutely LOVE it! I went with "Beachwalk" (Behr 340F-5). It's a good 2-3 shades darker than the Sweet Marzipan, and it is DEFINITELY a Gold Color - No question about it! It actually helps bring-out the gold-tone in the Marzipan and ties the whole room together very nicely!

Rog was a little hesitant about the idea - at first - "Paint one wall a different color?!" He thought that was a very strange idea. But now that he's seen it, he agrees it looks great.

It's not a DRASTIC difference, color-wise (not like having one RED wall - or Gawd-Forbid! - Orange!!!), so it's all still pretty "neutral" (in HGTV-Speak). But it really, really is nice!

Ceiling is Flat "Swiss-Coffee" (and it desperately needed paint!). Baseboards, windowsill and door are Semi-Gloss "Swiss Coffee." Very nice, clean white color - and doesn't require sunglasses!!!

Everything's still a little tacky now - so it's too soon to start moving furniture back. I'll work on that tomorrow. In the meantime, I was surfing various Art-Print sites, trying to find something suitable to hang on the wall above the sofa. I'd started out looking for Bird Of Paradise flower prints. Found some nice things, but thought that I might end up with B-O-P Overkill. Then started looking at Palm Tree prints. Again, found some nice stuff. Lots of stuff in a kinda "botanical" motif, with lots of beige/green tones. Would've been nice - but a little too monochromatic. I wanted something with a bit more "Oomph!"

I did find one nice print of windswept palm trees and a sailboat. I'd started the whole "purchase" process, but then realized that I really couldn't pick-out matting and a frame without actually seeing the thing. Plus, when I did start the process, I found that it was gonna cost something like $170.00+ to buy the print and frame it, online. With no assurance that I was even gonna be happy with the final result!!! Anyway, if you care, I'd found a picture called "Leaving Out" by Malarz at Art.com.

So, just for grins, I looked at Aaron Brothers' website. We have an Aaron Bros. just around the corner, so there was a chance that I might actually be able to see the print, in person (and be able to choose my own matting/frame/etc.) Turns out they didn't carry the exact same print, but they had something similar. Annnnnd they had a 40% off coupon that I could print-out and bring to the store!

So, off to Aaron Brothers! Well, as soon as I walked in the door, I saw they had a bunch of actual oil paintings - stacked up against the wall. All on-sale for 30% off. Most of 'em looked pretty "generic" - Landscapes, Cityscapes, lots of Italian/Tuscan themed stuff (none of which would have worked), but I figured I'd flip through 'em - just the same. Well, about the 2nd or 3rd picture I found was a beachscape! Windswept palm trees, over a beach with the ocean and sky in the background. Kind of "impressionistic" in style - very brush-stroky - and still kinda modern. Colorful - but not obnoxiously so. I'd brought one of my pillows and my paint-chips with me. Turns out - it's a PERFECT match for the new decor!!!

You know it's always a good sign when you find EXACTLY what you're looking for almost-immediately after walking into a store! (Especially for someone like me - who HATES to shop!!!)

$69.00 for the painting (2'x3'), and $79.00 (less my 40% coupon) for the frame. I chose a black, wooden "distressed" frame (with the store clerk's assistance). It's got a little bit of fru-fru ornate carving in it - but it still goes well (since my tables are black). All-told, I got out of there for under $140.00 for a framed oil-painting that matches the new decor EXACTLY!

Now I'll have to add a bit more "blue" to the finished room - but I can accomplish that quite easily with candles and other tchotchkes, I'm sure!

Can't WAIT to put it all together!!! And yes, I'll post pictures!

Unfortunately, I didn't think to take any "Before" shots of the room. But I'm fine with "forgetting" what it USED to look like!

I'm just glad that - soon - it will be DONE!!!

I'm doubly-glad that I gave-up on painting this weekend! We're having one of our (final?) "Nice Weekends" so I've spent MOST of my time lazing by/in the pool!

Yep! Life Is Good!