1/16/08

I Love Orange!

Do you have a conversation room in your house – a room that is uniquely decorated that gets a lot of attention and inspires discussion? I’m not talking about a room that is expensively decked out – but one that has your own style and finesse?

When we moved into this house, we decided to leave our outside pool bathroom the way it was, and to preserve the integrity of the 70’s flooring and countertops (bright yellow). So we chose a very bright orange paint for the walls.

I love orange! It is cheery, vibrant and fun. And it actually elicits the strongest response from any other color! As I have framed my kids’ artwork (with Pier 1’s frameless picture-frames, purchased when they have their 40% off sale!), I have chosen this bathroom in which to hang their art and to be my “conversation room.” Meaning, I tell all of my guests that they need to experience the orange bathroom at least once while visiting our home.

The artwork goes back before 1st grade for all 3 of our kids. It includes art from trips we have taken. Abby drew the Twin Towers on our way to New York right after 9/11, and Elliot drew himself swimming in the ocean in Maui while visiting friends several years ago.

There are poems -- Elliot won the grand prize from Great Harvest Bread Store, for writing a poem about his Mother (me!), running in my red vest in the mornings -- and just a lot of bright-colored, creative fun on those walls!

So, yes, I love the color orange. The word says vitality and endurance. That must be the reason why this color resonates so well with my husband and me.

The room is not perfect - but it's FUN, and that works for us!

Which room in your home is your “conversation room?”

17 comments:

~j~ said...

What a fun color! I definitely have a room in my house that gets LOTS of comments.The kitchen. Mine is in such need of a makeover but in the meantime we started writing scriptures in gold pen all over the cabinets and when guests come over they "tag" them with their favorite verse! It's like a guest book with verses from friends, missionaries in Africa, India,and other parts of the country who have visited our home.What a great post Sandy, i may have to put this on my blog. Thank you!
~j~

Barb said...

You could call it the Sunglasses Room too--wow, bright and happy! I think our dead animal--er, trophy room--would be our conversation room. My husband and boys have hunted over the years, resulting in deer, antelope, bear, buffalo, big-horned sheep, wild boar and caribou trophies on the walls and around the room in our guest dining area. Today the Fed Ex man came by with a new assistant and for the couple of minutes they were inside, the new assistant just looked up, staring at the walls in that room. Guests often want the stories behind the "trophies," and I decorate them at Christmas just for fun. No great, hot colors tho--you win the prize in that category!

Anonymous said...

Oh, my goodness - that's the coolest room! It makes me want a pool bathroom (but first I need a pool...).

Unknown said...

I love it! My conversation room would probably have to be the kitchen and adjoining scrapbook room. The kitchen is a bright yellow with red/white/blue military accents. Our love of America, remembrance of 9/11, and pride in our soldier...my hubby...are quite apparent in this room. The scrapbook room adjoins the kitchen and it also boasts a few military touches...world map, dual clocks (Razorback Time [Arkansas] and Camel Time [Iraq])...not to mention the "organized" scrapbooking supplies!!

And thanks for stopping by today and weighing in on the laundry quandry!!

Anonymous said...

I actually chose a shade of orange for my bathroom in my last house. It was lovely, I thought! And I love the idea of the conversation room! Brilliant I say!

I do love all of your children's artwork gracing the walls too. Life-inspired decorating is the only way to go for me! (loved your previous post...I love beautiful pictures but I am most happy helping people focus on attainable beauty, inspired by your OWN life!).

Wonderful posts, new friend!

Melissa

tammi said...

I would never have thought to turn a bathroom into a trendy art gallery! What a fabulous idea!! And the colours are great in there, too!

In our house, the conversation room is the living room -- but only because that's where we sit and visit, not because there's something spectacular about it. Well, there is a postcard tucked into some framed hunting pictures that says, "Hunting Bare in Alaska" and well, maybe you can imagine what the picture is of! Typical BOY humour. I'm not sure why that's still hanging in the living room! Oh wait, it's because I'm such a classy broad.

Rhonda said...

That is awesome! You think of all the little things that add the wonderful details to life.

We have just moved to a new home - new to us. We haven't painted to make it 'ours' yet.

Our last home had an orange room. It was my sons room. His favourite colour. All his friends were envious. They couldn't imagine their own parents allowing them to have an orange room.

Elizabeth in Wisconsin said...

Great fun! I love it, Sandy!

NYC said...

This is such a wonderful use of color!

orneryswife said...

Our whole house is colorful, but you certainly have me beat for bright! The spa room is probably the biggest conversation room, because of the stained cement floors. The gold walls and red accents are also striking, and lots of people comment on that.
TM

Becca said...

Sandy, I love it!! Our kitchen is pumpkin orange (by my choice) and decorated with Pennsylvania dutch/cast iron paraphernalia. Your bathroom is amazing...

Laura said...

Love it! I have a "purple" feature wall in my living room and I get so many comments on it. It's called Amazon soil and it's really pretty but different which is what I love about it!

Jen said...

Probably my kitchen as it has wine bottles everyone...I went for a Tuscany look and everyone loves my wine bottles....I love your orange bathroom. Orange is the hot color this summer so you will be just fine.

Anonymous said...

I don't think we have a room that brings conversation but the fact that our house is from 1927 in an area with mostly modern houses brings itself conversation. People love our kitchen and our sunny living room and dining room It's funny but we just broke out the paint this week and painted the hallway a dark tealish blue. Dh returned from the UK shocked at the color I chose. But I think it is perfect. At the moment our house feels rather glum and shabby. Not the good shabby though. Your blog always inspires me to want to invite people over but we aren't ready for that. Hopefully though once we paint the kitchen and hallway, we'll brave the task and ask people over. I miss socializing over meals. Luckily I can live through you. Is it warm enough where you live to swim in the pool all year around? I would love to have a pool.

Praise and Coffee said...

Awesome.
I don't have much orange around me because when I wear the color, people always ask me if I am ill.

But I love the color and it looks great in your house.

Anonymous said...

That is a fun orange bathroom! So perfect for the pool area : )

My conversation room is the "treehouse". (If I ever have a blog it will be about squeezing lots of living in a tiny space...but I digress)

We have a nook big enough for a twin mattress at the top of our attic stairs. We sheetrocked and finished the walls, and installed a huge, double-wide, double-hung window at the top of the attic steps. You feel like you are up in the trees! The main floor below is flooded with light because of these windows, but the nook is hidden from view.

I lined the nook (treehouse) with bookcases and cd player. It is a favorite spot for guests (and my kids, and me) because you can watch the moon, the snow, the storms, the stars, or read or draw, or climb out on the porch roof below. We even visit the Mourning Doves who nest in the soffit return every spring.

Sorry so verbose!

deb meyers

becky said...

Love your orange room...it' so fun!

My "conversation" room would have to be the bathroom that adjoins our bonus room. The wallpaper for the lower wall is white with big black polka dots (not complete yet) and the upper half has been painted in black chalkboard paint. I keep a basket overflowing with fun sidewalk chalks for my daughter and her friends to use. Those walls are always interesting!