Green is my favorite color. Well, if you asked my husband he'd probably tell you it's black because I paint as much black in our home as I can without it being considered goth. But even though our home has much more black than green, green is truly my favorite. I grew up spending most of my time on my grandparent's hundred-plus-acre dairy farm and green reminds me of all the grass and the trees and the gardens. Those were some of the happiest days of my life. Though ultimately and inevitably I have become a city girl, I love going back to the country. Wide open spaces let me think and bring me peace. I'd choose the mountains over the beach any day. I prefer the trees and the land to most any other environment. My design palette is mostly neutral, but when it came to choosing a color for our home library, I knew I wanted green--EVERYWHERE. I had been dying to do a room where there was no contrast between the walls, ceiling, or trim and I knew this was the space to do it in. When we first started renovating our home six years ago, I was so desperate to simply make it livable that some parts of the design were placed on the backburner. My husband carefully removed existing (and AMAZING!) bookshelves from behind the old kitchen wall and rehomed them in my library (when Beast gave Belle the library, I cried and said I had to find a man like that someday. Well...found him!) and I painted them white and moved on to the next room.
A few years later, I knew I wanted to build a few more shelves on one side to make them all floor to ceiling. The hubs agreed to make that, as well as some built-in cabinetry, happen (my hero!) and I knew it was time to make my all-green-everything dreams come true. But first I had to tackle choosing the right shade. I knew I wanted a dark, hunter green and after minimal deliberation decided on Night Mission by Behr. It's a pretty dark shade of green, but I knew the room could handle it because it was a space I wanted to feel, above anything else, COZY. The color on the walls, trim, and ceiling envelops you, gives you a big hug while you curl up by the window with a good book or watch your favorite Netflix series.
I have two degrees in English and have loved books for as long as I have memory, so I had quite a collection stored up, but I worried I didn't have enough books to fill all the new shelves. Soon after we started the last phase of the library reno, I received a message from a former English professor telling me another former English professor was getting rid of boxes of books.
Bingo. Funny how things work out like that sometimes. Now I have a new problem--little space for new ones. Do I treat it like the clothes rule--get a new piece, toss out an old one? Nah. That doesn't sit right with my literary conscience, so I'll figure something else out. Books were my first friends. I love being amongst them in this room now. They console me when I'm down, take me to other worlds when they're open, and give me peace when the world gets noisy. They inspire me when I have designer's block and they deserve their place as the focal point in the space and, boy, do they steal the show!
Another thing I painted green are the barn doors that welcome you into the space. Originally the doors were in rough shape. I got one for twenty dollarsand the other for free and though they were not an exact match, I knew they belonged as part of the library space. I like the idea of the glass so that the space seems separate, but also integrated with the rest of the house even when the doors are closed. After a lot of paint stripping, sanding, new glass, and paint, I'm in love with the final product.
You can see I traded in the small green sofa and faux skin rug for a big, cozy sleeper couch (hello, guest room!) from Ashley furniture and a super soft plaid rug from Target. All that's left is a big floor lamp and a chair in the corner (or maybe a small bistro table--I'm gonna take a few weeks to think about it and decide), but I absolutely love the final product and it's hard to find a cozier spot in the house. The rug is so soft I even work there! Sometimes when I'm putting together samples for a design meeting, I like to spread everything out on the floor and this is my new favorite spot to do so!
Our homes should be filled with spaces that inspire us. I am inspired by books, music (love my record player from Magnolia Home!), the outdoors, and design. My library combines all of these loves in one place. I love the pattern that the books bring to add contrast to all the green. Paired with the plaids in the rug and the curtains, there is enough juxtaposition in the space to make it feel finished and inviting. It is a space that brings me great comfort and inspiration. It reminds me that taking risks like painting all sides of a room one color can be totally worth it, but that we have to mix our risks with comfort in order to achieve a balance that feels just right, a vibe that speaks to us. I sit with my design books and magazines, occasionally looking out the window, listening to the scratchy sound of Hank Williams on vinyl, and I'm filled with gratitude. It is a space where I'm filled with ideas for my clients. I am so looking forward to years and years of learning about their favorite colors and helping them create homes that inspire.
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