What do you mean they shrunk??

Like I said in the last post, it can take me for-freakin-ever to make a permanent decision.  So, of course, it would naturally prevail that when i DO finally settle on something, something is going to happen that will throw a wrench into the works.

Like today.


Long story short - i found the cool chick who owns the house that this picture was from.  

Honestly, i had given up and then i found similar blog, who fluke of all flukes, links back to her.  Yippee Skippee!


Anyway.  She wrote a great post that hit me like a ton of bricks about finding your decorating style.  Like so much, that I literally sat there and had my own "Aha!" moment without Oprah.


In short - go to your closet to determine your decorating style.  To quote the cute Katie, your closet is a good indicator of what you typically allow yourself to spend on items.  So true.  I am a Target shopper so I would be physically ill pulling out my wallet to buy home stuff at Restoration Hardware.  Your closet is also a good indicator of your style (classic with a little trend thrown in) and color too.  


So...I thought about that.  Then i went to my closet and did a little testing of this theory.

Here are 4 pieces that i go to a lot.  

That ice blue soft cotton maxi is perfect for casual date night, or having the neighbors over by the pool. I am wearing this dress so much lately that the fabric is starting to pile. (so aggravating).  But it's a trendy, inexpensive dress that makes me feel cute, hides some figure flaws and i love the color.

The black dress is a work staple.  Very cute, classic - oh, and did I mention it's from Target? 

The red top was a TJ Maxx find that i have paired with white denim, blue denim, and black.  Again, i'm wearing this shirt to shreds.  See how wrinkled it is at the bottom?


Lastly, the denim jacket (also Target) - a classic.  It's been worn over that blue maxi with chunky jewelry (Cute!) - over tanks and boho skirts - this thing lives in the backseat of my car.  


So when I looked at that, i thought, why am I not using what I know works??  I think I got so wrapped up in new, different house, madness that i forgot how much I love what i have.  Like these drapes:

(sorry for the blurry pic - i was enlarging my old realtor photos and it gets like that)


This is from the great room of my last house.  Those drapes are from PB and cost a fortune.  They are lined double width dupionis - (I think i paid close to $600 for the pair but i had been gifted about $300 from a few friends for house-warming so it was doable.)  They puddled beautifully, which you will have to take my word for since the pic stinks - and i was over the moon for them.


So...i thought - i obviously love the touch of red/cranberry/brick in a house and in my closet  - why am I not using those?  So, i pulled them out of the closet and ran those puppies over to the dry cleaner last week.


And that's about where the story goes bad.


We picked them up Friday, and Vance hung them....and they had shrunk at least 6 inches!!!  Oh, and the best part? The lining didn't shrink, only the drapes.  So she hung there like used up prom gown to short for her crinoline.  Sad.


Talk about infuriating.


So, V and I drove over to PB with the drapes and the dry cleaning receipt in hand, and had a conversation with the manager.  She was very nice, and i have to say, I still love me some Pottery Barn.  Especially after today.  Those drapes were at least 3 years old and she gave me back full credit without even batting an eye.  Very apologetic, and very much wanting to keep us as customers - and it was so freakin painless that i was shocked I didn't have to fight a battle.


However.  The don't make double panels in that color anymore.  Awesome.


Plan B has now turned into Plan C it looks like.


So, she sent us home with a PB credit and some options. And I'm back to being undecided.


Here are the 3 out of the 4  we came home with.  The cranberry silk below is much more red than the brick red i had before.  The double width is less of an issue in this house since we're just using them to flank the windows here - as opposed for privacy like i did in the old house.

 Vance picked the stripe - but i've rejected that one - sorry honey - not doing it for me whatsoever.  The other print i had up - but the print was more of an Indian Batik than a traditional floral - so that got nixed too.  The red, i think, is too red.  The brick color i had was perfect. and when i say perfect. i mean matched the brick in all of V's duck prints (which i have a love hate relationship with)   Which leaves us with the Vanessa in cream, that i have hanging.  In the wrong length - we'll have to order the 108" if we decide it's the one.

I like that the blue in the drape is the same blue as the kitchen wall and the green is the exact green of the rug.  Where I'm stuck is that I was thinking more contrast is necessary....?  

Here is what it looks like when you come in the front door.
..

They also have it in these other 2 color ways

 

I want to tie the blue in the kitchen to the ivory in the living room you see up there. I also need to keep the rug in there - too expensive to ditch right now.  

And yes, i did this butt-backwards.  I painted colors i love with absolutely no plan first - and i'm trying desperately not to repaint.

Thoughts?