I dont know about every other heterosexual man out there, but when it comes to decorating, most of the time I may as well be slamming my elbow in the car door. I dont know how to select colors, and I dont know what to look for in wall decorations or furniture. To be perfectly honest, the idea that there are more than 8 colors to choose from almost blew my mind; times that number by 17 billion and throw in an exponential and add the little facet that some shouldnt be combined with others and Im utterly lost.
But, as they often do, these things get worse; nobody is actually happy if you are able to choose a color and its opposite off the color wheel. A tip so keenly recommended from magazine and internet articles written by less heterosexual men then I. In all my exploration I have had to realize that when it comes to decorating, there is simply an algorithm too complicated for the mind of a hetero man.
It blows my mind that somehow choosing two colors that you like that complement each other is not enough. Somewhere, someone decided that it really doesnt matter what you think looks good. What actually matters is that the colors you chose meet some abstract set of requirements that were written upon the ancient scroll of Chung Fung Sway.
I know he promised wealth, prosperity, and happiness to any poor sap that fell for his ridiculous color schemes and garbage can placement guidelines. And still, I dont want a red north wall and a green south wall. In fact those both make me feel a little sick. I want colors that look good and can be painted upon all walls then left there. Before I go any further let me make this part clear; not left there for the season. Not left there until it loses its excitement; left there until you are done with the very wall itself.
Paint is designed to last an incredibly long time, and if in twenty years you feel like that old paint is looking just a little faded, I can understand having the new wall paint talk. But old paint no longer causes cancer and if you insist on not cleaning, you should have to live with the grungier look. But in twenty years, if you insist on painting again, Id be happy to help in the selection and application process. This means within my lifetime I should only ever have to do this about 3-4 times.
When selecting the paint that will adorn your walls for the next twenty years, or any home improvement item, you should consider carefully how you feel about it today, how you would have felt about it yesterday, and how Youll feel about it tomorrow. When I pay for something with my hard earned money, carry the heavy thing into my home, and then blindly put it together for pride to not use instructions, I am committed. That is what I want, that is where I want it, and that is where I intend for it to stay for as long as it still functions.
For these reasons, I have a deep appreciation for quality, hand crafted furnishings. Whether it is a fine walnut desk or a meticulously crafted cherry wall shelf, I appreciate the timeless beauty and class these contribute to a room. They dont go out of style every six months and they arent made of the fragile particle board. When something is crafted with skill, it will last for years, despite heavy use.
I say stop buying for the season, start buying for you. Find something that you like, find something that will last, and if you manage to find something that is both, Buy it. Ive been most pleased with those things that are hand crafted in the USA, it offers a level of quality that large manufacturers cant provide.
