DIY Network

My family and I just moved into a new house. Initially we thought, “hey, this is the first house we’ve lived in where we don’t have to do anything.” What do they say – famous last words?   The house we moved into has good bones. However, despite the large windows, it is so dark inside. The previous owner, though lovely, had a very different decorating style than we do. We are more “beach chic.” By this I mean we like lighter blues, greens, white, with a pop of color here and there. Pictured below is the same living room as above but with a completely different feel. Ditto with the dining room. The house we purchased though is about the furthest thing from beach chic. For one, it’s a Tudor. Now I don’t know about you, but I rarely see Tudors on my beach vacations.  The rooms all had dark paint, dark wood windows and dark brown hardwood floors. Knowing our style, a book that caught my eye is Pale & Interesting: Decorating with Whites, Pastels and Neutrals for a Welcoming Home. If you are a fan of either Shabby Chic or HGTV’s Fixer Upper, this book seems to be a blend of those two styles.   That being said, we will work with what we have. We have only been in the house since last September. The main focus has to been to paint. Out of curiosity, I searched the phrase “paint your home” on the Library’s card catalog. Nearly 40 titles popped up! Some are new and some are older but all can provide some inspiration. As of this writing, nearly every room in the house with exception of the kitchen has [...]