6.09.2009

Purple Is As Purple Does

Recognize this place?

Yup. That's Monica's apartment.

And those are her purple walls. The walls that I have coveted every.single.time. I watch the show.

But I shall covet no longer. Because as of yesterday, I have my own purple walls. Granted, they aren't in my living room. Or my kitchen. Not in my bedroom either. Or even the bathroom.

Nope. Because I live in a house that is heavy on the testosterone, my purple walls were relegated to the laundry room.

And. Oh. How I heart my purple walls.

My house was built in the 70s. Back when shag carpet and faux woodgrain paneling was rockin'. Now...not so much. We have managed to take care of the throw-back to disco in most of the house, but the laundry room was way down on the list of priorities to revamp. Mainly because I'm the only one that ever goes in there. Ahem. And because you could just pull the door closed, and no one had to stare at the cave of ugliness.

Until yesterday.

I had already decided to pull EVERYTHING out of the room in order to deep clean it. It was pretty gross. There may or may not have been remnants of a plethora of sticky substances stuck to the floor with small pieces of dryer fuzz stuck in the goo. Yah. I know. Grossness.

While I was perusing the hardware aisles at the store in search of the next great organizational tool to conquer the nastiness with, something caught my eye. It was colorful. And pretty. Eye candy at its finest.


Before I knew what hit me, I had steered my rickety buggy over to the paint swatches and began to drool over the rectangular rainbows.

Hmmm....Yellow? No. Too predictable.

Green? No. Too green.

Blue? No. Too manly.

Khaki? Blech.

Red? Enough ketchup stains running through the room already without feeling like a tomato was tortured in there, too.

Pink? Not brave enough.

Purple? Hey. Purple!

Just like in Monica's apartment! I can be Monica Rachel!

And before I knew what hit me, I had pranced my swatch card over to the counter and had the paint fella mix me up a healthy batch of the most fabulous lavender you have ever seen.

And it was going in my house. On my walls. Oh. Blissful day.

I scurried home, dropped my drop cloth, reluctantly accepted the help of the rascals, and got to work. We painted all afternoon, because I was determined to have it done and ready by the time the husband got home. A surprise, ya know?!

After the purplisciousness was up and drying, it was on to cabinets and trim. I gussied those up with a healthy coat of white paint, and my little laundry room made its way out of the disco ghetto and into fabulousness.

I didn't take any before pictures, because it was just gross. And I didn't want to sceere off the readership. But, here is an after shot. And I forgot to take any before I already had it loaded down with laundry. Go figure. But, you can at least appreciate the magnificence of the purple.


The husband wasn't delighted with my color choice, but admitted that he really didn't care since "it's your room" and "at least it wasn't the bedroom." Add to the fact that he had to do zilch of the manual labor (except hanging my shelves back up...thanks, honey!), and I probably could have painted the walls lime green with hot pink polka-dots, and he wouldn't have cared.

Now, I wonder if the purple face-lift will inspire a new love of laundry?

Doubtful.

19 comments:

Jim said...

Amb,
We are purpleishly proud of you for your "plum" tinted mission into the "unknown", and doing so with your brave rascals in tow! You realize, of course, that you have vanquished one of your major foes and have emerged victorious with the "royal" colors of the new queen of the realm, one room though it be! Today the laundry, tomorrow the world...er...the bath? Nanny would be proud - you know, of course, shades of purpleishisness were her forte!

It's pleased as plum.purple.proud I am of you!

So looking forward to your rascals with you and Kirk in tow on Thursday. Be careful, ya'heer?

Jim-Dad

Carpool Queen said...

I admire that you just jumped in there and did it. I need to do the same, except I hate to paint. Truthfully, I hate to mask off, lay drop cloths, paint a swatch, wait to see what it looks like in daylight and in dark, then go back and repaint twice.

Instead I just complain about how I need to paint and move along.

Marc and Charity said...

I like it!

Stephanie said...

Love it.

Jessica said...

Good for you for going girly on your walls!

really.truly said...

Purple is a happy color. And you like purple, so the chore of laundry will not be happier....like a little retreat(or not).

2 thumbs up!

Glo said...

I am loving your laundry room as if it were my own! I love purple...especially lavender! Great job girl and rascals!!!

Jo said...

I really like your lavender! You and the rascals did a wonderful job.
I'm having the outside of my house painted, starting tomorrow. Alas, it's not going to be your "pretty purple". Although if it were, no one would have to wonder where "I" lived, for sure.
It's going to be white; with forest green trim, the same as the new metal roof they just put on last week. Totally different from the mousy two-toned tan faded colors that's on it right now.

Have fun the rest of the week...looking forward to seeing your "rascals" later.

Luvya!
Aunt Jo

Stephanie @ My Answered Prayer said...

Girl you are braver than me.....I'm afraid to pull out the Cheery Pink with mine 2 at home. It will get done though b/c A's room is going to be so pinkalicious!

Love the purple....I'm sure K was shocked!

Kendra said...

"Your room"???? The laundry room is "your room"!!!!!! You poor thing. Next time he's out, paint the bedroom pink!

I love purple, having had a purple room or two since 1998. Purple does not work in this house, but you have me thinking now about my laundry room and my favorite color, Iced Lavendar.

Lovely, Amber!

lisa@littlesliceoflife said...

Why, it's plum lovely!

I can't believe you got it all done before K got home. Impressive!

Elizabeth said...

You are a painting rock star! One day, seriously? It takes me months to finish a project.

I love the purple. It makes everything look so pretty. Estrogen is all over that room!

Christi @ Writing the Waves said...

I am completely in favor of making the laundry room a "fun" room.

Mine laundry room/office has kind of lime (Sherwin Williams Rye Grass)walls, with an orange and red window treatment (with zebra trim)! I love it...that is when it is not covered up in dirty laundry and paperwork.

Yea for you...I'm so impressed with how quickly you knocked out the whole deal...cabinets and trim too!

Looks like a fun place to be now! :)

Cathy said...

I am dancing a HSM dance of joy for your purpley goodness...and (in spirit) drinking a PDDP in your "haven-free-of-crud" honor!!

One of my biggest disappointments right now is living in a rental where they won't let me paint...sigh...;)

Tiffani said...

"Thou shall not covet they neighbor"--God

Shew, I was just about to do that!! ;)

I want my own house! I want my own house, NOW, Daddy! (said in best Veruca Salt voice)

I am literally having to pray for contentment over our housing situation at the moment for I will ketchup and relish the gift of designing, changing, painting or WHATEVER I want to do with it.

The color choice is purpleriffic! What a GREAT way to show a little femininity even though it IS the Sweat Shop, er, Laundry Area.

RE: CPQ...really?! You go through ALL of that to paint?! Girl, I just pick a color and slap it up on the walls! Would you like me to come paint?!

Unknown said...

Amber it is beautiful!! Just lovely.

I am super impressed how you have the shelving already back on the wall! You are fast!

Nina Diane said...

looks great!!

buscher3 said...

Ooohhhh...pretty!

Terry Lewallen said...

oh, I'm so digging the purple!