Tracy Porter Blog… be inspired!

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If you own the first book I wrote called dreams from home, you’ll recall that the sweet ( ramshackle) farm we bought had class A- linoleum floors! Yep, and not the cool vintage kind,..I’m talking 3 bagger ugly linoleum- cause you know I can rock me some vintage linoleum…but, mama does have her standards….even back then. So, we painted….!! Some of the floors needed plywood over them as they were horridly damaged….and then we painted over that. Not much in that little farm house went un-painted. It was a home that we were determined to love-up with color and pattern…and the cheapest route my darlings…WAS and still is…PAINT!  Fast forward 20 years…..  Now, our studio has some 3 bagger floors ( full circle) and I am thinking..paint them! Since the world we live in is colorful..I am leaning towards black and white…I adore color near black and white….but…there are so many ways to go…..check out these goods I spied. I seriously dig the painted floors above, freehand most  likely….don’t be afraid..you can always paint over. Fun eh?!

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These are gorgeous, earthy..walked on in a love-urban-country-style….!! So luscious!!…Especially if  you are starting with some good funky wood- “in need” underneath. ( again not my case.. but is it yours?) you can do this…one color love is easy……why not try….don’t you want painted floors too?

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Knuckle biter. Yeah- I like this A LOT-  the greens and blues tie it up for me… this is good. Well done- sharp-cool-London-ish, and just funky enough. It’s got flavor…and I’m telling you..I see far too much vanilla for my liking out and about…safe is…just too safe for me…but THIS…she sings like a magpie. mmmmm.

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Love the painted floors. Cannot do all the matchy, matchy pillows with it, too white bread . I personally would shake it all up a bit, but then…I am writing about floors,  FOCUS- and these are quite lovely. A stencil no doubt, you can do this….it is very porchy..I like porchy stuff, speaks to all of us..happy, take of your shoes….pour me a tall lemonade porchy.

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LOVE. Well, first…great space. Then yes, the painted floor rug rocks. Time consuming no doubt , but if you have time….go sister. I love how industrial and rustic the space is..you see…the cool thing about painted floors  is…they work ANYWHERE!!! How great is that,….get going!!!PAINT YOUR FLOORS!!!!  ( sorry…bossy..having my morning tea, craving some Madeleine’s..or other pastries..anyone? where is the pastry cart? hungry writers get cranky….)

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Stripes on floors, it just always works. Why not paint some stripes? I might..or chevron……diagonals are cool as well…I do dig the freehand…..so many options. Plus what’s also fabulous is you get to decide..how old you want them to look and when…more age..ok, then….take a dry brush and dip it into your paint for a bit of antiquing over the floor…less age…go shiny……want them to wear down fast….don’t add anything on top and they will get perfectly scuffed in no time….plus if you just drag your furniture around, and let your kids skateboard ( or your dogs…whatever) that will ad some age too. Be carefree…and your floors will feel perfectly aged and delicious…in a snap.

Clearly I have my work cut out for me…..and…what about you? Painting your floors? Tempting…no?

Cheers… + happy colorful…painted-patterned day..to YOU!

xx

your most verbose friend + ramber…

T.

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Labels: make & create,more Tracy Porter,soulful nesting & decorating

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OK, while the paint is drying at my own home….( patience for one and all…. how  I detest/adore  the second layer..but need it so, and sometimes a 3rd….sacrebleu!! ) hello paint companies….can you say opaque….dam you! Get some pigment man…dig it up already….thicken it…take a page from the cooks… cornstarch…whatever…….just ease our pain!  I am over the layers. ( shhh, I only mean related to painting over and over…..you know I adore all “other” layers…come now, next to nature it’s my religion.) Lest I ramble on….my point today is more of a ” love of layer”..thing…… you see~…..and I think you really can see that here… color and goodness do add to a space….as we are busy with our own home painting projects….I keep muttering….how could anyone do an all white house? …yes, yes…a room here and there…sure a good resting spot no question…i like that as well…( or moment to ponder the next color at least…..) Incorrigible!!   Above…I dig, the ceiling….plywood….I love you. cheap and easy you lowbrow winner. That birds-nest of a-chandelier…or ratty barbed wire in my countryside  world….whatever…it works…. mod-rustic..I dig it. …….the table- love it-…hardcore dyed oak..wanna be tiger-wood…..works…regardless of the pedigree.  The rug…doy. simple…love pattern hello. ok, rip me now…yes, they have neutral walls….but they get all the other stuff so it’s a solid 8+.

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This is “the green”…the George Washington/ edith Piaf green…( don’t ask…just go with it…) ….ok, so the room wears a bit of youth hostel in its armpit…but it still works. The velvety bedspread ( while I don’t want  to smell it…unless it’s a whiff of vetiver…) is so scrumptious kissing the green, nice combination…..and the worn back-ed-ness on the walls…mmm…feelin’ that,…… books…..you simply cannot go wrong…( love my kindle…but so sad to not have the hand in hand to shelf….just sayin’) you get this room right….? yes….?

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Knuckle biter tangerine…we talked through this last week….remember…we both love it…where are you doing this?…because I am ON it….!!  ok…yes…it’s Pretty wallpaper…but if you cannot swing it…just paint….a weekend project for a song more-or-less….I will tell you the magic here is this…… The glossy red chair by the orange walls…this is making your eyes sing…and that snip of black and white…wraps your soul into a bakery package ready to spoil you after midnight with wine.  Layers …they conquer the the best of us….note to self….the hint of brown…fait attention….and you won’t miss a thing…..!!

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I almost  passed this one up….It’s a wee bit up-tight/ magazine ready/perfectly decorated for my liking…but the color  combo nabbed me. You are clear that I love the snap of black and white against color these days….I just wanted you to see this shot…as it does it well. Put aside my comment on it all being too…too. And sink your teeth into the colors and patterns….I can get beyond the squeaky perfection of it all….for the layering of goodness alone! The wallpaper sings to me….I dig the symmetry…with the offness of it all…do you? The white curtains feel a bit…um…..”our father  who….” to me…and all I see is dog hair rubbing off on them…still….it’s pretty…in a prissy wedding cake meets french flower garden sort of a way~

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This is divine…. laid back, vivid, soulful…and some nice layers. Not at all overdone…..just jeans and cocktail ready. I adore their intense color choice….all the way into the fireplace…my kind of folks…..why not? why the hell not?  The black floors kill me…( though I did them years + years  ago and literally nearly killed myself keeping them clean with farm living and all….hideous….I tried…I’m not the pain for beauty type though) I want to kiss someone for that wee slice of red on the mantel..yeah, you…whoever you are…you did it….that was all you needed. rock on.

There’s my Howard Cosell on layering…part one.  So many layers to chat….my own situation not withstanding…….John is painting as I am writing….god love the man!! ( writing late tonight….)

ok then…cheers and a very happy day  to you!!

MWAH!

xx,

T.

Labels: emotional surrender,more Tracy Porter,soulful nesting & decorating

As promised…I am here with happy news ! We had a major flurry of newsletter sign ups… for our wall art giveaway!  Thank you…and those of you delightful early birds  that are already on our mailing list were in the random drawing as well!  …drum roll please………

DENISE CROUCH…..darling…..you are the lucky winner of our wall art giveaway…congratulations!!!  Denise…you get to choose any piece of luscious wall art from our mix to add even more soul and layers to your home!! …..thank you all for signing up + FYI y’all…….we love giveaways too….so there will be more…stay tuned!! …..and just because I am terribly curious…what would you have chosen? check out the mix……www.poeticwanderlust.com….  do tell……any favs??

Happy Day….Make it a luscious one!!

cheers + xx,

T.

Labels: more Tracy Porter,soulful nesting & decorating

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Between our boys weekend track meet,  soccer game,  rodeo ( we are not it…but you never do know!) and  band gig …we are doing some painting. Are we certifiable?…yep. pretty much, call us what you will..I am OK with sticks and stones. But when else do you sneak in some wall-lovin’? I am in serious need…I have the craving badly…deep down …..my soul is-a-stirrin’ for a major color overhaul. I figured you like inspiration as much as I do…that’s why we hang out right? So…that room above…kills me. The blues with the ripe pinks…( the marks on my knuckle are nearly healed from when I first spied this room, so don’t get me going…)..and that splotch of green…gah!!

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……The red door. I simply must do it. I did it once…who says I cannot do it again. love.I tell you..I love bright doors. Why ever not. Plus that splash of black nearby is just so good….( the blue on those walls is not me..but I dig it here) It’s a bit too ” 4th of July” for me…it’s the door that had me at hello…well..and the floor is mighty good too.( do you like that blue?)

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The tangerine wall. Mine for the taking. Did this color once too, but in our boys room. So now..I think I am doing our bathroom in this with some hoppin’ bright green…. and some shiny white. Possibly a splotch of high pink..we’ll see what time it is when I get to that….

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This image has me on the floor every-time I look at it . I cannot for the life of me get over this combination of colors….( clearly you get where I am going with my walls…) again, check out that hint of black with all the color..is that crazy? yes…crazy…..I can taste this image…I swear to you.

Ok…that’s my story sister. We’ll see how far we get with all the other ruckus going on this weekend.

What about you…painting anything?…come on man. It’s spring…chop , chop…brush…brush….hello, hello.

(Pushy aren’t I….still editing my book so you know…I needed a 5 minute reprieve. )

Cheers + xx,

signed,

..dances with color…(.. + …..pattern. doy.)..so punchy..oh my. ttfn.

T.

p.s. all this insanity keeps me sane.  …… I like chaos….what a weirdo.

p.p.s. I also like naps.

Labels: emotional surrender,more Tracy Porter,soulful nesting & decorating

Thank you for such an incredibly warm and lovely launch! You are amazing…you have shared us with your friends and family, you have blogged about us + you have sent the most thoughtful notes ever!  You have shared your own stories of skinned knees…which I adore you for, and appreciate immensely….. what you as individuals in business or not have been through is incredible!  We all go through the roller-coaster of life….you pretty much can’t miss it if you are really living…….or at sometime will….but to know that you are surrounded by people that care enough to say so, and tell you how they are now better off on the other-side…well…it’s pretty cool. Thank you for ordering goodies to add even more soul to your homes! I hope you love the things that are soon coming your way!

OK….so the rugs!! One of your favorite things so far are the rugs! I like them too….they are perfect for layering….and I shot a bunch of gorgeous photos to share just how easy they are to play around with….I began this layering rugs thought years ago when our 4 boys shared a room ( yes) and they trashed the carpet to holy hell. So my solution was….layer on rugs! The problem was, so many of my rugs were thick and I was constantly tripping.

When we began the idea of designing layering rugs, my first thought was they had to be thin enough not to trip over ( god knows we all need more grace-eh!), but substantial enough to be…well,….substantial! I also wanted easy to clean….fabulously patterned with something earthy on the edge! I found this thick-ish pad fabric used for various other applications and it printed beautifully, the jute edging makes me sing…and adds that frenchy twist to our already colorful bohemian looks. The balance is what makes them work alone or layered across a room or down a hallway.

I have played with them in every room…and everywhere they go I am all smiles! Our boys love them..as they dig color and pattern as well ( shocking non?) When I do photo shoots + change the rooms they all get very into the process….begging me to keep everything in its place…I will admit photos shoots are as much a lab as they are a practical vehicle to market with! I get so many ideas just playing around with light and color..and how things work together….it’s all very freeing.

I know you know that layering is part of my gig regardless and I have always felt it makes life more simple , as you can ” get away ” with more looks…..find more of your homes ( and your ) soul…and quite frankly if you have pets…or kids…pattern and color hide all things that fall….from their mouths, hands, shoes…. etc. Practicality has never been my place to start unless designing a space from scratch…for me it’s always been more about soul…but from one mama with four boys and lots of critters….it works wonders!

Hope all is swell with you….much love + cheers!

xx,

T.

Labels: ideas,more Tracy Porter,soulful nesting & decorating