When you raise kids, you end up reading a bunch of kids’ books. While a few are inane, forgettable drivel, most serve you well, and do the trick for the time being. Still another few rise above the many, and teach wonderful lessons that you hope will make a lasting impression on your kiddos, that will help shape their world view, and define how they eventually live their lives. One such story was “The Big Orange Splot” by Daniel Manus Pinkwater. You can hear it read here. (It takes about six minutes.)
The gist of the story is to let your home reflect your dreams and personality. As you can imagine – from the perspective of someone who helps others shape their environments – being asked by clients to help them reflect their dream is a wonderful honor! Color is such a personal thing – the wrong choice can be devastating. Exteriors especially so – they make the personal public.
Last fall, I was approached by a lovely, vivacious couple who embraced the rich, bold hues of the American Southwest. They were hoping to capture the feel of some of those colors, but didn’t want their home to look like a Portland clown house. When I left a couple of hours later, we had figured it out. It took me until this past week to go back and photograph it, but I’m so glad I finally did!
The welcome mat pretty much sums it up – this is a bright, cheerful place!
I would love to replace the shaped Camellia shrubs with something different that would complement the new colors. I think something from Xera’s bag of tricks would be lovely!
The color of the new growth on the rose was just perfect against the dark teal wall – it matches the red trim beautifully. (The photos don’t quite do the color justice – the blue draws a little more toward green than actually shows up in the photographs.)
I can just see a few colorful pots with sun-loving Agaves sitting atop the pebble-covered drain…
I hope they will enjoy their happy, bright home for many years to come! 🙂
The Creative Flux 
I agree agaves would make a perfect compliment. Good job!
Thanks, Marian!
If you had not said it, I would have accepted the Camellias as nice. But no doubt your other suggestions are fantastic. It would make such difference on that house. Increase the paid price a few thousands, I would guess. Like Fabbie and Fleur would improve our credit, as we used to joke.😌
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I agree – it would kick it up a notch! Just like those classy dogs… 🙂
Nice color choices, I love that shade of blue. I sometimes dream of vinyl siding on my house that’s anything but white.
Aw, thank you, Greg! I hear you about the vinyl siding… Our house is covered in it – top to bottom, and its that grayish white. So very tempted to peel it off… but then, who knows where it would end? Not sure I’m ready to tackle that right now, tempting as it is! 🙂