Before... and Almost After

Danielle strikes again! My poor cousin Alysun is too busy to post this week, but I wanted to get this out there because the story is so funny to me. I LOVE to design and I have been getting very comfortable with my purchases as of late, but I have not always made good decorating choices. My problem is, I cannot visualize the big picture. So, when Alysun aka Danielle, offered to decorate any room with any given budget, I was excited to see what she would do. I sent her this photo of my living room:

She responded with: what kind of budget are we working with here? And what style and colors so you like? I wrote her a lenthy and probably too detailed version of when I like, including attaching photos of living rooms that struck my fancy: I like the wood to be dark brown and the main colors to be brown, beige, taupe; jade, teal, mint green and/or ivory. A bright accent color would be violet. I'm a sucker for mosaics. The budget is $500 not including the couch, but should include something for the walls that I can't paint.

My style is clean and classy/comfortable and modern. Their should be texture on some parts but the main parts are plain.

While I was up in Redding, I got the e-mail back from Danielle/Alysun and I opened the photo to:

Coral.

I reread my email wondering if Alysun hated my colors and ideas and decided that this was going to be my new grown up look. Her response puzzled me as well: Since you didn't give me a budget, I went to town (quite literally). You own me $12,472. The artwork is on me :)

My brow furrowed. I knew I had included a budget, so I ventured carefully with "Did you get my response e-mail with budgets and colors?" No, of course she did not get it. So I reforwarded it. Stay tuned for the actual "after," although I think this room is gorgeous (including the photos on the walls that she chose for me). It will be after the holiday rush because perfection cannot be hurried, right Danielle? :) Thanks, cousin!