So a few days ago I asked you all for
help with my kitchen, and boy did you help! I got more comments on that post than any other since showing
my home and a couple of
DIY projects. (This isn't a very meaty post so I'm linking shamelessly to others on this blog).
For those of you who missed it, the question was whether this rug worked in my kitchen:
And kudos to you all... you were all pretty opinionated. I'm kidding - I asked you for honesty, and you totally delivered. Here were the results:
About 1/3 LOVED it and said don't ever change it.
About 1/3 HATED it and said the scale was too big, it clashed with the dining room, etc.
About 1/3 said to put it in the
dining room:
Here's what I think. I adore the rug (as almost all of you did), but something wasn't working for me in the kitchen. I think it was actually the size - not the scale of the pattern, but the physical size of the rug. I ordered 9x11 instead of 8x10 by accident, and I think that extra surface area of the rug was throwing me.
I disagree with those who said it clashed with the dining room rug. Now, I could be totally wrong, and it shows how subjective design is. A lot of people whose opinion I REALLY respect thought it clashed horribly with the dining room rug. But then a lot of people whose opinion I also totally respect loved them together.
However, just because I happen to fall in with the camp that says the patterns worked well together doesn't mean I'm right.
Or actually, maybe it does. My number one piece of advice to people is, and has always been "Do what YOU like." So, if I, or you, like something, then I say go for it. And whether you love or hate something, you are "right," since all design is somewhat subjective.
So knowing that, why didn't I just take my own advice and do what I thought? I think because I knew it didn't work for me, but
so wanted it to, that I was hoping everyone would say it was awesome, and that in turn those opinions would somehow make me agree that it worked. Oh, when will I learn!?
So despite how wonderful, well thought out, beautifully articulated, and heartfelt your comments and advice were, they didn't help. Now don't start un-following me just yet!! They didn't help, not because they were so evenly divided, but because it really only matters
what the person who lives there thinks. I can have 18 million people tell me a paint color if beautiful, but if I don't like it, I'm going to change it. And I can have 18 million people hate something, but if I love it, I'm going to keep it.
So I learned that valuable lesson, and
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for it :)
And by the way, many, many, of you expressed the same sentiment, obviously having already learned that important lesson.
One last note on the advice -- I agree that the rug would look great in my dining room, but I have a round table and really need a square rug in there. This new one would not have worked with the table - it would have been too long (falling under the sideboard), and too shallow (not wide enough to accommodate the chairs). And that, I know, would drive me crazy to the point of involuntary commitment. So while I think all of you who said that have a great eye, I should have explained that it was the wrong size.
Here is my final thought. I'm keeping the rug. I love it too much not to. It's just question of where it will go. The worst (or maybe best) case is that it will sit in storage until I can finish my attic and make it into an office. I'm really, really hoping for that this year, but it's going to take a lot of saving and convincing my husband to be able to do that. We already live in 4000 finished square feet, so it seems crazy. But I really don't have a good place to work, and have always dreamed of using the attic.
But that leads me to this. We have a living room, which you've all seen. We hardly ever use it. So, until I can do the attic, I'm considering this:
Now before you tell me the blue doesn't go or the end table is too big, I know. This is just an idea for the rug and layout, not the colors. As always, opinions are welcomed!!
Thanks for reading!!
I hope you'll visit my store for Rugs, Lighting, Art, Furniture and more:
,Must See Daily Deals at One Kings Lane!
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