• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Collaborate
  • Blog
  • Parties
    • Children’s Parties Ideas
    • Holiday Parties
    • Adult Party Ideas
  • Holiday Ideas
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Spring
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Seasons
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Project Gallery
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • Good Ideas
    • Tutorials
  • Shop My Home
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

September 6, 2017

Saying Good-bye to Yellow Walls

We’ve had yellow walls for almost 18 years.

Now, granted, they haven’t all been in the same house. When we first moved to Oregon in the winter of 2000, we looked and looked before finally finding the perfect home for us. And I knew exactly how I wanted to decorate it. I wanted yellow walls in all of the main rooms. I wanted to add little accents of blue and white and have it look oh so cottage-y. And I wanted the office to be painted red because I just knew that would make it seem so much more office-y.

shutter doors as backdrop for french country decor

 

We lived in that house for 9 years. Both of our babies were brought home to that house. I cried my eyes out the day we drove away from it for the last time. We moved into a home that I was anxious to put my stamp on but, admittedly, I was a bit overwhelmed. It was considerably larger and hadn’t been updated since it was built in 1992. AND I was trying my best to be as frugal as possible. The new house had green carpet. Lots of green carpet. And it simply wasn’t in our budget at the time to have it all replaced. So I tried to work with it. I hung up the drapes from our old house and yep…you guessed it…painted the walls yellow.

(Found an old picture of how it used to look!!)

It was familiar…comfortable. And, you have to remember, this was before the whole ‘paint everything gray’ trend had hit the decor world.

So the yellow walls made their appearance in our new-to-us house but were relegated to the living room, dining room and entry.

And there they stayed. For nine years! It was about year 4 that I realized I was really, really over the yellow. But, we had other things to do to the house.

Like a deck in desperate need of replacing. Cabinets in desperate need of painting. Flooring in desperate need of being replaced. And lots, and lots of green carpet that needed to go bye-bye.

I also tend to put off things that I know are going to cause our household to be in upheaval. Even the thought of having to move everything out of those rooms and taking everything off of the walls made me feel exhausted. But, this summer, we finally reached the point where we realized that it was no longer a matter of simply wanting a new color on the walls. After all of those years, the paint was definitely starting to reflect the wear and tear of family life.

So I made the call and as I type these words the painters are here and the new color is going on the walls.

I’ll admit, there is this little part of me that is feeling kind of nostalgic as I watch them roll the new color on top of the yellow.

But as my kids head off to school (one in his last year of middle school and the other in her last year of elementary school! #holdme) and summer slips into fall, I’m embracing the changes happening in my family and my home.

I used to be so incredibly change resistant. And honestly it’s still not my most favorite thing in the world.

But as I’ve gotten older I’ve finally learned that change is going to come whether I want it to or not. And I can either follow along behind it kicking and screaming or I can march along with it knowing that while it doesn’t always bring sunshine and lollipops, it always leads me to a destination that is better than where I started.

In the publishing world, this season is known as the “second new year” mainly because it’s back-to-school time and we are also heading into the holidays. Vacations are over and kids are out of the house giving us time to regroup and having a minute to think without being asked for a snack every five minutes. And that’s what I’m doing. I’m taking some days to really reflect and regroup and tackle some areas of my home and my heart that have been neglected

So, here’s my question for you this week my friends. In what areas of your home AND your heart do you feel the nudge to make a change? I’d love to hear from you!

And, as always, thank you for meeting me at the fence today,

P.S. The yellow paint color is by Olympic Paints and is called ‘Dusty Yellow’ 😉

9 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas Tagged With: decorating

Subscribe

Get the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Previous Post: « Remodeling
Next Post: When Life is Falling Apart »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. diane says

    September 6, 2017 at 5:03 AM

    i like that term “second new year”. i never heard it before. i think it fits me right now. im 68. as long as one is alive it is never too late for a “2nd new year”. i have been thru some health and other very difficult issues. now im on the other side but still in this world! lol

    Reply
  2. Shelley says

    September 9, 2017 at 6:08 AM

    I’d never heard the phrase “second new year”, but I love it! The Fall has always been special to me, not only for the changes in leaves and weather, but all the new possibilities that were ingrained from starting a new school year– both when I was a student and when my children were students. There is an excitement I feel when, as you described, there is a slight change in the air that says fall is coming, and it is physically and spiritually invigorating!
    Can’t wait to see your new wall color, I’m sure it will be wonderful!

    Reply
  3. Andrea says

    September 9, 2017 at 6:33 AM

    Adaptability. Such as moving on to a new wall color and seeing the possibilities, like you did! I need to dive in and adapt, change, move on, don’t wait for hand-holding. Just jump right in and paint on , or click on, or study on, don’t stew or fret. The rate of change is so crazy fast in the world today, in decorating, de-cluttering, technology and at our jobs, I can always build my adaptability. Example : I sold a bunch of my most clingy treasures last weekend at a garage sale and feel so FREE this weekend !

    Reply
  4. kddomingue says

    September 9, 2017 at 8:40 AM

    My youngest is 32 so it’s been a few years since I’ve​ felt the changes of the “second New Year” hit me. But with my granddaughter entering kindergarten this year, I’m back to scheduling my days around picking up a child from school and getting home with her and snacks and homework….. and all the things that the “second New Year” entails. Hmmmm, quite a change of pace, lol!

    I’ve had yellow walls for about 15 years now and I’m ready for a change to! And I’m having a huge urge to declutter even more than I already have.

    Reply
  5. Michele says

    September 9, 2017 at 1:44 PM

    Yours was a particularly awesome shade of yellow. I had it in a guest bedroom once upon a time. Can’t wait to see your new color.

    We recently painted almost every room in the house – in two of the rooms I just freshened but liked the paint color so used the same, just newly painted……painted the master a few years ago and I think I am going to lighten it up soon – maybe. Our biggest changes were big things – roof, windows, doors (still working on two more) new car and new carpet upstairs. Not terribly long ago painted tv/den room and the entire downstairs, including the half bath.

    SO other than finishing the landscaping, ordering the doors and possibly – maybe wait till spring – painting our master, I think I am done for a while. I change things a lot. I love change – hubs does NOT.

    Putting off redoing the master bath, I cringe just thinking about it but getting a new quote from out contractor this friday. Ugh, Really love the idea of it being done when we are gone or something lol hate that kind of upheaval!

    Have a wonderful weekend. Hugs.

    Reply
  6. Shirley @Housepitality Design s says

    September 9, 2017 at 4:32 PM

    Yellow is such a happy color for you as a very happy person….Change is good…without change we become stagnant….for both our environment and souls we all need to hit the refresh button…change is good. If it weren’t that we have the house on the market, I would be painting the walls a pretty fresh linen color…in my heart? … I need to be more accepting of things that I cannot change…

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      September 11, 2017 at 9:12 AM

      Isn’t it so hard to accept those things we simply can’t change? I’m constantly praying that the Lord would just help ME to be the one to change how I respond to those things I can’t control. Not easy for sure!

      Reply
  7. ROSE says

    September 10, 2017 at 10:42 PM

    The 2 bathrooms and their ceilings need a change! I would love to have them planked.

    Reply
  8. Chanele says

    September 16, 2017 at 7:58 PM

    What new color did you pick? The suspense…..

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search This Blog

Get the book!

Invite Vanessa to speak at your event!

Stay updated!

  • A New Look for the Family Room

    A New Look for the Family Room
  • Honey Tea Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze

    Honey Tea Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze
  • The Slow Exit

    The Slow Exit
  • Honed Quartzite Kitchen Counters Reveal

    Honed Quartzite Kitchen Counters Reveal

Sign Up and Never Miss A Post!

Must Reads

Decadent Valentines Day Chocolate Bark from At The Picket Fence

Latest Recipes

Honey Tea Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze

Apple Bread Pudding

Grandma’s Banana Bread

view more recent recipes

Recent Posts

  • Laundry Room Makeover February 23, 2023
  • Winter Decorating Ideas January 27, 2023
  • Nostalgic Christmas Home Tour December 10, 2022
  • Vintage Inspired Hot Cocoa Bar November 21, 2022
  • Autumn Home Decor Tour October 7, 2022

Footer

Stay Connected!

Instagram

It’s time for another #tiptuesday and this week It’s time for another #tiptuesday and this week I’m showing how easy it is to decorate an entry table for spring in under five minutes! The formula is SO simple…

1. A lamp is your staple element and provides height.
2. Add a stack of books.
3. Bring in depth with a small framed seasonal print.
4. Add a small tray
5. Place seasonal accessories and a candle on that tray especially if you have cute brass bunnies!
6. Put a vase or urn on top of the books and add fresh or silk spring flowers.

And that’s all there is to it! Happy Spring dear friends! 🌸
Happy Friday! I’m oh so thankful for beautiful s Happy Friday! I’m oh so thankful for beautiful sunshine especially when our family has been hit by illness this week. Everyone is on the upswing, thankfully, and I’m hoping we’ll fell well enough to get outside and soak up some much needed natural vitamin D. After so many days of wet, gloomy weather this is like balm for my soul! 🍃 What’s the weather like where you are?
Here is a friendly PSA for you...do not, I repeat, Here is a friendly PSA for you...do not, I repeat, DO NOT attempt to apply eyeliner while you have the hiccups. It won't go well. Trust me on this one! 😜

In other news, the hot cocoa station is finally gone and in it's place is a fresh new look that was kicked off by finding a beautiful, rustic vase at @homegoods. It feels like my home is rising up to welcome Spring and I'm so ready for sunshine and longer days. 🍃

Don’t forget to check out my stories tonight for Friday funnies! I love hearing from so many of you who say it’s your favorite way to wrap up your week. ☺️

Happy weekend to you dear friends!
It’s Tip Tuesday time! This week I’m sharing o It’s Tip Tuesday time! This week I’m sharing one of my most favorite ways to simply and inexpensively add seasonal decor to your home. There’s nothing like getting big impact with little effort and without breaking the bank! #tiptuesday #decorforless
What a gift it was to wake up on the first day of What a gift it was to wake up on the first day of March and see glorious sunshine greeting us after a few days of ice and snow. This is the month of hope and expectation and I’m here for it.

Happy March first dear friends! 🍃
Our first ‘laundry room’ wasn’t actually a r Our first ‘laundry room’ wasn’t actually a room at all. The 20+ year old washer and dryer we inherited after we got married was hooked up in the garage of our small townhouse. Our second ‘laundry room’ was an improvement because it was actually INSIDE the house but it was in our family room behind bifold doors.

So when we moved into this home 15 years ago I literally jumped up and down when I saw this real laundry room. Never mind that it had dated counters and an old stained sink. It was an actual room!

We made minor updates to it over the years but other, more visible, spaces took priority so we spent our resources on beautifying those.

But, last summer, we finally had new counters installed and made a few more updates that have completely transformed this room. 

Now, it’s almost a joy to do the laundry…almost! 😉

For more photos and details head on over to my website using the link in my bio.
“In you, LORD my God, I put my trust. I trust in “In you, LORD my God, I put my trust.
I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.

No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths.

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.”

Psalm 25:1-6
Ronald Reagan famously said that “all great chan Ronald Reagan famously said that “all great change in America begins at the dinner table.” I think this is true for everyone worldwide. You simply can’t put a value on the importance of gathering together for a meal with those you love. But, sometimes, we can struggle with getting the conversations flowing. So for this #tiptuesday, I’m sharing some tools we’ve used in our home. 🍃
There is just something about the combination of l There is just something about the combination of lemon and honey. It’s rustic yet fancy, sweet yet tart, spring-like yet comforting on a cold winters day. 

And that’s why this is hands down one of my favorite recipes! I decided to take a basic tea cake and turn it into a loaf of sweet, tart, simple yet fancy goodness and the only thing bad about it was how quickly it disappeared!

🍋You can find the recipe by following the link in my bio 🍯
“Have regular hours for work and play; make each “Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well.” (Louisa May Alcott).

The sun is shining and it’s the perfect day to photograph our laundry room which got a bit of a makeover. This space is definitely useful as it bears the brunt of everyone tromping through it all day long but I think I’ve managed to make it pleasant as well. One of my greatest realizations in my homemaking journey was when I recognized that those two things weren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, it’s the pleasant that enhances the useful and vice versa.

I’ll have the rest of the makeover reveal on my website soon but I just couldn’t resist sharing a sneak peek with you today! 🌿
Load More... Follow
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 At The Picket Fence