Thanks Lynn, but this pic was of the home I just left because the landlord was moving his mother in there so I had to go. The landlords own a tile company so they did a wonderful job with the floors, granite tile contertop, and tiling the bathrooms. They got cheap with bathroom cabinmets and lighting and bedroom carpets. I am now renting a different home about 3 miles south of the 1st one I rented in Phoenix. This neighborhood is nicer. But if I do not find a job or some other source of income I will have to go into subsidized housing next month since I am out of money. My part time job cut hours drastically so I am only working like 4-6 hours a week at $10.95 an hour. That ain't enough for even groceries. I am going to go to St. Vincent de Paul tomorrow to pick up food. I applied for like 6 jobs today. I apply online almost everyday but no calls or emails are coming in to me. It is frustrating. I am praying non-stop now for God to make another miracle in my life. I should be done with chemo by the end of March and have my reversal ileostomy surgery (called a take down) in early May. Then recovery from that and re-adjustment to using my colon again. So I am getting closer to the end of this year long struggle. Thanks be to God! Thanks for the compliment!

Hi Donnagwd. First off, I really like your painting & I see why you want to feature it. The Guggenheim is a really great sculptural shape to begin with, but the artist--and you didn't say whose work this is--has a really nice way of handling tonal contrasts, although I gotta say I don't ever remember seeing that stretch of Fifth Avenue quite that empty. Then again, going by the age of the cars, that was a long time ago. You're right about the generic no-color color currently on the walls doing absolutely nothing for the painting, but although I seldom recommend specific paint colors on a public message board, I will say this: if I were you, I'd stay away from the silvery blues & go more toward the warm grays-to-taupes-to-mink brown as a wall color behind your painting, which will, in turn, make the bright sky & pavement & the sunstruck concrete of the museum glow. Repeating one of the high-key blues on the wall will only diminish the painting's luminous quality, not enhance it. As far as your furniture & lamps go, I don't like those twin mirrors any more than you do, but even though the 7Os weren't my favorite period of design, I really like your lamps. Then again, while that shape may have been popular during the decade, it's been around a lot longer than that--just not as lamps. But it's an ancient form, and therefore worth keeping, and I also like the way the shades echo the shape of the museum, except upside down. Such subtle nuances are what makes a room interesting, and don't tell me you didn't even notice the similarity of shape before. You just didn't recognize it consciously. So that's the good news--that the specific contents of your room (minus those twin mirrors) are just fine, and that the painting is a winner. Now for the bad news: your husband is right about the painting being too small for that huge bed. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day, and in this case, it's your husband who's on the money. Who woulda thunk it? Anyway, I'd find another spot to hang the painting--maybe even in another room--and I'd find something r-e-a-l-l-y wide to put over your bed. Maybe an Asian scroll on a gold background; maybe a length of 7Os-modern fabric laid horizontally; maybe a really long & skinny tree branch with dead leaves still attached; maybe a paper sculpture from a local art show. Or maybe I'd just leave that wall blank. Not every wall needs something on it, and FLW was a master of using negative space to balamce a room. What I wouldn't do is use a handsome piece of art in a place where it's just going to be overpowered--which is what that bed is going to do--and having a David-&-Goliath struggle going on right above my head at night isn't going to make for the restful scheme you're wanting. BTW, now's your chance to win psychologial points with your DH by whispering the three words that every man longs to hear: "You were right." It will make him more likely to give in next time around, when he, like most husbands when it comes to aesthetic matters, is totally clueless. This round, though, he wins. Never fight a battle you know you can't win. Regards, Magnaverde.

When I decorated my house, I took my inspiration from textiles I saw in stores. I liked the combination of robin's egg blue, chocolate brown and spring green. My dining room is chocolate brown (with lots of white trim and paneling) with robin's egg blue curtains and chairs. The living room is a muted light blue, with a green sofa, and some dark brown side tables. The kitchen is green. I didn't strictly stick with the color scheme for the kitchen (since it is separated from the other rooms by a hallway), substituting black for brown and using a bit more vivid palette. But the colors all work together. I only know a bit about color theory, but I figure that designers and artists know a lot. So I look for color combinations that I like in things that other people have designed. You may have to tone the colors down a bit for an expanse as large as a wall. In line with what Anenemity said, colors tend to look much more colorful on the wall than on the chip (or on the bedspread or in the painting), simply due to the size and uninterrupted expanse of the wall.

aprilneverends (and everyone) -- thank you so much! I'm truly amazed that I was able to do these at all. I'd only ever hemmed pants before, and even that I only did once every few years. I'm addicted to the feeling of the fabric now, and don't want to run out of windows, LOL! I have 5-8 more windows that I can make shades for in my house. I'll be sad when I don't have to pick fabrics anymore. As for paint... now that the shades are up, I can focus on a color. My current top picks are Gray Wisp, Silver Marlin, and Woodlawn Blue (all Ben Moore). I just placed an order for more color sheets, because I want to see Quiet Moments, Beach Glass, and a few others. By a few, I mean 15+ colors. But that includes a few off-whites for the hallway. I'm going to stick with a single color in the MBR instead of having an accent wall. If I really want to, I can paint my walk-in closet a different color. I LOVED waking up with the birds this morning! They let in just the right amount of light.