PSA: Pheasant by Twigs Wallpaper, All Colorways Pictured

Remember this wallpaper?

It's the lusciously lickable, preppily psychedelic Pheasant by Twigs wallpaper that I was talking up last week.

In the interest of continuing theme Wallpaper Week, I started to shoot my sample collection in our hallway for your viewing pleasure... but then I went and ordered yet ANOTHER sample that I feel I simply must wait upon before asking your opinion.

I am going open a crazy lady wallpaper sample shop when all this is said and done -- the kind of shop with dusty lampshades and random cats patrolling pee stained darkened corners. In other words, I have a problem.

While I sort out my OCD issues, I decided to shoot and post all the colorways for Pheasant because they aren't available anywhere online. I tried my hardest to standardize the colors and density, so I think the pictures are fairly accurate. This may not be the most exciting post, but hopefully it will be useful to someone out in the world.

Blue

Brown

Gold

Gray

Malachite

Marine

Orange

Peach

Red

Rust

If you like, call the nice folks at Twigs and order some samples for free. Rolls are 100% gorgeously hand printed (from a 1980s pattern!), so you have to trim the selvedge yourself...

Cold sweat, people. That's scary stuff.

But worth it -- this paper is deluxe.

Also it reminds me of the time I "got drunk" and went to the renaissance faire to watch weird people make marbelized paper.

That alone puts it in front runner status, right?

A Few More (Shoddy) Pictures of the House, Plus a HUGE Thank You to Sanders

I really, truly appreciated all your thoughtful comments and feedback on my last post. Leopard rug is scheduled to arrive Monday, so more updates on that soon. In the meantime, so many of you asked for the paint color I used in the front room that I thought I should repost it with the name of the color.

It's Benjamin Moore Dark Harbor, mixed 25% darker.

Let me just take a minute to say that I am a picky mofo. I can tear perfection into a million imperfect pieces. That's why Sanders is such a gem. In case you just started reading or don't remember, Sanders is the paint genius who manages my local Benjamin Moore -- he's also the brains behind the Ask Sanders column. Without him I would I have hideous turquoise walls that make me cry angry tears of anger.

If you live in Austin or thereabouts (one reader drove up from San Antonio just to meet with Sanders!), go see him before he starts his own paint consulting empire and starts charging for his advice. He's that good.

Plus look at his sweet little face! I love me some Sanders.

 Moving on: more Dark Harbor pictures. Wish I'd thought to shoot this with a color card so it would be truly accurate, but I think this is close. It goes from navy to almost billiard green, and everything in between.

Can't believe I am posting this horrible picture, but it's been raining forever so I haven't had a chance to reshoot without all the toys. I think I took one picture of this side of the room and gave up because it is a pita to shoot without off camera lighting. Anyway, you can see that DH does go a lot lighter when faced with direct sun.

While we're all staring at this dumb picture, let's talk about built in shelving. The front room is teeny tiny, so to save space I really wanted to build a nook around the sofa, kind of like this:

But with far less beige... Anyway, there are two problems. First, the chair rail. Yes, we can remove it, but blending in the texture is going to be a job x infinity. Second, I don't know if we have enough depth on that side of the doorway -- it's about 12." Any advice on how to handle this? Ideas?

Once again I am depending on you to solve all of my problems.

Why not get busy with world peace while you're at it?

Very Bad Things

I probably shouldn't complain about our cushy soft middle class life, but when one of your two (old and paid for) cars blows a head gasket and the other is taking in water fast enough to sink an Italian cruise ship, it hurts. Right now I am adding up couches and upholstery and wallpaper and getting very very very sad, because something has to give. Maybe food? Prenatal care? Preschool daycare?

Oh hell no. Anything but daycare.

In other news, I really like this color:

With this couch:

Our front room/study is painted almost that exact shade of peacocky teal (thank you, Sanders!), and Alexis is currently presiding over the room in all her 70s raggedy oatmeal tweed glory. You remember that bitch, right?

Yes -- despite many reservations I kept her, and actually she fits perfectly into a tight space. So maybe if I eat wonderbread for a year I can afford to have Alexis recovered in some fabulous salmon velvet.

Say it with me: wonderbread grows healthy babies.

Things are going to be just fine.

[interior via Christian May's fabulous pinterest]