We’ve all seen it. The perfect home in 50 shades of grey (literally, the entire house is grey). Grey vases, decorative grey balls displayed in a grey dish, a perfectly tousled throw blanket draped across the bed or couch as if it wasn’t staged, and black/white artwork on the walls to perfectly match the aesthetic. For many people, this is the goal - a house as curated as their gorgeous Instagram feed, but to be honest, that’s not for me.
And maybe I’m just jealous because my floors are covered in fluorescent ABC tiles, and I’m pretty sure there’s peanut butter on my wall, but more likely it’s because I grew up with an amazingly creative mom who handmade everything in our house and wasn’t afraid of colour. I would eat breakfast at a kitchen table covered in Dilbert comics with my feet on a stool made from pop cans and a frisbee. (Shameless plug: Check out @createdbyflorence on Instagram where I show off my mom’s creativity).
Now maybe you don’t think you have the skill, imagination or time to pull off a house transformation, but I challenge you to pick an area in your home that you spend a lot of time in (or a room you’d like to spend more time in) and just make it a tad more fun! Here are a few ways to get started:
What Are You Into?
This question is easy to answer for some people but for others, they may need to think about it. Tip: Look at what you post/like on social media and at your wardrobe (e.g. always rocking classic rock tees, gardening gear, a train conductor’s hat?)
Once you have it figured out, don’t hide your interests/hobbies! Whether you love books, traveling, cats, kick ass feminist leaders, or limited edition sneakers, incorporate your interests into your decor.
What Colours Make You Happy?
Paint your walls, an interior door, or add a patterned wallpaper. Go wild! If you have commitment issues, a colourful piece of artwork can also do the trick. Tip: Not sure what colours make you happy? Look at your phone case.
Make it YOU!
Generic art can be beautiful but I’d suggest opting for something more personal! Here are some examples from my own home.
We love to travel so we bought this enormous canvas map from IKEA and I made photo magnets of all the places we’ve travelled. Instant conversation piece.
Speaking of IKEA, here’s another print they used to sell. I wasn’t feeling the black and white so I turned the sky into a floral collage with two magazines, scissors, a lot of glue sticks, and some moderate to heavy hand cramping.
Do you want something personal but don’t want to DIY? I get it. The good news is there hasn’t been a better time to support local and there are tons of vendors near you that would be ecstatic to make you a special [fill in the blank]. If you're interested in custom people or pet portraits (classic and minimalist options available) and/or you have another vision you want brought to life, Click Here and select 'Commissions'. I look forward to hearing from you!
I hope you found even a tiny bit of inspiration to go from 50 shades of grey to 50 shades of YAY.
Lastly... grey, no shade. - Michelle
About the Author
My name is Michelle Alexander and I'm a Canadian artist with a sweet tooth. I started MishiMoooDesigns in 2020 and specialize in combining my love for junk food with everyday objects in unusual and often 'punny' ways. If this sounds interesting to you, I'd love for you to check out my Gallery and/or follow me on Instagram @MishiMoooDesigns.
I'm proud to be included in Feedspot's Top 30 Digital Art Blogs and Websites To Follow in 2022.