How long do you keep things in a room the same, especially the fabrics?
Well, mostly the same. I think we all do some tweaking here and there all the time, but for the most part, do you keep your space the same for many years? I do know that fabrics can date a room. Many times, you can walk in someone’s home and make a mental note of exactly when they did that particular room, based on the fabrics. Can’t you?
I think for me I would say at least 7-10 years, I will keep my fabrics and most of the bones of the room the same. Maybe changing out some accessories here and there, but I try to be content and satisfied for several years before I go changing out the major things in a room. 
(from Charles Faudree)
I’ve learned that for the most part, keeping sofas a neutral fabric and color is the best for me. That’s a tried and true thing that I’ve stuck with over the last 20 years or so. Chairs can be something in a print, but even those can be iffy when you want to change out a look in your room.
I love the above pic from Charles Faudree. He’s the king of toile and traditional design, with beautiful toiles and checks mixed so perfectly. I fell in love with toile almost 10 years ago and still have that fabric in my house in the dining room and guest room. But, as much as I still love toile, it’s not what floats my boat right this minute.
Isn’t it funny how we can change our minds about what we love when trends and fabrics change?
Like this for instance. I’m going to swallow my pride and show you my old house, back in 1986. I was so proud to have a house of my very own to do what I wanted with it. And this is what I did. Some of you were just babies back then. Me? I was a single girl out to decorate her first place. 
Isn’t it lovely?  No, not the hair. And don’t laugh. You know you had hair like this too. :)I could definitely rock the big hair.
This beautiful shade of seafoam green was so in back then. In fact, do you see a comeback in the making? It’s not so different than some of those blue/green shades we are all loving now.
Of course, then we were pairing it with mauve (yep, I did mauve carpet, what was I thinking?) and I even threw in gray for some contemporary flair. My mother was sewing for me back then too and made the curtains and that window seat cushion. I thought it was SO pretty.
Then, sometime around the early 90’s, this dark and moody hunter green was everywhere. Hunter green and burgandy. I bet you had some of this too, right?  It was dark and cave like, but then I moved on to my red stage. 
I can’t put my hands on my old house pics, but I had a red very similar to this one in my dining room and I painted the whole living room with it and had new window treatments made for it too with a yellow/gold background (again, my mom sewed for me).
Don’t you feel like you are constantly growing when it comes to decorating? I sure do!
When we moved in this house, I didn’t change out many of my fabrics at all and it’s been almost 5 years that we have lived here. Many of those fabrics go way back from there. The only room I started over with was our master bedroom and bath.
So, I’m chomping at the bit to do a little freshening in my kitchen. I have loved, loved my red bunny fabric for a very long time now. My mom did such a great job on that window treatment and I said to myself that I would keep it until something else started to grab me. This window treatment is almost 9 years old now. It is still very charming and I certainly don’t dislike it, but some other fabrics have grabbed my attention. 
And this fabric that I found earlier this year at Old Time Pottery has been calling my name. You may remember I used it for pillows on my porch, but I have plenty left to do a window treatment with. I won’t even have to change the green paint in there, but these fabrics will freshen it up. Even though these colors are brighter than what I have elsewhere, I’m going for it. 🙂
Those 2 sample fabrics with it are from Tonic Living, a new site my friend, Kate, shared recently. I clicked over there and LOVED all the fabrics and the best part, they are so reasonably priced. They even offered a 10% discount on orders, with the coupon code, TONICLIVING, which I intend to use.
I’m pretty sure this pretty golden yellow lattice fabric will go on my chair seats. And I’m hoping that stripe is still available as I don’t see it on the website now.  I’m not sure yet what type of window treatment I’ll do, but I think it will be simple. You will definitely stay in the loop when I do figure it out! 
I admit, I’m a fabric junkie. My mother used to drag us in the fabric stores when we were growing up, so maybe that has something to do with it. But, when I see a fresh new fabric out there that catches my eye, it begs me to bring it home with me. I’m about a 7-10 year girl with my fabrics.
So, tell me!
How long do you keep your fabrics? Many years like I do or do you tend to change them more often or less often!
And what is it that gets the itch going for change? Is it fabric or a particular color?
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The giveaway winner for the Downlite pillow is #144, Patty Hibble. Congrats Patty, email me with your mailing address and I’ll get you connected.
Rhoda great post……I get very attached to my “things” I only buy things I really LOVE so I tend to keep things awhile. I always have two looks for the kitchen, I guess because my Mother did, we always had summer curtains and winter ones…..maybe that’s why I don’t get sick of them quickly.
Love the new fabric that will look really nice.
LOL had me some hair like that…..we could have been sisters.
You know my daughter is in GA…..pls say a prayer we don’t get hammered by Earl…..she is coming home for the week-end !!
All the best,
Kathy 🙂
Rhoda, love the hair! I never had the mauve, but I did have the navy blue and red. I had a red living/family room for about 12 years and a red office/guest bedroom for about 11 years. The living room went Ben. Moore color 198 about 10 years ago, and the office went to SW Antique White a couple of weeks ago. I do love it. I have a blue & white toile loveseat in the sitting area of the kitchen. It looks fabulous, but ever since I began blogging, I have grown to love white slipcovers and white dishware, which I have collected VERY easily through GW and yard sales. I have noticed that my mother started prefering lighter colors as she aged….now I am doing the same thing! But with young grandchildren, I have to be careful. Would love to redo all the sofas in neutral now (after 10 years), but they are still in perfect condition!! Linda
Hi Rhoda,
I will admit I could only dream of hair that big back in the 80’s. Mine is not thick enough to stay up really high, but I tried!! Yours was FAB!!
I’ve had the basics (love seats, table and chairs etc.) for almost 20 years! I just change the slipcovers, the cushions, the drapes. I make them myself so I can do it when the mood strikes. But since I keep things fairly neutral I don’t feel the need to change things that often. Just mix up the accessories and accent cushions and etc. We painted the interior of the house about 5 years ago, I would like to see something else, but it’s a nice soft green and goes well with the stone floors, and there are so many walls and very high ceilings, so I think I’ll be living with the color for awhile longer!
Great post, Rhoda!
xo
Heidi
I <3 Charles Faudree!!! My Mother and I used to go to a home tour every year in Tulsa that always had some of his decorated homes. Many times his own home was on the tour as well and believe me, it was beyond wonderful!!!
I <3 fabric as well! I've been in a rut lately and have been feeling the need to get rid of my red and gold bedroom and move to something lighter…
Oh, Rhoda! That 1986 photo is fabulous in more ways than one!!! We’re moved so much int he past (many of them being rental properties) that I nver had to much choice in my decortatiing or stayed long enough to get tied of what I did have. But when we moved into our dream home, I thought long and hard about my decor choices. I tried to stay away from anything too trendy, but I did go with a good bit of light blue! I don’t see my changing anything too soon, but we’ll see.
Love the hair! And I am definately laughing with you—I was totally into the whole Farah Fawcett look. Your post took me down memory lane…I’ve changed my colors pretty much every 8-10 years and sometimes wish I could do it more often.
It’s so invigorating to change a room occassionally. You go girl!
We tend to move about every 7-10 years so I just start fresh then . I do like to keep my main pieces neutral so I can change pillows and accessories often. I guess we are from the same era because I also had peach and seafoam green in my first home. The next house I went with deep red and hunter green. Years ago I had mostly white, shabby chic look. Now our home is a mix of traditional, country french, shabby chic and antiques. I think I like this eclectic style the best. Hugs, Sherry
I can’t let my furniture sit in the same place for more than 6 months, always changing it up. My kitchen was remodeled two years ago, but I typically change wall color and drapes every 4 years. I love to sew so I always make my own. My front/dinning room has had the same color, Merlot, for the last 9 years. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I love the way it makes me feel, change rugs drapes, pillow, etc., and have never tried of the color.
With your inspiration I am now “spray painting” and anticipating all the new creative ideas you provide and will incorporate into my life.
Rhoda, fun post. Blast from the past. By the way even with the big hair you were so beautiful, such a pretty lady!! I think you Southern gals really did Big Hair well. I guess I am in the change slightly camp. I will do wallpaper and sofa changes about every 7-10 years. As far as colors go. I have to say I have stayed with the same colors for years. I am a yellow, black, white, green, blue, watermelon pink gal. Always have been. I had a heck of a time when mauve was in. Way to blue based for me. I am pretty classic but like you like to freshen up my look with an addition of pillows and accessories. Can’t wait to see what you do in your kitchen how fun!!! I think we are always on a learning curve and we are such lucky ladies to be able to play house!!! Have fun my friend, hugs Kathysue
Hi Rhonda, love that you posted the old pictures. That is fun and I too had a Hunter Green wall back in the day. I loved it and thought it was beautiful and I guess it was then. I tend to redecorate when I fall in love with a new color and then I want that color everywhere in my home. Right now it’s the pretty blue, gray colors that are so popular and are giving me the bug to redecorate and redo.
Rhoda, yes, I did the mauve carpeting, and oh yes, the hunter green & burgandy too, but I hope you still,have that multi-strand of pearls you are wearing. They are great and I would practically die for them:) I enjoy and look forward to you blog. Keep up the good work.
Oh, my!! I remember having BIG hair, too… and I also had the “poof” window treatments: mine came from JC Penneys since I can’t sew. I thought those were just the coolest decorating statement that was happening, lol!
I never had the navy/burgundy/hunter green palette: I was a single girl on a budget, so I had to stick with my soft colors. I did mix the teal with mauve (never had the country blue either) & get this – my walls were that builder shade of taupe with a slight hint of some shade of lavender (?)… that was the strangest color!
Now that I’m older, I have definitely learned to select more neutral colors for larger items like sofas (no more floral patterns!) & I tend to keep them for 7-10 years. I just finished new custom bedding in the master bedroom… I’m so happy with how it turned out! The only thing that I didn’t have sewn for me was the matelesse coverlet that is a gorgeous shade called corn silk.
It looks to me like Diane from Cheers stopped by for a sit on your window seat.. even the dress and shoes.. ahhahahh ,, that should be the next Linky party.. everybody’s big hair days.. !!
I love your old pics and I’m sure in that phase, you were very current! To answer your question, I usually get the itch to redecorate every couple of years but try to wait until things have worn a bit as to not be too wasteful. I think seven years is a good mark.
I agree, that I usually grow tired of fabrics and paint colors first. Keeping the big things neutral (couches, rugs, paint) can allow us to redecorate inexpensively more often! I’m really feeling the blues and grays right now. I’m also love the small brightly painted pieces of furniture in oranges, pinks, turquoise and yellow. They’re usually easier to repaint than an entire room!
Good Luck.
Oh Rhoda! You were rockin’ that big hair look! I am a Texas girl, honey….and we LOVE our BIG HAIR!!!!! Thank you for sharing! You looked MAHVELOUS!!!!! I like to change basics every 6 or 7 years if I can afford it….and I have that hankering again. I have done the jewel tones thing on the walls and some accessories and am going to give pretty neutrals a whirl THIS go ’round!
LOL! It didn’t take much to make your hair that big. You have a LOT of hair. Thanks for the flashback! Just yesterday I saw a set of china in a thrift store like your 1st set. I remember you using the color in that china to decorate your home.
I absolutely LOVED reading all your comments on this post and can see this subject is one that gets many of you talking about trends and how they come and go. It’s so hard not to get caught up in the latest and greatest, but no one can afford to change things out all the time. It’s nice to share inspiration in blogging with everyone out there, so thanks for chiming in with “your” color story.
i’m going on 10 years with red toile and it’s getting kind of old! i have coordinating wallpaper (yep really) that is also 10 years old… so, i’m thinking for me it’s color.
I knew I was out of date, but I didn’t realize HOW FAR out of date I was! I still have a peach master suite and dark green in most of the “public” rooms. I’m very tired of it all, would love to redecorate the whole house, but our family is in transition right now so it doesn’t make much sense. I’ll wait until everyone is moved out and/or settled, then, in the quiet, go wild with redecorating.That is, if my frugal side can go to sleep for awhile.
I loved reading all these comments, but it made me feel so dull….although my style has evolved a bit, it’s been more a matter of fine tuning to get to the point where I can say: “I know what I like/ I know what I don’t like.”
(Of course, along the way I’ve also discovered another category: “I know what I think looks good in SOMEBODY ELSE’S house, but realize that it’s not something that I could live with it long term.” Read: all white/cream/minimalist. But things like that seem to only be learned through trial and error. At least for me.)
So I’m still loving the same colors today that I did 5, 10, 15 years ago. Earth tones are like music to my soul, so although there might be a little hint of trends/colors in accessories or pillows, in 20 years I’m guessing that I’ll still be loving the same things….or some close cousin of them 😉