the argument for purple...

One of the problems about working with an image consultant is that I suffer the brunt of unsolicited advice that is presented with strong encouragement and almost always differs from what I have in mind.

For example, lately, I have begun to openly discuss my plans for my new apartment with Marilyn, mostly in passing or when we happen to be shopping, but never really because I want her opinion on things, just because.

One thing that I always try to keep in mind is that as much as we are similar, we have completely different ideas in other areas. And as much as I value her opinion, I have a feeling that no matter what I do with my apartment there's always something she would have done differently. I have a very juvenile style, with bright bold colors and minimalist arrangements, which is a 180 from her gothic, musuem-loft apartment that is packed to the brim with stuff. Her current color of choice? Green, of mostly the muted variety. Mine? Aqua, Turquoise, anything blue and bright.

She hasn't heard all of my ideas (mostly because I know she'll veto them instantly--"A Hello Kitty Kitchen?! Are you crazy?!") so I've only told her about my ideas for my living room, which are focused around the fabric and colors from a beautiful curtain (click the purple swatch) I saw at, of course, Urban Outfitters.

So my vision is to basically have those curtains, which I have been oogling for the better part of a year, biding my time until they go on sale--fret not, there is still a big pile of them at the Clark and Fullerton location. From the curtains, I'd like to have accents that are aqua and purple, like glass vases, lamps, etc, but I know it's going to be a little too dark or over coordinated or something or maybe I just things in threes, so I asked Marilyn what other color I should use, maybe for the furniture or what not.

She said white. Or metallics, like silver or gold. Both are good, kind of where I was going.

I guess I should have just trusted myself and not asked her...because a few days later, she said she'd been thinking about my apartment ideas and the purple just wasn't going to work. I showed her the curtains online, but she suggested we go to a fabric store and buy fabric to sew into curtains (yeah right, like that will actually get accomplished before the next millenia). And, she suggested a totally different palatte. Aqua was fine, but purple had to go. White and Brown and Aqua would be totally hot, she said, and if I got tired of one color, I could easily change it, but the purple and aqua thing together in the one curtain was too much to commit to. And that's why no one's bought this pile of curtains.

well. The lesson learned? Don't tell anyone anything unless you're willing to defend or defy the person at any costs.

The truth is, I have my heart set on it, no matter what she says, but she's a hard person to convince of anything. I will have those curtains and my vision and if I hate it in a year, I'll try something else. I still love my orange wall in my bedroom and that was sneered down upon by most people. So I don't know, I'm the one that has to live with it, right?