« marcus has taken to walking around with sunglasses inside »
When we moved into this house, Alex was 3 years old. Contrary to everyone's advice, instead of putting Alex into the larger bedroom, we decided that she should sleep in the smaller bedroom, since (a) it was the closest to our bedroom, and since Alex isn't the best of sleepers, it was the fastest way we could get to each other if necessary, and (b) what the heck does a 3-year-old need with a big bedroom, anyway?
Well, our then-3-year-old is our now-5-1/2-year-old, and it's become apparent she's outgrown the smaller bedroom. So yesterday, we decided to move Alex into the larger bedroom, and make her bedroom the spare room.
At first, she wasn't particularly happy about this -- she's not a kid who likes change. But since she has been nagging me since we moved here to paint the walls of her bedroom pink, I ... and I'm not proud of this ... I bribed her with new pink walls if she would move.
"Pink like this?" she asked, pointing to a bottle of Pepto Bismol.
"Um, no, pink like this," I responded, pointing to a sheet of white notebook paper.
Eventually, we compromised on a colour called Tea Rose, and all day yesterday, Marcus and I moved the furniture out of the spare room, painted, moved her furniture (and all her stuff, dear God, all her stuff) in, and then set up the spare room in her old bedroom. And honestly, both rooms look so much better.
And I say this even though every time we pass her room, particularly if her pink lamps are on, we find ourselves basking in a searing rose glow not unlike that which would eminate if someone dropped a pink nuclear bomb on our house.
Song: Lullaby by Jack Johnson. Today's music brought to you courtesy of Kazari.
Sunday, November 8, 2009 at 12:00AM
Reader Comments (14)
Ha! I had a pink bedroom when I was a kid, then yellow, then pink again, then I had this horrid bamboo wallpaper. I did my first paint job myself when I was about 10. (My mom told me I could change the wall color if I did it myself.) Thereafter, I got a new room color about every 18 months or so. My room was small, and I washed my roller and brush, so all it cost was 1 gallon of paint.
I am now the best and fastest painter on planet earth, even 20+ years later, and I'm not afraid to try some interesting wall colors. My den at home is currently this luscious shade of honeydew green. Someday I'll tire of it, just like someday, Alex will no longer be so enamoured of her pink bedroom, and you'll get to do this all over again with a new color... maybe a nice orange? ;-)
When I was 6 or 7 I got my own room for the first time. I also got to choose the colors. Pepto Bismol pink for the walls and a very, very light gray for the woodwork. It was actually quite lovely. Now? Now I don't like pink.
I am 27 years old and in still hopelessly in love with obnoxiously bright colored walls - cobalt / grass green / seaside turquoise... some girls just never grow out of it.
Although even I'd probably have to be drunk at Sherwin Williams to talk myself into Pepto Pink walls - but that's what my 3 year old is for, pushing me out of my comfort zone. Great tip on the sunglasses for when that day comes. :)
i always wanted a pink bedroom as a kid. i'm guessing you secretly love it too ;-) x
I loved my pink room as a little girl. Just the walls were pink though. The bedclothes & curtains were a soft, mossy green and the woodwork was white.
I felt like shabby chic, but i don't think they called it that 40 years ago.
Can't wait to see a picture. hint. hint, nudge, nudge.
i now completely understand the sunglasses inside. the man is damn near being blinded by the love of pink.
I love the way you write so interestingly and engagingly about the ordinary. I painted my daughter, who has autism's room her favorite color -- purple. And she still won't sleep in there....
About to do the same in GG's room, only at age 10 the color pink they choose is hot, with a side of neon green. About 3 years ago we let her choose the color for our guest bathroom, and fittingly enough, it is Pepto Pink. I've come to love it, proximity being the key.
Our friends' (now 18 year old and at an Ivy league school too) then 4 year old girl got to pick the colors of the outside of their quite expensive house in staid Washington DC... It went nuclear pink in a biiiig way. The second floor was electric pink, the 1st floor something best kept in saris, and all the windowsills and shutters were purple. It was not easy to sell the place. But eventually they found a family with 2 girls, who both fell in love instantly with 'the pink house ' and they paid CASH!!
Heh. Pink nuclear bomb.
That's funny. :-)
Yet one more reason for me to hold off on generating a few offspring for a little while longer...