Insights • Inspirations • Destinations • Design

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Feeling Blue: Why Navy Interiors Reflect Our Mood



Life, Interrupted...
In 10 days we are moving to a new home. We had intended for it to be an investment property, as we had hoped / planned to move overseas. However, life has a way of throwing a cul-de-sac at you, and so we've gone overseas and come back again.


 {Butterfield 8, via Apartment Therapy New York}

The reason(s)? It's election year in the US and so job prospects in US politics are slim (ironically.) RR has had interest from several political players (those not burying their coiffured heads in policies), but it's not enough to give up the great job he has here. Not just yet anyway. In addition, we're realised that his mother is at a stage where she will need more of our help, and may even wish to live with us, intermittently or full-time. (And she is more than welcome to do so.) And my parents would miss us, too.  So we're here for another year or more. Melbourne winter, and all.


The irony is (and I was ruefully cognisant of this as I walked around New York), I could happily go and live in the US tomorrow. I could begin work there immediately. And there is far more work for me than here. (Look at Liz in her lover's Fifth Avenue apartment in Butterfield 8. She looks happy, doesn't she? This is before The Lover throws money at her, of course, and she throws a tantrum back. And then runs out the door with a bottle of scotch.)


I could also happily settle into a little cottage in Connecticut. Especially if it had a little garden. {Photo: Connecticut Cottages & Gardens}


But the road seems to have forked unexpectedly, and we're now taking the left track in life, rather than the right one. (Or should that be, the left door, rather than the right?) I'm hoping the skewed route still gets us there eventually, but I have to admit the detour has made me a little contemplative. No wonder I've been sombre all week. No wonder I'm posting images of bathers. And beaches. And New York streets. Anything to distract me from the fact that I'm still here.


Have you ever given up everything for your family? Have you ever sacrificed your own career to put your loved people first? I have to admit I've never done it. I've moved when I've wanted to; taken jobs where I've wanted to; lingered in places (Paris, London, Key West) just for the sheer pleasure of it. But when you create a family, your life becomes theirs. And theirs becomes yours. It's difficult to herd a clump of family members to the East Coast of America, especially when they're quite happy here, thank you!



The upside is, we love Australia. We love our families. And we adore Melbourne. We also have a beautiful home to move into. So I'm going to console myself with a bit of decorating. (And perhaps a glass of something, too...)



The colour scheme I've chosen for our new living room? You guessed it. Benjamin Moore's New York State of Mind. Or as close as I can get to it with a beautiful navy blue.


What's that old saying? If you can't have what you want, be happy with what you've got? Gratitude is a great thing sometimes, isn't it?


“So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact. And remember that life's A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed!” ― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You'll Go!









{NB Have completely lost the sources of these images, possibly somewhere over the Pacific. Please let me know if you know, and I'll happily credit.}

19 comments:

  1. Dear Janelle

    So sorry to hear of your disappointment about future plans. As you know, sometimes things happen for the best, though initially it can be hard to see how or why. Over a fairly long life already we've put travel and other things on hold on many occasions, mostly because of health problems of family members. It was very disappointing for us sometimes but in the long term I don't regret any of these decisions that were so hard at the time. I'm sure it will work out this way for you. You will love decorating your new house and we'll look forward to seeing your before and after pictures. The blues you've included in this post look fabulous. For sure there will be plenty of exciting opportunites for you both down the track.

    We celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary today at Le Grand Colbert. Had some trepidation on how it would work out, but it was truly great. We had told them of the special occasion when we booked and they went out of their way to make it a happy day for us. We avoided soup (because of the advice in your Paris book) and shared salmon rillettes (served with Poilane toast) as the appetiser and then a simple main course of roast chicken, frites and green beans. It was so good and flavourful, though the serve was much too generous for me. For dessert husband had green apple sorbet with calvados and I had bombe alaska - I asked for the flambe with Grand Marnier rather than rum as on the menu. It was all superb and they were so attentive and friendly and made it very special. Of course the surroundings are wonderful too. As we left it began to rain so we walked again through the Palais Royal and still on the orange kick, found a lovely orangle bangle at Stella McCartney. A nice way to end a great day. Best wishes, Pamela

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    1. Oh, I'm so pleased that Le Grand Colbert was memorable for your special anniversary Pamela! I do remember that the staff were lovely. And the atmosphere was Pure Paris! It was also reasonably priced too, unlike its famous neighbour. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
      (I love roast chicken in Paris; always guaranteed to be a good meal.)
      And the wander back through the Palais Royal sounded romantic too. I do hope you received a little kiss under a streetlamp somewhere?
      xx

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  2. I bet you wrote this late night/very early morning. Having just met you I'm glad you're staying with us in Australia. As John Lennon said Life's what happens when you are making other plans. A new house to decorate how fantastic. Navy is a bold choice, I have been thinking for my living room soft blue/grey but will have to wait a while. Did you know that ET hated Butterfield 8,I read that she was difficult during its shooting. Wasn't she something?

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    1. How did you guess it was late at night? Your comment made me laugh. (Mental note: Do NOT write after midnight!)

      Yes I read that ET hated Butterfield 8. I think she was still contracted to a certain company and had to do it (for a paltry $120,000) before she was release to do Cleopatra for $1M. On the upside, she did learn to drive on this film - a love she had her whole life.

      (Still love the anecdote about her, Michael Jackson and Marlon Brando hiring a little hire car to escape NY after 9/11. Imagine them driving through Ohio and stopping at gas stations??)

      Thanks for being so lovely. Always love your comments.
      xx

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    2. thank you for your nice comment, that anecdote is so extraordinary it cant be true can it ?

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    3. A lot of people thought it was an urban myth, but then ET's assistant confirmed that it was true after ET died. (Or much of it was true?) I'll always remember it as ET demanded to drive (she adored driving; she'd loved it ever since Butterfield). The trio couldn't fly out of NY because all the flights were grounded, so they hired a car. They got as far as Ohio or somewhere but stopped because Brando kept wanting to go to gas stations for junk food!
      I could believe that about Brando - and the fact that he'd waltz into a gas station too. He was a great character. Have you heard all the stories about him and Jack Nicholson (who lived next door to each other)? I'll do a post on it. Apparently Brando used to go over when Jack wasn't home, strip naked, drink all his booze and pass out in his bed. Jack adored him. When Brando died, Jack bought the house, razed it to the ground and planted roses in its place.

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    4. Would love a movie star post ! Hadnt heard about MB and JN. Nice to see that Jack is so sentimental. BTW,another Butterfield story is that ET'S husband Eddie Fisher had a small role. One day when the director was incredibly frustrated with him (he couldnt give ET a nasty look "because I love the goil) he took Eddie outside showed him some dog poo and told him said I want you to look at Elizabeth like she is that poo. Next day ET said to the director "dont you think the Method is a bit sophisticated for Eddie"

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    5. That's a fantastic anecdote! I love the word 'goil' too. Will do a Brando/Jack post soon!

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  3. Love that blue and sorry you are feeling blue.

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    1. Thanks lovely Claire. Am going to email you, as I need to send you something.
      xx

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  4. Decorating a new home sounds fabulous, you must start right away, we are off to Hamilton Island next month to enjoy some warm weather, have a lovely weekend.x

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    1. Hi Samantha,
      I do hope you and your family have a lovely time in Hamilton. I really like Hamilton. It's easy to get to the reef (we love taking a sea plane to Hardy Reef), there are countless pools, and great restaurants, and you can fly straight into the island. We stay at Allamanda House. It's a beautiful old colonial-style, 3-br, family-size house with its own pool for only $400/night. Right opp the chapel. Used to belong to the first owner of Hamilton. If you go again, do research it: it's a wonderful escape.
      Have fun in the warm QLD sun!
      xx

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  5. I think the navy will look stunning in your new living room. I love a navy room - so cosy, especially in Melbourne. And yes, I have given up my career for my family. I really don't think you can do it all. Sometimes its hard, and frustrating to have taken a slower route. And I miss out on a lot of things, like overseas travel, sleep ins and more me time. But family is everything, really. At the end of our lives, they are the ones who care for us, love us, and have given us the best (and sometimes worst!) moments in our lives. And that is worth, to me, more than career plaudits.

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  6. Thanks for your thoughtful comment Heide. I suspect a few of us women have given a lot up for our families. Your children sound beautiful though, so I'm sure they've been worth it!
    xx

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  7. How brave you were to give all of us at home a wonderful trip around all the best bits of U.S. when you knew you probably weren't going to move there, you never know one day you might.
    Decorating a new house is a happy diversion esp. after all the inspiration you have just experienced, have fun!

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  8. What a bugger about having to temporarily change lanes. I was hoping RR would get the Chief of Staff possie at that big White House & you'd be offered a whole section to edit at the WP. Anyhoo that's not to say that won't happen, just not this week. MOTH's in Melb this weekend trying to sort out a heap of issues his dysfunctional family have presented him with. I should have probably gone to, but I'd have probably done my nana & tossed them all from the top of the Rialto, so best I stay here by the fire.
    Millie xx

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  9. I love this film, the navy interiors and your blog - it's so original.

    Hmm, I haven't actually, apart from my mum, I have little contact with any of my family which s a bit sad really, they are a terribly odd lot.

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  10. I'm sorry to hear your US dream did not work out this round....but crossing fingers it will still happen in the future! Life is all about timing....(frustratingly so!). Can't wait to see what interior design looks you apply to your new place! I just love your sense of style and I hope you post some before and after pics because they are so inspirational!

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  11. Oh Sweetheart. I'm sorry things haven't turned out as planned. I do hope you're feeling a bit more chipper soon. But I adore your taste in Benjamin Moore's New York State of Mind. Heavenly! J x

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