Pam Bono Designs

Well, it's been a while I know! We have unpacked when we have been able to and have the kitchen set up and the dining room. Bathrooms are sort of done but there are boxes sitting unopened all over my office waiting to go onto my book shelf. All quilting and design books of some kind or another. I have been very determined to keep my priorities straight as I am one of those people who has a huge problem living in clutter, but I wanted to get new designs to our members - and non members and get my first Newsletter from Colorado out, which is going out to everyone in chunks. We are testing a new server, so we don't want to overload.

I thought it might be fun to share a few of my decorating adventures with you as I love to decorate and haven't had adequate time to do what I want to do, but it will get there!

I swear, realtors have special lenses on their cameras to make things look longer and larger than they really are. I am sharing two photos with you that I had to work with before we moved. The one on the top shows the living room and goes into the dining room. Santa Fe, Adobe homes have massive posts that are generally dark, rough hewn wood with accents of the same type of wood and the same style in different areas of the home. I love that look, and really wanted to utilize it.

Because we now really live in the forest, I wanted to use as many natural accents as I could with my decorating. The photo beneath the top picture shows a portion of the dining room that has an enchanting window looking into the kitchen. This too was taken by the realtors. The first thing I noticed when I looked at the photo in Georgia were all of the pots hanging in that window. To me, it spoiled the effect of being able to look into a brightly decorated, friendly kitchen. When we got here and I saw the flagstone wall in the kitchen with a charming small wood stove, I wanted people to be able to see that from the dining area.

I took snapshots last night of what I did with that area to improve it and add some of nature in the process. Now these are not the greatest snapshots in the world, but it gives you an idea.

I am a bargain hunter, - have been for years. I have quite a few baskets that I really like and boxes of dried and natural looking flowers in every shape and color. I just happened to find one of those boxes and dug right into it.

Robert and I have a lovely antique ice box that we have had for at least 40 years, and it fits right in with our Southwest style, rustic furniture. Those two styles of furniture are really a good mix as both show the lovely wood grain.

The first day that we began to unpack, Susan put the little green tea kettle in the window and I built around that. We have unwrapped two framed pieces of art, and the one hanging above the ice box is one of my favorites. It is the only piece of honest to goodness true art that Robert and I have ever purchased, and it is an artist from Taos by the name of Ed Morgan. It is actually an embossed Indian, putting on his moccasins with just a touch of silk paint in defining places. We purposely chose a very rough looking frame for the piece. The photo does not do it justice, but when we unpacked it we couldn't believe the effect that it had in that spot, as the inside edges of the frame are gold, and the yellow walls just made it "pop". I didn't think I would like the yellow walls, but I really do.

Now, from both directions you can see into the kitchen as I framed the window ledge with old wine bottles (one antique one from a rummage sale) and some round, decorative pieces made from large seed pods found here and there in our yard years ago when we lived in Durango. The wooden deer were a Christmas gift from some friends, and the antlers look wonderful near the dark, wooden window frame.

I have picked up natural touches in the few places that I have had time to decorate, and am relishing every spare moment that I get to complete it and finally see the end of boxes!!

This home is not as large as the homes we have had in the past, but we are in love with it. The stove in the living room is gas and has logs and flames when turned on. It throws some powerful heat and I am thrilled with the insulation in this house. It stays warm and toasty when that stove is on.

It's cozy and has huge windows all over the house, which I love. I like to look outside and be a part of natural things and wildlife. Fortunately, my office has two windows, one very large that faces the mountains.

I guess my husband summed it up the best after the first 5 days. He said: "I haven't felt this kind of peace in 25 years!" I second that one!