Staying Warm in Michigan!!!

Staying warm in Michigan is a feat unto itself at this time of year, the temperature varies between 6 degrees and 40 degrees on any given day. So we tend to look for inside activities unless we are very brave and looking to face the elements such as going up north to ski or snowmobile. My son-in-law with friends has chosen to spend this past week in a cabin in the UP snowmobiling. I must say that I have never ventured further than Boyne Mountain for skiing this time of year. And skiing is usually done with frequent trips in for hot chocolate, white bean chili and later in the day, a good glass of red wine. So what do we do the rest of the time, we look around our homes and decide that we need to make changes. The easiest change, of course, is to rearrange furniture or accessories, getting a bit more adventurous, trying a new shade of paint. Paint is the cheapest way to give a room a totally different look. Listened to a webinar sponsored by Benjamin Moore paints just the other day, talking about color forecasting for 2010. Interesting always to hear their takes on where trends are taking us---they talked about order in our lives- a return to bright primary colors--a look at ethereal spiritual colors represented by tones of white, beiges, grays---and a tribal look, heartening to golds, terracotta, earth-colors that make us feel safe, secure, hugged. These are the same colors that I am seeing expressed in fabrics- a look at introductions by Kravet, F. Schumacher or Vervain reveal that all to quickly. Even in my studio these days, I have taken to color adding from Sherwin-Williams a bold green SW6423 rye grassto accent one wall and to another, Sherwin-Williams, SW6486 reflecting pool. They have proven just the thing to brighten a dreary day- feels good to be thinking of Spring and anticipating an end to winter.