Step into the Green Room

Where the term "green room" originated, no one seems to really know. Some say it goes back as far as 1678. Shakespearean actors apparently fancied surrounding themselves with plants to create a more oxygenated environment for their vocal chords. I was told in a college communications class that guests on The Milton Berle Show (one of the first TV shows to keep company with “A-List” celebs) relaxed in a room that happened to be painted (what else) green. So much for my education, I guess, if that Shakespeare story pans out.

What isn't up for speculation is that "The Green Room" is a place for guests to comfortably chill and enjoy some laid back quiet time (or not, if that is their wont) before the "big show." While the only "big show" our guests are asked to perform in takes place on the porch each night (and involves a blender and margarita fixins'), we want to make them comfortable during their special alone time nonetheless.

So we've created our very our green room.

In these pictures the wall color doesn’t "read" well. But the color, Benjamin Moore's Castleton Mist (HC-1) is a soft, not-quite-chartreuse-kind-of-a-bright-pistachio-with-yellow-undertone that apparently does not photograph well, no matter what camera or time of day you attempt. I surrender, Castleton Mist! This evening shot shows it a bit better but not much (and the online paint swatches on BM web sites make it look more like a color that should be called “Khaki Gone Bad”):

It’s a very small room (occupied by metal bunk beds and intense blue walls by the previous owners...blue that is still being scraped off of woodwork) that I wanted to brighten up and give a “B & B by the seashore” feel. And talk about a room on a budget!

The bed was my Grandma and Grandpa Fairweather’s (awww!). I think they’d be happy to know it’s still in the family. The sea life prints above are really wonderful; the photos don’t do justice to the texture and graphic design. And a $16.95 a pop, they were a deal (from Home Goods, which I think I should lobby to rename, Laura’s Home-Away-From-Home Goods).

I’ve mentioned in the past that I’ve actually scooped some stuff up at The Christmas Tree Shop, but when my mom delivered me this bedspread that she got there for $9.99 I couldn’t believe it. It matches the walls perfectly…and she had no idea what color the walls were when she bought it! They could have been magenta for all she knew (though not likely). She simply bought it because it was a good deal. (Like mother, like daughter.) The scallop-edged matelasse coverlet at the bottom of the bed is another happy little find. It’s got an interesting crosshatch design, and I picked it up at an antique shop on Magazine Street in New Orleans eight or so years ago for $10. It’s not quite twin, not quite full, but quite fabulous.

And that abstract fern throw pillow is from blogger The Laundry is Never Finished’s Etsy Shop, Blisshomegoods (stop by and check out her adorable cushion covers. “Quite a Pear” would make such a cute shower gift! And she’s happy to do custom covers in any size.). The pillow adds a nice little modern punch. And those larger quilted white pillows are OLD school Ikea. I bought them for my first apartment, and since I was broke at the time I can't imagine they were a lot of money. I tell you, washed in a little bleach they come out good as new every time.

The (very heavy!) wall mirror was a castoff from Aunt Peggy that I gladly popped in my trunk. Almost tore muscles, but well worth it. It needed nothing but a quick polish and some re-wiring to hang it vertically.


I gave you a sneak peek earlier of the green lamp scored at One Woman’s Cottage Life’s online yard sale for $7, topped with a $5.00 Target shade. “Fancy Framed Lady” you already know I love, and at $10 she may still hold the title of the house’s “Best Thrifty Find.” Both are perched on (and above) this amazing dresser from the Antique Emporium of Asbury Park. The store houses vendors with incredibly “overpriced-for-what-it-is” stuff, but every now and again you score. This $280 dresser in very good condition was one of those times.


The side table is from the dearly departed Bombay & Company (moment of silence). I grabbed it at their going out of business sale for $35 before I even officially had a house to put it in.

We (and by we, I mean the mister) also replaced all of the doorknobs on our cheap looking (non-original) doors on the second floor with these glass babies from Anthropologie. I tried flea markets and online shops to find antique knobs, but finding four matching sets was a challenge, and on the rare occasion I did find them the price was way out of my thrifty range. These were $28/set in the store I went to, but marked $38 online (odd, no? Hmmm…).

I hope you enjoyed your very thorough tour through the very small green room.