The Story of the Orange Wall

Our living room is shaped like an awkward L. Hard to know where to place the TV...hard to know what to do with the tiny end of the L that doesn't have the couch or the TV in it. There were some bookshelves currently living on the far wall of the L that had been intended by the previous owners to flank a fireplace. If only they'd followed through on that...I'd love a fireplace. I figured out pretty soon that I wanted to take down those bookshelves and line the whole wall with new bookshelves, and figured out exactly the number and sizes I needed to fill the wall. After an emotional trip to Ikea, though, we ended up with an entirely different design than I'd originally intended...which usually creates the best designs anyway. (This I've learned after the emotional trip to Ikea. I didn't see it as clearly at the time.)

Now came the issue of color. The wall had previously been painted a deep purply color by the previous owners and my husband had left it when he bought the house. We both like accent walls, so we agreed we would paint it a different color...but we have slightly different ideas about what the word "color" means. I think in reds and greens and blues and he thinks in beiges and greys and sometimes greens. So when he said out of nowhere one night that he was thinking orange for the accent wall...I didn't argue. I was shocked, and secretly wondered if anyone had ever painted an interior wall orange, but I didn't argue.

This is the part of the post where I encourage you to prime your walls before painting them a new color. That seems pretty basic...but sometimes even the most experienced and intelligent of homeowners make mistakes. We got the primer/paint combo gallon...and the orange simply did not cover the deep purply color until coat #7. This didn't make me super happy at the time, but now that it's approximately three months later I'm laughing about it.

Here are some before, during, and after pics, in chronological order:

 

 

And there you go! The orange wall. We're pretty happy with how it turned out. I had a lot of fun styling the bookshelves and incorporating little nick-knacks from both of our single possessions as well as things I'd made for our wedding. Every little new thing makes it feel more like our home!

Recipe: Quinoa-n-Cheese

Remember when I wrote a post about how there's a transition in my life and therefore my blog, and how I was so excited to start blogging about things like home renovation/decorating, cooking, and marriage? I really was excited. But marriage, as it turns out, is time consuming. Especially in these early days. And then we got a puppy. A handful of a puppy. And I picked up a small part time job at church. And suddenly here we are, in December, and I haven't blogged again. Consider this my official apology. I've gotten the bug again, though, and I'm back!

I have a string of posts lined up, but for the sake of not writing them all tonight, I'll start with a recipe. I've made it twice now, and it's so good!

Quinoa-n-Cheese

baking time: 30-35 minutes
preheat oven to: 350 degrees

1.5 cups quinoa
veggies of your choice (optional)
good pinch of salt
a few grinds of seasoned salt
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large eggs
1 cup skim milk
1.5 cups grated cheddar cheese
Panko bread crumbs for topping (optional)

Lightly saute any veggies you want to include. Cook quinoa completely. Coat 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Whisk together the eggs and milk in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the quinoa, salt, seasoned salt, garlic, and veggies if you're including them. After mixed, fold both the quinoa mix and the cheese into the egg/milk mixture. Stir very well until the cheese starts to melt. Transper to baking dish and if using Panko bread crumbs, sprinkle on top now. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350, or until bread crumbs are browned.

*Gluten free notes: Obviously, the bread crumbs could cause some problems, depending on the stores around you and whether you can find any. You can either make your own by smashing up pieces of your own gluten free bread, or you can check your stores for some. I have found a great corn based Panko-style bread crumbs brand at Food Lion.

*Other notes: I haven't added veggies either time I've made this dish. I can't really imagine why you would want to...but apparently it's an option.