too much personality

I definitely need to repaint my living room.  I was running errands with my sister this weekend and we saw some pretty ribbon that got me thinking about how I need to finish my lamp project.  Some ribbon trim on the lampshade would really perk it up and just a little more glue would help keep it upright.  But I didn't want to get ribbon until I had throw pillows that I actually like.  And that got me thinking - again - about how I have such a hard time picking colors to go with my living room and that it's because I don't like the color of my walls. 

But why?  I love turquoise.  I love this shade of turquoise.  I love that it's so bold.  In my head, this was exactly the way the color was supposed to turn out.  It goes with my paintings, it goes with my mood.  It's cozy and dark at night when I'm watching a movie.  It's lively and bright when I have a party.  But I still don't like it.  And I think I figured out why - it has too much personality.  It pulls the eye away from my art, from the antique quilt, from everything.  I keep wanting to pair it with lime green and while I think that would look great, it's not what I want.  It would make the room even more boisterous.  And then to have the high contrast of white furniture against the dark blue walls?  Just too much.

I want my walls to be background actors, not stars.  My guests, my art - those are the stars.  It's time to take the movie of my life back from its setting.