Mrs. Beige, Mrs. Color, and Mrs. BlackandWhite were three
neighbors who got along reasonably well, though it was clear
to one and all that they had very different ideas about how a
home should look.
Mrs. Beige felt that the soft earth tones were warm and
inviting. Upon walking into her living room, one would
encounter a light brown table with a light beige table cloth
and chairs upholstered in striped shades of soft beige
material. On the table she liked to keep a wooden vase with
some twigs in place. The couch and chairs were of medium mock
beige suede material. Of course the walls were painted in a
light beige color. The breakfront and book shelves matched
the table. Yes, it gave a nice cozy, homey feel but . . .
Mrs. Color had an entirely different view of how to make a
home feel. Mrs. Color wanted her home vibrant and
stimulating. Her walls were a bright yellow; to match the sun
which shone brightly through large picture windows. The table
and chairs were a muted red color with a rainbow striped
tablecloth. Mrs. Color like to keep an assortment of colorful
table decorations on the table. The couches and chairs were
in green and blue with multicolored throw pillows. Everywhere
you looked there was a splash of color. People who came to
visit felt energized, and yet . . .
I'm sure you can imagine how Mrs. BlackandWhite's home
appeared. The table and chairs were in shiny black. The
upholstery had sharp black and white stripes and the table
cloth was always a pristine white. On her table she kept a
black porcelain vase with delicate white silk flowers The
walls were snow white. The couches were in glossy black
leather. It was a look of sophistication and . . .
Interestingly the three neighbors, although they got along
fine, never spent much time in each others' homes. When Mrs.
Color and Mrs. BlackandWhite were sitting in Mrs. Beige's
home, they both felt comfortable but so sleepy and so
tired.
When Mrs. Beige and Mrs. BlackandWhite went to visit Mrs.
Color in her home, they felt excited and invigorated but
after a short while they'd begin to get a headache from all
the lively colors.
Still, when Mrs. Beige and Mrs. Color found themselves in
Mrs. BlackandWhite's home, the two ladies had a sensation of
sophistication and class. But the two ladies also felt cold.
It reminded them a bit of a hospital; so sterile.
No one was aware of the other ladies' feelings and so they
kept a polite distance. Everything would have stayed the same
until Mrs. Balance moved in. Mrs. Balance liked a warm home
feeling, so her table and chairs were in a rich brown color
with matching upholstery. Yet her couch and easy chairs were
in muted colorful designs. Mrs. Balance gave some nice black
and white trimming with a picture here and a vase and flowers
there. Her home was a pleasure to visit. Everyone spent large
amounts of time sitting and relaxing and enjoying each
other's company.
No one noticed it at first, but changes started to happen in
the other ladies' homes. Mrs. Beige decided to cover her
table with a cheerful blue cloth. She added a nice floral
picture done in black chalk on a white background.
Mrs. Color replaced her tablecloth with a nice pale off-
white. She also removed the colorful cushions and replaced
them with off-white ones. Mrs. BlackandWhite replaced her
vase with a glass one and put in a bouquet of colorful silk
flowers. She also added some colorful pillows on her
couch.
Now the ladies were seen spending more time in each other's
homes, admiring the various changes.
The moral of this story is: Don't daydream up stories while
sorting the laundry.
