How Do You Decorate Military Housing?

My step dad was recalled into the US Army during the Cuban Crisis. It threw our family into upheaval and adventure. There were six children then, two of them a set of twins still in diapers. And there was the family beagle. My mother piled us all in an old two tone (black and yellow) Mercury and drove us cross country to a new home on an army base in Texas. My dad traveled by train with his German shepherd (issued by the army). He was in the Canine Corps and the men were always with their assigned dogs.
We lived in military housing. Small concrete block boxes. But my mother had spunk and style, and she soon decorated our dreary digs with color and cleverness.

The photos below are not of my mother's handiwork, but of a young woman who was stationed in Germany in 2006. I found them and her story at Apartment Therapy, and I offer it to you today in honor of Veterans Day.

Like many, I thank everyone in the military, and their families too, for their service - today and everyday.

Name: Francesca
Location: Mannheim, Germany, US Army Base
Type: 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment on a US military base in Germany. We do not rent or own, we live in Military issued housing.

Why I use color:

I live on a military base, everything is brown, gray, army green or white, there is no choice of apartments they are issued like the uniforms. Using color helps me forget what is outside my apartment, it is welcoming, exciting and inspiring. I am a happy colorful person and my home reflects my personality.

2 Good color tips:

1. When using lots of bright colors try to keep clutter to a minimum, otherwise it may end up just looking messy. You don't want all those people who don't use color to leave your house and say "See, that's why our house is beige!", they should leave thinking they need to add a bit of color to their world.

2. My entrance/hallway is bright yellow, it is happy and inviting but what was discovered last Halloween is if you put a black light in a yellow room the walls look orange. We had a huge party and everyone thought we had painted our hallway orange for Halloween.

2 good color resources:

1. Different countries, I travel a lot and I have picked up things from around the world for my house. Look for color ideas in picture books about different places. Greek islands, tulip fields in Holland, flamenco dresses from Spain, embroidered saris from India, the medinas in Morocco, ancient mosaics in Italy, oh I could go on forever!

2. Art, check out different color combinations in artwork. Van Gogh, Matisse, Miro, Picasso, Klimt, Toulouse-Lautrec, Botticelli and so many more.