The Love List
I'm loving...
this use of beadboard in a laundry room
(with daybed and trundle - perfect inspiration for Chloe's big girl room!)
Read more...
Master Bedroom: Rad Cover and Sconces
A few more bits and pieces of the master bedroom to show you...
Here's the radiator cover HandyMan made. This is the third one he's made and I think its the best one yet. He tried to complement the style of the paneling we have in the bedroom by using similar trims. I especially like the look of the feet... the cutouts near the base make the cover look a little less heavy and massive in the space.
And a few photos of the one bedside sconce (Wyatt sconce from Pottery Barn) we have installed. My American cousin finally came for a visit and dropped it off. It was worth the wait :)
Luckily the scale and size of the sconce was just as I hoped. It looks good on the little platform thingy we added in the paneling. I really like the warm dark metal against the creamy wall. Its nice and sturdy too. On some sconces I've seen, the arms feel flimsy and the dials lose their tension and don't hold the adjustable arms in place. These ones lock nice and tight and don't seem to sag at all.
We haven't installed the second sconce yet because Chloe's crib is still in our room...and we have to dismantle it to get it out of the room... and then we can install the sconce... and then we can hang up some art... and then we can take some pictures... and then we can finally reveal the room to you all. Just in case you were wondering.
Read more...
We haven't installed the second sconce yet because Chloe's crib is still in our room...and we have to dismantle it to get it out of the room... and then we can install the sconce... and then we can hang up some art... and then we can take some pictures... and then we can finally reveal the room to you all. Just in case you were wondering.
Sweet Dreams
I heard about this sweet little blog on twitter. You must check it out. It is simply adorable.
New mama Adele envisions what her little Mila dreams about and brings it to life in these fanciful scenes. I marvel at Adele's creativity... and am envious that she has a little one that sleeps so soundly.
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I'm also blogging about this here. That's my new blog - Little Folk Design - about all things kid - design, parties, rooms, toys. I come across so many lovely images and products for children that I wanted to put them in one place. So rather than put them here (when what you're really looking for are Before & After photos and posts about our latest renovation) I thought I'd put them there. I might be a little crazy, trying to maintain two blogs, we'll see how it goes.
I'm No Stylist
source unknown
Do you ever come across a photo of a bookcase styled so perfectly, with every object existing in perfect harmony with all others that you wonder 'how did they do that'? I do, often. Styling objects and creating beautiful vignettes doesn't come easy to me. I'm not a good collector, I'm too impulsive to accumulate a nice collection of depression glassware or ceramic animals or vintage plates so my accessories drawer is filled with ones and twos of things - things that don't go with other things.
I had to give it a go though and create a vignette atop the dresser in the master bedroom. (Yes, the bedroom that we started redecorating months ago. Its almost done and I'll reveal soon). So I walked about the house and gathered bits and bobs, pieces and props. And this is what I came up with:
Looks like a simple arrangement, right? Yeah, it took me a few tries to get it looking like that.
11 different iterations and I'm still not sure any of them look any good. But I ended up settling on one anyway. At least that part of the room is done :)
HandyGal?
Amongst our friends and family, HandyMan is the go-to-guy for power tools (you have seen his garage, right?). Now I know how to use some of the tools but usually, when I do, HandyMan is right there by my side, telling me what to cut, how to measure, and how to build whatever project we're working on. I've never really had a project all my own (one that required power tools, anyway) but I hope to change that before the summer's end.
I read a lot of blogs and sometimes I see the ladies getting right in there, down and dirty with the tools. Like Chris at Just Beachy. See this kitchen island? Yup, she built it.
She has also built a pergola, wainscotting, bathroom tiling, reupholstery and sewing... I could go on and on. Her house is a DIY masterpiece, and she does all of it - design, execution, build - on her own (though hubby does help with some of the heavy lifting).
DIY Diva is another blogger I've mentioned before. She and her guy are currently turning an old gas station into a gorgeous country home - complete with donkey shed. Need to know how to hang wallboard by yourself - on the ceiling - and you're only 5'2? She'll show you how its done.
She can also show you how to build a picnic bench, lay fence posts, build crown molding and other tough tasks. If that weren't impressive enough, she has a tool collection that makes HandyMan weep with envy.
Pretty Handy Girl is one my newer blog reads, but oh, she definitely lives up to her name! Here's two of her great projects: a garden bench made from a headboard and footboard, and a cozy reading nook built in a closet!
Seeing all these projects has got my gears going! I want to build! I want to buy lumber! I want sawdust flying in my face! So what do I hope to tackle? Well, I want to do this kitchen playset from the plans by another handy gal, Ana from Knock-Off Wood.
You've seen Ana's site, right? It is chock-full of plans to make furniture inspired by the likes of Pottery Barn, Ikea, West Elm and more. The plans seem straight-forward and easy. Just what I'm looking for. I mean, look at how The Crafting Chicks took Ana's 2D plans and used them to make this 3D thing of beauty:
Isn't that the CUTEST play kitchen ever?! Oh, how I would have loved to have this as a kid. And if Chloe's lucky, she will have one too, made by me.
Seeing all these projects has got my gears going! I want to build! I want to buy lumber! I want sawdust flying in my face! So what do I hope to tackle? Well, I want to do this kitchen playset from the plans by another handy gal, Ana from Knock-Off Wood.
You've seen Ana's site, right? It is chock-full of plans to make furniture inspired by the likes of Pottery Barn, Ikea, West Elm and more. The plans seem straight-forward and easy. Just what I'm looking for. I mean, look at how The Crafting Chicks took Ana's 2D plans and used them to make this 3D thing of beauty:
Isn't that the CUTEST play kitchen ever?! Oh, how I would have loved to have this as a kid. And if Chloe's lucky, she will have one too, made by me.
Rustic + Modern
The area I'm most looking forward to in the basement remodel is the crafting area. I love having things organized, labeled, and put away so we're going to have a bank of cabinetry to store paints, fabric, wrapping paper, and art supplies. The basement will have a bit more modern look than the rest of the house so we're planning on sleek Ikea cabinetry to house all our stuff.
I dream though of pairing the contemporary cabinetry with a more rustic working table. I have visions of Chloe sitting beside me, scribbling away as I work on the sewing machine, making her little pinafores with matching kerchifs, just like my mom made for me as a kid (what can I say - it was the 1970's and Laura Ingalls and Holly Hobbie were my heroes).
I love this look. Rustic farmhouse tables paired with mismatched chairs. We could even take our time with the chairs, picking ones up here and there at garage sales or antique shows. Chloe could help me paint them, a fun little art project as time goes by.
The harvest table with more modern chairs looks just as nice - though, I'm sure we have don't have the budget for six Marais A chairs! A good thing about the worn table is that any paint spill or crayon marking just adds to the charm!
Image sources: Marie Claire Maison, Habitually Chic, daisy chain, Melanie Acevedo photography, Country Living, Apartment Therapy
High vs Low
Petite Armchair, The Cross, $995 CAD
Chloe's armchair, $20 garage sale find + leftover paint + $25 fabrics + $5 tack strip = $50 CAD
Have you ever come across a great steal? Or maybe you've got a great a low cost piece that looks exactly like that high end one you covet? Do tell - what's your best high vs low?
Tag, I'm It
SweDaisy Spaces blogger and new mama Lisa (her wide-eyed chubby-cheeked sweetie Olivia gives Chloe stiff competition in the cuteness department!) tagged me recently. I haven't played in a while so I'm game!
If you get tagged, you:
a) Answer my questions to you on your blog in the form of a post.
b) Ask 5 questions of your own.
c) Tag some people. No minimum. No maximum. Just tag!
d) Come back and comment in this post below with a link to your blog post once you've tagged someone else so I can see what you wrote.
1. Where do you go for decor inspiration?
Blogs, first and foremost. There's so many things I pick up from other bloggers. This one has the best inspirational images. This one has fantastic taste and style. This one, this one, this one, and this one - supermoms with beautiful homes and beautiful children. Increasingly, I find myself drawn to bloggers who write not just about decor, but also about their family, cooking, fashion, photography, and life - because all those facets inspire what their homes look like, what their tastes are. Like this blogger, I see bits and pieces of her home on her blog, but reading about her creative fun exploits with her family leaves no doubt that their house is cozy, warm, and full of love. I mean, c'mon, just reading about their photo-booth adventure and superhero mother's day makes me want to show up on their doorstep and ask to be adopted!
2. Something you've learned this past year?
Over the past year, I've gone from being a stay-at-home mom on maternity leave to one back in the working world, working from home in a new job, having my daughter in part-time daycare, and exploring creative ventures on the side. Through that transition I've learned that life is momentary, fleeting, and ever-changing. I've also learned that things I thought were important really aren't and that what I choose to spend my limited time on should be the things that matter. I've also learned to slow down, to relish this moment, to stop pursuing (somewhat) the things I want and start appreciating the things I have - in abundance.
3. What inspired you to Blog?
I started this blog way back when we searching for our first house. My HGTV addiction was well-entrenched at that point, and since I loved writing, why not combine the two and write a home & decor blog? What has kept me blogging though is entirely different... I love how I've made some new friends through this blog and maybe inspired a project or two along the way. Mostly though, it is YOU folks with your kind comments and emails that keep me here.
4. If you could live somewhere else in the world, where would it be? Why?
Paris. In a heartbeat. It is HandyMan's and my most favourite city in the world. We went there on our honeymoon and it is a place we promise to visit every five years. What is it about that magical city? From the homes people live in to the food on your plate, from the stylish clothing to the striking architecture, it encapsulates beauty, art, history, modernity, and graceful living all in one.
5. Name something you wish you had more time for.
I wish I had more time to pursue my own creative business. When I was on maternity leave, I had grand plans to start my own business, a business* that would be personally and financially fulfilling enough to enable me to walk away from my day job as an IT strategic project manager. But if you've ever cared for a baby, you soon realize that the naps, feeding, diaper changes, and play times leaves little time for all the lunch meetings, conference calls, business plan writing and networking required for a start-up. And though I'm back at my day job, the business is still there in the background and I'm determined to make it work. Somehow. If only that Chloe could learn to schedule her naps around my conference calls :)
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That was fun, Lisa, thanks for the tag! I'm going to cheat a little and reuse some of your questions:
1. What inspired you to blog? What is your favourite blog?
2. If there was a fire in your house, and you only had time to grab 4 things (excluding your family!), what would they be?
3. If you could live somewhere else in the world, where would it be?Why?
4. If money were no object, what would your dream house look like?
5. Name something you wish you had more time for.
And I'm tagging these fine folks:
Lisa at Just Over The River
Londen at Sixty-Fifth Avenue
Kelly at Tearing Up Houses
Sharstin at Me and Mine
Edited to add: and if any of you readers feel like playing Tag too, just answer the questions on your own blog and leave your link in the comments so I can come and visit!
*what's the business you're wondering? I do strategic consulting for creative firms - architects, designers, graphic artists etc. In writing our book and organizing design events, I've come into contact with a wide variety of creative individuals - but have found they sometimes need a bit of help with their operations, goal setting, business and organizational planning. That's where I come in :) Read more...
Children's Art Display
"Red cup on green paper" - by Chloe, June 2010
The little one has started to come home from daycare with works of art that she's made. I adore these charming pieces but the question is, what to do with it all? I'd like to display some of it but how? Should I use sticky tack and put it up on her bedroom walls and create a collage
source: Design*Sponge via The Boo And The Boy
Or maybe I change out some of the items on her picture rail and display the art in various sized frames, like in these photos?
If I get enough pieces, doing something like this would be fun... scan all the individual artworks and create a poster out of them!
source: Ohdeedoh
I like this idea too... create a chalkboard canvas. Rather than have a whole chalkboard wall, having a canvas like this elevates the art and makes it seem much more sophisticated and special, don't you think?
source: mycakies
Do you have a budding Picasso at home? How do you display their art? Read more...
Faking It...
...the laundry room, that is. HandyMan and I are still pondering the basement design. We thought we were close to figuring out the layout weeks ago, but the pantry turned out to be too small and as some of you pointed out, we may want to have our food storage away from the furnace. Back to the drawing board we went.
We're close now and have pretty much narrowed it down to one layout option but we still had problems visualizing the space. So what can you do in that case except tape it out on the floor and use a bedsheet and duvet to simulate the walls.
That's the area for the washer, dryer, and bar-sized sink to the left there. Glamourous, no?
Its funny, we must have drawn up about 15 different options. After really thinking through the space and the merits of each plan, the one we're going to go with is the simplest of them all. We're basically dividing our existing laundry room/storage area into two rooms. And apart from taking out another wall to open up space, most everything else stays the same.
I know what you're thinking. I asked myself the same question - why bother renovating at all then? We could surely make the space more livable by making just some cosmetic decorating changes. Well, even with redecorating we'd have a lack of storage space and we wouldn't have a finished laundry room. The more I looked at photos of laundry rooms, the more I wanted a nice, clean space with a finished ceiling, new drywall, and plenty of counterspace. But I had to see it taped out first because even though logically the new plan gives us more usuable and functional laundry space, the current space is bigger; we're actually going to have a smaller laundry room. We needed to make sure small wasn't too small, you know?
And it isn't so all we've got to do is draw it all up, figure out furniture and built-in placement, and do the electrical plan. Then we can finally get this show on the road!
The Love List
I'm loving...
this new blog devoted to kid celebrations (and written by some my most favourite bloggers)
these hallways (via A Life's Design)
Read more...
Artist Spotlight: Chris Langstroth
It looks like its going to be another hot weekend here in Toronto. Hopefully it won't be too much of a scorcher as we're hoping to head out to the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition. I look forward to this show every year. Its great to see such varied art works from established artists to unknown students. One booth we always make a stop at is that of artist Chris Langstroth.
We love the textures and colours of his paintings. I would love to have one of his large paintings in our living room one day but for now they're a little out of the budget.
Have you invested in original art for your own home? It would be great to have more in our home, but I find there always seems to be something more pressing to spend our $ on.
Feeling Inspired
Do you have an inspiration board? We do. It sits in our office and features an ever evolving collection of magazine pages, paint chips, sketches, photos, and bits and pieces of ephemera picked up along our travels.
{click on the picture to see it in detail}This is what the board looks like today. Its funny how some things on the board are new additions while others have been there, well, since we started the board three years ago! And while I'm not the type to exactly replicate a look I see in a magazine photo, its cool to see how some of the inspirations are skewed and twisted and turned and reinterpreted into our own home (like the striped stair runner and the white kitchen cabinets).
When I look at the board, I guess I get a sense of what our general style is like - new traditional with classical details and some pattern thrown in. Do you keep a design folder with pages torn out of magazines? Or is your inspiration board a virtual one with hundreds of links to favourite online images pinned to it? Tell me - how do you stay inspired? Read more...
