Thursday, September 23, 2010

IKEA Drawers + Martha Stewart Paint

I've had this small set of IKEA drawers in my closet for quite a few years.  It holds bracelets, belts and other accessories.  It's always been fairly plain looking as I've never done anything to pretty it up.  But I was in Home Depot checking out the Martha Stewart paint colours and thought... why not?
So I started with this...

Painted the frame Seal...

And the drawers Sharkey Gray...

I may add some knobs but haven't found anything stunning yet.

I lined each of the drawer bottoms with different scrapbook paper...

And here it is in my closet, prettying things up just a bit!



How do you store jewelery and accessories?  Have you used the Martha Stewart paint for any projects?  Show me!

Friday, September 10, 2010

Weekend Getaway - Seaside, Florida

I received the September Coastal Living this week and am totally smitten with porch and the view on the cover! 
(source - unfortunately, I wasn't able to find a larger version of this picture...)

The home is in Seaside, Florida, and was designed by Robert A.M. Stern. It is simply stunning...



I want a hanging bed like the ones that are in the "children's porch" so badly!

Second Floor Porch

Third floor porch off the master bedroom

The whole place looks so serene and idyllic to me - just the kind of place I'd love to go and relax!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Wishlist Wednesday

The arrival of September has come with cooler weather and gray skies.  It makes me want to snuggle under a cozy quilt.  This one from Virginia Johnson has a cheery pattern that just may help chase some of the fall blues away!

Check out some of other gorgeous patterns!

Monday, September 6, 2010

My Garden - Update

Well I haven't kept you updated on my front garden like I promised in April, but I have been taking pictures!  Here's what it looked like then...

By mid-May, the columbine was blooming and the foxgloves had started as well.

The rose of sharon by our front door was also showing signs of life - a good thing as it was a gift from my parents.  My mom would have been fairly disappointed if I couldn't keep it alive.  She is much better at gardening than I am!

There was a huge change in the foxgloves by the beginning of June!

Two weeks later, the garden looked like this, with all the dianthus in full bloom!

I added some filler plants (I forget the name) to the rose of sharon pot by the front door as it was looking a little sparse.  (Please excuse that garden hose - I should have moved it!)

I didn't take any more pictures until the end of August, when I had cleaned up the bloomed-out foxgloves and daisies.  The echinacea is blooming there on the right.

And the rose of sharon finally has flowers on it - it has been going like crazy!

I am thinking of changing a few things next spring.  I will be pulling out the daisies as they fell over when they were flowering and smothered the dianthus for about three weeks before I intervened.  There are also some butterfly bushes on the far left that I will replace as well... I'm just not sure what I'll replace them with!  Any suggestions?

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Wishlist Wednesday

Another stop at IKEA this week!  I'm sure you've seen this one everywhere - I certainly have, including lulu's new ivivva athletica store... but I still love it!  Here it is, the gorgeous PS MASKROS pendant.

I had my eye on it for our office/guest room, but it was a little too big for the space.  It looks just perfect in this dining room.  (I also love the feather-framed mirror!)

I think the most gorgeous room I've seen with the Maskros pendant is this one.  Stunning, isn't it?

Is the Maskros pendant on your wishlist?

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Wishlist Wednesday

I must be in summer mode - I can't believe it's been three weeks since I've posted!  We were on vacation for a week, and I think the slower pace and warmer weather had distracted me entirely. 

The 2011 IKEA catalogue came out this past week and it is, of course, full of gorgeous rooms.  I love white, but it was the black desk in this room that caught my eye.  In this cozy office nook, the Edland dressing table is used as a workspace, and it works beautifully.
(IKEA catalogue, page 36)
Choosing a leggier desk keeps the room feeling airy, and ensures that the dark piece of furniture does not overwhelm the lightness of the room. 

The Edland Dressing Table is made of solid pine and is a bargain at C$249!

I would love to have this in a little "blogging corner" in my living room!
(IKEA catalogue, page 37)


What room or item caught your eye in the new IKEA catalogue?

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Wishlist Wednesday

A recent ad for a sale at Restoration Hardware had this gorgeous bathroom (I cannot find the picture without the ad).

The beautiful pendant light caught my eye.  It is the Victorian Hotel Pendant.

Here it is in a dramatic dressing room... wow!

I'd like to see it in a lighter, brighter beachy room - have you spotted this fixture used anywhere else?

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Wishlist Wednesday

This week I came across Mod Green Pod, an eco-friendly textile and wallpaper company.  This pattern in particular caught my eye:

The Butterfly Jubilee fabric in licorice/earl grey is cheerful and chic.  Here it is in wallpaper form in the home of Nancy Mims, co-founder of Mod Green Pod.

You may recognize this pattern from Samantha Pynn's work.  This living room, which I love, featured the fabric on two gorgeous ottomans.

If you can't think of anything to recover or wallpaper in one of the beautiful patterns, check out the tote bags!  I think this one would make a perfect lunch bag.

Do you have a favourite pattern?

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Weekend Getaway - Notre Dame de Grace Condo

How cool is this?  While scrolling through canada.com, I found this feature on a property for sale.  It's located in Montreal, QC, in an old monastery that was converted to 15 condo units in 2005.
(all photos from Jill Prevost)

What a beautiful exterior!  And the unit for sale, listed with Jill Prevost, is the penthouse!  Check out the living room...

The unit has a very spacious interior, with 2 bedrooms and 2.5 baths over 2,624 square feet!

I'm loving the huge windows, especially in the dining area and over the kitchen sink.

The master bedroom is so airy, even with dark floors and some stone walls.


I would even take the smaller bedroom - so cozy!

And the view!  To die for!

You can check out the rest of the pictures here.  I think the whole place is just gorgeous!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Wishlist Wednesday

It's gotten gorgeously warm here, so I've spent my last few lunch breaks walking around downtown.  I get a little further away from my regular route and have been checking out some home decor stores.  Today I wandered through Nood (new objects of desire).  This gray "ring cut" pillow caught my eye.

I think it would add the perfect bit of texture to my living room.

How are you spending your summer lunch breaks?

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Weekend Getaway - Jenn Cranston's Lake Simcoe Cottage

I would love to have a beach home, or a lake home, or a summer cottage... somewhere near the water to get away to.
Canadian House and Home's June 2010 issue featured Jenn Cranston's cottage on Lake Simcoe.  While Ontario is not the type of tropical paradise that I'd normally gravitate too, this natural, white home caught me at first glance.  Let's start with the front deck.
all images via Canadian House and Home (digital edition)
The gorgeous, breezy fabric wrapped around the deck makes this area bright but still shaded.  Huge sliding doors blur the line between indoors and out.

You walk into the large main space from the deck.  The living room area is on the right.
Hello, painted white walls, white slipcovers and natural accents.  It's casual and calming - perfect for a getaway home!

The left side of the living room has a console table (or what could be called a "desk" if this wasn't a vacation home!) and some cushions for extra seating.

Beside this console is the kitchen, which has the same white palate and maintains the casual feel with open shelving.
I love the lamp on the kitchen counter - so unexpected!

There is an indoor dining area behind the folding chairs in the living room.  Again, the bench at the table and the rug keep the casual vibe going.

Through the doorway between the kitchen area and the dining area is a bunk room.

Yes, you do walk right through the bunk room into the master bedroom.  The floorplan shows that they are only separated by sliding doors.
While I love the look of this room and can appreciate the need for plenty of sleeping space in a vacation home, I find its location slightly odd.  Perhaps if I had children, I would want them sleeping that close to me, but for other guests, especially other couples, it's nice to have a guest sleeping area tucked away from the master bedroom.  However, given that there are only two twin beds in the bunk room, it does seem likely that this area is meant for children.

In any event, the master bedroom is beautiful and relaxing.
I love those side tables!

The rest of the bedroom is very simple.

There is hardly anything hung on the walls throughout the home, which is calming and somehow seems to give you space to breathe. 

Out back is another dreamy sitting area.
I believe I need this in our backyard.  (I think just the gravel area is actually bigger than our backyard...!)  That "sail" is probably my favourite item in the whole place!

Finally, the home is close enough to the water to have its own dock.
And while I'm sure it's not practical to always have that little setup out there, it looks like the perfect spot to spend a summer Saturday afternoon!

Well, what do you think?  Do you like the white and natural palate for a lake home or would you prefer something more colorful?