Bright On Time

Home Sweet

This photo sums up all my hopes and dreams for a room that feels like a vacation. The windows in our house are open for the first time in months. After a wretched winter, letting the sun shine in is exactly what the doctor ordered. No doctor I know, but I’m sure someone does.

A room like this would make staying home feel a bit tropical. I cannot wait for our weekend getaway to Prince Edward County. I’ve been cooped up inside and craving some light.

The ripe citrus colours, graphic pillows, playful patterns and the splash of colourful paint on canvas is just perfect. I am inspired to recreate that splotched, saturated pooling-paint painting – every time I see that effect I want a painting just like this.

I love a good shock of unexpected colour. Is there a particular colour that puts you in a happy place?

Photo courtesy of the internet: see more home decor images on my Pinterest page.

https://www.pinterest.com/alisonjc/home-sweet/

Old is New

Home Sweet

Old is often seen as synonymous with tired and passé, but in home decor (as should more often be the case in our own lives) old can be beautiful, historied and glorious in its uniqueness.

Antiques and heirlooms are long celebrated, but even in modern homes – pieces of the past can breathe new life into our spaces and create personal touches. Some of my very favourite pieces in my home are hand-me-downs, and pieces that remind me of my childhood. I’m writing from my office, that doubles as a guest room, where a white-painted iron frame bed (gifted after long-use from my aunt and uncle) is piled high with white linens. In my living room, my grandfather’s World War cargo trunk is my coffee table, still bearing his name and the designation Flight Lieutenant, with international travel stickers, scuffs and dents adding to its rich history.

Some aspects of old-time decor are more substantial, and worth every penny of the investment.

A sleek curved faucet is modern and clean against the backdrop of painted tin. What a beautiful way to add texture to a kitchen. I’ve always wanted a gilded tin ceiling, or one with peeling, distressed paint. Photo: Kitchen by Auhaus Architecture

H&M knows this trend is alive and well, and recently featured a velvet daybed, quaint cushions, chandeliers and waintscotting in its (not yet available in Canada) home line.

I grew up in a century home, in tiny Waterdown, Ontario, in a colonial center hall stone house. Our tiny second floor bathroom had a claw-foot tub. The beautiful tub, pictured here, perfectly balances old with new and the splash of graphic wallpaper makes it quite modern. Photo: Industrial Bathroom by Oliver Burns

This luxe w/c includes floor to ceiling touches of vintage style, but manages to look thoroughly ‘now.’ From the crown moulding, heavy drapes, brick and lighting, to the gorgeous tub and old step ladder, this is a perfect marriage of old combined in a new way. And, I’m guessing those are original floors. Photo: Tour London’s Most Lust-Worthy New Boutique Hotel via @Domaine

Check out more like this on my Pinterest Page, under “Home Sweet” https://www.pinterest.com/alisonjc/home-sweet/

and let me know,

What vintage touches are classing up your modern digs?

Moving Furniture is Genetic

Home Sweet, Indulge, style

Re-arranging, specifically furniture, runs in my family. On my mother’s side. I can’t go more than a few months without moving things around. People visiting are routinely treated to a double-take when things are reversed, separated, painted, flipped, and after a while, you can hardly imagine it wasn’t like this all along.

Really though, my mom, left unattended at my house, had rearranged all the kitchen and linen drawers, texting that she’d stopped herself short at moving large furniture items, only because she couldn’t do so without scratching the floor… or possibly because she felt it might be overstepping. My aunt, recently relocated to Niagara-on-the-lake, deliberately replaced all her previous furniture (heavy, solidly made pieces) with new, light Swedish farmhouse style pieces, for the express purpose of being able to move them on a whim.

The open concept living area, with mirror (a pre-existing feature from the past owner) and lots of light.

After having all our ducts, dryer vent, etc., cleaned, the urge hit me to rid the whole main floor of dust. The vent guys paid us a wonderful compliment, saying that it was obvious that ‘cool’ (‘hip’ I think he said) people live here, and that he loved all our art. So, the newest incarnation of our living space involved separating the sectional and replacing a rich, woven tapestry with a lighter spring one, as well as flipping the vertical Ikea shelving units onto their sides.

Felix loves the newly upholstered leather cushion for the ‘zen couch,’ which replaced the velvet cushions (major cat hair attraction). Hand-sewn fabric cushions are easily changed-up for a fresh look.

I created large-scale art to brighten the space, featuring the lyrics from “Sugar Sugar” (one of our favourite songs). The shelving is home to records, ceramics, an “A” made from all the wine corks of our courtship, and the paper bouquets from our wedding.

Felix loves a spot to stretch out, in front of the Urban Outfitters tapestry that makes its way from tablecloth, to bedspread to wall-hanging.

Brutus, the controversial (to my mother) long-horn skull adds some macabre irony to our very feminine space. We like to imagine that he dialogues with Betsey (who now lives as an area rug). What I like, however, is that the skull was sourced from a friends farm where all parts of the animal are utilized and animals roam free in large pastures.

A tagine hides the remotes, and colourful coasters protect the surface of Granddad’s WWII trunk.

Separating the sectional gave us a nice new arrangement for hosting, or t.v. viewing.

All lit-up: our custom ampersand and ‘A’ marquis lights help to illuminate the space in the evenings, and make the vintage cut crystal decanters sparkle. Mirrors make it possible for art to be seen from every angle.

Chester, our girl-cat, isn’t quite sure about this arrangement.

The dining table, and make-shift marking area, is warm and colourful, with art done, by request, by my mother.

Looking back into the space from the dining room, the living areas are divided, but open.

At the very least, the benefit of all this moving around is a solid calorie burn, and thoroughly cleaned … everything. Plus, it reminds me that my wife loves me very much when she puts up no fuss at all as she comes home from work, only to find me requiring her help to put the finishing touches on our space.

What inspires you to move furniture?

Spring Cleaning: Organizing Your Life

DIY, Home Sweet, style

My Inbox is full of articles about how to ‘de-clutter’ ‘pare-down’ ‘de-stress’ ‘Spring Clean’ ‘organize’ and ‘space-save’ my life. Task one: pare down the Spring Cleaning, de-cluttering lists. Organized, de-stressed, clutter-free life? I want all these things. I want to “banish clutter and chaos.” But the 6-ways, top ten tips and 12 strategies are all a little much. Let’s not even start on the 99 low-cost ways…

Here are the best:

From “99 Cost-Saving Tips” (http://www.styleathome.com/organizing/organizing-ideas/99-low-cost-organizing-tips/a/1806?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SAH-dd_150318)

*Store all your instruction manuals in one binder. (Same for takeout menus. Recipes, decor ideas, and great articles, too.)

*Use old baby-food jars to hold spices.

*Use small jam jars to hold cotton swabs, balls and other essentials inside your bathroom vanity drawers. (I did the same thing with my teas, bulk and bagged, using mason jars and a wine-glass marker. Things stay fresh and you can recycle the bulky packaging right away).

*Don’t hold on to magazines. Just rip out any pages you want to keep for future reference, keep in a file folder, or basket. (Take the rest to the gym or a school for projects).

*Use a canvas over-the-door shoe organizer to organize small kids toys and art supplies. (I did this with all my painting and craft supplies).

*Edit your hangers. Choose: wire, plastic or wood and unify the hangers in every closet. (My favourite are the slim velvet ones. They save so much closet space, don’t warp your shoulders and let clothes breathe).

In “6 ways to conquer your bedroom closet,” Christina Ciddio recommends, http://www.styleathome.com/organizing/organizing-ideas/6-ways-to-conquer-your-bedroom-closet/a/55548?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SAH-dd_150318

*When you go through your closet, purge regularly, create zones and treat the space as a whole room, giving it an editorial look. Once it looks amazing, you are more likely to keep it that way. (I do have a whole room and because I worked hard to get it, I keep it tidy).

Don’t be afraid to put rules in place: My wife teases me about my ‘hanger system’ but it really does work. All empty hangers go back to the ’empty hanger rod,’ so you don’t have to go searching for them and you can just grab a handful of hangers when you bring clean clothes from the laundry. As I hang to dry, they go onto the proper hangers and then go back to their proper spots. Also, if there isn’t a hanger for it, something has to go. This club is at capacity; one in, one out.

And from “12 Organizing Ideas That Will Change Your Life” (http://www.styleathome.com/organizing/organizing-ideas/12-organizing-ideas-that-will-change-your-life/a/55340?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SAH-dd_150318 )

*Organize your shoes. Figure out a system. Maybe this isn’t the most practical, but it sure is beautiful:

I found that clear plastic boxes keep my shoes tidy and lets me see what is in the box so that I don’t have to go searching. They are available for just a few dollars at Home Depot. I wouldn’t wear the shoes in the boxes below, but the Tupperware-for-shoes option has really worked for me.

*Spruce up your entryway. (We have a hook and chalkboard for keys and reminders, a wall hook for reusable grocery bags to go back to the car, a basket for mittens, scarves and hats, and a lint roller. We also have a colourful mat by the door and bench to sit while you put on shoes).

*Use trays on the bathroom counter to organize products and drawer inserts to keep products neat and accessible.

*Keep jewelry organized. (Pick a system and stick to it. Check out my DIY project for the wall gallery I created to store our necklace collection).

Style At Home Image

*Find stylish storage. (Baskets, boxes, vintage tins, cabinets with doors. Put things away and keep out just the favourite items).

*Papers, pens and stationery can sometimes take over your home office. (This is my dream come true. Case in point: my friends asked what I did on my first day of summer vacation? I organized all the pens and pencils, sharpening them of course.)

Image from Styleathome.com

Tips from my own life:

*Cut the hanger ribbons from your clothes (the ones that always poke out from your clothes while you are wearing them) and use them to tie gift bags or tags onto presents.

*Keep a bin for clothes and accessories you aren’t sure about anymore. Sort through it seasonally and put things into a donation pile, or clothing swap pile.

*Get rid of things you don’t need right away (junk mail, flyers, packaging) and don’t even bring them into the house.

And if you’re REALLY feeling ambitious, this adorable American man has a how-to video for creating paper logs to heat your home using your old junk-mail as fuel. I would love to get to a point of handiness where this seems realistic! http://fb-287.dailymegabyte.com/man-transforms-mail-useful-save-money/

Spring Fever Dreams

Home Sweet, Indulge

When the weather gets teasingly beautiful, I start to fantasize about throwing open the windows and getting the yard ready to move life outdoors. After a Friday night dinner party, and the end of last week hitting 8 degrees Celsius (which, in Canada, means that people were out on patios) I start to dream; one day, when I grow up (because phrases like that still make sense at 33), I will have an outdoor space that makes me feel like I’m on vacation. A girl can fantasize, right? What landscaping or outdoor living spaces make you salivate? Here’s a peek into my house-porn collection (courtesy of Houzz.com)

A spot to swing, lazily, under the shelter of trees

Lunch and hangouts, ironic signage, and plenty of seating for friends

Whimsical and eclectic with statement indoor features brought outdoors

Covered seating, casual landscaping and lanterns to light the way.

Does it get more luxurious than custom lighting, turquoise water and a swanky area to chill, in your own backyard?

Cozy, and practically a Canadian pre-requisite, a fire pit, lots of greenery and comfortable seating

With a view from indoors, this courtyard keeps luxury front and center, recliners inviting you to take a moment for yourself, perhaps to contemplate ‘how did I get to be so lucky?’

Hip, casual and cool, but cheeky in its effortlessness, this bright spot is just begging for foodie guests and an al-fresco lunch

Again, with the lights, the overhanging architecture and comfy seating. Trying too hard? Hardly.

Truly the space of my dreams. Fair skin protected by custom shade panels and lighting for evening, … perfect view of the pool

This space has the best of all things. Hammock. Fire pit. Seating. Dining area. Greenery. I’m in love.

Sensing a theme? The sitting and dining areas with shade-cover, romantic lighting and water views. I’m pretty sure the cabana has room for guests.

If I, for some reason, found myself in an arid climate, this mod-zen look would keep me house happy.

Vacation vibe? Check. What’s behind curtain number one?

Obviously, every dream home has its own bocci court.

Sigh.

Sweet dreams, folks. Houzz.com is a Pinterest users wet dream.

Make it Happen: Build Your Own Jewellery Wall

DIY, Home Sweet, Indulge, style

The Dressing Room. That was one of my first projects when I bought my house. When I met my wife, the biggest step wasn’t the moving-in; it was amalgamating the closets. That was a merger that made me more nervous than buying our first major piece of furniture.

The Dressing Room has been a work-in-progress for a while now. My favourite new project was sparked by a need to properly care for, store and display our combined baubles so that we’d get the most wear out of them, keep them from tangling and avoid those unpleasant – where did you put the ________________ (piece of missing jewellery) conversations.

The wall of jewellery. You can do this yourself!

I decided to use a wall that already had a closet on it and to position the display space on the same wall to balance and mirror the shape of the closet. It’s tucked behind the entry door of the room, allowing maximum use, without taking up a wall that could be used to place a larger piece of furniture.

First. I measured the closet trim and planned to make an equal-sized frame for the wall-mounted display. I bought the trim, some one inch white strips (the technical name, I’m sure), white finishing nails, and got the saw and hammer from the tool shelf. I also got a protractor (not kidding). I figured out my angles, nailed those suckers to the wall, filled the small gaps, sawed a mis-measured angle (while it was still attached to the wall) and felt very proud of myself as I saw this all take shape.

When I explained this all to my wife, she raised an eyebrow. When she got home from work, I was pleased to show off my finished product. I placed each piece (staggering the horizontal pieces in varying distances to accommodate longer pieces), and put the nails in one at a time.

Voila! No more missing, tangled necklaces.

I am 100 times more likely to wear a necklace and consider it as an option for the day when I can see it. This is literally what ‘shopping your own closet’ looks like.

Home Sweet

Home cannot be separated from the colours, photos, art and textures that bring life to that space, each chosen for a particular purpose: the memories of a trip caught and frozen, the colour of the walls and feeling of the contentious number of pillows (and the fact that new ones always catch my eye), the mood they create. Objects that activate memories; the tapestry that doubles as a tablecloth and triples as a bedspread – a gift from our wedding. A particular etching that I cannot help smiling at – my own inside joke. These pieces create a warmth that shapes home for me. I am most myself when I see myself reflected in this space. Secure. Playful. Grounded. Inspired. When people share this space, they know who lives here.

Who lives in your house/closet/wine rack/shoes?

StyleSaVie

Life lived beautifully.

Home Sweet

Bright On Time

Old is New

Moving Furniture is Genetic

Spring Cleaning: Organizing Your Life

Spring Fever Dreams

Make it Happen: Build Your Own Jewellery Wall

Home Sweet