Peonies and Brass

blogger lovin': the hunted interior's budget (actually!) bathroom

2013-05-24T14:50:00.003-04:00

If you love interior design mags (and if you're here, well, you probably do) then like me you're likely resigned to the fact that when someone says "budget", it's not your budget they're talking about. Nope. Not even a little.

When I say budget I don't mean a "high low mix". I mean a low low mix. I mean a "ikea is still expensive to me" mix. I mean a "that knockoff still ain't cheap" mix. I'll buy the knock-off if I can find it on craigslist, otherwise I'm finding a chair at goodwill and cracking out the spray paint.

That's why I love bloggers like Kristin of the Hunted Interior. Today Kristin posted her bathroom makeover, and every single item in that newly prettified room was hacked, painted, and elbow greased into fabulousness. No splurges. Just awesome.

She made the mirror for $13. She sprayed a $25 outdoor light fixture. She got down on her hands and knees and painted those floor tiles her own damn self.

Kindred spirit.

I don't often repost other peeps' projects, but this lady deserves a hat tip. A "I found it at a garage sale" hat tip.

i heart your art: jenny andrews-anderson

2013-05-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

There are obviously a lot of really amazing things about blogs and blogging - the inspiration, the connections - but one of the coolest and, I think, least recognized is that it allows you to participate in a journey you otherwise wouldn't have. By following a creative's blog, you get the chance to watch them grow - to witness their progression, their toil, their visible improvement over time. You get to be privy not only to the result, but also to the process. It's inspiring and it's real. It's an awesome reminder that talent takes time and work, and that we all start somewhere.

I'm reminded of this when I look at the work of Jenny Andrews Anderson, the blogger and artist behind the hilarious MFAMB. I've read MFAMB for years, and I must admit that I can't actually remember when Jenny started using it to showcase her painting skills, but I can remember that for a while I wasn't really sold. If I'm totally honest, I just didn't see what others were seeing. I wanted to, but I didn't.

But with time, all that has changed. Whenever Jenny has released new work I've liked it more than her last. Her brush strokes have become more self-assured, more calculated, her choices more confident. I - along with every other fan of her blog - have gotten to see her genuine talent grow.

That's pretty special.

At this point I would happily (and very excitedly) pull out my wallet to bring some of Jenny's work into my own home. And I know that if I did, it would be made all the more special by the journey I've gotten to go on alongside this talented artist.

{all paintings via Jenny's pinterest}

It's a pretty great place this bloggy land of ours.

P.S. the fact that she named one of her paintings "Mathletes"? I think you can just guess how I feel about that.

fabric find: designer looks for the masses

2013-05-15T14:29:00.002-04:00

Yesterday Christine of Bijou & Boheme posted a killer client reveal featuring some seriously gorgeous wing back chairs:

I pretty much just assumed the fabric was my beloved Les Touches until she listed her sources. Turns out that it's actually a Spoonflower find! Can you believe it?! I've always been really afraid of ordering from Spoonflower, expecting it to look cheap, but this may have convinced me otherwise.

The exact seller is Domesticate, and she has a GREAT selection of fabrics inspired by designer faves. Here are just a few I'm loving:

Now the only question is linen or canvas, because otherwise it looks like a no-brainer to me.

Have any of you ordered from Spoonflower before? I'd love to know what your experience was like!

welcomed by home

2013-05-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

So I've actually been back from Belize for five days, but have been . . . well . . . recovering. Unfortunately after posting about having found paradise, I got a MASSIVE ear infection and perforated eardrum due to a malfunctioning depth gauge on one of my dives. Suffice it to say, the rest of the vacation was not so hot.

Well, it was hot, but I wasn't out enjoying it.

Anyway, you win some you lose some. By the time the two weeks were over I was so happy to come back to my little apartment, dive into a bed piled high with pillows, and stream 4 eps of Mad Men in a row that it was borderline ridiculous. It really highlighted how important it is to make your space your little sanctuary - the place where you feel most at home and welcomed in the world.

And what welcomed me home right beside the bed? The beautiful little marble desk y'all convinced me to buy...

You guys are so damn smart. It's the perfect height (the lamp is actually lower than the headboard, it just doesn't look like it from this angle), the perfect depth, and the perfect length. It just fits so ridiculously well, and I know it's a piece I'll keep forever.

I will say though, that even a half vacation is worth the trip. When else can you spend all day doing this:

Bad luck or not, I may be already planning my next escape . . .

a quick hello from paradise

2013-04-26T20:04:00.002-04:00

Hey there my loves, long time no talk! I meant to write two days ago but I got caught up in packing and wrapping up work, and then yesterday I hoped I'd have a chance at the airport, but had apparently forgotten how much more security a stopover in the US involves. So I've been a bad bad blogger, all thought and no action.

Even now, I'm just stopping in to say hi, because, well, I think I found paradise.

I am here . . .

... on my Belize adventure, and to be honest, I just don't feel like taking the time to fully check in. I will soon, but not now. Now I just want to keep swinging away in this hammock, listened to the breeze and the ocean and the birds, and remembering why 18 hrs of straight travel in one day (no joke) is always, always worth it. Especially when your heart needs the tlc even more than your body does.

So talk soon, k? I promise mucho pretty pictures and even some apartment updates (I bought that gorgeous desk and it's crazy good. You guys are so smart.) Til' then, love from the beach.

xoxoxo

style revelation: mandy milks

2013-04-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

Ever have one of those experiences where you suddenly realize that a bunch of disparate spaces you absolutely adore are actually all from the same house? Well, that just happened to me - big time.

A couple of months ago I fell head over heels for a pair of bathrooms (created out of one old bathroom) in House & Home's March issue. I folded down the corners of each of the pages and even carried the feature around with me in my purse while helping my parents pick out tile. There was something about these spaces that really spoke to me more than any other bath I'd seen in a while.

Yesterday H&H finally posted pics of the bathrooms online, and I couldn't wait to share. Here's bath #1:

And bath #2:

Aren't they insanely good? The perfect balance of patina and polish, masculine and feminine.

A month later, H&H's special makeovers issue came out, and one of the kitchen transformations spoke to me in that same way. I decided it was the best kitchen reno I'd seen in a long, long time. I couldn't get enough of it.

It wasn't until last week that I finally realized that there was a reason for that same gut feeling: both spaces belong to one Mandy Milks, art director at H&H. She and her husband have been renovating an old house in Toronto room by room, and the result so clearly strikes a cord with me.

Unfortunately I could only find one really good pic of the kitchen, but it's linked to an awesome video showcasing the space.

I truly can't wait for H&H to feature the rest of Mandy's home (fingers crossed). There is nothing that I love more than old bones complimented by new hotness, and in Mandy's capable hands it's clearly a guaranteed home run. I'll definitely be watching this gal from now on ( and coveting her home like a mad person).

xoxoxo luvs

desks as nightstands - cute or cramped?

2013-04-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

A couple of weekends ago the large desk in my "dressing room" got the old heave-ho, making way for my treadmill. The 'mill had been taking up way too much space in my living room, and of these two items that I wasn't using nearly enough, I decided it was the one I should keep ~~lying to myself about~~.

The only downside to this, really, is that my desk chair was the spare for my dining table. The one I would pull out when I had people over for dinner or guests were visiting for the weekend. I should probably keep it, but the question is, where? Right now it's just looking awkward over in a corner, like me at a high school dance.

Well, the plot thickens. A couple of days ago I came across a gorgeous, rectangular marble topped bistro table on craigslist, and my mind immediately went here:

I've been looking to get a wider nightstand for a while now (to fill more of the awkward space between my bed and an archway) and this could help me kill two birds with one stone. The only thing is that it's not just wider, it's also a lot deeper. Add the chair and I'm worried that it'll be cramped city. Or that it will just end up looking messy - a catch all for everything from my water glass and alarm clock to my laptop and craft supplies.

For your reference, this is the table . . .

. . . and I managed to haggle the price down to a cool $80. The owner brought it with her when she moved here from France.

So what do you think? Is it too good to pass up? Are you fans of the bedside desk look, or do they just scream "I have no other room"? Can they ever really look polished and be useful simultaneously? Should I just ditch the chair and be done with it? Your opinions are much needed my luvs!

"look for the helpers"

2013-04-16T11:57:00.001-04:00

Bombs scare me. Obviously. What happened yesterday was horrific and senseless and shocking. My heart aches for those affected, as it aches for all those around the world who lose loved ones suddenly and without reason.

But what scares me more than bombs - far, far more than bombs - is fear. The complete irrationality and hate that fear creates. The way that fear can blind even the most rational of people, and create a domino effect that can't be measured or controlled. Often, the aftermath of these type of events can become so much worse than what initially occurred.

We can't let the poison spread. It's so easy - and understandable - to react to these things by losing faith. By seeing only darkness, and craving retribution. I really think that Patton Oswalt said it best, and Fred Rogers years ago. It is so important to remember - especially in times like these - that the good outnumber the hateful, the violent, the racist and the intolerant, and to resolve to continue to stand with them, now and forever.

Spread the love today folks. It's the best thing we have.

random ramblings for a stormy april day

2013-04-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

First of all, my fam would like you all to know that you are very, very bad influences. They want a sofa bed. I want vintage velvet. You have clearly picked a side.

Secondly, is it just me or is this the longest winter ever? Apparently we're getting 20cm of fresh snow and "ice pellets" around here today. It's a full on storm watch. What?? If April showers bring May flowers then what does this shit bring? I've decided it's God's way of telling me that blowing the budget for Belize was the right way to go. And I can't argue with God. It's a rule.

Third, have any of you Canadian ladies checked out the new special Home Decor 101 issue of Chatelaine?

The answer's probably no, and I totally feel you - I didn't think I was into Chatelaine either. But the other day I popped into Indigo (sorry for all the maple land references Americanas!) to see if the new House & Home was out, and when it wasn't I was still itching for a new read. So I picked this puppy up. And it's good. Like, really really good.

I always thought Chatelaine was a little too country and not enough rock & roll, but if this special issue is any indication of what's been hiding behind all the recipes (I don't cook), health tips (blah blah, stop eating so much cheese, blah blah) and life advice (that's what my psych is for), then I've clearly been missing out.

Even better, when I was looking for pics of the magazine to show you I found a blog post that Emma from the Marion House Book had written about it (these photos are all hers), and in it she revealed that she's the mag's new home editor! If you know her blog - or her pinter-famous home - then you know that that can only mean good things. I'm officially won over.

Speaking of magazine amazingness, you've probably all seen Angie Hranowsky's colour extravaganza of a home in the new Lonny, but I'm gonna add a bit more love onto the pile. I'm pretty sure that this needs to happen to my curtains:

But only because I don't know how I could pull off this without it looking like a d.i.y. shitstorm:

Oh Angie. You can do no wrong.

And with that, I'm off to enjoy another weekend of half melting snow and not putting my new wooden deck tiles down. Ah well, more time for wine, right?

Later luvs!

sofa-beds suck, and vintage regular ones do not . . .

2013-04-09T17:33:00.001-04:00

A complicated set of work circumstances means that come July my future brother in law will be crashing at my place two nights a week, making my need for a sofa bed a little more glaring. He's cool with the couch, but I kinda think that sucks, so I've started prowling craigslist. In keeping with my last post, whatever I find has to be revenue neutral - meaning it has to cost the same (or preferably less) than what I can sell my present sofa for.

You know what I'm realizing though? Sofa beds blow. HARD. Or at least decently-priced ones do. Even back when I was looking for a new version I was sort off shocked by how few nice-looking, budget options there were out there. Read: none. I mean, isn't the prime market for sofa beds the crew that are low on space? Meaning the crew that is also probably low on cash? Why can't we have style and substance? What the hell West Elm??

Everything I saw was either too boxy/bulky, too uncomfortable, or too damn pricey. Even IKEA's best option - the Karlstad - shows the bed part in a really obvious way, and the back is way too low to be lounge-worthy.

Unfortunately, I'm not having much luck on CL either. Instead, all this search is uncovering is a whole host of non-sleeper options I'd looove to take home with me. Like this silky velvet gorgeousness for only $100:

And this awesome camelback that could use some new fabric love:

Or this bordeaux option that just needs some straightening up (seriously peeps, why post it like this?):

Honestly, I'm finding it seriously hard to stick to this sofa bed plan. There is just too much vintage awesomeness out there for me to resist much longer!

What would you do folks? I'm reeaaally considering that first one. It's in such good condition , doesn't need to be recovered, and would really go with the rest of my stuff. And the price can't be beat. Would you go for it or stick to the decidedly less cool lookin' plan?

shiny things vs life experiences: the eternal struggle

2013-04-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

So guess what?? Remember a couple of days ago when I said that I couldn't afford to buy Rugs Usa's moroccan pouf even though it was on sale? Remember how I said it was because I had to save for an upcoming adventure? Well that's because last week I went and made plans to fulfill one of my ultimate, all-time bucket list items. In exactly three weeks, I'll be boarding a plane to go do this . . .

Yup, it's whale shark season in Belize, and I'm dusting off my diving license and getting my butt in the water!!

I think it goes without saying that I'm so excited I could burst (seriously, it's a little ridiculous), but it's not all sunshine and roses. Because, well, I have a little confession to make: I kind of can't afford a trip right now. Like, not at all.

A little over a year ago, right before starting this blog, I spent an amazing, beautiful, perfect month trekking through Thailand and Cambodia. I had to use every last little bit of money I could scrounge together after spending my savings to start over, but I justified it by saying it would be my last big trip for a while.

And then last month happened, and suddenly the week in New Orleans I had planned turned into two by the beach. And if you've ever been diving, well . . . the cost ain't little. So I'm finding myself budgeting like I've never budgeted before, and doing my damnedest to stick to some seriously tight allowances so I can make it all happen. And all I have to say is - this shit is hard!!

Don't get me wrong, I live on a single lady's income anyways, but when the amount you have set aside for the week only really covers food, it can be a bit of an eye opener! I don't think I realized before just how many things I want, or convince myself I need, over the course of a given week. Or how incredibly difficult it is for me to walk away from what I see as a deal! That moroccan pouf, a brass tulip pendant light I found on CL, velvet ribbon for my curtains, this gorgeous fiddle leaf fig at IKEA . . .

. . . all things I've debated breaking my rules for in the last four days alone! It is literally agonizing for me to drag myself away, especially if I know it's something that would normally cost more (read, will cost more later if I pass it up now). My head knows that travel is always worth it, but my deal loving heart, oh it just wants to take all these pretties home. So so badly.

And then there's my friend who says I shouldn't do either and should just save for the future. We'll go ahead and ignore him.

Do you guys often find yourselves in the same predicament? Do you scare yourself with how little willpower and how much buying power you actually have??

Thanks for listening to my rant today loves, I apparently needed to take my shopping energy out somewhere, and that somewhere is here!

nightstand contest, you are a talent-filled cocktease . . .

2013-04-03T08:30:00.000-04:00

Has everyone seen the entries for Emily Henderson's nightstand styling contest that have been popping up all over Pinterest? If yes, were you as ridiculously blown away as I was?? If no, here's a little background for ya': a few weeks ago our lady of all things vintage Emily posted a video tutorial on how to style nightstands, and announced an awesome contest asking readers to put her tips into practice. A few days ago she posted a couple of collages of her faves, and, well, let's let them speak for themselves . . .

There is so much goodness in there! When I first saw these all I could think was "hot damn there's more talent for this out there than I thought!", followed by "I wish I could see more", followed by "for the love of God, why are the pictures so small??!" Today my prayers were partially answered when Emily posted bigger pics on her Facebook page, but I still feel like I'm being royally teased! It's like leaving a small piece of brownie on the table for me - it's so goddamn rich and gooey and delicious, and I love it, but all I can think is I KNOW THERE'S MORE.

And I f-ing well want it.

These gorgeous spaces in particular are just dying to be shown off in all their glory. Seriously, keeping them from me us is just plain wrong . . .

{I adore everything about this, from what I'm guessing is a rug over the headboard, to the oversized art, to the campaign dresser. It's perfect.)

{This serene space has me scouring craigslist for a marble topped replacement to my nightstand.}

{Textiles anyone? Also LOVING that this is a man's space. Hells. Yes.}

{Natural, worn, unfussed. A look I can't pull off and completely admire.}

{The picture quality isn't the best, and I could lose at least one of the personal pics for the purposes of the contest, but this is still one of my absolute faves. The fearless mix of colours, that headboard with that pillow, and most of all the badass motherfuckin stag. I want it. Badly.}

{Calm, uncluttered, pink. What more can I say?}

So this is me officially begging. I need apartment tours. I need to see what lies beyond these nightstands. I need it like the desert needs the rain.

So what does your nightstand look like? Can it hold a candle to any of these or does it blow them out of the water? Mine will definitely be getting some zhushing after seeing all of this!

rugs usa sale - and not just on rugs!

2013-04-01T18:06:00.002-04:00

I'm not going to bore you with all the reasons that Rugs USA is awesome. Amazing selection - both new and vintage - massive sales à la 75% off, blah blah blah, you've heard it all before. BUT, I am gonna say that their name is deceiving, cuz they don't just sell rugs. In fact, some of my fave things on their site aren't rugs at all!

Unfortunately, though, those massive sales I mentioned almost never apply to those other things. Total bummer.

Well, not this weekend! While browsing their site yesterday I noticed that they're offering 30% off some of their most popular (and my most coveted) furniture pieces too. This is a rare event indeed!

Here are some of the beauties currently in my "I wish" folder. All but the luscious mirror are one sale, but even that little lady (which comes in four colours btw) is only $170. For bone inlay? Yes please!

{bone inlay mirror || Laguna ottoman || moroccan pouf || wing-arm chair || bone inlay chest}

The pouf especially is seriously calling my name. If I didn't need to save my dineros for an upcoming adventure I would be all over it!

P.S. Happy Easter luvs! Hope you all gorged yourselves silly!

P.P.S. I think I need to go into exclamation mark anonymous. Shit is getting out of hand.

bringing spring in on because it's awesome!

2013-03-28T00:08:00.000-04:00

Hey all! I'm over on Because It's Awesome today, participating in Tobe's amazing House Guest series! I'm sure Tobe and BIA need no intro, but just in case you're not acquainted be sure to pop over - her blog is definitely one of the good'uns. What am I saying - pop over either way! I'm giving Mother Nature the finger and rounding up some of my fave accessories to bring on spring no matter what the thermometer says. I'm tired of waiting!

If you follow me on Insta, you know that last weekend I did a little puttin' my money where my mouth is and started my own springification - slowly but surely! After toying with using rainbow fabric in my dining nook, I added some dashes of yellow to my bedroom . . .

put a bright pink shade and pretty tulips next to my saturday morning reading spot . . .

and shopped around for spring accessories of a different kind . . .

It's just a start, but these little things are making such a difference! Especially when it looks like this outside . . .

Le-ord. Will it ever end?!

So what are you doing to get over the "winter ain't goin' nowhere" blues? Are you bringing in some brights or focusing on a good old spring cleaning? I know I'm not the only one who can't wait to throw open the balcony doors and shake the cobwebs out over the railing!

dining chair makeover - les touches to the rescue? (in need of opinions!)

2013-03-25T14:07:00.004-04:00

So remember that amazing budget-find IKEA fabric I posted about last week? Well, I still love it, but I'm not sure my dining nook does. While the colours work so well with the pendant light and rug in theory, I think they're just perky enough that in practice they flatten the rug out a bit . . . and flat and dull it is not.

Here is what the rug looks like solo:

And here are a couple of bad iPhone snaps of what the fabric does to it . . .

There's no question that it's better than what's on the chairs currently, but I'm just not sure it's right.

Thankfully, I have two yards of this extreme gorgeousness on the way:

. . . from my absolute fave Etsy fabric source, Decorators Backroom. I've sung the praises of DB before, but when the seller offers Les Touches for only $40 a yard, how could I not?? (Psst, right now she may or may not have La Fiorentina in Wine/Magenta for the same price. It's crazy pants.)

So here's a little reminder of what the room looks like when I'm using a proper camera . . .

Except the lobster has been moved to the bathroom and these pretty ladies have taken it's place:

The new plan would involve Les Touches on the chairs, hopefully ribbon on the sides of curtains (dark purple or pink velvet), paint on the picture frames (light pink) and maybe paint on the bottom third of the chair legs - like they'd been dipped. If I did that I'd have to go pink, because I don't like purple and black too close together. Which means that the ribbon would have to be purple to avoid pink overload . . .

So what do y'all think? Les Touches all the way, or is it a waste of such a ridiculously good fabric?? Should I horde it for better quality pieces in the future? I need advice ladies! This room needs some spring in its step!

my (attainable) dream living room = found

2013-03-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

Know what happens when awesome bloggers collide? More awesomeness. Awesomeness squared. It's science. Wait. Math. Yes, math.

Yesterday Joanna of A Cup of Jo posted the 500sq ft apartment of Oh Happy Day's Jordan, which she got a little help on from Jamie of I Suwannee (and the store Furbish). Enough links in one sentence for you? Well each of the blogs were already some of my faves, the shop is full of things I'd kill for, and the apartment . . . well, it's pretty much my dream apartment.

And when I say dream I mean REAL dream, not the "I love this but could never come close to affording it in real life" kind of dream, but the attainable "this would be ideal and maybe even possible" kind of dream.

The living room especially. It is my version of perfection for both who I am and how I live.

Great textile/colour mixing, books galore, and practical (aka not white) upholstery pieces and rugs - that will actually work for kids or pets - that somehow don't take away from the light and airy feel.

It makes me kick myself for not going paler when I painted my place, and want to take a butcher knife to my beige sofa. Although everything makes me want to take a butcher knife to my beige sofa.

The rest of the place is just as charming.

I'm pretty sure this space is going to be inspiring the crap out of my design decisions from here on out. Right now, its just giving me that familiar itch to move so I can justify an overhaul . . . oh dear....

If you haven't already, make sure you check out the original post via A Cup of Jo. It's a good'un!

an ikea fabric gem

2013-03-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

When shit hit the fan a couple of weeks ago, I did what any self-respecting 29 year old would do under the circumstances: I went home to my mama. While I was there we took some time out from my whingeing to do a bit of shopping, including the all important trip to IKEA. Some people go to the museum or the zoo to bond with the ones they love. I drag them to the mecca of all things particleboard.

My biggest find of the day was an awesome rainbow stripe fabric that I thought could look great on my dining room chairs. At 6.99 a yard and super thick, it seemed almost too good to be true. I snapped up a couple of yards, but once I got home I started to wonder if maybe my "this budget find is actually super chic" radar had been way off...

Then, a couple of days ago, Jamie of Furbish posted this pic on instagram and her blog:

Instincts. Confirmed.

If you didn't know that fabric was IKEA, you would never suspect it was so well priced. That chair is amazing, no bones about it.

I'm still not sure it's the perfect pick for my purposes (it may just be too much, we'll see), it's just nice to get that little "you got this girl" confirmation, AND to find such a gem at such a great price point. Part of me is seriously considering hoarding a few more yards for future purposes. Can you imagine an interestingly-shaped kids headboard in this? Sublime.

Of course, that would mean more fabric storing, and I'm already foisting old pieces off on friends. Anyone up for a little remnant sale? There may be some Kelly W. and Martin Lawrence Bullard in there just waiting to be loved...

aaaaaand, I'm back

2013-03-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

I really was only planning on taking a few days off, I swear. I honestly don't know how those few days turned into weeks (my longest break since starting this blog a little over a year ago), but I promise you I needed it. In keeping with my doggie themed last post, I've pretty much been doing my best impression of this guy ever since:

Except way, way less cute. And probably stinkier.

I know I always wonder when other bloggers allude to issues in their lives but don't elaborate, so in case you're curious about what's been going on, here is the coles notes version . . . A couple of years ago I went through what was essentially a divorce, but without the certificate. We'd been together 8 years, and as much as I wish it wasn't the case, I'm still dealing/healing/trying to figure things out. There's been an embarrassing amount of stumbling along the way. Throwing shit against the wall to see what sticks. Sometimes, like a few weeks ago, what doesn't stick knocks me on my ass on its way back down...

Suffice it to say, my heart has taken a bit of a beating, and I'm tired.

So that's why I've been gone. But here's why I'm back: I love talking to you all so much. And I missed you.

I figure that in times like these I probably need this little refuge - and all the beautiful inspiration and amazing women it brings into my world - more than ever. Your wisdom, creativity and just plain kick-assness might be just what the doctor ordered. So starting tomorrow I'll be putting on my big girl panties and showing up to the rodeo, stiff drink in tow. I can't wait to see you there . . . xoxoxo

um, i'm kinda in a magazine...

2013-02-27T18:02:00.003-05:00

I can't talk right now. And I can't even talk about why I can't talk. Let's just say that things aren't awesome, and I need some time to lick my wounds.

But yesterday it came to my attention that while I've been doing that, this happened...

That's my work. And that's a magazine. A real one. With readers and stuff.

No matter how down I am, I have to admit, that's pretty nifty. Feels a little like the big guy was throwing me a bone in these here sucky times. I can definitely use all the positives I can get right now, and Lord knows he knows it! Which means he knows it to infiniti, I guess...

And now that I've managed to confuse myself, and compare myself to a dog twice in one short post, I'll be off. Hugs and kisses all. I'll be back when the sky clears...

library ladders in the kitchen, and other bourgeois dreams...

2013-02-20T08:30:00.000-05:00

Ah, the life of a shorty. So convenient for breaking into your house when you forget your keys, so inconvenient when people "don't see you there" and hit you in the face with their backpacks on the subway...

The other day I was tackling a mini reorganization of my kitchen cabinets - putting baking supplies into glass canisters, grouping like-things together, getting rid of items I don't need (lentils? yuck.) - when it occurred to me that the stuff itself really isn't the problem. Or how I pack it in there. Or even the amount of space. Nope, the problem is I'm short.

At 5'2", getting up to those top shelves can be a task and a half, and I know that unless I don't care about ever seeing or using something again, it needs to go where my tippy-toes can take me. Meaning no matter how much finagling I do, those bottom shelves will always be bursting with crap, while the top ones sit empty. Taunting me.

All of this made me wonder - what will I do when I have a space where the cupboards extend to the ceiling? Will my ultimate dream kitchen just end up being a whole bunch of wasted space? After a couple of hours of trying to "make it work", I officially added a new item to the wishlist for that dream kitchen: a ladder. A sturdy, functional ladder that will effortlessly glide from one area to the next, allowing me to use every square inch to my hearts content. Oh, and it wouldn't hurt if it was beautiful too...

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And until I can fit in that track, I think a lovely lady like this could fill in just fine...

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Sure I might get annoyed at it being in my way a couple of times, and sure I might bump into it once in a while, but the annoyance I'd save from not having to climb onto my kitchen counters would more than make up for it, don't you think? And hey, if I stub my toe once in a while, I'll have plenty of storage for bandaids...

new kitchen, old cabinets: the no-fail formula for making it fabulous

2013-02-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

A recent flurry of kitchen reno reveals by talented bloggers has convinced me once and for all that there is a borderline no-fail formula for fixing dated kitchens on a budget.

Paint the lowers a dark moody blue or black
Paint the uppers white
Switch out the countertop for one that matches (or closely resembles) either of the cabinet colours
Add in white subway tile and some pretty new hardware
Step back and admire the amazing

It works to save "recently renovated" aka horrible builder basic kitchens...

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...and just as well on older models that are crying out for some love...

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...but what excites me most is the difference a pared down version can make in a rental.

A good friend of mine recently moved into a new place, and asked for my advice on how to save its lackluster kitchen. A classic rental set-up, it included flat panel wood doors with exposed hinges and wood-look counters. Unfortunately, the previous tenants had painted the doors of the cabinets a different colour (beige) than the boxes (white). A bit like this.

Why people think that's a good look I will never understand.

When I saw it I immediately thought of this amazing kitchen that designer Samantha Pynn transformed in her brother’s Toronto rental:

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Pretty much the exact kitchen I was working with and so damn chic.

While Samantha had splurged for a new counter, I also remembered a pic I'd saved from an old rental listing in which they'd stuck with the faux-wood. It still looked killer:

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Going all-white works in these kinds of kitchens, for sure, but it definitely reads more "rental". This look is so much more interesting and sophisticated, and shows that you're slightly more daring but in a damn good way. Screw lemonade, this is taking those lemons and making whiskey sours.

Here are my friend's results:

The new brass knobs against the blue-black cabinets are just the icing on the cake. I love it, but more importantly she loves it. Success.

We're seeing this look more and more, so I'm sure there'll be a backlash soon enough, but I won't care. In my books, it's a keeper. If your reno budget won't cover an overhaul and/or your landlord won't throw a hissy (like mine would), then I say consider this your foolproof fix for a boring hub-of-home.

Have some of you already done this in your own home? Anyone already sick of the look? What surefire fix do you prefer?

relax valentine, we're cool...

2013-02-14T13:36:00.005-05:00

Last week I joked that Valentine's and I were on the outs, but really, we're not. I mean, I think we've established that I'm single - and this is def the wrong place to be looking for an ode to romance - but I'm not lookin' for a throw down either. Valentine can breathe easy.

Honestly, unless your heart has just gone-done-been-broke (and if it has I'm sending you the biggest mother effin' virtual hug you can possibly imagine), then this is pretty much the most harmless holiday there is. No one is making you fly home to celebrate it with family, or commemorate it by eating turkey until your pants pop, they're just askin' you not to shit on their parade. You can handle it. I can handle it. We can handle it.

So let's smile at the happy couples - one of whom is probably slightly disappointed, the other slightly terrified - and go about our lives, sweet singles. Tomorrow there will be discounted roses and chocolate, and it just so happens to be payday.

All jokes aside (who am I kidding), there really isn't anything wrong with celebratin' a little love. Whether you're single, taken, or boning the whole football team, everyone's got somethin' they can recognize for its awesomeness one day out of the year.

So in honour of that, here's a little list of things that are currently making my days a teeny bit brighter...

1. Finally finding the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, after way, way too much "experimentation". The trick is to melt the butter if you like a flatter cookie. Which I do . . . I like it a whole extra jeans size worth.

2. Scoring gorgeous original art on a dime . . .

... and the way it looks in my kitchen.

3. The fact that my mama has started using the term "boo". If she starts throwing down "shorty" I'm getting her a record deal.

4. Girls nights in, and the aftermath:

5. This guy...

...even though he leaves my place looking like this...

...because I get to wake up to this...

6. And last but not least - you. Cuz you're freaking awesome, and cuz I found out yesterday that one of you nominated me for a Homie.

That seriously makes me feel like this:

I could care less that I got borderline no votes, I'm just so stoked to be up there. No one knows about me yet, but that'll change, and the people who do know about me are amazing! It makes me want to keep at this thing and make it better better better, so thanks for that. A lot.

Next year . . .ALL THE VOTES.

Or maybe 10. Yeah, 10 would be good.

Be sure to have fun today ladies - whether it's the dirty kind or not - and to recognize the little things that rock your world. If there truly aren't any, let me know. I'll send chocolate.

preservation and letting go: home = memories, memories = home

2013-02-12T09:30:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago my parents randomly sent me an email titled "heritage stairs finally history". Anyone not in our family would have no idea what that meant, but I did the second I saw it.

When my parents bought our family home more than 35 years ago, they were young and on a budget, and it was a duplex in a not-so-hot neighbourhood. Since then, my dad has pretty much rebuilt the entire thing - from top to bottom - with some serious help along the way from my mama. Professional plumbers have asked him who did his plumbing (he did), and there are pictures of my fierce ma putting up drywall while nine months pregnant. I swear, I will never be as cool as them.

{my talented little sis Nikki took these gorgeous pics}

Anyway, juggling that large a renovation and four babies in four years (yup, you read that right, the last two were twins), meant that some of the projects got put off. Or half done and then put off. And some of them . . . well . . . it took a bit before they got picked back up again.

One of those projects was our stairs. I don't know the whole story, but when we were babes my dad put in a "temporary" landing at the bottom of our staircase, made out of plywood. It's been there my whole life. From the time I was little, I can remember rocking back and forth on it when it was loose, pretending it was a surfboard, or trying to block our cats from using its open sides to escape us when they saw their carriers and knew it was vet time.

Somewhere along the line, after decades of nagging and teasing, my dad starting saying he just couldn't fix the stairs because they were "heritage". And I think, to a certain extent, it literally did get left because we had all grown attached to it. Any time it would get brought up it would turn into an awesome joke and jibe fest that only we really got, and my heart would swell. Because my family, my childhood, my memories...they're in every last inch of that place. I can't help but love it all.

My parents are now retired, and that email they sent was full of pictures of my amazing father finally tearing apart our entryway and ripping up the stairs. He is, without a doubt, who I got my endless need for a project to tackle from, and now that he has more time, the world better look out. One of the pics showed what the underside of that stair looked like when they ripped the top off - a hilarious treasure trove of all the goodies our kitties had hidden in there over the years:

Over the next little bit I'm going to be helping my parents figure out the best reconfiguration of the space, and pick out new finishes, like tile and stain. I love this stuff no matter what, but it's amazing how much more important this project is to me. How much I care about them getting exactly what they need out of it. It's been so many years in the making, sure, but more importantly this is our home - the one they worked so hard to build for us. That old landing may not have been much to look at, but it meant something all the same. What replaces it needs to mean just as much.

Anyone who says that this business of homes is frivolous just doesn't get it. It's where love lives. It's everything.

kids, sparkles, candy and love..

2013-02-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Ok so Valentine's and I may be on the outs this year, but even my cold cold heart couldn't resist this video of ridiculously chic kids sharing their ridiculously cute takes on love.

I mean, let's face it, their answers are pretty much exactly what mine would be. What is love? No effin' clue. What do I love? Chocolate, fur coats, high heels, and my dad. Exactly kids. Exactly.

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The girl in the leopard and pearls is my new style icon. She knows her shit. For real.

Much love today chicitas, whatever that means ;)

green kitchen love! no i haven't lost my mind...

2013-02-05T12:58:00.006-05:00

First off, I want to send all of you huge hugs for the sweet messages yesterday. Nothing helps a shitty mood like whining your ass off and getting nothin' but love in return. You guys = the best.

Secondly, I want to say a big fat HOLY COW about Bailey Quin's new home (published in Matchbook yesterday)! It is, by far, my favourite of her homes, and the girl has overhauled three. In like five years. Craziness.

The bathrooms and kitchen are especially insane, and while I'll leave you to check out the former in the mag (you must, they are perfect), I just had to talk about the latter . . .

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At first I couldn't tell if it was a trick of the light that made those cabinets look deep green rather than black, but once I confirmed via her Pinterest, it was like I was doing internal backflips. It just makes it so much bolder and more interesting, and it goes so well with the rug that I don't even know what to do with myself.

Bailey posted more pics on her blog today, and I think it might actually be one of my favourite kitchens of all time. The oven KILLS ME:

Funny thing is, I was already planning a post about green kitchens. Last week, I came across this other looker that had me at hello...

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...and I immediately started looking for others that got it right. Before seeing it, I would have thought green cupboards were an absolute no-no. I've been loving green for a long time - I posted about my crush in August, and even designed a whole photo shoot around emerald last winter (take that Pantone). But cupboards? That much? Well, between that lovely lady above and Bailey's even better version, I'm officially hooked.

Here are a couple more green beauties I'm not hatin' on . . .

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Pretty clear from these that adding a splash of baby blue in this scenario is a veeeery good idea.

So what do y'all think? Is green the new navy for kitchen cabinets? Would you just love this one from afar or actually chance it?