I think there is something so hauntingly beautiful about the design, and I adore it.

I’ve come across many spaces online that have used this fabulous pattern, but my favorite to date has to be this one. Do you remember the Woods bedroom Bryn did? When I first saw the images I just stared {and stared} at the screen. Perfection.

And today Christina Murphy has only stoked the fire for this lovely paper. I think this bathroom is stunning, and the exact feel I would like for my {currently rather bland} powder room.

Check it out:

OH. Yesss. It’s gorgeous, and completely causing me to seriously covet me some wallpaper {and hex tiles & carrera while we’re at it}. A few rolls of Woods is required at the Amadatsu residence STAT.

I promised you all before pictures of the condo featured in House & Home, and I’m finally getting a moment to put together a post! 

SO, before my clients/friends Mark & Samantha took possession of their Vancouver condo, we got to visit {while the previous owners still lived there} and do some scouting, measurements, discuss the layout,  etc so we could get started on planning for furnishing their place. Oh yeah, and the visit presented the perfect opportunity to get some killer before pictures!

Since I know we are all suckers for a good before & after, without further adieu, here it is…..

BEFORE – Living/Dining/Kitchen

Can you spot Carys hanging out in her carseat, playing with her toes? She was only about 4 months there!

 View of Entryway

  Bedroom 

AFTER – Living/Dining/Kitchen

Office

Bedroom

Ahhh much improved I think, and {most important}, my clients love their condo now!

Hope you are all having a wonderful day. It’s gray and rainy here today {hello summer, are you gone for good?} and I’m thinking tea might be in order! Off I go to put on the kettle…

Today though it’s a bit quieter. A relative term of course….busy cooking for a bbq in honour of my Grandma’s birthday, installing a bookshelf and gallery wall in Carys’ room, and Jeff is a busy bee installing new flooring in our basement media room. We picked up the flooring on Friday cause we came across a smoking deal and have been wanting to get rid of the carpet in there. Saturday I went out grocery shopping and came home to find carpet and underlay had been ripped out, and he was going at ‘er! Ummm, totally not the timeline I thought for the install, but that’s sometimes how we roll around here .

To tide you over till I’ m back with a real post, a few pictures of my kitchen flower arrangement….fresh mint and roses from our garden. Simple and pretty. I put them in a couple tiny alabaster vases. I have a thing for alabaster vases, and my collection is steadily growing. These were actually meant to be part of a bathroom set {along with a soap dish, toothbrush holder etc} that I stumbled upon at Homesense for a few dollars. Don’t you love finding something pretty for the price of a coffee?

Enjoy your Sunday! Any fun projects going on at your house?

I’m just popping on to say a quick hello and to announce the six winners of the House and Home Condos Lofts and Apartments issue. We did things the old fashioned way over here for the giveaway…. Scraps of paper, a bowl, and a little hand to draw names. Did the trick! Here are the lucky ladies who won….

Congrats ladies, I`ve sent you all emails requesting mailing info so I can send you a copy of the issue!

And today I`m also guest posting over at my friend Nancy`s blog… Marcus Design Inc. Nancy is off traveling and enjoying Egypt and I`m filling in sharing a sneak peek of my work in progress office. Stop by and say hi!

I mourned the closure of the store, without a doubt. Other small business owners know that their businesses are like children, and {not to be cheesy} the culmination of a dream, seriously. I had spent four years earning my Bachelors of Commerce degree {specializing in Entrepreneurial Management}, while working full time and having my first child. TIRING does not begin to describe it, but it was worth all the time and effort to see my dream realized.

So when the store closed I was left with this horrible “Now what?” feeling. I had no idea what lay ahead for me, what I’d do career wise, and how I would balance being mom to 2 while still working {which I love}.

When Carys was a few months old I took on a design project for our beautiful and sweet friends Mark and Sam. I’m not kidding when I say that they are the kindest people I know. They asked me to help them decorate their new condo and I jumped at the chance.

The project was completed last August/September, and this past spring my favorite photographer Janis took photos of it for my portfolio, which you can read about HERE. I’ll be sharing the BEFORE pictures of the condo later this week, but trust me, the transformation is amazing! {Pop over to the Portfolio page to see more of the After shots}

Fast forward a few months and somehow this project has made its way into an issue of House & Home magazine- yowza!  

That’s Us- “Timeless Chic in Vancouver”!

Now,  I’m not so cool that I don’t think it’s pretty dang neat to be included in the issue. And although this has been a fairly wordy, rambling post, really all my babble boils down to just one thought ~ blessed. Appreciative of this publicity but more than that thankful to have found my way back to doing something that I love. God is good.

I have a little giveaway I’m running this week {ends Sunday} for you friends….I have copies of House & Home’s Condos, Lofts, & Apartments to send to 6 of you . Just leave me a comment and introduce yourself. No complex rules- don’t worry about subscribing by email, or following with Google, or liking me on Facebook, or following me on Twitter. Just stop by and say hi 

Lucky Jess from The Love List is the winner! Email me with your address Jess so I can send off your package.

Hope you all had a great Monday,

It was such an inspiring interview that my friend Victoria from DesignTies and Edin Interiors  also shared it with her FB group members. {SPOILER ALERT} We both loved the part where Sarah talked about starting out in the design business, the point where she  considered giving up, and getting her big break landing a spot in House and Home magazine.  And it got us to thinking….I wonder what that old House &  Home issue looked like with Sarah’s place on the cover?

Some Design Detective work ensued…. my Google skills failed me however as I came up empty handed scouring the web. So I said, “forget this detective stuff”, and emailed someone I know at House & Home. Right to the source! Sweet Beth hunted it down, scanned it {no digital versions from back then} and sent it over. Thanks Beth!  So if you were curious like Victoria and I were, here’s a peek at Ms. Richardson’s first big break:

The New Pretty

Have a great day!

PS thanks for everyone’s kind thoughts for Carys….still a lingering fever but other than that she is doing well. Should be back to herself tomorrow I think!

We all have bad days now and then. My poor Carys {18 mo} is having a rough week. Monday – dislocated her elbow at the Library {ouch!} and the doctor couldn’t get it to cooperate with being put back in. Tuesday – after a night of little sleep, the doctor has success putting it back in {ah relief!}. Wednesday – develops a fever and a sore throat {boo!}. When’s the girl gonna get a break? While Wednesday’s are normally a work/appointments day for me, the girl is home and I’ve rescheduled my consultations for the day. Thank goodness for being self employed and thank goodness for sweet & understanding clients!

Yesterday afternoon {after being up a lot during the night due to her sore arm} my girl crashed on the sofa….worn out from the day of doctors and x-rays and other tiring things. Fast Asleep. I couldn’t resist taking some pictures of her. Did I mention she loves to have her toenails painted? She insists on a coat of coral pink on her tootsies. Call me a sucker but I just can’t say no to those big brown eyes or her sweet little “pwease” as she points at her toes.

I’m kinda jealous of those lashes! Lucky girl!

I’m off to go snuggle on the sofa, read books, and play with My Little Ponies. Have a wonderful Day!

I remember back in grade 11 English one of my favourite teachers Mrs. Baerg gave us an assignment….create a scrapbook of our life. All the details of what our future life would turn out like. University, our spouse, children, home, hobbies, and whatever else we wanted to include. In my book I married a guy named Dave Kennedy {geez that last name would have saved a whole lotta spelling that Amadatsu now requires!} and we had 5, count ‘em FIVE children {so. not. gonna. happen.}. For some reason back then I thought that giving each of my kids two middle names was pretty cool {no offense to anyone who has two middle names or who has given their kids 2} and I insisted on ensuring that each and every kid met the name quota. I still remember that I named my oldest daughter Gwyneth. Sigh. How I loved that name. Her middle names were Elizabeth and Eleanor {after my grandma}, and it wasn’t until my book was handed in for marking that it dawned on me that I had given my poor daughter the initials G.E.E.K.  Oops! Sorry dear!

Anyhow, I digress…

On the weekend I picked up the  latest copy of Vogue, the one with the other Gwyneth on the cover. Yes, I know, the issue has been out a while already, but Mommy/Business owners are sometimes Tardy for the Party {ugh I couldn’t resist the shameless Real Housewives reference….I have an obsession}. After reading the article, and despite the thoughts of a few {slightly negative} commentaries online, I have to say this:

I love Gwyneth

Seriously, isn’t she the perfect combination of Style/Class/Cool/Funny/Waspy-ness that you can’t help but love? Ms. Paltrow has a cook book hitting bookstores in 2011 and the fact that she loves to cook and eat makes her my kinda girl all the more.

While we’re on the subject of Gwyneth, we can’t leave out the phenomenon that is GOOP.  If you aren’t a Goop subscriber, get on it, because the weekly newsletters that inspire readers to Make, Go, Get, Do, Be, or See are fabulous! Even my husband has been known to read {and enjoy} a little Goop.

Making the 30’s And Beyond Look Dang Good

And finally, before I sign off, Gwyneth if you are reading this would you please consider sending me every outfit you wore for the Vogue shoot? Cause I’m in love with ‘em all. Particularly the blue dress on the cover. ESPECIALLY the blue dress on the cover, I mean, it’s GORGEOUS and my favorite shade of blue. We all know celebrities can’t wear clothes more than once or they’ll get slammed by the tabloids, so you’ll think about it, right???

I imagine this paper would be great on a feature wall in a bedroom, or in framed large panels in a prominent spot. Remember the Design Inc episode where Sarah and the team did a nursery design for triplets? They used a similar pattern, also called Best In Show but from Thibault. You can see it HERE and comes in a few other colourways! Lot’s of possibilities for a boy or a girl. 

This butterfly pattern is a little more understated, and you could imagine it covering all four walls of a little girls room! The butterflies have a lovely palette of colours you could choose from for fabrics…..how about going tiffany blue and green or raspberry pink and taupe?

Now what says little girl more than pretty old fashioned cameos??? This pattern comes in a few colourways, again giving lots of options for bedding and other details. I like the idea of pairing this paper with tons of fresh white, balancing the old fashioned flavour with a clean modern stylings.

One of Vivienne Westwood’s designs for Cole & Son, the squiggle is delightful and fun. I love the blue, but it also comes in fresh yellow, red, and a few other colourways….gender neutral and a pattern than teens would love too!

Here are some of my favorite kid’s rooms featuring wallpaper….perhaps they’ll provide you with some inspiration for creating a fun space for your little one!

Pottery Barn gets in on the fun with a classic motif for a girls room!

Sarah used a fun tropical print in this girls room for a South Surrey lottery home. I remember touring the home, the bedroom in person was wonderful!

Circus wallpaper  for Viv’s son at Ish and Chi

Moulding trimmed floral paper for Christina’s girls at Fullhouse blog

Though not a print, this grasscloth paper adds fantastic texture and a handsome feel to this boys room

Maps!

And of course, you can’t EVER go wrong with stripes!

Hope you are all having a great Monday!

I think all design-lovers appreciate products that have been created with a great attention to detail. You know, those products who not only perform great, but have fabulous packaging and stellar marketing overall? The Laundress New York is a line like that which  I carried at my former home decor boutique and LOVED.

As you can read about HERE, from day one I been a fan, but my personal experience with the line over time has made me a devotee, particularly of the Wash & Stain Bars. They have been honest-to-goodness lifesavers on many occasions! Let’s just say I have a doozy of a story involving a certain boy named Ben {then 1 1/2}, a tube of pink lipgloss, and my much loved Mitchell Gold linen-coloured sofa. There was shock & horror, there were tears {mostly mine}, but a Wash & Stain bar saved the day and my sofa was good as new. I kid you not, it wasn’t a week later that the sequel came out when that same naughty little boy, a big tub of diaper cream, and the sofa had another run in. Thank goodness impish toddler boys are no match for the Laundress!

Anyhow, with some stock leftover from my store, I thought this would be the perfect thing to share with my readers….a gift basket from a fabulous company!

To enter:

1. Become a follower of Kerrisdale Design Inc by logging in to Google Friend Connect on the right, THEN leave me a comment.

Tweet about the giveaway OR mention it on your blog {in a post or add to your sidebar} and leave me additional comments for more entries!

The entry deadline is August 15th 2010. A winner will be selected using random.org and announced on the blog.

Good luck all!

PS Residents of Canada and the US only, thank you!

I thought today I’d share a quick peek of a project I worked on a couple months ago. A Design To Go project for lovely family, assisting them with their Kitchen, Family Room, Living Room and Dining Room. They moved into a beautiful new house and needed help furnishing and making it home….it was essentially a blank slate. They came to me for help and the Design To Go service ended up being a fantastic fit for them.  They were so thrilled with the results we have now moved on to creating the ultimate media/games/lounge space in their basement!

You can get the full scoop on Design To Go HERE, but essentially it provides clients with a gameplan for creating a beautiful space – concept board, floor plans, elevations, samples, spec sheets on each product, and most importantly the master shopping list that tells you where to get every item! Anyhow, here’s a peek at a concept board of the Family Room I did for the “Smith” family {click for a larger version}:

I hope all my fellow Canadians enjoyed the long weekend {we sure did!}. Back tomorrow,

__________________________________

Need assistance creating a space you LOVE coming home to? Visit our Services page for more info or contact us for a detailed quote.

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Hello friends! Today’s post is a bit of a mish mash, so bear with me as I do a little housekeeping {much prefer this kind to the real thing !}

The Goods

I received some lovely comments over on Brooklyn Limestone after my guest post {thank you!}, and many were wondering some of the sources for items I used in Ben’s room. Here’s a quick rundown:

• striped sheets – Alfred Sung for Zellers
• linen duvet cover – sewed by moi, fabric from Designer Fabrics in Toronto {they are great, will mail samples too!}
• bedskirt – basic white bedskirt from Zellers, with linen edging added by me
• white with red border euro sham – Pottery Barn
• sock monkey – either Urban Barn or Walmart….I’ve seen them at both.
• red cotton cableknit blanket and pillow – Alfred Sung for Zellers
• bedside table – vintage from The Sellution {a Vancouver consignment furniture store}, refinished by me
• lamp – Homesense
• alarm clock – Liberty
• picture frames – Walmart, Homesense, and Ikea
• “vintage” travel posters for framing – Cavallini & Co. For an online seller of these products, I found THIS ONE you can check out.
• baskets – Superstore
• car roadmap rug – Ikea
• headboard – Target {note that once I received the headboard the colour was all wrong, sort of that crayon “skin” colour…I removed the nailhead trim, wrapped & stapled the linen herringbone fabric on, then re-attached the nailheads}
• nautrical flags – Land of Nod
• faux bamboo chair – vintage
• antique highboy dresser – vintage, Kerrisdale Design
• round mirror – Superstore, was white but I painted it black
• red lacquer box – Homesense
• wooden dog – Kerrisdale Design
• closet shelving – Ikea
• vintage trophy – Ebay

Work It

I’ve been taking WAY too long trying to find a desk for the office. After a few misses on Ebay looking for the perfect antique one, I’ve decided I’ll buy new and have found two {from one of my suppliers} that I’m loving. Both are the perfect size for my space, the challenge is which style to go with! Help me decide!

And to refresh your memory, they’ll be paired with this chair.

Ikea Affair

Since I mentioned I did a minor Ikea-hack and dressed up Carys new Gulliver highchair with a coat of paint, I’ve had requests to see the “after” pictures. Here is the lady modeling her new throne:

Merci Beaucoup

I wanted to take a moment to say a big THANK YOU you to Emily A. Clark and Victoria at Design Ties for featuring my work on your sites. They are two of the most sweet & kind people I’ve met through blogging and I admire them greatly. I can’t tell you how surprised/thrilled/excited I was to be featured and I can’t thank them enough!

Freckle Face

And now for something completely random….came across these pictures the other day on a favorite Tumblr site, Mary Ruffle. Aren’t these gorgeous black and white photos? Though truth be told, I generally don’t think about the fact that I have freckles {and lot’s of them} these photos make me glad I do. Yup, totally random Friday thoughts….

Have a wonderful, sunny weekend!

Heather, her husband, adorable daughter Lily, and mother live on a gorgeous organic blueberry farm here in South Surrey. With the farm recently open for business for the season, I figured we’d pop over to enjoy the setting, visit, and bring home some goodies!

{The farmhouse} 

The ladies visited & chatted as ladies will do…

..while Ben played farmer and hunted for ripe blueberries {the crop wasn’t quite ready for picking yet}

Even though not quite ripe, aren’t these berries beautiful?

The “Shabby Shack”, site of many a photoshoot and now home to the Missing Goat store – jams, chutneys, berries, organic coffee, pies…yum yum! 

Love how Heather’s painted the floors tiffany blue! Carys was smitten with Lily’s dog Finn.

Heather graciously let my little berry-monsters hunt for some ripe berries to enjoy

We left with jars of blueberry lavendar jam, organic coffee, and plans to place an order for lot’s of blueberries! The second we arrived back home, the jam was opened, slathered on toast and enjoyed! It’s delicious…the lavendar gives it this indescribable, almost exotic flavour. I’m thinking a batch of homemade scones are in order Saturday morning to accompany this yummy jam!

If you are in the Lower Mainland, do make a trip to Missing Goat- it’s a magical spot and everything is fresh and delicious. You can visit Missing Goat online for more info, and do check out Heather’s blog A Day In The Country….full of gorgeous pictures and lovely tidbits from her life on the farm.

AT LEAST I’m woman enough to admit it – I have been the end of  myrtle topiaries, ferns, a king ficus or two, and enough dead orchids to earn me the name “Orchid Killer” around here.

But despite my terrible past, I have to confess {don’t tell the hubs!}, I can’t stop thinking about trying out a new plant. You see, for the past year, my eye has been drawn to a certain indoor tree that I can’t get out of my head.

I keep coming across interiors with these gorgeous trees, and I can’t get enough of them! I love the height, colour, and texture they add to a space. And {I hate to say it!}…. I want one.

For awhile I had no clue what they were. But one lucky {or unlucky for my husband, as it led me one step closer to being able to purchase one of these babies} day I discovered their name. Emma over at  The Marion House Book  has a gorgeous one in her living room {see 4th image}, and kindly replied to my comment asking about it. Thanks Emma!!!

Their name? Fiddle-leaf Fig {or for you botanists/latin buffs/non-plant killers out there, “Ficus Lyrata”}.

Now, all you married ladies out there know that when you really really want something that you just know your husband won’t be thrilled about, you have to build a case, right? So, I did my research, and found out why this gorgeous tree might, just might, have a chance of surviving me.

The Scoop on Fiddle-leaf Figs from Martha Herself:

• easy to care for {ding ding ding! we have a winner!}
• loves a bright, sunny location {just like our living room…}
• water thoroughly only when surface is dry to the touch, likes periods of drought {I excel at periods of drought}
• groom by removing yellowed foliage
• mist occasionally
• every 2 years or so repot  to avoid becoming rootbound
• occasionally dust leaves with  a soft cloth

Dummy-proof, right? Now, although I haven’t yet won him over, nor have I found a place that sells these trees locally, here is an example of faith and confidence my friends: I have already purchased the perfect container for my plant-to-be, and it’s sitting positioned in the living room waiting patiently! Hmm confident ….or delusional?

So y’all, what do you think? Any words to add to convince the hubs that I should delve into the houseplant ring again? Any tips for keeping one of these beauties alive???

*images sources on mouseover

Today I’m thrilled to be paying a visit to this fantastic blog:

I’ll be guest posting over at Brooklyn Limestone today, sharing a peek at Ben’s bedroom. Come on over and visit, and be sure to say hello!

Happy Friday everyone! We are heading off for a long weekend at the lake, but before we hit the road I wanted to announce the winner of the KWID pillow giveaway: Donna from DH Designs! Congrats Donna and thank you to everyone who entered!

Have a wonderful weekend,

The original purpose of the trip {cause we all know how it goes with Ikea shopping…} was to pick up this high chair for Carys, which I’ll be doing a minor Ikea-hack to and painting it a glossy black {I know I know what you’re thinking “She thinks EVERYTHING looks better black”. Well, guilty as charged }.  Carys’ old chair was a portable highchair that strapped onto a seat and I was frankly done with it. This is great as it can be pushed right up the table and doesn’t require a tray….I’m also a fan of the fact that it’s not plastic or a rainbow of primary colours!

Among other things {a tray, napkins, curtain panels, curtain rod, striped pillow covers, and a $1 breakfast if you’re curious}, I also grabbed a couple “Henny” pillow covers for the Family room. It was love at first sight with these, I adored the imperfect painterly quality to the dotted pattern, and since I’ve been wanting some blue accents in that room, they fit the bill. {Literally and figuratively. I mean, they were only $7.99 each!}

I was thrilled when I got them home, threw in some inserts, plumped, karate-chopped slightly and stood back to admire.

Something about the pattern made me instantly think of that great painting Jenna Lyon’s had above her fireplace in the Domino spread on her town house…remember the one?

Anyhow, the pillows are looking very lonely at the moment, but I reassured them some friends are coming, and they cheered right up. I’ve been patiently waiting for some back-ordered Thomas Paul fabric to arrive for a couple pillows, and I’ve got some Navy Imperial Trellis  remnants around that I was going to sew up a boudoir pillow with for a chair in the adjacent entry.

{Beautiful Blues!}

Combined with some white linen jute edge pillows I’ve already got, these babies will add some nice colour scattered around the sofa and chairs.

Anyhow, just wanted to pop on and say a quick hi and share the details on my “hang out” with my newest bud. Have a wonderful day!

PS I know you all are wondering, did she cap the trip off with a cinnamon bun? Proud to say the will power was strong, though I did partake in the free {before 10am} coffee. I never say no to a caffeinated bevvie!

**Also, a reminder that today is the last day to enter the giveaway….you could win a gorgeous pair of Kelly Wearstler Imperial Trellis pillows! Click HERE to enter.

As I’ve been working away, I’ve been dreaming of lounging on a beach like this one:

I first came across this photographer {Christian Chaize} through Jenny at  Little Green Notebook….isn’t his work stunning? I adore the colours, the happy vintage-y mood, and would love to spend an afternoon on that beach!

And although I realize this gorgeous stretch of sand is in Portugal, this song {to me} is the perfect soundtrack to a lazy afternoon of beach lounging:

Have a wonderful day,

PS honey are you reading this? I think a print of that beach scene would be gorgeous in the family room….

“I Dare You” a reading by Kelly Corrigan

Can we be friends?

I have to confess, for years I’ve not been too fond of you….

Maybe I spent too many childhood years putting together lego, but all those pieces required to assemble your furniture just turned me off. I can’t say I enjoy spending 2 hours screwing in a million screws with those tiny tools in order to make a sidetable.

I guess I always figured, if I could buy something unique, vintage, and good quality for the same price, it was a no brainer.

But I have to say, you’ve slowly been winning me over. You DO have some good qualities, after all….

Your bookshelves are pretty useful, and I do like the pricetag {saving on storage so there is money left over for pretty pillows is a good thing in my opinion}.

And when I visit your store, I’m all over your cheap candles and fun patterned paper napkins….they make summer outdoor entertaining that much better.

You know what is also genius? I’m a sucker for the snacks at the end {which I must mention also work well for coercing toddlers to behave on shopping excursions}. Hot dogs, ice cream, and fresh cinnamon buns for $1 and a plethora of interesting Swedish food have roped me in. Williams-Sonoma and Restoration Hardware take note: Feed them and they will come.

And can we talk about your rugs? I think your rugs are the best. I’ve been smitten with the Madeline Weinrib-esque “Stockholm Rand ” one for awhile, even before Nate showed how great the pattern could look:

Ikea “Stockholm Rand” Rug ~ $399 {for 11.5′ x 8′}

Here are some of my other favourites:

Ikea “Jorun” Rug ~ $199.99 {just bought this for Jeff’s “man room” and it looks amazing, love the charcoal and gray!}

Ikea “Hessum” Mat ~ $13.99

Ikea “Sveje” Rug -$9.99 {black, navy, red, green, orange}

But when I stop to ponder it, I think the moment I came to the realization that we needed to be friends was when I discovered your feather pillows. Seriously, I need to take a moment and mention the pillows. Feather pillow inserts for $6-8! C’mon, this is a ridiculous price, and it fills me with joy knowing no one has an excuse not to have lovely downy pillows on each and every chair and sofa. Kudos Ikea.

Now, since this is the beginning of a new relationship, I want to be honest with you. In the past I have been a little unkind, and I need to apologize….

 I’m sorry for referring to some of your products as “Ikea crap” {this most frequently happened when I was trying to put something together and decipher your instructions….I was just frustrated because I’m not very handy, but I shouldn’t have taken it out on you}.

I’m sorry for laughing about Swedish accents when I’ve watched your commercials {I’m from Canada~ feel free to joke about me saying “eh” and “aboot”, I deserve it }. 

And I’m sorry for griping about how people selling Ikea furniture has cluttered up Craigslist and made it difficult to find other things like the perfect faux bamboo table or a vintage bankers chair. It’s not your fault.

So Ikea, here’s to a fresh start. I truly mean it when I say “let’s be friends”. I mean, don’t take that the wrong way, I’m not saying I want to be BFF’s or anything….we’re not going to start calling each other every night or hanging out several times a week. I just mean that we are on good terms, and I might pay you a visit once in awhile {cinnamon bun afterwards of course}.

Your bud,

PS have you entered the giveaway yet? You could win a gorgeous pair of Kelly Wearstler Imperial Trellis pillows! Click HERE to enter.

…working away, enjoying the sunshine from my “summer office” {aka the back porch…gotta love laptops!} And of course, I’ll be back with a post for you all!

Talk soon,

PS have you entered the giveaway yet? You could win a gorgeous pair of Kelly Wearstler Imperial Trellis pillows! Click HERE to enter.

I was thinking it was due time for another giveaway…I know there a whole slew of great giveaways currently going on for gift cards etc around the blog world, but I enjoy most doing giveaways with Kerrisdale Design products…what can I say, giving out presents is fun!

So my dears, indulge me in my fun and join me in my latest giveaway….

2 KWID Imperial Trellis Pillows in Parchment and Ivory

Yup folks, the real deal! A pair of gorgeous {I don’t think I’ll every tire of this pattern!} Kelly Wearstler pillow covers {backs are solid cotton velvet in the charcoal colour} from my home decor boutique.

didn’t you adore them used in this lottery home done by the House & Home design team? 

To enter:

1. Become a follower of Kerrisdale Design Inc by logging in to Google Friend Connect on the right, THEN leave me a comment.

Tweet about the giveaway OR mention it on your blog {in a post or add to your sidebar} and leave me additional comments for more entries!

The entry deadline is July 15th 2010. A winner will be selected using random.org and announced on the blog.

Good luck all!

PS Residents of Canada and the US only, thank you!

Jeff came home from Home Depot the other day with a big pot of fresh, green, yummy-smelling mint, scored for $7 {on sale}. He has this male gene that makes Home Depot like catnip, he loves nothing more than to take a trip there, and never, EVER, ever, fails to come home with something after a trip. This time though, it wasn’t another tool or gadget, but this pretty mint ~ yummy! {Wife stamp of approval}.

Into the garden it went, where it sits to await its summertime purpose….Mojitos baby! A summertime favourite around our house, we just adore the refreshing mint-y, lime-y, bubbley & sweet drinks. My honey is the resident bartender ’round here, I’m just the mint picker and the drink drinker {served to me by my cabana boy Jeffrey }.

Generally we go for the classic mojito {though there are some yummy fruity variations too}….don’t skimp on the mint and lime {fresh only please!} and lots of ice. Here’s Emeril’s recipe for a simple & classic mojito, enjoy!

Emeril Lagasse’s Traditional Mojito Recipe {serves 2}

Ingredients

 Happy Summer!

Michael Angus of beloved Toronto boutique Angus & Company   has been a favorite of mine for ages. I have always admired his home, and testiment to its timeless quality is the fact that I love it as much now as I did about eight years ago when I first got a peek.

{ok, ok, I know it was ONE PICTURE but these are just other views of the same room!}

 Details that make it ME~

• crisp, gallery-like walls {panelling detail in spots}
• dark wood floors
• black doors
• modern art
• THE MIX – some modern, some traditional, some antiques
• neutral palette
• textural {baskets, fabrics etc}
• touches of green plants/flowers
• a little sparkle with mirros, lucite, and crystal
• not uptight – comfortable and livable while still being very stylish

One thing missing {only one Michael, otherwise it’s perfection!} is a touch of graphic pattern. I LOVE a hit of graphic or geometric fabric in pillows or rugs {how about a nice striped dhurri rug or a few Thomas Paul pillows?}

Thanks Ally for hosting this fun {and very grueling at times!} exercise! If you have a moment, head on over to Ally’s wonderful blog to see more of your favorite bloggers answers to the What’s Your Style in One Picture Challenge.

I order you to pick/purchase/pilfer yourself some flowers! I bought myself a bunch of white freesias the other day and their lovely scent and pretty petals made me feel so good! Nothing makes you feel special like some fresh flowers. Treat yourself!

Happy Friday!

PS pink and yellow roses are hands down favorites, I usually have a hard time choosing between them…this pretty posy of yellow ones though are winning the competition today, aren’t they gorgeous?

oh là là! Now THAT’S a gallery wall! Gorgeous & stylish, it appears effortless & uncontrived {so you KNOW it took extra planning to pull that off!}.

Love it.

image via desiretoinspire.net

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For those of you non-Tweetaholics, Twitter has been abuzz of late with talk of Mr Berkus himself. What started as an idea to fill the audience of Nate Berkus new show with design bloggers {suggested by the fun & fabulous Moggit girls} has evolved into a day for design bloggers en masse to show their love for Nate {credit to @moggitgirls and @creatgirl}. With OVER 100 design bloggers taking part, I’ve no doubt Nate will get the message – he’s a favorite throughout the blogosphere!

Now I’ve sure my blogger buddies will do Nate’s design work justice. The man is the master of the mix – styles, periods, fabrics, textures and colours to create stunning spaces like these….

But {forgive me for saying this} there would be no NATE DAY if that were the whole story. No sir, as AMAZING as his design work is, {eek sacrilege} there are a whole slew of fabulous designers out there who create equally {though very different} spaces. Nope, there is more to Nate than  his design work, and those things are what has made Mr. Berkus a household name, as Paloma pointed out.

Could it be his dashing good looks? Let’s be honest, they don’t hurt…that man can rock a bowtie like nobodies business…

Tousled hair? check. Great smile? check. Stylish dresser and charming as anything? check check.

But dear friends, good looks alone aren’t what it’s about. Hmmmm….perhaps his buddy Oprah is the reason we are all a-flutter for Nate?

Though props to Oprah for seeing his talent and bringing Nate into every home with a tv, I don’t think that’s quite it either.

Perhaps bringing design to the masses with his chic-for-cheap lines for Linens n’Things and the Home Shopping Network is the key? {By the way Nate I have one of your 8 x 10  striped wool rugs that I got for $139, and I love love love it}

No my dears, Nate’s secret to his popularity isn’t in his fab designs, good looks, connections or products. I think the reason for Nate’s success is a very simple one – kindness. Every interaction we’ve witnessed of Nate’s, from chatting with Oprah about his personal life to surprising homeowners with room makeovers, has been real, approachable, genuine and kind. He’s allowed us to see his personality and shown that he truly cares about people.

Because of this, it is A GIVEN that the new show {starting Sept. 13th} will be a raving success. Cheers to our design darling Nate and best wishes for his newest endevour – we’ll be watching and loving every minute of it.

Happy Nate Day!

PS to see a complete list of Nate Day {#NATEDAY} blog  posts, visit HERE

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I loved how it had that John Robshaw, Indian block print feel that everyone is crazy for at the moment {for a very very nice pricepoint…$32}. For some reason though, I didn’t get around to ordering any, and temporarily forgot about it {that happens to me sometimes…}

But then my lovely pillow jumped off the pages of the latest Lonny Magazine the other day {hello, lover}

and the infatuation has been renewed….scurries off to find her Mastercard for a late night potterybarn.com rendevouz…

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Need assistance creating a space you LOVE coming home to? Visit our Services page for more info or contact us for a detailed quote.

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Now I’m sure every design blogger out there will be writing about the latest issue, but I couldn’t resist joining in and sharing a few images with you all. It’s funny how many people will read the same thing, see the same picture, but different details will strike them you know? This issue was all about little details for me…and the common thread amongst all these images is My Favourite Things.

We all have design details that we never tire of….items/textures/colours/techniques that we just don’t get sick of, and that we’d happily live with continually. Here are a few of mine, courtesy of Lonny!

WHEN CAN I MOVE IN? Natural weathered shingles, crisp white trim, a lil bit of aged brick, and some mullioned windows.

Does it get any more perfect than teak loungers with navy cushions {white piping of course}? I love how perfectly IMPERFECT this back yard is. Relaxed elegance.

Paneling with a twist {black painted insets}, marble, topiary, eclectic mix of bathroom storage.

Vintage tile {White Octagon and Black Dot}

Hands down favourite tiles EVER {Subway and Hexagon…just ask my husband about my Hex tile obsession}

Black Walls in a Small Room, Greek Key, Sepia Photographs, Rectangular Pedestal Sink

Bookshelf Brimming with Good Reads, Art Hung Over Bookshelf

Crisp White Walls, Crystal Obelisk, X-Bench, Great Art, Found Objects, Ebony Floors

Coffered Ceiling, Subway Tile, Ebony Floors, Navy Barstools, Simple/Functional Kitchen

Black-Rimmed Windows, Graphic Pillows, Touch of Aged Gold

FABULOUS Black Door With Round Detail, Upholstered Headboard with Nailhead Trim, Modern Chair Paired with Wood Desk, Antique Statue, Wall Mounted Sconce, White Linens…AND DID I MENTION I’M BANANAS FOR THAT DOOR?

Black and White Striped Wallpaper Contrasted with Wood

Thank you Lonny for all the inspiration… I loved stumbling across so many of My Favourite Things!