Buckle up your seat belts, this is going to be one VERY long post! I was originally going to break it up into two, but since this is really an open space that we worked so hard to tie together, it only made sense to share it all at once. Also just a warning if I start to ramble on and on – I’m writing this at well past midnight and barely alive anymore!

You’ve seen most of our home published here on the blog, but the unfinished basement was one I rarely (if ever) showed because, well – it was unfinished. Fast forward 3+ years from move in and we now have a fully finished basement that has become an extension of our home that we don’t know how we previously lived without.

So this is my husband’s man-cave, lounge, den – whatever you would like to call. It was mostly his vision and he made nearly all the decisions down here – so I’m just here to decorate and make it a little bit pretty :) You already had a sneak peek back when I shared the bathroom and wine wall HERE on the blog a few months ago, but finally (well over a year after we started construction) we finally completed decorating the main living space of the basement. While this is not my usual go-to palette, I am very happy with how it all turned out and it’s really become a cozy, relaxing space that the whole family enjoys spending time in.

Let’s get right into it with details about the sofa! We loved partnering with Mobilia last year on our guest bedroom (they have such a great selection of furniture), that I immediately turned to them to find the perfect sofa for our basement. I had loved all the options I saw when browsing their online store, but on our very first visit to a Mobilia showroom we immediately fell in love with the Nims Fabric Sectional. We knew we wanted something cozy – something we could really sink into on movie nights. And most important we needed a fabric that would hold up with regular (unsupervised use of children)! I monitor my white sofa on the main floor like a hawk – but the basement was a space we didn’t want to have to micromanage, so the light grey fabric was the perfect mix of durability and style.

We chose the three-piece, right facing sectional and also purchased the matching ottoman for added comfort and flexibility. We love that the ottoman can be moved around for extra seating or simply as a foot rest as needed. We also fell in love with the low-profile design of the sofa as it’s a style we have never done before, and it looked really inviting. We decided to keep the low-profile vibes going throughout the room and it was definitely the right decision. Something else we really love about the Nims sofa is that the cushions are down-filled making it extra comfortable and cozy. They do sink in when you sit down and require a good fluffing to get them back to their original shape, but it was that lived-in look that attracted us to this design in the first place as it really suits a basement setting. Grab your favourite blanket (like this one from Dreams Jumper) and you might just never get up!

The sofa really set the stag for the rest of the family room area. Since we painted the walls, ceilings, and baseboards dark navy (Benjamin Moore 2128-30 Evening Dove) we tried to bring in brighter pieces that would pop against the very dark backdrop. We added a pair of green velvet chairs for a pop of colour, infused a bit of pattern with a refresh to a vintage chair we have owned for years – and it couldn’t have been a better match. Add in a few scores from FB Marketplace (hello Jonathan Adler console and BNIB gold arched floor lamp) and we have the coziest lounge area.

Directly behind our family room is the bar area. We decided not to put in a full kitchen, but equipped the space with a fridge and sink built into the most stunning cabinetry and open shelving. I love how this area turned out – and again even though it’s not something I would have chosen on my own – the final results really are outstanding! The backsplash tile from Sarana Tile was an instant favourite and the navy and gold design really bring out all the other golden accents in the space.

Of course I have to mention another fabulous light fixture from Dainolite that really completed the space. This chandelier (Horizontal Aged Brass Chandelier w/ Acrylic Diffuser) was one of the very last pieces we installed just a couple weeks ago and the entire basement was really missing something until it went in. Like all their other lighting throughout our home, Dainolite delivers quality fixtures and beautiful designs, unmatched elsewhere. While honestly I struggled for a bit deciding on the perfect piece for this room, this chandelier was the perfect match aesthetically and functionally.

The dining table was another FB Marketplace find that almost didn’t happen. I didn’t want to spend a fortune on a table I knew we wouldn’t use all that often, so I kept my eyes peeled for what felt like months only to find a stunning brand new piece (for a steal of a price) that checked off all the boxes exactly one week before shoot day. The white chairs may look familiar as I borrowed them from our kitchen table upstairs, but they look so well down here I may need to keep them here and replace the ones upstairs.

We decorated so much of the basement with lots of amazing find from H&M Home – my go-to decor destination. I’ve always found their home products to be really good quality, modern and attractive, and the best part is that they are super affordable. We picked up blankets and glassware, to candles and trays – too many things to mention here. See below for the full source list.

The table setting was complete with our all-time favourite dinnerware from Fable. We use their Blush Pink dishes everyday upstairs, so it only made sense to add a small set to the basement too in the most luxurious Navy hue. (Use code CANDACE10OFF for 10% off at Fable) Highly recommend checking out their dinnerware, cutlery and serving bowls as it’s such great quality and really so beautiful!

There’s a games room off to the side of the bar area that allows for hours of fun playing fuse ball or air hockey, and while I had no idea how else to decorate this space – we hung some really fun drink recipe posters from Opposite Wall that tied the space back to the rest of the bar. If you’re looking for unique, original artwork that won’t break the bank, check out Opposite Wall and use code THEMINTEDMAMA for 30% off only until May 7, 2022.

Well I hope you’ve enjoyed touring our basement as much as we had fun decorating it and getting it ready for it’s grand reveal. This is one of the very last spaces of our home to share on the blog, and I’m starting to wonder what I’m going to do without more rooms to design. While that’s left to be determined for now, feel free to ask any questions or just leave a comment with your thoughts below. Thanks for sticking around this long!

SOURCE LIST: Construction: Millbay Carpentry | Tile, Backsplash: Sarana Tile | Cabinetry: Vanitar | Painting: M2A Painters & Decorators | Sofa: ℅ Mobilia | Coffee Tables: ℅ KARE Design | Gold Arched Floor Lamp, Green Armchairs, Rug, Dining Table: Wayfair | Chandelier: ℅ Dainolite | Media Unit, Floating Shelves: IKEA Canada | Plaid Chair and Stool: Vintage (Fabric by European Textiles, Reupholstery by Vintage 30) | Artwork, Side Table, Navy Dining Chairs, White Laquer Tray: HomeSense | Sculpture, Candles, Black Candle, Diffuser, Black Glassware, Grey Blanket, Black Velvet Cushions, Servingware, Placemats, Candle Stick, Lacquer Tray, Star Napkin Holder, Gold Dessert Cups, Marble Boards, Gold Tray, Large Black Vase, Glass Carafe Set, Gold Plant Pot, Spirits Glassware: ℅ H&M Home | Black Window Coverings, Black Branches, Napkins: Bouclair | White Blanket: ℅ Dreams Jumper | Poster Artwork: ℅ Opposite Wall (Use code THEMINTEDMAMA for 30% off)| Console Table: Jonathan Adler | Bench: West Elm | White Dining Chairs: Similar | Navy Dinnerware, Cutlery, Carafe Set: ℅ Fable (Use code CANDACE10OFF) | Charcuterie Platter: Polly and Co. Catering | Gold Cocktail Set: Amazon | Dress: Petite Studio NYC | Shoes: Pretty Small Shoes | Jewelry: The Minted Mama Collection

*Photos by Darby Mitchell Photography

Sweater: H&M (similar) | Leggings: H&M | Bag: c/o KAYU | Boots: Pretty Small Shoes | Headband: c/o Femme Faire | Jewelry: The Minted Mama Collection

It was a chilly weekend around here, but nothing a fancy little cocktail can’t fix lol! While this sweater and leggings look kept me comfy and cozy, my collection of Spring dresses keeps growing so here’s to hoping the temps start to trend upwards very soon!

*Photos by Darby Mitchell Photography

Jacket: Anthropologie (similar) | Jeans: Topshop (similar) | Headband: c/o Femme Faire | Booties: Pretty Small Shoes | Jewelry: The Minted Mama Collection

As much as I want to bust out all the floral dresses, Spring in Canada has other plans. Temps are suppose to drop again so it’s back in with the blazers and booties, but with a little pattern of course!

Photos by: Darby Mitchell Photography

Vest: H&M | Belt bag: ELA (Use code MINTED20 for 20% off) | Pants: H&M (sold out, similar HERE and HERE) | Blouse: Banana Republic (similar) | Heels: Pretty Small Shoes | Jewelry: Pearl Ring, Necklace, Bracelet, Bead Ring, Gold Stacking Rings, | Coat: Shady Lady

As much as I love colour, neutrals have been slowly growing on me and a head-to-toe neutral look is my newest obsession. Would you wear this outfit?

*Photos by Darby Mitchell Photography

Pants: Zara (similar) | Sweater: Maska (similar) | Shoes: c/o Pretty Small Shoes | Bag: c/o Kayu Design | Jewelry: The Minted Mama Collection Bracelet, Pearl Ring, Gold Bead Ring, Gold Stacking Rings, Necklace 

Yesterday’s unusually warm temps had me planning all the pre-Spring looks! Can’t wait to take this Kayu Mara Tote out for a spin when Spring finally arrives – it’s going to be the perfect bag for shopping, traveling and just about anything. Use code MINTEDMAMA21 for 20% off!

Photos by Darby Mitchell Photography

Sweater and Cardigan: Winners (similar HERE and HERE) | Jeans: H&M | Booties: c/o Pretty Small Shoes | Bag: c/o Kayu Design | Necklace, Phone Chain, Bracelet Set, Sold Gold Stacking Rings,: The Minted Mama Collection

Wow – cannot believe it’s been nearly two months since my last blog post. Life has really been busy, and I’ve been throwing so much energy into The Minted Mama Collection that very little was left for much else. But, I finally booked a session with Darby Mitchell Photography last week and we were able to shoot a whole bunch of looks that I’ll share with you guys over the next few weeks.

First things first I have to say that sadly this sweater and cardigan combo are a #winnersfabfind so I’m unable to link the exact items but I did find some similar pieces HERE and HERE. Also, these booties from Pretty Small Shoes are too cute NOT to chat about. I love the western style, and how the ankle length makes them modern and trendy. Would you wear this look?

Photos by Darby Mitchell Photography

Bathrooms on the blog have become a trend over the past few weeks! I did warn you I had three reveals to share, and guess what? I saved the best for last :)

Today I’m thrilled to share our powder room reveal. Despite our entire main floor finally being finished, this is the one little space that has remained naked for the past three years. You would think a small space would be the easiest to finish – but I kept drawing a blank when it came to design direction – that was until my husband brought home these pretty pink tiles from Sarana Tile. If HE thought pink was a good idea – I had to run with it!

In the end we decided to go with the same colour palette as the entry way (see HERE) because of the close proximity between the two spaces. We also have the same porcelain floor running between the two rooms so it was only natural that the colours should coordinate. We painted the crown moulding and ceiling Sherwin Williams Indigo Batik which is so unexpected and adds great visual interest to the height of the room. The walls are Benjamin Moore Stormy Monday and the colour is such a great match to the floors.

Now back to the wall tile. We went with the very pretty Flash series in Blush from Sarana Tile and I couldn’t be happier with it. The tile has a high shine and is slightly bevelled which gives off a sparkle effect. When the chandelier and sconce are lit, the ambience is just magical – could hang out here all day long!

This brings us to the lighting. Dainolite did it again with the AVA series of fixtures. You may recognize the pendant from our Guest Bedroom because we loved it so much (see HERE), but in this space we went with the smaller version of the chandelier and paired it with these absolutely gorgeous sconces. I love how the sconces flank the art-deco inspired mirror and really give it a very luxe feel!

I have a quick funny story about the mirror. This is a very weighty full length mirror, but for some reason my husband thought he could get away with hanging it on the tile with heavy duty double sided tape. Needless to say when he went to check on it around midnight – it was NOT on the wall anymore. Thank goodness he had propped it up with a piece of plywood or it would have been no more LOL. Lesson learned: Do not hang mirrors with tape.

Now lets get down to the accessories. I cannot rave enough about these H&M Home towels. I used the same ones in rust for my sons bathroom (see HERE), but chose the pink version for the powder room. They are such great quality and look much more expensive than their $5.99/pair price tag. I chose a large gold trash can that looks metallic but is actually plastic and very light weight. My kids love to fill up the powder room garbage with lots of tissues (and random things) so the size is perfect for never overflowing and also serves the dual purpose of hiding exposed plumbing beside the toilet. We went with a free-standing toilet paper holder (which we use in all of our bathrooms to avoid putting extra holes in the walls), and of course it also had to be gold. A matching hand-towel ring hangs on the wall next to the sink and looks so chic.

Last but not least, the mini vintage rug from local vendor Curated Content was borrowed from the entry way (see HERE), because it is such a perfect match. I love this piece so much, and since it was layered on top of a larger rug in the foyer, I was able to snag it and repurpose in the powder room. I still need to pick up a little rug pad to secure it in place, but regardless it’s the perfect pattern pop this space called for!

Well, that wraps on all the bathrooms in our home! If you want to see all of the bathrooms shared here on the blog (including from previous homes), here are the links: Master Ensuite, Master Ensuite from previous home, Little Girl’s Ensuite, Shared Guest Bathroom, Powder Room from previous home, Townhouse Powder Room, and the Basement Bathroom. Which one is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below.

SOURCE LIST:  Chandelier and Sconces ℅ Dainolite (HERE and HERE) | Wall and Floor Tile: Sarana Tile | Vanity: Sarana Tile | Ceiling Paint: Sherwin Williams SW7602 Indigo Batik | Wall Paint: Benjamin Moore 2112-50 Stormy Monday | Mirror (similar HERE), Artwork, Cabinet Knobs (similar HERE), Soap Dispenser (similar HERE), Candle, Room Spray: HomeSense | Towels: H&M Home | Rug: Curated Content | Garbage Can, Hand Towel Holder, Toilet Paper Holder: Amazon (HERE, HERE, and HERE) | Faucet: Moen | Stool: DIY (similar HERE) | Jewelry: The Minted Mama Shop | Shoes: Pretty Small Shoes

*Photos by Darby Mitchell Photography

This post is a little less than a year in the making, but I’m so happy to finally share a first look at of our basement reveal.

We started finishing our “unfinished” basement at the beginning of 2021, and if you’re thinking it looks a little off-brand for me  – you’re right! This is predominantly my husbands space – his man cave, hideaway, retreat – whatever you want to call it – and all decor decisions were ultimately his. To be honest, I was feeling pretty good about a very different vibe than the rest of our home, so instead of bright and colourful we went dark and dramatic for the entire basement. It’s also important to mention that my husband made nearly all of the design decisions for the basement himself – from designing the floor plan, to tile and paint selections, and cabinetry and hardware choices. My contribution to this space has been exceptionally minimal – but I still wanted to share it with you guys as it’s an extension of our family home and our lives.

While there is much more basement to come and share with all of you in 2022 – today, we’re ready to reveal a first look at of a couple of the spaces that are now complete.

As you can see we went with dark walls not only in these few spaces, but also throughout the entire basement and it didn’t stop at the walls. The walls, ceilings AND base boards are all Digby Paints 1310 Party in Ibiza which is such a great dark blue colour. All the doors are painted Digby Paints 1701 After Midnight. The Flow Black tile floor from Sarana Tile is also quite dark, however, with 9 foot ceilings, pot lights and a few strategically placed chandeliers – the feeling is still quite open and airy.

This wine cabinet feature wall is such a showstopper and a great way to lead into the basement. Our contractors assembled the wine racks for us, and we had custom glass doors installed to seal off the temperature controlled space. As you can see we’ve got our work cut out for us to fill up this cabinet! We highlighted this feature wall even further with the gorgeous Summit Chandelier from Dainolite that adds a little extra golden bling to the space, really amping up the wow factor.

Talking about lighting – the fixture in the stairwell as well as the flush mount in the bathroom are also both from Dainolite – our lighting go-to brand! We chose the fabric shaded fixture for the stairway because there is an identical one on the landing that leads straight into the dining room (see in HERE). It only made sense to use two of the same fixtures since they are positioned so close to each other.

As we move into the bathroom you’ll see that we brightened things up a bit with tile from the Crash Blue Collection at Sarana tile – a blue-tinted marble-look that is pretty stunning in this little space. We didn’t have a lot of room to work with in the bathroom and yet we fit in all the essentials that really make it a complete space. Large glass shower doors keep the room airy and one small but mighty flushmount from Dainolite gives off just the right amount of light. We went with a navy vanity to pull out the blue in the tile and accented the room with bits of blue and green.

I hope you guys enjoyed this first look at our basement, but stay tuned for a full family room and bar reveal coming early next year!

SOURCE LIST: Construction: MillBay Carpentry | Tile: Sarana Tile | Tile Installation: Alongi Flooring Contractors | Lighting: c/o Dainolite HERE, HERE and HERE | Painting: M2A Painters | Wall paint: Digby Paints 1310 Party in Ibiza | Door paint: Digby Paints 1701 After Midnight | Bathroom Mirror: IKEA (similar) | Black Vases: H&M Home (sold out, similar) | Towels, Artwork: HomeSense | Vanity Set: Real Canadian Superstore

*Photos by Darby Mitchell Photography

It’s about time for a few home decor reveals! It always seems to be such a LONG stretch between reveals, but I’ve got a handful of new posts coming over the next few weeks, plus a big project I’m working on early next year – can’t wait!

Today though I’m so excited to reveal this shared bathroom I recently completed for my son. We finished his bedroom a couple years back (see it HERE), but his ensuite which is shared with our guest bedroom (see it HERE) was left untouched because I had yet to come up with a vision that would work with both room designs. But once the guest bedroom was complete this past Spring – I finally got the design spark that would get things rolling!

This space has been a blank slate ever since we moved into our home almost three years ago, so I was super pumped to finally infuse a little life into the room. As a shared bathroom, we went with a palette that fit with the jewel tones of the guest bedroom, but also coordinated well with my sons bedroom and was boy-friendly since this is the washroom he uses every day.

We chose Benjamin Moore North Sea Green for the main walls which is the same colour as the toy wardrobe in his room. It’s such a gorgeous shade of green! I love the dark, rich colour and how it contrasts so well with black and white. Massimo chose the colour of the toilet closet on his own – Valspar Green Charm – and I loved his choice so much that we went with it! It’s bright and cheery and perfect for a growing little guy!

After the walls were painted, we immediately turned to upgrading the lighting that so badly needed some love. The vanity lighting installed by the builder had been hanging off the wall for nearly three years because we originally planned to replace it right away, but just never got around to it. Needless to say there was one very happy little boy around here who finally has properly installed lights in his bathroom!

Of course we turned to our go-to Dainolite to outfit the entire room with the perfect pairing of fixtures. We chose the Archello Chandelier for the toilet closet because the geometric design mimicked the pattern in the floor mosaic and brought some interesting pattern up into the ceiling. We went with a simple black and gold flush mount for the main portion of the bathroom, and chose a pair of matte black vanity lights with large round bulbs for above the double sinks – love the impact of the modern shape. All four fixtures work so well together and the pops of black really anchor the otherwise colour-infused space.

We brought some added pops of colour into the space with a few kitschy rugs, the cutest garbage can (obsessed), and exclusive Canadian art that you may have caught a glimpse of on Instagram a few months back.

I love this space so much and couldn’t be happier with how it turned out! What do you think -would you use this bathroom?

Stayed tuned for a second bathroom reveal coming next week :)

SOURCE LIST Tile: Sarana Tile | Wall Paint: Benjamin Moore North Sea Green 2053-30 | Toilet Closet Wall Paint: Valspar Green Charm 5008-8A | Lighting: c/o Dainolite (HERE, HERE and HERE) | Rugs: Urban Outfitters (HERE and HERE) | Garbage Can: Urban Outfitters | Towels: H&M Home (HERE and HERE) | Tissue Box Cover: Great Canadian Superstore (similar HERE) | Double Towel Rack: HomeSense (similar HERE and HERE) | Artwork: Canadian art | Hand Towel Hooks: H&M Home (sold out, similar HERE and HERE) | Vanity Accessories: HomeSense | Black Tray: HomeSense (similar) | Vanity Knobs: Home Depot | Skirt: Anthropologie (sold out, similar) | Sweater: c/o Naif (similar) | Shoes: Pretty Small Shoes | Jewelry: The Minted Mama Collection

*Photos by Darby Mitchell Photography

Sweater: Zara (similar HERE and HERE) | Jeans: H&M | Bag: Zara (old, similar) | Shoes: Pretty Small Shoes

I pickup up these perfect mom jeans a couple months ago and sadly they were instantly sold out. But good news for you – they are back in stock and you NEED them! I’ve stocked up on a handful of this trendy jeans style lately and honesty these are my absolute favourite for the fit.

*Photos by Darby Mitchell Photography