To do...or not to do!

I have a to-do list as long as my arm! I want to organize all my photos, put them in albums and sort the ones that need to be scrap-booked (totally overwheming!!), take all our family home videos to be converted to DVD, dust (my least favourite job), rake the huge gravel stones off my lawn, start some spring cleaning, plan my son's birthday, and more!! I simply can't seem to work through it in a systematic manner, however. This week has been busy with work-related appointments and coupled with kid's activities, feeling rotten, and basic household "chores" I can't seem to get the energy, or desire, to tackle it. I did manage to shake the cobwebs off me yesterday and meet a friend for lunch, which I think went a long way towards persuading myself I felt "better" (I chose to ignore the spinning in my head, the low-grade fever and the growly chest congestion). After taking my son to the doctor so she could have a look at his "wrestling with his little brother" wrist injury (and subsequent x-ray), I raced home to make a chicken stew and home-made rolls (well,from the breadmaker). I figured the nutrition in the stew would help those of us with the cold, and would guarantee a Friday night take-out night, considering hubby cooked dinner the night before...apple pancakes and sausages...comfort food at its best.

After dinner, I headed out for another decor consult: a kitchen, living room, and bathroom ...where I hoped the clients didn't mind my gravelly voice and red nose. I so love this job - its flexibility with hours means I am always home when my kids are, and hubby or my eldest son can fill in the gaps when I have evening or weekend appointments.

Other than that, I am happy to be gearing up for a weekend spent helping good friends move, shuttling my boys to and from basketball games( I love indoor sports!), and hosting play dates for my girlie. March break is coming up in a couple of weeks, and I am more than ready for the break from making lunches....how pathetic is that??!!

Trends in lighting...

I have spoken before of my love of lighting. It thrills me, inspires me, and it is one of the first elements in a home that I notice. Great lighting lifts your gaze upward and crowns a room in glory. Bad lighting, on the other hand, drags a house down with its paltry illumination and lacklustre appeal. Lighting is also one of the least expensive ways to refresh a room if you root out the best deals. You can even refurbish a vintage or previously loved light fixture with minimal skill and some good advice from a how-to book or electrician (do restore with future safety in mind...).

Although it is a fairly easy change to incorporate into your space, anyone who has ever installed a light fixture themselves (or lived through a grumbling husband's efforts) also knows it is not something to do on a whim, without forethought to the selection of the fixture, especially if you have to pay an electrician to do so. Thus, should we follow the trends, or stick with classic lighting choices??

I recently installed a rather trendy light fixture in my own dining room, which some of you liked, and some of you didn't. I must confess, despite my desire to have a more unique fixture in my home, I did pause once it was installed and felt that heated flush go up my neck as I wondered, "Did I do the right thing??" It wasn't that I didn't like the fixture, it was just that I questioned whether it was better then my previous chandelier. Well, I'm still not sure it is better, but it certainly is different, and trendier... and therein lies the dilemma.

I am not one to quickly fling myself on board with trends in decorating. Although I certainly follow them to a degree (think...my blue bedroom with touches of brown), I do have a qualifying factor for following along with the crowd. The trend in question has to be beautiful (to me) and sustainable...in other words, it has to appeal to me... for as long as my attention span typically allows. Because I prefer a cooler palette in my own home, I don't tire easily of my paint choices. Because I change my accessories seasonally, I feel that I refresh my look enough to quell my restlessness. However, I could change lighting like some people change their throw pillows!! I but what I love, without worrying too much about what is in or out. I tend to have a visceral reaction to lighting. I either love it or hate it and for everything in between, I dismiss it as too boring. Already, I look around my living room and think about purchasing some new lamps to add a little edge, and less restraint.

So, without further adieu, here are some trendier models to walk the lighting catwalk as of late...the question is, are they so in they're out?? I"m not going to give my opinion on this one...some are modern classics to me...I want to hear what you think!! Oh, and do be kind...many of us likely have some of the featured lights!!

(all photos below: www.dwr.com )

This light is for a good friend, who definitely doesn't care what others think of it!!!

disclaimer: As I do not strive to be a design blog, and do not lay claim to be the lighting authority of the decorating world, this is only a random sampling of various lights that have emerged lately, or have been around a long time... or long enough to be getting a bit stale for some folks. Enjoy it for what it is, and give me your feedback!!

Sofa Therapy...

Like everyone else on the planet, I am sick with a rotten cold. I won't bore you with details, but it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was driving home from a consultation yesterday, when all of a sudden, I found myself cranking up the heat when I probably could have been cracking a window. The weather has improved here, temporarily, but another (minor) storm is coming tonight.

Do you think this could be the problem??

It might not be helping...As soon as I can haul my sorry self outside long enough to dismantle the "snow porch"(without shuddering with fever) I'm on it!!

I decided I would outsmart this virus today by resting at home (in my p.j.'s) and just putter around getting my laundry done in between laying flat on the sofa, but it wasn't to be. I ended up getting called out to a client's to iron out some ordering details for her new/old kitchen (it is more like an extensive facelift than a major reno). I did my best to look and sound smart, but probably succeeded with neither...it was too last minute to truly rid myself of the "sofa head" look and a red nose is always sooo pretty!

Speaking of kitchens, I seem to be the "kitchen lady". Certainly, a large number of my clients hire me for that reason, and kitchens are definitely one of my favourite projects to take on. I saw a fun kitchen yesterday on my job, and it cemented my belief that you cannot tell what type of decorating style a person has either by age, gender, location, personal style, etc. This particular client was fun, perky, lived out in the country and while she definitely had a more log cabin country flair to her home, she also had installed a great pantry with stainless steel counters, industrial looking open shelving (above and below), and unique accessories. However, it was when I entered her living room that my jaw dropped open. Resting against the wall and on top of a wonderful cream sideboard, was the object of my dreams. It was a gothic-inspired window frame straight from a church and it was huge - the exact scale I have been looking for to put in my own home!! I instantly started daydreaming that she would sense my profound love (how could she not...I was gushing) and offer up a trade for services rendered. However, she was a wise lady and after a quick living room consultation, moved back to the kitchen where she likely sensed I would be safer to stay!!

You may have noticed that I don't, as a rule, post photos of my client's homes. While I do sometimes take before and after shots for my portfolio, I personally find it a bit awkward to bring up the topic of photographing their photos for my site. I also live in a small town, so in some cases, it wouldn't be difficult for local folks to "put a name to a house". Also, the client and I usually get right down to business, and I confess I have missed a few great photo ops simply because we do get right to task and the opportunity is lost.

Well, I think I'll head back to the sofa for a while, and pop a few more Cold FX capsules...I have to be better tomorrow and I'm not good at lounging around for long!!

Rock- a-bye Baby...(part one)

I have baby room fever. It all started the other night when I had a very strange dream about suddenly being the proud new mother of twins...one a regular newborn and the other looked just like a baby Bratz doll (large head, tiny body...go figure!). I was toting them around in my dream and crying because I thought I was "done" with having babies and also because they were inadequately dressed, dishevelled even...and I was upset because I decided that others would then see I obviously couldn't take care of them as well as my other, "single" babies. To top it all off, they had no nursery! They had to be carried all the time and I had no bed to lay them in.

(photo: Martha Stewart.com)

In the morning, I gave my head a good shake, breathed a sigh of relief, and yet found myself oddly daydreaming of babies rooms...fresh, pretty nurseries waiting in quiet perfection for their newborn charges to arrive and fill the rooms with new life. I always loved decorating my children's first bedrooms - carefully planning the spaces as though the child would actually appreciate the time and energy I put forth to create the ideal resting spot for their sleepy, little bodies. I have many memories of this nesting period of my life and can distinctly remember each and every room and the feelings they evoked in me. I remember nursing warm, cuddly babies to sleep, their little fingers curled around mine and their rapid little heartbeats drumming against me. I remember lying on the floor beside the cribs of my two difficult sleepers, holding their hands (praying that they'd finally fall asleep) and making mental notes to myself to purchase a soft rug so my shoulder wouldn't fall asleep before the baby did. I remember, as a first-time mother, agonizing over the perfect crib set, only to be crushed to discover that you aren't really supposed to have quilts and bumpers for fear of smothering them. Sigh...I even remember the sweet scent of babies... Ivory Snow- scented, milky goodness that if you were able to bottle it, would sell out faster than any other fragrance known to man. I also remember many nights, succumbing to the need for sleep of my own and the temptation to sleep as one with my babies, bringing them in to my bed where, of course, they were very happy to be. Pretty room or not, nothing beat Mummy's arms!!

(photo: source unknown)

So, if I am to give my best advice for decorating a nursery for your little one, it is this - decorate it so that it feels right. Of course there are rules to follow: up-to-date crib, secure diaper changing area, no shelves over baby's crib, subdued lighting, comfy chair for rocking restless babies...but this is a room where you may or may not spend many an hour. For those who bring the baby in with them most nights, the nursery may just be a rite of passage in the new parent stage...a shrine of sorts which the baby visits from time to time and naps. For the rest, the nursery will be a place that is most familiar (besides in her parent's arms) to baby. It is a place to be decorated with love, with comfort...for parents and baby... in mind, but most of all as a nod to the memories you will make and revisit in your mind as your baby grows into older childhood. The nursery is basically your gift to yourself. Sure you can design it with colour and stimulation (or not) in mind...pictures of educational prompts, Pottery Barn Kids perfect accessories...but ultimately you will remember the nursery in the darkness. You will remember watching the reassuring rise and fall of baby's chest, marvel at the lushness of his eyelashes, breathing in your baby's sweet scent, and the shadowy outline of your carefully chosen decor as you sway with baby in your arms...anticipating with fatigue his impending slumber. Decorate with love, but don't take it too seriously. All the accessories to babyhood are so incredibly tempting, but your loving arms will be where your quiet memories will be made...

photo above: www.potterybarnkids.com

(photo below: source unknown)

***Later in the week, we will explore the components of a safe and beautiful nursery. I'm on the hunt for some great photos...!!

Cabin fever, winter doldrums, and Thelma and Louise...

all photos: squareamerica.com

Can you sense the connection between the words in the title?? Yep, I finally have them...the winter blues. Not a bad case, but definitely a yearning to stretch my legs, spread my wings...and head out on a road trip!! As I have stated before, I don't hate winter. I rather love the four different seasons and can appreciate the positives in each. I love nothing more in the winter than to watch a good snowfall from the warmth of my living room, the scent of dinner roasting in the oven, and a cup of coffee at my reach. However, this cozy scene is getting rather tired, even for me! I feel like a bear waking up from his winter's slumber (I wish) and ready to sniff out something exciting...new!!

Which brings me to the sudden overwhelming urge for a roadtrip!! I do not know where I feel like heading, but I have a strong urge to "Get out of Dodge" and play tourist. I'm definitely not one to crave a trip to a warm climate (too involved), but I definitely know I am feeling the itch to expand my horizons somewhere! Perhaps it was my trip to Toronto in January, but I quite like the idea of small-scale travel again. Will it happen? I don't know...but I do know that my desire for change is burning my feet!!

Well, she definitely looks like she's having loads of fun...

...and this photo is totally unrelated, but is a trip back in time to the height of child seat safety!!!

Yikes...!!!!

(again...all photos from www.squareamerica.com)

Can your television be art??

photo source: www.auton.com

photo: www.hgtv.com

Sure...I guess so...mm hmm...if you say so...Can you sense my hesitancy?? Indeed, televisions have invaded our living spaces since their invention, but after a respectable run on concealing them, we are now being encouraged to put them on display...be proud of them...in a sense, let them take center stage! I, for one, tend to have a bit of a problem with that. The current thinking, that it is just as attractive to hang a huge plasma t.v. above a beautiful fireplace, doesn't quite sit well with me. I do confess however, to having suggested it as an option to clients for whom watching television is the major focus in the room. For many things I live by the mantra: It is what it is- however,there is certainly no making a television pretty. Sure, they have definitely upped their cool factor, and a high end/expensive plasma baby will certainly impress some folks, but ultimately I still call for the concealing of the "black hole" in an armoire or the like.

...But is the armoire being relegated to "passe"?

In my family, we definitely watch t.v., however, it is not a huge part of our lives. We are just as likely to use our main living area to read the newspaper, play a game, watch an impromptu "concert" or just hang out. The t.v. is not always on, and when not in use, it is tidily tucked away in a small armoire my husband built for me. Out of sight...out of mind.

Perhaps the funniest description I have heard for the new "plasma wonders" is sexy. What?? There are those in the design field who like to throw that word around to be chic and hip. I call it decorating jargon..."sexy plasma screen t.v."..."a punch of color"..."the table provided visual weight", etc. etc. Every industry has their lingo, but I've never personally gotten a sexy vibe off a piece of furniture!! Have you??

I think the reasons for the trend towards showcasing one's high-end television can range from simple practicality to the desire to elevate their sleek televisions to the rank of status symbol. In other words, you show your goods because it's just not practical to hide them, or because you want others to see your "silky bits".


Either way, the choice is yours. Personally, I'll continue to hide my basic, functional televisions and steer clear of this trend. Call me old-fashioned if you will, but somethings just can't compete with the more traditionally displayed mantel adornments...a beautiful mirror or a great piece of artwork. In this case, I'm taking sides with the armoire!!

This, to me, is plasma placement done very well!!

Open:closed!

(photo: www.southernliving.com )

Other happier, if not pricier, compromises to conceal one's plasma t.v. at the flick of a button are shown below. Two great websites to view the possibilities include: http://www.vutec.com/ and http://www.auton.com/

The sliding artwork option:

photo: www.auton.com

The flip-down screen option...albeit quite techie looking:

...again, the sliding artwork...get posing girls!!

above two photos: www.auton.com

In addition, Hooker Furniture, which specializes in home entertainment units, states on its website that it is "...offering several new styles for plasma TV owners. The most expensive units offer the pop-up option. Others are consoles with brackets on the top to affix to the television. And larger wall units feature a wide, shallow central area for the skinny TVs."

photo: Hooker Furniture

What is your opinion...hide it or flaunt it??

A burst of spring colour...from me to you!!

various artists sell their wares at the Cottage Chic Store...

I awoke today to snow-dusted streets and roofs...not a lot of snow, but a quick reminder that we are not finished with winter... or more appropriately, winter is not finished with us!! After the large downfall of rain we have experienced I awoke to a different picture yesterday... my front yard was completely devoid of snow!! While we didn't get the realtively balmy temperatures some of the other parts of the province received, it was still warm enough to put thoughts of spring into my mind. In fact, I was eyeing my "snow porch" pretty hard, thinking that now might be the time to dismantle it and change it up for the season. Alas, that idea has been put to rest for another week or so...

I do, however, still have that yearning for warmer weather and the pretty colours that accompany spring and all its beauty...Soooo, I decided to visit one of my favourite online shops, The Cottage Chic Store and bring you some photos that are bursting with colour!
Enjoy!!!



All photos: The Cottage Chic Store and designed by Shelley Thompson:



My idea of the perfect living room...




Isn't this the freshest, most lovely kitchen??

this photo is the inspiration for Sophie's new playhouse:

open shelving done oh, so well...

The gift of flowers...from Matthew Mead

peonies...purchased by me...for me!

Matthew Mead finishes up his guest stint this week with me, and being the thoughtful guest he is, leaves us with some flowers...all dressed up as floral inspiration from him to us!! As I visit with so many of you, I see that most bloggers are feeling weighted down by winter...tired of snow, ice, frigid temperatures, and days that grow dark far too soon. To help lift your spirits and get you in the mode of thinking of the cheerful, bright days of spring, Matthew Mead makes us heady with the scent of flowery goodness.

He said: Inspiring Thoughts of Spring...

"Spring flowers in shades of yellow, lavender, pink, red, apricot, (and many, many more) equals multitudes of color combinations and fresh possibilities for spring inspiration... " (Matthew Mead)

We have touched upon a great many things during these last few weeks in an attempt to re-inspire ourselves in the New Year. I must say, it worked well for me and today I finished a two-step process of painting the floors of my studio. I choose a chocolate-brown for my kitchen floor and I am so happy... I've still got some touch-ups to do, but the cleaning out of spaces and the resurfacing of floors and walls really breathes new life into a room and vanquishes all the cobwebs and trapped negative chi... just as placing a fresh bouquet of flowers on your desk or dining table can do for your mood... which brings me to the final topic and frontier in this series- FLOWERS.

I entered the design realm in my childhood... with flowers. My grandmother had a large garden and grew so many beautiful varieties of blossoms. Cut flowers were part of my life from my earliest memory; and I enjoyed watching my grandmother create lovely arrangements while encouraging me and my sister to place single blossoms in bottles or vases. You really discover, as you grow, not only how enjoyable it is to have flowers around... but the pure joy that is derived from the simple act of cutting stems and arranging them to best please the eye. As children, we would also pick flowers and leaves and force branches as soon as possible in early spring, all under the watchful eye and guiding hand of our knowledgeable grandmother. In the fall, we'd gather large bouquets of wild flowers for drying and weaving into wreaths and garlands.

Flowers and their beauty is of primal enjoyment... it is in our human nature and I would surmise that even cave people gathered them to bring a spot of beauty back to their abodes...

It has been difficult lately to summon up that "Spring fever" as where I live is so reminiscent of a frozen tundra at present! However, I persist - with trips to florists, garden centers, price clubs and grocery stores in search of daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, primrose and whatever else I can pluck from my community sources. We are fortunate to have an anemone grower nearby with miles of green-house, and I am always moved to see their blossoms appear in the market-place. I must say, that incorporating flowers into your life means you will have the task of preparing and arranging them... and that very activity is obviously an actionable and involved endeavour.

Incorporating fresh flowers into your decor is an unfailing way to inject new life, colour and fragrance into your home...all the while, chasing the "cobwebs of winter" away. So, bring out your favourite vases and vessels, and hit the grocers or your local flower shop, and try some of these colorful ideas:

Potted, forced bulbs and primrose, arranged in a vintage basket and dressed with moss, makes a stunning spring centerpiece or gift for a friend with the winter blues...

Recycled glass jars or tins can be filled with water, tied with ribbon and outfitted with your favorite forced bulbs... Float primrose flowers amongst candles for a simple dinnertime centerpiece... Jenny, my wife, was inspired to create this daffodil applique using hand-dyed linens...

(all photos: Matthew Mead)

She said: "Let the flowers extend from beyond the vases...let them pull up a chair and be front and center in your decor scheme..."

photo source: www.cathkidston.com

I, too, love fresh flowers...the more natural and old-fashioned the better. I love peonies, daisies, cosmos, sweet william, stock, black-eyed susans...basically anything you'd see growing in your grandmother's garden. Unlike Matthew, my experience with flowers as a young girl was limited to buttercups, dandelions, and plucking daisies from the side of the road. I loved playing "mama had a baby and its head popped off" , but arranging them in anything but my grubby fist after a day's play outside was beyond the scope of my imagination. I remember watching my mum picking weeds from her flower beds, but after a few attempts to help, I'd end up doing more harm than good and I'd be "encouraged" to be on my way. So, off I'd go to investigate whether there were any more peas on the pea plant, and I'd hurry to pop them in my mouth before my little brother could find them first!

Flowers in decorating have had a long and variable history. Floral brocade for the more formal, versus the lovely calico prints of the more unassuming prairie-country style...right up to the decidedly "bad" eighties trend of plastering ivy and sunflowers all over one's kitchen (from wallpaper borders to oven mitts...place mats to curtains...), the use of flowery patterns in decorating can either make one swoon or shudder.

(photo source: unknown)

I am a definite blend of the two opinions. I love floral prints when they are used in a fresh, subtle palette; or when they are bold, modern, and surprising. I personally use them in only smaller doses, but when done right, they can be fantastic in a more predominant scheme. In contrast to Matthew, I think we are either flower people or not. Whether we bother to bend over and pick a stray daisy or add a flower-embroidered throw pillow to a chair... or we banish anything flowery from our homes save for stiff, perfect roses (methodically placed in the perfect square and unbending vase for only those moments when flowers are expected)...we dig them, or we don't!!

photo source: www.countrycream.com

Personally, I love flowers in their natural state, the wilder the better...and used in my decor in rather unassuming ways: not too carefully planned, and definitely not overgrown!!!

I am so thankful to Matthew Mead for collaborating with me on this series and for sharing his inspiration and advice to those of us who admire his work and his many talents. Please leave a comment here for Matthew, sending him some "blog love". Maybe, just maybe...he'll come back and share with us further...!