Vintage Christmas...

photo source: www.bhg.com

You all know how much I love vintage Christmas decorations. Since I am not privy to great thrift stores and antique stores, my ability to lay my hands on the real McCoy is a bit of a challenge. Several years ago, we purchased and renovated an older brick "story and a half". It was in very rough shape, after having being neglected for several years. The owners arrived to pack up all the contents of the home and kindly asked me if I would like anything. Who me?? But of course!! I have no family member with an attic stuffed full of treasures, so this was the next best thing! In addition to scoring a few great furniture pieces, I was thrilled to discover they were offering up their collection of vintage family tree ornaments!! I am now the proud recipient of many beautiful glass balls in a variety of styles and colours, which I will show you when I post pictures of my "vintage" Christmas tree... which stands proudly in my dining area. For now, I will show you some of the other vintage style treasures that I have decked my halls with. It really is true that all that is old, is new again. Each and every decoration that reflects this style makes me so happy to rest my eyes upon. To me, a vintage Christmas is my favourite style of all!!

You've seen this shadow box before, but I also love the vintage glass ornament in the glass candy jar...These little beauties I found at our local Zellers...

These are my beloved tin plates I got at Restoration Hardware several years ago. They are among my very favourites... Note the little postcard I picked up at a local antique shop...

These vintage style prints are from Seasons of Cannon Falls...glittered ever so lightly!

I love this picture of Father Christmas...this fellow's no Santa...

I picked up this vintage mica snow at a shop in Halifax...I was so happy when I spotted it, I nearly cried!! Just look at that jar it came in!!
My sweet Mum gave me this old-style Santa...I picked up the accessories at an after Christmas sale. Again, Seasons of Cannon Falls, I think...
This is tree #2: A lit feathery (not feather) tree. I keep it up all winter, and it makes the living room seem cozier. Just look at that "chocolate" Santa...doesn't it look real? I don't know why I've been craving chocolate so much lately...??

While these bottle brush trees are not mine (they are from Room Service Home), I have many like them; and to me, they epitomize a true vintage Christmas...! I have so much more to show you along this theme, but not today. I hope you all have a great weekend and finish that shopping...I finished mine today and the stores were crazy!!!!!

My mum and sister are coming this weekend for a visit...another Christmas home tour, dinner at our favourite restaurant, and lots of great chats with my two best friends. I am unbelievably lucky to have these wonderful women in my life. Of that I'm sure...

Random thoughts...

Someone asked me the other day how I was able to come up with daily topics to write about. I told them that although it can be hard at times, I am blessed (or cursed) with a head full of random thoughts. I think all the time and therefore my memory is bad. I truly think it is because I am a creative person that my brain never sleeps. I notice details in everything (which can make driving hazardous), and when I go past a house I am looking at the little things more than the big picture. What is the lighting like, what colour flowers have they used in the garden, what is their door knocker like? See?! Random thoughts pinging around in my brain.

The other day, I went to a local second-hand store where you can find great vintage stuff, although at a somewhat inflated price. I could feel my eyes scanning everything and burning things into my brain so I could go back for a second look. Shopping that way is almost tiring. Normally, in somewhere like a small decor shop, I can "quick scan" and decide on the spot if it is worthy of an in-depth perusal. Larger spots like Winners deserve an aisle by aisle shopping experience as, again, I am searching for my wish list items (some of which I don't even know I want).


On my trip yesterday to this second-hand store, I scored one of the top-ten things I have been looking for over the years: a vintage tricycle with a wooden seat. It is drop-dead adorable and is mine...all mine!!! Have a look...isn't it lovely?!?

I thought I'd leave you with some of the random decorating tips floating around in my head. They are my tips, not for everyone, and certainly not set in stone. I like tips...not rules...

1. When decorating a room and you have everything looking perfect, throw one imperfect item into the mix to make it feel like home. Perfection is boring...and intimidating. For example, I love this lamp. I'm not sure where I found this picture but to the person who owns it, you are a decorating genius!

2. Adding a little bit of black to a room is like throwing on a little black dress. Classy, understated, and always acceptable.

3. Always consider curb appeal. Approach your home like a potential buyer. There has to be something to lure you inside. Do sweat the small stuff...mailboxes, house numbers, door mats, light fixtures, flowers, a little spot to sit...

4. Don't overload on wood. Great wood is beautiful, but especially in a kitchen, look for ways to lighten things up a bit. Curtains, flooring, dishes, lighting...too much darkness will eventually depress you. Don't be afraid to paint wood. If it is bringing you down, lighten it up. Just because it is wood, doesn't mean it is beautiful. Painting wood trim and wainscoting can lift your home to new heights. Do it ...honestly, you'll love it!

5. Accessorize! Great decor can go a long way in distracting people from the downfalls in a room. Just don't clutter up the space. If you think you're done, stand back and remove one thing...unless you're a minimalist of course...

6. Although they keep saying wallpaper is coming back, I really don't believe them. It's not that there aren't some beautiful papers out there, it's just that I don't want to strip walls when they change their minds!

7. Always create a place in your garden for YOU. Bring out a chair and small table and place it under a shade tree. Plunk yourself down whenever you can and enjoy a cup of coffee and something good to read. What good is your home, if you never enjoy it?

8. Don't aim for magazine perfection. It is too hard to maintain and you will waste your life cleaning, plumping and sweeping, when really, your life is all around you. Your husband, kids, friends, will thank you for it.

9. Don't think because you don't have oodles of money, you can't have a pretty home. When I was a nursing student, I decorated the shabbiest of apartments with flea market finds, cast-offs, and paint. My landlord was so impressed, he left a pretty hanging flower basket for me outside my back door. Use your creativity and reinvent what you have or can find, that is within your budget. Someone will always have bigger and better than you, but I believe more talent is needed and shown when you are making do and putting your heart into your decorating. Anyone can copy a room out of a magazine...

10. Do see my tag line at the bottom of my blog page. I mean that with all my heart. It is always better to appreciate what you have than to pine for what you don't.

...Do you see why my memory is affected by all these thoughts floating around my head?

***...A funny note about the word random. My eldest son has always had a habit of mispronouncing or misusing words. Well, he has taken to saying, "That's so random" and throwing random in where it has no connection to what he is talking about. So now, whenever I hear the word, I chuckle to myself at his innocence. My word garbler lives on!!!!***

Boys will be boys...

When my boys were little ones, there was not the selection there is today with regards to clothes or room decor. If you didn't want to decorate with planes, trains, or automobiles, you were left with toy or t.v. related themes, or maybe nautical. Today the market has exploded with decor options and with the added allure of vintage decor schemes, you can have a lot of fun designing a room for the little man in your life.

The most important thing to remember when decorating any child's space is that the child will grow up! Don't invest too much money on small-scale furnishings. Instead purchase beds, desks, and dressers that will grow with your child and have fun with the accessories and bedding instead. In my experience, boys are even quicker than girls to outgrow "baby" themes. They want to feel like big boys and will shun your attempts to style their space at quite an early age.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if my boys were smaller, one of them would have a vintage cowboy-themed bedroom. Unfortunately, I missed my opportunity and have had to relinquish much of the control over their rooms to them. So have fun while they are little, and don't be a "momzilla", trying to stick decals on their walls and hang cutesie curtains long after they reach that tween phase...

When decorating an older boy's space, try to incorporate a desk area, a comfy place to sit, and a display area for their treasures. This photo shows an excellent way to display those trophies that they are so proud to have won, and they look more like wall art than clutter (which they only are if they are our husbands trophies...not our precious sons'). If you have more than one boy sharing a room, find their common ground and let it be a starting point from a decor perspective. If they both love to ski or snowboard, try adding accessories like in this room. If it is a shared sport they have in common, add tasteful nods to it and try to get them to agree to matching, or at least coordinating, bedding. If you are brave, and they are not too daring, give your son the option of choosing the paint colour. If you are not so brave, narrow the colour down to three shades you are o.k. with, and let them choose from there. Baby steps...

Have fun with lighting. Opt for something modern in design or use an exterior fixture. They tend to be more masculine in style and can be used in a variety of themes, especially nautical. If hockey is the style, hang their curtains from hockey sticks used as rods. If they love geography, frame a world map and hang three clocks set at different time zones above it. Add some vintage globes and a "wordly" theme is born. You can have lots of fun thinking outside the box with boy's rooms. The colours can often be bolder (think red) and the accessories more rugged. Scour flea markets for fun stuff like old oars, skis, skateboards (to be made into shelves), sports equipment, etc. I have even gone as far as taking a bare-limbed tree and hanging it from the ceiling, added fake bugs to it, and put mini lights in it for a twinkly night light. Cheap, easy and different. My little bug-lover was thrilled!

Enjoy this opportunity to create a special room for your son(s). Include them where you think they will be of help, get them to draw and frame their own wall art, and if you are opposed to posters (as most mothers are), help them to create a collage of their favorite magazine pictures/posters and pin them to a cork board. They can change it at their whim, and you can feel like a cool mum who is showing their boys how not to decorate like the boys of old!!!

***next up...I will discuss how to create teen/tween friendly lounge areas to encourage your big boys and girls to bring their friends to your home...where you can keep a closer eye on them...!!!***

The Darker Side of Things

I admit it, I am drawn to the light and airy. A client recently told me that I am a "water" person: drawn to colours that are paler, watery, pastel, etc. She hit the nail on the head. I don't discriminate though! I can go into someone's home who decorates in darker or brighter colours and absolutely love them. However, in my own home, I need to be surrounded by light. It lifts my mood and puts a spring in my step.

I wasn't always this way. A decade ago, I was more into the darker shades. I found them warm and cozy and they felt more "homey" to me. My preference probably reflected the popular styles of the time. Country still meant plaids and ginghams and primitive accessories. Certainly, some had already made the switch and "shabby chic" was coming on board in a big way. the essence of Modern Country and vintage style were on the cusp of becoming mainstream style influences. I, however, although taking large steps forward towards lightening things up, was probably still 50% "dark".

The new approach to "dark" is via earth tones. Taupes, browns, olive shades, reds, dark yellows, and earthy orange hues are definitely in vogue. In the opinion of my afore-mentioned client, people drawn to these shades are "earthy people". These shades make them feel grounded in their homes. I think it all goes back to wanting comfort and coziness. It's not sophisticated in some circles to aim for cozy. Perhaps some feel cozy equates itself with cute, which is one of my least favorite descriptives for someone's home. Cute is acceptable for little kid's rooms, but most of us would prefer a more grown-up compliment for the rest of our home.

As for cozy, I think it conjures up good emotions. A cozy house is one where people feel at home, can sink into a chair and enjoy good conversation. I think this should be the aim for every home. Frankly, I feel that those that look like they are ready for a photo shoot just aren't as welcoming. I think it can be easier to achieve cozy when decorating with earth tones. The key is to temper the darkness with light-heartedness. Introduce objects or art that is not too formal. Formality can be comfortable, but the overall feel of the room should be welcoming. After all, what's the point of decorating a home to be too perfect. Too much perfection can make your guests ill at ease...and I think we all want to avoid that. So go ahead...enjoy the darker, more earthy shades. And please, if I come to visit, let me plop into a comfy chair and revel in the coziness and sophistication that comes with this style...and if you ever need some "water", come on over to my home - barefeet are always welcome!!!

Open Shelving

I finally have open shelving in my kitchen and it makes me as happy as I thought it would! Although it is not for everyone, I find open shelving looks beautiful and is convenient for the cook to quickly grab a needed pot or dish. They add personality and style to a kitchen and force us to be neat and tidy and eliminate from view, that which we do not need. I personally use my open shelving for my everyday dishware and glasses, thus the problem of things getting dusty is not an issue, as everything goes through the dishwasher on a regular basis. That said, I made sure that I love my everyday dishes! You wouldn't want to stare at ugly,mismatched cups and plates 24 hrs a day! I also display little treasured objects like my iron bird collection, lacework plates, and my beloved cream pitcher from my Auntie Jean.

Some people are scared of open shelving because they are afraid it will look unfinished. It is important to select shelves and brackets that complement (notice I didn't say match) your cabinetry. Choose a glossy finish so they will wipe clean easily and be sure to space the shelves adequately so that you will be able to stand up your plates if desired. My shelves have a simple routered edge and I purchased my brackets at Lee Valley Tools. Now is a great time to find brackets, though, as the stores have many to choose from in their seasonal/garden sections. If you are opting for open shelving within a cabinet that has glass doors, consider painting the backs of the cupboards a pretty colour that will make your displayed items "pop". Have fun with it and display what you love. Chances are if it looks great to you, it will to others as well!

Blue Monday...or Not!!

Years ago, laundry was typically done on Mondays and it was a hugely laborious day. Housewives and daughters gathered up all the dirty clothes, boiled up huge pots of water, used their hand made soap and scrubbed article after article of soiled clothing using rocks - and later, scrub boards and brushes, and wrung them out using a hand ringer. It was painstaking and dreaded work and that is where the term Blue Monday originated.

Fast forward decades later and we still complain about doing laundry despite the many creature comforts afforded us. Today, we are faced with incredible choices with regards to our laundry needs. In fact, even the aesthetics of washers and dryers have become quite important to us! We can choose between top or front-loading, steam wash options, heavy-duty/extra capacity- whatever our fancy. One can purchase steel blue or tangerine coloured machines, steam machines to do our ironing, the list goes on and on...

photo source: Pottery Barn

I, and many others, am fascinated by the laundry implements of yesteryear. I have searched for and found a hand wringer, scrub board, soap cage, and fan-style drying rack to bring vintage charm to my own laundry area. I placed large laundry soaps and clothes pegs in old jars, vinegar and dry bleach in large glass containers with labelled metal tags, and emptied out my modern day laundry soap into an enamel bin that is labelled LAUNDRY. I love this nod to the origins of "wash day", however, I can't help wondering what our great-grandmothers would say if they could see us now. They'd probably shake their heads and scowl at such a silly pre-occupation with a chore they so detested!!!

**the top two photos show my present (left) and former (right) laundry rooms. **

The appliances of my dreams...

I shouldn't want what is not necessary. We all feel this to an extent, so why can we not suppress these decorating urges? Luckily, in my case, the sheer cost of these beautiful kitchen appliances stops me in my tracks! That's not to say if money was no object they wouldn't be mine...
These appliances are from Elmira Stove Works, a Canadian company (gasp!!) and can be viewed online at www.elmirastoveworks.ca . I love the gorgeous colours and would be torn between the butter yellow and robin's egg blue. However, if I was a single gal the pink would be standing in my kitchen with a huge chandelier hanging over my island! The other items on my wishlist would be a farmhouse sink, a tin ceiling, and a fireplace with a gorgeous cream chaise in front of it. Obviously the kitchen would have to be the size of my whole house of the moment! Hmmm... perhaps the chaise would have to be for the "single me" as my kids and cats would ruin it with sticky fingers and dirty paws. I'll dream on and hopefully I'll get to decorate such a kitchen for a client someday. That would be more practical!!

Message Centers... at your service

The picture to the right is my first message center:



A message center was something I decided I had to have in my last home. I was tired of losing my phonebook, having nowhere to post notices/pictures, having a jumble of pens/pencils/crayons, etc. So off to the drawing board in my mind.
I took a large,plain bulletin board I got for $1 at the fleamarket and covered it with black and white ticking fabric and painted the frame black. This was mounted on the wall. A great storage caddy from Ikea I used for the kids' pencils and pens. I framed all my families frequently used numbers on the wall near the phone; and used the large drawer for the phonebook, stationery, craft supplies and paper. In the bottom cupboard I placed extra school supplies, play-doh, coloring books, etc.
In my present home, I have a smaller message center and a great chalkboard across from it. I hang my calendar near the phone ready to jot down important dates and I keep Sophie's colouring books in a great vintage metal picnic basket I got at a fleamarket. I think I will add a curtain to the bookshelf area so I can hide the inevitable junkmail that ends up on the shelves. I absolutely love the chalkboard that my husband made me and consider it "my brains." I think I depend on it too much as I was at a complete loss before he finally made it and hung it on the wall. He said he never rushed a project so much because I was forgetting everything!!!
Great organization thrills me and it's probably a blessing in disguise that my husband is messy because I could get quite obsessed by it. I wouldn't mind if he was tidier, though. I admit to my clients that I struggle with organization issues too, because of my family. One of the favorite aspects of my business is when I get called on to do an organization job. My mantra: a place for everything and everything in its place... words to live by, or at least strive for!!

p.s. the desk phone is one I got at Walmart a few years back. It is identical to one found in Pottery Barn. I love a bargain!!!

Bigger and better Bathrooms.

Bathrooms are one of the toughest areas to address when I do
consultations for clients. They are easy to stage for sale, but making one pretty for living,without doing expensive renos, is more challenging. A lot of the time, the bathrooms in many homes have wood vanities with very traditional door profiles, tiles tend to look a bit dated and they often have those large strip lighting bars over the builder basic mirrors. Some people are opposed to doing much in the way of painting the cabinetry as they think-small space, why bother. Even though kitchens are much more work, people are more open to making changes and updates as it is a much viewed room. However, the second most used room in a home by your guests is the bathroom. Therefore, it should reflect the style in the rest of your home. With the new trend towards spa style in bathrooms, why not borrow a little of that aesthetic and bring in some "light " and freshness to this vital room.
My top recommendations for updating your bathroom are: 1. paint out those cabinets to white or a shade compatible to it (the color of most toilet/sink/tub combos) 2. Add new hardware to the cabinetry in a metal finish that complements the finish on your taps and lighting fixtures 3. add a beautiful shower curtain. If you are afraid of pattern, select one in a white waffle or diamond weave reminiscent of hotel style 4. install a wow sink faucet and vanity lighting fixture. Go for vintage styles that will never go out of style. 5. Get rid of mats- make that toilet lid covers, plush bath mats, etc. Less is always more in a bathroom 6. Accessorize with style. Apothecary jars (which you can pick up at the Dollar Store) filled with cotton balls, soaps, or q-tips look attractive but not distracting 7. Add substantial moulding trim to your flat mirror or purchase a new one. Bevelled edged mirrors in interesting shapes can be found at Kent, Home Depot, even Canadian Tire (thanks Debbie Travis!) for approx. $50 8. Avoid fussy window treatments. Bathroom windows tend to be short and squat and require only privacy dressing (i.e. white faux wood blinds look great as do plantation shutters) 9. I buy only white towels for my towel bars. They are bleachable and never clash with your colour scheme 10. Last but not least, consider hanging a chandelier in your bathroom. It looks luxurious and makes you feel quite decadent as you lie soaking in your tub looking up at it.
Have fun updating your bathroom. After all, it is not only our guests who see it in all its glory. Pretty it up and have fun with it!
** my bathroom is the top right photo with the medicine chest- a real bargain from Canadian Tire...I got it for $60 (reg. $100). It looks just like the ones in Restoration Hardware! The pedestal sink was purchased at Home Hardware for $220. I love getting high end looks for less!!!

"These are a few of my favorite things..."

We all have belongings we love, or "treasures" as I like to call them. They are the things that when we look at them, they make us happy- no regrets- and it seems as if we will never tire of them. As someone who easily bores, that is a big job for my poor accessories. There are a few items that make me feel that way, though. I'm not guaranteeing that I'll never change a few of them out, but for now, they make me smile and feel as though everything is right with my decorative world for the moment- (I truly am deeper than this, but this is a decorating blog, remember!).

I love lighting!! I really feel it is the jewellry of a home and you cannot scrimp on this!! That said, I am not dictating that you have to spend a fortune on your lighting needs. I have been very lucky and found the vast majority of my lights at local sources... more on this in a later entry. I also love to frequent my local flea market for vintage finds. I love things that have been loved and used by someone from the past. I have purchased old toys, an antique (I use the term loosely) baby sled, milk glass, handmade folk art dolls, my vintage Sunbeam mixer, etc. I don't go as much lately, but those first few outdoor markets reap a ton of fun stuff. I love the challenge of making a silk purse out of a sow's ear and have even found treasures at the Dollar Store like my glass knobs (used as shower curtain rings) altered for use as a way to hang my kitchen window valances.

The above photo shows one of my daughter's baby dresses fastened over a lampshade to dress up her bedside lamp. Safe, because the top is open and looks so pretty lit up. Look at your own objects and see how they can be used in different ways. You will feel more pride of ownership if you make or tweak things yourself into objects of beauty. What are your favorite things...??