Inspiration from Matthew Mead...and me!!

Well, I'm back...and no, I wasn't hanging out with the likes of Matthew Mead (unfortunately). Nope, I was hanging out in Toronto with three other hip and happening people (my kids) and one less hip forest engineer (my sweet hubby...). I will tell you all about it tomorrow, as I came back fairly enlightened in many ways, and will show you some pics of my destinations (shopping and otherwise). I did manage to "hang out" with a rather well-known who's who in the Toronto design world and he was charming and sweet and I even got a picture taken with him...right Chris?!

As promised, I will now deliver on my joint venture with Mr. Mead. He sent me an email a little while ago asking me if I'd like (are you kidding me?) to collaborate with him and run a series of inspiring posts aimed at jump starting us all back into rejuvenating our homes- despite the wintry challenges. Matthew shares my philosophy of tweaking what you have, adding to your collections and enjoying the seasons for what they are. We can look ahead to what the design world brings us, and yet treasure our homes and what we love about them. Here is what Matthew has to say:

"Dear Linda,
Starting a new year of style is much like starting a new year in elementary school or moving into a new home... where you came from is always so familiar and comforting and the warmth of the holidays against the starkness of the new year is scary and unfriendly. I know for me the post- holiday home seems bare and the schedule so empty of that palpable yuletide surprise and wonder. Your post about what I perceive as the holiday blues got me thinking that we aren't the only ones sensitive to these feelings... I think people of our ilk need a bit of a boost in these early months and I am all too happy to share some of my ideas for jumping into an inspiring new year. I have five action-able steps to set things in motion (I am sure there are more ) and definitely lots of variations of these ideas." (Matthew Mead)

Without further adieu, here is Matthew Mead's first step to inspiring a new look for your home (he said/she said style!!):

(He said): Change your perspective

Removing the Christmas tree and all of the holiday trimmings provides a real opportunity to change things around. We get so set in our ways about our surroundings, and our furnishings settle into place in such a familiar way, that we fail to notice the details of a carved bureau front or the shapely turn of a table leg. That's when it's time to mix it up and change things out. Consider a small-scale transformation like a newly positioned bedside table with drawers to conceal clutter or a small vertical standing shelf to hold your favorite books, magazines and journals... add a lamp from another room in the house... or dust off one of those lamps relegated to the basement. Gather mismatched chairs from around the house and pull them up around the kitchen table for something a bit more interesting and less matchy matchy, or arrange the living room furniture in a way that isn't focused around the television set (you'll be amazed that there are other, more interesting objects and accessories in your surroundings than the 32 inch flat screen).

(photo:Matthew Mead)

My own effort in this direction is to reclaim an enclosed glass porch as a dining area... we are having the neighbors over for a post holiday gathering and I have decided that our small-ish round dining room table just won't do. I'm repositioning an old table from the hallway and making it our dining table -surrounded by Jenny's favorite bow back Windsor chairs and bench. We will be able to comfortably fit everyone for dinner and will have a great re-purposed space for upcoming holidays... and, a room that I often look out upon as unusable storage space, will be a fresh and functioning space for gathering.

(She (me!!) said): Shake things up:

Well, you've done it. You've finally taken down the remainder of the Christmas decorations, dusted off the surfaces, taken that break from holiday clutter and breathed a sigh of relief. However, those of us who have permanent decorating fever rarely last with such a blank canvas. With Valentine's Day merely a blip on the home decor scene and Easter months away, that itch to decorate can just seem to get itchier. Sure you can dream about landscaping plans, summer paint projects, and bringing out the patio cushions and chairs...but for those of us who need to feed the fever, there is no time like the present!

Take a good look at your surroundings. As Matthew suggested, try arranging your furniture in new ways... showcase a different piece of furniture by putting it into the spotlight. How to do this? Lighting...accessories...angles...embellishing...or all four! For example, take your dining table: perhaps you have it arranged square on with the perimeter of the room? On the table rests a simple centerpiece, the perfunctory chandelier hangs overhead, and on the adjacent wall hangs a perfectly suitable, but predictable piece of artwork. Sounds familiar? Well, it may be time to shake things up! I admit to the occasional reluctance to leave be that which is not broken. It never truly stops me though! As someone who has never had a love affair with her own dining set, I love Matthew's suggestion to incorporate chairs from around your home. I love the idea of pulling up two wing back chairs in a forgiving fabric to the head spots at the table. I would then replace my chairs with rustic benches. Moving on to the centerpiece, I would fill an ironstone tureen with simple candles surrounded by faux snow (check it out in florists shops...you'll have to touch it to feel the difference!), a long wooden tray filled with pinecones and green apples...your imagination is your only limitation. If you want to up the elegance factor, try the juxtaposition of elegant clear glass, crystal, or silver candelabra (holding simple white or black candles) with the more rustic benches and/or casual chairs. Why not try implementing a modern twist to your chandelier? I am presently on the search for a sufficiently large, translucent drum shade to encapsule my sparkly chandelier. I love the idea of concealing some of the femininity of the chandelier, especially at a time when covering up is seasonally appropriate. So, have some fun, step out of your comfort zone, perhaps... and look at your home and blongings with a fresh set of eyes- ones that don't have winter blinders on them!

(above two photos: Sepia and Better Homes and Gardens, respectively)

***Matthew Mead will be back with more tips each week (and his own images for us to drool over!). I'll attempt to add my two cents worth and I am thrilled he is so gracious in sharing his great style with us!

Snow Porch...

Everyone knows how much I love having a porch. Sure I love swinging on my porch swing, being sheltered while I unlock my door, but if I am to be perfectly honest...I really love it because it is one more place to decorate!! Because I am an avid seasonal decorator, having a nice long porch to add to and beautify is so much fun! I always marvel when I see other homes with front porches that are unadorned...bare...boring!! Why not use this prime real estate to show off who you are and what your style is? A bare porch looks, well, naked...and some things (and, gulp, I can think of a few) just don't look good naked!!
So, after bringing in my handmade Father Christmas and some of the other more blatant Christmas items, I reworked a few things, added a couple of my recent purchases and voila: my new wintry "snow porch"! I left up the icicles and snowflakes, the red lanterns from Homesense, and propped up my new sign that proclaims our home to be the spot for sleigh rides...Tonight...and apparently every night of the winter. Quite laughable really, because with our puny backyard, you couldn't even get a crazy carpet to go more than five feet!! Aah well, it's all about using one's imagination, isn't it? Oh, and the sign also promises hot cocoa...that I can deliver!! Pretty much every time one of my critters pokes a toe outside, they deem it worthy of a cup of hot chocolate!!
I made these snowball stacks myself (pretty impressive, huh?). I had made one a few years back, but the wind took it I think, so these are my latest attempts. I used styrofoam balls and then added that fake snow that comes in a bag and shook it on after spraying the balls with adhesive. I think my fingers are still stuck together, but they're pretty, so it's worth it!!


Here is my bench that is in dire need of a paint job, but will have to wait till Spring. I took an old tartan throw and draped it over the back, threaded lights through a grapevine ball, and placed a cedar swag (very dead by now) over the back. It's the perfect spot for you to wait for the horse-drawn sleigh that's coming tonight...and the next..and so on...
What is your porch doing right now? Is it naked...or all dolled up??!!
As the sign on the door says, Let It Snow...for now!!

Wintry Wonderland...

Well, it's over, and like many endings, the passing of the holidays can be tinged with a touch of sadness... BUT, if your sadness comes from the starkness of your home after stripping it of its holiday splendour, cheer up. Your home doesn't have to look naked, just because we are in-between holidays! Winter need not be as cold on the inside as it is outdoors! In fact, winter brings with it its own bag of decorating goodness.

Indeed, many of us enjoy the simplicity of our homes after we take down our decorations. Our homes feel clean again, but then, slowly...things begin to feel void of fun, interest, and sparkle. A sort of January blues for the home, if you will. While I can't help you with the real winter doldrums, I can offer some ideas to perk up your home. Of course, if you prefer the au naturel look, read no further!
(top photo:: Wendy Addison Designs)

The natural way to decorate your home after the holidays is to bring the snow indoors! Stores are filled with gorgeous snowy decor: snowflakes, icicles, white feather trees, sparkly clear garlands, snowball ornaments...Don't feel you have to pack all this up, too, when you take down all your Christmas adornments! My chandelier in my dining area remains embellished with my icicle garland, snowballs and miniature chandelier. My front window now has a large mesh snowflake hanging subtly in it. I kept the little tree in my bathroom up, as it is unadorned, but gives me that twinkly look I was missing after my (many) trees came down (in fact, adding candles to some glass candlesticks brings some sparkle, too!). In the kitchen, the little frames that say Let It Snow remain on my open shelving and other wintry touches abound. (candle photo: Better homes andGardens.com)

An economical way to add some coziness and colour is of course plump pillows, soft throws, and textured lampshades. They are easy changes to make with the seasons and dress up the home nicely. Something I have done before is to go to a thrift store and purchase cream knit sweaters to place over the backs of my dining chairs as a slipcover of sorts. It adds to the wintry theme and certainly makes them more comfortable to lean up against. Now is also the time to gather up all your good reading material and place them in baskets near your favourite arm chairs and bedsides. What better time than winter to nestle in and read a good book or two?

I am probably in the minority, but I actually like winter! Of course I despise the truly frigid days and the icy sidewalks as much as the next person, but I also love coming inside from the cold, lighting my fireplace, putting on my "flannels" and watching the wind and snow swirl outside...knowing that we are warm and "tucked in" from the elements. In fact, winter is probably when I love my home the most. My house stays cleaner in the winter: no dusty little footprints marking up the carpet on my stairs, my cat's paws stay cleaner, and less dust blowing in from the new construction nearby! Yes, there are snowy boots, wet coats, and mittens...but I am fortunate enough to be able to contain them to my mudroom.

(hot water bottle: www.decorativecountryliving.com)

Decoratively speaking, winter is the time when projects around our house get tackled. For example, I am hoping to coax hubby into finally install the wainscotting in our home. I am so anxious to see it up and now is the perfect time to do it. Of course, he will likely disagree, but I've got to nab him before the many landscaping projects beckon him. Also, our daughter needs some organizational pieces designed for her room. Little girls come with so many accessories, that her room is starting to burst at the seams!! So, for me, winter is a time to nest...and enjoy my nest. You're in anyway, you might as well spend some of that time decorating!!

photos below: Pottery Barn.com and BetterHomes and Gardens