chalking the holidays out

Unfortunately, my mom and the Grinch have one thing in common, they both hate Christmas. You know at the end, when the Grinch’s heart grows 3 sizes bigger and he becomes a wonderful and loving person and he finds out that he ADORES Christmas? Yeah, we’re still waiting on that last part. Not that my mom has a proverbial small heart or is a grinchy kind of person by any stretch of the imagination. She’s very loving and generous and all those good things, but she HATES Christmas!


I know. It’s weird, right?

{via here}

So when I saw this Christmas tree, I instantly thought of my mom. It’s not just perfect for her, it’s also "chalk" full of originality (yes, I'm a little bit of a nerd). She doesn't have to go through the hassle of putting the hated tree up and decorating it and there's minimal mess.

what's not to love?

My parent's dining room looks nothing like this, but for some reason, this space reminds me of Christmas/Thanksgiving supper with family; it's partly that and partly the multiple windows, the creative mix of contemporary and classic chandeliers, the ledge/bookshelf under the windows andthe mismatched chairs -and let's not forget the bean bag in the corner - that made me fall in love with this room!



{found on apartment therapy}



nook for me

A breakfast nook, a reading nook, a nap nook, don’t they all sound wonderfully cozy? I think I’d even consider hanging out in an Ebola nook.

As I might have mentioned, I like feeling closed in when I’m lounging.

The word nook holds such cosiness, such hominess, such warmth. And while I want wide open rooms, loft-type spaces, I need a nook; somewhere where I can be alone, burrow in with a book, some music, my laptop, my favourite blanket and a cup of something warm. I’m no hermit, but I do enjoy being alone sometimes. What better place is there when all you want to do is turn your thoughts inward?

 



{this is needs some colour!
forget silver,
i want to see some vibrant oranges and electric blues!}



 





{too whimsical?
i'd also gladly take that view with my nook}



{rustic!}



{sumptuous}



{a little bare - give me five minutes with
this space and it'll be cluttersville!}



And my all time favourite nook EVER! The books, the mezzanine, the painted brick wall...the columns! God! this room has it all. My new sole purpose in life: making a room like this!




orange and aqua

Sometimes it's just worth being straightforward with a title. I'm kinda loving the mix of these two colours. Together, they remind me of a very cool, almost tacky, definitely kitsch kitchen from the 70s... or would it be the 60s? 50s?
Don't judge, it's hard to keep track of what was in when when you didn't exists at the time.

{inspiration via this post by sfgirlbybay}

you're never too young for a poster

My parents wouldn't be caught dead with a poster in their home. Luckily, my generation is much more liberal and open-minded about their artwork. I am not among those who believe posters are for angsty teenagers.
Although, I don't think many angsty teenagers have these kinds of posters decorating their walls. Nonetheless, I love them! Brought to you by Seattle Show Posters.
And these are just the posters from their art print section, there's loads more to peruse. Granted, the prints are sometimes repeated, but with some extra detailing, but that wouldn't stop me from being hard-pressed to pick just one.

oh, and one more thing

I want this kitchen, right here, right now. I adore all the white with the pops of colour. It's so refreshing.

No amount of sweltering heat will divert my mind away from that simple truth.

unwind

I've suddenly become utterly obsessed with Muskoka chairs, or Adirondack chairs - whichever you prefer, same thing, anyway.

They remind me of calm beaches, quaint porches and breezy summer nights.
I love the sense of serenity this picture evokes. I'd love to be sitting in one of those chairs with a fruity drink and a good book.

But I'd also settle this lovely house with its equally lovely porch - although, I don't know if I'm sold on the yellow...

The only thing missing here? My chairs, of course.

Just mentally add one picture to the other and you pretty damn close to my dream home. One version of it, anyway.

office space

I'm finding it ridiculously difficult to sit at my computer desk; my theory is that our office is too dark and my desk area is too cramped.
The mess of wires that go to and fro my laptop make it quite a challenge to turn my work space into the place I need to love, considering all the time I can spend in it.
Let me tell you, typing on this battered old couch just ain't cutting it.
If I could manage something that remotely looks reminiscent of these, I might be happy

From the looks of it, I should start by painting the room white...

can i live here? (the less virtual version)

So you guys know which website I want to live in (sfgirlbybay), and now I've found the store I would like to call home.
This may be old news for most of you, but Pottery Barn is awesome. Everything is so spend-all-my-savings, max-out-my-credit-card worthy. Well ok, everything may be too strong a word - I like a mix of styles - but there are some things that I just adore!
On my little jaunt to Toronto I came across a Pottery Barn, which are desperately lacking in Quebec, and I fell in love with this duvet cover. It's thick, heavy and rough, which might not seem to add up to a great duvet cover, but I think it looks incredibly comfy-cozy!

Is it wrong that I want to get engaged just so I can register at Pottery Barn and add this to my list?
Don't worry, I wouldn't just add that to my list. There are a great many other things I would love to own.

These great "drink dispensers" have the advantage of not only being a fun summer... umm... accessory, but they would be totally useful at my rustic yet elegant wedding I plan on having sometime during this lifetime.

...sigh

inspiration for the artistically challenged

This quilt makes me want to run to an arts & crafts store and spend all my money on paint, brushes, easels and everything else one needs to be an artist... if only artistic talent could be purchased, I'd be all set.

{via anthropologie}

i like it crowded

I have this incessant need to fill spaces. If there's an empty spot in the apartment, I put something there. While I love the minimalist approach to decorating, I'm finding out that I can't do it. It just isn't in my genetic code.
And I'm starting to wonder why I feel this is such a bad thing. I love my apartment in all its cluttered glory! So I am embrassing my rat pack ways. No more denying myself the need to fill in empty spaces!
What brought on this sudden revelation, you ask? This brilliant little balcony featured on apartment therapy.

I just love how cozy it is.

And don't even get me started on the whimsical mini paper lanterns.

My balcony is shockingly big for an apartment. I absolutely love it, but sometimes it feels so vast, like they're needs to be more on it. Some plants, a little breakfast table, maybe a fire pit... am I getting carried away?
One thing's for sure, you can never have to many twinkle lights, candles or paper lanterns. Or tiki torches... don't forget the tiki torches.

the gift of foresight

I was thinking yesterday how it might be fun to try making a terrarium. I have all these glass containers that are just lying around the house, might as well put one to good use.
So I googled diy terrariums and found some tips and tricks. There are some really pretty ones out there. I especially like the ones with succulents.

{via adelaide's events}

{via studio g}

{via nadia knows gardens}

So just as I was debating if which glass container would house my little "plant experiment" while browsing my daily blogroll, I came across a post on terrariums on design*sponge! Apparently, the very thing that I had begun to randomly contemplate yesterday was featured in the New York Times. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, terrariums are making a comeback!

You may think this is all just coincidence, but I say it's foresight. I knew I had a super power!