Archive for the ‘inspiration’ Category

the inspiration files: sliding barn doors

Friday, May 3rd, 2013

Happy Friday, guys! Thought I would do a little roundup of a trend that I am totally in love with today. There is nowhere in our little pad where I could squeeze one of these in, but one day (maybe if/when we put a second storey on our house?), I would love, love, love to install one of these.

Sliding barn-style doors. Rustic, a bit industrial, and totally a feature in any room. What do you think?

I love the rustic wood style – especially when contrasted with a nice, crisp white room. The juxtoposition of rustic + clean/modern is one of my fave looks.

barn-door-brooklyn-home-company

via source

This big black one also looks amazing. I think what’s really nice about it are the window panels up top, making it feel not too heavy. Again, see how lovely it looks next to the almost all-white room?

700_ulysses-hair-salon-by-patrick-davis-design

via source

These painted white doors have a bit more of a country house feeling about them. Kinda Cape Cod-ish, don’t you think?

barn-door-mill-valley-bedroom-artistic-designs

 via source

Barn Door Open

via source

As a door to a bathroom ensuite, or a door between say a living space and an office, I think these are totally stellar.

barn-door-seesaw-cafe-large via source

Here is a happy yellow version one of my fave bloggers – Dana from House*Tweaking – did in her old pad. Isn’t it sweet?

barn-door-1 via source

If you’re DIY’ing one like Dana did, you can check out ‘Barn Door Hardware‘ out of California that have tons in the way of supplies needed to install your door, including rolling rolling door hardware.

What do you guys think? Loving this look as much as I am? Ever thought of DIY’ing one yourself? Would you go painted or for a natural, rustic vibe? Have a great weekend, friends!! 

**Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Barn Door Hardware, but love of this trend is all me!** 

reduce, re-use, recycle

Friday, January 25th, 2013

A friend forwarded me an email recently with all kinds of examples of stuff being re-used for new purposes. Of course we see examples of upcycling on blogs and pinterest all the time, but a few of these struck me as being pretty fun and original! Here are a few of my faves for your Friday reading pleasure.

This bike-in-the-bathroom is amazeballs. I’m sooo in love and can picture it in a fab apartment in Paris or something. Dreamy.

ATT00019

 

via Benjamin Bullins

Got a chair with wobbly or broken legs? Saw off the seat and use it as a towel rack. Has a cute country vibe.

ATT00034

 

via BHG

A clawfoot tub turned sofa? Not sure how comfortable it would be to lounge it, but the idea is pretty stellar.

ATT00037

 

via Reestore

If you have a sporty room, these vintage tennis rackets turned into mirrors are so clever.

ATT00070

 

via Country Living

I love the look of these bended wrenches. Would be great to have 5 or 6 lined up on a piece of barnboard as a coat/hat rack.

ATT00082

 

originally via this etsy shop, but listing has expired

We have a few drawers in our office that are just full of cables. Winding them into old CD/DVD racks makes a whole lot of sense. Probably better for the cables, too.

ATT00085

 

via Reddit user ‘Crath’

I’m all for DIY’ing light fixtures. These ones have used cool vases, buckets, bowls, mugs, and strainers. You just need a light kit and probably a drill. Fun, fun!

ATT00088

 

top right photo via Jerry Kott lights, others unknown or expired 

Got any ingenious ideas of your own? Ever tried any of these before? In other news, you guys up to anything fun this weekend? We have a few dinners with family and friends happening, a bit of house project doing (will let you in on that next week!), and going to see a  play on Sunday. TGIF!

the inspiration files: winterizing

Wednesday, November 21st, 2012

With the weather starting to get frosty and December right around the corner, my mind is wandering towards cozy and warm winter decorating. Over this next season, we spend so much time indoors (at least we do here in Ontario!), so it’s nice to have a welcoming and snuggly pad to come home to. My favourite things to do at this time of year are to pile on the knit throws and pillows (it’s all about layers and textures!), add in lots of candles, and inject some warmer colours like burnt orange, deep reds, or gold tones. It’s also nice to bring in some greenery and natural elements to up the rustic factor.

Here are some pretty dreamy spaces I have been spotting lately on Pinterest

Source: ecosalon.com via gemma on Pinterest

Source: google.nl via gemma on Pinterest

Do you sort of want to go grab a cuppa tea, a throw blanket, and cozy up for a movie or with a book right now like I do? Do you change up your decor at this time of year? Have any winter decorating tips or tricks of your own? Do you like the white-on-white look, or do you like to add in other colours?

the inspiration files: bluboho, oakville

Monday, November 19th, 2012

So the other weekend when I met sherry & john in Toronto (you can read about that here), I had a great couple of days in Oakville with one of my BFFs, Jenn. We had some fabulous meals and browsed around the little shops on the main street. Jenn (who has known me since high school), casually mentioned that she had to take me into Bluboho — a boutique jewellery shop. As much as I love jewellery, I was a little stumped as I wasn’t really in the market to be buying any new bobbles. But as soon as I took a peek inside the window, I couldn’t wait to get inside.

Seriously, how cute is this shop? I was totally giddy. Too many sweet things to look at all at once. It was a beautiful mixture of vintage finds, crafty things, lovely pieces of furniture, and beautiful jewellery.

Did you spot this DIY light fixture at the cash? I have seen these on Pinterest, but never one in person. It was gorgeous! Rustic wood + mason jars = my jam.

It was all in the details at this shop. Everything had been done thoughtfully and it was just pretty. So pretty. I totally felt like I had found my people.

Rustic wood crates, blue mason jars, simple but stunning flowers, and a vintage mint mirror? Come to mama.

There were so many vignettes around the shop, that even though it was quite small, it took a while just to take it all in.

I loved that they had taken old finds (like that door, wheel, and table in the photo below) and used such fun, bright and eclectic colours to paint them.

And did you notice that whale? This guy was made entirely out of recycled leather. Amazing, right? He reminds me a little of the watercolour whale from my etsy shop!

This old black and white photo in the mason jar was so sweet. It would make a great display piece on a mantel, a shelf, or even at a wedding (old photos of your parents and grandparents on their wedding day). I was smitten.

They also had vintage honey tins dotted around the shop (you can see one in right side of the photo below, and on the left in the photo above). I have picked up a few of these over the last few months – they usually have some great graphics, fun colours, and sweet typography.

And let’s not forget the jewellery. It was gorge. I was dying over the gold ‘love’ necklace on the rock in the photo below, that silver skull necklace, and the turquoise ring (in the second photo down).

Check out more from Blu Boho here. They ship to Canada and the US. And if you’re in the Oakville area, you have to pop in!

Have you guys ever stumbled upon a shop that felt like it could have been your own? I felt like all of the sweet touches in bluboho were so up my alley. Like finding my dream shop soulmates.  Haha. I can’t wait to get back there (and save my pennies to buy a piece of jewellery next time!).

** In case you’re wondering, this post was in no way sponsored by BluBoho. I just fell hard for their shop! **

the inspiration files: library card catalogues

Monday, September 17th, 2012

One thing I always look out for when I’m thrifting/flea market’ing is an old library card catalogue. Any size, any condition. I looooovvvee them. They have those little drawers, perfect for storage all sorts of treasures, history behind each piece, and an endless number of ways you can use them. One of my absolutely favourite spots when the hubs and I lived in London was this coffee shop/bakery that was housed in an old apothecary shop. It had exposed brick walls and small built-in wooden drawers that went all the way up one of the walls (up to the second level). I imagined all of the herbs and medicines and other potions that would have been stored in those drawers so many years ago. I’m not saying I’d want to live in an apothecary shop (though it sounds kinda cool, right?), but a big old library card catalogue has the same kind of appeal to me.

Check out these library card catalogues that have been re-purposed in people’s pads (found on Pinterest). I love the look of the old, worn guys, but am also digging the painted, modern versions.

Source: etsy.com via Carrie on Pinterest

What do you think? Gonna start looking out for a card catalogue when you’re out thrifting now? Ever actually found one? Ooooh I would be so jealous. Do you have specific items you always look out for when you’re thrifting? 

a long weekend in Boston

Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

Surprise! We just got back from a fabulous extra long-weekend in Boston. It was great. Full of sight-seeing, eating, walking around, and just enjoying the city (and some of the small towns outside of the city too). It was my Mum’s birthday, so this was a ma + pa + daniel + gemma getaway.

I’ll get to the details of what we did, what we saw, favourite spots, and tons of photos in the next week or so, but in the meantime I couldn’t help but snap some photos of the houses around Boston. These Colonial beauties with shutters and colourful doors had me totally swooning. This first one actually happens to belong to some family members of Dan’s, who we stayed with for a night. Gorgeous, right?

These others were from me snapping away like a paparazzi as we walked through various neighbourhoods.

These classic black shutters have kicked me into gear to get some onto our pad (I realize that one set of shutters on a little brick bungalow isn’t going to have quite the same effect… but a girl can try!).

The houses came in various colours – Lots of butter yellow, white, and different greys. I was ga-ga over the putty grey ones with a bright door (no surprise there!!). Do you have a favourite colour?

So pretty, right? Are you digging these classic pads like I am? I was pretty tempted to pick up and move to Boston right then and there.

Do you have any favourite house or door colours? Are you into this style of house, or do you prefer Craftsman, Georgian, Ranch, Tudor, or other styles better?  I’m a sucker for anything with a healthy dose of character and charm.

IKEA hacks: a round up

Thursday, August 30th, 2012

So with zero time to take any half-decent photos of my IKEA goods (+ the subsequent room re-arranging) that I brought home the other night, and a bunch of projects that are half-way finished, I’m left without much to post about today. I have no free time over the next few days to get my act together, so a full update and photos of all of my living and dining room tweaking is just going to have to wait until next week. This is a “bag blogger who doesn’t have any pre-written posts for when life gets crazy and there is no time” moment. Whoops.

Anyway I was sort of on an IKEA theme yesterday and popped on over to Pinterest just now and found a bunch of fun new IKEA hacks that I hadn’t seen before. Don’t you just love these? They are a great way to add a personal touch and make the piece your own (which is especially great with IKEA stuff that so many people have).

This asian-inspired hack from Design Manifesto. Love the black laquer look with the gold hardware. So swank.

I’m dying over this metal chandelier. So gorgeous. From Ikea Hackers.

Making over Mr. Karlstad into a mid-century dude. Love that tufting. From Our Mid Century.

This fun super graphic orange painted rug. I have yet to try this painted rug thing, but people all over blog-land have been doing it and they look great. Spotted on Charm Home Design.

I’m digging this Restoration Hardware inspired rope mirror. So chic and looks great against the blue (sort of a nautical theme going on there). Seen on Apartment Therapy.

This kid’s dresser is darling. Those numbered drawers in a vintage-y typography totally float my boat. From IKEA Hackers.

This rustic kitchen cart looks like it’s a real-deal vintage piece. Can’t believe it started out as that knotty pine. Check it out on Apartment Therapy.

Aren’t people creative? I love what people dream up and do with those IKEA pieces. Got any favourites of your own? Done any hacking yourself?

I’ll be back next week with the scoop on my new purchases and a look at our ever-evolving living and dining rooms. Have a fab long weekend, guys!! XO.

a trip to IKEA

Wednesday, August 29th, 2012

The other day I came home to a nice thick new IKEA catalogue sitting on our front steps. Wahoo! I quickly took a seat and cracked open that bad boy. Did I mention how much I love getting the new catalogues each year? Ooooh it’s just the best.

Once I had gazed through all the pretty pics and dog-eared my fave new things, I started working on the hubby to go out for a little shopping trip. He’s pretty great, but strolling slowwwwly around IKEA with his lady-love doesn’t rank super high on his list of favourite things to do. Anyway, he gave in the other night, so we popped over, grabbed an ice cream, and oogled at all the new pretty stuff. Of course I snapped some pics along the way (pardon the crappy resolution – they are phone pics).

I could happily work everyday in this white and bright office space. I was totally digging the white and black with pops of red.

This dark and moody dining room was pretty alluring. Those glossy gray pendants were gorge.

Speaking of lighting, they have a bunch of new pendants – some in really modern shapes and with uber bright colours. Fun, fun!

I love a good pendant.

I had a total crush on these woven basket-type lights. I loved the grouping of three above the table – these would be great in a room with a casual beach house feel and would add a ton of texture.

Quite a few of their pieces seemed to have this cool ethnic vibe going on. Don’t you love that rug and those black and white pillows? I do.

These teal and green guys had a similar pattern as the black and white ones above, but then when they are reversed you get that little bird surprise. Cute, eh?

This flower pillow also caught my eye – I was digging the colours and quirky flower design.

The quintessential Poang chair has a new cover option, which I thought would be great in a kid’s room. I really like the fun woodsy graphic.

The black and white room setup was seriously swank. I’m usual all about colour, but the mixture of textiles and patterns here make the space feel warm and complete.

And that rug? To. Die. For. Seriously, I really want it. I don’t have a clue where I could use it (it’s available in a square size instead of the usual 5×8)… but I’m working on it. The teal and green trim detail is the icing on the cake. Loooooove it.

The same rug is also available in a browns combo (not as fabulous in my opinion, but may work better in some spaces).

The pinks in this small rug also caught my eye. So pretty.

The Vittsjo series has a couple of really great pieces. These shelving units are available in various sizes and combinations. They have really simple lines and could easily be spray-painted if you wanted to amp up the look (I’m thinking an emerald green or gold would be totally fab).

The desk is also so great. It’s small with a little ledge for your laptop, so could easily be tucked into the corner of a living room or multi-purpose room.

There were a few nice new curtain options and fabrics. The problem is I always want to buy tons of fabric but haven’t actually figured out how to sew yet. Need to sort that one out stat.

I don’t always love the IKEA artwork options since a lot of people end up with the same pieces in their houses, but this vintage-inspired butterfly print is too sweet not to share. It would look great in just about any space.

IKEA is always a great place to pick up vases and plant pots. They are reasonably priced and there are tons of great colourful options, like these guys below.

And lastly I thought these new plant tables were fun and different. Kinda funky, right?

There were definitely more than a few items that ended up in our cart, so stay tuned to find out which goodies we brought home! I’ve been doing some mad tweaking of our living room lately, so I’ll get you caught up on all of my recent changes soon.

Have you guys been to IKEA lately? Loving any of their new products? Do you have an all-time favourite IKEA product? I would say ours is a tie between our Karlstad sofa and the Ribba frames which we use for all of the artwork in our pad. Do any of you make an ice cream cone a mandatory part of your IKEA shopping experience, or is that just us? Ha ha!

an antler idea

Monday, August 27th, 2012

My mum used to do field work up in Northern Canada, and on one of her trips she came across two sets of discarded antlers, which she trucked back to Ontario with her. For years they had been hanging on a tree outside of our cottage, until a few months ago when I suggested we take them down and do something with them. Have you started to notice antlers becoming super trendy in home decor lately? I definitely have. We’re still debating whether we want to white-wash them (they have weathered to a grey colour over the years), paint them, mount them to a board or some sort, or what. I’ll definitely keep you posted on what we end up doing.

For now I have been gathering inspiration. Here are a few of my faves that I have spotted on Pinterest.

Source: tumblr.com via gemma on Pinterest

Source: tumblr.com via gemma on Pinterest

Source: lonnymag.com via gemma on Pinterest

What about you guys? Into the antlers, or not so much? I think they have such interesting angles and are so beautiful. Got any in your room? Ever painted any? I wanna hear about it! 

the inspiration files: backyard envy

Friday, July 13th, 2012

With this hot summer of ours, and the lack of air conditioning in our pad, DIY Dan and I have been spending more and more time outside in our backyard. We have been working on some updates to our front garden (more deets on those soon, I promise!), but we haven’t really had the time or money to do anything with our backyard yet. It’s just a big patch of grass, which means we’re starting with a blank canvas. We had hoped to build a deck this summer, but with very few free weekends and our garage roof to do, I’m not sure when we will really get to it. Even if it’s not until September, I’m hoping we can bang it out so that it’s all set to go for next summer.

In the meantime, while I wait, I’ve been doing my usual thing of gathering inspiration. Here’s what I have been pinning on Pinterest lately.

Source: decorpad.com via gemma on Pinterest

Source: diynetwork.com via gemma on Pinterest

Source: poppaganda.net via gemma on Pinterest

Source: bbc.com via gemma on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via gemma on Pinterest

What do you guys think? I’m hoping to build a deck big enough to have a lounge space and a dining space. Do you guys have a backyard that works really well? Have any tips or tricks you want to share? Built a deck or patio recently? I’m all ears!

Speaking of the outdoors, we’re planning on spending some good quality lake time this weekend! Hope you have some fun plans, too. Have a good one!