The Holidays - 2013

Considering we are already well into November, I thought I'd share some of the holiday decor trends I've noticed for this year.  I have just finished the Junior League's Holiday House Tour in the Hamilton-Burlington area and I noticed a few elements repeated over and over:

Bright and Colourful

Even as you're out and about, you'll notice a lot of bright and saturated colours making an appearance in the form of ornaments, wreaths and even artificial trees.  This is an excellent way to add some fun colours that you likely couldn't live with all year round.  After all, the holidays are a great time of year to go that little bit over the top.

These decorations (from target. com) would be such a fun addition if you're thinking of being bright and colourful this year!

Rustic and Natural

I went to a lot of different retailers to look for holiday decor and I saw a lot of birch, burlap and woodland creatures, actually. It is such a warm look and, for the first time in a long time, illustrates a really masculine holiday look.  This look really elicits a cosy, rustic, winter feeling that you can carry throughout the entire season as opposed to just over the holidays. It really makes your decorating efforts that much more worthwhile. Here are some items that really show off this look (from urbanbarn.com) and are really on trend.

                                       

Vintage and Glam

This is more of a classic holiday look, with the absence of a lot of colour, and is so luxe and elegant. If you want to update your holiday look with just a few items this season, make sure they are mercury glass.  It is neither gold, nor silver, which makes it a perfect complement to your decor and you don't have to stress about matching metals.  As an aside, I would never advise you stress about matching metals. Now, back to the gorgeous vintage and glam holiday decor available this
year. (from potterybarn.com)

Whatever theme you choose to decorate with this year, and even if you don't choose a specific theme, but use all of the beautiful, sentimental things you've acquired over the years, I hope you are able to take the time to enjoy adding some holiday fun to your decor!

You Want to Hang That Where??

One of the advantages of the new-build open concept homes of the last decade or so are the huge windows.  My dad even once joked that our home builder should open a window cleaning business on the side and he'd always be in business.  If I had to name a downside to all of the lovely, daylight-flooding windows, it would be the lack of wall space.  I love artwork, more so, personal artwork and hanging meaningful photographs.  It's one of the things that make a house feel like a home.

Therefore, I feel like it's OK to be creative with your art and photo hanging. One place most people don't think about for artwork is in the kitchen.  I think it's lovely to lean a piece of art against the backsplash, away from the cooking area, if possible.  Another advantage to this type of casual artwork is that it's very easy to change up.  No nail holes to fill and always an opportunity for a little decor inspiration in a room in which you likely spend a lot of family time.

Another of my favourite spots to hang a little art is in the bathroom.  Not on the walls, however, I'm talking about the mirror.  This is an especially effective plan if you've got one of those wall to wall builder mirrors. It's a cool, little way to customize the mirror and to add some interest.  I hung this piece with some double-sided tape.  It's something fun to look at in the morning and it breaks up the vast expanse of mirror.

Finally, I've taken advantage of the space around the door frame leading into my Home Office.  We have fairly high ceilings on the main floor and I felt that this space was wasted.  I want you to note that some of the 'artwork' included in this layout is very inexpensive.  In fact, they are photos from magazines that I like and that inspire me.  They could be photographs you've taken yourself, such as landscapes and architecture.  They could be interesting images that are readily available, such as city and subway maps, or anything else you enjoy looking at.

I would always suggest being creative in your home and in your decor selections.  Your art and it's placement are no exception!

Planning Your Outdoor Space

A successful outdoor space starts from the same place as a successful interior - a carefully considered floor plan.  If you're not sure where to begin, it's always fun to browse the bookstore for a few landscape magazines to get an idea of your style and the look you're after.

Once you've clipped a few pages, decide on how you want the space to function and think about dividing the space into zones.  I think you should consider room for at least entertaining, dining, relaxing and a spot for the kids.  You don't need a ginormous backyard to achieve this, you just have to be clever about the style of hardscapes you use and the furniture you buy to complete the look.

The advice I'd like to give when determining a layout is to try not to jam all of the seating areas up against the back of the house.  Use the room you have and create walkways to the lounging and entertaining area.  Even if it's not a long walk, it feels better if you've got some perspective and are sitting at least a little way away form your back door.   This will also ensure a beautiful view from inside your house.  Think about what part of the backyard you're looking at from your Great Room or Kitchen.  You don't want to look out the windows straight into your garden shed.

After you've decided on the general layout and the hard work has been done, it's time to consider plantings.  My best advice is to be honest with yourself in terms of maintenance.  Sure, everyone would love a lush garden but what's your commitment like when you have to dig up bulbs before the first frost.  Not for me, thank you very much!  Think about these things and do your research.

Our summer is relatively short, but a fun-filled trip to Puerto Backyarda every weekend is totally possible. Enjoy your outdoor space and give it as much decor love as the inside of your home.

Use Your Closet for Decor Inspiration

Here's my weekly decor tip.  Look in your closet.  Go now and have a look!  What colour is your favourite item of clothing?  Is it black, brown, beige or grey?  Then, perhaps a neutral, neat, crisp decor scheme suits your style.

This interior is Classic Brian Gluckstein from House and Home.com

Do you have a closet full of pretty pastels and soft shades?  Then, perhaps you want to use a nice watery blue or pale green as your wall colour.

Sarah Richardson always does a magnificent job of using these colours.


Alternatively, are your clothes bright and colourful?  Then, by all means make sure your rooms and accessories reflect the bold, vivid shades that make you feel great.

Photo from House of Fraser Decor.


 If your home reflects your personality, you'll always feel good in your space!

New Feature!!! Weekly Tips and Tricks!

I was thinking that I have a lot of little insider tips and tricks locked up in my brain, and I wanted to find a way to share them.  I will be using FunHouse to pass them on to you! Let's get started right now!

Considering the calendar tells us we are in the Spring season, this little idea will have an outdoor decor focus: Definitely include artwork in your outdoor decorating scheme.  Hang a mirror or artwork on the fence next to your dining or seating area.  Scour thrift shops or flea markets for mirrors or artwork that isn't too precious.  It will elevate your outdoor dining and living experience.

Image from http://www.styleathome.com.

Don't Apologize, Change it Up!

How many times have you prepped, planned and primped for guests?  You've chosen a menu, shopped for groceries and table decor, cleaned the house to within an inch of it's life, and threatened your children with bodily harm if they touch anything, in preparation for a dinner party?  Then, the candles are lit, the wine is decanted, the appetizers are hot and the first thing you say to your company is, "please, don't look in my office, it's not finished" as you walk past the doorway.  Or, "don't mind the kids' toys, we don't have enough storage yet." What I'm saying is that the first thing you do, is point out what you consider to be the flaws of your home.  We all do it.

I would like you to stop doing it, though.

We all have sorry areas of our homes that we either haven't had time to address or we simply don't have the money to fix right now.  That's kind of the point, we all have them.  How many people do you know who live in a model home or have a kitchen out of a decor magazine photo spread?  If only....

Now that the calendar has ticked over to a new year, and we've already broken our resolutions, add a new resolution to your list. Resolve to improve, even in a small way, the parts of your home you apologize for.  If your kids toys are taking over what should be an adult space, buy some covered storage ottomans ($12.99 right now at HomeSense) and put a lid on the toys.  If your office hasn't been decorated yet, either close the door when guests come over or buy colourful boxes and hide your un-filed bills and statements until you have a chance to look at them.  Even better, buy a gallon of paint and for about $50 you can put a new, fresh colour on the walls and make that office space a feature instead of a flaw.

The orange boxes on top of these filing cabinets contain credit card statements and receipts from 2008, the last time I was organized, but I still think the office looks guest-worthy!

I know houses are expensive and decorating them even more so, but like everything else in life, take small bites and accept what you can't change right now.  And, try your best be proud of your home.  It's by far your biggest investment, so make the most of it and if you can't, call me!

Pretty and Functional Kitchen Displays

I think it's pretty common knowledge that kitchens are the hub of the home and play a fairly big role in the overall impression your home gives. Almost any guest that comes to your home, will probably spend at least a little time in your kitchen. It doesn't really matter what style of kitchen you have, it would be a shame to have one of the show pieces of your home cluttered up with items that aren't very attractive.  I am talking, of course, about the dreaded cereal boxes, spice racks, and dog food bags that are necessary parts of everyday life.

My advice would be to invest in some inexpensive, but really attractive storage canisters.  Even if you find large glass jars, available at most dollar stores, you can keep cereal right on the counter without looking at Mr. Miniwheat every morning. Another plus to glass storage containers is that you will be able to see when you are running out of certain items. If you're a baker, large glass jars are ideal for storing bags of flour or sugar.  It's simple and beautiful. A series of three pieces in the same colour is very pleasing visually as well.

You can also use colourful vases to corral spatulas, wooden spoons, and other cooking implements.   You can keep the vase right next to your stove and keep your tools close at hand.  If you get a vase in a trendy colour, you've given your kitchen an instant update for a few dollars.

A final thought are more whimsical items.  Think about cookie jars in a favourite character or a container with dogs on it to house your dog treats, for instance.

The whole idea is that everybody's kitchen is full of stuff but it can be contained and it can be attractive.  Spend a little bit of time thinking about what you need to store and if you need to regularly and easily access these items.  If so, take this knowledge with you to your local Wal-Mart or HomesSense and have a look for canisters, jars, or containers you think are attractive and would 'go' with your current kitchen decor.  Look at items that are intended for other uses and you might surprise yourself.