February 16, 2012

Sarah Richardson


Meet my favourite interior designer, Sarah Richardson.  She has been influencing my own design sensibility for 15 years.  Tonight I'm going to share images of her rooms - some of my favourites...


An office in one of her house makeovers - the red in this office is why I chose red for mine...


My favourite laundry room of all time - hands down!  This isn't a great picture but the glass tiles are gorgeous greens and yellows.

Beautiful view from Sarah's island cottage living room

Sarah and her gorgeous husband, Alexander


This is what Sarah was able to do with a pig sty  (above and below)!!!



I had this one as my screensaver for a while.  I just want to curl up here with a book and a cup of tea.

Such a cheerful bathroom in her farm house.

one of her signature kitchens

The island kitchen cottage

I love her use of 2 fabrics on one chair

beautiful nursery

the bunkie

incredible light fixture
...and this is where the magic happens, Sarah's office in downtown Toronto...


Julie

February 13, 2012

Vintage Values at Vinnie's


I've been shopping at Vinnie's again!  I got some great vintage finds at some really great prices...

A pretty silver candy dish that I'm going to use for a candle.

A sweet Foley tea cup circa 1930/40s

A ream of pure Irish linen
Crisp pink cotton edged pillowcases
Crisp white cases with pink hand tatted edging
 I really would like to put those pillowcases through the laundry and make up my bed with fresh crisp pretty linens.  Just think about all the time someone spent working on that lovely edging and then folded the pillowcases up in the closet.  I'm sure she thought they were too good to actually use them.  I can imagine I would have a really good sleep but I've decided to open an Etsy store next year and so I'm starting to stockpile some lovely vintage things to sell.  Oh well, back to the linen closet with these...

Julie

February 12, 2012

Vintage Tableclothes


I was sorting through drawers this week and pulled out all my vintage tablecloths and dresser scarves.  They were all freshly laundered and pressed this week - ready for the next party.  Some of them belonged to my Mom and the rest were given to me by my cousin before she passed away.  I know that some of them had belonged to her mother and she knew I liked old linens.


My favourites are the yellows and blues.  Some have holes worn in them and some have stains that won't come out but I couldn't love them any more if they were perfect.   They are a woven history of my family and tell the story of countless dinners. 


I can feel the warmth and the love in the snowy folds and the simple stitchwork...

A crisp dresser scarf that my mother bought in 1946.  We are using it in the guest room.

This is an idea I got from Claudia at http://www.mockingbirdhillcottage.com/ for protecting my sewing machine.  I've covered it with one of the dresser scarves too.

Julie

February 08, 2012

I fell in love at Vinnie's...


I was out for a drive today and stopped by Vinnie's (which is the thrift shop run by St Vincent de Paul - similar to Goodwill).  I needed to buy some little bowls to replace broken cat food dishes.  I asked how much one of the little bowls would cost and the answer was $25 - for the entire set you see here.  I couldn't say no to these cute dishes - I can see a homemade Chinese feast in my future.  My niece who likes to cook a lot of Asian dishes is going to be happy too as I plan on giving half of them to her (no cupboard space).  Score...

Julie

Basic Dining Room

Hi - I'm taking a break from the office and kitchen today.  I still have some minor projects to finish but I wanted to take a minute to show you pictures of my dining room.  When I originally moved into my house almost 12 years ago, I decorated the dining room (sorry no before pictures).  Very simply, I painted the walls a periwinkle blue, the trim was white and the blue toile drapes from the guest room were on the windows.  I had ceiling fixtures installed - there were no lights in this room???? 

It had been the living room for the previous owners but I switched the living and dining rooms.  The current living room is smaller and south facing - much cosier I thought.  The current dining room is north facing and the window opens to the street.  I thought it would be better to use as a dining room because you are almost always sitting here in the evening.  The view and lack of sunlight isn't an issue then.

Last year, the chandelier broke.  Crazy, eh!?   But it just fell apart and had to be replaced.  I bought the lovely capiz shell one (below).


Well one thing leads to another...and I repainted the walls and trim a lovely pale lilac called Juliet from Behr.  Probably not a colour you could get away with if you had a man living in the house.  My elderly mother really wasn't sure but she loves it now.  I hung new silk drapes in pale green and ivory.


We had a large mirror with a multi-level frame of mirrored panels - smoked, speckled, etc.  It was quite nice, extremely heavy but totally wrong for this new paint colour.  I decided to paint it antique silver (yes that is me taking the picture).


The view from the hallway to the front window.


The china cabinet...I'm going to make slipcovers for the ugly brown fake leather parsons chair

This is an ugly dusty rose wingback chair that needs replaced.  I have another, smaller chair to recover and put here.  The wingback will be slipcovered and sent to another room.  You can see my mom's old sewing cabinet here.  The top drawer is actually a swing out for spools of thread.  I'll add a photo sometime.  The picture was a wedding gift of hers so over 65 years old.  I've always been attracted to it - even though the subject is odd (cattle in tones of purple???).  
This table will be painted white or cream and maybe distressed?


Here's some plates I hung on the wall beside the china cabinet
I think the bare bones of this room are done but it needs some softening, some cosying up.  I'll show you pictures of what I do - once I figure it out!?!

Julie

February 05, 2012

Painted Cabinet

The highlight of this weekend's work was finishing the sewing supply cabinet tonight. It feels so nice to be done. I was originally thinking about distressing it (which was making it me a bit nervous).  However, during the last few days of sanding and touching up and getting the fretwork painted and installed, I have discovered that it is going to quickly "distress" itself so I'm leaving it alone - going to let the chips fall where they may ;)

Here are the pix...

Good Night

Julie

February 03, 2012

Jackpot!


My Mom was cleaning out a closet today and found a treasure trove - her old button box.  I remember this Black Magic chocolate box from my childhood.  When something wore out, all the buttons were meticulously clipped off and saved.  You never know when you might need a button!  Funny but back then, you got rid of clothes because they wore out - not because they "went out of fashion".  You got rid of  them because you grew out of them (because you were a child and then your younger sister/brother/cousin got them) - not because you "grew" out of them (lost or gained weight).

I spent the day cleaning and culling my bookcases in the office and folding fabric for storage in the sewing cupboard.  I am almost done the tidying and then I will post some pictures for you. All that's left is FUN!  Drapes and a bulletin board....

Well good night and sleep tight...I am sipping a hot chocolate (out of my special cup that is twice the size of  a regular one) and reading your blogs before lights out...


Julie

February 02, 2012

Saying Thank You with Sweeties

I've been off work sick for the last couple of months.  My friends at work have been so supportive and generous that I wanted to thank them.  A card wasn't enough - I needed something more tangible.  So I got out the food processor...


and the cheese grater....


and the Kitchenaid stand mixer...


to make some "sweeties" for their coffee break.  If you are interested in the recipes, check out my other blog.



Thank you....

Julie