currently coveting

These colourful rugs from Elte spotted at IDS12.  Love.  For more, check our Elte.com

bruna's baby's nursery

My friend Bruna and her husband are expecting their first bundle of joy in April and have asked me to help with the nursery.  We have a fun scheme of stripes, greys, whites and some colour to create a not-so-baby-room for the new arrival.  It's a small room, but already is looking twice the size thanks to the stripes on the two side walls.  Stay tuned as we furnish the space!

thrifty finds

My thrift store shopping boasted a few goodies for my apartment.

Retro pottery with a great bird & leaf design was a steal at $0.50 and holds a myriad of balms on my nightstand.

This $5 lamp base was paired with a simple $10 white drum shade from Walmart for a great looking piece in the living room.

A $4 silver tray (although slightly damaged) holds my sunglasses on the credenza.

a new old desk

When my dad was in highschool he made a drafting desk in woodshop - a flip top desk on an x base that resided in our utility room when we were kids and which has spent the last 10 years in storage in our shed.  So I brought it back with me for use in my apartment. 

The desk now occupies and unused corner of the living room which once held an ottoman that I've repurposed in the bedroom.  The space is just right for it - small and tucked away from the main sightline when you enter the apartment.

It's perfect to hold my current reading and upcoming projects and all my craft supplies are housed within.  I was also able to hang my grandparent's trader blanket off the rear rail.  Although I was originally thinking of painting out the top of the desk - I've decided that the patina'd masonite top is just right for my space.

holidays 2011-2012

Happy New Year everyone and I hope you all had a wonderful holiday.  I was spoiled with 2 weeks away from work and spent it with family, friends, doing a little bit of travelling to small towns in southwestern Ontario, relaxing and eating.  Here are some of the highlights from my holiday.

Said goodbye to the two build projects I'm PM'ing...

in favour of open skies and open fields.

The holidays are so much more enjoyable with a little one around.

Relaxed with Lucy.

Did some antique shopping

Experimented with some festive nails

And enjoyed the first official snow fall. 

How were your holidays?

the case of the navy door

Last week, I uploaded this blog post.

The next day I received an email asking why I have one door that is a different colour than the rest [see below].  Was it like that when I got the apartment?  Did I run out of paint? Did I do it on purpose?

The answer: I did it on purpose.  It's the bathroom door.  At the end of my hallway I have a total of 5 doors in a very tight space. 

When I give people directions to the bathroom it's easier just to say "It's the navy door" rather than "The end of the hall" or "The last door on your right".  This way, they don't end up out in the hallway, in the bedroom or in one of the two closets that have become one of "those closets" that is piled high with junk.

Case closed.

basic wood panelling

Never looked so good.  Plywood and stained stock lumber - from RedOnline.

terrace dreams

We've been pummeled here in Toronto with almost two weeks of rain - you'd almost think we were in England.  I don't mind the rain so much, and would mind it even less if I had this wonderful terrace to sit out in and listen to the rain fall.

Have we all noticed the decidedly "global" trend I've been on lately.  I'm not sure if it's due to my longing for warmer weather and a more relaxed atmosphere, whatever the reasoning - I currently can't get enough of it.

african baskets

A carry over from yesterday's African architecture, I love this wall of tribal baskets spotted on the Contemporist.

chevron vs herringbone vs parquet

I have to say - I'm leaning towards Chevron, but I'm torn.  Are you Team Chevron, Team Herringbone or Team Parquet?

CHEVRON

HERRINGBONE

PARQUET