weekend escape

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I’m thinking of planning a little winter weekend getaway for Myles and I. Just the two of us.

With sleep deprived days heading our way I think it would be a good idea for us to escape the hustle and bustle of our daily lives and just spend some time together.

Most people would probably escape to somewhere warm like Mexico or Florida but we’re not sun worshippers (or I should say Myles isn’t – that’s what you get for marrying a redhead). Truthfully, I’m perfectly happy to get find a snowy lodge somewhere, preferably a place with skiing nearby, and just hibernate for a few days.

Here’s a few things I wouldn’t mind doing on our weekend getaway:

- read more than one chapter in a book uninterrupted in front of a fireplace.
- buy a huge stack of magazines and just work my way through them.
- go for a long walk amongst snow covered trees maybe on snowshoes.
- take some long baths – yes, more than one!
- go out for dinner and not worry about getting home to relieve the babysitter.
- explore a town I’ve never been to before.
- sleep in and enjoy a leisurely breakfast with a paper.
 

Luckily, for us there are many places in Eastern Canada and the North Eastern States where this kind of trip is possible. I’d love to hear if you have any suggestions for places to go or things to do?

Image Credits:
1 – Tara Nearents
2 – Vanessa Rees
Posted by Emma on January 27, 2012 – 11:07 AM
Filed under on the road

material trends from ikea

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Every now and then I receive some wonderful new inspiration from Ikea. One of the trends they are following for 2012 is the pure simple aesthetics inspired by Japan, particularly as it relates to materials. Think: raw concrete, untreated wood, cast iron, woven banana fibers and light colours. I love the element of texture each of these materials brings to the home.  Feast your eyes on these beautiful images!

Image Credits:
1 – IKEA Livet Hemma
2-3 – Nina Broberg/IKEA Livet Hemma

 

Posted by Emma on January 25, 2012 – 9:31 AM
Filed under beautiful objects

bathrooms – white vs. colour

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Lately, I’ve been working on a few bathroom renovations for some of our clients. In fact, one house we are working on has a total of four bathrooms each of which is getting overhauled. There is a tendency for people to favour white washrooms over colourful ones. I guess it has to do with the notions of cleanliness and purity. However, injecting a little colour into your space is a great way to make it stand out. I often find smaller spaces such as bathrooms can carry bold colour in ways that a large room can’t. By the way, adding colour doesn’t mean having to decorating your space in rainbow hues! It can be as simple and elegant as adding some tone on tone variations or choosing materials such as wood to compliment the white fixtures in the space.

From left to right: New England Home, Apartment Therapy, Sunset, DesignSponge

It’s possible these days to find coloured bathroom suites in a range of styles and materials. Everything from black wall hung cabinets to light oak to zebra wood to more colourful components. Combining these basic elements with colourful wall and floor tile, vibrant towels and accessories and even interesting lighting can turn a bathroom into an energetic place to be.

From left to right: Houzz, Andrea Schumacher for Houzz, Houzz

Storage is another element we are always having to take into consideration. I haven’t met a client yet that doesn’t want to maximize their ability to put things away. The best way to increase your holding capacity is to add bathroom furniture storage that has lots of drawers, shelves and cabinets especially if your footprint is limited. If you’re lucky enough to have oodles of floor space than adding an entirely freestanding storage unit is the way to go. Think vertically! It’s often easier to go up with storage space in bathrooms than it is to go lengthwise.

If you’re in the middle of renovating your bathroom or thinking of taking on the challenge you might want to check out the bathrooms.com website. They have an amazing selection of fixtures, furniture and vanities that will get you started.

Are any of you in the middle of renovating a bathroom? Are you adding in colour or storage in an interesting way?

*post sponsored by bathrooms.com

 

Posted by Emma on January 24, 2012 – 9:10 AM
Filed under beautiful objects