Thankful

 

Sometimes in life, it's hard to be thankful. 

It's really easy to look at all the things in your life you wish you could change.  Life is sometimes complicated, isn't it? Sometimes things don't work out the way you planned or dreamed or hoped.  Sometimes, life hands you lemons.

 

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving.  This year, I am thankful for a whole lot.  Of course, those who are dear to me are at the top of my list.  But I'm also going to be thankful for my mistakes.  My screw-ups, challenges, and dumb moves.  There are plenty of them to be thankful for, after all.

 

Those mistakes have brought our family to the place it is today.  They've placed us on the path to creating the life we really want to live and made us into the people we are today.  Maybe it hasn't been perfect but I certainly wouldn't trade the people I share my life with for anything. 

 

I am so thankful to have them.



 Count your blessings and have the happiest of Thanksgivings!

xo Meg

A Riot of Colour

If there's one thing Audrey is certain of, it's that she LOVES colour.  Lots of bright, happy colours.

When we created her room in our house, we went with her all time fave, turquoise.  I was trying to make her room fit the overall look of our 125 year old home.  But it wasn't polished and the scheme never came together the way I envisioned.  It wasn't really the fun, happy space she wanted.  You can see for yourself, above.

We've been looking at some ideas for her room in our new house.  And she's not kidding when she says she wants it to be colourful.  These rooms are her favourites.

Apartment Therapy

House & Home

Lucy & Company

You can find all these rooms on my Kids Rooms pinboard.

Here's the inspiration board for Audrey's new space:

I think you all know that I'm a little colour shy.  The walls of her room will be an off white to dial it down a bit.  As will the furniture, except for maybe the bed.  She's currently trying to convince me that a rainbow chevron wall is the way to go.  Yikes!  A riot of colour!

Nothing like pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.

xo Meg

Kitchen Inspiration Board

     I've been working on this for a while.  I would say that I absolutely know my kitchen style in theory.  In practice, however, I'm struggling.  Here's the thing:  I like a warm white kitchen, white subway tile and white shaker cabinetry.  Sounds pretty good, right?

   It also sounds like every other kitchen you see in blogs, magazines and on pinterest.  I have dozens of them pinned on my kitchen board.

  It's hard for me to reconcile the idea that these are the finishes I like and the idea that my kitchen would look the same as everyone else's.  Do you ever feel this way?  I love the inspiration I find in the blog world but I feel like there is a lot of repetition.  And I want my kitchen to be unique.

Below is my inspiration board so far.  I still need to decide on a few things.  Hardware needs to be chosen, possibly a fabric for the window to help add some personality to the space.

     I've been trying to come up with a couple of ways to make the kitchen feel more unique.  These ideas are at the bottom of the mood board I made for the project.  

1. Antique Corbels:  I was going to use these in Audrey's room but the scale wasn't right for the project we were thinking of.  Instead, we are planning to use them as decorative supports for the peninsula.

2. Tongue & Groove Ceiling:  To be painted out in white dove, like the cabinetry.  Adds a custom element.

3. Antique Bronze Shelving:  This is something Jay came up with.  He would like to hang the open shelving using antique bronze tubing like this. Our shelves will be thick and painted white.  This image is from The Brick House.  (I am still unsure if this is the route we will go.  Initially we planned to use simple thick white shelving with brackets and I go back and forth a bit)

4. Concrete Countertops:  Right now, we can't afford the marble I would really like to put in.  It's just not possible with our budget.  I was resigning myself to the idea of using a simple black laminate but then I saw this DIY tutorial and I'm thinking about trying it.

I'd love to hear what you think about the finishes we've chosen, and your ideas for injecting some personality into the space.

xo Meg

A Beach Cottage Beauty

Today, my home is covered in a thick layer of construction dust.  There's kitchen crap everywhere, since there isn't really anyplace to put anything.  And nobody made their bed this morning.

Ugh.  Instead of showing you the gruesome photos of that, I thought you'd rather check out this beauty:

These photos are by Sarah, of her home in Australia.  She writes the blog A Beach Cottage.  I highly recommend her home tour, since there are lots of really great before and after photos of all the hard work they've done.

There's something about the simplicity and functionality of her spaces that speaks to me.  Everything has a use and a place and her colour story is perfect.  She seems to be able to showcase the beauty in the everyday, mundane items we all live with, like a stack of white dinner plates, or a cup full of silverware.

Also, it sure doesn't look to me like there's a layer of construction dust all over her stuff anymore.  Bonus points for sure.  I'm wondering if it'll ever be clean in here again.

Happy Friday - enjoy your long weekend, Canadian friends!

xo Meg

Farmhouse Fantastic (Part 2)

Here are a few more photos from April's farmhouse.  I am so smitten with this beautiful project and how personally everything is decorated.  It's my new inspiration home!

Beyond that amazing door is a perfect mudroom and bathroom:

This is the dining room:  I love the curtain fabric.

Even I would enjoy laundry here:

Little landing desk nook:

My absolute favourite little girl's nursery, belonging to April's daughter:

Ok, so  now you know I'm obsessed with this house.  I just really love when someone is able to put together something this polished and amazing, without the help of a designer.  It seems like every piece in the home has been carefully selected and is meaningful to the family who lives there. I'm so inspired!  Love.

xo Meg

Note:  All this hard work is April's so if you'd like to pin some of the photos here, you should go to her blog to pin them directly from there.  You can also read about how she has transformed the tired farmhouse into something beautiful.

Farmhouse Fantastic Home Tour

I have a special treat for you this morning.  This is the home of April Foster, from the blog Goodbye City Life.  April isn't a designer or design blogger.  But she has managed to create a beautiful, relaxed, interesting home for her family.  This is one of my favourite living room spaces.

I love the barn board ceilings and the fresh green colour scheme April has chosen.  I love how the space is so open in this area.  It looks like it has great flow.  Stylish and comfortable. Here's what's on the other side of that fireplace:

And you know how I love a banquette?  Check this out:

(love)

This is the last one, and only because I'm more than a little obsessed with this sink. 

Photos and Design by April Foster here.

xo Meg

Grey and White

     The temperature here has been so moderate that we're seeing all the signs of spring in our garden.  I love the little crocuses and tulips that are beginning to show their pretty faces.  It has me plotting and planning for summertime.
     On our search for a new home, we're looking at properties that are outdated and, well, kind of unattractive. I don't want to say ugly...
     The exterior of these homes need lots of work.  I've always wanted a home with medium grey siding or shake and crisp white windows.  My family's lake house looked like this when I was a little girl and I've always been drawn to the look of that home.  I think it's my true North.

This style is exactly what I'm after.  love the siding colour, black french doors, crisp
trim and coach lights.  We're even looking at one property with a run down pool and
pool house with potential.

Such a pretty garden path.

I love the yellow door.  Such a welcoming entrance!

Happy Monday, everyone.  I hope you all survived the spring break!

xo Meg

images via pinterest

Mood Board Monday!

 I love a banquette.

 At restaurants, I always choose booth seating and I dream of having a built in banquette in my own home some day.  There is something about the casual, relaxed seating that encourages togetherness and conversation.  We never entertain formally and it would always feel right to sit with friends and family in a cozy banquette area.
  Here's the artwork, by Cori Dantini I chose to use as the inspiration for my cheery dining area:

I couldn't resist the juicy palate - I love the fresh spring green.  Here's how it turned out:

Sources:

Dining Table

Chairs

Chandy

Curtain Rod

Hutch (I would paint the inside of the shelves in kelly green)

Fabrics: Yellow Zigzag, Samoan Plantation in Sunstone, Green Geometric

Napkins, Glasses, Dishes

Linking up at Pewter and Sage!

xo Meg

Eye Candy

Wow, I have such a treat for you this morning.  This is one of the most creative, colourful -yet-neutral homes I've ever seen.  I just love it.   Take a look.

Symmetry, lines and simplicity.  

I love this furniture grouping.  I've never seen anything quite like this  before.

I don't even have words. This kitchen is just so perfect.

Poolside drinks, anyone?

This home is featured on the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles website.  Interior Design by Betty Burgess Design.  Architecture by Stanley Dixon.  All photos courtesy of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.