Vera Wang

Oh Vera... how do you know exactly what I'm dreaming of for my wedding day?

I'll take them all!!

Photos Via: Vera Wang

Hockey in a Box

To celebrate a True Canadian Winter packed full with a deep freeze and no end in sight, friends and I spent the weekend at a Hockey game. Most specifically, a Toronto Maple Leaf's Game.

Future Hubs and I are by no means Hockey fans, but it was hard to avoid jumping on the band wagon with 20,000 fans dressed in Blue & White cheering at the top of their lungs, flashing their beer bellies to one another in an ice rink!! It was kind of addictive!

 
Mind you, it wasn't your typical hockey-going experience. Friends of ours have box seats which meant my view of the game looked more like this:

The whole thing was amazing... great food, great drinks, great friends. I'm talking Mexican, Thai, Chinese, Pizza, Fruit, Fresh baked cookies, Ice Cream Sandwiches, M&M's , Chips.... it was literally endless! The amount of food available was almost enough to distract me from the fantastic suite:

 Such a great time... and a lovely distraction from the bitter cold Canadian winter :)Who knew Hockey decor could be so chic!

Stairway to Heaven

In my dreams my home has big grand staircases in which I get to dress up in huge ball gowns and pose for photo-ops on as my Prince Charming waits for me on the landing... In reality, the grandest staircase in my home looks like so:

A real beauty, I know.

Let's pretend, just for a moment, that my main staircase looked something like... well any of the images below :)

Ahhh dreaming.... Now, back to the task at hand---- my hideous stairs. The dilemma in our house, being a side-split, is that we have 4 sets of staircases. All small, all connecting each room to the next. Therefore I need to figure out a way to unify each stairway...

Allow me to demonstrate. We have 4 sets of stairs:

The hallway in the background of #1 (front entrance) leads around to #2 (upstairs) and also to #3 (the den) which leads to #4 (doorway to the basement). I want all the hallways to tie together and be cohesive, in a subtle way that simply guides the eye through each room showing a clear path of travel.

Currently I am addicted to Grasscloth. I have visions of grasscloth and wainscoting floating through the hallways of my home...

Now to find the perfect grasscloth!!

BBBBrrrrrrrr.....

 A chill has set in over South Western Ontario --- Sunny with -28 Wind Chill?! Sounds like the very definition of Bitter Sweet!! Hope you are staying warm and toasty this weekend!!

2011.... Think Pink!

 You've probably heard by now, Pantone has released the "IT" colour for 2011 and I couldn't be happier!!

 

  

A Color for All Seasons 

Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing “everyday” about it.

 The thing is,  when Pantone announces it’s Color of the Year, the design world listens. We can expect to see this year filled with this vibrant, exciting reddish pink- from fashion to home decor.

In the official report, Pantone Color Institute Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman said: “In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color, that gets the adrenaline going– perfect to ward off the blues.”

 

 Not sure how to fit honeysuckle into your life? Why not go for it and paint an entire room!!

 Too much pink? I can relate- in college, while taking interior design, i experimented with colour and painted my bedroom hot pink (shown in panoramic view below) ... luckily I grew out of the "let's paint a room in the brightest colour in the fan deck" phase shortly after graduation:

If the thought of all pink is too much to handle, why not try introducing just a splash here or there. Consider adding a rug, throw pillows or even a chair in the cheery colour!

 For the brave--- kitchen cabinets?

If you aren't sure Pink is right for your home decor, no worries, the trend extends to fashion as well...

 

According to Eiseman, “[Honeysuckle]goes with more than you think it goes with. Use it against black, chocolate brown. Navy is a no-brainer, even gray."

I'm even thinking of using it in wedding ideas, what a great colour for a shower or bachelorette!!

Happy "Pink" New Year!!

We've Got Spirit!

This bedroom by Karen Spirit over at Rate My Space is sinfully delicious. Would you ever be brave enough to paint your ceiling apple green?!

 
 I'm not sure how I feel about painted ceilings, but I kinda like the trend- Sarah Richardson did the same sort of thing on Sarah 101 this week but with wallpaper!! Even braver!!

 

The wallpaper may be a little much in this space, but the colour scheme is way too cute for this nursery!

Photos Via: HGTV