Canadian Thanksgiving at the cottage

The weather was spectacular; the food incredibly delicious (if I do say so myself), but the scenery stole the show.

 

Cote De Texas and more inspiration!

Cote de Texas is one of my favourite blogs. Yesterday, was a fantastic posting on updating your decor. Full of excellent advice, so timely for me! After reading her post I rummaged around her older posts and found a few inspirational exteriors. Our three options for the new house reno is bungaloft, addition in the back or 2 story. Yesterday, I showed plenty of 2 stories and different exterior treatments.

This photo appealed to me for it's use of windows, foremost, but also a beautifully designed home and great exterior finish. While I love the dark charcoal exteriors with white trim, it may not be everyone's cup of tea. This soft sage-gray siding is lovely. I can imagine this house on a smaller scale, for 2 story addition. It is such an interesting looking house. Again, the punch of white trine is so pleasing.

via Cote de Texas

 BUNGALOFT!!!! I have searched high and low for a great bungaloft design. This one by a local architect - JWA.

Leonard, the upholsterer has just left my house.  He did my furniture about 10 years ago. I thought I would send my floral Wesley-Barrel Living room suite out to be recovered again, before we move and returned 2 days after we've moved in. My next stop is Designer Fabric Outlet in Toronto to choose something I will live with for the next (10?) years. I am leaning toward brushed velvet and can't decide on 

tan or aqua

What would you choose??? I know tan or caramel will stand the test of time and is currently the forerunner. 

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!!!!

Frederic Fakkai via Elle Decor

via Elle Decor

via Elle Decor

via Elle Decor

via House Beautiful

via House Beautiful

via House Beautiful

via House Beautiful

House Stalking & Drive-by Shooting

Plans are percolating! I spent the morning with my friend Linda, stalking homes and taking pictures. You'll have to forgive me the angles and cut-offs; it was "snap!" and drive! What has caught my eye is charcoal Exterior siding with a white trim - stunning! Lou prefers olive and I manage to take the last picture of an olive house we admired.

 Not a great angle, but you can see the lovely cedar shingles. Lovely garden leading up to the front door here.

 I really loved this one - the garage doors and the perfect shade of blue-charcoal siding.

 Again, cedar shingle and stone - nice windows...

 A little dark here - sorry - but you can see the stark and beautiful contrast between the siding and trim.

One for hubby(below)...I love the shape of the windows and how the shutters echo that. Also, the light sage siding with the darker olive shutters and pretty stonework. If you look back at all of these, I was also looking for interesting rooflines that make work on the new house. We are costing out the difference of backyard extension, addition over the garage to make a "bungaloft" or a second story addition. What would you prefer?

Our new home!!!

Can you hear me squeal? Or click my heels? As my husband was sculpting the land at the cottage and laying down stone for the lane, I was doing the back and forth with the agents to negotiate this lovely ranch bungalow. The funny thing was, as I was calling up to the cottage to discuss next "bid" with Lou, after a quick discussion on price he says, "I have to go, I'm BBQ-ing."

The lot is larger 90 x 150' (our current home is 50 x 150') on a gorgeous street in the same neighbourhood. The possibilities are endless. Second story large home, bunga-loft or adding onto the back to enlarge the Master Bedroom and Kitchen. I have already printed copies of the floor plan to play with. The blank canvas of the landscape is so tantalizing! I can imagine the winter drawing up plans for both  the house and garden, sloshing through snow to get plans and permits done and then begin the work. When I think about it, my hearts beats faster in excitement!

We move on Dec 10th and now, more than ever, I am thrilled to have started this blog to collect all the inspiration I am going to need! As I go back through the photos, I already have plans formulating. I have in mind the 2 chairs facing sofa theme for the Living Room:

Here's some photos I am tucking aside. I found the arrangement frequently used in the classic styling of Jan Showers. I love her designs!

Jan Showers

Atlantic Showhouse

Interesting perspective; I have varied styled chairs, so I was attracted to this photo. I also like the clear table.

Plush Palette

The trim in this room is beautiful. I also like the use of glass tabletops. It really lightens up a well furnished room.

Jan Showers

Great chairs. Very similar to my Wesley-Barrell one.

Jan Showers

What an inviting bedroom. We are planning to build a 4th bedroom in the basement. The textured gold wallpaper is cozy with these beautiful frames in the hallway. The white ceiling atop the brown walls really lifts the room's ceiling. Something we will need in the 8' basement.

Eric Cohler

I always liked the use of a blue hue in the ceiling paint; an nice airy effect.

Southern Accents

I recently blogged about this kitchen. Still loving it!

Thrifty!

I was cleaning my Mac Desktop and filing photos I use for this blog and came across this one from Notebook, all lonely by itself. I love this magazine site. It is filled with fabulous ideas for decor but also How To projects, gardening and cooking etc.

Save your old blue jeans and make this patchwork drapes. Or you can make a duvet cover, pillow or I may take the idea and make Cosmo a new dog bed!

How to decorate with postcards:

Learn how to mend a caned chair (people often throw them out!).

I thought this would make a great stencilled Laundry Room floor: