4 fab home decor books

For as long as I can remember I've been an avid reader. And I have been so pleasantly surprised at how seamless my love of decor and books seem to be--from beautifully styled bookshelves, to gorgeous coffee table books, to a limitless selection of books from fabulous designers and bloggers. My colour-blocked bookshelves can barely handle new additions, but I'll be squeezing these new fall releases into the mix.   

Styled: Secrets For Arranging Rooms, From Tabletops To Bookshelves by Emily Henderson

I've been waiting many moons for this little bundle of joy. A long-time fan of Emily Henderson's blog, I have no doubt that this book will live up to my fan-girl expectations. Perfectly-imperfect-mid century-modern-eclectic with a touch of Spanish Mission, her style is out-of-this-world fabulous and her ability to mix pricey designer pieces with vintage one-of-a-kind gems looks effortless and chic. In my mind, this book has potential to be the new bible for Domino-lovers. 

The Kinfolk Home: Interiors for Slow Living by Nathan Williams 

A stark contrast to Emily Henderson, the Kinfolk crew are able to piece together the most dream-like interiors, tables, recipes and events you can image. Just as the title suggests, they've mastered the art of 'slow-living' aiming to simplify life and encouraging us to spend time with friends and family whenever possible for simple, yet beautiful gatherings. Like the magazine, I have no doubt that this book will be best enjoyed on a Sunday morning with a cuppa joe in your favourite mug.  

Apartment Therapy Complete And Happy Home by Maxwell Ryan and Janel Laban

Just as I go to Martha for all of my baking and etiquette questions, I go to Maxwell and the Apartment Therapy team for my home decor questions. If you've thought it, chances are they've written about it, and have countless user comments pipping in with their two cents. I'm sure this book will be packed with home improvement / decor tidbits and goodness. 

Lovable Livable Home: How to Add Beauty, Get Organized, and Make Your House Work for You by Sherry and John Petersik

I was very late to the Young House Love bandwagon. I knew of them, but wasn't a daily follower. This past summer I perused their blog and loved what I saw, however, they had left the blogesphere and were no longer producing new content. Luckily they have a new book that is packed with never-before-seen DIY projects, home renos and home tours, and I can't wait to get my hands on it! 

Did I miss anything, or have you read any of these books yet? Leave a comment and let me know!

e-design: calm and casual living room

Want a luxurious living room that allows you to feel calm, cool and relaxed? Surround yourself with breezy blue hues, ultra-soft textures and natural elements. This combination of finishes will create a serene environment that will make it easy to curl up on the couch and forget your day. 

The addition of furniture in grey, whites and wood allow accessories to be changed out to reflect the seasons. The addition of plants and greenery purify the air and help to reduce stress—adding to the peaceful, serene and relaxing sense within the space. Add a white mohair blanket to the above, and you'll be snoozing on the couch in no time. 

Coffee Table | End Tables | Sofa | Wood Grain Pillow | Geometric Pillow | Table Lamp | Prints 

7 beautiful bathrooms featuring wood tiles

This past month, school has been packed with projects focused on bathroom renovations, giving me a chance to pay close attention to the fixtures and finishes that are available in the market. And as much as I love gorgeous grey-and-white-veined marble in this part of the home, I'm also loving the look of ceramic wood tiles in the bathroom.

When paired with a glass shower, a wood tile floor can make a tiny room feel more spacious. Incorporating soft textures such as a fluffy bathmat, a stack of cotton towels, a beautiful relaxed roman shade and greenery adds a layer of warmth and coziness to the space. Bringing the wood-look onto the bathroom walls or shower surround also creates a unique, spa-like setting in your master, guest, or basement bathroom--just don't forget to heat those floors!

While sourcing inspirational images featuring wood tile finishes I found an abundance of contemporary rooms, however I think this finish would also lend itself perfectly to a transitional- or rustic-style bathroom. What do you think?

** UPDATE: Jenny Komenda of Little Green Notebook (one of my favourite bloggers!) just posted 8 Tips for Nailing the Wood Tile Look as well as a few gorgeous examples--including a herringbone pattern

Transitional Bathroom by South East Interior Designers & Decorators LEIVARS

Contemporary Bathroom via Coco Cozy

Contemporary Bathroom by Seattle Architects & Building Designers Chris Pardo Design - Elemental Architecture

Contemporary Bathroom by Sydney Home Builders Capital Building

Contemporary Bathroom by Miami Design-Build Firms MILA DESIGN

Transitional Bathroom by Burlington Interior Designers & Decorators Claire Jefford at Creating Contrast Designs

Rustic Bathroom by HGTV Smart Home 2015

back to school desk refresh

After such a busy summer it feels good to finally have some free time to putter around the basement and get my space ready for school. I spent a massive chunk of time commuting to downtown Toronto on the GO Train, but it forced me to slow down and think about what is important to me, why I am back in school and what I want my career to look like. With the help of two amazing podcasts (After the Jump and The Lively Show) I’ve settled on a list of goals that I would like to achieve. Some are short-term goals that I can chip away at over the next few months, and some are more long-term that involve a little more time and patience to achieve.

One short-term goal was to get my desk in shape and “blog-worthy” for the first day of school. Not only is it finished, but I managed to make a gif—something else I’ve wanted to take a stab at. It definitely isn’t perfect, but it is close enough and was surprisingly easy to create (this blog explains it all)

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Last year I had a less then great experience with Rust-Oleum’s Chalkboard Paint and Magnetic Primer (purchased from Home Depot for $10 - $20 each). After four coats of Magnetic Primer, it still didn’t hold much more than a sheet of paper. The Chalkboard Paint was fine, but even after washing with water, there was always a cloudy film left on the wall. This year I decided to create a “Living Mood Board” by nailing an assortment of bulldog clips and magnets onto the wall. This way I can pin an assortment of fabric samples, paint chips, floor plans and more onto the space without requiring of a million magnets. A few favourite images and postcards are still hung using magnets, but the clips do a much better job at keeping things in place.

The rest of the space still needs some work, but am hoping to save those projects for the One Room Challenge, a bi-annual linking event hosted by Calling It Home (you can read all about it here)…another goal to hopefully cross off the list! For now, I feel ready for the new semester and putting this space to good use.