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.

nursery tour: sarah sherman samuel

As hard as I try to create and post content that is my own, I can't help but share this charming little nursery created by Sarah Sherman Samuel of Smitten Studio. For now we'll file this deep into the cabinet of "Things I Do Not Need" but those hunter greens, crisp whites, metallic accents, Turkish rug and texture on texture on texture--it's as chic as it is adorable and that pretty palette would work just as perfectly for an adult.

For the full tour, head to Sarah's blog, Smitten Studio. ...and check out the instructions for her simple Ikea hack that had stunning results (hint: it involves the dresser above)  

diy: trunk transformation

I have been struggling with this little trunk for almost a year. Initially painting it black and spray painting the trim and hardware gold, it never looked quite right. I had been using it as my coffee table, but felt too heavy for the space and the rest of my décor. When I moved back home, I had used it as a place to keep my parent’s stereo, and was shoved into a corner in the dining room and forgotten about. 

This weekend my sister, brother-in-law and two-month-old nephew will be moving in for the summer. My mom and I have been busy transforming the basement (which had been my office/homework space) into a bachelor pad for the little family. 

We installed a wall-to-wall built-in, rearranged the furniture and made several trips to the Goodwill (drop-offs only, no more shopping allowed). We were smart about everything we brought into the room, opting to keep pieces the pieces that were practical, functional and small-scale. 

When it came time to choose a coffee table, I wanted to bring back the trunk. It was compact and there was an opportunity to refinish the inside, and use it for storage (something I had always meant to do, but just lacked the time). That same week while perusing Instagram, I spotted a room Emily Henderson had styled for Target, and noticed that the coffee table she used was a white trunk. Fast-forward a few days later, and my old trunk is now sporting a crisp, clean shade of white. Light and airy, it matches the tone of the room, and blends in perfectly. 

The rest of the room is very close to being complete, but still in need of a few minor tweaks.

**For both versions of the trunk I used a matte wall paint from Para. Hardware and trim was spray painted, and have held up perfectly. 

summer reading series: good bones, great pieces

Summer Reading Series: Good Bones, Great Pieces: The seven essential pieces that will carry you through a lifetime.
By Suzanne & Lauren McGrath

Mother-daughter design duo, Suzanne and Lauren McGrath, take readers through several stunning and unique spaces that incorporate each of their seven essential pieces. With an array of eclectic rooms, seamlessly combining new and vintage furniture and accessories, there is something to inspire the traditionalist, modernist and everyone in between.

Each chapter dedicated to its own piece of furniture and readers are given a brief history lesson, what to look for when sourcing, price ranges (affordable pieces exist and are featured), proper naming conventions and small tidbits of information behind their clients and their room’s inspiration.

Hailing from New York, Suzanne and Lauren have gained the praise of Martha Stewart, been featured countless times in Domino magazine and run a beautiful blog, as well as a successful business: Suzanne McGrath Design. This book will leave you itching for a garage sale, second-hand store or even a dig through your basement looking for those old tables you can now impressively refer to as ‘demi-lunes’; because you will know that beautiful, comfortable spaces are created with a combination of pieces that range from cheap and cheerful to top-of-your-budget, and by knowing the rules, you can masterfully choose those that will carry you through a lifetime.