Update on Bunk Room.

We finally made some serious project in what I like to call the "little bedroom with 99 problems". The wallpaper came off, and along with it some of the plaster, which made for lots of patching. We ended up deciding to use a paintable wallpaper to achieve a smoother finish. That decision caused a few bumps along the way.

The first paper we chose had no pattern but wasn't pre-pasted. A couple of strips went up but they were quickly taken down after fighting with too many bubbles and the thinness of the paper showed every little imperfection. Next, we chose a paintable paper with a stripe mimicking wainscoting. Not my ideal choice but better then the alternative floral pattern that was also available. It was awful to put up! It tore very easily and there were imperfections in the paper which made for a ton of waste. Thanks Walmart! 

The thing about paintable wallpaper is that, once you are finished the job of hanging it, you still have to paint it all! We tackled that over the course of two nights, using Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace. My favorite crisp white. Here is where the room stands now.

 
Next on the agenda is the trim but it's been far too nice outside the last few days to be indoors painting. It's a job for a rainy day.

Aren't the built in bunks awesome? They are Steph's brainchild and they turned out awesome. I'll do a post about them with the mattresses on, once we get the ladder made and installed. The wall lights are the Ikea Ranarp.

Still need to put up the overhead light, get something on that window and the walls! The fun part.

A Lick of Paint.

Those who know me or read my blog know that I have a thing for white in interiors. In fact, I still say I'd paint my whole house white if I could do it all over again.

Long story short, my friend Mark has been given the exciting and well deserved opportunity to pursue a dream in Toronto. Therefore, he is leaving the island and his sweet little home. In order to prep his home for sale, he wanted to give it a fresh coat of paint. I suggested one of my favorites - BM Chantilly Lace. He took my advice and painted the entire house. Yup. The whole thing.

On Sunday, I headed over to help him style it and take some photos for the listing. It felt so fresh and bright with the warm sun streaming in the windows. Let's be clear.. this guy has great taste and dislikes clutter so it was easy to style by simply adding a few simple flower arrangements and moving a few things around! I really can't take much credit!

It looks so great that it may be hard for him to leave it behind! However, I know great things are in store for him and that someone or some family will be lucky to call his place home.

Here is a look at his stylish abode. 

 Just look at how sweet the house is on the outside!

And the cozy outdoor space?

Isn't it great? Someone needs to snatch it up! So now, let's go back to the whole point of this post. Never underestimate the power of white paint. Or any paint for that matter! It has the ability to dramatically change the feel of a space. The whole energy of the home feels airy, fresh and uncluttered. What's not to love about that?

I can't hold out any longer. Keep the above photos fresh in your mind and check out how much it's changed since when he first moved in! It's different to say the least...

Crazy! Get out your paint brushes! A lick of paint can make all the difference!

Thanks for letting me share Mark. Best of luck selling your home and with your new adventure. We are losing a good one!

Quick Dresser Makeover.

I was desperate for more storage in my bedroom so I welcomed this old, well used dresser with open arms. It's seen better days but I actually liked the cracks and dents in the wood. I've had old dressers before, with drawers that didn't shut properly - that drove me crazy! These drawers work perfectly.

I had paint out from doing some touch ups on the bookshelf so I figured why not give it a quick coat of paint? It literally took me 20 minutes to give it a quick coat then I went back and hour later and gave it another quick coat.

A few glass knobs and it feels fresh and new! Well not new maybe, but newer-ish. Gotta love upcycling!

Now I need a new mirror because the dresser was there before was much taller. If I lower this one, I won't be able to see myself in it! I love my little silver piggy bank from the Dollarama. I actually end up using it and it really does add up. Then, I can buy myself a little treat or Girl Guide cookies when they come knocking :)

I'll be back tomorrow with some progress shots of the bookcase. I was a bit over-ambitious about getting all the styling done. I had to prime and paint the new shelves and then realized I likely shouldn't put anything on them for a couple of days. Bummer. I was able to do a few shelves though. Here's a peek.

People laugh at the dog. I think he's cute. Plus, my Dad gave him to me :) 

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Simple White Mantel.

Thanks so much for your comments yesterday on the Zorb Reveal! I hope you loved it as much as we do! If you missed it, you can check it out here.

Today, I want to share my simple white holiday mantel. My goal was to create something that felt light and bright therefore I stuck with white, silver and a few soft shades of blue and green.

I placed a whimsical silver wreath on the mirror that I picked up at Home Sense last year. I love its random sprigs and silver balls and crystal jewels. I kept my tall white vases and added three soft feathery trees, one of my favorite decor items.

I placed a rustic wood candle holder in middle flanked by two glass vases filled with pretty glass balls in muted tones of green and blue. A string of lights, a charming little reindeer, some fresh cedar boughs and a string of silver pearl garland completes the look.

I'm linking up to Christmas mantel parties @

Ten June

A la Mode

13 more days and 6 school days!!!

Fresh & Bright Porch

Well, the back porch is finally finished. I have to say, I really love it. It feels so bright and clean. Now, if only it stays that way! It tends to be a bit of a drop zone.
The redo started out with painting out the black built-in cabinet white. I shared that here.

Then, Steph built a bench and we made an upholstered cushion for it.

The walls were originally blue, same as the kitchen. I painted them all white with white trim. I really wanted white, but then was unsure when I finished painting. It seemed a little sterile. But now that all the accessories are in the room, I love it.
There were hooks on the wall but my sister and I installed them last summer and they didn't exactly hold up very well.. apparently we stripped all the screws? I'm not so great with a drill and obviously neither is she!

Anyway, we added a bit of trim and a shelf, painted it white and Steph installed the hooks properly.

Here is the room all finished! Just in time for the house tour! Also, a glimpse of the West Elm Globe Pendant that I ordered!

I'll post pictures next week of the room decorated for Christmas, along with the rest of the house!

Simple Mirror Makeover

I've been trying to brighten up my dining room a bit. Things seemed a little dark, so I decided to add some blue and white accents. I picked up some new lamps at Winners.. which I love:) and decided to give my mirror a little update.

Here it is before:

a spray painted coat of primer

2 coats of white paint and voila!

Quick and easy and now it suits the room so much more!

In other news... You've heard me lament before about my favorite stores that won't ship to Canada. Well one of those stores is West Elm. It's one of my favorites and luckily there is a store in Toronto. I figured it wouldn't hurt to give them a call and see if they would ship to me. To my surprise they said YES! I was so excited that I impulsively bought 3 light fixtures. Four days later they were sitting on my doorstep. I can't wait to see them all installed. I'll post pictures soon.

For those who are interested in ordering from West Elm. The shipping was 10% of the purchase.

When White is Just Right

I love white things. Accessories, bedding, furniture. Everything I see screams: Paint me white! But most of all, I love white walls and white rooms. I think white is forever chic.
It can be glamorous in cream, oyster or mother of pearl with touches of silver, glass, mirror or antique nickle.

Or, I love it just as much when it's pure white with minimal accessories, natural wood accents and plenty of natural light.

via Living Etc

I do, however, realize that sometimes white just isn't practical and there are certain rules for making it work.

I've often said that if I were to do it all over again, I'd paint my whole house white. I wouldn't really. I just like the idea of it. In the end, my house just doesn't live up to the "rules". I guess they aren't official rules but more what I think. Hey, it's my blog and I can say what I want, right? :)

"My rules" about using white:

#1: High ceilings and nice architecture really help.

Ceiling height silk panels spell luxury.

via remodelista

The white, glossy floors make my heart skip a beat. Not practical though.. especially with a shedding dog.

A dream room for me.

#2 Good lighting is key.

images via decor8

via mark lund

via joanna henderson

#3 Sure, all-white designer spaces are great. In real life, we need somewhere to rest the eye. (artwork, flooring, accessories)

via bhg

White walls are the perfect canvas for bright artwork.

via decor pad

To me, nothing beats a black and white rug.

via style at home

Dark wood floors ground the space.

More dark wood floors and a dark framed mirror.

#4 White kitchens always work. Always did. Alway will. I hope:)

images via decorpad

via style at home

Don't get me wrong. My house doesn't meet all the rules. I don't have tall ceilings, or even crown mouldings, and I get only moderate amounts of light depending on the room. But, I do have a ultra-white bedroom walls and bedding. It works with the addition of some black accents.

One of my favorite white houses belonged to Anna Spiro of Absolutely Beautiful Things. You can check out my feature on her home here.

Also, for those of you stuck with white wall and not diggin it, Kate over at Centsational girl did a great post today on injecting color when you can't paint. (any renters out there who can relate?)