WISH Wednesday #19

We were visiting our friend's new farm this past weekend and I now officially have farm fever - I'll share some pictures on Friday.  Being consumed with thinking about farms, pondering if we would like to live on a farm, and checking out the real estate ads for farms meant that I had to do some searching and find a gorgeous farmhouse room to share for WISH Wednesday.  There really was no option as you can see.

I love the simplicity of this bedroom - no curtains, limited colours, no bedskirt on the bed - just solid wood furniture, gorgeous floors, crisp white sheets and a pretty plaid blanket.  The turned legs on the bedside table are a wonderful detail, as is the use of a stack of suitcases for storage.  Except that the morning light would bother me, I would love to sleep in this bedroom.  

Elle Decor

And if we ever buy ourselves a farmhouse, I'm copying this bedroom!

Teal and Red

I was about to start eating my lunch the other day and couldn't get over how much I liked the colour combination of my food and plate.

Yes, the youngest pride and joy thought I was nuts as I ran to get my camera to capture this delicious combination.
I thought I would do a little digging and see how many beautiful photos I could find using teal and red.  It turns out there are teal and red combinations everywhere - 
in bedrooms,

A Punch of Colour

House Beautiful

Suzie Beezie

and kitchens,

The Funky Junkie

Country Living

and dining rooms,

Elle Decor

and cushions, 

Horchow

and even doors in far off  lands.

Door in Nepal from The House that Lars Built

Is teal and red a delicious combination in your mind or a little too bright for you?

WISH Wednesday #18

I recently came across this room on the blog Bright, Bold, & Beautiful and was immediately drawn to how warm and inviting it looks.  This study has so many of the things I love - things like bookshelves, art, and classic wood furniture.  The Canadian Interior Designer Philip Mitchell is the genius behind this room and when I visited his website I noticed that he has offices in Toronto and Chester, Nova Scotia. I'm kind of hoping this gorgeous study is in a Nova Scotia home and that you can see the ocean from those windows.    

Philip Mitchell Design Inc

Philip Mitchell Design Inc

I love the gallery wall he created (not so sure about the same picture framed two different ways which you can see in the upper left of the gallery wall - any thoughts on this?)   I do love the eclectic assortment of nature pictures, the driftwood sculptures on the dresser, and the curvy wooden arms on the chair to the right of the sofa.  I think this is a great photo for a midwinter WISH (Weekly Inspiration for a Seasonal Home) Wednesday inspiration photo.   All the rich colours in the wood, dark leather, and patterned red carpet make the room seem enveloping and warm - just what you need on a cold winter's day.  That and a glass of red wine to sip (probably carpet inspiration).
What things do you look for in an inviting living room?
By the way,  Philip Mitchell's website is here and his blog is here.  Both have lots of inspiring photos.

Happy Valentine's Day

I haven't done much decorating for Valentine's Day this year, but inspiration finally hit on the weekend and I pulled out the heart garland I made last year (which you can see on the mantel here) and attached it to the picture frame above the sideboard.

Jonathan gave me these mini roses for my birthday last week and they really seemed to make the sideboard have just the right Valentine's Day look. 

We have another reason for celebrating love on February 14th as it is our wedding anniversary.  

We don't have elaborate plans for Valentine's Day and our anniversary, but I am going to cook something a little extra special.  I've been waiting for a special occasion to use the Chicken Biryani mix that Jacob, my airplane friend, bought for me so I'll make that along with something special for dessert (yet to be decided).
Do you go all out for Valentine's Day, or are you more low key like we are, or maybe you don't celebrate it all.  Whatever your situation, I'm wishing you a little extra love and a hug on Valentine's Day.

***********************************Also, a final reminder to put your name in for the SmartSilk pillow giveaway as today is the last day and you will definitely want a chance to own these super cuddly pillows (details HERE).

My Three Favourite Parts of Sarah Richardson's London Townhouse

I got my new Canadian House and Home magazine and was thrilled that there was an article about a London (England) townhouse that Sarah Richardson and crew had decorated.  It was beautiful and amazing and fantastic - just like you would expect it to be.  I checked online and since I couldn't find pictures of it anywhere I didn't want to spoil the surprise for when you first see the home.  Instead I thought I would show you the three things I liked best about it (and give you a little sneak-peak at the same time).



1) I love the family room and especially these chairs.  The room has many shades of blue and, of course, a variety of fabrics in the upholstery and the cushions.  I especially love the dots and curved lines on this fabric.  I also adore the beautiful silver twig side table between the chairs.

2)  I love the pale blue cabinets and crystal hardware in the kitchen, but what really caught my eye is this antique French wine-tasting table.  I love the patina and the simple lines.

3) And finally I love the living room, which is a gorgeous room with fireplaces at both ends.  To arrange the furniture to allow for  intimate conversation areas while taking advantage of the fireplaces, two sofas were put back-to-back in the centre of the room.  The overall envelope of the room is very neutral with cream walls and sofas and cream patterned drapes.  I love the rich claret reds and rusts in the cushions, the patterned rugs, and the chaise.  I especially like the two cushions on either end of the sofa.

And finally, I love the quotation from Sarah Richardson which is something that I have always held to be true:

I like a different colour for each room.  If you're going to open another gallon of paint, you might as well make it a different colour.

I often read in magazines that they have used the same paint throughout or even the same colour family throughout so that there is continuity and flow.  Well I say flow, schmow - I like to see different colours used.  Variety is the spice of life after all.


Isn't this house a beauty?  What did you like best?


(all photos in this post were taken by me from pictures in my Canadian House and Home magazine March 2012)

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Don't forget to put your name in for my SmartSilk pillow giveaway (see this post for details).