For The Love Of Beauty – Mary Ann Buffam

It is hard to believe it is time to start thinking about Christmas!  How can it possible be that another year is here – bring it on – let’s deck the halls, string the lights and hang the ornament – bring on the Christmas spirit!  Do I sound a bit enthusiastic?  Well – I know it is a lot of work – but there is just something magical about this time of year – the twinkling lights, the bows and ribbons, and the excitement that goes along with it all!

For the past couple of years I have been so busy with work and other life responsibility that I have not been able to give the Christmas decorating the whole hearted focus that I love to give it.  This year  - it’s going to get my attention – because here is the deal – decorating is a creative process – and as I have been saying – creativity needs to be feed – needs to be nourished!  Creatiivity is the air I breathe – it brings life to my spirit – it brings joy  - great joy!

So here is to a feast of creativity – bring on the inspiration!

Where to start?  I like to start outside first – and work my way inside.  I need some inspiration – and here is just a little bit to get the creative juices flowing.

Nothing like the red and green theme to keep tradition alive!

I’m dreaming of Christmas!

I have written a couple of blog posts called “Things I Love”  - the list is long and diverse.  If you were to ask me for this list I suppose I would have to stop and think for a minute and then just let my mouth rattle off whatever comes to mind  - because you see – the things I love are not neatly put into an alphabetic ordered list – or even something that I can say yes these are the top.  Although saying that,I do have a list of important things I love that would include the love I have for my God, my family, and close connections that I have with certain people  - and I would be so pleased to talk about those because they are truly close to my heart.

The general list of things I love are things that just bring me joy – and ignite a sense of warmth in me – they are things that are beautiful – although not always perfect – but do bring a smile to my face.  Maybe it is just like the song in the “Sound of Music” that says whenever I am feeling down I simply remember my favourite things and then I don’t feel so sad.  Thats the list I am talking about – raindrops on roses and brown paper packages tied up with bows – only my list is slightly different – and it grows and changes as everyday I find new things to love.

On my list today – anything that is an animal print!

I love this coffee table bench – love the fabric – I have a special love for zebra print.  I remember the first time I saw a zebra in Africa – I was so amazed at the stripes and the definition between the white and the black – it was just so beautiful and so well created !

The bench above is from the design portfolio of Windsor Smith – who I adore .  I was in her home in California and I just love her and her work!  The bench below is from her home.

And then there are the animal skin rugs – love them!  I love them mixed with elegance and country  - as is shown in this beautiful and unique room by Darryl Carter – another very interesting and amazing designer.

And another version above – not sure who designed this room.

Look at this master bathroom – wow – love the rug!

This bathroom was designed by the author of the blog called “For the Love of a House” which I just discovered a couple of weeks ago.  I have her blog listed on the sidebar and you really should visit.

The author Joan and her husband moved from Dallas to New Hampshire three years ago and are creating the home of their dreams – and it really is amazing.  I will post more pictures of this amazing master bath shortly – but don’t you just love the rug?

Beautiful!

Yellow is a colour that is just like sunshine!

I have a lot of yellow on the walls in my house – with most of my first floor painted or wall papered in yellow!  Let the sunshine in!

My front hall has striped wall paper that my dad helped me put up a – we have done a lot of painting and papering in past days!

White daisies and yellow – beautiful

The bathroom pictured below is fantastic in yellow – white and yellow together are just so fresh! Take a close look at the wallpaper – the same used in the laundry room below as well!

Do you recognize this Farrow & Ball wallpaper?  I used the same paper in my power room in the apricot shade.

From entry halls…..

To furniture…..

Yellow can brighten up any space.

Think wallpaper….

Think paint….

Use yellow to bring in the sunlight to your life – even a small amount can make a huge impact!

And perhaps one of the most well know yellow rooms is this one……

The Obamas meet with the Crown Prince and Princess of the Netherlands in 2009 (White House - Samantha Appleton)

The first lady with Queen Rania of Jordan in 2009 (White House - Samantha Appleton)

The Yellow Oval Room in 2008 (C-SPAN)

Happy April!

This Is Linked to The Picket Fence

See sidebar for link

I love Sarah Richardson and always look forward to her  shows on HGTV – Sarah 101 and Sarah’s House – right now only in Canada, but I have heard rumours that they are making their way into the US!  A couple of years ago Sarah filmed the renovation of her cottage.  I love the look and feel of it and so as we are hopeful for summer to come – (well lets be honest – we are hopeful spring will come as well) – I thought it would be inspiring to dream a bit about what it would be like to be at the cottage – and a beautiful cottage like Sarah Richardson’s cottage!

I love how she has stained the paneling a bleached tone – its beautiful – and doesn’t have the look of wood on wood on wood .  And every cosy home or cottage needs a table where people gather for food and conversation – and this one does not disappoint.  Love the fireplace – stone – all the way to the ceiling – beautiful.

I have to tell you – I met Sarah Richardson – and of course told her how much I loved her work.  She told me that she and Tommy, her side kick, were working on the cottage makeover – and when she revealed it – I felt like I had the inside scoop!  Well not really – but you know – its always fun to meet someone that you watch from afar and admire.  She was awarded the Top 40 Under 40 award in Toronto the same year that my boss James Fraser was awarded this honour and I had the privilege of being at the reception and of course forced James to introduce me.  So that is my story on Sarah Richardson. I met Brian Gluckstein once too – but that is for another blog post.  I fawned over him as well!

The rustic details – like the barn wood inset into the kitchen counter make this cottage unique and interesting!  And the candle lanterns – love it!

Four chairs in a circle – great conversation area – a great idea – what better place than in your summer cottage!

The living room is all windows – lots of light and great views of the lake – you can’t go wrong with that – this would be one of my favourite areas to sit and read a book !

The colours of cream and blue and green – all about bringing the outside in!

I’m ready to move in!   Love it – just beautiful!

I know – not a great name for a post – but yes – I have thoughts about a facelift for my bathroom – and  I want to use wallpaper. So many choices – and there is always something interesting and new! I loved the samples from Michael Penny’s blog post (you can link to it on my blog roll – and I also posted some on my blog here as well).   I have been thinking about this for a long time – and just need to decide and do it!

I bought some wallpaper many years ago on sale for $5 a roll – can you imagine – and it is beautiful – but quite bold and bright.  Take a look at two different portions of the paper above and below.

As you can see it is very bold – but very beautiful.  I would only use it on the top half of the wall – and put bead board on the bottom half in a creamy white colour.

I also purchased a shower curtain on sale from Restoration Hardware when I was in NYC  before Christmas – an it would look great together with it.

It is a butter cream yellow colour – I love the texture of it.

It could look fabulous – but is it what I really want – and should I go ahead with it because it is inexpensive – and because I have it?

My mother decorated many a room choosing what was on sale – stretching the dollar and making what was affordable look amazing.  She really knew how to make the dollar go a long way.

But it costs time and energy to make this happen – so should I go ahead with what I have or look around and see what else might be out there that might be more current.  I guess the question is – what is current?   I think you can take something classic and make it look original and your own and that makes it current.

And then I also have a small bathroom rug – rubber backed and perfect for bathroom use  that I bought at  Costco – and yes it would work perfect as well!  Decisions – decisions.  I know if I don’t use the wallpaper on the walls in the bathroom – it will make amazing wrapping paper – it is vibrant and perfect for using with different coloured ribbons and bows.  That is how the creative mind works – always thinking – and not quick  to make decisions sometimes!  (my mom would use wallpaper for wrapping paper – and as I child I always thought this was strange – but now I completely understand it).

Stay tuned – I will make a decision soon I hope – I am sure it will be beautiful whatever direction it takes!

I love wallpaper -even when it was not the trendy in thing I still loved wallpaper.  I know, so many vow they will never use it again – usually after hours of trying to scrape old wallpaper off in preparation for repainting.  I totally understand the frustration – however, that  will not stop me from using it.  For me that is just part of the process of project management – you take something on and do it – the love of it is in the doing – the designing – the creating  so taking the old off – as miserable as that is – is just part of seeing something old turn into something new.

I have used it in my home – in the powder room and front hall.

I am dreaming about doing something in my upstairs bathroom and wallpaper is in my thinking.  For me it just makes sense to put it in a small room – and a bathroom is just that.  I have some ideas for what I want – but have not decided as yet.  And I know – you are thinking isn’t she working on her den – and we havn’t seen that yet – and didn’t she mention her bedroom – and where is that at?  Yup – you are right – said both of those things.  And those are both a work in progress – and you will see them soon.  Just not done yet – these things take time!  It’s all part of the creative process – especially when you are doing it yourself on a bit of a budget – you develop as you go – and that is the fun of it.  But while you are working away on one project – you can let your creative mind begin to develop another one – and that is what I am doing – or at least that is how I am justifying what I am doing!

And so I am thinking wallpaper.  I have a couple of rolls of paper that I bought years ago at $5 a roll – and it could work well.

But when my friend Michael Penny blogged about wallpaper the other day I just fell in love with some of the samples.  Here is the link to his posting -michaelpennystyle.com – I hope this works – like I say – I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to this blogging and technology – so please have patience with me!  Visit his bog – it is great! (you can link to it from my blog roll)

Let me show you the papers that caught my eye – and I think they would look great in my bathroom – choices – choices!  They are all from Thibaut.

They can all be found at thibautdesign.com.

As you know – I love green apple green – and this paper would look amazing with white towels – so fresh!

I love this paper – partly because of the colour – I like my reds and pinks and apricots – and it would look amazing with everything I have going on in the colour scheme of the house – might be just a bit to formal for a bathroom – would look better in my front hall- or my powder room – will have to wait for a redo  on those rooms- although – I do love this paper – could do it in the bathroom and be just a bit different!

I love the green and cream in this paper below – and it has a modern feel – would work really well!

And the colours in this paper are perfect – the olive green and apricot rose – how could I go wrong with this!

And the pattern looks amazing when it is on the wall!  I actually do LOVE the blue and olive green as well – one of my favourite combinations – maybe I should redo the whole house using blues and greens – so beach like – ok – well maybe I will wait on that for a while – although that is why I did buy a taupe couch – so I could vary up the accent colours.  Ok – now I am on a tangent – we are talking the upstairs bathroom – and so think I will stick to greens – yellows – pinks – apricots!

Not sure which direction to go – that is part of the fun – thinking about it – and the creating!  They are all beautiful!