Birch + Bird Vintage Home Interiors

We are in the midst of a Winter Wonderland!  It isn’t often that we have a good snow fall and it is so very beautiful.  The girls have spent hours playing outside and are sleeping soundly as a result.  I hope to take them for a walk in the snow later on this evening, one my favourite things to do.  If you haven’t already heard the news, Lily’s home is going be featured on HGTV.ca in the next little while! Pretty exciting, right?  I couldn’t help but invite myself over for coffee so I could watch Janis in action and join in on the fun.  We’ll all have to wait for the big reveal because HGTV.ca has first dibs but in the mean time, take a snoop through this lovely home.

 All images from HGTV.ca 

You’ve probably seen at least few of these rooms before if you’re as addicted to Pinterest as we are.  It’s the home of Emma over at The Marion House Book.  I’ve virtually toured many homes and it doesn’t happen very often that I love each and every room.  And this home is one of those.  It’s bright, fresh and wonderfully eclectic.   I LOVE all her vintage finds…oh, my goodness.    Emma has made a few changes here and there and you should really stop by The Marion House Book to see the “before” and “afters”.  You won’t be disappointed, I promise.

What a week! Like most of you, we’ve been sorting ourselves out after the busyness of the holidays, catching up on daily life and making plans for the year to come. Rachel is officially embarking on one of her family’s biggest adventures (to date) this weekend as her husband heads off to Florida and begins his new position. I can’t imagine the thoughts that are going through all of their minds and am so excited for them, mixed with a lot of sadness as well. But, despite the distance that will soon be between us, we’ve been busy making plans for our blog and business and it’s helped us keep our focus on the positive times to come, both for our friendship and for Birch + Bird.

To get this weekend started out right, I thought I’d share an amazing home (found via Pinterest, of course!) with all of you. Designed by Bates Masi Architects and located in New York state, this house completely blew my socks off! It has all of the ingredients necessary to very well be my dream home…huge windows, the perfect mix of rustic wood and industrial finishings, an egg-shaped bathtub…all under one incredible flat roof and built on the most stunning property imaginable! It’s no wonder that it won three prestigious awards last year, the 2011 AIA Long Island ArchiAward Commendation, 2011 AIA Long Island ArchiAward Lighting Award and the 2011 AIA Peconic Juror’s Award. Enjoy the views and the rest of the stunning homes in their portfolio…

Bates Masi Architects

Bates Masi Architects

Bates Masi Architects

Bates Masi Architects

Bates Masi Architects

Bates Masi Architects

Bates Masi Architects

Bates Masi Architects

Are you feeling caught up and ready to face the year ahead? I feel like I’m always playing catch up but I am excited to see how several of our recent hopes and plans unfold. And thank you so much for all of your excitement and comments about the Pinterest post on Wednesday! It was great to hear your feedback and to be able to help at least a couple of you out in your Pinning journeys. Have a wonderful weekend!

The crowds of Christmas shoppers weren’t fazed by the cold temperature and the slight drizzle of rain. The Fieldstone Christmas Market went off without a hitch and definitely put us in the mood for Christmas. There was a great selection of goodies, anything from Christmas ornaments to French Macarons, vintage finds to handcrafted jewelry and everything in between. The vendors outdid themselves as always with fabulous displays and a tonne of handcrafted Christmas ornaments and décor. This market was half the size of the last market but just as much fun. It was so great to chat with customers and watch them walk around with smiles on their faces and bags full of great handmade and vintage finds to give (or keep) for Christmas. Jayme Anne of Jayme Anne Photography captured the day on camera and Lily will have some of her images to share tomorrow. In the meantime, take a tour through this fabulous home designed by Jessica Helgerson.  It was featured awhile back on Design*Sponge and I loved it immediately. All the Mid Century furniture mixed with Mediterranean influence, the wood beams, vaulted ceilings, arched doorways and use of colour makes it less serious and a little more fun. I could live there. How about you?

After a feast on sushi and a glass of wine or two with Lily and her husband, we went home for a quick nap so we could catch a plane to Florida in the wee hours of the morning which is where I am now. We’re spending the week exploring our new home and we’re hoping to find temporary housing for us until we find something more long term. Today will be a lazy day maybe with a long drive after some brunch in the sun. I’ll be sure to take some pictures to share along the way. Have a great week!

I’ve always been attracted to great architecture and interior design as far back as I can remember.  And I often find myself playing the designer in my head.  Rethinking or rearranging the spaces of my friends and family, shops, hotels, pretty much anywhere.  Today I thought it might be fun to do something a little different.  Take a browse through the images below and tell us what you love, what you don’t and what you would do differently, if you were the designer.  The budget is huge, so don’t hold back.

These spaces are from The Modern Life Concept House.  Elle Decor selected ten A-listed Interior Designers to design spaces for two downtown New York apartments for the Concept House that was showcased this past summer.  I’m so sad to have missed out on the tour…and a trip to New York.  Elizabeth Martin designed the living room above and Grant Gibson the kitchen below.  What do you think?

All images by Jamie Beck for Sacramento Street

It’s always fun to spend someone else’s money, isn’t it?

Well, my weekend was full!  I’ve been frantically trying to get my house in ship shape for this coming weekend when the realtor comes in with a virtual camera.  Oh, the pressure!  I’m not sure I’ll get everything checked off my list and I figured last night that should really focus on the obvious things that the camera will pick up on.  Then I’ll pick away at my list between trying to keep it clean and the showings.  The other part of my weekend was spent doing fun stuff like playdates and coffee with good friends, belated turkey dinner with family and not cooking for one whole day!  We also got our family photos taken which we haven’t done in years.  With my parent’s 40th wedding anniversary this year, our big move across the continent and our families “complete”, we figured that now was a better time than ever.  We called upon Sharalee Prang so she could work her magic since she did such a spectacular job of capturing the Fieldstone Vintage Market.  We had so much fun and I know we’ll treasure these photos for some time.  We certainly lucked out with the weather again, that’s for sure.

re-nest

Old House

 COCOCOZY

James H. Nunnally House via About.com

We’ve been stalking the Florida real estate market for months now trying to find a great place to call home for this next chapter in our lives.  I’m learning that I might be more picky than I’d like to admit but as I was chatting about houses with my good friend recently, you just “know” what it’s the right one.  I love the character of old homes.  I’d be living in a dream if we came across the perfect Mid Century, Spanish Colonial or Florida Bungalow.  So, I’m picky yet flexible or undecided?  But it’s really difficult to find anything lovingly cared for in it’s original condition or renovated with dignity and not stripped of all it’s charm, if you know what I mean.  Which one would you move into?

 Kenneth Knight

 HGTV

 Bungalow Heaven L.A. Places

 Modern South Florida

 Realtor.com

Arciform

I wanted to thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and for sharing your relocation adventures with me.  It’s good to hear stories from people who’ve gone through this before.  Enjoy your week wherever your home is!