Category — Bedrooms
Children’s Bedrooms: Room to Grow
My weekend just seemed to keep on going…you should see the mountain of laundry I need to catch up on after the busy past few days! I had a great weekend in the city with some friends and the weather cooperated just perfectly. I even managed to pop in for a quick browse at Make It Vancouver and Stepback on my way into and out of town and wish that I could have stayed a little bit longer to do more browsing! It felt great to get away overnight and to catch up with some dear friends while enjoying lots of sunshine by the ocean. Last night, I got on the highway once again and headed out to the new Ikea Richmond media party. I wasn’t sure what to expect but ended up having a really fun time chatting with fellow bloggers and friends and it felt a little surreal wandering through the quiet store with a glass of Prosecco in hand! The new store is fantastic and opens to the public this Wednesday. I came home with a few small purchases as well as one of the fabulous gift bags that they handed out on our way out the door. Thank you Ikea!
Brad and I are at a bit of a crossroads with our home. We’re at the point that we need to decide how long we see ourselves living here and whether or not we should start planning the upgrades that it will soon need or if we should simply spruce things up and start looking for a new home that will suit our growing needs even better. It’s a tough call….moving is no fun and I’m pretty picky at this stage of the game. I picture our next house being our “forever” home, you know, the one the kids will come home to visit with their families when they’re grown. But budget is a huge issue and we chose to live in one of the most expensive housing markets in Canada, too bad for us! The most pressing dilemma is how to provide some more space for the kids to play and stretch out in. After the market later this Spring, we’ll get started turning our unfinished basement rec room into a playroom and then I’ll be able to focus on reconfiguring the kids’ bedrooms with more efficient toy storage and study spaces. I’ve been collecting some inspiring kid’s rooms, where the designers have worked hard to think outside the box…
Desaccord via Apartment Therapy. Photo by Simon Wardavoir.
Miluccia. Photos by Julien Fernandez.
Photo by Petra Bindel for Elle Interior via La Maison d’Ana G
Decor Pad. Photo by Mark Lund.
VT Wonen via Meet Me At Mike’s
I love seeing children’s rooms and nurseries that can grow with each child, don’t you? I’ve never been one for themes, despite the chorus of pleas for Disney princess bedding each time we venture too close in a department store (mean mommy, I know!). I find spaces like these much more timeless, not to mention more affordable than redecorating after each passing phase would be. Do you have any tips on storage solutions for growing kids? We’ve got a couple of closets literally bursting at the seams, despite my regular purging. First things first though, I’m off to tackle my laundry…have a wonderful Tuesday!
April 24, 2012 10 Comments
Welcoming House Guests
Living close to family and friends for the first half of our married lives together has meant that we haven’t had a tonne of opportunity for house guests. But now that we are thousands of miles away, we already miss our family and friends and would love a visitor now and then. To make it comfortable for long stays, I think doing some preparation beforehand can go a long way in making their stay as comfortable as possible. Having a dedicated guest room and bath would be luxurious but it isn’t always possible so carving out some space might be necessary. Turning a home office into an guest oasis and clearing out a drawer or two in a bathroom gives guests their own space and prevents everyone from stepping on each other’s toes. But let’s just say we lived in a dream world and you have an extra room for guests to stay.
I know when I’m a guest, I always feel like I’m intruding so stocking up prevents guests from having to ask. Besides giving your guest room a hotel makeover, stock your fridge with snacks and beverages and be sure to put some in their room as well. The sky is the limit but adding personal items like a journal, magazines and books, maps and information about local attractions and an extra house key will make your guests feel right at home. I guess it all depends on how often you expect guests and how long you want them to stay.
Alexandra ANGLE Interior Design
Coyuchi via Remodelista
The house that we had us drooling on the weekend had an extra room that would work perfectly as a shared office and guest room with a private bath across the hall…just one of the many features we loved about the home. If a private guest bath isn’t an option, a vanity in their room for doing hair and makeup can provide the same level of comfort. I realize that this bathroom is on the larger side but I thought this armoir would be perfect for guests.
Do you take in house guests? Any tips you’d like to share?
March 7, 2012 8 Comments
Beds: Warm + Cozy
This week was too busy and I’m so glad that it’s the weekend. The girls are off school today because of a Professional Day so that means we didn’t have to rush anywhere this morning or the next two. Yes. A long weekend. I’m looking forward to sorting through some more boxes, tea with my mom and her granddaughters, a family movie night, maybe a few errands and some housework thrown in for good measure. Speaking of housework, I make my bed almost every single day. It helps our bedroom look tidy even if it’s not. And I like getting into a neatly made bed rather than an unmade bed. How about you?
Lily and I stayed in at the Hotel Sierra in Redmond last year with a couple girlfriends and they had the most heavenly beds, I swear. The pillows, the featherbed, the duvet, the feel of the sheets, and the weight of the blankets. Pure bliss. We still talk about those beds. If someone could tell me their secret, I would spend a pretty penny to have that every single night. Is it just me or do the messy beds look cozier than the beds made neat and tidy?
I hope you can indulge yourself with a sleep in or two as well and we’ll see you back here all refreshed on Monday.
January 27, 2012 7 Comments
C’est vendredi!
Well, it’s starting to look like we are moving around here. I made good progress this week sorting through all our belongings and it seems that things aren’t as bad as I was expecting. I do have a few trips to the second hand store to make and a few people are picking up some odds and ends. Since it’s the weekend, I think I’ll put my feet up but first one last French inspired post since it’s Friday and all. Amusez-vous!
By the way, if you happen to have received an email from Birch + Bird with a very random link, don’t open it. It wasn’t from us. Our email account was hacked and spam was sent to every single person we’ve ever emailed. We sincerely apologize and we’ve taken steps to prevent it from happening again. You can rest assured that we have not started up a side business selling a certain little blue pill. We’ll be back on Monday! Au revoir.
January 13, 2012 7 Comments
Stripes: Simple and Bold
Phase 1 of my long list of things to paint this summer is complete! My girls’ rooms are now pink and purple with crisp white trim. It took much longer than I had anticipated but really, I should have known better. Next time, I will start small and push my completion date out about 2 weeks. Now, I’ll spend the rest of the week, placing furniture, reorganizing their toys and clothes so I can move on to the fun stuff like repainting furniture, hanging art and curtains.
1. Better Homes and Gardens 2. Design*Sponge
I picked really pale shades for their rooms because our home tends to be fairly dark and with all the girly clutter, I didn’t want to be overwhelmed by bubble gum shades of pink and purple. While I was painting I started to get concerned that I had gone too conservative because both shades appeared white and actually still do at some angles. Since stripes are so popular right now, the thought crossed my mind that by adding some horizontal stripes I could bring in more of the colour that my “clients” were looking for.
Now that the rooms are finished and their beds are all made up with their pink and purple quilts, the colour actually is “just” enough for me. And considering the length of time it’s already taken, I think the stripes will have to wait…forever. Now on to repainting the doors, their beds, a bedside table and a desk or two. And once that’s all done, I’ll be sure to snap a few photos to share and then take a nap.
What do you think of the stripe craze? Do you love it? Or would you rather pass?
Just in case you haven’t heard, vendor applications for the Fieldstone Vintage Market are now available. So, if you would like to join us for an outdoor European-style market featuring a collection of all things vintage and handmade, please stop by the Fieldstone Market blog for details.
July 26, 2011 8 Comments
