Ready for Change

Happy Monday friends. I know I've fallen off the map again, and all I can say right now is that we have been BUSY. There is some really exciting stuff going on, aside from wedding planning and it really has me itching for change. One of the things I am most ready to change up is Halle's room. She's growing and changing and I'm so ready to start planning a big girl room for her. 

The thing is, as ready as I am to change her room - there are certain things I'd like to still incorporate - like her dresser that I still love. With that in mind, I need to come up with a colour scheme and design that will work well with the teal and yellow that we used on the dresser. I started looking for inspiration and came across this collage on Pinterest, which got me feeling very excited about my design direction:

{via pearls for paper}

It's exactly what I imagine for Halle's space, with more teal and coral and only hints of yellow.

{from top left to bottom right: 1. via perfectly imperfect blog; 2. via Tonic Living; 3. via US! Check out the project here; 4. via honeybee vintage; 5. via Pinterest; 6. via Design Sponge; 7. via Tonic Living; 8. via Shades of Light; 9. via Words of Williams;}

1 - If it were possible, I would love to still keep Halle's walls neutral, and add interest by putting mouldings on the wall. The above example from Perfectly Imperfect blog is the best example of what I would love to do. I think it would look fantastic in any room, and would be pretty easy and inexpensive to do.

2 & 7 - Tonic Living has to be one of my favourite places to go for fabric, especially considering it's a Canadian company and their pricing is fantastic. I think these two fabrics are the perfect way to inject some bright and feminine coral into Halle's big girl room. Maybe as some new curtains, throw pillows, or even a new slip cover for the headboard on her "big girl bed" that we bought a few months ago.

3 - Of course, Halle's dresser isn't going anywhere! It's still a great piece that we love and it provides us with so much storage!

4 - This idea for wall art is adorable and it would be perfect to use different papers in our teal, yellow and coral scheme!

5 - Just another example of how our colours will work together.

6 - Cute accessories for Halle's room. I love these jars with animals on the lid.

8 - I'd like to find a really sweet and feminine light fixture for Halle's new room. She's really a girly girl and loves shoes and clothes and HATES getting dirty. I want her room to reflect her and be a pretty place for her to be. 

9 - I've always loved this quote and have been thinking of creating some artwork with this quote on it for a while I think pulling her big girl room together is the perfect time to bring it in. 

So, there you have it - the plans for Halle's big girl room are churning in my head. No pulling it together is underway yet... there will be some other changes happening before that.

What projects are you starting to work on or plan? Has spring got you inspired to start working outdoors, or are you freshening up your interior for the warmer months? Spill!

As Finished As You'll Get

Welcome back! This afternoon I wanted to take some time to look back at our little Toronto home. Last week, while catching up on some blogs, I realized I never gave you a full reveal of our bathroom makeover. Crazy right? Well, I guess that's probably because we never even saw our bathroom completely finished. Um, WHAT? Yeah. My father had to finish a few things like the transition between the bathroom and the "hallway" and putting up a shower curtain rod AFTER we moved out. 


Even without pictures of the 100% complete bathroom (or as close to 100% as we would get), I thought I would do a mini reveal (with the 1 "after" photo that I have). So first things first, why not take a trip down memory lane and check out the bathroom when we first moved in, in July 2009...

Ooooh, absolutely ugly - no? WOW! What did we ever see in this little house? haha. Anywho - we painted up that bathroom the day we moved in, tile and all, and that October we painted the wood vanity. So for two years, we lived with our bathroom looking like this...

Still not the best, but significantly better than what we had started with, thanks to lots of paint and a new toilet! Then, along came Halle... and with a baby meant the need for a tub. So, back in November we started to rip it all out and start again. It was a long process (clearly), and before we left, the bathroom was looking like this...

Probably not the best angle, but I guess I thought the floor was  a bit more important that the ceiling. Makes sense, right? Taken from the exact same spot as the previous photos as well.

Oh, how I wish I had, had more time to enjoy that little bathroom! B and our father's did such a fabulous job making that place as great as it turned out. I'm glad that at least Halle had a chance to bathe in there quite a few times before we left.

Sources:

Subway Tile: RONA

Vanity: IKEA

Faucet & Shower Hardware: Delta Faucets

Sconces & Mirror: The Home Depot

It's UP!

Yes! I finally bit the bullet and the blog has been redesigned by Lindsey of Designer Blogs! I love it. She did a great job capturing what I had in mind for my little ol' blog. Simple, but pretty - and the colours are perfect. There will be some changes to the side columns soon, I just need some more time to think it out and play with it some more, but so far I'd say we're looking a little better than before. I also love that you can now easily find me on facebook, twitter and pinterest - nice right?


What do you think?

Design Decisions - Making Progress

As you've all noticed, I have been slacking in our personal design posts (with the exception of the two posts this week). This is for a few reasons, the number 1 being that things are slow going with Halle being around. She is quite obviously top priority for us these days (as well as leaving us pretty sleep deprived). With baby stuff aside though, I haven't posted a whole lot on our bathroom design decisions because I haven't really had time to sit down and pull together a solid design plan. This means we've been working blindly, which left me feeling uncertain about where we were headed. Of course, there was also the issue of B and I not seeing eye to eye on design plans. However, I can finally say I'm feeling better about things and I'm ready to share some decisions that we've made, with you.

One big decision that saved us quite a bit of money was to not get my father to build us a custom vanity. Instead we opted for the IKEA Godmorgon vanity (in birch veneer), and lucky for us they just had a bathroom sale. This means for our sink and vanity, we only paid just over $400. HUGE savings!

We have plans to add our own hardware choice to the front, which I am very happy about. Now if you are really observant, you will remember that we have a widespread Delta faucet for the sink, and IKEA sinks only have 1 hole for faucets. Well - wish us luck on this hack! My Dad picked us up a diamond blade hole saw for adding the extra holes we need for our faucet. Yes, I'm nervous, but I have complete faith it will not be a (complete) disaster. 

Now, with the vanity out of the way, this brings us to our paint choice. As I had previously mentioned, B was pulling for yellow while I wanted blue. I knew yellow would just not mesh well with our vanity, and thankfully B agreed once we got in there with the vanity and my paint deck from Para Paints. In the end, we decided on Ephiany, which is the perfect combination of blue grey, that works fabulously with the birch veneer.

As for tile, we knew without a doubt that the tub enclosure will be done with white subway tile, and we are leaning towards using grey or silver grout. For the floor we were stuck again. We knew we wanted a 12 x 24, but couldn't decide if we wanted a light grey or plain white. So last Thursday we took a trip out to Dufferin Tile to look around. We spotted a grey tile that we liked, but of course I forgot our paint chip, and wasn't sure if it would be to "matchy-matchy" with our paint choice (backwards decision making there, right?). So, we left on Thursday with nothing and headed back on Friday with my Para Paint deck in hand. Thankfully, our blue looked lovely with the grey tile, so home it came - all under $220. 

So things are most definitely coming together (finally). It's been a long road, and the fact that I'm sleep deprived is not helping with my decision making or stress levels, but I have hope everything will balance itself out soon... and we can bang this whole renovation thing out as quickly as possible.

... and I'll try to get better with sharing what's happening on our end with reno and decor decisions!

Back and Forth

So, the time has come and we are finally gearing up to begin our next big reno! Almost a year after beginning our last major renovation project, we are ready for a new upstairs bathroom. We're still finalizing our layout (post to come soon) and design, and let me tell you - it hasn't exactly been a walk in the park.


For anyone who has redone a bathroom before, you know that the decision making is not an easy process. There are a ton of tiles too choose from and you have to consider what type of material you want, the colour, shape, etc. For us, choosing our floor tile has been a big decision. Originally, I was thinking a nice simple 12x24 white tile would be great... then I thought maybe grey, but went back on that decision quickly. Unfortunately, I had mentioned it to B briefly, and that kind of stuck with him, leaving us wanting different things. While I was still leaning towards white, B was starting to think that grey was our best bet. 

{via}

I think we are finally ready to settle on some sort of marble tile. White and grey... the best compromise that we could come up with. Now to search for something that will not bust our budget. 

{via}

The other decision that we are having a hard time coming to agree upon is the wall colours. While I continue to lean towards my safe blues, B is hoping to see a nice pale yellow on our bathroom walls. I figure, if I can get some white floors, I can happily choose a nice soft, sunny yellow for the walls. 

{via}

Hopefully over the next few days, and the weekend, B and I can get out and start making some more purchases for the bathroom. Halle needs a tub and FAST!

What do you do when you and your other half cannot agree on elements of a renovation or decorating project? 

If I Could Do It Again...

What I'm referring to is Halle's nursery. It's not that I don't love it exactly as it turned out (I completely do), but I'm sure you other design fanatics understand that I just can't get enough of design, and as soon as one room is done, I could do it all over again just to try out something new. 


So, other week when I finally had the chance to browse through the October issue of House Beautiful, I fell in love with wallpaper. This handpainted wallpaper by Anya Larkin to be exact...

This gorgeous paper is called Casablanca, and the pattern and colours won me over immediately. I could see the nursery done in a similar colour story to what it is now, only with more coral instead of brown. So maybe I wouldn't need to do it all over again. Maybe we could just transition it into her big girl room (HA! As if we could afford this wallpaper, and then want to put it in a child's room!...Unlikely)?

We'll see what she's into when that time comes, but I can always day dream! Has anything caught your eye recently that has you itching to redecorate?

Designer Love - SFA Design

Happy Monday! What a fabulous weekend spent with some great girls, celebrating my soon to be sister-in-law (even though I already consider her a sister anyway...). Since I was away all weekend, with little to no time to jump on any projects here at home, I decided to share some designer inspiration with you on this Monday morning. Today's designer love is for SFA Design, who I discovered via this post on House of Turquoise last week.

The above space is perfection. In an ideal world, I'd like to try and get our living room more airy and beachy looking like this. The artwork in the background is absolutely stunning!

Another great space - simple and uncluttered. That faux fireplace adds the perfect focal point to the room. I wouldn't mind curling up in one of those armchairs with my laptop and a cup of tea to do some blogging!

I don't think much needs to be said about this space. We all know I'm a fan of round dining tables and the colours are perfect.

What a great bedroom to kick back and relax in after a long day... or maybe even the most perfectly inviting guest room? Though I may have considered roman blinds for those windows?

These two spaces are fabulous. I can see a family gathering here for weekend breakfasts and uick week night dinners. Kids doing homework in that small seating area, while Mom makes dinner in the kitchen. I personally, would be happy sitting back on that couch on a Saturday morning while everyone else is still sleeping and enjoying a hot tea while flipping through my shelter mags, which are currently not getting much attention...

I love the beachy feel of each and every single one of these rooms. They're all so calming and laid back and I absolutely adore them. Which room do you love the most?

Fall 2011 Trends

The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting cooler, and Starbucks Pumpkin Spice latte is back. That can only mean one thing - Autumn is upon us. I know it technically doesn't start until later this month, but like most people, September signifies the start of the new season for me. Of course, the start of a new season means time to switch up some decor and cozy up your home for the chilly days that lay ahead.


Style at Home recently released their 2011 Fall Trends report, which has definitely provided me with some fabulous inspiration for our own home.


The trend that I loved most was Wood. It's the perfect natural element to add a great texture to your space and really warm it up. The other great thing about wood is that you easily mix different kinds of wood to get different textures in your space. Here are some ways I'd love to add wood into our home this fall...


These Ash Wood and Linen picture frames from Chapters/Indigo are beautiful. The two textures feel so warm to me, and the linen mat is so different from traditional matting. I particularly  like these frames for 5x7 photos, as we have 2 5x7 prints of Halle coming from our photographer. I think these frames with those photos would be a great addition to our front entrance (and the 20% off online is a great bonus!)

Remember my garage sale chair that I purchased over a year ago? Well, B and I are talking about how it NEEDS to be recovered and removed from his garage and into the house. I love the idea of recovering it in this fabric by Thom Filicia for Kravet (and yes, I have blogged about it before, I just can't justify spending the money and have yet to find a look-for-less fabric that I like).

Style at Home is also talking about the new neutrals for this season, which include shades of Taupe, Sage and Lilac. As you know, I'm gearing up to refresh our living room, and while I'm not really leaning towards using Taupe or Lilac in that space, I am more than open to exploring some of those lovely shades of Sage...

The third trend they are discussing is all about adding a bit of Modern Global flare into your space. Think natural textures, exotic textiles and culturally inspired pieces. The room below, from Style at Home is an example of Modern Global that works for me... 

West Elm is also doing a great job offering up some inspiration...

This wooden spice box is so lovely and a stylish way to store jewelry or other small items, to keep your space from looking cluttered.

I'd say these quilted pillows, made from saris, hit this trend right on the head... plus the colours are just gorgeous.

... and if you're going to add those beautiful pillows, why not include this gorgeous Kilim rug as well? So rich and warm, I think I'm in love!

So which trend are you loving most for this fall season? Are they any you are ready to jump on and add to your home?

Speaking of fall... I head back to classes tonight, and I am so looking forward to it! I'll be starting the business practice course, and I'm looking forward to all of the fun things I'll learn this term. I hope that I can be better about sharing the work that I do in this course.

... Speaking of Freshening Up...

While i'm on the topic of Freshening things up (see this morning's post)... I wanted to ask. Who do you recommend for redesigning blogs, for a good price! This space needs some sprucing up as well and I think I'm finally ready to pull the trigger to pay someone to help me out! I need any all suggestions that you have - so leave 'em below and I'll be checking them out and sending emails to inquire!

All of your help is SO greatly appreciated! 

Ruby Red Rooms

Unless our little bundle is very late, she will be born in July (God I hope she arrives in July). While thinking of this the other week, I went to double check what her zodiac sign should be, along with what her birthstone will be. She'll be a Cancer (as long as she arrives before July 22, otherwise she'll be a Leo), and her birthstone will be a Ruby. In honour of our little girl's red birthstone, today I wanted to share some inspiring red rooms. It's not always an easy colour to do right, but I think these rooms nailed it right on the head!

This tone on tone space from House to Home. may not be to everyone's taste but I think it's done quite nicely. The bold red is broken up quite well using a neutral sofa, and the neutral carpeting. With just a coat of paint on the wall, and couple changes of inexpensive pieces, the whole look of this room could be completely different!

Another bold space, this time from Style at Home. Some of you may recognize this beautiful dressing room from one of their "high-low features" (we all love 'em, right?). Much like the first room, with the flooring and many of the accents kept neutral, this room could easily be transformed with a coat of paint... but really, I love the cheery shade of red in this room!

For those of you who are not so much into the bold spaces, this kitchen from Style at Home might be a little more to your taste. Rather than going all out, this room incorporates a hit of red with some gorgeous wallpaper, which seems to pull the red tones out in the wood. A hint of red, done tastefully - I like it!

I think that this red bathroom (found on this blog) is absolutely adorable. I'm always a fan of white subway tile in washrooms. The hardest part about changing this room around, would be committing to a red tub. Yes, you could have it painted again down the line if you so desired, but that may involve some more work and money than simply slapping a coat of paint on the walls. Regardless, this room gets two thumbs up from me!

What do you think of red used in rooms? Would you or have you attempted red in your home? 

In Need of a Little Refresh...

No... not me. Lately I've been thinking that my blog could use a little refresh. I love the header that Brittany created for me last spring, but I'm starting to feel like this space needs to be spruced up.

{via}

Maybe some better organization to help readers find what they're looking for... and to help me keep track of things I'm posting on as well. Really, sometimes I feel like it could use a LOT of help, and I just don't know where to start....

So with that in mind, I turn to you. I must ask...

- What kind of organization do you find most helpful on your own blog?

- How do you break up and organize your blog content? (i.e. DIY projects, before and afters, etc.)

Of course, I also have some important questions in regard to content. With a wee one on the way, I'm sure everyone knows there will be some content about tiny people - however, I in no way intend to stray away from what I originally wanted this blog to be about when I started it almost 2 years ago. I'd like to stick with my design/decor/DIY theme... and continue to throw in some of the more personal content you see here and there.

- What would you like to see more of around here? What will keep you coming back?

Any and all advice from my blogging friends would be greatly appreciated. I think it's part of my nesting instinct but I'd like to take care of and organize this little blog while we continue to do so on the home front!

Also, as I make changes to the blog, my little blog rolls will be getting a refresh with some blogs that I read every day and have never added... If I'm missing you from this list and you know it, leave me a comment and I'd be glad to add your little blog to my blog roll! :)

Don't forget, if you missed it, make sure to enter my Ramsign giveaway for a chance to win one of their custom Porcelin Enamel signs! Find out how right here!

Guest Post - What Would You Do?

Happy Wednesday! I know I haven't been around much this week. Between the grey rainy weather, and closing in on 32 weeks prego, I've just been feeling sluggish and unmotivated as of late. However, I am thrilled to tell you that today I am taking part in Cristin's series, "What Would You Do?" over on her blog Simplified Bee.

If you're not familiar with her series, you need to head on over to see what it's all about... and of course, to check out what I came up with. I participated alongside three other fabulous bloggers: Michaela, Mackenzie and Marissa (yeah, I'm the odd one out, without a name beginning with M).

A big thanks to Cristin for asking me to participate. I had so much fun putting my design together, and I cannot wait to see what the three other talented ladies came up with!

Oh... and today our little peanut's dresser was featured over on Better After, along with a bunch of other fabulous bluey-green projects! Thanks to Lindsey for sharing our labour of love!

B's Dream Bachelor Pad

I know that I never write about school and the projects I am working on. Strange, I know, but I think it's largely because I use this blog as my little escape during the week. Whatever the reason, I have come to my senses and want to begin sharing with you my final project for my current course. The class focuses on the process of taking on projects with clients and working on space plans, design concepts, presentation skills, etc... and I am loving.every.second.of.it.

For our final project our teacher has given us a giant floor plan and it's our job to undergo the process of interviewing a "real client" and then taking all of the right steps to design a space for them. In my case, I decided to use B as my client and we'll be making this home into his ultimate bachelor pad. After having B fill out my questionnaire, and the two of us sat down and talked and reviewed the floor plan I'm beginning to work my way through how each room will work for him. In the meantime, I thought I'd share with you some of my inspirational images for his home. We're going for a slightly industrial feel for my handyman, and of course all masculine...

{Baker Kavanagh Architects via desire to inspire}

The clean lines and materials used in this kitchen are exactly what B had asked for. Only, I hope to use stone for the flooring throughout his home... with underfloor heating. He plans to entertain a lot, so he's going to want something to stand up to all of abuse.

{via anthropologie}

Brittany shared the above table on her blog last week, and as soon as I saw it, I knew it would be great in B's dream bachelor pad. Thanks Brittany!

I also knew that the Brickmaker's Table from Restoration Hardware would be right up B's alley. Of course, he loved it.

{via desire to inspire}

There were no doubts that with the materials used in the bathroom above, it would serve as great inspiration for the bathroom's in B's bachelor pad.

I was impressed when B picked out the Leather Copenhagen chair on his own, while we were on the Restoration Hardware website. He's asked that I put one in his "smoking lounge" (no, B is not a smoker... but I guess in his dream bachelor world he'd have friends over to enjoy pricey cigars in his lounge).

He also liked my pick of the Fulham Leather L-Sectional. We'd probably use this one in the main entertaining space, and possibly include a smaller version in his smoking lounge.

As soon as I saw the Industrial Tool Chest on Restoration Hardware, I knew they would make the perfect nightstands for the bedroom. B agreed, and if there is an apporpriate room, I'd also like to incorporate the Industrial Tool Chest Console. They are very cool... and very B.

I had the best time last night rummaging through the sample room at school and finding some fantastic stones, hardwoods, leather, fabrics and a cork rubber floor for his home gym. It's slowly coming together, but this week I'll be working extra hard to figure out the perfect floor plan.

What do you think of my inspiration for B's own "imaginary" man world? :)

Design Fights Back

Last night I got an email from Krista over at Hopeless Chest... and I must say I am so glad that she sent it! Right now, Krista's Mom is working hard on an event called "Design Fights Back".

They are still looking for designers to participate, to create one of the 33 dynamic dining tables at the Sheraton Centre Toronto on April 2, 2010. To find out more information click on the link above or the Design Fights Back logo.

Not only am I a huge fan of design, but I have so many family and friends whose lives have been affected by Cancer. In the past I both volunteered and participated annually in the Oshawa Relay for Life - as a team captain, and also as an event photographer. A seriously worthy cause, and event that I hope has all of the success in the world.

Please, even if you aren't able to participate as a designer at the event, let's spread the word and help this first time event truly shine!

Front Entry - Decor Talk

Over the past few days I've been sharing the progress on the renovation of our front entrance. As most of you have commented, it's been rather drastic, epecially considering the majority of the work was completed over the course of 3 days (take a look at the construction progress here, here and here!). Today, I want to bring things inside and show you what we've been thinking of for our entry design. (Alright, what I've been thinking and B hasn't veto'd.... yet).

The best part of our future entry, will be the addition of a brand spanking new front closet. This is seriously exciting, and something I believe will add some value to our casa. The previous coat rack we had there was just messy looking....

Yeah, not really the most welcoming site to come home to. So, when we headed to Lowe's for our big shopping trip, I knew I wanted to pick some pretty doors. We ended up choosing these ones...

They are made by Jeld-Wen and are called Santa Fe. We'll have double doors, so it will be a ton of storage space. I adore them, and when I saw this picture featured in House Beautiful, those doors set off a lightbulb upstairs.

The walls will remain a creamy white colour, like they were previously, so I'd like the doors to be dark. B wasn't a fan of the green tint to the doors, and really neither am I, as I don't think it will work with our home. Instead, I'm leaning towards more of a charcoal grey colour, with our dark hardware. I think with everything else in the room being light, it will really ground the space.

As for flooring, I had originally hoped to pour a concrete floor which we could polish and I would stencil. Just as I thought, I've changed my mind. We were in a tile store not too long ago, when we stumbled across some tile that resembled old barn board flooring. No, not your typical faux wood tile, this has the knots and ridges and everything that real wood flooring would have - perfect for our front entry! Now we just need to go and buy it (and no... I couldn't find any pictures to share)!

For the time being, we're going to keep our old $15 score of a light fixture, but I'm starting to wonder if it will be too small in our new space. Even looking back now, sometimes I think it was a tad on the small side...

Only time will tell. We have a budget of about $0 for a new light fixture, but I may just have to keep my eyes open for one at our local ReStore. We've spotted some incredible pieces there recently!

Lastly, I mentioned in one of my past posts, that while B and my Dad worked diligently on the renovation process, I was out buying a new console table for our entry. I completely planned on sharing a photo of it with you today, but my camera had other plans. So another day.

My Mom and I spotted it in HomeSense and I immediately knew it was right for the space. Everything about it was what I had pictured. The slightly distressed look, the creamy colour and the  dark hardware. It's not too big and not too tiny. A perfect spot to store gloves and other little accessories in the drawers. The top will provide an area for a little lamp, and a catch all for keys (B's been losing his a lot recently). Maybe also a great spot to leave a little dish of treats for guests.

My end goal, is to create a space that is warm and welcoming for all those that enter our home. Somewhere that is neat and organized, and everything has it's place... not that it will always stay that way, but at least I'll be able to make it look just so when we have (planned) guests.

Of course, we still have a lot to do, like insulating, putting up vapour barrier, drywall, etc. before I can bring my dream design to life. I just wanted to share now, as this room will set the tone for the rest of the main floor living as we slowly start to renovate those spaces.

The New Look

I'm so excited today to finally have the new blog look up! I was getting tired of the usual blogger template with no colour. Don't get me wrong, I love white, but it just wasn't cutting it anymore! 

My beautiful new header was designed by the wonderful Brittany from Pink Peacock Designs, and I think that she perfectly captured what I was looking for, for my little ol' blog! I was also thrilled that she was able to change the layout from two columns to three! She was so quick, and an absolute pleasure to work with, and I definitely recommend her if you're looking for a little blog makeover! Oh yes, and she is also the lovely designer behind that cute little piece of art work that I have hanging in the guest bedroom! Isn't she talented?

So - what's the verdict? Are you loving my new look?

Design UnInspired?

Since we've returned home from our vacation, I've spent a lot of time thinking about the renovations I want to do in our home (when I'm not thinking about the impending holiday season). In particular, I've spent a lot of time thinking about our living room. Since the living room is a) the first room you see when you enter from our foyer, b) the room we spend the most time in and c) one of only two rooms on our main floor, I want to be sure that the design and decor is something that I love, but others can truly appreciate. I don't want it to be too trendy, but I also don't want it to be cookie cutter. For a while, I was pretty sure I knew what I wanted, yet there was something in my gut telling me it wasn't quite right. This morning, while browsing through my latest edition of House and Home magazine (The January Trends issue), something hit me and I knew I had it all wrong. That being said, I am extremely happy that B and I didn't take the plunge a month back and start purchasing some of the materials for my original design plan, as neither of us would be very pleased at this point in time.

Our home was built in the 1920's and is located just up the street from the shore of Lake Ontario. Since the first time we saw the house, the location and character have had me thinking "cottage". I want to keep that cottage feel in our home, but update it a little bit and THIS my friends, is what has made me scrap my original design plan.

I originally had something more dramatic in mind, darks floors with dark walls, a floor to ceiling ivory stone fireplace and pops of colour (mainly light blue). As much as I loved it, I know it doesn't fit the character of our home. So I'm now leaning more towards light floors (natural looking) and more of a natural stone look for the fireplace. I'll have to see what I really LOVE before I decide on the fireplace and wall colour, but at least now I feel confident in the direction I am taking.

Regardless, our living room is a blank slate so I definitely have the ability to do as I please.

So the design is a work in progress, and I'll keep you posted on my thoughts, but I am completely open to input from readers. How about you? Have you ever had any projects where you (thankfully) realized before you began work that it was all wrong? Or worse, have you ever realized it while putting your plan into action? I'd love to hear your stories!

Welcome to First Time Fancy!

First Time Fancy is a blog that came to be after I purchased my first home with my boyfriend in May of 2009. After moving in, in July of that year, I was overwhelmed by the amount of work we had ahead of us, and fears of endless amounts of money pouring from our bank account. All fears and anxiety aside - we set to work from the day we got our keys and haven't looked back (or claimed for bankruptcy yet!!). Over time I have learned that just because it's your first house - it doesn't mean it can't be the home you've been dreaming of.

I've enjoyed sharing the work and projects we've done with our friends and family, and decided it was time to share them with a larger audience. I hope that through my entries, I am able to inspire others to make their first home (or second, third, fourth, etc.) their dream home - with a little money and a lot of elbow grease!

So please, join me in the adventure that is first time home ownership! You'll be sure to find a lot of projects specific to our own home, along with secrets, tips and great finds to help you turn any space into something that you'll love and be proud to call your own!