I love using pattern in my home but I must admit I tend to be drawn towards simple repeated designs. One of my favourites is quatrefoil; this simple clover-like pattern is so pretty and can be seen in architectural details, decor and more.

{1. slow travel 2. wide open spaces 3. suite 101 4. wikipedia}

When I was young I loved visiting my grandparents in The Valley. Their houses, first in a town aptly called Paradise, and later in Ernest Buckler’s home in Bridgetown were old, beautiful and packed with antiques. I loved exploring all of the rooms, peeking inside of closets and snooping in cabinets. There was a treasure around every corner. One thing I loved was the collection colourful tiny bottles that lined the window sills.

My kitchen reno that I thought would last for 3-4 weeks is now in its fifth month. The cabinets went in quickly but I had an issue with my counter which held things up for ages. Then barfy children and life in general got in the way of everything else. Our beautiful backsplash was finally installed last week.

The backsplash has added a new step to the reno though. The colours do not match the existing wall colour, which is Behr’s Salty Tear.

So I am going to change it to my favourite Benjamin Moore blue, Harbor Haze.

Photographs are one of the easiest and inexpensive ways to personalize a space. When I was redecorating Jessie's room, I wanted to incorporate some photos but I also wanted to add a little pattern to the space. For around $70.00 I was able to create a unique and playful photo display.

What You Need:
 

I may or may not have been tweeting up a storm about Cityline’s special blogger episode that aired on Tuesday. That’s because it was one of the most fun things I have ever taken part in. The audience was filled with lifestyle bloggers and the topics were all related to social media. If you missed it, you can watch the complete episode here.

I am really good at keeping a secret. I mean really good.

I am so proud to be taking part in Bloggers Give Back. I wrote about this amazing project, started by Lindsay from Little House Blog, earlier this week here.

We are giving the backyard of George Herman House a much needed makeover . I am so excited to help make this a special oasis for these women. Here is what the space looks like now:

The Secret Garden was my favourite book as a young girl.

When I imagined my dream house growing up, it always had a walled garden with a secret door. Only I would have the key.

I dreamed of a place to escape to. A beautiful, secret hideaway. I dreamed of something just like this....

Some fabulous Toronto design bloggers are creating a Secret Garden {of sorts} as a part of a project called, Bloggers Give Back.

I think I am still in shock that Erica and Royale made a dream come true for me by asking me to renocate seven year old Jessie’s bedroom. This was my first time designing a space for someone else and it just happened to be for my boss’s daughter. And on tv. No pressure right?

Still, I have had the most fun creating a dream room for Jessie...the planning, the shopping, the painting and the styling. I loved every single minute.

Now it's time for the reveal, for Jessie to see her new beautiful room.

I have received hundreds and hundreds of outstanding ideas for Jessie’s room! I can’t say again how helpful all of your tips and suggestions have been. This has been my first major design project and I feel so lucky to be sharing the experience with all of you.

Here are a few more of your amazing design tips for Jessie’s room. Feel free to steal them and use them in your own home! I know I will.

I don’t know about you, but I am dreaming of spring.

There may snow on the ground and a scarf around my neck, but soon, hopefully very soon, the world will be back in bloom.

Until then, here are some beautiful images to bring a little spring into your day. Enjoy!

I could stare at this last image all day. Couldn’t you just imagine this as the road that led to your home? Absolutely beautiful.

I have literally received hundreds of amazing ideas for Jessie’s bedroom reno-cation.

First, let me say thank you! I am truly inspired by your creativity.

I think it would be a tad selfish to keep all of these amazing design tips to myself so here are a just a few of the suggestions that I think would work for Jessie’s space:

Use magnetic paint above a desk as a spot for Jessie to display her art and posters Karen from Arthur, ON

One of my favourite parts of decorating any space is the shopping.

If you are anything like me you would never put toilet paper and interior design in the same sentence. But Royale has changed that for me forever. And they want to do the same for you. We are celebrating the Royale $25,000 Reno-cation contest by bringing it to life on my blog. Together.

Do you have a passion for all things pretty? Do you love talking interior design and decor trends? Are you super proud of your home? Then you have come to the right place!

March is decor month at YMC and we are looking for you to write articles.
 

I look for any excuse to switch up decor and accessories in my home. Now that my holiday decorations are packed away, I wanted to bring pretty back. Valentine’s Day is nearly here so I used it as my inspiration to create a romantic vignette in my bedroom.

I started with layering art:

flowers on canvas {just like my wedding bouquet} given to us from my parents as a gift,

a Valentine inspired piece I created ,

I placed those with an ikea print and three photos of my family.

I know that bronze may be taking over the design world again, and it is growing on me, but I think I will always be drawn to silver, nickel and chrome.

I recently went to Urban Barn for the first time and I fell in love with these metallic pieces. You know what else I love about Urban Barn? It is Canadian!

I am in love....with the colour pink.

It has always been my favourite colour so I could not be more excited that Pantone chose Honeysuckle as its colour of the year for 2011.

I love this bright happy shade. Don’t you?

You can go all out...

I have been a huge fan of Cityline for ages {and not just because I want to be on it someday}. It’s fun, it’s fresh and full of inspiration.

I have wanted to go to a taping forever so I was so excited when my new friend, Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault invited a few bloggers {including me} to be a part of the audience recently. It was so much fun to see the show live

I have never been one to make resolutions but I have always been a big dreamer so I thought it would be fun to make a list of all of the posts I dream of writing in 2011.

I got a tad carried away.....

-to observe, or take part in, the styling of a space for a photo shoot for one of my two favourite magazines, Style at Home or House and Home