I've never really been one for New Years resolutions. I think I tried them a few times, they didn't stick and I resolved not to resolve again. Haha. I also tried keeping an intent word in mind for the year. That was uplifting at times when I had several not so great years. Fast forward to now, 2017 was one of the very best years I've had in a LONG time. That feels great to say. In planning for 2018 I've contemplated what projects I might enjoy working on, not only professionally but personally as well. I'm in the midst of having my blog redesigned by Kiki & Co (so excited about that) AND t ..read more

Financial freedom, what exactly is it and how do you get there? It isn't something that's just reserved for people with millions of dollars. This is one common misconception I've heard amongst friends before. I'm certainly not a financial expert, but as a single mom I've had to learn a thing or two about planning, budgeting and finding my way to financial freedom. I often talk about interiors, fashion, beauty and health... but financial health is a satisfying goal to aspire to as well.  At some point - or another in life - most of us will experience needing or wanting something that we c ..read more

Valentine's Day is one of the occasions that I really enjoy. Simply put, I love a day that celebrates love. This year I decided to take a slightly different approach to the occasion. I've been trying to incorporate ways to slow down in day to day life, practising Hygge and trying to be more in the now. With that in mind I decided that Valentine's Day shouldn't just be for couples to enjoy, but for everyone to enjoy. This specific day has traditionally revolved around the conventional sense of love, being the love between individuals, which I think in a way has become quite an exclusionary cel ..read more

I'm always looking for something new to make for my family on weekends. It's also important to me to make something that can be taken to school for snacks for LL. A raspberry lemon loaf was the perfect thing. I recently came across this recipe I had in my little baking folder and thought I'd update it to suit the way I like to eat today. It just so happens that these pretty deep pinky red raspberries dotting this loaf might be a nice thing to keep in mind for Valentine's Day too.  This recipe used to call for butter... and a LOT of it. I substituted olive oil and greek yogurt. I'm by no ..read more

I often set out to take care of the little gifts on my list first every year. I think I developed this habit one year when I overlooked people whom I should've remembered, and felt so bad last minute when I had nothing for them. Ever since I keep a small cache of gifts that are easy to give to anyone. This year I'm also rounding up items that might encourage a little quiet, or pause in our busy rushed world. First on the list. The gift of tea. I love teapigs.ca, it's easy to order and their teas are truly the very best I've ever had. Send it directly to the recipients home or order several pa ..read more

It's funny how often interior designers procrastinate with projects in their own homes. I've been meaning to get to a family room update for some time now. Once the colder winter months set in and we're inside more, it's harder to look around at the unfinished spaces in our homes. It's also statistically the time that people tackle decor projects in order to enjoy being indoors. This in mind, I decided there's no time like the present to dedicate some TLC to my family room, especially considering it gets so much use and traffic. It's where we spend the bulk of our family time.  ..read more

The holidays truly are a magical time, but they can also be busy and a little stressful, especially when we put pressure on ourselves to make everything perfect for our loved ones. Last year was the first time I really took advantage of Cyber Monday and the mass sales and I really appreciated how peaceful ticking items off my list can actually be. I used the opportunity to buy gifts but also to fix up areas of my home for the holidays and the guests I'd have visiting. Shopping from home has made things so much easier in the sense that there's no time restrictions, no fussing over which store's ..read more

Hygge. How do we Hygge? Why would we Hygge? This buzz term, pronounced "Hue-Guh", is a danish word that means to indulge in little pleasures and all things cozy. An ideology extremely relevant in this age of rushed and overbooked lives. There's no english equivalent, so it's no surprise we're not familiar with the term or way of life. From what I've read, the Danish are some of the happiest people in the world so they must be doing something right. I figured the best way to explain Hygge was to understand it myself. I didn't really know where to begin, so I started with booking an hour on ..read more

It's true the holidays are a magical time. Spending time with loved ones, entertaining, decorating and gift giving. It's also true that they can be a stressful time too. I love going all out to decorate every year, but don't love the overwhelmed feeling I've often ended up with when I drive all over trying to find key elements. This sometimes delays other tasks too, like gift purchases. This year I decided I would be far more thoughtful in my holiday prep. I had recently partnered with Southcentre Mall to share some fun ideas for Halloween and came to love this mall as a destination to sh ..read more

I can remember a time when clients would mention the movie Somethings Got To Give at initial design consults, claiming if they could create a feeling in their own home that was it. Being fairly new to design at that time and having a relatively small portfolio Nancy Meyer's set design provided great inspiration for many homes I worked on.  There's a simple and refined, yet casual elegance to her aesthetic. She's always done the best job of creating spaces that were ever inviting, embodying the perfect marriage of traditional with a modern touch. I was so happy to discover that Architectur ..read more