Playing with Tradition

I used to balk at anything traditional. I thought the style was stuffy and old-fashioned and rooted in rules I didn't want to follow. But I've come around a bit and now appreciate classic touches in homes, like this Montreal house featured in Style at Home. But what I love most about this place is how the homeowners keep things unexpected. The brown velvet tufted ottoman, the glam chandeliers in the kitchen, the pink wallpaper and blue armchair in the dining room -- these things prove a properly grown-up home and a sense of fun are not mutually exclusive. Aren't you glad?

Photos from here. 

Shifting

I feel like my interior design tastes are changing, shifting slightly away from minimalist and a bit toward classic. Or at least more of a mix of the two. Modern, streamlined style is still my favorite aesthetic, but I'm gravitating toward touches of glamour and timeless elements lately.

Style at Home describes this house as "modern British style." I'm not exactly sure what that means, but what I do know is I love this home's use of color, print and texture and the mix of sleek pieces with other styles. It's still crisp and modern, but warm, colorful and interesting too. Nicely done!

Photos from here.

Oh So Glam

Last year, my mom and sister and I decide to take on a collective resolution: Get our shit together. As 2010 came to a close, my mom started referring to the goal in the past tense, as in we'd accomplished it and now officially had it all together. While I'm not entirely convinced, I'm okay with where we're at. But if I had a home as glamorous as this one, featured on Style at Home, I wonder if I'd truly believe it. Isn't this place incredible?!

Photo from here.

Home Sweet Home

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine was a lot of fun. It was so nice to get away and see family, yet it was wonderful to be home again. Ahh, there really is no place like your own place.

When I saw this gorgeous home on MadeByGirl, I made note of it. I knew I'd want to return to it for inspiration. Isn't it lovely? Aren't those dashes of yellow fantastic? I doubt anyone could be in a bad mood living here.

Take a look:

Photos from here, via here.

A Happy Home

While the weekend's not quite over yet, it's certainly been a full one already. We spent a lot of time planning and pricing out materials for a handful of home projects. It's easy to get overwhelmed when there are so many improvements we're looking forward to doing. I need to remind myself it takes time to create a home -- and that that's part of the fun.

This beautiful house, owned by at Style at Home editor, is a good reminder to slow down, take a deep breath and enjoy the process. That way we'll end up with a home we love -- one that's grown naturally and is filled with things that are meaningful to us. It will truly be our home, just like this gorgeous place reflects its owner. By the way, I love all the blues, grays and whites she used. So pretty!

Photos from here.

Seeing Green

I find the green accents in this Toronto home so refreshing. They're especially appealing with a palette of black, white and neutral tones. Love, love, love!

Photos from here.

Starting Fresh

It's three days into the new year and so far 2010 has been great. We had a fun New Year's Eve with friends and I woke up on New Year's Day full of energy. I cleaned the house top to bottom, which felt great and left me time to enjoy the rest of the long weekend.

I love the idea of getting organized this time of year, as well as the idea of starting fresh. So this bright Charlottetown home on styleathome.com really appeals to me. It's so clean and airy, and the use of white is just fantastic. It's like a deep cleansing breath of fresh air.

Photos from here.