Twilight: I May Consider Becoming a Vampire To Live Here

While Bella is ready to become a vampire to be with Edward eternally,

 I think I would be more excited about living here:

The Hoke House by Skylab Architecture

The exterior is an architectural masterpiece, readying you for
A STUNNING interior...

The real life inhabitants..

methinks that is a custom sofa..

While this vignette is clearly styled,
this pottery display behind the sofa and long, low art appeal to the symmetry lover in me..
and I''ll always adore those graceful lamps.

who needs art, really, when this is your view...

Edwards bedroom...

This scrumptious abode was used only for the outdoor shots - 

all the interior scenes were filmed in a different house, 

designed by the late Canadian Architect Arthur Erickson, and built in the 1950's.

This spectacular home in West Van is up for sale, and has been for quite some time..

I imagine the droves of fans popping in would be slightly overwhelming.

Maybe that was what inspired the change of venue from the previous movie.

Those vampires know their way around a room!
Fantastic art and the green is perfect for a home so connected to nature.

I am not at all certain about which site is being used for Eclipse,

 and rather than research it I will wait to see it tonight..

Yes, tonight, dear friends, I will attend the premiere of eclipse with another Mum

 and four blissfully infactuated young ladies.

They will breathlessly swoon over the delicious boys and

 I will breathlessly swoon over the delicious architecture!

(sorry about the loopy photo arrangement, blogger is being difficult this morn!)

til next time..

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Seriously Cool Kids "Playgoda" by Gregg Fleishman

Okay, this is the coolest kids play structure I've seen..

A "cluster-structure",

 shown at this years dwell on design Green Home conference,

and now being ordered for all the cool kids.

Greg Fleishmann makes all sorts of goodies from Finland birch and polycarbonate.

there are no screws, bolts or nails - just slotted panels

 which come together in a convenient, simplified build

 which is easy to move or re-use in a different manner.

His completely customizable shelter systems are the perfect focal point for a hip, 

xeriscaped back yard.

That rooftop patio is genius!

Wonder if these can handle a snowy Canadian winter?

til next time..

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How a Unified Palette Expands Your Space

Check out this fantastic small apartment I found.

A perfect example of how a simplified and cohesive palette 

makes your space feel larger.

Obviously white is a common choice in a small space,

but here they have used the right whites. 

Warm white softens all the angular lines and enhances the wood.

 Introducing soft neutrals like the kitchen cabinet doors and sofa,

 keep it a bit more interesting.

The abundance of wood pieces amp up the cozy factor,

by choosing all mid-tone stains, many woods mix here 

 while still relating to each other.

So clever to whitewash the floors and avoid a cabin feel.

Don't you love those doors?

Opting for a simple bed base with no headboard will make guests

 feel less like they are sitting in your bedroom.

Nice sunny spot to relax, the only thing I would do here is lower the art a little!!

A tall person must live here :)

Smart details - mirror captures light from the living space and reflects it into the office,

creating the illusion and ambiance of a window.

A mix of contemporary and traditional accessories in white and clear glass add interest without overwhelming the proportions.

And I want that faceted vase! passed on a sweet one a while back and now I regret it..

Such a fab wee abode, don't you think?

til next time..

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Flickr Beauty

Florals do not usually get me excited.

The liberty prints that got put on everything this spring

were pretty, but wouldn't make it through the front door here.

Recently spruced up the powder room and

I was looking for a little inspiration for art,

and thats when I found the photostream of

Jenny Kapteijn.

Have you seen this woman's work?
Simplicity of form, abundant texture and glorious color.
LOVE it!

Those are florals I would bring home - lovely!

til next time..

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Going with A Dark Paint? READ THIS!!

I've got a little painting to do.

source

Yesterday I posted about my daughters black bedroom,

and my living room is also a very dark navy (Ralph Lauren Modern Loft)..

If you are considering painting with a dark color in your home you need to know this:

DO NOT use a flat finish.

If you touch the walls, they will chalk.

Meaning you will end up with whitish residue that is almost impossible to remove

 every place someone touches a wall.

The previous owners painted Natasha's room, so I did not choose flat black - 

but the living room is my own fault.

The previous owners had painted it deep blue-red, almost a burgundy,

with gold metallic egyptian hieroglyphics all over!!!

As I gleefully sanded them off (goodbye giant eagles!), 

I discovered they had etched the outlines into the drywall previous to painting.

 To eliminate bleeding, I'm guessing?

So I chose flat paint, to help hide any imperfections that remained after plastering.

I had always used a satin finish with dark colors, and advised clients to do the same,

because the sheen brings light into the room.
A satin finish in a quality paint will not chalk.

So make sure you use a satin finish!

As for me, I will be spending Monday and Tuesday

rolling on a coat of higher sheen paint in these rooms :)

source

til next time..

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Every Tweens Wish: A Black Bedroom

Last fall, when we moved into our new house,

the kids were most excited about their new, larger rooms.

Maybe it's because their Mum does Color Consultations,

but they all had strong opinions about the color schemes!

source

Natasha, my eleven year old daughter, 

was moving into what was the former owners office.

And it was painted black.

Jet black.

They left a can of extra paint for us, and on the side it simply says: BLACK.

source

We had just re-done her room in our previous home with turquoise, white and a splash of yellow.

So naturally her little sister, Chloe, decided she wanted a turquoise room.

Natasha wasn't having any part of the matching rooms idea,

and was thinking about bright lemon yellow (!!).

source

I was was dreading the layers of primer and paint it was going to

take to cover the black...

then it hit me.

What about black, white and yellow?

All her furniture was white, 

that combined with large windows and bright yellow accents 

would be fantastic.

Natatsha was ecstatic!
Could we have a little turquoise, please Mum?
Absolutely, thinking about a certain dining room by Nate Berkus..





She has no idea how lucky she is.
Actually, I'm fairly certain she knows..
her friends always go crazy for her room their first time over, and she just smiles.

How many tweens get a black room?

Although most of them want one  :)

So here it is:

I chose the bedding, Natasha chose the wall decals.

The wall light and stool are from Ikea, both under $10 (!),

so we won't mind changing them in a few years when

 she decides she would like electric blue and purple walls..

Every tween has posters, Natasha contains hers on two cork boards I found at winners.
I like that the black frames almost disappear here.
And what girls room would be complete without Edward and Jacob present?

 

We have been looking for a desk for a while, 

Natasha wanting this one from Ikea, and me trying to find something similar that 

was made from better materials.

Last weekend I caved.. it fits perfectly into her space 

and hopefully now she will spend a bit more time doing her homework here!

The balls are all gifts from her friends.. 

the happy face is Natasha's favourite symbol.

She has a snow globe collection, 

and loves rocks and crystals..

and books.

Storage is a huge priority here.

My husbands maternal grandparents were Japanese and Chinese.

Her late Great-Nana gave her this:

The girls both have the same furniture.

It was actually given to us, never having been used,

by a divorced man we knew whose twin daughters

 lived quite far away and had not once visited him.

So sad, isn't that?

He sent everything, including down duvets and mattresses,

to our house several years ago when he moved back closer to his girls - 

saying that he knew two little girls here

who would get a lot of use from them.

We were shocked and thankful, it's lovely solid wood furniture

that will work for them until they move out onto their own.

We made simple half panels here to provide a little privacy

 but still allow her to see the sky - repeated in each of our children's rooms.

The mirror was once dull beige.

 I brought it home from the store, painted it happy, 

and it hung in our previous homes powder room.

Natasha always loved it, and giddily claimed it for her bedroom here..

Jewellry abounds...

What do you think?

Would that make anyone re-think black in a kids room?

Natasha thinks she has won the jackpot :)

and that's really all that counts around here.

'til next time

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