Spring + Summer Crush @ The Home Depot

Happy Friday! The long weekend is only a few short hours away and lucky me, I am already up at my favourite Bed&Breakfast enjoying the beautiful sunshine and seasonally warm weather.  Today's activities include a short hike along the Bruce Trail, a quick visit to a small town near by for a fresh loaf of bread and organic local meat + produce for a tasty BBQ, and hot tub with wine + starry night to wrap it all up.

Speaking about enjoying the great outdoor, I was at the Home Depot spring/summer preview a few weeks ago and was in love with their fantastic outdoor collection, the variety of BBQ options that suits everyone's specific desire, and the super delicious bites.

Tight in outdoor space (especially for those who live downtown with a 50 square feet balcony), here is a cheerful option for dining for two.  Bistro style + intense shot of vibrant orange (it also comes in luxe violet and soothing emerald green), this is how we condo dwellers live large in small spaces.  

Father's Day is coming up and you all know how men are obsessed with a mean BBQ to make them feel proud.  The Home Depot team brought a few options to the preview.  From backyard party for 20 or romantic dinner for 2, the Home Depot has got you covered.  I have no gas line at my balcony and can't use charcoal due to safety concern, this little fella is powered by good old electricity and it will be Chris' BFF at our next summer party. 

This roasted peach with prosciutto recipe is my absolute favourite at the event and I would love to use the BBQ to roast my peach at the next summer party.

For this spring/summer season, the Home Depot has sourced a collection of stylish exterior rugs to help ground our outdoor space and add softness to our feet.  I am particularly fond of this creamy white & apple red beauty for its simple design with a hint of nautical flair.  Best of all, this rug is also reversible!  So when you want to switch up the look, just flip the rug over.  Yes, it is that easy!   

For those who are looking for some pretty and maintenance free pillows to freshen up your existing patio set, here is a sample of options available at the Home Depot.  Isn't this such a smart vignette to display the cushions in a wheel barrow?  Of course I am also crazy about the string lights on the staircase and the elegant chandeliers via the huge mirror.

Thanks Home Depot for having me at this fun and inspiring spring/summer preview.  I surely had a fantastic time and now for those who are planning to refresh their outdoor living space this long weekend, check out your local Home Depot and let's "Dig Into Spring"!

Happy long weekend!

PEI Retreat w/ Margot Austin

Hello Wednesday! Are you all excited about the long weekend? The May long weekend has traditionally been the time when we kick off garden projects.  Clearing dried leaves, tidying up the flowerbeds, and of course getting ready to plant the fresh blooms!  We have been spoiled by global warming for the past few years to believe that we could jump on the planting wagon as early as mid-April.  Well, Mother Nature has her last laugh again as she greeted us with wind + hail storm in the middle of May! Take that Global Warming!

Anyway, yours truly is looking forward to the warm and sunny weekend as per the weather man's forecast.  For those of you who are planning to head to your cottages, perhaps it is now the perfect time to do some planting and spring decorating at your home away from home.  Now for those real lucky ones whose cottages are right off the lake, you have got to check out Margot Austin's super chic and inviting cottage at Prince Edward Island.

image via House & Home Online TV

The cottage is tiny but Margot has worked her magic to incorporate all the functions and comforts of a home + visually expanded the space by having the walls and ceiling painted creamy white and a soft warm grey for the floor.  The living space is anchored by a tailored sofa bed upholstered in greyish blue  fabric to echo the many shades of blue from the sky and ocean outside of the windows.  Short of space to house out-of-town guests? The living room can easily be transformed into a stylish bedroom within minutes thanks to the dreamy pillows and nautical striped bedding

image via House & Home Online TV

Tucked neatly next to the living area is the dining area with a big, bright window to take full advantage of the view.  By using a simple white table and a set of director's chairs covered in durable white canvas, the look of the dining zone is light, airy, and calm.  It is such a smart solution in this small cottage: the dining area almost blends in completely with the walls!     

image via House & Home Online TV

To add warmth and charm to the freshly painted white box, Margot mastered this captivating gallery wall with her favourite artwork that inject originality and authenticity to her PEI getaway.  I love the light house painting; it is perfect for an East Coast escape. 

image via House & Home Online TV

The kitchen is a classic example of how you can live large in a small space.  It takes up next to no square footage, and yet it has all the modern conveniences we need ... and it is incredibly chic! All dressed in white, my eyes are immediately drawn to the details such as the farmhouse sink, the wall-mounted faucet, the penny round backsplash, the pendent fixture, and of course the super fun lobster fabric window treatment.  

left image via Style at Home; right images via House & Home Online TV

Before we continue our tour to the second floor, I have got to show you the charming mudroom with a nautical flair.  Really if you live on an island surrounding by the ocean with an infinite view, would you not be inspired by what nature has to offer? I love the use of deep navy in this mudroom.  It is such a departure from the rest of the space and the color gives the mudroom its presence + a stunning first impression.

image via House & Home Online TV

On the second floor, Margot's made the most out of the tight corner with sloped ceiling by creating a cozy bedroom for guests.  By tucking the bed right next to the sloped ceiling, Margot now has room to add a few hooks for jackets/ clothes, a painted bedside table, a classic table lamp and vintage prints on the wall to complete the look.  When life gives you a lemon, make lemonade.  In this case, I think this lemonade is imported from France!

Spy the rope railing? It is absolutely perfect for this cottage right by the ocean and what an ingenious idea.  (note: the rope railing at the PEI cottage is white.  The image on the right is a shot from Margot's Tweed home)  

image via House & Home Online TV + House & Home

Ahh ... the master bedroom.  I love how this room is filled with all things Margot and Mr. K love + one of a kind treasures.  The faux bamboo luggage stand with storage was from a local hotel (who knew PEI has such strong love for faux bamboo!) and that bright yellow headboard just makes me happy.  It also set the tone for a preppy palette with the mix of white and deep navy blue.  Margot added a sisal rug for texture and softness + a vintage chandelier with sea shells to further embrace the coastal vibe.

image via House & Home Online TV

Want to take a walkthrough with Margot, check it out here!

So what is your favourite elements of this stylish East Coast getaway? If you are looking for one of a kind treasures, check out Vintage Fine Objects!  Mr. K has new items coming in regularly and a section of the shop is dedicated to great finds he would put right in his PEI cottage.  

Spring + Summer Rush @ Indigo

Hello Monday!  I hope you all had a fantastic weekend and celebrated Mother's Day with your loved ones.  I was in Waterloo for the weekend to unwind and helped Chris to clean out his closet to make room for his fresh spring/summer outfits.  He will kill me when he sees this, but I will show you a couple of his new looks anyway at the end of the post.  So stay tuned.

Mother's Day is all about saying thank you to our moms for their love, support, and encouragement on our pursues in life.  Moms are always there to share our laughters and to love us unconditionally.  You have seen the Dream Bedroom I put together to honour my late mother with all the gorgeous pieces from Elte last Friday.  Today, I am taking you to Indigo to shop for another important mom to me, my mother-in-law in Germany.

Indigo is in full spring flourishing mode and I was blown away the moment I stepped into the store.  Greeting me by the door is this bright and happy wall of raspberry pink + mustard decorative accessories and pillows.  If you are looking for inspiration to refresh your home for spring/summer this year, this pretty palette may just be your jumping off point.  With two bold hues juxtapose against one another, I would say keep the walls in warm neutral grey for a youthful and energetic space.     

Palette No. 2 lightened the vibrant raspberry pink, and instead of contrasting with rich mustard yellow, Indigo has paired lilac and violet to complement the soft delicate blush for a grown-up luxurious look.  Add an Atwood sofa in creamy white from Style Garage, a square coffee table with a greyish weathered wood appeal, a high gloss white lacquer tray, a glam favourite read, and a sweet pink citron candle, and you have an elegant and classy room to enjoy for years to come.     

To add decadence and glamor to our "My Fair Lady" look, I am adding black & white + gold to the mix.  Love this gold heart tote and super glam embossed polka dot journal.

With Summer just around the corner (I really do hope so, especially after the ice storm we had yesterday), his deep navy, brilliant white, and bright mint is just the inspiration I need for Project Balcony!  I am loving the chevron and geometric patterns here.  I will definitely have to find a way to work them into the balcony.

Now back to the perfect Mother's Day gift for my mother-in-law, Monika loves gardening and she has a very lovely garden with beautiful blooms.    

So I thought, what's better than getting Monika something for her garden and to bring the flowers indoor?  Here is what I came up with and you may want to bring home an item or two as well.     

Image from left to right via 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7

Today is certainly all about family fun and here are a couple of fashion moments for Chris.  We had some fun at H&M on Saturday and picked out a few outfits for the season.  Chris was so brave to try out whatever I threw on him and he's looking so stylish and hip! Well ... new footwear to follow on our next fashion session.  

So what did you do on Monday's Day weekend? I would love to hear from you.  Also remember to visit Elte and tweet me a picture of you + your favourite find + leave me a comment here for a chance to win $100 gift card from Elte!  

Mother's Day Special: Dream Bedroom w/ ELTE

Hello Friday! Mother's Day is just around the corner and I would like to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to my late mother who had nurtured/guided me, taught me the important values in life, and encouraged/ embraced my creativity since I was a toddler.  My sense of style and design aesthetics are strongly influenced by my Mom's taste.  The way Mom carried herself, her creative talents in art, and her warmhearted personality all exude elegance and class.

This is one of my favourite pictures with Mom holding my hand (I probably was only 2 or 3), guiding me at the balance beam on our Sunday hike.  Love you and miss you Mom!  

This Mother's Day weekend also marks the launch of a revamped and refreshed Elte.  After two years of comprehensive renovation, Elte has completely redesigned its showroom to enhance our shopping experience with brand new departments such as Custom Rugs, Mattresses and Baby, and expanded favourites departments including furniture, rugs, carpeting, accessories, lighting and bedding.  I have always enjoyed my visits at Elte because no matter where I look, there is always a captivating vignette that stimulates my style-hungry eyes.  

So I thought: since I never get to makeover my Mom's bedroom, why not put together a dream bedroom that reflects my Mom's taste with all the exquisite items from Elte for the special occasion?

I want the room to feel light, serene, classic feminine while still appeals to my Dad.  This is what I came up with:           

image from left to right via 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8

The jumping off point of this dream bedroom is the upholstered bed.  I remembered the headboard Mom had in Hong Kong was a custom diamond tufted beautify in blush.  So my heart skipped a beat when I saw the Helaine Bed with a classic camel back, diamond tufting, and nailhead details on the side.  It is exactly what I am looking for: the upholstered bed gives the room an instant sense of luxury, the tufting adds a feminine touch, while the classic wing back/ camel back design with antique brass nailhead channels with my Dad.  

image via ELTE

I also wanted a bench at the foot of the bed.  This Gilded Bench is glamorous thanks to its creamy leather upholstery (I see faux ostrich leather) and the distressed gold frame with a link motif.  Built-in storage was another big component in Mom's bedroom.  Here I have the Forrester Chest as bedside table for high style and practical storage.  The link motif from the bench is also picked up here as hardware in nickel.  Instead of having bedside table lamp that takes up valuable surface space, I opted for the Cross Bouillotte Sconce for nighttime reading and ambience.  

image via ELTE

To group all these sensational furniture pieces together and to ground the overall space, I am splurging on a Silk Orchid rug for its contemporary take on a traditional beauty.  The Silk Orchid rugs are hand-knotted with 100% recycled sari silk, which makes the rugs ultra soft to touch and a sheen that screams luxury.  I particularly like this grey one for its calm neutral palette with a subtle hint of pink. 

image via ELTE

Speaking about grounding the space, I also need a little classic black in the room.  The Dension Ceiling Light is substantial in scale but doesn't feel heavy or imposing due to the open iron lantern design.  Its four candles also give the bedroom plenty of light.  In case you haven't noticed yet, the black accent is also picked up as sexy feet on the bedside chest and the upholstered bed.       

image via ELTE

There will still be room for another vignette in Mom's bedroom and this Lawson Chest with white lacquered wood, bronze mirrored front, and white wood intricate fretwork detailing fits right into this sumptuous bedroom retreat.  Pairing with two Lynton table lamps (love the grey with a hint of turquoise and the gold leaf accents) and a dynamite mirror with scallop top, I think we have a winner!

image via ELTE

So what do you think about this dream bedroom?  I think it is absolutely sensational thanks to all the beautiful and finest pieces from Elte.  I am sure you are now all eager to check out these gorgeous items in person, and here is an added bonus if you are planning for a visit this weekend.  To celebrate the relaunch of the newly renovated Elte, the store is hosting a contest for customers who visited Elte Opening Weekend, May 10 to 12, for a chance to win one of five $1,000 Elte gift cards!

image via ELTE

That's not all! Elte also generously offers one lucky DesignMaze reader a $100 Elte gift card.  All you need to do is to tweet a photo of you at Elte with your favourite item (make sure you mention @Elte #ElteRevamp + @designmaze_tim) and come back here to tell me why you love your pick.  Yes it's that simple, and the winner will be drawn on May 19th. 

So what are you waiting for, start the car and start tweeting! 

Happy weekend everyone!

Lakeside Cottage w/ Allison Willson

Happy Wednesday!! Mother Nature has been very kind to us and I just couldn’t help but to be in full-blown cottage living (a.k.a. obsession) mode.  Yours truly will be heading to his favourite Bed & Breakfast for an extra long weekend in a couple of weeks and have already book a week long getaway at this cozy retreat.  To keep myself bright and cheerful, I thought to myself: why not share some of my all-time favourite cottages with you all for the month of May?  I don’t have a cottage (yet) but if I have one, I will for sure be stealing many inspirational ideas from these beautiful spaces.

To kick off Cottage Month at DesignMaze, I am thrilled to share with you this cozy and charming cottage designed by Allison Willson, a designer from Sarah RichardsonDesign.  If you’ve watched Season 2 of Sarah 101, you’d probably recognize Allison from many episodes scouting shops in Toronto for the perfect table, artwork, and accessories and putting together beautiful spaces for dramatic transformations.  As for the transformation of her very first cottage, the result is warm, inviting, with a touch of whimsy and a sense of heritage.

image via House & Home

The main floor living room features a statement stone fireplace, stunning wood beams on the ceiling, and sensational windows that flood the space with natural light.  I have always admire the room layouts at Sarah’s projects and here, Allison has maximized the number the seating possible by having a sculptural sofa from Montauk, a pair of rattan chairs (love the woven texture), and a vintage settee given a new lease on life with a fresh linen dress.   

The kitchen certainly has a signature SR touch with classic shaker-style cabinet doors in creamy white, opened display nooks with pure white ceramic collection for an organic touch, painted island in pale robin’s egg blue for function and accent, and unique pendants over the island (vintage copper beauty in this case).  What I love the most about this space is herringbone pattern executed via travertine on the floor, the beadboard detail on the range hood, the Carrara marble backsplash in subway tile style, and the grasscloth in wheat color to add warmth to the heart of this house.    

The outdoor space is breathtakingly beautiful with a spectacular view of Balsam Lake, and a perfect blend of Allison’s hip aesthetic with Tony’s cottage/heritage root.  Refined Country Charm is how I would like to call this outdoor lounge zone.  The clean line sofa and chairs with navy slipcovered cushions from Andrew Richard Designs work harmoniously with the pair of classic Muskoka chairs.  I love the natural wood tone, and especially the rustic planks on the deck. 

image via House & Home

The family room takes on a more contemporary approach with the use of a striking + bold ink and white palette with a dramatic diamond patterned kilim from West Elm.  The sectional sofa is upholstered in soft grey with a subtle herringbone motif for an instant classic look, while the reclaimed wood + dark metal base adds an industrial vibe to the space.  With the addition of a painted side table for a touch of Morocco + a cluster of vintage blue glass jars, this family room definitely has a strong eclectic sensibility and a global-traveller personality.

The powder room is also one of my favourites with a re-purposed antique side table as vanity.  Allison paired it with a statement ironstone sink, and of course a stroke of bold pattern with the classic Woodswallpaper from Cole & Son.

image via House & Home

The master bedroom features my absolutely favourite Chenonceau wallpaper from Schumacher (what a stunning and impactful wall treatment) and how can you not be in love with this charming headboard with just the right amount of patina?  DIY has never looked so good … Allison, two thumbs up!  

image via House & Home

Do you have a cottage in need for a little TLC or that special designer touch? I would love to hear the challenges and which design elements from Allison's cottage would you steal for your own cottage!

Happy Hump Day!