spring TREND watch!

Well SPRING is officially here (hooray, hooray) and along with the warmer weather, the sounds of birds chirping, and the sight of crocus peeking out of the ground, come a vast array of new trends to celebrate the season.

Here are just a few of the things that have recently caught my eye:

STRIPES - appearing everywhere from fashion to furniture, the iconic stripe is fun and fresh on these "vintage with a twist" Bergere chairs.

LARGE SCALE FLORALS - on wall coverings, fabric, and decor, these bold prints are happiness personified. 

HORSES - the application here is soft, muted, and appealingly wistful. 

LOTUS PRINT - exotic, graphic, and delightfully bold, I am in love with this pattern! 

PRETTY PASTELS - a soothing assortment of sherbet-like shades, this palette is soft and youthful. 

"LIVE" EDGE RECLAIMED WOOD - organic and textural with a ton of character and a mid-century modern vibe. 

EGYPTIAN PENDANTS - luminous, warm, and "boho-elegant," I think this fixture would look amazing in a powder or dressing room. 

LEMON SORBET - Benjamin Moore's Colour of the Year for 2013, this happy shade of yellow looks great on anything from walls, to decor items, to furniture. 

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Well, there you have it. My Top 8 TRENDS to look for this spring. What has caught your eye recently? I would love to hear from you! 

xo Kerry

the sophisticated "grown-up" room

Hello,

What better time to post pictures of a sophisticated and grown-up, "quiet" room than during the March break! Ha! I am sorry - I don't meant to tease or taunt - but the little darlings will be back to school in just a few days, and then life can return to normal. Besides, these pictures are too great NOT to share; so share with you I must.

A while back, I was given the task of creating a "calm and quiet" lounge space for some friends. D had long wished for a grown-up room that she could call her own, and, as long as her husband promised to be on his best behaviour whilst in this dreamy space, he was also welcome. :)

We chose a soft, neutral palette and considered the following variables when planning the space:

• what existing furniture/elements did we need to incorporate? 
• what function(s) did the room need to serve? 
• how were we to achieve a balance between cozy, inviting warmth AND sophisticated glam? 

People ask me all the time if it is ok to mix browns with blacks, greys with taupes, dark wood with light wood, etc...And the answer in one word is an emphatic YES! Mixing all of these colours DOES work - primarily because they are a) all neutral colours and b) because they are all repeated throughout the room. Sometimes a "one-off" of a colour  can look out of place, but as long as the colour is repeated elsewhere in the room, a sense of harmony is established (same rule applies to finishes, pattern, and even texture).

Two, small-scale "Louis-style" chairs fit this room exceptionally well. The tufting, profile, and nailhead detail contribute beautifully to the elegance of the room. These two occasional chairs, the round mirrored side table, and the gorgeous patchwork area rug are all from Elte.

I once read, that in an attempt to communicate personality and warmth, every design photo should feature either a) a person, b) food, or c) a family pet. A special thank you to Molly (springer spaniel) for her co-operation. The cushion fabric is from Tonic Living and the oval coffee table is from West Elm.

 I found this super cool gold sphere made out of distressed driftwood at HomeSense. It has become a major conversation piece at dinner parties!

Books are an easy and inexpensive way to accessorize a space. I love removing the jackets and stacking them either vertically or horizontally on a shelf in colour-blocked groupings. And, much like family photographs, books help to personalize a room.

The large, black canvas map of New York (don't you just love it?) is available through Morba. Wall colour is Benjamin Moore "Silver Fox" (2108-50).

When a linear patchwork area rug and a somewhat boxy sofa threaten to make a space appear too "linear," try adding in some oval or round elements as a contrast and to provide some visual relief. 

Rules, Schmules. Who says you can't successfully combine a contemporary Ikat pattern with a more traditional Damask? Similar colour values and textures allowed a successful marriage of these two prints (both available through Tonic Living. 

The pair of white owl book ends  tie in well with the white of the mirror and other decorative objets. They also provide a great contrast between the dark spines of the books and the dark wood of the cabinet in which they reside. 

A study in contrasts all on its own, the oval "foxed" mirror coffee table from West Elm  combines the glam of antiqued mirrored glass with a forged metal base.

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." ~ Cicero 

We found this great mirror at a warehouse sale for around $20! Notice how propping it against the wall (as opposed to hanging it) reduces the formality of the vignette. 

So, what do you think? Did we manage to create an "adult-friendly" space that is conducive to fireside chats, quiet reading and reflection, and even the indulgence in a grown-up beverage (or two)? 

Have a great night, 

Kerry 

DREAM kitchen!

hi,

Today I wanted to share some more photos with you. These gorgeous shots were once again taken by the talented Sarah Leeman of Bean Shoots Photography. And, to make them possible in the first place, my good friends, Denise and Rob, had to put their faith in me and let me help them design the kitchen of their dreams. So, thank you, my friends.

20/20 design and contracting were beautifully executed and completed by Creative Kitchen Gallery. 

Our "mission statement" was to create a bright, fresh, and inviting space that celebrated a union of both traditional elements (simple Shaker cabinetry and ladder back chairs) with contemporary details (a fun drum pendant from West Elm  and bold fabrics from Tonic Living). Were we successful? 

The polished chrome knobs and pendants are from Restoration Hardware and the counter stools are from West Elm. The beautiful roman blind and drapery panels were sewn by my "go-to-girl-for-everything-related-to-fabric," Lisa Sinclair.

A "visual break" in the upper cabinetry makes the kitchen appear larger than it already is and provides the eye with some restful space (plus, it is a functional space for completing homework, playing games, or searching for online recipes). Wall colour is Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray (HC-173).

A few industrial elements, like these gorgeous polished chrome pendants, contribute a contemporary flavour to the space.

While these custom mullions add architectural interest and, let's face it, they're just darn pretty.

The durable and pristine counter tops are caesarstone (quartzite) and provide the perfect contrast with some organic elements (hardwood floor, greenery and produce, wooden bowl).

The back splash is a random brick mosaic in Calacutta marble from Saltillo Tile. The rich caramel veining adds visual interest and a delicious warmth.

Here is another shot of the stunning back splash - its inherent warmth looks amazing against the cool stainless steel appliances. 

And, just because no photo shoot would be complete without a sweet treat at the end, anyone care for a butter tart?



Well, there you have it. Denise and Rob's fresh and functional kitchen. This project was a pleasure to work on and I developed full-blown "kitchen-envy" during the process.


Have a wonderful day!
Kerry

A room fit for a TEEN!

Hello,

I am so excited to share these photos with you! Last spring, I had the privilege of decorating my good friend's daughter's room. At the time, I blogged about it here and here. I promised photos when the project was completed, but, until last week, I hadn't had the opportunity to have a photographer come in and take some pictures of my work. They are brilliant photos, I might add.

Sarah Leeman of Bean Shoots Photography took these amazing photos of sweet Emma's room.

I started with this shot because it is the first thing you see when you enter the room - a room that is warm, and friendly, with just a tad of whimsy. Oh - and a little bit of glam! 

Floor to ceiling drapery panels serve to visually heighten the ceilings and the velvet contributes a gorgeous texture. 

The drapery fabric is from Designer Fabrics (velvet) and from Tonic Living (black and white damask). The orange throw is from Urban Barn and the framed print is from Etsy.

I wanted to add a few DIY touches to Emma's room, so I followed this blog tutorial to make these super cute fabric flowers.

Bubbled glass knobs from Anthropologie dress up the otherwise simple dresser from Ikea.

What is better than a jar full of candy? Why, a jar full of nail polish, of course! 

This DIY project (upholstered ribbon board) was created by both Emma's mom and myself. It was such a fun way to spend an afternoon and we absolutely loved the results! We found some instructions on this helpful blog. 

Can't find a lampshade that coordinates with your design? Try making your own. The tutorial can be found here. It is not as hard as it looks - give it a try!!! 

The desk is Leksvig from Ikea and the chair is Ingolf, also from Ikea. We had them custom sprayed to take them from good, to great! 

We picked up this cute gallery frame from Umbra. 

My talented husband created this beautiful DIY headboard using some MDF trim. We filled in the inside of the frame with this AMAZING open trellis wallpaper. 

The adorable floral fabrics are from the Midwest Modern 2 line by Amy Butler. 

The black elements in the room, like this chandelier from Home Depot,  help to ground all of the lighter colours that can be found in the bedding, bed, dresser, and occasional chair. 

All of the sewing (including the gorgeous velvet and damask drapes) is by the talented Lisa Sinclair.

And that, my friends, is Emma's space - a room truly fit for a TEEN. :) 

Kerry