I admit, it's trendy, but I can't seem to get over damask wallpaper. I've tried to talk myself out of wallpapering an accent wall in my living room — knowing I might tire of the busy pattern — but I keep going back to my love of damask.
Here are some examples of the varying colours and pattern sizes:
And here are my top picks from Graham & Brown:
Large Damask Paintable Wallpaper (#17773)
Suzanne in Black & White (#18126)
Aztec in Gray (#30981)
Nothing too bright — I'm leaning toward a bold grey pattern.
What do you think? Are you over damask?
For more inspiration, see our Wallpapered Rooms photo gallery.
Photo credits:
1-2. House of Many Hues blog
3. Damask and Design blog
4. Graham & Brown
5. Graham & Brown
6. Graham & Brown
This Sunday, May 13th, why not give mom something original? Try your hand at a fun DIY project to customize her gift. I came across this cheery painted terracotta pot on Canadian blog Dans le Townhouse (along with several other easy DIY ideas for Mother's Day), which blogger Tanya re-posted from Dellie.
Pick up a few inexpensive terracotta pots from your local hardware store or greenhouse (they're everywhere!), choose two of your mom's favourite colours, then paint a few of them out in acrylic paint. A set of three filled with her favourite herbs would make such a thoughtful gift — the gift that keeps on growing!
For complete instructions, see the Dellie post.
Photo credit:
Dellie
Add some spring cheer to your living room sofa or bed with this adorable folded rose pillow project I came across on Canadian blog {AKA} Design.
The casual linen fabric keeps it from being too feminine, but the painted bird and fabric rose offer a hint of spring charm for switching up your winter decor. Throw pillows are an easy and affordable way to update a room from season to season, without the commitment of a new wall colour.
For complete instructions, see the {AKA} Design post.
Photo credit:
{AKA} Design
Last night I attended the inaugural JLT DelecTable Designs fundraising event, put on by the Junior League of Toronto, and it was buzzing with designers and industry guests eager to contribute to a great cause. Well-known designers like Julia West, Harvey Wise, Lisa Worth, Dee Dee Taylor Hannah and Anita Wiklem mingled with guests, media and Junior League members, and shared their displays of upcoming tabletop trends for 2012. Here are some of my snapshots from the party last night:
Julia West Home has a gorgeous outdoor set-up with plenty of texture, pattern and pops of pink.
Also at the Julie West Home table, this dark grey chair cover that would look equally chic indoors.
Lisa Worth of Worth Interior Design has a rustic, casual theme going on. I love the metal chandelier.
Dee Dee Taylor Hannah is featuring a more formal display with a patterned tablecloth, polished silverware and layered plates with intricate prints.
Jennifer Brouwer's tablescape is fresh and clean, with accents of that coral-orange we're seeing everywhere in 2012.
Nathalie Gluckstein layered a marble table with textured chargers, Asian-inspired cutlery and fun lime-and-aqua napkins. The combination of styles would be a perfect conversation starter at a dinner party.
This minimalist table setting by Tara Fingold strikes just the right balance of colour and texture. Hammered metal dishware is also everywhere this year.
This blue and white scene by Jacaranda Tree & Co. really caught my eye. The raw wood table, fish-printed plates, chevron-patterned napkins and oversized mason jars combine beautifully. The salad bowl made of sticks is perfect for outdoor entertaining this summer.
Samantha Baillie has a cosy outdoor tablescape with woven straw chargers and accents of green and wood.
And finally, Rafters of Muskoka has set up a nautical-themed dinner party complete with striped awning, navy placemats and striped seat cushions. I could sit here until well after sunset!
For three days this weekend (starting today!), the public can visit JLT DelecTable Designs to see how these talented interior designers, stylists and boutiques redefine table decor with their high-style dining vignettes. Designers from previous showhouses — see our photos and videos of the 2009 house here — along with some new up-and-coming designers will be putting their tablescapes on display. Tickets are only $20, and you can draw inspiration from over 25 unique dining installations, browse fabulous interior design boutiques onsite, and enjoy talks where top Canadian designers will share tips and discuss industry trends.
JLT DelecTable Designs takes place at Heritage Court, Direct Energy Centre today from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, Saturday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Sunday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Tickets are $20 per person, and proceeds will benefit women's involvement in communities across the GTA.
The Junior League of Toronto is a women's charitable and educational organization dedicated to building better communities in the Greater Toronto Area. They've contributed millions of volunteer hours and more than $4 million to support over 400 community programs and projects. They strive to develop women's potential and nurture effective leadership and action of trained volunteers. The Junior League of Toronto is one of 293 Junior Leagues in Canada, England, Mexico, and the United States, representing more than 170,000 women.
Photo credits:
Gwen McAuley
We recently finished renovating our small ensuite bathroom, and we're really happy with how it turned out. Believe it or not, my fiancé Nick picked out all the finishes before we were even dating, so I didn't have much to do with the planning part. But over the past few weeks, I watched on with a sideways head tilt as he completely gutted then rebuilt the vanity. He also did all the wall tiling himself (yes, he's a keeper), but I did choose the new paint colour. What was a dated and dingy bathroom is now a calm and contemporary ensuite. It's quite small — just a stand-up shower, toilet and small vanity — but it's perfect for us. Have a look at our process:
Before: Builder-basic vanity that encouraged counter clutter (cringe). And the wall colour was, well, unflattering to say the least.
We also didn't like that the towel bar was on display.
The storage cabinet above the toilet didn't do a very good job of concealing clutter, either. On the right is the stand-up shower, which Nick didn't re-tile since the door is mostly closed anyway.
And so it begins. Not only is Nick handy, but he uses a level, too. He found this vanity frame as-is at Ikea. He then built a support for it with two-by-fours.
The sink was a steal as well, ordered online from the U.S. The marble countertop was custom-cut to size (with two holes drilled for the sink and faucet), and then Nick mounted it by cutting into the drywall, attaching L-brackets and supporting it with wood planks.
After: The vanity transformed! He picked up three of Ikea's glossy white Abstrakt cabinet pieces in the as-is section for the top and two doors, then cut them to size and affixed them to the cheap vanity frame. He screwed a new faucet on there, rejigged the plumbing, and there you have it.
We didn't want pulls or knobs on the vanity, so we found this towel rack at IQ Living and it also helps open the doors. He chose a white mosaic with small glass, marble and porcelain squares for the lower half of the wall, and a border of nickel, stainless steel and glass tiles.
I think the border looks great against the marble. I found the faux stone soap pump and toothbrush holder from CB2 — the price was right.
And here's the other wall. There are a million pricey versions of this grey bathmat, but I found this one for $3 up in Toronto's Annex area. Plus, it's small enough for this nook, whereas several others would have to be folded in half.
We mounted an Ikea Godmorgon cabinet — also in glossy white — above the toilet. It has loads more storage space than the older one, and no more frosted glass doors! A new light fixture from The Home Depot — on sale, of course — was the finishing touch. I painted the walls and ceiling in Martha Stewart's Dolphin (MSL263), a soft grey that's light enough for a small space.
All in all, it was a really affordable makeover. It's amazing what you can do with a little bit of elbow grease and a few trips to sale sections.
What do you think? Share your own before and after photos in our Forums!
For more bathroom makeovers, see our photo gallery.
Photo credits:
Gwen McAuley
Design*Sponge posted this simple pendant lamp project, and I think it's right on trend with all the rope accents we've been seeing lately. Stylist Raina Kattelson hung this industrial pendant in her newly renovated kitchen.
It's simply made by knotting sisal rope over and over, resulting in a casual, nautical look that's perfect for a cottage or bistro kitchen. I love how Raina paired the raw rope with an industrial Ikea pendant, but you can try it with any style of shade, from an inexpensive schoolhouse shade to two small pendants on either side of a bed.
For complete instructions, visit the Design*Sponge website.
For more easy DIY projects, see our DIY & Home Improvement section.
Photo credits:
1-2. Emily Johnston Anderson