Garland

I am beyond obsessed with this garland from the Purl Bee. I must make one.

P.S. The white walls in this photo make me miss our white walls on Forest (the one thing I miss about our previous home). I swear sleeping in an all white bedroom is the most restorative thing one can do for oneself.

Home

Family homes, such as the one we purchased this fall for that very purpose, often require evolving notions of function and use of space. Our previous salt box was an adult space that allowed two young, working professionals to relax, cook together and hold the occasional party in our generously-sized living room. The house wasn't set up to function as a home for hosting family dinners (with a pint-sized dining room) or house guests (with only 1 bathroom and two bedrooms located right next to each other). When we realized we wanted to do more of both, we started our hunt for our second home.

Each of the three stories in our second row house now has a distinct purpose. The main floor has been dubbed the public space. We have a formal (but cozy) living room and spacious dining room, and a kitchen with a walk out to a generous deck and view of the city. We look forward to hosting dinner parties and BBQs and sharing laughs with family and friends. I picture celebrating milestone birthdays here, breaking bread on Sundays and battling it out over games of Monopoly at the dining room table.

Our lower level is our guest apartment. With its own entrance and powder room, it is perfect for accommodating our family when they're in town.The soft pot lights and wall mounted tv give it a bit of a hotel vibe (at least that's what I am going for).

Finally, our third floor functions as our private space. With a master bedroom, tv den, office and bath, Greg and I typically retreat there after dinner to relax. While we don't envision hosting friends in that space, it is our comfortable retreat. We are truly enjoying having a relaxing tv room that isn't the same room we host guests in.

While none of this might seem notable, the configuration of our 2000 sq foot home (which looks shockingly smaller from the outside) on the lower and top floor is a rapid departure from the previous owner's layout. She used the upstairs as two bedrooms and a library and the basement as a gym/tv room. Minor switches perhaps, but in moving in we truly wanted the space to match how we live. It's been fun giving those old rooms new purposes.

How do you live in your space? I'm so curious!

Above is the previous owner's library, which is now our tv den (and yes, I note the absence of a house tour on this blog yet... soon... I hope!).

Deck

This deck makes me excited for painting projects and summer and bbqs on our patio. Don't you love how the railing is accented in red? I think this might have to be a summer DIY project on Circular. Image source unknown.

Mealtime

Dear friends and family with recently announced pregnancies; congratulations!

Though hectic mealtimes might be a little far off for you yet, I stumbled upon this blog this am (via Swiss Miss) and thought it offered plenty of solutions to please parents and tots. From mocktails for the whole family to roasted squash and apple soup, One Hungry Mama has it all. Image via One Hungry Mama.

Mobile

Isn't this felt mobile beautiful? I'd love to hang it in our den.

Neighbourhood

I forgot to mention: Horizontal Stripes made the front cover of The Current back in December. Though I spent years writing for newspapers during my undergraduate studies, I hadn't published anything in years. However, when I suddenly found myself a spokesperson for the revival of St. John's neighbourhood names at every cocktail party I was attending, I thought it time to write something about the need for a revival. You can check it out here: Won't You Be My Neighbour?

Closet

My closet is one of my favourite features in our new home. I finally have space for my striped purses and cowboy boots and sequined dresses and green Mary Janes and bakelite necklaces. It's perfect. Jeana Sohn's Closet Visits are pretty pleasing as well.

California

I'm daydreaming about a trip to Manhattan Beach, California in the 1950s. Via Like Cool.

Envelopes

Found: environmentally friendly, reusable felt envelopes. I am in love; these are genius! Via Twig and Thistle.

Theatres

There's something about the theatres and concert halls of the past. So glam. Via Bippity.

Josef Frank

I'm newly obsessed with Josef Frank's textile designs from the 1940s and 1950s. Aren't they divine? Images via Just Scandinavian.

Vintage

One of my dearest friends, Amy, was romantically proposed to this past New Years Eve (swoon!). There's mention of a vintage affair and I'm already bursting with excitement. Don't you love the idea of a wedding that recalls memories (real or imagined depending on your birth year) of yesteryear? I know I do.

Best wishes and happy planning, Amy and Rhett! xo

Image via Style Me Pretty.

P.S. Tonnes of vintage inspired weddings

Cook

This evening, I came across these Brian Cook illustrations from 1935 on Miss Moss. I think they'd look lovely hung in a reading den. They remind me of British Columbia. I dream of coming across a set of paintings like these at an estate auction.

Horse

Now this is what I call a glamourous rocking horse! For sale at DWR.

Paint

Aren't these wet paint drops pretty? Found via Hi + Low.

P.S. Hi + Low's curiosity with Dominion's No Name packaging (Superstore or Loblaw's in other parts of Canada) is cute.

Cowboy

Little known fact: my husband used to be a cowboy. Love you, Gregory!

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2011!

We've had a sleepy start to the new year here, but we're smiling and organizing and making plans to eat food with family later and catch the postponed fireworks at Quidi Vidi Lake. How did you ring in 2011? Greg and I enjoyed a delicious meal at Aqua (it was our first time there and highly recommend it!) and then sipped drinks with friends at midnight at a party. It's sunny, and the ground is covered in a beautiful white blanket, and tiny birds have been dancing on our deck all morning. Bliss.

There's a lot of promise for this year, and so many things to look forward to. I hope you find health, happiness and joy in 2011! xoxo Image of Signal Hill via Samantha Ellis.