Good Things Come to Those Who Wait...and Wait...and Wait...

Remember this post? After visiting numerous vintage shops both near and far, trolling through antique shows, and lurking on the internet for hours, I am here to tell you that...

...I finally found these on Kijiji!!!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!!

I am on my way to pick these babies up today, and after months of searching, I'm so excited to get them into my hot little hands. With a lick of paint and a new set of hardware, they are going to look splendid in the new guest room!! Yippee!!

Good Tidings For Christmas and a Happy New Year

I would like to wish you all a very, very Merry Christmas!!

Trimming the Tree, 1971

Pantone Colour of the Year for 2012 Is...

...Tangerine Tango!!!!!!

(17-1463)

When Honeysuckle was introduced as the colour of the year for 2011, I was inspired to add a dash of pink to my living room, and I'm still loving the energy and warmth generated by Flamingo's Dream. Since I'll be moving out at the end of the year, I won't be adding another coat of paint to the walls, but Tangerine Tango is a fun, bold colour choice that we'll be seeing this year in both home decor and fashion.

And on that note, have you seen the January 2012 issue of Canadian House & Home? The home pictured on the cover was designed by Tommy Smythe, and the living room features two plump orange pillows. Right on trend, Tommy!!

Robin Waters: Images

~Robin Waters
www.Robin-Waters.com

There's something special about knowing someone as a teenager, and then seeing them grow into themselves. For me, Robin Waters is one of those people. I won't say I know her well, but we've had our share of conversations, working together in the past up at Wasaga Beach. Since those days, Robin has honed her skills as photographer, and the images she captures range from moody, to vivid, to downright awe inspiring.

All images copyright Robin Waters.
Please do not copy without permission.

Wondrous Winter Woodland

This past weekend was very productive, and I managed to get all of my Christmas shopping and decorating done. Woot!! The decor inside is more wintry than the outdoor Toronto landscape (so far!). The kitchen table and sideboard have been transformed into a Wondrous Winter Woodland.

Mother Nature supplied the twigs for this DIY.
They're sprayed with metallic champagne paint,
and adorned with ornaments from HomeSense.

On the sideboard, the reindeer frolic amongst the trees.
These shimmering trees are candles from HomeSense.

This little reindeer's brown fur stole
adds a touch of warmth to the chilly scene.

The PartyLite Woodland Retreat™ trio transitions
into winter with ice blue vanilla mint tealights.

Now it's time to relax and enjoy the Holiday season:-)

Sarah's House 4: Basement Rec Room

They may have saved the best for last for this season of Sarah's House 4 - I think we can all agree that it certainly was the BIGGEST!! The best decision made in this rec room was to invest $15,000 from the upgrade budget to create a basement walkout. This not only allows for direct access to the backyard, but the opening floods the space with an abundance of natural light.

A Persian rug spotted in the window of Karakashian (on sale for just $1400), kick starts the colour scheme for the basement rec room. Sarah & Tommy pull paint colours from the carpet, as well as a plethora of coordinating fabrics in shades of red, grey and white.

End Walls: SR38, Barn, Para Paints
(Sarah's Hint: Use a neutral base instead of clear
with a strong colour for better coverage.)

Walls: Stainless, P4244-24 Para Paints

The custom William Birch style sofa and loveseat are both covered in a sturdy felted wool, while the drapes draw attention with a red and cream awning stripe. The cozy Henny blanket from Ikea adds another layer of texture to the sofa.

Felted Wool

By placing a deep table at the rear of the sofa, it creates another seating area - perhaps a spot to enjoy a board game or a card match. How about the side tables Sarah chose for this room? They're Russian Doll end tables, designed and built by her brother Theo's company, Rich, Brilliant, Willing.

The coffee table originally stood at full height, but since it was an inexpensive piece, there was no harm in shortening the legs to bring the table down to size. The original oil paintings in the window alcove are lively and relate back to the colours in the space.

Donna Andreychuk, The One & Only
via Canvas Gallery

Donna Andreychuk, The Only One
via Canvas Gallery

The games area of the room is perfect for an informal billiards match while catching a Sunday afternoon football game. Sarah & Tommy chose the mid range table from Brunswick Billiards and chose to cover it with a charcoal grey felt. The teak chairs in this area provide a spot to relax during a break in the action.

Fabric: Schumacher, Chenonceau, Charcoal

All room photos courtesy of HGTV.

What did you think of this large, bright, basement rec room? I think it would be a fabulous place to spend good times with friends and family.

Buy The Best and You'll Only Cry Once

While you're waiting for me to write this week's Sarah's House 4 recaps, check out these YouTube from HGTV, featuring Sarah Richardson and Tommy Smythe.

In Part One, Sarah & Tommy discuss the process of decorating, taking on new challenges, and what makes a house a home:



In Part Two, the design duo describe their style, how they decide on a colour palette, and why it's okay to go over budget:



Love the Miles Redd Quote!!

**Please note that if you receive this post via an email subscription, these videos won't function automatically. Please follow this link to view the videos: Cherish Toronto.

Sarah's House 4: Master Ensuite

Tonight's back to back episodes of Sarah's House 4 were the final episodes featuring the interior rooms of the newly built home. Next week HGTV will air the final episode: Curb Appeal. The jumping off point for the master ensuite bath was the master bedroom itself. With a pair of double doors leading directly from the bedroom to the bath, the colour scheme needed to be consistent between the two rooms.

Job one was to choose tiles for the floors and walls. Sarah chose natural stone for the floors, selecting a watery Ming green 12x12 marble tile, with an inset band of tumbled mini brick mosaics. A short supply of mosaic tile meant that a third tile had to be chosen for the shower stall floor.

Ming Green 12x12 Tile

In the large shower enclosure, a double chair rail band and a single band of ceramic accent tiles (installed at a height of 60") add interest to the glossy white wall tile. Sarah and Tommy were both drawn to the faceted design of Rubinet's Hexis fixtures.

After considering an expensive upgrade, Sarah and Tommy opt for a built in vanity along the eight foot rear wall. By building the cabinet a few inches in from each side and adding carved legs, they achieve the look of a freestanding piece of furniture. The cabinet is then topped off with a quartz composite countertop and custom cut antique mirror inserts are set into the recessed door panels.

Wall Colour: SR33, Eyelet, Para Paints

Sarah crosses her fingers, and is allowed by her builder to install a freestanding tub in the master ensuite. The "sculptural beauty" of the Maax Jazz tub softens the otherwise hard lines of the vanity and shower enclosure. Pretty eyelet curtains and a pair of chairs from Elegant Garage Sale also provide some softness in the space - reupholstered in a shimmery silk with white piping detail.

Fabric: Matka Noil

All room photos provided by HGTV Canada.

What did you think about the watery green scheme in this room? Do you think it will stand the test of time? Did you know Sarah's middle name is Dorothy?

Sarah's House 4: Weekly Preview

**Spoiler Alert**

Tonight on Sarah's House 4, our favourite design duo will finish up the suburban home interior. We'll see the master bedroom ensuite bath and the basement rec room. Prepare to be wowed!!

Master Ensuite


Rec Room