The Great Canadian Outdoors

I grew up in the Kawarthas, just outside of Peterborough. My family never spent summer weekends at the cottage because we lived in cottage country all year 'round. Our house overlooked Chemong Lake and we had a good sized back yard with a set of swings, a vegetable garden and stone barbeque that my Dad made.

 

View of Chemong Lake from our house, circa 1971.

Fast forward about 40 years. Now I'm living life as a city girl with a 4' x 10' balcony as my own personal slice of the outdoors. Not bad, considering this balcony is almost 25% bigger than my previous one. There are several parks nearby with plenty of room to roam, but some mornings I just want to step outside wearing pj's and with a cup of coffee in hand.

Here on the new balcony, I'm using the same ceramic garden stool, yellow urns and woven chairs that I had at the old place (you can see posts about the old balcony here & here), but there are some new additions. This year I invested in a strand of lights, an inexpensive rug and some real greenery.

 

I picked up two dwarf globe cedars at Home Depot this spring and planted them in the yellow urns. They seem to get just the right amount of moisture from Mother Nature's regular watering ;) The yellow rug is from HomeSense and it ties in perfectly with the colour palette.

I love the string of outdoor lights! Their warm glow gives the balcony so much ambiance in the evening hours. Inviting, isn't it?

So, how do you enjoy the Great Canadian Outdoors?

Summer Home with Karen Sealy Premieres on HGTV Canada

I was super excited to be invited to a launch party for the premier of Karen Sealy's new tv series Summer Home on HGTV Canada. The event took place at the offices of Sealy Design Inc. Whoops - did I say offices? I meant to say sleek design studio and relaxing backyard oasis, cleverly masquerading as a successful design business. Karen was an exuberant hostess and her talented team were all extremely gracious!!

The group was treated to the first episode of the series, "The Snug", which features Karen's brilliant transformation of a rather sad and neglected bunkie into an inviting guest cottage with space for eating, lounging and sleeping. The series airs Sunday nights at 9 pm (EST) starting this Sunday, June 5th on HGTV Canada.

Until then, feast your eyes on these pics of the stylish backyard at the Sealy Design Studio:

Lady of the half hour, Karen Sealy
with Elana Safronsky of HGTV Canada:

A big "thanks" to Sealy Design for the fabulous gift bag!!

All photos by Pamela Graham for Cherish Toronto.

IDS 2011: The Great Canadian Outdoors

There are few things Canadians look forward to more than the warmth of spring and summer weather. Like eager butterflies, the moment the snow melts, we emerge from our cocoons and flock to backyards and cottages. No longer content to kick back on the deck in folding aluminum chairs, home owners seek a comfortably furnished outdoor space to relax.

I found two outdoor furniture companies at IDS 11, each on opposite ends of the affordability scale. For those with a healthy budget, and who want investment pieces that will last a lifetime, Andrew Richard Designs has an amazing selection of high quality pieces. A more affordable option is the stylish new Sung Outdoor line of outdoor furniture available at The Bay.

Andrew Richard Designs
A birch bark wall, so organic!!

Tuuci Mercury Bed:

NEW! Stainless Steel and Teak Cityscape Collection:

NEW! Stainless Steel and Teak Silhouette Sofa:

SUNG Outdoor
Blackwatch Collection, a classic!

All photos by Pamela Graham for Cherish Toronto.