Moving On From Christmas to a New Year..

So our Christmas flew by.. yours?

Sorry for the lack of posts but today is our first day with no festive plans!

The kids had a blast on Christmas morning, of course...

The hit of the day was the plastic slinky!

He wants to be an engineer and build solar powered cars, so lego comes naturally :)

She has discovered the joy of reading, and neon hair :)

The eldest darling wore her new ski jacket and pandora bracelet

 the entire time she was magnifying everything in the house... 

"eww, Mum, come see what my hair/tissue paper/dog treats look like"

Days filled with skiing, skating, walks in the snowy woods and travel to see the families..

it was full of laughs and hugs, just as it should be, 

and I'm thankful for all of our blessings.

(and my new Kate Spade bag! 

A complete surprise, from my honey, who knows what I would love before I do :)

Now comes the next part, packing up and moving on.

I don't know if any of you experience this,

 but removing all the excess and then giving the house a good clean

 leaves me feeling ready for the New Year.

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Maybe it's trying to find space for the new "things" that have entered the home over the holidays,

 but this is usually when my organizational side kicks in and the need to start cleaning out closets..

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Over the next few weeks I am going to tackle some of our bigger storage and organization problems,

hopefully you'll come by and share your tips with us!

Today I'm packing Christmas decorations.

I wrap them in tissue and place into labelled (glass balls, etc)

 red plastic storage containers in the basement.

I guess it's not a surprise that I like color coding everything :)

How do you store your decorations?

Are you still in Christmas mode or have you packed up already?

til next time..

Yea or Nay: Bookshelf Wallpaper?

This weeks Yea or Nay is bookshelf wallpaper.

On the plus side, it's a space saver, and adds interest when you don't actually have loads of books to display.

On the flip side, it just keeps bringing me back to those incredibly tacky huge sunset murals...

Where do you stand?

Tracy Kendall has created three: The Paperback

I could see this in a mostly white, slightly retro coffeeshop.

     
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The Magazine Version -  I have PLENTY of these around already - and I'm pretty sure you do, too!

The Stack Version 

Here is a flocked paper - over black panelling - maybe in a hallway?

Bookshelf Classics Vintage Wallpaper

I quite like the cheeky name of this one - "Genuine Fake Bookshelf"

Deborah Bowness

Looks great off-set with a bit of juicy orange or red..

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Rich mossy green velvet and bright navy carpet?!! Love it! 

Oh yes, the paper... it serves as art here, really. 

Hmm, this space may have me skipping over to the yea side..

For all you Belgium Linen lovers out there, an understated version from Y&B..

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I still prefer the real thing!

I suppose we can't all be lucky enough to have this...

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But most of us can manage something like this..

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What about you? Could you see any of those bookshelf papers in your home?

til next time..


(Hopefully tomorrow the Pixel Project post will be up - we had company drop in twice this weekend!
It was wonderful, we caught up with some old friends over wine and had a great visit with family :)

"What Happens At The Michelberger Stays AT The Michelberger"

I came across East Berlin's The Michelberger Hotel  - 

from the first moment you arrive, you begin to get the feeling that this is no ordinary hotel.

The Lobby.

This area was what led me here in the first place..

can you see what they have created with books and metal?

Wire cages, topped with wood to become a credenza,

anchored to the floor and ceiling to become a room divider,

shaped into an umbrella-like form and placed over a bulb as lighting.

Slightly more interesting than a starbucks.

The restaurant is an oasis of light, and simplicity, 

perfect for morning

Many of the rooms are loft-based.

They have a home-spun feel - 

unfinished woods, natural textiles

Asymetrical windows offer a link to the space beyond.

A shower chandelier..

Lining the walls with books - quite literally!

Heaps of ideas here.. anything tickle your fancy?

I love that books take such an active role in the design here.

Pop by their site - it's worth a peek.

til next time..

Inspired by TIFF: Where Does Your TV Live?

The 35th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) starts today.

11 days - 300 films

You can feel the electricity in the air when the festival is in town.

Natalie Portman in Black Swan

So in honour of all things film,

 thought I would look at some ways to incorperate a tv into your home in a stylish manner.

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Not all of us have the luxury of a full-blown media room,

 and the days of just propping the t.v over the fireplace have come and gone.

So where does that leave us?

Where does your tv live?

as part of a storage wall..

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behind closed doors..

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on display..

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 camouflaged..

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here's a few unusual spots!

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umm, okay, very unique.. repurposing is always good! 

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This next one, however, will blow your socks off!

Now you see it..

now you don't!

How many of you want one? I do!

now, if they only have the picture quality and all the gadgets that D. requires :)

Off to peruse some color swatches.. have a lovely thursday..

til next time..

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