Before and After: My Colourful Wingback Chair

pic snapped by Lea Hartman Photography

A bit later than originally scheduled, I finally received my thrift ed wing back chair that I originally showed you during the ORC from the upholstery shop. I snapped these pics this morning.  I’m sure you’re not surprised that I went bold, but I surprised myself by going pink. Apparently I still have it in my system even though the kitchen got a good dosage. I’ve always wanted to experiment with the “two fabric look” and I got a chance to do so with this chair. I went with stripes on the outside and the solid pink and I just love it! The legs are chipped but I have no intention of refinishing(at least any time soon). I love the straight line of the base/legs because it/they add a modern flair.

The before and yes it was pink.

Stay warm everyone! Happy weekend to you all. xx

Lovely Danish apartment

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This amazing interior with high ceilings and wing doors may be a dream for a lot of people. For Emilie Bjørløw Møller, a psychologist from Copenhagen, and her family, this dream has become a reality. Emilie is a passionate hunter and besides the animal trophies on the walls, one can also see other treasures that she has collected: unique vintage pieces of furniture.

Random Love.

We are covered with snow and ice here. Schools have been closed. We are on day 3. I am not sure how much of this I can take.  Here are some spaces that make me forget my reality albeit temporarily….

Stay warm if you’re experiencing this cold vortex. I hope I have hair left at the end of all this. xx

{images via mytumblr}

A designer's home in Istanbul

This lovely flat located in Istanbul belongs to a Turkish designer Sefer Caglar, who resides there with his wife and daughter. Apart from an interesting use of materials, there are plenty of amazing pieces of furniture. The overall bohemian atmosphere is even emphasized by the use of framed art on the walls.

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A Map Mural for Zion.

When Dada is gone as often as he is, I felt the need to make sure that he didn’t become an abstract concept. Well, I just didn’t want him to fade in Zion’s mind. Communication via phone with Dada is not always reliable much less getting to see him via mediums like Skype or Face time.


This world map enables Dada to be there for bed time routines, for morning time routines, or just to whenever we want to go and randomly “visit” Dada.


Zion definitely enjoys it and loves talking about the different places. He read the words Pacific Ocean the first day the mural was installed and told me that those words meant the beach! He said. “that’s the beach mama!” 


This is how Zion prefers to have his bed(up against the wall) and with the canopy. This is how it is daily. I guess he feels safest with it in this position. However, I moved the bed around in the above pictures so you could see the most of the mural.

ps. Thanks to Lea for photographing images 1-3. She is the best!

A Charming Edwardian Home in London.

Do you visit friends on a Sunday evening, maybe after church? or just to stop by to say hello. We tend to do that often(though not of late). This home has that come visit me this Sunday vibe; it’s so warm and inviting! The natural light everywhere is so beautiful too! A really charming home indeed. I hope you’re all having a lazy Sunday afternoon. xx

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My Office Space: Before and After

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Sometime last year, I mentioned in a post that I wanted to carve out a creative space in my home. I also knew that having such a space would help me be more organized and productive. For what I do, I don’t need a whole room for my office space, so I chose this closet which is on the right as you enter the foyer.  There’s another identical one to the left also.

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A horrible before picture. This closet also has the water shut off system(I think?).  It’s  a tiny space but based on the location, it gets lots of natural light and I can actually sit in there and close the door(though my legs would be touching the walls in front). I snapped this picture after I had an electrician wire an outlet so I would have electricity and be able to plug in a lamp and my computer.

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Next up was to have the wallpaper installed. I chose the Thibaut Tanzania pink and white spotted wallpaper from their Resort line. I went with this one because the design would pop and make an impact in such a small space.

The Desktop

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This picture was taken Last Friday night. I was able to get a carpenter to install the desk top. However, he only had almond colour available, but I said that was fine and I just needed to have it installed and would paint it later on. Install day, I was able to “pretend sit” to ensure the height of the desk top would be placed right where it would be most comfortable for me and accommodate my height perfectly. It was a custom job in every way,  except I had to prep the surface for painting, plus it is formica, so not easy. I sanded with a 120 grit and I purchased a specialty white paint from Benjamin Moore so I didn’t need to prime. However, I did apply a couple coats to ensure even coverage. I also believe Rustoleum has a specialty paint for formica.

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The After with probably a finishing coat to go.

Everything in Place

Some of the items used for styling are items I already owned while others were purchased from different places. The lamp is from Target. Well, I purchased the base and shade separately(both from Target). I chose that base because it doesn’t add visual weight since it is transparent and the linen shade adds texture. The lovely diva lady called Windy was purchased from one of my favourite Fashionistas, Edwina at Fashion + Art. The write on Chesapeake chalk candle is one of my faves in the space and I found it  hidden amongst some other things at TJMaxx. The scent is eucalyptus and it smells so good! The chair is the white Scoop back chair from West Elm. The stylish and fabulous acrylic stapler was purchased from the Zhush shop. What do you think? Oh, I used washi tape to mount the pictures/art because I didn’t want to place holes in the wallpaper.

Thank you to Lea of Lea Hartman Photography for capturing the after pics.

Visual Balance: Symmetrical and Asymmetrical.

Today I’m taking a look at visual balance in interiors.  I find though I am not formal, I do like some type of balance when I decorate. There’s something very unsettling about a lack of balance(at least for me).

Symmetrical balance is like a mirror image and is usually more formal in nature. Symmetrical balance is characterized by the same objects repeated in the same positions on either side of a vertical axis.  As humans we tend to gravitate towards a symmetrical setting since it is reflective of the human form; two eyes, ears, etc. This symmetry also reflects the human form, so we are innately comfortable in a balanced setting.
Asymmetrical balance is less formal and has become popular in today's modern homes. Balance is achieved with some dissimilar objects that have equal visual weight or eye attraction.  Though asymmetrical balance may be more difficult to achieve, it adds dynamic dimension to a space and keeps the design unpredictable.  Whether you choose symmetrical or asymmetrical balance, I think most of us prefer and is most comfortable in a space that has visual balance which is what symmetrical and asymmetrical balance facilitate. Here are some more examples:

a good example of asymmetrical symmetry. visual balance is achieved with dissimilar items on either side of the sofa.

I think I incorporate more of the asymmetrical type of balance in my home; less formal. How do you feel about visual balance? Do tell. Blessings and have a wonderful day everyone! xx

images: pinterest, tumblr