Fab find
Embossed cream and sugar, $21.24; Crate & Barrel.

When it comes to making the perfect cup of tea or mug of coffee, having counter-worthy kitchen accessories is an absolute must. It’s not enough to simply present a bit of sugar and a splash of cream in bowls for guests to indulge in as needed. No, it is far more agreeable to have pieces of pretty porcelain to dress up your lunch table. That is why this darling cream and sugar duo caught our eye. They are sleek and contemporary, yet playful, offering a bit of whimsy to your gathering as well as high style.  I’m not even a fan of sugar in my tea, but this set is making me rethink that decision!

What’s your favourite kitchen counter accessory?

While Marlie’s condo looks fresh and feminine and full of light now, it didn’t exactly read that way before I got my hands on it.

1 Home office

Before the home office nook was drab and lonely with a shelving unit that blended right into the red floor and a serious amount of wasted floor space…

A dramatic wall-treatment from Cole & Son’s Fornasetti collection made what once was an awkward nook into an eye-catching feature. Storage from IKEA is now off to the side to let the wallpaper pattern shine. The stunning second life rug from ELTE doesn’t hurt either…

2 Dining room

Before the dining area’s wood tones clashed with the red-hued flooring and seemed so heavy and traditional, while the track lighting seemed modern and out of place.

Painting the walls a fresh warm white, putting down new espresso bamboo flooring from The Home Depot and using less bulky furniture makes the condo feel more open and feminine. Replacing the track lighting with a crystal chandelier reinforced the glamorous vibe we were going after.

3 Bedroom

Before the large bedroom was a little too bore-bore and seemed so empty, despite fitting in a king bed and two well-sized nightside tables.

After, a luxe-looking tufted headboard from The Home Depot, glamorous mirrored nightside tables from Worlds Away and a melange of citrus and ivory linens from Au Lit Fine Linens make the bedroom an inviting sanctuary.

Which room makeover do you like best?

This past weekend, I attended the Aberfoyle Spring Special Antique Show. This show always marks the kick off of antique season, here in Ontario. The dealers have been collecting vintage pieces all winter long, so there’s always lots to take in.

We arrived at 7:00am for early entry and made our way through the crowd. In addition to scoring lots of new (vintage) lamps for the Lamp Orphanage, we discovered a number of other fun finds.

Here are a few of my faves…

I was able to indulge my chair addiction with these iconic chrome pieces. I thought seriously about bringing some home to complete our dining set, but my man had to reel me in and remind me that we were there specifically on a lamp mission.

How cool is this wire magazine rack? It adds so much more sculptural interest to a room then a plain old basket.

These gigantic metal orbs had me at hello. They would make the perfect conversation pieces for your yard. Who says that art has to live indoors?

These original wood and metal sliding door hangers would bring so much history and character to your home. Plus, they’re right on trend with the sliding barn doors we’ve been seeing popping up in interiors.

If you live in the Hamilton, Golden Horseshoe, or Greater Toronto Area, you can visit Aberfoyle every weekend this summer. Pick up a seasons pass for only $25! Maybe I’ll see you there!

Lia Fagan is an interior designer & the creative force behind Mod Pieces, an online boutique, specializing in restyled vintage lighting. When she’s not in her studio, she’s offering up tips for how to “design outside the lines” on her blog, Mod Nest.

Style at Home is honoured and excited to be the media sponsor for the 2012 Brimfield Antique and Collectibles Show. Whether or not you’re in Massachusetts, we want to make sure you can join in on the fun, too! Read on to find out how.

Are you at Brimfield? Be sure to stop by our VIP tent and booth to meet our fabulous editors, rest your feet and indulge in a cocktail, if you so wish.

Can’t make it this year? Not to worry! Join us on Facebook and Twitter to get a behind-the-scenes look at the show and to check out the fabulous finds our editors score.

Do you like to go antique shopping? Tell us about your fave find!

Fab find
Pragmatic Eat Cake vase, $48; Anthropologie.

I think there can be little debate over the fact that cake is amazing (correct me if I’m wrong?). So when I discovered this adorable tongue-and-cheek ceramic vase by Molly Hatch my heart went all a flutter. Imagine this piece resting on your fireplace mantel or coffee table, issuing a cheery greeting every time you walked by and housing beautiful floral arrangements. It would also make a lovely Mother’s Day gift idea for the mom who believes that great cake recipe ideas should be included in every kind of celebration.

The more we grow up, the more we understand and appreciate our mothers.  These remarkable women go above and beyond the call of duty to take care of us, nurture us, inspire us, encourage us, and keep our dreams lofty but our feet on the ground. Mothers also go out of their way to make special occasions magical for their little ones, so this year why not turn the tables and make a memorable Mother’s Day event for your special lady.  This week we’ve scoured Pinterest in search of pretty party and pastry boards – the perfect inspirational combination of Mother’s Day design secrets to help you treat your mother to something sweet as well as stylish!
Keep reading to learn to whom these pretty Pinterest boards belong and for all sorts of decadent decor ideas and dessert recipes.
1  Tricia Gonzales
If you’re throwing a stylish tea party, complete with the perfect cup of tea, including an assortment of dessert pastries is a must also.  Perusing Tricia’s “Desserts” board will leave your mouth watering and your kitchen begging to be used. Easy to follow recipes, gorgeous presentations and sweet dessert designs – what’s not to love?

2  A Spoonful of Dish
If you are usually bewildered by the prospect of styling a table or organizing floral arrangements, A Spoonful of Dish’s “Event Styles” board has you covered.  Weddings, birthday parties and even graduations are pinned here in high style, each offering slices of inspiration that can be served at any Mother’s Day gathering, too!

3  Jenna
A mother knows that love lies in the details, so show her the same devoted attention by adding a splash of imagination to your party decor. Jenna’s “Party Goodness” board presents all sorts of colourful ideas for dressing up any get together. Easy DIY projects and sparkling products abound here to make any party a smashing success!

4  Angie Kirk
Do desserts delight you? Then Angie’s “Sweet Treats” board will make your day! Chock-full of deliciously sweet dessert recipes, including cakes, tarts, pastries, pies and more, this Pinterest board is sure to deliver something decadent for your Mother’s Day celebration, or just some general sweetness for everyday feasts.

{Be sure to follow Style at Home’s boards on Pinterest for a chance to have your boards featured next week!}

Not sure what to get mom for Mother’s Day? We’re giving away a diffuser set from Fruits and Passion that’s not only decorative, but also provides a delightfully soothing scent for your home!

This pretty-in-pink set comes with this Decorative Diffuser, inspired by the Zen tranquility of a water garden, and a 125 ml Lotus Water Lily diffuser fragrance.

To enter:
Simply leave a comment below telling us why your mom is special. One winner will be selected at random from the comments.

Contest closes May 7th, 2012 at 12pm EST. Open to all residents of Canada, except those in Quebec. Not open to any Transcontinental Media employees, their families, or any other persons with whom they reside.

Want more gift ideas? Check out our Mother’s Day gift guide!

Decorating a girly glam bachelorette apartment is always fun, but when it’s for your own sister you can bet the fun factor get’s tripled!

When it came to sourcing furniture for her place, my sister Marlie and I enjoyed hitting up some of my go-to home decor destinations, like ELTE, where we sourced cozy yet chic furniture, including her favourite sectional sofa, shaggy pauly shore rug and more. While I like things more structured and tailored, Marlie is all about the shabby chic and gravitated right towards the linen-covered L-shaped sofa.

We had a blast finding colouful posters, prints and original art to add colour and personality to her space. We focused on subject matter near and dear to her heart, such as film, which she studied in university and flamingos, her fave animal.

After buying vintage posters online and having them framed creatively at PI Fine Art, we were so excited to lay everything on the floor and figure out where to hang it all!

A special art splurge was the original anthropomorphic flamingo oil by local artist Tony Taylor. It was too bizarre and beautiful to resist!

We also fell in love with the juicy-hued pieces by  Danielle Hession that we picked up at Art Interiors – they looked totally fab above her accent chair and I love how the pastel colours pop against the bronze task lamp by Robert Abbey.

When it came to the day of the shoot, we corralled all the beautiful home decor accessories we had been collecting onto her media cabinet and also raided our parents’ house for some more antique pieces to help give the apartment that extra special vintage touch.

We also had to resist eating all of the amazing sweets from the talented gals of Cake Opera Co., which looked heavenly in shades of pink lemonade and perfectly complemented the decor.

The day of the shoot, Ann Marie helped us pull it all together for photographer Virginia Macdonald to capture. Fresh peonies in luscious shades of pink and coral made all the existing pink and orange accents pop and we’re so thrilled with how it all turned out.

Check out the story in the June issue and stay tuned for an upcoming post with some awesome before and after’s!

Fab find
Mix and match lamps, $5 each; Walmart.

A key ingredient when it comes to creating a flawless homey ambiance (in my humble opinion) is impeccable lighting. However, a lamp needs to do more than illuminate your home, it also needs to look gorgeous during the day when not in use. That’s why the Style at Home team and I are infatuated with these pretty table lamps.

They are designed with a contemporary aesthetic and have the ability to mix and match shades so that these home decor accessories can perfectly suit your taste. Plus, these beauties offer an easy and affordable way to start playing with pattern in your living space. What’s not to love?

Do you have decorative lampshades in your home?

At once masculine and modern, sleek and stately, Hotel Duret exudes Parisian chic – how fitting that it’s in one of the chicest parts of Paris. Local to everywhere you want to be, it’s walking distance from the Arc de Triomphe, Avenue Foche (among the most expensive residential streets in the world), Avenue des Champs-Élysées and the Eiffel Tower (I should know, I walked them all). It feels cozy, homey and welcoming while also clean, charming and fashionable – exactly the kind of combination that will have you waking up feeling like a bon vivant every day of your holiday.

Heading to Paris? Book your Hotel Duret stay here. For those who aren’t heading to Paris but who want to bring some of the City of Lights home, here are some local products that can help you get the look.

covetably cozy front lobby

Stow Indigo leather storage ottoman, Crate and Barrel.

Borg Gree rug, Elte.

Axis wall sconce, Robert Abbey.

Sonneman Ombra wall sconce, Universal Lamp.

Barbara Barry Oval X-Back dining arm chair, Studio B.

Parsons desk with drawers, West Elm.

*With a special thanks to Morgan Lindsay’s incredible eye for pulling together this Get The Look!