Fab find
Bee pressed-glass bud vases, $29 for set of 3; Williams-Sonoma.
Fresh flowers are blooming everywhere and it makes me want to bring those beautiful, bright buds home! It’s amazing how a few freshly cut florals can impact a room, so why not elevate the look with some textured glass vases? These honeycomb vases come in a set of three and I love that they’re shaped differently for an eclectic, yet unified arrangement.
What’s your favourite way to display flowers?
As spring and warmer temperatures are settling in, an abundance of colourful flowers have made their way to most local markets. I like to gather a few different vases and fill them with a beautiful array of flowers that I then spread out on my dining table — simple and sweet centrepieces. This vase is from a quaint home décor store in Montreal called Buk & Nola — I like how the blue hue brings a hit of brightness to the table.
Jennifer Bartoli is a Toronto-based food writer, photographer and recipe developer who grew up in Paris. Her longstanding passion for food took her to New York City, where she studied at the French Culinary Institute. For delicious recipes and more, check out Jennifer’s blog, Chocolate Shavings.
There are about a handful of stores that can completely draw me in just with their window displays, and Midge {a floral and gift shop here in Toronto} is one of them.
Walking by the store last week, I smiled when I saw their window. A collection of bath sponges in the shape of carrots were grouped together in a tall glass vase. What an easy centerpiece to re-create! One item grouped together in a simple way like this makes the ordinary seem pretty fantastic.
Photos from my visit
1 Carrot shaped bath sponges, $4.95 each
Tracy and I didn’t intentionally coordinate outfits on today’s CityLine. I swear!
Image courtesy CityLine
On today’s broadcast, I showed host Tracy Moore how to craft no-fuss flower arrangements with a few tips and tricks I’ve picked up here at Style at Home – watch the clip by clicking here!
Everyone in the audience was asking me about the gorgeous green tulipiere at the top of the segment. It’s the Aorta flower arranger from Abbott – one of the most chic wholesalers in the country – and retails for about $15 (what a STEAL!). To find a retailer close to you (Abbott supplies some of the best home & gift stores across Canada), just give them a ring at 1-800-263-2955. I loved this tulipiere so much, you’ll be seeing more of it in the May issue of Style at Home, on newsstands the first week of April!
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Flowers are such a cheerful addition to a home’s decor. But if you struggle to keep fresh blooms alive, there’s an alternative. Flower-themed accessories can brighten your home year-round and require no maintenance! We rounded up 10 of our favourite products. Check them out here: 10 floral decor ideas for your home.
I’m goin’ home!
Join me in my hometown of Norwich, Ont., on Saturday, May 2, for an afternoon filled with gorgeous flowers, fun and fabulousness (I always feel like I owe a nickel to Steven & Chris whenever I use that word now).
I’ll be dropping in at the Norwich branch of the Oxford County Library in Norwich, Ont., at 1PM for “Bringing the Outdoors In” — tips, tricks and the latest trends in bringing spring and summer’s bounty indoors. Find out what kind of container suits certain arrangements best, the trick to floating blossoms, and how can a banana improve the health of your potted plants. Potted, cut or pressed, nothing beats greening up your home with fresh florals from your own backyard!
Bring mom and make it an early Mother’s Day outing! There’s actually a lot going on in on May 2 in this idyllic slice of southwestern Ontario, with the Oxford County Studio Tour. (Make it a point to drop in to see my fave, Shane Norrie!)
RSVP with Lynn at the Library by calling 519-863-3307 – there are just a few seats left! See you there!
Nothing says spring like fresh flowers. As we leave the cold and desolate winter behind us, there`s a sense of rebirth and rejuvenation as buds sprout forth on trees and flowers start to strut their beautiful blooms. In honour of this wonderful time of year (and of Mother`s Day, which is fast approaching), Pottery Barn is offering complimentary classes on Sunday April 26 and Sunday, May 3 called The Art of Botanical Arranging. (Check out our Flower Arranging section for more ideas!) Sounds like a fun way to spend a Sunday, maybe with mom, a sister, aunt or friend. Class sizes are limited so call your local store in advance to reserve your spot. Here are the locations where classes are offered:
Bloor Street
100 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON M5S 1M4
416.962.2276
Sherway Gardens
25 The West Mall
Toronto, ON M9C 1B8
416.621.7779
Yorkdale
3401 Dufferin Street
Toronto, ON M6A 2T9
416.785.1233
Chinook Centre
6455 Macleod Trail SW
Calgary, AB T2H 0K9
403.259.2100
Toronto Eaton Centre
220 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M5B 2H1
416.597.0880
South Granville Centre
2600 Granville Street
Vancouver, BC V6H 3H8
604.678.9897
Who would have guessed that cut flowers were fraught with so many environmental concerns?? From the pesticides used to grow them, to the fungicides used to keep them from rotting, to the fact that they’re often shipped thousands of kilometres across the planet to get to you, they are so many factors in why asking a few simple questions of your florist before buying your bouquet make sense.
Are the flowers organic or certified*? What is the certification? Do you use locally grown products where possible? Are your vases made of recycled glass?
In Vancouver, Amoda Flowers specializes in eco-friendly, sustainable, organic bouquets, and more (one of their lovely bouquets is pictured above). They also factor in the following to ensure that as many aspects of their business are as natural as possible.
So when you visit or call your florist, ask about eco-friendly flowers. More and more florists are offering them. The selection might be small, but the more people who ask, the bigger the selection will become!
Available at: www.amodaflowers.com
* If you want to know more about eco-certification for cut flowers, check out this post from Amy Stewart’s blog, Dirt By Amy Stewart. Amy is the author of Flower Confidential: The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers and really knows all there is to know about not only the environmental concerns behind the cut-flower industry, but also the gardening industry in general. Plus, her blog is just plan fun and informative! For more on Amy, check out www.amystewart.com.
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Do you have a product you’d like to recommend for this blog? Email me at naturalchic@styleathome.com!
When it comes to both fashion and decor, the fall and winter months are often a time for going dark. We tend to cast aside our bright, white, spring- and summer-coloured accessories and trade them in for warm, dark, cozy coloured ones. Light cottons make way for heavy wools and pastels step aside for charcoals and rusts. But when you think about it, what says winter more than white? These pure ceramic vases from West Elm are bright and inviting, and summon a feeling of crisp brisk winter days. There`s a real textural appeal to these and I love the contrast a cluster produces against a coloured wall.
Prices:
Woodland whites set: $59; Honeycomb cylinder vase: $29 each; Honeycomb bud vase: $9 each; Wood-grain planter: $29 each
Available at: West Elm, visit westelm.com for more information
Médias Transcontinental
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I’ll be turning these simple stems into stunning “Instant Arrangements” on the next Style at Home Day on Citytv’s 
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