It’s hard to believe that today is the first day of November and that the holidays are just around the corner!
Have you started planning your holiday festivities? If not, a little piece of fragrant peppermint bark always helps put me in the holiday spirit.
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Fab find
Duke of York dinnerware, $3.99-$5.99 per piece; HomeSense.
Fab find
Melamine serving dishes & tray, $2.99-$5.99 each; HomeSense.
I’m trying to be bolder with my home decor, whether it’s with paint, pattern or decor accessories. I’m always comfortable sticking to a neutral palette, but then drool over homes filled with colour and pattern. To slowly pull myself out of my comfort zone, I opt for decor accessories with fabulous colours and prints – this way I can add those little pops to my home without the anxiety of being stuck with it.
One great way to splash some colour around your home is with this vibrant melamine serveware collection. Great for indoor and outdoor entertaining, these bright dishes and trays are perfect for summer parties or just relaxing in the sun with some refreshments. At less than $6 a piece, you can be the host with the most – in savings!
How do you add colour to your home?
Although I’m a sucker for the little boutique shops around Toronto, HomeSense is one of my favourite destinations — it never disappoints. They’re always bringing in updated decor that is right on trend, and fit in my budget. I stopped in at my local HomeSense and snapped some shots of their current collection.
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Their pillow section is bursting with amazing prints. My personal favourite is the top left, the green and white peacock feather, but sadly, there was only one looking for a home (I like to buy in pairs). At $30 each for the pillows, it’s hard to not find yourself stacking them into your cart.
I was also really captivated by their current mirror section. They have in a lot of rustic/old world pieces that look perfectly aged (left mirror $40, right mirror $30). Next up, I loved this side table that reminded me of a line that a higher end store carries, but this one was a fraction of the cost ($350). They also have an awesome selection of baskets in store, something I always stock up on for toy organization now that my son Oscar is collecting more and more toys.
Lindsay Stephenson is our guest blogger who has her eye on all things fabulous in Toronto. When not scouting out the coolest stores and the fabbest finds in the city, Lindsay runs a graphic design business (Penny People Designs) and blogs about her life and home decorating projects on Aubrey & Lindsay’s Little House Blog.
A lot of times when I head out shopping, it’s rare to find exactly what I’m looking for. I’ll fawn over a great duvet cover, but it’s only available in King. I’ll spot a fabulous chair but it has a big stain on the upholstery. More than often, I’ll find a fantastic patterned throw cushion, but it won’t be available in the colour I need. As you can imagine {since most experience the same frustration}, this can get tiring.
Lately though, I’ve embraced imperfections — it becomes an improvement project rather than just a pretty purchase. Below are two pieces I’ve bought because of their shape, but I’m not crazy about the colour. Both are HomeSense purchases (love, love, love) — the mirror was $35 and the table was $50. By default, I immediately thought to spray them white, but now I’m rethinking — should I paint them a bold hue to add a pop of colour to my place?
So this is where I need your help — what colour should I paint them? Most of my walls are a light grey {‘Clamshell’ from the Style at Home Colour Collection} so use that as a starting point. I’m thinking maybe a plum for mirror and a deep navy for the table.
Let me know what you would do!
xo,
Lauren
P.S. You’ll notice there are two random pink tiles in our bathroom. They have been there since we moved in and they are the bane of my existence.
What a way to start the weekend! I had the opportunity to sneak a peek at the new HomeSense in Toronto this morning and I have just one word: woah.
I salivate upon approaching the doors of any HomeSense, so when I walked into the newest and largest location in Canada, my nametag should have read “Pavlov’s dog”. The store at 957 Eglinton Ave. E. has over 30,000 square feet of the fab home wares that you’ve come to love about HomeSense, all perfectly organized and beautifully displayed. I, of course, went over my shopping budget, but how could I resist? Nestled in amongst the usual pretty accessories (my weakness), there was also a huge selection of holiday decor (my ultimate weakness).
The new location doesn’t officially open until October 26th, but I’ll share a few snaps of the store and of some of my fave finds.
I love the simplicity and exotic look of these jars ($17 each)
Gorgeous throw pillows (from $35 each)
The mirror, whose shape I fell in love with but colour I did not -- stay tuned for pics after I spray it white! ($35)
Loving all the silver, white and purple holiday ornaments!
Dreaming of a white Christmas...
J'adore! ($5)
Pop over to the HomeSense Facebook page later on to see what my fave find of the day was (it’s obnoxiously affordable) — you’ll also see some from the other Style at Home editors. What’s your best find from HomeSense? Leave a comment below and let me know!
xo,
Lauren
Looks like I’m not the only one with a major crush on the outdoor offerings from HomeSense this summer!
Toronto-based style and design expert Arren Williams has put a fresh spin on outdoor decor (no tiki torches allowed!) with the latest and greatest from HomeSense. (You’ll even recognize a few pieces that I brought with me for my HomeSense vignette on Tuesday’s CityLine!)
Arren’s got repurposing down to an art. That cute, thick-striped canopy over the Lutyens-style teak bench is actually a hammock ($35)! And this chic shade couldn’t be easier to make. “With a quick and easy stitch, create a pocket in the centre of the hammock to insert your dowel and form your canopy’s peak,” Arren says. “Using eye hooks and cord, anchor your new awning to the wall or fence and watch your outdoor space turn into a place.” Arren rounds out the vignette with a delightful mix-and-match array of floral patterned pillows.
This is what I mean when I describe something as “Trad Rad”: a traditional decorating idea turned on its head in a completely radical way. Substitute alfresco-fabulous melamine dinnerware for granny’s china, and the facade of your house for the kitchen wall, and you’ve got a stunning summer look. “These melamine plates and platters ($3 to $7 each) in complementary shades of mod blues and greens are bold, graphic and so much fun,” Arren says. “I loaded up on different shapes and sizes, then planned out a symmetrical pattern on the floor before attaching each to the wall with plate hangers and screws to create this striking garden gallery effect.”
No place to grow but up? Consider stacking lightweight (and incredibly inexpensive!) planters. “When building a vertical garden, use a range of planter sizes to stack and create varying heights,” Arren suggests. “Make it look like you have a well-practiced green thumb by overplanting your pots with a mix of lush greenery — adding instant impact to your high-rise patio or back porch.” Here, Arren’s arranged fibreglass planters (from $30 each) top-to-bottom to achieve a striking architectural effect.
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Doesn’t it look like I’m getting in trouble here?
I had a BLAST pulling together three style-for-less vignettes for yesterday’s episode of CityLine… Watch the video clip of my outdoor rooms crafted from the best budget finds at IKEA, Canadian Tire and HomeSense by clicking here!
Which budget bench from the vignettes best suits your backyard?
Malaro acacia wood folding bench, $80, IKEA
Hudson resin-wicker weave loveseat, $230, Canadian Tire
Lutyens-style green lacquer, $250, HomeSense
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All that’s missing is a warm summer breeze, a pitcher of iced tea and a great book… Oh, and a porch wouldn’t be amiss.
Favourite Porch Rocker, acacia/mahogany, $240, Pier 1
Resin wicker outdoor rocker, $130, HomeSense
Loll Adirondack Rocker, recycled polyethylene in British Green, $598 US, Design Within Reach
Applaro rocking chair, acacia, $79, IKEA
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Let’s face it — we’re more inclined to be pulling the “staycation” this summer. Instead of flying to some far-flung, sun-drenched vacation resort, we’re going to invest in our own nest and hunker down in our own private havens.
But that doesn’t mean abandoning glamour, of course. Even in the depths of a gloomy economy, you can bring the look of a haute hotel terrace home with a few well-chosen bargains from HomeSense. Yes, ladies and gents — that vignette above is strictly style-for-less stuff, pulled together entirely from HomeSense!
Here’s the lowdown on those low-priced, high-style outdoor essentials:
Outdoor daybed, $1,300
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Metallic cushions, from $20 – $35 each
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Decorative handblown glass vases, from $10 – $15 each
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Glass ice bucket, $50
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Coming soon to a HomeSense near you!
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