Foam Street House

"Foam Street House features the adaptive reuse and transformation of a cold, dark and inefficient 1915 Edwardian house into a warm and light filled family home that has direct connections to the outside."

Old red brick plays against concrete blocks and timber while the hero of the space, the slick new black brick, provides the punch. Light floods in through full height glass and steel windows and doors, opening the new addition to the garden. Deceptively simple, modern lines big on style and impact. By Melbourne based architectural firm Preston Lane. 

Photography by Derek Swalwell.

Click to read more ...

Made by Cohen

I want to live here. Badly. A home (a warehouse in fact) where the architecture is a focal point, and furnishings are a bit sparse. Where space is not an issue, and it's all about the sunlight. Interior design by Made By Cohen, photos by Shannon McGrath.

Click to read more ...

My powder room renovation

There is only one room in my house that had not been touched at all since I bought  this place in 2007 - and that was the powder room. And it was horrendous. 

This embarrassment of a bathroom is on the main floor of my house (and there is one full bath on the second floor), which means if any guests came over, this is the one they would use. Everything was so gross, including the worst tile job ever and a ventilation fan in the ceiling that sounded like a jet. The only good things about it are the size - 5' square, and that it has a pocket door (but with a full length mirror so you can watch yourself while you pee). Since we appear to be stuck in this house a while longer, my husband Jeff and I had talked about fixing it up on a budeget. To my complete surprise, while I was in Mexico in February, he tore everything out and started renovating it! We have been super busy so this project only saw completion yesterday. It is such a huge improvement and we are both so stoked over the transformation. YAY inexpensive reno projects!!! (Boo tiny windowless rooms! - makes for difficult photography)

Click to read more ...

Chelsea Hing encore

A contemporary home in Melbourne with interiors by Chelsea Hing. A restrained palette with rich texture and flash of accent colour. Simple lines, simple truth of material, simply stylish.

Click to read more ...

Around my house

I too will resume regular posts starting tomorrow (I didn't receive enough pet entries for today anyway). I thought since I had time this long weekend to do a bit of organizing and photography, that I would share my latest home endeavours. Nothing too serious, mostly just some rearranging to fit all the things I had purchased in Almonte last weekend. 

Once again, my kitchen shelving has been reorganized. When I was digging through the basement a few weeks ago looking for items to sell at the Ottawa Antique Show, I came across a vintage brass tea set (?) and some brass pineapples that I had thrifted and bought on Etsy several years ago. I could not let these go, so instead I tried incorporating them in my shelving display, along with my new Catherine Holm bowl I am totally stoked over (and coordinating pot I already had).

Catherine Holm bowl from Samantha Howard Vintage ~ vase from The White Monkey ~ Oaxacan vase bought in Puerto Vallarta ~ thrifted brass pineapple ~ silver egg bought in Puerto Vallarta ~ thrifted brass flower frog ~ Lumberjack candleholder by Normann Copenhagen from The Modern Shop ~ Catherine Holm pot from Etsy shop CrankHeartPony

Love that print (in my new vintage frame) by Emily McDowell purchased at Hello Yellow ~ vintage pot from Almonte ~ vase from The White Monkey

Vintage pot from Almonte ~ Oaxacan skull from Puerto Vallarta ~ candleholder by John Ward from General Fine Craft ~ thrifted Dansk candleholder ~ Hay Denmark scissors from The Modern Shop ~ air plant from Sparrow Floral Design

Saturday while running errands, my husband took us to a wood shop called KJP Select Hardwoods. *SIGH* So many glorious slabs of the most beautiful wood I have ever seen. I spotted a piece of Claro walnut that I had to have. I decided to use it on my dining table as a sort of tray for a centrepiece. 

Click to read more ...