Cottage Dreamin'

If you haven't gotten a copy of House and Home's April Edition...Go...Get one...Right now! You WILL NOT be disappointed! 

Whether it's the Frenchie with the Sunshine Yellow Bentwood Bench or the articles on 'The French Translation' and 'Pretty Organized', this volume is full of great ideas and pops of colour for Spring!

It also has an article that completely stopped me in my tracks and literally made me say, "Wow" out loud....The article is "Fresh & Wild".

It's about "a young couple who reinvigorate a lakeside cottage with nature-inspired finishes and exotic flourishes".

To me this is THE perfect cottage....the stone fireplace, exposed beams, the open-airy feel, the decor, colours, textures, layout, living space, the lot, the lake, the deck, the dock, the cedar shakes on the exterior...the list goes on and on about what I love and I literally would not change a thing!

They did a great job of mixing rustic, antique, weathered pieces with fresh new pieces. The 'beachy' colour palette helps keep the airy feel throughout, in combination with the tall ceilings and so, so many windows!

I love the owner's quote..."Cottages need a bit of whimsy...I love the relaxed vibe created when pieces from a million different places come together." I couldn't agree more!! The article talks about how this cottage has been a work in progress for quite some time and to me, that's exactly what a cottage should be...a never ending project that allows you to transform it into a place that is truly you...

If you are a regular reader of my Blog, you know that my goal is to own a cottage in the next 3-5 years....this is just the kind of article that helps me keep focused to keep on track to my goal of cottage ownership!

Happy Sunday!

RR

A "Tablelift"

This is what my dining area used  to look like with a four legged table and black leather dining chairs. A more  rustic-industrial look that I had brought with me from my loft.  They were perfect for that space, but I felt that they were just a bit 'heavy' and 'clunky' for the "cottage".

I showed you the table below in one of my earlier posts. Solid oak, in really great shape and the perfect size (it has a leaf so I can expand it for when the guests start arriving!)

I also really like that it had a pedestal base which allows me to pull the chair right up under it because when you live in 800 sq ft, every inch counts!

As much as I liked the table, I really was not a fan of the oak colour....so, a "tablelift" would be in order!

I got it home and into my basement workshop....then the fun began!

But ...before I could get started, I wanted to be sure I had the proper 'tools' for the end product I wanted to achieve. I purchased a set of good brushes from Home Depot and the paint I decided to go with was from Rona's ECO Recycled Latex Paint, Velvet Finish in the Colour Ocean.

I started with a rough sand to help the first coat adhere, wiped it down with a damp cloth and then began the first coat of paint. The final look I wanted to achieve was a more rustic, imperfect finish, so if you could see the odd brush stroke here and there, that was perfect!

This is part way through the first coat..... (please excuse the mess that the workshop is currently)

Then....after a second coat and bringing the table back upstairs, here is the final product........

Even Charlie was happy with the final product (he gets himself into so many photos)...

The wool table runner is also from the same vendor at the Hanover Market. The peacock feathers in the rustic vase tied the blues in the table to the brown hardwood and the green glass in the room.

Here's a better view of the colour and the wool table runner.....

I'm a big fan of keeping my space fresh and changing out items to add variety, different textures, lines and colours. I sold my old dining table and chairs and with the great deals I was able to get for this table and new-to-me harp back chairs (you'll see more of them in future posts, but here's a sneak peak of their 'before'), changing the entire look and feel of my dining area was no extra $ out of pocket whatsoever.

If you're willing to put in a bit of time and effort, you can change the entire look and feel of your home for practically nothing but a little bit of 'elbow grease'.

RR

Back to reality...

The summer long weekend....a chance to get away to the lake, enjoy time with friends in the sun...and escape the 'real world'.

One of my best gal pals was heading to the cottage with her kids (2 of the best kids you will ever meet!) and I was lucky enough to join them for a few days....

The shores of Lake Huron bring back many childhood memories and many more were made this weekend...

Needless to say, this weekend reinforced my goal to move towards cottage ownership...There is something about the water, waves, sand, rocks and sun that takes every ounce of stress and melts it away...

No other sunset can compare to a Lake Huron sunset...

Of course there was home decor involved this weekend...along with a few cold beverages...This issue of Dwell is fantastic!....The home from the province of Friesland in the Netherlands is the perfect combination of the rustic modern aesthetic...When the time comes for me to design a cottage, I could take a lot of inspiration from this home!

Hope all of my friends had a great long weekend!

RR

Around the house....my house...

I'm sitting on the deck this morning, having a latte and planning my day of couch hunting (Urban Barn, Cornerstone etc) and a little part of me actually feels like I'm at the cottage.

There's something about the light at this time of day and how it streams through my front window, the breeze as I sit here on the deck....it even smells a wee bit like being at the lake this morning.

As much as I continue to move towards my goal of one day having my cottage by the lake....I am lucky to have my own little cottage in the city..and even more, a cottage that is reminiscent of me and who I am.

Below are photos of vignettes around my home, some art, a few rooms....just a wee peak into how I've made my house into my home!

The buffet...one of my favorite pieces in my home..I collect crystal candlesticks and I love mixing them with my green glass but also some apothecary jars filled with rustic pieces of drift wood.

These are scattered around the house on my coffee table, side tables...again a mix of pieces I love...green glass, stone, wood, photos...

I also collect black and white photos/pictures of tree scapes and water scenes. Family means everything to me as well so I have put all of these together (again with some green glass) on a glass top console table.

This photo shows the light in the dining room in the morning....and also illustrates that due to size constraints of my cottage (800sq ft), how I use my space in various and multifunctional ways,.... ie. my dining room table turns into a showcase for my Etsy products while I'm organizing them.

This was a birthday gift from my parents last year from a favorite store of mine in Port Elgin called August Skies. Every time I look at that picture, I am reminded of my goal to one day have that cottage with the muskoka chair and all the rustic, yet refined, character I could ask for.

This is the shelf beside my desk in my office...full of fun, whimsy and brightness....I think you need all of those things to ensure ongoing inspiration and motivation....I especially love the card by A Paper Buffet that for me, really sums up life in general...I'm still looking for just the perfect frame to put it in!

Then there's NYC....yes, I grew up on 50 acres and I am a country gal through and through...but if I had the chance, I would move to NYC in a heartbeat...and I can't wait to go back to visit. These are on my refrigerator (yes, I use my fridge as an inspiration board with quotes, photos and memories)...McQueen, Macys (photo by Stephanie Buchy - A Paper Buffet), Central Park (photo by yours truly)....just thinking about it brings a smile to my face...

So.....welcome to my home...at least a few bits and pieces of it. I hope this has maybe given you some inspiration to go around your house, rearrange some pieces, put together some new vignettes....we're always re-creating ourselves which in turn, means re-creating the place in which we dwell...our home!

RR

Lake Life...

Spring is now here (well almost...no more snow please!) and it will be May next week. Before we know it, summer will be upon us and I am determined to not let it fly by like it did last year! There will be beach days, cottages, lakes, boats, sand, etc etc this summer....

Growing up in Southern Ontario, we were lucky enough to have ready access to the Great Lakes, more specifically Lake Huron, and I also spent many summers in Northern Ontario on Lake of the Woods. There is just something about being near water..I can spend hours just sitting on the rocks, listening, smelling, and watching all of the the sounds, smells and movement of the lake. The sunrises, the sunsets...they're literally unmatched anywhere else!

I'm still working on a plan to one day own a cottage....and looking at these pictures keeps me focused on that goal!



Charlie enjoying a Port Elgin Sunset

Port Elgin Harbour



Lake Huron Sunset near Goderich Out for a walk after sunset - Port Elgin Point Clark - St. Patrick's Day 2012 One final Lake Huron Sunset..... Storm Bay Road - Lake of the Woods Nothing really compares to a Northern Ontario Lake... Make sure you take the time to get outside and enjoy. There is so much inspiration to draw from the outdoors...but especially from being by the lake! RR