Mixed Metallic

I went back and forth about how I was going to decorate my home this Christmas Season...

Black and Copper or Turquoise and Silver or Green and Gold.....I couldn't make up my mind. Then I realized there seemed to be a common trend....in every combination I was considering, I was planning on using a metallic. Soooo.......after much contemplation.....I went with MIXED METALLIC!

Bronze, Copper, Silver and Gold have been sprinkled around my home, bringing shimmer and sparkle for the Holidays! I've also mixed in natural elements such as wood, fur and pine cones for a truly Rustic Glam effect.

See below how you could win a metallic piece for your home!

My home is now READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!

As a way to welcome in the Christmas and Holiday Season and to celebrate the wonderful year it has been for Rustic Retrievals, I want to help bring some metallic charm into your home!

TIME FOR A CONTEST!!!!

I'm always torn between Gold and Silver and when I saw these two pieces (Stag/Deer Decor) I was instantly drawn to them both.

The Gold Stag is more rustic traditional and I can see it in a front entry to hang keys, a purse or a scarf on.

The Silver Stag is a more Rustic Modern piece and I would hang it in a bedroom and use it to hang/display pretty baubles.

Now...here's your chance to win one of these Stags to add to your home decor!

Here's what you have to do (it's super easy):

1. "Share" this post on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc with the hashtag #goldstag or #silverstag (whichever is your favourite and the one you'd like to win).

2. Comment below, noting that you've shared this post. In your post include which Stag you'd like to win and where you'd use it in your home.

There....that's all! Done and Done!

Best of luck to you all! Winners will be announced next Sunday December 8, 2013.

HAPPY HOLIDAY DECORATING!

**All photos are property of Ardis McDonald/ Rustic Retrievals

Info

2 Comments

Found it!!!

Since moving into my home almost 2 years ago, I have been looking for the 'perfect' piece to use as an entertainment centre.

I have a 10 foot length of wall that I wanted the piece to run the full space of and it had been a challenge finding exactly what I had envisioned.

My parent's neighbours are getting into the reclaimed wood business and I had planned on asking them to put something together for me....but....then Mom and I went on a shopping road trip to the town of Neustadt.

We frequent this small town quite a bit for their wonderful shops and the fantastic people who own/operate them. To our happy surprise, we found a new shop called Refurbishment and needless to say, I could have decorated my entire home with their reclaimed, up-cycled, refinished, refurbished and one-of-a-kind pieces!

I was walking around, letting it all soak in when I saw it...THE piece I had been looking for!!!

An 11foot length of aged, raw pine with gorgeous antique legs.....the word SOLD leaped out of my mouth so fast I couldn't believe it!

My heart almost broke when the shop owner said that another patron had been in earlier in the day and had asked her to 'hold' it until she could go home and do some measurements....

We left the shop, after giving he my contact information, with fingers and toes crossed that it would not fit in the other patron's home as I knew it would be perfect in mine....

About 45 minutes later I received a text....IT WAS MINE!!!! A short happy dance ensued and we set up a time for delivery (yes, she would deliver it to my home in Guelph....COULD THIS GET ANY BETTER?!?!)

After some major re-arranging at home....here it is installed! :)

I LOVE IT!!!

These pictures were taken just shortly after getting it together and set up so I will likely still play with some of the styling and items located on/around it. We had to take a bit off the one end and I will turn that into a shelf, but other then that, it fit and works impeccably with the space!

Here's a close up of the raw, natural edge (I LOOOOVE, LOOOVE, LOOOVE it!), the unfinished wood and those gorgeous (and heavy) antique legs!

This piece has finally brought the room together and given it the look and feel I had been hoping for....it even makes the room and overall space seem bigger!

So...if you're on your way to lake Ontario from the GTA...detour through the cute lil town of Neustadt (just outside of Hanover)...it is WELL worth the trip!

Info

Comment

Re-fresh...

I'm sitting in my living/dining room area after finishing a yummy breakfast of frittata made with Farmer's Market fresh veggies, eggs and hashbrowns and a tres yummy latte, and am thinking I would like to re-fresh some rooms in my home.

I am a big fan of change, especially around the house and especially when it comes to keeping things fresh. So of course, where do I turn to for some inspiration but Pinterest ....

I have a lot of these pieces in my home already....rustic wooden boxes, barn board, mercury glass etc.....it's time to move them around and re-imagine the uses of theses pieces.

I'm looking for a new entertainment stand/console...this table would be perfect! I would like it to run the entire length of the wall that houses my tv and I may have to add some framed mirrors on either side of my tv as well!

I am always on the look out for equestrian-style accessories.....I would really, really like to find an old saddle and bridle to add to my home....

I don't see anything in this picture that I don't like...the cow hyde area rug, the rustic sideboard/dresser, the exposed beams, those windows and fireplace........LOVE! I think it may be time to head to the Old Mill and get myself a new area rug....

I will always love an exposed brick wall....I had them in my loft and loved the warmth they brought. I like this idea of painting them out in a grey/white wash...I just don't know if I would have the guts to do so...

I really like my current dining set, but again, time to refresh....I would love a rustic barn board table and these green chairs are a perfect pop of colour!

This mix of rustic and clean lines is the look I would like to work towards in my home....

Rustic Simplicity for the kitchen...a piece of barn board and an iron bracket....

A perfect DIY...a pallet top desk...I can make it whatever size, whatever height and whatever colour I would like to suit my not overly large office...

The next few photos are some of my 'dream' home ideas...someday I will be able to incorporate these into a home I own.....

library via verdigris vie & houzz, by robert hawkins architects

I hope you are all having a relaxing, lazy Sunday....Why not hop on the internet or look through some old magazines for some inspiration to re-fresh some rooms in your home!

Info

Comment

Rustic Transitions....

The transition to Fall has to be my favorite time of year. The light, the colours, the chill in the air...time to pull out the wool sweaters, cozy blankets, leather boots and the most fun of all....time to change the decor in your/my home!

When it comes to home decor this time of year, the best place to pull your inspiration from is right out your front door....

The rugged bark of a tree in mossy browns and smokey greys, the mustard yellow of golden rod, the burnt oranges and deep burgundy of mums, the muted greens of the trees & corn stalks, the greeny blues of the lake and the sandy beiges of the last walks on the beach.

Take a look around your home....Small changes such as adding knit throw cushions, a wool throw/blanket, add more candles in earthy tones, fill a vase with branches rather than flowers, a simple wooden bowl filled with stones from the beach....All of these will take your home from Summer to Autumn and add warmth, coziness and character.

Just walk out your front door, down the lane and around your neighbourhood or take a weekend roadtrip through the countryside...take lots of pictures and come home with more inspiration then you'll know what to do with!

Info

Comment

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!

Info

Comment

Rustic 'Eye-Candy'

After an afternoon of wandering around the Aberfoyle Antique Market today, I felt a renewal of rustic inspiration....and I also wish I had a much bigger house as there were sooo many pieces I would have loved to have brought home!

I would have LOVED to have brought this piece home! It needs some TLC but it has great character and detail and the colour is fantastic!

I did bring home these skis...yes, I'm already thinking of outdoor winter decor...but what really caught my attention was their brand name...SOOOO close to mine! They were also a great deal (and I'm always searching for a great deal) at only $8 (he even knocked $2 off the original $10 price tag)!!

While still on the wave of inspiration, I came home and searched the web and put together this blog based "inspiration board" of some stunning examples of rustic home decor and design. Just 'click-on' every picture and it will take you to the webpage so you can enjoy even further inspiration!

Enjoy!!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

RR

Info

Comment

Island Living

One of the most functional pieces in the home has to be the kitchen island. It provides prep space, storage and a place to pull up a seat & gather around....it really helps make the kitchen the heart of the home.

As much as I love my new home, I must admit, I do miss my 8'x3' island in my old loft. I had the butcher block top made, I sanded and stained it and my brother and I installed it. I could stand at that island, look out into the living room and visit with guests or have them sit right there at the island with me as I prepared dinner/drinks.

Wth my parent's building a new home, I have been looking for some inspiration to help plan their new kitchen that I hope will contain an island that we can gather around and make new memories at!

These are some ideas I found and love!....

I tend to lean towards wood, open storage, natural materials and function..as illustrated in the pictures above.

These are good combinations of open and enclosed storage and offer a variety of materials and styles.

No matter what style of home you have or the size of your kitchen, an island can serve a mutlitude of purposes. Whether you are preparing a holiday dinner and need as much counter space as possible....or you are serving a romantic dinner for 2....if you are planning or remodelling a kitchen, adding one into your design is something I would highly recommend!

Info

Comment

Cozy...

I had bundled myself up in a hat, infinity scarf and my down jacket this morning to go for a walk with Charlie in the gorgeous snowfall we're having. After coming in from our walk, all I wanted to do was make a cup of hot chocolate, turn on a good movie, light the fireplace, wrap up in a blanket and just have a cozy, comfie day.

When you walk in your door every day, you should have a feeling of 'home'...you should feel extremely comfortable...and through rustic charm and details, you can make your home the cozy environment that makes it a perfect place to come in from on a snowy day.