If it's not baroque, don't fix it

I simply love the look of a Rococo mirror...but HATE to pay the price for one (not to mention I don't have the money) They look just so sharp!





This white one is available for 149 pounds (just under $300 dollars US) here.

This gold one is 101 pounds here.


This one is 125 pounds here. Notice that there aren't many oval rococo mirrors available in north america?

This hollow plastic frame can easily support a pane of thin mirror and is only $39.99 at Ikea. Glass quotes ran roughly around $18-28 in Vancouver. Bam. The whole look for less than $70 canadian!

With melamine paint its easy to make it any colour you wish. Imagine a bright yellow on a blue or dark grey wall...



Entry hall or walk-in closet suits this mirror best I think.

WOW!

This completely encapsulates the colour I am going for in my home:


Totally breathtaking and subtly elegant!

<3ing...

High Tea!

Something timeless and classic for anyone who loves eclectic vintage decor is the china tea set. I love how this looks when mismatched:











Yet I also love the look of a high-gloss black full set...

...but maybe that's just because I'm excited about my front door being painted.

I've been busy...

Well, moving is complete. Still in the middle of painting and unpacking and buying what the house needs including special trips to Ikea (thx mister for getting through it...I know you're not a fan of being in that store <3 ), and now I have finals for five courses to deal with, but I will persevere and keep posting!

Out with the old....

And in with the Ikea!

Ikea, the baron of affordable home furnishings, done sparingly and thoughtfully, can look very chic!

Today I sold my fiance's ratty old pine dresser on craigslist.

And I'll be upgrading to this:



Ahhhhh. That's better.

<3ing...

Lonny!


Far be it for me to say, but I think Domino was reincarnated when Lonny debuted. Yes, I was another Domino die-hard, subscribing since the first beautiful issue to the last, heart-breaking finale. Then, not six months later, came Lonny, which not only reflects the fresh, mixed style appeal, but even features the home of a staff member of Domino! I'm sure, if you're a decor fanatic, you've already seen the premiere issue, but if you somehow haven't heard of it, go here! Regardless, I'd love to share what stood out for me most:

The philosophy that money does not rule interior design totally gave me that warm fuzzy feeling!


Doesn't this pillow look as though it belongs in a princess' bedchamber?


I love the bold regal black mixed with rustic charm here....and just look at that bathroom garbage bin!


More realistic and chic decor ideas!


Although more expensive to create, the french Louis XVI touches in this home are so romantic to me.


LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!

Now it comes time to mention the only problem with this new magazine....

....you can't buy it in stores! Yes, it's fantastic to be green and use less paper, not to mention it's free, but I have a scrapbook of cutouts from Domino and other magazines before it that I've added to for seven years now....and would've loved to add Lonny to it (my printer is laser and only uses black ink).


Also, every thursday I've decided to make my "<3ing..." day (because I've always loved Thursdays). I'll share something small or grand that captures my eye ...and my heart. Hope you enjoy this new feature!

Paint it Black

I cannot get over how stunning a high-gloss black door looks these days.

You can even do it for bedroom doors....


Or bathroom doors too!



Question: would it be overkill to paint all doors in the home black if you own a small condo? (note: only four doors in the whole place if you don't include closet doors...which begs the question....should they be included?)

Living Room Inspirations

So our new home is 13 years old and has never been updated since it was built. As such, although we'd love to tear out the whole thing (especially those carpets!) and put in everything we love, we simply can't afford it. So we are starting with the cheap face-lift: painting. In coming up with a colour palate, I collected images of my favourite rooms and elements that inspire me.



I love the dark hardwood floors contrasting with the light, airy feel of the white and blue on the walls and ceiling.


The rattan blinds against the soft blue walls make it a slightly tropical feel and contrast nicely against the black regal furniture.


I'd switch the dark blue of the walls with the light blue of the sofa...but you get the idea.


This matches almost perfectly with what I'm going for; the orange throw, the light blue walls, the palm, the beige furniture and espresso touches....


and this is one of my all-time favourite living rooms. Cozy, comfy, soft, and colourful.

So....


What do you think?

The first of many...

"There is nothing more trite than a set period - any antique period bought intact for today's living. But, by the same token, a contemporary house that ignores all vestiges of the past in order to express a purely modern philosophy runs the risk of becoming a stagnant document of its own time."

-Eleanor McMillen Brown, Sixty Years of Interior Design


This statement is on par with my beliefs in interior design, yet I think it could be taken even further. If one must have an entirely Baroque home, then do so. If all that's desired is Georgian country style, go for it. At least, in this belief, the freedom is there to bring in elements of anything that simply makes one happy. It liberates one from feeling the constriction of tradition around the proverbial neck of the home. This philosophy sets one free to explore all that could be aesthetically pleasing to the eye without borders or "rules." Interior design is simply another art form, and art is not meant to carry cumbersome limitations on its possibilities.

Now about me:
I'm a full time university student with creative passions for many things. Not all of which, I'll admit, I do entirely well...but all at least with pleasure and with full effort. I am engaged and recently purchased a home, a modest one bedroom condo, in a suburb of Vancouver, British Columbia.

I have waited for this moment for a long time. To finally be able to paint the walls any colour I wish? To finally rip up the nasty apartment-style beige carpet and be rid of it in all its obscenities? (Can you tell I really hate carpet?) To finally, get this, have a washing and drying machine in my own place where no coins are required and I don't find strange ratty blue towels obviously belonging to others mysteriously tossed in with my unmentionables?


This blog is meant to be a chronicling of my personal journey as a first-time home owner. It will help me to gather my thoughts and hopefully, obtain outsiders opinions through the stages of renovation and decoration. I will post decorating projects as I take them on, as well as other people's work I am inspired by, and sources on where to purchase AFFORDABLE home decor (because what first-time home owner can buy a $10,000 sofa?). I'll also throw in occasional snippets from my other passions such as fashion, cooking, photography and travel. But, as with everything else in life, there is one catch:


I’m broke. Just like many other first-time home owners, I have little to no money with which to buy anything or change anything. As a student, I survive off my loans and my fiancé. I have only a couple years left at university, but as many other design lovers must understand, I can’t just leave the home the way it is.


So here we go!