OUR NEXT CHAPTER...A FAMILY TRAVEL ADVENTURE!

“What if we just took a little break from our everyday?”, I said. “Pack our bags and take the kids around the world?”. In fairness, this conversation with my husband, Damien, started years ago. Let’s go on a big trip! When the kids are older, when we’re not working so hard, when we have the financial means, when, when, when…

A little mid-life refresh I’m calling it. Surely, we can rephrase the ol’ mid life crisis by now? With both of us firmly in our 40s and the kids teetering out of young childhood and very much transitioning into tweens, we thought there was no better time. We are going ON A TRIP OF A LIFETIME (!!!) with our kids alongside. Are we CRAZY?! Probably, yes! Excited? Absolutely. Ready for it all? Most definitely not; but really, are we ever ready for change? I have always believed that setting about trying new things brings growth in the best possible way.

I’ve been dreaming about this adventure since I was a child. I vividly remember thinking that, when I grow up, I want to take my family to see the world. It just seemed like a super fun thing to do. Travel is, and has always been, so inspiring to me. After finishing high school, I spent a summer backpacking Europe. After university, I moved to London with one of my best friends and traveled every weekend I could, then after leaving jobs in London (where Damien and I met), we traveled through the parts of the Middle East and a few countries in Africa before settling into new jobs.

While it’s always been in the back of our minds as something we’d one day do, the opportunity and decision to go for it came quickly. We decided in June 2023 that we would take the kids out of school for the year and backpack around the world!

The summer raced by in what can only be described as a whirlwind of logistics. From how to homeschool to what to pack, where to book flights and what to take (I’ll share my list soon!), what vaccines we needed and where we’d go. We felt like nothing was ready but the leaving date was coming too soon. Isn’t that always the way? When are we ever really ready for the next thing anyway.

Why now? Well, the timing was right. The kids are growing up way too fast for my liking. I know motherhood lasts for our entire lives, but I’m always very aware that the most time we ever spend with our kids happens by the time they’re 18. I love my kids more than anything and truly think they are amazing people to hang out with. All 3 are still in elementary school and I know we want to be back and settled once they reach high school.

Covid truly brought about so many changes in our young kids’ lives. There were nearly two years where they barely went into shops or interacted with a wide variety of people. I want our kids to discover that there’s a much bigger world out there to explore; one where people live in different ways than we do, eat different foods, speak different languages.

We are incredibly aware of our privilege to take this opportunity, not only to travel but also to be such an integral part of the kids’ development. We will be doing math along the way and journaling too, with most other learning being taught in terms of classes we can enrol in along the way and experiences that naturally occur.

So, if you’re up for following along with our travel adventures, I will share along the way. And now, global adventures await!

ISABELLA'S PINK, GREEN AND GOLD NURSERY REVEAL!

We finally have a new room reveal! The first space of 2023 and it was made for the sweetest baby. Without a doubt, nurseries are the most special places to decorate. The excitement of a newborn, the beautiful choices available for babies, and the love that you feel when you walk in the room. Isabella’s nursery was a dream to design and I feel so honoured to be a tiny part of this beautiful family’s beginnings.

Isabella’s Mom has a great design eye and already knew that she wanted to include this forest wallpaper as a feature in the baby nursery so this was the piece that we worked with to create the rest of the dreamy space.

This room had been used as a guest room previously and the smaller space made it a perfectly cozy place to create a baby nursery. The gorgeous windows allow plenty of sunlight and we positioned the nursing chair in this corner for two reasons. The first was to be close to the crib, so feeding to sleeping transitions were made easier, especially at night. The second was the view from the window. When laying out a nursery, it’s essential to think about who will be spending time where and having the chair in this position allows both parents to hold baby while enjoying the forest view.

The crib is a forever piece of beautifully made furniture from Kalon Studios that can be converted to a toddler bed when the time comes. In the photos it’s tricky to see the mobile, but in the room it’s a pretty piece for baby to look at when falling to sleep.

SHOP THE LOOK…

The sunlight that pours in these windows makes the entire room glow and we layered soft linen curtains on top of the blackout shades that can be pulled down to create darkness for sleep time. We chose this solid wood dresser as an interim piece until the real dresser arrives, but with time delays on some furniture being the reality of life in the design world, we decided to go ahead and photograph the nursery as is. I think it’s beautiful enough to share now and this dresser provides the function of holder baby goods, such as diapers, tiny clothing and blankets perfectly well.

On the small wall next to the walk-in closet, you can see that we added bookshelves that act as both functional storage and an art display. Here’s a look at that spot, before and after.

BEFORE

AFTER

Here’s a close up shot of the dresser with change top basket and mirror. I absolutely love how the wallpaper can be seen through the mirror.

THE JANUARY EDIT: FAVOURITE PICKS OF THE MONTH

After the cozy holiday season, a good refresh in January gives room for the newness and positive outlook that the new year brings. Whether you are living in a small apartment or a spacious house, organization is on all of our minds. Cue the theme for this months picks: items to help organize (plus this first photo is a sneak peek at a new nursery project coming next week)!

SHOP THE PICKS!

1.// PLAYROOM STORAGE

2.// CACTUS BOOKCASE

3.// NARROW BOOKSHELF

4.// WATERPROOF BASKET

5.// GIRAFFE BASKET

6.// WOOD DRESSER

7.// CUBE STORAGE

8.// TOY BOX

9.// FELT BASKET

10.// RATTAN BIN

11.// METAL CABINET

12.//POMPOM BIN

HAPPY 2023 + WHAT'S COMING THIS YEAR!

Happy New Year everyone! We’re back to January and that means a new plan for the year. For the first time ever, I’m getting really specific about what you can look for here this year as the world (and our little business) continues to shift post Covid.

This year, we’ll be back to the blog (!!) sharing makeovers from our rental house, finished client projects (yay!), how to’s for kids spaces and our curated roundups too. I love to try new things here and I might add in a few recipes and as always, our travel adventures over on Instagram stories. If there’s anything else that you’d like to see, send me a note or leave a comment at the bottom of the page.

So, along with personal goals, our family goals and our goals for this online space, let’s celebrate the intentions we make at the beginning of a new year (even if different ones get accomplished). Here are 10 of the projects you can expect to see on the blog this year (in no particular order).

1. Client Work: Baby Girl Nursery

I can’t wait to share this project! This is first up (and coming to the blog this month). We took an office in a luxury townhouse and refreshed the space to create a beautiful baby nursery for a new little girl. This nursery project proved to be stressful in terms of getting the key items ready in time for baby’s arrival. My clients were amazingly patient and we were able to tie up the room and get it shot right at the end of 2022.

2. Rental House 3: Basement Stairs

While I never intended to share our rental houses, everyone seems to love these posts! From the kids’ art studio and our family living room in our first rental house to the homework room and our twin girls’ shared bedroom in our last house, these projects are full of heart and often have DIY elements and a lower budget. I haven’t done as well sharing Rental House #3 but this is the year I’m going to make that happen with the basement stairs a necessity (they are gross!).

3. Client Work: Shared Boys Homework Room

We have just received the amazing news that the furniture for this space has arrived!!! I can’t tell you how excited I am about this. This is a little space that was being used for storage and we are turning it into a homework area for two young boys. Here’s a bird’s eye view of the space!

4. Rental House 3: Fireplace Tile Makeover

Ok, I’ve sort of snuck little peeks at this space over on Instagram, but most of you probably haven’t seen it. In a room with so much potential, this yellowish tile has always bothered me and I am adamant to change it.

5. My daughter Kaia’s Tween Room

This is the only true before I have of this room! I can’t wait for you to see the after. Client projects often take over my own home (unsurprisingly) and there are only a few more things to finish on this space that I shared a sneak peek of last year.

6. Client Work: Shared Boys Bedroom

Gah! Bring on all the pattern on this one. A dream client and a super fun room to design, this room has bold pattern and bold blue to match it! As is the theme for all of the client projects over the past few years, the waiting game on a key piece has held up finishing this one. I feel optimistic that this will be ready for a reveal sometime this year.

7. Our Family Happy Place

I haven’t decided exactly what I’m going to share of this space, or how much will be on the blog this year, so it’s a little bit of a surprise, but one that makes our family so very happy. This project is very much about getting back to the simple things in life and finding bits of magic with our kids along the way.

8. Client Work: Girls Bedroom

The in-progress view below is halfway there! The beautiful overhead light has already been installed and we are waiting for the bed, a narrow bookshelf and window treatments to finish off this space. It’s such a pretty room; I can’t wait for you all to see it.

9. Rental House: Linen Closet

The rental house we are currently living in is my dream house but unrenovated. One of the beautiful things about the house is the original features and I feel that I have not done the original linen closet its’ due respect in terms of organization. I have personal organization goals this year and this project will tick that box as well as sharing the little beauty that this closet is in terms of untouched 1930s linen closet.

10. Rental House: Everyday Family Room

While the living room where our fireplace is may be the prettier room, this little nook here (just off the kitchen) and where the sunlight shines in is really where we spend more of our time. While the living room shines beautifully at Christmas time, this space is where we lounge everyday and where reading / chatting / knitting / cubing (my son is obsessed) happens. It’s the casual living space that we all love to lounge in. Given it’s a rental, the floors can’t change but I’m convinced that we can make this space a lot more polished than it currently is.

Other projects that may happen…

• Rental House: Powder Room

  • a small but mighty tiny room that I’m not sure I can really photograph well enough to share. Sharing what I learned for a tiny space might be helpful?

• Office

  • where all the design creation happens!

• Girls Bedrooms

  • there are two that are completed but haven’t been photographed and another one that is starting but just at the beginning.

• Boys Bedrooms

  • there are two that are completed and haven’t been photographed. Crossing fingers that we can share a couple more here too.

16 OF OUR FAVOURITE FAMILY GAMES!

If you follow our stories on Instagram, you’ll know by now that one of our family’s favourite thing to do together is play games. Our games cupboard sits prominently in our living room so the kids can easily access them at any time. Our kids are now 9 and 11 (the twins) and we’ve been playing games with them since they were toddlers. They often play games together independently, but we also play as a family and it’s become a weekly tradition for us that I hope continues throughout the years.

Below are the games that we love and play regularly and I’ll add the ones I’m tucking under the tree this year too!

1. SKIPBO

   I remembered playing this game at a friend’s house when I was a kid and bought it when my kids were toddlers. Once you have mastered Uno, this game is a great next step. We’ve brought this game on weekends away and even the park! The kids still love to play it.

2. RACKO

   Love this simple number ordering card game for kids. We didn’t discover it until last year but as soon as your little ones can count and order numbers to 20, 30, 40 and 50, this game is perfect. It’s quick and fun, a winning combo!

3. BLOKUS

   A game for 2-4 players that’s recommended for ages 7+. It’s a patterning game and I love that the youngest player can win as easily as the oldest once they get the hang of it. A great intro to strategy games.

4. SLEEPING QUEENS

   Kaia made sure I added this one to the list. She said it was her favourite a few years ago. It’s a simple concept that the kids seem to pick up quickly (and remember) but I feel liked tired Moms (that’s me!) need the rule book nearby to remember what each card does.

5. MONOPOLY

   The classic game from our youth; our 9 year old would play this game daily if someone would play with him! We have and love the bookshelf addition and I imagine our kids playing Monopoly for many years to come.

6. CLUE

   You likely remember this one from when you were a kid too and I had to buy the vintage edition for old times sake. Nothing like a game of mystery to keep little minds thinking! My twins especially love this game and play it often when friends come over.

7. SCRABBLE

   This beautiful wooden version is a perfect coffee table decor piece as well as a very functional take on this classic word game. When we started playing Scrabble with our kids, we quickly learned the value of a quality board that holds the letters in place after a standard board kept getting knocked and wrecked. I highly recommend investing in a quality game of this one if you and your family are avid Scrabble fans.

8. BANANAGRAMS

   This game was a gift and I love how it encourages flexible thinking with words. With simple letter tiles, you could use this game alongside learning to spell with younger kids. Although the concept is simple, this game requires quick thinking and is quite tricky to keep changing your words and thinking as the game progresses. In my opinion, it’s a step quicker (& harder!) than Scrabble or Lexicon.

9. CHINESE CHECKERS

   Simple and fun. With a little strategy, this game is fun to play with 2 players and so much more complicated once you add more players. We play this game at least 3 times a week!

10. CHESS / CHECKERS

    I have always dreamed of being an amazing Chess player, although I am not (ha!). Once we knew our family was a fan of games, we invested in this beautiful wooden game board and quality felted pieces.

11. CATAN

    I like this game, but my kids love it. Learn to trade, build and settle the island of Catan.

12. CARCASONNE

    By far my favourite game to play with our family! I’d say 8+ and this is a great first foray into strategy games. It’s a long game so you have to settle into this one for the evening, but it’s enjoyable and if you are like us, my husband and I can be competitive with each other while still playing with the kids.

13. CATCH PHRASE

    Fun for a wider group and easy to sit down and play a quick round. If you are into games with friends, this one is fun for adults and kids 8+. Younger kids may have a tricky time with the speed of it and some of the content.

14. TRIVIAL PURSUIT (KIDS VS. ADULTS)

    Fun fact: my kids almost always beat us adults! This game is great for learning random facts and testing your memory once you’ve played it multiple times. While my kids seem to remember everything they learn, they especially relish in the rounds where we’ve had the questions before and I forget the answer. Fun for the whole family.

15. YAHTZEE

    A good game list wouldn’t feel complete without Yahtzee. A simple game that can easily travel with you, this one is great for improving math skills and teaching kids the concept of probability.

16. TICKET TO RIDE

    This one is tucked under the tree and the reviews are great! Have never played, but can’t wait to try.

SHOP THE POST…