Category Archives: design

coterie…

 

 

Coterie

 

Jane Flanagan of the blog Ill Seen, Ill Said recently launched her beautiful online boutique, Coterie. Her aesthetic is simple elegance and that is reflected in the shop's offerings. All the items are selected personally by Jane, and feature handmade pieces by artisans in Canada, the US, Wales, Ireland and elsewhere. The lovely porcelain creation shown above is by artist Jennifer Graham, and it's one of my favorites. The wood pieces, textiles, and paper goods are so unique. Congratulations Jane on a thoughtfully and beautifully curated shop!

 

cottage living…part un

Reno1bw

 

 

As promised, here are some photos of our kitchen renovation! These are only before shots…the after shots will soon follow (I know, such a tease). The first one shows the room as the previous homeowners left it…we had literally just received the keys. We had been planning this project for a while, so the work began right away. For the record, we did not and will not undo anything original to our 1948 cottage…the kitchen had been through 2 previous homeowner demolitions and DIY projects. Our goal was to restore & rejuvenate…

 

Reno2bw

 

 

We wanted to do this right, and in a reasonable amount of time, so we made the decision to hire a contractor (knowing the reach of our knowledge and talents). Upon the recomendation of a local friend (her historic 19th century home is amazing) we found Colorful Remedies, and had a few meetings to plan the project in detail. The first step was to remove the upper cabinets, soffits, and flooring, and of course, there were a few surprises. Huge, unnecessary holes, poor construction, live wires tucked into walls, you get the picture. It was a hot mess.

 

Reno3bw

 

 

Fast forward two weeks, and this is where we were…nearing completion! The talented team was fast moving and very thorough, but we were anxious to have a kitchen and stop using our makeshift one in the basement. At this point we were already seeing the results we had hoped for with much more light and space! The holes are patched, cork plank flooring is waiting to be put down, wall surrounding the fridge done, countertop not yet installed (that’s drywall). It was the homestretch, and mr. fleurishing was dying to get back to cooking. I’m a lucky lady.

 

renovation…part un

 

 

Farrow

So far our home renovation has consisted mostly of plaster wall repair and painting…much more than we anticipated. We made the decision a while back to use Farrow & Ball paint, and I’m so glad we did (and am SO thankful for my trade discount)! The colors are rich and saturated…unlike any other, and their well known chalky matte finish is really gorgeous, and hides imperfections on old walls. I have been seriously tempted to lick the walls. Oh yeah. That’s how much I love the paint. Details and photos will soon follow, I promise!

 

our cottage!

 

 

Ourcottage2
I'm so happy to finally share our news with you…in a few weeks this will be our new home! I've been driving myself crazy with design decisions, and maybe mr. fleurishing a bit too, hehe. I call it "designer's curse", as it is always harder designing for yourself. We've started packing up our little loft and are so excited to be in a home again. It's the first time we've bought a home together, so it is special, and we can see ourselves there for a long time. Truly smitten with our historic little town, we're only moving a few blocks away. Built in 1948, our cottage is one of the "newer" properties in the area! I'll be chronicling the design process as we go along………..