Key Note

True confessions. I have an obsession with antique keys.

{ an assortment of flat & barrel keys

from Antique Keys }

I love 'em. I have an old skeleton key from our (since sold) East 13th house & I wear it around my neck on a big long chain.

I knew my obsession had gone mainstream a little while ago when Tiffany came out with their gorgeous key necklaces (which I do love):

{ Tiffany & Co. keys on chains }

Plus I just discovered that Pottery Barn sells antique keys:

However, I think I'd prefer to discover mine on my own & I've heard mixed reviews about these.

Check out this key wallpaper from Jonathan Adler:

{ it comes in gold (shown), red or white }

or how about these fabric choices from Ink & Spindle or Nuno:

{ Ink & Spindle's version }

{ Nuno's version }

What walls would you cover with that Jonathan Adler paper? What would you use a few yards of the key fabric for??

Happy Belated Father's Day, Daddios!

In honour of my very own "Little Dad" here are few 'manly' picks for a masculine interior space...

Dad: would you like to smoke your pipe in this antique leather wingback?? (From 1st Dibs ~ search Arenskjold Antiques):

{ wingback club chair circa 1920 }

...in front of a fireplace like this:

{ photo from Ralph Lauren Paint }

...with a selection of books to choose from:

{Gianni Botsford's design for his father

featured in Wallpaper*magazine }

Happy Father's Day, Dad! I love you!!!

{ my Dad, Martyn John Clark with his pet monkey, Archie circa 1960 }

{ Dad with Mum, Paulina & me aboard Passat }

& Happy Father's Day, Craig!! You are best Daddy I imagine for our babies. I love you.

{ Craig & Sebastian surfing at Dana Point, Fall 2009 }

Sweetly Vintage Little Girl's Room

Putting together my last post got me thinking more in depth about each of the bedding selections. Here's a design scheme using the Pink Pagoda bedding from Warm Biscuit Bedding Co. as a jumping off point....

Pair it with a little white bed. Something vintage is always my first pick to save a bit of $money$:

{ Paulina's bed at East 13th }

Paulina's bed was a hand-me-down from my darling friend, Sam. The bed was a cream colour with funky red accents when I got it & I painted it out white. I got her bedding from HomeSense & ChickPea.

Another option could be this little number from Restoration Hardware:

{ Sloane Bed in Vintage White }

For wall paint colour I would go with a warm neutral like Warm Beige 33C2 or Euphrates 33C1 from BEHR or, if your daughter insists on pink (like mine did) Mellow Pink 2094-70 from Benjamin Moore. It's a pink that doesn't scream cotton candy too badly.

Add some personal touches such as these photos sourced on Etsy. This one is from Tina Crespo's shop:

{ Pagoda & The Sea }

or from Malleah Matthew Photography:

{ On Top of the World }

The window treatments could be white sheers if you're feeling "coloured-out" or perhaps a sweet green gingham pulling out colour from the accent pillow on the bed:

(This green gingham is reading a little bright for me. I'd make sure it was more sage vs. grass-green or age it by washing it in tea.)

On the floor I'd put a nicely worn Aubusson (or a knock-off to keep the budget down) like this one:

And no little girl's room is complete without a mirror to peer into while primping. How about one of these (which were picked up from a 2nd hand store & painted out white ~ for instructions click here):

Dinner prep calls... must run!

Anahita Rose

I have been negligent in keeping up with this blog for a VERY GOOD REASON (honestly!). We have been having oodles of fun hosting my sister, Christina, & her daughter Anahita:

{ at Maplewood Farm, North Vancouver }

They have now flown home & we miss them sooooo. Inspired by Anahita here are some bedding selections for a little girls' room...

This bedding from Warm Biscuit Bedding Co. is sweet & vintage & perfect for a girlie-girl:

{ pink pagoda bedding }

Or how about this adorable quilt set from Dwell Studio for a more modern, graphic feel:

{ gio lemon duvet set }

What do you think of this quilt from Rosenberry Rooms? Too much? or just right??

{ Gigi Bedding }

Paired with an airy iron bedframe it could work work quite well for a girl with spirit & pluck.

Room to play {update}

My niece, Maria's, playroom is complete! With a little elbow grease, creativity & repurposing items Esther already had on hand she has pulled off a lovely little retreat for sweet Maria-Leticia with minimum expense.

{ Maria-Leticia in her princess bed }

Maria's old crib was converted by Esther into a little day bed. The pillows are moai embroidery from Panama & mirrored fabric from Rajasthan that Esther picked up in her travels. Esther bought lavender tulle & sewed it onto an embroidery hoop to make the floaty hideaway & decorated it with bright fabric flowers to tie in the colours on the pillows, flooring & painted details.

Patricia Almeida (Esther's sister-in-law) painted a mural on the wall & Esther installed some brightly coloured 'puzzle' foam flooring.

{ wall mural & toy storage }

{ mural detail }

{ wall mural & foam flooring }

Esther reports that the foam flooring is ideal for the playroom. It keeps Maria's bare feet from getting too chilly & is easy to vaccum or wash with soap & water as required. You can get something similar if you click here.

Maria-Leticia's dollies are well-loved so Esther has a 'bath station' set up with Maria's old baby bath, empty soap bottles, towels, diapers, etc. She also has a basket for toys that she rotates & has used a transparent shoe holder hung behind the door to hold her stuffed animals.

{ treasured stuffies }

The bare bulb in the ceiling was covered with this shade from Ikea:

{ Ikea Kaxig Shade }

Kudos to my industrious sister, Esther!!