Maui Memories

We just returned from a short trip away to Maui.  It was adults only so while we missed our kids, we didn't.  {Does that make any sense??!}  I have yet to download my pictures (& I didn't take a ton) but this image from a VRBO rental has me Hawaii day-dreaming on a wet Vancouver day:

{ ahhhhhhhh... }

Say no more, right??!!

xxo J

Dream Homes Canada

Exciting news!  Our last project is featured in the latest edition of Dream Homes Canada:

{ lovely evening view }

We got our copies hot off the press.  It's not up online yet but I will post the link when it is.

Design Mom's Flying Houses

One of my fave~fave~fave blogs is Design Mom, written by Gabrielle Blair who is fun, smart, pretty & self-effacing.  I think we could be good friends.  IF she lived nearby & didn't already have a million followers just like me who would like to be her friend.  Wink.

She posted today about flying houses by Laurent Chehere.  It was just what I needed.  Today has been a regular day & also a day full of sorrow.  A dear friend's child is really ill.  While he & his brave wife & their awesome son continue to valiantly battle with their war cry of "Onwards We Go" it does not look good.  We need a miracle.  So these flying houses brought some levity & magic & a touch of the miraculous to my day.

{ circus tent a-float }

{ why stay inside when you have a roof? }

Thanks Gabrielle.  You were a blessing to me today.

Exterior Facades Take III

Finishing my focus on exteriors today I am posting a few shots of boardform concrete.  It is not often used with more traditional homes but I do love the look of it.  The concrete is poured into rough wood forms so that the wood pattern transfers to the concrete as it hardens.  Here is an example from Architectural Digest's feature on an LA home:

{ this fireplace is useable from inside & outside }

This next home I found on Houzz has traditional roof lines, but the board form in the front contemporizes it.  I'm not sure about all the little itty bitty windows but I do love the concrete:

And finally this gorgeous entryway which guides you nicely into the home:

{ love the window/doorway treatment }

I think board form concrete adds clean lines but allows for an organic feel & some rusticity which sets it apart a little bit.

Exterior Facades Take II

Having just returned from a fantastic meeting with our architects, I'm excited about the design direction our new home is taking.  I love the lines of this home by William Hefner Architects in California:

{ classic yet clean lined }

This is how it looks from the inside looking out:

{ lovely light-filled window wall }

While one never wants to copy something or someone's work; having a visual point of reference is always helpful.  On our last house I had a few dog eared images & a grab bag of tactile 'things' that I would use when stumped on a design decision.  Sounds a bit strange, but it worked!!

Exterior Facades

With a new house project in the works, I've been revisiting exterior looks I love.  I'll post those here this week.

Here's one of my faves from a few years back:

Stella McCartney's Flagship Store

Love the awnings, the shutters, the mullions on the windows, the font she's used for her signage & established feel of the place with all that ivy & greenery softening the stuccoed walls.  LOVE LOVE LOVE. 

Spring has sprung

Spring always encourages me to clean out the cobwebs & start afresh.  I've been negligent with this little blog lately.  It always brings me such pleasure to post here so I will try to be more regular with my posts.

I do love spring.  All my babies were born in April & May.  I really have a fondness for the fresh blossoms, new life & green shoots.  The promise of summer is here but it's just giving us a taste.

Cherry blossoms

Has spring sprung where you are??