My Very First Reader GIVE-AWAY!!

Good morning my dear readers!


Today, I am thrilled to announce White Blossom's very first give-away from CSN Stores. (WOO HOO!!!) They have over 200 online stores where you can find anything from furniture like these great bar ''stool''s (on sale right now!), kitchen supplies, bed linens, pet products, health and fitness products and home improvement products.  They have great prices, every product under the sun and they ship to Canada!  :)  


Thanks to All Modern Furniture.com my US readers only have the chance to win one of three eco friendly pillows by Inhabit.  

First Time?

Since When?

Change the World?

Features:

• Made from 100% sustainable recycled polyester
• Handprinted and handmade in the USA
• Environmentally-friendly inks with no chemical waste or disposal generated
• Recyclable at the end of its life-cycle
• Zipper closure for easy removal and cleaning
• Pillow inserts are 95% feather / 5% down

Specifications:

• Material: 100% sustainable recycled polyester
• Available sizes:
• 18" W x 18" L
• 13" W x 24" L

In order to enter here is what you have to do:

• Leave a comment letting me know what your favourite CSN store product is and which pillow you would like.  Make sure you leave your email address or website/blog info so I can contact the winner.  (1 contest entry)
• Become a follower of White Blossom. Either on this blog or through google reader (2 extra contest entries).
• Post about this give-away on your blog and link it back to White Blossom (3 more contest entries).  

That's a total of 6 entries you can qualify for.  Remember, anyone can enter!


The All Modern Furniture.com give-away will be open till 8pm Sunday January 31st.  The winner will be announced Monday morning, so be sure to check back.  


Good luck!!

How small is too small?

This morning I woke up at 6am to workout.  I gave it a good go and lasted 20 minutes.  My body just couldn't move fast enough to keep up with the video and I finally realized that instead of struggling to get through feeling like crap I would write my blogpost to get ahead start on the day.  To be honest, I'm happy that I got at least 20 minutes excercise and that I'm posting so early! :) 


Today's post is more of a rant. This morning I read The Globe & Mail which featured an article about the construction of 30 Toronto condo rental suites 270 square feet in size.  Each comes with built-in wall beds, tables, chairs and flat screen TVs.  Is that not ridiculously small?  Look around your bedroom; it's probably the same size as the suite.  I can only imagine how much they would be to purchase.  They will be rental suites for $750/month.  It's like buying one room in a house.  We live in one of the largest countries in the world.  Do we really need to start packing us on-top of one another in these small rooms?  Does anyone else feel like they would be closterphobic?  How much smaller can the condo developers go?  I understand that Toronto is a very expensive city to live in and that it's hard to find affordable housing for anyone earning under $35,000 but don't they deserve a bit more space???


On a more positive note; I love the natural looking floors!  

Todays a very busy day.  I'll try to post something a bit more design related later.  For now it's time for me to shower and get pumped for a great day!  Have a great one my dear readers.  

Kimberley Seldon

I have watched Kimberly Seldon on Cityline for over 10 years.  Her design is clean, classic and neutral with hits of glamour and a splash of colour here and there.  It's obvious from looking at the rooms below she likes to use plush fabric and a lot of down filled pillows, which might be why I feel here rooms are so inviting.  Kimberly has had a vibrant career as an interior designer, journalist and television personality.  You can find her furniture designs Kimberly Seldon for Brentwood Classic's across Canada.  If she's not designer rooms and furniture then you might be able to find her hosting shopping trips in France and the Niagara region or teaching those like myself who are interested in starting their own design business.  

I find most of her living rooms look like they are meant for a mature couple whose kids have left the nest.  I doubt you would see kids running around with chocolate in many of the rooms below.  There are a few rooms that I would seriously move into if the owners gave me permission, specifically the bathroom, white bedroom and gold and blue bedroom. 

This is my dream bathroom.  I would sit in that tub all day long if I didn't shrivel up like a prune.

This bedroom is my absolute favourite room designed by Kimberly.  It's exactly how I want my future master bedroom to resemble. It's glamorous, fresh and fun! 

I
Check out the built-in cabinet.  Great use of space and design.  The chandelier is what gives this room it's glamour.  For a simpler look you can always take off a few of the crystals. 

Symmetry makes almost every room complete. 

I love the lines of this chandelier.  It's very unique.  Using a mirror in the dining room is a great idea.  It helps bounce the light around the room.

This would make a very inviting bedroom!!  I find everything in this room irresistible - the chandelier, blinds, the fabric on the bed linens, the headboard, the dark bed skirt and the symmetrical side tables.  I really just want to plop myself on that bed with my laptop and not get up for the entire day.  Maybe it's Toronto's grey, rainy and foggy day that's making me love the gold's and blues of this room so much. 

All photos via Kimberly Seldon Design Group

Missing in Action

Hello my dear readers.  I have been away at our annual sales conference in Montreal for the last three days.  There was absolutely no time to post.  I promise to post something special next week.  Right now I need to concentrate on staying awake and signing deals.  :)  Don't fret though, I have a gorgeous kitchen for your viewing pleasure below.  I love how bright and enviting it is!  Everything has it's place and it's open to the dining room making it feel much more relaxed.  It's definitely a family kitchen.

TGIF!!!!!!!

Molly Fey via Decorpad

Organizing our lives in 2010

I love a new year for it's fresh start.  January can be dull!  The excitement of the holidays are over.  We might be broke or at least on a strict budget and the weather is highly undesirable.  Therefore, it's the perfect time to do little projects around the house and organize your closets and cupboards to start the year off on a clean slate.  Below are a few tips to get you started in the kitchen and office. If you thrive on chaos then you may want to skip to the bottom for a great pic of each section. 

Kitchen storage:

• Organize your kitchen into sections.  Group together spices and cooking oils, baking essentials (wooden spoons, bowls, pie dishes, etc).
• Store those items that you use regularly on the most convenient shelf and then those items that are rarely used on the top shelf or back of a large pantry. 
• Take inventory and dispose of items (cans, spices, kitchen utensils or equipment) that may be expired or that you just don't use anymore. 
• Purchase clear glass containers to store cereal, flour, sugar, salt, pepper...etc.  They will clean up the look of your shelves and make it easier to find.
• Use drawer dividers to clean up and organize utensils.
• Stack shelves within shelves to help you utilize every bit of space in your cupboards.
• Store kitchen cleaning supplies in gliding baskets under the sink.  Ideally you should store cleaning supplies for the kitchen in the kitchen and bathroom cleaning supplies in the bathroom.  I don't have enough space so all of mine are stores in the kitchen. 
  

Simple Human

Martha Stewart

Organize

Joseph Joseph Index Color Coded Chopping Boards,

Joseph Joseph

Ikea

Martha Stewart Set

Office Storage:

• Store old magazines in stylish boxes and display on a shelf for easy access.
• File papers away in a filing cabinet or filing boxes.
• Sort through office for items and papers that can be disposed of.
• Group items together such as pens, pencils, markers, highlighters, scissors, gift wrap supplies, etc in easy to reach desk top containers or drawers.
• Store items used less frequently in storage boxes with labels.
• Save space by using shelves such as the Sapien shelves from Design within Reach.  Stylish and practical!

 

Semikolon desk top organizers from The Container Store

Magazine Storeage Boxes from Kaboodle

Sapien Shelves from Design within Reach

House & Home

I hope this helps you get started.  When my home and office are organized I feel more relaxed and at peace.  If it's a mess then I'm also a mess.  After a long day of work, the last thing I want to do is come home to a disorganized mess.  Keeping a system helps me relax at home and stay productive at work.  At least that's the idea.  I don't have kids yet so we'll see how long I can keep it up.  

Marble Pros and Cons

I recently had a question about marble countertops.  I love the look of them but I don't know a lot about them. So I investigated.  This is what I have discovered.  

• Marble is dense but not as absorbant as most people say.  Especially polished marble, its much less absorbent than honed.  
• It's a good idea to seal most stones.  Especially if it's used as a kitchen counter and if it's honed. 
• Marble needs to be sealed more often than granite. 
• Spills must be cleaned up immediately so it won't stain.  Be especially carefull with citric acid or alcohol being left on it.  
• Use soft cloths or pads to clean marble because it is soft and will scratch if you use abrasive scrub pads.  
• If you have etch marks caused by acidic substances then you will have to resurface the marble.  If your marble is honed and the etch marks are light then you might be able to sand them out.  A lot of people think they ad character to the countertops and don't mind light etch marks. 

Pros: Beautiful and heatproof.
Cons: expensive; porous, needs to be professionally sealed; high maintenance; can scratch and potentially stain.


If I had the money for our future home then I would definitely buy marble purely for the look of it.  What would you do?

Decorpad

Heidi Friedler via Yossawat

Atlas Stone Fabricators

Time to wash-up

First week back to work has been a busy one!! I find every week, month and year goes by faster and faster as I get older.  Why is that?  Do I have more on the go now then a few years ago?  Anyway, I love everything that's happening in my life.  I feel so blessed.  :)  Tonight I'm having dinner with good friends and my husband at a trendy hot spot in Toronto.  We haven't seen one another since early December.  Tomorrow, Ryan and I are heading to Niaga-on-the-Lake to enjoy the ice-wine festival.  It's going to be a great weekend!!  


Since I haven't had much time to myself this week todays post will be about inspirational photos.  It's time I show you my love for white bathrooms. Someone recently told me that they are out of style now.  (GASP!) How could a classic white bathroom ever be out of style?  It's classic!  


Enjoy the photos.  I'll be back Saturday morning with a recap of our London trip.

Cottage Living

Decorpad

All Bathroom Designs

Kohler

HGTV

Country Living

Sarah Richardson

Devine Design

Decorpad

219northcliffwood

Inspiration for Everyday Living