Our Home, Our Story

There is nothing more boring to me than a home that looks like everything in it was bought as a package deal.

Ya know...all of the bedroom furniture came in a set from Leon's or The Brick or whatever and it all neatly goes together with matching wood, hardware and such.

Can you say "No money down! No interest! Do not pay a cent until 2014!??!"
(At least this room would put me to sleep. YAWN!)

And speaking of The Brick...did you know Hilary Duff's  Canadian, former  NHL hockey-playing husband Mike Comrie's family owns The Brick? It seems he also bought Hilary a brick of an engagement ring too. Oh...I guess they call that a rock.
 But I digress...

I also don't like living rooms with a sofa, love seat and chairs that are all the frickin same - usually all beige or brown or black.

Can you say "Don't Pay a Cent Event!??!"
BOOOOOOOORING!

Now I don't mean to offend. If you have your home decorated this way that is all good.

It is just not for me.

I happen to love decorating and I realize that not all folks share this passion. It certainly is a lot easier to get a "room in a box" and have it done. Everything matches...no guess work required.

And again, that's cool.

This is also cool.
OK...maybe it is more COLD.

But my preference is to have a home that is curated over time. At least one that looks that way.

And I love to tinker. I love to change things up...move things around...try different combos.

I also love Canadian designer Sarah Richardson.

I also get into moods. And if I get into one of my decorating moods, watch out! I try to take full advantage of these moods because they do come and go. Sometimes the last thing on my mind is decorating. But as I am currently at home much of the time, I find I get bored with things much faster and I need to change things up to freshen up my spirits.

I still need to get a white, ceramic Laughing Buddha.
He would always be there to brighten my mood!

...and he would fit in so nicely with the rest of my collection!

And I like my home to represent who we are as a family. I am not in to the "museum" look. I have 3 kids and this is their home as much as it is mine and my husband's, so I like to show that.

For example, I grew up in the Beach area of Toronto and am drawn to all things beachy. I find it rather peachy.

This room is TOO peachy. Not enough beachy.
Cool ottoman though.

Blues and greens and stones and rocks (not like Hilary Duff's...but I darn-well love those too!) and shells birds and the like are very much a part of my decor. In fact, I just talked about my love of the colour blue in my recent post I'm Feeling Blue.

My husband's parents are both Italian, so there are hints of his culture around. Like prints of beaches in Italy!

This print hangs in our living room.

I like a little whimsy in my home as well. A ceramic, penguin teapot sits comfortably beside a lovely glass vase. Zebra and cheetah printed throw pillows are thrown in with leather, Natuzzi club chairs.

As some of you know, I also like to paint...so I like to mix in a few of my paintings in to the mix as well.

One of my beach-inspired paintings.
This used to hang in my home.
But I sold it.
Yay!

I had to fight my urge to turn my older boys' room into something out of a decorating magazine because I know that it is their room and they have things that represent who they are. And so hockey prints and memorabilia abound. I am betting Hilary Duff will have to deal with the same issue!

I actually love this print - "Lacing Up" that is in my older boys' bedroom.

But that's OK. It is their space, and I believe that kids should have the opportunity to  have a say in how their little space in the home looks and feels to them.

Nothing says Julian and Noah like Mr. Potato Head holding the Stanley Cup!
Yay hockey!!!!
Yay Potatoes!!! (Noah's favourite food...oh yes!)
Hockey and potatoes.
Uh Oh...I feel some Stompin' Tom Conners coming on...

Told ya!

I warned ya!
Hey...remember eh?
 I'm Canadian eh?!?
So is Stompin' Tom...in case you didn't know.

And speaking of...ummmm...potatoes...I love nature. Using elements for nature in my decor scheme is not only beautiful and textural, but it's very thrifty! I actually wrote an article about this for Erica Ehm's Yummy Mummy Club, which you can read here.

Since I keep talking about Hilary Duff, I thought it would be funny to show a photo of her on Much Music with Erica Ehm. But I guess Hilary is too young. Instead, here she is with that host of So You Think You Can Dance Canada who is way younger than me and already has had way too much plastic surgery.
But again...I must digress.

We also have a pretty small home, so things have to be practical! Our "foyer", which is really a very tiny hallway (if you can even call it that!) needs to serve as a mudroom as well. And with three little boys running about, things can get pretty crazy!

So we devised a little "locker" system that we (and by "we", I mean I talked about it and my husband did all the work) crafted out of bookcases and doors from IKEA.

Our "locker" system.
One for each of our boys.
Take note Hilary and Mike.
In case you give little Luca Cruz more siblings!
Oh...you will probably go to The Brick.
Never mind.

We added extra shelves for shoes and baskets for holding hats, scarves, gloves, etc. An extra large space at the bottom of each "locker" holds backpacks and our baby's diaper bag. A simple, framed, black and white photograph of each child indicates which "locker" is theirs.

The older boys were at school when I took this picture, so their backpacks are gone.
Just in case you were wondering.
And I know you were.

It is not the most beautiful front hall in the world, but it is organized and it works. For us.

For us...because we are the ones who live here.

Not Stompin' Tom or Hilary and Mike. (Although they are welcome to visit any time!)

For others, something else would work equally well.

And as our family changes and our needs follow suit, then generally one of my moods pops up and off I go to the races again!

It really would have tied this blog post all together if Hilary Duff had a song called "Off To The Races".
But Lana Del Rey does apparently.
Hey...I aim to keep you informed.
You're welcome.

On the the next chapter of our story...

Smiles,

Lora