Closet Conversation

With all these recent sunny days, it feels like Spring is right around the corner and with that usually comes the urge to purge, redo & organize.  Whether we actually do it or not, is another question, however it appears most of my fellow bloggers and DIY genius's are at it so with all the 50 or so projects I need to do (at least in my world), I am working on room plans for my daughter & son and my own closet. I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't be overwhelmed, and will tackle one space at a time, (after all, I should follow the advice I give my clients right?), but first things first.  Putting together the plan.   

I will say that my closet is not a pretty site at the moment.  Having only moved into our new place in October, we're still trying to see how we "live" in all the spaces.  There are still boxes of who knows what in my room and things that don't even belong in here...yes, terrible I know!  However, we have to allow ourselves to make mistakes, to not be perfect and well, as organized as I like to think I am sometimes, this closet screams...NOT!  


So yesterday I finally made a plan of attack in there, found some things I forgot I had~"oh THERE'S that blouse I was looking for!", or "why do I have this again?"...you know exactly what I'm saying! I've made a small dent, but there's still a ways to go.  Now, normally I wouldn't do this, but I took a couple of pictures of the mess before I started (just know that I am shrieking a lot inside showing these!).  On the bright side, this closet has such a great layout that I actually really love, & plan to make it amazing!  I am also loving how it's open to the rest of my bedroom (meaning it has to look good!), but there are only three walls to work with.  One full wall, the one with the window and the other half wall.  The fourth wall is the entry to the en-suite.  There is great potential though and with so much inspiration out there (pinterest anyone?),  well that alone inspires me.  Anyone else have any closet woes they want to share?  


Here are the before pics...(gulp)

Fabulous Friday Find

What a beautiful day it is today and what a perfect day to showcase some beautiful tile!  Today's find, started with this image...

...that I had found here, and was immediately in love with the tile floor!  The search began.  

On that same day, it was like the universe was answering my quest, & The Spanish Yard from the U.K., appeared on good ol' trusty Twitter! Are you kidding me?  The tile in the image above and the one on their home page was almost IDENTICAL.  Blown away, I loved what this reclaimed flooring company was about.  Importing salvaged tiles and bricks from Mainland Spain and specializing in reclaimed decorative & antique terra cotta makes this another favorite find of mine.  The idea of combining something so unique and genuinely old with todays' modern homes seems to be on the rise in a big way.  All the colour, the textures, ah...here are a few of my favourite tiles from their collection...

Be sure to check out the website...you'll be glad you did! 

Happy Friday! 

Shelley. xo.

Fabulous Friday Find

Every Friday, I am going to share something new and fresh~a FABULOUS find~that I have stumbled upon. This is something new that I think you will enjoy as much as I love sharing it with you.  


I am a lover of all things white in case you hadn't noticed.  I do find myself wanting to add colour in some way shape or form, or both perhaps, every now and again.  Everyone needs a little colour in their life, don't you agree?  So I am "Springing" forward you could say with this post, because this is just a fabulous find and of what's to come I feel in the coming months.  I came across these beautiful~no GORGEOUS~pillows & benches from Jamie Young.  


Used with modern colours and patterns for today's homes, this "Suzani" collection was inspired by the fabric from the Silk Roads of Central Asia used for saddlecloths, tent flaps, cradle covers and salt bags.  Here are just a few of my favourites.  

This is only a taste of the fabulous products from Jamie Young.  Check out the website (you have to register but it's worth it!).  Happy Friday!  

Shelley xo.

Stock Home Design Interview With Elisa Langenstam

The owner of Stock Home Design Elisa Langenstam, generously donated a pair of Ekelund tea towels for our last giveaway.  She is originally from Norway, and lived in Stockholm, Sweden for 16 years before moving back to Canada, hence where the name of her store came from (awesome and so fitting if you ask me!).  She is one heck of a designer, has impeccable taste and is one fantastic lady!  She also happens to be my neighbour:)  You can check out her website here.  Her store is amazing, filled with a beautiful mix of contemporary and vintage items, along with pieces from local artisans.  I finally got the chance during this busy holiday season, to ask her about the whole design process, her values and of course her gorgeous store.  Enjoy!  

May I introduce Elisa Langenstam

First and foremost Elisa, thanks for the lovely giveaway, everyone loved it!  I'm sure the readers would love to know how Stock Home Design came about.  How did it all start? 

My pleasure for the giveaway, thank you for your time and effort, and thanks to everyone that is looking at Stock Home Design! I worked in Stockholm Sweden for 16 years, and 10 of those years was spent working as a Visual Merchandiser for a large chain of lifestyle stores where I travelled the country building/rebuilding and optimizing design solutions for the chain. After returning to Canada 4 years ago I initially worked for Benjamin Moore as the in house designer, then a property management company in Whistler involved with re-design projects before the Olympics, and finally decided that it was time to spread my wings and work for myself. My dream of starting my own company began 2 1/2 years ago home based with redesign and staging services offering soft inventory rental, and then as my inventory grew it was time to make the next decision which included a storefront. Stock Home Design opened it's doors July 2010 in Squamish to continue to work together with my Whistler clients, and to offer the services through the corridor while also showcasing local artists and offering a unique selection of decor items for the home in a ever changing space.


Being from Sweden, how would you say that design is different from here on the West Coast?  Do you have a preference?  

Swedish/Scandinavian style is well known for it's very subtle style, smart solutions, and a great balance of design elements that has a cohesive look that in effect is simple. Compared to the west coast the huge difference is the architecture of the home that in turns dictates what style will suit it. I love both styles.


How would you describe your design style?  

My design preferences I find are always dictated by the spaces and change regularly, although I am a great advocate for mixing old with new.


What influences your design decisions both when decorating for clients and in the store?  

Designing for clients I have to try to really define their taste and what they're comfortable with, and interpret their vision with consideration to the existing architecture and views. In the store I try to constantly challenge myself that it can always be better, therefore ever changing and that also makes it interesting for my customers and hopefully keeps them coming back.  Usually in both cases there is a single piece that will be the starting point for design decisions, and then it's like a thread that you carry throughout the theme.


Where does your personal inspiration come from? 

My inspiration comes from everything...there is so much beauty around us in nature and art. I try to take the time to visit different artisan venues as well as an array of different design retail stores as well as my constant sourcing for new suppliers where my criteria is that it should be as unique as possible.


If there was anything that you wanted to do, what would that be and why?


I have a bucket list with my top choices of travel destinations and adventures... it's really hard to pick one thing.  I am married with two children, so I would want to include my family for an inspirational trip. For the long term I would also want to be able to give back to my community.

Being so busy with clients and running the store, when you get down time what you do like to do?  

Between the store and design projects I've been keeping pretty busy, so not a lot of down time. Time with family and friends is really important, and depending on the weather will dictate the activities. A walk with the dog, playing poker with the family (usually Sunday nights), a bike ride, going to the lake, going to the weekend market...


Who is your favourite designer? 

A lady who is very passionate about design lent me a book, and it was the first time that I heard about Louis Sagar.  He created a store in New York years ago that at the time was trend setting...Zona Home. His philosophy and design message has really touched me.


If you could meet anyone, who would that be and why?

Tough question, how do I pick just one? Hmmm, Tony Robbins I think would be pretty amazing to meet.  My husband and I went to an event with Mr. Robbins in London some years back, and it really was life changing.


Where do you see yourself in the near future?

Stock Home Design continues to grow, and I have a vision of what I want it to look like. At the moment we're in the process of incorporating a larger inventory specifically furniture, and a face lift planned for the store the first week of January. The idea is to showcase the services more, and continue to build a team of professionals so that we're able to meet all of our clients needs under one roof.


If you could offer any advice to anyone thinking of redesigning their home, what would that be?

One room at a time, and take your time. Create an empty canvas and "shop" your own home before you start making new purchases. There can be treasures that have been packed away, and there might be other pieces that are in different rooms that would be better suited in other spaces (re hanging/re grouping art work can do wonders). If you have friends or family that are design interested, usually an extra set of eyes can be helpful. I think that a lot of people get overwhelmed when there's too many different projects going on, so better to prioritize and tackle them individually.

Don't forget to check out her website and you can also find Stock Home Design on facebook and twitter.  

Happy Holidays to everyone and all the best in the New Year!

Giveaway! ♥♥♥

Tis the season and I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who post comments here on my blog which by the way, means the world to me, and most importantly the reason I do it. I love to share anything and everything I can with all of you, and hopefully you can take away something from it.  It gives me the greatest pleasure hearing what you have to say and any feedback is so very welcome and I am grateful for that.  If there is anything you would like to see on here in the future, please drop me a line and let me know! It is so appreciated! ♥♥♥ 

To thank you, I am giving away a pair of fun and quirky, 100% cotton, "Ekelund" tea towels (a $50 value), generously donated from local design gal pal Elisa Langenstam (owner) of Stock Home Design, an AMAZING home decor store right here in beautiful Squamish BC. While I had the pleasure of talking with Elisa, she told me of her design tales and how her store came about.  I thought I would share a few of her thoughts, so check back here for my Q & A with her, and in the meantime, please check out her website Stock Home Design here.  There is never a dull moment with her! 

Here's what you can win! 

Long Dogs

Sked (Spoon in Swedish)

(You can check out the Ekelund website here.)

To enter for a chance to win here's all you have to do:  

(You must do all of the following:)  
Follow 2jacs on Twitter and retweet this giveaway: "@2jacs Giveaway! To enter for a chance to win Ekelund Towels from @stockhomedesign,#Squamish visit http://2jacs.blogspot.com/"  Then follow @stockhomedesign on Twitter and leave a comment below telling me why you should win this.  Don't forget to join 2jacs blog!

"Like" 2jacs on facebook and leave a comment there about the giveaway. Then "Like" Stock Home Design on facebook. 

The winner will be chosen on December 20th. Good Luck! 

(Giveaway open to all Canadian & US Residents only). 

Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

Christmas and the holidays isn't about fancy trees, doesn't matter if it's fake or real, wooden or aluminum.  It's not about who has the best decorated house or how many lights you have.  Good old Charlie Brown would tell you ..."it's about hope".  Now that's what I call spirit!  

Here are some of my favorite "Charlie Brown Trees"

  

Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!

(Thanks to: 1 & 2.Little Juniper Tree 3.Christmas With Tine 4.Art Nouveau Villa Tree 5.Wrapped Up Tree 6."julen smyger seg inn,"(Christmas Creeps in) 7.Quirky White Fur Tree)

Sunday

Well it's been a busy weekend, daughters' birthday, family over, trying to get the house decorated for the holidays...phew!  Secretly somehow I love it .  I did manage to get a few more holiday projects done, and this year, my goal is to try to honour nature and implement the "use what you have" philosophy.  So far so good! Here are my latest bits. 

Easy to make stars with sticks found in the forest and tied with hemp string. 

The wine bottles are just spray painted with glossy white paint, filled with greenery found outdoors.  How easy and pretty! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here...

...HAPPY SUNDAY!

Adding My Personal Touch

Earlier I shared a beautiful Danish villa that is all about simplifying and adding personal touches.  Today I worked on another DIY project that adds to the personal touches I have throughout our home, that really represent us as a family.  The saying on the pillow is something that I sang to both my kids as babies and small children and I never forget it.  These are the moments to treasure...

What personal touches have you added to your home? Please share!  
Thanks for reading...Shelley. xo

A Personal Touch In Denmark

Simplicity, warmth and a personal touch is created in this renovated 50th Century Danish villa in Klampenborg, a town just north of Copenhagen.  Hot cocoa and Glögg on the porch would be my favourite place to be:) 

(Thanks to: skona hem)

Birds Of A Feather

Bird decor isn't anything new, it just happens to be what I like more and more of right now.  With a never ending supply of bird designs out there, you can use it anywhere and on just about anything.  

(Thanks to: 1.Mint Interiors 2.Martha Stewart 3.Miles Redd 4.Dwell Studio 5 & 6.Emma Davies 7 & 8.Urbanbarn 9.Bird Print 10.Framed Antique Bird Prints 11.Owls 12.Book Page Bird Ornament 13.DIY Birdie Ornament 14.A-Twitter Wallpaper 15.Bird In Snow