It seems Madonna’s penchant for reinventing herself extends beyond music. Her English manor was profiled in the August 2005 issue of Vogue, and everything, from the decor to Madge herself, couldn’t possibly be more at home in the bucolic countryside.

Compare this to her Art Deco-inspired Manhattan apartment, featured in Architectural Digest over a decade before she was feeding chickens on her front lawn. What strikes me most about Madonna’s apartment (pictured below) is how current it feels. Even though the space was photographed in 1991, many of the rooms, especially the kitchen and the hallway, feel timeless.

With a fresh coat of paint and some strategic furniture swaps, this apartment could be a chic, modern space with an Art Deco vibe. (Not dissimilar to some of Kelly Wearstler's spaces...)

I love how completely Madonna commits herself to a look, be it in music or in design. If there’s one thing to learn from her transformations, both personal and decorative, it’s go big or go home.

See more inspiring celebrity homes, plus tour Jennifer Aniston's house!

Photo credits:
1-2. Ace Forbes
3-5. Hooked on Houses
6. Architectural Digest
7. Hard Candy Music

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On Tuesday, Canada’s W Network premiered 9 by Design, a reality series that debuted in the U.S. on Bravo last spring. The show follows designing couple Robert and Cortney Novogratz of New York’s Sixx Design while they work on several big projects, including a hotel.

I haven’t watched the show yet, as even the thought of running a business while raising a big family — oh yes, did I mention they have seven kids? — stresses me out. But I like the quirkiness of their work, which is inspiring me to loosen up my own space.

Case in point: I love cut flowers and this is a fun and unexpected way to use them. 

I also just bought a new bed, and like the cheeky grittiness of a spray-painted headboard like this one that they did for a house in the Hamptons.

Here’s another fun detail in a stairwell in the same house.

I also love this funky yet serene bedroom. Tip: Flags as art are a hot trend right now.

This hallway has everything: cool tile flooring, wow lighting, a statement door in one of my favourite patterns — Wrongwoods by Richard Woods  — and tons of space for coats and shoes.

Not your ordinary office wall clock.

Here, they make a white kitchen downright sexy.

For those of you who prefer to read than watch, they’ve also authored a book, titled Downtown Chic (2009 Rizzoli). When they found the time to write it is a mystery to me.

Photo credits:
1. Great Barrington, Sixx Design
2-3. The Hamptons, Sixx Design, photography by Matthew Williams, courtesy of Carol Leggett Public Relations
4. Bravo
5. Sixx Design, photography by Matthew Williams, courtesy of Carol Leggett Public Relations
6. #5 Center Market, Sixx Design, photography by Costa Picadas, courtesy of Carol Leggett Public Relations
7. The Hamptons, Sixx Design, photography by Matthew Williams, courtesy of Carol Leggett Public Relations

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I recently published the top 100 things to do across Canada this fall, which include things like leaf-peeping, checking out festivals, sleeping at lovely inns, and going spelunking. Still, when you think about it, besides the cool-weather clothes and glorious multi-hued foliage, the best part of autumn is really the food.

Herein, I present the Top 10 food-related reasons to love fall:

10. Fresh nuts from the shell using a nutcracker.

9. Oktoberfest!

8. Roasted vegetables: I always feel like I get an extra boost of beta-carotene in the fall.

7. Mother Nature’s broad-strokes of gold, crimson and orange, along with the harvest moon, are all vibrant reminders of the earth’s bounty. Try this lamb roast with hearty root vegetables.

6. The aroma of chimney smoke makes city streets smell like the country, which also reminds me where our food grows.

5. Halloween candy! And caramel apples!

4. Summer’s over and winter’s not yet here. Now’s the time to ride the wave of nature’s most soulful season. Sure, there’s pumpkin. But think about larger joints of meat, birds and stuffing, oily fish like sardines and mackerel, and seasonal cakes and pies (pecan, apple and the like). It’s like the holidays, minus the extra fat and humiliating office Christmas party PDAs.

3. I find the colour-burst of trees so breathtaking that I’m almost afraid to drive (I’m easily distracted). So I walk a lot, in the cool temps with a warm fleece under a blue sky. And then I reward myself with a great latte and fresh-baked treat from one of my area coffee shops.

2. Roasted chestnuts.

1. Time to make the switch from G&Ts back to red wine!

And finally, to get you in the mood for all of it, here’s a simple recipe for Kraft Caramel Apples. After all, who needs hot weather and cool lakes when you’ve got caramel apples?

Kraft Caramel Apples

5 apples (any variety will do)
1 package (340 g) Kraft Caramels
2 tbsp water
Chopped peanuts, crushed Oreos, Smarties or chocolate for decorating (optional)

Step 1: Wash and dry apples thoroughly. Insert stick into stem of each.

Step 2: Unwrap caramels and microwave with water in a large glass measure or mixing bowl on high for 3 to 3-1/2 minutes or until sauce is smooth when stirred.

Step 3: Dip apples into hot caramel sauce and turn until coated. Scrape off excess sauce from bottom of apples and decorate.

Step 4: Place on tray lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate until serving time.

For another fun fall dessert recipe, try Witches’ Fingers Cookies.

Photo credits:
1. Roasted Chicken With Autumn Vegetables Recipe, ©istockphoto.com/Lauri Patterson
2. Crunchy Apple Crisp Recipe, ©istockphoto.com
3. Amy Rosen

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One of my favourite textile designers is Hamilton-based Jenna Rose. Her simple ‘life’ inspired designs make me happy. Jenna takes ordinary everyday elements like bicycles, houses and pine cones and turns them into beautiful patterns printed on fabric. Developed from hand-drawn sketches, her designs are then screenprinted with non-toxic pigments. She sells a whole selection of products made from these fabrics including pillows, tea towels, blankets and storage bins.

This pillow would be perfect for a kids room. 

Stay cosy with this super-soft blanket made with organic cotton flannel.

This is one of my favourite patterns — you’ll recognize it from the pillow Focus piece in our April 2010 issue. At 12” high by 8” in diameter, these storage bags are the great for storing toys, crafts or magazines, as shown.

And finally, a little sneak peek of what’s to come from the Jenna Rose fall/winter collection:

Moose, bears and deer — oh my! These Canadiana-themed tea towels would make a fantastic hostess gift this fall.

Pine cones galore — my laundry would be lucky to live in such a cute storage bin!

For more beautiful textile patterns, check out our New Fabrics photo gallery.

Photo credits:
1-5. Jenna Rose

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I'm constantly on the hunt for beautiful and unusual items for the magazine and my own home. I love vintage, but it's nice to find stores that carry new items with the same appeal as found items from the flea market. Most big chain stores only carry what's going to sell to the masses, and unfortunately for us shoppers, it can get a little bland.

That is not the case with Urban Outfitters. Known as an emporium of hipster style, this fashion and lifestyle store has a huge variety of interesting items. Some are just plain wacky, and that’s why I wanted to blog about this store today. If you look carefully, you can find really great decorating items that are as sophisticated as they are quirky.

Check out what I’m loving at Urban Outfitters:

First, a mid-century staple, the Butterfly Chair. I love this one in weathered leather. Hey, that’s a tongue twister! This Ikat Dots Pillow is fashion-forward yet subtle in a grey-cream colourway. It would suit any sofa.

Okay, this Tufted Storage Bench is perfect! It has a simple, traditional shape that works with any style and it has plenty of storage — the top comes off to stow your stuff. It’s a nice, softer alternative to all those leather ones we’re seeing out there. Everyone here at House & Home loves French tufted upholstery, especially in toss cushions. Urban Outfitters has these really affordable Corduroy Floor Pillows in lots of colours. They're perfect to throw on the floor and lounge on, or line them up on a banquette.

Headboards are hard to come by, and most of the ones you see in magazines are custom. I love the graceful curve of this UO Velvet Tufted Headboard. It comes in other colours, too, but this gentle ivory is so grown up. If the ivory headboard feels a little safe for you, you can always wake it up with fun and fresh bedding. How about a pretty pink Dandelions Duvet Cover?

You cannot escape the industrial trend these days, and Urban Outfitters has you covered once again. This Rolling Side Table would be the perfect masculine counterpart to that feminine headboard and bedding. UO always has fun and crazy rugs, too. This Striped Cabbage Rose Rug is pretty and not too nuts! Actually, now that I think of it, it’s the perfect representation of my style at the moment — old-school patterns and Breton stripes!

You should definitely check out your nearest Urban Outfitters — they have locations in B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. But the good news is they will ship to other provinces, and have lots to order online. Happy treasure hunting!

See more great budget finds in Stephanie White's picks from the Ikea 2011 catalogue!

Photo credits:
1-8. Urban Outfitters

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A kitchen is probably a home’s most important room, since we all like to hang out in them so much. Renovate your kitchen and it will completely change the way you live and increase the value of your home. The best kitchens not only work for how you like to cook but are timeless style-wise. Let's face it, a kitchen is a big investment and totally disruptive to replace. You don't want to do it more than once. Here are my favourite examples of kitchens with lasting design appeal.

Designer Tommy Smythe’s old bistro-style kitchen will never go out of style. His tailored approach includes some smart design ideas like breaking up dark and light cabinets, laying the tile in a zigzag pattern and painting the door and window frames black. Combined with the oversized lantern pendant, it is wow.

This David Netto-designed kitchen is another great example of lasting appeal and has served as inspiration for many of the kitchens I’ve designed, including the one in my Mom’s condo. He does a great job of mixing traditional Shaker-style cabinets with modern Aalto stools and top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances. I love how he's used a different countertop material on the island for a bit of an eclectic feel that is so much more interesting than if it was all matching. 

Meg Ryan has certainly made a great comeback. After her beach house at Martha’s Vineyard was featured in the June 2010 issue of Elle Decor, she was top of mind for design lovers everywhere. All of the editors here at House & Home flipped when we saw the feature. Her interior style mimics her casual, enthusiastic persona as her kitchen shows with its old cottage feel balanced by a sophisticated edge. The windows keep the room visually open to the space beyond but allow the possibility to block out noise. I've been dreaming about her massive Dean & Deluca-style, glass-front fridge.

This is Victoria Webster’s kitchen, from the much talked about feature in our January 2010 trends issue. She paired a high-end, modern Bulthaup kitchen with an orange rubber floor (perfect for a house with kids) and a David Trubridge light fixture. The full-height glass backsplash adds a hint of sparkle. The overall effect is contemporary with a lighthearted appeal. Take a video tour through her main floor and principal bedroom/bathroom.

Another stunning space is Viki Mansell’s kitchen that was featured in our October 2009 issue. It offers a fresh take on the all-white kitchen with the light weathered wood lower cabinets, whitewashed floor and crisp white accents. I'm a fan of the low, white leather armchairs, slightly deco inspired, around the table-style island. The exaggerated custom hood is unique and the open upper shelving has graphic appeal. 

Stylist Barb Sgroi’s country house kitchen was featured way back in 2001 and is still in style almost ten years later. The checkerboard ceramic floor tiles are classic and you could never tire of the beautiful wood cabinets. Skipping the toe kick gives them the look of a repurposed armoire. And of course the showstopper is the functional display of her collection of stunning copper pots. 

New York designer Steven Gambrel does a brilliant job of kitchens, to me they’re the highlight of his work. This one in particular stands out for the highly patterned marble sink and countertop and his signature move of pairing floor-to-ceiling white subway tile with contrasting dark grout. The soaring ceiling gives it a grand scale but paired with the low windows it also feels intimate. 

I’ve always thought Lynda Reeves’ kitchens were fantastic. She loves to cook and entertain so it makes sense that her kitchens are well-planned and easy to work in. This shot is her old kitchen from a 1998 issue of House & Home. (That’s me on the ladder  — Ted Yarwood took it for fun while I was adjusting some of the items in the cupboard and it ended up being the cover.) Lynda's kitchens are always exquisitely detailed and wonderful to be in. The classic paneled doors and brass hardware will always be in style. 

Since I’m reminiscing, this is the kitchen from my first house. I still love this kitchen and I have lots of fond memories built around it. It was so charming and the chalkboard wall was so much fun when I had guests. The eat-in dining area felt very European and the light that poured in through the back French doors was gorgeous. I still can’t believe I had lavender walls!

My cottage kitchen is still a work in progress. The counters and cupboards are Ikea but we had the drawers custom finished in a warm grey colour and fashioned the waterfall countertop on the island out of a few standard sized butcher-block counters for a unique look. What you can't tell about this kitchen is that the fridge and the lighting runs on solar power and the stove is propane meaning no hydro bills. But the highlight is the view through all of the windows. I am still looking for a Kilim carpet and a light fixture for over the island and the fridge is about to be surrounded in open shelving for a hit of display. 

If you’re still looking for more kitchen inspiration, keep an eye out for the October 2010 issue with its All About Kitchens guide!

Photo credits:
1. House & Home October 2004 issue, photography by Michael Graydon
2. Lower Fifth Avenue Apartment, David Netto Design
3. Elle Decor June 2010 issue, photography by William Waldron
4. House & Home January 2010 issue, photography by Michael Graydon
5. House & Home October 2009 issue, photography by Donna Griffith
6. House & Home November 2001 issue, photography by Ted Yarwood
7. Whaling Village, Steven Gambrel
8. House & Home February/March 1998 issue, photography by Ted Yarwood
9. Per Kristiansen
10. Suzanne Dimma

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