House & Home Daily

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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I’ve just finished decorating a family room that is in this week’s House & Home Online TV episode. I took a few snapshots to use in a blog post, too, as I thought it turned out quite well.

Here are the before shots:

And the after shots:

There’s a lot going on in the room but it seems to work well together. It’s fresh and eclectic all at once.

The biggest expense was the Sullivan sofa from Rowe Fine Furniture, but at $3,500, it’s still a great price for a sectional. I love it because it’s not gigantic like a lot of sectionals out there. 

Next, we went for custom-made window coverings. Drapes are very important to me because I think good drapery really adds a nice layer to a room. Nothing complicated here, just a simple top-tack drapery heading on a black metal rod. We used a double-wide fabric from Designer Fabrics. Since it was double-width, we could easily use the stripe pattern horizontally which is more fun and a little less traditional looking. It frames the windows and complements everything else in the space. Even though we used a striped fabric, I still see the pattern as “neutral” — you can coordinate a lot with grey, black and cream stripes, so this homeowner won’t tire of the drapery for a very long time.

Most of the other elements are actually pieces that the homeowner already had in storage. The coffee and end tables got a fresh coat of white paint, and the dark green velvet chair was transformed with a classic white slipcover. The fabric looks like cotton but is actually polyester and washes up really well. It's called Pegasas (91J5361) from Joanne Fabrics. We had Nancy at Cover Your World create the slipcover, and we couldn’t be happier with the new chair.

My favourite “layer” in the room is the gallery wall. The window facing the backyard is a nice focal point, and since there isn’t a fireplace, this wall of art makes for another great focal point. I hung all of these prints in about two hours. It will actually take you longer than you expect to find pieces to put on the wall. I laid the frames out in a random fashion, which certainly speeds things up. I just made sure that every frame was staggered from the one beside it, so that none of the edges lined up — otherwise it would look like you tried to line it up but couldn’t! The homeowner had all of these photos and paintings already (most of them were sitting in a closet), and they looked okay on their own, but in a grouping they looked even better. We actually reframed a few of the pieces because I find a bad frame really dates the style of the artwork — that’s usually when people put them in the closet!

We added colour (aside from the gallery wall) on the sofa with lots of bright cushions from Pottery Barn and West Elm. The floral pattern is actually a fabric we found at Designer Fabrics, and we used it for a few different custom pillows.

I went for a cotton 8’ x 10’ flatweave rug from Elte because I wanted a simple but large tone-on-tone pattern to balance out the striped drapery.

Here are some lessons to take from this room:
1. Keep higher priced items (like the sofa, drapes and rug) neutral.
2. Look around your house and give new life to things you already have (paint and slipcover).
3. Reframe old artwork and look for family photographs to create a gallery wall that will give you an amazing focal point.
4. And our tried and true rule — add colour with pillows and accessories.

To see more great transformations, check out our Extreme Makeovers photo gallery.

Photo credits:
1-5. Cameron MacNeil

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Of all the recipes I’ve blogged about on my own personal blog over the past couple of years, this one got the most feedback. I came up with the idea after a white water canoe trip down the challenging Bloodvein River in Northern Manitoba. Don’t I sound totally hard-core? “White water canoe trip”. “Northern Manitoba”.

But don’t give me too much credit. While you can give me full marks for this genius cinnamon bun recipe, the white water canoe trip was a bit of an accident. I had simply misread the itinerary and hadn’t noticed the words “white water” before the word “canoe”, probably because I never knew such a thing even existed. It wasn’t until just after our float plane — which was also ferrying our canoes upon its wings into the deepest depths of the Manitoban wilderness — had landed in the river and we were handed our helmets, that I thought, “Why would anyone need a helmet while out for a leisurely paddle on a canoe trip?” All I could figure was that they were a bunch of safety nuts up in Manitoba.

“Do I know how to stern a canoe?” I guffawed back at my guide. “Of course I know how to stern a canoe! I grew up in Ontario, after all. Canoeing is part of our proud Canadian heritage.” And then, “Um, rapids? Who the hell said anything about canoeing through class 3 rapids?!”

I almost died about fifty different ways, but had a hell of a fun time doing it. And more importantly, I got the idea for these cinnamon buns out of the ordeal, when I learned how to fashion bannock dough into pizza and cinnamon buns over an open fire in the middle of nowhere; one of many trip highlights.

When I got home, I set to work coming up with an even easier version, using pizza dough in my kitchen rather than bannock dough over a fire pit.

Here’s the simple recipe:

Easy Cinnamon Buns

1 ball homemade or store-bought pizza dough (enough to make a 12” pizza)
Softened butter
Brown sugar
Chopped pecans
Cinnamon

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 2: Take the pizza dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it’s a long rectangle, about 1/4” thick.

Step 3: Spread the dough with a generous layer of softened butter, lots of brown sugar, chopped pecans and cinnamon, making sure to leave a 1/2” of clean space around the dough’s perimeter.

Step 4: Roll lengthways into a long log and seal the edges. Set the log into a buttered baking pan, such as a pie pan, spread it with more butter and sprinkle on more brown sugar. Then slice the log into 2” rounds, turning them upright and fitting them snugly into the greased baking pan.

Step 5: Pop the pan into the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, and voila, amazing buttery hot cinnamon buns. Hooray!

For similar buns, try these Cinnamon Brioches.

Photo credit:
Amy Rosen

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I don’t know what’s in the water here at House & Home, but it seems quite a few of us editors have been gravitating east this summer. I just returned from eastern Canada and Maine, Michael Penney and Sally Armstrong conquered Maine as well, and Meg Crossley has been busy antiquing in eastern New York State. The east coast has always held more appeal for me than the west — I guess it’s the old New York versus California argument. Whatever the reason, if you haven’t been east it’s an area of Canada (and the States) not to be missed.

I would say that my holiday involved three key elements:
1. Family and relaxation
2. Some sort of yard sale or antique hunt
3. Inspiration

All very important for a well-rounded vacation, I might add.

So, family and relaxation... well, I can’t think of a better day than at the beach. The scenery out east is breathtaking — I can’t figure out why we all don’t live there. This beach in New Brunswick goes on forever — it’s perfect and sandy and warm enough to swim (we’re talking Atlantic ocean here). So clean... so lovely. My daughter (above) and son had a great day playing in the tide pools.

Yard sales... oh yes, there were yard sales. I bought this super cute bicycle to tootle around on for $20. There was a farmers market in town the day I bought it so I made good use of the basket and grabbed some carrots, tomatoes and flowers for the house. The produce was so fresh (and cheap)! Purple, white, yellow and orange carrots — yum!

All things white… clearly noted on this holiday: gorgeous white stoneware, white painted fences and wooden houses. Above are some pieces I bought while away. I love the silver fork with the wood handle. The little jam spoon is sterling and has my initials on it. The stoneware tureen was a bit pricey, $50 (more than the bike), but I really had to have it. It has a perfectly grey-white patina and just a touch of wear without any cracks or chips.

Inspiration... so off the back of white comes the painted houses and how I want a white home — ideally on the ocean and covered in shingles. There are so many shingles out there in a crazy array of shapes. When you start playing with the patterns, magic happens.

Here are just a few of the houses I saw and coveted. Oh, white shingles. Lace curtains, too — fitting, don’t you think?

The stone chimney, the weathered cedar, the windows... come on! Seems as though architects were rebelling against the fussy Victorian trends when they started to design shingle-style homes, popular in the north-eastern United States between 1874 and 1910. All I can say is, thank goodness they did!

To read about Michael Penney’s adventures in east coast antiques, hotels and homes, too, see his summer blog posts.

Photo credits:
1-3. Morgan Michener
4. Decorativeshingles.com
5-6. Morgan Michener

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