Victorian Idyll

Last weekend, David and I spent 5 delightful days in Victoria, our favorite Canadian city.   

It was a perfect romantic and refreshing Valentine's getaway.

Victoria is on the lush west coast, the only part of Canada that stays green all winter!  Enough said.  It was even warmer than usual when we visited, with hardly any winter rain.  Perfection!

First stop, Rook & Rose, my favorite flower shop downtown.  These girls are just great stylists, besides knowing their way around flowers:

After the flower shop, you must grab a coffee at Hey Happy (my favorite new coffee joint).  I will admit, I am a discriminating coffee enthusiast (ahem, not snob).  THIS is the place for a great cup:

After your coffee, drop by Munro's (our favorite bookstore) for a marathon visit.  It will take you at least an hour to look around here (maybe two).  They have lovely greeting cards and a great collection of foreign magazines.  I always pick up the very English House & Garden here:

Next stop, Oak Bay Village for lunch and shopping!

Our first stop is always at Faith Grant Antiques (they aren't on Instagram, sorry kids), where we love to visit with our friend Forrest, who owns the business with his sister Heather.  These two are the real McCoy and seriously know their antiques (their grandmother started the business).  They love to know the provenance of all their pieces so stop by for a look and a great conversation (you need at least an hour).

I just grabbed only one photo this time, of these great Chippendale chairs (a set of four for $1200).  The back is classic Chippendale, but the leg is very plain, so these pieces would adapt beautifully to a modern room.  If I had a better house, I would have bought these:

Next stop...A French Touch, on Oak Bay Ave.  The proprietor Debra Boeyenga, is a wonderful stylist and a lovely person.  You can tell, as her shop is inviting and warm, like her:

 

moi

We also like to visit Cook Street Village.  Maybe grab a slice of pizza at Prima Strada, and then peruse the charming vintage and antique finds at Surroundings, where I always covet something like this fabulous little inlaid wood chair:

And last but not least, we come back home to our little apartment!  

Lately we've been renting little apartments downtown, this time in an old house.  We want to get a feel for living here, as we plan to retire here eventually.

Here was the view from our living room, overlooking a charming private garden:

I bought some tulips and pussy willows for our living room, and displayed some finds including this this blue candy tin (identical to one my grandmother kept her buttons in), a white vase and a little candle holder:

And lest you think Victoria is all about shopping, we also spend lots of time with family and visiting our beloved friend, the ocean.

Here's a view for my American friends, of Mount Baker in Washington state, visible across the ocean on a clear day in Victoria:

A panorama of David, sitting in our favorite spot, watching the world (fish, birds) go by:

Have a great week ahead!

Wedding Details: Brass for Tablescapes

When my event stylist and I first started discussing wedding decor, we had to settle on a primary metal colour.

Since my wedding dress is ivory and has a vintage look, I decided that golden colours would be the best complement.  So we chose to use brass for our tablescapes!  

I was not yet a fan of brass, but after I started searching for pieces, I rapidly became an adoring fan of this warm, beautiful metal which is an alloy (blend) of copper and zinc.

Here are the first few pieces I got in March.  All but one are un-lacquered brass (my preference), and had amazing patina:

I've searched mainly in charity and thrift shops and got most of the pieces above for a song (99 cents to $3.99 each).  I did splurge for the etched Indian ones (with the white candles) at an antique store.  They were around $18 I think.

Here's a close up:

My next amazing find was this footed bowl, which was around $7.99 (from Value Village in Victoria).  I love its simple classical sophistication (which reminded me of the seashell in the Birth of Venus - yes, I have an overactive imagination):

We will use this on one of our Reception tables, full of garden roses and trailing foliage.

Another piece came from Etsy and will look great overflowing with flowers on a Reception table:

Then I made the mistake of leaving all my finds out on the dining room table.  

I came home one day only to discover that my cleaning lady had polished them all (she's  a saint, but I almost had a stroke as I hadn't planned to polish them!).  I had a really good laugh after I had a really good cry (well, almost...!)

I guess that helped us make the decision about patina vs. polish.  I think they're all still beautiful in their new shiny state:

I also found some amazing tiny vessels which we'll use to create vignettes, perhaps on the welcome table where our guest book will sit:

Cheap and dirty - how I like my vintage finds.  ;)

I've also started collecting crystal and cut glass salt and pepper shakers for the tables.  The two on the left were gifts in the last year or two.  The three on the right were new finds from a favorite thrift shop in Victoria:

Hope you like the finds.  And if you don't shop at thrift stores, you might be missing something charming which would love to come home with you!

Happy weekend...!

Such a Pretty Thing

Today I came across the most unusual bedding.

For a while I've been undecided on a new scheme for my guest room.  I finally decided to keep the walls blue (though perhaps a different shade) and I put up white curtains.

So I've been looking for bedding in blue and white...but something unconventional.

Today I came across this:

The pattern is called Bergius by Designers Guild.

I think it would make the most incredible wallpaper or curtains, but also pretty (and unusual) as bed linens:

To be honest, I think it's a bit loud for my small room, but I was pleased to see something that is a perfect blend of traditional, classical and romantic - in other words, a perfect summary of my tastes!

I am not sure whether I love it, or am afraid of it, but at least it got me thinking, which is more than I can say for most of the decor options I've seen lately.

I also fell in love with this little modern lamp, the Tiny Terri from Thomas O'Brien:

I don't think I've ever seen anything named Terri before and I think it's darling.  I might need a larger size though, for bedside tables.

Luckily it comes in Tiny, Regular, and Large Terri sizes.  I don't really think it works with the bedding, so one or the other (or both) may go.

I really think it's quite funny how dramatically my tastes swing over the course of a week.  My birthday party was all romantic and girly and now I am feeling a modern mood coming on...

Happy weekend!

One Small Find

 This past weekend, David and I hit a few antique stores in and around Calgary.

I'm searching for a nice side table for my living room armchair, but of course, I cannot find a thing.  

I did, however, find a mighty little urn:

After I cleaned it up, it looked cheery and pristine.

On another note, the maker (Nova Scotian crystal) of this tiny clock (a Christmas gift from my mother) has gone out of business.  Such sad news.  They were the only crystal maker in Canada, located in a small city on the east coast. Their products were expensive but so beautiful.  I have a few coveted pieces.  You can read about the closing here.  Sadly, 43 people are losing their jobs in an already depressed economy.

In other news, during our antiquing adventure, I found a few more things that I didn't bring home!

I am coveting this Wedgwood Jasperware cobalt sugar bowl, but for $185, they can keep it (if you see one at a garage sale, or have one you don't want, please get it for me and I will pay you back). Only partly joking.  :}

I also fell for this Aynsley dinnerware set.  I just love the blues and pinks and the pattern, but it's a little too busy for my current aesthetic:

I also really liked these pretty dutch candlesticks, but left them at the store too!  I am thinking about going back for these...

Have a happy week.  

P. S.  I have no news on my recent repeat MRI (6 days ago) but expecting a call from my doctor soon.  I will keep you posted.

A Little Spring in Winter

It's been unseasonably warm for a Canadian winter, with the last few weeks mostly above freezing.

So it feels like Spring's just around the corner (which it isn't...there is snow coming on Sunday).

I saw these beautiful cakes the other day at my favorite local patisserie, Bruleé, and they made me smile:

Don't eat the flowers though!

I also loved the chocolate ganache cake with fruit:

Happy!

About an hour later I stopped at Crate & Barrel and admired their spring collection of silk flowers:

Magnolia branches, white peonies and pink dahlias at Crate & Barrel

You can see how desperate I am for spring to arrive.

Happy weekend!

More Stunning Decor (from my Favorite Store)

I visited Rob Kurkut's divine Calgary shop again this week and took a few more photos for you! 

(I blogged about it previously here).  

Everyone was so smitten with my post on his shop (it's all over Pinterest!), and rightfully so...

Rob's shop is captivatingly beautiful with a perfect balance of fine, deftly arranged things.

I love his whimsical birds-in-chandeliers for Christmas!

I think this is a charming idea...little birds nesting in your light fixtures!

Rob is a master of the killer vignette:

I love this Christmas creation.  
Rob hand-painted a giant tree branch and suspended it from the ceiling, adorning it with crystals and glass icicles... 

It was hard to capture the presence and spirit of this delightful branchscape.  This is certainly an idea to steal for your home (if you have lots and lots of time and high ceilings!):

There are so many pretty moments in Rob's shop.  I am fond of this apple green scene (with a wonderful ornate chair in the foreground):

There is a wonderful mix of light and dark that I find particularly pleasing.  This chiaroscuro effect makes each white element really pop against the dark ones and vice versa: 

An intricately carved table, with more of the light-and-dark motif:

(which reminds me that I need a larger house so I can place this in the front hall)

A little more contrast in another beautiful Christmas branchscape, comprised of elegant black and silver ornaments:

At the bottom of this shot, you can see Rob's gracious customer service counter, which looks like a chic hotel lobby front desk (that's Rob hiding behind the flowers).

Every object is expertly chosen and arranged:

I love this French canopy/balloon chair (do you know what this is properly called?):

No, Restoration Hardware did not invent this chair

I hope you had an enjoyable tour of this utterly perfect store (*sigh*)

If you are interested in purchasing, please contact Rob through his website here.  I promise, he is lovely and easy to talk to!  Call and ask him questions and if you are nice, he might ship you something...

(or come to Calgary and visit us!)