simple pleasures

have a beautiful weekend


see you back here Tuesday,

xoox
catherine

image found: here

Jo Malone headquarters

I finally got a chance to spend a few quiet moments with Lonny Mag. My favorite from this month's issue is the Georgian townhouse in London's West End that now houses Jo Malone's headquarters.  The grandeur of the circa 1790 townhouse has been showcased to perfection using a style that is infused with both luxury and restraint.  It is a clean beautiful vision that allows your eye to take pause and really see the beauty of the architecture of the time.  


Reclaimed wood floors ground the space and strong black and white contrasts 
make it look like a work of art on the pages. 























And as usual Patrick Cline's images just seem to float with loveliness. 

 You can see the Lonny article here
and more of interior designer Rose Uniacke's work here

I love the symmetry, simplicity and luxury all wrapped up together in one seamless package.  
It seems to really reflect the Jo Malone brand in its truest form which you can read about here.







mbd: maxi black dress

Everyone needs a little black dress in their closet. But when summer comes we are so ready to ditch the dark colors and move on.  I however, need at least one black maxi in my closet at all times. Whether a fancy pantsy party or a casual summer night out a black maxi always makes me feel good.  It is my go-to choice for an easy solution when getting dressed in 10 minutes. Which happens often.

My choices this summer:  hands down #1 - stunning. And I will be investing in #3 for certain. 





I tried to provide a few vibes and a few different price points for you:

1. Indah
2. Tibi
3. Velvet
5. Tbags

Happy Monday and happy shopping!







inspire // desire: yes or no?

Remember these images from a while ago?  I found very similar grey moto jeans on sale at shopbop. Which sent me digging back into my archives for these images. Which prompted me to do a little more shopping on your behalf so you could perhaps find a little treat. There is a fashion risk here... are these coated jeans sticking around for a while?  I'll let you decide.  The good news is all the other pieces today are classics if you have the shopping itch.

Here are some images to...

...INSPIRE




and some shopping links if you so... 

...DESIRE

here are the shopbop sale version:



...and here is a white moto version for summer...
(and another silver J Brand as well)
lots of choices today!

refresh: Pamela Pierce style

I have talked to a few people in the last few months who are saying similar things. That they are ready to lighten up their surroundings. Refresh their interiors. Breath some lightness into things by painting white and starting again with lighter decor. Pamela Pierce did just that as you may have already seen in the April issue of Veranda magazine.

Pamela Pierce was ready to update, edit and reinvigorate her 1926 Houston home.


I can safely say I love this version of Pamela's house.  Serene, fresh, light.  
















Off came the gathered skirts from the furniture, in came a mix of clean contemporary lines with antiques.  Antlers, a Frank Gehry chair and white linen slipcovers live together seamlessly. Well curated yet relaxed.  In my book that is a perfect balance.  

I am not one to be all 'salesy' about the store and I don't talk about it too often here (see FAQ's). But when I see a home like this that is a total expression of our philosophy I just have to share a bit about why we are so excited about Canvas Interiors. When I see incredibly talented people designing spaces like this, I truly get excited. 

This eclectic mix is one of the core concepts of how Canvas Interiors began.  The base idea started with white slipcovers and an eclectic mix of decor. The slipcovers are the casual anchor around which you can do just about anything. And there is no need to be afraid of slipcovers - pick a washable fabric and it is a lot easier to live with than having upholstery cleaned. As notes Pamela Pierce which I wholeheartedly applaud! 

Well done Pamela. I admire your desire to change and refresh and your home looks beautiful.
Your clients are lucky to have you. 


You can see more of Pamela's work on her website here.



Atlantic-Pacific

Another one of the blogs that keeps popping up in my journey is Atlantic-Pacific.  I've been checking in for quite some time and love the looks she puts together.  In a tumblr journey the other day I found this image:



...and went on a very determined hunt to find the dress.  
First I searched the image back to Atlantic-Pacific. 
Then I found another post in her archives featuring the dress:


Then I searched online for this Adam dress for what seemed like ever. Safely call this one 'slightly obsessed'. No luck. Dress sold out everywhere. Then I thought "hmmm, we look about the same size, maybe I could email her and she would sell it to me.  

Then I realized I was slightly crazy.  

So check out this fabulous fashion blog. It will no doubt inspire you to mix up a few items you already own, or shop for a few pieces to create a look.  I look forward to seeing what she mixes together each week for fresh takes on current trends.  Here is one of my latest favs:






I love a good boyfriend jean and a striped top. It is fun to see another take on the look. 

Do you think she would sell me that dress?








Swiss chalet

Today we head to the Alpes.  I included this attic bathroom in Monday's post and when I traced the image back to Elle Decor Espana I was immediately drawn in to the rest of this amazing chalet.  


From the outside, this Swiss chalet looks like what you would expect.  


However, take a look at the rest of the home. With soaring ceilings and a white on white palette this is anything but traditional. Yet it totally works.  I can just taste the Raclette on that dining table now.




















Can you picture yourself perched in this chair, looking at this view?


The creamy palette lets the outdoors take center stage. A mix of old world texture and contemporary furniture totally work to make this Swiss chalet inviting and cozy. The abundance of light and large windows creates a soaring, lofty feeling. The space is grounded by rich touches like the brown bedskirt above, the cowhide chairs and a big fluffy dark rug in the living room. 

What a refreshing take on a traditional genre. 


the joy of joie

Sharing a little joy today.  As in Joie.  I adore this label.  
What could be more perfect than this top for summer:


Have you ever gone shopping in a friend's closet? I highly recommend it. The other day in my friend E's closet, we looked at a few new items she was debating about keeping or returning. Which prompted my Rancher top frenzy. She had a lovely new one just waiting to be tried on. I fell in love with this top and had to have one. Now, I rarely spend this much on one little summer top but I have to say, it is absolute perfection.  

I curated a few more Joie goodies for you.  Good pieces as we transition into spring/summer.

Browse below to see a few of my favs and happy shopping.


secret getaway

Hello and happy Monday to you. I hope you had a nice Sunday enjoying an extra hour of daylight.

Today I am sharing attic spaces with you.  I know they have been blogged about many times but one image caught my eye and took me back to my childhood so I decided to collect a few more images. 

Whether a true converted attic or a 'created' one through a build, there is something cozy and almost escapist about an attic space. A secret little getaway where you can be creative or simply take a nap.  





























This last image is the one that reminded me of our farm about 2 hours north of Toronto. We lived in the city and every weekend would go to the farm. The farmhouse attic was an unused storage space. It was turned into pretty much this room exactly. A row of 3 twin beds on one side, 3 on the other. The beds were covered in quilts my parents collected on our family trips to Nova Scotia.  Friends and cousins visited and we immediately ran up the steep attic stairs to our own little world. 

It was a sunny place to play board games, tell secrets, be a kid.  

I think there is something about an attic that makes an adult feel like a kid again...
sneaking away to their own little world. 

And we all need a little of that every now and then. 




images found: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9

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