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Collecting Antique Christmas Decorations

December 15, 2011 By
Antique Christmas Decorations

     One of the most pleasurable things about Christmas for me is putting my collection of ornaments on our tree. Only about 25% of them are more than 50 years old but each is special to me. That's because for as long as I can remember I have been writing the year and who gave me the decoration on the base of the ornament.   It's like receiving the gift all over again.   Every time we go on a trip I buy a Christmas decoration and write the year down. I have some from Hawaii, Louisiana, Georgia, London, Paris, Jackson (Wyoming), Quebec, Las Vegas, Ontario, British … [Read more...]

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The Star of Christmas Decorating

December 15, 2011 By
Crawford House at Christmas

  It is my personal opinion that the dining room is the star of Christmas decor. Yes I know that the living room can have a wonderful fireplace and the Christmas tree but let's face it - Christmas is the time when family and friends get together to EAT, drink and be merry.   Those of us who have dining room are especially thankful because, although an open concept is nice for everyday meals and casual get togethers, nothing says "special" like a dining room.   So it's time to polish that silver tea service and pull the crystal out of the sideboard. It's time to open the silver … [Read more...]

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Decorating an Old House at Christmas

December 14, 2011 By
Dining room at Christmas

    There's nothing quite like an old house at Christmas. In my last post I mentioned that many old houses are winter houses. This owes a lot to the fact that they have millwork, often dark in colour, and the windows are not often large which makes the rooms feel a bit darker but cozy too.   This is a corner of our dining room. The fabric on the left of the picture is what I used for our "portiere". Portieres are traditional curtains that separate two rooms and they typically were made of very heavy tapestry - like fabrics (unlike window treatments which were usually … [Read more...]

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Do You have a Winter House?

December 8, 2011 By
Christmas at Crawford House in Calgary

There's nothing quite like an old house at Christmas. Sometimes during the warmer months of the year I find myself yearning for some light colours and white woodwork but at this time of year I am so happy that the house is the way it is.   In my library I have a book written by Charlotte Moss called "Winter House". In her book the author discusses the details that make a house most welcome during the cold winter months. I have come to accept that our house is truly a winter house. This I have to admit is a good thing given where I live in Canada!    Do you have a Winter … [Read more...]

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Hand Decorated and Painted Antique Furniture

November 25, 2011 By
Handpainted wardrobe by Johanne Yakula

Inspiration comes from many sources. This week I was in the throes of marking business plans for a class that I teach at the university (for novice interior decorators.) Their major project was to create a plan for a business they might like to start some day. One of my students inspired me.   She inspired me because her idea for her business was to take old furniture and give it new life by painting it, giving it a new purpose or use and in the process, recycling it. It's a business model that I know a lot about because I did a lot of these kinds of pieces in the past when I first had my … [Read more...]

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Arabella Magazine Discovered

November 25, 2011 By
Arabella Magazine

I just discovered a new magazine. It's a Canadian magazine about Canadian Art, Architecture and Design. I found about it through an online conversation with one of the contributing writers, Lorie Lee Steiner, that I "met" through Linked In.   It's a wonderful magazine.   Here is a quote from Brian Usher, the publisher and CEO of Arabella: "Arabella is truly about reading as art, experienced as a sumptuous, visual and inspiring journey". I couldn't agree more. I find myself pouring over the advertisements because, even  they, are beautiful to look at.   The magazine features the work … [Read more...]

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This Old House Magazine Disappoints

October 21, 2011 By
This Old House

  I have been a long time buyer followed by subscriber of This Old House Magazine. When I first started buying this magazine it was at a time that there was very little information on anything to do with older homes. This Old House had pages full of relevant information for the problems and issues that owners of heritage homes face.   Recently I have noticed a change. Although the magazine is clearly geared to DIY (do it yourself) types of which I am one, the examples they are using in the magazine are moving further and further away from old houses and into DIY territory. Perhaps they … [Read more...]

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