Something old, something new

My recent bedroom makeover was inspired by this lovely red bracelet that I received as a Christmas present.

It has an ethnic-elegant look to it, and the red seemed a colourful and warm antidote to the icky January greyness.

All I did was change the duvet cover, add in some curtains and some throws, but the final look is more exotic.

I've had this Navajo-inspired blanket since my early 20s, and haven't used it for years - in fact it was in my donate pile until I pulled it out.

It looks great over the brick red duvet cover I put on the bed as part of the makeover (I have several duvet covers on hand to change things up every once in a while).


I added some multi-coloured striped silky pillows....











Threw up some purple drapes that I relocated from the living room ....


















Added more purple ....




















And voila!

You see the kitties approve!

Tomorrow: my anniversary giveaway!

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Blue room

This is part deux of my bedroom makeover.

I've never had a reading nook in my room and I wanted my new blue velvet chair to stand out rather than be incorporated with the rest of my chairs in the living room.

Plus, the chair was being commandeered by both cats.

I took the brass table from off the balcony and plopped some books and one of my many lamps on it - and voila. I've already enjoyed a few readings in my little corner.


Speaking of blue, I've had this gorgeous blue beaded purse made in Belgium for about a decade - thrifted for a few bucks at a thrift shop in Ottawa.

The clasp is broken and frequently flops open, so I use it mainly for display.

It's too pretty to pile up with my other retro and vintage clutches so I will either hang it on the wall, or hang it from a drawer pull as I have here.

As with so many of my fave things, I love the way it sparkles.

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New room

Here are some pretty decorative details from my bedroom makeover - which morphed out of a fall closet cleanup over the weekend.

My uber pricey lampshade from Anthropologie looks even more boho girly with some of my thrift store pearls and retro crystal-like baubles laced across the top.

The lamp base, by the way, was picked up at Value Village my first year in Toronto. Call me lazy but the pricetag - $5.99 - is still on it! It's one of my fave lamps.


Showing my bedroom may be a wee bit personal - the Victorian in me is cringing - but he the decor mags do it don't they?

I ended up moving a different pic over the bed as my makeshift headboard didn't provide a lot of contrast.

You may be able to tell that I'm in pared down mode. It feels good to declutter and get rid of stuff that's piled up and clogged my life.

I think, especially with the juvenile folk-like painting, that the look is sort of peasant-y.

The blanket at the bottom of the bed I bought at an end of the line retail store - it was $20 and I've seen the exact same one for $60+ in other stores. Dag is now kneading it to death.

On the wall: a vintage wool Holt Renfrew blazer I've had since high school.

The brass bed: bought with small portion of my scholarship money while doing graduate work in Ottawa - for a mere $125.

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Make your own bed - then lie in it!

Grunge-Queen couldn't get out of bed this morning. Not just 'cos she was up late reading her fave Agatha Christie novel, but also because she was feeling so good ensconced in bed in her new 100 percent cotton sateen sheets....

I'm picky about sheets - no polyester - but I can't afford to buy them new very often as they can run upwards of $100 for a double set.

But lately I've been hankering for some ALL WHITE cotton sateen sheets, and once I get an idea in my head, watch out.


Then I went into a mom and pop bed and bath place a 5-minute walk from my place and found some lovely Lynda Reeves' cotton sateen sheets.

Only problem: there were flat sheets only, no fitted sheets.

My solution? I bought a flat top sheet in size double for $9.99 and a Queen flat sheet for $14.99, then simply used the Queen set as a bottom sheet. I used to chambermaid in high school so I know how to tuck in sheets tightly!

Then I found some plain white and champagne-hued pillow cases for $2.99 a set.

And voila: I have a crisp new summer bed for about $30.

I also found this gorgeous cotton sateen duvet cover for $29.99 at the same place. Burnt orange typically isn't in my colour palette, but I have slowly been leaning toward oranges the past six months (remember the $5 wool area rug?).

If you really love or want something, as I did with a pair of white sheets, don't be scared to make your own rules. In this case it didn't bother me a whit that I didn't have an official "set" - since my solution was pretty much the same.

I'm going back for a second pair. Then to sleep, perchance to dream ....

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Hanging out: fashion accessories & decor

There's no rule saying accessories that go on your body can't be used as decorating accessories.

This isn't the best display I've ever done so let's just call it a work-in-progress. I hate hiding away all my pretty purses, so I simply hang 'em on my bedroom wall to provide easy access and jazz up an otherwise blank space.

I also hang all my thrifty chains from wee hooks. Keeps them neat and they don't get tangled.






Again, the pretty yet functional items in your life needn't be hidden away.

Incorporating accessories into decor can be as easy as plopping a retro hat into a tableau or using clutch purses as bookends.











I'm an easy-peasy decorator, so I just like hanging things.

Retro belts (that I use as necklaces) hanging from doorknobs.















Thrift store baubles from a second-hand mirror.

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Beddie By

I've thought twice about showing my bedroom, but heck, the magazines do it and you've most of my place already, so why not?

In truth I'm never really happy with how the bedroom comes together. Whatever I do, it just looks BLAH, never cohesive.

I love my brass bed, picked up at a junk store in Ottawa, Canada for $125 in 1998. I decided to leave the off-white duvet on (I have a bunch of duvet covers so I can change things up when need be) and jazz up the rest of the room.

You'll notice my blue antique Persian rug has been moved into the bedroom - that wasn't by choice. Dag, cat no. 2, has had a joyous time getting his scratching ya yas out on it. So before he destroys it and I freak out, the carpet will reside in my bedroom, which has a door that will be CLOSED when I'm out.

The carpet provides some contrast and actually inspired me to put together a shabby, slightly boho-Orient look, what with my silky fuchsia Kimono and small green silk carpet.

The rest, quite frankly, is just a comfy hodge-podge of stuff (where else but in the bedroom should comfort and clutter collide?). The floral pillow is from an old design company in Toronto - I found it at Value Village for $1.99. Velvet IKEA pillows also a la thrift shop around the corner for $1.99 each, and the German crystal lamp to the left was a big ticket item: $30 at my local thrift shop, Stretch Thrift in Toronto.

The dresser to the left I've had for years and the one to the right was a garbage find, given to me by fellow picker and pal, Matthew (I put new drawer pulls on it).

Oh and the Hermes scarf poster, tiny landscape above bed and self-portrait of a child were church sale and thrift store finds, all under $5 each!

A definite work in progress, this, but then again everything in my place is - joyfully so.

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