Tour the model cottage...

(Photo courtesy of Matt Filion, cottagelife.com)

Here is the tour of the model cottage at the Fall Cottage Life Show.  There are pictures of the interior to give you an idea of how I styled the cottage.   It was such a great experience and the whole Cottage Life crew were amazing to work with - so supportive and fun.

If you have seen anything you like in a picture, have a look at the previous post to find sources.  Most of what I used was from a variety of helpful and amazing vendors at the show.   Thanks to all of you that helped make it such a wonderful experience!

Canadian Painters - Part I

There are many Canadian painters that I love and I wanted to share some of them with you.  It's hard to narrow down just a few, but I thought focusing on three to five at a time would be manageable.  I don't proclaim to be an expert, I just have an emotional reaction to pieces and feel drawn in by the images.   And lucky me, I get to pick pieces of art for the reveals of "Leave it to Bryan" on HGTV, which is one of my favourite parts of the process (sometimes I pretend I'm buying them for myself!)  It's great to see how a beautiful painting or photograph can really pull a room together.  
So, here is my first go at a list:
Connie Geerts (Image shown above is "Elusive")
Love her paintings and the feeling of something almost as though it's out of focus.  My favourites are her bears and Canadian geese.   
Brian Harvey (Image shown above is "Dundas & Keele")
I wish I could buy every last one of his paintings.   My favourite thing about some of his work is that it is so familiar and urban.  He has a great talent for making something that we look at every day, and possibly take for granted, look special and beautiful.
Mario Ricci (Image shown above is "Landscape 08")
It was Mario Ricci's work that I used in the reveal of "House of Bryan", Season 1.   His landscapes are simple, yet have such impact.   Especially the way they were grouped in the gallery style landing of Bryan and Sarah's house.    I'm not sure if his landscapes are my favourite or the emotional and loving images of dogs he paints.  It sounds like a cliche, but he truly captures their soul in his work. 
Have a look at the artist's websites to see even more of their stunning work.  Also, take a tour through the relaxed and inviting space that is Canvas Gallery on Dupont St. at Dovercourt - they have a great collection of local and Canadian artists.   
It's easy to find a Canadian artist that you love - there are so many!   Check back for more posts on my favourite ones.     

Kitchen Art

Just wanted to share an idea that I used in a kitchen renovation on Disaster DIY way back in Season 2.  It was one of my favourite kitchens not only because the homeowners were great, but because I got to use turquoise and red together.    I wanted to do something meaningful for them, so I decided to take photos of her extensive antique egg beater collection and created some unique art for them.  Here are some more...can you guess what kitchen it is in the Picture Gallery?