We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online learning and we’re all losing it a little. Things that are helping: pretending that we’re in the Mystery Machine, headed for a campground with a mystery to solve! Jude says the camp counsellor is pretending to be a ghost while Luca was busy getting “Honey” into her sleeping bag for the night. And then a pirate showed up, so this story is really getting good 😂

@playmobil is honestly a life changer because the kids get to build AND use their imagination. It’s a win-win, and let’s face it, we could all use a little win these days.

How are you all coping with kids at home?
Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table looks like right now. No, there aren’t markers, papers, toys, food, crumbs and tears on it. Nope. Nope. Nope. None of the above. Everything’s cool and calm over here, folks.

(If it’s not abundantly clear, I am joking.)
What does your Monday morning look like today? We’re over here prepping for online learning (note computer on dining room table) and I’m using our @playosmo to get our kids engaged in some math and language activities before we really get going. Every time I post about our Osmo, I’m asked: “do you really like it?” And my answer is always “YES!” I mean, just look at these kiddos. Jude is obsessed with the tangram and Luca loves sounding our words - he was trying to figure out whether to use ‘k’ or ‘c’ for ‘cat’ here. To them, they’re “playing”...but we all know what’s REALLY going on! #unboxingosmo #osmosocialclub
Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out r Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out reels, but I’m not letting that stop me. I made one showing you the materials and steps to make this super easy ornament storage so would you go watch it, pretty please?

I’ve been using this method of ornament storage for 7 years and it all started with a cardboard box, some red cups and a single layer. A few years later I upgraded the system to multiple layers, used foam board and white cups and voila! Scroll over to see what I mean.

Would you try this? It’s super easy and you can probably still go ahead and just use old cardboard and whatever cups you have on hand. It’s the best thing I ever did for my holiday decor!! Just make sure you use double sided tape or hot glue to attach the cups - loose cups are no bueno!

If you do this, show me, ok? I wanna see everyone put away their ornaments with no breakage! 🙌
Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of wee Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of weeks...but with a puppy in the middle of it all. We’re picking up Taco on Friday so prepare yourself for puppy pictures ALL over the place.

Also: I’ve been feeling uninspired lately and have taken a little break from both posting and consuming when it comes to social media. I’m trying to soak up the holiday magic, read things other than captions (as I write this that seems weird), and even writing more things down.

This time of year always makes me reflective - less because it’s the end of a calendar year and more because it’s my birthday in 9 days. Yes. It’s on the 25th. Yep. Christmas Day. No, seriously. Yeah, Christmas baby! I don’t mind it now, but I didn’t like it as a kid. Oh you know someone who also has a birthday on (or very close to) Christmas! Cool! <— that was just me reacting to like every single conversation ever about having a birthday on December 25th. 😂
I’m still thinking about these adorable little @ I’m still thinking about these adorable little @tubicenlighting lamps that you just touch to turn on and off. And this cutie little door all decked out with a smart doorbell and lock. And the beautiful blue kitchen by @remodelcanada.ca. And all of the vanities from @canaromatoronto. And this gorgeous hardwood flooring from @coswickcanada.ca.

Can you believe this was all under one roof? @improvecanada has 350 showrooms and it was so much fun seeing how many we could get to yesterday.

I’ll be sharing lots more about @improvecanada in the coming months, but if you’re curious and want to go see it for yourself, they’re open! You can call and book an appointment or even have a customer service rep help you make an appointment at showrooms suited to what you’re looking for. Pretty great, right?
#improvecanada # ad #makeitright
So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now I just need to gather all of the boys for an adorable family photo. Christmas miracle, maybe?

I made these sweaters for all of us last weekend using my @officialcricut Joy and now I may need to start personalizing a LOT more shirts around here! It was my first time using infusible ink and I love how the sweaters stays super soft! I may just be wearing this for the rest of the year!

O.S. If it wasn’t clear, our last name is Murray 😆

Have you made matching Christmas sweaters? What would be on yours if you did? # ad #cricutmade
Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or may Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or maybe you’re like me and you like to think you’re crafty but lack the patience to take out a whole bunch of things to make one tiny craft? Well then I have the thing for you. Meet the @officialcricut Joy! It’s tiny but mighty, and you can just have it casually sitting on a shelf waiting to be used when inspiration strikes because it takes up basically no room at all! I made these labels using mine, and you can swipe to see another easy project you can make with a Cricut Joy. It’s the perfect little gift! I even wrote a blog post about why I think so. I’ll share another Cricut project with you later this week!! # ad #cricutmade
Can you believe this room was completed two years Can you believe this room was completed two years ago? And I still love it as much today as I did then. And I still believe that my kids can have a fun, comforting space even if they don’t get to decorate it themselves with superhero bedding and Lego everywhere! But ALSO, I would never judge you if you’re that parent who does let your kids decorate with all the primary colours because you do you, boo and if it makes you and your kids happy, I say do the dang thing!!!

Ok that is all. Have a wonderful judgement-free day!
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Decor, One Room Challenge · November 6, 2019

One Room Challenge Fall 2019 – REVEAL

I’m not quite sure how to begin this post. I kind of just want to go have a nap, if I’m being honest, because I’m so tired from the last 6 weeks, but I’m also so excited that our spaces are finally coming to life in a whole new way! If you have no clue what I’m talking about, check out the other 5 One Room Challenge posts:

WEEK 1 | WEEK 2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4 | WEEK 5 

When we started making over our master bedroom and bathroom 6 weeks ago, I had no idea the delays we would be experiencing and the stress this would put on our lives. A bathroom reno is a lot to take on, but a DIY bathroom reno in 6 weeks? YIKES! But here we are, with a semi-finished space because that’s real life! Let’s take a look at what these spaces used to look like…

And now it looks like THIS!

All of the new bedding is from Garnet Hill. I am totally obsessed with the super soft linen and I never want to sleep in anything else! (*everything will be sourced at the bottom of this post, so feel free to check there for all the details!)

The change in the bedroom isn’t drastic, but the changes we did make have made the space feel so much cosier and so much more like “us,” right down to the rug, which is so soft and perfectly textured – not to mention a lot more interesting than the last one! This one is from Couristan and we got it in the 8×11, which is big enough for us to feel like most of the room is covered, but also low enough that it fits under the door.

One of the first things I knew we needed to do was change the sconces. These beauties from Hudson Valley are just perfect! Now we can dim the lights and they no longer shine right into our eyeballs! They’re a plug-in, so no pesky hard wiring needed!

Somehow this room feels equal parts soft and feminine and moody and masculine – and depending on the day, those words can easily all represent ME! Though the room didn’t end up getting painted (paint colours are Benjamin Moore ‘Wrought Iron’ on the accent wall and Sherwin Williams ‘Alabaster’ on the others), we changed the artwork to something that felt a little more grown up. These pieces from Minted are perfect together (did you know they have art pairs you can shop from?). We got Warm Gold I and Warm Gold II framed in matte brass, 24″x24″ and it fills the space above the bed so well now!

The hardware on our nightstands are also new – Schaub has so many great options, and to soften the look of the black on white, we replaced them with satin brass pulls and knobs.

On the other side of the room, we made much better use of the space. Previously, it was my “closet” – we don’t have one in here, but there’s an unfinished space we use as a walk-in closet (that’s where the door beside the bed leads to), so I rearranged things in there to make it work. One day we’ll also makeover that space, but I can’t even think about another renovation right now, so let’s get back to this one! Here’s what this side used to look like:

And here it is now!

Now I have a small desk I can work at, and a cozy spot to sit, read, hang out while the kids watch TV/wrestle in our bed… You name it! The desk and arched mirror are from Lamps Plus, the table lamp is from Couture Lamps, candle and candle holder from East City Candles, and the chair and ottoman are from HomePop.

Ok, now let’s get to the REAL renovation… Though the bathroom is not fully complete – we need to grout everything (couldn’t do it sooner because the mortar took so long to dry on these huge tiles) and the plumbing isn’t all installed yet, I’m going to show you the space anyway, then I’ll update it with new photos once we’re all done.

Here’s what the bathroom used to look like:

And now, even unfinished, I cannot help but feel butterflies when I look at it. I am proud, exhausted, and incredibly happy with the way everything has turned out. Even after designing countless spaces for myself and other people, it still takes me by surprise how a design concept can come together like this. I am in LOVE!

**November 27th update: the bathroom is now finished (minus a few holes in the walls, but we have plumbing)! It’s so exciting, and we loooooove it so much! Below I have photos of the room with no plumbing and then with, so you can see what a difference the polished brass fixtures make!

I mean, really. That Spoonflower wallpaper is what my dreams are made of. I wanted it in here because this space is totally independent of the rest of the bathroom – there’s a pocket door between this and the toilet/shower room, but it’s visible from the bedroom, so it had to be mega pretty. The sconces from Hudson Valley are soft and the large mirrors reflect the other dark wall on the opposite side of the room. I wanted these spaces to be the same but different – even the vanity from Signature Hardware is similar to the nightstands.

The finishes on the sconces and hardware (towel rings and hooks in the other room) from Emtek all match, but the plumbing will be different – more on that soon! It’s been fun to accessorize this vanity, and I’m loving the Savannah Jilly Cup from Jill Rosenwald – the print matches the roman blinds perfectly!

We chose marble for the countertops and a marble-look tile on the floor and two shower walls. The Tile Shop has SO MANY options to choose from, and the quality of these tiles is truly fantastic. We chose Luce Blanco for the floor and MOS Metallica for the accent wall in the shower. The shower floor is the Penny Round in grey gloss. 

I made the shower curtain with my mom using fabric from Spoonflower and I love the subtle pattern on the top with the hit of navy blue on the bottom. This small space is full of patterns and I love it!

After all was said and done, I ended up painting the pocket door in Farrow and Ball ‘Scotch Blue’ which is part of their new Colour by Nature collection – a collaboration between Farrow & Ball and The Natural History Museum. Blue just felt like a natural choice for this room given the tile and the wallpaper.

Now you’ve seen the colour of the plumbing fixtures! These beauties in polished brass from Signature Hardware will get their chance to shine soon, and I can’t wait! 

Thanks so much for following me on another wild and crazy One Room Challenge! It’s truly been overwhelming this round, and I’m so grateful to have had the chance to be a featured designer. Speaking of which, go see 19 other absolutely incredible makeovers that have been revealed. You will not be disappointed – they really are ALL amazing!

At Charlotte’s House | Design Addict Mom | Erika Ward Interiors | Erin Kestenbaum | Girl & Grey

Gray Malin | Hommeboys | I Spy DIY | Jewel Marlowe | The Learner Observer | Making it Lovely

Nicole White Designs | Old Brand New | Oscar Bravo Home | Place of My Taste | The Rath Project

Room for Tuesday | SG Style | Undecorated Home | Veronica Solomon | Media BH&G | TM by ORC

As promised, here are the sources for everything in the room:

BEDROOM

Bed and nightstands: Leon’s Furniture (a few years old)
Hardware on nightstands: Schaub (cup pulls & knobs)
Accent wall colour: Benjamin Moore ‘Wrought Iron’
Sconces: Hudson Valley Lighting
Artwork: Minted (Warm Gold I and Warm Gold II)
Bedding: Garnet Hill (duvet cover & sheets | pillow covers | throw blanket)
Ceiling fan: Emerson Fans
Roman blinds: Fabricut
Area rug: Couristan
Desk: Lamps Plus
Arched mirror: Lamps Plus
Chair: HomePop
Ottoman: HomePop
Table lamp: Couture Lamps
Console table: IKEA

BATHROOM

Vanity: Signature Hardware
Floor tile: The Tile Shop
Wallpaper: Spoonflower
Sconces: Hudson Valley Lighting
Mirrors: Leon’s Furniture (a few years old)
Faucets: Signature Hardware
Towel rings: Emtek
Wall colour: Farrow & Ball ‘Purbeck Stone’
Towel hooks: Emtek
Toilet: Signature Hardware
Toilet paper holder: Emtek
Shelf brackets: Signature Hardware
Artwork: Minted
Shower floor tile: The Tile Shop
Shower accent wall: The Tile Shop
Shower walls: The Tile Shop
Shower kits: Signature Hardware
Shower curtain fabric: Spoonflower (top fabric & bottom fabric)

If I missed anything, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll be sure to let you know whatever you need :)

Written by Thalita - Visit Website

In: Decor, One Room Challenge

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Comments

  1. cassie8978 says

    November 6, 2019 at 9:20 pm

    your colors are GORGEOUS, and i love the wallpaper! but that bedding mix is my fave!

    Reply
  2. Tricia says

    November 17, 2019 at 9:08 am

    What an amazing transformation! Could you please tell me where your monogrammed soap dispenser is from – love it! Thank you.

    Reply
    • Thalita says

      February 20, 2020 at 5:56 am

      Thanks so much! It was from Homesense :)

      Reply
  3. Sarah says

    May 11, 2020 at 12:24 am

    Wow!!! This is amazing! So professional and sharp looking. You gave me the push I need… I have a whole house to decorate. One room at a time… I love the symmetry in your design plan. And I’m a sucker for the white furniture. I always want everything white 😂 thanks for the post!

    Reply
  4. Sarah Pucknell says

    May 11, 2020 at 11:21 am

    Wow!! So happy to have read this blog you give me so much hope! I love how you showed where you started because for some reason I just thought your house was always a movie star home, haha. is your bed a queen? I have a king (the same bed frame) and I feel that it’s just so massive that it takes over the room and doesn’t leave a lot of room to make everything else so nice. I definitely need to buy other pieces that are bigger to match the bed. But, some of the stuff I know I can fix and decorate since reading! I am so excited to start. I love your lights but 1000$ + for one of them is a little out of my range, do you know any cheaper alternatives?

    Side note: You are really relatable and honest. I will never forget about how you helped me (a virtual stranger) 3 years ago pick colours for my kitchen and living room. I am forever grateful for that act of kindness. PS. it turned out great! My new goal is to decorate room by room starting with the MasterBed room where I spend all my time.

    Thank you <3

    Reply
    • Thalita says

      July 11, 2020 at 7:19 pm

      Hi Sarah! Thanks so much for the sweet words!! Our bed is a king – it does feel huge! And for the sconce, Kichler lighting has a similar plug-in option and it’s great! We’re using some in our kids’ bedroom this month!

      Reply

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One Room Challenge Fall 2019 – Week 5

Hey, I'm Thalita! Daydreamer, serial decorator, mama of twin boys, lover of thrift stores, fuelled by coffee! This is the space where I share my DIY triumphs and failures, as well as interior design inspiration and regular life stuff.

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We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online We wrapped up week 1 of 3 (haha...sure) of online learning and we’re all losing it a little. Things that are helping: pretending that we’re in the Mystery Machine, headed for a campground with a mystery to solve! Jude says the camp counsellor is pretending to be a ghost while Luca was busy getting “Honey” into her sleeping bag for the night. And then a pirate showed up, so this story is really getting good 😂

@playmobil is honestly a life changer because the kids get to build AND use their imagination. It’s a win-win, and let’s face it, we could all use a little win these days.

How are you all coping with kids at home?
Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table Why yes, this is exactly what my dining room table looks like right now. No, there aren’t markers, papers, toys, food, crumbs and tears on it. Nope. Nope. Nope. None of the above. Everything’s cool and calm over here, folks.

(If it’s not abundantly clear, I am joking.)
What does your Monday morning look like today? We’re over here prepping for online learning (note computer on dining room table) and I’m using our @playosmo to get our kids engaged in some math and language activities before we really get going. Every time I post about our Osmo, I’m asked: “do you really like it?” And my answer is always “YES!” I mean, just look at these kiddos. Jude is obsessed with the tangram and Luca loves sounding our words - he was trying to figure out whether to use ‘k’ or ‘c’ for ‘cat’ here. To them, they’re “playing”...but we all know what’s REALLY going on! #unboxingosmo #osmosocialclub
Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out r Well it would seem that I just CANNOT figure out reels, but I’m not letting that stop me. I made one showing you the materials and steps to make this super easy ornament storage so would you go watch it, pretty please?

I’ve been using this method of ornament storage for 7 years and it all started with a cardboard box, some red cups and a single layer. A few years later I upgraded the system to multiple layers, used foam board and white cups and voila! Scroll over to see what I mean.

Would you try this? It’s super easy and you can probably still go ahead and just use old cardboard and whatever cups you have on hand. It’s the best thing I ever did for my holiday decor!! Just make sure you use double sided tape or hot glue to attach the cups - loose cups are no bueno!

If you do this, show me, ok? I wanna see everyone put away their ornaments with no breakage! 🙌
Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of wee Ready for lots of THIS over the next couple of weeks...but with a puppy in the middle of it all. We’re picking up Taco on Friday so prepare yourself for puppy pictures ALL over the place.

Also: I’ve been feeling uninspired lately and have taken a little break from both posting and consuming when it comes to social media. I’m trying to soak up the holiday magic, read things other than captions (as I write this that seems weird), and even writing more things down.

This time of year always makes me reflective - less because it’s the end of a calendar year and more because it’s my birthday in 9 days. Yes. It’s on the 25th. Yep. Christmas Day. No, seriously. Yeah, Christmas baby! I don’t mind it now, but I didn’t like it as a kid. Oh you know someone who also has a birthday on (or very close to) Christmas! Cool! <— that was just me reacting to like every single conversation ever about having a birthday on December 25th. 😂
I’m still thinking about these adorable little @ I’m still thinking about these adorable little @tubicenlighting lamps that you just touch to turn on and off. And this cutie little door all decked out with a smart doorbell and lock. And the beautiful blue kitchen by @remodelcanada.ca. And all of the vanities from @canaromatoronto. And this gorgeous hardwood flooring from @coswickcanada.ca.

Can you believe this was all under one roof? @improvecanada has 350 showrooms and it was so much fun seeing how many we could get to yesterday.

I’ll be sharing lots more about @improvecanada in the coming months, but if you’re curious and want to go see it for yourself, they’re open! You can call and book an appointment or even have a customer service rep help you make an appointment at showrooms suited to what you’re looking for. Pretty great, right?
#improvecanada # ad #makeitright
So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now So I made a thing and I’m totally in love!! Now I just need to gather all of the boys for an adorable family photo. Christmas miracle, maybe?

I made these sweaters for all of us last weekend using my @officialcricut Joy and now I may need to start personalizing a LOT more shirts around here! It was my first time using infusible ink and I love how the sweaters stays super soft! I may just be wearing this for the rest of the year!

O.S. If it wasn’t clear, our last name is Murray 😆

Have you made matching Christmas sweaters? What would be on yours if you did? # ad #cricutmade
Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or may Are you crafty? Do you know someone who is? Or maybe you’re like me and you like to think you’re crafty but lack the patience to take out a whole bunch of things to make one tiny craft? Well then I have the thing for you. Meet the @officialcricut Joy! It’s tiny but mighty, and you can just have it casually sitting on a shelf waiting to be used when inspiration strikes because it takes up basically no room at all! I made these labels using mine, and you can swipe to see another easy project you can make with a Cricut Joy. It’s the perfect little gift! I even wrote a blog post about why I think so. I’ll share another Cricut project with you later this week!! # ad #cricutmade
Can you believe this room was completed two years Can you believe this room was completed two years ago? And I still love it as much today as I did then. And I still believe that my kids can have a fun, comforting space even if they don’t get to decorate it themselves with superhero bedding and Lego everywhere! But ALSO, I would never judge you if you’re that parent who does let your kids decorate with all the primary colours because you do you, boo and if it makes you and your kids happy, I say do the dang thing!!!

Ok that is all. Have a wonderful judgement-free day!
Put the finishing touches on our front porch this Put the finishing touches on our front porch this past weekend and I gotta say, this might be my favourite one yet.

Truth: I actually really dislike the exterior of our house. With exception of the front door, it’s pretty darn ugly. The 1970’s red brick mixed with buttercream yellow and burgundy siding are like the WORST combo ever. Add in little bits of the foundation which is painted blue and the concrete isn’t pretty either.

BUT those things don’t stop me from prettying up this little space anyway. Because for like 99% of us, making a home takes time. Renovating takes time. Even if TV shows and social media lead us to believe otherwise.

Now if you want to see some front porches full of personality and holiday cheer, all by Canadian ladies who get that nothing happens overnight, do I have a great lineup for you! Go check them out! #acanadianchristmasporch
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