I promised you all before pictures of the condo featured in House & Home, and I’m finally getting a moment to put together a post! 

SO, before my clients/friends Mark & Samantha took possession of their Vancouver condo, we got to visit {while the previous owners still lived there} and do some scouting, measurements, discuss the layout,  etc so we could get started on planning for furnishing their place. Oh yeah, and the visit presented the perfect opportunity to get some killer before pictures!

Since I know we are all suckers for a good before & after, without further adieu, here it is…..

BEFORE – Living/Dining/Kitchen

Can you spot Carys hanging out in her carseat, playing with her toes? She was only about 4 months there!

 View of Entryway

  Bedroom 

AFTER – Living/Dining/Kitchen

Office

Bedroom

Ahhh much improved I think, and {most important}, my clients love their condo now!

Hope you are all having a wonderful day. It’s gray and rainy here today {hello summer, are you gone for good?} and I’m thinking tea might be in order! Off I go to put on the kettle…

Now I’m sure every design blogger out there will be writing about the latest issue, but I couldn’t resist joining in and sharing a few images with you all. It’s funny how many people will read the same thing, see the same picture, but different details will strike them you know? This issue was all about little details for me…and the common thread amongst all these images is My Favourite Things.

We all have design details that we never tire of….items/textures/colours/techniques that we just don’t get sick of, and that we’d happily live with continually. Here are a few of mine, courtesy of Lonny!

WHEN CAN I MOVE IN? Natural weathered shingles, crisp white trim, a lil bit of aged brick, and some mullioned windows.

Does it get any more perfect than teak loungers with navy cushions {white piping of course}? I love how perfectly IMPERFECT this back yard is. Relaxed elegance.

Paneling with a twist {black painted insets}, marble, topiary, eclectic mix of bathroom storage.

Vintage tile {White Octagon and Black Dot}

Hands down favourite tiles EVER {Subway and Hexagon…just ask my husband about my Hex tile obsession}

Black Walls in a Small Room, Greek Key, Sepia Photographs, Rectangular Pedestal Sink

Bookshelf Brimming with Good Reads, Art Hung Over Bookshelf

Crisp White Walls, Crystal Obelisk, X-Bench, Great Art, Found Objects, Ebony Floors

Coffered Ceiling, Subway Tile, Ebony Floors, Navy Barstools, Simple/Functional Kitchen

Black-Rimmed Windows, Graphic Pillows, Touch of Aged Gold

FABULOUS Black Door With Round Detail, Upholstered Headboard with Nailhead Trim, Modern Chair Paired with Wood Desk, Antique Statue, Wall Mounted Sconce, White Linens…AND DID I MENTION I’M BANANAS FOR THAT DOOR?

Black and White Striped Wallpaper Contrasted with Wood

Thank you Lonny for all the inspiration… I loved stumbling across so many of My Favourite Things!

Waaaay back in the day, back when Earl’s Restaurant {a local chain} still had the forno pizza ovens, Jeff was the pizza guy at the White Rock location. Yup, my sweetie made those yummy flat crust pizzas with the gourmet toppings. Although those days are long gone {we’re talking early University days}, I cannot count the number of times I’ve harassed him to PLEASE REMEMBER the recipe for their crust so I can recreate my favorite thin crust pizza at home. But, no luck. Until this week however, when my House & Home subscription arrived in the mail:

Though I was giddy {as usual when receiving the latest issue} about all the design articles, I was particularly excited to see the words HOMEMADE GOURMET PIZZA on the cover. Aha!

So, with my perfect crust recipe in hand and guests coming for dinner, on Thursday I got in touch with my non-existent Italian side. Just call me Mama Karla.

Here is the Perfect Pizza Crust, courtesy of Canadian House & Home {pickup your issue soon for the complete recipes – Classic Margherita Pizza, Mushroom and Artichoke Matzo Pizza, Naan Pizza with Curried CHicken and Asparagus – not to mention some gorgeous homes}

Canadian House & Home’s Perfect Pizza Dough
Makes enough for a 13″-14″ pizza.

1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup warm water
1 8g packet active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 tsp table salt
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp olive oil

Combine 1 tsp all-purpose flour with 1/2 cup warm water in a small cup. Sprinkle yeast overtop and let stand 10 minutes or until foamy.

Meanwhile, combine  1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour with salt and add 1 cup of flour mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add yeast mixture and remaining 1/2 cup water, and mix with whisk attachment until smooth. Switch to the dough hook and mix in remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time, mixing for at least 30 seconds between additions. Add flour until dough comes away from the sides of the bowl, but still sticks to your fingers a bit. Add olive oil and mix well.

Transfer to a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm, draft-free place {such as the oven with the light turned on} until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

NOTE: I do not have a stand mixer, so I used a hand whisk and then my hands to knead in the flour {at the point where they say to use a dough hook}, and it worked just fine. I’m an old-fashioned kind of girl anyhow  

So what kind of pizza did we make with this yummy dough? Classic Margherita {tomato, basil, and cheese}, and my knockoff of Earl’s California Shrimp pizza {pan-fried garlic shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, sprinkle of mozzarella, feta, drizzle of pesto. Once cooked a wedge of lemon squeezed over the top}

{Before they visited the oven}

{Nice and crisp and bubbly}

So instead of calling your local pizza place tonight, how about a pizza party at your place? Kids and adults alike will love getting a little messy, sprinkling the dough with their favorite toppings.

Buon Appetito!

PS House & Home also has a great recipe section on their site, it’s worth a visit for some mealtime inspiration!

Though I never (even in my pre-kid days) watched much tv, there were a few favorites I had, one of which was House and Home with Lynda Reeves. I adored watching H & H tv, especially the new ones, and would record every episode on my PVR (don’t have this anymore or this entry would be a moot point!) to ensure I didn’t miss a single one!

Anyhow, I was pretty excited the other day to discover (perhaps this is old news but it was new to me!) that H & H is now putting their show on their website (full episodes). This means that at any random time of the day you can watch and scope out some stunning homes, get cooking ideas, DIY tips, and more! Perfect for me, as I can now watch at 10:05 pm when both kids are finally sleeping (baby doesn’t finally fall asleep for the night till 9:30-10ish), 2:30pm before running out the door to do preschool pickup, or 6am before Ben and Carys wake up. Fabulous!

Be sure and check out the new episodes online, they are a great resource. Oh, and definitely watch Episode 2….how gorgeous is Jennifer Ferreira’s apartment?