Tag Archives: nature

Location, Location, Location

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I love birds.

Cardinal

And I have written many times about birds on this blog.

https://modmissy.com/2013/01/24/trying-to-keep-warm/

https://modmissy.com/2014/06/04/robins-egg-blue/

I am mesmerized by how birds fly.

My fascination with flying started about 25 years ago.  This fascination ‘took flight’ while living in our first home where the bedroom was at the top of a long flight of stairs.  Not realizing at the time the importance of furniture placement, the head of the bed was placed next to the bedroom door which was just a few feet away from the top of the stairs.

Bed at top of stairs

It seemed that every night just as I was falling asleep I imagined myself floating out the bedroom door and flying down those stairs.  I was lulled instantly asleep.  Bliss.

But not everyone would find this flying exercise relaxing.  And having the bed in this position in their bedroom could be subliminal hell.

Hence the importance of furniture placement.

Recently while visiting a client she complained that she was not sleeping well in her new home.  The bedroom was situated at the front of the house.  The bed was placed on the window wall with the street just a few feet away.

To me it felt like sleeping on the road! Furniture placement.

We re-positioned the bed away from the windows (and the road),  Furniture placement

The client announced she is now sleeping much better.

One of the main principles of staging a home for real estate sale is furniture placement.  Too much furniture in a room and potential buyers feel crowded.  Furniture placed incorrectly; potential buyers are tripping leaving a lasting impression of a small home.

I always tell my clients that furniture placement is key and location, location, location is the most determining factor in the price of a home!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

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Another new year is upon us – welcome 2016.  2016 Modmissy

So…..any resolutions for this year?

I resolve to ignore resolutions and live life with balance.

EAT MORE CAKE!

‘Cake’ being code for what makes you happy.

Life should be happy!

Find more love,  LOVE sign

Spend time with your BFF’s,   Les Chuchoteuses by Rose-Aimee Belanger

Let pent up emotions go.  Chill out.        Frustration in Stone

Find beauty in simple things,  Dandelion

Take time to reflect,  Glass architecture

And definitely take time to eat cake! Chocolate cake

All images created and photographed by MODMISSY

MOTHER NATURE – AWARD-WINNING DESIGNER

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Mother Nature has it in spades when it comes to design.

She is unequivocally the best ‘exterior Designer’ bar none!

And that fact was no more evidenced than on my recent holiday through the Rockies and Western Canada.

Colour, Composition, and Detail; Mother Nature has created the most beautiful landscape.

Mile after mile I witnessed breathtaking views.

Although I’ve seen it before, Moraine Lake, Alberta is still an “OMG!” moment.  The colour of the lake is awe-inspiring.   Moraine Lake

Benjamin Moore may have possibly captured the colour in its paint Dream I Can Fly  Benjamin Moore Dream I Can Fly

Nothing makes a statement like a black-and-white colour palette adding sophistication and drama to a natural setting.

And this rock’s black-and-white Yin-Yang pattern I found on the Sunshine Coast, British Columbia demonstrated that philosophy even further.  Sunshine Coast, granite rock

Sometimes it was the many shades of grey that Mother Nature revealed that made me stop and reflect.  Vancouver, CanadaVancouver, British Columbia

When it comes to composition, Mother Nature is a true Master.

Layers and layers of sweeping views.  Whistler Mountain, British Columbia

Brandywine Falls, British Columbia is Mother Nature’s remarkable ability to create yet another powerful statement.

From a height of 70-metres (230 ft.) water crashes down into a cavern that was formed from lava flows occurring from nearly 34,000 years ago.

It was all the water dropping perfectly into a tiny little pool below that had me mesmerized.

A stunning feat indeed.  Brandywine Falls, British Columbia

Of course Mother Nature thinks of all the details by providing comfortable seating for one to rest as they descend Whistler Mountain, British Columbia.  Whistler Mountain, British Columbia

Outstanding design abilities and creativity.

Mother Nature, please…..take a bow!

All Images via MODMISSY

White After Labour Day

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The unofficial rule states that summer ended on Labour Day and wearing white           post-LD is gauche.

The white rule is so ingrained in my brain (my Mother’s decree) that I do make a conscious effort to refrain from donning white.

I have written many times about white; white accessories, white art, white food.

I even wrote about the decision of choosing the ‘right white’ when it came to paint colours.  I stated that “sometimes climbing a mountain is easier than choosing a paint colour” and of course I included a photo of myself and hubby climbing Cascade Mountain in Banff, Alberta, Canada.         Mt Cascade 25 years ago

Fast forward 25 years, hubby and I were once again climbing Cascade Mountain.  Mount Cascade.

(Different jacket, same colour.  And surprise, surprise…..it’s orange!)

But this time we climbed that mountain with our son.  Mount Cascade

This past August we took a road trip with our son through Alberta and British Columbia, Canada and returned to those wonderful mountains.  SuperFly Zipline

We hiked and biked, biked and hiked, then biked and hiked some more!  If there was a mountain we climbed it.  If there was a pathway we bike it.  Mount Cascade

Lake Louise

Whistler Mountain.

Lighthouse Park, Vancouver

Whistler Mountain

And oh look….glacier white.

A truly breathtaking holiday.  More to come!

All images via MODMISSY

A New Year, A New Beginning

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Welcome 2015!

A brand new year is upon us.  Fresh and full of opportunities.

Anything and everything lies ahead.  It’s exciting!

So instead of writing about binding New Year resolutions I thought the year should be about encouragement and breaking free or as Ralph Waldo Emerson remarked,     Ralph Waldo.

Be unique.  Create your own.  Spider Web

Climb great heights,  

Reach for the top,  Toronto Skyline

Make your space sing with colour – choose a colour that’s outside your comfort zone, Space

After all, 2 of the industry leaders in the world of colour, Pantone and Benjamin Moore, announced their Colour of the Year 2015 – total opposites on the colour wheel.  So anything goes!  Colour of the Year

Find your balance,  Stonehenge

Take time to smell the roses,  Rose

Find your happy!   (a ’66 Chevy Impala)  66 Chevy Impala

 

But honestly, at the end of the day it’s all about finding your peace, Peace

Here’s hoping that 2015 is a stellar year.

Cheers!

All images via MODMISSY

 

What’s in a Name?

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“What’s in a name?”

That iconic question asked by many.

But none so famous as that asked by Shakespeare’s Juliet when it came to her lover Romeo,

 “O Romeo, Romeo!  Wherefore art thou Romeo?  Deny thy father and refuse thy name;”

A conundrum for sure as the name meant (spoiler alert!) death for the star-crossed lovers.

Names are important.

Just as Juliet asked, “that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet?” would a name of an item influence your choice or sway your decision?

The reason I ask is that while flipping through a recent Sears® catalogue I found it interesting the names now used for colour choices of décor items such as furniture, linens and drapery.

(Boring) beige is now named Moon Rock, Bamboo Beige and Shiitake Mushroom conjuring up something more contemporary.   Shitake Mushrooms

 

(Mundane) grey has been pumped up to Volcanic Grey, Molten Lead and Fossil Grey.  Feel the excitement!?      Fossil Grey

 

(Blah) brown is now Earth and Dark Fudge.  Sound yummier?             Dark Fudge

 

(Stale) green has become Shale Green and Smokey Sage.  Sexier?Shale GreenEven the automotive icon, Porsche® known for its truly distinctive design and breathtaking dynamics has given emotional impact to yellow with the 2014 colour option Racing Yellow.  Porsche Racing YellowCan’t you just feel the race-inspired colour philosophy!?

Got me swooning!

All images designed my Modmissy

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn

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Remember when I recently said a sad welcome to summer?

Weird I know.

But my thinking was the longer I have to wait for summer the longer summer will feel.

My case in point, “where did summer go?”

Summer in all its glory with so many wonderful moments…..

Watching the sunrise,

Sunrise

Being one with nature,    Box Turtle

Spotting in the back of the ski boat,    Slalom Skiing

Admiring the scenery,  Bon Echo Park

Relaxing in the backyard,  Backyard Summer

Enjoying long bike rides,  Toronto Skyline

All these wonderful moments are but distant memories now.

But oh well……autumn does have glorious colour like the view out my kitchen window.

 

All images via MODMISSY

 

 

 

Summer is Here!

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The first day of summer begins tomorrow.

Yippeeeee!

Although at the same time I am very sad.  Boohoooo!

Weird right?

Here’s my thinking.

Even though this past winter was a very long, cold, snowy one it was ok for me.  As I explained, it might have been freezing and snowy but it was sunny almost every day, and who doesn’t love the sun plus having a warm winter coat and good snow tires made it even more acceptable.  I was almost sad to see winter go.

So now winter is gone, spring just finished and summer is here.

But summer is so short and goes too quickly – and then its winter again!

So if winter was long it meant summer was longer away.

Understand?

So here’s to slowly savouring a summer of lasting wonderfulness.

Enjoy!                        Summer words

Image design by Modmissy

Robins Egg Blue

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You know that spring is here when the birds are back.

Or maybe they were here throughout the winter but like me they kept a low profile outside.

Whatever.  It’s great to hear their song and see them busily flying about.

And the other day I had the good fortune to find the remains of a hatched Robin’s egg.   Robins EggSuperstitions have it that if a bird poops on you good things are coming your way so I am going to believe that finding the hatched Robin’s egg was a sign of upcoming good fortune!

Of course I had to do a colour check with my Benjamin Moore® paint charts to see if indeed the paint colour was aptly named.                     Birds Egg Benjamin Moore

I thought it was pretty close.

Interestingly enough I just staged a home that was painted Benjamin Moore Bird’s Egg in the bathroom.  With white beadboard and Carrera Marble it was a calm, spa-like space.

Benjamin Moore Birds Egg Bathroom

So here’s to Spring and all the wonderful things it brings and to summer just around the corner.

Enjoy!

All images via Modmissy