Our Toronto Home Tour, A Goodbye Peek
A Toronto Home Tour: Our 100 Year Old Queen West Rental
I've got a lot on my mind at the moment and this post may go in a few different directions, but if you'll stick with me on this one, there is a lovely message at the end. Today's post combines thoughts about what makes a home, some news leading to more life changes, and a tour of our Toronto home. It's a heartfelt read, from me to you, so stick with me till the end. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Read on...
Some Bittersweet News, Life Lessons, and a Look Inside Our Toronto Home
A few months back, I chit chatted with the lovely team at Clementine Daily to brainstorm some ideas regarding a Toronto home tour of our rental. I really liked the idea. I don't often give people a peek inside my home, usually it's just clothes, so I was wholly jazzed about it to be honest. But from start to finish it took me a few months to get my act together to make it happen. For so many reasons, it kept getting pushed back and back and back. I finally, finally shot the images and sent them off to Clementine.
Right around this same time, we received word from San Diego that my husband's company really, really, like really, wanted him/us to come back home. We moved to Toronto with his company a year and a half ago. For a good year of that time, Clint was working crazy hours with difficult clients. The move was a wonderful experience but we both struggled to find true solace in our Toronto home. Our roots here were not quite growing deep enough and it had been challenging for Clint (both of us, to be honest) to develop meaningful friendships for the first year here. Was it because we're in our 30's? Is it due to the busyness of everyone's lives in a big city that they couldn't quite fit us in? I couldn't put my finger on the answer. Whatever it is/was, the heaviness of lack of friendships was leaving a hole in our emotional hearts. I am a deeply social human being. I know this about myself. And I began to recognize that that was something we both had back in San Diego but had trouble holding onto here.
With all that being said, it seemed like the perfect segway into a post about the meaning of what makes a 'home' and in turn give you a home tour of our Toronto rental. I've been asking myself lately about what defines a 'home'? Is it the collection of prized possessions? Is it a quaint neighborhood near all the great things? Is it being surrounded by a support system? Over the years and through this move I've come to realize that while you can create the ideal home, live in a sweet neighborhood, and be surrounded by amazing food & activities, it's not worth anything if you can't share that with a supportive group of people who care about you. While the move back home to San Diego is bittersweet for me (I had a job I enjoyed and a just started hanging out with an amazing group of people from work), I am looking forward to quality time with people who really, really know us.
For the time being, I hope you enjoy the pieces that made up our home in Toronto for the past year and a half. It's filled with pieces I've collected over the years. Those pieces have become part of us and part of our travels. There is also a snippet of my Toronto home tour interview I did with Clementine Daily (you can see more on their site).
Final parting words? If you do ever get the opportunity to take a leap of faith, whether it's a crazy international move like ours, or a chance to start a new job, don't let that chance slip by. Embrace the crazy, lonely, fulfilling life experiences. The highs and the lows. They make you a stronger human being.
Our 100 Year Old Toronto Home Tour
The following is an excerpt taken from the Toronto home tour interview I did earlier this month with Clementine Daily. To read the whole interview, click here.
This space is lovely and looks like it has some great character; what is your favorite feature and why?
When I walked into the empty space before we moved in, I was immediately drawn to the bay window in the front room. I've always wanted a space with a bay window. I think they're absolutely stunning and such a great feature on older homes. Our small living room space is kind of like our living/dining room space, so we set up our dining room table in the space and it works perfectly.
The Living Room
What was your inspiration when choosing decor for your home?
We lived in a condo in San Diego and I did a lot of painting in all the different spaces in our rental. So when I saw the white walls in our space here, I wanted to stick with that minimalism and simplicity and cleanliness. I love how it makes the small space look and feel clean. I choose pieces that have clean lines, and work well within a small space. I wanted a color palette that reflected that vibe. So I chose blues in the kitchen and living room that do well in communicating a clean airy feel. Then I added pops of color here and there in accessories and art.
What is your most prized possession in your home?
Our couch and our abstract painting that hangs in the living room. We inherited the couch from my husband's grandparents. When we first saw the couch, it was upholstered in maroon fabric, had tassels, and a dust ruffle! Oh, it had DIY project written all over it. I had a good fabric resource in San Diego, called UFO fabric, met with a great upholsterer, showed them my inspiration, and the rest is couch-history. I hope to have this piece forever. It's both sentimental and functional and I love it.
The other is a painting by an artist and friend, Joanna Posey. We met back in San Diego and she offered to paint a piece for me that spoke both about our home and my brand, Art in the Find. The colors she used were so spot on and spoke to me in such a calming way, she really nailed it! It hangs in our living room space and is a constant reminder of home and our travels. It's a very special piece.
The Master Bedroom
What has been a great source of design inspiration for me?
(adapted from the Clementine Daily interview) I love the idea of repurposing things. Our couch, our faux Eames chair, they've all found a way into our home, secondhand. Flea markets are one of my favorite places for inspiration. I love walking around for hours on end and if something speaks to me, I'll bargain for it! Favorite fleas? In Southern California, the Rose Bowl and Long Beach Flea Markets. In Toronto, the Aberfoyle Flea Market.
If I'm not able to find what I'm looking for at a flea market when I'm decorating I usually turn to furniture & home sites like Wayfair. They have a lot of options and the price points range from high to low, so they have something for every budget. Resources like Chasing Paper have also been fantastic when it comes to wanting to add a pop of visual delight on the walls. Their removeable wallpaper is my absolute favorite.
Thanks so much for joining me on this blogging journey. Thank you Clementine Daily for interviewing me and allowing me to share my Toronto home tour with you. Thank you to Joanna and Chasing Paper for making beautiful, eye catching pieces. I'd sure love to know your thoughts and if you've had something weighing on your mind & heart lately. It's a journey we all share. If you want to know about any other home pieces, leave a comment and I'll respond back to each and every one!
xx,Conni
PIECES OF THE HOME
Metal & Wood Urban Port Barstools (living room) | Wayfair
White Pom Pom Curtains | Wayfair
Peonies Removable Wallpaper (bedroom) | Chasing Paper
Personalized Art Piece (living room) | Joanna Posey Art