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Revitalize your space: Out with the old, in with the new spring design trends

As the warmer weather approaches and we all prepare to shed the layers and clunky boots, opting for brighter and lighter colours in our wardrobes, I often look for ways to make necessary changes in my home as well, by shedding the dull, then bringing in the lively and new. Spring is often associated with new beginnings and a fresh start after enduring the Canadian winter blahs for so many seemingly endless months. Reinventing your space and wardrobe can assist in resetting your mind to switch things up and achieve a new focus or mindset, which in turn benefits health.

When it comes to my home, it’s not always possible to exchange whole furniture sets to overhaul a space, but there are small additions and alterations that can be made to make it feel as though you are arriving home to a whole new retreat each evening.

The styles of 2018 make it easy to infuse abodes with colour, brightness and lightness, in addition to comfort and chic appeal.

Colours of the season:

Gelato-inspired hues are huge for Spring & Summer 2018.  Complement your space with the tastiest options from your local gelato shop, many of which have pastel and neutral tones.  Often mixing and matching flavours while topping up your cone or dish is the outcome of a visit to the gelato shop, so go all out when it comes to home décor and select a variety of colours to liven your space as well.

Make ultra violet ultra cool.

A post shared by Jonathan Adler (@jonathanadler) on

In addition to pastels and Gelato hues, indigo blue is a hot colour for home décor over the upcoming spring and summer months. Whether indoor overhaul is needed or the objective is to spruce up your outdoor space, this striking blue hue will bring a punch of pizzazz.

The perfect complement to indigo blue is glittering gold. Although gold is often associated with the holiday season, the glittery trend can be found in many accessories for the warmer months’ décor selections. Vases, artwork, mirrors and hanging pendants, are all the perfect accessories to accent a space in this hue.

Accents and Accessories

Geometrics are still big this season and can be found in artwork, wallpaper, rugs and on statement pieces.  Feathers, fringe and tufted cushions are also very much on the hot list. This season homeowners can find these accents on everything from duvets to throw pillows, adding texture and an original appeal.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf8proVhmMh/?tagged=featherdecor

Flooring

Often shimmer is reserved for artwork, fabrics and wall-coverings, but this year, that subtle shimmer is making its way into various flooring materials, including carpets! Grey and pale blue flooring matched with the said shimmer and complemented by soft shimmering wall paper and art work, is a trend of the upcoming months. The trend opens up any space, and the suggested hues bring a serene atmosphere to the home.

Be inspired by the trends of the season and have fun revitalizing your space. I know I will!

 

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NASA Cassini
News

Saying goodbye to Cassini

Farewell Cassini. After 13 years orbiting Saturn, the little spacecraft has sent its final broadcast. At 7:55 a.m. ET on Sept. 15, Cassini descended into Saturn’s atmosphere, breaking up and dissolving into space.

Cassini left Earth’s orbit in 1997 on a four-year mission that was extended twice until it ended early this morning. The mission was to explore all aspects of Saturn, including its rings and its moons. Of particular interest was the discovery that Enceladus, one of Saturn’s revolving moons, was not a barren icy wasteland — it actually spewed organic material from what scientists believe could be a subsurface ocean.

The spacecraft also allowed scientists to get a close and detailed look at the ring system of the planet.

But what was truly special about this spacecraft and its mission was how it got everyone interested in exploration and discovery. Kids, teens, and even adults watched the mission with growing interest, thirsty for just one more picture of the mysterious moons and rings or Saturn.

Unfortunately, in order to avoid contaminating those same moons, especially Enceladus, which now is believed to contained Earth-like microbes, NASA scientists made the decision to terminate the mission and let Cassini dive into the atmosphere.

Here are some of the images broadcast from Cassini’s twitter over the last month during the final goodbye trip:

 

What was your favourite discovery? Let us know in the comments below!

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park
Living

What’s with the animal-themed parks in Toronto?

Toronto’s parks are transforming to appeal to animal lovers — and it turns out there are a ton in this city. First, the Berczy Park Revitalization features man’s best friend and now, the same architect said he may create a cat-themed park near Front St. West.

Berczy Park/Plaza is centered around a giant tiered fountain surrounded by 27 dog sculptures. These puppies shoot jets of water out of their mouths into the fountain towards the giant golden bone sitting at the top of the structure. There is plenty of seating space and enough greenery for families, and their canine friends, to roam.

The trees were planted using Silva Cell technology, a suspended pavement system that supports large trees while providing storm water management at the same time. This allows Toronto to support the growth of plant life in an urban setting.

The fountain within Berczy Park has received a lot of attention in the media. While some people love the quirky concept, others feel it isn’t sophisticated enough for this city. Either way, people have crowded around the fountain day and night (it lights up when the sun goes down) to enjoy the public space. It creates a fun and whimsy atmosphere that can’t be found anywhere else in Toronto.

That is until architect Claude Cormier gets his hands on the mega development at Front and Spadina.

It is rumoured that Cormier has a plan for a cat-themed promenade. There are few details available. The only information publicly available is that Cormier will work with the other developers and architects to create a new green space as part of the mixed-use project…and that feline sculptures may be involved.

Not everyone will be thrilled with this concept, but honestly, anything that creates a space for people to enjoy each others company in the outdoors is a win for Toronto.

 

What do you think? Would a cat-themed park be welcome on Front and Spadina?

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Living

Thinking of moving in with your partner?

Moving in with a boyfriend is an exciting and life-changing experience. It can also highlight some of the less flattering realities of living with a stinky man-bear and his habits. Luckily, I have managed to discover a few solutions.

One of the more difficult aspects of living with someone is how you both deal with cleanliness. There is nothing worse than having a roommate (not to mention a bedmate) that is too messy. For me, the limit is the difference between being dirty and messy. If someone leaves clothes on the floor or keeps collections of odds and ends — that is acceptable. If your partner leaves garbage on the floor or lets dishes collect until there are new insect roommates moving in, that is an immediate red flag that you will end up being more of a maid than a girlfriend.  I’m blessed to have a messy boyfriend and not one that is dirty. If you have a partner who is inherently disgusting, training can help the situation, but it may take more work than it’s worth ladies.

I’ve always lived in my girly zen zone. It smelled nice, there were decorations, and everything had a place. Now, I have smelly socks hanging from my jewellery stand and I can’t seem to ever locate my brush (I should mention my boyfriend has long locks). The lady cave I built has been infiltrated by a man, who is half bear when he wakes up in the morning.

Though this would leave many women running for the hills, I can honestly say I’ve never been happier. My perfectly clean apartment was lovely no doubt, but there is nothing better than coming home and being met with a smiling man you love, especially one that has a couple glasses of wine and dinner on the table. Love is messy girls. It is stinky and it is unorganized.  Love has required me to give up any pretences of perfection I’ve carried with me for years. But perfection be damned. It isn’t worth it to have a show home and give up actually learning how to compromise space and love someone for who they are and how they live.

Compromise is key. It is important that both parties feel they have a stake in what an apartment looks like. An example is moving over my vintage Patti Smith artwork to make room for a Toronto Maple Leafs poster beside it. It looks better with both anyways. My boyfriend also knows how insane I get over clothes on the floor. It is a pet peeve. So, to meet in the middle, we have a corner that is solely his. He can dump his clothes, and anything else he wants, in this area and I can’t bother him about it. I’ve come to accept this messy area and by keeping it contained, we are both happy.

Open communication is a must. Talking about expectations, financial plans, and emotional needs BEFORE moving in is essential.. To make things simple and functional, try making a schedule of tasks that need to be done around the house. For example, my boyfriend and I pick a day to clean, and contribute equally by splitting cleaning, dishes, and cooking right down the middle to avoid any resentments.

Be prepared to learn the oddest things about your partner. For example, my boyfriend collects receipts. Not just a few, but ALL of them. Apparently, he has this epic plan to file them all (this will never happen). I find them everywhere and quietly dispose of them when he isn’t looking. It is a quirky, albeit adorable, habit that I’ve learned to accept. On my end, apparently I can’t brush my teeth without looking like I just dunked my face into a bowl of ice cream. It is juvenile and gross, but my man laughs about it when we brush our teeth in the morning.

The bottom line is quite simple — Learn to love the mess. Moving in together is a hectic and exciting process of getting to know all the habits and quirks of your loved one. Previously, I had this idea that if you lived together, all the mystery of that person disappears. I thought this would be a bad thing. Instead, the fact that two individuals with different habits and histories can come together and grow as one is truly mysterious and magical. We only have one tender moment to love after all and then we are gone. So take the leap and make room on the bookshelf. I wish you the best in your pursuit of the madness of the mess. It is one of the best adventures to embark on.

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