See Our Old Townhouse, Decorated by the New Owners!

In the fall I was outside on the deck, making my evergreen wreath, when Hubby called me from work:

Hubs: "Hey, how are you?"
Me: "Bleeding and covered in sap."
Hubs: "Oh my god, why?"
Me: "I'm making a wreath."
Hubs: "Oh. Well, do you have a minute to go to your computer?"
Me: "Is this another Movember video about why mustaches aren't creepy? Because I want to finish this wreath before it gets dark and the zombies come out. Can I look at whatever this is later?"
Hubs: "Yeah, sure, I'll send you the link. The townhouse is for sale."
Me: "Wait, what? Our townhouse?"
Hubs (smugly): "Yep."
Me: "Alright, I'll head to my desk right now."
Hubs: "Thought you might"

It is the weirdest thing to see your former home lived in and decorated by someone else!  I have been waiting for this moment for two years, hoping the new owners would sell and that we'd get a chance to peek inside and see what they changed/what they kept.

Of course, I immediately wanted to share with you, because so many of you were with me back when we were decorating the townhouse and you were there for the emotional (and disappointing) experience of selling it to buy our dream home.  But then I wondered if sharing photos would constitute some kind of invasion of privacy?  I waited months, mulling it over.  Finally I figured that because the listing photos could be accessed publicly - it's not like I'm snagging them from a private Facebook page or something - that it's okay.  It's been staged and photographed for sale, and therefore public viewing, so I'm sure any embarrassing and extremely personal items have been removed.   

To show a fair comparison, I've included photos I took of the townhouse, as a reminder of how we lived in it, and then I've shared a direct comparison of the real estate photos.  Listing photos don't tend to be very flattering, so I thought that it's only fair to compare them.  You can see the full townhouse tour by clicking here and to see the two sets of real estate photos taken when we sold the townhouse, check out this post!

Welcome back to the townhouse!  Here's what the hallway and front entrance looked like when we lived there:

It looked a lot plainer for the real estate listing photos.  The new owners (bottom photo) added shelves where we had an occasional table (and later, a bar cart). 

Top Photo: When it Was Ours // Bottom Photo: Now

Here's our old powder room, which we painted right before listing.

Although I accidentally chose way too bold a hue, the new owners didn't paint! 

Top Photo: When it Was Ours // Bottom Photo: Now

I loved our living room because it had a wood burning fireplace and so much light!

The new owners didn't paint the brick fireplace in the living room!  I would have been so disappointed if they had, because I'd wanted to do it but kept it natural for re-sale.  I am so jealous that they replaced the old, rickety sliding patio doors - something we wanted to do, but we'd already spent so much money updating this place.  The new white doors really brighten the space and make it look so much more modern.

Top Photo: When it Was Ours // Bottom Photo: Now

Here's a different angle of the living room, this time their photo is the top one:

Top Photo: Now // Bottom Photo:When it Was Ours

Not much changed in the dining room, either.  Here's a reminder of what it looked like when we lived there:

It's kind of hilarious how similar our old dining room chairs were to theirs!  The new owners kept the light fixture we chose, as well as the layered sheer curtains.

Top Photo: When it Was Ours // Bottom Photo: Now

I am so thrilled to finally have turquoise kitchen cabinets, but I do miss things about the old kitchen, like our DIY houndstooth tile backsplash and brand spanking new fridge.  Ugh, our appliances in the lakehouse are all so old and rickety (please don't tell them I said that - my appliances always fail after I've spoken ill of them).

I thought the new owners might paint the kitchen cabinets, another project I wanted to tackle but didn't because I was warned it would alienate some potential buyers (plus Hubby loved the wood).  The new owners didn't paint, but they did replace the fabulous cantilevered light fixture we found for above the sink, where there was an off center junction box.  It took ages to find that and it made the off centered box look intentional.  I am so curious as to why they swapped it out...

Top Photo: When it Was Ours // Bottom Photo: Now

Top Photo: When it Was Ours // Bottom Photo: Now

Top Photo: When it Was Ours // Bottom Photo: Now

When we lived there, the townhouse master bedroom was used as our guest space because it had a handy powder room that gave guests some privacy. 

We staged the room as a master for sale, which is how the new owners use it.  They invested in new blinds (unsurprisingly, because our DIY window coverings, here and here, were a budget-friendly quick fix).

Top Photo: When it Was Ours // Bottom Photo: Now

If I were them, I would have placed the tall boy dresser beside the long dresser on the same wall, but I'm weird.  (Our bed was a king size, that's why it seems so much tighter with our furniture in there.)

Top Photo: When it Was Ours // Bottom Photo: Now

Our bedroom, which was technically a guest bedroom, saw the biggest change of all!  We kept it airy like the rest of the house, with white walls and sheers.  We chose this as our room largely because I loved the treed view and giant window.

I think it's the only room they painted and they swapped out our black curtain rod and sheers for a white rod and purple drapes, which is so perfect for a kid's room.

Top Photo: When it Was Ours // Bottom Photo: Now

They used the smallest bedroom as a guest room/office combo, but we had used the space for two desks.

The new owners had asked for some art that I hadn't wanted to leave behind so it was removed from the contract.  In the end, I ended up leaving them the painting in the office as a peace offering.  It's strange to see it in the exact same spot in the office!  They moved the bedroom sheers in here and got rid of my silk drapes.  I wish I'd known they'd chuck them, because that was a lot of silk and I really wanted to take the panels with me.

Top Photo: When it Was Ours // Bottom Photo: Now

In the bathroom, not much changed but you know that I approve of their aqua towels ;)

Top Photo: When it Was Ours // Bottom Photo: Now

The basement, master powder room, and exterior didn't change much.

It's kind of neat to see our former townhome - our first house! - decorated and lived in by someone else.  We had some amazing years there and I think that because this was the first home we purchased, it will always have a special place in our hearts.  It looks like the new owners enjoyed their time there as well (at least I hope!) and I hope they've had a successful sale and moved on to their dream home!

DIY Vanilla Infused Vodka with Blood Orange Sparkling Beverage

Here's a deliciously simple drink idea: DIY vanilla infused vodka with Aranciata Rossa San Pellegrino, which boasts a juicy hit of blood orange.  It's pink, so it's perfect for Valentine's Day, but it tastes like summer in a glass - like a creamsicle.  Drool.  (This isn't a sponsored post, I just really enjoy San Pellegrino sparkling fruit beverages because they're sweet and carbonated, but not as cloying as soda - although I fully admit I might be swayed by the cool history and vintage-inspired branding).  

Making my own vodka infusion was something I had been wanting to try for awhile and it turned out to be so simple!  Now I'm eager to try different variations.

How to Make Vanilla Infused Vodka

Supplies:

• Mason jar (might I suggest the, now ridiculously priced, blue ball jars?)
• Empty bottle (these are cute)
• Coffee filter
• Funnel (I used my Melitta cone brewer)
• 2-3 vanilla beans/pods  

Step One:

Pour the vodka into a clean mason jar, plop in some vanilla pods (2-3 for almost 750ml of vodka), and twist the lid tightly.  Seriously, that's it!  I photographed the smaller blue ball jar but ended up using a larger mason jar so that I didn't have to break the vanilla beans.  A mason jar ensured that I could easily retrieve the vanilla pods - they would have been difficult to fish out of a narrow bottle.  You could also pop them right into the vodka bottle and decant later, but I didn't want to infuse my entire bottle.  Some folks break open the pods or scrape out the insides but as I understand it, that can produce a gritty tasting vodka.  You really just want the oil from the pod to infuse the vodka, so leaving them whole will produce the best results. 

Step Two:

Place the mason jar in a cool, dark place for 7-10 days.  Peek into the cupboard obsessively, everyday, to check on the development.

Step Three:

Open the mason jar, remove the vanilla pods (trust me, it's easier than having them flop around), and strain the vodka through a clean coffee filter into an empty bottle.  This removes any gritty bits that have been shed by the vanilla.

I love what a soft golden hue the vodka picks up.  And it's so tasty - now I want to try adding pears and figs and all kinds of deliciousness. 

Vanilla Vodka with Blood Orange Sparkling Beverage

A glass of San Pellegrino, a splash of the vanilla infused vodka, a couple of ice cubes plus a slice of blood orange and all of a sudden Wednesday is looking a lot better.

This is the perfect drink for "Valentine's Day," "Galentine's Day," or "I'm Going to Drink at Home on the Sofa Because Who Wants to go out into That Madness Day?"  Cheers!

P.S. Curious about the oddly specific numbers on my tumblers?



Handy Hubby and I were married at City Hall in Toronto but held our brunch reception at a swank hotel.  We stayed there the night before our wedding (we flew to Greece immediately after) and the hotel gifted us these glasses - the number is our room number!

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Bathroom Update: Quartzite Counters + Aqua Sinks!

Nothing has been easy about this bathroom renovation but I've decided that all of the setbacks and problems are going to make me appreciate the finished room that much more!  Gratitude is my word for 2016.  In other news, instead of renovating the kitchen (because who wants to go through this again, on a larger scale?), we're buying a boat.

Before I explain the problems with the new counter - and what stone I almost impulse bought instead - here's a look at the quartzite counter and those aqua sinks from Kohler.  I've been teasing you with these things for about a year, so it's not fair to make you wait any longer...

Gorgeous, right?  I can't get anything done these days because I spend all my time leaning against the bathroom door frame, staring into the bathroom all googley-eyed.  Hopefully the new replacement drawer fronts will arrive soon because that's where my eye wants to wander.

After the tile and granite shop bunged up the bathtub (among other things), I canceled my order for stone counters from them, which means that this slab is not the slab I put a deposit on, way back when.  Here's a look at the new slab:

Wandering the stone lot, on our way to pick out which corner of the slab we wanted, I fell in love with a different slab, another type of quartzite:

Isn't it pretty?  It's so light and airy.  I almost changed my mind but this slab was 50% more expensive, plus it didn't go with the aqua sinks.  As well, I picked very plain tile because the white fantasy quartzite I wanted is so busy.  With this stone, I would have chosen completely different tile.  So I stayed the course, but spent a few nights pining.  When we eventually renovate the kitchen (100 years from now - I'm really not kidding about the boat), I think I want this stone instead of the white quartz I'd decided on.  Now that I have natural stone, I don't think I could ever be happy with a man-made material.  Picture the slab above with all white cabinetry (or even walnut lowers and white, glass-fronted uppers), paired with some Fireclay tile.  So dreamy...

Anyway - back to reality!



The quartzite counter was originally delivered Monday morning but the second it was set in place, I noticed a problem: the front right corner was really rounded.  I had ordered as tight a corner as possible (in other words, as small a radius as possible) and, while the left corner was done correctly, the right hand corner was not.  It bothered me so much that they were done differently!

I was so disappointed and wasn't sure if it could even be fixed.  Luckily the installers were awesome and so helpful.  I couldn't reach anyone at the store who could help, so they made some calls to figure out my options and encouraged me to send it back.  I wasn't sure if the shop would re-cut an entire slab or if they could shave off the edge but I was hoping I could keep my slab because it was cut so beautifully.  They had positioned the sinks so that a really prominent vein ran diagonally through the sink holes and it was just balanced so beautifully.  I had been worried about half being really patterned and busy and the other half looking completely plain, but my worries were unfounded:

Once the slab was back in the shop someone looked up my file and, sure enough, I had requested a 10mm corner but had been given something different (we guess a 20, maybe 25?).  I was asked to double check the length of my cabinet and they shaved off some stone from the right side to re-shape the corner (there was a bit of an extra overhang, so they re-cut the corner).  Now both corners matched and are as blocky and squared off as possible.  We drove into town before they delivered it to double check (something we should have done before delivery the first time).

Now the corner is perfect - as sharp as can be before it becomes slicey - but the right side overhang is 1/2 cm shorter than the front and left (which are the same).  But the left butts up against the linen tower, so I haven't yet decided if the difference is noticeable. 

I'm SUPER irritated that it couldn't be done right the first time because I spent an embarrassingly long time explaining what kind of corner I wanted and pointing to what I did and didn't want in the showroom - the corner shape was a big issue for me.  I'm not always super particular, but that was something I was very specific about.  It's fixed, but the solution isn't ideal.

Plus, there might be another problem: we have yet to install the faucets but I'm 99.9% sure that the faucet hole above the right hand sink is off centre by about 1/2".  I'm waiting until we put on the faucets before ringing any alarm bells - it might look fine once the faucet is installed.  Fingers crossed!

Despite these problems, I love the stone itself and am really happy with my choice.  There are so many beautiful pockets of gleaming blue flecks in this slab and the veining is gorgeous.  I can't capture in photos just how luminescent and light reflecting the stone is.  It really looks like a frozen lake.

There is so much variation in the greys and I love how perfectly the organic quality of the stone pairs with the walnut wood grain (that's no accident!).  I kept the floor tile really simple to highlight these two elements - and, of course, my dreamy aqua sinks.  This is the only splash of colour so far and it's perfect, just a little peek of turquoise.  It's the Serif undermount sink from Kohler, who partnered with me for this bathroom renovation.   The colour is "Vapour Green".

In other news, we finally installed the Persuade Circ skirted toilet (also from Kohler) after sweating over drilling holes in the tile for it.  Plus we're all done installing and painting the trim - which is one of those jobs we usually tend to drag out!

We still have some work to do, but we're getting there!  Our bathroom to-do list has shrunk by leaps and bounds and all that is left is to:

• Finally acquire drawer fronts and put them on (soon, I hope)
• Install cabinet pulls
• Plop in the faucets and hook up (hope that hole looks more centered!)
• Hook up plumbing for the sinks
• Measure for sheet mirror and order it
• Get mirror installed 
• Install sconces (SO excited for them)
• Install the new toilet paper holder (from Kohler - it's a thing of beauty)
• Get a replacement valence for our new blind
• Put up a shower curtain (I have an unusual plan)
• Sew a fun little shower curtain hack
• Get the tub fixed and finally deal with tile shop (uuuuggghhh, don't wanna)
• Try to get the permanent marker off the tile (sigh)
• Figure out why the tile creaks and squeaks (ditto)
• Make/find some art
• Accessorize! (Yay!!)

I'll keep you posted on progress, here and on Instagram (where I've been sharing sneak peeks). 

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