One one side, there are no windows. On the other, there are multiple. Look at this gorgeous white home in Kanagawa, Japan by architects Sinichi Ogawa & Associates.
via Dezeen
One one side, there are no windows. On the other, there are multiple. Look at this gorgeous white home in Kanagawa, Japan by architects Sinichi Ogawa & Associates.
via Dezeen
I was in Goderich and Bayfield on Saturday because Ontario beach time has been long overdue for me. It was an absolutely wonderful day out, and it got me dreaming (again) about owning a cottage one day (remember this cottage post from November).
Recently, my cottage dreams seem to lead me to the classic A-frame style. The A-frame (literally shaped like the letter A) style appeals to me for a cottage because it looks cozy, seems to blend in well with country surroundings, and mimics the shape of trees. I don’t know. I just think it looks kind of cool. And with a white interior? I think it would be fun.
So, naturally, my dreams have led me to create this blog post featuring cool A-frame houses (or cottages) that I find so darn beautiful.
source unknown
Allandale House, William O’Brien Jr.
Whistler A-frame, Scott and Scott Architects
I recently came across the work of architect Jean Verville, and I was soon lost in a website of beautiful design projects. Here are some spaces that really caught my eye.
unité d’habitation Westmount Square
These two houses have a traditional, symmetrical design, but their scale is much different.
via Miniature Co.
Interiors with massive windows always grab my attention. I love the natural light, the views, and the architecture. Here are five gorgeous spaces that show you exactly what I’m talking about.
via Cybball
via Rural Design
Have a great weekend, everyone!
A few weeks ago, I shared a collection of white beach houses. Today, I’m doing another round-up of gorgeous architecture, but this time focused on the simplicity of Scandinavian design (with the exception of one building in England).
Mikael Bergquist architecture, via Dezeen
via Remodelista
via Contemporist
via Simple Form
designed by Mats Fahlander, via Contemporist
via Mønhuset
via Dezeen (in England)
As I was preparing this post, I really wanted to remain focused on exteriors to showcase the architectural design, but I couldn’t help but save a few inspirational interiors, too.
Asante via Contemporist
via Contemporist
via Remodelista
via Asante
via Asante
Today we are traveling all the way to Oman to take a mini-peak inside the Anantara Al Jabal Akhdar Resort. There are so many beautiful spaces to inspire us all, but today, I’m taking us to one of the outdoor patios. Could you imagine having your coffee here?
It’s easy enough to bring the exoticism of Oman into your own home even if you don’t have a pool to lounge by. Just pick up a cool coffee pot and some metallic glasses and pour yourself a delicious coffee or tea.
lounge chair, side table, coffee pot, glass
It’s all about the outdoors these days. Even with the rainy summer we’ve had so far, it’s been great to spend as much time as possible outside – biking, walking, and enjoying a coffee on the patio. Many of the spaces I’ve been pinning on Pinterest are of the outdoors. These outdoor rooms that are designed around a fireplace are especially inviting, don’t you agree?
Tim Barber Ltd. via Houzz
Susan Kasler’s Atlanta home, via Architectural Digest
via Luxe
Bower Architecture via Gardenista
source unknown
I’m making note of the Casa Cook hotels now in case I ever make it to Greece in the future. Casa Cook – part of the Thomas Cook travel company – currently has two hotels in Greece. Casa Cook Kos is opening in July, and Casa Cook Rhodes has been open for about a year.
Both hotels look to be uber stylish, luxurious, and welcoming. I’m only showing you one of the outdoor spaces at Rhodes today, but I’m sure you’ll drool over the design of all the other spaces, too, if you have a browse through the gallery.
via Casa Cook Rhodes
If you have an outdoor space that you’d like to spruce up this summer, maybe give these items a try to recreate the ease of this gorgeous Greek hotel.
hammock, beach cover-up, pendant, butterfly chair, pillow, pillow, pillow, pillow
Aren’t these outdoor spaces just so inviting? How much would you love to swing your day away in one of these hanging chairs?
source unknown
via Home Beautiful
Magnolia House, Byron Bay, Australia via Air BnB
With the arrival of summer weather, don’t you just want to spend every spare moment outdoors? I do! I keep pinning photos of outdoors spaces on my Pinterest boards, and large patios (overlooking water, ideally) can be so darn dreamy.
via House & Home
via Margarita Wyld
via House & Home
If you’re looking to recreate a look like any of the above, here are a few furniture options to get you going.
wicker chair + ottoman set, $599 USD, West Elm
rocker, $329 USD, L.L.Bean
lounger, $399 USD, L.L.Bean
hammock, $199 USD, L.L.Bean
Mastholmen conversation set, $349 CAD, Ikea
Lollygagger chaise, Hauser
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I don’t know how Instagram algorithms work, but sometimes the fancy behind-the-scenes technology really works in my favour. Recently, Instagram introduced me to the work of McKinley Burkart. This architecture and interior design firm, which has studios in Calgary and Vancouver, has an extensive portfolio of beautiful restaurants, retail, residential, and work spaces.
Just two weeks ago, I shared an update about my spring home maintenance task list. I’m happy to report that I’m now able to cross two items off the list. Two! Yay! That’s major! I’ll be honest, it was fairly easy to do because I took advantage of Father’s Day sales! Yup. That’s right. This single lady loves everything that is currently marketed to dads…BBQs, tools, machines. Oh my goodness. It’s true! It’s totally true! I think I love power tools just as much as I love peonies…it’s all about balance, right?
So…here’s my updated home maintenance task list:
This list makes me very happy! I picked up this Chamberlain garage door opener when it was on sale (yay!) from Canadian Tire and paid for Canadian Tire’s third-party connection to install it. Done and done. So far, it’s working like a dream. And since it’s a belt opener, it’s much quieter than my old chain opener. Belt. Chain. Yeah, I learned about these things this month. Thanks, Dad.
I ordered this BBQ when it was on sale (yay!) from TSC – The Country Hardware Store. It’s getting shipped directly to the store, and I should be able to pick it up any day now. Then I’ll have to pull out my tools to put it together. Any advice?
Since I won a Home Depot gift card a little while ago via a Twitter party, I’m going to have a browse through the options for the other items on the list. You know, just making my way around all the hardware stores this month! Fun!
If your dad is anything like me, he may be interested in the following five items this Father’s Day.
extremely quiet ventilation fan, $107, Home Depot
ball pendant, $19.98, Home Depot
ClosetMaid closet organizer, $158, Home Depot
And for future home maintenance task lists…
Nest thermostat, $329
chrome shelf unit, $98.97
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! And Happy Father’s Day!
I continue to be fascinated by The Bucket List Family – a young family that travels absolutely everywhere in the world and documents their adventures on YouTube. Recently, they headed to the Maldives, and I was absolutely stunned at the beauty of the area and where they stayed. I just had to bring one little part of it to White Cabana.
We’re heading to one of the outdoor spaces at one of the Soneva resorts in the Maldives. I grabbed this photo from The Bucketlist Family’s Instagram page, but I definitely recommend you head on over the Soneva’s site to drool over the magnificent views.
Even without a beach, ocean, pool, or waterfront of any kind, it’s easy enough to recreate this look in your own home. Here’s what I’d recommend:
sofa, pillow, speaker light, dining table, chair, Roald Dahl art
You’ll notice that I gathered items from Waterloo-based Hauser. What a beautiful selection of indoor and outdoor furniture. I can’t believe I haven’t yet visited in person! I must!
I would definitely be interested in a trip over to Soneva. The water, the service, the decor, the peace…I’d definitely soak it all in! On the list it goes!
I don’t have a lot of garden space to work with – or time to tend to it, for that matter – but I do enjoy a bit of gardening, and in usual-Jordana-style, I like to keep things simple. In my back garden, I have a ton of hostas. They’re incredibly easy, they grow like champs, and they’re pretty. I also have herbs in planters, and this year, I’m trying out spinach, too.
In the front, I get a ton of sun, so I plant my tomatoes there, and they produce like crazy! I plant red geraniums in my planters because they flourish in the sunshine. Geraniums always remind me of my time in Switzerland, so I’m happy to have them outside my home. I was considering white begonias this year because they looked so pretty at the market, but I’m sure the sun would have burned them, since they prefer shade.
And the new addition to my garden are a few peony plants that I split and transplanted from my parents’ garden last year. The buds are still quite little, so I’m not certain they’ll be fruitful this year, but I’m hopeful they’ll produce beautiful blooms for years to come.
I just love that the garden can produce so much goodness. After trudging through such a long winter, I love seeing spring surrounding my home.
And speaking of beautiful homes in spring, here are a few that have caught my eye.
the gorgeous home of Canadian blogger Monika Hibbs
When I was in the Niagara region recently, I took several photos of gorgeous houses, including this lovely yellow home. I always seem to notice new ones when I’m there. And each on in Niagara-on-the-Lake is especially interesting and unique. We have gorgeous properties in the Waterloo region, which I ogle, and I always paid attention to the details of these homes when I lived in London and Kingston. They ooze charm, and they catch my eye!
And that’s why I’m a sucker for the Instagram account called Old Ontario Houses. Do you know it? Caution – you may not notice the time fly by once you start scrolling and reading about the locations of each house!
Here are a few white ones that caught my attention as I was scrolling through the feed recently:
Yates Street Heritage District, St. Catharines
Since it’s #Canada150 this year, maybe it’s about time I – or we – should start paying extra attention to white architecture in our beautiful country!
Yesterday, I shared part 1 of my trip to Charleston, SC. I was only there for 24 hours, but I managed to fit a lot in. I ended yesterday’s post with lunch at Hominy Grill, and today I’m sharing what we saw post-lunch.
Since my sister and I were re-energized after lunch, we drove to the house district beside the harbour (I’m not quite sure that this is the name of it) and spent a couple of hours walking around, staring at the architecture, and wondering about the history of every mansion.
And a few charming smaller houses were thrown into the mix, too.
As you can imagine, there’s a lot of work to upkeep these homes. I watched in awe as this team of painters worked their magic using a crazy ladder-scaffold set-up.
It’s hard to imagine the scale of these homes in photos, but I hope the image below helps with this. There’s our mini-van parked in front of one mansion. As you can see, the van barely reaches the height of the front steps. I mean, amazing, right?
And there you have it – my two-part review of Charleston, South Carolina. Have you been? Would you like to go?
Photos by me.
If you’re a regular reader, then you know that my parents have helped me with just about every reno project I’ve done at my home. They are both very handy people. Dad’s great with electrical, plumbing, and BBQ cleaning projects, and mom is a genius sewer, stylist, gardener, and painter. I’d be dumb not to cash in on their talents. (Mom, Dad, I hope you’re amused by this introduction.)
So it goes without saying that if they have a project that needs me, I’m happy to help. Most of the time this means that I’m moving a piece of furniture. But recently, my help came in the form of painting. I worked with CIL and helped my parents paint their garage doors. The doors weren’t in terrible shape, but since my parents recently replaced all their outdoor eaves and trim, the existing door colour didn’t work.
We opted for this CIL exterior doors and trim paint:
CIL Smart3 Triple Weather Protection Doors and Trim
I picked up the paint at my local Home Depot and had it colour matched to a piece of the eaves. Perfection!
My dad took the lead on the painting. Since this was an outdoor painting project, we waited for the weather report to call for a few days of warmth and sunshine. CIL suggested (via Twitter) that the ideal temperature for exterior painting is 15°-20°C. (I’m pretty sure that those temps are good for the paint application and the painter’s fingers!)
We didn’t need to begin with a separate primer because the CIL Smart3 already has a built-in primer (cue the confetti!). Dad liked working with this paint; he reported that there were no bad smells, no splattering, and that the application was very smooth.
Here’s a look at the after:
The garage door is a taupe-grey-stone colour that is a perfect match to the eaves and trim. The colours of the whole house are now much more cohesive. It was an easy weekend project that made a big impact to the home’s exterior.
Thanks to CIL for sponsoring this post. Photos by Jordana and Dad.
I have recently featured some gorgeous properties in Puslinch and Toronto, but now I’m taking you all the way to Alicante, Spain to view a beautiful villa with incredible views.
Have a browse through the photos and let me know how much you think the property is listed for!
 Isn’t it amazing? This house is currently on the market for 5.8 million Euros (about 7.8 million Canadian dollars).
Images via Meg van Amstel International Realty.
Read all of my real estate posts.
These solar powered lamps are great items for under $20. Easy updates for your summer patio (or mine!).
Solvinden LED floor lamp, $19.99
Solvinden LED lights, $4.99 for 2
Okay, so I know St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner and green-themed parties, foods, and decorations are dominating Pinterest and blogs, but around here, the green stays far away. While I wouldn’t paint my walls green, I do love greenery in my home. I absolutely love having living plants in every room around my home. If I lived in the French countryside (yeah, if), I’d definitely try to have a green house. I’d probably call it a conservatory or a garden room (look at all of these beautiful conservatories).
via Home & Garden
Okay, I’m now off topic. Let’s get back to what I really want to talk about today: quatrefoil. The quatrefoil is a four-leaf symbol that we see a lot in art and architecture. It was most popular in the gothic and renaissance eras (read more here). I’ve gathered some photos of quatrefoil products and gorgeous interiors with quatrefoil details.
quatrefoil headboard, Christopher’s of Nantucket via DecorPad
quatrefoil pillow cover, Decidedly Chic
Suzanne Kasler’s home, via Architectural Digest
quatrefoil mirror, Horchow
quatrefoil detail in this gorgeous farmhouse kitchen, Magnolia Homes
quatrefoil necklace, Van Cleef & Arpels
via AM Dolce Vita
quatrefoil photograph, via Posterjack
Seeing all the rust on my air conditioner unit, I really just wanted to bite the bullet and buy a shiny new one. But thinking about my bank account, I quickly realized that I didn’t want to spend a fortune on a new unit when mine, although rusty, worked perfectly fine. A couple of weeks ago, I bought a couple of cans of spray paint (I used Rustoleum), read this article sent to me by Hogg (thanks!), and got to work.
before: I muted the colours in this photo, and it’s still disgusting
before: the rust was horrible, the muted photo only provides a glimpse into the condition of the unit (this is perhaps the ugliest photo I’ve ever shared on my blog)
during: one coat of paint
after: rust has disappeared!
after: this looks like a brand new air conditioner
Here’s what I did:
1. I cleaned and scrubbed the unit with a CLR + water mixture. I then rinsed it off*.
2. While the unit was drying, I taped plastic bags on the wall surround and around all the pipes. I also unscrewed the top grate so I could cover the fans with plastic, and I weaved plastic in between the grate and the filter/fan/unit**.
3. When the unit was dry, I sprayed two coats of Rustoleum Tremclad rust paint*** (letting the paint dry in between coats) all over the unit and the rusty metal bars that hold it up.
4. When everything was dry, I removed all the plastic, and screwed the top grate back on. Done.
The project took about 3 hours from start to finish. I could have put on a 3rd coat of paint for fun, but I was too lazy (2 coats covered very well). I feel like I have a brand new unit, and the side of my house now looks so much more attractive!
* I would recommend scrubbing with a wire brush. I didn’t have one, so it took me a bit longer to scrub and chip the old rusty bits off the unit.
** I covered the fan and the filter parts with plastic, but I’m not entirely certain this was necessary.
*** I didn’t paint the unit white (big shock, right?). Instead, I chose a colour that matched the grout in between the bricks.
I think if I had an enormous backyard, I would definitely make room for a hammock as I think it would be an ideal spot for napping and reading outdoors.
cotton fringe hammock, $398, Shop Terrain
hanging hammock chair, $198, Shop Terrain
hammock, $99.99, Ikea
cotton rope hammock, $79.99, Target
hanging hammock, $39.99, Canadian Tire
Who’s with me on this one? I’m actually thinking a hammock may fit on my patio…IÂ must take measurements!
Enjoy your weekend…wherever you may lounge.
Okay, so over the last week and weekend I spent some time uploading my photos from Paris. It seems like the trip was ages ago, but I’ve only been back in Waterloo for two weeks. I’ve got another few things to share, hope you’re enjoying the recaps as much as I am!
I saw this photo image on a wall sort of near the Musée Picasso. Possibly a Banksy? What’s his trademark?
I loved this ceiling in the children’s shop Bonton.
I came across this doorbell somewhere in St. Germain. I thought it was pretty.
I stumbled upon the Swedish Institute in Le Marais and I liked the tidiness of the café tables.
This is the view from the Sacre Coeur. So cool.
This white-on-white-on-white building was in Montmartre. The cobblestone streets are so charming, but can really wear down shoes.
While I was eating lunch outside one day (yes, in February!), I spotted this guy. I was impressed by how he managed to transport the table (it’s white, how perfect) on his Vespa. Who needs a mini-van?
IÂ took very few typical tourist shots on this trip. Regardless, IÂ hope you enjoyed another collection of things I spotted in Paris last month.
Photos by Jordana.
Place des Vosges in Le Marais is one of my most favourite places in all of Paris. It’s beautifully rosy and completely symmetrical. The archways are lovely to walk under and the centre courtyard is the perfect place for throwing a frisbee (not me, but I’ve seen others do it!), lounging around, and taking a break from the noise of the city. It is the oldest planned square in the city and it has a long and interesting history (going back to 1604!) that included several name changes (Place Royale to Place des Vosges and back again). At one point it was simply a lawn for hosting duels. People like Cardinal Richelieu (French prime minister) and Victor Hugo (author) lived in the apartments of Place des Vosges (during various centuries). Like all of Paris, this place has a story to tell!
Place des Vosges, Paris, photos by Jordana
Happy Friday everyone! Have a wonderful weekend!
As we head into a hot, hot, hot weekend it seems only fitting that today’s Friday Five includes a selection of dreamy outdoor spaces. (And if you end up booking a trip to Greece after scrolling through this post, then, well, I completely understand!)
Since I can’t make it to Greece this weekend, I’ll be spending as much time as possible at the amazing outdoor pool in my neighbourhood. How do you plan on staying cool this weekend?
Okay – it’s time to take a break from all these beauty–related posts I’ve been writing. Let’s get back to design and architecture! I’m taking you to London, Ontario today…
When I first moved from Toronto to London four years ago, I have to admit that I really didn’t like it. It’s not that I’m one of those “Toronto is the center of the universe” people but I didn’t really get a great vibe from the city and I found it really hard to meet people. Fast forward 4 years and I now find myself really enjoying my time here. I love that I live in the downtown core – close to independent shops and cafés, and there certainly are a lot of interesting things to see.
The architecture of the houses in my neighbourhood continue to surprise me. The houses that have obviously been well-taken care of have amazing details. Even the not so well-loved houses have great architectural details and I like to imagine who has lived in them and what stories each house might have to share.
Like I said in my last post about London architecture, many of the original houses in the city are made of yellow or red brick. I think they look equally striking in black and white.
houses in London, Ontario
Photos by me using my iPhone and the Camera+ app.
Before we all head off to enjoy the weekend I thought I would end the week with some gorgeous outdoor spaces. They all have one major thing in common – a shower!
Illico Design via Desire to Inspire
Marie Claire Maison via Oceania Island Living
via Remodelista
via Country Home
via House & Home
What do you think? Would you make use of an outdoor shower? Perhaps you already have one at your home or cottage. Do tell!
Have a wonderful weekend!
I mentioned on Twitter a little while ago that I was trying to grow herbs (from seeds) for the very first time. While I ended up killing a lot of the small plants when I tried to transplant them (I thought I was doing them a favour by spreading them out), a few of them actually survived and are slowly growing. While I don’t have enough basil to make pesto and if I break off some parsley for garnish I’d have nothing left, I’m excited to have even just a teeny tiny bit of fresh herbs on my balcony.
But that’s not all! I have also decided to grow tomato plants. I know, I know. Who grows tomatoes on a balcony? Well, I thought I’d give it a try and even though I have yet to see even a smidgen of cherry red, the bit of greenery compliments my herbs quite nicely.
And lucky me – Urban Barn recently sent over some amazing white plant pots (en français) to support my cause! Bye bye terracotta, hello white!
my small-but-mighty tomato plants – in Urban Barn’s Le Jardinier pot
Gloxina plant (I think) – in Urban Barn’s Le Jardinier plant pot
There is much more to the Le Jardinier (which means gardener, by the way) collection than the two pots in the photos above. I’ll soon be transferring my herbs into some of the ones below and hopefully they’ll have a growth spurt soon!
Le Jardinier Planter – small : $12.00, large: $22.00
Le Jardinier Handle Pot – small: $7.00, large: $14.00
Le Jardinier Handle Pot – set of 3: $12.00
Photos by Jordana and courtesy of Urban Barn. Many thanks to Robbyn W. for arranging to have these pots sent my way.
Note: If you would like tips on growing herbs indoors, read this article by Sharalee on Chatelaine.com.
With a name like Squish Studio how can I help but be intrigued? This is what the Squish Studio looks like on the inside:
And here is its wicked exterior:
Designed by Saunders Architecture in collaboration with the Shorefast Foundation and the Fogo Island Arts Corporation, this white gem is not only supporting the Fogo Island arts community, but it is also bringing plenty of attention to this tiny part of Newfoundland (area: 110 square miles; population: 2700).
Notes: Images via Tevami. Thanks to CC for sending this my way.
As Johanne pointed out earlier this week, I’ve recently gone on a bit of a tour of cities. My week of travel included a visit to Boston and, as always, I was on the lookout for white. While many of the buildings in this friendly city are constructed of red-brick, I did spot several beautiful white structures as I went about my explorations. Here are five white structures that caught my eye.
building with rounded corner on Huntington Ave.
mostly straight with a bit of curve, The Midtown Hotel on Huntington Ave.
This was the only white building I saw on the Harvard campus. Are there others?
Two Center Plaza – more curves here – on Cambridge St.
pretty doorway on Park St.
As you can see, Boston did not let me down. And red as an accent colour – I can probably approve that!
Photos by Jordana.
Repetition. Check. Balconies. Check. Summer light. Check.
photo by Joel Lopata
Now if only people could fix their curtains.
I know I’ve posted a lot about NYC in recent weeks but I spent a good chunk of my Christmas holidays there and I’m eager to share some of the photos that I took. For today’s Friday Five I’m happy to share with you some of the very pretty houses I came across when my family and I hit the ‘burbs. (Yes, that’s right, we escaped Manhattan for a morning to explore the surrounding neighbourhoods.)
Photos by Jordana.
Â
Image courtesy of Terrain.
Like many of White Cabana’s readers, I love browsing through West Elm catalogues and I get click-happy on the WE website. Today’s Friday Five focuses on some of my current West Elm faves.
1. Pretty jewelry boxes.
2. Simple & stylish bar cart.
3. Geometric daybed.
4. Soft little pouf.
5. The functional tray.
Images courtesy of West Elm.
This watering can just makes me want to have a garden.
Images courtesy of A + R Store via Remodelista.
Sadly, I can’t recall where this image is from.
If you haven’t already heard, issue 4 of Lonny magazine is now online. Lonny’s many pages are full of delightful interiors, interesting articles, and great art. I’ve been a fan since issue 1 and although I still prefer the texture of magazines (as in the ever-popular Domino), Lonny has been a wonderful addition to my online reading adventures.
Here are some of the white pieces I bookmarked as I “flipped” through the pages of this online treasure.
Many of these products come in other colours so if you’re not in love with white (gasp!) then you might want to check out the other options.
Photos courtesy of Caldrea, Calypso, Design Within Reach, Green with Glamour, MOMA, The Laundress, Tiffany & Co., Williams Sonoma.
Photos courtesy of Destined to Design, La Dolce Vita, This is Glamorous.
 Pretty but maybe not so practical for traditional camping.
Photo courtesy Futé Design.
 These boots are not made for walking.
 Photo courtesy of Koo de Kir.