Some of you may recall last fall I started my journey studying Functional Nutrition. I'm now happy to announce I have just completed the September to May course, and have graduated with a Functional Nutrition Practitioner Certification. As I have a huge interest in all things wellness, I am really excited for where this journey will continue to take me.  For those of you who may have missed that post, you can click here to catch up.  But in a nutshell, after much research, I have come to the realization that Functional Medicine and Nutrition is truly the future when it comes to optimal health. There is so much you can test these days from Vitamin D deficiencies to hormones, and with Functional Medicine and Nutrition at the forefront of this, I love the idea of being able to know exactly why or what is the root cause of chronic issues, as well as, how to obtain optimal health goals. By utilizing nutrition, supplementation and for lack of a better word "bio-hacking", like important information on how to sleep well, etc., and the knowledge also that everyone is different, I believe a customized strategy towards optimal health is so important.

@readmckendree

This past weekend we stopped by our local public library and on one of the floors in the staff picks section, I happened upon a book, Surf Shacks; An eclectic compilation of creative surfer's homes from coast to coast and overseas by Indoek, a surf-centric blog run through ITAL/C and published by the folks at Gestalten. Published back in 2017, the book covers apartments to bungalows from New York to Bondi Beach, visiting homes of some of Indoek's favorite people in the creative surf community.  Browsing through, I felt a pull, back to a simpler time in our life, and in this day and age of such pre-meditated and staged images, I sensed a spark of realness and freshness that I've so missed, and think perhaps some of you might too?  In many of the homes, the idea of living smaller and simpler was not only refreshing, like one of the surfers featured, Nick LaVecchia said, "it is the most liberating thing you can do".

With that in mind, one activity that I've always loved doing when browsing through books and interior magazines is looking for decorating tricks that I could adopt and in sharing a bit of a comradery with these surfers, it beckoned me back to what's important, just being happy wherever you hang your hat.  A novel idea? In fact, since we already live in quite a small space, this book has inspired me to accept all the little flaws our 70s townhome has, and maybe make the best of what we already have, rather than waiting to tile with that perfect tile, or cover the flooring with that perfect wood. I long for this realness again. How about you? Let's take a look!

(Above: Home of Mathew Olerio and Joanna Zamora \ Photo @readmckendree)

Earlier this May, we posted the above picture to our Instagram feed, of a new project by the folks at Everywhere® Inc. Being fans that we are of the beloved A-Frame, we wrote about this DIY design, mentioning plans for it were coming soon.  So we had to, of course, write about it this week, since the plans for it launch today.  Here's the inside scoop!

Inspired by the cabin his grandpa Fred, designed and built in the 1970s in Teton Valley, Idaho, Everywhere®, co-founder Brand Winnie always wanted to follow in his footsteps. After spending years researching the market on the various types of cabins that could be built, he decided on the classic A-Frame cabin or “vacation home” that grew in popularity in the 50s and 60s.

@saintgeorgetoronto

Situated in the heart of Toronto's Annex neighbourhood, the Saint George Hotel, Kimpton’s only property operating in Canada, is a 14-story hotel, integrating elements of Toronto's culture and personality. Communicating a narrative of local pride, diverse heritage and contemporary culture, the interior design by Mason Studios celebrates Toronto's layered history and sensibilities.

With 188 guest rooms (including 20 suites and a Presidential Suite), the experience of being a guest is to be in their own well-appointed apartment. The property provides unique guest accommodations within a neighbourhood setting.  Let's take a look!

Nothing like a summer night curled up around a firepit. Also like the idea of not having to wait till we actually do go camping to experience it. After running into a few firepits this weekend, thought a round-up was in order. Love these modern, more minimalist versions to enhance the experience.

1. Angled Obelisk 
(above)  Terrain
A strikingly modern addition to the backyard, this geometric version develops a weathered rust-like finish as it goes.

Continuing on our huge crush of black facades and architecture, we recently fell in love with the chalet GRAND-PIC, a beautiful space designed by Appareil Architecture based in Quebec. Situated in a magnificent forest site in Austin, Quebec, the objective of the build was guided and inspired by the characteristics of the terrain.

Today we're excited to share a recipe from Butter Baked Goods founder, Rosie Daykin's new cookbook, Let Me Feed You: Everyday Recipes Offering the Comfort of Home. I thought since it's almost summer, this delicious-looking salad would most definitely get the mouth watering. Let's take a look!

Mother's Day is just a week away (May 12th this year), and as tradition has it, we've rounded up a collection of adorable cards for that special Mom (or someone like a Mom) in your life. From letterpress to illustration, here's a few faves on our radar this year. Check them out below.

This post is in partnership with Command™ Brand.  Command™ brings to life your décor, your way in a project that is unique just like you.

I've been wanting to hang art gallery-style utilizing the corner of our dining room area for quite a while, so when the folks at Command™ challenged us to take a DIY project and inject some of our personal flare around it, I was inspired! I've been inspired by big, graphic prints lately, inspired by mid-century interiors where big, bold designs were all the rage. And if you're going to go bold, black and white will work in any interior, whether you're just starting out or already have an established look. Graphics especially feel very cosmopolitan and can be placed in an entrance way to a statement wall in the living room. Go big or go home!

We have this big empty space surrounding the dining room table, where there really is no room for furniture, so to make it feel more homey I thought a gallery wall would be the perfect solution. I also wanted to add a bit of colour to the space since all of the walls, floor (and table) in that room are white.  It ended up I needed a few more pieces of art to fill it up though, so I created a few printables that I sent to our local printer to print onto canvas. I was quite impressed with how they turned out, so I thought I'd share the printables with you too and and at the same time show you how I like to hang art gallery-style (fearlessly, I might add), with the help of Command™ Picture Hanging Strips!