11 ways to update your home decor
Declutter your laundry room
Sew up some colourful laundry bags by adding a drawstring to a favourite pillowcase. Or sew them from scratch with the pattern in Jennifer Paganelli's inspiring sewing and craft book, Happy Home.
Happy Home, Chronicle Books.
Give walls a wow treatment
Wallpaper keeps getting better and better. Case in point: these hybrid fabric-wallpaper decals from Finnish design superpower Marimekko. Choose from 39 larger-than-life patterned murals to instantly create a feature wall in a dining room, bedroom or hall.
Marimekko Green Green Mural, $325, Newwall.
Modernize your bathroom
Add a little sophistication to your bathroom for less than the cost of a blowout with luxurious new towels from Mukula. Their high-style prints are inspired by nature, modern art and architecture.
Towels, from $16, Mukula.
Add a splash of colour
Orange is oh-so-hot this year, and accessories are ideal for adding a hit of it without overdosing on citrus. These hand-blown glass bowls by Canadian Tsunami Glassworks do the trick — and give you a handy place to stash keys, change or candy.
Strawberry and Saffron Cell Bowl, $210, Tsunami Glassworks.
Dress up your furniture
You can't overstate the importance of details. No surprise, then, that we fell hard for these colourful feet specially made for Ikea furniture. Choose from 12 finishes, including sunny yellow and sophisticated teak and brass.
Estelle Legs in Orange, $181/4, Prettypegs.
Lay down some geometric shapes
Patterned tiles are all the rage. These painted ones by architectural firm Claesson Koivisto Rune strike a perfect balance between simple modernism and colourful Moroccan. Get the look for less: Try a geometric flat weave carpet instead.
Stone Pattern Tile, $146/square metre, Marrakech Design.
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Pack a chic picnic
Inspire envy at the park — or in your backyard — with this carry-all bike, trendy Thermos and oversized blanket.
Schwinn Tricycle, $400, Canadian Tire. HBC Thermos, $35, The Bay. Blanket, $595, Jonathan Adler.
Bring Hollywood to the table
Feminine lines are this year's hot look for formal dining. Fashion designer Monique Lhuillier (she's the go-to for A-listers like Reese Witherspoon) takes her style home with her new collection for Waterford, available this October.
Blush Champagne Couples, Dentelle Collection, $165, William Ashley.
Liven up your drawers
Give old utensils an instant facelift with food-safe paint and varnish. It's just one of the amazing DIY ideas you'll find on two great blogs we recently discovered, houseofearnest.com and littlebitfunky.com.
Go matte in the kitchen
Move over, brushed aluminum and antiqued pewter — the latest in fashion finishes for your kitchen is matte black, shown here on Moen's Arbor pull-down faucet.
$398, Moen.
Summerize your bedroom
The sister team behind Auggie, a line of baby bedding, have expanded their range to include equally charming bedding for kids and teens. But we think it's perfect for a summery adult bedroom, too.
Rabbit Patch Pillow Sham, $68, Duvet Cover, $115, Quilt, $125, Little Auggie.
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