Style At Home

If the trends in the design world are any indication, for me, it’s going to be a very happy year in decorating. Our trend report this year (page 26) highlights 36 trends, which we’ve broken down into categories so it’s easy to absorb. I find the “Overall Style” section fascinating. Trends 1 and 2 are polar opposites! The first is maximalism, with its big colour, big pattern and big, bold, beautiful gestures. The second, I’ll call naturalism. It’s luscious warm neutrals (think: cream, linen and flax shades) and layers of rich textures. It’s quiet, serene and stunning. What you won’t see (and maybe won’t miss) is a palette of white-on-white-on-white with…a pale pink flower for an accent! That’s what I’m thrilled about. It’s a relief to have a break from…

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PAINT PALETTE of the month WE’RE INSPIRED BY… beige! Remember when beige was a bad word? It meant bland and boring. But is bread boring? No. It’s a staple, and so is this hue. More than that, beige is a warm break from cool grey and it’s the basis of a soothing, long-lasting palette where iterations of beige, from cream to flax, are layered lusciously and set off with a dramatic touch of black. Beige POWER PLANT A hit in its native Britain and just introduced to Canada, the Briiv home air filtration unit packs the air-cleaning power of over 3,000 house-plants into a compact, attractive package you’ll want to display instead of hide away. The Briiv is a whole new (and eco-friendly!) approach to purifying air that uses a trio of built-in natural filters…

Looking for a yummy but refreshingly different treat to share with your sweetie (or to treat your family) for Valentine’s Day? The addition of fresh puréed dates in the batter adds a delicious moistness to this chocolatey, lightly spiced cake developed by Canada’s own Chef Anna Olson. Its not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting is…well, icing on the cake! NATURAL DELIGHTS MEDJOOL DATES & SPICE CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING SERVES 10 Cake 1½ cups (220 g) Natural Delights Medjool Dates, pitted2 oz (60 g) dark baking chocolate, chopped1 tsp baking soda1⅓ cups (330 ml) boiling water¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar2 large eggs1 cup (150 g) all-purpose flour½ cup (60 g) Dutch process cocoa powder1½ tsp ground cinnamon1 tsp baking powder½ tsp fine…

INGREDIENTS SERVES 8 TO 10 Puff Pastry Crust 1 egg yolk1 sheet (about 200 g) frozen puff pastry, thawed Almond-Mascarpone Cream 2 cups slivered almonds½ cup maple syrup1 (450 g) tub mascarpone cheese½ cup fine maple sugar Pear Filling ½ cup granulated sugar2 tbsp lemon juice3 ripe but firm Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and cut in 1/8-inch-thick slicesToasted almonds, coarsely chopped (optional) DIRECTIONS Puff Pastry Crust Preheat oven to 400°F. In small bowl, combine egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water. On lightly floured work surface, roll out pastry sheet. Using knife, cut ½-inch strip of dough around edges of pastry sheet. Brush pastry sheet with egg yolk mixture and arrange strips of dough around edges to make border. Brush pastry strips with egg yolk mixture. Prick surface of pastry with fork. Transfer pastry to parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until…

1 What neutral colour can I paint my condo that will update the look but not be out of style in a year? Mark B., Toronto S@H Say goodbye to cool greys and look for warmer neutrals. My two favourites are Elk Skin D29-7-0565-0 and Felicity D35-7-0523-0 from BeautiTone. Choose the colour that best matches your flooring for a coordinated look. 2 I am ready to purchase a good-quality area rug, one that I want to last for as many years as possible. Any tips to keep in mind? Jennifer T., Canmore, Alta. S@H A rug that’s handmade is usually a good indication of quality, but be sure it’s been made under fair labour laws and ethical conditions in its country of origin. Natural materials like wool or silk have longevity. I suggest an eight-by-10-foot…