Style At Home

putting a new twist on tradition

With an assortment of commitments, chores and gifts to buy competing for your attention this month, it sometimes slips our minds that one of the best things about the season is tradition. Going back to basics can be a real source of comfort for many. So go ahead, pour a glass of eggnog, watch It’s a Wonderful Life and blast those classic tunes. (Personally, “O Holy Night” and “White Christmas” tug on my heart strings every year.) The holidays are all about spending time at home with family and friends. My child-like love of Christmas has never waned, and I’m a big fan of revisiting decorations that I haven’t seen for the better part of a year, and remembering just how much I love them. It’s a gratifying opportunity to recall…

style at home

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style news

PAINT PALETTE OF THE MONTH WE’RE INSPIRED BY… Playing with textures and shapes — generous curves to soften large spaces interspersed with bold, gold accents — the result is an eclectic and enchanting space. We love White & Gold NICE LOOKING Yes, you may have spent the day with yogurt and mashed carrots on your sweats trying to get your toddler to eat more than her toes, but with this whimsical collection of baby and kids bedding from Rookie Humans, you can at least get the perfect swoon-worthy sleepy toddler pic for your Insta-feed. The brand’s talented artists have designed each set with vibrant, playful scenes. STUNNING AND SAFE FLAMELESS CANDLES ARE A GODSEND! THEY MAKE MAGIC JUST LIKE THEIR WAXEN COUNTERPARTS, BUT UNLIKE REAL CANDLES, YOU CAN PLACE THEM ANYWHERE WITHOUT WORRY. ANNA OLSON FRENCH PATISSERIE SET Bake…

winter forest cake

INGREDIENTS MAKES 16 SERVINGS 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened2 ¼ cups granulated sugar½ cup liquid egg whites1 tsp pure vanilla extract3 cups all-purpose flour2¼ tsp baking powder½ tsp each: baking soda and salt1 ½ cups buttermilk Assembly Coconut Meringue Icing (see recipe, right)½ cup sweetened shredded coconutEdible Birch Bark (see recipe, page 16)Sugared Rosemary (see recipe, page 16) DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg whites and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat into the butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk, making 3 additions of flour mixture and 2 of buttermilk.…

high or low?

Stocking Stuffing The tradition of hanging a Christmas stocking for each member of the household hails from way, way back. Young and old alike love getting a stocking stuffed full of presents! The challenge: finding gifts that are small enough to fit in the oversized sock, yet special enough to put a smile on your recipient’s faces. Think jewellery, tech gadgets and candies. Need more ideas? With just a wee bit of googling, you’ll find thousands! Louis XVI chairs Designed sometime in the latter third of the 18th century, you can spot Louis XVI chairs by their oval or shield-shaped backs and fluted or ribbon-twist legs. Perfect for classic settings — around the dining table or as a stylish side chair, perhaps — Louis XVI chairs also have a marvellously eclectic impact on…

how to host holiday soirée

Choose invitations that reflect your holiday decorating and the theme of the party, like a snowflake motif for a winter wonderland theme or pinecones for a woodland holiday. Include the time and date of the event, as well as whether you will be serving cocktails and canapés, a sit-down dinner or a buffet. Add an RSVP date, your contact info and instructions for parking, or getting an UBER or local taxi. Ensure you have enough food and drink (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) for everyone. Rather than mixing drinks for each guest, make life easy by serving a pitcher of a pre-mixed holiday cocktail and another of a seasonal mocktail. As the host, make sure to mingle, taking time to introduce guests to each other so that everyone feels welcome. Plan your meal so…