House & Home

I’ve been an H&H subscriber since I graduated as a designer in the early 1980s. I’ve loved many issues, but the November issue has brought me so much joy! I start at the back, and I was filled with happiness at the sight of the Trendwatch page (“Merry & Bright”)! I loved the cookie segment (“In for a Treat!”) and the craft ideas (“Make It Merry”). The Bettencourt cabin (“Into the Woods”) was delightful and the Betsy Brown house (“Mountain High”), sublime. Thank you always for the eye candy and inspiration. —BEVERLY McNABB, Waterloo, Ont. I just received my Christmas issue in the mail today. I read Lynda Reeves’ column (“View,” November) and it brought both a smile to my face and tears to my eyes. I loved how she said she…

Most of my designer friends scoff at the idea of offering “trendy design” to their clients. And I’ll admit that the word “trendy” does conjure up images of too much veined marble and shiny brass. I’ve always felt secure in the knowledge that I knew my style, and didn’t see any reason to change. Mixing the things I’ve collected all my life had always felt right to me. And then we moved. The new apartment is much smaller than the old house, so I pared back, editing down to only the pieces I really loved, thinking they would work. And they did work. Nothing looked strange or out of place, but the result was boring. Been there, done that was the feeling. Now, I’m busy figuring out how to create a new mix…

SHOP ARCADIA MODERN HOME This homewares shop in Penticton, B.C., is all about embracing simple pleasures and being in harmony with nature. “We try to implement this idea into each aspect of our business,” says co-owner Hayley Mullen. With her partner, Rod Riou, they opened Arcadia in the fall of 2021, after an extensive renovation of the heritage building. Built in the early 1900s, the store had previously been a butcher shop, grocery store and men’s clothing boutique. “It had great bones, but it needed a lot of work,” says Hayley. The original wood beam that runs down the centre of the shop remains, as a nod to the building’s history. Products feature natural woods and rich earth tones that reflect the South Okanagan Valley area. Here you’ll find a wide range…

COMING HOME TO NATURE: THE FRENCH ART OF COUNTRYFICATION By Estelle Marandon Gesa Hansen and Charlotte Huguet This book focuses on the country homes of Parisian expats who kissed city life goodbye, but brought their style with them. The three authors (a journalist, interior designer and fashion magazine stylist, respectively) permanently relocated to historical country seats including a restored 400-year-old mill, storybook 200-square-foot cabin in the woods and former near ruin in Barbizon. They offer advice for country living, from entertaining a crowd to planting a kitchen garden. If you love the romance of stone walls, blue shutters, baskets of lavender and terracotta floors, Coming Home to Nature will have you fantasizing about a move to your own pastoral paradise.Flammarion, 2022, $40. JEAN-LOUIS DENIOT: DESTINATIONS By Pamela Golbin and Jean-Louis Deniot French designer Jean-Louis Deniot’s…

ALL ABOUT ORCHIDS This exotic bloomer is the houseplant of 2023. Plant parents babying their Phalaenopsis can pat themselves on the back: National Garden Bureau named orchids the must-have houseplant for 2023. And we’re not just talking about the classic variety. Step out of your comfort zone with something more exotic, advises Todd Caldwell of floral design studio Emblem. “When it comes to trendy plants, the uglier the better,” he laughs, pointing to a blood-red Dracula orchid with its long spikes and Brassia orchids, which look like spiders. To care for them, try placing three ice cubes in each pot every week (avoid contact with roots or leaves) and let excess water drain out. Silvery roots and wrinkled leaves mean a plant is underwatered. Faking It No time to track down a rare orchid?…