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Indoorsy: A Blog Dedicated to The Great Indoors

Summertime Sadness

July 06, 2024 2 Comments

“What are you even doing with your summer?” Every year around this time, this is the thought that runs through my head. Summer is so fresh and new, the weather still tentative (as if that changes). Everything’s lush, the air heavy with the scent of late blooming lilacs, peonies, fresh cut grass. The giddiness of that first drink on a patio, hanging baskets overflowing, summer is at its finest. The possibility of what lies ahead is overwhelming. Completely overwhelming. Because I am not a summer person. I love the great indoors and summer is a season notorious for the enjoyment of outdoor pursuits. The result? A certain kind of summertime sadness that can only be born of the concern not that summer is passing too quickly, but too slowly.

Dressed in Holiday Style

December 11, 2022

Whenever I hear that verse of Silver Bells, I always imagine myself bundled up in a long coat, wearing a jaunty little hat (not unlike the one worn by Mary Steenburgen in Elf) and carrying several brown paper Macy’s shopping bags. I am standing outside of a store gazing at its Christmas window display while around me the shoppers rush home with their treasures. All at once, I am jostled by a passerby and one of my packages drops to the sidewalk. I bend down to pick it up and come face to face with the stranger, who has also bent to retrieve it. He looks alarmingly like Jude Law as he did in the movie The Holiday, his eyes- how they twinkle, his dimples how merry! When he speaks, I swear I can hear a hint of an accent, ”Drop something?” he says, his droll little mouth drawn up like a bow. I have only slightly regained my composure when Clint sidles up behind us and says “I’m so tired. Why do malls make me so tired? Where did you get that hat?” And as I turn back to thank my kind stranger, I hear him exclaim, as he walks out of sight, “Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!”

AHR's Guide to Being Scared Silly

October 16, 2022

Allow me to immediately absolve you of the illusion that I’ve been a lifelong fan of all things scary. It’s true that movies like Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13^th and Halloween were all the rage when I was a teen but, unfortunately for me and my street cred, I was the kid who’d leave the room at the mere mention of them. I once found myself in a situation where I was forced to watch Children of the Corn and it traumatized me for YEARS. For literal years, every time I thought about the movie, I’d get a chill that would run from the front to the back of my left shoulder. I literally have no idea how I ended up in a situation where I watched this movie, but it probably involved a boy and dear reader, it was not worth it. I’m still not into slasher flicks, mainly because I just find them a little ridiculous, but I am into psychological thrillers and have a passion for true crime that occasionally concerns my husband (but also keeps him on his toes?). Apparently, I’m only engaged if these horrible things are within the realm of possibility? I’d prefer not to look too closely at the psychology behind that, so let’s get down to business!

Get the Look: You've Got Mail

September 11, 2022

"Don’t you love Okotoks in the Fall? Makes me want to watch You’ve Got Mail."

Well, I guess if I’m being completely honest, I always want to watch You’ve Got Mail, but the urge is especially strong at the first hint of Fall. In a lot of ways, I’m not typically nostalgic when it comes to the 90’s. I’m not eager to revisit my grunge phase, but I do have a special place in my heart when it comes to 90’s interior and set design. Enter You’ve Got Mail and, more specifically, Meg Ryan’s apartment.

AHR's Design Rules

August 14, 2022

"Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist." - Pablo Picasso

When you think of creativity, rules probably aren’t the first thing that come to mind. But in art, as in life, there are certain rules that point us in the right direction and give us a better chance for success; interior design is no exception. The following are guidelines for some of the most common stumbling blocks I see, those tricky little design conundrums you shouldn't need a degree to master.

AHR's Favorite Summer Reads

July 10, 2022

Summer reading. For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved stocking up on books for the summer. If I’m being honest, I love stocking up on books any time of the year, but there’s something about the promise of long summer afternoons spent lounging in the shade or by water, with a good book. It’s the anticipation of relaxation, when the most pressing thing you have to do is finish a chapter, refill your drink and reapply your sunscreen.

AHR's Most Fun Summer

June 19, 2022

I don’t know if it’s a culmination of the last two years, the lousy spring weather, or the beautiful bright party plates that I’m clearly obsessed with in store, but I am ready to have THE MOST FUN this summer. And by THE MOST FUN, I mean working my way through a list of beautiful little projects and experiences I always mean to get around to planning and executing, but never really do. Right about now, you might be asking what it says about me that the most fun thing I can imagine for myself is a list of tasks to plan and execute and to that I say, THAT’S BETWEEN ME AND MY THERAPIST (but yes, I am a Capricorn, thanks for asking).

AHR's Guide to Buying Art

April 10, 2022

Oh, you haven’t received a large inheritance from a distant great aunt which stipulated it be used in service of expanding the family art dynasty? Me neither! Guess what? You can still afford some pretty great art. If it’s the investment that’s holding you back, there are plenty of ways to start amassing your collection without amassing a lot of debt.

What's New for Spring

March 20, 2022

Just like a breath of fresh air, spring has arrived at An Honest Room! Everything feels so much lighter and brighter. We celebrated our second anniversary on Monday, March 14^th and we’ve got some great new products, many of the highly requested! Here’s a little overview of what’s new in store.

AHR's Guide to Cottagecore

February 20, 2022

Even if you’ve never heard the word cottagecore, you’ve most definitely seen it in action, and if spring and fall product lines are any indication, you’re about to be seeing a whole lot more of it.

AHR's Guide to Giving

December 05, 2021

It's the most wonderful time of the year...except for the stress of figuring out what to buy for each and every person on your list. Well, we've got a few suggestions to help with gifts for some of your favorite people: the Hostess, the Cook, the Design Lover, the Bartender, and the Homebody.

Deck Your Halls

November 14, 2021 1 Comment

Here, I’ll go first. My name is Regan, and I am the owner of four quilted, Santa Claus shaped placemats. I used them for longer than I’d like to admit. My past crimes against Christmas include: decorating my tree with gold plastic cherub head ornaments, using matching cherub tree lights, and layering white and gold wired ribbon to make massive bows that I stuck all over the tree. There’s just something about the holidays that make even the most design savvy among us completely disregard our typical sense of style and it made me wonder, “How does one remain true to oneself while decking their halls”? I’ve come up with seven simple steps you can take to keep from losing your mind (and your design cred).

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