We are so happy to welcome Catherine Cachia to the blog as she shares her lovely home with us! We found Catherine's home via #ABMathome on Instagram and fell in love with this bright yellow door and cute chalkboard wall. We had to see more! 🙂
"We live in Toronto, Canada where the real estate market is pretty tough! When we decided to take the plunge and go from renting to owning, we looked at approximately 50 homes in a few different areas and got into several bidding wars before coming across this semi-detached house that we now own. It didn’t have the greatest kitchen and so we were hopeful that it wouldn’t get too many offers. And it didn’t! We were surprised and thrilled to actually come in slightly under budget on the house and in a position to fully renovate the kitchen. The week we moved in, we began knocking out a large opening in the wall that separates the kitchen from the living space to create a sort of ‘breakfast bar’ and let as much light flow throughout the main floor as possible.
"My favourite space in our home is definitely the main floor living area. It’s not a huge space, but it is definitely the heart of the home where my husband, pooch and I spend the majority of our time together. It is also where we hang out with friends and family. I love that they can sit and have a drink on our stools at the ‘breakfast bar’ and chat with me while I’m preparing food in the kitchen. The four-person midcentury sofa is great because it provides a decent amount of seating without cluttering up the limited space with a lot of furniture pieces. The living space has gone through endless furniture arrangements and I’m happy to say that I think I’ve finally got it right. Well, at least for now!
"My current favourite item in our home is the vintage peacock chair I found at a garage sale on my street for $10, which my Dad cleaned up and repainted for me in my favourite colour. I also love my Judy dress form, which used to be my Great Aunt Dorothy’s. I collect and sell vintage clothing, so she is the perfect place to display some of my favourite pieces.
"Our décor is basically an eclectic mix of vintage and thrifted pieces, with some DIY projects and a handful of new things. I don’t like to rush pulling a space together but rather like to let it evolve over time, slowly removing things that feel tired or cluttered and adding things that feel fresh or energizing.
"Perhaps my greatest thrifting achievement is the vintage king-size Hudson’s Bay blanket I found at the Salvation Army for $15. I examined that thing top to bottom, assuming something had to be wrong with it, but there were absolutely no stains or imperfections to be found!
"With our first little babe on the way, I look forward to seeing my studio get transformed into a nursery, and generally love seeing all of our spaces continue to evolve!"
Thanks so much for sharing, Catherine! You can find more of Catherine on her blog and on Instagram. xo.
Credits://Author and Photography: Catherine Cachia.
41 Comments
This is pretty!
Love the yellow door
Great place you have and great photos!
Love all the little details, but really swooning over that kitchen table set!! Lovely home!
-Molly
http://www.modcircus.com/
This apartment is so simple, yet stunning. I love the pops of color on the stove, and the yellow door would make me smile every time I saw it. of course, as a Canadian, I am partial to the HBC blanket on the bed!! Thanks for this awesome inpo 🙂
xx Jill
The Most Feminine Leopard + Designer Gear At An Amazing Price
What a cute space!
Carrie
http://www.wearwherewell.com
I love the style (I’m a huge fan of antiques and vintage finds). I’m affraid I’m not that good at decorating my own space 🙁 But really? A vintage HBC king size blanket for 15$? That is crazy lucky! The company started selling this vintage look again and, brand new, they easily go up to a hundred bucks! Jealous!
What an adorable studio! Is that desk painted? Where did you find those teal boxes? Thanks!
That formica table rocks. So hard to find them. You two look cute together. Congrats on the baby…
Lovely photos! I love the style and all the little details and great finds! I can’t believe the price of some of the things you found! Great hunting skills.
xo
http://www.ma-luxe.com
That Hudson Bay throw is the find of the decade – awesome!
The vintage peacock chair is so fun. I love what you did to your wedding photo next to the chair. I am going to have to blow mine up like that. Is it on a canvas? So great!
Keri
http://www.thestylestudiobykb.com
love white decor and really love that house!
Love the blanket! Have one just like that was my parents’. Not sure how much they paid for it, but they are expensive now! Good find.
http://www.thisrainylife.com
I totally agree! Mindblowingly awesome find 😀
Hi Anamarie! Thank you! Yes, I sanded down the table that I use for a desk and then painted white strips on it. I used painters tape to mask off a design first and then coated the whole thing in a clear finish. And the teal boxes are Sophie Conran dishware boxes. Too good to throw out, I’d say.
Hi Keri! Thank you! The photo is just a blueprint poster that you can get printed at Grand & Toy (or any big print shop like that). It is less than $10 for a huge print that I think makes a big impact. I got the idea from a few different projects right here on ABM! You should go for it:)
Haha, thanks Elyse and Dominique for sharing my enthusiasm on that find!
What a lovely, colorful home! I agree with what Catherine said about letting a space evolve – it takes time to get to really know a space.
-Rachel
Hello. I like very much yours blog. Its very clever. The couch on the second photo is like a Polish furniture in PRL time. About 20 years ago everybody was threw to the garbage furniture like this on the picture. And now everybody have a Ikea at home.
What a beautiful spot! That breakfast bar is ah-may-zing, especially now learning they made it themselves! Bravo!
Loving this place! Totally my style.
ABM — where did your “pin it” button go on all your photos? Not sure if it’s just me, but it’s been gone for a little while and I miss it. 🙁
Hi Wendy! It’s at the bottom of the post, and also in the left hand corner if you’re viewing from your computer. 🙂 -Jacki
They have a great mix of styles in their home. I really like the yellow door in the house, its fun to have such a bright color inside.
Catherine, thanks for letting me know! So cute!
Great Dog
Thanks, Jacki! I’ve been using that, too, but I totally prefer it right on the photos so when I see a photo I want to keep (not just the link to the page), I can choose that specific photo right then and there.
Wow!! Their home is incredible!
http://www.tusksandtails.com
beautiful couple and beautiful home!
Ditto – such an awesome home. LOVE your kitchen, esp the stove. Thanks for sharing!
Your place is gorgeous! And it’s exciting to see a fellow Torontonian on here. That HBC blanket is the thrift find of the decade! I’ll definitely be checking out your blog. And Go Jays!
Beautiful home! I love the Bay blankets. I need to find one for my home, too.
xoxoBella | http://xoxobella.com
Hi!! Are you guys going to do the “at home with” contest again? I have a friend who’s apartment is AMAZING. You guys would love it!
Love that yellow door http://www.hannamarielei.com
Hi Melissa! It’s an ongoing feature, so we would love to see it! You can send photos to submit AT abeautifulmess DOT com. 🙂 -Jacki
I absolutely love this home! 🙂 There’s so much colour and personality in everything they’ve chosen and displayed. It’s really lovely and I’d love to create a space this warm and cheerful one day…totally nabbing the yellow door idea!!
🙂
Flora
http://www.hardyandhay.com
What a cheerful space!
I have to know–is the CD storage custom? My husband and I have too many to count.
Thanks!
As much as $100 sounds like a lot, I must tell you that you are far under estimating. A blanket that size goes for closer to $500!
Love all the little Canadian touches and the breakfast bar. That HBC blanket is the find of the century! Go you! And congrats on the baby too!
Such a pretty home!
Laura
http://laurahager.blogspot.com/
I love the yellow door. What color paint did you use?