Personal {family photos}

We have been so fortunate to have our family's growth documented by Maria Lang over the last 4 years. Every time I book a session with her I get so giddy with excitement to work together and especially to the final product!! We were initially scheduled to have family photos taken in mid-October...but this is Calgary, so of course the snow fell and it fell hard. I kept putting it off, between cold temperatures & sick children I thought we would never get them done. Even on the day we ended up shooting Maria & I were calling each other trying to decide if we should or shouldn't. Well, let me tell you...I am SO glad we did! Here is a peek at her amazing talent (and my cute boys)...

We took our photos in our backyard, the snow was deep, the wind had a chill, but the trees appeared to be covered in crystals, it was beautiful and I am beyond thrilled with the final images!

Below are just a few faves from over the years, thank you Maria for your talent!! xx

 If you are in the Calgary area or coming to visit and want AMAZING photos of your family get in touch with Maria!! Mel xo

 want more?? Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Instagram under verandainterior

Montgomery {final images}

I received some images from the shoot that the insanely talented Tracey Ayton did from the home I talked about here. I wanted to share these with you, they are on our website but I had to showcase them on this form as well. Tracey has an amazing eye, her images are perfect and they capture the space in a beautiful way.

image via Tracey Ayton for Veranda Estate Homes

Hope you enjoy these image, I am looking forward to working with Tracey again in the new year, I can't wait to see how she captures more of our work!! Mel xo

want more?? Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Instagram under verandainterior

Our Home {exterior}

We had the exterior of our home photographed for our web site literately hours before winter decided to show up here in Calgary. Since fall is my favorite time of the year I thought it was the perfect time to capture the place I call home.

Since we are nestled in the trees it is hard to get a clear full shot of the front, and let me just tell you, forget about getting a pic of the back...trees galore!! We can literately stand on our deck and touch the towering aspens, it is so peaceful and I love it.

I know I haven't shared much from the interior, and you have asked, but I am have yet to have professional images taken. Since there are sites like Pinterest & Decorpad I just don't feel comfortable sharing image of our home without them being done properly and with the right lighting. But I do hope to share some with you soon, don't worry!

Image via LifeSeven

So that is the home I share with my boys, it is proving to be a wonderful house with amazing memories being made daily...and I am finally feeling 'at home' here. Have an amazing weekend all!!! Mel xo

BTW, check out our web site HERE and be sure to follow Veranda Estate Homes on Facebook HERE for updates on projects, lots of amazing things coming up!!

  want more?? Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Instagram under verandainterior

My Favorite Room...

Hello all, please head over to La Dolce Vita today, I am sharing with her readers one of my favorite spots in my home!!! Here is a hint...

Mel xo

  want more?? Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Instagram under verandainterior

{eight}

 

I've danced with him for the past 8 years to many songs & I hope we can dance for 100 more. 

xoxo

Watermark I Kitchen

Here is a little peek at what will be going into the Watermark I kitchen, consider it a whole lot of awesomeballs. We are at the finishing stage for this home so expect some updates here and a lot on Instagram!!

Visual Comfort pendants above the table that is being built off of the island. A beautiful creamy calm white for the cabinetry, darker custom stain for the interior of the glass cabinet doors and for the table top I mentioned above. Artistic Tile is going to be gracing the walls in the kitchen, a mother of pearl mosaic for the perimeter and above the range area a combination of Thassos marble & Mother of Pearl inlays. A chrome Brizo pot filler will be an added jewel on this space. For the counters we are using a honed Calcutta marble throughout...it made me cry, it's just too pretty. There will be an apron front sink at the main window and the Brizo Tresa bridge faucet will be sitting atop it. I still have the cabinet hardware to select, trying to decide between all pulls or a combination of cups and knobs...what will it be??? Mel xo

  want more?? Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Instagram under verandainterior

Alberta Home Magazine Feature

I have been meaning to share this with you for a bit, but life is busy as can be and I finally found the time to scan this article in. Alberta Home Magazine featured a home that we built back in 2011 in the inner-city for an amazing couple, Wayne & Veronika. While it is the final issue of Alberta Home (another magazine says goodbye) I am grateful to Tracey Ayton for such stunning images, the magazine for featuring one of our homes in a beautiful 6 page spread, and the clients for being incredible. 

*Sorry for the very small type, this is the best I could do with the scanner, I'll pay for your eye exam if needed*

Just looked at the preview for this post and well, if you can or do read any of the awesome article you get a gold start for the day!! I hope to get some more images of the shoot from Tracey soon, once I do I will share them with you, she has a wonderful way of capturing homes!! Mel xo

Project Update: Altadore III

This is the last of the 3 homes side by side we are building in Altadore, at least until we find another 100' to pick up in a great location. Here are some progress pics, a few I have posted already on Instagram, but some others are from my trusty iPhone camera.

{exterior}

The stucco is completed and the pre-grading is done, now we just need to wait for the exterior stain and stone to be finished. Landscaping after that!

{office}

The wall turned out amazing, now it just needs a couple coats of Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain to really pop.

 And of course, this light from Arteriors. I did have to make a deal with the client that I would change the bulbs for this light while they are living in the home, he was turned off when I told him it required a tool...oh the things I will do to see my vision completed, LOL!

via Arteriors

{kitchen}

Adore this space. It is flooded with natural light, cabinets to the 10' ceiling, storage galore, and the island. Oh the island, horizontal grain quarter sawn oak and just over 10' long...LoVe.

 These beauties will be gracing the island, they are tucked away in my garage and waiting to be placed in their new home.

via Visual Comfort

{main bath}

This bath will be for the clients adorable daughter L, she is the sweetest thing ever and my little guy M is pretty smitten with her. We are going all white in this room with the 2" hexagon floor & 3x6 subway tile with charcoal grout.

 The vanity has a lot of storage and the back of the wall will be tiled with an inset mirror...and what I am most excited about, the lights that will be on each side of the mirror, these awesome ones below, FUN! Accessorizing with bold pinks, silver, & glass.

via Visual Comfort

{master bathroom}

The client shares my love for chevron, so you can expect to see it in a few places. One is the mud room floor, a few pillow I have picked up for her, and the master bathroom floor. The vanities are custom built (like everything we do) quarter sawn oak that will be open on the bottom by 9", they are going to be a great addition to this room.

{great room}

This fireplace wall turned out ridiculous, my first response was a simple 'SEXY!'. Our finisher did an amazing job, horizontal quarter sawn oak with mitered corners, recess for the TV, and window seats flanking each side. Can't wait to get some stain and the fireplace trim on this baby!

Next week the finishers are moving into Watermark I, so you can expect more blog updates for me on that. It is a completely different vibe and feel than this home, so it will be fun to do a home with more traditional elements after 3 more modern takes on design over the past few months. Watermark II will be getting excavated in the next few weeks as well. We are in the process of approvals with the City on 3 new inner-city homes, and of course...I have a few more logs in the fire I am working on. I'll keep you posted. Mel xo

  want more?? Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Instagram under verandainterior

Recipe: Easy Flatbread

The last couple of weeks have been a tad crazy around here. From having family in town, dealing with back to school, a shower for our cousin who had the most AMAZING wedding this past weekend you can pretty much call me CRAY CRAY. This past Friday I hosted a bridal party luncheon for our beautiful cousin Dorothy (the one that had that amazing wedding mentioned above). This is one of the dishes that I served, it is always a hit and so incredibly easy it is like me...Cray Cray.

Yummy looking, right? Just wait till you try them...you will thank me. ;)

1 can refrigerated pizza dough

Pesto (from scratch if you have time, if not Classico makes a great one!)

Fresh mozzarella

Baby Arugula

Prosciutto

Fresh shaved good Parmigiano-Reggiano

High quality extra virgin olive oil

Balsamic reduction

Black salt (available in gourmet stores)

For the base of the flat bread I roll out the dough and then cut it into 8 small pieces, heat up a panini maker to 375 and place one piece on the panini press for aprox. 3 min. or until they are golden. I press them down so the dough will spread and become thin.

Spread a good amount of pesto along the top of the flatbread, top with a few slices of the fresh mottza, then a heaping handful of arugula, top that with some yummy prosciutto, then the shaved parmesan. Drizzle the balsamic & EVVO on top of the breads and sprinkle with the black salt. 

Yep...that is it. And no, no rules or measurements, my kind of recipe!!

And here are just a few clips from this past weekend, AKA the AMAZING WEDDING.

Being so short on time with everything that is going on I still wanted to have an beautiful atmosphere for Dorothy and her bridal party, so nothing like a bunch of flowers from Safeway and a little creativity to jazz our home.

A quick pic with the Hubs cousins after the brunch, Dorothy on the left was the stunning bride and Sylvia on the right (yes, they are twins) will be getting married next summer!

 

The reception was beautiful, not a detail was left undone. It was held at the Fairmont Palliser in downtown Calgary and to say it was perfection would be an understatement. The grooms cousin played a few songs for the guest, nothing like a little Eric Clapton to set the mood!

The first dance, yes, it was out of a fairy tale...

Congratulations again Dorothy & Jordan, love you both!!! Mel xo

  want more?? Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Instagram under verandainterior

Fashion finds...

When we got home at the beginning of the week I unpacked and then purged my closet. I think it is time to start filling it back up. Keeping it simple, spend $ on classic items, spend little $ on trendy items. Something I have always lived by. Here are a few great items that may be making a new home in the pink closet...

{Vegan Leather Peplum Top}

via piperlime

Here is a pic from Atlantic-Pacific wearing this top (I will admit the peplum looks longer on her, but she gave the link to the top above), she makes everything look fab.

{Page Leather Leggings}

Keeping the leather look going these leather leggings are amazing. A lot more versatile than you may think too!

 via shopbop

 I have a similar pair i picked up last year and wore them out for New Years Eve with a flowy top and heels...they come in very hand with you want to jazz it up for a night out!

{New Lovers}
I went to Holts the other day, on the hunt for the perfect nude shoes for my cousins wedding in 2 weeks. So what did I find? The exact opposite of what I was looking for, but one look at that asymmetric toe and I was in love. Thinking I need a date night so they can go out on the town!!

available here

Don't they look nice in the pink closet? 

{Staple Tank}

Do you have that item that you swear by?? Mine is this tank from Old Navy, I honestly buy them 10 at a time, for only $7.50 they are a steal, and a lot of times you can get 25% off as well on-line!! BTW, gal in teal, I'll take your arms any day, nice work!

via Old Navy

{Utility Jacket}

A couple of weeks ago I posted about this jacket from the Gap below, which I guess is pretty popular since they are always running out of sizes on line.

via Gap

 

Old Navy has a great one as well, pretty cute isn't it?? So if you stuck out with the Gap one or the price was more than you wanted to spend take a look at this one, a fab find for under $40!

via Old Navy

So how was that for a mix match of a fashion finds? I'm all over the map, I know, but I like it that way, makes it easier for me to justify the big ticket items. Enjoy your weekend, I'll be busy working and cooking, just found out I get to have my brother-in-law and two nephews in town for a bit. Let the baking begin!!! Mel xo

  want more?? Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Instagram under verandainterior

Happenings...

Busy week, what would you expect for the first week back after a long holiday, right? Here are a few happenings so far this week...

Watermark I selections are underway and I am getting more and more excited about this home every day. Here are two options for a feature tile on the backsplash in the kitchen, paired up with the quartz that I hope (pretty pretty PLEASE) the clients love.

I have decided to go manly for the basement, rich wood tones, metals, polished concrete floors, and this stunning onyx on the bar, it is ridiculous in person.

We also recently had some of our work published in Alberta Home Magazine. It is from our Montgomery project that was completed 2 years ago. The crazy talented Tracey Ayton photographed the home for the magazine and her images just shine on these pages. I'll get the article scanned in and share it with you soon, promises!

K...gotta run, finalizing up millwork details & lighting for Altadore III this week, lots of good things coming your way regarding that home. Mel xo

  want more?? Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Instagram under verandainterior