Centrepieces for cooler weather

Earlier this week I shared my winter maintenance plans for my home, but today I'm turning my attention to the more fun part of the changing seasons: swapping out my decor!

Because I'm perpetually cold, I do keep a few blankets within easy reach all year long, but I'm thinking that's it's time to spread them out a little bit more liberally throughout the house. There's nothing more blissful than curling up with a cup of hot chocolate, a blanket and a shelter magazine once the weather turns chilly!

And, while I'm seriously tempted to pull out all the Christmas ornaments, I'm going to try a slower transition into the holiday, persuaded in part by our poll results that show people switch to winter decor right up into December!

So, this weekend, I'm swapping out my fall centrepiece of mini fairytale pumpkins (they're white!) and candles with something a little bit more wintry, but I still haven't decided quite what that will be.

So, as I often do when I'm stumped, I turned to Twitter! Here are a few ideas as suggested by my Tweeps:

- My first inclination was nuts still in the shell; which are both pretty and a fun snack. If you go this route, make sure to stock up - there's nothing sadder than a handful of nuts rattling around forgotten in a dish.

- I also thought cranberries, which are still a little bit of a fall tradition, but a lovely shade of festive red. 

- Twitter friend @Sarah_kiriliuk seconded my cranberry inclination, suggesting I pair it with dark green, stiff foliage and crimson roses. So pretty!

- Meanwhile @Larked and @MargotAustin (Style at Home senior design editor) both suggested pine cones. Larked went the glittery route, suggesting sparkle encrusted versions in gold, green, silver and red while @MargotAustin said to go with whatever suited my style!

- Other suggestions (thanks @melaniedaigle and @GeorgeLatto!) included combining mixed nuts and cranberries (like trail mix!) or trying rice or coarse salt for other pretty, and wintry, fillers. 

Trolling the blogs, I've also seen some pretty vases filled with cinnamon sticks (bet it smells great too!), miniature ornaments - which I've got my eye on for a little closer to the big day - and seasonal favourite evergreen boughs.

I'll be shopping this weekend and will be sure to share when my table is picture-ready! What are your choices for a seasonal centrepiece?

(Shutterstock image)

Paint it black ...

I've been looking at a lot of paint colours lately as Mr. Speedy and I try to pin down our plans for our hallway, bathroom, kitchen, office and basement (Yeah, it's a lot of painting. It may be all done sometime in 2012). And, as I pore through magazines, blogs and in-store swatches, I keep getting pulled in by black.

Painting your walls black is a serious commitment - can you imagine the trouble when it comes time to paint over it?

But as you can see in interior designer Windsor Smith's home (photo by Victoria Pearson for House Beautiful) with a little planning it looks positively stunning! See more of her home and read the full article at House Beautiful.

I would have expected a combo of black walls, black trim, a black rug and black furniture to seem cave-like, or at least claustrophobic, but instead it's just classy!

Still, while she's pulled the black on black look off perfectly, I don't think I'd be nearly this brave.

Just thinking about trying to keep everything looking pristine amid a storm of Allistair the bunny's white hair is certainly enough to deter me.

But it has inspired me to wonder about the potential for sleek black flooring or even (gasp) painting the trim something other than white! It certainly would make your windows a feature in an otherwise understated space!

Are you tempted to go over to the dark side with a pail of black paint?

Serve up some stylish cake

Entertaining season is upon us, and I'm starting to scope out the perfect serving ware to share sweet homemade treats -- whether I actually succeed in baking them, or end up picking them up at the local grocery store.

And, I can't help but appreciate this stunning cake server from Magisso.

The Finnish-designed server is made from a single piece of mirrored stainless steel and is pretty enough to display with all your holiday goodies. 

You press down on the cake with the server to cut "a perfect piece", then by squeezing the handle you can lift the slice and serve it to your guest.

It is definitely a splurge - retailing for almost $70.

And, some of my Twitter folks have expressed concern about how difficult it would be to clean. It certainly would require a thorough, and near-immediate, wipe to handle all that frosting!

For more information and retailers, visit Urban Butik's website. And check out some more goodies to entertain your holiday guests here!

Getting our home ready for winter

There's been a hint of winter in the air lately, and, as a result, Mr. Speedy and I have been turning our thoughts to getting our home all comfy and cozy before the snow starts falling. (Check out our fall home prep for some to-do list inspiration).

We've scheduled our furnace maintenance appointment to hopefully fend off any mid-winter breakdowns, and our plants have received a military haircut.

The BBQ and lawn furniture are ready to be stowed away in the garage, and we've had someone come by to give our roof a little TLC before it got too icy. 

Bleeding our radiators turned out to be a bigger job than expected because there was so much air in our system. But, it was also one of the tasks with the biggest pay-off, because they're heating so much more effectively now. No more waking up in the morning to a cool radiator in the bedroom and frozen toes!

We've also picked up some insulating window film to help stretch our heating dollars - but still need to install it. I'm betting it will make a much bigger difference once it's no longer sitting in the box!

Sadly, that's not al our to-do list. We somehow have made it this far into November without owning -- or needing, thank goodness -- snow shovels and salt (did you know you can now buy it scented?), an obvious essential for any homeowner or renter with a walkway. 

Our eaves troughs could also use some attention - a job that's been put off because we have yet to buy a ladder (and, also, perhaps, because it's rather unpleasant.)

And, finally, we also need to pull down our screens to store for the winter, a task the CMHC says promotes better air circulation to warm the glass and may help to prevent condensation on windows.

Those are the relatively simple, and mostly DIY, tasks we've got on our radar this winter.

The Home Depot also recommends:

- Weather stripping windows, which they say can offer up to 20 per cent saving on heating and cooling bills (with the simple peel and stick install, even newbie DIYers like us can handle it!).

- Wrapping your home in insulation with a higher R value, to prevent drafts, which is also estimated to reduce bills by 20 per cent - but does require a bit of time and effort.

- Upgrade your lightbulbs to CFLs, if you haven't already, and make sure any new light fixture purchases are Energy Star rated.

- Install/use a programmable thermostat. We've got ours scheduled to turn down during the day when no one is home and overnight while we're sleeping. Home Depot says the average household can save about $180 a year by setting a programmable thermostat!

- Installing water heater blankets and pipe insulation minimizes the amount of heat lost through the walls of the water heater, meaning it will turn on less often and save you money - for about a nine per cent savings on our water heating costs. 

And, if you're looking for a bigger savings, and bigger project, you could always install Energy Star windows and doors to help keep the heat in and the cold out this winter. 

What's on your winter to do list?

When fall decor turns to winter ...

Yesterday morning was the first sign of ice on my front stoop, which means my thoughts are turning to swapping out my fall centrepiece of white miniature pumpkins for something a little icier - perhaps some winter berries.

That aligns me with about 14 per cent of Yourhomers, who also make their decor's transition from fall to winter in early November, according to last week's poll. (If you're still feeling like fall, be sure to check out our seasonal style tips.)

Another 14 per cent make the swap in mid to late November, while an equal amount wait until December rolls around to embrace cozy throws and icy ornaments.

More than half, at 57 per cent, responded that they don't decorate seasonally. I think they're missing out on the fun! I love pulling out new centrepieces, accents and blankets to warm up the home, plus, by cycling through seasonal goodies, I'm less likely to get bored with my home's decor!

This week, I'm asking about your tolerance for chaos - would you live in your home during a massive renovation? The family (with five kids! Five!) on HGTV's Family Renovation did just that - find out how they coped in this week's Home Viewing column. Let me know in the front page poll (scroll down on the left).

And, for some more weekend entertainment, check out Colin and Justin's fab kitchen makeover (it's Ikea!), get the skinny on the newest paints, and follow along as a condo development is born.

Festive light exchange

I know, I know, it's far too early to start thinking about putting up your holiday lights. But, it's not too early to plan, right?

I ask because Toronto Hydro and the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas are launching the 6th annual Festive Light Exchange today at the St. Lawrence Market.

This program means Toronto residents can exchange two strings of incandescent holiday lights for one free string of energy-efficient LEDs. The program runs until December 6. Check out the schedule for neighbourhood swaps on the Toronto Hydro website. (They've also got instructions on making cute, eco-friendly ornaments.)

Not only is it a free holiday decoration, but it also should help lower your seasonal electricity bill. Toronto Hydro says these eco-friendly bulbs, which are supposed to last about 20 to 30 years, use up to 95 per cent less electricity, saving you money on your bill.

They also produce very little heat, which makes them safer for use around children and pets. Plus, they're virtually unbreakable, "because the chips that convert electricity to light are encapsulated in solid plastic, rather than glass bulbs."

I know I'll be opting for LEDs when it comes time to buy (my first!) strings of lights for my new home! And, if you are among those who don't think it's too early to be dreaming of holidays, check out our tips for greening the festivities. 

(Shutterstock image)

Flu-proofing your home

If the number of vacant desks, sickly tweets and my own bout with a nasty bug are any indication, I'd say cold and flu season is upon us. Pair that with the panic over the H1N1 virus (get all the latest news at sister site Healthzone.ca), and we're all being a little bit more careful lately.

Of course, you can't actually "flu-proof" your home, but you can help stem the spread of germs. While handwashing tops the list of important things to do, you should also consider the following to help banish those icky bugs:

- Wipe down faucets, light switches and door handles regularly. Whether you're a commercial-grade disinfectant type or prefer the natural germ-killing mixture of vinegar and water, make sure to give these commonly touched areas a thorough, and regular, cleaning.

- Clean your laptop/computer. I know I'm not as good about this as I should be, but I also know that every time I'm sick, I rely on my laptop to keep me entertained - meaning there's probably a few germs hanging out in my keyboard. Not to mention all the bunny hair and dust that's probably living in there, too.

- Clean your remote. I hadn't thought of this one until I saw it on This Old House, then had to run home and wipe down all our remotes and video game controllers. Like your computer, you rely on it when you're sick, so it's quite possibly one of the most disgusting things in your home.

- Clean your cleaners. Cloths, mops and sponges can end up just pushing germs around. So either replace them or bust the germs by sending them for a spin in hot water in your washing machine or dishwasher. You can also try microwaving them for a minute.

- Wash your sheets, towels and blankets in hot water. It may not be eco-friendly, but a cold wash doesn't reach the necessary temperatures to kill any germs hanging out in your pillowcase or favourite comfy throw.

- Prevent cross-contamination by using separate sponges for dishwashing and counter cleaning, and use separate cutting boards for meats and veggies.

Choosing copper finishes. for example for sinks and pulls, could also help, as some sources say copper may have antiviral properties.

And, for those times when all the handwashing and cleaning just aren't enough to keep germs at bay, be sure to stock up on loads of tissues, comfy blankets and a large but stylish tea pot!

For more clean home tips, check out the excellent guide from This Old House and check out our green cleaning guide.

Smart meter savings?

November 1 marked the start of smart metered electricity rates in my home, along with the realization that our habits could certainly be improved to help make our home more eco-friendly, and save money on our bill.

Smart meters measure your household electrical usage in real time, allowing different costs to be applied to your hydro bill depending on the time of day you're using electricity.

Peak times, like weekday mornings and early evenings in the winter; and summer days between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., cost more than off-times, like weekends, stat holidays and overnight from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Check out Toronto Hydro's page on time of use rates.

Toronto Hydro estimates that the average family will end up paying about 1 per cent more on their bill if they stick with their current habits. But, they say, by changing your habits you could shave a few dollars off your bill! 

Because Mr. Speedy and I are new homeowners (living in a dismal economy), we've been trying to cut costs wherever possible - fewer dinners out, planning our purchases more carefully and even scrimping on my shoe shopping! So, we'll be tracking our usage on our account's time of use page (register here for your own), and trying to make a few changes to adapt to the new fee structure.

A few of our planned changes:

- Monday morning laundry, while convenient, will be less expensive if made a Sunday habit, so we'll aim for a Sunday afternoon football and folding combo.

- We'll be double-checking that computers are shut off before leaving for work in the morning (something we probably should have been doing anyway).

- We'll plug more of our electronics into power bars and turn them off when they're not in use, to avoid any "vampire" power drains.

- We'll double check that our programmable thermostat is running the furnace a few degrees lower during the day when we're not at home, to save money on running the fan.

- We'll be even more vigilant about turning off lights when leaving the house in the early evening.

What suggestions do you have for cutting down peak electricity usage?

Learn more about smart meters:

To save on hydro, let the dishes wait

Smart meters aren't popular but they're the right approach

Amazon.ca adds home and garden section

Yesterday, while indulging in a bit of a pity party over being sick, I figured if if I couldn't leave the house (or even the sofa), I might as well pass some non-napping time with online shopping.

So, I was really excited to discover that Amazon.ca had finally added a whole new shopping section dedicated to home and decor!

I say finally, because this option has been available to Amazon.com shoppers for quite some time.

In addition to providing me with some much needed distraction on a sick day, I'm thrilled at the expansion of last-minute gifting opportunities - everything from a coffee maker or tea set to a vacuum, stand mixer or even furniture!

I'm still exploring the site's offerings, but there seems to be a pretty good selection of price points, as well as a variety of contemporary, traditional and modern furniture pieces.