It doesn't matter whether you live in a sleek urban townhome or an old farmhouse in the country, blending Canadiana with contemporary accessories can be successful as long as it's not overdone.
Janet Detillieux of Country Clover in Ottawa gets a warm, comfy feeling when she thinks of Canadiana. It's the little touches that add a warm welcome to a room, says the retailer.
"Blanket boxes, pretty quilts and braided rugs add warmth to a home. Canada's pioneers built furniture that mimicked what they had left behind in their homeland. Originally the idea was to provide comfort at the smallest cost, so a lot of the furniture was built by hand in pine. One feels that each piece has a story."
Canadiana immediately conjures up images of a home with big family appeal, high-functioning layouts and very little wasted space. Dining tables and chairs are clean-lined and sturdy, while a four-poster pine bed evokes a nostalgic, romantic air in the bedroom. Elements of Canadiana include wide-plank flooring, wainscotting, maple cabinetry and personal vintage pieces. White is a staple as long as it's pared with wood and the occasional splash of colour. White linens, a touch of lace and simple white dishes offer a clean, traditional look.
"I served a young couple recently who wanted an old-fashioned quilt for their leather couch. Fads come and go, but old-fashioned treasures are timeless and never go out of fashion," says Detillieux.
Creating a helping of Canadiana is as simple as a white pitcher filled with a cheerful summer bouquet or a floral quilt draped over a couch. Old gameboards are decorative as well as practical, while framed tin ceiling tiles add a touch of heritage in a kitchen and eye appeal when nailed to a garden fence.
Sonia McCaul, owner of Ravensara, also in Ottawa, says Canadiana evokes images of an outdoor nature theme of beavers, loons and moose.
"I think of wilderness, fishing, canoes and voyageurs, the Hudson's Bay stripes and rustic cottages. You can't help but think of the work by the Group of Seven."
--Canwest News Service
True North style
Janet Detillieux of Country Clover offers these suggestions for incorporating Canadiana into your home:
A blanket box looks great in front of
leather or slipcovered couch and can store DVDs and magazines.
A pail or bucket bench is useful in an entranceway to stash boots or shoes. Old dough bowls display decorative . fruits, balls and potpourri. Old ladders make practical racks for . towels in a bathroom.
Tin buckets can be flower vases, old crates can store magazines. Put
cushion on an old rocking chair for your front porch or in the sunroom. Washstands and small painted tables are ideal to serve as bedside tables or in hallways.
Place an old chair in the bedroom, bathroom or even tucked under a modern kitchen table.
