This incredible wood paneling was discovered by architecture and real estate firm Kasha Paris under layers of paint. WHAT WOULD EVER POSSESS SOMEONE TO PAINT OVER SOMETHING THIS BEAUTIFUL?!?! My mind is completely blown. Its beauty is now left to shine as it deserves and is quite spectacular. Put down the paint brush people, and get out the sandpaper!

A gut renovation project that included a new interior layout starting after the historic second room of the home, the owner chose to enliven the original front rooms by exposing the beams above and painting the ceilings a bold color. A reimaging of the second-floor loft included a new painted curved stair with skylights above, guest bedroom, playroom with an integrated kitchenette and a guest bathroom. The exterior restoration incorporated a large side porch addition of approximately 52’ long by 8’ wide, a series of wood French doors connecting the porch to the living space, repairs to existing wood windows and doors, and a new playful exterior color palette. Portions of the exterior of the home were repaired and replaced due to termite damage.
This house is adorable! The front and back porches, the pink shutters, the floor to ceiling bookcases, double sided brick fireplace….so many things adding so much personality! By architecture firm Studio BKA.

My backyard has gone through some changes over the past few years since we started working on it. One of the things we did recently was remove a tree and a badly designed catio in the corner of our yard and we ended up with this rather large area of essentially unused space. We laid some flagstone we bought for $200 on Facebook Marketplace and decided this would become a barbecue area. My husband was going to design and build a gazebo to put over the barbecue (for some reason he hates cooking in the rain LOL) but to my absolute delight, the folks at Backyard Discovery reached out about the recent launch of their new Canadian site, backyarddiscovery.ca, and offered me one of their products to test out. When I learned that among play structures, pergolas and gazebos, they had actual grill gazebos I could not believe my luck! Not that I didn’t think my husband could build one, but I am 150% sure this went WAY smoother and looks better than what he would have come up.

I went with the Saxony grill gazebo, which is perfect for an “average” size barbecue (up to 70″ wide) and really fit the space we had to work with without being too bulky. It comes ready to assemble in pre-stained cedar, with a roof made of steel so it can withstand our Canadian winters and the snow they naturally come with. It requires 2 people to put together so my husband and I tackled it together. He’s got a slew of tools in his workshop so we had everything we needed (and much more) to be able to put it together, but really it just needed the basics (ie. hammer, wrenches, screwdrivers, drills etc).

When we unpacked everything I got a little nervous because there were MANY bolts and screws and doodads as per the above photo, and the instructions did say it would take 2 people around 4 hours to put together. Realistically it took a bit longer than that with some sanity breaks thrown in, and went faster as we learned some “tricks” – one important one being that while the holes are pre-drilled, we discovered after stripping a few screws inexplicably that there was a lot of debris from the pre-drilling in the holes so we used a long screw to jam in to all the holes to clear them before drilling.
We started with the basic structure:

Then we added the side sections that included steel balusters and powder coated steel countertops (LOVE this extra space for serving and prepping food and hanging out and enjoying a drink – it’s almost like a little bar!):

Then we tackled the roof. My husband built the frame while I peeled off the very-stuck-on coating on the steel roof panels.

Husband was super excited that this grill gazebo came with the ability to have power, so he happily installed the PowerPort™ onto the back left post that features 3 electrical outlets and 3 USB ports, allowing him to install lights on the roof, a fan, charge his phone while grilling and plugging in one of his handmade bluetooth speakers (we always have one outside with us).

And there you have it, all done! We were sooooo happy with how this grill gazebo turned out. My husband stared out the back door for days in awe. We have a little bit of work still to do around that area but with some potted plants around the new gazebo, it really is looking fabulous already and we have been barbequing non-stop since we put it together. Before I share some photos of it looking cute and ready for some grilling, the kind folks @ Backyard Discovery are offering 15% off with the code DESIRETOINSPIRE15 on the Canadian site valid until July 15th. I could not recommend their products more – this was such a blessing and we honestly could not be more pleased with how it looks and functions.

Within the historic centre of a small town of Baix Empordà and just 10 minutes from the beach, we find this wonderful 17th-century townhouse. This three-storey house has been divided into two independent homes, which will give the new owners a lot of flexibility: two families can live there, one family can live there and rent the second home, or use both as a single-family home. The first home on the ground floor, of approximately 100 m², has a living room, kitchen, guest bathroom, two bedrooms with private bathrooms and also a patio area that connects with the rest of the garden. As is usual in these houses, we find an old well and vaulted ceilings. The upper home is romantic and with an aristocratic feel with high ceilings and ceramic floors. On the first floor, we find the kitchen, the living room with a fireplace, the dining room and a large terrace for outdoor dining, as well as two bedrooms with private bathrooms that are accessed by the same terrace. On the second floor, we find a library and a third bedroom with private bathroom with access to another sunny terrace. In the garden we find a sixth bedroom with a private bathroom, reserved for the service staff or for guests, since it is separate from the two homes.
This is everything you could want – lots of preserved architectural details, modern amenities, the prettiest outdoor spaces and even rental income! For sale for €850,000 via Lucas Fox.

Ashley Montgomery does it again with yet another project of perfection, where I would not change a single thing. On The Ravine is a blend of neutrals and wood and textures and earthiness and a touch of grandeur. So easy on the eyes. I’d walk through that front door and immediately let out a deep breath and sigh. Photos: Lauren Miller.