“My heart will always be in a little cottage by the sea.”
Hello and welcome to Art From Nature.
Here we believe that a beautiful and healthy home should make you feel good on the inside… My name is Priscilla, and I’m inviting you to join us in this new adventure. Since I started working at Lauzon Flooring, I had the chance to meet so many great people; to work with an amazing team and to come across so many nice finds that I decided to share them with you through this blog. Follow along with me as this blog evolves into what I hope will be an interesting and inspiring journey.
Trends are inspired by the things that surround us and the way we want to feel. Remember that feeling you had during your last vacation when you were reading a book, lying on the beach, skiing on the highest mountains or discovering new countries? Well, I just got back from vacation – as you can see from our Instagram feed – and it’s got me fantasizing about having a beach house. But what are the key ingredients for the perfect vacation home? I did my homework and I’m sharing my findings with you, so you can enjoy your vacation instead of always cleaning, unpacking, packing and wondering if you haven’t forgotten something.
1. Choose a theme
Beach house, ski chalet, lakefront cottage, hunting and fishing camp, cabin in the woods Florida condo… The nice thing with vacation homes is that there are plenty of different kinds, and you can work around a theme without being “cliché.” To do so, I suggest you look around. Take your inspiration from where your vacation home is located!
2. Shop local
Now that your vacation home theme is established, I would encourage you to shop local. This way you can discover all those beautiful places and nice people you probably wouldn’t have found otherwise. This will be especially easy if you’ve chosen a theme related to where your vacation home is located. Plus shopping local is always a must, especially on vacation!
3. Use healthy and durable materials
Construction materials, hardwood floors, fabrics, furniture—make sure you choose high quality, stain-resistant materials that are made to last. For your health don’t forget to use zero or low VOC materials like our beautiful White Oak Quarter Sawn hardwood flooring, as well as anti-microbial fabrics. And for Mother’s Nature health, don’t forget to use biodegradable cleaning products!
4. Make it feel like home
Bringing souvenirs, pictures and other things that are familiar to you will help you feel more at home. Old vacation souvenirs are the best for your cottage! You can even start a tradition!
5. Double the pleasure
Bring extra blankets, towels, toothbrushes, clothes, and that old hairdryer you’ve been holding on to so you won’t have to pack all your belongings every weekend, plus it’s good for the environment to reuse. Don’t forget the kitchen, if you are like me and you like to cook! Visit Costco and separate your purchases in two. Plant herbs in your vacation home garden, they require little maintenance, some repel insects and your dishes will be even better.
6. Bring the outdoors in
Your vacation home is the perfect place to let Mother Nature in. The fun thing about a cottage is that you can take more risks when decorating and integrate some very interesting pieces. Think outside the box.
7. Get organized
You bought your vacation home to relax and to have fun, so make sure you have plenty of room for storage so you don’t have to stress with extra blankets, guests’ luggage, wet bathing suits or wet snow suits.
8. Make room for guests
Vacations are meant to be shared with family and friends. That’s where great memories come from! So buy a sofa bed, airbeds and extra blankets and stock up on extra chairs for the table and the outdoor fireplace. Nowadays you can find multifunctional furniture everywhere. Select durable and easily washable fabrics so you won’t have to worry about keeping things clean.
9. Plan activities
Now that your guests are here, I’m sure you want to take advantage of the beautiful location you have chosen. So make sure you’re equipped for indoor and outdoor activities. For summer, think volleyball, kayak, boat, outdoor fireplace, fishing rods, and barbecue. And for winter, plan on snowshoes, cross-country or downhill skis, snowboards, sleds and indoor fireplace. Always have a few games like Monopoly, Cranium, Trivial Pursuit or Battleship on hand for rainy days.
10. Plan your project
Decorating your vacation home is like traveling. It can take you wherever you want to go. But the key to success is and will always be planning.
For those of you ready to invest time and money to create the perfect “chez soi,” take your time to chose the perfect materials. But more importantly, make sure you inject some fun into the process!