Co-Existing with Nature With CRAFT Floors
All the wood is our home has a story-including our flooring. Made from the salvaged planks from old barns across Canada, our Hayloft floors feature beautiful craftsmanship and a pe
Our Master Bathroom, Revealed!
This room is more than just a bathroom to me—it’s my little wellness escape where I spend a lot of meaningful time. At long last, over 400 days since we first took a hammer
Our Kitchen and Main Floor, Revealed!
To appreciate the story of this transformation, we have to rewind a bit, casting the clock back to March 2020. For everyone on earth, it was a month that changed things—on a glob
Our Basement Bathroom Reveal
Our basement bathroom is the first room in our home to be totally complete. No missing tiles, grout, cabinets or corners. When the door is closed, there is nothing left in that roo
Our Exterior Envelope Details [and Siding Colour Reveal]!
It’s not hard to imagine how our home looked the first time we visited it one snowy day last November—it’s the five or so stages it’s taken since that muddle the memory. Th
The Best: Bathroom Vanities
With our bathrooms almost complete, the final thing to source and choose is a bathroom vanity. We’re pricing out a custom piece, but if you know me then you know that in th
Stylish Side and Accent Chairs
Leather, lambskin, boucle, cane, velvet, you name it, it’s on these curated accent chairs! Relatively inexpensive and extremely useful, accent chairs are a great way to add a
The Best: Brass Lighting
Brass is timeless, comes in a variety of finishes to suit a variety of looks, and is applicable to almost any style or look. It pairs beautifully with black, white, wood—and even
Fully Gutted and Full of Potential
Two weeks into owning #PipersPeak and we’ve officially taken it down to the studs and foundation. In all honesty, we did not anticipate gutting our place to this degree. We w
Finding the Right Light – 15 Lights and Lamps to Buy Right Now
One of the first things we’ll be ordering for our new place is lighting, which will undoubtedly have a huge impact on the overall design of the cabin. Lighting is not just an
House Plant Appreciation Day
As we usher in the weekend, I took some time this Friday morning to fuss over all of our houseplants, spritzing each plant with water and individually wiping each leaf with a damp
The Holistic Approach + Our Kitchen Design [Cabin Update!]
With just three weeks to go until we get the keys to our place, it’s just starting to sink in, and we are so excited!!! We’ve been busy preparing for the renovations as
Everyday Essentials Your Kitchen Needs Now
So I’ve really been dropping the ball on sharing my cooking, recipes and posts about things us adult-chef-geeks find exciting like the best cutting boards, editorials on how to c
The Renovation Plan and Design Vision for Our Home
From the day we bought our home (you can read about that here), we started planning the renovation and design of our space. We scribbled in notepads, drafted the home in SketchUp,
We Bought a Chalet!!!
2019 was filled with life-changing moments, and in the final weeks before 2020, life introduced just one more: On December 23rd 2019, we became the proud new owners of an original
Introducing Sabrina’s Shop
For the last ten years, simply out of passion, I have been sourcing and sharing art, decor and products I find online. Curation is a natural inclination of mine—links + likes (wh
Reflecting on Year One in Squamish
It’s been 365 days since Mike, Piper and I drove across the country from Milton to Squamish, alternating driving shifts as we crossed Ontario, Winnipeg, Saskatchewan and Alberta
Happy, Holistic Home
For the past six years, home (and everything that entails) has become a huge part of my life. It first began in November 2013 when I found myself as the final winning bidder on a l
Feature in The Vancouver Sun, [for The Vancouver Fall Home Show 2019]
Fall Home Show: HGTV star Sabrina Smelko on how to build a pleasing home Read Article in the Vancouver Sun ✏ by Claudia Kwan For Sabrina Smelko, moving to British Columbia has be
September ’19 Playlist
Serving up a new playlist for you to enjoy in these final days of summer, and in the first few weeks of fall!
Tackling the Elements with Our New Dyson V11 Absolute Vacuum
Living in Squamish has changed a lot. And while we claim to be “living our best lives”, it’s really Piper whose life is a fairy tale. Every morning she gets to run along the
How I Organize My Pantry
I firmly believe that nothing should stop us from loving where we live. And being a renter again wasn’t going to get in my way of making smart modifications to better our hom
My Fave WordPress Themes for Bloggers + Creatives
As you may or may not have noticed, I’ve re-designed my blog (feast your eyes)! It was a completely spur-of-the-moment change that took me a stressful few days to get sorted (my
Our Simple Squamish Guest Room
A few years ago, a big, empty white room would’ve been a tempting invitation to decorate. But our guest bedroom (which fits the bill), didn’t ignite that same feverish
Mary Finlayson’s Studio, Pad See Ew, Backyard Goals, and an Iced Horchata Latte
Above: Mary Finlayson‘s studio is what creative dreams are made of [from HonestlyWTF‘s]. I love Pad See Ew, and I really really hope this recipe from Recipe Tin Eats tu
Music Mix / 03.19
Happy Friday everyone! I just got home from vacationing in Jamaica (it was awesome, will post about it later) so I’m serving up some good vibes in the form of this month̵
The Best Way To Cook Bacon, a Pomodoro Shirt, Lulu and Georgia + More
Some links and likes for the week, starting with a lovely painting from an artist I can’t source! Any insight, please let me know so I can properly source. x, S I love everyt
Save My Reno – Melina and Emma
As I walked up to this house on day one of filming, I knew we were in for a treat. The first thing I noticed was the architecture. Build in the mid-century, the home still had may
Ledge Love
The simple art of placing books on a ledge has brought me joy lately. In the new living room, we have a large window with a deep ledge on it, and I had debated getting a custom ben
Must-Have Headboards
Ever since I spotted a headboard made from a vintage wrestling mat, I’ve been a hound for cool headboards. From Mandy Moore’s bedroom (see the feature image) to one of my favou
Master [Bedroom] of the West Coast
To me, west coast style feels unconcerned. It seems to be about function first, individuality second, and aesthetics inspired by the surroundings. It’s beautiful without tryi
Pretty Up Your Sink
Just because it’s a functional item that gets daily use doesn’t mean it has to look utilitarian. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so I pretty up my sink area becau
Hunting for a Cushy, Deep Sectional (+ My Curated Picks)
In the last four years, I’ve had four sofas. Year over year, it’s been a revolving door of upholstery. From a hand-me-down loveseat set from my mom, to a modern Gus sofa, a yel
Our Cross-Canada Move Experience with QMM
September and October were overwhelming months. To up and move across the country is a big deal. And after the excitement of securing our new place and setting moving dates w
Breathe Easy [Molekule Review]
As a kid, my understanding of air was that it came from trees and that we needed it to breathe. To go outside was to get fresh air, and the scientific makeup was N2, C2 and some ot
An Ode To My New *Old* Entryway
When I first moved into my home in 2013, I developed a soft spot for the front door. Complete with a janky storm door, it was original to the home and perfectly and in tact. It had
Behind The Design: HGTV’s ‘Home To Win’ Kitchen
If you watched HGTV this past Sunday, then you’d have seen yours truly designing the Home To Win kitchen with the hilarious and talented Colin Hunter. (And if you missed it,
Creating Your Own Yoga Sanctuary – On Cityline
Yoga is more than a workout–it’s a self-care practice that offers a way to unwind and ground yourself amidst life’s chaos. More and more, we’re realizing the import
The Case For The In-Between Renovation
How do you improve the look of a space you’re inevitably going to remodel (without wasting money, effort or time)? Let me tell ya! I updated my bathroom TWICE before I saved enou
Anything But Boring Headboards
This morning was on Cityline, taking you through four cool headboard alternatives, starting at $5! If you missed it, you can watch the segment online here and scroll on for my tips
My Happy Holiday Home Update
Just like us, our houses are a constant work-in-progress. And as life ebbs, flows and changes, so too does the home. I’ve gone through a few big life changes over the last wh
Links + Likes: Hide Chairs, Yellow Parka, Astrology Necklace, an Amsterdam Abode
I love me a good cowhide piece and these side chairs are no exception! How cool is this Amsterdam home?! Very. These illustrations by Cami are so precious. Love her colour palettes
I Got a Central Vac—And It’s Amazing
Pals, I think I’ve officially hit peak adulting: I got central vac installed in my home. Call me Suzy Homemaker,—or don’t—but regardless of nicknames (Suzy Homemak
I’m Updating the Baseboard and Casing in My Home
I’m heading into my fourth year of home-ownership, and I think it’s finally safe to say that every inch of my main floor has been updated! Hot on the wings of last wee
#SabrinasBathroom: The Reveal
At long last, my bathroom renovation is complete. And before I dive into pretty pictures, I have to give big ups to my patient sponsors: Delta Faucet, Lowe’s Canada, Cre
An Eclectic Rustic Refuge in Ibiza
I can’t get enough of the Ibiza home of designer Nani Marquina and his partner and photographer, Albert Font. Thanks to architects Martínez Lapeña and Elías Torres, what u
Styling with Millennial Pink: For The Timid and For The Bold
From food and fashion to art and home decor, Millennial pink is taking over. And this hue has come a long way since its days spent pigeon-holed by its neon, fuchsia and magenta cou
Around The House
Holy crud. It’s been one heck of a month. So I thought I’d take this Monday to fill you guys in on my life (which I also hope helps explain why I’ve been MIA late
#SabrinasBathroom: The Home Stretch
We’re just days away from having a completed bathroom. And it’s shaping up to be even better than I anticipated. (Did I mention yet how happy I am that I contracte
Speedy Summer ’17
It rings true every year, but somehow summer never fails to surprise me with the speed at which it flies by. In many ways, it has been an amazing summer so far. Although I believe
One Wallpaper, Styled Two Ways
If you like wallpaper, and you don’t know about Hygge & West, sorry for just stealing an hour + of your life. Hygge & West’s beautiful line of wallpapers and ho
#SabrinasBathroom: The Beauty and The Build
Remodels are never as easy as they seem. And designing your own space when there are limitless options is tough. So with the build of #SabrinasBathroom underway, I thought I’
One Piece, Two Ways: A Wasabi-Colored Velvet Sofa
Lately I’m really into this wasabi-chartreuse-puke-green colour in furniture pieces, as seen in the above. So today I was inspired to create two living room looks (one coming
Links + Likes: July 5
On My Radar Bergamot, jasmine and amber. That’s my kind of candle Mara Hoffman does it again with this one-piece swimsuit Also loving the print of these gothic floral culotte
My (Proudly Canadian) Home Tour
In celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday, I thought I’d share an updated tour of my space, one which is proudly home to a mix of Made in Canada pieces, thrift store f
A Small (but Mighty) Moody Dressing Room
Pre-S: This room makeover was completed for Hello Sunshine magazine. While this post will dive more into the design process and my personal choices, click here for the editorial
About a Room: A Calming English Farmhouse Kitchen
Earthy, putty tones, blonde ash wood, and a mix of white and black ceramics make this farmhouse kitchen in England oh-so calming. Forgoing upper cabinets works so well because of t
#SabrinasBathroom Reno Diary: The Whats and Whys of My Design Plan
It feels like forever since I started planning my bathroom renovation (which I’ve coined #SabrinasBathroom). I’ve consciously gotten better at it, but I’m still n
All The BTS Goodness from HGTV Canada’s Home To Win
Cash me on HGTV Canada’s Home To Win, how ’bout dat? Did you see last night’s episode?! (I may be biased as yours truly was on it, but it was a flippin’ h
Save My Reno: Ken + Elisa’s Family-Friendly Basement
Guys, this is a bittersweet post. Last night was the season finale of Save My Reno on HGTV Canada. *tear* Every week, I’ve been sharing these recaps and insights and it’
Save My Reno: Lainie and Brian’s Eclectic Main Floor Reno
This episode was a wild one. I don’t know what was in the water, but when all four of us got together, at least one of us couldn’t help but break into song and dan
Pixels, Places + Things No. 14
Rikako Nagashima | Erik Jones | Tabarka Studio | Elizaveta Porodina | Cesar Kitchens
Save My Reno: Raj + Riva’s (Not So) Traditional Kitchen
Raj and Riva may have had traditional taste, but the tricks we pulled to keep this project on budget were anything but. After living with their boring brown kitchen for 11 years, t
Save My Reno: Rob + Caitlin’s Master Suite
A mattress on the floor, mismatched hand-me-down dressers and no door to the bathroom—but nearly 400 square feet of untapped potential! Rob and Caitlin’s master retreat wa
Save My Reno: Kenny and Lisa’s Rock n’ Roll Kitchen
Right from the get-go, this renovation was nuts (pun intended—you’ll see why at the end of the post)! The fact that I grew up going to Kenny’s punk shows and moshing to
Save My Reno: Jason + Nikki’s British Country Kitchen
If I had to title this renovation, I’d name it: old meets new with a spot of English countryside. I felt right at home in Jason and Nikki’s space. (Missed the episode?
Save My Reno: Marcus + Jamie’s Balanced, Blue Kitchen
When we first met Jamie and Marcus, they had just got engaged and bought a house. (Congrats again guys!) Before getting married, they wanted to cross “kitchen renovation
Save My Reno: Rebecca + Eric’s Brewmaster Kitchen
Eric and Rebecca were true entertainers—and I speak from experience. From the first day we showed up until the night of the reveal, they always had an ice-cold beer with our name
Save My Reno: Karen + Matt’s Main Floor Facelift
This was hands-down one of my favorite renovations of the season. Not only was it the closest to my personal style, but we were able to address an entire floor of a house, and a
Save My Reno: David and Wemi’s Transitional Townhouse Kitchen
From basil gone rogue and last-minute changes, to glass cabinets and graphic roman blinds, this renovation was one of the first (and arguably, easiest) projects of the season.
Save My Reno: Joel and Kera’s Multifunctional Family Basement
I resonated a ton with this renovation—and with the homeowners, Joel and Kera. Their home actually used to belong to Kera’s grandmother, so she had fond memories of playing
Save My Reno: Sarah and Jon’s Mid-Century Modern Victorian Kitchen
As a young couple living in a gorgeous Victorian semi in the city, Sarah and Jon, along with their baby Henry (the most adorable wee one ever) wanted to strike “kitchen reno” o
Save My Reno: Nick and Zina’s Traditional Marble Master Bathroom
PRE-S: Today (and every Thursday after a new episode of Save My Reno airs) I’ll be taking you through all the fun behind-the-scenes details here on my blog! Despite havin
Save My Reno: Andrew’s Bachelor Pad Kitchen
Last night’s episodes of Save My Reno win the award for most puns (from Matt and Karen) and most smiles (from Andrew). Missed this episode? Watch it here. Andrew legit must
Fun Behind-The-Scenes From The Set of ‘Save My Reno’ (Airing Tomorrow on HGTV)
Tomorrow it the day! Ahhhhh! PS: How cool are Seb and I with our Flor swatches *insert sarcastic-face emoji here And wouldn’t you have it, I’m sick as a dog, but that
Tips + Tricks: Designing an Intimate + Industrial Wedding
I think the key to a good wedding is an inviting and intimate atmosphere, followed closely by ensuring there’s a plethora of great food, drinks, and music. Whether I’m
An Old Garage Turned Loft
Equal parts cozy and industrial—that’s hard to pull off. But somehow this rehabilitated loft that used to be an old garage does a beautiful job of employing an indust
Little Happy Living Room
I’ve spent most of my waking hours parked on this little yellow couch — or the dining table just behind it — recently. I’ve been on a tiny break from filmin
Designing + Planning for a Bathroom Renovation
It’s bitter-sweet to say, but I’m preparing for a bathroom renovation. Bitter-sweet because I love my current bathroom. It’s not nearly perfect and it’s lac
Enter into Wayfair’s 2017 Trade Tastemaker Awards
They’re baaaa-aaaack! Yes indeedy, the Wayfair Trade Tastemaker Awards are back for a third year—and this year they’re shaping up to be stupendous. With five different
A Charming Industrial Loft (Outfitted in Pantone’s Colour of 2017)
This loft in Madrid is loaded with industrial charm — and just so happens to flaunt Pantone’s colour of the year, 2017. I just love how plants and touches of green warm
An Eclectic + Laid-back Bedroom Refresh
My relationship with my bedroom lately can be summed up with the saying, “quality over quantity.” A lot has changed since I last shared my bedroom, and while it’
A Whimsical Wallpaper + Five Hours = A Bold Entryway Refresh
For the past year, my entry-way went through its awkward teen years. Since I finished my kitchen reno (which was nearly a year ago to the day), I had intended to do something w
2017 Home Design Trends + Ideas
Dark, moody, textural, layered, eclectic, escapist, natural, and re-purposed. These are just a few of the words used to describe the predictions for 2017’s style trends. Oodl
#HelloProKitchenReno: One Year Later (with Updates)!
Thanks to Facebook’s on this day feature, I was reminded that one year ago today, I began renovating my kitchen. The before photo in the GIF above was taken just after Habit
Things I Like: The Float Frame by Artifact Uprising
I haven’t spent a ton of time at home lately. With such a busy schedule, I’m constantly hopping between other people’s homes, which, in turn, has led me to ho
Monday Inspiration: Sept.12.16
1. The home of Adelaide Daniell, Fraser Daniell and Harry Scott via The Design Files (Photo by Eve Wilson) 2. Peter Langer 3. Monni Jungle 4. A bungalow redesigned
About a Room: Modern Cottage Living Room
What I wouldn’t give to be snuggled on this big cream sofa in this cottage in the archipelago of Vindö, Stockholm. It may be on an island, a stone’
Before + After: My Itty Bitty Pink Bathroom Makeover
My bathroom is tiny, and yet it sees the most action in a given day– and that ain’t ever changing. It’s always been challenging finding ways to make it work b
