BLANK SPACE | My Dream Closet Makeover Reveal with Home Depot

I'm sure that if you were to ask my friends and family about me, they would all agree on one thing: I'm disorganized. Oh sure, I can fake it with the best of them - frenzied 11th hour clean-ups before book club, last-minute car clear-outs before picking up friends, and of course those sneaky dinner party distractions (think low lighting, flowers and chilled out tunes to  distract from the clutter), all of which I've perfected throughout the years. But open a closet and you're bound to either get smothered by a massive pile of unfolded laundry or get knocked out by an errant stiletto to the head. To compound the problem further, I'm a fashion blogger - a profession where we're often paid in clothing and gift cards, so let's just say I've got a lot of stuff. Plus, we recently downsized from a big country house with loads of storage room to a 1940's house in the city that's high on charm but seriously low on closet space. Tragic.

I try my best to tame my overstuffed drawers and my OOC accessory collection but I've come to terms with the fact that I'm not one of those hyper-organized people I envy so much. I'm just not. And while I applaud the woman who can cut her wardrobe down to 15 Easy Pieces, I simply have no desire to limit myself like that. I'm a fashion girl - I like having options.

So, I was stuck with this...(I won't even show you what's behind door #2)

and this...

and accessories stuffed into bags and baskets like this...

We've been renovating our house since we moved in and were in the middle of renovating our ensuite. There was an unheated crawl space off our ensuite/above the garage (you can see a bit of it in the pic below to the right of the shower) which we decided to finish with insulation, heated floors, hardwood and paint. The room was definitely awkward but the potential for a great walk-in was there somewhere. 

We were just debating what to do the space and our ever-shrinking budget when Home Depot emailed. They asked if I'd be interested in working with them on a closet makeover for my blog. Um, yes?! The timing could seriously not have been better. My heaving closets all gasped at the possibility. Like that Kelly Clarkson song 'Moment Like This' back when American Idol was awesome, I'd been waiting for this day my entire adult life. The possibility of getting the closet of my dreams was finally within my grasp. But would they be up for the challenge?

My husband James was away, so I headed to the Kitchener Home Depot with my mom for my first visit (always good to enlist the help of a stylish wingwoman in cases like this) and met with Patsy in the Closet Organizing department. We showed her pics of the space and then went to work to find the perfect closet system. We settled on the Martha Stewart Living Collection but after a few meetings, realized we had a square peg/round hole situation with our unique space. We wandered over to the Kitchen department and decided almost instantly that custom was the way to go. Visions of a dreamy modern white lacquer walk-in entered my head and never left. I knew that custom cabinets would be more expensive than going for pre-fab but decided it would be well worth the investment to get exactly what I wanted.

Patsy passed our file over to Scott in the Kitchen department and he got right to work. I told him about our many challenges - from a limited budget to the sloped ceilings, staircase and bulky floor-heater and he handled each hurdle like a pro. Scott worked with us over the course of a few meetings until he came up with a design that was just right.

Scott and Patsy (aka. Closet Dream Team)

Once the drawings were done, we had someone from Home Depot come out to take measurements. We learned our lesson the hard way in our old house and knew that having a pro measure was totally (I mean, totally) worth it.  The Expressive line by Fabritec is custom-made in Québec (bonus) so now all we had to do was wait. Six weeks later, our cabinetry arrived and was installed exactly like the pics! Since our floors and walls were uneven, we decided to have the cabinets float a few inches off the ground. Love this look!

Now for the fun part. Here's how our closet looks now! Read on for a few tips that I now rely on to keep my things organized. See? With the right closet design and some smart storage solutions, even someone as tragically disorganized as I am can experience closet bliss... 

The view from our ensuite into our new walk-in.

We already have some hanging space in our bedroom but still wanted a little extra hanging room in our new closet. James installed these hanging bars himself - a super inexpensive alternative to having them built into the design. Colour coding and wooden hangers make everything look more luxe.

Found this great rattan and glass serving tray at HomeSense and love how it adds warmth to all the cool white lacquer. 

My in-laws have a country property filled with deer who shed their antlers . Every time they find an antler, they (my in-laws, not the deer) give it to us. I love how well this tiny one works as a ring holder.

Our steep sloped ceilings meant lots of low cabinetry. I'll use these oversized pull-out drawers to hold my casual pants, jeans and tees.

A disco ball and silver ankle boots. Just because. 

I might use some of these open shelves for sweaters later on but for now, my hardworking heels deserve some time in the limelight. 

Kate Moss 4-eva. If you have room in your closet for a chic black-and-white pic, it's a dream closet must. I ripped this pic out of an old issue of W Magazine and threw it into an Ikea frame. BTW, the gold sea urchin attacks would-be home invaders from trying to swipe my jewelry. Consider that a warning...

A lucite necklace holder from Umbra is perfect for hanging some of my longer necklaces. 

Happy feet. 

My favourite Ela clutch. 

The corner cabinetry is perfect for holding more shoes, clutches and some pretty boxes. 

No dream closet is complete without fresh flowers. Just picked up this round glass vase from Homesense yesterday for $6.99. My kids are so going to smash it despite a gentle lecture last night on staying out of mommy and daddy's closet. Sigh...

Pinterest is amazing but every editor needs some hardcopy inspiration, too...

A narrow top drawer and a divided clear tray is perfect for holding rings and earrings, plus stylist essentials like double-sided tape, lint brushes and jewellery boxes. 

I have this thing for glasses. Now it's time to find Fonzie. He thinks he's camouflaged...

Now onto James' side. Yes, he gets half, although you might notice that a few of my things have crept over onto his side, but I only did it to add colour. Or at least this is how I justify it. 

James owns fewer shoes, but more shirts. Luckily, this closet easily accomodates both. Again, colour coding is key.

Sweater stacks. 

Okay, so I have a lot of belts. Olivia Palermo made me do it.  

I'm in love with this guy. He adds a nice masculine touch to the space. I think I'll call him Busta Rhymes.

No more random bags and boxes stuffed with accessories - I used this great Ikea basket to make it easy to see all of our scarves from now on.  

A few bamboo trays make the perfect tie holders in a narrow top drawer. A clear acrylic tray keeps his cufflinks and tie clips organized - look in the bathroom section at Homesense or Solutions for some great options. 

Black and white books, just because.

Another antler turned watch-holder. Love the way his HBC watch looks against the grain. Um, how Canadian is this?!

 

A huge thanks to Home Depot for making my dream closet a reality! The best part? My once over-stuffed drawers are now half full - and I'm optimistic I'll be able to keep them that way. Closet reno in your future? Be sure to visit Home Depot before you start. Can't wait to hear what you think of our new closet so please leave your comments below! Okay, time to go back to my walk-in. Think this closet makeover calls for glass of wine. Oooh, or maybe a wine fridge. Hmmm...I'm sure I can make room for that somewhere...

Challenge Accepted

I used to hate change. When my mom wanted to paint our front door one summer, I staged a mini protest. When my parents told me they were selling our old clunker, I swore I’d chain myself to the steering wheel first. Our door turned blue. We got a new car. And life went on.

I’m not sure when it happened but as everything in my life changed, so did I. I went from despising change to embracing it. I began to seek out newness anytime things felt stale, from my first jobs to my ever-changing wardrobe. But my biggest change started after I left Toronto.

My husband and I got married so I left the city to join him in a tiny town outside of London. While I was all about embracing change, this was a tough one. I’d been building a career in fashion and suddenly, I lived somewhere with not only no fashion industry, but practically no shopping at all.  I sold houses for a few years but I missed my old life, my old job and not getting my cute heels stuck in the country mud.

Then, we had our first baby. She was bright and beautiful and we were exhausted but happy. I spent my months on mat leave debating whether I should go back to my sales job. But even though the money was good, I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it. I started to really ask myself who I wanted to be. I wanted to show this little girl that she could do anything she wanted to do. But first I had to prove it to myself.

So I started Real Life Runway. I couldn’t think of any other way of pursuing my passion without a 3 hour commute. So I wrote. Every single day. I didn’t get paid at all for the first 6 months, which was both embarrassing and terrifying. I was 30 and most of my friends were already settled comfortably into their careers while I was still trying to figure my life out. Luckily, my husband was incredibly supportive. I stayed awake so many nights feeling like a huge failure, wondering if I’d made the wrong choice and freaking because I had no idea what to do next.

Then, a mall in London hired me to write their fashion blog. Next, a lifestyle website hired me as a contributor. I started to write a weekly article for Metro. I had another baby. Two other malls asked me to write their blogs, too. Eventually, I even scored advertisers on my own blog. I finally had a career I loved - one I’d subconsciously designed for myself and one I could see myself doing for a very long time. I was finally back in fashion, able to write and be creative, and I could do almost all of it from home which gave me the freedom to be around for my kids. Things couldn’t be better.

Someone must have heard how much I like change because last year, my world flipped upside down again. My husband decided to leave his family business, so we sold our house, moved to Kitchener, and now he’s pursuing his own dreams of building a startup. Apparently this passion project is contagious.

I have no idea what the next five years will bring, but I can guarantee one thing - things are bound to change again. Imagine how dull life would be if they didn’t?

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The All New Jean Machine

I love the idea of jean shopping but in practice? Let's just say it can be overwhelming. A few weeks ago, Jean Machine asked me to be one of the first to come in and shop their newly remerchandised store at Toronto Eaton Centre and since I hadn't set foot in the store in a few years, could not wait to check it out. After all, I bought my first pair of Silvers at Jean Machine with my first real paycheque and picked up many more pairs throughout the years, so we have a long history of hits and misses. Oh, if those changerooms could talk...

The invite to check out the new Jean Machine store came with a few exciting promises: a new and improved product mix (curated with the help of famed fashion/creative director, Susie Sheffman), a little personal shopping help from Jean Machine's expert in-store stylists, plus a $200 credit to pick out a full look. Um, yay?!

I showed up at Toronto Eaton Centre and right away, noticed the super cute campaign styling and a slightly more airy feel to the space than before. I was greeted by the team of Jean Machine beauties, eager to help me find my perfect pair. I let them have their way with me. 'Size me up, show me what's new. Only one thing: no blue. I want black.'

I passed loads of jeans, all beautifully organized by fit to make the jean-shopping process more manageable and was thrilled to see some of my favourite denim brands in stock throughout the store plus other labels I love like Soia & Kyo, ONLY, and Vero Moda. Beyond jeans, I saw loads of gorgeous coats, some super pretty dresses and fashion-girl musts like felt fedoras and oversized plaid scarves.

The girls picked out a dozen super pretty pieces (mostly black) and I had a super fun try-on sesh. While one Jean Machiner was rooting for an emerald blouse and body-hugging leggings, it just wasn't me. So we agreed that I should go for all black with loads of texture to keep it interesting. Being a mom can make you feel too good, if that makes sense. I needed some pieces with edge.

I ended up with a Guess faux-fur vest which I LOVE, a pair of perfect faux leather joggers from YDE Studio and a fun textured black tee. They look great together but I especially love that I'll be able to easily mix each piece into my wardrobe this winter.

If you haven't had the chance, be sure to check out the new Jean Machine. You'll love what they've done with the place.

Destination Fabulous: Chico's Canada Is Here

All photos by Real Life Runway.

When Chico’s asked me to be a part of their Canadian launch, I’ll admit I had my reservations. I mean, Chico’s is something my mom and her friends wear. And while my mom and her friends are admittedly super stylish, and I’m a mom of 2 myself, there’s that part of me that still loves to get carded at the LCBO, that gets annoyed when people call me ‘lady’ or ‘ma’am’, and that makes a point to know everything about Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran so that I can stay 24 in my head forever. As for the brand, I knew the quality was there, their reputation stellar, but cool? Yup, Chico’s had some convincing to do.

I showed up at Square One in Mississauga on Thursday night to celebrate the exclusive VIP fête for Chico’s first-ever Canadian store. Rabid Chico’s fans craned their necks to catch a glimpse inside as my security detail (ok, fine, a pretty PR girl named Noelle), ushered me up the red carpet and right into the store. The Chico’s store itself is a stunner - massive windows flank an impressive lattice work doorway as you walk into the beautifully lit space. The other Canadian blogger invitees sashayed in shortly after - Iva Grbesic of Falling in Style, Afiya Francisco of The Style House, Lena Almeida of Listen to Lena, and Susan Liberatore of Ava Grace’s Closet - great crew of stylish somethings for this big deal Canadian launch. Servers plied us with wine and beef wellington bites as we chatted with Chico’s head honchos including the fabulous (there is no other word for her) Brand President, Cinny Murray, a glamazonian blonde decked out in head to toe black and gold, and Chico’s powerhouse FAS CEO, Dave Dyer.

We posed at the Chico’s Selfie Station, mingled with the other party-goers, and obviously, shopped. As I browsed the racks, there were some clothes that my (ahem) 24 year-old self isn’t quite ready to wear. But here’s the thing - I’m at the point where if I’m going to buy a white shirt, I want to buy a really good white shirt. If I’m going to get a sweater, I have no patience for one that's going to pill and stretch out. So I immediately honed in on some of the elevated basics that my closet is currently lacking - a leopard crewneck sweater (yes, this is a basic), a really good white no-iron shirt, a pair of beyond basic black pants, a beautiful striped long-sleeved tee and a great grey oversized cardigan. Chico’s, in case you aren’t familiar, is far from cheap. Prices are in line with Club Monaco/J.Crew, but the quality warrants the price tag. Sweaters are silky, shirts beautifully constructed and the pants fit like a dream. Beyond the basics, there were a few standout pieces I’d love to add to my closet: the Faux Leather Fringe Artisan Duster (Afiya and one of the Chico’s models were loving this one and it’s gorge in real life), the Logan Stretch Bracelet (gold. hammered. metal. love.), and the Faux-Suede Drape Vest and Cutwork Jacket (totally Can’t Buy Me Love). One other pleasant surprise to me was the stores line-up of amazing jewelry/accessories, which we blogettes spent loads of time swooning over.

I'll admit that certain pieces on the site/in the lookbook are styled in a way that I wouldn’t wear them myself, so it does take some imagination. But taken out of context, I am totally loving everything I’ve brought home.

Here are just a few ways I’ll style my easy-to-reinvent picks this fall and next, and the one after that. I’ll only be 26 by then...

Softest cardi ever. Love the knit detail on the back. Chico's Grey Knit Back Cardigan, $119

A little leopard goes a long way. Chico's Animal Print Neveah Top, $69

Drapey, silky pants, perfect for playing dress-up. Chico's Knit Kit Black Pants, $89

Chico’s will be opening another store on 8/29 at the Mapleview Shopping Centre in Burlington. So, have you been? Will you go? Can’t wait to hear what you think, and of course, what you buy!

My 6 year-old took this shot. Not bad, huh?

SPONSORED BY CHICO’S