Historic Magrath Mansion Open House
There are so many events going on over the next few weeks that celebrate our country’s 150th birthday that it’s very hard to fit even a small number of them […]
Why the Huge Difference in Values between Two Teacups?
A reader recently contacted me with a photograph of a gorgeous tea cup that she owns. (Unfortunately I did not save her photo because I hadn’t planned on writing a […]
Arts and Crafts Furniture- A Great Compromise
There are many reasons for partners, married or not, to disagree, but what kind of furniture to have in one’s home doesn’t have to be one of them. Since I […]
To Restore or Renovate – That is the question
Why did you choose to live in your current home? What was there about the house that made you realize that this was the right place for you? Beyond its […]
Furniture Grime versus Patina
What exactly is patina? This is a question I get asked fairly often when I do talks about antiques. I have to answer honestly and tell the person that patina […]
5 Steps to Cleaning Grimy Antique Furniture
Years ago a client of mine purchased a dining room suite at an auction. It had seen better days to be sure and she was understandably concerned about the high […]
10 Things You Should Know about Selling your Antiques on Consignment
There comes a time in every one’s life that it is necessary to sell belongings – your own or someone else’s. Garage sales are one way but what if your […]
The Parlour
The Evolution of a Room Is the parlour just another Victorian room that is totally irrelevant to today’s homes? To understand how this room evolved into today’s living room and […]
When’s the Best Time to Sell your Things?
What a question. I can hear you saying “When you need to get rid of them” and that would be true if you are under time constraints. People who are […]
Instant Antique Expert Tip #4 – Numbers
Identifying what the marks mean on the bottom of a teacup can be sometimes challenging but other times, ridiculously easy. This Instant Antique Expert Tip answers the question “What does […]
Discovering an Art Technique
There are hundreds of art techniques and approaches out there and not all of them resonate with me but sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith. Given […]
Uncommon Antiques – Aesthetic Style Cupboard
Here’s my second “Uncommon Antique” – a small cupboard this time, designed in the Aesthetic stye.
Double Talents: Cindy McLaren
There’s no shortage of talented interior-decorators-to-be in the Residential Interiors Certificate Program I teach for the University of Alberta in Edmonton but occasionally I come across a student that is […]
A Strange Retro Chair left behind in a Basement
I get many emails from readers who want to know something about the objects they own. This reader had moved into a home and the previous owners had left behind what […]
Instant Antique Expert Tip #3 – Old Glass
Glass is one of the most difficult objects to date and there many reasons for this. 1. It doesn’t change with age if the glass is free from impurities. Some early […]
Don’t Throw out the Van Gogh
This time of year sees many of us going through the annual (or not so annual) ritual of getting rid of stuff that has outlived its ‘best-before’ date. For some, […]
A History of Home at E.L.L.A.
I’ve always been fascinated with social history – especially of the last 150 years, and truth be told, farther back than that. It’s fascinating to learn about how our social […]
