Random Questions Answered

Great questions everyone!! Since many of them were repeated and most of them are really easy to answer I'll skip the random.org stuff and just answer away. To save myself some time I'm just going to answer in the order they were asked. Here goes nothing!!!



1. How did you choose Wren's name?

We knew that she was a girl long before she was born and spent many nights chatting about cool names and what we should choose. About a month before she was born we settled on her middle name (Berry) because it has family meaning to it (not because my name is Holly, but that is a weird coincidence). Sean suggested the name Wren one night and I immediately liked it, but we had decided that we would not pick her actual name until we met her so we added it to our list of 5 names that we would choose from. When she was born (full story here) both her and I were far too sick to even worry about names. The day after she was born I was able to hold her for 10 minutes before they took her back, at this time we both looked down at her and she looked just like a little tiny birdie so we just knew that Wren would be her name.


2. Has anyone ever told you that you resemble Gwen Stefani, or Whitney Port?

No and yes! I have never heard the Gwen Stefani resemblance (pretty flattering I might add!), but I am frequently told that I look like Whitney.



3. What designer inspires you and why?

There are so many designers that I think are so talented! I really think that Atlanta Bartlett would be my top inspiration. Her designs are so fresh, clean and beautiful! Sarah Richardson is another because her rooms have so much character, but are still very realistic and livable rooms. Of course I love Rachel Ashwell, specifically her later stuff because it was more about unusual pops of color instead of all floral patterns, but she really was a trail blazer which is inspiring.



4. If I could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

I would probably find a very charming old chateau somewhere in the South of France that needed some love and attention. Of course I would leave much of the time worn shabbiness though! I have always loved the idea of living in "the country" in some charming villiage.



5. Are you planning for more children?

Haha, that is an area of questioning I have been getting a lot lately, I have no idea why! I am totally happy with Wren and would be very content for her to be an only child, at least for the next 5 or 6 years. We decided we would discuss it again at that time, but we really haven't come to any sort of decision. For now we are just focused on her!



6. You have hinted you and your Husband are in the restaurant business. Tell us more!

Before Wren was born I was the Marketing Director for my Dad's restaurant's. He has been in the industry for decades, actually starting out by working for his Dad's restuarant company! I guess it is in my DNA. He runs several familiar brands, from fast food to casual dining. Sean has now taken in his footsteps as well! If you "think outside the bun" I am sure you can come up with the "finger lickin' good" answer to what restaurant Sean runs.



7. We want Wedding pictures!

That's easy! Just click the link on the Left that reads "Our Wedding".



8. Are you planning on going back to work?

I still have 6 months on Maternity Leave left and I will admit that I haven't fully decided just yet~



9. I'd love to get a full house tour!

Oooh fun idea~ I don't have a video camera so it may have to be a couple videos made using my camera's video function. Until I get around to doing this here is a photo tour of most of the house on the day of our home inspection.



10. How did you and Sean meet and what is your love story?

I don't know if I have enough time to type all the lovey-dovey details, but I will give you the abridged version. In fourth grade we both started a new school and the story goes (according to Sean) that he saw me across the gym during a school rally and decided he was going to marry me someday. Over the years we went to different schools, however our two younger sisters became best buds so we would see each other once in a while.



By high school we once again attended the same school, but never the same classes. One night when we were 17 we both went to the same birthday party. It was on an acreage and when Sean cut his arm on a piece of fence (don't ask!) I offered to give him a couple bandaids and he asked me on a date. Ever since that night we have been inseperable!



11. Have you ever condsidered being an interior designer?

Of course!! But the part I would find challenging is making sure that I am getting the client exactly what they want. I know what I love and like so it is easy to decorate. People hire designers because they often don't know what they want so I would find that part hard. I would worry too much about not getting it 100% right (I am usually a perfectionist).



12. What is my favorite room in our house?

I would say our foyer. Does that even count as a room? I don't know but I just love the light, the high ceilings, everything!!! Once our kitchen is done I know that will be my favorite.



13. Is this the first house you have remodelled room by room?

Yup! It is our second house, and while I made some minor changes at our last house, this house is the only house I have ever made bigger changes too.



14. Why did you choose the house, perhaps to flip it?

We chose this house after looking at well over 100 others. We knew we wanted a house we would be able to make our own, and perhaps increase the value on, but as soon as I walked into this house I knew I loved it. It is strange that we even looked at the house because the owners had already an accepted offer. We made an offer anyways and waited for the other deal to fall apart, which it obviously did, and here we are today! I wish I could pinpoint the exact reason, but this house just had a good energy. We have no plans to flip it!



15. How did you pick the decorating style in your house?

I have never actually thought about it like that, I don't think we ever really picked a style. Our house has slowly just filled up with things we love. As it happens, almost all those things are white, but we have definitely made a decision to keep accessories and clutter like that to a minimum. We are not really fans of a lot of "stuff". We prefer to have open, clean, crisp layouts to our rooms.



16. Where did you get the dress from the lake?

It is made by Raviya, a beach and swimwear company. I know they sell online at various stores, but I picked mine up at a local store here. The best part is that their prices are unbeatable and that dress only cost $24!



17. How did Sean propose?

He proposed on my champagne birthday (When I turned 23 on the 23rd of December). I woke up on my birthday and he had left a note laying on my nightstand. It lead me on a treasure hunt around the house until I ended up in our office (on the second floor). I looked out the window and in the snow across our whole yard was "Will You Marry Me?". I turned around to say "mean joke mister!!" but he was down on one knee with the ring! Of course I said yes~



18. What is your favorite book and movie?

This is probably the hardest question! I love books sooo much that it is hard to choose, but I really am a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are two of my favorites. My favorite movie would be Marie Antoinette by Sophia Coppola. Gorgeous hair, clothes, shoes and houses.



19. Any hidden talents?

I play the flute, love to swim and water ski, but my biggest hidden talent would be singing at the top of my lungs in the car. Mariah Carey, Diana Ross, the more dramatic the song the better and louder I sing!



20. What did you want to be when you grew up?

That is another easy one. I wanted to be an architect since I was reallllly small. Once I got older I realized being a true architect wasn't for me because I actually enjoyed the design and layout side much more.



21. Does your house always look as clean as it does in pictures?

Heck no!!! In our house we have two areas of weakness, laundry and mail. Those two things always seem to pile up in the back door area and the kitchen. We don't have areas of kids toys or random messes, but I do clean daily and even that doesn't always keep up with 2, often 3 dogs. As you have seen from the pictures, Mungkee has quite a head of hair and with our jungle for a yard he is always dragging in branches (literally!!!), leaves and other various kinds of foliage. That is probably our biggest area of dirty-ness.



22. Where did you get your wedding dress?

Thanks so much for complimenting my dress. It is by Vera Wang, from her purple or lavender label if I remember correctly. I had found a Reem Acra dress I really liked, but as soon as I saw this dress hanging in a totally different section of the store I knew I had to have it!



23. Do you have any siblings?

I have a sister who is 2 years younger named Torri (note to Torri: I could have used your awesome faux modelling shots right here so you owe me!!!) and Sean also has a sister the same age named Kate.



24. Have you ever visited someone's home and sat there thinking of how you would re-decorate (instead of listening the conversation)?

Actually I don't think I have! I am one of those people who like a lot of styles, and although me and my Mom do make plans and chat about things to do with her house and our house I usually assume that most people have their houses decorated the way they like and I like that way of decorating too~



25. Do you eat junkfood, what is your favorite?

I am one of the biggest junkfood eaters you will ever meet!!! I LOVE chips, especially of the Salt & Vinegar or Dill Pickle variety. I also love those 5 cent candies at the convenience store! Grab me a bag of those and I am happy.



26. What's your most embarrasing moment?

I walked through my grandmother's screen door at a family get together when I was 12 and to this day she still keeps ribbons tied to safety pins at eye level on the screen for me so I don't ruin another door.



27. Do you know how incredibly awesome you are?

Hmmm, I am not sure if I am walking into some kind of trap with this one LOL. But I am just going to move right along before my head starts to get big *wink wink*



28. Where abouts do you live, I see beautiful trees in your pictures?

We live in Western Canada and we can't help but agree, the scenery is gorgeous here!



29. Were you the tiniest pregnant girl ever?

Haha, I hope not! I gained a total of 24lbs, 16 of them in the last 6 weeks alone!! Here was the last picture of me pregnant (taken exactly 5 days before she was born) on the right. I really do have to say that of course it was much easier to avoid stretch marks and get back in my jeans within a couple weeks because she was so tiny and came early though. At the rate I was gaining weight I am sure that I would have been MUCH bigger at 39 or 40 weeks.

Edited to answer cCe's question.
30. What do people say when they come to your house for the first time? Being it is uniquely decorated.

It is VERY different in style from the decor of any of our friends or family so usually the first reaction is a WOW! I think that in part it is just surprise since we don't seem like the type to be so "into" decorating, and partly that it is very unlike anything you would see in 99.9% of homes here. Almost all the feedback we get is extremely positive, especially after people have been here more than once because our house is truely always changing and I think it is intriging to people.


I think that answers everyone! Whew, thanks for the mental workout everyone, and thanks for reading.