4 Ways to Transform Your Home into a Luxury Winter Retreat

I recently had a chance to write a piece for La-Z-Boy's home blog, The Comfortable House. The piece was a lot of fun to write and the topic was something that I had been wanting to tackle for quite some time.

In the post, I'm giving you some of my favourite tips on how to convert your home into a luxurious winter retreat. My tips are super easy and don't require a big budget. Best of all, it's the kind of mini-makeover you can give your home during the weekend!

If you want to learn more about how to convert your home into a luxurious space, be sure to check out my post here! I hope you can truly take some good decorating tips away from it!

*Images sourced from Pinterest. 

---

RECIPE: Ginger, Turmeric & Cardamom Latte with Manuka Honey

It's flu season, and it seems like everyone in my circle of friends and family is sick right now.

When Geoff came down with a nasty cold for the second time in two weeks, I ordered him to stay home from work and sleep it off. 

That day, I made sure that he had lots of warm veggie soup, herbal tea, and plenty of ginger and garlic to help boost his immune system back to health. 

Of course, as he was getting better, I got sick. 

I spent the day in bed, sleeping it off, just like I had recommended to him. 

When I couldn't sleep anymore, I grabbed my iPad to browse one of my favourite blogs, goop. Yup, this once-upon-a-time Gwenyth hater is now totally head over heels smitten with her and her site.

A video for something called Warming Tea Latte caught my eye, which inspired me to run to my kitchen to concoct my own version.

The results are exactly what I needed to get better - a drink that feels soothing, comforting to sip on, with the subtle flavours of ginger and cardamom with a hint of sweetness from Manuka honey.  

That night I went to bed early and the next morning I woke up feeling a million times better and ready to conquer the day.

Thanks for the idea GP!

RECIPE: Nathalie's Ginger, Turmeric & Cardamom Latte with Manuka Honey

Makes 2 cups

• Almond milk (or any non-dairy milk of your choice)

• Water

• 1 stick of cinnamon

• 1-inch piece of fresh organic ginger, peeled, washed, and cut

• 1 tsp of coconut oil

• 1/2 tsp of ground turmeric

• 2 cardamom pods

• 1/4 tsp of nutmeg

• 1 tbsp, more or less, of Manuka Honey for taste

1. Fill a mason jar with half water and half almond milk.

2. Throw the water/almond milk mix and all of your ingredients into a saucepan. 

3. Simmer on low-medium heat for about 30-40 minutes.

4. Stir occasionally and check in to make sure it's not boiling. Simmer is good. Boiling is not.

5. Strain into a mug and enjoy!

6. Flavour with more honey if that's your thing.

---

A Personal Note

It's almost the Christmas, it's almost the New Year and heck, I just celebrated a birthday! Who else is looking forward to 2018 and setting new goals? I know I am!

I don't know about you guys but I look forward to setting new goals every year. I'm not talking about new years resolutions like "lose 10 pounds", but enriching things like "travel to Iceland" or "finish my basement renovations" or "start a new company." 

I've been setting goals for myself since I was in my late teens and I still do it because it really helps me stay on track with what I want to get out of life and turns my dreams into reality.

Goals are awesome for self-improvement and holding yourself accountable for accomplishing what you want out of life.

Without them, it's easy to go year after year telling yourself "I hope I can afford to go on an epic holiday soon." Instead, change your mentality and change the words to "I will go on an epic holiday this year".

Tell yourself and believe that you're finally gonna do it. Start planning, start saving and make it happen. 

True story, Geoff and I went to Iceland in October this year with our best friends and it was incredible! It was number one item on our bucket list and it was everything we could have imagined and more! 

Thing is I had been planning this trip for years but something would always happen and we'd never move forward with it.

At the start of 2017, Geoff and I promised each other that we'd go to Iceland no matter what. We held each other accountable to our goals and in March of 2017 we took the first step and booked our flights.

We set up an auto savings plan with our bank so that we could easily save money for our vacation without even having to think about it. All we did was plan the holiday itself and everything just fell into place. 

That's the thing with goals. They don't have to be massive or life changing but they should be fun. I mean, what's life without looking forward to something and making those dreams a reality?

Put it in writing and work towards that promotion at work, get that tattoo you've been planning forever or move to that city you've always wanted to move to.

Life is happening now.

Make those dreams a reality and get out there and reach those goals because when you get there, it's pretty awesome! 

I hope you guys have been enjoying WoahStyle in 2017 and like I said, I can't wait for the new year. I have a lot of cool shit up my sleeve and I'm finally gonna hit those goals and get it out there. 

I also just want to say thank you all so much. You guys make me want to constantly improve my craft and give you something new and exciting to look forward to.

I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday and Happy New Year!

xo, 

Nathalie

---

Self Love (no, not that kind)

Ok here goes. 

I started seeing a therapist recently.

While this might not be a big deal to most people, this is a HUGE deal for me.

There's so much that's happened this year that has proven to be incredibly challenging, even without the aid of a therapist. My best friend's father passed away from cancer at the start of the year, and that alone was tough enough to deal with. In my mind, being there for her meant putting her first and myself last. I didn't even give myself time to grieve until the day of her dad's funeral - it finally hit me that he was really gone. After that, I spiraled into a horrible depression, and my anxiety was at an all-time high. My fears were out of control and it affected everything in my life. I couldn't even open social media without a panic attack!

Long story short, after months of feeling like crap, I started to look after myself again. That was when I knew I had to talk to someone because I wanted to continue to heal. In hindsight, I should have been kinder to myself and taken the time to deal with my own pain but I felt guilty.

It's so easy for us to put the people closest to us first when they're going through a crisis. We take on their hardships as if they're our own and we put ourselves through the emotional wringer which benefits no one.

Something my therapist talks about is being mindful. For example, I hate traffic. I hate it so much I get anxious and angry just thinking about it. I mentioned it to her during one of my appointments and told her I had a friend's baby shower to drive to that afternoon in peak rush hour. How the hell was I going to be mindful in sitting in rush hour? HOW?! I can't remember her exact words but she said something along the lines of "breathe" and envision the end result and seeing my friend at her baby shower. It helped a lot that day, but I still hate traffic.

Being mindful is just one of the ways I practice self-love. Another is by taking the time do things that bring me joy -for example watching YouTube first thing in the morning to help me get out of bed or lighting a scented candle while I read a good book. Above all else, putting on makeup is probably my favourite mindful activity because in that time I'm fully present in the act of getting my face on. I can easily spend a couple of hours getting ready and I'll never feel bad for that again. 

Whatever is happening in your life, make sure to take time for you. Because you're important and you're worth the effort. You'll be better to your people, and at the end of the day, happier for it.

Oh, and don't feel shame about needing help with your emotions, whichever way you choose to seek it. 

Hope you're all happy and healthy. If not, hope you're healing.

DISCLAIMER: NARS PRODUCTS IN THIS POST WHERE PROVIDED BY THE BRAND. 
ALL PHOTOGRAPHY IS MY OWN.

How to style a killer bar cart

Geoff and I recently got the cutest little bar cart without actually trying! Well, the truth is we had been looking for one for a few years but never found the right style to suit our decor. Geoff's taste is more masculine and he likes natural wood finishes and clean lines. I, on the other hand, love shiny finishes like mirror, brass or silver and it's not unusual that I'll decorate (and dress) with mix metals in mind. Through trial and error, we realized the mid-century modern aesthetic suits us both beautifully so that's what we lean towards with home decor. We also have an unspoken rule, if we don't love the piece in question then we don't bring it home. I have to admit, this rule is much easier when it comes to my closet because it's just me who has to be happy. With home decor, Geoff has to love it too so it always feels like a triumph when we find a piece that makes us both happy.

So back to the bar cart.

We did some cross-border shopping the other day and went to Target. There was our little bar cart, displayed on the top of a shelf in the home aisle waiting for us. But no really, it was actually the last one in store and we were freaking out a little because the sale price was too good at $68 USD! All of the other bar carts we had previously looked at were $200 upwards and it didn't even remotely leave a lasting impression on us like this one. Long story short, it's ours now.

Once we got the cart home, I started to work o the setup. Geoff knew he wanted all of our booze bottles on display and I knew I wanted to get some cute quirky little decor bits and bob.

Decorating without the help of Pinterest was interesting, to say the least. I thought I had a good grasp of how I wanted to style everything but I got overwhelmed quickly. That's when I took out the iPad and hit my Woahstyle Home board on Pinterest. From there it took me minutes to get everything in order and I was able to move in with my day. 

Here's with the perfect bar cart should look like. 

Image Source

The Perfect Bar Cart

Start with the perfect bar cart that will suit your home and your personal taste. Think about how it'll flow with the rest of your decor. Do you prefer a metal finish? Wood? Brass? Silver? Acrylic? Like I said in the intro, Geoff is more keen on natural wood finishes and I prefer metals like brass. We found the ideal cart to suit both of our needs and the overall style of cart blends perfectly with our mid-century modern aesthetic. If you're more on the minimal side, look for something with clean lines a sleek finish.

Image Source

Think Green

Back in the day, I was a stylist for a television channel and every time I dressed my sets I would incorporate plants. They happen to be fake because we were under hot studio lights that were only on while we were filming and otherwise the lights on set would be off. Having real plants wouldn't have worked in the TV environment but I was adamant that plants, fake or not, were necessary for livening up the sets. I use the same philosophy at home, and my living room is sprinkled with cacti and snake plants throughout. I figure my new bar cart shouldn't be any different so I added a real plant on the top level and a faux orchid that my mom gifted me on the bottom level where it gets less light. (Also I don't have to worry about my cats munching on it.) If you're curious about what plants are excellent for low light settings, make sure to check out my post on 10 Low maintenance indoor plants.

Image Source

Art

It's no surprise that I love art - everything from abstract to whimsical, animated and Renaissance, I love it all. I'm also very lucky because my brother is an artist and I have a few of his paintings displayed around my home.

Whether your into photography or paintings, hanging artwork above your bar cart will give it some life and personality and it'll provide your guests with conversation starter as they pour themselves another drink!

Image Source

Make it Personal

Just like fashion, your home decor should reflect your personality. In the entire three years of WoahStyle I've always said "forget the trends and buy what you love". This holds true to home decor as well and in particular, styling your bar cart.

Here are the three key things I went for when styling our bar cart: 

1. Something shiny (the mirrored tray I laid down on the first level of the bar cart)

2. Something scented (my seasonal candle and diffuser from Nest! Right now I love the Pumpkin Chai scent which was gifted to me by the brand.)

3. Something whimsical (the gold pineapple and brass alligator head that I've had for ages!)

Sure, the pineapple and the alligator head don't exactly go together and if you want to be technical, neither does the scent of Pumpkin Chai but I could care less. These little trinkets make me insanely happy and they reflect my personality. 

The mirrored tray serves well too. The reflective surface brings in light and femininity to an otherwise masculine bar cart (because of the wood grain). It also acts as an excellent surface for my guests to pour their drinks and I don't have to worry about spills. 

Image Source

Bar & Glassware

I LOVE classic glassware. There was a time when Geoff and I were trying to go the more modern route with stemless wine glasses but we never ended up using them. We also never used the martini glasses, shot glasses and cocktail shakers we had so we ended up donating them all! These days we usually reach for the classics, a good old wine glass from Riedel and some lovely tumblers that were a gift by a family member. An ice bucket is a non-negotiable and we have a simple clear glass one that we keep in storage until it's ready to be used. Other things that could be helpful are tongs (for said ice bucket), napkins and stir sticks. At the end of the day though you have to create your bar in mind with how you and your guests prefer your drinks. As I mentioned before, we used to be fully loaded with a variety of glassware that proved to be useless for us.

Image Source

I hope this helps you in styling your own bar cart at home or at least gives you some ideas on how to decorate a corner in your living room. I've also included the above image which helped me tremendously when putting mine together. If you aren't already on Pinterest, you need to get on it! It's such an amazing resource for ideas, decor, and fashion. Make sure you add me @woahstyle! 

---

Important lessons in marriage

I was at a friend's baby shower recently and we were talking about how time seems to speed up as we get older and how it sucks. Remember when you were little and it seemed like Christmas was forever away? Now we blink and it's another year. Man. 

Yesterday, Geoff and I celebrated our ninth year wedding anniversary. I still can't believe it! 9 years married! I feel like we've accomplished so much together in that time and I really do feel like the luckiest girl having such an amazing partner. I honestly believe that I wouldn't be where I am career wise, being a freelance blogger and all if it wasn't for his constant support. He's truly incredible and patient with me even when I'm at my nuttiest, depressed, anxiety-ridden self.

One of the most important lessons we learned in that time is to take time for us and not allow other people (aka familial obligations) dictate how we spend our time off. In the past, we've always prioritized family over our holidays, but this year we're putting us first. In October, we're skipping a family's wedding (sorry G&A!) to cross something off our bucket list and flying to Iceland for an epic road trip! Then in November, Geoff's youngest sister is getting married in Halifax. We're extending our stay in Nova Scotia by a few days for yet another road trip, this time around to the Bay of Fundy, up to Moncton, driving up the Magnetic Hill, and circling back to Halifax for the day before flying back home. 

If there's one thing that's made our marriage stronger each year it's communication coupled with respect. We don't oblige each other to do anything we don't want to but yet we know when to comprise. Putting us first to take time off as a couple and to do the things we want is super important. While I have the luxury of setting my own hours as a freelancer, Geoff has an allotted amount of vacation days in a calendar year. We wanna make sure we're using our holidays for us because next thing we know, we'll blink and we'll be a couple of old people looking back on our epic road trips.

What I'm Wearing

Queen of Hearts tank sold on my shop here
Ferragamo sunglasses
Zara striped trousers
Balenciaga red clutch/ document holder
Hermes and David Yurman bracelet
Vans checkered slip-ons
 

Photography by Geoff Martin

Travel Diary: Chillin' with EOS in NYC

I love NYC so when I get a chance to travel there and hang out with an awesome brand like EOS, it's win/win. I was there for another 24 hour press trip and I thought it would be fun to document my stay in the photo diary you see here. I hope you guys enjoy the layout and getting to know more about the new EOS Crystal lip balm, launching this September. 

WHERE TO STAY:

The Ludlow Hotel, 180 Ludlow Street, NY, 10002

WHERE TO EAT:

Dirty French for wicked avocado toast, 180 Ludlow Street, NY, 10002

NoHo SoHo for dinner and tasty cocktails, 9 Crosby Street, New York City, NY 10013

My lipstick blog is here!

You wanna know what the great thing about being in your thirties is? You finally stop giving a f*ck. 

I've been so focused on insane things like how well my posts would perform on Instagram that I started to lose focus. As great as IG has been for bringing people together, it is the devil in terms of mental health! If you read my recent post on Life After Instagram, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. 

These days I'm feeling refocused and re-inspired.

Last month I had this insane idea to launch a lipstick blog. I ran it by you guys on Stories the exact day I received this massive PR gift from MAC containing 68 lipsticks (!!!!). Talk about kismet! You guys were excited by the prospect and DM'ed me to make it happen so here we are.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I carry at least 5 tubes of lipstick in my bag at any given time so when I got the MAC gift, I was in lipstick heaven! I wanted to swatch everything for you guys and talk about MAC as an iconic brand so I set out to do just that. I started working away on Lipsick.me, a new blog 100% dedicated to lip products, with the help and guidance of my beauty contributor, Diana. 

We launched the blog on July 28, National Lipstick Day. 

I started WoahStyle as a means to give women confidence in how they dress. Now, I'm launching Lipsick.me, to inspire lipstick enthusiasts and give the beauty community something new.

Oh, and what's with the name? It's a play on words for my lipstick obsession. Lip-sick. Get it? 

Finally, not giving an eff is paying off. I'm trusting my gut and just going with the flow.  

I hope you guys will enjoy my new blog!

And don't worry, WoahStyle isn't going anywhere. ;)

I'm feeling myself and it's gonna show

Fashion photography by Michael Biro
Beauty photography by Nathalie Martin
 

It’s June and I can’t believe we’re halfway through the year already. In a lot of ways, I thought I’d be further along in terms of blogging and life goals but I’m learning that I need to chill out and stop being so hard on myself. I recently picked up the book In The Company of Women by Grace Bonney. It had been on my wishlist since it came out but I only just bought it now. I’m glad I finally did because it’s helping me get back to my roots. (I’ll explain that in a sec.) Almost as soon as I started reading the book I was hit with a wave of sadness. Reading about how these highly creative women define success made me realize that I’ve totally derailed from what I love to do and want to get back on track.

Like a lot of people, I have a tendency to be really hard on myself and don’t take enough time to enjoy and celebrate my accomplishments. I mean, I do to a certain degree but I have a tendency to focus more on what I don’t have versus what I do have. For example, Geoff and I would love to have a family one day but we don’t. I probably think about that more often that I even admit to myself and to some degree I feel guilty that we don’t have kids and yet, it’s just the way life has rolled out for us. In terms of work as a freelance blogger, I often wonder why my blog hits aren’t as high as they are and yet I should be celebrating that my metrics have almost doubled since last year!
 

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not an ingrate and trust me when I say that everyday I wake up and thank my lucky stars that I’m able to blog for a living. I absolutely love it and I’m incredibly proud of how far along my photography and writings skills have come since I first started. Yet here I am, battling my inner demons constantly. 

Come on guys. Don’t tell me you haven’t been there!

So here’s where the book In The Company of Women comes in. Reading about how these creative, successful and fearless women approach lives and their businesses makes me realize; I miss making shit with my hands and I define success with monetary value. (Yikes when did that happen?!) 

When I say I miss making shit with my hands I actually mean that I miss being a hands-on artist, not a digital content creator. When I was younger I used to paint and when it was time for college I was enrolled in graphic design in hopes of getting a job at a magazine like Vogue when I graduated. Instead, I went into business for myself, hand-making iPod cases and selling them all over the world with my business partner, Diana, BFF extraordinaire and now WoahStyle's beauty contributor. We closed the business after a few years and soon I was back at it again, illustrating and screen printing on textiles this time sewing my designs into tea towels. Fast forward to eight years later and I can’t remember the last time I painted or sewed anything.
 

I read about six interviews from In The Company of Women when I realized that not a single person had defined success by how much money they made. Maybe it’s taboo to admit in print, I don’t know.

When I was younger I remember thinking that I’d be successful in life if I had my own business, if I was an artist and if I made enough money to shop at the Gap full price. Ya, I said that!

It makes me realize the two points are connected. Somehow putting so much focus on my annual income means I’ve lost sight of what makes me happy and what makes me me and that’s my art.

Crazy how it took a book to make me realize that. I’m hoping that my creating art again and bringing my paints out of storage that I’ll start to feel more balanced in my everyday life and who knows, maybe one day not be as stressed out and actually have a family.

I urge you guys to take the time to celebrate your accomplishments in life because damn, life is crazy and we have to pat ourselves on the back right?