When I asked my sister,  “Do you love your husband?” she paused, then replied, “Only in the right lighting.” The marriage didn’t last – his doing — but she had a point about the lighting. Good light and love go hand in hand. Nobody can fall in love while scrutinizing a prospective lover’s pores.  Even Blanche Dubois had the good sense to throw a Chinese paper lantern over a cruel naked bulb. Shadows let dreams live. This is important. Because falling in love isn’t about seeing all the facts,  it’s about seeing possibility.  Of course staying in love is more tricky. Staying in love means seeing a person at their most beautiful all the time, in all kinds of light. This is how the French CutiePie sees me. No matter where I am, under the midday sun or bathing in the harsh flurorescent light of a waiting room, to him I’m always “zee most beautiful girl in zee wold.”  It’s like the FC’s eyeballs have a built-in dimmer switch. He never notices my flaws.  And the more beautiful he sees me, the more confident and beautiful I become. That’s why love feeds love. In all light.

Though the FC thinks I'm beautiful in all light, we tried to make the lighting in our new house as beautiful as possible, like the vintage Victorian fixture we chose for the kitchen. Even with a 100 watt bulb, it casts a warm, love-inducing glow.

Maybe we need to call a psychic or just flip a coin, but the FC and I are stumped about what material to use for our kitchen counter. (Yes, after living here a full month, we still don’t have one.) Having ruled out granite, concrete and tile, we’re finally down to white quartz or wood. Everyone has a different opinion. Both cost the same. The wood counter will be custom made by a carpenter that my friend knows, so it won’t look Ikea-ish, it’ll be wide-planked and (we think) dark stained. Romantic, cottage-y. But the white quartz will be light and airy and go with my mid-century modern teak dining room table. Which is the best choice? We keep vacilliating. All the while, I have a sorry looking piece of MDF getting more stained with every hour.

It’s time for action, choices, momentum. Or maybe just another cup of tea…

Wood will work with our sink and tap, which are similar to the above.

This kitchen uses the backsplash to break up the all white, something we could try with our white tile (already purchased.) Also like rustic stools in front. White goes with everything!

With our new back yard, the FC and I have been doing a lot of outdoor dining. For patio lanterns, here’s what I’m loving; reusing old jam, pickle and mustard jars as candle holders. They’re large enough to block the wind, look pretty, and you can feel all e-virtuous reusing jars a few more times before sending them into the green box. I’ve also been using jars as wine glasses for picnics. It looks cool, makes your cup easily identifiable (“Oh, I’m the Bonne Mamman cherry jam!”) and you can screw the lid back on when you’re ready to pack up, preventing any last drops from staining your picnic basket. The lid also makes your wine glass portable, so no more spillage as you tipsily wander around the park, looking for friends.

First photo from Apartment Therapy’s related article on Best Outdoor Lanterns.

It’s hard to come back to a blog after a long break. So much to say, where do you start? Or restart?

Firstly, you should know that the FC and I finally moved into our new home. Though we’ve had our share of stress (pidgeon poo in the ceiling, crooked floors, shady contractors) we also feel crazily blessed. The cool touch of new slate under our feet (like being at the beach) the gleaming white kitchen cupboards, the magical garden that just feels so huge compared to the small terrace of my former apartment– How lucky are we?

And with this change of address I feel the blog should change too. Not sure how yet… Perhaps I’ll start with the name. Goodbye Cooking For Cock, hello Eat My Heart? Because that’s what I want to record; all the delectable morcels of goodness (culinary and otherwise) I encounter in this new chapter in my life.

Coucou!

With the cottage renovation nearing completion (so much to say on that topic) and two screenwriting projects on the go, I’ve just been too swamped to blog or cook. Frozen peas, instant mashed potatoes (they’re good) simple mixed green salads, couscous, frozen perogis and Knorr Carrot and Coriander soup boxes have saved my ass.

Not having special dining time with the FC is definitely a challenge. I miss gazing into his big blue eyes over the candlelit dinner table. Instead, we snarf down a hasty supper and quibble about shady contractors, renovation delays and all round stress. It’s conclusive. Renovations are NOT part of the recipe for love. But they are a test, that’s for sure, though the FC is constantly reminding me not to take the temperature of the relationship now, while under duress. (He’s so wise.)

The good news is that I love what I’m writing, especially a new ghost series pilot for CBC (more details to come.) I think that’s definitely part of the recipe for love. Loving what you do. It makes you happy even when everything else feels out of whack. Though under a tight deadline, the writing has been a sanctuary from other pressures.

And on that note, back to work. Will blog again soon. Promise.

Illustration by Ola Kononova.

The Ikea cabinets are officially purchased, and I’ve got the hefty bill to prove it. (Even with the 15 percent gift card rebate, it’s a big number to swallow.) I’m still very nervous about the choice. When surfing the net, looking for reassurance, I found a few design layouts using the Ikea Lidingo that turned my stomach. Awful, awful…. But I know design works in combination; a few good choices can set something off beautifully, a few bad ones can destroy a look completely. (Just like fashion. The same skirt on two different girls can look totally different.) I just have to believe we’re going to rock this style, no matter what.

It’s also a learning experience. Maybe on our next house, we’ll have all the contacts and know-how to investigate other options. We’ll also be confident enough to try a craftier, more recycled approach to kitchen design. Or maybe we’ll do exactly the same thing because we know it works smashingly well. We’ll see! But choices move us forward, that’s why we have to make them.

Next big decision? Countertop surface. (The countertops weren’t part of the Ikea sale so we’re shopping around for good deals and good ideas.) We can do wood (cheaper, something with a dark stain to play off the white cabinets.) Or stone. (The FC has a lead on a place for granite at a good price.) We could also consider a white tiled countertop, which would be very thrifty. As always, any good ideas or contacts welcome.

Dark wood sets off white cabinets beautifully and also reflects light. Love the light fixtures and vintage white stools.

White tiled countertop has a homey, country style vibe and is easier on the wallet. The rounded wood edge gives definition between the white tiles and white cabinet base. It also picks up the wood door handles. But maybe this look is a little too country for me.

Stone is costly, but durable and gorgeous. Love the gray and black speckled stone. It's a softer look than using black stone, which we're considering.

Uninspiring use of Lidingo. But maybe that's the icky light fixture's fault. I also don't like the countertop colour, or the microwave and stove area. We chose a sleek fan and a stove with the controls on the front. Both would help this kitchen considerably. Right now, it's just overstuffed with cabinetry. Nothing breathes.

The FC posted the old cabinets from the house we’re renovating on Kijiji (for free) and a friendly pothead with a cute white dog came by last night to take them away. I hope it wasn’t a mistake letting them go.  (Judging from all the DIY blogs I’ve been scouring, it’s truly amazing how a coat of white paint can completely revive a set of sad-looking cabinets.) My bohemiam frugal self never likes to waste money, or worse, be unoriginal. Let’s hope springing for new Ikea cabinets proves to be the right choice.

Farewell old cupboards. I hope I don't miss you. (They were hideous and not worth saving, right?)

Next salvage question? The wood floors.  To keep or replace?  Given that we’re buying a new kitchen, I think conserving money (and the environment) on the floors is a good idea. They’re solid maple, and with a bit of love they could be beautiful. We’ll see how this decision shakes down.  My main goal is to be creative and thrifty, but not shabby (a fine line!) I also don’t want this project to bring any financial regrets into my otherwise perfect relationship. Boy, do the stakes feel high!

We’re deep into the second week of our cottage renovation and so far the relationship is holding strong. I especially love seeing the excitement in the FC’s eyes as the new windows go in (they’ll be finished tomorrow) and the pride he shows when he accomplishes a task, like tearing down a wall, or ripping tiles off the bathroom wall. The cottage is his “baby” and as co-owner, he treats it differently then my apartment where we live now. For one, the FC actually cleans!! At the end of every work session, the FC is the first to reach for the broom, carefully sweeping up the dust and debris. (At my apartment the FC rarely touches a broom unless I ask, and when he does, he treats it like an alien relic, unsure quite how it works. )

So if co-owning a house brings out the FC’s inner clean freak, I’ll be a very happy woman. Maybe this renovation will make our relationship even better! (But talk to me in Week 3.)

Actually, the FC looks more like a confused snorkeler then a hunky construction worker, but hey- he's still my man!

Here’s the kitchen cabinet layout the FC created using the Ikea software.

The total cost is a bit higher than we hoped, so we’re wondering if we should trim back or stick.  Options for reducing include; 1. getting rid of the corner cabinet on the upper right and replacing it with some sort of custom bookshelf we make ourselves, and 2. removing the cabinets above the fridge. The latter is a key question because we want the fridge to feel connected to the kitchen. Without that white cabinet linking it into the scheme, will the fridge stick out like a stainless steel-clad sore thumb? And if we do lose the fridge cabinets, what do we do with the space on top of the fridge? Any ideas? It’s important because this is the view one sees looking into the kitchen from the living room. (See below.)

Designing a kitchen scheme is almost as hard as writing screenplays!

I’ve been to Ikea so many times I’m turning into a Swedish meatball.

When we couldn’t find the Shaker style cabinet I’d been admiring from Rona (they have a 6-8 week order period) once again, Ikea proved to be our best option. But I was nervous. The more I looked at Ikea, the more it all seemed the same. And I didn’t want a kitchen out of a can or feel like I was living in Ed Norton’s apartment in Fight Club. Though clean lines and a high gloss modern style used to feel right to me, finding true love has made me more romantic and I want that vibe for our new coachhouse.

For me, the best way to avoid the Ikea cookie cutter was to go with the white Akurum Lidingo. If you choose some of the narrower width cupboards, in the tall format (39 inches) you achieve the same kind of effect, despite the slightly raised moulded centre. This look should pair well with various modern and vintage non-Ikea accents (for which we’ve left plenty of room ) and also our sleek stainless steel kitchen fan. (More on this skin-saving miracle later.)

Choosing Ikea cabinets also means that when we’re feeling flush and want to add a new element (like a pull-out track for the garbage under the sink or a lazy Suzan for the corner cabinet) they’re always in stock.

Here’s the cabinet style.

Ikea cabinet door, "lidingo" style.

Here’s a few other inspirational photos I found from Ikeafan.com and Southern Kitchens.

I like the blue element here. It reminds me of the FC's parents' kitchen in France.

Good example of how painting the inside of a cabinet can change the look. (Though can you paint the inside of an Ikea cabinet?)

I like the chandeliers and stools. Another example of how stunning a narrower cabinet can look.

Butterfly backsplash makes the modern flat white cabinet (which I'm not going with) seem less generic.