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September has always felt like the true start of the year to me. There's something electric about its energy of transition. January feels forced, but September carries genuine momentum. Projects that have been simmering suddenly gain traction and inspiration appears everywhere. The changing season gives us permission to begin again, to reimagine our surroundings and our routines. Even the smallest shifts signal that everything is about to feel new. The evenings are finally cooling down, and I can sense a shift not just in the air, but in how I want my space to feel. Light, breezy linens of summer give way to layers…. rich velvets, soft textures, and deeper, moodier tones. It's the season to surround ourselves with colours that embrace rather than cool and recede.

Share Design + Alchemy

This turn towards “depth” is showing up everywhere. Interiors today are moving away from sterile, clinical white spaces. We’re gravitating towards rich colours, warm wood tones and handcrafted objects - pieces with soul that an actual human made, rather than mass-produced, Amazon shipped decor. Thankfully, the focus now is on atmosphere, authenticity, layering and spaces with warmth personality. You have permission to create a home that makes you happy.

On the topic of autumn/winter colours, 2026 trends are already weaving through every industry. What you see on the fall runway is echoed in interior magazines. Each industry highlights its own heroes, but the palettes themselves overlap. The colours you’re drawn to in a jacket can just as easily feel grounding and elegant underfoot as a rug. (Even if you prefer lighter neutrals, think in the direction of a chocolate brown rug under your cream, beige or white sofa. This richness will not overwhelm but will add a grounding to your space.

By paying attention to fall colour palettes, you can make meaningful updates that elevate your home. You don't need a full renovation - just let a fresh colour combo do the work. These simple colour shifts will transform the energy of your space instantly.

Each season, I set aside time to play with palettes: pulling colours, mixing unlikely combinations and testing until something clicks. I've noticed this process can feel overwhelming for many, especially when all the swatches come out. But for me, it's always been the most enjoyable part.

Featured Palette: Cocoa - Deep Wine - Red - Teal

This story is all about rich cocoa tones and sculptural shapes. Deep browns add drama to space and act as a neutral. You can add touches of teal or wine red, or simply blend in with your creams, taupes and wood tones. The colour is very easy to work with. Go all brown for total drama or keep it for an accent.

This weekend I’ve added a few links for bringing it that richness to your home or adding a few pieces to your wardrobe.

Teal….

Are You Being Duped by a Sexy Logo?

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Candles have basically become the wax equivalent of designer handbags. With the global candle market surpassing US$10 billion in 2024, it’s no surprise that luxury brands are muscling in, offering poetic names and elevated packaging at sky-high prices. Take Smythe for example, a respected fashion label—not even in the fragrance business, yet their minimalist, signature candle retails for $175.

Beautiful vessels, poetic names, impeccable packaging and carefully considered typography… all with sky-high price tags. Candles have become more than just scent. They’re “props” for the coffee table and status symbols curated by influencers. Le Labo’s Santal 33 candle may be having a global moment—but that doesn’t mean you have to follow the crowd. Celebrity endorsements have nothing to do with quality or taste—and everything to do with marketing. Scent, like style, is deeply personal.

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Spending $50–$150 on a Candle…

Let’s assume, like me, you’re willing to invest a little in something well made. (Unfortunately, cheaper candles rarely offer the quality or the experience you’re after. Case in point: my sister-in-law had to completely repaint her powder room after burning a bargain candle from HomeSense (TJMax). It smelled lovely, but left a trail of black soot up the wall that couldn’t be cleaned off.
So which brand should you buy? Is there a balance between price, beauty and quality? Here are my personal thoughts on 11 luxury candle brands. Some of these are worthy indulgences and others not so much.

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Favourites

Trudon - The oldest wax manufacturer in the world (they once supplied Versailles). Their glass is handmade in Italy, then shipped to France where each candle is blended and hand‑poured. They use beeswax, which is rare today. A bit of a splurge, they last, look stunning and feel worth it. I love Salta (grapefruit) and Abd El Kader (Moroccan mint tea fragrance).

Maison Louis Marie - Well priced, chic typography, beautifully scented and a solid everyday candle.

Acqua di Parma - Masters of marketing? Yes, but their candles are fantastic. Aesthetically pleasing, beautiful scents. Try Grazie or Yuzu.

Diptyque - The quintessential French candle company. They’re no longer hand‑poured and now use paraffin wax—a dealbreaker for some. But I still love them. The scents are good and they remain a company that I happily recommend.

ON MY RADAR:

Drake’s Better World Fragrance House - Surprise! Drake has a fragrance company. I’ve ordered two of these candles, Sweeter Tings and Muskoka. They are affordable and I’ve read some great reviews (not by influencers, real people). I’ll be sure to share my thoughts after I burn them a few times.

From my POV, Consider carefully…..

D.S. & Durga- Somewhat odd and curious scents, decent quality, but its hard for me to get past the unappealing jars and labels. Part of the joy in a candle is the beauty of the vessel. Just saying…..

Byredo — Brilliant marketers, but to me it’s all branding. Treehouse and Bibliothèque don’t thrill me the way influencers insist they should. And their candle warmer is a jaw‑dropping $3,367. Leave it.

Tom Ford - Who’s actually buying these candles and why? I can’t imagine many people splurging on one for themselves. They strike me more as a designer “gifting” item than a personal indulgence. Honestly, it feels like a waste of hard earned money when, for $185, you could have a Trudon instead.

Aesop - High prices for candles that don’t deliver much in return.

Le Labo - Do you ever wonder if you’re missing something when the whole world seems obsessed, but you just don’t get it? That’s exactly how I feel about Le Labo. Over‑marketed. Overhyped. Everywhere you turn, it’s Santal 26, ooohh…..ahhhhh. This scent leaves me unmoved. The rest of the line doesn’t fare better, and the minimal packaging is dull and uninspiring. Could they at least put their labels on with some care?

Jo Malone - These candles feel formulaic. Does the world need another company owned by Estée Lauder? (they’ve also acquired Le Labo). I’m not saying growth is inherently bad but giant corporations demand increased profits and formulations can suffer. It’s worth asking: what are we really paying for? More often than not, it’s packaging and name recognition, not quality of product.

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How to Make Your Candle Investment Last Longer

There’s a magical thing called a candle warmer. We received one as a housewarming gift, and now I honestly can’t live without it. Instead of burning out in a few weeks, your candle can last an entire year.

The one I use is about $45 on Amazon and worth every penny, especially since it makes even the priciest candle affordable in the long run. Of course, if you’re drawn to the sizzle, you can also find them at jaw-dropping luxury prices.

Always let your candle burn long enough on the first go - until the whole top layer melts. This can sometimes take a couple of hours….. and prevents tunnelling.
Recenter the wick while the wax is still soft. Trim the wick to 1/4 inch every time before you light it.

A Note on Cold Throw vs. Hot Throw

A great candle should not only look beautiful, it should smell amazing both lit and unlit. Technically, this comes down to two things.
Cold throw is the scent you notice when the candle is sitting in the room, unlit.
Hot throw is how it fills the space once it’s burning.

Some people love a candle with a strong hot throw. Personally, I prefer something more understated. I don’t need the entire room saturated, but prefer the scent to unfold gently. Throw is a personal preference.

Every year, right around July, my social feed fills with packing lists for Ibiza, seaside lunches in Sardinia and cocktail vibes in Mallorca . Everyone, it seems is in Puglia or Provence, sharing their “vibe”. There is an Instagram aesthetic to “summering” and if you're not there, it can feel like summer is happening somewhere else, to everyone else.

Despite what social media might suggest, “Summer” is not a place—it’s a feeling. So while you may not be “summering” in Europe, or cottage country, or the Hamptons, know that summer is about a rhythm. An energy.

And we can summon this into our lives no matter where we are. This feeling is portable. It’s not reserved for a specific time zone or for a spectacularly designed terrace. You can bring this energy to your daily life, to your kitchen, to your patio, to your mindset.

Your version of summer is not a substitute, but a creative act.

Start by Opening your Summer Cookbooks

If you don’t have one of Letitia Clark’s books, go get one now! Letitia is the essence of summer, and was part of my interview series several years ago when I was writing the Imagination of Creative Minds Series. She lives in Sardinia, and her recipes are easy, fresh and beautiful to plate. Easy enough for weekday dinners at and beautiful enough for your weekend entertaining. Her latest book is about LEMONS!

For the Love of Lemons

Rebekah Peppler’s Le Sud - gorgeous photos and laid back summer food. Le Sud

Cucina Melissa: Melissa Norton, another Italian trained chef that I interviewed for my series shares her mouthwatering recipes that you can access for a very reasonable monthly fee. Join her newsletter HERE. I opened up today’s email to find her recipe for Flourless Chocolate Olive Oil Cake, a cake she is known for. Easy to make for company on the weekend.

Are you worth 10 minutes??

The last time I was in Italy, my friend mentioned to me that one day he was driving past a commercial building, and saw a woman sitting on the steps eating a take away sandwich and coffee. This was already an unbearable sight—but he was utterly horrified to realize it was a family member. They simply were not raised that way. In Italy coffee is never taken away in a plastic lined “paper” cup. It is purchased at the counter and enjoyed at the counter, in a standing position, never sitting. Shops close mid-day. The table is sacred. Lunch is taken seriously. Its not eaten in the car, or on the run…. or worse, not at all. Now I’m not suggesting that you must stand at the counter for your coffee, but could you imagine yourself committing to no-more take out coffees for the rest of the summer? Sit and enjoy yourself like a true European would. It literally can be ten minutes. Aren’t you worth 10 minutes?

Your table is an Expression of Beauty
Mia Sylvia, an international textile artist creates alchemy and theatre by intuitively draping fabrics to create enchanting environments that feel otherworldly. The beauty she creates inspires us to explore our own creativity with fabric at home. Consider draping your summer table with something light and flowing—even something simple could bring that same sense of wonder to your space. By the way, Mia offers workshops so check out her website.

Scents that shift your mood
Summer insists on a lighter style of fragrance, and scent can be cleverly used to calm your nervous system, or take you somewhere beautiful.

There are two fragrances that magically transport me to a place of summer happiness. En Passant by Frederic Malle, with Lilac, cedarwood, white musk and cucumber. Traditionally Lilac might be considered by some to be a spring or early summer scent but I don’t care. I’ll wear it all summer long. I’ve tested other Lilac fragrances and there isn’t one to compare.

Then there is the more reasonably priced Eau des Sens. This is truly delightful and I spray on at least 3-4 spritzes every morning. Its incredibly effervescent, does not have a lot of diffusion or staying power, but oh! the happiness of the fragrance delights me! Bigarade (Orange Blossom), Angelique (Angelica Root), Patchouli and Juniper Berry. If you want to get an exceptional single note Bigarade and don’t mind the price tag, Frederic Malle also makes one here.

Swap your duvet for a coverlet

Fluffy duvets should be tucked away for the hotter months. Remove excessive pillows and let go of perfection. Opt for linen bedspreads or woven French Marseilles quilts—also known as matelassé. Portugal also has an exceptional tradition in linens.

Here are some current finds: Vintage, Hudson Grace.

Swap your bag for something delightful

Marian Barker started designing handbags a decade ago with a mission to rescue beautiful fabrics from landfills. Self-taught, she spent two years perfecting her process—cutting, framing, and constructing each one-of-a-kind piece by hand. Her clutches bring a quiet charm to any outfit, and the fabrics have that breezy, summer-in-Europe kind of feel.

And one book that I love to share

I wish you all the best of summer, wherever you are.

Cheers!

Tamara

Listen up, hosts! We need to talk.

Recently I helped my friends set up their new Airbnb, and watching them thoughtfully curate every kitchen detail reminded me how rare this approach actually is. Over the years I've stayed in dozens of Airbnbs, and as a former kitchenware store owner, I can tell you that 90% of you are setting up your kitchens like you've never actually cooked a meal in your life. Nothing ruins a vacation like a dull chef's knife, a missing bread knife, or an underperforming wine opener. These are the basic items that separate amateur hosts from the pros.

The gap between amateur and professional hosts isn't about throw pillows or colourful appliances. It's about whether your guests can prepare a simple meal without frustration. You don't need a Martha Stewart-level setup, but getting the fundamentals right will transform your guest experience.

THE KITCHEN AUDIT: What I See (And What Your Guests Experience)

Picture this: Your guests arrive after a long travel day, excited to make dinner with ingredients from the local market. They reach for your chef's knife and... it can't cut through a tomato skin. Your can opener is rusty and your wine opener can’t be found.

These aren't small inconveniences—they're the moments that make or break a stay. The difference between a guest who books again and one who leaves a three-star review often comes down to whether they could successfully open a bottle of wine on their first night. Luckily, fixing them doesn't require a massive budget, just strategic thinking.

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SPEND THE MONEY HERE(Your Reviews Depend On It)

1. A Decent Chef's Knife or Santoku

Budget: $80 Please stop buying the cheapest knives. That dull, flimsy thing you got in a set is making your guests hate cooking. Get one good 8-inch chef's knife. Your guests feedback will go from this: "Gorgeous property, though we had to buy a sharp knife and a decent cutting board to make cooking feasible." to this: "The kitchen was clearly stocked by someone who actually cooks—sharp knives, proper cutting boards, and a decent bottle opener. Small details that made our stay so much better." Globals are a great knife, try to find one on sale. Made from high carbon stainless steel, the edge isn’t quite as delicate as some of the other forged Japanese steel knives. Here’s a set with a basic Santoku and a paring knife.

Knives

2. A Serrated Bread Knife - yes, it is essential.

Budget: $30 I cannot stress this enough—people buy bread on vacation. Crusty sourdough, fresh baguettes, artisan loaves. If you don't have a proper serrated bread knife, they're going to massacre their beautiful bread.

Bread Knife

I'm sharing the link to my go-to bread knife below— the Mighty Mac Slicer…. it's the one that's earned permanent counter space in my kitchen. Its too precious for a rental kitchen, but treat yourself to one at home. You'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Mac Mighty

3. A Wine Opener That Actually Works

Budget: $10 Please! Stop buying cheap winged corkscrews that rarely work and break on the second bottle. What we need here is a double hinged waiters corkscrew. (And buy two in case a guest snags one) Your guests packed that nice bottle of wine for a reason—don't make them dig cork bits out of their Barolo. I also love a Pulltap opener, but the one below works equally well.

Wine Opener

4. Decent Cutting Boards

Budget: $30-50 for 2 boards

Those tiny plastic boards are insulting. Get one large wooden board and one large plastic one. Wood for bread and cheese, and plastic that can go in the dishwasher. Big enough that people can actually prep food without ingredients falling on the counter.

I’m not a fan of trendy “composite” boards. Yes, they're marketed as lightweight, durable, and beloved by professional kitchens, with all the right buzzwords about FSC-certified materials and knife protection. But in my experience, there is a disagreeable odour and they leave a noticeable taste on food that completely defeats the purpose of having quality ingredients. I’ve tested countless kitchen tools, and I can tell you that no amount of durability matters if it compromises the flavour of what you're preparing. Stick to the classics—good wood that actually does its job without interfering with your food.

5. A Can Opener That Opens Cans

Budget: $15-$18 This seems obvious, but apparently it's not. That cheap can opener you bought from the dollar store doesn't work. Get a proper handheld can opener from OXO. Test it yourself on a can of tomatoes before your guests arrive. The odd can opener malfunctions so testing is imperative.

Can Opener

YOU CAN SAVE MONEY ON THESE

Plates and Bowls

Budget: $40 for service for 6 IKEA white plates are perfectly fine. Nobody cares if your dinnerware is fancy—they care if it's clean and there's enough of it. Get simple white dinner plates, salad plates, bowls and mugs. Buy extras because things break.

Dish Set

Water Glasses + Wine Glasses

Set of 6 water glasses and 6 wine glasses. Again, stock up. These can come from the local hardware store or Ikea.

Wine Glass Set

Cooking Utensils

Budget: $20-30 A basic set of wooden spoons, a spatula, a ladle, an egg lifter, chefs tongs and a whisk will do just fine. You don’t need anything fancy here.

Mixing Bowls

Budget: $15-25 Nested stainless steel bowls from the restaurant supply store. Cheap, indestructible, and guests can actually use them without worrying about breaking a glass set.

Pots + Pans (Stainless Steel - a saucepan, a non stick frying pan, a larger pot)

Buy from the hardware store or Ikea.

Keep it Simple (Cheap + Cheerful)

• Cookie Sheet

• Roasting Pan

• Casserole Dish with Lid

• Toaster

• Automatic Drip Coffee Machine

• A set of 6 plastic serrated steak knives

• 4 reusable chopsticks (We live in Vancouver, and sushi is a regular take-out option for locals and visitors).

Measuring Cups + Spoons

Budget: $10-15 A Nesting set of cups and spoons. Basic plastic measuring cups work perfectly.

THE ABSOLUTE BASICS (That You're Probably Forgetting)

• Salt and pepper mills

• Dish soap(and dishwasher tabs)

• Dish cloths + dish towels (at least 4)

• Pot holders (cheap and cheerful)

• A Cheese Grater (the only one worth buying is a 4 sided box grater)

• A X-Large Pot for Boiling Pasta (Buy from the hardware store or Ikea.)

• A salad spinner (seriously, people eat vegetables on vacation)

• A colander (for draining pasta, vegetables and washing berries)

• A vegetable peeler (again, OXO makes a great version)

• Basic spices (salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic powder, sugar)

• Aluminum Foil + Plastic Wrap

• Teapot

• Ice Cube Trays (not too small)

THE NON BASICS (that make guests feel at home):

• A simple glass vase (guests often buy flowers on vacation). Although I love the current look of hand-built ceramic vessels, these aren’t always waterproof. A solid glass vase will do the trick.

  

  Vase

• Real cloth napkins (instead of paper towels or paper ones)

  

• A quality olive oil (not overpriced) and flaky sea salt (foodies like to travel, and foodies need olive oil and sea salt)

  Olive Oil

  Sea Salt

• A salad bowl that doubles as a serving bowl (for market finds, fresh fruit, etc)

  

  Salad Bowl

• A citrus reamer (for fresh cocktails, or making lemon vinaigrette)

• A Cheese Board + Cheese Knife (while on vacation, charcuterie is often an easy go-to)

  Thoughtful Touches (Not necessary but certainly appreciated):

  • Local restaurant recommendations (purchase a blank journal and write down your favourite local restaurants, along with phone numbers, and addresses. Don’t forget to list wine bars, various themed restaurants (seafood, Italian, vegetarian), location of food markets, art galleries, etc)

    

    Restaurant Journal

  • A few magazines or books (something to flip through)

  • Beach towels (if you're near water)

  • Champagne Flutes (Many of your guests are celebrating!)

  • A cooler bag (for market trips or beach days)

  • Umbrella (because weather happens)

  • Basic toiletries (travel-size backup options)

  • A Laundry Steamer

Welcome Long-Term Guests with Thoughtful Touches

There's one hotel I return to often, and here's why: every time I walk into my room, there's a handwritten note welcoming me back, along with a bottle of wine, two glasses, and a plate of freshly baked homemade cookies. The moment I open that door and see those thoughtful touches, I feel genuinely appreciated.

Which leads me to think that the same experience should exist for long-term Airbnb guests. When someone commits to weeks or months at your property, they deserve more than your standard check-in routine.

A lovely charcuterie spread, a bottle of wine that doesn't come with a screw cap, and a handwritten note that feels genuinely warm—this simple trio transforms a rental into a retreat and shows you understand the art of gracious hosting.

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WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERS

Your guests aren't asking for a Williams Sonoma kitchen. They want to slice some bread and open a bottle of wine without feeling frustrated.

So invest in the tools that actually touch food. Skimp on the pretty stuff. Your guests will remember the functional kitchen that let them enjoy their vacation, not the decorative bowl that looked cute but couldn't hold a salad.