The tour was super fun this year! Last year we were a bit disappointed and I'm guessing a lot of other people were too, because they really stepped it up this year. The tour is done as a fund raiser for the Rotary Centre for the Arts so we like to support it, plus it's a fun way to kick off the Christmas season! Tony and I took my mom and dad with us for a fun family outing.
Here's a rundown of how the tour works.
This year there were six homes on the tour. Last year there was a few more but I think less is more in this case. It didn't take as long, and the decorations were more concentrated in each home. The thing I did miss this year was that there were only two homes with little shops set up in the garage! Every other year I've been there has always been something at each house for you to blow money on. Either decorations or goodies to eat, and even mulled wine! There were NO goodies this year! BAH!
They don't allow cameras in the homes, for good reason, so I could only take pictures of the outsides of the homes from the street. It was dark and I had to lighten these in photoshop so bear with me.
Home number one is a new house that is the family home of a local contractor.
It was decorated really nicely and it had a little shop in the basement. I bought this wall sconce/candle holder there.
I also fell in love with the cutest wrought iron reindeer tea light holders and napkin rings. I should have bought them then but this was our first home and I was trying to pace myself. I didn't know that there were only two stores! I'll go buy them at the retail store sometime this month and I'll post them then.
Home number two was actually a heritage church. My picture does not do it justice. To get the whole thing, I would have had to stand out on a busy road, which I wasn't about to do in the dark.
To get married here, you have to book a year or more in advance. The Heritage Society had an information booth set up here and there was also another shop set up inside one of the wings. I didn't buy anything here though because everything I liked was pretty expensive and too big. It would have taken up too much room in the car.
Home number three belongs to my friend's aunt. It's a cute little farm house that's done up heritage style. So cute! They have several buildings on their property and they run this one as a bed and breakfast I believe.
Home number four was the show home in a very expensive residential development in town called Woodland Hills. It costs at least 3 million dollars to build there. The views are amazing and each home comes completely landscaped with the option of an infinity pool with a swim-up bar! Sign me up! This home will go on the market for about 6-7 million! It's actually three buildings and has garage space for 18 cars, a guest house, and a spa/fitness building. It also has the infinity pool, little creek, and a pond. My pictures do it no justice, this is only part of the main building.
Inside is a gourmet kitchen, library, home theater, wine cellar, billiards/game room, etc., etc. The garage building houses a guest house on top and the garage itself is two levels below that. It's a 'gentleman's garage' and actually looks like a sports bar inside with a bathroom, TV's, bar, and a poker table! I could go on and on but I won't.
House number five is in the 'master planned' neighborhood of Kettle Valley. I think it's a bit crowded and refer to it as the 'land of the Stepford wives', but that's just me. The homes are pretty nice though. This home had the most outdoor decorations. Lots of greenery, it smelled so good!
Our final home was actually a condo (loft) downtown. It was decorated old Hollywood style with lots of Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn pictures. It was ALL black and white, even the Christmas tree was black! Not my style at all but a lot of people liked it.
That's it with the lights on the top floor. It has a rooftop patio.
Then we all went to the Rotary Centre for the Arts to a wine reception. The centre was also filled with lots of artists selling their work. I bought a silver necklace from a lady I like to visit at the farmers' market.
The reception was ok. You gave them your ticket for a glass of wine and there were crackers and cheese and fruit plates to snack from. They had some men's a capella group performing and they were LOUD! The whole point of a reception is for people to chat! They should have had a piano player or a string quartet instead as background music. WTF! We couldn't hear ourselves think! We left after about half and hour and went for coffee, then headed home.
It was a pretty fun night and now I'm ready to decorate my house!
Here's a rundown of how the tour works.
This year there were six homes on the tour. Last year there was a few more but I think less is more in this case. It didn't take as long, and the decorations were more concentrated in each home. The thing I did miss this year was that there were only two homes with little shops set up in the garage! Every other year I've been there has always been something at each house for you to blow money on. Either decorations or goodies to eat, and even mulled wine! There were NO goodies this year! BAH!
They don't allow cameras in the homes, for good reason, so I could only take pictures of the outsides of the homes from the street. It was dark and I had to lighten these in photoshop so bear with me.
Home number one is a new house that is the family home of a local contractor.
It was decorated really nicely and it had a little shop in the basement. I bought this wall sconce/candle holder there.
I also fell in love with the cutest wrought iron reindeer tea light holders and napkin rings. I should have bought them then but this was our first home and I was trying to pace myself. I didn't know that there were only two stores! I'll go buy them at the retail store sometime this month and I'll post them then.
Home number two was actually a heritage church. My picture does not do it justice. To get the whole thing, I would have had to stand out on a busy road, which I wasn't about to do in the dark.
To get married here, you have to book a year or more in advance. The Heritage Society had an information booth set up here and there was also another shop set up inside one of the wings. I didn't buy anything here though because everything I liked was pretty expensive and too big. It would have taken up too much room in the car.
Home number three belongs to my friend's aunt. It's a cute little farm house that's done up heritage style. So cute! They have several buildings on their property and they run this one as a bed and breakfast I believe.
Home number four was the show home in a very expensive residential development in town called Woodland Hills. It costs at least 3 million dollars to build there. The views are amazing and each home comes completely landscaped with the option of an infinity pool with a swim-up bar! Sign me up! This home will go on the market for about 6-7 million! It's actually three buildings and has garage space for 18 cars, a guest house, and a spa/fitness building. It also has the infinity pool, little creek, and a pond. My pictures do it no justice, this is only part of the main building.
Inside is a gourmet kitchen, library, home theater, wine cellar, billiards/game room, etc., etc. The garage building houses a guest house on top and the garage itself is two levels below that. It's a 'gentleman's garage' and actually looks like a sports bar inside with a bathroom, TV's, bar, and a poker table! I could go on and on but I won't.
House number five is in the 'master planned' neighborhood of Kettle Valley. I think it's a bit crowded and refer to it as the 'land of the Stepford wives', but that's just me. The homes are pretty nice though. This home had the most outdoor decorations. Lots of greenery, it smelled so good!
Our final home was actually a condo (loft) downtown. It was decorated old Hollywood style with lots of Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn pictures. It was ALL black and white, even the Christmas tree was black! Not my style at all but a lot of people liked it.
That's it with the lights on the top floor. It has a rooftop patio.
Then we all went to the Rotary Centre for the Arts to a wine reception. The centre was also filled with lots of artists selling their work. I bought a silver necklace from a lady I like to visit at the farmers' market.
The reception was ok. You gave them your ticket for a glass of wine and there were crackers and cheese and fruit plates to snack from. They had some men's a capella group performing and they were LOUD! The whole point of a reception is for people to chat! They should have had a piano player or a string quartet instead as background music. WTF! We couldn't hear ourselves think! We left after about half and hour and went for coffee, then headed home.
It was a pretty fun night and now I'm ready to decorate my house!
2 comments:
What great fun! I like your purchases too. No mulled wine? Poo on them!
Nice, I like that necklace! The acapella group sounds hilarious. I'd have to have gotten up there with them and sang! WOOOOOOOOOO!
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