An inspiring walk in Calgary, Alberta

Making a statement comes easy for a door like this.

I am guessing that whoever lives here has a ton of confidence or hired a designer who does. I discovered this jewel while out on a  walk on our winter vacation.  I LOVE this door.

This home had a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and was pulled together impeccably. Many people struggle with the idea that if you live in a traditional home that all design elements should be parallel to that particular style. This is a great example of how that is simply not the case.  The front of this house has two planters in very traditional round pots, craftsman style bronzed lamp posts and then a very contemporary metal door. The front gate is almost delicate in its design in contrast to the weighty style of gray bricks and massive single front door, and it looks amazing together.

Today was -26 degrees in Calgary, Alberta. I was bundled up and out for a fantastic walk through my cousin’s neighborhood.  His neighborhood is situated above the Bow River overlooking the downtown area. These are just a few doorsteps that caught my eye for different reasons.

In Seattle, I don’t usually see this style door in a light stain. I love the curved top, light stain and that it was paired with a modern nickel door handle. Beautiful.

This particular house reminds me of a modest, older Seattle home that has tons of charm inside complete with built-ins and paned glass. Even though this is a smaller home with a single door porch, it commands attention because of the substantial, wood door and rustic stain.

I couldn’t help taking a ton of photos when I was out walking.  I am intrigued by how architecture and design styles differ so much between cities, states, climates and countries – even neighboring countries. It was inspiring to see daring design choices, traditional charm and how architects are inspired by the elements (such as -26 degrees!).

-Kim