Shopping local

If COVID-19 taught us anything it was to be kinder to each other. Supporting local businesses during tough times is one way to show love for my new little town. I must confess, I also had my own personal intentions for shopping locally...I needed a few things to furnish my place and food to sustain my creative design inspiration.

I was going for a global inspired home decor theme, gravitating towards Southwest/Aztec for the living room and modern, with a hint of Moroccan, for the dining room. The goal was to get back to basics with simplistic design, made from natural materials.

The first place I went to was Ten Thousand Villages in Cobourg to pick-up a fab rattan magazine rack and some chocolate. Love that everything within this store is ethically and sustainably produced from countries all over the world.

I stopped in at Quinns Blooms and Greenery and picked-up some fantastic Southwest themed pillows and potted plants. Quinns has an amazing selection of plants and flowers of all kinds, but they also have a lovely variety of home decor items to jazz up any abode.

Next on the list was Cobourg Paint and Wallpaper where I grabbed a few containers of Cottage Paint, which is a Canadian chalk paint brand. My intention was to apply this to a cabinet that needed some refurb love and attention. I'm all for upcycling home decor to keep things out of landfills.

I went to The Market and Smor almost daily to buy fresh produce and premade meals. The quiche is fantastic and produce is so fresh and neatly arranged. This shop is all about healthy, organic options and follows a zero-food waste model.

By the end of my local shopping expedition, I was on a first-name basis with most of the owners, which for me, was a very dangerous thing.