I always laugh when I think about the original design plan for our AirBnB, we were going for a Florida Keys feel but as we got settled and bought some stuff it's taken on a much more Polynesian vibe which I'm totally here for. I think it was solidified when I made this easy DIY cane inspired headboard. 

We're slowly moving into our new home. This week we tackled our master bedroom. It's not totally done yet but it's done enough to live with for awhile. The previous owners of our house had a ceiling fan in the master (one of those tulip fluted fans from the eighties) my first thought was to replace it with a regular light fixture (because that's always been my knee-jerk reaction to ceiling fans), however I decide to take a look at the ceiling fans on the market today and see if they had evolved with the rest of the world Guess what? They have! There are so many amazing options for ceiling fans now days, everything from finishes to number of blades to remote controls so I thought I'd share my tips for selecting a ceiling fan below.


As part of the Modern Handmade Home Series we've partnered with Emerson Fans to update one room in our homes. Emerson Fans have set the industry standard for ceiling fans of high quality and timeless design. From the minute this fan was installed I've been in love. Honestly I love waking up to the nice breeze every morning. I selected the Astor model (it's new), it comes in black and white with hints of gold. I love it's round shape, it really compliments the rest of the light fixtures in our home. Here are some tips on how I landed on this one:

1. Ceiling Height
Fans are generally good in spaces with ceilings 9 ft or higher.  If you have ceilings on the 9 ft side be sure to select a flush mount ceiling fan or one that can get as close to the ceiling as possible. Emerson Fans has a whole bunch of recommendations around this on their website so be sure to check it out.


2. Remote Controls
Those fans with the little pulled down chain still exist but they've made advances in how these could be controlled remotely. For example, my Astor fan comes with a remote control that enables me to change the speed of the fan (up to four speeds) and turn the light on and off without leaving my bed (very handy at night). Be sure to look into these features, it's something I didn't think about at first but I'm so glad I did.


3. Lighting
Not all ceiling fans have lights included. This is a personal preference. There are many lighting options for fans, everything from LED to the shape of the shade, there are tons of decisions to make. Be sure to double check the size and shape of the light you select because it will need to correspond to your fan fixture.

All I can say is that I love my fan. I'm a fan of fans (whamp wham).  I don't think I'll ever go back. 
Be sure to check out the other bloggers in the #modernhandmadehome series to see how they've incorporated an Emerson Fan into their home: Lindi from Love, Create, Celebrate, Colleen from Lemon Thistle and Thalita from The Learner Observer.

So a few months back my husband started having some lower back pain. He tried everything from stretching, exercising and orthotics for his shoes (yes we're eighty). Nothing worked. Then someone asked about his sleep. I don't know why we hadn't thought of this but it made so much sense. When we moved from our last house our mattress had to be folded in half to get down the stairs. We didn't think of it at the time but it completely ruined the inside of our mattress. We did some research on mattresses (and how to get better sleep) and confirmed that a new mattress was most likely the solution.


We decided to go with a Leesa Mattress for a few reasons; one, the Leesa Mattress has three premium foam layers for cooling, body contouring and pressure-relieving support (which is what my husband needed). Second, delivery was fast and easy (plus they have a risk free trial so that relieves another pressure as well). Finally, they give back, donating one mattress of every one sold. I know this isn't something you always think of when buying a mattress but it's a nice touch that really solidified our decision.

I'm not going to lie, I was a little skeptical about a mattress arriving in a box. How is there a king size mattress in there? Do I need to do anything to blow it up? How long would it take? Guys, I was so surprised, I took it out of the package and it started expanding right in front of my eyes. It was fully grown within a few minutes - unbelievable. Check out my instagram stories to see it!


So the true test was sleep. I've tried memory foam mattresses before and I found they were too soft and didn't sustain support. The Leesa Mattress has all the benefits of a memory foam mattress but it has a way better memory (so to speak). The pressure-relieving support is an understatement. My husband and I both slept better and we cannot believe the change it has made to our daily awake lives. Seriously, I wasn't putting enough emphasis on a good sleep. Not only am I feeling better physically but I'm happier and I'm a better mom to the boys (that tired edge is gone).


Hooray for better sleep! Oh yes, and my husband's back pain is gone (and so are the orthotics).


Be sure to check out the other bloggers in the Modern Handmade Home Series for their reviews on the Leesa Mattress; Colleen from Lemon Thistle, Thalita from The Learner Observer, Lindi from Love Create Celebrate and Gemma from the Sweetest Digs. 

After sanding and priming it was ready for some fun paint. I found this great colour from Canadian Tire's Premier Paint line call Starry Night. Their paints are washable and scuff resistant - perfect for a little boys bunk bed. I decided to keep the walls white to add contrast and really make the blue paint pop.