News — Lifestyle

Walking through the forest in winter, we become aware of the fresh nip of pine, the crunch of snow, the sparkle of frost. By the ocean, our breathing deepens as it falls into synch with the crashing waves. Atop a mountain, we understand on a cellular level our humble place in the bigger picture. Nature is wild and grand and dramatic—it makes us feel alive. It’s a lot like love. As we enter a new romance, our racing thoughts and desire to control events give way to a heightened spontaneity. We’re moved to act on intuition, and we effortlessly attune to the sensibilities of...

Lorraine Ouimet and Alan Prater are humble people. Although Lorraine is a successful personal trainer and Alan is a well-known jazz musician who has toured with the likes of Michael Jackson, they both prefer to live what Lorraine calls “the simple life”. “My life is minimalist - I need to have kind, happy people around me, people who are grateful for what they have. I need to have good healthy food, a glass of wine once in a while and little chocolate every day!” Their new apartment in Lachine, Montreal suits this philosophy to a tee. “We’re two blocks from...

Offering a warm cup of tea to our guests when they enter our world is a natural part of what we do. It’s a daily ritual that is laced within the Artemano DNA. It’s a simple gesture. A humble offering.  But one that symbolizes and says so much. It’s our way of welcoming people into our home, of letting them know that we embrace and are honoured by their presence. That they are welcomed to stay for as long as they want. That their comfort and joy within our space is important to us. A simple cup of tea strikes...

Packing your suitcase can be as exciting as unpacking. We reminisce over the souvenirs we’ve crammed in amongst dirty clothes and full memory cards. But it is the customs and rituals of the places that woo us away and that don’t take up any valuable suitcase real estate that can linger long after we’ve returned.With the holiday season in full effect and ritual playing a central role to the festivities, we are taking a bit of an inventory of all that we’ve brought home from our travels to the Far East to see what rituals we can fuse with our...

As the daylight hours shorten, and the stars shine brighter at night, it’s time to adjust our lighting scheme. We believe in illuminating the home in winter both to amplify its warmth and to bring out the beauty of our furnishings and any striking architectural features. We are spending more time at home at this chilly time of year, so we want to make sure our place is an especially soul-nurturing space, conducive to nesting and doing all the stay-at-home activities we love, such as reading, hosting close friends and snuggling with our significant others. The right lighting can also...