PAD PEEK: #theKWendyHome

Jungalistas, check out this stunning space belonging to our plantie-obsessed pal, Wendy Lau! This charming, 1970s-built home has a modern-meets-eclectic feel & is full of global treasures from Wendy’s worldwide escapades via her work. We caught up with Wendy for both the scoop on her pad and which décor treasures she’s drawn to lately. Keep on scrollin’ for an inside peek into her carefully curated abode, lovingly titled ‘thekwendyhome’.

Tell us a little about yourself & who you envisioned occupying this space when you designed it.
My name is Wendy and I live in this home with my husband K. That’s why I like to call all my homes thekwendyhome. This is currently thekwendyhome 3.0! Besides K, I also live with a lot of house plants. I’ve stopped keeping track but around 75 is a safe bet. I name most of them after Friends characters or their nicknames! (think Gunther, Pheebs, Ursula, Boss Man Bing, Fun Bobby, Barry, Janice, Chick and Duck etc. I can go on…)

What do you do for work?
I am a flight attendant! I am very fortunate and get to travel for a living and curate beautiful mementos to remind me of my travels. I collect wooden spoons from different cities I travel to. So if you ever come over to cook, I’ve got plenty of utensils to go around!

Tell us a bit about your pad.
We are from Toronto, Canada and our home was built in the 1970s. The previous owners installed a sun room which is super popular in our neighborhood back in the 1980s. It’s what made me fall in love with the home in the first place. I needed a home for all my housemates… aka my plants! We’ve lived here for just about a year and we renovated from top to bottom. The only place we haven’t touched is the sun room because I think it’s perfect.

When guests walk into your home, how do you want them to feel?
I want my guests to feel welcomed and right at home. We entertain a lot – think every other weekend – at the very least and we host a lot of big family gatherings. The most we’ve had over was over 30 people! So when we were redesigning this house, I knocked down a lot of walls. It’s a big open concept with entertaining in mind. The kitchen island sees a lot of action. It has held hundreds of dishes for potlucks, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter etc. So we made sure that everything inside this home will withstand a lot of use. The floors are made of hickory, known for their durability. The counters are quartz and easily cleaned when wine spills. We didn’t want our guests to feel like they had to be on pins and needles when they stop by.

What do you do to bring good vibes into your home?
The type of vibes I want to bring to my space are ones of hospitality and warmth. I do this by incorporating a ton of plants and texture in my home. I love fun pops of history that I bring through thrifted and vintage finds. This creates a very lovely mix of old and new that creates a very unique sense of home.

How would you describe your home style in one word or phrase?
I would describe my home as ‘modernized granny chic’ – but instead of embroidery, I collect plants! I love rattan, macramé, plants and the beauty in brass and natural wood.

Which is your absolute fave spot in your home?
My favourite space will have to be the sun room! It’s a crowd favourite for good reason. I love it in all its seasons, it’s cozy in the winter when we’re surrounded by fluffy snow, it’s enchanting in the fall with the changing colours outside, in the spring, when the rain is falling, you can hear it pitter patter on the glass roof and in the summer you feel like you’re outside inside. I’ve strung fairy lights in here and a lot of my plants have taken residency here and thrive, I’ve spent time reading, blogging, and dreaming in here. And when we have jam sessions, it all happens in here too. (We’ve even held family concerts where family members have performed in here while we looked on. There’s a convenient spot light we’ve installed to give it a centre stage feel haha! We’re very extra in my fam jam.)

Is there an object in your home that has significant or sentimental value to you? What is the story behind it?
Oh man, this is a hard one. Almost every knick knack has a story. But I do have a room that is very significant to me in my home. When my husband and I first looked at this home, I envisioned starting a family here and promptly labeled a room ‘The Baby Room’. As time went by, this room because a storage room that housed all my forgotten hobbies, retired home decor and beautiful things that didn’t have a place. It was an unfinished room that constantly reminded me of an unrealized dream. Walking in would cause me panic and anxiety. I left this physical and metaphorical door closed for a long time. Slowly, I began to heal and reconcile myself with this beautiful dream that may never come true. I channeled my love that I had for this unborn dream baby by working with young women and investing in their lives. I began to heal and soon I was ready to open this door. Now, this room is ‘The Woman Cave’. In here, I’ve had tons of meaningful, funny and wonderful conversations with other women. I’ve read my devotions, journaled, sung and enjoy this room to its full potential now.

How is your lifestyle reflected in your home décor?
We are very blessed and fortunate to be able to travel and I always hunt for beautiful mementos to bring home to remind me of my travels. My decor definitely reflects this because there are pieces sprinkled everywhere that are memories we brought back home with us. We also entertain a lot so a big open space was conducive to how we do life here in thekwendyhome.

Where do you find inspiration?
I am constantly inspired by my friends and tribe I’ve built on Instagram. These women invites us into our home daily and show us how they bring beauty into their home. I am so inspired by my friends there and I feel like I’ve found my people who obsess over pom poms and tassels with the same fervor I do – and I have yet to find another group like this in real life. We are constantly inspiring each other and pushing each other to try new things and we feed off each other’s creativity. I love it! It’s so organic and I love sharing my passion with them.

What is your astrological sign?
I’m an Aquarius but I confess I don’t know what that means! Haha!

Want to work a lil’ bit of Wendy’s warm-hued, eclectic vibe into your pad? Check out her curated collection of #Jungalow finds to see what has caught her eye recently in the shop…

1. Moho Lumbar Pillow by Justina Blakeney® | “I love this lumbar because it adds so much drama with so little effort. Throw it on your bed or a sofa and BOOM, instant personality!”
2. Cardiff Pink Fringe Pillow by Justina Blakeney®
3. Plant Mister for your Planties in Gold
4. Golden Sol Pillow
5. Hallu Ivory Rug by Justina Blakeney®
6. Intention Art Print by Justina Blakeney® | “It can’t get easier than this: beautiful art lovingly printed and framed by people who care, shipped right to your door. I was so impressed with how this came packaged and love how beautiful this piece is. Peach blush is my new favourite colour!”
7. Kahelo Quilt Set by Justina Blakeney®
8. Lala Coffee Table by Justina Blakeney®
9. Borla Pom Pom Pillow by Justina Blakeney®
10. Soleil Quilt Set by Justina Blakeney® | “I’m blown away by the quality and affordability of this beautiful bedding set. I love the quilted texture and the print is delicious.”
    
11. In Chorus Art Print by Justina Blakeney®
12. Slim Weaved Tote
13. Prosperity Quilt Set by Justina Blakeney®

Follow along the #kwendyhome journey on Instagram to keep up with Wendy’s latest home updates. You can also check out Wendy’s blog for even more décor & plantie inspo!

Photos by Janet Kwan