Beth-Anne & Arron’s Social Style

Name:Beth-Anne Thomas&Arron Thomas
Location:Parkdale; Toronto, Canada
Size:2100 square feet
Years lived in:Owned for 1 year

This gregarious couple is as well-known for their masterful ability to get the party started as they are for their frequent participation in charitable events. As “beverage alcohol industry” professionals (Beth-Anne: Canadian National Brand Manager for Whisky giant William Grant & Sons – Glenfiddich, The Balvenie & Innovation/Arron: Brand Ambassador for Sailor Jerry Rum), their incredibly social careers have given them plenty of practice as hospitable, engaging hosts and their home is a true reflection of this skill-set. While some folks might view home as a welcome escape from the drudgery of work, creating that distinct separation isn’t necessary for the duo — their shared love of tattoos, travel, movies, motorcycles & DIY projects is celebrated in both their domestic and professional realms.

A peek inside Beth-Anne and Arron’s home paints a colorful picture — travel finds, guitars, surf and skateboards, juxtaposed with incredible reclaimed wood furniture handmade by Arron for his muse. Of course, the space is peppered with an assortment of festive beverages that maintain their theme of celebration. In a style that mixes one part Southern biker, two parts California surf rock and a little nod to the Victorian bones of the hundred-year old house itself, the vibrant hues of Mexican sugar skulls collected on their destination wedding feel right at home in this eclectic mix.

After a summer of charitable adventures – Beth-Anne joining the Wounded Warriors Canada Team in their Battlefield Bike Ride 2014 (an 8-day bicycle ride in France through the battlefields between Juno Beach and Vimy Ridge in order to raise money for Canadian Forces members in need, specifically supporting animal assisted therapy programs for mental health & PTSD issues), and Arron on the Sailor Jerry Long Haul (a 15-day cross-Canada motorcycle ride in support of Bikers For Autism) — coming home to this laid-back atmosphere makes for an ideal break from the road. Cozy movie nights, spicy food feasts, and of course a little entertaining with English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Mr.Hudson, in tow, will surely be in order!

Our Style:Our style is a reflection of our various passions, influences from our travels and our personalities. Our home is always evolving and changing, as we find more hidden treasures at vintage markets, strike up reclaimed wood deals with hermits in Northern Ontario (story below!), and receive amazing gifts from friends and family! It’s never quite finished and that’s the fun in it.

Inspiration:We are inspired by the bright colors from our times spent in Mexico, and our passion for sugar skulls. We also love the look of 100-year old wood when it is given new life and re-purposed, as Arron has done with so many projects throughout the house. Other inspiration is drawn from a desire to have a home that is warm, welcoming, bright, airy, fun and feels like home to our friends and family.

Favorite Element:The 200 year-old reclaimed barn wood dining room table that Arron made by hand. He met a really nice hermit fellow in Caledon, Ontario who brought him to an out-of-commission 200 year old barn (sounds like it could be the beginning of a scary story!), but after a beer and some negotiating, Arron bought the super thick barn floorboards for a case of beer and some cash. Once home, he carefully made this gem of a table for me as a present. Everything Arron makes is done with care and love… I look at the table every day and absolutely love it!

Biggest Challenge:Our biggest challenge is yet to come — we are currently saving up to re-do the back sun room, which has strange burlap floor coverage that we’re masking with a Mexican blanket. We want to install heated ceramic tiles, which will be great for the winter and cool in the summer, but it will be a ton of work to level out the lopsided floor!

What Friends Say:That the house really feels like a home. We love hosting parties and get-togethers and wanted a warm and welcoming vibe. It’s our favorite place to be in Toronto, hands down!

Biggest Embarrassment:My horrific attempt at framing our Limited Edition Hell Boy picture… it’s just bad. I vow to fix it… someday…

Proudest DIY:It’s a toss-up between Arron’s beautiful reclaimed wood dining room table, his kick-ass reclaimed wood and pipe shelving unit, or his simple yet elegant head board for our bed (if you notice, I have zero DIY claims to fame, but what I lack in DIY skills I try to make up for in positive energy, encouragement and praise!).

Biggest Indulgence:Our 1956 BUICK Custom Hotrod and our 2005 Harley Davidson Road King! (*没有见哈利在这是在运输途中way to the starting point of the Sailor Jerry Long Haul at the time of the shoot, and rain prevented the hot rod from being included in the shoot).

Best Advice:Take your time to build a home you love bit by bit, day by day.

Dream Sources:We love Captains Treasures Antique Store and Hideaway Antiques on Queen St West. Also, our guilty pleasure, Homesense. We also love taking inspiration from Restoration Hardware for DIY projects. Our biggest Dream Source is TRAVEL! We love to bring back treasures and cherish those memories forever!

FRONT PORCH
•Bench – hand-made by Arron
•Mail Box – Pottery Barn

ENTRY
•Cork Board – Homesense
•Mirror and Coat Hanger – original to house
•Egyptian “Evil Eye”- gift
•Rug – Homesense
•Shoe Cabinet – IKEA
•Star above door – Captains Treasures
•Steel Milk Jug – Aberfoyle Vintage Market

DINING ROOM
•Dining Room Table – handmade by Arron
•Hawaii Print – Hanapepe, Kauai
•Mexican Statues – handmade by our friend Lisa
•Sugar Skulls – gifts from the Mayan Riveria, Mexico
•Vintage Bottles and Decanters – Aberfoyle Flea Market
•Liechtenstein Print – TATE Modern Museum, England
•Tiki Statue – Parliament Furniture Store
•Brass Bison Head – White Faux Taxidermy
•Wooden Wine Rack – hand-made by my step father Stephan
•Burlap Coffee Bean Bag Table Runner – Hawaii Coffee Plantation, Kauai
•1880 Newfoundland Map – Newfoundland, Vintage frame from Flashback Kensington Market, Toronto
•Reclaimed wood & pipe book shelf – hand-made by Arron
•Copper Pot Still – gift
•Sailor Jerry Hula Girl Lamp – gift
•Bar Aid Cocktail Rolodex – gift
•Steel Guitar – vintage
•Original Silk-Screen PrintSailor Jerry Presents: Mariachi El Bronx Band– gift
•Letter “T”- Aberfolye Flea Market

LIVING ROOM
•Family Oil Painting Portrait in Vintage Frame: commissioned, by artist Megz Majewski, Vancouver, BC
•Vintage Pistol- gift
•Large Guadalupe Statue: gift
•Mexican Tin Heart – Mexico
•Original Zinc Plate Etching of Newfoundland Outport Harbour – gift + 1800’s Victorian frame – Captains Treasures Antiques
•Cowhide – Tandy’s Leather
•Black Glass Anchor Jug- West Elm
•TV Stand – Homesense
•Record Stand – Aberfolye
•Couch & Automan – Leon’s
•Pillows – Homesense
•Star – Captains Treasures Antiques
•Steel & Wood Guitar – vintage

KITCHEN
•Mexico Original Print – gift, Mexico
•Guadalupe Picture – market, Mexico
•Chalkboard – 1800’s Victorian Frame re-painted with added Chalkboard, Captains Treasures
•哈雷的迹象——安大略省Flea Market
•Seltzer Bottles – vintage finds, various sources
•Mexican Nov 2012 art – gift
•Sugar Skull – market, Mexico
•Colorful Bowl – gift
•Surf Board – Sailor Jerry Event Prop
•Tattoo Art – by tattoo artist Ryan Gagne, gift from artist
•Sugar Skull Salt and Pepper Shakers – gift
•Various Mexican Plates – artists co-op near Coba, Mexico
•Sweet Pea Print – gift
•Vintage Virgin Mary Ceramic – Captains Treasures
•Alcohol – from everywhere: travels, trips, work, life!
•Skull Spatulas – gifts
•Wood Block – Kitchen Stuff Plus
•Wine Rack – gift
•Skateboard – gift
•Stools – Homesense
•Sink/Faucet/Butcher Block counter tops – IKEA
•Pink Vase – Vintage
•Barrel – gift, Campari

SUN ROOM
•Tri-pod Lamp – Pottery Barn
•Table – IKEA + vintage wood overlay
•Pink Couch – IKEA
•Mexican Blankets – Mexico
•Sugar Skull Pillow – gift
•Guadalupe Painting on Leather & Vintage Frame – Original, Mexico
•Turtle Art – raw silk & organic fibers, Hawaiian flowers, finished with Zinc Plate etching, Kauai, Hawaii
•Sailor Jerry Neon – Sailor Jerry Rum
•The Big Lebowski print – gift
•Pink Ceramic Deer – vintage find
•SJ Book Shelf – Sailor Jerry Rum
•Amp – Long & McQuade
•Guitars – various sources
•Mirror – Homesense

Back Yard
•Couches, Chair and Table – Wicker Park
•Chimney – Home Depot
•Vintage Milk Jug – Vintage Market
•BBQ – Home Depot
•Outdoor Rock Speakers – Best Buy

HALLWAY UPSTAIRS
•Detroit Cobras Original Print – Detroit
•Hellboy Original Print – Silver Snail
•Sin City Print Original – Silver Snail
•Poster Art for Glenfiddich, Sailor Jerry and Gibson’s – we created these for Tales of the Cocktail in BC, in 2012 for our WG&S TOTC Opening party
•Zero Skateboard – Kauai, Hawaii.
•Palm Tree – Homesense

MASTER BEDROOM
•Head Board – hand-made by Arron
•Blue & Wood Side Table- Aberfoyle Vintage Market
•Fake Grass – Dollarama
•Wooden Restored Butter Box from PQ – Aberfoyle Vintage Market
•Vintage Tin Soap Box – Ontario Vintage market
•Letters: B. A. T – From an out-of-business printing press
•Lamps – Homesense
•Day of the Dead Dolls Art & Frames – Prints by Megz Majewski, Vancouver.
•“Hold Fast” Pillow cases – sailorjerry.com
•“Love YOU More” Pillows – Chapters/Indigo Books
•Wood Side Table – gift
•Skateboards – various skate shops
•Sailor Jerry Skateboards – sailorjerry.com
•100-year old Trunk – Hideaway Antiques
•Vintage Dresser – Aberfoyle Vintage Market
•Red Clock – Pier 1 Imports
•Dressing Table – IKEA
•Zebra stool – IKEA
•Guadalupe Ceramic – hand-made by Lisa Darksunshine
•Tattoo Flash Art- gift

GUEST BEDROOM
•Dresser – gift
•Elvis Picture – Winners
•Dream-Love Signs – Homesense
•Mini-dresser – gift
•Grass and Vase – Homesense
•Mirror – IKEA
•老式电话,礼物,外港纽芬兰
•Lamp – Homesense
•Head-board – hand-made by Aaron
•Polka Dot Stool – Homesense
•Green Side Table – IKEA

BATHROOM
•White Stag Head – White Faux Taxidermy
•Shark Head – White Faux Taxidermy
•Fake Grass & Plants – Homesense
•Ladders – Captains Treasures Antiques
•Antique Washboard – gift, New Orleans
•Antique Camera – gift, London, England
•Reclaimed Wooden Towel Hutch – Hideaway Antiques
•Wooden Bath Tub Caddy – hand-made by Arron
•Blue Antique Tobacco Box – Aberfoyle Vintage Market
•Poster Art- Hollywood Canteen + IKEA frames
•Driftwood Towel Rack – found on a beach in Daniel’s Harbor, NF
•Mirror – hand-made by Arron
•Antique Reproduction Medicine Cabinet – Homesense
•Bottles/Decanters – Aberfoyle Vintage Market
•Mouthwash Bottle – repurposed Johnnie Walker Blue Label King George V bottle
•Caged Barn/Edison Bulb Bathroom Mirror Lights – Restoration Hardware

THE LEGENDARY MR. HUDSON
•English Staffordshire Bull Terrier – Born August 17th, 2003 and PRICELESS! Rolona Kennels, Sylvia Barkey

Thanks, Beth-Anne & Arron!

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