We're tired of the take-out/restaurant/quick-bites cycle. This year, we resolve to start eating at home and we couldn’t be more inspired to do so by these fresh and springy dishes from Crate & Barrel.

A Crate & Barrel exclusive, the Spool Dinnerware Collection is a collaboration with Brooklyn-based industrial designer Olivia Barry and C&B. This simplistic collection will meld perfectly with any mismatched plates you have kicking around. The rustic vibe of the dishes definitely inspire us to dust-off the Jamie Oliver cookbook while the creamy soft lines will photograph perfectly as we Instagram our 2013 concoctions. —Kait Kucy

From $50, Crate & Barrel, 100 Anderson Road SW, Calgary, www.crateandbarrel.ca

Even though our back-to-school days are (long) behind us, we still love splurging on new office gear to put us back in work mode.

Staple away with this slick, modern Buro stapler from Lexon. Even the most paper-free office will appreciate this stylish desk topper. $35 online at Orling & Wu, www.orlingandwu.com

Recharge with this ProLine Universal Portable Power Bank, which works for all cell phones, and can charge an iPhone 4 three and a half times, or an iPad up to 70 per cent. This is far chicer than a lumpy power cable, and works on several of our devices. $39.99 online at Future Shop, www.futureshop.ca

Light up your workspace with these stylish Anglepoise table lamps. Great for brightening up a workspace late into the night, or (even better) lighting the pages of the great book you’d rather be curling up with. From $340 online at Provide, www.providehome.com

Keep track with this paper mouse pad from Knock Knock, which doubles as work week calendar and to-do list. Despite our handy digital calendars and reminders, there’s something very satisfying about putting pen to paper. 5 Days a Week Paper Mousepad, $12.99 online at Room in Order, www.roominorder.com

Store it all in these Ikea PS 2012 multicoloured storage boxes, that can be wall-mounted or stand on a flat surface. We’ll be stacking them to make pretty colour combinations and filling them with lovely office supplies, not only useful but a great procrastination activity. Organizing is work though, isn’t it? Set of 4, $49.99 at Ikea, 1-866-866-4532, www.ikea.ca

—Alexandra Suhner Isenberg

Pick up one of these gorgeous hand-screen printed Preservation Society tea towels ($15) to show off your appreciation for all that is jarred and pickled.

Perfect for the picnics in the park or just to dry your hands with, the bold and fun canning print might even inspire you to try your hand at the traditional kitchen skill. If DIY cuisine isn’t your thing, you might as well order some jam or pickled preserves to arrive with your linens. —Kait Kucy

www.preservationsociety.ca

Will the real slim shady please stand-up? Better yet will all the lampshades please step back and make room for the shade-less pendant lamp.

This naked bulb is an illuminating lesson in less is more. Designed by Mattias Stahlbom for Muuto, the Swede’s sweet design is all about simplicity and making the bulb the focal point. Add funk with socket colours that include yellow, green, red, purple and blue to get a hanging light that manages to be both contemporary and romantic, kind of like us. —Jaelyn Molyneux

$89 at Kit Interior Objects, 725 11 Ave. S.W., Calgary, 403-508-253, www.kitinteriorobjects.com

Alberta’s super sweet corn is ready to be ripped from its stalks.

This weekend, a three-hour roadtrip will get you to the Corn Capital of Canada where the Taber Corn Fest has revelers stuffing cobs in coveralls and competing in various cook-offs. To celebrate harvest closer to home and with as much urban sophistication as you can muster gnawing on the juicy cob, buy a bag of the husked veggie and arm yourself with noshing implements.

This kit comes with corn holders to stab into the ends of cob for a better grip and dishes to roll the ear around in melted butter. Add salt and it’s the best snack since popping kernels became a thing. —Jaelyn Molyneux

$3.99 at Canadian Tire, www.canadiantire.ca

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Calgary Home + Garden Show rolls into town today for another weekend. We asked home décor expert and home show regular, Alykhan Velji, for a preview on what’s coming up this season. Herewith, his five tips on how to spruce up your home for spring:

1. Wallpaper is a fabulous way of changing up your space. A feature wall done in a bright paper will pack some punch and perk up your space.


2. For a quick fix, change up the pillows on your sofa, opting for bold patterns, and don’t be afraid to mix and match. 


3. Buying new bedding transforms a bedroom and makes it go from drab to fab in minutes. 


4. Lighting is always an afterthought for most, but changing up the lamps in a space can make all the difference and can also be as simple as changing the shades.


5. Switch up your artwork: A piece that looked great in one room could look spectacular in another and nail holes can always be patched up.

For more ideas and to see Velji in action, head down to the BMO Centre and Corral, Stampede Park this weekend. Find tickets (from $11) here.

The presents are wrapped, the baking is done and the countdown is on. Now, it’s time for last minute tidying. How did you get roped into hosting Christmas this year exactly?

Before the extended family gets here, suck it up (figuratively and literally) with the funky Felix vacuum by Sebo ($599).

It’s got a bunch of cool features like an ergonomic handle, 180-degree swivel joint and power control to adjust suction, plus it reaches out-of-the-way spots and it’s just so darn pretty.

Now if only it came with a maid to run it.

At the Vacuum Centre, 916 Centre St. N., Calgary, 403-293-0007.