Even though I work on the magazine, there are still a number of features I don't get to see until they're in print. This weekend, I finally had a chance to sit down and look at our May 2012 issue. I have to say, I love the bathroom issues. Even though my own bathroom is the only renovated room in my house, I love daydreaming about the space I could have if I lived somewhere else. It's a mixed bag, but here are a few of my faves from around the way:
In truth, there is a good chance that if I moved, my new bathroom would look exactly like the one I have — white subway tile, white hexagonal tile floor, white walls, console sink. Especially considering that the one we have now is pretty darn close to the bathroom we renovated in our last house. But that won't stop me from dreaming!
For more inspiration, see our Bathroom Design & Decorating Guide.
Photo credits:
1. Marie Claire Maison, photography by Box Management Mai-Linh
2. Marie Claire Maison, photography by Mark Eden Schooley
3. M. Design
4. Kelly Wearstler's beach house, Metropolitan Home November 2009 issue, photography by François Halard
5. Studio Aandacht
6. Marie Claire Maison, photography by Vincent Leroux/Temps Machine
My incredible big sister is expecting her first child this May. I am beyond excited. In fact, pretty much since she broke the news I have had babies on the brain. It's hard not to get carried away when there are so many good-looking nurseries and kids rooms popping up on design blogs and so many great products available. Long gone are the pastel duckling and teddy bear motifs that seemed to dominate when I was a kid.
Here are some of my favourite kid's rooms from around the interwebs:
Erin of Design-Crisis painted her son's room a warm grey. It's a great example of a transitional room. It's easy to imagine a wee babe growing up into a big kid and beyond without having to undergo pricey changes. She's since moved though, and will be working on not one but two kidlet rooms! Congrats to her!
I have had this one in my inspiration folder for a while now. It's from Elizabeth Sullivan Design. Aaaaaadorable, right?
And using the same principles — picture rail bookshelves with a patterned ceiling — this room by Amber Lewis of Amber Interiors is what I would love my own 3-year-old's room to look like.
As far as retailers go, I gotta give props to California company Serena & Lily. They have the most beautiful furniture and accessories for nurseries.
The Marlo, Leo and James collections are my favourites for babies, and I would have died to have a Marni room (above, right) when I was a kid... or now.
And Indigo has a stellar lineup of gifts and decor items for the wee ones. Have a baby shower to go to? Take a look at these gems.
These fabric wall decals are great because you can pop them up, take 'em down, store them and reuse them.
Bamboo mobile? Cute! Or how about a DwellStudio school bus bookshelf? What's another word for cute? I know I have probably said it too many times already.
They also have some great items for under $20 if you are cheap or broke, like me! This delightful whale bank won't break the bank at $19 (and might teach junior some valuable lessons about savings). The elephant pillow for $18 would make a great gift as well.
Now don't even get me started on the baby clothes...
See our Kids Rooms: 28 Designs for more cute inspiration.
Photo credits:
1. Design-Crisis
2. Elizabeth Sullivan Design
3. Amber Interiors
4a. Marlo Collection, Serena & Lily
4b. Leo Collection, Serena & Lily
5a. James Collection, Serena & Lily
5b. Marni Collection, Serena & Lily
6. Fabric Wall Decals, Indigo
7a. Bamboo Mobile, Indigo
7b. DwellStudio School Bus Decorative Bookshelf, Indigo
8a. Whale Bank, Indigo
8b. Elephant Silhouette Pillow, Indigo
In our upcoming March issue, we're featuring some great bold paint colours in our Colour Guide, and I found it really inspiring. Honestly, the majority of my house is painted white, with the exception of a black accent wall which some of you saw in my book nook blog post. (Some of you expressed your dislike, but to each their own.)
However, I have been itching to splash some colour on my walls. I'm not talking about painting another accent wall or doing all the walls in one colour. No, that would be too easy. I like to challenge myself. That is, I like to make things difficult so that I can procrastinate. Then when I do finally start, my husband will inevitably take over as I am "doing it wrong." It's all part of the plan (hey, why marry an artist if I can't use his expertise to my benefit?)
So, here are a few of the paint ideas that have tickled my fancy:
First we have this lovely idea from Farrow & Ball. You've probably seen this photo as it made the rounds quite a bit when it first came out. I would replicate this in a heartbeat if I had the ceiling height. You can check out more of the Farrow & Ball paint jobs/colour combos on the fab Man Make Home blog.
These are both from the talented photographer Emma Lee. They are the same idea but a different technique. I love them both!
And here we have a third colour with the red stripe.
I'd love to have soft pink walls like set designer Jean Christophe Aumas.
Actually, I would take his floors, too. And furniture. I would be good with the whole apartment, come to think of it. Have a look for yourself.
Photo credits:
1. Man Make Home blog
2. Pearson Lyle, photography by Emma Lee
3. Art&Décoration, photography by Patrick Smith
4. Sarah Wandering blog
5. Marie Claire Maison
Did you ever watch the 1997 movie The Sweet Hereafter, directed by Atom Egoyan? I liked it but also found it rather depressing (if you haven’t seen it, the plot revolves around a school bus crash). To be honest, I cannot recall many of the details of the film but the one thing that stands out in my mind is the snow covered A-frame house pictured below.
Since this encounter with an A-frame house, it's kind of been my dream to live in one. I can't put my finger on what it is that draws me in. Maybe I just like triangles? Whatever it is, as of late, I have seen these houses popping up here and there, which has only furthered my desire.
When this New Hampshire home was featured on the cover of ReadyMade magazine in 2009, I snatched it up immediately and pinned the image on my inspiration board. Cute, huh? It’s very much in keeping with 1960s-style when the A-frame was at the height of its popularity. I really like the retro vibe of this but also like the modern update.
This is the Allandale House designed by architect William O'Brien Jr.
In the May 2011 issue of InStyle magazine the stunning A-frame home of actress Jordana Brewster was showcased. Sleek & Serene is right!
But my very favourite is this one. It comes from Anne-Claire Rohé of the gorgeous Petits Papiers blog. It is the home of stylist Theresa de Scianni.
I encourage you to have a look at the rest because it's really so lovely!
And finally, Morgan over at The Brick House blog has been working on a project that combines my love of the A-frame with another minor obsession of mine — the doll house.
How awesome is this!
Next time maybe we can talk about my budding obsession with geodesic dome houses?
Photo credits:
1. The Sweet Hereafter
2. ReadyMade
3, 4. William O'Brien Jr.
5, 6. InStyle May 2011 issue, scans by Kim Ficaro, original photography by Dean Kaufman
7, 8, 9. Petit Papiers, photography by Anne-Clare Rohé
10, 11. The Brick House
12. Moon to Moon
I recently took a trip to the Etobicoke Ikea to purchase my son's big boy bed (sniff sniff). I know some people that get stressed out or just plain lost in Ikea, but I love it. I really do! I love walking around the showrooms, checking out the market, and I love me some 75-cent hot dogs.
Anyway, like so many of my trips there, I came in for one thing and left with more than I expected. At first my husband was pleased to find that what I returned with was not a bag of 6,000 tealights or several Ribba frames that will sit empty because really, who has time to get photos developed? But I digress.
No, what my husband realized, much to his dismay, is that I came home with an idea. Scrap that. It's bigger than that, it's a dream. A dream and a plan for a new kitchen.
It just happened. I could see it all unfolding perfectly as I walked through the Ikea kitchen showroom.
My husband seemed, well, not psyched.
So, bloggy friends, I am going to share a few of my dreams with you and maybe you will understand. Or, maybe your eyes will glaze over like my husband's, but I won't be able to see you so it will be cool.
First, let's start with the inspiration. Here are a few images that have been on my computer and corkboard — or, inspiration board as we say in the biz — at work for a while now. I blame these images first and foremost.
Up next, the items I met at Ikea:
Hello, black-brown Nexus cabinet. I've seen you in a flyer and I have to say, you look even better in person.
I'm thinking a couple of high cabinets around the fridge and wall and base cabinets along the west wall (I have an "L" shaped kitchen). Connecting on the north wall will be the lower cabinets that meet up to the dishwasher and stove. Of course, those cabinets will be outfitted with all those terrific interior organizers that are going to change my life, but let's not go there right now.
Okay, while I would love to cover those base cabinets in something amazing like Carrara marble, I am a realist, even in my dreams. So butcher block countertops it is. What's up Numerär? Want to come live with us?
Here is the part of the dream where things get a little confusing for me. Do I go Domsjo double? I have white appliances and I think they might be into each other.
Or, do I play it cool with Boholmen and his drainer? I actually don't know if I have the space for a Domsjo double. I guess that's why Ikea invented the kitchen planner.
Either way, I am pretty into Elverdam and his extendible spout.
Above the sink and cabinets on the north wall, I thought a Värde wall shelf with hooks might be nice. I wonder if he could be stained? Hmmm...
And above the stove for pots and pans, a good ol' Grundtal, with hooks for utensils of course.
Finally, the trimmings. These will require a little more research, but are making their way into the dream. As for the hardware, I'm thinking polished or antiqued brass. I have long loved the glowing warmth of brass and I'm happy it's back.
The backsplash is another tricky one. Part of me would love to use wallpaper and maybe get some lucite or glass to protect it. I made my pal Cameron MacNeil schlep two rolls of this wallpaper from a friend's house in California where I had it delivered. Have I ever mentioned that Cameron is the best?
Then again, I do love a subway tile and I have a couple of boxes left from our bathroom reno.
And then there is the lighting! Oh, the decisions! Luckily or unluckily, depending on if you are a glass half full or empty type, I think I have a bit of time. My better half hasn't fallen into dreamland with me yet. His feet are still firmly planted in stone-cold reality. But one day people, it's gonna happen.
Are you still awake? Then I have just two more things to say to you:
1. I have to confess, I did also come home from Ikea with more than a bed and a dream. I also bought a milk frother and a frozen chocolate almond cake.
2. No, Ikea did not sponsor this blog post, though I wish very badly they had. Can you hear me Ingvar Kamprad?
Photo credits:
1. emmas designblogg
2. 16 house blog
3. Pinch
4. Bodie and Fou blog
5-11. Ikea
12. Lee Valley Tools
13. Anthropologie
My mom had to have some surgery recently. She is fine, but the recovery will be a few weeks and is quite painful. So I wanted to bring her a little "pick me up" when I went over for a visit this weekend. Whenever I'm looking for this type of thing, I like to check out the vintage and antique stores along Toronto's Queen Street West. I thought you might like to come along with me.
Two of my very favourite shops happen to be right next door to each other just east of Dovercourt on Queen — 1080 Queen Street West, to be exact. Silver Falls (which also has a lovely vintage women's clothing store a few blocks away on Ossington), and Rec have a similar aesthetic and lots of reasonably priced houseware items as well as some furniture.
Here is a peek at Silver Falls:
I really wanted to buy this set for myself, but since I was on a hunt for something for my mom, I refrained.
Rec used to be located a couple of blocks east and was closed for a few years (a few very sad years for me). Luckily, the new store is still filled with a great selection of unique pieces at fair prices like its previous incarnation. Have a look:
I thought about buying my mom this awesome bowl or this lovely framed botanical watercolour.
In the end, I kept walking west towards my mom's place. Between Sorauren and Roncesvalles there are a number of antique shops, but I particularly like Arcadia Antiques at 1702 Queen Street West. I've been browsing here since... I can't remember when. And while they have some great pieces of furniture, they also have loads of small items like vases. When I give flowers, I like to include a pretty vase. Having decided somewhere around Lansdowne to go the traditional "get well soon" route with flowers and a little treat, I popped into Arcadia to see if they might have something appropriate.
I came close to picking up one of these puppies.
But finally decided on this little guy.
As for the treat, I went into Yummy Stuff at 1660 Queen Street West — just down the street from Arcadia — and picked up a red velvet cupcake. (Sorry, what? You are so over the whole cupcake craze? These cupcakes are so good they are like white walls or Jane Birkin — they will never go out of style.)
Now, for those of you not in the Toronto area or stricken with a bad case of agoraphobia, I also have a new favourite online vintage shop for you. Found is a great destination for carefully selected items at reasonable prices. It even boasts celebrity pickers like Tommy Smythe. Here are some of the items Mr. Smythe picked up:
Who doesn't love a brass fox? And how about this quilt? (Some lucky person already scooped this one up.)
And not one of Tommy's picks, but one of my faves, this sweet little vase.
For more, see Michael Penney's favourite antique spot and Morgan Michener's east coast finds.
Photo credits:
1-7. Kai Ethier
8-9. Foundstyle.net