If you've been to any trendy, industrial-style restaurant or boutique, you've likely encountered bare bulb pendants. Great on their own or in groupings, there are endless ways to make this little bulb-on-a-wire shine. Here are a few inspiration shots that caught my eye:
Even though every other restaurant in Toronto seems to have caught onto this trend, I still like it. When lit, these individually hung bulbs twinkle like a night sky.
Here, an array of colourful wires keeps this look playful. I love the mass of cords hanging from the ceiling.
This bare bulb is transformed into an ultra-modern wall sconce thanks to a cantilevered, sculptural piece of wood.
Wrapped around a metal rod, they're transformed into a sort of messy chandelier. It's a simple solution that's quite eye-catching.
A similar treatment was used in this dining room shot. I'm loving the copper rod, too. Seems easy enough to DIY, no? Try a similar copper rod project here.
What are your thoughts: should bulbs go nude or do you prefer a nice lampshade?
Photo credits:
1. The New York Times Style Magazine, photography by Ambroise Tézenas
2. Mimou
3. Weekday Carnival
4. Sköna Hem, photography by Anna Kern
5. Lokal 54
I recently bought a new house, so I'm dreaming of a new kitchen. Instead of stainless steel for the range, I'm thinking of a colourful version. There are a few companies that carry ranges in pastels and brighter hues. Viking carries brights, neutrals and pastels and Bertazzoni is known for their bold colours. BlueStar even has a light pink! The fridge and dishwasher will most likely be covered with cabinetry so I figure why not have fun with the range? It's an easy way to inject your favourite colour without painting walls.
I'll let you know what the decision is!
BlueStar RNB 36" in Light Pink.
Bertazzoni Professional Series 36" 6-Burner Gas Range in Yellow.
Viking 36" Custom Sealed Burner Dual Fuel Electronic Control Range in Iridescent Blue.
For more appliance picks, see Catherine Sweeney's blog post.
Photo credits:
1. BlueStar RNB 36" in Light Pink, BlueStar
2. Bertazzoni Professional Series 36" 6-Burner Gas Range in Yellow, Bertazzoni
3. Viking 36" Custom Sealed Burner Dual Fuel Electronic Control Range in Iridescent Blue, Viking
Apartment Therapy has a great roundup of colourful storage ideas, and I loved this idea of painting drawers in Pantone-inspired shades. This split chest of drawers is from Danish designer Finn Juhl's own home, via The North Elevation blog.
Pick up a mid-century style dresser or desk from a garage sale or thrift store, choose your favourite colour palette (Reds? Greens? Blues?), and paint each drawer a different shade in that palette. (Paint chips from your local hardware store often have complementary recommendations, as does the Benjamin Moore website.) Leave the wood frame as is like the piece above or paint it white. These multi-hued drawers would add a burst of colour to a home office or kid's room in a snap.
For even more pop, try wallpapering drawer fronts.
Photo credit:
The North Elevation
Last week, Indigo revealed a sample of its fall 2012 products. It's hard to think about cool autumn days given that summer is just about to begin, but many of these decorating finds can work year-round, too. Aside from the stunning books and stationery (who doesn't love a fresh notebook?), here's what interested me most:
A harvest table filled with wood accents, ready for a hearty meal. Farmer's carafe with walnut ball, $33; linen napkins, set of four for $25.
The soft pretty hues of these bowls and mugs, just waiting to be filled with a cuppa hot cocoa or rich soup. Pedestal soup bowl, $12; Bergen mug, $12.
An array of vases ready for blooms. Vases, from $15; seagrass sphere, $13; woodfire-scented candle, $38.
Soft pink floral pillows — featuring chintz-like patterns and textured designs. Cabbage rose pillow, $60; vine appliqué pillow, $55.
The fresh fall products will be in Indigo stores and online in August. For now, check out our latest decorating finds.
Photo credits:
Seema Persaud
Minimalism is often criticized for being cold and harsh. But sometimes, a stripped-down space still has a sense of warmth. Take this three-bedroom, Uruguayan villa, for example. It's so scant that it barely has walls, but the sun-filled spaces feel rich and vibrant.
Designed by prestigious international design firm, KallosTurin Architects, the building won an International Award from the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2010.
A large, two-sided fireplace is an elegant centerpiece to the living-dining space. Wall-to-wall windows allow for commanding views of the surrounding hillsides.
Just a few finishing touches like metallic pendant lights and a warm wood side table make the cool white space feel less like an art gallery and more like a home.
For more information on the house, contact Christie's International Real Estate.
Photo credits:
1-3. Christie's International Real Estate
Two weeks ago, I mused about wanting to spruce up my kitchen window by making a roman shade. I enjoy taking on small projects that require few supplies and tools, and add a personal touch without breaking the bank. With my colleague Cameron MacNeil's easy instructions, I was able to tackle a great DIY.
I picked up almost all the materials I needed from Designer Fabrics, a local Toronto fabric and supply store. I definitely found it useful to first go over the instructions and map out a rough plan in order to visualize the various measurements. For my window that measures 43" high by 45" wide, I needed:
- 2 yards of drapery fabric and dim-out liner
- 1-1/2 yards of 3/4" Velcro
- 20 yards of lift cord
- 5 screw eyes
- 30 lift rings
- 45" x 1"x 1" piece of wood
- 3/4" dowel (to weigh the shade down)
I cut the liner 1-1/2" shorter in width than the drapery fabric, but still sewed the edges flush. Once pressed, this ensured that that liner wouldn't be visible from the edge.
Using the mounting board as a guide, I mapped out the lift ring grid, which I then sewed on by hand, making sure to go through both the liner and the fabric.
Then I used Velcro to attach the shade to the mounting board (on the opposite side of the eye screws), and strung the lift cord though the rings.
And voilà! I'm really happy with the way it all turned out and would happily do it again.
See our DIY & Home Improvement section for even more easy projects.
Photo credits:
1-8. Lauren Petroff
The May long weekend is finally here and it's prime party-time! With three long days ahead of you, why not whip up a few outdoor entertaining DIYs that are sure to impress your guests? Here are some of my favourites from the interwebs:
This colourful tablecloth is gorgeous. Try dip-dying cotton or linen fabric for a casual look. Trust me — this project is much easier than repainting your dingy picnic table.
See Oh Happy Day's post for complete instructions.
If you're expecting lots of guests, you can create an extra large colour-blocked tablecloth by sewing together two smaller ones. Beautiful, right? I can't offer any instructions for this one, but you're clever enough to figure it out!
Why not add a fashionable stripe to your patio umbrella?
Find complete instructions in this What I Wore post.
For barbecues and dinner parties, nothing makes labelling easier than this chic chalkboard serving platter. This piece will come in handy around the holiday season, too!
See this Wit & Whistle post for easy-to-follow instructions.
If it's colour you're craving, go paint-dip crazy! Anything goes: utensils, chairs, terracotta pots, baskets — you name it.
See the full post on these painted wooden spoons on Little Bit Funky.
If you're planning an evening gathering, add a sparkling touch with a handmade pendant! Inspired by Restoration Hardware's Pillar Candle Chandelier, this craft project is laborious, but well worth the effort.
Get all the detailed instructions for this project on The Great Indoors.
For more DIY ideas, check out our DIY & Home Improvement Guide.
Photo credits:
1. Fryd + Design
2. Livet Hemma
3. What I Wore
4. Wit & Whistle
5. Little Bit Funky
6. Style Me Pretty
Tabletop styling for the magazine has me searching high and low for amazing dishware, but amid all the china and porcelain I always find myself coming back to textured ceramics.
Especially Michelle Kosoy's work. I love the clean colours and elegant shapes of her work.
You can see how I became smitten. Michelle Kosoy and Pierre Bouchard are a husband and wife team — she's a potter, he's a glass artist — who run a studio/retail gallery at 651 St. Clair Avenue West in Toronto. Be sure to check it out if you're in the area this weekend!
Watch an Online TV interview with Michelle and Pierre.
Photo credits:
1-4. Kosoy + Bouchard
We were inside for less than 15 minutes — you couldn't stay long on account of the strong odour — when my husband and I decided to put an offer on this adorable century-old rowhouse. It was in the perfect neighbourhood (no more driving to work), and the soaring ceilings sealed the deal. People thought we were crazy — we just barely settled into the brand-new condo we lived in for less than a year when we decided to look for a house. I thought we were brilliant! Flip the condo that we had already grown out of and buy a house that we could put our heart and soul into! I'm a huge believer in sweat-equity and I didn't want a house that had already been renovated to someone else's questionable tastes.
Then came the official inspection, revealing cracks, DIY electrical, mold, cigarette burns, fake panelling, lack of sunlight and an oversized chandelier in every room.
From the outside, it looks pretty adorable and I fell in love with the huge linden tree.
The entry was very dark but I loved the arches and high ceilings.
Most old houses have nice wooden stairs and rails. These... not so much. And the parquet floor looked like it was glued down. I wonder what was there originally?
The main living room has a nice bay window. I'm hoping there is hardwood under the carpet.
And then we hit the kitchen. Oh yes, it was a real beaut. You had to take a step up because there was a cement pad laid below the tile. I'm thinking the previous homeowners were in the cement business?
The main bathroom had a palette of soft blues. The tub was only about one foot high!
This is one of the second floor bedrooms — spacious with nice floors (finally!).
This is actually another second floor bedroom that was turned into an upstairs kitchen.
The back of the house was a whole mess of crazy! I mentioned it was a fixer-upper, right?
It's all in the details!
Cracks in the concrete and DIY electrical had us a bit worried.
Mould and water marks didn't help.
And who doesn't love glass block?
I'm not even going to show you the basement in this post — it's a whole other level of scary that should be saved for another week.
This is the neat and tidy condo we left behind for our new house. It's still a brilliant decision, right?
Stay tuned for my blog posts about the entire renovation, every other Thursday.
Read blog posts about my colleague Catherine Sweeney's renovation process, too!
Photo credits:
1-15. Mandy Milks
Sometimes the best decorating comes from keeping it simple. Consider colour: used on a grand scale, a single hue can create a dramatic room.
Take Diana Vreeland's famous red living room: Rich in wow-factor, it was the perfect backdrop for the legendary magazine editor's larger-than-life personality. I recently read her choice to go with red, red and more red was because, "I want this room to be a garden — but a garden in hell."
Magazines — including House & Home — have devoted entire issues to the all-white room, but I also think its counterpoint, the all black room, can be just as livable and inviting. A rich mix of textures keeps the look luxe, not gothic, so the overall effect is cosy and calming.
Designer Miles Redd, the reigning champion of exuberant colour, used shades of black on black in a men's dressing room. Tailored and timeless, it's hard to imagine a more soothing space to get ready in the morning and begin to unwind at the end of the day.
See our Editors' Daring Paint Colours photo gallery for more ideas.
Photo credits:
1. Styleite.com
2. Ecosalon.com
3. Favn Sofa, designed by Jaime Hayon, Fritz Hansen
4. Miles Redd, photography by Francesco Lagnes
