Pretty modern

Bev Hisey is one of the craziest (in a good way, lol) friends that I have, she's also one of the most talented. Bev and I were chatting today while I was in the midst of a haircut - which prompted the barber to ask what we did, always an interesting one to answer... Most people might not realize that Bev is a one woman operation, a tough gig for sure. She's always pushing the envelope with her work and is constantly working on something new. Below are a couple of pics that Bev and I worked on together, shot by Donna Griffith. I think she's a bit of a Canadian treasure...

  

Rotten and rusty

So here, as promised, are the pics of the back of the house - No more raccoon hotel under a mouldy deck and no more waist-high weeds either. Everything, including a half buried rusty old swing set, made it into the full-to-brimming skip. As usual there were suprises; like the deck's rottten support beams that are actually tied into the brickwork, and the bee's nests in the siding. After all that, David is bruised and achey and Graham claims he was hit by a train.

There are more suprises to come, just part of the joy of older an older home. I know, it's not a Victorian, but even a sprightly 43 year old can have some issues. Take a look at all the 'before' pics in The House Project gallery to do a quick compare and contrast. Oh, and why do you think that the upper windows still have their original aluminum frames and glass and then new vinyl windows on the inside? Strange. 

It takes a sledgehammer

First thing this morning a skip showed up at the new place for the beginning of de-construction. Graham Kaye (our intrepid real estate guy) showed up to help - so much nicer than a bottle of plonk - and he and David went at the back deck with hammer and tong, well, actually sledgehammer and chainsaw. Then the gas powered weed whacker was put to work, with David at the helm, to clear cut the urban jungle of a yard. Honestly, I couldn't be there for the bulk of the work (deadlines) and showed up to lug the remains into the now full skip. I'll post pics tomorrow.

I was re-visiting a bunch of favourite online resources to come up with cool products to feature in the National Post for an upcoming Post Homes Magazine and re-discovered Christpher Jagmin. I like his gear, I've featured his dishware in Flare before, but the graphically etched glasses below are a snappy new addition to his line.

The next tour starts in 5 minutes

The tours have begun. Kind words and concerned looks are the norm, and everyone has ideas, which is always helpful. The place really is a blank but dirty slate - and of course the bathrooms get the most reaction (we've heard a lot of 'eeeeeewwwwws'). But the question is this, do we need a powder room on the main floor? In it's current state it actually has a shower stall in there too (huh?), which definitely won't stay. But should it disappear entirely? The choices that are floating around (I kind of see them as thought bubbles) are - Keeping it but making it smaller. Changing it into a laundry room. Losing it entirely. I'll let you know which thought bubble wins...

In the meantime we've been shopping for loos (fun!) and this is our Top 3. The new Saile from Kohler; a sculptural little dual flush number (0.8 or 1.6 gallon consumption). The Happy D by Starck for Duravit; quite the modern classic in the loo world (1.6 gallon consumption). And finally, the Aquia from Toto; a fave brand and a very simply styled dual flush (0.9 or 1.6 gallon consumption). But lets start everything off with a pic to remind you of the powder room (everybody go 'eeeeeeewwww').

House work

Buying and selling a house takes alot of time. Add in my crazy schedule, that this week included a NY press trip for Samsung, and then deadlines for Flare for October, Canadian House & Home for November, and the National Post for next weekend as well as August, and well, it's a wonder I know what day it is. So, thanks mostly to David's tenacity, we now have the keys to the new place (yay!) and have already popped a cork in celebration with friends. Now the work can begin...

After flying in yesterday from NY I managed to make it to the Holt Renfrew Holday /08 preview. There was, as usual, lots of fabulous things that ranged from blow-the-budget glam (like an Alexander McQueen gold skull and leather tassel keychain) to the affordable (organic spreads from Brit brand Daylesford Organic), and lots of fashionable must-haves in between. And then there was something I was extra happy to find - MOR Cosmetics. Now, before you get in a kerfuffle, no, this isn't turning into a beaty blog. Nope, the MOR line is, hands down, the most beautifully packaged collection I've seen in ages - the creators, an Australian couple, obviously have an eye for intense pattern, inspiring colourways and odd historical references. Love it.

NY heat

After an impressive sneak peek at all of Samsung's fab new electronics for the home (look for it on CityLine in the next couple of months) we walked to 5th avenue for some well needed retail therapy. A short and strong Swedish espresso at Fika and then we headed into Bergdorf Goodman, where I had to practically drag the gals away from the gorgeous glass cases filled with handbags so we could head to the 7th floor. As usual it was an incredible visual overload, with surfaces crammed with covetable accessories and perfect vignettes. I think their's is one of the best home sections in a Manhattan department store...

Next stop Anthropologie. Okay, this place rocks a total over-the-top fleamarket vibe in their home decor section, and while I ooh'd and aah'd over mismatched handpainted patterned dinnerware the gals shopped for bargains in the fashion department (Anita, you really should've bought that silk dress...). Fingers crossed for a Canadian store soon.

With the heat and humidity getting to us we grabbed a cab and travelled 30 blocks to today's final destination - West Elm. If you haven't been, well, you really should, since this store has it's finger firmly on the pulse of design. Affordable (love that) and fashion forward, this season West Elm has ditched their happy Moroccan colours and patterns for something more masculine, clean-lined and textured. One swift look and you get a kind of post-industrial arty vibe. Their accessories are always killer, and I already have a spot for these printed silk satin pillows.  

 

Hot plate

Apologies for not posting yesterday - We had to spend time at the lawerys signing multiple bits of paper for the new house and then I headed off to the airport for a press trip to NY. After an eventful flight (delays, bumps and then a slight near miss) we finally landed and headed in to the city, checked in and immediately went, ummm, shopping. lol

I dragged a few of the gals along with me, and, with an hour to spare before a scheduled meeting, we got a fair bit done. Uniqlo for a bit of affordable fashion, Japanese style, CB2 for a cool slice of modern housewares and furniture, and then one swift aperitif at Balthazar.

CB2 is right up there for me for well-priced gear for the home (and yes, they can ship internationally) - It's always stylish, on-trend and directional. I thought the plates below were hilarious, and at $2.95 would make for a witty and affordable touch mixed with all-white dinnerware. Good thing I'm here with a small overnight bag, otherwise there'd be a ceiling fixture coming home with me too...

   

Are we sitting comfortably?

I was on set today with The Style Dept crew when talk turned to sofas. It's a dilemma for me since I'm always torn when it comes to such a pivotal choice for a room - Should you go for safe or go for style? It's a tough one since you'll be living with your choice for quite a while (a good sofa should last a decade or two). Style normally wins out, which is why at home we have a low-slung vintage teak number upholstered in chocolate brown ultrasuede, but it could be time for a change, especially for the new place...

Could this be it? The velvet is stunning, let alone the romantic lines and all that wonderful tufting. This is the Samuel Johnson from Brit firm Chesterfield 1780 (yes, they've been making sofas that long), and luckily - if you're totally smitten - they'll ship anywhere in the world.

Pretty quirky

More packing today, oh joy, as we near the end of the move between the old house and the semi-1 bedroom. Will this ever end? Today it's the basement and all the tabletop props and fabrics I hang onto for when I'm styling (have a look at the Portfolio to see some of the gear in action).

The other day I ended up in Lucca, a great linen store on Yonge St in Toronto. Pattern and colour are the stores trademarks, my favourites were pieces from John Robshaw. Now I'm a huge linen junkie and in the habit of collecting teatowels (maybe it's a British thing) so at Lucca I was in nirvana. This is of course isn't helped by my sister designing for The White Company, which has unfortunately given me a taste for the finer things when it comes to bed linens.

I headed home and checked out John Robshaw to see what else they had on offer and found these pretty yet quirky handpainted pillows. Just the thing to wake up a tired old blah beige couch.

Light reading

Another day shooting on The Style Department, a hot one for sure; with the mercury hitting 30C. The space looked lovely by the time we were all done (such a talented bunch makining it all happen), and it's always a pleasure to work with Suzanne Dimma.

Tonight, before heading out on the town, I wanted to post a great lighting resource - Niche Modern. Their pendants are outstanding, and we'll be in the market for something stunning in the new place. Hmmm... The Plum tint of the Pharos pendant is so on trend.

Trash talk

Today is a busy one - Meetings at Flare this morning about the October issue and upcoming features, a couple of last minute questions about Style Scout for the National Post this Saturday, and then shooting for the new season of The Style Dept (debuting on HGTV this Fall). Phew. In the meantime there's a couple of minutes to squeeze in lunch and a quick post...

As a kid I trained in fashion and then eventually segued into decor, so I always enjoy a hot bit of fashion-y craziness, especially when it translates into interiors. This Aubusson style flat-weave wool rug by Vivienne Westwood for The Rug Company shows, basically, Dame Westwood's trash. Now that's some design chutzpah.

Style commitment

I shop all the time for work, and then I shop for fun too, yet the theme is constant - always looking for great new things. For me it's retail therapy, but on a grand scale. So last night found me in Pottery Barn (we were out buying essentials for the semi-1 bedroom) having a look at their Fall release, and I must say I was very impressed. PB seems to have really stepped up their game with lashings of high gloss finishes, intense colour, and pattern. There seemed a real commitment to decorating, and to do it well, with high contrast pairings of black and white (an enduring trend), orange and a fresh green. The patterns were Moorish and Swedish in influence, and natural elements (raw wood, lots of texture) help to keep everything grounded. Loved, loved, loved it. So of course I had to buy something - a super black glossy lampshade that had just arrived.

Below is a shot from their new catalogue, intense and very cool.

Open doors

The idea of buying things that last has really been on my mind lately, at the ICFF the idea of 'anti-throwawayism' was quite the trend across the board. Fast fashion, and now fast decor, is here to stay, but hopefully people will look for better quality in everything they buy - its just more sustainable.

I came across this glam cabinet by Somerville Scott & Company this morning and just loved the attention to detail; the lacquered hits of red and green, and metallic leaf, against the ebonized walnut are wonderful. For most of us this is totally out of our snack bracket, but an investment piece like this - that mashes up art, design and craftsmanship - will stay fabulous for years to come.

Living concentrated

It's Monday and, after an intensive weekend of moving and two (yes, two) yard sales, we are finally in the rental apartment - our temporary home during all the upcoming renovations on the new place. The rental is petite to say the least, I'd call it a semi-1 bedroom, but it'll suit us just fine. Between the apartment and a storage unit our whole house has been kind of boiled down to fit. It's times like this that I feel like a goldfish (don't they only grow as large as the bowl allows?), and David is already saying that we should stay in the apartment and not move into the house - after all, who needs any more space? Crikey... I'll post pictures of the apartment later.

Nice shoe

Today I'm shooting with Tracy Shumate for an upcoming Trendwatch for Canadian House & Home Magazine. She is the kind of effortlessly cool girl that we could have all done knowing in school (to raise our cred), but Tracy has another side to her too: she's quite eccentric scavenger. Her studio is filled with objet trouvé set up in clever vignettes on almost every surface. The shot below, a perennial favourite, is of a shoe Tracy found on the train tracks - I'd love to see it blown-up and framed in a simple white gallery frame. The faded glamour of the shot really gets to me, and what ever happened to the wearer?

Living the (fantasy) life

Palm Springs. Can we move there? I get almost compulsive about a place one we've visited, constructing a fantasy life that involves buying a place, settling in and becoming a local. Lisbon and Rome are on the list, but it's Palm Springs where I practically lost my marbles - It's cool, quirky, and about as laidback a place as you can find. Other than emptying that imaginary bank account, the closest we'll get to moving down there is scoping the interiors of the Parker Palm Springs hotel (designed by Jonathan Adler, and which has a lobby I'd happily try and cram into my carry on, take a look below).

Quick Pick

Am I allowed to start shopping for a house that's months away from being finished? Of course! I was tooling though Ikea today, shopping for an event I'm working on, when this glossy beauty stopped me in my tracks. It's the Norrsten dining table (a minimalist combo of black glass and aluminum), and it might be just the ticket to switch it with the vintage Saarinen-lookalike table we currently have. Oh, but that means I'll have to start looking for new chairs too...

 

My other house is a castle

I'm not really sure what it is about this shot that draws me in. Sure, the e15 Shiraz sofa is chic, simple and just slouchy enough to be truly lounge worthy, but it's more the vibe of the shot - kind of a 'Granny left me this castle, but I'm a modern gal' feel that's just so refreshing.

I heart Barbara

Barbara Hulanicki is a total style/design hero for me. It all started when my stylish Mum used to head up to the Biba store in Kensington for a fashion fix in the Seventies and bring home beautifully packaged products stamped with that curlicue Biba logo. Fast forward to this year's ICFF in NY and I got to meet Barbara, and her assistant Likorish, at the Graham & Brown wallpaper stand where I was marvelling at all the gorgeous patterns on display, including a new collection by her. Viva in Black Gloss was one of my favourite patterns.

When modern meets antique

I came across these shots while noodling through files on my laptop and realised they'd never seen the light of day. Originally shot (by the wonderful Donna Griffith) for a kitchen makeover for Style at Home magazine, they unfortunately didn't make it into the final layout. I love the mix of antique and fleamarket finds set against a Bev Hisey die-cut wall hanging, but it's the porcelain figurines and lamp base - treasures handed down to Bev by her mum - that really make the shots.