Wall hate, Flor love

I hate our walls, there, I've said it. The painting continues in our household and the walls have, ahem, not been exactly co-operating. There's been bubbling, mainly because some of them are a delightful combo of old cheap latex paint over even older oil paint, mixed in with patches of new drywall and new plaster. So now we have one wall in our stairwell that, after priming, looks like a releif map of the moon. I think we'll be getting the professionals in to sort it out...

Elsewhere, luckily, things have been going better in painting world, and our palette of Ralph Lauren Paint's Poncho White, Moonlight and Palais Royal is looking fantabulous. To take my mind of all the painting we still have to do (there's lots) I thought it would be a nice treat to check out what's new from Flor. Love their carpet tiles, and love the new Alexander Girard design Flora rug, which is available in three colourways. And for more on Alexander Girard click here.

The Thonet obsession continues...

While waiting for the paint to dry I hit the internet and stumbled across Suzy Hoodless, onetime Wallpaper* mag staffer and now an interiors guru with her fingers in quite a few pots (check out her Osborne & Little wallpaper line). Anyhoo, I was happy to discover that she appears to be as obsessed as I am with Thonet chairs. Take a boo below at a couple of her spaces, both with the chairs in question - La-di-da, don't they look lovely? My mismatched (and rather motley) collection of vintage Thonet-ish dining chairs are destined to be sprayed out in a crisp white sometime soon, that is, if the sprayer guy ever comes back off vacation and answers his phone...

 

Living in uproar

After taking a bit of a breather from the reno side of the house project we're back at it, nose to the grindstone on the last push to getting everything nice and done. Yes, things are a little crazy - Everything has been pushed away from the walls and covered in plastic so our painter can get at the baseboards, doors and windows. Then, while that's going on, we're taking on the painting of the walls before the wallpaper happens (hopefully next week). That first snap below is a reminder of what the basement media room looked like in the midst of the reno, the second is where we're at today; the walls and ceiling are finally primed, all ready for some gorgeous Ralph Lauren Palais Royal to get slapped up. The rest of the basement walls and ceilings were primed too, and next we'll be taking on our mondo stairwell, where we'll be attempting the rather acrobatic job of priming and painting that space as well. Wish us luck!

Unexpectedly lovely

While I do love discovering cool things in very unexpected places, some places are more unexpected than others, so, you can imagine my slight surprise when I actually found the rug for our living room online at Sears. It was well-priced, all wool, and I loved the cut pile and loop pattern, so in a couple of clicks and a couple of days it made its debut. I plunked for the Dynasty rug in Natural Grey and, as you can see below, it looks quite smashing. That vintage Tulip Side Table was another unexpected find, discovered in Quebec in the midst of a friend's Mum's annual fancy dress party. Dorothy had snagged it at a yard sale, and after much cajoling and whining on my part kindly agreed to let us drive home with it. In other words, keep your eyes peeled; you never know what you might stumble across...

More yellow (please)

I was at Holt Renfrew's press preview this morning for Holiday '09 and saw oodles of covetable bits and baubles but one of the things that most impressed was the three main colourways that had been set up - Black (sexy, sophisticated and slightly dangerous), Cream/Pearl (romantic and natural but with a sheen), and then finally my fave; Brights (juicy tints and unexpected combos of pinks, acid yellow and plum). I am loving the Brights since they just have the happiness factor down pat, and the yellows on show made me think of Tivoli Audio's latest iPal radio release that comes in a hi-gloss citrusy yellow. The sound on these little monkeys is beyond fab (we have a Tivoli Model One hooked up to this turntable), but if yellow isn't your bag then it also comes in a glossy black and red. Yum.

Colour clash

Take a boo below at the brill home of Andrew Bannis; it just makes me drool with all that stunning African wax print and batik fabric. Love the crazy patterns and odd colour clash combos and how they work so well together, and I especially love how they don't match. Check out Royal Hut - the firm Bannis and his business partner Louise Kay are behind - to see gorgeous bed and bath linens trimmed with the patterntastic fabric (love the Java Collection, btw). And, to get even more wax print into your life, look up Foundation4 on Etsy to score those great pillows. [Interior images: James Merrell, via the Telegraph]

       

No guts, no glory

Sheesh, this week is just running away with me! I've been working on deadlines for House & Home, coming up with some very cool projects for the next few months and working with a client on her lovely Arts & Crafts home. And, on top of all of that, I've been working on getting the house closer and closer to being finished.

One of the exciting things to come home to was the fact that - thanks to the always fab crew at Mieda Design - a fair chunk of our re-upholstery is nearly complete. That onetime grungy 70's gold cord sofa (take a look at the before here) has had the guts ripped out of it and the frame partially re-built (Dan from Mieda explained how sinuous springs can do a real number on a wood frame over the years). I also had the frame built up to increase the seat height and you'll spot the first of the semi-attached waterfall back cushions making an appearance. And yep, that rather vibrant plum fabric you see on the cushion will be covering the whole sofa...

 

Brick and cake

The lyrics of Soul II Soul's classic Back to Life (back to reality) have been wandering through my noggin today as I speed up and get work back on track. Oy is all I can say, since I'd rather be sitting in the garden reading than catching up on e-mails...

London's Brick Lane was the other market I was going to tell you about, though its changed an awful lot since I first started going in the '80's. Then it was crazy busy and very junky, now it's crazy busy, less junky and very trendy. Don't get me wrong, there are still people selling random tat on blankets on the pavement, but these days everything feels that bit more genteel. Definitely worth checking out are both the Backyard Market (where we scored a cool limited edition print by a French artist) and the Sunday (Up)Market (where we scored some delish Italian snack action). Plus, don't forget to head down Cheshire Street for Mar Mar Co, Labour and Wait and Shelf, as well as a few other hot spots.

Not too far away from the market madness you'll find the Albion, a lovely Terence Conran owned caff/bakery/food shop located on the corner of very buzzy Redchurch Street and Boundary Street, where you'll also find Shoreditch House a chic private members club, vintage shops and new condo projects. It's definitely worth stopping in at the Albion for a reviving slice of cake and a cuppa, or even a Full English breakfast if you fancy! [Images: Market, Catched22 on Flickr. Albion, Mydeco]

  

Design on the double (roll)

Okay, I can't tell you how jazzed I am about getting to check out Graham & Brown wallpaper's HQ in Blackburn yesterday. Not only did I get a totally in-depth and fascinating behind the scenes tour of the company from Ian Brown (who, btw, is quite the expert on sustainability) I also got to meet up with G&B's lovely design team, who let me in on their design process and trend research (2010 looks brill already!). I also got a couple o' major scoops on what's coming down the pipe - In September there's a new capsule collection launching by design icon Barbara Hulanicki that has to be touched to be believed (more on Barbara here), and the ink is drying on a deal to produce a line of wallpaper with the fantabulous Amy Butler. In other words, watch this space...

Below you'll see a sneak peek of one of G&B's latest patterns; a dramatic fuchsia bloom on a black background, whizzing v. speedily through the gravure press.

  

Market daze

If you ever do find yourself in London then there are a wealth of fab markets worth hitting. Portobello Road is a for sure (my sister says Fridays are best), and Columbia Road and Brick Lane are always must-sees (and are a short walk apart). We trundled off to Columbia Road the other Sunday and had a great wander about. It's ostensibly a flower market, crammed with beautiful blooms and plants, but there's great shopping for vintage gear and some lovely shops too.

Ezra Street, just north of Columbia Road is where you'll find most of the vintage bits and bobs. There are market stalls, shops, bakeries and coffee shops cheek to cheek on cobblestone streets. Take a boo below for a few snaps. I loved the junk - ahem - vintage finds on the stalls and was wowed by the French-ish store with battered furniture set against grey painted walls. Check out that ceiling too, smothered in ceiling medallions, what a brill way to display lighting! Be sure to check out Ben Southgate for a well edited selection of furniture and accessories, and artist Rob Ryan's Ryantown for all his pretty artwork, prints and cards.

There's oodles more to tell (Brick Lane, my London address book, etc.), but since I'm rocketing north on a train to Blackburn you'll have to wait!

   

My sister's fridge

We've been having a shoptastic time and are back in London after a few fab days in Glasgow. I'm working on a lovely London market post as well as a piece on Glasgow too, but while you're being patient for that, here's what I found on my sister's fridge - A gorgeous postcard from Stoke Place. They're the same folks behind the Ilse Crawford designed Crown Inn in Old Amersham (more on that here), so the interiors are just as jammy. Love the dining room below, and make sure to check out the rest of their website for more great shots.

UK okay

Yep, I've hopped the pond and I'm in the UK on my hols. So that means perhaps a few less posts over the next bit while we run about shopping at markets, hitting my fave stores and hanging out with family and friends drinking tea and beer (though not necessarily at the same time). In the meantime, here's a cool Union Jack pillow I found on Etsy.

Puzzle piece

Hmmm, do I have room for another wallpaper in the house? lol. Maybe... When I saw Puzzle from Graham & Brown in person I immediately started planning where and how it could fit into our scheme. It's quite the hardwearing little monkey - splash resistant, UV resistant and scrubbable - and the faceted textured hi-gloss pattern is really quite fantabulous. Oh, and sneak peek alert; I'll be visiting G&B when I'm in the UK soon, so I'll hafta let you guys in on whats coming down the pipe in print and pattern!

A couple of hours in Chicago

Ummm, yes, arriving at mid-day on a Saturday in Chicago and leaving Sunday morning does not really leave enough time to get to know a place (it was a stopover on my way down to Kohler). But what I did see I loved! I checked into The Felix, which is quite the chic new spot and only a hop and skip from shopping on the Magnificent Mile, then set about exploring with House & Home's Cameron MacNeil.

CB2 was first, up in Lincoln Park, and if you haven't heard of 'em, they're the edgier, younger version of Crate & Barrel. Oh, I could've splurged, but luckily they ship to Canada and word is that we'll hopefully see a store north of the border sooner rather than later. Then we stumbled across Flor's new store (below), which I was so happy to see. Their modular carpet tiles are brill and it was great to see them all in one spot and get to play with all the patterns and colours, let alone check out the pixel artwork created with carpet! I use Flor on quite a few of my projects (yep, they ship to Canada) and picked up a bunch of samples for the new house. Right next door to Flor is Jayson Home & Garden (below), which was jam-crammed with tons of gorgeousness. Nate Berkus shops there which is reason enough to lurk around, lol.

After Lincoln Park we headed back down to the Magnificent Mile and wandered through Room & Board (always calmly contemporary) and the Bloomingdale's Home Store (loved the beach towel riff on their classic Brown Bag). Of course there's tons more to see, and I'll definitely be going back to find all the small and cool independent design stores, take an a tour with the Chicago Architectural Foundation, hit the museums... Oh, the list goes on.

     

French bananas

Good lawd, I must be on some kind of colour jag - While working on an upcoming Style Scout for the National Post I discovered Maison Desalle, and their US distributor TK Collections, manufacturers of handmade French rattan bistro furniture (which I am suddenly totally bananas for). The frames are ultra traditional and incredibly hardwearing, but it's the woven patterns on the seats and backs that made my jaw drop. Maison Desalle offers them in 53 jazzy patterns and 29 colours, take a boo below; to me they almost feel more African in style. Click here to watch a video of the chairs being constructed. And, if you fancy, click here for my Paris Address Book.

    

Lemon and vanilla

Mmm-mmm, what a juicy way to start the week. I stumbled across this Heals living room shot and thought it was definitely yummy enough to share. Love the simplicity of the space and the bold citrus yellow and creamy vanilla white; just think how easy-peasy it is to pull a room together using a two colour palette. For more inspirational colour take a look here at a mix of blue and white.

Bathroom-a-palooza

Here we go, in one fell swoop, oodles of bathroom inspiration from the Kohler Design Centre. I wandered around and snapped away since the place is filled with bathrooms by quite the laundry list of top-line designers that include Clodagh, Laura Kirar and Tristan Butterfield (he's in charge of all of the interiors in Kohler's ads). Anyhoo, scroll down and take a look. I love the tiled walls on the dressing area of the Laura Kirar space, and all the panelling detail in tones of cloudy pink in the the secretive and romantic interior by Tristan Butterfield.

        

Going a bit gold

Yesterday, apart from sneak peeks behind the scenes at what Kohler sees as some of the emerging trends in kitchens and bath, I was struck by how much I actually do love their new gold finishes. To go by the proper name this is Vibrant Moderne Gold, available in faucets in both brushed and polished finishes which, btw, looks absolutely smashing with their new satin-y Honed White glaze for sinks and toilets. I never thought gold would really do it for me, but the warmth of this new tone is way different from all that polished brass that we've trying to get rid of for years.

The hi-tech articulated Karbon Faucet now comes in the new gold finishes, a bronze and a stainless steel and chrome with black detailing as well as all their standard finishes. In other words there's a Karbon for everyone, lol. This interesting dude is currently available in a deck mount and wall mount for the kitchen but we heard (which is very cool) that they'll be expanding Karbon into bathroom faucets too. Take a boo at the snaps below, and let that gold sink in a bit, pardon the pun. And take a look at the Karbon in chrome in my kitchen here.

 

People, places, palette

For the next couple of days I'll be in the wilds of Wisconsin at the Kohler Editor's Conference, learning all about the history of the brand and checking out all their fabulous kitchen and bath products. I'm not alone, since Kohler has kindly invited a slew of design editors from around the world including, yay, a great bunch of Canadians - Janette Ewen (who you'll know from CityLine), Danny Sinopoli (the Globe & Mail's Design & Decor Editor) and Cameron Macneil (House & Home Design Editor). We had a meet and greet last night where I tasted a bunch of delish Wisconsin cheese and had a lovely chat with Pramiti Madhavi, Editor of Elle Decor India.

While I'm here eating cheese, lol, things are moving along on the home front. The fabrics have finally been dropped off at Mieda Design so the upholstery can begin and we've finally plunked on a wallpaper for the living room. Take a look at the palette below for a rundown of what's what - The background shows Graham & Brown's Manderley wallpaper in Golden, the next fabric is David Hicks Hexagonal House Chenille in Stone by Groundworks which'll be glamming up a headboard for the bedroom, that tweedy fuschia will totally revive this vintage gold sofa, and the teal velvet from DFO will completely sort out these vintage aluminum chairs.

Stooled out?

Have you had it with this mania for stools, ceramic and otherwise? They're kind of all over the place right now which makes me think that we might have had enough, but, as of yet, there seems to be no stopping them. In the last day or so I've fairly tripped over stools in faceted glossy white and metallic, a pewter glazed tree stump (roots n' all), and Asian influenced fretwork. And now there's these ones, totally hitting that ethnic craft vibe, with an intricate chasework pattern wrapped all over the surface in v. on-trend copper and a perennially safe nickel. Big plus with this design is the fact that the top flips off to reveal storage beneath. Whadya say, could you do with a couple hanging about? Punched metal stools, Graham & Green.