Stay calm - spring will arrive eventually

I know, I know, I know, the winter that would not end was a  mood killer. Hope may be in sight, but don't get over excited yet. Instead, distract yourself with happy thoughts, or visualize those sultry summer nights on the deck. Focus on cool new summer decor products, such as the KŌH Lamp, which was inspired during designer Chistophe d’Orey’s trip to an African village,
where locals would gather round an assortment of coloured canisters every evening for a chat and check-in. The KŌH Lamp, which is suitable for outdoor use, is available for US$120 at KOHConcepts.

 

Linen Chest - the new kid in town

This week's Hot Home Products column in the Toronto Star features the Linen Chest, a Canadian success story that began when Sylvia Leibner opened a small store in Montreal in 1961. Today, a second generation of Leibners oversee a network of over 20 stores. The chain has expanded throughout Quebec and into New Brunswick and, last year, opened Leaside and Vaughan locations. Two new stores, one in the Stockyards and one at Richmond and John Streets, will open within the next few months. They also offer online shopping. Check out the pics below for an idea of what's on offer. I have a feeling readers will be hearing more about these folks in the future. Stay tuned.

It's not too late for spring cleaning

Spring sprung early this year and then took a back seat as winter made another late appearance, throwing the seasonal change-over off-balance. That meant that many of us skipped the annual ritual of the Spring clean-up.  But lifestyle expert Janette Ewen has a message on that point — better late than never.

“Spring is a natural time to tidy, because you are letting air in. It’s almost as it that flow works on a sub conscious on your mind as well," says Ewen. But if you missed the first wave of Spring, Ewen cautions against waiting until the next natural marker in the fall. And Ewen says it’s not just your mental health that can suffer from clutter — it’s your pocket book as well.

“Canadian Tire sponsored a survey that found 68 per cent of Canadians say they’ve rebought something because they couldn’t find it in their house and another 71 per cent say they’d rather toss things out than find a place to store them!”

Ewen has a well-honed system for keeping clutter udner control. “I do a mini purge about once a month. I sell some stuff on Kijiji, which lets me make a little money, some of which goes to a favourite charity. If I get lazy, my assistant makes me do it. Staying on top of it helps me avoid getting overwhelmed.”  To help you from getting suffocated by stuff, Ewen has some suggestions:

• Sort stuff into three plastic tubs — one for recycling, one for garbage and one for stuff you’re going to give way. Be disciplined — if you haven’t used it in the last year, you probably won’t. For sports equipment, she’ll stretch it to two years. Before you unload items, consider doing a swap meet with friends — a great way to extend the life of items that no longer work for you.
•  Allow yourself a cabinet for sentimental memorabilia. After all, some things are worth keeping.
• Designate a shelf system for various types of items; one for temporary pieces that you’re not sure you’ll need long-term or not, one for craft or hobby supplies, one for seasonal.
• Use modular storage systems to create customized units that fit different spaces throughout the home.
• Instead of keeping mountains of mags, go through copies and pull the pages/pics/pieces you want and put them in file folders that can be housed in attractive holders.
• Use dead space by, for example, putting shelves above a garment pole in a closet. Consider a second shelf even higher up for items rarely used. Keep a foldable stepladder for easy access. How about under-stair storage?
• Use an under-the-bed storage unit.
• In the kitchen, line the space above upper cabinets with baskets (make sure they have lids)
• Pretty storage items will motivate you to stay organized. Ewen likes Debbie Travis’ line for Canadian Tire.
• When purchasing new furniture for the home, look for pieces that offer functional storage, such as ottomans with lids or closed entertainment units.  Tomorrow —  tips from Ewen on switching up decor for Spring.

The Bay welcomes homegrown talent with DwellStudio

DwellStudio  is now available at three of The Bay’s flagship stores nationwide  ­— Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Founder and designer, Canadian Christiane Lemieux, launched DwellStudio in 1999, fusing modern design, a playful approach to colour and old-world details. 

Her bold geometrics, stripes and abstract florals became a design signature for the Ottawa native, who earned her design chops at the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York after graduating from Queen’s University.

Most of the DwellStudio line will be available in stores as well as select styles of DwellStudio furniture. Customers can also special order the complete furniture line through The Bay.

Rise and shine -- or take the day off

 
I’ve said before that I really like the new Wake-up Light from Philips. And I especially love that you can download sounds to wake you up after the halogen light has simulated a rising sun. There are several soundscapes on the Philips site that you can drop on a USB stick.  I’d go for the ones entitled Morning at the Monastery or African Savannah. But, truth be told,  I think my fave is  Not Working Today. Ahhhhh…I like the sound of that.

To sleep, perchance to save

 
If you are in need of good quality bedding, towels, window treatments or other accessories, but want to save a bit of dough before the annual consumer frenzy season Christmas gets here, make a note to head out later this week — Wednesday November 17th to Saturday November 20th — to the Londen warehouse sale. There you’ll find product from Bergman Home, Nygard Home, Croscill, and Hunter Douglas. You’ll also see outdoor furniture, rugs and draperies at clearance prices.

I’m a big fan of the family-owned Londen, which sells  - among many other things - Zazen,  a line of bed linens made with Chitin, which is formed from the shells of specific types of crustaceans and mollusks. Because fibres made from this material are believed to have properties that fight infection and heal wounds, these sheets are supposed to deter bed sores in those confined to bed, and to help hydrate, soothe and regenerate skin for healthy individuals who sleep on them nightly.

But I digress. Sale hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Londen Inc is located at 301 Flint Road in Toronto.

Just a warning – I plan on going on Wednesday, and if you see me, don’t get in between me and that fab Nygard bed linen! Normally, I’m a lover, not a fighter, but when it comes to bargains on bed linen, I’m just sayin”….

I do like making the bed (but I refuse to iron it!)

Some people get up every day and do important stuff, like run a hospital emergency department, teach unruly children or rescue kitty cats from trees. Me, I spent the morning “dressing a bed” to get ready to shoot a segment for Real Life.

I had pulled a selection of bedding from Ikea, and it was so much fun. Decided I simply adore the new Renate Slinga bedlinen. So much so that I had to take a quick couple of shots to show you. Frankly, if I was really hard-core about this, I would have ironed the bed (yes!), but I figured the show was called Real Life and, let’s face it, there are no ironed beds in real life, just like there’s no trigonometry.

Emma Jones, who designed the line, said she wanted the collection to “be happy and inviting, with fields and garlands of beautiful flowers”. Mission accomplished, Ms. Jones. And I was delighted to learn that a queen size duvet cover and two pillow cases is $90. I can do that!

Creating my own bedscape was so much fun that I plan to do another one next week. It will be a bit darker, though, and more subdued — using my fave DKNY crimson quilted cover, and house-brand linens in slate grey from Bed Bath and Beyond. Yes, I'll take pics. I know it’s not a cure for cancer, or even brain surgery, but hey, it’s what I do.

Are you a snob?

Bargain Alert! Snob, a décor boutique that showcases hand-made décor, art and artefacts from South Africa, all made by local artisans and entrepreneurs, is having a sale. A while ago, I featured in my column what I thought was a fabulous piece from the store — an ostrich skin table in a hot red ( see pic above). Snob’s sale is on until September 4th, with some items up to 70 per cent off. It’s well worth the trip over to 388 Carlaw Ave 416-778-8778  to have a look at this curated collection of furniture, accessories and rugs. Gorgeous!  While you’re there, drop by the nearby GreenTea Design, which sells  contemporary Japenese and Asian furniture and antique Oriental pieces. They have lovely stuff, as well.

Needs green tips, not hype?

Has all the hype about Earth Day got you wondering what little ole you can do to help? Or do you need some motivation to get started? Then check out Papermate’s Pledge for the Planet program  The national campaign includes the creation of a bookmark with twelve easy-to-execute tips for homeowners that will be distributed at ten Earth Day events. At each event, there will be a banner, and participants will write on the banner the eco tip that they pledge to perform. The plan is to 10,000 pledges across Canada. By the way, did you know that Papermate makes a biodegradable pen? For more information about Earth Day Canada and its environmental programs, visit the Earth Day website.

Between the sheets with Colin and Justin (yes, yes, I know - very original!)

 
 I’ve been hit with a hideous flu, so I’m going to keep this short before heading back to bed. Speaking of bedding, did you know that the sassy Scottish design duo (and contributors to the Toronto Star's New in Homes section) Colin and Justin are launching a new “bed in a bag” line in Zellers next week?  Here’s a sneak peak of two designs ($199 each) from the fellas. Pretty, no?