Here's a clever way to add flexibility to your outdoor seating scheme. Hampton Bay’s new Westbury set ($699 from Home Depot - shown below) has adjustable arms, so it can be configured
as a love seat or couch. For even more flexibility, Westbury’s adjustable table
($249) has four moving panels that transform it from a basic
coffee/conversation table into a low-profile dining table. There’s also a holder in the centre that can serve as an ice bucket, making it perfect for sipping summer wine while nibbling snacks and chatting.
If space for a table is teeny tiny, or if you want to add affordable extra seating to create conversational settings in the backyard, choose a colourful three-piece bistro set, also from HD ($80).This one's also perfect for a postage-sized balcony. Are you listening, condo-dwellers?
When the sun goes down, count on solar lights to cast a soft, eco-friendly glow.
Keep watching this space over the next few weeks for more decor/entertaining and recipe ideas. Because summer will come - I promise - and you do want to be ready, don't you?
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.
Photographers
Angela Read and Michael La Fond are the focus (get it?) of this week’s Hot Home
Products column in the Toronto Star. The couple has just launched a website that sells gallery-wrapped canvases of their pictures.
Here are a few below, from places flung as far away as Georgian Bay and Italy, where the duo (who are also partners in life) love to visit. Scroll down to the bottom of this entry for a few of their tips on how to hang
photographic art. Keep an eye on this space, as I'll be featuring more photographers over the next few weeks.
Michael La Fond
Michael La Fond
Angela Read
Michael La Fond
TIPS FOR HANGING PHOTGRAPHIC ART
When hanging
multiple prints, Michael likes odd numbers of grouping.
Angela
suggests grouping pics by theme or subject.
The two
agree that size does matter — a large expanse of wall can handle a single large
print, while a hallway in a pint-sized condo might do better with three small
prints hung in a row
The big news
this weekend in design/décor is the Interior Design Show. Worth noting too, though,
is the Toronto Offsite Design Festival, also happening this weekend. Actually,
it’s been happening since Jan. 19, when it kicked off in The Junction a week of
some 40 exhibitions and events across Toronto. Reinvented for the third year in
a row, it remains — as far as I can tell — a way to take advantage of the buzz
created by the IDS, and to publicize a souped-up "what’s on in the arts in TO” guide. I say
that in a good way; there are lots of
great things to see in the city right now and if more people thought about
design more often, we might just have a more civilized, more livable city. Others may feel differently, of course.
Under the offsite
festival umbrella are such exhibits as The Happy Show, created by Stefan Sagmeister (until
March 3 at the Design Exchange).
It’s supposed to reflect the designer’s attempt to increase his happiness using meditation, cognitive therapy, and mood-altering pharmaceuticals. (Please resist here your natural impulse here to add wisecracking editorial – Editor.)
Jeff Goodman's lovely, lovely glass
The website also
notes that you can see Jeff Goodman’s supremely beautiful glass until Feb. 27 at
the Ontario Crafts Council Gallery.That will be worth catching, imho. If I wasn’t broke, I’d buy a few pieces of
this lovely glass, made by a lovely man, who once graciously invited me into his
studio, where I made a glass paperweight. So very sad when he died last
year.
I also like
the sound of Snip,
mostly because I’ve always admired Miriam Grenville’s kooky-pretty-clever work
with paper. This time, see a series of patterns at the Hair Lounge until Feb.
18.
My date book
is jammy-packed for the next few days, but I will try to get down to the IDS
trade-day to get a glimpse of Philippe Malouin.
Speaking of dishy, Philippe Malouin designed the lovely waxed concrete bowls below
His impressive
CV includes a stint with designer Tom Dixon and a recent nod from Wallpaper magazine for
a carpet hand- made from looped galvanized steel wire into an arresting
geometric shape. The geometric motif shows up again in his "windows" - light
fixtures designed like shutters and which mimic natural light, for which W
Hotel lauded the Canadian-born designer.
BTW, For the full
list of Wallpaper awards, click here
If you go, keep in mind that the OneXOne’s
children’s charity is auctioning chairs customized by such designers as moimoidesign,
WeKillYou, Monnet Design, Oeuffice, Doublenaut, Burton Kramer, and Marian
Bantjes. Take a peak, and make an offer if you can.
Janine Morrison has a theory about the enduring appeal of mid-century modern, which is the subject of a delicious new book by Judith Miller called Mid Century Modern (reviewed in my Hot Home Product column in the New in Homes section of the Saturday Toronto Star).
As the owner of Tonic Living, which sells contemporary fabrics and custom-makes window treatments, pillows, and futon covers, Morrison was thrilled to come across a stash of vintage fabric when she started her business on E-Bay in 2000.
"It became so wildly popular around the world,” says Morrison, “but one sad day we came to the end of it.” At that point, Morrison began sourcing new fabrics that had the same aesthetic vibe. Since then, the biz has ground by leaps and bounds, and Morrison is in the process of opening a new, larger operation. Stay tuned for news on that.
Why was she so drawn to mid-century design? “It has a simplicity that is just so appealing. It references a simpler time but also an emergent time, where everything was exciting and modern. Whether we even remember the era from our own youth, we sense that it was a time of innovation and social shackles being released. There was such beauty in that,” she says.
You can find out more about Tonic Living in the next issue of ReStyle, which appears quarterly with the Toronto Star.
In the meantime, here’s a list of places in Toronto that offer mid-century décor.
Owner Lawrence Blairs loves Scandinavian art glass, modernist studio jewellery, abstract sculpture, and post modern Italian design. The store is also home to an extensive reference library on twentieth century design and decorative art.
Kensington was into mid-century modern a couple of decades before it gained widespread cool. It’s still home to the much-loved Bungalow where you’ll find vintage clothing, retro furniture, home and fashion accessories.
If
you are falling in love with modern design, Design Within Reach is a
shrine at which you must worship. Take note that “within reach" means
things not found elsewhere and things in stock, not necessarily within
reach of your puny décor budget. But even if you don’t have $5,700 for
an Eames Lounge and Ottoman, go to this store if you want to see best in
class. Worried about snooty salespeople who will sniff you out as a
neophyte and treat you accordingly? Not an issue. The staff is terrific,
love to share their knowledge and won’t blush even if you ask a dumb
question. I speak from experience.
Self-described as the spot where Mad Men meets your best friend’s basement, this Corktown store seems to be a fave the bloggers who responded when I asked for top spots in Toronto for mid-century modern.
EQ3 222
King Street East 416.815.2002 and 3-51 Hanna Avenue. 416.533.9090
This Winnipeg-based company specializes in modern design. On top of their own product range of furniture, which can be custom finished, they offer brands such as Herman Miller, Stelton, Vitra, and Alessi. Also has a great selection of Marimekko yard fabric and accessories at the Hanna Street location.Pssst. Check out the lovely and affordable glass and plate ware.
StyleGarage offers made-to-order upholstery, storage, dining, and accents.
Miller's book is chock full of pics of the best of mid century modern design
Did I miss any great spots that you love? I’m sure I did,so let me know and I’ll add them. Also heard (on Machine Age Modern's blog) that Modern Furniture in Canada 1920 to 1970by Virginia Wright is a great overview of the era from a Canadian perspective. I’ve got my eye out for a copy and will add my own mini review when I find it.
Over the holidays, I unleashed my inner
hippie (never far from the surface, I might add) to create a mood light with an
umbra Fotofall stand and Sylvania’s new Mosiac strips on which I clipped the strip.
Up to ten strips can be joined to create up to 20 feet
and special connectors can be used to negotiate corners. Strips can also be cut
with scissors at pre-marked spots. A remote lets the user choose from 15 colours,
including white.Personally, I don't go much for flashing, blinking lights. If I want that, I'll go to Vegas.But I do like being able to change the colour to suit moods and decor.
A kit, which comes with four two-foot strips, sells for about $50 at Home Depot. Well, what do you think? Pure genius? Or probably drunk?
Happy to share this one with you folks, as I’ve
never thought there was anything that funny about Peace, Love and Understanding.
Okay, not a great segue, but any excuse to bring Elvis Costello into the mix is
also okay with me.
Andrew Richard Designs is known for its beautiful
outdoor furniture. But this weekend the reason to get yourself down to his Design
Loft at 571 Adelaide Street East is to see stunning photography from Kris Reyes, a
news anchor for Global Toronto’s Morning Show, and her husband, David Leggett.
In 2010, Reyes and Leggett quit their jobs to travel through Nepal, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, Australia and Hawaii for six months. The exhibit, called Wander,Wonder, is the mesmerizing photographic document of that trip.
The
works will be sold via silent auction in support of Artists for Peace and Justice. Move quickly, though, as the exhibit will only be in place until Sunday, December 2.
Learn more by clicking here or
follow them @artistsforpeace
And since this is one of those times when a picture
is worth 1,000 words:
A few quick
floral tips from the lovely and talented Bruno Duarte of Fresh Floral Creations.
If you haven’t visited his little jewel box shop on Danforth, you should. It may
just be the Platonic Ideal or a floral shop.
If you can't get down there, you can
at least drink a few drops from the font of his floral wisdom. Here it is:
Line vases
with a leaf to cover stems; Duarte likes dark brown Thai leaves.
Keep topping
up water, but don’t add powders — they’re mostly sugar and can cause bacteria
that contributes to rot.
Work with a
maximum of three colours.
Stay away
from too much glitter (however tempting it may be).
On a dinner
table, the height of an arrangement should never be taller than the length of
your elbow to your hand. If you’re table
is long, consider three several smaller arrangements.
For something
different and striking, cut Amaryllis, and hang them upside down. Gather the stems loosely
but firmly with a floral wire and fill the stems, which are hollow, with water.
Suspend from a hanging light fixture. (And
if you can’t figure out how to do that, call Duarte – Editor)
Want to
switch it up for New Year’s Eve? Go with white, says Duarte. “You will have
been bombarded with red and other colours. White will be fresh and clean, just
like the new year.”
Michael
Simardone is a Toronto furniture builder. If that’s not
artisanal enough, he also makes just about everything from building refuse and
cast-aways. He and his wife Caroline are in the process of opening up a Junction
storefront with his own pieces and accessories.
He and I
worked together on an Upcycle Challenge for Habitat for Humanity Toronto this
year, in which we strung together building
left-overs to craft something new. See the results below.
All that to
say, if you’re an artisan, you might want to contact la Simardone about selling
your stuff through his store. Even if it doesn’t turn out to be the century’s
best business deal, I guarantee you’ll like him.
Michael is
on a nice little stretch of street that seems poised to take off. Same neighb
as the always-worth-a-visit Eclectic Revival (Artisanal Steampunk?). And if memory
serves, there’s a little resto about half a block west (north side) of
Simardone that makes amazing pastry — some of which gets stuffed with fruit.
Yum. Art you can eat.
Quick - if navy is the new midnight blue, what does artisanal mean? That’s a trick question — artisanal can mean whatever. Heck, I’ve squirted Srirachi hot-sauce into ketchup and called it “an artisanal blend of tomato and pepper”.
So I know, folks, that the term can tart everything from stationery with pictures of birds on it to the “limited edition” of a new line from a hip retailer, “richly inspired” by raw talent in a far-flung, picturesque spot, but mass made in China.
If you want the real thing, from Africa, for example, you have to go to Snob, a jewel box of a store tucked away in a tiny corner at 388 Carlaw, between Dundas and Gerrard.
It's tempting to take one of everything at Snob
Right now, there are amazing textiles (ethereal threads of wool and silk washed into felt, heavy cotton fabrics with detailed stitching – both geometric and organic in design — in earthy browns, yellow and pumpkin tones - I’d use it on bedding, lampshades, headboards, soft ottomans.
Also, elaborately carved poles on stands; in another life, they held up tents in a desert. Highly beaded and elongated wooden figures. And a curiosity cabinet, with artifacts such as hair picks made from ancient destructible woods. In fact, this store is a bit like the museum. Plan to stay a while.
Of all of the gorgeousness, the most beautiful thing there for me are the handmade Egyptian pendant Zenza lamps, with hammered patterns that create shadow webs on the nearest wall — to very, very pretty effect.
I know because I have one hanging in a hallway at home. Every time I look at it, I stop and marvel at the craft-work and the effect it has on light.
Recently at Snob, I saw for the first time the slim cylindrical pieces from Zenza. If I had a high ceiling and a lot of money, I’d buy 20 of them.
The choice of models will only expand, given that Snob owner Denise Zidel (or, as her intimate friends like to call her, La Snob Dynamo) is now the national distributor for these pieces. Go and visit the store. In the meantime, check out the pics below.
Love the new textiles at Snob
The Zenza lamps I love, love love.
BTW, a little birdie told me to look out for news from Snob early in the new year.
Around town, the shortest route to local talent is probably through the One of a Kind Show, which is the Platonic Ideal of Artisanal. One of the few home shows that’s worth the price of admission.Check out my Pinterest board for a sneak peak.
This holiday season, World Vision is selling scarves and jewelry to support their education and development projects. The Haitian hand-beaded necklace is attractive, with thin bands of strong colour.You need to order by Dec. 10th to get them for Christmas.
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