Sex and the City's swoon-worthy home fashions

While the critics' haven't exactly been heaping the praise on Sex and the City 2, I can say that the shoes and the sets continue to be fabulous!
 

Bold wallpaper, the great blue sofa, below, (that Big shamefully puts his shoes on!) and, of course, a well-organized walk-in closet all star in Carrie and Big's modern new apartment (and may even steal a few scenes from the frocks).

 

While many of the sets are gorgeous - the luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi is out of this world - I was most taken with Carrie and Big's place - the grey walls, the fun blend of mid century modern and graphic prints, and the excellent balance of masculine and feminine accents (like the strong lined sofa mixed with that pretty floral throw pillow) will all be taking up residence in my personal inspiration file.

(Photo from Craig Blankenhorn/ELLE Decor)

There are a few jokes thrown in for home fashionistas, too, like Carrie saying "I've been cheating on fashion with furniture" and the admission that it took a year and a half for them to settle on the sofa.

Carrie even chats with Big about how she needs just one more piece to finish the room - a conversation I'm sure many of us will find familiar!

See a full slide show of the sets from the movie at Elle Decor and be sure to check out Colin and Justin's spin on a Sex and the City worthy dressing room.

Yep, that's cardboard

Furnishing a home is a daunting and expensive endeavour. And while we'd all love to carefully shop for that perfect piece, and save up until we can afford it, it can be tricky to make do without some key pieces to get you started.

For an alternative to the milk crate and dumpster diving I did to furnish my first place, there's a new line eco-friendly cardboard furniture from YUP, launched at the Green Living Show the end of April.

The furniture is made from recycled (and recyclable) cardboard fibre, a durable, mouldable product they discovered while working with students in McMaster University's Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program.

The furniture lines include pieces for any space and are available in a natural khaki tone (the Innovation Line) or can be painted, silkscreened or decorated with fabric (the Xpression Line).

The dining set, which includes six soft back seats with recycled paper fabric upholstery, retails for $1,199. Other available pieces include sofas for $459 to $789, a sectional for $999, and beds, including headboard, from $200 to $380.

YUP will be opening its online shop and first YUP Xpression Centre in Mississauga in June, retailing the fibre furniture as well as YUP green home information and other eco lines.

Lego blocks for grown-ups

Anyone who has ever gone (or considered) the DIY route around the house has probably wished that real life construction was as simple as those Lego constructions you made as a kid. 

A cool new product hopes to achieve just that, as  Ecomat has supersized those familiar building blocks for adults.

The industrial sized interlocking building blocks, made from recycled materials, are designed to build both permanent and temporary structures.

Lightweight and earthquake resistant, they're also supposed to provide good thermal and acoustic insulation.

And, of course, building with them doesn't require any mortar - so construction really is a snap, just like with the small scale variety. As a result, the blogosphere is buzzing with the practical applications for developing countries and emergency situations.

So not only can this product get adults' imaginations soaring (I'm just waiting for someone to try this in a residential setting), but it also could provide relatively quick and inexpensive housing solutions when crises hit.

Found via Inhabitat.

An evening with Para and Sarah (Richardson)

On Wednesday night I had the pleasure of attending the launch of Sarah Richardson's new line with Para Paints.

The TV host and designer - who says it was always a question of when, not if, she'd have a paint line - says she and her team had a hand in choosing all 75 hues in the new Sarah Richardson Designer Palette.

Richardson says she's always been a huge believer in the transformative power of paint, starting when her mother used to make over a room in an evening or weekend. And, she jokes, during university when she was painting her bathroom instead of studying, it turned out to be "career advancement" instead of "procrastinating."

Richardson used Para Paints for her farmhouse makeover, shown in season 3 of Sarah's House (currently airing Tuesdays, 9 p.m., HGTV). She jokes from there her relationship with Para moved quickly - culminating in the collection's launch just a year later.

Richardson says that it's a really big deal for her to put her name on something, so she was careful to test the product and ensure her painting crews liked it before going forward. 

As for the paint line itself, used in the above photos, it's a mix of springy hues and bright bolds as well as muted tones and neutrals, with a purple-gray hue called "velvet" ranking high on my list of new favourites!

The new line, along with other Para Paints collections, will be carried at Lowe's.

Furniture store employee moves in for the Games

Have you ever walked into a furniture store and thought (or said), "Hey, I could live here"?

Well, in honour of the Olympics, Urban Barn employee Robbie Romu has moved into the downtown Vancouver shop.

Romu, who moved in on Feb. 12, will be living at 818 Howe Street around the clock for 17 days, ending Feb. 28.

The shop has been transformed into a 3,600 square-foot open-concept and fully functional home, of course furnished with Urban Barn products, including a front foyer, living room, gaming space, media room, casual entertaining area, dining area, computer space and spare bedroom, all open to the public, along with a private bedroom.

Also as part of the project, called "Right at Home on Howe," the store's hosting a bunch of Olympics-related events for the public, including watching the games on one of the five TVs and play Wii Olympic Winter Games.

And, for those of us who aren't lucky enough to be in Vancouver for the Games, Romu is uploading YouTube videos and tweeting to share his experience.

Renovating? Remember to update your insurance

With so many homeowners, myself included, having taken advantage of the Home Renovation Tax Credit, I've been thinking a lot about the projects and less about actually living in them.

So, a recent release from TD Insurance was a great reminder to take a second look at your home insurance to confirm your new upgrades are covered.

For example, if you've finished your basement but haven't notified your insurance company of the change, in the case of a floor or other issue, you may only be covered for damage based on your basement's original state.

Your upgrades may even save you money. For example, installing a home security system may lower your insurance premiums.

And, the TD release adds, if you're still renovating and have contractors working in your home, your home insurance can help protect you from liability if anyone injures themselves on the job.

The National Home Show is coming (and we've got a promo code!)

Can you believe it's already February? 2010 feels like it's flying. But luckily, this is going to be a jam-packed month. Not only do we have Groundhog Day, Valentine's Day, Family Day and the Olympics, but we've also got the National Home Show running from Feb. 19 to 28.

It's a great time to start planning for those springtime projects - I've got deck repairs on my mind - and get inspired by the dream home. Check out some of last year's highlights, along with our profiles of this year's Dream Home designers Ramsin Khachi and Sharon Grech.

And, because Yourhome's sponsoring the show's Girls Night Out on Feb. 25 - a night of shopping and cocktails with presentations by the Cocktail Deeva and style expert Janette Ewen - you can take a friend for free with our two for one ticket discount code: YOURHOME. (Buy tickets online here).

Behind the design of Marriage Under Construction

For those of you who didn't read last week's piece on the new season of Marriage Under Construction, go read it now!

But, really, season three follows the super cute couple Rodney and Natalie (shown right) as they buy a home, design and renovate it - all while living in the space and getting ready for a baby!

While the work on the show is just getting started, I've got the inside scoop on the style from designer Melissa Davis!

"Rod and Nat asked for a home where all their family and friends could come together and if all at once, even better!" she explains.

"This is to be the meeting place, a place to share huge family meals, back yard BBQ's and to kick back and relax. The number one request was comfort. They wanted a beautiful home with all the details thought through, but also to have the kind of place guests feel comfortable putting their feet up on the coffee table."

And, of course, for restaurateur Rod, the kitchen had to have all the conveniences of a restaurant with the warmth of a family home. Davis says she looked at this area much like she would when designing a restaurant or lounge.

"Guest should feel like they want to spend hours chatting, drinking wine and enjoying Rodney's food," she says.

To transform the home accordingly, Davis says the team had to completely gut the place.

"With a project of this scale, it's often more efficient to pull the services back and start fresh," she explains. "The open concept plan, which effected all three floors required fairly extensive interior structural work throughout. Even the landscaping and exterior was addressed, continuing the design concept from front curb through to the garage. It was a big job!"

And, because the couple had been living with friends in "the Frat House", they didn't have much furniture, so there was a lot of shopping to be done!

"I had a bit of a role reversal on this project with Rod and Nat," says Davis. "Nat knows what she likes and was able to articulate that to me quickly. Her style is very classic and sophisticated and when she sees something she likes, there is no need to look further. Rod is the partner that loves to shop, talk design and consider all the possibilities.

He and I have spent hour upon hour visiting furniture shops, fabric stores, traipsing to barns hours outside the city to see the perfect reclaimed wood samples. I'm a small town farm girl and Rod's a Newfoundlander, which somehow has us speaking the same language. We'll chit chat and eat pie for an hour, and then without having mentioned design once, will stand up and say, 'Yep definitely the leather chair' as if we'd had some great debate to decide, then off we go to buy it. I still never know how the heck we do it." 

As for the home's design, Davis says it's fairly contemporary balanced with what she and Rod called "oldie-time" elements -- "the details that add history and soul to this otherwise spanky new house."

She says a number of Rod's Craigslist finds make their way into the space, some of which were happily welcomed while others took a bit of tweaking to accommodate. 

And, of course, perhaps the largest change to the design was news that baby Bowers was on the way.

"When news of the baby arrived, so too did the importance of the third floor truly being a sanctuary for them. As a mom I know that the first few months are for cocooning as a family. We wanted to create an almost self-sufficient space. As long as Rodney keeps Natalie fed, she need never leave the third floor," says Davis.

Because the couple and the designer were all dedicated to using natural materials, like low to no VOC paints and flooring, from the beginning, "planning for the baby didn't require any grand changes to the overall approach."

Tune in Mondays at 9 p.m. on HGTV to see how it all pans out - and to watch how the couple deals with all that stress!

Read more on how to manage a marriage and a major reno, and get tips from Bryan Baeumler on how he managed being father, husband, contractor and client while building his own home.

More from the Interior Design Show

Despite my camera battery running out midway through my second trip to the Interior Design Show on Friday, I've still got a few goodies to share!

Let's start with some more fabulous lighting - here's the Klaus By Nienkamper booth - love how they look like sparkling dandelions!

For a more affordable interpretation on the glittery orb look, Ikea hung a bunch of their PS Maskros lights over their booth.

 

And, I adore this fixture by Gregor Herman. The hand-blown glass balls are surprisingly sturdy - I was tentative to even hold one, but he clinked the strands together without fear! I love the different sizes and colours, and the way the light reflects through the fixture.

Textiles were also, of course, huge at the show - loved the "A New Era: Evolution in Rug Artistry" display, featuring the winning entries of 8 x 10 rugs, which were auctioned off through silent auction to benefit the Rugmark Foundation (to provide education for rug-making communities) and Dare Arts (providing local art-based programs for at-risk children).

 
There was also an amazing entry with a zipper down the middle - so cool!

The small space design was also incredible - 10 x 10 rooms that showed what you could do with a shed in your backyard (or that minuscule back bedroom)! This calming retreat was one of the entries.

The Style at Home booth (where they announced they'll be launching a paint collection with Beauti-Tone this spring) offered a great springtime table setting.

And really, who can resist marble armchairs?

And, last but not least for today, is Ministry of the Interior's "Rolling Hills" concept space, designed for contemplation and social interaction.

The furnishings were sparse and soothing, and I just adored the Himmeli lighting, above.

Scenes from the Interior Design Show gala

I had a blast last night at the Interior Design Show opening night gala - gorgeous spaces, design fans and champagne and martinis, really, what more could a girl hope for?

Deciding to go with style over function, I pulled on my highest heels and hit the media lounge first, where I had the pleasure of meeting the incredible fashion and interior designer Barbara Hulanicki (who, incidentally, also happens to be behind that amazing skull wallpaper I was tweeting about the other night).

Armed with champagne, we headed into the House & Home VIP party in the gorgeous Monk Lounge by Templar, designed by rhed and inspired by jazz pianist Thelonious Monk. It's also, incidentally, a preview of the lounge experience planned for the Templar hotel (launching in the spring.) Sadly, my photos of the space didn't turn out - a few too many people (and martinis) - but hopefully this rendering (a handout photo) will give you an idea!

The upholstered banquettes provided the perfect spot for resting feet and people watching!

Then, it was out on the floor. With 300 exhibitors, I'm afraid I didn't hit up all the booths last night (that's what this afternoon is for!), but here are a few highlights:

The Drake General Store's pop-up shop featured a bunch of fun Canadian goodies, and was certainly eye catching!

The Ikea space - I love the combination of the clean lined white tables and the grey chairs with the armchair on the end! (And it doesn't hurt that I could afford to pull off this space in my own home, either!)

I would never have thought to use onions as a centrepiece - but the grouping does look great!

After some time spent discussing how having a Viking range would dramatically improve my life (even if I never cooked on it) it was time for a little detour towards the booth offering up the pink drinks! 

The lineup for the spaces - always an IDS highlight - was insanely long for much of the night (just check out this pic from HGTV!), but I did get a chance to do a quick, and rather crowded, pass through, starting with Arren William's gorgeous bathroom!

I didn't succeed in getting a shot of the "hers" side of the space - but you can read more about it here. The textured wallpaper from Graham and Brown (which Williams promises is scrubbable) just added to the glam factor!

Munge Leung and Ink entertainment created the ultimate party room to cap off the Spaces - a luxe lounge area with a gorgeous (and very full) bar!

 

I had only a few moments (and a few more steps left in my shoes), to scope out some of the stylish lighting options on offer, like these pieces from Diesel. 

By the end of the evening, I was thoroughly worn out - and appreciated finding a place to perch! I'll be heading back this afternoon in more practical shoes to get a better look at the many incredible displays!