Editor's wishlist

It’s Christmas time, and I’ve been awfully good this year. While my family has a more detailed list of my holiday needs and wants, here’s what's currently filling my festive dreams:

Dyson DC 15: I think my current vacuum cleaner knows that I daydream about trading it in for this sleeker, sexier model. It tilts, pivots and rounds corners on a ball instead of bulky wheels and is designed to tackle mounds of bunny hair in seconds without clogging. It also has a telescope reach system, a 37-foot cord, and on-board tool storage.

It’s far more vacuum than I could ever possibly need, but I can’t help but visit it online whenever my vacuum clogs and dies. Did I mention it’s purple?

Riedel Amadeo Decanter: With all the wine consumed in my home (much of it of the inexpensive variety), it’s hard to believe we still haven’t picked up a decanter to make those $14 bottles really shine.

And the Amadeo, with it's clean 'U' shape, seems like one of the prettiest ways to aerate our vino.

Lutz & patmos cable throw : As the temperature drops, I dream of wrapping myself up in this feather grey, cable knit throw, which I imagine is much like a giant, comfy sweater.

I know it would keep me warm through the holidays and beyond.

Available at West Elm.

Chocolatiere: While snuggled up in the aforementioned luscious throw, I would sip on hot chocolate from the Bodum Chocolatiere.

This porcelain serving jug has a propeller rod for mixing up frothy, smooth hot chocolate. Add in a box of deluxe hot chocolate, perhaps spiced, and it's the perfect Mmmm. 

Clocky: I’ve previously discussed Clocky, but I think he’s worthy of another mention.

He’s cute, he plays hide and seek and he comes in pink.

What more could a girl ask for?

Thinkgeek.com ships Clocky to Canada.

Here Clocky, Clocky

I've got to admit, I've got a habit of personifying my day-to-day objects. As a result, I've got a soft spot for Clocky.

This adorable alarm clock gives you one chance to wake up, then jumps off your nightstand — alarm sounding — and wheels around looking for a place to hide. (Watch the animation on YouTube).

For people like me, who use their snooze buttons until they wear out, he also addresses the issue of turning off your alarm in your sleep. It's pretty tough to auto-snooze him if you can't find him!

While a game of hide-and-seek may be fun, or necessary, once in awhile, sometimes a girl just wants to sleep in.

Luckily, Clocky can be set not to run away at all. And, he comes in pink!

Designer Gauri Nanda says the prototype - which she describes as a pair of Lego wheels and motors and a shag covering - was inspired while she was a snooze-button reliant student, who would hit the button repeatedly without ever realizing how late it was getting.

At US$50, I think Clocky's a great gift for the playful snoozer on your list :)

Festive guide launches!

Just in time for the first real Toronto snowfall of the season, Yourhome's festive guide is up and running! From great gadgets for kitchen gurus (the apron is super cute) and eco-friendly gifts to recipes for bite-sized aps, decorations on a budget, tips for picking the perfect tree and so much more, we've got your holiday covered. There's lots more to come too, so check back for our upcoming features on how to green your holiday, this season's trends and tips for holiday cleaning.

Sofa shopping

I have spent much of my time over the last two weeks sitting on my butt. No - I'm not just being lazy (though since the mercury dropped a few degrees, an evening in with a movie and hot chocolate is heavenly), I've been engaged in that terrible experience of hunting for a new sofa.

A new sofa was a key part of my "Newlywed nesting" plan to make my apartment into a comfortable, happy and organized space in time for Christmas.

We've been making do with a schlumpy futon that creaks and groans whenever you sit on it, but as the pile of nuts and bolts falling to the floor grew, I started to fear for the safety of those guests brave enough to opt for it over the much safer, and more comfortable, floor.

So, I started doing intensive research, going into shops, measuring, asking questions about durability, warranties and delivery times. Once my mind was clear on what I wanted - a tuxedo-style in slate microfibre with block legs and tight, clean tailoring - I took my husband out to test drive them.

What started off as a one day expedition dragged out over weeks and weeks. We sat on sofa after sofa, some unbelievably ugly, others so uncomfortable that we couldn't bear them for five minutes in the store.

The sweet condo-sized sofas I had picked out made my husband - who is a fairly tall guy - look like a very uncomfortable giant.

The tall and lumpy, cottage-style sofas he gravitated towards offended my inner design diva and made me feel like a four-year-old as my feet dangled high above the showroom floor.

We reached a breaking point when my husband pointed out an enormous - far too large for our living room - beast with overstuffed cushions, loose fabric and an unfortunate choice of rope-style trim (unless you're into that nautical stuff, in which case, anchors aweigh for you!). It was like a beacon to all the despondent sofa shoppers, saying, "Just give in. I'm in stock and can end this horrible search for you."

Worse yet, I sat on it and, after all those bouncy, cute chesterfields, it was like sitting on a cloud. We even discussed purchasing it, just to get it over with. Luckily, I came to my senses and called it quits, saying, "We're not going to find a sofa today. Let's go shop for shoes."

Weeks passed and I kept hunting, looking for that perfect blend of comfort and style. A few options arose, but they either had delivery dates in the three months plus range or seriously broke our modest budget.

Finally, we had a breakthrough with West Elm's Goodwin, shown. It was not the chic slate grey option I had once imagined, but its mocha fibre, low arms and comfortable seating was enough to win both our hearts.

We're pleased to say it's now sitting in our living room - complemented by a divine selection of bright green pillows. It better weather the next few trends well. I have no intention of searching for another sofa anytime soon.

Real estate listing mapper

For people who want to peek into what's on the market - or love to know what homes in their neighbourhood are selling for -  Zoocasa, a new Canadian real estate mapping site, offers hours of amusement.

The site plots out data - gleaned from listings and agent and broker feeds, so it's not a totally comprehensive list - on an interactive Google map, from where you can click, zoom and snoop to your heart's content.

You can search by clicking (which could take a very long time), address, neighbourhood or city, and get the lowdown on schools, shops and hospitals in the area. One click on a property tab will call up all the property details from the original listing.

I spent more than a few hours browsing this site this week, first hunting for my dream home, then for something I could afford, then for the most expensive homes ... and so on. If you can dream up a criteria, you can probably filter the search.

The site's not a broker, so it won't help you actually make a purchase,  but it's a good place to get a sample of what's on the market, the average prices and what's going on in the neighbourhood.

Buy a skillet, plant a tree

OK, so maybe it's not as catchy as "Save the cheerleader, save the world" but I think Earthchef has got something going for it!

The Canadian line of earth-friendly pots, pans, utensils, induction cooktops and cutlery, manufactured by Berghoff and sold at the Bay, Zellers and Home Outfitters (check them out online here) also happens to be pretty and both user- and wallet-friendly.

The company has also partnered with Tree Canada to reduce its carbon footprint, and for every 11-inch skillet sold, the company will sponsor the planting of one tree and its maintenance for five years.

They sent me their 11-inch skillet to try, and I must say that I was very impressed. The non-stick ceramic coating (touted as being six times stronger than traditional non-stick coatings) lived up to its name, surviving both my metal spatula and my cooking without incident.   

That performance, when paired with the skillet's $30 price and recycled packaging, was enough to convince me to check out the rest of their line on my own dime - I've already got my eye on their bamboo cutting boards.

West Elm opens!

West Elm, the home furnishings arm of cookware store Williams Sonoma, has opened its doors in Canada; in Toronto's Liberty Village.

The store is cash and carry, meaning you get instant gratification when you finally settle on that great headboard.

Sadly, your intrepid editor yet to make it into the shop, but their website provides a lot of great nature-inspired eye-candy.

The manzanita candle holder (shown), for $99, would be the perfect centrepiece for a winter wonderland-inspired table (yes, I'm already thinking about the holidays!) and the sliding-top coffee table would be a good solution to my remote control and video game accessory storage problems.

And, no home would be complete without the organic snow leopard bath mat, for $29, which may be landing in my bathroom shortly (with matching towels)! If snow leopards aren't your thing, it also comes in giraffe.

Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to grab a few hours to head in and scope it out in person!

Pac-Man and Mario and Donkey Kong – oh my!

My husband, who works in the tech media, is a huge video game fan, dreaming of the day when a corner of our home (likely his office) will be decorated to reflect his passion and display his ever-growing collecting of swag.

It’s an industry largely marketed with child-friendly cardboard cut-outs, stickers, posters and plastic statuettes, so I must admit that I was very impressed with his latest game-inspired décor finds, many discovered via gaming blog Kotaku.

So impressed, in fact, that I just had to share two of them with you.

First up is “Poufman” from QAYOT, a line of seating sets that evoke classic video game hero Pac-Man - had he eaten squares instead of pellets and been covered in stain-resistant fabric.

Poufman is available in red, black and turtledove (classic Pac-Man yellow is notably absent) and shoppers can mix and match their sets of cube and round Poufmans, even combining multiples to meet seating needs for groups on those long nights of gaming.

The second find is a thoroughly authentic – and licenced – series of Nintendo wall decals from Blik. The $75 sets offer surprisingly stylish scenes from Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong and the New Super Mario Bros, shown right.

As an added bonus, the decals are made using Blik’s Re-Stick – which means video game buffs can move and reuse them.

With these great seats and decals, it looks like video game decor - while still child-friendly - is growing up with its fans.

Condo show sneak peek

Last night I had the pleasure of hitting up a sneak preview of this weekend's Toronto Condo Show at the Metro Convention Centre.

By going early, I got to miss the crowds and actually spend some time speaking with exhibitors. The downside was that not everything was set up yet - one booth was still receiving its first coat of red paint when I left - but I still got a taste of the show (as well as a Pravda vodka sample).

This year's event is focused on all things green - it's zero-waste, bullfrog powered and features green-themed speakers and exhibits.

A personal highlight was the chance to poke around the Canuhome, pictured right.

The Canuhome, so named because it looks like an upside down canoe from the outside, is a 850-square-foot residence exhibit built to meet environmental standards and outfitted with eco-conscious products. Canuhome has been on tour for a while, but this was my first chance to see it up close.

From adorable ant-printed pillows from MADE (I know, it doesn't sound cute, but trust me on this one) to the lime green quartz countertops from distributor CIOT (it's available in 25 other colours), the model home also helps show that green can be fun and trendy as well as environmentally responsible.

As I wandered along, listening to a great presentation by keynote speaker Andrew Bowerbank on the role homes and houses play in representing our concerns as a race and the role we, and our buildings, have to play in combatting climate change, I couldn't help but find myself drooling over the condo-sized furniture at casalife - which had a fab black lacquer-finished desk that expands to full table size - and the space-saving, trendy designs at Roomy's exhibit.

I also eyed some movable, and wall mounted, condo-sized electric fireplaces, which, with the temperature dropping like crazy this week, seem like a particularly alluring investment. My last home had a remote-controlled one, and the extra warmth (without any cleanup!) was very welcome all winter long.

I snagged some great 'greening' tips from the Ontario Centre for Green Building Design and Development - like turning down water heaters and using ceiling fans to help ease heating and cooling - as well as super simple step-by-step tips on buying new and resale condos from Heenan Blaikie's reps.

I also had a nice time chatting with folks from home staging company designedtosell.ca, who said working as a stager - while obviously enjoyable - was also a little bit like moving every day.

One thing I did miss out on by coming early was the near-legendary condo site bus tours, which ferry you around to the latest developments. While many developers were at the show - with mini condo towers and gorgeous renderings on display - nothing beats actually checking out the location.

The condo show runs all weekend. Tickets are $12 for adults.

Crate and Barrel opens in Canada

U.S.-based home decor, housewares and furniture chain Crate and Barrel opened its doors in Canada for the first time yesterday, drawing a big crowd at its new Yorkdale Shopping Centre location.

By 11 a.m., a mere hour after opening, shoppers were crowding the halls, baskets laden with contemporary-looking dishes, cookbooks and decorations as well as pillows, sheets and blankets in lush and trendy colours — including fabulous mossy greens and vibrant royal purples (which we all know I have a weakness for.)

As I wandered around the bottom floor, filled with kitchen supplies, office furniture, decor items and throw pillows, I was thoroughly overwhelmed by the number of other shoppers (it was a Thursday, so while crowds were expected, I figured some of those eager shoppers would need to work) and the sheer quantity and variety of products in my favourite shade of purple.

On my first trip through the lower level, I was so taken with the dinnerware and decor that I missed the healthy smattering of dining and living room tables and chairs dotting the floor, decked out in ways sure to impress guests for Thanksgiving or Halloween.

All hands were on deck at the banks of cash registers, and the staff was almost surprisingly cheerful and upbeat considering the crowds. Checkout time was speedy, and two very helpful salespeople were more than happy to answer my questions, help me with my basket and just welcome me to the store.

And, customers were just as happy to welcome them. It seemed like every time I turned a corner, someone was exclaiming happily, "I've been looking all over for this" or "Finally, something that will match my living room." People were happily stacking up goodies for their holiday tables, gifts and kid's dormrooms.

Shoppers were also busy at the contest kiosks, where you can enter to win a $500 gift certificate in monthly draws — and, by the looks of the baskets and people roaming around, no one would have any trouble spending it!

Moving upstairs in the 35,000 square-foot-store, I was greeted by even more shoppers testing out comfy looking sofas and chairs, gorgeous beds and checking out the rainbow of fabric samples, textures and colours to customize their choices.

A lot of the products are Crate and Barrel exclusives, which helps the store carve out its niche in an already crowded market, and another nice perk is that much of the furniture is made with eco-friendly concerns in mind, including sustainable sources of wood. In the States, the store is almost legendary for its gift registry, which offers registrants the chance to purchase the rest of their goodies after the event with a 10 per cent discount. Sadly, the registry won't be online until 2009.

I kept telling myself I was visiting solely for research purposes, but couldn't help but fall prey to a fabulous silver vase (it looks simply smashing on my bookcase), purple glass tealight holders (only $1.50 a pop!), silver picture frames (how else will I showcase those wedding photos?) and a few other odds and ends for my still-in-progress living room.

I did exercise some restraint, opting to take some time to think about the soft purple throw for my yet-unpurchased new sofa (though a microfibre fawn three-seater did catch my eye) and a lush, antique-looking purple velvet chair.

I wove my way out of the still crowded store more than an hour after I ventured in for what I promised my husband would be a "quick trip, just to poke around.”