Dry off with a Schnabel

A real artwork by Julian Schnabel is probably out of your snack bracket (mine too, lol) but in an odd pairing, dreampt up by Works on Whatever to help fund major civic artwork, you can splurge on a Schnabel beach towel for the princely sum of $50. The line for '09, launched at the most recent Art Basel Miami,  and made up of works by 4 top-line artists - Julian Schnabel, Raymond Pettibon, Ed Ruscha and Karen Kilimnik - is available through Works on Whatever as well as online through everyone's favourite; Target (though if you don't have any beach time planned, they'd also be quite the chic and swanky way to doll up an all-white bathroom).

Click here to order from Target (they definitely don't ship out of the US - ugh), and click here to see the full line from Works on Whatever (chuck them an e-mail to convince them to ship further afield). WOW is still showing last years collection as available too, which means I might be able to trade-up my kitschy WalMart hula girl for a Jeff Koons smiley monkey! From the top: Schnabel, Pettibon, Ruscha, Kilimnik.

   

Good cause, good vintage auction

Modern design junkies take note: ModernLove, that fab Winnipeg-based online retailer of hot vintage finds, is at it again with their 5th annual charity auction of 20th Century design and decorative arts to benefit the Canadian Cancer Society. From Nov 28th until Dec 8th Roan Barrion, the dude behind ModernLove, will be listing quite the eclectic slew of items on eBay; some by big names, some just plain so-cool-I-gotta-have-it. And yes, they're happy to ship around the world.

Take a peek below at some of the items that'll be showing up, there's some well swish gear, as well as a limited edition t-shirt emblazoned with the iconic Eames rocker. Check in for more info here, and get ready to bid!

   

 

Good cause, good art, good beats

What are you doing tomorrow night? Nothing, and you're in Toronto? Okay, well I've got something for you to hit up that's for a super good cause - It's the Cape Town Shakedown Fundraiser and Art Auction at Studio Gallery out on College Street. Head there between 7-11pm on the 20th for a silent auction on a slew of edgy and cool donated artwork from more than a dozen artists and hang to the beats of a couple of DJs. All the money raised is for The Cape Town Children's Scholarship Foundation: a not-for-profit charitable group that will award scholarships to poverty stricken kids living in the Khayelitsha Township, outside of Cape Town. Go, donate, bid, drop some cash and have a good time.

Take a peek at some of the artwork on offer below from Jesi The Elder and Ndeur (I'll get back to you about who's behind the Paris shot), as well as shots of those deserving kids in the Townships, and click here for more info on the event.

Just too luvverly

Designer show houses in New York are a legendary affair. The spaces are always mah-vellous, and so inspiring to tour, and the groups involved always raise bucketloads of cash for deserving charities. One must see for me is the annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House, which luckily happens while I'm usually in NYC for work, hunting for fresh and cool gear at the ICFF for Flare Magazine.

This past weekend there was a glam show house event called Designer Visions at The Laurel that benefited the Worldwide Orphans Foundation. The spaces were each designed for a magazine (and will be featured on their glossy pages shortly) and were just too luvverly not to share. From the top - The first was for House Beautiful, and was designed by Susan ferrier McAlpine for McAlpine, Booth & Ferrier Interiors (I'm jonesing for that coffee table). The second was for O at Home, and was designed by Darryl Carter. The third was by Stephen Miller Siegel for Town&Country. And the fourth and final space was designed by Charlotte Moss for Veranda. (If anyone knows the photographer(s) for the spaces, please do let me know so that they can be credited).

Via Luxist

With the grain

While I was waffling on about wood grain the other day I was remembering one of my favourite faux bois pieces; the Plynyl Woodgrain Floormats from Chilewich. These mats hit the floor late last year and are a cool modern take on the faux bois trend, add in the fact that the super durable woven vinyl surface is bonded to a comercial grade slip-proof backing and you've got something that'll survive a game of tag or a pitcher of grape juice.

The mats are available in 3 colours - dogwood, driftwood and pecan - and 4 sizes. Click here for the full list of Canadian retailers.

 

Good shop, good cause

Everyone is buzzing about Crate & Barrel opening in Toronto at Yorkdale this week, on the 25th to be exact. I'll luckily be getting a sneak peek , but if you fancied a swanky night's shopping in advance of the hoi polloi on Thursday morning then I've got a bit of news for you.

Crate & Barrel will be hosting a special Private Preview Party to benefit Toronto's Ronald McDonald House on the evening of Wednesday Sept 24th. A $50 ticket will get you cocktails and appetizers, with a little music to while away your shoptastic time and complimentary valet parking (so you won't be struggling across the lot with all those bags). Click here for more info (the page link is on the right) and to buy your tickets.

Good cause, good design

RugMark is a brilliant organization, working to end child labour in the carpet industry and to provide a chance at educational for kids in India, Nepal and Pakistan. Bev Hisey's rugs (who I've featured before, take a look here) are certified by RugMark, and I was excited to see an e-mail pop up from the wonderful folks at Creative Matters, who are working on a cool project with them.

RugMark's annual fundraising raffle features a gorgeous hand knotted wool and silk carpet, custom designed by Creative Matters, and valued at $5,350. Called 'Hariti' (Tibetan for Protectress of Children), it was inspired by a snap that Creative Matters partners, Carol Sebert and Donna Hastings, took while visiting Nepal. Take a look at the folds of fabric and sparkle of a pin in the little girl's jacket and you'll see the inspiration for the rug design on the right.

One ticket is $25, or buy two for $50 and you'll be paying for a year's worth of schooling, uniforms and textbooks for a child. Click here to buy (lots) of raffle tickets.