Tacky gold modern white sparkly graffiti

Hello! Where has the last week gone? Well I finally got back to Toronto from London, and then a couple of days later my suitcase arrived (it was enjoying an extended vacation in Amsterdam). And now I'm back at work, trying not to get too snowed under by shopping for prezzies and writing Christmas cards.

London was definitely fun, and it's always inspiring to check out all the Holiday windows in all the stores. This year they were all over the taste scale, from good lawd that's awful to how fantastic! Here are my faves - First up like start with purposefully tacky and over-the-top at Harvey Nichols. Their windows were awash with tinsel in every colour possible, and this tree, standing outside of the front entrance look crazy/cool and bedraggled all at the same time. Thoughts? At fashion-forward Dover Street Market the windows had a graphic doodled/graffiti vibe, and yep, that's a giant white plaster elephant in the window. Next let's go cool, modern and white at The Conran Shop, who created a white-painted pathway and forest of trees out of wood, and then threw in zillions of mini white ceramic mushrooms to finish it off. At Selfridges (where I worked in my - ahem - younger days), part of the store was filled with massive mirror balls that delicately rose and fell, shooting sparkles everywhere. And finally, just for the sheer fun and wit of it, Mulberry filled one of their Bond Street windows with gold handbag helium balloons and topped it off with a humungous gold bag in the other. It looked fun and fantastic and was literally stopping shoppers in their tracks. [Image #6: Blink London]

 

       

Stepping out in Tokyo #2

Funnily enough I'm writing this in London right now, stuck here due to weather (oh well, there's way worse places to be stuck!). But let's get back to Tokyo...

Another of the neighbourhoods we totally loved was Shimokitazawa. It seemed worlds away from the buzzy shopping districts like Shibuya, and had a lovely lo-fi charm all its own with - again - tons of fantastic vintage shops, clothing stores and little places selling Japanese crafts and loads of great neighbourhood cafes. I made friends with a local who was hanging outside of a hair salon, and we hit the vintage motherload in a store called Haight & Ashbury which carried a beautifully curated collection and included that completely wacky and craft-tastic huge tree entirely knitted/crocheted of wool in the middle of the store. For more in Shimokitazawa check out BlinkLondon.

Finally, back on the design side of things and back in Shibuya we totally enjoyed a run through a department store called Loft which included a 60 Vision section, a cool collection of re-issued Japanese 1960's designed furniture (that's the Lobby sofa by Karimoku below), accessories and even some rather tasty looking cookies.

 

Stepping out in Tokyo #1

A few weeks back I found myself in Tokyo, meeting up with my world travelling other half (you can check out his kid-friendly travel blog here) and my little sister (aka Blink London). Well, it was BRILLIANT, and what an absolute culture shock too. We hit all the sights, shopped ours socks off, and generally wandered around checking out as much as possible. One of the neighbourhoods that we thoroughly enjoyed was Nakameguro, a jumble of streets and alleys filled with a boho mix of fashion and interiors shops, much of them vintage.

Oooh vintage, such a magic word... Anyway, of course we spent the whole day just in this one 'hood and found a slew of cool stuff. Those first three shots are from Hiige which was all about vintage Scandi gear (we scored some great fabric which'll be sewn into cushions soon). Pics 4 and 5 show Hatago International, next door to Hiige, an ultra cool mini shop jammed to the gills with vintage airline paraphenalia. Jantique is next in the pics, and was like hitting a French or Belgian flea market, and then finally Acme Furniture, which was a great mix of vintage industrial gear (lots of it from the US) as well as new pieces. For more, read my sister's fashion-y take on Nakameguro here.

Checking out the details

I've already posted here about The House Hotel, a cool Autoban designed spot I'd stayed in in Istanbul a while back. Well, I thought it would be kind of nice to share some of the interesting design details of the hotel with you, snapped by me early one morning before any of the other guests were up and about (otherwise they might've thought me kind of odd, crouching down to capture a snap of the hallway floor, lol).

Here we go then - A closer look at the white and gold chandelier, there were a couple of different variations scattered around, including a lovely gold and beige one in the hotel's front hall. Next up, the enamelled steel and glass wardrobe that was in each room, inside was a small two drawer unit for all your foldable bits and pieces. Outside the rooms, each room number was cut out of brass and then spotlit. Staying in the hallway check out the stone floor (I'm loving the pattern), and then finally, topping it all off, you can see the hexagon pattern of the floor mirrored in a suspended trellis panel at the ceiling.

Shoptastic and restotastic Istanbul

Here's a smidge more Istanbul info for you, though it's definitely not the last of it! The two main guides that we definitely wouldn't have survived without, and you should absolutely grab if you're going, are the Luxe City Guide Istanbul and Istanbul Eats. The Luxe Guide reads like it was written by a stylish insider who's downed a bottle of Veuve and then tells you you should see, here, here and definitely here! As you follow the directions you'll be laughing and spinning around to check street names, must-see shops and attractions. It's definitely fun. Istanbul Eats, on the other hand, was an incredible guide to the best places to chow down with the locals. Some spots were fancy, most were not, but honestly, this guide didn't steer us wrong once. It's based on a blog of the same name, which is also worth a look too - have a boo at it here. Oh, and for a more in-depth look at some of the delish places we hit - almost all from Istanbul Eats - check out my world-travelling other half's kid friendly blog here.

We used the Luxe City guide to traverse the higgeldy-piggeldy back streets in the neighbourhood around The House Hotel to shop vintage. And oh lawdy, is there lots and lots of choice. Basically it's an excuse to get semi-lost and have a poke through crammed-to-the-rafters shops that run the gamut from mid-century retro to grand baroque (we saw a stunning crystal hot air ballon chandelier, really!). I could've filled a tractor trailer, let alone a suitcase! Take a look below at a couple of snaps of what I found...

Checking in, checking it out

Ah, Istanbul. That's where I've spent the last week, walking, exploring and - mmm-mmm - eating! We stayed at The House Hotel Galatasaray, designed by one of my fave design teams, the Turkish firm Autoban (read a great Dwell interview with them here). And oh, let's just say it was pretty fantastic, both the hotel and the city!

Built in the 1890's as a 4-storey mansion - in a neighbourhood that's now quite the hotbed of scrumptious vintage and antique stores (more on that later) - the hotel is owned by Alex Varlik, who's also the smartypants behind a chain of chic restos called The House Cafe that are dotted across the city. Each of the hotel's 20 suites are a lovely modern mix between the historical vibe of the building itself, Autoban's custom furnishings, and quirky/cool touches like the street address marble tiles in the bathroom, the standout gold and white chandeliers (oh, I wish I could've crammed one into my suitcase) and the super fun free-standing showers.

I'll be posting more inspirational stuff on Istanbul soon!

Thieving from family

I've had a boffo couple of days, bombing around town in a truck filled with Thonet chairs, cafe tables, wedding bouquets, picnic blankets, apples and coffee cups for a shoot with Michael Alberstat, as well as shooting the reveal on a fantabulous (if I say so myself) condo makeover for CityLine. It has definitely been busy.

In the meantime, a few thousand miles away, my sister has been hanging out in Paris. It's work for her, but she still gets to head out to all the stylish places, including Merci, which she thinks is definitely worth a visit. This lovely must-see store has four floors, one for fashion and three for home (yay, I love it when home trumps fashion!), including a rather smashing courtyard with a dinky red Fiat, a cafe, bookstore and florist. Take a boo below at the shots to get a taste of the place. Yup, whenever I'm next in Paris (sadly, not anytime soon) I'll definitely be stopping in. Oh, and check out my sister's blog for Blink London - her fashion reporting service - here.

     

Brick and cake

The lyrics of Soul II Soul's classic Back to Life (back to reality) have been wandering through my noggin today as I speed up and get work back on track. Oy is all I can say, since I'd rather be sitting in the garden reading than catching up on e-mails...

London's Brick Lane was the other market I was going to tell you about, though its changed an awful lot since I first started going in the '80's. Then it was crazy busy and very junky, now it's crazy busy, less junky and very trendy. Don't get me wrong, there are still people selling random tat on blankets on the pavement, but these days everything feels that bit more genteel. Definitely worth checking out are both the Backyard Market (where we scored a cool limited edition print by a French artist) and the Sunday (Up)Market (where we scored some delish Italian snack action). Plus, don't forget to head down Cheshire Street for Mar Mar Co, Labour and Wait and Shelf, as well as a few other hot spots.

Not too far away from the market madness you'll find the Albion, a lovely Terence Conran owned caff/bakery/food shop located on the corner of very buzzy Redchurch Street and Boundary Street, where you'll also find Shoreditch House a chic private members club, vintage shops and new condo projects. It's definitely worth stopping in at the Albion for a reviving slice of cake and a cuppa, or even a Full English breakfast if you fancy! [Images: Market, Catched22 on Flickr. Albion, Mydeco]

  

Design on the double (roll)

Okay, I can't tell you how jazzed I am about getting to check out Graham & Brown wallpaper's HQ in Blackburn yesterday. Not only did I get a totally in-depth and fascinating behind the scenes tour of the company from Ian Brown (who, btw, is quite the expert on sustainability) I also got to meet up with G&B's lovely design team, who let me in on their design process and trend research (2010 looks brill already!). I also got a couple o' major scoops on what's coming down the pipe - In September there's a new capsule collection launching by design icon Barbara Hulanicki that has to be touched to be believed (more on Barbara here), and the ink is drying on a deal to produce a line of wallpaper with the fantabulous Amy Butler. In other words, watch this space...

Below you'll see a sneak peek of one of G&B's latest patterns; a dramatic fuchsia bloom on a black background, whizzing v. speedily through the gravure press.

  

Market daze

If you ever do find yourself in London then there are a wealth of fab markets worth hitting. Portobello Road is a for sure (my sister says Fridays are best), and Columbia Road and Brick Lane are always must-sees (and are a short walk apart). We trundled off to Columbia Road the other Sunday and had a great wander about. It's ostensibly a flower market, crammed with beautiful blooms and plants, but there's great shopping for vintage gear and some lovely shops too.

Ezra Street, just north of Columbia Road is where you'll find most of the vintage bits and bobs. There are market stalls, shops, bakeries and coffee shops cheek to cheek on cobblestone streets. Take a boo below for a few snaps. I loved the junk - ahem - vintage finds on the stalls and was wowed by the French-ish store with battered furniture set against grey painted walls. Check out that ceiling too, smothered in ceiling medallions, what a brill way to display lighting! Be sure to check out Ben Southgate for a well edited selection of furniture and accessories, and artist Rob Ryan's Ryantown for all his pretty artwork, prints and cards.

There's oodles more to tell (Brick Lane, my London address book, etc.), but since I'm rocketing north on a train to Blackburn you'll have to wait!

   

My sister's fridge

We've been having a shoptastic time and are back in London after a few fab days in Glasgow. I'm working on a lovely London market post as well as a piece on Glasgow too, but while you're being patient for that, here's what I found on my sister's fridge - A gorgeous postcard from Stoke Place. They're the same folks behind the Ilse Crawford designed Crown Inn in Old Amersham (more on that here), so the interiors are just as jammy. Love the dining room below, and make sure to check out the rest of their website for more great shots.

UK okay

Yep, I've hopped the pond and I'm in the UK on my hols. So that means perhaps a few less posts over the next bit while we run about shopping at markets, hitting my fave stores and hanging out with family and friends drinking tea and beer (though not necessarily at the same time). In the meantime, here's a cool Union Jack pillow I found on Etsy.

A couple of hours in Chicago

Ummm, yes, arriving at mid-day on a Saturday in Chicago and leaving Sunday morning does not really leave enough time to get to know a place (it was a stopover on my way down to Kohler). But what I did see I loved! I checked into The Felix, which is quite the chic new spot and only a hop and skip from shopping on the Magnificent Mile, then set about exploring with House & Home's Cameron MacNeil.

CB2 was first, up in Lincoln Park, and if you haven't heard of 'em, they're the edgier, younger version of Crate & Barrel. Oh, I could've splurged, but luckily they ship to Canada and word is that we'll hopefully see a store north of the border sooner rather than later. Then we stumbled across Flor's new store (below), which I was so happy to see. Their modular carpet tiles are brill and it was great to see them all in one spot and get to play with all the patterns and colours, let alone check out the pixel artwork created with carpet! I use Flor on quite a few of my projects (yep, they ship to Canada) and picked up a bunch of samples for the new house. Right next door to Flor is Jayson Home & Garden (below), which was jam-crammed with tons of gorgeousness. Nate Berkus shops there which is reason enough to lurk around, lol.

After Lincoln Park we headed back down to the Magnificent Mile and wandered through Room & Board (always calmly contemporary) and the Bloomingdale's Home Store (loved the beach towel riff on their classic Brown Bag). Of course there's tons more to see, and I'll definitely be going back to find all the small and cool independent design stores, take an a tour with the Chicago Architectural Foundation, hit the museums... Oh, the list goes on.

     

Deconstructing Ilse

The Crown in Old Amersham, the second inn by design guru Ilse Crawford for Dhillon Hotels, recently opened up and has already received raves from the likes of British Vogue. The 16th century half-timbered building now rocks a quiet and thoughtful modern rustic vibe, miles away from its past incarnation which undoubtedly included red velour, flocked wallpaper and polished brass odds and ends. I really dig Ms. Crawford's work (I've waffled on about her before here) and wanted to share her point of view, and deconstruct the look, since it's so on trend.

The interiors of The Crown are pared back with an eclectic mix of furnishings, all tied together in a simple neutral palette. The Durant Stretcher wing chair from Martha Stewart Furniture with Bernhardt (available through DeBoer's) would feel handsome and modern upholstered in grey wool. This Windsor Chair, handmade by John Fowler in Nova Scotia, has a classic silhouette in a dark finish - layer in a sheepskin and you're done. Vintage Ercol chairs are a hot Brit collectible, but the company just launched Originals to re-visit the company's mid-Century heyday. The restaurant at The Crown is all about locally sourced ingredients, with a menu designed by Rosie Sykes, served on hefty earthenware and aged pewter; try this charger from Williams Sonoma. Original wide-plank barnboard (check Revival Flooring) feels fresh with a round braided jute rug from West Elm. Finish it all off with walls in Dauphin Estate Emulsion and trim in Mahogany Oil Eggshell by Farrow & Ball.

    

   

     

   

Is it warm and sunny in the Hamptons?

Normally at this time of year we'd be in the UK, somewhere between London and Glasgow, hanging out with family and friends and generally having a boisterous time. Not this year, nope, the reno has kept us firmly stuck in Toronto. So anything that's 'elsewhere' looks exceedingly glam right about now.

I came across the work of Mabley Handler Interior Design while noodling through shots of the Hampton Designer Showhouse, and the guest suite they designed - the first snap below - totally fit the glam 'elsewhere' vibe with its aqua and silver palette. The Showhouse was in Sagaponack (who knows quite where that is, but I'm imagining summertime beaches and surf none the less). The second room is a well appointed guest bedroom from a home in East Hampton; their commitment to that over-the-top wallpaper is brill, the space totally works. Enjoy, and make sure to check out more of their portfolio here.

 

Feeling blanc and edgy

Stylistas and design junkies take note - The apartment atop the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine museum in Paris, designed by Art Deco era architect Jacques Carlu (yep, he's behind the Carlu in Toronto too) has a new resident. Courtesy of Elle Decoration and Ikea the space was given over to edgy fashion house Maison Martin Margiela for a complete re-design. The newly all-white interior is open to the public to tour - until Oct 01/09 - and shows quite the creative back-flip compared to its last decorator, Christian Lacroix, who dressed the space in a riot of colour and Baroque touches.

The walls have been covered with black and white 'photocopies' of a trad Hausmann style apartment, draped with silvery curtains and the floors mirrored in places or finished in a confetti covered trompe l’oeil surface that mimics white parquet. Piles of furniture feel sculptural slipcovered in white cotton and even a grand terrace, that overlooks the Eiffel Tower, is covered in white fake grass. The total effect is of a party that's been abandonded by its guests, and apparently this is just the start of something for Maison Martin Margiela, since they're now considering launching their own home line and taking on design projects.

Click here to take a video tour of the space (and practice your French!), and take a look below at the results. The last couple of shots show Christain Lacroix's version - Quite the difference, no? [images 1-3: Maison Martin Margiela/Marie-Pierre Morel. 4,5: Jean-Marc Pallisse]

    

Honey, my key won't work

I've featured some pretty amazing interiors in Flare Magazine, but the one below is a total favourite. In fact, when I first scouted it, I accidentally let slip that I might move in and change the locks, lol. This gem of a house, hidden away in a Toronto suburb, is owned by photographer John Cullen and his talented wife, Martine Blackhurst, who's a stylist and vintage shopper extraordinaire.

Of course John shot the place, capturing beautifully all the light and colour that fills each room. Martine is responsible for the wit and style of the interiors; she snagged much of the furniture and accessories from thrift stores, eBay and antique markets, lugging stuff home from as far afield as Mexico. The house has great architectural bones, and luckily most of the bells and whistles hadn't been ripped out or mucked up over the years - like that skylight-topped teak coffered ceiling in the living room, and the old-school glam mirror tiled wall in the dining room (there's another skylight in there too, sigh...).

Click here to take a look at the rest of John's portfolio - his shots of India are mah-vellous. And y'know what? I still might move in...

Stay home

You'll have to wait until 2012, but there'll be quite a swanky new hotel/spa/condo project popping up at Richmond and John - the Gansevoort Toronto. And none too soon; currently any attempt at counting off great places to stay in Toronto invariably only takes one hand (and you probably won't need your pinkie).

This project, from looks alone, is on my radar - I love the fact that it's trying to stand out and not disappear into the blah that marks most Toronto towers. This is the third Gansevoort in the works; NYC was the first in the uber-fashionable Meatpacking District, followed up by Miami, and now Toronto. Like the others, the rooftop will feature a heated pool and bar. Hmmm, Prince played a secret rooftop concert at the NYC location recently, I wonder what they have in mind for here?

Paris address book

For whenever you might get there, here are my picks for favourite (and affordable) places to hit in Paris -

La Touristique:

The Palais Royale is well worth finding to take a stroll through it's formal garden and art installations, all wrapped by an arcade filled with vintage stores, galleries and fashionable spots. And, for a respite from all that shopping in the Marais district, make sure to stop in at the Musée Carnavalet. The museum covers the history of Paris, but it's the manicured gardens that are well worth seeing.

Le Shopping:

BHV

A hilariously odd department store, and Parisian institution, with a huge hardware filled basement and lots of cheap and chic decor on the 4th floor (I found some fab wallpaper here). Call me strange, but I love to check this place out! 14 rue de Temple


Marche au Puces, Porte de Vanves

My fave Saturday morning antique/junk market, especially since it’s less pricey on the whole than Les Puce de Saint-Ouen at Porte de Clignancourt; it’s totally do-able by the time it’s done (1pm), and has the best selection come rain or shine. Avenue Georges Lafenestre & Avenue Marc Sangnier (Metro Porte de Vanves - line 13)


Habitat and Zara Home

Habitat is a fab UK home store with cool design-y product that’s priced a bit higher than Ikea (they’re owned by them); I could fill a couple of suitcases from this place. Despite the address change Zara's decor store - Zara Home - is right next door and has a fashionable, well travelled vibe and again - inexpensive gear. 30, Boulevard Capucines and 2, Boulevard de la Madeleine


Fauchon

Quite the most glam grocery store you might ever come across, their packaging is extra swanky (love all the hot pink) and their decorated eclairs are magnifique! Place de la Madeleine


Maison Berthillon

An iconic French ice cream maker on Île Saint-Louis, and a great place for a tasty treat after visiting the Notre Dame de Paris cathedral. 31, Rue St Louis en l'ile

Below are snaps of the Palais Royale, the garden at Carnavalet, the Vanves flea market and a window display of those marvellous eclairs at Fauchon.



Chaud spot

One must-see Parisian spot, kindly offered up by Nelly Rodi as her favourite interiors store, is Caravane. It chicly hits the mark between modern, ethnic and handmade with deep and simply styled sofas upholstered in linen, brightly patterned pillows and unusual accessories.

Caravane has three stores to check out - There is the first store at 6, rue Pavée, then Caravane Chambre at 19, rue Saint Nicolas and finally Caravane Emporium at 22, rue Saint-Nicolas. All very inspirational! Look for more on Paris, and where to shop, coming soon.