Going with Vandyke in the bedroom

The last few days have been nailbitingly bananas. I've basically been living on Hershey's new Milk Chocolate, and let me just say there's been plenty to go around, lol. This is all, of course, for the chocolate inspired hotel suite I've been working on with Karen Sealy.

After the carpet was ripped out Sunday night, and the bedroom was wallpapered with this Graham & Brown paintable paper, the painters stepped in early Monday morning and lickety-split primed the old vinyl wallcovering in the living room and then painted throughout (I went with Para's Steamy Hot Chocolate for the bedroom, which is absolutely perfect in so many ways!). Then it was time for the carpet to show up and I get a phonecall saying the truck has broken down - aaagh - though Carpet One was beyond brilliant in dispatching another truck to rescue the stranded wall-to-wall and keep us on schedule.

Tuesday was the the everything else day; a whack load of furniture from Elte, carts filled with frames and accessories from Ikea, and both myself and Karen showed up with cars packed to the gills with bits and bobs. A few crazy hours later of non-stop lugging, unpacking, tidying , installation of drapes (thanks inVU!) and ironing of bedding - one of my least favourite things - my room was done and looking, imho, pretty darned peppy. Both spaces were shot this morning, so I'll be posting the snaps soon, but in the meantime I wanted to spill part of the beans and show the furniture line I picked for the bedroom. I love its handsome modern lines, great proprtions and on-trend brushed brass detailing; though my fave surprise is when you pull open a drawer and discover it's painted a zingy tomato red inside. The Vandyke line by Mitchell Gold+ Bob Williams is available at Elte. And oh, you just have gotta try the Hershey's Black Cherry and Almond bar (it totally rocks out).

    

Chocolate and pretty paper

Sheesh, no rest for the wicked; I've been running around all over the place. No complaints though, since I've got a slew of cool projects on the go. The main one I'm completely jonesing over right now is designing a one bedroom suite inspired by Hershey's chocolatiest Milk Chocolate ever! Yes, I've tried the chocolate (delish!!!) - I had to, all part of the inspiration process, lol. Today myself and Karen Sealy hooked up to start the ball rolling on pulling everything together. Karen is doing the living room and I plunked on the bedroom and we've been wrangling drapes at inVU, sourcing furniture at Elte and wall-to-wall carpet from Carpet One, picking out wallpaper (I've found an absolutely brill paintable one from Graham & Brown) and deciding on a colour palette. The clock is ticking...

In the meantime, I wanted to share the great snap below. That wallpaper, though it looks quite stunningly modern, was first designed back in Ingram Taylor in 1897. It's called Arboretum and is available from Charles Rupert Designs; a smashing Canadian resource for historically accurate papers and fabrics. Be sure to check out the rest of their new Garden Collection, which is all eco-friendly and printed in the UK.

Art or glass or art glass?

Jaime Hayon is one of the most interesting and inspiring designers working today. He definitely marches to his own drum, taking on projects and ideas that have a bizarre, dreamy and surreal quality and working his influence on historic old firms like Lladro and Baccarat. He shakes things up, that's for sure, whether he's designing sneakers for Camper (yes, I still love them) or coming up with a new collection of glass vases that are about to launch at Design Miami/Basel in June. Alongside these borosilicate glass lovelies (the same glass used for science beakers) is a snap of Hayon's sketchbook, and an interesting peek inside the creative process (click here to read a Designboom interview with Hayon). The vases, as well as work by Studio Job and Atelier van Lieshout, will be presented by VIVID Rotterdam.

   

Chandeliers have legs

When, oh when, will the chandelier go away? If you ask me they won't, at least for quite a while, since they've definitely snuck into our design vernacular. The fixtures below would definitely fall into the Showstopper lighting category, and are my current faves if you're on the hunt for something unusual that has lashes of character. The first two are new from Currey & Co, and have a bizarre Victorian Goth vibe (yes, they're black painted shell, and yes, there's a beyond fabulous matching console and mirror too). The second two are from Oly and are the definition of modern romance - pretty but not too frothy - and come in clear, blush, amber, plum, and of course white. Oly is available at South Hill Home, and contact Currey & Co here to check in on Canadian retailers.

   

Have knife, will travel

The Swiss Army knife, y'know, the one with the tool that'll get boy scouts out of horse's hooves, is turning 125 and as part of the celebration has hooked up with Airstream. They'll only be making 125 of their Victorinox Special Edition 19ft trailers which, if you take a look below, are pretty sweet. The interior is hooked up with polished surfaces, custom bedding and more Swiss Army tools than you can shake a stick at (though I might ixnay those red dishes...). I've always fancied an Airstream, not only for a road trip, but how fab would it be to park one at home for when the inlaws show up for a few days? And, if the Swiss Army trailer isn't to your taste, then take a boo at Airstream's 16ft DWR model, which comes kitted out with bits and bobs by George Nelson, Tom Dixon and Objekto.

 

No acid wash, but...

I blogged about Successful Living From Diesel, Diesel Jean's new furniture line with Italian manufacturer Moroso, over on Posted Homes the other day (take a read here). At the time there was talk about the lighting side of the collection, designed by Diesel and manufactured by Foscarini, but no snaps had surfaced. So, after a bit of noodling online I've discovered enough worth sharing. The lighting has the same vibe as the furniture - young, laid back and edgy - just check out the sweet lightning bolt pull on the Graf table lamp in the first shot below. Picking up from the furniture's rock and roll direction you'll see the Cage pendant and table lamps (that look like mics), images of mixing boards and amps on the Graf lamp shade, punky metal on the Studs lamp base, and crunched facets on the Rock pendant. Oh, and of course Diesel hooked up a music video to launch the line... lol. Click here for a list of Canadian dealers for Foscarini.

    

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Just add water

Sorry I didn't have a chance to catch up and post yestarday, I was taping CityLine (look for it next Monday at 9am), then visited a client and hit a Goodwill on the hunt for dining chairs, and when I was home the electricians had the phone lines unhooked for the last bit of wiring. I guess I could've tried Morse code, lol.

Anyhoo, I spied these gorgeous re-issued Arts & Crafts vases and thought I'd share. Yep, McCoy is still a hot collectible, but if you don't have the patience or savvy for eBay then Prairie Arts Teco Art Pottery Collection is well worth checking out. Teco was originally in production from 1899 to 1920 (read more history on the firm here) but Prairie Arts has revived the line, and has slowly been introducing pieces from the original catalogue. The forms are classic Arts & Crafts, and the glazes - 6 in all on the latest release of 5 new shapes - are super pretty. Take a look below at the new intros in Aqua, I think they'd look stunning lined up on a mantle. Click here to check out the full collection, and here for a listing of online retailers (sadly, no one in Canada currently stocks the line).

     

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Streamlining Louis

My mate Bev Hisey has had the vintage Louis loveseat below kicking around for the last 15 years. In its last incarnation - slipcovered in white denim - it leaned definitely to the Shabby Chic side of things. Then trouble struck, when Aisha, Bev's cute yet troublesome cat, decided to use the loveseat as a litter box one too many times. The slip was dumped and the loveseat was shipped off to collect dust in storage at the upholsterer's.

A while back Bev and I had hit the road to check out a fabric outlet where she discovered a tough as nails and terribly sharp slate grey wool; perfect for a re-do for the loveseat. Bev stuck with the distressed painted finish, had the guts entirely replaced (oh, Aisha...), then went for a severe yet chic upholstery job. I think it looks rather smashing, and just goes to show that a good frame can last years, survive both cats and Shabby Chic, and still look streamlined and modern.

 

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Check, check, check it out

This morning is a busy one, calling a v. nice woman in Vienna on the hunt for a missing shot needed for Trendwatch for Canadian House & Home and rustling up contenders for the next Style Scout for the National Post newspaper's Posted Homes section. I was happily interrupted though, by a couple of mags thumping into the mailbox (thanks Postie!). It was the always anticipated arrival of June's House & Home and Bon Appetit.

Good news, since I was asked to hold off on telling you all about the posh and polished re-done House & Home website until the June issue reached subscribers. Okay, now I can let you in on the fact that it's v. cool, and jam-packed with tons of info (way more than before), videos, image galleries and Canadian resources. I do have a fave section though, and that's their brand new editor's blog. Click here to check it out. I'm loving, as usual, Stacey Smither's finds and will be avidly following Meg Crossley's basement reno adventures with The Sicilians (her trusty contractors). Have a poke around the site while you're there, you won't be disappointed, and check out the snaps below of the start of Meg's reno. That last image is Meg's current inspiration, an interior by Kay Douglass. [Image 3: Simon Upton]

  

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No, don't put it over the fireplace

For those of you asking the perennial question Where do I put my flatscreen? this might be a swanky solution worth considering. The M21 Flat Panel Console from Visionary Boutique looks like it was swiped directly off the set of Mad Men yet is designed to fit your lcd or plasma. Each made-to-order piece is crafted in sustainably forested American Black Walnut then hand-rubbed with a non-toxic oil finish, and yep, that is actually vintage speaker cloth behind the latticework.

via Retro To Go 

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5 quick questions: Alex Bates

I was lucky enough to have a fascinating chat with Alex Bates, West Elm's creative director, back when West Elm opened up in Liberty Village in October of last year. She was just back from a whistle-stop tour of incredibly inspiring places and was starting to plan the next collections for the affordably on-trend brand (which also happens to be one of my fave places to shop). To continue that conversation I recently asked Alex if she wouldn't mind answering a couple of questions on her personal style and she happily obliged. And, from the sound of it, she's also racking up more Air Miles as we speak.

Below you'll find a couple of snaps of recent West Elm intros - The Beanstalk bed linens, Beach Glass vases and Twist melamine dishware. Click here to check out more 5 Quick Questions interviews.

Arren Williams: What's inspiring you now?

Alex Bates: All things Calder. His recent show at the Whitney blew me away. The installation of his wire face sculptures was a stroke of genius. I also loved the Met’s exhibition of his jewelry – crazy and elegant. I’m loving simple wire and pencil sketches in general; especially Martin Ramirez’s black and white sketches at the American Folk Art Museum.

AW: What's the next thing you have your eye on for your own house?

AB: I am fixated with all shades of grey, still. You can see it manifested in our summer collection at West Elm. I’m dying to paint my front hall. I think it would be very cozy and create a great background for my art. There is also a pair of vintage Cherner Chairs I want. I know they would look like pieces of sculpture against the gray.

AW: How would you describe your current style, and how has it changed over the years?

AB: My house is more about collecting that decoration. It’s very laid back and comfortable with worn family antiques mixed with modern – and of course a lot of West Elm. It’s a hodge podge of things I absolutely couldn’t live without from years of traveling. Every wall is covered in paintings and tons of books. I am officially out of wall space and have stacks of paintings and books growing in the corners. I’m trying to pare back and I fantasize about a certain Piet Boon house – spare but cozy. I know my little bits would start to slowly creep back in.

AW: Is there anything that can drive you crazy when you walk into a room?

AB: Bad art. Fake flowers. “I Married Adventure” by Osa Johnson.

AW: What's next?

AB: Spring is a busy time for us. We just opened out our new West Elm store at Broadway and 62nd in New York with an amazing opening party and a fun collaboration with David Stark. We’re finishing up our spring 2010 collection and trying to continue to be as green as we can in our processes, materials, and finished products. Next we're off to Italy for the Milan furniture show and then India. We have started some great new partnerships, working with Craftmark and Aid to Artisans in India, and I’m excited to explore new ideas with them.

   

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Hit the deck

Has Spring sprung? Well, with the mercury reaching a balmy 7C today (lol) at least we're moving in the right direction. I'm excited that West Elm has just launched their snazzy outdoor lines and wanted to share a couple of my faves, though much of the collection is catalogue/internet only, which pretty much means a no-go for Canadian shoppers. What gives?

Ah well, to find a spot for these smashing loungers we'll have to do a fair bit of work. The garden is currently more of a wasteland, about which at least one wag has noted, "Boy, you've got quite the job ahead of you with that!" While the grand plans will have to wait until we win the lottery - lap pool (!), summer house (!) - this year is more about sorting out a small deck, clearing the weeds, testing the soil and having a go at a vegetable garden. Mmmm, homegrown tomatoes...

 

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The orange and the pink

One of my favourite finds at this year's IDS was this fantabulous orange and pink rug wool by Ikea (it's the Stockholm Figur); I just couldn't get that take-no-prisoners colour combo out of my head. So I was happily surprised when I saw this marvy Helix Ribbon pillow by Dransfield & Ross (available through the lovely folks at Teatro Verde) in a similar colour. It's not only the colour - I love that they're both rocking a modernized version of marquetry patterning, tipping towards a retro digital calculator vibe on the Ikea rug.  

Hello doll

I saw the work of Rich, Brilliant, Willing at last year's International Contemporary Furniture Fair in NYC and, other than their hilariously unforgettable name*, I remember being impressed. It's thoughtful and edgy, but still has a simple elegance about it, so, when I saw this table this morning (I'm on the hunt for tables for a project) it elicited an 'oooh' even before I knew who'd made it.

The Russian Doll Table Wood - yes, they have a Russian Doll Table Metal too, and no it doesn't look the same - comes in an ultra pale grey, a lemony yellow and a toasty red and is topped with glass. It's my new favourite occasional table, and fingers crossed someone will be carrying it in Canada soon...

* Here's the deelio on their name: The three guys behind Rich, Brilliant, Willing are Richardson (RICH), Brill (BRILLIANT) and Williams (WILLING).

   

Light work

It's been quite mega busy, what with the Interior Design Show (Did you go? What did you think btw?), major painting and priming happening at our place (we've sorted out the main floor, yay! Pics to come...), and then taping CityLine yesterday morning (watch for the show next Monday!). But of course I took time to slack off yesterday and hit my fav Goodwill with my friend Jasmine. I do have my reasons - we still need a long low dresser for the bedroom - but I still managed to find lovely stuff we definitely don't need, like a tooled brass vase-shaped lamp base that sat smartly on a black plinth. All for $9.99. How could I say no? Ummm, I had to, the last thing we need right now is another vintage lamp with 'personality'; if I bought all the ones that spoke to me I'd be tripping over them by now, lol.

While I was sourcing for CityLine I stumbled across this pendant fixture from West Elm and thought it was just so darned interesting that it was worth a post. I'm all over the mix between old and new; it has the feel of one of those star fixtures, but the faceting takes it an entirely different direction.

5 quick questions - Matt Carr

Matt Carr, Umbra's Design Director, is a difficult guy to pin down. When I first e-mailed him he was somewhere in China, Shanghai I think, so I'm amazed that he was finally able to spend time and answer a few questions. As Matt mentions below, he's participating in the Pecha Kucha presentation at the Interior Design Show today - I'm moderating the presentation, which should be a laugh. Hopefully it will be fun and fast paced; Pecha Kucha is Japanese for chit-chat, each presenter gets 20 slides and 20 seconds per slide to speak to the theme of 'Inspiration'. So if you're at the show today, make sure to stop by. In case that wasn't enough, he and his girlfriend, Joyce Lo, have also designed one of the spaces at Come Up To My Room at the Gladstone Hotel - A v. cool exhibit that runs until Sunday, Feb 8th.

I asked Matt to pick out a few of his favourite pieces that he's designed for Umbra. From the top: The Mixalabra, my current fav candleholder. The Rolly Desk, check out the rest of the Rolly line too. The Teatime Clock, love all those vintage teacups. And finally the Biblioteca bookcase, snapped in Matt's own living space. Click here to check out more 5 Quick Question interviews.

Arren Williams: Can you describe your style?

Matt Carr: Style is always evolving. Lately I have been really into industrial vintage antiques with a touch of folk and a little glam. Ransacking through the aisles of the St. Lawrence antique market has become somewhat of a Sunday morning tradition. I am not a huge fan of slick contemporary as I love blemishes and inconsistencies…the little things that give pieces character and a story. Neither contemporary nor traditional, my home is a complete mixed bag of pieces that work together to make a comfortable informal living space.

AW: What's really got you excited in the world of design?

MC: Technology continues to change the face of design. From new materials and processes that I was just checking out in factories in Asia to how we develop product in our Toronto design studio. We have been using a 3D printer to generate exact models from our computer renderings. It is such an amazing tool to explore and understand forms, surfaces, and ergonomics. It’s kinda like our little design oven.

AW: What's the next thing you'll be buying for your place?

MC: Moving from a loft to a house meant a lot more furniture to acquire. The to do list for the house is still long, but I think the next investment piece will be a great armoire to hide the TV and unsightly electronics that go with it.

AW: Anything, décor wise, that you totally hate and think should be banned?

MC: Ha! Hate is a strong word but when I visit Mimi’s, my fave Pho restaurant on Gerrard Street I cannot get over the peach coloured sponge job they went for. Almost so bad it’s good…

AW: What's next for you?

MC: The last month has been a busy one. Just got back from a trip to Hong Kong and China then headed to NYC for the NYIGF. My girlfriend and I are just putting the finishing touches on our “In My Heart” installation for this weekend's COME UP TO MY ROOM event. We were inspired by the experiences people share in hotel rooms. Whether it be a honeymoon or a torrid affair, hotel rooms have a long association with love and lovers. Using light, holograms and typography, In My Heart is an installation that explores these relationships. Also presenting a Pecha Kucha speech during IDS focusing on how we are constantly surrounded by inspiration…even in the most mundane everyday experiences.

    

Dark and cold

Last night, as the temperature dipped once again (ugh), I stopped in at the opening of Radiant Dark, and I have to say, the show is totally worth checking out. The mix of all-Canadian designed pieces on show bridges the line between concept, art and design with some exceptionally cool results. Take a look below for a couple of quick snaps I took -The Stag (Tapestry) by Grant Heaps crosses paint-by-numbers with pixelated 1" squares of fabric stitched together - how cool. And more of Bev Hisey's Dirty Dishes; circular rugs inspired by bacteria, viruses and Petrie dishes. Other highlights for me include the In The Round (Dining Table) by Luflic that pairs felted wool covered legs with a polished glass top, and Propellor Design's Dram (Chandelier) that re-cycles vintage glassware into a very covetable light fixture.

Radiant Dark, organized by the fabulous folks at Made, opens today and runs until Feb 8th, click here for more info.

 

On the carpet

If I haven't been carrying a box I've had a paintbrush in my hand (which is why I've missed out on posting on the blog), oh the joys of a new home, lol. Yesterday I escaped the drywall dust for a bit and met up with my mate, and rug designer extraordinaire, Bev Hisey. She's just launched her new designs for '09, one of which - Dity Dishes - will be debuting at Radiant Dark 2009, an exhibit of Canadian design curated by Made. The show runs from Feb 5th to the 8th, so make sure you check it out.

Some of hew new work comes with a back story, here's the deelio - Cross My Heart, in wool and silk, was inspired by a neighbour's heart surgery. Sightlines came about from Bev's recent eye exams. Dirty Dishes was inspired by a Petrie dish. Escort was patterned after shredded fishnets from her teenage daughter's punk phase (Bev is thankful it was a short lived phase!). One last important thing - Bev's rugs, as always, are stamped by Rugmark, guaranteeing no child labour was involved in their manufacture.

   

There will be dust

Well, we've finally made it - We moved into the new house on Friday. And, even though after every move I swear that we'll hire movers next time (David always pretends to hear me and then changes the subject) we found ourselves at Budget picking up a 16ft cube van at 7am on Friday morning. By 5pm we were done and completely knackered. Everything made it in one trip too; not too shabby if I do say so myself, though lugging a pair of steel horizontal file cabinets with David practically killed me.

The weekend was spent organizing, cleaning and priming as much of the drywall as we could (there's still lots to go). Getting rid of drywall dust is the main objective over this week, and so far the top floor is completely primed, semi-organized and mostly dust free. Two more floors to go... It isn't all fun and games though - The old thermostat can't seem to get the heat over 17C (we're waiting to change it out once all the dust is done with), so it's a wee bit chilly, and we've got no sinks or counters in the master bathroom or the kitchen, which means dishes get done in the basement bathroom. Thankfully our contactors will be hooking us up with a temporary sink in the kitchen over the next couple of days, and Home Depot will be popping by to template the Corian counters and sinks this week (yay!).

Through all this we have made a final decision on the fireplace surround, since we've managed to score some edgestone tiles that have a nice mid-century vibe. One teensy problem-o though; the stone colour reminds me of cat sick, so, much to the consternation of our contractors, we'll be slapping white paint on the tiles once they're done. Take a boo below at an inspiration shot of the tiles - if you can, squint to imagine them white - and a shot of the style of Montigo fireplace that Odyssey Fireplace installed on the main floor.

 

Over black?

The iPhone is such an iconic design object that's marvellous to hold and play with, let alone place a call, but, does it's slick black finish really match 'you'? Urban Outfiitters have stepped in with a series of happy/edgy/cool artist designed skins to mash things up a little, and take the look beyond basic black. I've picked a couple of my faves below which totally have a decor vibe - Blue Willow by Colin Thompson which, yep, happily borrows from your Gran's china, and Bunny Blossom by Kozyndan totally feels like a vintage wallpaper (I see it working with a navy velvet sofa, pea green wingbacks, a glass waterfall coffee table and an oak herringbone floor - but that's just me...).