Hot shot

I love a good espresso (not expresso, please, lol), and starting my day with a shot is quite the best thing since sliced bread. We have the Nespresso Le Cube espresso machine in white, which looked awfully posh in our last kitchen (take a look here) and now sits rather snugly on our teensy temporary apartment countertop. Apart from the fact that it's practically idiot-proof (the foil capsules take care of that) the design is clean, simple and modern - All you need in a countertop appliance.

Now Nespresso is jacking things up for Fall with more choice in their colour finishes. A racy and kinda Eighties hi-tech matte Black and a v. lovely Bronze Patina (which would look very swish with Jenn-Air's Oiled Bronze appliances). Plus, and this is a big plus, they're also intro-ing a larger sized milk heater / frother; the Aeroccino Plus. Which (again with the idiot-proof) does a masterful job of making the kind of cappuccino foam that a seasoned barista would be proud of. All this new gear is available in September - check out Nespresso online, or visit one of their two Canadian boutiques at The Bay in downtown Toronto and Vancouver. Take a peek at the Le Cube Bronze Patina and Aeroccino Plus below.

Hot towels

I've collected a few things over the years - clocks, Art Deco bits and pieces, scientific glassware, white pottery, souvenir silk scarves and tea-towels to name a few. They've all kind of ebbed and flowed depending on storage space and usefuleness, but the tea-towels, well, we have lots and I keep on finding more. Maybe it's a British thing, or maybe it's a pattern thing - Most are vintage and I do really hunt for good Irish linen too (just the best for glassware), but then there are often new patterns that catch my eye.

I love this article on Chow called Upgrade Your Rags that shows a smashing selection. I already have a few they show (Kaiku by Marimekko is a favourite), but it's a newer company called Simrin. with a modern sensibility that references gorgeous botanical patterns, that made me look further. Love their colourways, love the prints and I can't wait to get my hands on their gear! Take a look -

Looking for real

Yesterday was a difficult day - Plumbing issues on a reno I'm working on (we only need 2 handles in the shower, not 3!) and then hours and hours spent walking the halls at the Toronto Gift Show, aka the CGTA. As usual I found some great, beautifully designed authentic gear, more of which you'll see later, but, also as usual, there was tons of terrible stuff. It's almost as if a great idea gets photocopied again and again until you're just seeing a sad ghostly image of the original. So, when I saw a bad rip of Eva Zeisel's fab Century Dinnerware (the real thing is available from Crate & Barrel) I knew it was time to call it a day.

I've heard the word 'authentic' alot recently and it's been really resonating with me - Whether it's things or experiences I think we're all looking for the real deal. Ilse Crawford is someone who I admire greatly, a designer and creative director who I think has that concept down in spades. She started Elle Decoration UK back in the day, and I've been avidly following her work ever since. Her company, StudioIlse, works on some amazing projects, including a recent store design for Aesop, restaurant and hotel design, and also show flats for Notting Hill London. Take a look at one of the flats below.

Chic and easy

By now everyone and their best friend has had a chance to peruse the new Ikea catalogue and dog ear pages, me included. I thought I'd post a couple of favourite roomsets that get my vote for their lashings of inspirational style (love those Kelly green closet doors) as well as being super affordable. Chic and easy on the wallet - Who can beat that?

The first shows the Grimen bed, that rocks a way Italian vibe at just a smidge of the price, the second shows just what a bit of imagination and a few Ribba frames can do.

Get cultured

Object Factory, running at the Gardiner Museum until Sept 7th, is a must see exhibit. Featuring ceramics from a laundry list of big name artists and designers - like Cindy Sherman and Ettore Sottass  - they also have some lesser known, but no less cool, work on display too from edgy young firms like Industreal. Another one to check: The Ornamental Inheritance pieces by studio Jo Meesters, which takes vintage trad blue & white pieces and sanblasts them to create intricate urban landscapes. Take a look at the pic below, which riffs on a 17th century Dutch still life vibe.

Pretty modern

Bev Hisey is one of the craziest (in a good way, lol) friends that I have, she's also one of the most talented. Bev and I were chatting today while I was in the midst of a haircut - which prompted the barber to ask what we did, always an interesting one to answer... Most people might not realize that Bev is a one woman operation, a tough gig for sure. She's always pushing the envelope with her work and is constantly working on something new. Below are a couple of pics that Bev and I worked on together, shot by Donna Griffith. I think she's a bit of a Canadian treasure...

  

My other house is a castle

I'm not really sure what it is about this shot that draws me in. Sure, the e15 Shiraz sofa is chic, simple and just slouchy enough to be truly lounge worthy, but it's more the vibe of the shot - kind of a 'Granny left me this castle, but I'm a modern gal' feel that's just so refreshing.

I heart Barbara

Barbara Hulanicki is a total style/design hero for me. It all started when my stylish Mum used to head up to the Biba store in Kensington for a fashion fix in the Seventies and bring home beautifully packaged products stamped with that curlicue Biba logo. Fast forward to this year's ICFF in NY and I got to meet Barbara, and her assistant Likorish, at the Graham & Brown wallpaper stand where I was marvelling at all the gorgeous patterns on display, including a new collection by her. Viva in Black Gloss was one of my favourite patterns.