Feeling a beat

Okay, now I know these have been out for a while, but I was struck by how simple this shot was, and yet how gorgeous that gaggle of Beat lamps look. The Beat line of fixtures is designed by Tom Dixon and inspired by trad indian cooking pots and water carriers. In fact, Dixon tapped skilled craftsmen in Mordabad, Northern India, to create the series out of hand beaten brass (hence the glow-y gold interiors) that are then finished in matte black. And if that isn't enough, the light fixtures are mirrored by an equally stunning set of ovescale vases in an unpolished satin brass. Yum. BTW, that great shot is courtesy of photographer Tom Mannion and stylist Faye Toogood - a creative power couple if ever there was one - from the latest Dixon catalogue. Oh, and if you fancy getting your sticky mitts on all the Beat bits and pieces, check in at Klaus by Nienkamper for more info.

guest blog / Jenn Hannotte: Continuing coffee education

I need to reveal some information about myself to give this post some context. It's not something I'm proud of, but nonetheless, here it is: I am basically inept when it comes to any kind of appliance that when used results in something you're meant to consume. So you can understand that I was a little nervous when I attended the Breville Barista 101 event that promised to turn me from someone who thinks instant coffee is fine, to a coffee connoisseur in one short hour. 

With the skilled assistance of Master Barista Matthew Taylor of Toronto's Mercury Espresso Bar (below helping my neighbor create perfect foam), and the amazing ease-of use of the new Barista Express, I was cranking out cappuccinos  with billowing, frothy foam; latte's with perfect precision and even learning how to make coffee art (okay, so my first, second, and third attempt at that 'art' all resembled a hippo more than the intended leaf or swirl). The Barista Express isn't just for beginners - it has manual espresso options as well, for the more seasoned at-home barista who wants maximum control over their coffee's flavour.

The real test came in the morning at 6am when I usually brew up some thick-as-mud crude and choke it back until I'm sufficiently awake to deal with the day. I didn't know if I'd be willing to make my own espresso, but this thing is seriously so easy (and fun!) for someone like myself that I'm finding the ritual of making coffee beautifuly adds so much to my mornings.

Take a look at some pictures I snapped of that morning at the event, and my creations (don't judge me too harshly!). No, I won't be serving you up a macchiato at Mercury anytime soon, but I will be thoroughly enjoying my own!

It Gets Better Canada

Here we go. Tommy Smythe and I couldn't be prouder of the It Gets Better Canada video, it was posted on YouTube yesterday at around 5pm and has already reached more than 1,600 hits. Major thanks again for everyone's unfailing support on the project, and we have to give a shout out to the incredible crew who worked behind the scenes, including director Jean-Marc Piché, everyone at Peace Point Entertainment Group, the team at Imported Artists, and Corinne McDermott. Thanks too to Audrey Hyams-Romoff and Amanda Losier, and the rest of the stellar crew at OverCat Communications. Oh, and a special hello, we think you're just great! to the CBC's online, radio and television news, as well as Rick Mercer and George Stroumboulopoulos for being so kind and getting the word out.

So, what's next? Well, we're planning on expanding the video into something longer (that's what happens when you get an incredible 10 hours of interviews) and would love to be able to offer it as a resource to schools and anyone else who'd like to screen it. In other words, this is just the beginning.

More on that Very Important Project

I mentioned a while back about a Very Important Project that Tommy Smythe and I were working on, so here are the deets - In case you didn't happen to catch CBC's The National on Friday (have a look at a clip here), we have pulled together (with absolutely tons of incredible help) a Canadian video for the It Gets Better Project, which was all started by writer Dan Savage as a show of strength by the LGBT community over the awful series of gay teen suicides reported in the press. We got in touch with Rick Mercer, Mark Tewksbury, David Clemmer, Joeffer Caoc, George Smitherman, Anne Marie Macdonald, Peter Fallico, Diane Flacks, Rex Harrington, Deb Pearce, Enza Anderson, the cast of MTV’s 1 girl 5 gays, and many, many more and they all agreed to share their personal stories. 

It launches tomorrow night, and we couldn't be more excited to share it with as many people as possible. Watch this space, because I'll be posting the video here as soon as it's live on YouTube!

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On the design side of things, here's some of the latest stuff that I'm ogling at Crate & Barrel. C&B have hunted through the Dansk archives and re-issued this great capsule collection of mid-centrury Jens Quistgaard designs in eco freindly acacia wood.

A chair story, part one

I'm definitely up for a challenge, so when Virginie Martocq - Chatelaine's Decor Editor - e-mailed to ask me about re-doing a fleamarket chair for the mag I said sure! So, a day or two later when a rather grubby looking chair showed up on my doorstep I knew the game was on. Luckily I'd recently been inspired by a particular DwellStudio fabric I'd spotted at inVU Drapery called Vintage Plumes (you can see a shot of it here) and set to work figuring out the look.

Step one was to unscrew the dusty old red velvet seat and thoroughly clean the chair. Next, I lightly sanded the frame with some steel wool, and carefully painted two coats in a lovely soft beigey grey called Fashion Grey from Behr. Now, I knew that nailheads would be fun but didn't want to commit to nickel or brass. Instead, I'd seen some white painted nailheads at Home Depot and thought that they might be just the ticket. Well, the colour was waaay too bright a white, but that was quickly remedied by pushing the nails into a cardboard fruit box and spraying the whole lot cream all in one go (outside of course). I dropped the chair off at inVU this morning for the re-upholstery job and can't wait to see how it turns out!

guest blog / Julia Black: Stark the halls!

We all appreciate the elbow grease behind planning a really fabulous party. From weddings and bar mitzvahs, to red carpet galas and grand openings, orchestrating and executing a positively memorable soirée takes talent. So as the season creeps up and you’re realizing it’s your turn to play host/hostess, who better to turn to for inspiration then one of New York's most esteemed party planners, Mr. David Stark. David is an extraordinary designer who’s been creating hot ticket parties for over twenty years, and now - for the second holiday season in a row - his distinct approach for transforming everyday materials and spaces into complete magnificence can be yours. The David Stark Holiday Collection is available at your favorite West Elm store, and this time Mr. Stark has repurposed recycled paper and cardboard, and even vintage garden books, into garlands, trees, and witty objects and accents to help you create a brilliant party. Furthermore, the collection is distinctly eco-smart and eco-chic. Careful though, by adding Stark to your halls you might just be voted into another hosting gig sooner than you’d like. Check out the video below to see how the collection came about.

To read more posts from Julia click here, check out her cool blog click here, and click here to see her new Get Fresh online videos for CTV!

Four times Oji

So yesterday I was out scouting kitchen gear for a feature I'm working on (tho' don't ask me the name of the mag, they're currently going through a name change) and stopped in at one of my favorite-est stores, Mjölk, where John told me all about their upcoming - and very first - exhibition, called Masanori Oji Life On The Floor. The whole shebang opens on the eve of Oct 21st, with a chance to meet the Japanese designer, whose sense of craft is, well, gorgeous (have a look here at some of his work). One of the coolest things about the exhibit, before it even starts, are the four posters John and Juli had designed by Sali Tabacchi. Take a look below, wouldn't they look fantastic all framed and grouped together on the wall? Oh and for more of John and Juli from Mjölk, take a look here for an HGTV.ca house tour of their cool space above the shop (it's well worth a look).

All about the peacock

I have a chair makeover project coming up, and I'm happy to tell you I think I found the perfect fabric at inVU Drapery. I popped in there the other day to check out the new DwellStudio collection that they're carrying which, I hafta say, is all really rather lovely with fantastic hits of yellow, teal and grey all in a smashing mix of prints and solids. But back to me, and back to that chair! The fabric that totally spoke to me at inVU is the DwellStudio Vintage Plumes in Camel. Pretty fantastic, no? The side chair is currently a hefty fleamarket find in dark stained wood, so I'm thinking about lightening it all up by either painting the frame in a soft grey (or going a tad nutty with a harvest gold???) and of course, there will have to be nailheads involved somewhere. Nickel, or maybe even white for those. Hmmm...

guest blog / Jenn Hannotte: A touch of the RT's

Drumroll! Church bells! Fireworks! It's done! After some finishing touches, I was super lucky to have Naomi Finlay come by to take photographs of the final bathroom reveal, and Arren to help style! I am beyond happy with how it turned out - it's got that Royal Tenenbaum edge, but it's got a lot more of 'me' and a whole lot of this houses' heart in it, too. Here's the complete list of materials and other good stuffs used in the shots and in real life:  

Bancroft toilet, Brockway sink with Cannock faucets - Kohler. Daltile Subway and Octagon and Dot tiles, baseboard, Behr Paint in Ashes - Home Depot. Trim tile - Pollock's. Wild Flower wallpaper - Ferm Living. Fords Mill light fixture - Rejuvination Lighting  (Who, I noticed when I went to grab this link have some AMAZING new product). Towels, bathmat, plate - Anthropologie. Shower curtain - Urban Outfitters. Milk glass vases, vintage fan, MOR soap - Russet and Empire. Vintage pharmacy jars - The Arthur. Molger mirror - Ikea. Kartell Componibilii - Neat.

Click here and here to check out the other posts on the bathroom reno (including the awful before shots), and stay tuned, something else is cooking up at the Hannotte house - pun intended. Wink, wink.

For more of Jenn's take on style click 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.

guest blog / Julia Black: Sweet, stylish and scrappy

After a long weekend full of food, entertaining, and more food, I found myself going to and from my garbage and green bins as often as I was greeting family and friends. Ah, the joys of Canadian Thanksgiving! Now, I'm all for daily activity, but when it's motivated by the need to rid the kitchen of a vile smelling green bin, I have a problem. So, for those of us who realize they have a bitter sweet relationship with their kitchen scraps I have found a stylish and sensible solution: the Countertop Compost Pail from the nice people at Williams Sonoma. In either a chic white ceramic or smart brushed stainless steel it'll hold a gallon of scraps and will not stain or absorb any odors. The carbon filter that sits inside the lid prevents odors from being released, so the whole thing can be fashionably stored on a countertop (way more attractive than that ugly plastic bin we've all been using!). Better still, it’s dishwasher safe! So seriously, take a smart step and make one of these crocks a way sexier home for your organic waste. You might just find that relationship you have with your kitchen scraps becomes a little sweeter!

To read more posts from Julia click here, check out her cool blog click here, and click here to see her new Get Fresh online videos for CTV!

Hanging out with Bob

Designed by Hella Jongerius, who you might know from her work for Ikea (I still love her Ikea PS Jonsberg vases), Bob is the latest in outdoor furniture from Spanish firm Kettal. I totally dig the indoor/outdoor feel the collection has, and seriously, how handsome does it look in that architecturally stunning raw wood space - Who knew knotty pine could look so mod? I'm also loving the two-tone metal frames on all three pieces, as well as the two-tone grey upholstery and lovely crafty wound yarn detail that shows up on the armrests of the chair and on handles of the footstool and table (oh, and that cool looking lamp is an outdoor piece too). In Canada, check in with BonaVista LeisureScapes if you fancy kitting out your deck with a set.

Slightly awol

Yep, I have been slightly awol from the blogosphere of late, since Tommy Smythe and I have been working together on a Very Important Project that's been taking up a fair bit of time. More news on that soon (it actually starts shooting today!).

In the meantime, how about checking out a fantastic new exhibit called 10x10x10 that photographer George Whiteside is working on. I saw George the other night at Azure Magazine's 25th anniversary party and he told me all about it, here's the deal - Starting on 10/10/10, he'll be hanging 1,000 of his photographs at Toronto's One 800 Gallery. Each day more will go up - including Polaroids, test prints, collages and one of a kind images - and you can even volunteer to help in the process (call 416.986.9900 for deets). The show opens Oct 20th, and yes, everything hung on the wall will be available to purchase. Oh, and for even more inspiration, check out George's stellar portfolio here.

Guest blog / Jenn Hannotte: The bath equation

Jenn Hannotte: My bathroom renovation began about three months ago, and we're still working on some finishing touches before we can present the BIG REVEAL. But until then (soon, I promise!), I thought I'd recount the story thus far. Trouble is, it's not terribly interesting. Nothing scary jumped out from the walls, there was no layer of black mold ready to poison my children, no hiccups with the contractors or materials. The only reason why it's taken as long as it has is because I had to go and choose things that you can't grab from your local big- box store.

You might recall that my main source of inspiration was the bathroom featured in the film, The Royal Tenenbaums. To get there, we used a lot of classic materials that really fell architecturally into line with the aesthetic of the rest of the house. Always-right and inexpensive Daltile white subway tiles placed 3/4 of the way up the wall from Home Depot, capped with a classic chair rail profile found at Pollock's on Roncesvalles, just down the street from me. For the floors, it was again Home Depot's Daltile in the 'Octagon and Dot' pattern. I sourced a cast-iron clawfoot tub from Craigslist for a steal at $150 including the faucet, shower head and tub surround. The toilet is from Kohler and it's amazing to not be terrified every time we flush like we were with the old one! My favorite piece is the sink - the Brockway from Kohler. It was this baby that we had to wait for a long time to arrive, but it was worth it once installed. 

Without giving too much else away, I found this amazing wallpaper from Ferm Living that looks pretty   much identical to the shower curtain you see behind Margot Tenenbaum that really sets off the entire space. So the question is, class, can this equation be solved?  

  

Meeting Martha

I was lucky enough to part of a Canadian crew of design media that popped down to check out Home Depot's de-lovely new Martha Stewart Living kitchen collection in NYC, and yep, actually got to meet Martha too! I was trying not to be all goofy and star struck, but as you can see from that kooky grin on my face, that might not have happened. From left to right in the pic is Samantha Pynn, me, Martha, Suzanne Dimma, Deidre Kelly and Karl Lohnes (the delightful Margot Austin was there too, but somehow didn't make it into the photo op). On top of all this - if that wasn't jammy enough - I also got to chat with both Kevin Sharkey and Gael Towey from Martha's team (who just happened to mention that they'll be launching an iPad issue of the mag soon!), as well as Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan and Aaron Able of Apartment Therapy.

The first snap shows how stunning the Martha HQ actually is, all Deco curved windows in a two storey high space with lots of white and polished concrete. Stunning indeed. Next up is a pic of Martha addressing all the folks who attended, standing in front of the very Martha-esque putty toned Seal Harbor cabinetry, with details like the corbels inspired by her own kitchen, followed up with a close-up shot of the plate rack and cabinets. Yum. On the more modern side of things is The Weston, which takes its design cue from Martha's Chief Creative Officer Gael Towey's Manhattan kitchen. All told there are 6 cabinetry styles in a range of painted and wood finishes, 8 exclusive honed marble inspired Corian countertops and a slew of perfect hardware to finish everything off. Expect to see it all in Home Depot stores soon!

Guest blog / Julia Black: A vintage sensibility

Julia Black: I am a confessed scavenger. When on the hunt for just the right thing for a shoot, for a client, for a gift, or even for myself, I will leave no stone unturned. Just about every week I seem to end up rummaging through antique markets, thrift stores and salvaged good shops for those special things that represent an element of old world style; something that brings a measure of antiquity, authenticity and charm. But, when I’m strapped for time and need to shop somehwhere where everything isn't covered in a layer of dust, I’ll turn to a trusted favourite: Anthropologie. On a recent run through I stumbled upon a tremendous collection of all sorts of wonderful home accessories that reflect decades past. This season some of my faves have an Austen-esque Sense and Sensibility feel about them, and include mis-matched bedding, demure ruffles and faux (but romantic) antique books that are actually boxes. Now that's what I call major vintage-inspired satisfaction!

To read more posts from Julia click here, to check out her cool blog click here, and click here to see her new Get Fresh online videos for CTV!

Guest blog / Jenn Hannotte: New kid 'off' the block

Jenn Hannotte: It's no secret to Torontonians that the Junction, a west-end neighborhood, has become a go-to spot for amazing decor stores over the last few years. And now open a short skip north of Dundas on Keele is Russet & Empire, a home accessories and gift store. 

Carefully curated by owner Micah Lenahan, she says that the neighborhood was lacking " a lot of options for shopping unless you wanted to buy a big piece of furniture." Now, I'm not talking traditional gifts and accessories. These are vintage toys (with the tags still on!), impossible-to-find soaps, gorgeous jewelry by local artisans and other super on-trend home accessories. Micah says she was aiming to create a gallery-like space by "adding only products that are beautiful and that i can claim that I absolutely love." Open only a month, she has events, and in-house products in the works with new products rolling in all the time. Check out some of Micah's favorite pieces below, then go say hi at 390 Keele St!

To read more of Jenn's take on style, as well as to track her reno project, click here.

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...

Hot for Flor {giveaway}

Okay peeps, here's a fun one. Today I'm sharing with you a few faves from Flor's Fall 2010 collection, and my-oh-my there are some lovelies! I'm a huge fan of Flor's modular carpet tiles (as well as their staunch enviromental efforts), and in fact they usually end up in just about every project I work on. Right now, in the living room, we've got their chic houndstooth patterned All Bark & No Bite, which is holding up beautifully with Spot the Whippet's occasionally muddy paws!

Up top there's Mag-Neat-O which has a lovely random zig-zaggy embroidered flame stitch feel. Next is Flor's brill suzani inspired More Rockin, which reminds me of the Iznik tiles I saw in Turkey, then there's Road to Damaskus with a rather kooky high-contrast take on a damask. Finally, and last but not least, is Sophistikat, available in 5 colourways it's a swanky take on Ikat fabric.

{giveaway} Here's the kicker - Would you like to win a 5' x 7' More Rockin carpet tile rug?

The deets: You're eligible if you live in the US or Canada, and all you have to do is sign up for my e-mail newsletter (see that little box under the Subscribe title on the left, that's the spot). Oh, and anyone who's already receiving for the newsletter is automatically entered. Get yourself signed up by 6pm EST on Tuesday Oct 5th, then I'll be randomly picking 1 lucky winner!

Update on 2010-10-12 19:56 by Arren

And we have a winner! Katherine S. from Dundas, Ontario won the super-chic Flor More Rockin. Congrats Katherine, and be sure to send some pics through once it arrives!

Squiggle + stuff = seat

Definitely an intellectual take on a packrats dilemma, the Comfy Cargo Chair by young German designer Stephan Schulz can be jammed with whatever you might have hanging around the house. Cuddly toys, laundry, whatever, I think it's rather sculptural and kind of cool and like how before it's crammed with stuff the wire frame looks like a random squiggle - almost more like an idea of a chair than the real thing.