I heart Anthropologie

I just discovered the home section of Anthropologie, and discovered a great selection of unique and pretty treasures for the home.

I have decided to post some of my favourites !  check out all the fun stuff at 

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/category.jsp?navAction=jump&navCount=0&id=HOME

Apparently they do more than pretty dresses and tops …. Who knew !

Digs Befitting The Oldest Profession

If you have been watching Britain’s 'Secret Diary of a Call Girl' you would never suspect from the show that the UK is suffering from a massive financial crisis.....ah well, It just goes to prove two things:

1.  When economic slow-down strikes, the peeps want to see glamour and bling more than they do when times are good.

and

2.  Professional Escorting is a recession proof career path.

But I digress… this blog post is not about the lucrative benefits of high end whoring and its relationship to economic indicators, it’s actually about her flat.   Or rather the Stylists behind the risers.

Season 1…. Slightly bohemian with bollywood colours, but nothing to blog about.

Season 3…..  same same, don’t get me wrong though !  great stories.

Season 2 …. Okay, here we go !  Same flat, whole new look, way more sophisticated.   Love the wallpapered kitchen backsplash.

Season 4…. Oh YA !  Belle’s bought a house.

Since we are only two episodes in she is mostly still in boxes, but between the handsome cast, delicious fashions, the gray front hall and the awesome black banister season 4 is promising promises for a season of yummyyummy eye candy.

Colour Courage !

wow.... do  I ever love clients who love colour !! Put your sunglasses on and check out the pics this client sent to me for inspiration.    It has been snowing here in Toronto all day and huddling around these shots is as good as warming up by the fire.   wooohooooo !
Considering her partner is kinda nervous of colour I have toned it down a bit with these bold and beautiful gems from Robert Allen.
What a great palette to play with on a cold day  - thanks brave client. x

Here is what I came up with :

Bedrooom

Den

Open plan living / dining / kitchen

Dont walk all over the Rug

Oh the area rug... we step on it, the dog barfs on it, food is spilt on it.   It's the only item in the house that takes all this abuse but yet we want to be able to sit on it. 

My experience is it’s often neglected or even omitted all together.   However, in my opinion it is one of the most important items in your room.

A good area rug will define the space, soften the room, absorb sound and –as a committed floor sitter – give your toosh a bit of cushion.

All this good stuff doesn’t come cheap.   An area rug is going to be one area you are going to want to splash out large on, and if you choose wisely you will be luvin’ it for a long time.

The options are endless and I have included some here that are eco AND original.

Distracted by shiny things

I just got the latest catalogue for Design Within Reach (deceptively named as it is only within reach if you have lots and lots of disposable dosh)

Conveniently I had the mag tucked into my handbag today so I happily amused myself within it’s glossy pages while I waited for the tanning booth.

Don’t judge me.  

It makes me feel better.

I’m not a winter person.

But I digress.

A small ladylike dollop of drool landing on the image of a new item by One & Co called “TABLE 47” thus snapping me out of my aesthetic stupor and into an acquirement achieving frenzy…

Not having  $1200 bill floating around in my wallet, the clogs of my brain began to churn and I began to imagine how to make this for myself.

Hmmmm….    I must introduce a stump of wood from my moms yard to a box of silver leaf and see what happens!

If you, on the other hand, happen to have one of these coveted $1200 bills in your wallet, then be reassured that One & Co are committed to the green revolution, and you will be pleased to know that your silver stump will consist of reclaimed wood and some sort of “proprietary low-VOC processing’ in order to achieve the silver effect.

Another project lined up and ready to be executed…. Again watch this space!

Ps I AM working on those chairs by the way.   

Grey is a colourful colour

Many many many.... well, a lifetime ago....when I was a know-it-all art student, I learned that pale grey is the best background colour to emphasize a colour in the foreground.... and in fact, most art gallery walls are painted a very pale grey to allow for maximized viewing pleasure.  I always forget to check that fact - Im too busy looking at the art.  Perhaps this proves the point !!

I see no reason why this age old trick cant be used at home, and even though many peeps balk at the idea of painting their walls grey, they are always happy with the end result.   Let's face it.... a painted wall is not a focal point !  even a feature wall is not a focal point but rather whatever resides on its surface ie fireplace, painting etc.
So here are a few of my favourites found on the internet.
And when I have finished posting this I plan to crack open my tin of Benjamin Moore's Natura colour OC 52 Gray Owl and slap it on my walls. whoopeee !

Green Christmas

 For many years now I have not bought wrapping paper.... ok - so my mom would probably say it's because I use hers, and I admit to raiding her stock for stocking stuffer wrapping... however !  for the big gifts I have been making, recycling, re-using for my wrapping purposes.  
It started out as a fun thing - mostly because there was a time when you could not purchase non-tacky christmas paper.   I know it's hard now, but back then it was IMPOSSIBLE.
Anyway, Christmas wrapping just became a fun thing to do and I spent more time and energy on wrapping my gifts than I did on purchasing them.

There are some really great ways to decorate without wasting, and here are a few great ones for my one and only Christmas blog post - that's right.   Unless Im knocked over by something so blindingly gorgeously christmas related, this is IT.

TREES:

I support buying a real tree - the plastic ones are gross and tacky, and if you are going to kid yourself into believing that they are green by virtue of the fact that they can be re-used, you better plan on hauling that nasty thing out every Christmas for the next twenty years to meet any real eco-target.  

Real trees support local farmers, create jobs, and are fun.   Why mess with that ?

It's true pesticides and crap are used when growing them, but you can get organic ones from Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf, or the Brick Works - Im sure more and more will be popping up around the city.

Oh, and what happens to them when the silly season finally ends ?  they are turned into mulch and the city of Toronto uses them in our parks.   so there.  just dont use that nasty plastic tinsel crap because a)it's vulgar and b) it cant be mulched, c) it's vulgar, d) ummmm it's vulgar.

WRAPPING:
Oh the ideas are endless !!!  paper paper its everywhere, use your imagination and re-use the stuff !
I have attached some pictures of this years favourite ideas using newspaper.... the blue blobs are engineered by ironing a couple of sheets of newspaper with some crayon ends in between - genius.

As for the tree decorating - I make cookies and decorate them with silver balls and white icing.   They are totally edible so I know my tree is ready for the curb by Jan 1.    I also use some ribbons tied into bows, teeny tiny LEDs, and some smashed up old cds... this year Im going to make a bunch of paper snow flakes too.