Carport Eden

I was looking through some old shelter mags and thought this stunning green roof  from House and Home’s October 2008 issue was totally worth posting:

Canadian company ZinCo built an unbelievable oasis on top of a carport that is simply breathtaking.

The industrial ladder juxtaposed with the lush purple blooms is so charming.

What a delight it must be to look out your window expecting to see yucky tar and see this view instead!

Perfect Pansies

I feel like I’m cheating on my darling Margherita, but I can’t help myself: I am in love with the Pensees collection by Bernardaud!

I have always been a pansy girl  but I’ve never seen anything like these beauties before. The purple and gold palette is perfection with that little hint of blush pink, plus the gold border adds an extra shot of glamour.

The medium 7” bowl ($156) would be lovely to put out some candies in a formal living room, but the jackpot is the large round tray ($900), which is breathtaking! It would pop as a centrepiece on a modern white lacquered dining table, which is totally what I want it for - too bad it’s crazy $$$

 

5 Questions with… Kat Law of Knave of Valor

I am pleased to introduce you to Kat Law, co-founder and head designer of Knave of Valor. Besides boasting a Shakespearean name brimming with old world panache, Knave of Valor stands apart as a fresh and unexpected label that delivers comfortable, yet eclectic fashion. A lot of the pieces are unconventional, daring you to mix in the more unusual with your safe mainstays for a look that is all your own, yet perfectly fresh. I’m personally drawn to the stunning oversized florals and watery botanical prints, but even the basics are artfully done.

 

Kat, a Toronto native who got her fashion feet wet in NYC, was kind enough to answer some questions about the line, which is proudly made in Canada:

 

What inspired the creation of Knave of Valor?

After styling for many years I decided it was time to try something new. Designing was a great outlet for me to use my creativity in a new way. I am always asked about my clothes and many of them are vintage finds so I decided to use my wardrobe as inspiration for the line.

What celebrities could you see wearing your clothes?

Erin Wasson, Alexa Chung, Mary-Kate Olsen

What are three adjectives that describe the Knave of Valor look?

Appealing, relaxed, eclectic

Is there a specific goal you want to reach in your designing career?

To make clothes that people feel comfortable and confident in. I would love for my collection to inspire people to move away from basics and take more risks.

Where can people buy your clothes?

TNT in Toronto: Hazel Lanes & Eglinton and TNT Montreal

Thanks to Kat for the q&a – check out Knave of Valor for more information.

Pull Up a Tea Cup and Pop a Squat

Bizarro ottoman – but oh so fun!

Stripe Marks the Spot

No Joke – ever since I settled on a palette of black, white and gold for my combo living/dining room, I have been haunted by the glamorous vintage inventory of Stripe. It is definitely on my list of must-visits for my next trip down south, but I will literally have to restrain myself from leaving without the harlequin coffee table…

60's Brass Chest of Drawers

Set of Six Lucite Chairs by Vladimir Kagan

Glam 40's Grand-Scaled Mirrored Double Dresser

Pair of 70's Springer-Style Brass and Lucite Lamps

60's Solid Brass Center/Dining Table

Fabulous 50's Harlequin Brass Coffee Table

Toronto International Art Fair- Visit #2

I thoroughly enjoyed my first trip to the Toronto International Art Fair last year, so I was quite pleased when I happened into some tickets to check out this year’s exhibitors. The focus was heavy on Montreal and Toronto galleries, but there were a handful of galleries from more exotic locales, such as Japan and Mexico, providing the fair with its namesake international flavour.

In addition to usual favourites, such as the work of Paul Beliveau, of  Gallerie de Bellefeuille, here are some of the pieces I enjoyed the most from the fair:

 

James Robert Durant’s eye popping beach ball

Eloise Brodeur’s moo cows

Sangbin Im’s  photo of photos

Nicolas Ruel’s archways

 Marcel Barbeau’s feathery scales

Luke Painter’s gothic ink

He Zhang greys and violets

 

Phil Shaw’s bookcases

 

David Lafrance’s carnival magic

Gerald Ferguson’s pattern

Magda Trzaski’s playful shadowbox

Darlene Cole’s lucious cotton candy leaves

John Ross Palmer’s swishes of passionate purple

James Lahey’s perfectly blush Peonie

Also worth a mention was Castor’s tent of bubblewrap. I didn’t really pay attention to any cards on the wall that may have explained the significance- rather I stomped away to my hearts content!

The Sofa Chronicles

With an apartment to furnish from scratch, the biggest purchase is the sofa -- the epicenter of the communal living space and the priciest piece of upholstery the boy and I will be investing in. The pressure of choosing the perfect piece is high – the sofa has to be a haven for both of us and serve its purpose as a place to snuggle and watch movies together, a place to lie out and watch football (him), a place for me to settle in to read my shelter mags (me), and most of all: it has to be comfortable!!!

Finding a comfy couch isn’t so hard, but finding one that has the design elements I am going for that so that it not only looks good, but feels good, is tougher than I thought it would be.

As a collector of refurbished vintage finds, I want my sofa to have some character and tie in the various elements of my design scheme. Shapeless bunchy square cushions and a boxy silhouette will not do. Microfibre, leather and slipcovers are also out. Give me tufting! Bring on the rolled arms - I want character!

My dream is Montauk’s tufted beauty, but that is obviously not within budget, so I went looking to the more wallet-friendly Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams’ Chester for answers.

What I found is that a tight seat and tight back won’t cut the mustard. If it was a formal living room that didn’t get used much it could maybe fly, but for the single lone couch in our apartment it has to have enough of that sink-in quality that invites guests in instead of repelling them like a dusty stiff antique.

Enter a possible candidate for sofa love: a model from Southern Furniture that not only has my requisite tufting and rolled arms, but also deep seat cushions and a sloping back and arms that looks hella comfy. Ignore the pukey calamine colour upholstery and forget the odd faux-fur toss cushions nestled into the corners, if I can find a floor model for the boy and I to test the search could be over!

to be continued…

Jackie O Jacket

I recently picked up this boucle jacket with shiny gold buttons at anthro:

I’m loving it’s Chanel Jackie-O vibe and how it adds instant polish to a boots and jeans combo- plus it’s a refreshing change from the more common boyfriend blazer.

Glamorous Handmade Goodies

This week I was responsible for making loot bags for a 10 year old’s fashion-themed birthday party. I have never done such girly cookies before so it was a lot of fun to decorate the dresses, handbags and high heels.

If you’re a Torontonian looking for custom cookie creations for yourself, don’t hesitate to get in touch for more information!

Grown Up Rugs from PB Teen

I know they are meant for the Miley Cyrus set, but I am so loving these floral rugs by PB Teen:

 

Nouveau Floral Rug, 8 x 10, $599.00

Garden Party Rug , 8 x 10, $599.00

The garden party pattern would look especially perfect in a cozy all white-on-white plush bedroom. If only they delivered to Canada!