I'm Loving...Bamboo Chairs

By no means do I have room for any more furniture, but recently I'm drawn to the look of bamboo chairs (remember this?)...there's just something about them. I think I'll add a pair to my "I'll buy these when I move to a house" list.

Style at Home

Sarah's Cottage

Canadian House & Home

ebay

Jonathan Adler

Williams Sonoma Home

Pier 1

Eddie Ross is coming to town!!

For those of you who haven't yet heard of Eddie Ross, here's the lowdown:

• Graduated from the Culinary Institute of America.
• Served as Associate Decorating Editor of House Beautiful.
• Worked as Senior Style Editor of Martha Stewart Living.
• Appeared on Bravo television's reality show Top Design.

Eddie was my favourite to win Top Design, and although he didn't take home the prize, his appearance on the show has led to many new opportunities. This summer Eddie will be traveling throughout the U.S., hosting flea market excursions for small groups. It's the perfect chance to pick up some expert flea market tips & tricks. Luckily for those in southwestern Ontario, Eddie will be making one Canadian stop!! On September 12th, Eddie will be hosting a shopping trip to the Christie Antiques Show in Dundas, Ontario. See you there!?!

Still in the Running

The Small Cool "round robin" is now over, and my home is still in the running for recognition in the International category. I'm up against some stiff competition this time around - a modern space in Bangalore, India.

There are only 24 hours to cast your VOTE during this round, so please login over at Apartment Therapy between 3 pm (EST) Thursday and 3 pm (EST) Friday. Follow the link in the message below, which will take you directly to the finalist rounds (Look for Round 1, Matchup 3).

Here's the message I received from Apartment Therapy:

Congratulations!

Your home has received enough "Thumbs Up" votes in Apartment Therapy's Small Cool Home contest to proceed to the first round of elimination bracket voting.

Your home will be competing against another entry in the International division for a period of 24 hours.


http://contests.apartmenttherapy.com/2009/small-cool/main/bracket/international

YOUR ENTRY'S 24 HOURS BEGINS COMPETITION AT 03:00 AM (EST) ON 4/23 AND WILL END AT 02:59 (EST) on 4/24.

We encourage you to invite friends and family to vote for you. Please know that excessive votes from a single source will be cause for disqualification.

Thanks and enjoy the contest!

West Queen West Neighbourhood Walk

Saturday's beautiful spring weather was the perfect opportunity for a stroll in one of my favourite neighbourhoods, "West Queen West". This section of Queen Street West runs from Bathurst Street to the edge of Trinity Bellwoods Park at Strachan Avenue. It was a pleasant way to spend a leisurely afternoon, browsing through the many wonderful boutiques & shops.

Let's begin our walk on the southwest corner at Queen and Bathurst:

Morba, 667 Queen Street West:
Mid-Century Modern Furniture, Decor & Lighting
New & Vintage, Authentic & Reproduction



macFAB, 600 Queen Street West:
Fabric, Notions & Drapery Hardware


Urban Barn, 610 Queen Street West:
Contemporary Furniture & Home Decor


Urban Mode on Queen, 620 Queen Street West:
Modern Home Decor - Think Polypropylene, Acrylic, Glass & Chrome
Main Location at 145 Tecumseh (just around the corner)


Neat, 628 Queen Street West:
Extreme Home Organization


Jalan, 699 Queen Street West:
Southeast Asian Furniture Imports, Antique & Reproduction


Chatelet & Chatelet Kids, 717 Queen Street West:
French Inspired, Girly Home Decor





Kolkid, 674 Queen Street West:
Everything for little ones - books, toys & decor


Pavilion, 739 Queen Street West:
Chic Home Decor & Furniture




Dexterity, 773 Queen Street West
Well chosen home Decor & Furnishings


Magic Pony, 694 Queen Street West:
Pure Fun plus Art Gallery
Current Exhibition: Easily Forgettable by Jon Izen Solo



Quasi Modo, 789 Queen Street West:
This store has the Real Deal!!
Jonathan Adler, Kartell, Herman Miller, Knoll, Vipp...




Paloranta, 833 Queen Street West
Extensive selection of Marimekko Fabrics & Home Decor Items
Original Artwork



As I'm sure you've already presumed, as in most of my shopping expeditions, I didn't go home empty handed. It was a pleasure meeting Teemu Paloranta, the artist who created this abstract piece which now hangs in my dining area:


To see a Google Map featuring the locations discussed in this post, follow this link:
West Queen West Neighbourhood Walk

20 Degrees Celsius

I may have seemed slightly out of mind back in February as I loaded outdoor chairs into the trunk of my car during a snowstorm, but I was certainly well prepared for today's first hit of spring weather. Thank you, Mother Nature, keep 'em coming!!

Here are the results of today's 5 minute balcony makeover:

Before

After

The What & The Where:

Outdoor Chairs, Pier 1 Imports, www.pier1.com
Outdoor Rug, Kitchen Stuff Plus, www.kitchenstuffplus.com
Moroccan Drum Table, West Elm, www.westelm.com
Moroccan Lantern, L'Atelier, 1224 Yonge Street

A Real Beauty

It's ALIVE!!

High Hopes

I'm not much of a horticulturalist, and most of those who know me will tell you that I can kill a cactus in the bat of an eye. And yet I try, try again. The latest specimen is a Ranunculus, and I have high hopes that this is the one that will bloom & grow and prove that all those that passed before were just inferior breeds...

...Good luck, little one!!

Modern Day Conveniences

Most people who own dishwashers (including myself) will tell you that they normally wash the pots & pans separately by hand, since they require extra scrubbing. The problem I have with this is that I hate to do dishes more than anything else in the whole world!! As I scrubbed the tube pan that had been sitting in the dishpan for a week and a half, I thought about how thankful I am to the person that invented the dishwasher. Her name is Josephine Cochrane, and she received the patent on her invention in 1886. Thank you Josephine!!!


I couldn't live without my dishwasher, and it got me thinking about all of the other modern day conveniences that make life so much easier.

These are my Top 5 "Can't Live Without" items:

apple iPod touch

It's a photo album, a web browser, a calendar,
a clock, a notebook and, oh yeah,
it holds my ENTIRE music library...

Harmony Universal Remote Control

I can control all of my electronic devices
(TV, Cable Box, DVD Player, Stereo)
with just ONE remote - amazing!!

SONY Digital Camera

Remember when it took 6 months to finish a roll of film?
Then take it to the store to have it developed...
...only to find out your eyes were closed in every photo?

SONY Laptop Computer

It's my lifeline to the outside world!!

Tassimo Beverage System
Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, espresso,
cappucino, latte...
...just touch the button.

What are your top 5?

Design Details: Bedding

After reading through the reviews my home received from voters in Apartment Therapy's Small Cool contest, I noticed that many people commented on the bedroom duvet cover. It's true that since the focal point of a bedroom is almost always the bed, it's important to choose great bedding. This selection sets the colour scheme for the room, and can also create a mood.

Last week on Sarah's Cottage, the East guest room had a bright, sunny feel, while the West room had a cooler vibe. Notice how the colours in the bedding set the scheme for the entire room:

East Room

West Room

Finding the perfect bedding can be difficult - I found mine at Quilts, Etc. It's called Sienna, by Carlingdale:


I also like this Pearlized Sequin Duvet cover from Simon's (only in Quebec):


A classic pinstripe from Restoration Hardware always looks crisp:


This orange tile print from Pottery Barn could inspire a Moroccan theme:


With so many options, it helps to know what colours you like and what the kind of mood you want to create. Most importantly, choose bedding that you love!!