Introduction: Style at Home Collection

There aren't too many moments in adulthood when you consider the day you've had and think, "That was quite possibly the best day ever!" Well, it happened to me, and I am telling you that Tuesday, September 25th was amazinggg!! It all started with a 6:30 am wake up, and it was all uphill from there. I was out the door by 7:15 and enjoyed a leisurely autumn stroll to Bay & Adelaide as the city slowly came awake around me.

I know you're wondering what would get me out of bed at such an early hour (I'm a notorious sleeper-inner), and the irresistible bait was an invitation from Style at Home magazine for a Breakfast In Bed event being held at the Trump International Hotel. Wow!! What a gorgeous setting to launch a beautiful limited edition home decor collection. The Style at Home line of bed linens, towels and kitchen ceramics looked right at home in the plush suite.

The Trump Hotel elevators are quite opulent.

Black & gold always is, don't you think?

The crown molding along the hallway was an indication of

what we would see in the posh two bedroom suite.

The city view from the suite was breathtaking!

The main event was a chance to get up close and personal with the limited edition collection from Style at Home, and I still can't get over the beautiful presentation. Crisp bed linens, fluffy towels and modern ceramics were ready for use throughout the two bedroom suite, and it was a match made in decor heaven.

Style at Home + Trump Toronto =  Tres Chic

Feast your eyes on home decor goodness!! 

There's even more good news. The extremely well priced limited edition collection is available to purchase online and right now shipping is being offered at a flat rate of $7.95 for all orders (this applies to Canada). What's already in my cart? The Large Plate, a set of Marieve Sheets, and a set of Solid Sheets in soft lilac.

Shop 'til you drop here: Style at Home

Oh, there's one more thing that made Tuesday the best day ever. I found a rug for the living room!! For now, here's a little sneaky peeky, but stay tuned for further details ;-)

All photos by Pamela Graham for Cherish Toronto.

Fall Home Show: My Pretty Picks

Yesterday I visited the Fall Home Show at the Better Living Centre at Exhibition Place - the building sits beside the beautiful Princess Margaret Fountain, pictured above. I can never pass by without snapping a photo of the Toronto landmark! But I digress, back to the Home Show visit. This show is a great launching pad for those planning an upgrade or remodel of their homes. Whether it's a kitchen, bath or basement renovation, there are plenty of exhibitors who can help turn your dreams into reality. 

For me, since I'm moving to a brand new condo, I will be decorating rather than renovating, but there were a few things that caught my eye as well. These are my top 3 picks for pretty:

(1) Natural stone tile in a chevron pattern from Creekside Tile Company. This would perfect as a kitchen back splash or an accent tile in the bathroom.

(2) Also from Creekside, this tiny circle mosaic was super cute at about half the size of a traditional penny round tile.

(3) There were several rug retailers at the show, and this gorgeous silk Bakhtiari rug from Persian Designer Rugs definitely caught my eye. Unfortunately it was too large - for both my space and my budget :-(

 

Visit the website for more details about participating exhibitors and celebrity guests: Fall Home Show

All photos by Pamela Graham for Cherish Toronto.

Real Life Rendering

 Remember this dining room mockup from last week?

And how about this one just a few days later?

Now what do you think of this?

Imagine my surprise when I saw the window of 1212 Decor (above) while window browsing along Yonge Street last night! Wall colour, check. Sunburst mirror, check. Faux panel molding, check. I wasn't sure how I would like the look of the mirror hanging past the panel edge, but it looks fine - no imagination needed. The addition of a pair of sconces is something I will definitely consider for the future. Me likey :-)

Down to the Wire

During the past year I've been "squirreling" away stashes of furniture, lighting, mirrors, lamps, art and wallpaper in preparation for the move to the new condo. The theory was that if I purchased these items over time there wouldn't be so many expenses all at once when it's time to take possession. Three cheers for planning ahead!!!

But now that it's getting down to the wire, I realize that there is still so much more :-( Despite the best laid plans there are still several outstanding essentials: I will require the services of a painter and movers, and then there's also the matter of a rug for the living room and a new bed for the master bedroom...

Dining Room Outstanding Items:

• Ceiling light fixture
• Fabric to recover dining chair seats
  
• Wallpaper? (still under consideration)
  

Guest Room Outstanding Purchases:

• None! Ready to Go
  

The living room won't see too many changes besides the switch to the vintage campaign dresser as entertainment console and hopefully a gorgeous rug. The new home office will be a built in desk and shelving unit near the front hall, which won't require more than a wireless network setup. The master bedroom promises to be the biggest challenge, where I'm planning for a fully upholstered bed, Chinoiserie wallpaper on the focal wall and a sweet PAX wardrobe system.

All in good time, my dear friends, all in good time...

BTW, I have listed the following items for sale on Kijiji. Please tell your friends!!
Ikea Bjursta
West Elm 2x2 White Console Desk

Oh, The Possibilities!!

As the final closing date for the new condo draws closer, time seems to be slowing down. Fourteen months have passed since I signed on the dotted line, and these final 2 months are going to feel like a lifetime. To pass the time I'm thinking about how to decorate the space, and this week I'm considering the dining area.

The dining area is one of the few spaces with its own wall. Most of "walls" in this condo are floor to ceiling windows, so this real wall is prime real estate!! The current idea is to install chair rail 36" from the floor, with panel molding below and wallpaper or paint above. I have a few pieces which must be used here because (A) they make sense in the dining area and (B) there are no other wall options. The dining wall must accommodate three items I already have: a white console, a pair of aqua glass lamps and a sunburst mirror.

Here are mockups of the possibilities I've considered so far, but since I've just started brainstorming, the options are wide open:

Above Option: Thibaut Shangri-La (White)
Verdict: The combination of the sunburst mirror
and the busy wallpaper is too overwhelming!!

Above Option: Thibaut Shangri-La (no mirror)
Verdict: The wallpaper is great without the sunburst,
but I really want to use the mirror in this space!!

Above Option: Thibaut Shangri-La
Verdict: Love the wallpaper surrounded by half round
trim, but this still doesn't work with the sunburst mirror.

Above Option: Thibaut Fusion Trellis (Aqua)

Verdict: This is a strong contender, since the mirror &
wallpaper work well together. But is it too much aqua?

Above Option: Harlequin Elite (Duck Egg/Gilver)

Verdict: A clean look, and the metallic stripes are
appealing, but it feels underwhelming.

Above Option: Galerie Fresh Floral (Green & White)

Verdict: I like this look!! It's clean & fresh with just a
hint of aqua. Plus I love the fabulous quatrefoil motif.

Above Option: Navy Paint (Such as BM Admiral Blue)
Verdict: It's dark. It's dramatic. It's paint, which
makes it the most inexpensive option.
But it's kinda boring, isn't it?

Above Option: Aqua Paint (Such as BM Glacier Blue)
Verdict: The panels created with half round molding
make this a much more interesting paint option.
(Colour options will ultimately be determined by
the area rug in the adjoining living room.)

PLEEEEEASE tell me what you think!! Any thoughts on the above options? Any ideas to add?

Welcome Home!

Hopefully many of you are already aware of the Welcome Home Sweepstakes, which raises much needed funds for the Princess Margaret Cancer Care Centre. The Grand Prize this year is a gorgeous home valued at more than $4.3 million and located in beautiful Oakville, Ontario. Thanks to the hard work of Lynda Reeves and the House & Home design team, this home is 100% ready for your family to move in and enjoy!!

Last Thursday, a group of bloggers were invited by Canadian House & Home for a special preview of the house, and it was such a lovely place to spend a late summer evening. I'm willing to bet that the beautifully landscaped yard will enjoy many barbeques, picnics and parties in the future :-)


I snapped a few "sneak peek" photos of the home (which you can see below), but be sure to pay a visit in person if you have the chance. Viewing just started this past Saturday, so stop by the home weekdays from 4 pm to 8 pm, and weekends from 12 noon to 5 pm.

A modern but classic and family friendly kitchen.
Best Feature(s): Marble island, Aga stove.

The perfect dining room to entertain family & friends.
Best Element: Chandelier.

Restful Master Bedroom with Ensuite Bath.
Best Element(s): Private deck, Soaker bath.

Welcoming Guest Room in Shades of Gold and Grey.
Best Element(s): Hickory Chair bed, duvet cover.

If you don't have a chance to visit the home, at the very least do yourself a favour and buy a ticket!! You can't win if you don't have a ticket, and really, everyone wins if you do get one :-) Help conquer cancer in our lifetime!

Click on this link for more access to videos and photos of this year's show home:
House & Home Presents

Above photos by Pamela Graham for Cherish Toronto.

Labour Day Already?

On The Road

I can't believe Labour Day weekend is already here. This summer went by faster than any other I can remember - what happened to the entire month of August?!?! On more than one occasion I woke up not knowing what day it was or where I was going that day.

Wasaga...?

Or Grand Bend...?

Or Wasaga...?

Or Grand Bend...?

You'll note that there are no sun & sand photos featured above - every excursion to and from the beach stores is exclusively for work - no play allowed :-( My role with my employer is that of women's wear buyer and merchandiser, including all visual display for our two retail locations. And as exhausting as it is, the summer months are my favourite time at work, since it gives me the opportunity to be creative.
This holiday weekend is split - I spent Saturday in Wasaga Beach and on Monday I'll be in Grand Bend. With one day to enjoy some leisure time, I decided to spend Sunday afternoon watching the Canadian International Air Show. It was my first time seeing the show, and it was lots o' fun. I am sure you have enjoyed an incredible summer, and I hope you are looking forward to autumn - the cozy season. I plan to get back to blogging on a regular basis, so I hope to see you here more often!!

Harvards

Snowbirds

All photos by Pamela Graham.