{ Archive for June, 2009 }

bubble outdoor wicker lounge chair

bubble wicker chair bubble outdoor wicker lounge chair
Tomorrow is Canada Day and I`m sure Canadians across the country are counting down the hours until it`s time for that delightful summer holiday to begin! If only the rain would let up where I live, tomorrow will be the perfect day for hanging out in the sun, enjoying some delicious summer fare (fresh fruits and veggies and barbecue, of course!) and resting and relaxing with friends and family. The picture above perfectly illustrates where I`d like to be tomorrow: poolside under the sun, with a fruity drink in one hand, a magazine in the other, and oh-so-comfortably ensconced in one of these chairs.

I`m loving these chairs. These bubble wicker chairs add so much style to outdoor living and can instantly turn your backyard into an effortlessly chic retreat. I love the orange and turquoise combination, too! How summery!  All pieces are constructed with a rust- and corrosion-proof aluminum frame and have a baked on enamel finish. They`re available in three different colours of wicker and a variety of fabric finishes, too. They don`t come cheap ($2,295.00 USD) but some things are worth the splurge! Visit homeinfatuation.com for more information and more ideas for stylish outdoor living. And for more great decorating and design inspiration, follow me on Twitter!

incase iphone battery pack slider

black2 incase iphone battery pack sliderEveryone who meets me quickly discovers that I am obsessed with my iPhone. From the iCalendar to all the amazing apps and little convenient details, my iPhone has grown to become a reliable friend (hey, how many friends do you have that will send you alerts whenever you have an important meeting?). However, there is one itsy, bitsy, kinda big detail that bums me out: the battery life. Now, I understand that I use it all the time and it’s a portable phone, iPod, camera and computer all in one, but by the end of the day, I’ve got about 30% battery power left. Not ideal for a gal on the go.

Enter Incase, seasoned pros when it comes to cases and covers for your dear-to-the-heart gadgets. Their Power Slider case includes a lithium ion battery that doubles the battery life of the iPhone, plus you don’t have to remove the case to charge the battery or update your phone.

Can you say ‘genius’?

Incase Power Slider $100, Apple Store.

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west elm’s organic cotton cushion covers

westelmcushion west elms organic cotton cushion covers

So pretty! These 20″-square cushion covers are a lovely way to change up your decor for the summer.

They come in four simple but stunning colours (from top) — Natural, Sea Spray, White and Clay — are knit from undyed organic cotton, and are machine washable, so no worries when it comes to care.

Perfect!

Available at: www.westelm.com

Price: $29 US each

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Do you have a product you’d like to recommend for this blog? Email me at naturalchic@styleathome.com!

loving long point, ontario

beachaccess loving long point, ontarioAustin Parkway public beach access, Long Point, Ont.

The August issue of STYLE AT HOME will be hitting newsstands this weekend (yay!), and the theme of the issue is “Simple Summer” — gorgeous summer getaways and easy, breezy outdoor living. 

Last weekend, I had the chance to ditch the sweltering urban heat island (I’m so not a fan of Toronto in the summer!) and escaped to my own slice of heaven — Long Point.

Long Point is a 40-kilometre sandspit that juts from southwestern Ontario into the warm waters of Lake Erie, and has been my summer getaway since I was a kid. Wide, sandy beaches, lined with whispering poplars that glint like silver in the summer sun, and an unpretentious atmosphere among the cottagers who have a real passion for the place… Regional Road 59 takes you down the fascinating Causeway, flanked on either side by marshes teeming with turtles and birds (over 300 species fly through Long Point through the year), and terminates at the Provincial Park — the fourth oldest park in the province. 

One of my fave activities on the Point, of course, is to go dream cottage shopping. I’ve always loved this buttery-yellow beachfront property, which sold two summers ago for a prince’s ransom (I’d heard $750,000, but that’s local gossip talking).

yellowcottage loving long point, ontarioWhy do I love it? It’s a combination of knockout location, with a modest, charming design that doesn’t take away from the splendour of the landscape (Long Point is recognized as a United Nations World Biosphere).

The most famous property on the Point, however, has got to be the Old Cut Lighthouse.

lighthouse loving long point, ontarioBuilt in 1879, the three-storey fort-style beacon with a fascinating history is now a private residence, lovingly restored. The renovation actually won a number of awards, including “Most Outstanding Historical Renovation in Ontario”. Isn’t the fence awesome?!

lighthouse2 loving long point, ontario

I’ve always wanted to see inside, and a little websleuthing brought up these tasty snaps. You can also see the shabby state the lighthouse was in towards the end of the 1990s… The transformation is nothing short of stunning!

peony floral arrangement

peonies peony floral arrangement

I was at a press launch yesterday at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Toronto, and had my buddy Corinna vanGerwen take a shot of this floral arrangement in one of the hotel’s penthouse suites. (One camera + my arsenal of manpurses = one frequently misplaced camera)

Now, nobody doesn’t love peonies, and these super-soft pink varieties are especially pretty. But I’m not sure how I feel about the juxtaposition of the understated elegance of the pink peonies with the harsh, angular greenery that cuts jagged slashes through the arrangement. It’s certainly eye-catching, and adds an edge to an otherwise soft and subdued flower… 

What do you think? Pretty pairing, or mismatched?

tech-free friday: designs by val

designsbyval tech free friday: designs by valI have a serious problem when it comes to paper — I can’t pass by an Indigo, Papyrus or Kate’s Paperie store without entering and spending oodles on pretty-pulped products.

Check out these super-cute cards from Vancouver paper princess Valerie Lau. Her online shop, Designs by Val, is a must-visit for those interested in simple and stylish notecards. The cards are printed on high quality linen stock that’s made from post-consumer recycled paper and feature adorable graphic designs created by Valerie herself. In the words of the world’s favourite cele-brat Paris Hilton, “That’s hot.”

Missing Puzzle, Cherry Lanterns and Typewriter all available at designsbyval.com

williams-sonoma margarita maker

picture 17 williams sonoma margarita makerI may not be a Parrothead, but heck, take me on down to Margaritaville! As my boyfriend and I complain like a broken Jimmy Buffet record about the heat in our apartment, I can’t help but crave everything frozen. Ice cream, popsicles, a frozen drink… or two.

Williams-Sonoma eases my sweat-laden woes with their Premium Margaritaville Trio Frozen Concoction Maker, which has 3 pitchers available to hold 72 oz. That’s a heckuva lot of margaritas, perfect for a pool party (speaking of which, anyone have a pool I can frequent?). This frozen drink maker is truly heaven sent, as it features two mechanisms: one for shaving the ice, and a second for perfectly pouring the right proportion of ingredients and ice into each pitcher. With 6 different blending settings, you can easily concoct the most delish margaritas, mojitos, smoothies, or mudslides. Save one for me!

Premium Margaritaville Trio Frozen Concoction Maker $500 US, Williams-Sonoma.

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meet jane francisco

jane meet jane francisco

With a new editor-in-chief at the helm here at STYLE AT HOME magazine, everyone’s clamouring to hear more about Jane Francisco. The former editor-in-chief of Wish magazine (amongst other titles in her impressive 18 years in publishing) will be joining our team in July, and we’re all pumped to work alongside this style-savvy mag-maven. Jane popped by the office this afternoon for an impromptu chat with yours truly, and, wanting you to have a chance to get to know her as well, I asked her a few questions, rapid-fire style!

Here’s Jane on…

Her proudest career achievement (other than becoming STYLE AT HOME’s new editor-in-chief, of course): “At the time, placing runner-up for my work at Venue magazine at the National Magazine Awards.”

Her fave colour: “It changes over the years. Right now, it’s somewhere in the category of ‘orange’. Orange is my new neutral.”

Her style: “I consider myself to be an extreme eclectic. I’m lucky enough to have a cottage, which allows me a second decor personality. I’m interested in a broad range of styles and trends — if I like something, I like it. Not to say that I’m not influenced or interested in trends; but I don’t just stop liking something if it’s no longer ‘trendy’.”

What’s on her iPod: “Mostly 80s stuff. I made up a huge collection that I call “Forgotten 80s” – stuff that’s not played regularly, but totally takes me back. Psychedelic Furs, Level 42, Alphaville…”

Her last home purchase: “Siding for my boathouse on Lake Joseph.”

What’s on her home shopping list: “I’m looking for a really good kitchen table. I want it to have a bit of personality, and to bring the feel of the cottage indoors. Something round and rustic… I’ve also got an oval Saarinen dining table that needs some chairs — something comfortable and upholstered.”

What’s on her nightstand: “I just finished reading The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, so I need a follow-up that’s extremely light. In the pile is Chasing Harry Winston, which might be a nice frothy antidote!”

Karate-chopped pillows or natural, as-is pillow styling?: “Natural!”

Welcome, Jane!

plaid gadget cases

plaid2 plaid gadget casesPerhaps it’s my Scottish blood, or perhaps it’s just my love for classic patterns, but tartans and plaids make me go nuts. Totally stylish, plaids have the power to take almost anything from shabby to chic. Above are a few ab fab gadget cases, covers and skins in a variety of price points (c’mon… you know you’re going to have to pay a lot to sport that Burberry tartan).

1 Speck Plaid Fitted Case for iPhone 3G $30, Apple Store.

2 Haymarket slim laptop bag $795 US, Burberry.

3 Gingham laptop adhesive $30 US, iamhuman.

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smells like a flower shop room spray

smellslikeflower smells like a flower shop room spray

I’m not generally into room sprays, preferring to just keep things clean and fresh smelling that way, but we work right next door to the Canadian Living Test Kitchen, and sometimes when they’re cooking something fishy, garlicky or overwhelmingly greasy first thing in the morning, it’s all we can do to not flee from our offices.

Smells Life a Flower Shop Body & Room Spray has been a saviour on those occasions.

Made by Canadian company Mythical Matters, this spray is so natural you can use it as a perfume, and it really does smell just like a flower shop — truly evocative, but in a really subtle way, of fresh-cut greenery and beautiful blooms.

It’s made of water, alcohol, witch hazel distillate, aloe vera extract, glycerin and perfume and comes in a recyclable amber glass bottle; a percentage of every sale will be donated to the Toronto Wildlife Centre.

Available at: www.mythicalmatters.com

Price: $24.99 (8 oz.)

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Do you have a product you’d like to recommend for this blog? Email me at naturalchic@styleathome.com!

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