{ Archive for February, 2010 }

dress up unsightly cables

022410esconder cables dress up unsightly cables
Speaking of camouflaging your home tech, check out this fun update for unsightly cables. For flexible cables, there are tons of solutions for wrapping them up to hide them, but what about the old school ones that have a fixed shape? You know, the ones you find in old apartments and lofts that ruin the perfect look you’re going for.

Well, when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Try jazzing up stubborn cables with cute decals like these from PA Design. I would probably paint the cord the same colour as the wall as well, so that is blends in. Let’s be honest though — this is definitely a project you can do at home to save a few bucks and have fun with your space.

looking for new floors at tarkett

I`m getting ready to install new floors in my condo and I`ve been looking at the options at Tarkett. Tarkett offers a wide variety of flooring options: Fibrefloor, vinyl, laminate, wood and luxury tile.

I`m preparing to replace the laminate floor that`s currently in my condo with wood and while I`ve just begun looking at my options, below are the three colours/woods I`m considering … at the moment — these could change as I find more options! But for now, here are the three that have caught my eye. What`s your vote? Leave a comment and let me know! I need help deciding!

tarkett floors looking for new floors at tarkett

walt disney wallcoverings

I’ve always meant to sit down and watch Walt Disney’s masterpiece, Fantasia. As a kid, the thought of a cartoon without dialogue was sacrilegious; but all those “films you must see before you die” lists grant it a top spot, so I figure they must be on to something. This latest bit of design news seals the deal.

The designers at York Wallcoverings — available in Canada through Crown Wallpaper + Fabric — looked to Fantasia for inspiration in developing the latest wallpaper collection for Walt Disney Signature. The verdict? Two very enthusiastic thumbs-up. I’ve always loved the Art Deco vibe of the Disney furniture pieces, and this wallpaper — very fanciful by nature of its source material — complements the line beautifully.

Take a a look at how Disney’s animations from Fantasia informed the wallpaper designs… Stunning!

Fantasia artwork:

picture 63 walt disney wallcoverings

Inspired design: Illuminata in White on Lime, WD2920

picture 72 walt disney wallcoverings

Fantasia artwork:

picture 81 walt disney wallcoverings

Inspired Design: Pixie on Teal (with glass beads!), WD2930

picture 91 walt disney wallcoverings

Fantasia artwork:

picture 101 walt disney wallcoverings

Inspired design: Sparkle in Pearled Almond with Glitter Sand, WD3974

picture 11 walt disney wallcoverings

Fantasia artwork:

picture 12 walt disney wallcoverings

Inspired design: Tendril in Beige & Metallic Beige on Off-White, WD2940

picture 13 walt disney wallcoverings

Fantasia artwork: Walt’s own signature!

picture 44 walt disney wallcoverings

Inspired design: (My FAVOURITE!!!) Filigree in Silver on Cream, WD2934

picture 52 walt disney wallcoverings

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cibc banking iphone app

cibc mobile banking app iphone cibc banking iphone app
Out of all of the banks in Canada, I always found CIBC to be lagging the most in terms of digital innovation. However, with the introduction of their new iPhone banking app (the first in Canada), I am loving their leap into the digital fast lane.

This free app is just as safe as internet banking, but is so much more convenient. You log in with your password each time and then have access to several functions of your regular account. You can pay credit card bills, transfer money between accounts, and do an e-mail money transfer to an outside account. The app also shows all of your bank and credit card transactions, and is up-to-date just like internet banking.

Easy, convenient and quick — I wonder how long it will take the other banks to hop on board.

how to hide your tv

One of the worst things to see when you walk into a living room is a big, bold TV. It’s also become a standard in Canadian homes — we all have them. As I plan to move into my very first house (goodbye crappy apartment!), I’m getting a bit stressed over where to put the TV. Should it go above the fireplace or wall-mounted somewhere else? Do I put it on a TV stand or hide it in a custom bookshelf?

There are so many options, but I do know that I don’t want it to be the focal point of the room. Although many electronics are being designed with colours that fit into your home’s decor, TV’s are still and always will be, big black rectangles.

Our design editor Christine Hanlon designed the space below and I love the way she incorporated dark colours in the wallcoverings so as to camouflage the flat screen. Check out more of Christine’s smart ideas on how to camouflage your tech.

decor notebook tv blog how to hide your tv

Photography by Mark Burstyn

looking ahead: spring 2010

cheryl torrenueva looking ahead: spring 2010Spring is just around the corner and I am beyond ready for it. Granted, this winter hasn`t been as terrible as years past but I`m eager for spring`s arrival and the feeling of rejuvenation that comes with it. Ushering in the new season means it`s time to lighten up — not just your wardrobe (by ditching that wool winter coat!) but your decor, too! What`s hot for spring 2010? I checked in with interior designer Cheryl Torrenueva to find out:

Natalie Bahadur: What are some of the leading trends for spring 2010?
Cheryl Torrenueva: In the bedroom: Dramatic lighting
Instead of table lamps, try hanging mini chandeliers or modern pendants over the side tables, which will ultimately give you more space for accessories!

In the bathroom: Classic materials in modern patterns
Use Bianco Carrera marble but with a twist. Add visual texture with a herringbone pattern or Great Wall (available at Saltillo Tile).

In the kitchen: Reflective and metallic finishes
Appliances are now available with mirrored or champagne finishes, faucets are in gold and bronze.

In the living room: Gallery style
Incorporate original artwork in large frames, add stacks of coffee table books and sculpture to add a personalized layer to your space.

NB: Can you provide some tips for incorporating the season`s trends into their home?
CT: Don’t be afraid to take risks and be creative!  Choose colours that you know that you will use for more than a season.

Try a retro graphic wallpaper or have a custom mural made to dress up a hallway.

Make a double-sided pillow or throw with one side as a solid colour and the other as a graphic pattern.  You can switch up the looks without having to make a second purchase!

Add details to your pieces. Whether it`s a ribbon border on a curtain or braided fringe on an antique chair, keep the look fresh and unique!

paloma picasso marrakesh collection for tiffany & co.

picasso blog paloma picasso marrakesh collection for tiffany & co.

Clockwise from top left: 18 kt. gold pendants, $5450 each; black onyx pendant with diamonds and emeralds, $20,000; sterling silver earrings, $575; 18 kt. yellow gold bangle, $5450; 18 kt. gold ring, $1150. Available this spring at tiffany.ca.

There are few things more beautiful in the world than jewelry, and Paloma Picasso does jewelry very well. Daughter of famous artist Pablo Picasso, Paloma has come into her own through designing exquisite jewelry for Tiffany & Co. for 30 years now.

Her newest work, the Marrakesh Collection, is — in my opinion — her most beautiful work to date. With intricate detailing, bold colours and a strong Moroccan influence, the Marrakesh Collection is full of statement pieces.

What’s so interesting to us about her collection, is that it was inspired by the patterns and colours of the tiles within her own Moroccan home. Paloma was able to take her appreciation of interior design and apply it to fashion design in such an extraordinary way.

How do you find inspiration in your own home?

lillian august mirrors

Forget your reflection — it’s the faboosh frames on these mirrors that are the fairest ones of all. These beauties are from the Lillian August Collection, which is a fairly recent addition to the lines carried at Oakville, Ontario’s stunning Cocoon. Extraordinary attention to traditional detail and the “instant heirloom” appeal of antique-finished gold and silver — with the occasional bit of Eglomise — elevate these mirrors to works of art.

Regency Oval

picture 161 lillian august mirrors

Barbados

picture 171 lillian august mirrors

Beauvoir

picture 181 lillian august mirrors

Hyde

picture 191 lillian august mirrors

Imperial

picture 201 lillian august mirrors

Lafayette

picture 43 lillian august mirrors

haitian tree of life

haititreeoflife haitian tree of life

What better time to show your support and buy a work of art produced by the Comite Artisanal Haitien, which represents more than 170 Haitian artisans and groups, than now, in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake?

This fabulous wall hanging is made from recycled oil drums, and represents the Tree of Life, the classic symbol of the interconnectedness of all life on earth.

It would look equally wonderful indoors or out, measures 24″ in diameter and has a protective coating to prevent rust.

Available at: www.serrv.org

Price: $46 (US)

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

trendspotting – dark high-gloss walls

I loved how my colleague Margot Austin responded to the always-difficult “what’s your fave paint colour” question in a recent interview (which you can read here). Instead of choosing a specific hue, the divine Miss M said her current obsession isn’t a colour, but rather a finish. “I’m planning to paint my house in a deep dark high gloss finish,” she says. “Very Billy Baldwin.” Now, Margot’s new dilemma is narrowing down her current glossy options — chocolate, navy or charcoal grey. I’d love to see her go navy, if only because I fell in love with this Miles Redd-designed interior that originally ran in the July 2009 issue of House Beautiful, which took Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue No. 30 down the lacquered route. The high-gloss finish adds such a rich depth of colour. So decadent and glamorous! (The drop-dead herringbone floor and superconfident hits of orange don’t hurt, either.)

picture 51 trendspotting dark high gloss wallsSource: House Beautiful, photography by Thomas Loof

picture 62 trendspotting dark high gloss wallsSource: House Beautiful, photography by Thomas Loof

picture 71 trendspotting dark high gloss wallsSource: House Beautiful, photography by Thomas Loof

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