{ Archive for the ‘Q&A’ Category }

designer interview: windsor smith

Screen shot 2012 11 20 at 2.19.20 PM designer interview: windsor smith

SAH You describe yourself as a lifestyle architect – what does that mean?
WS I’m always considering how we can shift the old paradigms of how rooms are architecturally set up to best suit the way we live. I want to set people up for a better lifestyle within the context of their home – it’s more anthropological than it is interior decor. For example, having a games table in the room adjacent to the kitchen would inspire family time because they’d naturally go to that table after dinner and maybe play backgammon. But if that table never existed, no one would think to go there – the room would just become a pass-through. I want to take a room from something you’re just looking to something you’re actually living in.

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designer interview: peter wilds

It was a delight to interview hip Vancouver designer Peter Wilds for a feature in Style at Home’s January 2013 issue.

His ability to juxtapose opposite elements like masculine and feminine, elegant and industrial, unique and classic is impressive. As is his talent for making the quirky look chic – his obsession with skulls single-handedly made me feel better about my love of guns (…in terms of home decor, that is).

PWD bio designer interview: peter wilds

Peter Wilds in his Gastown, Vancouver, studio. Photograph by Janis Nicolay

But what I didn’t have room to include in the article was where Peter’s style comes from – how he got into the business, where he got started and what inspires him. How lucky, then, that blogs aren’t nearly as limited in space.

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design icon: tea with lord wedgwood

Interviewing incredible design icons just happens to be one of the many perks of this job, but only every now and then do we have the honour of sitting down with a legend.

Last month, design editor Jessica Waks and I enjoyed afternoon tea with Lord Wedgwood, great grandson of Josiah Wedgwood, who started perhaps the best-known and best-collected tableware brand in the world, Wedgwood (now Waterford-Wedgwood-Royal Doulton) more than 250 years ago. We chatted about everything, from tea to terrible cooking, from spectacular dishware to Downton Abbey, and walked away, under the spell of British charm, to bring tea time back to our own homes.

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Jess and I with Lord Wedgwood

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one-on-one with steven and chris

I had the pleasure of meeting up with one of Canada’s favourite design duos at the Winnipeg Home Expressions Show earlier this year. The pair I speak of are the oh-so fabulous Steven Sabados & Chris Hyndman - co-hosts of the popular daytime talk show CBC’s Steven & Chris and regular contributors to the Style at Home magazine.

It was with a bit of nerves and a whole lot of excitement that I sat down with the guys to talk about everything from life as a celebrity designer to where they look for design inspiration. Their close ties with the blogging community make them all the more endearing and the perfect topic for today’s post. So, without further delay, here’s a look into the lives of Steven & Chris. Enjoy!

 

Steven Chris w one on one with steven and chris

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blogpodium 2012: connecting the design community

One of the best part’s of my job is connecting and working with talented, knowledgeable and influential people in the interior design industry. From designers to editors to stylists, the opportunity to learn is endless and thanks to people like Jennifer Flores and Lindsay Stephenson, this opportunity is becoming more and more available to everyone.

blog podium 460 blogpodium 2012: connecting the design community

From interior design shows to tweet ups, the decor dialogue continues to grow exponentially. Thanks to online platforms like magazine websites, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, and blogs, the talent seen in magazines is becoming more accessible to the mass public. Likewise, talent from all across the nation is being recognized and shared.

Enter creator of Rambling Renovators, Jennifer Flores, and Little House Blog, Lindsay Stephenson. These two passionate and driven women have created something to truly connect the design community on a more personal and educational level in Canada: BlogPodium. I was fortunate enough to chat with co-founder Jennifer to find out the ins and outs of this fantastic event.

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15 questions with toronto textile guru virginia johnson

Toronto textile guru Virginia Johnson has gained international acclaim for her designs, from resortwear and homeware for her own eponymous brand to stationery and journals for Kate Spade. We recently caught up with Virginia, who’s getting ready to move her flagship store to 970 College Street in Toronto this spring, to find out where she started, what inspires her and what’s next!

portriat june 09 poet 682x1024 15 questions with toronto textile guru virginia johnson

photo by Miriam Johnson

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one-on-one with Tommy Smythe

Every so often, these moments come along that you just know are going to stick with you forever. My one-on-one chat with Canadian interior designer and TV personality Tommy Smythe earlier this year was certainly one of these moments. Tommy is the witty and well-loved design partner to Sarah Richardson of Sarah Richardson Design. Together they’ve starred in several hit decorating shows, including HGTV’s Sarah’s House and Sarah 101.

Last year, I was flying high from simply watching Sarah present at the 2011 Winnipeg Kitchen Bath & Renovation Show (check out the scoop on Sarah’s presentation HERE). Little did I know that I would be peppering Tommy at this year’s show (KBR12) with all of the questions that I had been dying to know since I first watched him and Sarah on Design Inc. many years ago.

To my delight, Tommy was every bit as sweet, inspiring and authentic in person as I had known him to be on TV. Read on to learn exactly what makes Tommy tick!

Tommy Smythe Photo one on one with Tommy Smythe

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