Style At Home Blog

must have: bird cake mould

by Brett Walther
Nov 20, 2008
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moule bird must have: bird cake mould Silhouettes are showing no signs of slowing down! We first did a feature on the rising popularity of this age-old art form back in the February 2008 issue of STYLE AT HOMEÂ (check out my interview with world-renowned cut-paper silhouette artist Karl Johnson here!), and the market is now positively booming with ever-more innovative decorative applications. I particularly love small and sweet animal silhouettes that pop up in totally unexpected places, like at the bottom of this Limoges porcelain cake mould from Iddko â€” a fantastic Canadian e-tail site that you *must* check out!

Price: $75

Available at: Iddko

must have: ikea furniture slipcovers

by Brett Walther
Nov 19, 2008
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bemzslipcover must have: ikea furniture slipcovers Is your Ektorp looking a little worse for wear?

Does your Klippan need a facelift?

Breathe new life into your fave IKEA furnishings with washable slipcovers from Bemz! Designed specifically to fit IKEA’s most popular furniture frames snugly, Bemz is the perfect solution for updating a sofa or chair at a fraction of the cost of custom reupholstering. They’ve recently added to their slipcover options this plush new chenille option in Cinnabar Red â€” a fantastic way to add a punch of colour over the holidays, and what could be cosier than curling up on chenille?Â

Bemz 100% cotton Chenille slipcover in Cinnabar Red (on IKEA’s Karlanda two-seater sofa)

Slipcover price: $309

Available at: Bemz

an elegant water pitcher

by Laurie Grassi
Nov 18, 2008
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Looking for a water pitcher with a built-in filter but want something with a more beautiful aesthetic than the usual stuff on the market? Look no further!

waterpitcher an elegant water pitcher Design Within Reach offers up this sleek stunner. The Charcoal Water Pitcher uses a mix of Binchotan charcoal and stones to filter and create mineral-rich water. The charcoal works on two levels: to ensure the water is potable (not a problem if you’re using tap water in the first place!) and as a deodorizer, so your water is odour-free — useful if you live in places where the water smells of things like sulphur.

The stones and charcoal last up to six months, depending on how much you use the pitcher, and the real beauty of the system is that that afterward, they can simply be chucked into your garden — no used filters to dump into landfills. Love it!!

Each stainless-steel-and-glass pitcher comes with one charcoal-and-stone set; additional sets can be purchased separately for $25 US each.

Available at: www.designwithinreach.com

Price: $85 US

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

must have: decorative spheres

by Brett Walther
Nov 14, 2008
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spheres must have: decorative spheres If I had to nail down an “it” accessory right now, “it” would certainly have to be decorative spheres. In glass, aluminum, plastic and wood, globes are certainly on a roll. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist…) Although a lot of the ones we’ve been seeing on the market are skewed towards either a rustic or tribal vibe, I’m partial to these textured gold beauties â€” again, something festive that could work just as well throughout the year.

Price: From $10 each

Available at: ChairTableLamp, Toronto, 416-934-1021

cachepots for christmas

by Brett Walther
Nov 13, 2008
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cachepotforblog cachepots for christmas I’m always on the lookout for showstopping seasonal greens, and I love these cachepots in a gorgeous warm metal finish. Hand-made by artisan Ron Dier, and available in an array of 22K semi-precious finishes, they’re fantastic festive floral vessels that could just as easily work year-round, switching out your fave potted plants.

Webster CachepotÂ

Price: $850 each ($945 each with planting)

Available at: Joan Eiley, Toronto, 416-968-0778

bring your table to life

by Natalie DiScala
Nov 12, 2008
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Delight your guests with a table that looks perfectly pulled together. It`s really not that hard. Pretty placemats, tablecloths and table runners instantly dress up a table and at trendexhome.com, you`ll find a huge assortment of styles, colours and patterns to choose from. The simple gesture of dressing your table will let your guests know that you care enough to go to a bit of trouble for them (though it’s really no trouble at all!).Â Or if you`re dining solo, it`s nice to do something special for yourself and set a pretty table before you sit down to eat. Boldly patterned pieces, like the ones pictured here, are a whimsical way to liven up stark white dishware. If your crockery is bold enough on its own, choose from simple but elegant solid colours — trendexhome.com has a wide assortment; you`re sure to find something that`ll suit your table just right!

These products also make a great Christmas present. Order by December 1 for delivery by December 22 in Canada and the United States.

For more information, visit trendexhome.com. For inspiring ideas for dressing your table in style, check out Style at Home’s tabletop section.

Etch-press yourself

by Corinna VanGerwen
Nov 12, 2008
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Gadgets can be pretty generic looking — even if they’re cooly designed, it’s still the same as what everyone else has. We’ll, a Montreal company is offering a service whereby you can put your own mark on your electronics, literally. Etchpression Customization Service can laser engrave nearly any laptop, mp3 player, cell phone or other device with an image of your choosing.

Price: $20 and up. Available at: Etchpression, Montreal Eaton Centre,Â 705 Sainte-Catherine W.,Â 514-885-8382.

corrugated cardboard art

by Laurie Grassi
Nov 12, 2008
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langanart corrugated cardboard art Brunswick Hills, Ohio-based artist Mark Langan sent me a comment today on my Brad Pitt-Kiehl’s post (to check out his comment, click here) and he said I would be blown away by his cardboard art and I was!

He was inspired to use cardboard when he noticed the fluted inner layer when tearing apart some cast-off boxes from his neighbours and thought he could create interesting effects by slicing, stacking and gluing it together in different patterns.

For more on his art, which at times has overt messages about recycling and waste, check out his site, as well as a review at www.inhabit.com, a fabulous blog that tracks trends in green products, design and architecture. Thanks for the comment, Mark!

Available at: www.langanart.com

Prices: available upon request

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

butler school – on the road!

by Brett Walther
Nov 11, 2008
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butlerschool butler school on the road! I’m so excited to be able to bring “The Butler Diaries” on the road!

“The Butler Diaries” (aka “My experience at Butler Boot-Camp”) was my favourite story to produce for the November 2008 issue of STYLE AT HOME. My assignment? Spend an evening with a nationally-renowned butler to get a sense of the roles and responsibilities of Jeeves in the 21st century.

On November 22, I’ll be sharing my experiences at Butler Boot-Camp at the Norwich Public Library in Norwich, Ontario, as a wrap-up to the library’s month-long “holiday entertaining” seminar series. You’ll learn how to apply a butler’s tips and tricks to your next holiday get-together, along with other great holiday entertaining ideas for centerpieces, table settings and more.

Space is limited, so register now with Lynn or Brett at 519-863-3307! See you there!

your bedroom as a sanctuary

by Natalie DiScala
Nov 10, 2008
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Especially as the weather turns cooler (um, it was snowing here this morning), I find solace in retreating to the calm and cozy sanctuary, better known as my bedroom. Styleathome.com has lots of ideas to help you turn your bedroom into a space that helps quiet your mind after a stressful day and ensures sweet dreams night after night. For easy decorating ideas to update your room, check out our simple and stylish tips that are easy on the eyes and the bank account. Check out our shopping guides; we`ve got beautiful bedding suggestions plus a mattress buying guide that`ll help you invest in the one that`s right for you. Kimberley Seldon offers her tips on where to splurge and where to save on bedroom decor. And, from carefully placing sheets and blankets to choosing the right duvets and pillows, get some easy pointers on how to beautifully make a bed. Seriously, we`ve got everything you need to turn your bedroom into a peaceful retreat you`ll never want to leave. Except that you`ll have to because, you know, you`ve got stuff to do.