Style At Home Blog

glam reusable shopping bags

by Laurie Grassi
Sep 3, 2008
Comments

There’s been an explosion of reusable shopping bags of late and I say, bring it on!

I love Envirosax’s line of super-lightweight bags not only because you can fold them down into incredibly small little bundles, but also because they come with tabs with snap closures, so they stay all neatly folded up in your purse when you’re not using them.

Each is capable of holding twice the amount of two grocery bags (that’s a whopping 44 pounds), and the pattern won’t fade away, no matter how many times you wash the bag.

They come in lots of beautiful colours and patterns, so you can match them to your outfits, and they’d make great little gifts!

Available at: www.envirosax.com

Price: $8.50 US

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

designer rugs

by Natalie DiScala
Sep 2, 2008
Comments

For some, a rug is a functional item to warm the floors, cover a stain or delineate a space. For others it`s an afterthought; a nice-to-have-but-not-necessary addition to a room. For others still, a rug is a statement; a bold declaration about style and aesthetic. It might be the special piece that an entire room is designed around or a find so beautiful it`s a guaranteed conversation starter. And for these people, there`s The Rug Company. With handmade designs from world-renowned designers like Vivienne Westwood and Diane Von Furstenberg, these fabulous rugs take rugs to a whole new level. And they`re super-exclusive, too, with stores in a handful of cities worldwide: London, New York, Los Angeles, Barcelona, Madrid, Moscow, Brussels, Copenhagen, Mexico, Oslo, Stockholm and Hong Kong. I can`t think of any better reason to hop on a plane to say, Barcelona, to check these beauties out.

For more information, visit: therugcompany.info

reusable bottles: go colour!

by Laurie Grassi
Aug 31, 2008
Comments

kleenkanteencolour1 reusable bottles: go colour! Klean Kanteen has got me craving a whole lot of colour with their new line of bottles.

Still made from recycled and recyclable stainless steel, but this time sporting a coat of punchy colour, these dishwasher-safe bottles are great for schlepping around town and even using at home.

Who needs those pointless plastic water bottles* anyway???

Available at: www.kleankanteen.com

Price: from $16.95 US

* In Toronto, as reported in The Globe and Mail, 100 million water bottles are managed by the city’s solid-waste program per year; only 65% are recycled. What happens to the rest of them? And what about the ones that somehow never make it into the waste system? Something to think aboutâ€¦

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

karl lohnes puts reuse to good use

by Laurie Grassi
Aug 30, 2008
Comments

kijijiroom1 karl lohnes puts reuse to good use With just a few days and a tight, student-friendly budget, STYLE AT HOME style editor Karl Lohnes turned an empty bedroom into a chic and colourful dorm-style retreat using buys from Kijiji Canada’s free local classified ads. The environmental lesson here? Buying new isn’t always necessary!

For more on exactly how Karl stuck to the reduce and reuse mantra and pulled the room together, view the story by Lauren McPhillips here.

Check out: www.kijiji.ca

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

candy-coloured computer speakers

by Corinna VanGerwen
Aug 28, 2008
Comments

Built-in computer speakers aren’t known for their audio quality, which is why, if you spend any time at allÂ watching online videosÂ or listening to tunes while you work, it’s worth it to invest in a decent subwoofer and speaker set. I like Edifier’s E3350 for its clean design and the shot of colour it will add to any home office set-up. Bonus: it includes a headphone jack and an input for MP3 players.

Price: $99

Available at: NCIX.com;Â Source by Circuit City; Wal-Mart

julien macdonald wallpaper

by Natalie DiScala
Aug 28, 2008
Comments

British fashion designer Julien Macdonald may be most famous for his work with Chanel and Givenchy but his eye for design obviously wanders from fashion to home decor with ease. I just love these wallpaper designs of his. Pictured left is Ornate in black and blue and features a gorgeous and intricate baroque-inspired design. I love the drama. Pictured right is Glamorous in black and pink and, well, I think the name says it all.

“This has been an inspiring, refreshing challenge, and I’m delighted with the collection” says Julien Macdonald about his first ever wallpaper collection. “The designs are a true reflection of the influences I experience through travel and my work as a fashion designer. Seeing my signature style of glamour and elegance translated onto wallpaper is an achievement I’m very proud of.”

We love it too, Julien. And if I can`t wrap my body in your clothes, at least I can wrap my walls in your paper.

Available online at: grahambrown.com
Price: $60/double roll

Click here for tips on hanging wallpaper with ease.

3-in-1 flashlight a bright idea

by Corinna VanGerwen
Aug 27, 2008
Comments

At the cottage, at home or out camping, this is the flashlight to have. An easy-to-open tripod and three multidirectional pivoting heads mean hands-free usability — just stand the flashlight up and point the light where you need it. Those three heads — they’re also individual flashlights that work on their own.

Available at: Stanley Tools

Price: $34.99

bathroom bling

by Brett Walther
Aug 27, 2008
Comments

a6l 151 a02 bathroom bling Jamie Drake knows glamour, and the New York-based designer’s new Profil faucet for THG’s Jamie Drake Bath Collection is positively fierce. Boasting cross-handles with black Lalique crystal inlay, this is some seriously showstopping bath hardware. For the latest trends in bathrooms – and our own showstopping baths section – check out the October 2008 issue of STYLE AT HOME, on stands soon!

Price: From $5,157

Available at: THG for dealers

reflective mood

by Brett Walther
Aug 27, 2008
Comments

trump mirrored nightstand reflective mood One of my favourite tasks as a Style Sleuth is finding out what’s flying out of the showrooms of Canada’s hottest decor retailers. When I recently spoke with Suanne de Boer, General Manager of DeBoer’s, she noted that mirrored surfaces continue to be a big hit on everything from furnishings to accents, and running the gamut from traditional to modern styles. Here’s the Gotham Mirrored Single Dresser from DeBoer’s Trump Home Collection – yes, that’s The Donald’s own line. I admire the substantial, masculine design of this piece – it’s a great counterpoint to the delicate mirrored finish.

Price: $1,039

Available at: DeBoer’s

pure design

by Brett Walther
Aug 27, 2008
Comments

041h7120 pure design Mark Tuesday, September 30, on your calendars! My good friend and colleague Samantha Pynn – STYLE AT HOME’s Design Editor – will be hitting the small screen with the premiere of Pure Design, her new series for HGTV. Over the course of 13 episodes, Samantha will be refreshing tired spaces, breathing new life into everyday rooms in her inimitable style. You can catch a sneak peek of the show in our October issue (just hitting newsstands now!), in which we go behind the scenes of Sam’s spectacular before & after transformations…Â