{ Posts Tagged ‘2009’ }

a lament for discontinued ikea

It is with deep sadness and regret that I wish to inform you that IKEA’s Arvinn chair is not long for this world…

arvinn a lament for discontinued ikea

Parting with a favourite piece can be such sweet sorrow. The Arvinn – perhaps the ultimate folding cafe chair – will remain in stock in the woody Antique Stain, but I always preferred the White option, and that’s the one that’s headed for the great IKEA Museum in the Sky by the end of June. At only $50 bones a pop, I’d strongly suggest you rush out and pick up as much of these as you can before they start disappearing forever. They’re a fantastic small space solution — just hang them on the wall folded when they’re not in use — and the price point simply can’t be beat.

 

I was also surprised to find another iconic IKEA release has recently vanished from shelves, and that’s the Stockholm green glass vase:

stockholmgreen a lament for discontinued ikea

This was one of those contemporary classics that seemed to pop up in every interior, making it more of a natural choice for discontinuation (is that even a word?), if only because of its overexposure. Still love it, though.

 

But there’s no single IKEA piece that I miss quite like the Lack sofa table.

lack a lament for discontinued ikea

This pared-down, Parsons-style stunner was probably the most versatile table that IKEA’s ever released. I’ve owned about five or six of them — three of which were purchased the second I heard these were being discontinued in mid-2005 — and they’ve served me so well. As a standard sofa table, anchoring a floating piece of furniture in a room; as a console in the front hall; and even as a makeshift breakfast bar, the Lack tackled all of my small space dilemmas with simplicity and style, and is sorely missed.

Of course, discontinuing stock is a spring cleaning ritual that means exciting new releases are just around the corner. I’m off to Sweden at the end of May to report on all the amazing new products IKEA’s dreamt up for 2009 that will have your “loving your home” more than ever. Will keep you posted!

 

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see karl lohnes… live!

karlos see karl lohnes... live!

He’ll tell you what you need, what you really, really need!

(Yes, I’m still haunted by the Spice Girls.)

Karl Lohnes, our very own Contributing Style Editor, will present “What You Really Need: Decorating for 2009″ at the College Park location of DeBoer’s on Saturday, February 7. If you’ve never had the chance to see Karl live, I strongly suggest you RSVP online right away because space is limited. With his wealth of experience — and armed with a razor-sharp wit — Karl’s presentations are always a huge hit at trade shows, and in the intimate setting of DeBoer’s gorgeous College Park showroom (an inspiration in itself), this is not to be missed. Karl’s gonna dish on decorating trends for the upcoming year, suggest the new must-have accessories, furniture and paint colours, and he may even hold the solution to your design dilemma… Oh, and it’s FREE.

See you there!

What You Really Need: Decorating for 2009

Saturday, February 7, 11:00AM – 12:00NOON

DeBoer’s College Park, 444 Yonge St., Toronto

RSVP online at events@deboers.com or 800-265-2637

updating my kitchen backsplash

Happy New Year! I hope each and every one of you enjoyed a wonderful holiday. I know I did. But it never ceases to amaze me how quickly it goes by. It seems like Christmas Eve was just yesterday and now it`s January 5 and I`m back at work. Boy, I hope this winter goes by fast!

So, I don`t know how many of you made new year`s resolutions this year — you know, those dirty little promises we tend to make and break? While personal resolutions are private, we asked the Style at Home staff about their around-the-house resolutions for 2009. You can read about them here.

grayglass border updating my kitchen backsplashMy around-the-house resolution is to finally get around to updating the backsplash in my kitchen. I hate the one that`s there and I dream of something more striking like glass, which can be illuminated beautifully with under cabinetry lighting. I was originally thinking of one-inch by one-inch glass tiles but then I saw this backsplash (pictured here), which is also quite lovely. This is from New York-based Grayglass. Grayglass will custom-make glass backsplashes with coloured and patterned glass, according to their clients` specifications. Ooh! The options! Now I can`t decide what I want to do. But it`s only January; I have time, right?

If you`re thinking of doing a kitchen renovation this year, check out our kitchen section; it`s full of helpful ideas for creating your dream kitchen.

must have: wall calendar

calendar must have: wall calendar‘Tis the season for calendar kiosks in the mall, and whenever I pass by these booths, I’m struck by how kitschy the options are. I can get girls on the hoods of classic cars, kittens, or The Far Side. And as much as I love The Far Side, I’d never consider mounting it on my home office wall. Appointments are for journals, planners and BlackBerrys — not for guests to ogle whenever they stop by. So, what are my real options for marking the rapidly approaching days of 2009? How about the sleek Folle Wall Calendar, originally designed in 1982, and now available through Design Within Reach. The little red arrow slides across the linear steel bar to indicate the day of the month in an arresting design that’s ultra-mod, with a sprinkling of the set design of The Price is Right. Come on down to my home office!

Price: $190 US

Available at: Design Within Reach