{ Posts Tagged ‘furnishings’ }

colourful cantilever chairs

chairs colourful cantilever chairs

Happy birthday, Bauhaus!

It’s the 90th anniversary of the influential Bauhaus design school, where some of the 20th century’s most innovative designers experimented with the new malleable steel tubing, shaping it into furniture forms still recognizable today. 

To celebrate this special birthday, European furniture-maker extraordinaire Thonet is releasing a special edition of Dutch architect Mart Stam’s iconic S-43 Cantilever Chair. What makes this special anniversary re-issue even cooler are the colours — a glorious spectrum of textured enamel options that breathe new life into this design classic from 1931.

These iconic pieces of 20th century design always take me back to my grandma’s kitchen. In the 1980s, she had a couple of them upholstered in a burnt sienna vinyl (I wonder why that’s not an option in the reissue?…;), and I remember rocking them back and forth until they inevitably tipped over… Sorry, Mr. Stam…

art shoppe balcony sofa

artshoppe2 art shoppe balcony sofa

I love outdoor furniture that could work just as well indoors, and this super-luxe number fits the bill perfectly. Let’s play “spot the on-trend elements” with Art Shoppe’s stunning Balcony Sofa:

* Glossy finish (Love the lacquer look!)

* Fretwork frame (So fresh and summery!)

* Versatility (Imagine this in a front entryway as a place to perch when you’re taking off your shoes; OR pulled up to an extended dining table as an alternative seating arrangement; OR on the balcony…)

* Full weather resistance (It’s going to take a licking and keep on ticking!) 

Doesn’t it make you want to host a garden party? I can definitely see myself curled up on this beauty with a pile of cucumber sandwiches…

Balcony sofa in Orchid White (90 x 31 x 40″)

Available at: Art Shoppe, Toronto, 416-487-3211

go outdoors with gluckstein

daybed1 go outdoors with gluckstein

It’s gloriously sunny, a balmy 14-degrees, and there isn’t a trace of a breeze… I think it’s safe to start thinking ahead to summer. At last.

What better way to begin than with some great-outdoors inspiration courtesy of Brian Gluckstein? His new Gluckstein Home Summer 2009 collection for Home Outfitters is a dreamy outdoor extension of the comfort and style we expect from his interiors, and is surprisingly affordable. The day bed above is one of my fave pieces.

Gluckstein Home Bali Day Bed

Price: $600

 

Gluckstein also serves up some stylish smalls, including an incredibly detailed series of hose guides. (Just because it’s a garden doesn’t mean you can’t accessorize!)

 

prong21 go outdoors with gluckstein

Gluckstein Home Hose Guides

Price: $10 each

 

And he hasn’t ignored us urban apartment/condo dwellers, either. We may not have the luxury of a garden, but we can still have some “green”! Simply plop this cute boxwood spiral in a pretty planter, and you’ve got a balcony worth taking breakfast on.

boxwoodspiral go outdoors with glucksteinGluckstein Home four-foot boxwood spiral tree

Price: $140

All available at: Home Outfitters, 800-521-2364

must have: ikea furniture slipcovers

bemzslipcover must have: ikea furniture slipcoversIs 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 — a fantastic way to add a punch of colour over the holidays, and what could be cosier than curling up on chenille? 

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

Slipcover price: $309

Available at: Bemz