Style & Decor Blog

I take comfort in the certainties in life. All kittens are cute. In every Martha Stewart Halloween special, she’s bound to say the word “ghoulish” 500 times. And the fact that Father’s Day is hands-down, the most difficult gift-buying occasion in the calendar year.

Dads are just so hard to buy for. Everything my dad wants, he goes out and buys for himself, leaving my sister and I the unenviable task of divining what he doesn’t know he wants. (Does that even make sense?)

That’s why I’m bucking the trend of a lifetime, and am scoping out Father’s Day gift ideas a month in advance.

This actually caught my eye at the Real Canadian Superstore the other day…

PC Home medium-size grill cover, $40

Sure, it’s tightroping the fine line between kitsch and cute, but since it’s a barbeque cover, I’m gonna cut it some slack. Barbequeing is meant to be fun! It’s totally cottage-casual, and as my dad is no stranger to splitting firewood, he’ll get a kick out of the forestry motif.

I’ll consider it option #1. More to come.

I’m really loving the new Edland collection at IKEA, and 99% of that love affair lies in the lower half of each piece – those cabriole legs are such an elegant detail, providing a light, graceful contrast to the otherwise imposing stained pine. I’d love to pair the dressing table with a prettily-printed skirted Parsons chair… It could even double as a home office workstation… 

Edland dressing table, $249

 

Edland bedside table, $129

What I’m most pumped about, though, is my exclusive preview of the new IKEA PS Collection next week… Tomorrow, I leave for Almhult, Sweden (the worldwide base of operations for IKEA!), to interview the delightful Wiebke Braasch, a designer behind two of the products in the exciting new line. Can’t wait to see what she’s cooked up for us this time, as her resume for IKEA includes the popular Skimra lampshades (the ones with that you can switch out in any number of colours)…

And the Vano easy chair…

Following that, I’m off to Copenhagen to soak up Danish design in its natural habitat… So crazy cited!

I’ll be blogging throughout my trip, so stayed tuned over the next week for some Scandinavian sweetness…

Hey, all you apartment and condo dwellers..

How perfect would this beautiful little bistro set be for your balcony? In synthetic woven resin and steel, it’s durable, folds for easy winter storage, and you can hardly take issue with the price – a staggering steal at only $130 for the three piece set. Loves!

Available at: PC Home

On CityLine, our contributing decorating editor Kimberly Seldon often references her “honey-do” list – a list of home improvement jobs for her honey to tackle. These are those sweaty, messy, not-exactly-glamorous tasks that only kick into high-gear aftera prolonged period of relentless nagging. You know the deal.

I’m sure that at the top of many honey-do lists this summer is the dreaded exterior paint job. The type that involves ladders and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of rollers.

And although I doubt she can come over to personally lend a hand in an exterior paint makeover, Sharon Grech, Benjamin Moore’s colour expert does provide some wonderful tips on tackling one of the most critical stages in the process – choosing the right colour. Here are her five basic cues on exterior hues:

1. Let architecture be your starting point. “For inspiration, look for houses like yours whose colours you admire,” Sharon says. “Or, if you’re interested in historical accuracy or appropriateness, research your home’s period style. Your local historical society may be a helpful resource, as well, as you dig for information.”

2. Consider the roof, driveway and chimney. “These are ‘givens’,” Sharon points out. “They’re existing elements that won’t be painted but that should play a role in determining your colour choices. For a facade that’s partially stone, using a similar colour will add visual harmony. If the fixed colours are intense – a terra-cotta tile roof, for example – a neutral colour, such as sand or a warm white, will bring balance.”

3. Consider the landscaping. Sharon suggests we select colours that fit in with the surrounding palette. “If you have brilliant-coloured spring blooming trees or a sea of green foundation plantings, choose colours that will complement them.”

4. Keep in mind your interior decor. Sharon warns that exterior paint colours that don’t correspond with your interior furnishings can be jarring. “The colours used on the windows or outside shutters, for example, should be in sync with those used on interior window treatments.”

5. Choose a colour scheme that is compatible with the other houses in the neighbourhood. “You don’t have to imitate the palette or application exactly,” Sharon says, “But you can put your own individual spin on similar colour combinations. Regional influences are also bound to affect your choice as you account for local terrain, seasons, interplay of natural lighting, and even history and culture.”

 

Check out how the same facade takes on entirely different looks with different treatments of Benjamin Moore paint, as proposed by Sharon.

Option 1: Go Coastal

Body - Barely Beige CC-140

Trim - Yarmouth Blue HC-150

Door - Blue Nose CC-800

 

 

Option 2: Drawing Attention to the Architecture

Body - Dolphin AF-715

Trim - Gardenia AF-10

Door - Dinner Party AF-300

 

 

 

Option 3: Warm & Classic

Body - Seaside Sand 2110-40

Trim - Muslin CC-110

Colonial Brick 2093-30

 

 

Option 4: Historic Hot Pick (Wethersfield Moss is one of the bestselling Historic Collection colours!)

Body - Wethersfield Moss HC-110

Trim - Roxbury Caramel HC-42

Door - Lenox Tan HC-44

 

For a taste of how your own home would cope with a fresh colour combo, check out Benjamin Moore’s Personal Colour Viewer. A great online tool!

 

 

Feel the heat! Pittsburgh Paints takes inspiration from old-world colonial Mexico with its new sun-baked Hacienda Style palette. 

 

 

Pittsburgh Paints collaborated with Karen Witynski and Joe P. Carr – award-winning authors of eight books on Mexican design, to come up with this 18-colour collection (15 of which are completely new additions to their Voice of Color paint program).

 

 

 

“With its rugged, romantic beauty, rich colours and time-honoured natural textiles, hacienda style is becoming an ever-increasing design influence,” says Witynski. “Walls become their own decorative accent. The traditional paint colours available from Pittsburgh Paints help homeowners and designers achieve classic hacienda style.”

 

So rich and rustic! For more haute haciendas, check out Witynski and Carr’s newly released book,  Hacienda Style (Gibbs-Smith, 2009).

 

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If the colour green was issued a report card, it would most certainly read, “plays well with others”.

When I was presenting a floral seminar recently, I suggested to the group that they start thinking of green as a neutral. Of course, there are different undertones to each green that make certain hues work better than others in a space, but the point I was making was that it’s much easier to “go green” (chromatically speaking) than you may have thought.

I was chatting with my good friend, IKEA Canada’s National PR specialist (and former Style At Home Associate Design Editor!) Tamara Robbins Griffith about this the other day, and found a fellow fan of this totally on-trend colourway.

“Green goes with every other hue,” Tamara says. “It integrates easily into existing decor, not just as accessories, but in larger furniture pieces as well.”

I asked Tamara to share her fave friendly greens currently in-store at IKEA, and she prepared this hot list for me, along with a few of her expert tips on how to make the most of these summery shades…

 

Karlstad sofa, $500, Karlstad sofa cover in Korndal green, $299

 

 

 

“Pick cushions that have different patterns or colours on each side,” Tamara says. “It’s like having two pillows in one!”

Jorun cushion cover, $6

 

 

“Bird motifs are playing a major role in home decor right now,” Tamara raves. “Textiles with nature-inspired patterns are perfect design fodder for drapery panels, roman shades or bedding.”

Cecilia cotton textile, $3/metre

 

 

 

Green is, of course, more than just a colour, Tamara says – it’s also a state of mind. “Stackable chairs save storage space as well as transportation emissions,” she points out. “This makes them a more environmentally-friendly choice.”

Urban chair in green, $50

All available at: IKEA, 866-866-4532

 

Poolside parties… Backyard barbeques… Relaxed, easy, breezy entertaining is what summer’s all about. I’m as big a fan of the casual ‘que as the next guy (after six months of winter, who isn’t?), but I also love adding a splash of the unexpected to that informal atmos to shake things up a bit.

Circ’s porcelain ice buckets offer a refined take on the cheap n’ cheerful galvanized pail. A totally refreshing twist on that summer serving staple, it’s a cool and contemporary way to keep your bevvies… Well, cool.

Add these brilliant white buckets to your shopping list as an al fresco entertaining essential!

Large, $52

 

Small, $32

Available at: Urban Barn

Woah.

Talk about a match made in heaven.

Check out the new Marimekko collection of custom IKEA furniture slipcovers from Bemz… Without a doubt, the best fabric options Bemz has put out yet.

Hello, fuchsia! What a striking statement piece… (Bemz also scores extra points for styling this shot with my all-time favourite bowl in the background - the red, stemmed Maribowl from Iittala!)

 

 

Marimekko is a Finnish design studio that absolutely epitomizes “freshness”. Their designers have basically defined the superchic Scandinavian modern aesthetic that’s now a global phenomenon.

 

 

Marimekko’s poppy print (”Unikko”) is probably the studio’s single most iconic contribution to design. Here, it breathes new life into IKEA’s Henriksdal Parsons chair.

 

 

And here, IKEA’s Klippan sofa gets the Unikko treatment.

There’s only 13 days left until these very merry Marimekko upholstery options are launched from the Bemz website… Check out the live countdown here!

It’s impossible not to adore Colin & Justin. And if your love for our fave Scottish imports runs a little deeper than the average Home Heist fan, you might want to check out the latest bodice-ripper from Harlequin.

Yes, the kilted hunk striking the lascivious-yet-brooding glare on Sophia James’ new “The Border Lord” is none other than our very own Colin McAllister.

Turns out both Colin and Justin pulled stints as “Fabio for a day,” having posed for Harlequin cover photos at a top secret photo shoot earlier this year. 

What does Colin have to say about his turn as a swoon-worthy highlander?

“We’re Fabio with extra FAB,” he says. “We’re Fabulousio!”

Hilar!

 

Read the full release here.

 

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Occasionally during my sleuthing, I come across something so unbelievably perfect, it’s like a designer has been rooting through all my worldly possessions, and created a product specifically for me.

This is one of those things.

Blue baby grand, Chelsea Pianos

Our Senior Design Editor, Margot Austin, came across this electric-blue baby grand on a recent jaunt to London, and I’m so grateful she took a quick snap. She said it positively screamed “Brett”, and she was spot on. My dream home (very much a dream at this stage) has a dedicated music room – IKEA’s white Markland high-gloss flooring, white grasscloth walls and a chandelier, with this gorgeous gem at the heart. What I wouldn’t do to tickle those ivories… 

 

Here’s an upright model. Slightly more apartment-friendly… 

 

 

And in pink!

Think Chelsea Pianos will spring for overseas freight?