Style & Decor Blog

Off the top, a giant huzzah and merci beaucoup to my pal the Style Sleuth for inviting me to guest here in his regular cyber spot. I’m just back from the gala opening of the Interior Design Show 2010 at the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto and I have seen the light! I’ve been thinking a lot about light these days — or the lack of it around these parts this time of year — so it’s no wonder that great new lighting designs were my top takeaway from tonight’s first go ’round. Here’s what I spied:

Very cool sconces in one of the sheds designed for the 5 Small Rooms exhibit. This space by Stephane Chamard and Francoise Turner Larcarde of FTL+SC Studio.

Tout le monde was ooohing and aaaahing over these lovelies. 20 IKEA PS MASKROS — giant paper spheres inspired by dandelions. Simple, yet magical.

…And just a few booths away, the Moooi Raimond spheres at the Klaus booth.

An ethereal cascade of hand-blown glass spheres by Gregor Herman, some with colour, some with texture, each bouncing light every which way. J'adore.

Perfectly simple and modern by Secto Design.

Ok, I knew that Zac Ridgley of Ridgely Studio Works was talented, but this is ridic! This sconce looks like light peaking out of a crumpled sheet of solid gold. I'll take a pair please!

This floor lamp from Diesel for Foscarini is all 21st-century-loft-meets-'50s-beauty-parlor-hairdryer. no?

And for a dedicated Ilse Crawford fan such as moi, finally seeing this little lamp beauty with the saucy red cord in real life was as good as spotting a celeb. Have loved it from afar, but this was my first 3D meetup. Yum! Thanks to Stephanie Lees of Eye Spy Studio for bringing it in for her 5 Small Rooms space. And BTW, Stephanie's own place is amazing and we are shooting it soon for an upcoming issue of STYLE AT HOME. Stay tuned!

Can’t wait to head down to the show again tomorrow and Sat. After all, couldn’t exactly do the whole show tonight wearing these:

Ta for now, your faithful guest blogger and STYLE AT HOME senior design editor, Margot Austin.

Image by Splash News

With a fashion sense best described as eccentric, it’s no surprise that pop princess Lady Gaga’s latest accessory is… A fabulously frumpy china tea cup and saucer.

Whether she’s out clubbing, lunching or shopping, whenever the “Just Dance” chanteuse has been snapped by the ever-present paparazzi recently, she’s had the staggeringly incongruous item grasped firmly in hand. 

The reason she prizes her little purple teacup is actually quite sweet, and something I think we can all relate to. In an interview with the UK Sun, the superstar says she used to enjoy tea with her mother every day out of china tea cups, and by continuing to do so, it helps her feel at home no matter where she finds herself on her current tour.

“I’ve made a habit of drinking out of china because it makes me feel grounded,” she tells reporters. “I don’t think it’s a good lifestyle to always be eating and drinking out of paper. It’s very wasteful.”

Cute, and you’ve gotta give props to her environmental awareness!

Should you find yourself wanting to jump aboard the Gaga trendwagon, might I suggest the following florid purple florals… 

What do Steven Sabados, Peter Fallico and Samantha Pynn all have in common?

Well, apart from being style-savvy celebs with top TV shows, they all got their start in the hallowed halls of Style At Home magazine.

The latest of the S@H alumnus to make a name for herself is our former Design Department intern Alison Dawson, who you may recognize if you’ve ever dropped in at Mokuba, Toronto’s famed go-to gallery for luxe ribbon. (If you’ve never been, make it a point to stop by. We’re talking 27,000 high-end ribbons, trims and lace, here.)

Through her own business, Chapeau de Gateau, Alison takes gorgeous, Japanese ribbon from Mokuba, and elevates it to spectacular heights as one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, in a collection called “C’est Joli”. I’m nuts for these necklaces… The fluid shapes are simply stunning. It really looks like a flowing ribbon, frozen in time.

And check out these laced-up bracelets… So pretty! They’ve totally got an Anthropologie vibe going on.

Alison also transforms ordinary ribbon into extraordinary custom cake-toppers (incredible inedibles, anyone?) for special events, hence “Chapeau de Gateau”. So delicate and unique, and a great way to make a style statement at a summer wedding…

You can keep up to speed with Alison and her beautifully beribboned bijoux on her Chapeau de Gateau blog here.

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Even the hurricane-force gusts channelling through the streets of Toronto couldn’t stop me from getting to the One of a Kind Show on Saturday. And to say I was pleasantly surprised by the Canadian artisan-o-rama’s Spring 2009 installment would be an understatement. Even though a lot of the vendors were the familiar friendly faces, the merchandising was so fresh and inspiring, and there was just a really good vibe to the whole event (unlike the other show I attended this weekend — more on that later!). There’s never been a more important time to buy Canadian and support our own artisans!

And, seeing as how I’m an incorrigible list-maker, let’s break this down into a…

TOP FIVE FINDS at the One Of A Kind Show!

(In no particular order.)

5. Porcelaines Bousquet, 866-445-8696; St-Jean-Baptiste, Que., 450-464-2596

Louise Bousquet’s hand-made porcelain dishware, vases and accessories are truly timeless pieces. I love her floral “frog” (in the image above) that slots directly into the mouths of her vases, making arrangements of items like tulips totally hassle-free. Louise is always adding something new to her collection, and this year it’s a gorgeously textural band around the rims of her bowls. Simply stunning.

4. Margi Laurin’s Altered Books, Morrisburg, Ont., 613-543-2835

Here’s a real trash-to-treasure success story! Margi Laurin breathes new life into discarded library books by replacing the original book pages with blank note paper, creating unique, one-of-a-kind journals. I’m a total sucker for vintage books, and seeing them repurposed in this way is right up my alley. I love how Margi leaves select pages from the original books — especially illustrations — randomly scattered throughout the journals. Charming! 

3. Schleeh Design, Montreal, 514-762-3720

The “Embracelet” designed by internationally renowned Canadian artist Colin Schleeh caught the eye of my friend Lisa. Sculptural, stylish and substantial without being chunky, this hand-painted wood bracelet with a resin coating was certainly one of the show’s standout pieces.

2. Timid Glass, Toronto, 416-893-3052

You might recognize these glass “Imagery Bowls”, as the One of a Kind Show promoters (understandably) used the dramatic designs of Timid Glass’s Sally McCubbin and Aaron Oussoren to promote the show on CityLine and other media outlets in the weeks leading up the event. Contemporary, cool and colourful, Timid’s pieces are a very refreshing addition to the One of a Kind Show’s offerings.

1. Judy Black Acid Sunset pillow in Cyan

Run by two sisters — Jennifer does the design and Valerie handles the number-crunching, Judy Black’s booth was positively screaming for attention. The graphic prints and colours grabbed my eye from afar, but also bear close scrutiny. There’s a great attention to detail on the pillows (a hidden zipper on the pillow cover for full washability; and the use of cotton with a remarkably soft hand finish), and as all of their creations are hand-printed with waterbased ink, there’s a great green component as well.

Did you make it to the show? What did you think?

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I met Jeanne Beker this morning at an event in Toronto’s Distillery District, fresh off the plane from a Paris showing of Vivienne Westwood’s latest. JEANNE BEKER! (To say I’m excited is an understatement.) This woman is indeed an icon of style, and I’ve got to say I was a little bit starstruck. But what does one discuss with the face of Fashion Television – now in its astonishing 23rd season? Why, the intersection of fashion and home decor, of course. She told me that one of the major trends sweeping the fashion world is the synthesis of “high” and “low”, pairing a big-name designer top with H&M jeans, for instance. This, of course, is something that we’ve always put into practice at STYLE AT HOME as the formula to a balanced (and affordable!) interior; splurging on some key pieces, and saving on others. For more on the fusion of fashion and decor, check out my Home & Style column in the November 2008 issue, on newsstands now!

Outside, the leaves may just be starting to turn, but here at the STYLE AT HOME offices, it’s already a full-blown winter wonderland as we prepare for our December spectacular. Which, of course, has me thinking about what I want for the holidays, and at the top of my wish list is this gorgeous narrow wool tie. If every girl has to have an Hermes scarf, then the same must be said of Hermes ties for guys… With kilt-edge fringing at both ends and the in-your-face tartan design, this is a necktie for a guy who is easily bored with neckties (namely, me). Covet!

Price: $190

Available at: Hermes, Montreal, 514-842-3387; Toronto, 416-968-8626; Vancouver, 604-681-9965.