Style & Decor Blog

I’m horning in on Mr. Sleuth’s territory one more time to give you my final wrap up on IDS10, held in Toronto last weekend. First up are my top three picks of the show.

No. 3 The Giant Steel Pinecone. I’m a bit of a nut for a great chunk of yard art and when you combine that with my belief in the pinecone as nature’s perfect accessory, well, this thing has can’t lose written all over it.

No. 2 Well, it was love at first sight when I met her Thurs. night at the gala as you know, and she’s one of the main reasons this booth — Lightform/Metalarte — was an award winner (more on that later in the post). Still love her, miss her…

No. 1 Oh my, it’s as if this was custom designed for me. Thanks Tristan Zimmermann of Science + Sons. So, here’s the deal: it’s called Radio Canada and it allows CBC Radio-addicted householders (that’s me) to switch from Radio 1 to Radio 2 without moving an old school dial through static (if you’re thinking digital tuning and presets already solved this, well, you just aren’t one of us, so skip along now). As a bonus it has MP3 player capacity for when Jonathan Goldstein is on. Anyhoo, this baby is a prototype so click on over to Science + Sons and sign up for the news on when production will begin.

I caught lots of inspiring speakers, including the PechaKucha — loved that! Met the super talented Ingrid Abramovitch and got a behind the covers tour of what it’s like to be the author of a stunning new book, Restoring a House in the City. V. JEALOUS!  Another highlight was being on the judging panel to distribute the design awards for booths at the show. I breezed in there thinking it would take 30 minutes, but more than 3 hours later I was still debating and assessing with fellow judges. I selected in the 400 sq ft booth category but didn’t hesitate to pressure fellow judges into going with my faves in their categories, too, ’cause that’s just the kind of girl I am.

Here come da judges (we even had official IDS clipboards). From left, John Tong of 3rd UNCLE Design, moi, Clayton Budd of 64th and Queen Design Agency.

For me, the challenge came down to which is most important: the product, the installation, the signage or the layout?? Well, I decided to go with product first, ’cause without that, the rest is gravy. So, I chose Lightform/Metalarte (see  lamp above) and Lema as my winners. Lema had just the most beautiful closet fittings I have ever seen. And the stylist in me loved the black paper suit jackets hanging in their closets. One simple idea to elevate the whole presentation.

Boo, this pic isn’t doing Lema justice, but it’s the best I can find.

See you at IDS11, Jan 27-30, 2011. Thanks Mr. Sleuth. - Guest blogger and STYLE AT HOME senior design editor Margot Austin signing out.

As you read on Style Sleuth back in October, Steven and Chris are back – but before they get back into the routine of their daily show (which begins on Monday, January 4, 2010), they’re hosting a faboosh festive special.

Deck The Halls With Steven & Chris is set to air on CBC on Thursday, December 10 at 8PM, and pulls together some of the country’s biggest names – George Stroumboulopoulos, Jully Black and the divine DT herself… Debbie Travis!!! YAY! – to share in the celebrations.

With Steven and Chris playing host for this special, I only thought it fair that they share some of their top entertaining tips with us. Here goes!

Steven & Chris’s Holiday Entertaining Tips

1.  Choose your holiday theme colours and adopt them for the season. Go from head to toe - everything from the tree to the giftwrapping in the same palette will give you that professional look. Don’t forget to look for things you already have to incorporate into your holiday decor - a silver teapot, some books, even your existing plates - the possibilities are endless!

2. Simple centrepieces can be made using everyday grocery store items. From beautiful pears in green or red, green grapes, even clementines - you can mix them with inexpensive greenery from the floral section of your supermarket (lemon leaves, eucalyptus) for an elegant and natural feel for your table.

3. Save your scraps of ribbon from giftwrapping, even if they’re only four inches long. These can be used to make a ribbon chain - an elegant and fun version of this childhood tradition can be wonderful for trimming the tree.

4. This year, why not try and avoid the bloated feeling you get after Christmas dinner? Try serving a salad in between the starter and main course. It cleanses the palate and gives you a break so you don’t feel as if you’re continuously eating and eating.

5. It can be frustrating to slave over a hot stove all day, just to see a fabulous meal devoured in 10 minutes. Why not slow it down by playing a party game? Place a Trivial Pursuit card under each person’s plate and take turns reading questions to the table.

Fun ideas! Thanks guys!

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What do Steven & Chris, Peter Fallico and the Suzanne Dimma all have in common?

Now household names across the country, they all got their start on hit shows produced by WestWind Pictures on HGTV.

Here’s the exciting bit… You now have a chance to join their ranks, with WestWind Pictures and HGTV Canada’s new hunt for the Next Big Design Star!

Canadidates have one month to produce a maximum 2-minute video to display their design savvy. The video must have a short intro with the candidate’s biographical details, and then maybe a quick do-it yourself project, or a design-on-a-dime idea. Throw out all the stops and wow the team with your energy, personality and talent (think Mary Tyler Moore show opening credits!), then email the compressed video file to the folks at WestWind by clicking here.

After the November 27th deadline, 20 to 30 of the best entries will be selected, and finalists will be contacted in early December for a live screen test.

Good luck!

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Did I just hear someone utter “fabulous”?

The hiatus is officially over!

Starting January 4, 2010, Steven Sabados and Chris Hyndman are returning to CBC-TV with their eponymous lifestyle show, Steven and Chris.

The guys have spent their summer hiatus traveling the country and abroad, researching the latest trends in lifestyle, decor, food and fashion, and have returned fresh and eager to share their experiences with viewers. First up is a Holiday Special in December, followed by their weekday show in January.

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When I was speaking with Steven and Chris yesterday, we somehow got on the topic of spring cleaning (I’m a master at going off on tangents!), and I asked the guys specifically about their strategy for a spring freshen-up. Here’s their recipe for success:

Chris: “Get rid of things that are blocking your energy. If there’s something in your home that doesn’t make you smile, and you don’t actually need it, let it go.”

Steven: “We recently had Peter Walsh — the king of de-cluttering — as a guest on our show. We learned so much about how physical clutter in your house can lead to a kind of “mental clutter” in your brain — the two go hand in hand.”

Chris: “I think it’s time for ‘less is more’, and that’s not as simple as having a modern, minimalist home; it’s about paring down. If you’re not using it, lose it.”

And there you have it! Make it your spring cleaning mantra!

So sad… I honestly really enjoyed their show, and it will be missed. The CBC is careful to say that Steven & Chris is on “indefinite hiatus” rather than a cancellation (which is what’s been announced for its other lifestyle show, Fashion File) which leaves a bit of hope. I’m interviewing them tomorrow to get the inside scoop. Read the CBC’s full story here.

Margot’s back on Steven & Chris today! Our Senior Design Editor will be chatting with the guys about elegant bedside tables. Check it out!

Tune in to CBC: Tuesday, October 28, 2:00PM EST

Mark Thursday, September 25, down in your calendars! My lovely and talented colleague, STYLE AT HOME’s Senior Design Editor Margot Austin, is making her debut appearance on CBC’s Steven and Chris! Ms Margot will be chatting with the guys on the latest in decorating, design and style. Can’t wait to see it!

Tune in to CBC: Thursday, September 25, 2:00PM EST