A huge thank you (and happy holidays!) to everyone who stopped by to see Karl Lohnes, Jane Franscisco and me at the Seasons Christmas Show at the International Centre in Toronto yesterday. We had a total blast throughout the day, and really loved the chance to chat with everyone one-on-one after our seminars.
The gorgeous Toronto Star Stage (above), which we took over for our seminars, was decked out in the latest and greatest from Woodbridge, Ontario’s Zilli Home Interiors, and styled by none other than Jane Lockhart. I’m so upset I don’t have any tighter shots, as Jane did a fantastic job pulling together a lovely dining vignette – a lovely backdrop for our holiday decorating and entertaining projects.
Jane and Karl didn’t send me the memo about dressing appropriately, though… I’ll be sure to bring my Santa cap next year!

You officially have Style At Home’s blessing to begin decorating for the holidays… The Seasons Christmas Show is here!
Tomorrow - Sunday, November 22 - is Style At Home Day at the Seasons Christmas Show at the International Centre in Toronto: your one-stop shop for holiday decorating and entertaining. Catch me live on the Toronto Star stage at noon, with my colleagues Karl Lohnes following at 2PM, and editor-in-chief Jane Francisco at 4PM. Check out the full roster of stylish seminars here. I’ll be demonstrating some luxe-for-less DIY dressings for the dining table, and how to get top-notch festive decor out of your next trip to the grocery store!
Hope to see you there!

One of the most frequently-asked questions I field from my friends is, “Where is Marilyn Denis?!?”
It’s undeniable that there remains a Marilyn-shaped hole in our lives ever since she left her epic 19-year gig as host of CityLine in May 2008. The lady had style, wit and a flair for rapid-fire improv that made her a household name for nearly two decades. (And she’s lovely in person, too boot!) Broadcast live-to-air, there were always mad antics unfolding during CityLine tapings that would’ve made a lesser host completely lose her cool — does anyone remember the time that my colleague Samantha was demo-ing the electric juicer and forgot to put a glass under the spout, showering the studio floor with O.J.? Absolutely hilarious, and Marilyn took it all in stride. Good memories…
I still get to wake up to Marilyn every morning, as she remains a host on 104.5 CHUM FM, Toronto’s most popular morning radio show. In fact, Marilyn’s launching a new segment every Thursday morning at 8:20 called “All About Style”. Her guest this morning was none other than our own Contributing Style Editor Karl Lohnes, who introduced her to the the rather scandalous-sounding “Seven Deadly Decorating Sins“. Even if you don’t live in the GTA, you can still get your fix of Marilyn on-air at the CHUM FM website! Yay!
An even bigger “YAY!” is warranted by the news that production is soon to begin on Marilyn’s new venture… The much-anticipated Marilyn Denis Show on CTV! Coming to your small screens before the year’s end… I’ll keep you posted!
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Before I went off to J-school, a work colleague at the time said the only way she would support my move was if I went on to become a host of Canada AM. Needless to say, Seamus O’Regan remains very firmly entrenched behind the newsdesk, and the thought of starting my work day at 5AM makes me break out in a cold sweat. (As a total aside, has anyone ever wondered how Seamus makes it to all those black-tie evening events that are covered in Toronto Life’s society pages? Does the man NEVER sleep???) Nevertheless, I now have an insider on CTV’s super-successful morning show… Karl Lohnes, our very own Contributing Style Editor, is now the official Home Decor expert on Canada AM, and has launched his own blog on the CTV website. Regular readers of STYLE AT HOME know Karl as a DIY demi-god, and his guide to crafting a slipshade cover for a style-for-less makeover of a favourite lamp is just one of the many gems he’ll be sharing both on-screen and online. Congrats, Karl!

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 at deboers.com or 800-265-2637