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
I’ve been doing a lot of antique hunting lately, and have fallen hard for antique embroidered table linens. There’s something about a stately monogram that elevates an already stylishly-set dining table to epic levels of elegance.
That’s why I decided it was time to splurge for my very own, old-school, hotel chic, crisp white monogrammed napkins. But where to find them?
Monogrammes, in the historic downtown of Port Hope, Ont., is renowned for custom monogramming (even home retail giants like Elte and Ginger’s Bath employ their services for custom embroidery), stitching lovely letters onto everything from table linens to cushions to handbags.
Above, you’ll see some of the samples they prepared for me in my hunt for the perfect monogrammed napkins… I’m so cited! Such an amazing assortment of styles… Which one do you think should I choose? I think I’ve made up my mind, but want to hear your thoughts first…
Embroidered hotel napkins, $36 per set of four (What a steal!!!)
Monogrammes, 14 Ontario St., Port Hope, Ont.; 866-239-9967
Thought Williams-Sonoma was out of your price range? Think again!
The buzz from Williams-Sonoma HQ in San Francisco is that we should expect a noticeable drop in the one-stop-entertaining-shop’s opening price points rather soon. Aaaaaannd, because Pottery Barn is owned by the same company, we’re looking at ultra-affordable opening price points at that decor destination as well…
Read the full story here.
Although I’m doubtful that core European-sourced staples like the gorgeous scalloped Queen Anne dinnerware from Pillivuyt (above) will get the red-ticket sale treatment, I’m excited to see what Williams-Sonoma has in store for this recession-friendly approach…
Pillivuyt Queen Anne porcelain dinnerware
Price: $540 per 20-piece set
Available at: Williams-Sonoma
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
I suffer from acute buyer’s remorse, but more often than not, it’s because I DIDN’T buy something that caught my eye. I’m haunted by the sale price for nights after passing up an incredible deal. Hitherto unseen holes in my decor — ones that would have perfectly accommodated the item I’ve stubbornly refused to buy — taunt me mercilessly. The item in question this time around? This gorgeous blue and white Chinois vase from Bombay. Regular store price is only $69 (a great deal in itself), but I also passed up Bombay’s two-for-one deal this weekend… Why? WHY?!?! Imagine a pair of these beauties flanking a mantel, or even a fireplace hearth in lieu of andirons. While I’m still sulking, please feel free to share your best (and by best I mean most traumatizing) case of buyer’s remorse.
Blue and white squared Chinois vase, 18.5-by-6.25″
Price: $69
Available at: Bombay, 877-326-6229
Stretching your decorating dollar has never been more important, and there are very few retailers that allow you to stretch that dollar quite like Bouclair. Bouclair’s spring look-book is a revelation for “Style For Less” hunters, like myself — light, bright and airy, and with a price tag that won’t break the bank. I’m absolutely in love with the ridiculously inexpensive glass table lamps flanking the bed. The clear glass obelisk bases are a total breath of fresh air, especially if — like me — you’re sick of those overdone lucite bubble base lamps, but still covet that look of breezy transparency. The overscale print on the duvet cover is so spring-fresh, and the symmetrically arranged mirrors are great cheap n’ chic statement pieces. Bring on Spring!
Sun mirrors, $100 each
Glass lamps, $50 each
Marigold duvet cover (double), $80
Cushions, from $17 each
Available at: Bouclair, 800-268-2524
I’m not normally one to get excited over laminate flooring, but IKEA’s latest is surely one of the greatest new flooring options of late. It’s called Markland, and it’s the glossiest, whitest, lacquered-look flooring you’re going to find at such a stellar price point (less than $30 per square metre… Craziness!)… I had the chance to feature a Markland floor in a photoshoot for the May issue of STYLE AT HOME, and then saw it installed — as wallcovering, no less — at IKEA’s showstopping space at the IDS a week ago, and my enthusiasm keeps growing. Definitely one to file under “cheap n’ chic”!
Markland laminate flooring
Price: $26.79 per square metre
Available at: IKEA, 866-866-4532
Does the code “CC-40″ mean anything to you? Chances are, you’ve painted your ceiling and/or trim in this colour — better known as Benjamin Moore’s Cloud White — at some point over the past 20 years. The iconic warm-white was, for a very long time, the *only* white in the Canadian design community, and a staple of any design show’s “Ask An Expert” solution to your decorating dilemmas. But why this particular white, amongst the hundreds of options out there? Maria Killam, a Vancouver-based colour designer, addresses this very question in her lovely blog, “Colour Me Happy”. Check out Maria’s tips on how to get white right, and exactly when in the design process that white should be chosen.
What’s your fave white? I’d love to hear from you!
The perfect dressing for a Thanksgiving turkey? A gorgeous platter, of course! New at JacKryn France in Aurora, Ontario – and just in time for the holiday weekend – is Vietri’s handcrafted Italian dinnerware. This square platter is from the Incanto collection, and I love how the ruffled motif running along the inside lip resembles gentle folds of fabric. Bella!
Price: $138
Available at: JacKryn France, Aurora, Ont., 905-726-3451
I’m on assignment for STYLE AT HOME in Montreal next week, and I can’t wait to check out Barami- a hot new furniture destination that I’ve had my eye on since it opened a few months back. I’ve had the chance to browse their wares online, and I’m loving the lines of the Heal’s-inspired Designa dining table - cool and contemporary, with the silhouette of turned legs providing a shot of chic.
Price: $2,499 (for 240×100x75cm model)
Available at: Barami, 404 St. Jacques O., Montreal, 514-849-5000
