March 2007 Entries
Pastel color schemes are often used to set up the Easter brunch table. But this year, bold patterns are all the rage in fashion and home décor. This trend was my inspiration. I started by seeking out a bold pattern tablecloth. I used the colors from the textile to bring the rest together.
This scheme is suitable for a casual event where they are kids around. The tulips, the colorful glasses and the nest made of the green grass are the elements that make it an Easter theme. This family oriented scheme is a little literal but it is OK when you want to please kids.
With a bold pattern tablecloth, the central corridor must carry sufficient visual weight to hold against the pattern. You do this so the centerpieces are not lost visually. A solid color runner is the easiest way to achieve it.
I select the twig runner because it has enough weight for the nests and the bouquets to stand out. And the solid brown adds elegance to the design. I suggest creating a few nests of different sizes. Mix and match the eggs and take into consideration the nest size. The eggs on my picture could be a little larger but remember the eggs must not stand out too much. It is a balancing act. Do not forget to use some wrapped chocolate eggs.
The nests and the bouquets can be alternated in a row. Another way is to have the flowers in the center and to put on each side some nests. Try out your composition to see which look better on your table.
The Bunny ear napkin fold from Martha Stewart that I wrote about earlier this month is perfect for this table. Cream, light green, light blue or turquoise textile napkins will work with this scheme. The idea is to use colors from the tablecloth. One way is to alternate the colors on your place settings.
The bold flowery tabletop is for Maison Simons. Designed by renowned New York ceramist Barbara Eigen, the Belvedere dinnerware has a timeless appeal. The Dijon Belvedere dinnerware is available at Williams Sonoma. The DuraClear Colored Iced Tea Glasses also come from Williams Sonoma. The Twig Runner and the decorative bright green grass are sold at Plum Party. Tulips and the square vase are widely available.
Link: Table Fashions at Maison Simons
Link: DuraClear Colored Iced Tea Glasses at Williams Sonoma
Link: Twig Runner at Plum Party
Link: Bunny shaped napkins at your Easter brunch published here
Categories:
PARTY ideas
HOLIDAY
KIDS party
posted @ Friday, March 30, 2007 12:36 AM | Feedback (0)
In this age of Internet, the art of printed invitations seems to lose ground when we are dealing with inviting a few guests for dinner or to make an announcement. Sending social stationery relays the message that you really looking for the presence of the invitees. Your guests will feel that you put time and effort in planning the event. Cards are simply more special. Some card designers offer you the possibility to personalize the cards.
This is exactly what Haute Note, a small card maker from Vancouver, Canada offers you. You can put your own message on the front or the back of the card. Different options are possible and it is easy to do it online.
I share with the two women that launched Haute Note in spring 2006 a special love for cards in unusual formats. Several models in my custom made funeral thank you card collections have one side shorter than the other.
Haute Note successfully uses the same idea with their Signature Card line. The front of the card is a long rectangular and the back is about 50% shorter. You can personalize the message on the entire Haute Note Signature line. A set of 8 Signature Cards starts at $24, with price reduction if you buy more than 48 cards.
Modern, charming and elegant are the best adjectives for their design. I show you the entertaining based design to go with my blog but more themes, styles and occasions are shown on their Web site.
Petite Notes are sold with envelopes in themed sets of four, featuring one card of each design within a chosen series. Not customizable, a set of 4 Petite Notes is sold for $8.50 CAD.
Haute Note ships in Canada, Unites states and internationally to a number of countries.
Link: Web site of Haute Note stationery
Categories:
PAPER goods
posted @ Thursday, March 29, 2007 12:49 AM | Feedback (0)
I should have proclaimed March my Soup Month. I just found another great post about soups on Pinch My Salt blog. This post has something that none of my posts had before. It is the podcast of an engaging interview with Deborah Madison about her cookbook on vegetable soups.
The podcast was also a premiere for Pinch My Salt. It was the first time Nicole uses this technology on her blog. It is a success!
From the podcast, I learned that numerous contemporary ceramic bowls are showcased in Vegetables Soups. I adore dinnerware and cookbooks like most women love shoes.
This excerpt from the Publisher of Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen may convince you:
Featuring fifty stunning full-color photographs by Laurie Smith, serving suggestions, wine notes, and a host of ideas for creative finishing touches including caramelized pear “croutons” and souffléd cheese toasts, this friendly soup lover’s guide gives the reader a hundred delicious ways to enjoy the benefits and flavors of vegetables by the bowlful throughout the seasons.
Deborah Madison’s cookbooks are available online at Indigo.ca and Amazon.com (.ca). This podcast made me a believer; I just ordered mine with a copy of Jamie’s Italy. What a girl can do, you have to save on shipping fee.
I can also put the blame on Gluten-Free Girl for buying Jamie’s Italy. Reading her Oh, the Honeymoon post, I felt terrible to not have in my kitchen Jamie Oliver’s Italian recipes.
Link: Web site of cookbook author Deborah Madison
Link: Oh, the Honeymoon on Gluten-Free Girl blog
Via: Super Soups Podcast on Pinch My Salt blog
Sourcing:
Buy online: Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen
Categories:
FOOD + drinks
posted @ Friday, March 23, 2007 4:10 PM | Feedback (2)
Everybody has a cause; mine is the wildlife and nature. I am taking about it on my blog because what I have to say concern food.
I am against some green organizations that only want to make headlines but do not have a coherent track record. That is why I opt to support the WWF Canada organization. They protect endangered species (tigers and polar bears for example), make genuine gestures to protect nature and they do take into account the needs of the human population.
WWF Canada sets a small number of annual goals, based on the overall impact of these initiatives on the environment and the wildlife. Since I started supporting them, WWF Canada had an impressive track record.
WWF Canada just launches a new marketing campaign for something that is dear to my heart. We are taking about the commercial fishing practices. The problem is how many fish, turtles, mammals and birds get killed when the net is thrown out to get your choice for dinner. This is called bycatch. We know that some level of bycatch is unavoidable but the current practices are far further up.
You have to understand that the commercial fishing practices for ground fish species have not really evolved over the last 400 years. The number of boats and the size of the population have grown exponentially over that period.
Overfishing, poor stock management plus the bycatch have depleted the stock level of many ocean fish species. WWF Canada wants to rectify the situation by increasing regulations in Canada and with our NATO partners. They also want better tools to insure the stocks of fish for all species are at acceptable levels.
To know more, I invite you to go visit the Stop the Net campaign Web site. You can watch TV ads, radio ads and print ads. To help you make your opinion, you get access to many reports on this important matter. WWF Canada cleverly set its messages in tasteful advertising materials. Go take a look, the upcoming generations will thank you.
Link: Stop the Net campaign from WWF Canada Web site
Via: WWF Launches Campaign against Bycatch on TreeHugger blog
Categories:
IN the press
posted @ Thursday, March 22, 2007 11:49 PM | Feedback (0)
When I saw this picture of spring tulips with a mushroom soup, I was hooked. Two of my favorite things put together in a photo. Anne lives in Sweden, a country that I would love to visit someday.
I discover Anne's Food blog by luck. After examining the recipes on Anne’s Food blog, I am confident that this food lover presents interesting recipes for finer everyday cooking.
I love soups and I have been scouring the Web for more recipes. Anne’s creamy mushroom soup recipe fits the bill. It looks delicious and it is simple to prepare. My preference is to go with a mix of oysters and shiitake mushrooms.
Roasted cauliflowers are all over me these past weeks. Cauliflower generally lacks taste. It is not the most very exciting ingredient. Caramelized cauliflower adds lots of desirable flavor to this plain vegetable.
The Chef at Home Michael Smith has a great recipe of roasted cauliflower with almonds. Start by drizzling one-quarter cup of olive oil over the cauliflower cut in florets. For seasoning, pour some sea salt, freshly ground pepper, a cup of almonds. Toss well and roast in a preheated oven (375 degrees F) for about 25 minutes.
Anne posted a Roasted cauliflower soup. Roasting the cauliflower add a nice flavor to this simple soup recipe. To keep with the cooking philosophy behind the Chef at Home TV show, why not plan an entire menu around roasted cauliflower tonight? Bon appétit!
Link: Creamy Mushroom Soup recipe on Anne’s Food blog
Link: Roasted Cauliflower with Almonds recipe on Chef Michael Smith Web site
Link: Roasted Cauliflower Soup recipe on Anne’s Food blog
Categories:
FOOD + drinks
posted @ Thursday, March 22, 2007 4:24 PM | Feedback (0)
The illustration by the award-winning gouache painter Juliette Borda captures the feeling. The title says it all. Henry Alford publishes today on The New York Times a humoristic article on the reality of a grown up couple moving in together.
I am proud of my home décor. I like to be the one in charge. So I can relate to this funny story portraying the challenge of inviting your lover to live in your apartment. Past memories have surfaced. The best situation is to move to a new dwelling where both partners can put a little of themselves into the place.
Take a moment; relieve the stress of your day by getting a few laughs with this story. You are invited if you bring nothing.
Link: Web site of illustrator Juliette Borda
Link: Welcome to My World, O My Beloved. Don’t Bring Your Stuff on The New York Times
Via: House & Home Roundup: 03.22.07 on Apartment Therapy NYC blog
Categories:
IN the press
posted @ Thursday, March 22, 2007 1:46 PM | Feedback (0)
Sandwiches are the most basic comfort food. It takes little effort to dress them up. Out of ordinary sandwiches start with an artisan, a specialty or organic bread on which you lay down the freshness ingredients you can find. You can add all the flavors you want. A sandwich is still a common deli food unless you play around with innovative ways to serve it.
Exotic wood tray gives some grandeur to that simple food. They make something ordinary extraordinary by adding this je ne sais quoi (I do not know) touch.
I got two beautiful models that are great presentation pieces. The first one is called Daily Bread. Pryor & Williams translates in a Nordic inspiration into a plantation-grown teak surface and a Corian cutting surface with storage underneath. Daily Bread gives rise to an authentic gift for many occasions. A section can hold the utensils and the four serving boards are stored side up. Practical and beautiful!
The other wood tray is from a company named Vessel. The Chop chop tray is two detachable rectangular bamboo trays placed over a metal support. The Chop chop tray is a cutting board, two serving dishes plus two lunch surfaces all in one. The price of the Chop chop tray is 80 dollars at Vessel online store.
Anytime you serve sandwiches on a tray, eating at a dinner table is optional. To build on the laid-back approach, you can set up the food as a buffet on a couple of side tables or nested tables.
For the collectors, Pryor & Williams produced the limited edition STRATUM Nest tables. These one of a kind nested tables are all signed. Only 30 sets were fabricated. If these tables do not dress up your sandwiches, I do not know what will.
Link: Daily bread in plantation-teak by Pryor & Williams
Link: chop chop tray in bamboo by Vessel
Via: Arch Digest Show 2007: Pryor and Williams & ART:asap on Apartment Therapy NYC blog
Categories:
EVERYDAY
DISHING tips
posted @ Thursday, March 22, 2007 12:28 AM | Feedback (0)
Some party events call for special dinnerware, something out of the ordinary. Most of the time they are not milestone events but they are something important to do something special. It can be having over your girlfriends for a tea party or a periodic gathering. Creating the right mood often call for a whimsical touch.
That is where the dishware from a little shop in Seattle called Rosanna comes to the rescue. Over the past twenty years, Rosanna manages to stay on top of fashion, translating popular trends into whimsical accessories for the home with her independent shop. I see eye to eye with her on that topic. Whether it's a birthday party for the kids or the grown ups, a glamorous soirée or simply dining at home, fashionable dishes turn any day into a special occasion.
Her dish collections are made of whimsical patterns that are sophisticated. Her tableware is fun but classy. This year, Rosanna suggests layering the dishes the same way as we will dress ourselves. If you read some magazines lately, you saw that graphical, bold designs are all over the place.
She tells us how to achieve her layering approach in these words:
Begin with a dinner plate (like chocolate brown or pale blue from our new Dinner Service collection), then add a patterned salad plate stacked with a solid soup bowl, topped off with a napkin tied with a satin ribbon and a single blossom. The effect is eclectic, interesting and thoroughly modern.
La Fleur collection, that depicts four Victorian floral species, is wonderful for a tea party event. The green background looks crisp with the black and white Victorian style drawing. The Marie Antoinette dessert plates popped up when they are placed over the brown solid color scalloped-edged dinner plates.
The pastel hues of the Playing House collection, one of my favorites, look gorgeous at Easter and any day of the year. The Little Black Dress or Les femmes are adorable to celebrate a female birthday, a bridal shower, motherhood or any woman get-together. Little girls will be amused by the Play Date collection. I wish I got it when I was young. There is so much to choose for that I invite you to take a look at their entire collection on their Web site.
All the plates come in a fabulous gift box. These plates make a lovely hostess gift. You can shop online on Rosanna Web site with shipping limited to the USA. Many retailers sell the Rosanna collections. Unfortunately, there is no store listing on the Rosanna Web site.
Link: Web site of Rosanna dishware
Categories:
EVERYDAY
TABLEWARE
HOSTESS gifts
posted @ Tuesday, March 20, 2007 12:17 AM | Feedback (2)
I just discovered a new blog with a fun suggestion to dress up your table for Easter. Based on the project from Martha Stewart, Shak in Style explains to us how to make a cute bunny ear napkin. It does not seem hard to do and it looks good.
On a picture, you see a yellow rim plate. A more current look is to use a green edge plate or a light fruit pattern plate. Green is the color of the year. From Villeroy and Boch, I spot the same plate as suggested by Shak in Style but in green. For Easter and all summer long, the Bloom dinner plate will look great if you can afford to buy an extra fantasy plate. The Wildberries collection by Villeroy & Boch displays deep berry purples and rich fertile greens. A punch of color in a nice classic pattern
If you prefer a country look, the Casa Azul Limon is cute for a more casual Easter brunch. Instead of the bunny napkins, I would suggest you opt for the Easter Basket Favors. This is another MarthaStewart.com craft project.
In both cases, you can set up your tabletop in white dinnerware with color table linens as accents. If your plates are solid white, green or orange napkins will bring more visual impacts. Orange is another hot color this year; very hot in Europe.
To add to the design of your Easter tabletop, you can mix some carrots in a green vase with some light orange tulips to create a striking centerpiece. I am sorry that my leg injury makes it hard for me to provide you with pictures of my design ideas. For inspiration, think of the green fabric vase with orange ribbons that you can see on the Bridal shower table by Colin Cowie featured on Oprah TV show. This is a cheap and easy to do alternative. I discover it when reading an interesting blog about entertaining called Hostess with the Mostess.
Do you have tips on creating a stylish tabletop for the Easter brunch? If so, tell us about it.
Link: Bunny Fold for Napkins Instructions on MarthaStewart.com
Link: Easter Basket Favors Instructions on MarthaStewart.com
Link: Villeroy and Boch Tableware collections
Link: fabulous, yes - but really "not a fortune"? on Hostess with the Mostess blog
Via: Bunny Napkins on Shak in Style blog
Categories:
EVERYDAY
PARTY ideas
HOLIDAY
posted @ Monday, March 19, 2007 3:01 PM | Feedback (1)
Having a pool, a large cooking area and dining area is the ideal setting for having a party. People love outdoor parties. In a cleverly designed, out of ordinary backyard space, you have more fun.
I am not keen on the look that we see commonly in magazines and TV shows. My passion is for modern, European style architecture. It starts at a young age and it keeps growing and growing. With the advent of boutique hotel and the materialization of innovative design, fantastic modern projects emerged all over Canada.
This week episode of Designer Guys was a spectacular example of the crème of the crop in backyard entertaining spaces. A definite boutique hotel feeling and the love of grown up entertain was the center of attention. This project was for two successful bar owners. Knowing that, I expect something extraordinary. And the Designer Guys deliver it.
The owners have already plan a fabulous infinity pool with three waterfalls. The Designer Guys surrounded the large pool with distinctive entertaining areas and top notch contemporary outdoor furniture. And it was expected; the principals of the Toronto-based design firm Precipice Studios has accustomed us to great work in their TV series.
The furniture is by the German manufacturer DEDON. I feel in love with DEDON furniture at first sight. Innovation, unique shapes and quality craftsmanship come to my mind when I think about DEDON furniture. At the last SIDIM show in 2006, a friend took my picture while I was lounging on the LEAF sunbathing chair shown on this episode. Enjoy the view.
The OBELISK project is a good representation of the innovative furniture by DEDON. The Obelisk is two things in one. It is a sculpture formed with 4 lounge chairs and a cocktail table. You stack the chairs on top of the table to form an obelisk when you do not use the furniture. Ingenious!
I guest they selected the DEDON Barcelona collection to furnish the outdoor living room and the dinning rooms. But this is an educated guess. Your ideas are welcome. Watch the rerun on Saturday March 17th at 16:30 on HGTV Canada and tell me if I you agree with my views.
Link: episode Pool and Patio Party Zones – Designer Guys on HGTV.ca
Link: The DEDON Furniture collection - Obelisk photos from DEDON
Link: Designer Guys Web site - project photos come from their Web site
Categories:
OUTDOOR
posted @ Thursday, March 15, 2007 8:52 PM | Feedback (2)
Chocolate is a delicious treat. I feel in heaven when I eat fine dark chocolate. But let’s face it; we often eat too much chocolate at Easter. I find you a greener Easter gift idea that will be fun for the kids and the grown ups.
I first learned about Eggling a while ago when planting in cracrable egg shaped pots became popular in Japan. I forgot about it. A post from design*sponge spreads the words about three new varieties of egglings, just in time for spring: spicy red pepper, lavender and wild strawberries. Great addition to their current plant variety. My heart goes to the herb varieties: basil, Italian parsley, mint, thyme. Four more flowers are also available.
Eggling looks and feels like an extra large egg, you just crack its top and you discover a garden ready to grow! Plants grow for up to five months in the Eggling, after which transplant it directly in soil or a pot. Egglink is sold for $9.95 USD or $11 CAD.
I cultivate my own cooking herbs on my terrace. When fall temperature is mild, I got fresh herbs until November. Nothing taste better than freshly cut herbs in salads or when you cooking a recipe. Even if you do not get the Eggling, go to your local market or your local garden center to buy herb plants this year.
Link: where to buy listing from Eggling Web site
Via: 14.3.07 - egglings on design*sponge blog
Categories:
GIFT ideas
HOLIDAY
posted @ Wednesday, March 14, 2007 7:37 PM | Feedback (0)
Even if I wasn’t there, I have to agree with the Chicago branch of Apartment Therapy the best of the 2007 International Home and Housewares Show was Reisenthel. I based my assessment on the reports I read today from other bloggers.
The TreeHugger in me was looking for sleek, urban and light weight shopping bags. I do most of my grocery European shopping style which means that I do it every day. I do it like this because I eat what I am craving for and I get fresh ingredients. Living in the heart of city makes it possible. Three grocery stores plus a few specialty stores are at walking distance between my work place and my house. I just grab what I need when I go back home.
With their colorful and simply clever products, Reisenthel convinces me to act right away. I began my search on where to buy online the Orange Reisenthel Carrybag, a collapsible tear proof polyester and sturdy aluminum basket. I find it in a Canadian store, even better. The Reisenthel Carrybag costs 65 dollars CAD. I also spend 13 dollars on a Lime Reisenthel Bottle Bag. I can carry 9 bottles with it. The Bottle Bag will be practical on the patio this summer. I will look neat when I return my recyclable bottles to the store.
I will follow up when I receive them. Goneshopping.ca is where I got them. Shipping on Canadian orders is free if you spend over 79 dollars. Shipping costs 15 dollars for the USA.
Chicago – Apartment Therapy says that Reisenthel products are available at The Container store but none were on their Web site. Maybe, they got them on stores. If you know, can you write a comment?
Chris of The Kitchen – Apartment Therapy made another interesting report and gave us links to more news on the 2007 International Home and Housewares Show. The Kitchen – Apartment Therapy talks about a lunch box that sounds intriguing.
Link: Web site of Reisenthel
Link: Reisenthel collection available at goneshopping.ca
Link: Live from Chicago: Home & Housewares Show Report II on The Kitchen – Apartment Therapy
Via: Best of the Home and Housewares Show: Reisenthel on Chicago - Apartment Therapy
Categories:
KITCHEN tools
GIFT ideas
posted @ Tuesday, March 13, 2007 8:15 PM | Feedback (7)
While browsing on Tastespotting, I found this recipe that is a perfect example of my easy entertaining philosophy. Everybody loves potatoes with caramelized red onions and fresh herbs. Erielle of Fancy Toast created this Potato and Onion Cake recipe by memorizing a recipe she read in a magazine she cannot recalled.
The high-quality outer shell inspires me. Examining the ingredients tells me these potatoes must be yummy. Potatoes like these go with lots of main dishes. It can become a signature piece of your cooking repertoire. Just change the rosemary for another fresh herb or use another vinegar flavors to mold a quick variation.
Erielle went a little too far with her creative writing at the beginning of her post. This is one of these ideas that sound great at the time. The recipe starts about the middle of the page. So scroll down a bit.
April 12th, 2007 Update:
It appears to be based on a Martha Stewart's recipes that was published in Martha Stewart Living, November 2006 edition.
Link: Potato and Onion Cakes for the Temporally Challenged on Fancy Toast blog
Link: Potato N Onion Cakes from Martha Stewart Living magazine
Via: An non-fancy way to make your potato side fancy on Tastespotting
Categories:
EVERYDAY
FOOD + drinks
posted @ Monday, March 12, 2007 10:20 PM | Feedback (3)
Chicago is often the host of huge trade shows. I have been there for business. McCormick Place is a model in efficiency in North American conference centers. This week, the International Home & Housewares Show is taken place at McCormick Place.
You can grasp how huge the show is by going to the event Web site
Tap into a world of opportunity that includes 60,000 of the world's most important housewares professionals, including over 2,000 exhibitors from over 30 countries and nearly 15,000 U.S. buyers and over 6,000 Non-U.S. buyers
If you want to know more about trends in kitchen and housewares, you get the news there. The Kitchen franchise of Apartment Therapy blog is one of the attendees. The Kitchen makes daily report during the show, March 11-13, 2007. So far, the biggest trends are more silicone accessories, all shades of green are in and small or foldable tools are all over the place. Going with the era, new kitchen products are launched from celebrity chef brands like Rachel Ray and Jamie Oliver.
Zyliss' latest innovative product is a foldable mandoline. I got their regular mandoline and the product is wonderful to use and to clean. Zyliss makes well-designed kitchen tools. I owe many and I am loved every one of them. A mandoline is a must for a busy cook because it makes perfect slices, dices and juliennes of fruits and vegetables in no time. I mostly used mine for veggies.
A foldable mandoline is great because it takes so much less space to store. Another great thing is the easy-to-use dial that makes alternating between slicing thicknesses a breeze – no more confusing blade inserts to remove and replace! If it works like my, wow, that will saves time and space.
Link: International Home & Housewares Show Web site
Link: Easy Slice 2 Folding Mandoline from Zyliss USA
Via: Live from Chicago: Home & Housewares Show Report by The Kitchen - Apartment Therapy blog
Categories:
KITCHEN tools
posted @ Monday, March 12, 2007 12:56 PM | Feedback (1)
I am still working on my inspiration board for Easter brunch that I want to present you later this month. In the meantime, I decide to present you the work of Colin Cowie featured on epicurious.com Web site.
Colin Cowie is a celebrity party planner. He has planned parties for Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Seinfeld, Jennifer Lopez, Tom Cruise, Jennifer Aniston, and Demi Moore, to name a very few.
epicurious.com asked him to do sometimes that normal folk can do for Easter. This is a solution done on an average joe budget and without the help of a staff of creators. So I think this article will interest anyone that wishes to better entertain at home.
St.Patrick’s Day must have been an unconscious source of inspiration for his Easter table. What I do like about his Easter table is that you get the feeling of spring without the pale tones commonly seen in Easter décor. The table setting shows a great style. Cowie has created a style for the brunch not a theme. That is why it looks good.
The epicurious.com article is thorough. Cowie has put together for you the menu, food and drink, the décor and some fun activity ideas for all the family.
You get more party planning tips and ideas on Colin Cowie’s Web site. The everyday entertaining sections is quite useful. Go take a look.
Link: colin cowie's easter brunch on epicurious.com
Link: web site of colin cowie
Categories:
TABLESCAPE
HOLIDAY
posted @ Sunday, March 11, 2007 10:22 PM | Feedback (2)
Like Jon of the happy mundane blog, I am a fan of the Umbra home decor brand. I bought Umbra products since I got my first apartment. That was when I was studying at university.
Their product design always appeals to me. Zone maison, one of my favorite stores in Montreal, carries most of the Umbra collections. I heard or read (I do not recalled where) that Zone is the or one of the top seller(s) of Umbra products in Canada.
Going back to happy mundane, their last post is about the spring opening of an Umbra concept store in Toronto. It makes me wish I did not leave Toronto ten years ago. I can wait to go visit their new place sometimes in May 2007.
Link: Addresses of the 5 Zone maison stores
Link: Umbra Web site
Via: Umbra concept store opening on happy mundane blog
Categories:
HOME decor
posted @ Wednesday, March 07, 2007 8:10 PM | Feedback (0)
I have a love affair with aprons since I started to cook in my teens. But finding a good looking one is a hard task. My love affair with aprons is well known fact. My brother gave me one or two aprons over the years for Christmas or my birthday. He even got me a practical gardening apron that I use when I planting my flower boxes.
I discover domistyle long time ago in a Sweetspot.ca newsletter. I fall in love with their funky aprons right away. Two young women started domistyle out of unfulfilled desires. Like me, Jessica and Vanessa did not find in stores aprons that were cool enough for a stylish hostess. They create two lines for women in 2003. Since them, they add a fun collection for kids.
Called Fresh and Funky, their two collections are best described with the words sleek, sophisticated, feminine and fun. Canadian and US retailers are listed on their web site. The aprons are sold for $39 CAD, the mini-aprons are at $32 and the kid aprons at $30.
You can add a free embroidered message by shopping at some of the online stores listed on the home page. The happy modernist in me selected the funky dots pattern just like it is. I played the Gourmet Goddess with an organic flair by wearing the clean flower design of my Baby Blue Mocha apron.
Aprons for Kids
The mini apron collection brings even more of your feminine side to the table. Perfect for when you entertaining intimate dinners. Some are a shorter version of the Fresh and Funky collections. For a girlie girl, I suggest the Meshy Mini. It is a delicate see-through mesh bib with dainty pink bows and a pink ribbon binding.
These funky aprons have been featured by Style at Home, Elle, House & Home, Lucky and Wish Magazines, Designer Guys, Metro, National Post, Now, Toronto Star, Sweetspot.ca, and the Toronto Sun.
Link: domistyle web site
Categories:
FAMILY style
LINENS
HOSTESS gifts
posted @ Wednesday, March 07, 2007 3:07 PM | Feedback (0)
Forget Disney, forget Fisher price and forget Sears. Most of the things that are made for children look tacky or out of place in a grown up room. This is specially if you live in a modern architecture house.
Although I do not want children of my own, the question interests me as an interior designer and from an entertaining point of view. New design options have popped up in the last couple of years. Most of them have been developed by parents that did not want in their house the standard kid stuff.
I found on the Babygadget blog, a post that can help parents that still want to live in style with children. The Shoji sofa, available at Inmod, is a perfect throwback to Palm Springs in the 1950’s. The price of this living room set for kids is $857.99, an odd number to match this unusual kid furniture.
Link: The Shoji sofa at Inmod store
Via: The Shoji Sofa. I'm not sure I want my son to swing yet... on Babygadget
Categories:
HOME decor
FAMILY style
posted @ Monday, March 05, 2007 7:29 PM | Feedback (0)
If you are interested in buying these kitchen products, I got two sources for you: a Los Angeles store called A+R and Lekker, a Boston store that I talked about last February.
Generally speaking, Royal VKB products are cheaper than I taught.
A small Mix & Measure bowl costs 10 dollars, a large is $15. The garlic crusher costs $20.
The Bowl and Spoon is more expansive at $42, but it is reasonably price for an indulgence. This will make a great gift for your friends.
I also get better pictures. By seeing them in action, you can better understand why I recommend them. You can see how practical and easy to use these products are.
A+R sells cool stuff. I found other treasures for entertaining that I will present at another time. The Mix & Measure bowls are backordered but should be available soon.
Both stores ship internationally but Lekker wants that foreigners contact them before placing their orders. A+R accepts returns only from US orders.
Link: Royal VKB line at A+R
Link: Royal VKB line at Lekker
Via: Tastespotting.com – yes, I still visit them (ref: a previous post of mine)
Categories:
TABLESCAPE
KITCHEN tools
posted @ Monday, March 05, 2007 6:18 PM | Feedback (0)
I love the Dutch ingenuity. I am being lucky to go to The Netherlands twice and I was always impressed by this design oriented society. Dutch people are creative in home décor out of necessity. They live in smaller houses due to the lack of land.
Most of Dutch designers still sell locally. That explains why you are not thinking of The Netherlands as an influential player in household design product market.
Let me introduce a great little Dutch design company called Royal VKB that specializes in food products. Over the past weeks, I saw their products featured in many design oriented blogs.
Just in the last two years, Royal VKB won 3 reddot design awards in 2006, 2 reddot design in 2005 plus a few Design Plus+ awards at the Ambiente trade fair in Frankfurt. That is quite an accomplishment for a small company. Let’s review some of my favorites from their line of products.
Mix & Measure mixing bowls save space and cleaning time. These functionally designed mixing bowls allow for the mixing and measuring in the same bowl.
The Bowl and Spoon can be held in one hand while reaching for the remote control with the other. Inspired by the Chinese noodle bowl, the stainless steel spoon fits into the handle of the ceramic bowl. The shape, the size and the hollow handle entice to easily pick up the spoon. Practical bowl for the couch potato or when you want to go eating on the patio.
Cup & Store storage jars are quite functional. These containers offer a storage facility with an airtight lid which doubles as a measuring cup for the ingredients. So you can prepare your meal in less time. Moreover, you can stack them.
The Puzzle Dinner Tray makes eating a fun and learning activity for kids. It is a cute set. The puzzle dinner tray teaches kids the correct table setting. I am not sure that having kids playing at the table in the best situation but I do not have kids. But it is certainly better that they play with this melamine set than your china dinner ware.
A 2005 reddot design winner, their garlic crusher provides better flavor without smelly hands. That is sometimes I want.
Royal VKB wants to change your food experience every day by offering products that delight you; products that make you come back for more. And I think they are exceeding their expectations.
Link: Spring 2007 Royal VKB collection
Via: Meta MoCo This Week – march 3, 2007 post
Categories:
KITCHEN tools
GIFT ideas
posted @ Monday, March 05, 2007 3:15 PM | Feedback (2)
I just read an ad on Kijiji Montreal from a researcher from Buy Me TV show. The Buy Me research team is looking for homeowners that are selling their house and want to be on TV. The ad says that homeowners who appear on the show get $3000; I guess to home stage their house.
This hit real-estate series is produced by Montreal's Whalley-Abbey Media Holdings (WHAM), the people behind Debbie Travis’ Facelift. WHAM is the company of Debbie Travis and her husband, Hans Rosenstein. Whalley-Abbey is the name of the church where they wed. A romantic touch!
The show has been renewed for 5 years by HGTV earlier this year. They talk about it in an article from the Montreal Gazette. The series are mostly filmed in Montreal. A few episodes of Buy Me were shot in Canada. The producers plan to start filming in the United States.
I post this for anyone interested. I do not watch Buy Me but I like to watch Debbie Travis in her previous shows. My husband took a picture of me with Debbie in Montreal’s Caban store. So you can say that I am a fan. Debbie Travis does not appear in Buy Me.
Buy Me is market as drama television when selling houses on HGTV. The show plays on HGTV Canada and HGTV USA. So your 23 minute of fame will get full exposure.
Link: Hot property buy me bought in The Montreal Gazette
Link: Buy Me on HGTV.ca Web site
Link: Selling Your Home? HGTV hit show may be for you on Kijiji Montreal
Categories:
HOME decor
posted @ Sunday, March 04, 2007 1:58 PM | Feedback (0)
Dish towels are a necessity but we indulge ourselves by getting groovy ones. If you put them on display in your kitchen, the typical brands from Wal-Mart or the supermarkets won’t do.
Household linens can set the mood of a table and a kitchen. If you dinnerware are monochromatic without patterns, you can use geometric, organic, bold graphic textiles for your tablecloths and napkins. This is part of the new wave to set up a table.
Finding cool dish towels that are part of larger household linen collections is a dream comes true. That is what you got with Simrin. Introduced last year, we did not know yet of any stores that carry the brands. Hostess with the Mostess blog, a fan, discovers that you can get the surya collection at Plum Party. Tablecloths, table runners, napkins and kitchen towels are available in chartreuse, aqua, brown and orange.
The catalogue of Simrin speaks in these terms about their design
Inspired by vintage fabrics, organic forms in nature and algorithmic patterns, these three distinct collections create standout prints in complimentary colors perfect for mixing or matching. A combination of metallic inks, embroidery and hand screen-printing make each one unique.
On the entertaining front, luxurious household linen items make great hostess gifts or housewarming gifts. As long as your choice shows consideration for her taste and the style of her kitchen ware, the hostess will feel pampered by your gift.
Link: Surya collection by Simrin available at Plum Party online store
Via: hooray! Simrin at Plum Party! on Hostess with the Mostess blog
Categories:
GIFT ideas
LINENS
HOSTESS gifts
posted @ Saturday, March 03, 2007 4:14 PM | Feedback (0)
Continuing on the wall decals topic of yesterday, I found more wall decals in two of my daily blog fix. Wall decals seem to be the all the rage items of home decor.
The first one is designed by Studio Job in France. Sold at Rare Device, an online store based in New York, Studio Job's wall decal is special because it looks nice on a ceiling. If you wish to have animals dance around your fixture ceiling, the Pantheon Vinyl Wall Art available in black or grey will pleased you. To my surprise, it looks good in grown up rooms.
As pointed out in Better Living through Design, wall decals out on ceiling are very rare. I can easily imagine some drawings to fit nicely on the corner and to go on part of the wall and the ceiling. Trying an out of ordinary arrangement can be rewarding when it is done right.
My second find was Apple Pie Design. With a passion trigger name like this, you got me interested right away. decor8 described it as sophisticated design for grown ups. Most of their designs are for grown ups but a few designs suit children and infant spaces.
The kitchen is my favorite room. If you planning a kitchen renovation, current design often put fewer cabinets on the top that we used to have in the past. This trend provides for a more airy and fresh looking space. But how do you decorate the empty wall? Apple Pie Design proposes decals in the form of huge utensils or a recipe text that make a great statement. It is definite a focal point.
Link: Apple Pie Design Web site - available in English, French and Nederlands
Via: Pantheon Vinyl Wall Art on Better Living through Design blog
Via: Apple Pie Design - Wall Decals on decor 8
Categories:
HOME decor
posted @ Friday, March 02, 2007 11:08 PM | Feedback (0)
My wedding was for sure the most outstanding day of my life. I am one of the lucky girls that got the wedding of her dreams. Being happily married, I can only fantasize now about wedding celebrations.
There are a lot more options available now than 12 years ago. People are more design savvy these days. Boutique hotels, hip restaurants and even design shows on TV have raised the bar when it comes to weddings. Bridal magazine, fairs, bridal consultants and wedding planners are the usual source of inspirations. Brides-to-be can also get inspired online with lots of sites on the subject. But for the style conscious like me, quality is crucial.
Style Me Pretty is a fabulous blog for the style obsessed bride. This blog is a newcomer; it is only at its third month. But wow, it is great! Take for instances, the inspirations boards that the editor creates for a special reader. She also includes lots of sourcing tips to make the desired style a reality. Her latest inspiration board is about a preppy, garden chic wedding for this summer.
Style Me Pretty is done by a stationary designer who understands the difference between a theme party and a party that has its own signature style. That is a tricky part to be able to do it. Mix and match may be in vogue but most people do not do have the eyes for it. She does. Even if you are getting married, I invite you to take a tour of her inspirations boards as it will help you to grab the idea behind hosting the best designed parties in town.
Link: Inspiration Board: Preppy but Elegant on Style Me Pretty
Link: Inspiration Board: Vintage Chic on Style Me Pretty
Categories:
PARTY ideas
BIG events
posted @ Thursday, March 01, 2007 10:43 PM | Feedback (0)
My love with Scandinavian design keeps growing and growing. The more than I see their work, the more I fall in love. New breeds of designers from Denmark, Finland and Sweden are mostly inspired by nature, colors and bold graphics.
I dream on visiting these countries. Since they are far apart in distances, the question becomes which country you visit first. My hubby and I are discussing Denmark or Finland. Let’s go back to the topic of my post.
Some people cannot live without wallpapers. I never have this urge because I was quite disappointed by their looks. Things changed. Over the past years, cool wallpaper designs have popped up all in Europe and North America. Wall stickers are a mainstream item since Home Depot carries them in store.
Well-executed, simple line designs inspired by nature or lifestyle seem to have my votes. I was in heaven this morning when I took a lot at the wallpaper and stickers collections from ferm LIVING. This young Danish company introduced its first commercial wallpaper collection in February 2006. And wow! I’m impressed. The people behind ferm LIVING has done advertising, graphic design and communication works for fashion and lifestyle companies. It shows in their designs.
decor8 gives good design tips on how to use these bold patterns on your house. They have to be used wisely to create a wow factor. Last December, design*sponge talked about ferm LIVING with lots of pictures.
Link: ferm living on design*sponge blog
Link: ferm LIVING English-speaking Web site
Via: ferm Living Wallpaper and Wall Decals on decor8 blog
Categories:
HOME decor
posted @ Thursday, March 01, 2007 1:44 PM | Feedback (1)