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Awesome Lighting at Philz

Friday, January 6, 2012 by Chris

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I didn't ask Philz proprietor Cynthia Markowitz whether this fab pendant light fell off a truck but it's the only explanation for the jaw-droppingly low price. Featuring 10 sleek black ball lights the pendant is priced at just $350. That's right, $350! I would buy it myself for a future client but if I did that every time I came across a great deal I'd be drowning in stuff. And so I pass it on to you, dear readers. If you've got the ceiling height you will never, EVER find a better deal on a fixture so sexy.

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Mod Pieces: Old Lamps Get A New Lease

Friday, December 16, 2011 by Chris

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Lia Fagan's timing could not have been better. The proprietor of Mod Pieces wrote to me several weeks ago promoting her business restyling vintage lamps and constructing custom lampshades. Well, it just so happens that Lia is based in Burlington, Ontario, around the corner from my latest decorating client in Oakville for whom I had sourced some amazing vintage lamps that required shades. Lia used the frame and fabric I provided to construct a new shade that better suits the room in which it now resides. She charged $75 for the reconstruction, an extremely reasonable rate, as anyone who has bought shades recently will know.

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Do It Yourself: Industrial Lighting

Friday, December 31, 2010 by Chris

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Industrial-style lighting has been big news in residential spaces for several years now and the trend shows no sign of dimming. Although many approaches to the style are quite simplistic, the costs from Canadian design retailers like Commute Home, MADE and Ministry of the Interior can range from high to exorbitant. For this DIY fixture by Toronto architect Scott Barker, all the materials except the bulbs came from Canadian Tire and cost less than $50. And while some people cower from any job involving electricity, this particular project is safe and simple to duplicate.

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Bright Ideas: AM Studio

Friday, December 17, 2010 by Chris

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When I was pulling out of the Patina parking lot last week I happened to glance to my left and see the most stunning light fixtures shining in the window of AM Studio, a custom glass and lighting specialist. Nearly all the pieces I admired turned out to be by Israeli artist Martin Or who is clearly a master intent on pushing the boundaries of his craft. I've lead-off with the 24kt gold "crispy balls", not because they were my favorite design but because they're so damn photogenic. The 2" diameter lights are $300 each and are ordered individually then custom mounted depending on how many and what configuration suits the client's needs: they can be suspended along a rectangular plate or be dispersed on a round ceiling mount.

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Closing Sale: Queen’s Key Antiques

Saturday, October 2, 2010 by Chris

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I'm a little sad to see that one of my favorite haunts, Toronto's Queen's Key Antiques (1086 1/2 Queen Street West, 416.537.8282), is closing for good at the end of October. Whenever I'm in the West Queen West neighbourhood I make a point of dropping in to see what proprietor Chester is up to. Business has been slow and the rent's not getting any cheaper so he's liquidating his stock and moving on to something else. That means deals galore if you happen to be in the market for some antique or vintage lighting, which is Chester's specialty.

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