http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog Real Canadians decorating Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:34:29 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2012/01/awesome-lighting-at-philz/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2012/01/awesome-lighting-at-philz/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:31:06 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=19459 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.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2012/01/awesome-lighting-at-philz/feed/ 5 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/12/mod-pieces-old-lamps-get-a-new-lease/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/12/mod-pieces-old-lamps-get-a-new-lease/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:20:48 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=19211 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.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/12/mod-pieces-old-lamps-get-a-new-lease/feed/ 5 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2010/12/do-it-yourself-industrial-lighting/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2010/12/do-it-yourself-industrial-lighting/#comments Fri, 31 Dec 2010 09:51:17 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=15678 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.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2010/12/do-it-yourself-industrial-lighting/feed/ 4 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2010/12/bright-ideasam-studio/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2010/12/bright-ideasam-studio/#comments Fri, 17 Dec 2010 09:25:46 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=15492 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.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2010/12/bright-ideasam-studio/feed/ 1 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2010/10/closing-sale-queens-key-antiques/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2010/10/closing-sale-queens-key-antiques/#comments Sat, 02 Oct 2010 14:13:23 +0000 Chris http://stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=14625 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.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2010/10/closing-sale-queens-key-antiques/feed/ 1 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2010/07/what-a-difference-an-inch-makes/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2010/07/what-a-difference-an-inch-makes/#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:37:31 +0000 Chris http://stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=14266 When I did the reveal post about my new dark walls I was a bit surprised that no one commented on the fact that the new cream lampshades (above left) weren’t quite the right size. The shades weren’t new, they were ones I’d pulled out of storage while I had custom shades made. The new shade on the right is one inch taller and one inch narrower; the difference is subtle in the photo, but much more apparent in three dimensions. Yes, the old shade would have looked alright with a slightly smaller harp but I didn’t have one on hand, and anyway, I think a 7-inch harp is just too small for a 16? lamp.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2010/07/what-a-difference-an-inch-makes/feed/ 2 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2009/12/aristocrat-longer-hours-lower-prices/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2009/12/aristocrat-longer-hours-lower-prices/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:13:02 +0000 Chris http://stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=13379 Aristocrat Lamps and Lighting remains one of my favorite Toronto bargain outlets but the banker's hours have always been a problem. Right now, however, the store is open seven days a week to accommodate a serious sale. The best deals are still found in the dead-stock room, below, where solid brass lamps are among the very best values, but the price reductions continue up front with newer stock and shades.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2009/12/aristocrat-longer-hours-lower-prices/feed/ 6 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2009/11/let-there-be-lotte/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2009/11/let-there-be-lotte/#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:06:54 +0000 Chris http://stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=13180 INabstracto's Kate Eisen and sometime partner Duncan Farnan hit the motherlode recently when they stumbled upon an old warehouse with an impressive stock of vintage Lotte Lamps, circa 1964. The lamps ($195 each) have their original shades and original tags but Eisen and Farnan have rewired them to today's safety standards. Colors include coral, dark blue, robin's egg, golden yellow, celadon, brown and white.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2009/11/let-there-be-lotte/feed/ 5 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2009/10/shops-queens-key-antiques/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2009/10/shops-queens-key-antiques/#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:17:15 +0000 Chris http://stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=12798 After Saturday's item about the tortoise shell it occurred to me that I really should post about the shop where I bought it. Queen's Key Antiques is a quirky little store with a focus on antique and vintage lighting but there's really no telling what you'll find there: an African wood carving, below right ($25), a gilt Church altar, below left ($150) or a 30 foot Anaconda skin (not shown, $100); I purchased the ornate, gold, Chinese window screen there a few years ago for $40, above.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2009/10/shops-queens-key-antiques/feed/ 0 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2009/09/step-away-from-the-lamps/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2009/09/step-away-from-the-lamps/#comments Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:11:46 +0000 Chris http://stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=12503 On Craigslist yesterday, I came across these fab 1950s table lamps priced at $120. Such style! I'd buy them in an instant if our house wasn't already heaving with more lamps than we'll ever be able to use. I've currently got six lamps of my own up on Craigslist, two pairs and a couple of singles. I don't need any more lamps. So help me out, buy these. Please. 'Cause if they're still there on Monday morning, well, there's just no telling what I might do.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2009/09/step-away-from-the-lamps/feed/ 7