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/treasure-hunting-in-cobourg/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2012/01/treasure-hunting-in-cobourg/#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:20:03 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=19483 Here's a post that's been in the can for months. Back in September when I scouted Waddington's new Cobourg outpost, I went on a little treasure hunt along tiny Covert Street, which I discovered thanks to my friend Susan Forint and her SAF Affect blog. Then, before I got a chance to post my thrifty finds, I learned that I had overlooked Cobourg's biggest claim to vintage fame, the massive Legacy salvage yard. So back I went with my Ajax friends Denise and Larry who kindly provided the transport.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2012/01/treasure-hunting-in-cobourg/feed/ 7 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/11/bev-hisey-studio-sale-this-weekend/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/11/bev-hisey-studio-sale-this-weekend/#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:54:47 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=19013 With a storefront facing Trinity Bellwoods Park not far from Ossington Avenue, Toronto textile designer Bev Hisey doesn't need to do the One of a Kind Show (on now until December 4 at Direct Energy Centre), she just has to throw open her door. And that's exactly what she's doing this weekend with her annual Studio Sale (Saturday 11 am - 6 pm and Sunday 12 - 5 pm). Featuring cut rate prices on some of her most popular designs Bev all but promises you won't walk away empty handed. I'll be there for sure, hopefully ahead of you in line for the best stuff. Foundstyle is teaming up with Bev to do a mini pop-up store of vintage treasures just to keep things extra interesting.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/11/bev-hisey-studio-sale-this-weekend/feed/ 2 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/11/persian-carpet-closeout-sales/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/11/persian-carpet-closeout-sales/#comments Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:07:44 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=18951 I typically buy rugs at auction because that's where the best values are to be found albeit with limited selection in terms of size, style, colour, etc. But since I need a rug right now for a client job, I've been doing a lot of carpet shopping lately and I've come across two Persian carpet closeout sales in Toronto, on now until the end of December. That's Ali Keshvari, pictured, proprietor of Kensington Carpets (193 Baldwin St., 416.260.1144) working hard for a sale as he flips and flips and flips carpets in search of just the right design. Ali is closing his Toronto location and consolidating business in Calgary where he has another store and that means sale prices from 50 - 80 per cent off regular retail from now until the end of the year. It was Ali who sold me the carpet I installed in my happy client's home on Sunday (more on that soon).]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/11/persian-carpet-closeout-sales/feed/ 3 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/10/base-desires/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/10/base-desires/#comments Sat, 29 Oct 2011 12:28:58 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=18833 When it comes to vintage furniture I have three weaknesses, chairs, lamps and coffee tables. There is almost never a time I don't have at least two coffee tables in my possession, as I do at the moment. So obviously I have no way to justify the purchase of this fab find at Toronto's Upside Dive (269 Queen Street East). The table is a steal at $250 and it would be steel by the time I was finished with it, I'd strip that brass plate in a jiffy and it would chrome for the ages. The piece is a copy of a design by Roger Sprunger for Dunbar that I blogged about last year. The Dunbar original has a bolt joining each gently turned leg, whereas the Upside table are straight bends attached with a solid solder. Shown right side up, above, the table comes with a good quality 40" diameter smoked glass top. But my preference with this design is always to see it upside down, a W rather than an M.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/10/base-desires/feed/ 4 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/10/aberfoyle-2-the-best-of-the-rest/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/10/aberfoyle-2-the-best-of-the-rest/#comments Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:58:51 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=18716 This is the smiling face of my friend Ingrid with her one and only purchase from our trip to the Aberfoyle Antiques Market last Sunday. Ingrid has a cream and gilt dressing table that was in desperate need of a mirror and this piece is practically a perfect match. The seller wanted $45 for it but Ingrid drives a hard bargain -- they settled for $35. So what else did we see at Aberfoyle? It wasn't a great week for furniture but we scoped some pretty terrific odds and ends . . .]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/10/aberfoyle-2-the-best-of-the-rest/feed/ 8 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/06/fabricland-closeout-sale/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/06/fabricland-closeout-sale/#comments Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:14:29 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=17524 The Fabricland location in Toronto's Hudson's Bay Centre (2 Bloor Street East) is in the midst of a major closing sale with discounts starting at 50 per cent and going up (down?) from there. I stopped in on Sunday to scout fabric for my new daybed but didn't fall in love with anything. Which is not to say that I went home empty handed; I bought a great pair of sewing scissors and a good hot-glue gun, both for half price. And you can bet I had to line-up to make the purchase, I've never seen that normally sleepy basement outlet so jammed with happy shoppers.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/06/fabricland-closeout-sale/feed/ 0 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/06/virginia-johnson-fabric-sale/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/06/virginia-johnson-fabric-sale/#comments Sat, 25 Jun 2011 12:21:25 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=17379 Local designer Virginia Johnson is holding her first ever fabric sale today (June 25) where you'll find voile, canvas, jersey, chain stitch panels, zippers, and fabric ends, all at very good prices. Johnson's prints are whimsical, colourful and just plain fun: 132 Ossington Avenue from 11 am until 7 pm.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/06/virginia-johnson-fabric-sale/feed/ 1 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/06/a-great-excuse-for-brunch-in-coolsville/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/06/a-great-excuse-for-brunch-in-coolsville/#comments Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:23:35 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=17367 Tomorrow morning (Saturday, June 18) is the annual Trinity Bellwoods Yard Sale starting at 10 am. Located in the heart of Toronto's very own Coolsville (read Queen Street West at the top of Strachan Avenue), the Bellwoods flea features 100 stalls and tables from neighbourhood sellers all trying to make a buck while keeping the circle of stuff spinning. And while you're over on the west side you might want to check out local designer Virginia Johnson's annual fabric sale where you'll find voile, canvas, jersey, chain stitch panels, zippers, and fabric ends, all at very good prices.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/06/a-great-excuse-for-brunch-in-coolsville/feed/ 2 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/06/the-goobye-girls/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/06/the-goobye-girls/#comments Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:38:08 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=17141 I was deeply saddened to receive an email from Holly Gnaedinger last week announcing the closing of Twice Found, the "vintage modern" shop she has run with partner Marie Lyons-Cooper for the past four and a half years. Holly says business has been in a tailspin since Mirvish Books closed in 2009 and it's time to take a step back and reevaluate. Holly and Marie will be winding things down through the end of June but the stock is already dwindling so drop in sooner rather than later. Lighting and furniture — Holly still has a beautiful mid-century walnut dining table — is reduced by 50 per cent, tableware and pottery is marked down 25 - 50 per cent and Marie's jewellery is separated into bargain bins of $2 (values up to $10), $5 (values up to $18) and $10 (values up to $25); all other jewellery 25% off. Asian pieces are discounted 50 per cent.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/06/the-goobye-girls/feed/ 3 http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/05/its-that-time-again/ http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/05/its-that-time-again/#comments Fri, 13 May 2011 10:54:55 +0000 Chris http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/?p=16998 The Gus Warehouse Sale is a perennial Toronto favourite that I've had great reader feedback on so I'm happy to give it a plug. Tomorrow is your chance to save big -- up to 70 per cent off -- on some great Gus merch. The sale runs from 8 am - 4 pm but I'm told the floor is often nearly sold out by noon so get there early to avoid disappointment. The warehouse is at 223 Evans Avenue on the south side between Kipling and Islington (enter at the south end of the building through the shipping/receiving entrance). Some of the furnishings are seconds or less than perfect examples so inspect your purchases carefully, all sales are final and Gus hates cry babies.]]> http://www.stylenorth.ca/blog/2011/05/its-that-time-again/feed/ 1