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Making it Work

Wednesday, July 6, 2011 by Chris

14 Comments

When I saw this embroidered kilim on Craigslist I thought it might be a great option for upholstering my new daybed. At the seller's house I was disappointed to discover that the suzani was quite a bit darker than it looked in the CL ad. But I was taken with it -- something about the earthy palette, colourful, if subdued -- so I brought it home with me. I immediately discovered that the piece sucks the light out of the room, yet still I am smitten. So, determined to make it work, I pulled out a large, Vietnamese silk painting that's been languishing in a closet and got down to work using Photoshop to test a few new wall colour options . . .

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So Long, Louis

Tuesday, June 28, 2011 by Chris

7 Comments

I loved my Louis XV sofa, I really did. But it was more a reflection of my former partner’s taste than my own. Sure, I had a hand in choosing it but I always saw it as a beautiful bridge, one that spanned his taste for English country and my preference for a cleaner, more modern line. The Louis’s curves and cabriole legs appealed to him and its unadorned back and single bench cushion appealed to me — it was a lovely compromise. But now that I’m on my own there’s no need to bend, I can make my space a true reflection of my taste, at least to the extent that my budget permits. And earlier this month Craigslist presented me with an opportunity to change things up courtesy of the mid-century daybed/sofa.

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Decorator Nightmare

Monday, March 21, 2011 by Chris

48 Comments

StyleNorth reader Jill wrote to me to see if I’d be interested in some items for my fledgling decorating business. She had just emerged from a bad -- as in REALLY bad -- experience with a TV decorator who shall remain nameless. Jill and her husband Jack hired the designer to help them sift through their inspiration binders and pull together a cohesive plan based on their tastes and wishes. Jill and Jack are both professionals and while they’re not wealthy, they were prepared to throw up to $100,000 at the project in order to get the living/dining space of their dreams. Instead, they got a nightmare.

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Dear styleNorth . . . Strip or Paint?

Sunday, February 27, 2011 by Chris

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StyleNorth reader Lorena wrote to me yesterday for advice about the distressed but very grand frame she found at the side of the road. "Because of the scrolls of the wood It would be a nightmare to strip," she observes, "but that's exactly what I'd like to do. The wood is old enough that it would look great in its weathered natural state. Also, I have a fairly modern space and I think an old mirror would make a great foil. Wondering if you would mind having a look at the attached pix and venturing whether you think it's worth the trouble, or better to just paint?"

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Honour and Dishonour

Wednesday, November 17, 2010 by Chris

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Further to this week's posts, I immediately discovered that the downside of my new Falcon Chair is that it makes an excellent coat rack. Very bad. The photo above is the first and only time I shall allow this to happen; there is absolutely no excuse with a coat cupboard immediately behind the chair. My second addendum is to the Judy post; while I was in the country with my folks we dropped into the weekly tag sale at Waddington's Brighton where the tie-back below was going for a buck. When I got it home it seemed appropriate to dress the photo of Judy in my entryway; it just feels right, like a mourning gesture, to see her draped in black but also honoured. God, how I miss her.

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