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Tribute Decor Uniquely Positioned

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 by Chris

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Online vintage furniture sellers are popping up like dandelions in spring. The explosion of hunter/collector TV shows like American Pickers has spawned a thousand cyber cottage industries populated by Goodwill junkies who think they can make a go of it online. I wish them all good luck but I suspect many of them will wind up with basements full of junk and a server bill to boot. I predict a happier ending for Susan Elliott of Tribute Decor, however. Susan is based in Kingston, Ontario, almost equidistant from three of Canada's biggest markets — Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. She'll deliver for a nominal fee ($95 to Toronto) and unlike Craigslist, she'll take the goods back if you're not completely satisfied.

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CB2 Uncorks Queen West

Saturday, January 21, 2012 by Chris

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Given that CB2's first Canadian store is housed in a former party palace it was fitting that the company blew off the roof last night with a major opening party featuring DJs, drinks, decorating celebs and a happy crush of pretty young things. Crate & Barrel's younger sister showed off her colourful, hip style with a media preview followed by an invitational for local taste-makers. The most popular observation was about how much colour was on the floor. Atomic orange, kelly green, electric blue, triumph red, canary yellow -- CB2 turns up the volume on saturated hues that dovetail perfectly with its young, urban demographic.

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European Flare on Dundas West

Saturday, December 3, 2011 by Chris

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Further to Thursday's post about Old Fashioned Restoration, proprietor Emanuel Calleja isn't just a master furniture restorer, he's also a dealer with a great eye who does the bulk of his picking on annual European buying trips. The cost of trans-Atlantic shipping means this is no bargain basement, but if you're in the market for high-quality vintage and antique pieces, 3068 Dundas Street West should be on your shopping itinerary. Although Calleja has a number of very fine antiques — his spectacular German marquetry bedroom set was featured on the Antiques Roadshow — the dealer has a particular taste for early 20th century furnishings and lighting, especially art deco.

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Town and Country on Dupont

Wednesday, November 30, 2011 by Chris

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Last week on The Grid I covered the launch of Peaks & Rafters, a hot new spot on Toronto's burgeoning Dupont Street décor strip. The brainchild of interior designer Margot Bell, P&R has been catering to the upscale tastes of Port Carling in the heart of Muskoka for nearly 20 years and has now extended its reach into the city under the friendly, able oversight of Bell’s daughter Katelyn Jarrett.

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G3 Living: Big City Style in a Small Town

Friday, November 25, 2011 by Chris

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Home décor retailer Gilles Charette isn’t reinventing the wheel: he does his buying at the same gift and tableware shows his competitors frequent, albeit flying further afield to the big shows in New York and Atlanta in an effort to keep his stock fresh. But what really sets Charette’s G3 Living apart is its location in tiny Picton, Ontario, in the heart of Prince Edward County. Time was when discerning locals would have to drive to Toronto or Montreal to do the kind of shopping that is now available on their own doorstep. Charette says he took his inspiration for G3 Living from his favorite home stores, namely Toronto’s Teatro Verde and Vancouver’s Liberty: “It's about the product mix and the vibe of the entire space, it has to be inspiring,” stresses the merchant.

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