styleNorth

Sometimes the best way to revive a flagging relationship is to tear it all down and begin again. That’s what Sean Ward and Stephen Fillmore did last year after nearly 20 years together. They sold their terraced house on Toronto’s Berkley Street and each bought a place of their own where they could rediscover themselves and each other on fresh footing.

For new digs, Stephen chose a modern condo in the sky, a 750-square foot, 1-bedroom plus den on the 39th floor of the spanking new X Condominium, above. As befits his more traditional bent, Sean purchased a 1,300-square foot penthouse in a much older co-op overlooking a leafy park in the city’s prim Rosedale neighbourhood, below.

Stephen wanted practically nothing from the old address — some art, a few sticks of furniture and little else. That left Sean to cherry pick artwork and furnishings from what was a three-story, 3,000 square foot house. Predictably, there are now two storage lockers bulging at the seams containing the leftovers . . .

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I’m a casual collector of many things and one of those things is celadon porcelain. I can’t afford the really good stuff but when I see a piece at auction and nobody’s bidding you can count on me to raise my paddle, which is how I came by several of the pieces above. In this vignette you can see how much variation there is to the famous hue: the mossy green vases on the left and right are both Chinese while the small brush pot is Korean. The plate and bowl aren’t Asian at all but Royal Copenhagen from Modern Craze. To me, there’s something beguiling about the colour, which was devised centuries ago to mimic jade, a stone highly revered by the Chinese. The tonal range can stretch from palest grass and moss green to blue/green and gray/green yet each piece is universally referred to simply as celadon.

Paint manufacturers aren’t any clearer about just what colour celadon is: the swatches below are all named celadon . . .

Being partial to the Farrow & Ball palette I flipped through the fan deck and picked a few of my favorite celadon-y shades, below, which more closely reflect the colours found in my burgeoning collection. With the exception of the Ben Moore, all of these shades are cool and watery, perfect for a bedroom, an entry hall or even a kitchen or living room.

I’m not sure how to make this post feel like anything other than an ad for Calligaris‘s new Orbital table but I’m so taken with the demo video that I can’t resist posting it. With a gentle nudge the pivoting mechanism — designed by Pininfarina, the renowned design and engineering company behind Ferrai, Maserati and Alfa Romeo — expands or contracts the sleek glass, steel and polyurethane table. The Orbital, which retails in Canada for $7,833, recently won a German Interior Innovation Award. This is one sexy dining table.

Cameroonian feather headresses are common enough in chic interiors but I had never seen one in multiple colours until my most recent visit to Toronto’s Kiondo (323 Queen Street East, 416.533.9959).

I don’t normally blog about a shop’s wares a second time, least of all within a year of my previous post but proprietor/importer Chris Johnson has some really great pieces on the floor at the moment. The headdress above is $600, same price as a one-coloured piece and so much more spectacular.

What really got me into Kiondo this time was the stool above, which I could see through the window from the street. I have a friend who’s looking for a stool or bench or console to tuck into a bay window and I thought the white stool ($600) would be perfect. Then when I saw the crazy circular cushion on top of it, I knew I had to do another post. The cushions, which come in green and orange, are made of rough rope and are strictly decorative — you wouldn’t want this against your skin — but what a brilliant accessory to add colour and texture. The best part is the price, only $60 each.

I didn’t get prices on Chris’s selection of mudcloth pillows but I recall from my last visit they are around $150 each. I was recently working on a job where the client asked for a global modern interior but when I proposed some African textiles she bluntly cautioned me, “NO Africa.” I certainly don’t share her prejudice, in fact, I think the timeless, organic quality and bold graphics are next door to fantastic.

Johnson also imports genuine indigo fabrics which he has made into amazing cushions. Buyer beware, however, because although Chris washes the cotton many times and sets the dye as best he can, indigo is notorious for coming off, these are not pillows that should be handled much.

If you crave a hit of African pattern but don’t see exactly what you want on the floor ask Chris what else he’s got in the back. On my last visit he was kind enough to give me a tour behind the wizard’s curtain and I was astonished by the range of options — just look at those khakis and earthy greens.

If you drop in on Chris remember to tell him stylenorth sent you.

Someone was kind enough to nominate stylenorth for an Apartment Therapy Homie Award (Best Home Design Blog), which has apparently been bringing me a little extra traffic. Please take a minute and surf over there and add a click to my tally. Voting ends tomorrow — shows you how much attention I’ve been paying to these things. THANKS!