Tag Archive | "Colour"
Making it Work
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 . . .
Full post and comments...Designers Gone Wild
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
From the outside, the Corus Entertainment headquarters on Toronto's waterfront looks much like any other glass and steel office complex but the interior is a whole other story. I recently had the pleasure of touring the space, whose interior was designed by Toronto's Quadrangle Architects (the building was designed by Diamond+Schmitt). The Top of the Hub Lounge is a riot of fun, contemporary furniture: the Hot Wheels-worthy, looping bench is called the Highway Sofa by Italy's Segis, the green Alcove sofas are by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra and the enormous task lamp is called the Giant Lamp from Luxo.
Full post and comments...Colour in the Country
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Last month, I attended an art opening by Toronto-based textile artist Sheree Rasmussen, whose vivid, abstract works inspired me to inquire whether her home is also colourful. Sheree replied in the affirmative and mentioned that the country place she shares with her partner, artist/architect Clive Russell, is in Ontario's Northumberland County, which happens to be where my parents live. Naturally, I begged an invitation. The weather was bleak and spring had barely begun to stir but inside, the home was in full flower, a happy but not-at-all-precious rainbow of hues ranging from wall and trim colours to quilts, weavings and art galore.
Full post and comments...Memphis Makes a Comeback
Saturday, April 23, 2011
As a decor blogger I'm inundated with press releases and product pitches, 99 per cent of which I ignore. But last week I was notified about a wild new collection of art furnishings from Italy's Cleto Munari that made me sit up and take notice. For the past year or two, we've been hearing about the comeback of 80s style and suddenly, here comes Memphis, back for another moment. The Memphis-Milano Movement (1981 - 87) was founded by designer Ettore Sostass and sure enough, he's one of the nine international architects and artists Munari has commissioned to design for this collection. The limited-edition cabinets, tables, chairs and carpets all feature bright, geometric designs in shapes that defy the everyday, which I think is the point.
Full post and comments...Blue Silk Fortuny and Follow-Up
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Further to comments on the previous post about colourful Fortuny pendant options . . . Also in response to the comments, I feel a duty to show you the one other area where some of Jill and Jack's money went -- to their entryway, for which the designer created a four-colour paint stripe (blue, cream, silver and gold) that wraps up and around a curved ceiling and staircase leading to the second floor of the home. It would have been an expensive application and the painter's fee also came out of the budget, along with oversight charges, no doubt. Ultimately, I get the sense that some of the criticism stems from class-motivated indignation. This is a $1 million-plus home in a desirable pocket of the city and people who live in such places spend commensurate amounts on their decor, they hire the best help and shop in the best stores. It might seem wasteful to some, but this is not the kind of home where you're going to see second-hand anything unless it's a prized antique. I wish I was as fortunate.
Full post and comments...
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Wednesday, July 6, 2011
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