Tag Archive | "Lighting"
It’s Worth the Drive to Dunnville
It's not easy to get to but after a road trip to tiny Dunnville, Ontario, on Saturday I can say without question, it's worth the drive to Time Capsule. Jammed from front to back with mid-century furniture, lighting and accessories, the shop lives up to its name, and then some. Owner/operator Jay Clarke was essentially born into the business; his parents were vintage card dealers and dragged him to shows and garage sales as far back as he can remember. Then as a college student he began kitting-out his own place with the only furniture he could afford, 1960s and '70s thrift store finds. His collecting lead to research and before long, a new vocation. Jay opened Time Capsule about five years ago and has never looked back. He sells online and to visiting dealers and collectors who come in from Toronto or upstate New York.
Full post and comments...On Trend: Gyroscope Pendants
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Gyroscope-inspired pendant lamps have taken the design world by storm; the shots, left, are from the April 2011 issues of Style at Home (photo by Stacey Van Berkel-Haines), House Beautiful, obviously (photo by Francesco Lagnese) and Canadian House and Home (photo by Michael Graydon). Why gyroscopes and why now? The answer is anybody's guess; it's one of those crazy, decorating zeitgeist things, like suzanis or capiz chandeliers or Beni Ourain carpets, out of nowhere they're suddenly everywhere. Last week, I hit the streets of Toronto to find great local examples in a range of materials and price points.
Full post and comments...Serendipity Saves the Lamps
Thursday, March 24, 2011
My lamp makeover question got so many comments and opinions I feel a duty to let you know how things turned out. I initially used two different kinds of paint, which blistered and cracked forcing me to strip and begin again. Also, the inside of the lamps was filthy and the only way to clean them was to completely disassemble them and hose them down. After taking them apart I put all the bits and pieces in a plastic bag so that nothing got separated or lost. This proved to be a stroke of luck because among the parts was a little brass ring that I forgot all about so it didn't get painted. In the end, I think the ring is what really makes them work.
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...Lamp Rehab: Before OR After?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Even a fearless DIYer like me needs a little push sometimes. I saw these lamps at a Toronto junk shop (Odds & Ends, 703 Queen Street West) but couldn't bring myself to drop $40 on them because the bases were so damn ugly. I'm a sucker for pierced porcelain and yet I still walked away from them . . . twice. It wasn't until I saw some awesome all-white lamps in the latest issue of Canadian House & Home that I knew what to do. Paint them! But then a funny thing happened; after cleaning and spraying the first one, I got cold feet. The painted metal looked kind of cheap and the more I lived with the brass one, the more I liked the contrast of materials.
Full post and comments...
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