Tag Archive | "Seasonal"
D.O.T. Furniture: Bargain Brand Goes Elite
There's nothing high-end about the D.O.T. Furniture brand, at least there wasn't until it opened its new location at the corner of Davenport Road and Dupont Street, just a stone's throw from Toronto's swish Designer's Walk. Featuring three floors of furnishings, much of it geared to the outdoors, D.O.T. Elite represents the retailer's attempt to raise its profile and its game. The showroom styling leaves a lot to be desired, particularly the lower level which looks more like a storage locker than a display space, but there are some good-looking pieces down there. In fact, I was quite taken with many of the store's outdoor offerings, especially the sexy DaVinci resin wicker set above and below with it's fab infinity sign coffee table.
Full post and comments...Now That’s a Front Porch!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
My new apartment is in Toronto's rather swish Ave & Dav neighbourhood, home to Designers Walk and countless interior design studios and storefronts. More than anyone, designers are conscious of how critical first impressions really are and most of them do a pretty good job of it. Have you ever seen ornamental cabbages elevated to such luxurious heights? Designer Lori Morris's black and brick exterior screams respectability while the highly-detailed gate and portico confirm that this gal knows how to dress things up. Very impressive, just like the work on Morris's website, which is like crack cocaine to the shelter-porn addicted, albeit in a plush, creamy, Veranda sort of way; have a look.
Full post and comments...Debbie’s Back!
Friday, August 13, 2010
I'd forgotten how much I missed Debbie Travis until I lucked into a one-on-one interview with the décor diva Wednesday at Toronto's SOHO Metropolitan Hotel where Canadian Tire had arranged a press day to promote its Christmas 2010 product line. That's right, Christmas! It was hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk but never mind, upstairs in the penthouse a small army of publicists and product demonstrators was taking turns steering junketeers across three floors of ho-ho-holiday vignettes. Talk about surreal.
Full post and comments...Holiday Windows At The Bay
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
One of my fondest Christmas memories is my family's annual trip downtown to see the seasonal window displays at Toronto's duelling department stores, Eatons and Simpsons. The window unveiling was a newsworthy event in 1960s Toronto and crowds gathered on the snowy streets to see the curtains pulled back to reveal merry, mechanized scenes of the north pole come magically to life. This year, I was happily surprised to see a lively moving display in the windows of The Bay's flagship store at Yonge and Queen Streets (former home to Simpson's).
Full post and comments...O Christmas Tree!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
I spotted this poinsettia Christmas tree in the lobby of my dentist's office last week -- isn't it amazing? If red and green are the colours of Christmas then this tree has the season all sewn up. Poinsettias are native to Mexico but they grow wild all over Central and South America. In Brazil, I saw poinsettia trees 40-feet tall! Some folks are suspicious of the potted plants believing them to be poisonous, especially to pets, but my research suggests there's actually nothing toxic about poinsettias.
Full post and comments...
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
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