Tag Archive | "Wall coverings"
Doors Open Toronto: Magnificent Mandir
It’s a little ironic that the most popular venue on last year’s Doors Open Toronto roster was a building whose doors are always open. This weekend (May 23 & 24) marks the 10th anniversary of North America’s first Doors Open event and the spectacular, two-year old BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, in the north-west corner of the city, will no doubt be pulling in the crowds once again. And no wonder! The Mandir is probably the most decorative building in all of Canada.
Full post and comments...Concrete Faux Bois at City Hall
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Seeing decorative artist Robert Sangster’s remarkable faux bois treatments focused my attention on some of the wood patterns surrounding me in my workaday life as a minor bureaucrat in one of Canada’s most iconic buildings, Toronto City Hall. The building is constructed of steel, glass and lots and lots of concrete. The concrete slabs were obviously set in wooden forms because walls throughout the building reveal distinct faux bois patterns. Talk about accidental decoration. I imagine that most of my co-workers don’t even notice the knots and grain as they go about their daily business.
Full post and comments...Nothing Faux About Sangster’s Expertise
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Decorative artist Robert Sangster has built a thriving business and excellent reputation as the decorative painter of choice for a slew of talented Toronto interior designers. His faux bois could fool a carpenter and his subtle paint treatments that could easily stand in for some of the world’s most luxurious wallpapers.
Full post and comments...Deconstructing Barbie’s Dreamhouse
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Ever take a break from decorating to ask yourself, "What would Barbie do?" Me neither. But a lot of thought has clearly gone into the matter at Toronto's Bay store on Queen Street West where Barbie's Dreamhouse has come to life in a special boutique created to help celebrate Barbie's 50th birthday. The vignettes reveal an unabashed passion for pink with lots of black and white accents. And while the colour palette may not be to everybody's taste, the deployment of that palette is undeniably current. The ceramic pink poodle and tufted bench and loveseat might have been pulled together by Woodson & Rummerfield or even Jonathan Adler.
Full post and comments...Barrymore’s Italian Penthouse
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
I've been in some gorgeous furniture showrooms and Barrymore can hold its own with any of them. A case in point is the updated neoclassical vignette, above, which caught my eye during a quick fly-through, yesterday. Conceived by Anita Pastor, Barrymore's showroom design director, this particular room was inspired by the work of renowned international designer Juan Pablo Molyneux using the latests furnishings from Italy's Rho Mobili D'Epoca; the backdrop for it all is a hand-screened Fornasetti wallpaper called Riflesso by Cole & Son.
Full post and comments...
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Saturday, May 23, 2009
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