Well, let it be said that design occasionally reflects on past trends (dreaded stirrup pants and neon pink t-shirts), but design’s true calling is moving forward: bigger, bolder, inspired and, well, ALIVE, to be honest.
With so many designers being focused on greige the last few years, it is a welcome breath of fresh air that Pantone has released some awesome, bright and, dare I say, happy, forecasted colours for 2016. Not one greige in the deck.
The Yonge Lawrence Kitchen
It was inevitable. They renovated their bathroom, see https://www.monacointeriors.ca/portfolio/yonge-lawrence-bathroom/ and the kitchen was to follow a couple of years later. They had called a few times, we had looked at it and discussed their options and their budget, and then, when they were ready, they pulled the trigger. And what a journey we took!
Continue reading “Let the Wall Come Down! A Kitchen Renovation Story”
I’m always game when the world of design moves in the direction of good wine. What? Oh, sorry, did I write that out loud? Marsala, a wine produced in the region surrounding the Italian city of Marsala, AND, the Pantone colour of the year (#18-438). An earthy brownish-red that is described by Pantone Color Institute Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman as “nurturing and fulfilling…Marsala is a natural fit for your kitchen or dining room, making it ideal for tabletop, small appliances and linens throughout the home.”
I love doing crafts with my kids. And holiday season gives me lots of opportunity. I also find that it helps me my “control freak” a bit of a break. I mean, there is no way 5 year olds are making perfect ornaments with straight lines and pretty lettering. So it’s a free for all with lots of shiny stick on thingys and crazy paint patterns, and some painted shiny stick on thingys. And once we’re all done, the kids get to help me hang them up. What a joy it is to see the pride on their faces.
So I suffer from severe Christmas envy. I grew up with a minister’s daughter for a best friend, and every year, I got to go over and do up the tree and get a present. (Read my last post for more of this mushy stuff) So, as a modern 2014 Jewish mommy, my goal is to make this holiday as fun and festive as Christmas.
To start off with, they have this advent thingy. It’s a luscious cardboard box with daily tabs that open up to reveal yummy chocolates. WELL!!! I love chocolate!!!! So, why not make a Hanukkah one? And maybe fill it with not only some Hanukkah Gelt (wrapped chocolates that look like coins), or some little gifty items like lip gloss, or even a yo-yo I picked up for my son! I’ve got hair clips and Kinder Surprises, and all kinds of cute dollar-store-type items that my kids will just love. Imagine getting to open one of these little packages every single day of Hanukkah!! That’s 8 days of fun!!
Decorating for the holidays is: Fun? Daunting? Mystifying? Stressful?
Got a mixed up family full of: Hanukkah? Christmas? Kwanzaa? Newtonmas? Festivus?
Wanting to make it: Classy? Fun? Youthful? Colourful? Taseful? Cheery? Cozy?
Our final goal at this residence was to make the very small and outdated bathroom more functional, and, of course, more visually appealing. The clients originally intended on increasing the size of the bathroom, but time constraints and the loss of much needed bedroom space quickly changed all of our minds.
It was March of 2013 when I received the call from a young couple, referred to us by a great client. They had just purchased a semi-detached home in mid-town Toronto that was in urgent need of a renovation. Urgent, you see, because their baby was due around July 26th, and they wanted to move in at least two weeks before the little one was born. That meant, that we had to be done the renovation within about four months, and we hadn’t even met yet!
Paint above: Benjamin Moore
Welcome to the new age of design. As the new generation starts to move into their new homes, condos, apartments and swanky lofts, they long for something different than what they grew up with. They want to spread their fashion wings, and let their individuality shine. We spent most of the 80s and 90s saturating homes in greens and burgundies. One of my first jobs, as a designer, was to help a client who spent a fortune on a turquoise leather sofa in the late 80s. Yes, you just read that.
Any designer will tell you, they have a secret obsession with the accent chair. Accent chairs offer us easy and fun ways to fill little empty spaces, create punch in an otherwise boring room, use our favourite fabrics, indulge in a sculptural piece, or repurpose the cutest, sweetest, possibly not even usable, old chair that we can live without. But the insistence that every chair in your house must serve as seating holds us back. As does the misconception that your chairs must “match” your sofa, or your entire dining set. Think of it this way. An accent chair can be purposeful or just visual, funky or vintage, cheap and cheerful or expensive and luxurious. Here are some of my top picks for this season!
