Often clients call and ask me if it would be more economical to buy a new sofa or reupholster one. Off the bat, I can tell you the cost is roughly the same. It’s not a decision regarding economics. It’s a purely emotional decision. In all my experience, the most common reasons have been: “It’s the most comfortable sofa in the world.” “I want to be environmentally conscious.” “It fits perfectly into my space.” But my reason was purely sentimental. My Grandparents and their sofas I grew up in Montreal. Dollard to be exact. Just about a 30-minute drive from my father’s parents who lived in the village of Mont Royal. They lived on a nice, tree-lined, low rise apartment-lined street. They lived there for 30 years. From my early childhood until just prior to my marriage, I spent almost every Saturday with them. They owned a diner on St. Laurent. It was called Irv’s diner (the previous owner’s name), and my father would drop me off in the mornings on his way to work. At the end of the day, we’d hop in a cab and head over to their apartment where I’d eat too much chocolate, and […]
I have been working in the design industry for over twenty years now. Most of those years have been fabric filled. It’s really an obsession of sorts. My reps come to visit my office, they bring armfulls of new books. The books are filled with swatches of new and exciting fabrics, textures, colours and patterns. The smell of the fabric fills the room. The colours bounce around and the patterns dance like butterflies around my head. Okay that’s super hokey. But seriously. One the the best parts of my job is finding the perfect fabrics for a space. Drapery fabric. Makes a statement. Warms up a room. Creates mood and a luxe vibe. As long as ice-cream kiddie fingers aren’t grabbing them, they will look good for a really long time. And furniture! Who doesn’t love a soft velvety sofa with cushions that scream pretty, or industrial or chic or fun or bright or carribean or a combo of any of those and so many more! Those toss cushions! How we designers love thee! And how many hours have I spent picking out the perfect fabrics ?!?!? It sometimes drives me mad. But it’s fun. And I love it. […]
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! Define your space: A living room does not have to conform to a sofa, loveseat and wing chair combination. Creativity is paramount when defining space. Remember too, when company is over, people would prefer to sit in a chair, than be the person in the middle seat on a sofa. Here, you see the building of the rooms character with two bold green chairs, and two fantastic printed chairs. The conversation area is defined, […]
Toronto Furniture Show 2 Chairs! They are often so expensive, and are an often overlooked opportunity for true design fun. Pairing modern, fun chairs, with traditional dining tables is a great way to turn something old and dated (like your grandmother’s dining table), into something contemporary and chic. Who made that rule that everything has to be all matchy matchy and boring? Designers know that when you spice things up with some daring buys, your home can go from blah to fantastic! Zuo Modern Furniture understands today’s consumer needs for affordable pieces to compliment the big purchases. I found some super fun pieces, that won’t break the bank, but will add some serious punch! And their “designer knock-offs” make the look attainable for anyone who wants that oh la la look. I took a corner at the show, and came face to face with this fun, plastic and floral fabric chair. It turned on my happy switch. How could you not smile when seeing such a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy space? Although a bit on the feminine side…who’s kidding…it is super girly, but at about $300 each, this chair can add some serious pizazz to a bachelorette […]
