{Friday}

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Happy Canada Day long weekend!  Enjoy!

keri 

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POW!

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Just adding some colour to our week!  

keri
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Your Choice is Clear, Lucite!

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I'm fortunate in that I have a fairly large Condo (of course I live in a condo, its Toronto) to live in.  Mel and I share roughly 1000sqt. Not bad really.  We have a decent sized kitchen, space for two cooks, really large bedrooms, 2 full baths, ensuite laundry, and a +1 for an office.  Like I said, not bad.  We're comfortable, slightly cozy, and very happy.


The only thing we're really lacking is seating space.  When we have our friends and family by, dinner party, holidays etc, people end up sitting on table chairs along with the rest.  A while back I mentioned our new purchase to help with our little conundrum, however, its morphed into a new one.  Too much stuff. I hate clutter and cramped spaces.  


But we need the seating!  

You see my issue.  

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My solution, is to not see the issue, but to see through it. My solution, as you may have guessed, is a new lucite chair or furniture piece.

I love the way that colour and texture transfer through lucite pieces, whether it be the curtains through this make-up table above, or the shirt through this chair back below.

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I really love this dining set.  The plush cushions offset cleanly with the clear backs and armrests.  It also allows you see how beautiful the table is, and the great pattern in the floor can remain a highlight. 

 There are so many options and uses. Console tables like this are a pleasure to design around.  I always find them to be a little secret. You're obviously going to see the drawer unit and art first here, but when your eye finds the table, its very intriguing and adds another dimension to the wall space.

  I've come up with this bunch of images from some of my favourite sites, Design Sponge, 
Hege In France, and Pinterest, but I don't know which is my fav.  


Which is yours?

Bill

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Polka Dots

While doing laundry this past weekend I realized I have a slight obsession with polka dots!  My black and white polka dot pants happen to be my fav at the moment!  I started to take a look at my fashion pinterest board and noticed several pics pinned of polka dots...

all pics above are from my pinterest board

While browsing  my favourite online shopping site Net-a-Porter I found more pics to add to my board. 

all pics above are from Net-a-Porter polka dot collection

But then I started wondering how can I incorporate polka dots into my home....

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Maybe some polka dot paper lanterns??

Or maybe do a DIY project like Danielle from Breakfast at Toast did??  

I need polka dots in my home!!  Throw cushions on a sofa (I have yet to buy) would be a really cute idea too!  Ooh the possibilities are endless, I welcome any of your ideas!! 

keri

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Weekend by Instagram

When your Saturday morning starts off in a store like this, its hard not to have a good weekend!

Happy Monday.

keri

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Warm Up to the Long Weekend.

Admittedly, not my picture, stolen from a website that stole it from someone else. 

Good Monday Morning Toronto, one week before a long weekend.  And the Canada Day long weekend, even better!  I'm in a good position this week, 4 day work week (I gave myself the day off on Friday), which means 4 Day weekend!

 This past weekend, I participated in a very, very, Ontario event.  I went to the cottage.  I imagine many of you will be doing the same thing this coming weekend.  I don't have  many photos though,  and in a way, that's kind of nice. I forgot I had my iphone (on purpose). No emails or phone calls, so all of these below are from Sunday morning on the way back.

I really loved the play with lines in this picture.  The straightness of the building and its roof line lines with the angles of the parking, it makes the "Angle Parking" signs look hilarious. 

The infamous drive south nearing Barrie

And what could be the funniest thing I saw all weekend, did you really need to purchase the bike rack?

Are you getting away this long weekend at all?

Weekend To Do's

Another weekend is upon us and of course, lots to do in town this weekend.  

The Cycle for Sight is a great event for you hardcore road bikers.  You can still register, and once riding you won't regret it.  You get to cruise on all the way from Downsview Station as far as Collingwood.

If you don't go for the ride, there are two other events to check out.

The first is Steam on Queen.  I mean, who doesn't want to dip into a bit of the Victorian era with an infusion of industrial flair.

And the Second event, which I admit, might not be for everyone is.....

That's right, "Big Tobacco & The Pickers" free concert at the NOW lounge. Although too country for some, its full of twang and old school country, the honestly will get you. Featuring Bazil Donovan (of Blue Rodeo Fame, as well as his own album Matinee which you should checkout), my guess is you won't have a bad time listening to these guys.


Take care, and enjoy your weekend.  

Bill

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Meet me at the alter in your white dress.....

....Lets get married!!!!

Off to never never land, see you in a few weeks!

Stephanie

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Peterborough Project, Kitchen Addition!

  

As I mentioned a few days ago, I had the pleasure of working on a project with my sister.  Now if you've ever worked with family, you know that this can be a daunting task.  Family can be demanding, they can lay down unrealistic deadlines, and they have no issue calling outside reasonable business hours.  

Luckily, I was working with my sister.  She has a strong understanding and respect of that separation.  And really,  thank God for that!  As far as clients go, my sister was a breeze.  She was open to any and all ideas, and though she had strong opinions (as any client will), they were thought out, and usually spot on.

A little background on the project.  This is an addition. Really well sized for the space around the house and the the out buildings near it on the farm.  The original building is a classic Ontario red brick. The addition is taking the place of a really dilapidated kitchen and storage that was almost falling off!  

In a couple of the shots you can spot the new (still unfurnished minus the kid sized picnic table) dining room as well.

The colour is Benjamin Moore, Timid White OC-39. Its a soft white that works really well with the slight touch of yellow on the walls, and a richer gray/taupe on the trim.

We kept it very homey and country throughout.  Now please, don't look at country as a curse word.  Country doesn't have to mean matching cow salt and pepper shakers and rooster figurines.  What it can mean is a very casual, comfortable cooking and eating experience. What it can mean is classic lines and classic details without the formality of a traditional design.    

 We went with framed inset cabinetry and it suits this style of house so well. I really love the dark hinges.  They're more pewter than black, and we carried that over into the hardware as well. It leaves the look a little softer than black would have and it blends better with the exposed appliances.

The AEG Electrolux range adds a professional look without the heaviness of a Wolf or Viking.  5 burner with a wok ring, and quick boiler. Great 

range with a little bit of clean Euro flair and all of the cooking power you could need.

The furniture base on here is one of those little details that sets custom cabinetry apart from semi-custom and dealer options.  Its flush with the frame and doors, not a cabinet box.  This way you see the full profile on the base and it stands equal from the cabinet on all sides.

 

You can catch a glimpse of this pillow in the top picture.   It sits on a bench in a little lounge area, with a great view of the farm out the window. The fabric hasn't been selected  for it yet, but right now the tangerine looks great on it.

No better spot to enjoy a glass of wine  and relax in your brand new space!

Bill

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Canadian House and Home

If you ask anyone that knows me they will tell you I have a bit of a magazine obsession.  It's my drug, my weakness and my weekly / monthly fix.  Secretly it's my dream job to work at a magazine, I'm just putting that out there.  Sure blogs and Pinterest are great sources for inspiration but nothing, nothing I say beats coming home and finding a new magazine in your mail box!  

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Canadian House and Home is on my list of favourite magazines and at the top of my list for favourite Canadian magazines.

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Always great ideas and lots of inspiration!  The above is just a small sample from Canadian House and Home's Pinterest board.   They even have a board for local Canadian design blogs....hmmmm I don't see three on there though...

Ooohhh and the best part about Canadian House and Home is their online TV!!

If you don't already subscribe to Canadian House and Home Online TV you really should.  Every Monday your email in box has a nice little surprise for their most recent episode.  I love taking a breaking, grabbing some tea and sitting back and watching.  

I'm off to watch the latest!

keri

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Weekend Pic - Lazy Saturday Beers

Nothing better than cool refreshing beers on a hot Saturday afternoon!!!

Stephanie

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Weekend by Instagram

My weekend consisted of only one day, however it was a day spent walking for a great cause and with a great group of people, for one amazing little guy.  Well done Team BH!

Have a great week!

keri

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Good Morning and Happy Monday

Good Morning, Sunshine.

  Some driving this weekend (up to see my sister and niece in Peterborough) and some furniture shopping as well, because really, who doesn't want to do that?

Knocked off a touch early on Friday and stopped in at Of Things Past on Bridgeland.  I just grabbed a couple quick pics while I was there.  I really love the door detail on this piece, it was basically full height on a huge wardrobe.

Early morning Saturday at the St.Lawrence.  Sooooooo glad Ontario strawberries are in season. 

The family visit led me to Knock On Wood in Peterborough on Saturday.  Its a retail/furniture/decor store built around a big variety of home furnishings with some custom options, fabric, finish etc, with a good selection of Kitchen gadgets as well.  And though I didn't find a lot there that felt like my style, there were some decent country pieces and randomly, this wild Beatles St.Peppers bench.  

While up in Peterborough,  I snapped some pics of my Sisters kitchen.  She hired me on, (at a substantial family discount of $0.00) to plan and design it for her.  The kitchen is part of a big, very warm addition onto the back of a classic Ontario red brick farm house.  Here's a little preview of an upcoming post detailing the kitchen.

Bill

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