Pal & Smith... Coveted

Featured on the cover of Living Etc. Magazine.

 How much does a kidney go for these days anyway? I need to know, because I am saving for, well, pretty much anything from Pal & Smith. I was coveting a lovely table for awhile, and spent waaaay too much time drooling on my keyboard over their fabulously fun website. Then a bit ago I fell in love with their bedroom that was on the cover of Living Etc. After that, not only did I want the table, but now I want their bathroom, their bedroom and their entry hall too. Not so sure about their faux turf front yard though....

GORgeous!

I have such a difficult time browsing their website because it is so fricken stylish that I can't stop playing with the little icons and I get lost in the pretty pictures. So far my favourites seem to be the lovely table and the lamps.

I love that you can order near anything in whichever lacquer you choose... I am obsessed with lacquered anything. I adore the chunky shapes of their pieces... but mostly, I love their style. Period. I could happily live in any room they have designed. Sheer brilliance.

Yes, I want to live here...

Ohhh... want, want, WANT!

 

 

They should be warned that they may find me camping out in their house one day. I don't mind being relegated to the bathroom either. Just sayin', it's that fabulous :)

The Live / Work Space of Textile Queen Dana Barnes

Textile artist Dana Barnes in her studio at home. Inspiration lines the walls in the form of examples of traditional styles, ethnic pieces and textile samples.

 I posted this past weekend on the gorgeous work of Dana Barnes, a New York textile artist who lives with her work in an authentic SoHo loft. It just so happens that her living space is also a prime example of one of my favourite styles: Organic Glam maybe. I know there is probably a term, the design industry loves labels. I think for the Glam bit there needs to be a chandelier though. Either way, the photos of her rugs are mostly in her loft and I didn't post them all for the sake of brevity. Now I am trying to clean up my picture files, and I can't bring myself to delete such a gorgeous space without showing you the rest of these.

My favourite rug made by molding the felt over inverted bowls.

The gorgeous curtain was woven by a Japanese artist. Many of Dana's travels result in new pieces for the loft.

Gorgeous lamp and LOVE that egg stool. The rugs are pieces of her Souled Objects collection.

And a swing! I have lived with an indoor swing, and yes... it DOES get used! Probably her two daughters get some use out of it also :)

More rugs.

The Adventures of Ordy and Joon

Just to keep you up to date, we moved into a new house (from a teensy weensy little apartment downtown) right before Christmas. Normally when I move, by the time I have signed the lease I already have the space decorated in my head. For some reason, this space isn't coming to me. It is the strangest house! It was built as a summer home I'm sure, and weird things have been done to it with complete disregard for the fact that we do, in the Koots, actually have a winter. Single paned windows... need I say more? Then there are the really odd features that come with multiple add ons by people who have no idea what they are doing. I have only been here for a couple of months, but I have a mile long list of "WTFs" on the go. Some of the things they have done are completely ridiculous... and as renters, there are only so many things that we are willing to take on, so much of the bizarreness is not going to be remedied by me.

Instead, what I am focusing on is the lipstick of the rooms. I have a master plan for the boys' room, but it requires some carpentry in the form of bunk beds, and as I really and truly love both my boys (although there are days...) and don't want the top bunk smushing the bottom sleeper, I have enlisted the help of my super talented but really busy stepdad. I trust him, not so much me... definitely not Dylan (I don't even want to express his lack of experience with regards to tools, building things, logic...). So while I wait that out, I am starting to compile a List of Wants and Ideas for my own room. I will be sewing in here because I have the most space here and I can lock the cats out. Really important when you deal in expensive fabrics! It must be utilitarian and organized and efficient. But MOST importantly, it MUST be FABULOUS!!!

Mwahahaaaaa...

Before!

Enter my newest inspiration... by way of a new find on my blog radar, The Adventures of Ordy and Joon. (I am going to assume that there is some, even remote, connection to Benny and Joon and as far as I am concerned... that's reason enough to love them.) Now this woman says she is a law student. I am not sure that I believe her. I think she may be confused, for her talents obviously lie in decor! The thing is, her Before photo is just as amazing as her After! I am not kidding, she is brilliant AND she somehow has the ability to see into my brain, because many of the ideas in her space I have considered, but was not quite sure how to execute them, and she has taken them to an entirely new level. The details in this space are just so gorgeous... take a look:

After!

After!

I am totally in LOVE with this thread display and although I will have to find or make a MUCH bigger frame (or I guess multiple frames?) for mine, I am definitely stealing this idea. I may colour block them. Hmmmm... This town has  a definite shortage of ornate frames in our thrift shops because we are a town full of artists and they get scooped up super quick... or are way overpriced for thrift frames.. Joon snapped hers up (all thrift / yard sale finds) for $2 to $8! Aaaagh... so jealous! Want, want, want.... In fact, she has such a good eye, she did the entire room almost entirely thrifted and gives details on which items cost what. It is imperative that you go and check out her post if only to renew your faith that fabulousness does not have to come with a high price tag.

I am now doing a chalkboard wall in both my sons' room and my own, because this just totally makes sense to me. It's funny, Joon points out that the whole chalkboard wall thing is probably over, and timing-wise it should be, but when something is that practical, does it go out of style? I suppose it depends on whether you have one because the magazines told you to or if you have one because it makes sense. It does make me wonder though, how easily is chalkboard paint painted over. I think it will be fine. I'm doing this. Tomorrow.

I also love the stripes (and her gorgeous little cabinet). The stripes were done in silver AND she got the paint at a ridiculous price because Home Depot is discontinuing the line. LOL... Martha Stewart saved this girl some serious coin. Love that.


If you would like to meet Joon's other pieces of furniture, as well as her living companions (Bandit looks like a tough guy, but I am willing to bet he is a softie at heart,) you can find them all at The Adventures of Ordy and Joon. I really enjoy Joon's writing style, and her personality really shows through. I am sure she is destined to become a favourite.

Best New Designer

Many many (many) years ago my horrid stepsister introduced me to one of the most delightful girls I have had the pleasure of knowing. She and I instantly hit it off regardless of the fact that she is nearly ten years younger than I am (we both hated pink). I was in my twenties and it probably seemed to my sister's friends that I was all fabulous and exciting (and I had a car that drove them around, a lot...) but Jenn was one of the few that I actually found... well, not annoying. So not annoying in fact, that I tried really hard to take her to what I think was her first real concert (Coolio I believe, LOL) and I immediately became the hot topic at the next parents meeting with many of them insisting that I had to be a bad influence simply because I was not fifteen. If only they knew...


Anyhow, now that Jenn is all grown up she is showing me a thing or two about how to live life, and I am duly impressed. After finishing up at Ryerson and doing grand things in Toronto, she moved back to Vancouver, married one of the only men I would have approved of for her (possibly my brother being the only other) and had the most gorgeous wee baby girl you could imagine. She also has mastered the fine art of launching herself full force into the interior design industry. I understand that she has a great deal of experience with PR as that was her last gig on the other side of the country, but to be able to back it with the talent she is showing is pretty phenomenal. I imagine she gets tired of hearing how proud I am of her, she is the type that would roll her eyes, (also, it makes me sound old somehow... go figure) but she is like the little sister that I liked, and I am so happy that she turned out so wonderfully. I am going to take some credit for that.


I should also note (no, I don't forget) that she is not the only talent in this design duo. She has teamed up with her adorable friend Rachel to become A Good Chick To Know Design Consulting, and you can consult with them on everything from what dress to wear to a party to how to sell your house faster and for way above the asking price. Not too shabby, and I guarantee a lot of fun as well!


Jenn recently entered the BC's Best Young Designer Competition and while I had a post in the works on one of her recent home transformations, I had to scrap it for this suite, I am so blown away! I know from her other work that she has an intensely good eye for sourcing on Craigslist and thrift shops, as well as access to the amazing world of design that Vancouver has to offer. If you ever visit the city, be sure to budget for some of the best shopping you have seen for interiors! Apparently this entire space started with the orange lamp (can you spot it?) and it makes me think of how much fun we will have if I ever get my butt back to Vancouver and spend some time treasure hunting with this fine lass! I may have a few disgruntled people in my life who will tell you that I don't simply go on and on about somebody's talents just because they are a friend, but I will let you decide for yourself. Here is the entry for the Best Young Designer Challenge...





Unfortunately you cannot vote for this suite online (although you can visit the site for more pics and info,) you have to actually visit it at Morgan Crossing in South Surrey. There are six talented finalists who have contributed a suite. Each had a $10,000 budget to work the space so they had to be inspired, resourceful and creative. I imagine it is worth the trip if you can get out that way! Why not do something different this weekend?