FLIK by Design

Colour of the Year 2012 - Tangerine.......

2012-01-04T09:30:00.000-08:00

So the holiday season is behind us - and with the new year comes all the new colour trends, and guess what - Tangerine is the new Pantone colour of the year - Hooray...........while orange has been my accent colour in not only our home but also my store it is great to know that it is chosen as colour of the year.....It is a great pop colour in so many things that finally is recognized again.

"the color company pantone has selected 'tangerine tango' as the color of the year for 2012.
described as 'a spirited reddish orange', the colour 'provides the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.'
popular this year among fashion and cosmetic designers, 'tangerine tango' is 'sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive', explains leatrice eiseman, executive director of the pantone color institute.

'reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, [the shade] marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.'

our custom LV pillows in tangerine and chocolate

While Hermes orange is always going to be my favorite - Tangerine of course belongs in the same family and is happily recognized......... We will be showcasing Fuscia as an accent colour to go with tangerine and are currently working on some new upholstered pieces to show off both colours happily.

our new series of resin art

sneak peek at some of the new pieces....

Wishing everyone a Happy new year and a great 2012 with at least a little touch of orange.....

Beginning to look a lot like Christmas - finally

2011-12-06T16:27:00.000-08:00

So the snow has not fallen - the trees are decorated and the malls are getting full, but it didnt feel like christmas was coming near until last night in our household.

Being of German decent - we celebrate Nikolaus - on the night of the 5th - our children polish their shoes - or in this case their boots - leave them out at night and then have Nikolaus bring chocolates etc in them the next morning.

We wanted to also add a touch of magic and told both Mari-Sol and Ben that Nikolaus also brings the christmas tree... so last night brought in the Tannenbaum and started to decorate it. Last year Mari-Sol was so shocked their was a tree that I was hoping for the same reaction.

She came down the stairs at 7 am - turned her head and saw the tree - and was so excited - it is so wonderful to watch the reaction of a little one - she ran over to it and said how beautiful it was - she loved it.....so so sweet.

The ornaments are orange, fuscia, turquoise and the odd one silver , gold or white - some vintage, some even dollar store and big box stores - the colours are great on it.....so whimsical but also a touch traditional - almost like old world European. The rest of the house of course has orange throughout - but we added turquoise and fuscia to carry through. I added fuscia silk ribbon to my collection of Hermes Boxes

I found a fabric from Japan that was somewhat in the Holiday spirit - it has all the colours of our tree and decorations as well as a stag head drawing - so my uplhosterer called today and said he finished the pillows we had made and had them piped in orange silk ribbon - I saw them already and they are going to be a nice addition to the tone of the room

The old cabinet that holds all our white dishes was touched up with feather wreaths - vintage inspired and orange silk ribbon - also inside added some sparkly oranments and a moose and bird in mica - I love this cabinet - it is one of my favorite pieces in the house.

Last but surely not least on top of an old Swedish armoire we have the whole collection of steiff deer - they range from the early 1920's to the 60's and add the last bit of whimsical Christmas .

The good thing is that it is not overwhelming in colour - our kids love it...they were all pumped up today with excitment and it is so sweet to watch them stare at the ornaments on the tree....Now all we need is SNOW.......All the best for a Happy Holiday Season

Dreaming of an Orange Kitchen

2011-10-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for inspiration over the last couple of days and while every magazine is featuring orange again ( which is great for me) I havent had anything that had a "wow" impact for me....

I have been scouring websites looking at kitchens. A client of mine in the beaches had a white traditional kitchen installed and the walls painted electric orange from Benjamin Moore - it is the paint colour also known as Hermes Orange and the colour of my real inspiration....

I would love to do a high gloss kitchen in our house - the colour of Hermes orange and the kitchens below gave me a little more inspiration....

Everything is paired with grey or white which would work well in our house but I need to do a little convincing to my husband to do it.....we did our smaller bathroom wall with the Hermes orange and it is great - but I really feel strongly that our kitchen cabinets - currently white could transform in an awesome way in high gloss orange....

maybe we should do a test panel and work from there.......

A taste of Orange - all dressed up and ready to celebrate

2011-09-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

Monday I celebrated my 40th birthday....a little difficult but kind of exciting as well. It is a new time in my life , a new decade and of course a great way to celebrate with this awesome bottle of Veuve Clicquot.

the presentation is beautiful - it is wrapped in an orange canvas with brown leather straps - worth keeping in the packaging alone.....but of course...how else could you celebrate?

Back to School ......Back to Orange

2011-09-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

It's the season for Back to school....our little girl is getting all excited to go to school - first time - Junior Kindergarten - Exciting for her.....stressful for me. Mario seems to be handling it better then I am...we are putting her on a bus on Wed - she will go to school by herself and come back...I guess all parents go through it...but man....its not fun. Daddy's little girl is growing up....

So in honour of Back to school - I have sourced out numerous desks, chairs, and lamps all in of course my stores favorite colour - Orange

Classic Eames / Eiffel chair in Orange

custom bergere chair in orange twill and coffee sacks - great as dining or even a desk chair

Panton Chair in orange - Sleek and Sexy

There is tons out there - too many items to post - so this was a selected few of my favorites...Even as I write this I have butterflies in my stomach thinking of Mari-Sol in the playground, walking the halls, sitting on the bus. I dont know how all the parents did this before us. I am sure there will be some tears. Actually I Guarantee there will be some tears...

To all of you with children starting school - Good Luck - I wish you all the best and to all those kids out there starting for the first time - applause to you - they are our future....

So pack up all those books in a nice school bag....May I suggest the Hermes Messenger bag....LOL........

Orange .... In Memory of.......

2011-08-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

This past week - Canada was brought together with the death of Jack Layton - leader of the NDP - a political Icon but more importantly a truly great man.

Monday I found out in line at the coffee shop and noticed an RIP Jack come across my facebook page - immediately I googled and found out that yes Jack Layton had lost his battle to Cancer and I was saddened.

On my way to work that day I had realized how much Jack Layton's death had bothered me. I had met him and worked with him on several occasions - he was a man of the people - intelligent, sweet, concerning and truly deep down a good soul. It has been amazing to see how Canada came together this past week - politics aside but everyone there to honour such a great man.... Jack was not a quitter, he never gave up - he never thought things would not work out - he was an optimist and I would love to say that I think the same way as Jack. He left a message to all of Canada when he knew his time was near - a letter that will go down in the history books, a letter that has crossed many paths and been republished many times over.

Dear Friends,

Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.

Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.

I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.

I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.

A few additional thoughts:

To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don’t be discouraged that my own journey hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.

To the members of my party: we’ve done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party and I am most grateful for your confidence, your support, and the endless hours of volunteer commitment you have devoted to our cause. There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let’s continue to move forward. Let’s demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.

To the members of our parliamentary caucus: I have been privileged to work with each and every one of you. Our caucus meetings were always the highlight of my week. It has been my role to ask a great deal from you. And now I am going to do so again. Canadians will be closely watching you in the months to come. Colleagues, I know you will make the tens of thousands of members of our party proud of you by demonstrating the same seamless teamwork and solidarity that has earned us the confidence of millions of Canadians in the recent election.

To my fellow Quebecers: On May 2nd, you made an historic decision. You decided that the way to replace Canada’s Conservative federal government with something better was by working together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country. You made the right decision then; it is still the right decision today; and it will be the right decision right through to the next election, when we will succeed, together. You have elected a superb team of New Democrats to Parliament. They are going to be doing remarkable things in the years to come to make this country better for us all.

To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.

And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one – a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world’s environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you. My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don’t let them tell you it can’t be done.

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.

The CN Tower was lit up in Orange in memory of Jack , Niagara Falls was also lit up in his memory, many of the people who attended the services of Jack were also in orange - known as the colour of the NDP and now truly a colour attached to a great man and a great loss - that is why I bring you Orange , not in design, not in fashion, Orange in the memory of Jack - a man who truly will be remembered.

The Bedroom Project

2011-08-12T13:49:00.000-07:00

Mario and the Kids left on monday for a week to visit his family in Quebec - so I decided to take the time to do our bedroom - it has been the last space in the house that we needed to work on and has been a little bit of a struggle to figure it out.

We are on the top floor - what would be the attic - so there is a peaked roof and lots of light - hardwood floors and beams to work with.

I had inspiration from Christine of Love the design next door to my store - she had papered her main wall in the store as an art wall with pages of old books....so I went on the hunt for old books that might have some meaning...Mario likes history and travel - so thats the books I found.

Now the hard part - figuring out placement of the pages - this process took me 9 hours....9 hours of placing, gluing and staring at the wall until I decided I was happy...sex in the city 2 played in the background, whiskey sour in hand I was happy but not satisfied..

I remembered we had bought some old colour engravings of birds from Ebay - went downstairs and dug them out and placed them on the wall in somewhat of a format - Now I got it....Birds are of meaning to us both and though we have Horses throughout the house - Birds would be good in our space.

Then it was on to the headboard - we had some suiting fabric that I was going to send to the upholsterer to do our headboard - but I decided I would do it myself - went to Home depot got some plywood cut for the headboard - fabricland and got foam and trusty staple gun and 15 minutes later I got a headboard......I wanted a little bit of depth and found some vintage buttons - lined them up - stapled the spot and then velcro'd the buttons on...and headboard complete - hung the stag which is carved wood and bed in place...

Bedding was easy I went for simple bedding and neutral with a hint of orange - there were some great textured pillows with orange edging and then found the cream wool one with the flowers on it...( the reverse side is just an orange bee) - added some finishing touches on the dressers / sidetables ie: Hermes Boxes, my Hermes messenger bag and the neutral lamps and then accessorized the rest of the room......

there is an 1890's judy with hoop skirt attached on marios side, the pale grey cowhide, metal cabinet with our books and the beautiful wool blanket folded on the bench that my friend Susan gave me for my birthday last year.

We have a french style chaise lounge on the right hand side with a small sarrinen side table and a custom Louis Vuitton pillow from my store on it....I LOVE how this room turned out...and best of all when Mario flew home today - he loved it too....

We have a little allcove by the chaise that was painted in the Benjamin Moore Electric Orange ( Hermes orange) with a crystal chandelier to lead in towards the window - the remaining things is to repaint - I think the white was too harsh so we are going to go towards a light grey or cream and to finish the roman blinds .....otherwise it looks awesome - I am pleased with it....and it helped me get through missing my kids and husband....

A challenge - if I were an Hermes orange fire hydrant - would you see me?

2011-08-03T15:41:00.000-07:00

We had some friends over last night - enjoyed some nice wine, great food and excellent conversation. The talk lent itself towards my blog and how I see it....Its been great having feedback from people - everywhere that seem to like it - and I don't want to just write about new stuff in my store or things like picking flowers in the garden - so it has been challenging some times to write without thinking that I was not going to keep you intrigued.
I love what I do.......no questions asked I would never trade what I do...there has been many challenges in this business but the good definitely out ways the bad - so in the next few blogs I will stay true to myself and write about what I love and move on from there.

This time around for this posting - I need some advice...we have a bright yellow fire hydrant in front of the house - I haven't called the city yet to find out why it is yellow and not the common red throughout the city but I kind of want to paint it in a high gloss Hermes orange...I guess I don't know if it is allowed first of all - the hydrant is on our property but don't you think we should be able to customize ( with limits and no extremes) our own hydrants? High gloss orange is really no different then the yellow - right?

So next steps - call the city and hopefully paint it......of course we all need a little more Hermes orange in our life.....

Fashion, Home decor and more - Its all about the Orange

2011-07-04T11:46:00.000-07:00

I was thinking the other day about my next posting and wondering how I was influenced to make the choice of orange as the pop colour in my store and also in our house...I know Mario was a big influence in the choice as it is a colour that he loves. I am quite happy with how things have come about.

Years ago all I ever worked with in colours was Robins Egg Blue, white and brown - all the homes that I decorated were always in the colour scheme and my customer base was loyal with it as well. Who would have thought I would pop into orange and have it inspire me in more ways then I can imagine...

The Hermes box really is my inspiration - I have a nice collection of them right now and we search everywhere to find others - including stylists in the USA and abroad....decorating with the box gives a soft glow of orange but also the right amount of pop.

I spent my afternoon on our deck today searching the web for inspiration and realized that it surrounded me - literally and figuratively - last week my blog was about the orange around us - in signs, cars etc....this time it is all about fashion and style....

When you are inspired by a colour i think you take notice of it more....but designers like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior and of course Hermes have stuck with orange as a mainstay in their designs..
Joe Fresh Fall 2011 collection had hits of orange as did many of the other designers.

Then it became more apparent that Orange was a colour that came in every tone , any design and all over from Home to Fashion . I have a client who has turned into a friend - she and her husband painted her bathroom - the Benjamin Moore Electric orange ( aka : hermes orange) but also her stairs leading up to her second floor - she was inspired by my store and followed through...We had another client paint her kitchen the same orange and all shiny white cabinets from Ikea....the colour has become bold and fun and it is so good to see so many people inspired to use it...

I am happy in our choice as an accent colour in our home - we are currently working on a couple of new variations to showcase orange - but as i continue with my store - I am always in search of new ways to find and deliver the goods of orange.

There really is an Orange Cow......

2011-06-23T11:49:00.001-07:00

JUST IN - Hermes Orange Cowhides.....limited quantities - these are beautiful

A day in the life of Orange

2011-06-14T15:47:00.000-07:00

Today was my day off - Mario, Mari-Sol, Ben and I took a long walk from our house across the Danforth.
Within the first couple of minutes I was thinking that it would be interesting to see how the colour Orange is more common then we think and not just the trend that is current.

Of course we didnt walk all the way down to the Hermes store - but it is a lot more interesting to see how Orange is in some of the most unusual places.... ( dont get me wrong a trip to the Hermes is totally interesting.......)

Walking along the streets of the city - orange is definetly on machinery, construction zones....the obvious pylons, jackets on construction men with neon yellow, signage everywhere.... a lot more common then you think

Any of the Hakim Optical stores have the big orange glasses - this one was one of the older stores and there was definetly lots of orange in their sign.....
Cars drove by - of course there is 2 different taxi companies in the city with orange - Beck Taxi with orange and green and then Diamond with Black and Orange

but then there was a lady who drove past in this.....

bicycle parked on the side

The obvious fruit markets with oranges

Continuing down the street many shades of orange popped up - on the sidewalk markers, the newspaper box

a planter outside of a store

Now ....the best part - walking into the LCBO - right in the very front - one of our favorite champagnes.....and guess what.....it was all about the orange.

and then finally.....after the long walk, a quick lunch and kids ready to go home - we took the subway.......and luckily found the old one with of course.....Orange doors...

I guess it gives something to ponder...Orange had its hayday in the 60's - came back again sometime in the 80's and now is a hot trend.....one of the most expensive companies Hermes has orange as their signature colour and really it is in our daily life hidden or not but blending with everything else that is out there.....

Way to go ORANGE!!!

Is there really such a thing as an orange cow?

2011-06-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

We are currently working on doing the master bedroom in our new house - it is of course the last room to be finished for reasons not really know to either Mario or I? We had a hard time getting the right inspiration i guess and then all of a sudden it is coming together....the reason of this post is not to show the bedroom - but the cool new cowhide bench that came into the store made for us from a company in montreal.

The hide is dyed Orange - this one came out a little bright - so hopefully the next ones will be in an Hermes Orange - the hide is then added to the shiny metal criss cross frame for a lovely custom bench in front of our bed.

If you notice - the Gerbera daisys that are in the white vase on the chest of drawers is the exact colour of the bench.......

So our next step for this room is to do an orange damask tone on tone wallpaper behind the bed - stay tuned.......hopefully this wallpaper goes up easier then the last one did.....

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The trend of animals.....Faux or real?

2011-06-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

Lately it seems that everywhere you look it is antlers, hides, turtle shells , zebras etc.....Decorating with animal motifs has always been a trend - fashion has always been hot and they use it not only in clothing but handbags etc.. but more and more people are getting concerned with the impact on the animal world so its become faux......

zebra hide - printed cow hide...not real zebra

Faux zebra rug in orange - Jonathan Adler

this faux hide was available through QVC

Cowhides - can now be pretty much any colour - any style - our son has a giraffe printed hide in his bedroom - zebra printed hides are seen everywhere and are beautiful on the floor - colours like Hermes Orange - we are working on a bench for the store...Fuscia , Turquoise....can be seen in many design magazines and of course available in faux hide.....

We did the above chair in faux snakeskin - classic style french chair gives this a modern feel...the faux snakeskin is pretty realistic in feel - rub your hand against the weave and it actually feels scaley

Antlers are everywhere lately - Antlers are one of those things that are still in the "Not so bad" category....every year deer shed their antlers - so its not like we are sending people out to get them from the animals...but resin has come a long way.....

antelope antlers on mount - resin

They look great in decorating....

Always have to add something whimiscal in orange - this is a resin horse mount painted in Hermes Orange - we have rams heads as well.....

tortoise shell bowls - not real

Tortoise shell - resin

So as you can see - it is easy to find items that are not real - no one needs to smuggle turtle shells across the border anymore - resin ones have made their way in the world and keeping our animals out of harms way.

Polar Bear rug made from Recycled rugs

Spring is in the air and new product arriving .......

2011-04-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

Well finally we are over what was a long winter again....Spring is somewhat in the air - next weekend it is easter and we have filled the store with lots of new product....and oddly enough for a person who is afraid of lots of pattern and colour...I brought in some amazing new pillows......

Inspired by Anthropologie - the oversize pillows are linen backed, down filled and quirky......the butterflies, moths, bugs and animals come in an array of styles and add a great pop statement to your home decor

New chairs - like the classic Concierge chair in burlap and black nail heads show case the bold blue butterfly pillow - chairs like the one below - a classic french style in weathered oak with an interesting orange ( of course) coral pattern

One of my favorite pillows is the Zebra print below......neutral in look but a great statment piece

and who can have spring without the glory of birds.......

Stop by to take a look.....and Happy Spring

LOVE THE DESIGN

2011-03-11T11:15:00.000-08:00

Love the design is now open....I was lucky enough to watch Christine Flynn transform the space next door at 1362 Queen street east from the old H&R block to what it is today.
Opening officially last saturday - the space houses her resin finished photographs - Vintage inspired and true to Christines aesthetic, as well as a mix of Industrial inspired furnishings, Modern Eiffel chairs in Acrylic against an old door table, Burlap covered chairs and a great collection of Steam punk lighting.

the cloche light is a steal at 195.00 with exposed filimint bulb

The space is awesome - the focal wall as you walk inside the door is Christines painstaking 30hr project of old book pages arranged in only the way an artist can do all over the wall....it is accented with the steamer engine piece of art which again is true to form of this talented artist.

Christine takes inspiration from many things - the industrial edge is a hot look right now in design and the space is really reflective of it.. The touches of Gold - which have almost become a signature of Love the design is even transferred on her logo in the window.

As you all know from me writing about Christine before - Horses were some of my favorite - the dyptich of Levi the horse is spectacular - the 2 pieces make you feel like the horse is breathing on you....

Welcome to the hood Christine

http://www.lovethedesign.com/

The reveal of my ceiling......

2011-02-19T08:17:00.000-08:00

When I moved into my new store space a couple months ago - it was a great space with school house lights, old tiled floor - good walls and character but it had the standard drop ceiling. I had fallen in love with the space because of the size and the simplicity of it and wanted to be able to change my look, my aesthetic and the overall feel.
It was not until Christine of Love the Design - who is moving next door to me removed her drop ceiling and our landlord had said that there was initially tin tiles under it.
Christines ceiling was drywalled over top - but I had taken a quick peek under my tiles and saw this mustard coloured ceiling. I could not live with myself - knowing that above me and under the pathetic tiles was this awesome ceiling waiting to be exposed. So I hired our contractor and lo and behold the reveal ( oddly enough I sat at my desk for almost 2 weeks pondering whether or not to do it) who could resist?

The detail of it is amazing - who would have thought that back in September I would move into my dream space and then have my dream ceiling. It is so beautiful. I come in now everday still in awe - a little dwarfed feeling as my ceiling is now 14ft high - but it is awesome...

My next steps are going to plaster the wall where the colour meets to look like an old french storefront - with aged walls - the back corner of the store already has it so I will copy the version to give the feel.

Someone came in the other day without knowing what the feel was supposed to be and she commented that she felt like she was in Paris. - Thats the feel. My aesthetic has changed to of course my Hermes Orange but also to old French and the feel of modern day France - my store is true to me - true to how I look at aged pieces and true to how I see modern - I am so happy with this space and cant wait for Christine to open next door...

so sources for doing this on your own....there are lots of replica ceiling tile places - authentic and old ceiling tiles can be purchased at http://www.legacyvintage.com/ 12 x 12 vintage tiles are a very inexpensive 6.00 each.
Post and Beam in the Junction carry antique pieces http://www.pandb.ca/ as does the Salvage Shop on Kingston Road.

New tiles are available online - Home Depot, Rona, Lowes etc all carry them. They are easy to apply and come in either tin or plastic and can be painted any colour.

A trend toward Orange.....Equestrian and Hermes

2011-01-26T13:55:00.000-08:00

this is Hermes ad campaign for India

I guess inspiration comes from many things....my children inspire me daily, my store gives me inspiration - even my husband gives me inspiration.....lately it has really been all about Hermes....I know it sounds odd...but I received a shipment of Vintage Hermes boxes from Germany - they are currently sitting in my store window stacked like the ones I saw in a french magazine...they are awesome - I look at them daily...who would have guessed I would be inspired by orange boxes...

I now have developed an infatuation with the Hermes Orange....everything I see all around me is linked somewhat to the Hermes Orange - new blogs, tv, magazines, everything - it seems that the trend has led itself to orange, horse themed decor and well you guessed it Hermes...

People have been trying to colour match the Hermes box....one of the blogs posted a Benjamin Moore swatch that is pretty close. Electric Orange 2015-10 - a client of ours just did there kitchen in Benjamin Moores Tangy orange and I know Nancy loves the colour - her cabinets are all white and her walls are the wonderful tone of tangy orange.
I have been leaning towards painting furniture in a high gloss orange for an instant pop of colour - found the right person to spray the pieces now just need to take the plunge.

Mario, the kids and I are moving in March - the new house has a ceiling height of 20 ft or so in the living space - we will have the loft space upstairs and now are looking for a different inspiration. For those of you who saw our house in the Sept Issue of Chatelaine - some of it will change, whose kidding who...,most of it will change. I have been inspired by the high ceilings and the odd shapes in the house to lean towards a clean mid century look with over the top french - something like you would see in Elle Decoration magazine. - The room above has a beautiful painted headboard in Hermes orange that is the great pop of colour. - Kind of great.

this is also great - an Hermes orange upholstered headboard

Flipping through Living Etc - they featured stairs and runners, the space below is so cool - to be daring enough to add the Hermes orange runner and take the step would be ....well...awesome

When I think of how many years I loved Robins egg blue and how successful the colour was for me - I would never have guessed I could give up on it so easily. The orange has been like home - it is a friend - it is cheery and vibrant but also zesty and warm - it is a colour I would never have guessed I would have liked - but it has brightened my outlook on what is out in the design world and left me with a sweet citrus taste.

I need to end with the rest of the Hermes Campaign for India - the photos are stunning and quite comical.....

Oh and one last thing.....delivered the other day via courier was the absolutely wonderful messenger bag....you might have remembered that I wrote about it the other postings.....the Hermes Steve Messenger bag...it is so freaking awesome you cannot even imagine...I was in the Loblaws yesterday and a lady came up to me to say how beautiful it was....today another compliment.....let them keep coming - because it is worth it....

The New Year brings in a touch of Orange

2011-01-04T16:06:00.000-08:00

While off for the Christmas Holidays - I took some time to check out other blogs, and companies that we currently deal with to see what was new and exciting out in the industry.

Not suprisingly I found that the colour Orange has made a strong comeback.....sorry to the robins egg blue that was my friend for 7 years...but my orange - specifically my Hermes Orange has brought me more inspiration and given me a whole new direction with my store. Hermes released a new Mens Collection which included the Steve Messenger bag - named after the actor Steve McQueen - it of course comes in neutral colours like black and grey...but who could resist the messenger is Orange...

Hermes Steve Messenger Bag

Looking at what was coming New into the furniture market - I checked out the Furniture Mart in Las Vegas - similair to the furniture show in Toronto but on a huge scale. A couple of our suppliers have come out with some awesome new orange pieces. This one was a stunner - I think Mario and I both looked and thought...OMG where could it go?

Talk about amazing, the details on this bed even if it was not in Orange is still spectacular.

This same company calls their furniture Art - not furniture - obvious to see why - they are very careful to pay attention to details. There is a full line of acrylic chairs that put the ghost chair to shame. In this line is a collection of tables, side tables, ottomans and more - there is choice of fabrics that you can put - the orange velvet is the same orange as Hermes and really is quite beautiful

This is 100% New Zealand Wool rug from the same company which can also custom design anything you want

For those of you who are interested in the Mid Century era - which I actually feel like I am liking more and more - not all of it but the classic pieces - these are now available and I will probably carry some in the store.

the classic Eiffel chair in orange with wooden legs

One of my favorite pieces comes from Global Views - they are also know for quality pieces and are on the trend list in many of the top magazines - this wonderful desk is another of Mario and my OMG's and graced the cover of Neiman Marcus this past winter. The pale coloured wood - almost weathered looking is beautiful against the orange leather - again another keeper and something that would add such impact in a bedroom....Maybe Carrie from Sex and the City 2 would not have minded if Mr Big put the TV in this desk instead...

Last but not least ...I cannot leave without saying something about Fossil watches...now I know it is not furnishings - but i bought myself an Orange Fossil watch just before the holidays and it is complimented all the time - they have others which I just found on line and have been designed for Fossil from Philippe Starck....and again can I say.....OMG

Inspiration comes in many forms....I am always inspired by my children and my husband and had never really thought I was inspired by colour until I actually focused for a little bit....and my little touch of orange is and really has become my inspiration....This is the week my collection of Vintage Hermes boxes are arriving in my store and I cannot begin to say how excited I am to get them....I have had many things delivered - but who would have guessed that I would be inspired and excited for a bunch of empty orange boxes....

My Inspiration - A little Orange Box...

2010-12-17T13:34:00.000-08:00

Years ago when I opened my first store my inspiration was the Robins Egg....I did Robins Egg blue for almost 8 years and when looking for the inspiration of my new store - I found myself drawn to packaging.....now we are not talking about any old box here....it was the colour of the Hermes Box...rich orange with chocolate brown ribbon that drew me in - who could resist that....

I guess those of you who love Tiffany's could react, as the Tiffany Box is as popular an inspiration...the perfect blue the shade of turquoise almost... I guess both of these boxes, as both of the stores are tell tales of rich....wealth etc...but for those of us who cannot afford an Hermes Bag - specifically the one that I am coveting as my new messenger bag... the box is equally kind of satisfying ( well sort of...if you have to settle of course)....I searched sites to see about buying Hermes boxes only and found that there are many of us out there who love boxes and using them in decorating not only for inspiration....

How can I resist? I have been on the hunt and found a vintage clothing store that sells Hermes boxes......now the dilema is ...when do I stop? I could fill my store with them and who knows what else...I am a bad collector..I do not like to wait for a collection to gather I want it and I want it now...so I searched Ebay, Etsy, any site and found some more...even bought some from a store in Germany....so my problem is...how many more do I need?

Well..I guess when they all arrive I will know what I do...my first thing will be my window display I know that for sure..but does it really matter...I just love them and if it makes me happy...I am sure it will also make someone else happy...it surely did the person I bought them from.

This will be me one day...skinny legs and all

Our Twist to Christmas Decor

2010-12-09T11:42:00.000-08:00

I am lucky enough to have grown up with traditions and I wanted our children to have the same, this week was Nicholaus - the nite of the 5th our children were supposed to polish their shoes and in the morning - the visit of St Nicholaus would bring them chocolates etc or if they were bad...then Black Peter would come and bring them a stick...after talking to a bunch of others who share this tradtion - we were all petrified of Black Peter - so we didnt even discuss this with our kids...plus really - would our kids be bad?

Mario and I also talked about the christmas tree - I wanted it to be magical for our kids so we set it up on the Nicholaus nite and when Mari-Sol and Benji came down in the morning they saw this magical tree.....I will always remember Mari-Sols reaction and how sweet it was...

For our house though -we had worried that Benji would rip the tree down and all the ornaments would break....so I went on the lookout for not only a colour scheme that would match the new tones of our house but something that the little man could not destroy...

Overall....shopping at Canadian Tire, Zellers and the Dollar store....would never have guessed that our tree could look sp wonderful and truly not look like they are mass produced unbreakable ornaments..

We carried the orange through the house in decor - those of you who read my blog also know that I spray painted the one wreath in orange - as pictured on the cabinet in our living room....

The one thing I do have to note is that orange is so not a traditional colour and yet it looks so beautiful in the tree and around our house..I love it and am pretty confident in saying it is probably my favorite of our trees so far

LOVE THE DESIGN - Love the work!!!!!

2010-12-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

Over the last year i started selling art from Love the Design artist and designer Christine Flynn....her work has been featured in magazines, articles and homes throughout Ontario, Christine has won awards for her stationery and wedding invitations and she has become a talent to be reckoned with......I took a few moments with Christine and asked her the following questions:

Q:I know you are well known in the wedding trade for the wonderful invitations you create – but what gave you the inspiration to start art and specifically resin pieces?

A:I’ve always had a love for design, photography and art. From a young age I was obsessed with my camera and with creating images – I took pictures of anything I could get my hands on. After high school, I decided to do a Fine Arts degree, focusing on photography and design. That led to a 15-year career in graphic design, working at award-winning design firms for big name clients, but I always felt like I wanted to do something on my own. So finally, five years ago, I took the plunge and ventured into the world of entrepreneurship, starting a stationery company that made custom-designed contemporary stationery and wedding invitations. On my own time, I was still captivated by photography and had already created some pieces for friends and family that was extremely well received. I decided it was time to extend my business into artwork and custom photographic pieces, infusing elements of my design work into art pieces for personal clients.

Q:What would you say is your inspiration for your pieces and the aesthetic you work in?

A:I love the beauty of the Ontario landscape. When I spent time living in London and NYC I would alway take comfort in the photos of home. It's these images I try to capture as you tend to take them for granted.

Q:I know that I love all the pieces you do, specifically the horse pictures – is there something that you think you will be doing in the future that will blow us all away?

A:Right now I’m working on a piece with vintage birds that is really beautiful. I’m also planning some more custom subway signs (one of my signatures) and extending my horse series. Couture Stationery is also launching our 2011 collection very soon.

Q:How do you balance – family, regular life and your work?

A:It's not easy, most importantly I'm fortunate to love what I do, so when I'm working late at night on a project it doesn't feel so much like work.

I have wonderful support from my husband, family and friends. With my photography, I do my best to combine work, family and regular life. My boys especially love coming to the horse shoots.

Q:Do you have a piece that you have done and desperately needed to keep for yourself?

A:I recently sold the 'tanker' piece that I had at home to a friend and although I replaced it with the 'tobermory' piece (which I love), I do really miss it.

Q:What does the future bring for you?

A:I'm really excited about launching the first ever Love the Design store in February. I'm also planning an exhibition of my work in Calgary for the summer.

Customized Subway Signs

Thanks to Christine for her insight and time - I always find it hard to put art in our house...Mario and I have the Large Ulan horse in our bedroom - the feature that was in Chatelaine and we have a triptych of three of the subway signs....I would almost take every piece that Christine puts in my store to sell....currently I am coveting the cows and one of the new black and white horses......Thank you again to Christine - you are a very talented woman and I am glad to show your art in my store....
Take a look at Christines website http://www.lovethedesign.com/

The Pie Shack has been Flik'd

2010-12-03T13:24:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to have Tim from the Pie Shack call upon me to do the interior of his new venture The Pie Shack http://www.thepieshack.ca/ - he is one cool guy with a lot of energy and a passion for Pie....

His location was small but he knew what he wanted in it...a casual space where someone might walk in and feel like they were in their old cottage...something that felt like you wanted to stay there and just enjoy a great cup of coffee and a delicious piece of pie..

the quote from his site :
I love life and I love pie, I mean real pie, the kind I grew up on made by my mom and all the moms in my neighbourhood.
I love people and love talking to them or just hanging around them.
I love cozy places, places that are like old sweaters…comfortable, and welcoming.
Well The Pie Shack is that place, my dream place, where the pies are not just the best pies but unforgettable.
Tim McConvey
"The Pie Guy"

Last week Tim called me to see if I would decorate the space for Christmas....understanding that since the place already had so much character I would need to use neutral christmas decorations....I remember doing the paint by numbers as art in his space, the rustic door tables and work benches and then last years addition of the sofas- vintage and really quite the perfect colour...so the tame golds and creams in the christmas decor would work well....

Little reindeer on the tables with pine comb candles finished off the decor and when I was finished..Tim was happy and knew I would be the right person to do the job....

The thing about the Pie Shack is....not only is the food great , the atmosphere fun - but Tim is the best...he loves what he does and it shows...and I have to say from my experience that is why we hit it off.....

Stroll down to the beaches and enjoy a piece of pie....

PILLOWS, PILLOWS, PILLOWS......

2010-11-27T09:20:00.000-08:00

FINALLY THEY ARRIVED....We met a woman on line who produces these amazing pillows that finally just came in....some in Linen, some in Burlap but all are awesome......
See for yourself....

and of course the burlap chair is amazing too..

Getting into the Christmas season with Flik

2010-11-22T17:39:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I sit in my store and think......hmmm.....was it a good idea to move away from a spot where everyone knew where I was?.....but then I also realize that for many reasons it was a good move...Less traffic, far more 1 on 1 time with clients and well, the chance to actually do things.....
Maybe there is time where I want to do too much but I have realized that while thinking of how to decorate my store for the holidays I am really liking the spray paint can....

I bought a wreath that was from Canadian Tire...not really trying to be a supporter of big box stores but I have seen these wreaths in many of them.....so it is made of plastic - was the standard christmas colours of red and green ( the one shown is in silver) ..took my trusty can of Tremclad spray paint to of course use the colours of my store - a standard Hermes Orange... and sprayed it with 2 coats....and then.......cool.....turned it into a Hermes orange bubblegum like wreath...will add a nice orange grosgrain ribbon and hang it in my house on an old mirror.....

But now back to the store...I love the holidays...i just am not fond of the clutter that comes with it...so....my store is simple - a few trees spray painted orange of course and some glass balls in variations of orange placed throughout the store.....and then my favorite ...spray painted reindeer..... I bought it new, it was a muted silver and yet again got the spray paint out and transformed it..
Looking into the retail environment lately - Christmas is not all about the red and green anymore...it is about using what you love and transforming it into the season. I love how the deer turned out I just need to stay away from spray paint now...otherwise who knows where it will lead.

Transforming my store for the holidays was fun - I like the sparkle of the season and also the simplicity - I love using things and changing them and of course our Christmas will be awesome this year - Mario and I have invested in unbreakable ornaments for our tree - every year the theme or colour of the tree changes - this year it changed for one specific reason......a little man named Benji...our 18month old is everywhere and true to form of most little boys is a little destroyer - so unbreakable ornaments it was...
Maybe when it is set up - I'll take some pics to show it off...

Good luck in your decorating, dont stress and just take some time to have fun...the season is short and full of positive .....enjoy.

GETTING READY FOR WANDERLUST

2010-11-13T10:20:00.000-08:00

This thursday nite....Nov 18th from 7-10 Leslieville is host to Wanderlust..most stores and restaurants are participating. I decided I would serve "Fliktini's" of course orange in colour. Bobette and Belle ( the newest addition to Leslieville ) will be preparing French Macaroons for sampling in our store.

Also that evening the store will feature more art from Christine Flynn - Love the Design. I have spoken about her work before and love it - high gloss resin photographs.

I have been re working the store with all the new merchandise that is coming in....pieces that make my heart go a flutter and then really wish I could take them home...we just got a set of French chairs in circa 1920 in original leather - they are amazing....the loveseat is new - it is french inspired with weathered oak trim and stuffed with down - a great piece as well.

And of course in spirit of the upcoming season - Orange christmas decorations.

Mario and I are trying to decide how to incorporate orange on our tree at home and found some unbreakable decorations at the dollar store and canadian tire - due to the reason that Benjamin is probably going to tear the tree down we figured we would be smart. Even though I love the variations of the orange ones above...they are glass and we are guessing will be the fasting things to break.....at home that is..

So Join me in my store on thursday nite....from 7-10 and share a Fliktini and a macaroon to start off the holiday season....