Interior Decorating Advice - by nicol interiors

Loving these products from Teo Jasmin

2009-06-26T17:31:00.000-07:00

I have recently been introduced to a company named Teo Jasmin out of Paris. I was specifically won over by the Louis Style Chairs and can't wait for the perfect project to use them in.

Teo Jasmin is an interior design company which was founded by Angéline Bailly in 2001. They started to specialize in digital printing on wall canvas but later on expanded their range of products with cushions and classic furniture, still using the same digital process on them.

Teo Jasmin launches new collections twice a year. 50s / 60s French superstar Brigitte Bardot in pop version is the highlight of their 2009 collection along with Italy, San Francisco and more Doggy Queen images. Previous and still successful collections such as the Beatles, NYC, London and Paris are still around.

http://www.teojasmin.com/

Interesting Products

2009-04-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

Whenever I am perusing the Internet for anything decor & design I come across a lot of interesting products that I add to my favorites, well today i realized my "interesting products" folder is getting pretty full so it's time I start sharing some of those products with you.

Can you guess what this Is?

How about now?

It a Cooker Hood or Hood Vent, by a company called Elica. In recent years we have seen the evolution of the hood vent with much sleeker and contemporary designs making their way into every kitchen renovation, but the Elica Collection truly takes it to a new level combining function with art. This particular model "Stone Gallery" comes in both black and beige with a lavagna stone finish and that's just the beginning, they have so many amazing designs available;

These were just a few that caught my eye, there are so many more i suggest visiting their site to see for your self. Elica Collection

Restaurant Renovation...(complete)

2009-01-10T14:25:00.000-08:00

Well actually it was complete just over a month ago, with the grand opening party being held at the end of November 2008. However with a busy past month I have only just recently taken the opportunity to go in and take some final interior pictures. Here is a gallery of the finished project;

SB Prime steak house, at the Hotel Raymond.

Restaurant Renovation...(Part 6)

2008-11-17T15:46:00.000-08:00

The mill work and furniture has arrived, there are so many great seats in this place and the one pictured below is definitely one of my favourites. This cozy circular booth sits in the back of the restaurant, it's both large and comfortable and I have already have the pleasure of enjoying my first SB Prime dinner here. I think this is going to be a highly requested table.

Below is the bar area; The bar design is grey stained horizontal strips of wood with stainless steel inlay, the back bar has stainless steel shelving randomly floating to blend in with the steel inlay. The bar stools are surprisingly large and all the furniture was stained in this grey. At this point the bar still had many boxes on it, as they were getting it organized and a lot of work was going on. If you can notice the wall art on the left side of this picture is very unique. Large canvas like pieces lit from behind which adds greatly to the ambiance. These are custom pieces made especially for SB Prime and depict the history of the building.

this next photo shows the banquette seating along the long wall, beyond the wooden half wall is a U shaped booth followed by another section of banquette seating, then leading to the circular booth in the very back. This shot is a great example of why we decided on the very dark flooring as it contrast so well with the grey chairs, you can really see this on the chairs shown closest to you, they appear to float on the floor.

this is the U shape booth mentioned earlier. The stone wall behind it (which runs the length of the banquette) was original to the previous restaurants design, but tied in really well with what we were doing. In this project we had some minor/ normal set backs and some things that we just couldn't have or weren't going to go as planned, but in the end...as I knock hard on wood...the changes we had to make often proved better than the original plans. Like this booth which ended up being so large that it wouldn't fit in its originally planned location, but in the end the new layout works just as well, if not better.

This is a sneak peek to one of the upstairs dining rooms, the tables are not quite set yet but you can get a real feel for what it will look like.

The new exterior sign is a brushed nickel P for "Prime" with red inlay which is illuminated from behind for a nice red glow. You must see it at night.

Final exterior shot, I think it is fun to go back and compare some of these real photos to the "proposed design" photos and computer rendering from the presentation faze to see how they compare and where we made some new choices or stayed the same with our ideas, etc..

And lastly these last two photos show the tables in the main floor dining area being set.

Some final, final touches then voila.

Be sure to get your invite to the grand opening of SB Prime, Friday November 21st 2008.

SB Prime, 380 Brant St. Burlington, Ontario

www.sbprime.com

Restaurant Renovation...(Part 5)

2008-11-05T17:03:00.000-08:00

So basically everything is in place and ready for the arrival of the furniture and some custom pieces to be fit in, then we will be on to the finishing touches like hanging art and so on. One thing I was really excited about this week were the light fixtures. As soon as I saw them I knew they were perfect which made the decision process a cinch. The chandelier in the stairwell is a two tier chandelier with a black string shade. I wanted the modern look of a large shade but thought the sparkle of the chandelier inside was the perfect combination to go with the decor.

The next picture shows the chandelier lit, and I think you can see why I liked it so much.

...and lucky for me they have matching sconces, I like the way the light cast on to the wall.

Here you can also see the tin ceiling tiles we have used throughout the second floor. This was something we really wanted to use but weren't sure if we could make it happen both time wise and because there were a few concerns about using them in a space where noise and vibration from music would be a factor, but in the end with a little research we were able to have these cut and shipped up to us from the States. I'm glad that we went for it, the results are worth it.

On the first floor all the painting and flooring is complete and the new bar equipment has arrived. You will notice that even though we used the lighting fixtures upstairs we have chosen to use all recessed pot lighting on the main floor for a more casual and a clean feel.

And lastly I will show you the stage area built in the rear section of the main floor. The stage was built up in a curved shape so the entertainment could be viewed from several angles, the stage floor is covered in the same bamboo flooring used throughout the entire restaurant with a stainless steel riser which adds just a bit of shine and catches the light perfectly. We also had heavy red curtains (which match closely to the walls) made so that the stage can be closed off when not in use.

The exterior of the building is coming along too, the new "SB Prime" awnings have gone up, I will post an exterior picture in the next few days when the lit sign above the door arrives.

Restaurant Renovation...(Part 4)

2008-10-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

The First Layer

The first coats of paint on are on the wall and the floor is almost complete. It's the first layer to go up. This nice thing about being able to follow this renovation through all its stages is being able to watch the layers being built upon each other and to watch the project come to life. It is often so easy for the designers and the builders to visualize the final product, but for anyone who has not been there throughout the planning stages, just walking in to the room at this stage could be quite overwhelming. Especially since we have chosen such a rich and unique colour palette.

In this phase the paint has gone up; about three coats of "rapture" red, which is pretty efficient considering how difficult red can be to coat. The trick is to do it right and get a good primer. for red you need to use a grey tinted primer. The main floor ceiling has been painted a soft "escarpment" grey, this will be a much better alternative to having a stark white ceiling which can really cut a room off. And to transition from the soft grey to red we have used a medium grey "overcoat" colour on all of the bulk heads, crown moldings, trim and baseboards.

(Although still in need of a final coat) in this area, you can already start to get an impression of what the look and feel of our design is. I had mentioned earlier that I stayed away from the starkness of white in the ceiling in order to give more emphasis to other aspects of the design. later you will see how I also use this trick for the artwork, by choosing grey matting to frame the art instead of the more common white the art will blend in with the decor rather than stick out.

This photo shows the dark espresso bamboo flooring (although dusty) set against the red and grey. All the flooring was laid lengthwise to accentuate the depths of the rooms and really draw your eyes through the space.

This is the back area of the restaurant where you can see that the construction of the stage has begun. The stage was strategically built so that the lead performer will be visible from the moment you enter the front room.

The colour scheme has been carried out on to the exterior of the building...even down to the fire escapes. We went with the darker of the two greys because we wanted to create a bit of allure and mystique to the building, but added just enough red to catch the eye and draw you to the front door.

by my next post the woodwork and carpentry should be on its way...

Restaurant Renovation...(Part 3)

2008-10-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

The Demolition Phase

The walls have come down, and the space is amazing. It's great to see the main floor opened up like this, you can stand in any spot and view the entire room with a whole new perspective and the staircase seems so grand set in the middle of it all...the transformation begins.

Staircase view from front entrance, there will be a new hostess and coat check area here.

Looking toward the front of the room, you can see that we have blasted out the angled wall with the small door that separated the front entry. We will be laying a dark espresso coloured Eco-friendly Bamboo flooring throughout the entire restaurant.

this is the view as you walk in. If you recall the old bar used to be straight ahead, now the new bar will run parallel to the wall that is brown in this photo (or perpendicular to where the old bar used to be). The support wall and columns will be integrated into the new bar and encased in wood.

This is the wall that used to have the booth seating along it. It will now have the tufted banquette seating that was shown in the design presentation along with a large circular booth at one end and a large U-shape booth in the middle.

Another angle of the same area shown in the picture above. Looking toward the front of the room and the alcove which will house the custom built chefs table to seat eight.

This is the back section of the restaurant which used to be a separate dining area. This is where the stage will be built and the dance floor will begin.

One of the two upstairs dining rooms. The small room that you can see in the back will become the wine cellar and the ceiling tiles will be replaced with a Tin Ceiling system.

the painting and new floors and construction have been started...

Restaurant Renovation... (Part 2)

2008-10-10T17:06:00.000-07:00

The Design Concept

The new concept for this restaurant is S.B Prime; an upscale Steakhouse, it will reflect some of the owners favorite restaurants from Chicago to LA. The main level dining will have a polished casual feel, a very inviting stained wood bar with an open lounge area that will feature large low seating around custom cocktail tables. The front window alcove will be reserved for VIP with large circular seating and your own private server, while the other alcove will seat up to eight guest around the custom built chefs table. Toward the back of the room is where the stage will present live music entertainment and room to dance. Upstairs the dining rooms will have a slightly more formal feeling with white linen table settings, a custom built wine cellar as well as dining on the covered veranda over looking Brant Street.

Tufted Banquette Seating

Opulent Colour Scheme

Rendering of front exterior with Signage

In my next post I will be showing the demolition phase and the new floor plan...

Restaurant Renovation... (Part 1)

2008-10-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

First let me apologize that I haven't posted anything in a while, mainly because I have been or at least feel like I have been very busy lately. Working on some small scale jobs here and there and the one that seems to be occupying my time and my mind presently is a project that I have had the pleasure of being a part of...A complete overhaul of a downtown restaurant that I am very excited about. I want to try and take some time out here and there to post segments of the project and take you through the process from start to finish as best I can, with pictures and thought process, etc.

So lets get started with some "Before" photos....

Front exterior.

Second Floor Veranda.

Small dining alcove in front window.

View into bar area and staircase.

Booth seating along right side looking towards back of restaurant.

Booth seating, this view looking towards front of restaurant.

Dining area to the left of the front entrance foyer.

One of two upstairs dining rooms.

The Project...

The restaurant is a great location in the downtown core. It has recently been purchased by a new owner and is set to be completely transformed and revealed under a new name and concept sometime early November 2008. There is a lot of history to the building and it is really a beautiful and quite large space. The main concern for the owner is "site lines" or in this case the tremendous lack there of. As you can see from many of the photos this large space has been cut into several small rooms and in some cases becomes rather awkward as the maze like floor plan limits the overall flow.

In my next post I will be revealing the New Design Concept for this Restaurant, floor plans, colour schemes, furniture, materials, finishes...etc.

Wonderful Fabric Selections

2008-04-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

I have a Slipper style chair that I bought at an antique store years ago and it is kinda like my guinea pig when it comes to changing the upholstery on it. I love to change the look of it and it's about that time again, so I have been perusing Kravet fabrics for interesting designs. It was their front page picture that initially drew me in to their site, an arm chair covered in BBS Chairs in Black from the Barbara Barry Collection.

here are some great whimsical black and off white prints;

BBS CHAIRS - 81 - BBS CHAIRS - BLACK

BEE LINE - 81

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Some wonderful geometric patterns;

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And how great would these next fabrics look in a beach house or themed room?

I was reminded of coral and thought that if paired with some cabana striped fabrics and coral accessories these fabrics would look great by the sea.

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So, you can see how much fun it can be to re-upholster a piece of furniture and how difficult my decision is going to be, given all of the options out there. I can also see a few great throw pillows being born out of this.

Is Contemporary a Contradiction?

2008-03-27T20:25:00.001-07:00

I recently revisited a decorating book that was published in 1965. As a kid in the 80's I loved flipping through this exact book marvelling at the fact that people actually "used to" decorate in these styles. Well to my surprise when I opened it up this time I was amazed at how contemporary many of the pictures are, I have even purchased similar pieces myself in the last three years.

So I thought it would be fun to share some of these pictures with my readers, Some of these items look like they are straight out of Ikea and I will admit that there are a few that I
actually thought were fairly newer designs. These are actual pictures from Betty Pepis, Interior Decoration A to Z, published in 1965.

I chose this picture for two reasons;
First; being that I recently read an article on the "latest" decorating trends and one of the top ten was X's in furniture. Secondly; I basically own this same exact piece of furniture and am looking right at it as we speak. Except I bought mine last year from Interior Design House brand new. I love it.

I probably don't even need to write an explanation for this next picture, and I'm sure everyone is on the same page when I say....been to Ikea lately? I swear they have these exact lamps on display. This one I am embarrassed to say I really thought were new designs based on the original round paper lamps. They didn't teach this in my school.

Remember this Chandelier from...three or four years ago. I can recall seeing one very similar to it on the cover of a very well known Decorating magazine, people wanted it. Take a look at that wall art too, that's really hot today. I definitely have some metal and/or wood wall art on my walls right now. This is a great looking room that wouldn't shock me if I saw it in a magazine tomorrow. The Salad Bowl On a Tripod, I think I first saw this about three or so years ago and thought It was great. The ultimate house warming gift, I wanted to buy one for everybody I knew...turns out half of the population may already either have one or will be getting one handed down to them shortly.

This is another great piece and if you can read the caption that was given to it in 1965, you would believe that I pulled this out of a magazine that I bought today. This chair is still being made ...and esteemed by modernist... As we speak. This is an interesting style, I know people who have these chairs, because their parents had them and they acquired them that way, then I know other people who have scored these chairs at flea markets and antique stores and I also know people who have just purchased their first set of Mies chairs, better known today as the Barcelona chair. You never know.

Hope you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane...a retrospective look at Yesterday!

Done with winter? Transform Your Home with Summer Style

2008-03-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

Summer is almost here and you are starting to notice that some of the rooms in your house feel a little dull. Here are some simple steps you can take to transform your home with summer style without having to completely re-decorate your home.

The easiest way to get a great look for summer without breaking the bank is to change out some of your accessories, this means changing your pictures and book case items from dark and heavy to light and airy, switching wood for glass, from golds to silver, from black to white and so on.

Lets start with removing some of your winter warmth throw pillows and introducing pillows with lighter shades or designs that reflect more of a summer theme with pastels, florals, light coloured stripes etc, and don't forget any heavy throw blankets you may have draped over the couch or end of the bed.

Next, and probably the one that will make the largest difference in a room is to switch out your regular heavy drapes for light and airy sheer curtains, to me nothing says summer like sheer curtains swaying in the summer breeze. And although this may sound like a big job you can think of it as a great opportunity to have your curtains dry cleaned, pressed and put away so they are fresh for fall.

Consider the impact of new lamp shades. Shades are so fun and versatile, I think lamp shades are often forgotten about but picture a soft cream or crisp white shade for a change and what a difference this will make to your room. They come in many colours, patterns, shapes and sizes that it is no wonder we don't change them more often.

Don't forget your bathroom and how easy it is to change out towels for a set of crisp white linens, aqua marines or bold summer colours. And don't neglect you accessories, why not add a few sea shells or some glass jars for toiletries.

Lastly, I think one of the nicest things to come home to in the summer is a vase full of fresh fragrant, bright coloured flowers.

So now you get the idea and have some basic steps to use towards transforming your home with summer style but you don't have to stop there, it's as simple as looking around your room and deciding what elements are feeling a little on the heavier side and how you can change them to get a room that feels light and airy.