We had a most productive weekend. Along with the work coming along at the house--hardwood floor installed, stairs stained, paint colours chosen, island and custom bookcase likely ready to be installed by the end of the week--I also got quite a bit of packing done, including a storage area that I had been dreading.
And we also found our table! I guess I should say bought our table, because we found this one over a year ago. Since then we've looked around to see if there was anything we liked better or if there was a better deal to be found. After all that we decided to go back to our first love, which is made of distressed mango wood with a great stud detail. At 112" x 44" (285cm x 110cm) tablecloths are going to be hard to come by but I'm happy with our purchase, which should ship over from France by mid-month.
Our chairs (black fabric, nailhead) are getting made and will take a little longer (July) while our new sectional is getting made here in the city and should be ready for delivery by June 13th. So slowly but surely things are coming together.
Once we move in I'll be on the look out for some chairs to go with the couch, plus a coffee table, and also two chairs in a different fabric for the head of the table to break things up. Maybe a wingback. I also need to decide once and for all if we're doing wallpaper in the powder room (narrowed it down to two contenders). Decisions, decisions! How's your week going?
(I've never known the correct name for this type of furniture until now. You learn a new thing every day!)
When I saw this piece in person I was immediately reminded of that iconic Windsor Smith entryway (from House Beautiful and photographed by Victoria Pearson), which apparently inspired Margot as well.
Not only do I love the shape of this piece of furniture (if I had a bigger foyer I would plunk a borne in the middle of it, no questions asked), but also the inky fabric, which is Robert Allen Carlton velvet in Cerulean. I'm deciding on a color scheme for my own main floor at our new home so after seeing the booth I was off to the Robert Allen website to see what's up. I was immediately taken with some of the great DwellStudio fabrics for Robert Allen that are now available. (Style at Home's borne was custom made by Whittington Furniture).
Our new home's main floor is pretty open concept with a floor-to-ceiling two-sided fireplace separating the living/family and dining rooms. I know that I'm going to start with grey, probably on the main couch and on the walls, but deciding on the accent colours is pretty tough. I like the idea of purple and chartreuse, but I also love a good blue (see my Wenesday post). So I'm thinking of having the blue as an accent in one room and the purple in the other, but then worried it might be too much. Isn't it so much harder to decide on ideas for your own home!?
~ Today is the last day to enter the CSN Giveaway for a chance to win a $65 Gift Certificate ~
I know this room is kind of OTT, but I wish I had the balls to go this bold in my own home. Except that I always worry I'll get sick of something like, say, a giant tufted pink banquette. Plus, I don't have an unlimited decorating budget so going a bit more classic is probably a good idea.
But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy these vibrant designs by Hilary White of Liv-Chic. What's not to love?
I also adore Liv-Chic's glam, Baroque inspired furniture...
One of the rooms I was absolutely certain about how I wanted to decorate in the new house was our kitchen. When we first went to choose our colours I had picked out my perfect white kitchen and even went out to buy the perfect stainless steel accessories to match. When M and I went back for some follow up on Saturday I was stricken to learn that the builder has changed kitchen providers and my white kitchen was no longer available. Worse, if I wanted anything else in the shade I would have to pay $10,000 more.
Knowing how much I wanted the kitchen M was ready to capitulate, but I just couldn't see paying that much extra. So, my dreams of a white kitchen have gone down the tubes. Hopefully I'll get it in our next house, which M is now more determined than ever to build himself.
The new cabinets are set to be a kind of greyish-brown, which I do think will still be nice, even if it's not what I wanted. If we stay in the house we will change the kitchen later so I decided just to go with the standard kitchen with elongated cabinets, can't see spending much more on something I don't really want. C'est la vie.
From Left: Tile, cabinet, countertop, floor - I apologize for the bad quality cell photo!
Naturally builder's prices for anything are exorbitant so we were lucky to find a standard tile, which is pretty and matches the colour scheme I have in my head. It's a grey-taupe neutral that I think will work well. We are also going with the standard countertops for now, which we will switch out to granite once we move in (at half the cost at doing it through the builder) and build the island I'm planning for the kitchen. We ended up going with a greyish stain for the wood floors, called "Pewter," that I loved but was hesitant about in terms of maintenance. M loved them, though, and we eventually decided to just go with that. Right now I'm just crossing my fingers I won't have any trouble with the builder in terms of the non-standard measurements for our fridge/freezer.
Our Afrodite Range Hood
We had originally wanted a resale house we could renovate, but when we couldn't find anything we agreed on we went the new home route. At times like these I sometimes regret the choice, making any changes is prohibitive due to the costs associated when it comes to the builder (although we did add a major structural change to the main floor that I think will really be worth it in terms of design and dramatic effect). For example, just asking them not to put in the cabinets over the stove so we can install our range hood (ourselves) would cost us over $300. So we told them to leave the cabinets and will have to remove them once we're in.
Hard to tell but this couch is a greyish-blue-silver hue. Surprisingly comfortable. What do you think of it with the ottoman?
On a brighter note, we also did some furniture browsing this weekend. We know that we want a distressed heritage kind of table (something like in the first picture above) and have already come up with some good options (like this one). Now we just have to make sure the wood blends with our floors. And then there's the challenge of chairs. I know exactly what I want, but what I want may not be practical (light colours, easily stained fabrics, etc.) I find I'm having the same problem with the couch, balancing design aesthetic with comfort and function. I'd love any suggestions or what you went through when choosing your furniture (and what you regret or love).
I saw some great pieces--couches, chairs, exotic carved consoles, screens and storage units--during our shopping trip and then we stopped at Niche where I had a yummy espresso macchiato and to-die-for hot banana bread covered in Nutella in their charming back patio. I just about died.
Spotted: A pretty bust--only $69!
To add to my weekend frustration the traffic was crazy because of multiple road closures and I had to rush to pick up my parents from the airport before heading back into the city to attend the Taste of the Danforth.
Like we usually do we ate at a restaurant instead of from the street vendors, but it's fun to walk among the crowds and music before and after, though. What did you do this weekend?
This gorgeous room is from the home of lingerie designer Chantal Thomass. I love that the room manages to be classic, but also feminine and romantic. The Fitzgerald sofa and Venus chairs (in May Day Gum Drop!) are from Andrew Martin.
The grey doors and pale pink walls were inspired by this 19th century cabinet:
I have loved this house since seeing it in an issue of House Beautiful awhile back. The home, designed by Christina Rottman, is located in Montecito, California and has a really warm vibe. I love the bits of Mediterranean and Moroccan influences mixed in with the neutral decor. Photos by Mikkel Vang.
The linen velvet sofas and leather ottoman in the living room were upholstered by Rose Tarlow. Loving the fireplace, too.
In the dining room Rottman mixed a Tuscan-style walnut table with an 18th century Italian wall hanging and a rococo chandelier for an old world feel.
A settee and studded leather screen in the Moroccan-influenced master suite.
Can I say how much I adore this Moorish doorway in the living room? Love!
What a great Spanish daybed in the guest room.
The turquoise kitchen adds a fanciful element to the home. Two coats of glaze (blackened umber then turquoise) plus scraping, buffing and stippling were used to achieve the look of the cabinets, which I think compliment the limsetone countertops nicely.
Another piece of the house I would die to have--the loggia. I can just imagine spending warm nights sitting out there.
I am loving the living room in designer Florence Baudoux's Paris apartment. The room itself obviously has great bones and I love the design touches, especially the sofas by Gilles Nouailhac. Their colour brings a lot of life to the room.
In the background of the first photo you can catch a glimpse of the dining room and a "Samantha" cross painting by Floc'h over the marble fireplace.
I just came across these furniture legs from House of Habit, a fun and stylish way to update any piece of furniture. The legs come in many different forms including Italian leather, metallic Bamboo, enamel and hand-applied stones and crystals. I have to say the blinged out Crystal legs are my personal favourite!
