Living etc - March 2016

I don't think I have yet proclaimed my true addiction to Living etc. It's my absolute favorite design magazine, and I have a lot of favorites (Dwell, House & Home, Elle Decor...).

There's something about Living etc that I am just so obsessed with. I like that they feature interiors that combine interesting architectural spaces with modern design elements. They aren't afraid of quirky patterns and colors and they truly like to show off happy spaces. Yes happy spaces. The kind of rooms that make you feel alive, and good, and calm, and inspired to re-create in your own home. 

Since I'm always jotting down ideas when I read magazines, I thought that I would share some product highlights that stood out for me in the March issue. Perhaps this is something I will continue to do, since scribbles of paper get lost and it's easy to forget all those interesting items that you wanted to reference for a future project one day. I may even revisit old issues. But let's see what we find here first.

Bolle Light from Gallott & Radice - A spectacular light fixture that features hand burnished brass and transparent blown glass balls.

Turn Sofa from Fern Living - I have been a massive Ferm Living fan for years, mainly of their textiles and small accessories, but they have recently come out with a new sofa collection. Check out those slim metal legs on this minimalist beauty. And the best part is that you can quickly switch up your upholstery fabric by flipping the cushion.

Anita Johansen Day Bed for Menu - I've seen this day bed before and I'm really crushing on it. Those oak legs with the soft upholstered wool seat makes me really want to put this in our living room asap.

Vanita Cake Stand by Matii for Clippings - I've never seen a more cool looking cake stand. Made of glass and comes in four colors.

Rowan Washstand for Waterworks - Small freestanding vanity in brass & marble that's perfect for small spaces.

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Samsung - The most beautiful TV in the world. I never thought that could be said, but holy crap, somebody finally designed it. This flat screen television is available in different sizes and colors, and can be put on legs (as above) or can simply be put on a shelf.

Smart Garden by Plantui for Finnish Design Shop - What a clever idea for your home. Now you can create your own small garden any time of the year,  no matter the weather.

Electronic Smoke Alarms by Jalo Kapu - Fire alarms have come a long way. These small units are easily attached to the ceiling and come in several different shades and a battery life of five years.

Holiday Countdown - Gift Edition Part 3

With Christmas less than ten days away, I hope that the final push to finish up your holiday shopping has not crushed you just yet. To make things a tad easier, I'm providing you with another edition of my curated collection of gifts, this time for the City Sophisticate. She's a stylish woman in her late 20s to mid 30s, a young professional that knows what she likes and what she wants, and who prefers unique, feminine and thoughtful finds that are luxurious but still practical enough to use everyday.

Buy her any of these gems, and you will probably be in her good books forever.

1. Woodlot Re-charge Package - $59 - This lovely Canadian made toxin free bundle includes a coconut wax candle, a nourishing soap bar, and mineral bath soaks. Everything is made out of rosemary + peppermint essential oils, and this little set is the perfect way to help her relax and recharge during the holidays.

2. Ilia Multi Stick - $34 - For the girl on the go, who doesn't need a lot of makeup, nor does she really want to put it on anyways. This magic stick comes in six unique shades, and works on cheeks, eyes and lips, providing a sexy but subtle hint of rosy shine that will enhance any winter complexion.

3. Ring Dish - $32 - This gorgeous little handmade ring dish is made out of porcelain and features a delicate gold rim. Each dish is one of a kind and will look right at home holding her favorite jewelry on her nightstand or dresser.

4. Stone Morter & Pestle - $272 - Almost too pretty to use, this Tom Dixon Morward white marble and brass set is sure to become a family heirloom.

5. Lady Bag - $1350 USD - Mansur Gavriel has been on the top of my wish list for the last couple of years, but only now can you find this extremely hard to find label in Canada. It's currently sold at Holts, and I'm kind of fearful because once things are no longer rare, my deep lust and attraction can sometimes go away. However, this chic carryall shouldn't worry, as it's essentially the perfect IT bag. It's totally sexy and naked, roomy enough for everyday use, and it comes in six colorways.

6. BarreWorks - During any gift giving season, I beg you to never give a girl a gym membership. Unless it's what she wants, trust me, just stay away. But BarreWorks is totally different. With two locations in Toronto, this is a super on trend fun ballet inspired workout that I think any girl would probably be quite happy to get. You can purchase a 5 class pack ($95) or a two weeks of unlimited classes for $40.

7. Lip Gloss - $42 - This has to be my favorite lip gloss ever.  I love that it's all natural, glides on without all that gunky mess, and it provides me with a youthful shine that stays on for hours. Well worth the hefty price tag.

8. Drop Earrings - $1805 - I've never been a big diamond fan, but these drop diamond earrings with a rose gold finish are modern classic. While extremely gorgeous, they are subtle enough to wear everyday.

9. Pillow - $212.50 USD - This luxurious Molto dual sided pillow from DWR features cashmere wool on one side and cotton velvet on the other, each with a slightly different look and feel.

10. Sweater Coat - $595 USD - This simple oatmeal Yak sweater coat from Jenni Kayne is exactly the kind of thing you want to throw on during a cold day. Unfortunately, they don't deliver to Canada, but when there's a will, there's a way...

11. Scarf - This stunning scarf is made from 100% crape silk, and is produced in very limited quantities in the EU. Lucky for us, you can purchase it in store at Ewanika or have it shipped to Canada.

12. Watch - $189 USD. A classic minimalist watch in rose gold and grey leather. You can purchase it online or in store at Likely General.

Holiday Countdown - Gift Edition Part 1

I am such a sucker for putting together pretty gift sets. It's probably one of my favorite activities, and if I had to choose my dream job, it would probably be assembling beautiful gift packages for really, really, REALLY rich people.

For the next couple of weeks, I'm going to be putting together some holiday shopping ideas for those unique people in your life who may have stumped you this gift giving season. But since this blog is all about fantasy, I apologize if some of my finds are a tad expensive. I'm not saying you have to rush out and buy any of these things, but in my dream world, if I had endless amounts of money, and could spend it on others (in very frivolous ways), this might be it.

First up, this collection of finds is for the baker or taste maker, the person who practically lives in their kitchen but dreams about moving to Italy or the south of France, the one who loves to whip up their own jars of pickles in the early fall, and who generously spends all day making pasta by hand.

1. Kitten & Bear Jam - $12 - This local Toronto store makes jam in small batch quantities by hand, and they do not use any preservatives or commercial additives. As the shop states, all of their items are "made in the French confiture style in traditional hand-hammered copper preserving pans, they stand apart by their exquisite texture, interesting ingredients, and subtle balance of flavours." Since this spot is right around the corner from me, I indulge in their freshly made scones more frequently than I would like to admit. If you have never been there, for the love of god, go immediately. Each scone purchase comes with your choice of seasonal jam and clotted cream, and once you open up the heavenly warm scone in your hand, dollop on some topping, and feel the buttery richness in your mouth, you will never be the same. You can shop in store or online.

2. Herriott Grace - Rolling Pin - $70 - I am a massive fan of Herriot Grace. This father daughter duo create spectacular wood carved pieces that you will treasure forever. Made in Vancouver and available online.

3. Mjolk - Onion Basket - $60 - A large bamboo handmade basket, perfect for storing fruit or onions on the counter. Made by an artisan in Kyoto Japan. Available in store and online.

4. Rough Linen - Apron - $50 - A classic rough linen Belgian waiters apron, perfect for protecting your clothes on days when you have hot soup bubbling on the stove. Made in the US but ships to Canada.

5. Mjolk - Cast Iron Pan with Handle - $320 - Crafted by Japan's most important industrial designer Sori Yanagi. The stunning black pot features curved edges for easy pouring. Available in store and online.

6. Coolican & Company - Palmerston Stool - $490 - I first spotted Coolican & Company at IDS a few years ago. I instantly fell in love with their superb craftsmanship and incredible attention to detail. They have a small line of furniture and accessories, and this lovely handcrafted white maple stool is the perfect place to perch your tired legs when peeling a bucket of potatoes. Available online, contact the shop directly.

7. Elte - Picardie Tumbler - $2.96 (each) - These classic ribbed tumbler glasses are a standard in French bistros and are made of shatter proof glass that can withstand both hot and cold beverages. All that and coming in at less than $3, what's not to love?

8. Chapters Indigo - A Kitchen in France: A Year of Cooking in My Farmhouse - $34.49 - Famous food blogger and former model Mimi Thorisson welcomes us into her own kitchen in France. You will find spectacular photography featuring beautiful ingredients and seasonal family style meals. You can purchase this book online for 25% off, or in store at regular retail price.

9. L' Atelier St George - Pallares Solsona Kitchen Knife - $35 - A practical knife for daily use, yet so pretty that it will made food photographers salivate. Made in Spain, available for purchase in store and online.

The Hip World of Artisan Crafts Featuring Ariele Alasko

If you like unique, handcrafted, charming yet skillfully designed products, you are probably already a fan of Ariele Alasko. And if you are in the design world and religiously follow design blogs or read magazines like DesignSponge or Kinfolk, and you've have never heard of this amazing woodworking artist, you probably live under a rock. For the rest of you, I will give you a pass and hope to inspire you to start following her on Instagram (and join over 369K people that do) immediately.

I stumbled upon her work a couple of years ago, during one of those Instagram binges where one thing led to another, and I ended up following over 20 new feeds. Probably not the kind of binge most people are used to, but in my world, yeah, things got craaaazy.

Besides her immense talents in woodworking, Ariele is a great photographer who knows what her style is and can really speak to her audience. You like teepees? Check. Beautiful horses? Check. Desert scapes? Check . Rustic flowers? Check. Cute Brooklyn apartments? Check. I could go on and on but you get the idea. She also features her new creations as well, and if you don't spot these goodies and scoop them up right away, chances are they will be sold out by the time you look at her website.

Ariele is sculptor by trade, who gathers discarded strips of wood from old NY brownstones, cleans them up, and uses the materials to create intricate patterns that grace tables, headboards, and wall hangings.  In addition to her furniture pieces, she excels at hand carving spoons, trays, and serving bowls, and has inspired many more artisans to start working in this field. But we all know who started this trend. And unlike some of her imitators, you can see the love and time she spends on each item, ensuring it will be a treasured family heirloom hopefully passed down for generations.

Couple of things to keep in mind if you want to score one of her pieces - she doesn't do wholesale, so you have to buy direct. But like I mentioned, if you don't jump at the immediate opportunity to buy it as soon as you spot it on instagram, good luck my friend.

The Adorable World of Orla Kiely

I first encountered Orla Kiely's products when I lived in London, was dirt poor, and I immediately wanted to buy EVERYTHING. I think I was browsing upstairs at John Lewis, hoping to score some deals on some bedding and towel options for my new place (and by new, I mean the ex council flat I had just rented along with 3 complete strangers where I was to be living in the smallest of 4 bedrooms, which may have been a closet with a small window), and wham, Orla's products hit me right in the face. The bright colors, patterns and whimsical prints made me feel happy and safe, and offered a cheerfulness that I so desperately needed.

Perhaps it's because I was completely exhausted, hungry, alone and about to head back to my new home, with it's impossibly tight quarters, and was dreading climbing back into the bed that offered stained sheets from the previous tenant (with an equally suffocating polyester duvet and pillow combo) that I handed over my credit card in complete disregard to prices that I couldn't afford, and treated myself to a lovely new queen sized set of pillow covers from Orla's line that I still have today.

While I couldn't afford the whole set, I finished off the bed with crisp white cotton linens and a down filled pillow and duvet, and topped it off with a teal cotton coverlet from Habitat. I dragged everything home, set it all up, and plopped on my new bed. I know it might have be silly to spend money on such a small luxury at a time when I probably ate one meal a day, but it was the only piece of comfort I owned and let me tell you, it was worth every penny.

I'm still a huge fan of Orla's today, and have since received a sugar container as a gift that I proudly display in my kitchen in Toronto, and I purchased "Home", Orla Kiely's book that came out earlier this year. And if you are not familiar with her designs, make sure to check out her website for a multitude of product offerings - everything from clothing to shoes to housewares. At this time, nobody that I know of stocks Orla Kiely's designs in Canada (with the exception of Chapters Indigo for her stationary / gardening goods), but if you are lucky enough to go stateside, she has a wonderful shop in Soho and of course, many shops in the UK. 

Suite One Studio

Ok...so I've been slightly obsessed with Suite One Studio's pieces for a little while now and I don't think I will be stopping anytime soon. These gorgeous and delicate porcelain beauties make  lovely gifts and are such special treasures. Just take a look at these stunning dessert plates with a rose watercolor swirl.

I love how Lindsay produces small batch short runs in her own studio and you can tell just how much thought goes into everything she designs.  The small ring dishes are perfect for a bedside table, or on your vanity in the bathroom.  Speckles of gold are the perfect touch.

But I also adore her larger platters - this lace cheeseboard really is a showstopper. If you want to snag one of her covetable pieces, make sure you check her site often, which is restocked every Tuesday.