Home Bars

Check out Derring hall for some great bar for the home.....

http://www.deringhall.com/daily-features/contributors/dering-hall/9-home-bars-to-inspire-your-new-years-eve-celebration

Traditional Kitchens

Check out these beautiful kitchens from house and home.....

http://houseandhome.com/gallery/top-10-traditional-kitchens-with-timeless-appeal/

A few upcoming trends

1. Brown Furniture is Back

Some might argue that brown furniture never went away, but I disagree.  There was certainly a period of time where designers eschewed traditional brown furniture forms for lighter finishes, and most antique dealers will tell you that the market for early English and American antiques grew soft.  That time has past.

2. Lucite, Glass and Brass

Tempering all that dark wood were pieces light as air.  Lucite was everywhere and was used most effectively when accented in brass. Bernhardt’s modern four poster bed was a showstopper.

3. Handcrafted Materials

From small markers to large corporations, I saw a resurgent interest in featuring handcrafted materials.  Tent London was filled with examples, including this very handsome lighting in hand tooled leather.

4. Nature as Muse

Lamps with feather shades and bases crafted to mimic birds legs?

5. Wallpaper As Art

My spin around design events this fall also suggests that wallpaper might be the only art you ever need.  It certainly is not going away, and the days of considering a wallpapered room as too “granny” are long gone.

At Tent London, U.K. designer Deborah Bowness introduced a highly colorful paper that called to mind a super-sized artist palette.   It would make a fine focal point.

from an article by Lynn Byrne.  For images and more information check out this post

http://www.decorartsnow.com/trends-that-will-endure/

Kitchen Trends 2016

Kitchen Confidential: 9 Trends to Watch for in 2016

Deck your Halls...

Decking your Halls....

I am a little late with this post but since some of us are also a little late in 'decking our halls' I thought it  may help.  It always seems to just creep up on us.  This year I was at a little event where the theme for decorating this year is natural, red and gold.  Well that should be easy to accomplish.

When it comes to decorating, why not just enjoy the fun and anticipation.

Step back in time to when things were much simpler. Come up with new ways to showcase your treasured, current decorations along with adding new, simple refreshing additions. Have fun decorating!

There are many places to purchase décor items where you are not spending large amounts of money. One of the most inexpensive decorating sources can be in yourown back yard or nearby parks – pinecones, fallen branches, anything organic is environmentally friendly and looks warm and cozy.  You can re-purpose items you already have in a new and different ways.  Since it is only seasonal, the look or theme can change each year without purchasing an entire new collection of decorations.  What fun!  Here are some different themes to ponder – 

Natural Rustic/Organic Theme 

• Greenery and pillar candles on kitchen counter       
• Tree decorated with fruit in urn on kitchen table      
• Small trees in baskets         
• Grapevine or natural evergreen Wreaths in all windows
• Tray on kitchen counter, which holds a small live Rosemary tree, paper whites and candle
•   Large flat basket of greens filled with green apples, limes and pillar candle.
• Christmas tree decorated with strings of cranberries, gingerbread men, twigs, dried fruit – apple and orange slices, etc.
• Trays with greenery, and small votive & tea lights candles
•  Collect fallen branches, trim your own evergreen bushes and perhaps some thicker birch type pieces and arrange in a tall glass cylinder
• Fill different sizes of glass containers or baskets with pinecones
•  Fill several different size glass containers with cranberries and then add some fresh flowers or branches
• Bowls of fruit, nuts, pinecones
•  Groupings of candles, especially battery operated for safety, among evergreen branches
• 3 large glass candles with greenery, cinnamon sticks and oranges 
• Light Fixture decorated with greenery            
• Burlap wrapped presents in a basket on porch
• Urns filled with greens, sticks, fruit and lights

 If you have a collection of Christmas Items why not showcase them -

Collection based theme – Santas, Nutcrackers, etc. 

• Santas or Nutcrackers grouped with greenery and twigs around them
• Group of Santas or nutcrackers on a bakers rack or shelving
• Christmas Tree with small nutcrackers mixed among the other treasured ornaments you already have
• Greenery on table with large candle    

Natural Elegance

• Sugared fruit on buffet
• Large glass with greens, cranberries and floating candles on Dining Table or Hall table
• Vase of greens, sticks and amaryllis on counter
• Wooden (olive) trough with berries and votive candles
• Amaryllis in glass with moss and cranberries
• Greenery lit up on top of kitchen upper cabinets
• Row of boxes on counter with greens
• Amaryllis, orchids, paper whites, greens and candles in arrangement on kitchen island counter
• Sleigh with greens, soldiers, green moss, trees and balls
• Christmas Tree with a color theme of treasured ornaments you already have with perhaps a few new ones added
• Tray filled with round Christmas Balls with pillar candle in center
• Tall glass cylinders filled with small Christmas Balls 

With the above options you can definitely add the three prominent options for this year - natural, red and gold to enhance your decor.

Try to take a casual and relaxed attitude to your decorating so that you enjoy it and leave leave more time for the fun part of these upcoming celebrations – entertaining family and friends; community events; walks in the woods; sitting by a cozy fire; making cookies with your children; decorating the tree or whatever your heart desires. 

Cottage Paint

The other day a colleague and I had the opportunity to visit Cottage Paint and meet with Gail Rogers who kindly showed us how to use the paint and create different finishes. 

Cottage Paint is a clay-based paint that dries to a silky matte finish, and remains porous and easy to sand or wet distress when dry, making it perfect for the Shabby-Chic style furniture refinishing on trend right now. This type of paint isn’t new of course, it’s been around since the frescos in the Sistine Chapel, but the benefit of this modern clay paint is that it has been formulated to exceed today’s environmental standards by removing almost all of the VOCs in both the bases and the pigments. Cottage Paint is used as a furniture refinishing product, it achieves an authentic time-worn appearance through it’s chalky finish and the hand rubbed technique used to distress it. You can create many additional finishes when using their specialty products as well, the possibilities seem almost endless once you start to experiment with it.

 A few of the great qualities this paint has:

• Cottage Paint dries in about 15 minutes to one hour. Never do more than THREE applications of anything to a piece per day though, even if you can.
• It adheres to just about any surface you can think of: wood, plastic, metal, brick
• It requires NO sanding, priming or stripping most of the time. Just make sure the surface is clean. Varnished and stained surfaces do require priming to seal the surface prior to painting.
• The paint can be distressed as soon as it is dry using a damp cloth or fine sand paper.
• Cottage Paint does not roll or peel like latex when sanded, it appears as if the paint has gradually worn off over time.
• Can be used in conjunction with their other decorative finishes to create endless unique looks and combinations

Below are some of the different surface treatments available but a visit to this supplier is worth the time.

 My favourite below - using a special was on the fabric and then adhering it to a tabletop

If anyone is interested in a demonstration, please stop by Sheridan Nurseries for Ladies Night Out at the location on Southdown Road, Mississauga at 7 pm.,

Save or Splurge on Kitchen Renovations

Scott Mcgillivary recently posted his list of where to splurge or save when attacking a kitchen renovation.  Excellent information!

check it out at

http://scottmcgillivray.com/design-renovations/kitchen-renovation-saves-splurges/

Outdoor Fireplaces

Fall has officially arrived but we are trying to hold on to summer a little longer.  Enjoy your outdoor space with a lovely fireplace or one can dream.....

For more gorgeous outdoor fireplaces click the link below to Derring Hall


http://www.deringhall.com/daily-features/contributors/dering-hall/11-enviable-outdoor-fireplaces?utm_source=inspiration&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=09.12.15_inspiration_images_outdoor_fireplaces&utm_content=image&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=091215+-+Inspiration+-+Image+Picks+-+Outdoor+Fireplaces&utm_content=091215+-+Inspiration+-+Image+Picks+-+Outdoor+Fireplaces+CID_0655b0a973ce859e4db8d5644b8c5ebe&utm_source=newsletters&utm_term=See%20All

Flooring - Laminate

Laminate is considered a carefree and affordable option for floorings.  It is also extremely durable and can replicate stone and hardwood.  Laminate is a great choice if you have pets.   

The means of attaining a laminate surface begins with a high resolution image of hardwood or stone flooring.  These images are then printed on paper and together with a wear layer are laminated to a substrate made of high density fiberboard.  These days laminate has come a long way in looking more realistic than ever before.There are many options of different wood species.  Many laminates have greater repeat lines which offer a more realistic appearance as well.  They also have different widths printed on the design. Additionally you can purchase those that feature embossing which follows the wood grain and there will be a texture.  Laminate is a good choice where moisture considerations prevent use of solid hardwood like a lower level basement.

Caring for laminate is vacuuming or sweeping.  There are special laminate floor cleaners for stubborn stains.  Installation of laminate is easy and can be a DIY project.

Flooring - Cork

Cork is a renewable sources and provide a green option for flooring.  

Cork is available in different textures, patterns and colours.   Like hardwood and stone, cork has natural shade variation which only adds to the beauty of the product. The textures and patterns can vary from traditional to contemporary and in many colours  

Cork comes from the bark of the cork oak tree found in the west Mediterranean.  It is harvested by hand and only 50% of the bark is removed.This way the tree continues to live and the remaining bark protects the tree from climate and insects.  This bark regenerates every 9 years. The best cork is used for wine stoppers while the remainder is used for flooring.   Cork is moisture resistant, durable and warm while adding comfort underfoot, thus making is excellent for kitchens, laundry rooms, playrooms, bathrooms and is excellent as an option for below grade as long as you install a moisture barrier.  Cork is anti-allergenic and is 100% biodegradable and recyclable.   Due to it's properties, cork is excellent for kitchens, laundry rooms, playrooms, bathrooms, basements and any other space you would like.  Due to it's cushioning effect, cork is great in kitchens where there is considerable standing.  Care for cork is simple - sweeping, vacuuming but no water.