TCHFM 2013

Every year the Canadian Home Furnishings Market rolls out their offerings for retailers and designers/decorators for several days in January.  It is always housed at the International Centre.  The various showrooms host several parties for trade visitors and this year I attended the SOFA Cocktail Party www.visitsofa.com on Sunday evening and enjoyed networking and many tasty treats! So many people! So much fun!

Marcantonio Designs www.marcantoniodesigns.com unveiled their new showroom and I couldn't resist a few photos

 Did a little sourcing at Ren-Wil  www.renwil.com and loved these pieces....

It is always interesting to check out the new products available.  Below are a few photos of what I saw....

Modern Art and lighting

I loved this outdoor lamp post - very industrial look

Interesting lighting made with chains

Great Lighting at great price points which can be shipped directly from Quebec to your office!

The Trends Display is a group of different spaces, set up using furniture from different manufacturers who are participating in the show and how a space can come together.  Below is one that I likes

Just outside of the Canadel Showroom www.canadel.ca  was a new set up for relaxing during the show.  The stools were incredibly comfortable!

Some DIY projects from a guest blogger....

I am asked on occasion to post "guest" posts on this blog and this particular post is about some DIY projects sent by Shahab Shokouth, that I thought were interesting,   so take a look.



(Photo) Doing your own DIY remodeling can at times be a daunting task, but it can also be quite simple, depending on the project. In this post we will discover several DIY remodeling tips and tricks of varying complexities.

• Custom Colored Glass Light Shades!

Tinting your own custom colored glass light shades can be done in 30 minutes with the following ingredients: Mod podge, food coloring, water, jars (or clear glass light shades). For the full instructions, view this clip.
Ball Canning Jars are perfect for this kind of project.

• DIY Towel Rack

This DIY’er is perfect for both the kitchen and the bathroom. Re-purpose the back of an old ladder back
back into a towel rack and hang your towels.


.

• Designer Tile Accents

Often times, the whole point of being a DIY-er is to save money. In this example, by having accent tiles on the shower wall (instead of tiling the shower with designer tiles), it makes for a cheaper price tag, but still showcases an effective and sleek, design cue. This is also ideal when you want some more elaborate tile work in your bathroom, but you don’t want to rout all of your tiles. And if you have tiled flooring in your bathroom, a designer tile accent may be an effective remodel for your floor, as well!

 

• Dresser Turned DIY Kitchen Island

Speaking of DIY friendly, here’s a DIY Kitchen Island, created by re-purposing an antique dresser. All it took was taking a dresser and repainting the surface. On the side, they have added hooks to hold kitchen utensils, and have simply added a towel dispenser to the side of the dresser. The vibrant blues and whites also help brighten up the kitchen space. If you’re not feeling very “DIY”, there’s the “Buy It Yourself” option… In that case, the Kitchen Island DIY installation process involves: buying it, placing it in your kitchen, and removing the price tag. Unless of course you’re buying it from IKEA in which case it will require assembly. Whichever way you go, it might be a good idea to decorate your Kitchen Island with some bowls, as seen above. This will also add counter space to your kitchen. New kitchen islands range widely in price, size, and quality.   About the Author Shahab Shokouhi is a Writer at Dulles Glass and Mirror – a manufacturer of commercial and residential glass products including custom mirrors, glass top, and glass top desks.

Getting some R and R in the Sun and in Style.....

About 3 years ago I caught up with 3 friends from high school via facebook, having lost touch for more years than I will mention.  Such fun to catch up and see where life had taken us.  One friend in particular,  had taken almost an identical career journey as had I.  We both started out in fashion design, then some other odds and ends, children and finally, our true love of Interior Design and Decorating.  She lives and works out of Montreal and recently purchased and renovated a lovely home in Florida which is available for rent.   I wanted to share photos of this extremely well decorated and well situated home by Susan Jameson, Decor Options who can be reached at -decoroptions.sj@gmail.com

The home is located in West Palm, and only 15 minutes from the airport.  The ocean is so close you can see it from the front of the house and the restaurants and bars are close by as well, which I think is always a bonus!!
Check out some photos of it below and for more details go to
   http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p963815

I think every room has been done to perfection!!

Beautiful stainless kitchen....

Lovely Sunroom looking out to the garden and pool area

Celebrating the Season.....

Our GTA West Chapter of CDECA had a nice celebration just prior to Christmas at the studio/showroom of one of our members.  Check out Parsons Interiors in Mississauga and Jackie Connolly will be happy to help you with your decorating requirements.www.parsonsinteriors.com. 

We had a great time and actually covered chapter business but more important - the food was great.  Unfortunately there are more photos of us having a good time and eating than of the lovely pieces in the showroom, so you will just have to stop by to see them!!

 

Pantone Colour of 2013 - Emerald Green

Every year Pantone announces their pick for the next years' colour and for 2013 it is Emerald, pantone 17-5641.  This colour will be seen in fashion, beauty, interiors and any other place where you see colour.

Emerald is often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones.  It is perceived as sophisticated & luxurious.  It is also the colour of renewal, growth and prosperity.  Many think of green as healing and soothing.   Of course we seen green in abundance in nature.  It is seen more than any other colour in the spectrum.

 

SOFA hosts the Canadian launch of Houzz.com

It has been a busy week for those in the design world...

I am a little late in posting this but it really has been a bit nutty with all the happenings. I must stay put and do some work but it has been a fun time getting out and about at events and seeing many new products.  One product which I already use is Houzz.   On November 29th,  SoFA , www.visitsofa.com hosted the Canadian Launch of Houzz, www.houzz.com which is the leading online platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device.

Houzz connects homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world.  Houzz is an easy way for people to find design and decor inspiration and advice.  Houzz starts the creative juices flowing but you then really need to find a designer or decorator to help you carry out your findings and bring about a great space. Houzz is a tool which assists us all and is less cumbersome than carrying around magazines with your picks.  You can create your wish list in an easy to use place and have it available whenever you require it.

Somewhere between 500 and 700 people in the design industry attended this fabulous event.  Thanks to SoFA's Director of Marketing, Linda Kafka, this was definitely a successful event. There were great hors d'oeuvres, great wine and the fun of connecting with others in this great industry.  I met some new people and caught up with some I already knew.  Lots of fun.  All of the showrooms were open and there were additional kiosks set up around the building to visit.  Lots of draws which is always fun.   Cheryl Tiegs was among those in attendance and she spoke and then met attendees in the AGA/Marvel Showroom after the presentation.  Liza Hausman, VP for Houzz presented the results from a new Houzz study on building, remodeling and decorating from the Canadian homeowners perspective . www.houzz.com