Pet-friendly design

Eclectic Doormats by Other Metro Wisteria

Attention, exercise and affection will make our pets happy, we know that. But sometimes it's also fun to pamper our animal friends, and give them their own special décor and accessories at home. I'm thinking of cozy pillows and soft throws just for them, personalized eating areas (ever heard of monogrammed feeding bowls?), and fancy baskets for their toys. 

Since my family recently adopted a new, four-legged friend, I have kept my eyes open for pet-related solutions and accessories for the home. This is what I came across at Houzz:

 

Isn't this a good use for an old suitcase?

 

Modern Kitchen by Seattle Architect Studio Zerbey.

Accessories And Decor by Other Metro shop.feelmorehuman.com

 

Modern Pet Accessories by Other Metro Fatboy USA

Modern Pet Accessories by Other Metro UnicaCool

Contemporary Pet Accessories by Other Metro hepperhome.com

Modern Birdhouses by Other Metro Design Public

Contemporary Pet Accessories by Other Metro
Furniture And Accessories Design Within Reach

Eau Claire Gorge design destination

Want to combine some hiking and design? In that case, I recommend a visit to Eau Claire Gorge. Next to the entrance to the beautiful rapids is the studio of furniture designer and craftsman Michael Waram. Wooden chairs, dressers, tables, bowls, frames and candleholders fill the space. You'll find Mission-style pieces and mid-century Scandinavian designs in a wide range of wood species. Michael also does custom work, so go prepared with some pictures and measurements of your dream piece.

If you have more appetite for craftsmanship,
a visit to nearby Maxwell Pottery and Clermont Duval Art Gallery is also recommended. 

In Mattawa, "going on a hike" is just a pretext for taking in some interesting, local design, perfect for a weekend excursion!

Michael Waram's Mission-style furniture,

produced for Toronto-based Harvest House.

Michael Waram in his workshop on 1446 Peddlers Dr.,

next to the entrance to Eau Claire Gorge.



1950s-style teak chair.

More Mission style. Here's how Brittanica.com

defines the style: Mission style, type of furniture

popular in the United States during the turn of the

20th century. The furniture, distinguished by its

simplicity of materials and design, arose out of the

Arts and Crafts-inspired movement led in the United

States by Gustav Stickley. Makers of this type of

furniture shared a belief in the social virtues of good

design and handcraftmanship.

Table and bowl.



Mirror and dresser.



Creating outdoor rooms

The May long weekend is here, and many of us are busy getting our outdoor spaces ready for summer living.

This same time two years ago, I wrote a blog post about creating rooms outdoors. It talked about creating destinations in our outdoor space, and how area rugs, screens, plants or a canopy will help define those special outdoor rooms. I'm back to that theme, but this time I want to focus on the importance of the area rug. It is really the key piece that will transform an ordinary deck or patio into an attractive hang-out area. 

I recently helped a client create a cute outdoor retreat, a place she can go to when she wants a break from the busy beach area on the opposite side of the house. This is a client who loves happy colours, so we needed something completely different from the muted browns, greys, and mossy greens that are predominant in our stores (I'd love to see some variety!). We found the right rug - a classic green-and-white stripe - at Pier 1, and instantly, I repeat: instantly, we had created an "outdoor room". Easy! A quick word about materials: make sure the rug is intended for outdoor use.

Here are other examples of outdoor spaces defined by area rugs:


Photo: Houzz.




Modern Patio by Edmonton Architect thirdstone inc.

Photo: Houzz.

Modern Patio by New York Architect
Incorporated. Photo: Houzz.

 

Contemporary Entry. Photo: Houzz.

Let's pamper Mom!

Photo: Stylisheve

A bouquet of flowers and a glass of bubbly go a long way. And so does a special breakfast. Any thoughtful detail, really, will make Mom happy on her special day. What she doesn't want, though, according to a program on CBC Radio that I listened to today, is another kitchen appliance. So now we know!

Here are a few neat things from the Green Store in North Bay that I think Mom would appreciate.

Happy Mother's Day!






Some bling for the wine bottle!

Summer pillows...


A striped summer rug...

A happy bird bath...

A summer door mat...

A big glass jar for lemons...

The power of the personal

"My home looks great, it just doesn't feel very personal". I hear that comment a lot. And while the answer might seem simple - "just add personal things to the mix" - it takes some experimenting to get it right.   

The combined living and dining room used to be two small rooms.

Tina removed the wall and created one large, light-filled room,

which has become her favourite place in the house. 

I think the home of my friend, journalist and author, Tina Esh is a good example of a house with personality.

Her love of colour, pattern and books is obvious as you enter her home. She combines old with new, mixes wallpaper with light-painted walls, has lots of candles and coloured glass. Contemporary and traditional art that is meaningful to her adorns the walls, and from the ceiling hangs the odd, quirky decoration that has a story to tell. 

There is a good balance between "filled" and "empty" space, which prevents the home from feeling cluttered.

Follow me on a tour through Tina's place!

 

Tina painted the panelling in the front
hall blue, and used wallpaper on the
upper section of the wall. The wooden
sofa is a flee-market find.

 



A guardian angel greets visitors in the front hall.

Bookshelves flank the walls in the dining room.

The curtains, chairs and accessories pick up the

red from the wallpaper in the adjacent living room.

Bright green curtains in the guest room/office. 

Tina used the chimney stack from the downstairs living room and added a stove in her second floor master bedroom. The exposed brick adds warmth to the white walls.

The blue-and-white master bedroom.



The sun-drenched wooden deck outside the house provides privacy and is protected from the wind. The big pots house lemon and orange trees, olives, bay leaf, strawberries, lavender and lots of other plants that give it a Mediterranean touch.

One of several sitting areas in the lush gardens.

When Tina bought the place, this area was a

field of weeds. But looking carefully, she could

see the remains of a once carefully laid-out garden

which she has since restored. 

Welcome! The home, located in a small

community 200 kms south of Stockholm,

Sweden, was built in the 1920s and has a

soft yellow, stuccoed façade.

 

Tina, soaking up the sun

on her wooden deck.



Interior design and the environment

It's been "Earth Week" this week, with events around the world supporting environmental protection. What a great initiative! As consumers, we can all contribute to a cleaner environment, by the choices we make and by the way we live.

Also the interior design community is embracing the green movement, at least on paper. So many products now claim to be "green". And while some definitely are, others really aren't. If you start asking questions about the transportation, the production process and the disposal of a certain product, it gets a lot more complicated. But don't let that stop you! Asking questions is the first step of being mindful about the environment, and that's what we all need to be.

Here are other things we can do for the sake of the environment: 

1) Shop locally - it has many advantages, from minimizing transportation to keeping the money in the community. An example: locally-sourced wooden floors are so much more environmentally friendly than bamboo grown in Asia, no matter what the advertisements say!

2) Reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose, recover... So many re-words, so many opportunities! A coat of paint, another frame on a piece of art, an old dresser that becomes a bathroom vanity... Before heading to the stores, try to think about new uses for things you already own. The most inviting homes often display a mix of old and new.

3) Go for quality rather than quantity, it will reduce your number of purchases. After all, the most environmentally friendly behaviour is to consume less.

What other tips do you have that can protect the environment?

A "truth window" shows the interior

of the wall in the straw-bail house.



The interior of an off-the-grid straw-bail house

outside Powassan that I visited some years ago.

 

 

Learning from the pros

Here is an example of what it can look like when
you open up new windows between existing studs.
Modern Living Room by Philadelphia Furniture

and Accessories Usona. Photo: Houzz.

When you love houses and interior design, few things are more attractive than being invited to the home of a design professional.
That was my lucky situation a few months ago. The visit to one of my Trout Lake neighbours, a retired architect, was both educational and enlightening.

But most of all, it was a delightful experience of being in a home where careful thought had gone into every design decision. Even the surrounding trees were trimmed to display the most sculptural silhouettes!


Here are five lessons that I took home from my visit:  


Contemporary Kitchen by Wellesley

Kitchen And Bath Divine Kitchens LLC.

Photo: Houzz.

 

 

1) Let windows frame interesting views. Use them in unexpected places, like the end of a hallway, or in places where you tend to spend a lot of time, such as by the kitchen sink. For a less invasive project: create new windows between existing studs. The resulting narrow, vertical windows provide architectural interest, and bring the outside in.

Look at the outstanding corner detail

in this fascia!

2) It's all in the details! Give extra thought to how to deal with transitions between materials, corners, joints, etc. The result will make your project stand out!






Eclectic Living Room by Santa Cruz Media And

Blogs Shannon Malone. Photo: Houzz.

3) Use the ceiling height to its maximum. Take built-in bookcases and kitchen cupboards all the way to the ceiling. Put less-used items at the top.

4) Pay attention to lighting. A single, big light source in the middle of the room just doesn't cut it. A range of different lights gives more flexibility; think task lighting, ambiance lighting and general lighting. Use dimmers whenever possible.



5) Go big on art. Few things can so instantly change the feeling of a room, whether you go with one big piece, or several smaller pieces grouped in a gallery. See Artful displays, A flexible approach to art and Getting the hang of art for more on art in your home. 

Contemporary Living Room by

Ethos Interiors. Photo: Houzz.

Inspiration from the library

Interior by Nate Berkus, who designs home decor

items for Target. Can't wait to see if they will be 

in the North Bay store once it opens... 

Coffee table books on design are a great source of inspiration. My own bookshelf is full of them. I use them to get ideas, to learn from the pros and to simply indulge in beautiful interiors.

But to stay up to date with the steady flow of new books can get pricey. And sometimes you want to check out a book before buying it.

In those situations, a trip to the local library is a good idea. The North Bay Public Library does a good job at bringing in new design books.

My latest finds include Nate Berkus' "The Things That Matter" and Thom Filicia's "American Beauty". Both books were published late last year and are praised by design magazines.

Another book that I brought home, and that promises to be interesting, is: Thrift, How to have a stylish home without breaking the bank. You can never get enough of those ideas!

Now I'm keeping my eyes open for Barbara Barry's "About Beauty" and anything by Vicente Wolf. Finding them on the library shelves would be a real treat!

Do you have any great design books to recommend?