Turn up the heat with orange

 

The trees are on fire! I hope you had a chance to enjoy them, along with the summery temperatures last weekend. What a colour explosion!

And just as the intense fall palette injects energy and life outdoors, it has the same effect if we bring it inside. 

Of the typical fall hues, orange continues to be a popular accent colour for our homes. I previously wrote about that here. It's easy to understand why it's a favourite; orange feels fresh and cheery, and partners so well with greys and other neutrals. I used it recently to give some sparkle to a basement bar that I designed (below).

Below are some other interiors where orange plays a lead role. In some cases, the use of the colour is pretty non-binding, meaning that it can be easily changed. In other cases, the homeowners are in for a longer romance with orange.

Let's have a look:

Even though orange is used sparingly around the
perimeter of this kitchen, it very effectively gives
the space a spicy and dramatic boost. Extra bonus:
it's just paint on the walls, so the look can be changed
pretty easily. Photo: Houzz. Durham Architects & Building
Designers Ellen Cassilly Architect.

An orange exclamation mark in a white
kitchen! Here the homeowners are in for
a longer romance with the bright colour,
unless they plan to change their stove
soon, of course. Photo: Houzz. Edmonds

Interior Designers & Decorators Zinc

Art + Interiors.

 



Orange upholstery seems like a big commitment.
An orange slipcover not so much. Photo: Houzz.
Rizzoli New York.



This orange stove is not for the faint-hearted. It's definitely a commitment. See how well it plays with its complementary colour blue. Photo: Houzz. maison21.

 

 

 

A rusty-orange accent wall makes this open
concept space cozy and inviting. Photo: Houzz.
FORMA Design.

The easiest way to introduce orange: through

flowers and accessories. Photo: Houzz. maison21.

New location a Winner



 

Have you heard? Winners in North Bay is now located in the new strip mall on McKeown Avenue.

 

The brand new facilities of the "find fabulous for less" store are bigger than the old location, but the overall look and feel remain the same. 

 

Clothing dominates the product offering. It has a prime position in the store, whereas the home décor section is tucked in the back. In fact, the space reserved for furniture, lamps and decorative items seems smaller than in the Lakeshore location. Somewhat disappointing I must say!

In any event, a visit to the store continues to be a "must" for anybody hunting for stylish benches or banquettes, neat storage solutions, small tables and accessories.

 

Let's take a look at some of the items in the store right now.

 

 

Industrial-style stools.



Beautiful bench with nail head trim and tufted seat.

Winners is a good place for

shabby-chic pieces, such as

this mirror with a washed-out

patina.

 









Root table à la Winners.



A laundry basket on wheels can be practical.

Design lessons from Jamaica

Hot, bright colours and cool, breezy interiors. That's the interior design slant of my recent mini-vacation in Jamaica.

The upscale Montego Bay resort where I stayed bravely mixed heavy, dark furniture with bold colour combos. It was a tropical interpretation of the Spanish colonial style, wrapped in marble, glass and shiny metals. At times exaggerated, and far from your every-day Jamaican home of course, it was interesting for a design enthusiast like myself.

Here are three design lessons that I was reminded of during my stay:

1) Scale and proportion: If you have the space you can really go for it. Big rooms require big furniture. And soaring ceilings call for heavy light fixtures and pieces that draw the eyes up. 

Breathtaking, high ceilings in the hotel lobby.

2) Round shapes: There are so many square and rectangular surfaces in a house. To avoid the sharp corners and in order to break up all the straight lines, it's good to introduce some roundness, whether it's in the yard or inside. Meandering paths, round mirrors and semi-circular tables are just a few ways to give a space some softness.


Semi-circular "swim-up" bar.

3) Hot climates, bright colours: The climate we live in definitely affects the way we decorate. In the north we tend to hold back and choose neutrals and subtle colour combinations, creating soothing interiors that reflect our surroundings. On a tropical island filled with colourful birds, fish, people and vegetation, the interiors are likely to be playful and bold against a white backdrop.

   

 


This cool  blue would be a rare colour choice for a northern Ontario restaurant,

don't you think? In Jamaica, it right at home!



The hotel bar area featured an interesting mix of textures,

materials, shapes and colours. The illuminated bar itself draws

visitors in (more than once!).

Even though the interiors were interesting, it was outside, on the beach, where I spent most of the time.

Until next time, Jamaica!

 

 

Turning inspiration into reality

Breakfast nook with "new", old curtains.

We all do it. Copy and "steal", that is. Whether it's a great look, clever design solutions or a twist on something tried and true, inspiration is everywhere, and summer is an especially good time to refill our idea banks.

Here are three ideas that I've brought into my home this summer. None of them major or revolutionary, quite the contrary. But they all strike a chord with the style I like for my home. Rather than copying the ideas "right off", I've tried to add a personal twist to make them more "mine".

Let's have a look.

Here's the inspiration shot in an interior designed by

Feasby & Bleeks Design.

1) In a previous post this summer, I talked about skipping window treatments all together, to let more light and greenery in. While I love the idea, I also like the simple and fresh look of white curtains. I wanted to try a concept using black ribbons to break up all the white. Seeing it in House & Home's special edition "Decorating with white" this summer finally convinced me to take out the sewing machine. I attached three narrow ribbons onto the existing curtains, which instantly added a graphic, contemporary punch to my breakfast nook.



Wall display from CB2 in Toronto.

2) As soon as I spotted this display in the CB2 store in Toronto,  I knew it would be perfect for my patio. "It can't be hard to make", I thought, and a couple of weeks later, with a few wooden boards and some help, I created my own slatted structure.

What I especially like about it is that the display can be changed indefinitely simply by adding, removing or changing the location of the pots.

My pots are from Target and have holes on the back and perch from nails in the slats. The pots from CB2 have a wire hanging arrangement, which allows for even more versatility. The galvanized steel also looks better than the plastic ones I used, I think, so I'll keep my eyes open for something similar.



Here's my version of the display. There is still 

room for more plants!

Shelf from CB2.

3) During the same visit to CB2, I also saw this wall shelf that I was drawn to for the same reasons as the plant display: it's flexibility. I also like how the irregular pattern of the steel ledges and rods almost make it look like a piece of art in itself. Did I make my own, you wonder? No, in this case I just bought it. Fast and easy!   

What has inspired you this summer?

Here's my take on it.

Colour the way to your home

Photo: Houzz. Midcentury Exterior by Encinitas
Interior Designers & Decorators Erik Gilmer

"People keep using the back door, but I want them to come in through the front entrance."

No matter how many times my client told her friends, the small door off the deck of her Trout Lake home had become the primary entry. A peek outside revealed why; the back door had an easier access on this perched property, and nothing outside made one entry stand out over the other.

How could we change the traffic path to this home without making costly adjustments to stairs and landscaping?

With paint, of course!

Photo: Houzz. Portland Interior Designers &

Decorators bright designlab..

The first suggestion I gave my client was to paint the front door an eye-catching colour. Given the home's contemporary, playful vibe, I thought a happy yellow or orange would look great. My client was on board for yellow. So far so good.

But a happy door doesn't do the trick on its own. It needs a context. So I recommended placing oversized flower pots at the top of the steep stairs leading down to the cheery front door. The colour of the flowers? Yellow, of course!

I also suggested a coat of yellow paint on the stair railings, and yellow flowers at the foot of the stairs.

Photo: Houzz. Contemporary Entry by

Austin Architects & Building Designers

Rick & Cindy Black Architects.

See how we've started a theme here?

Sunflowers, with their majestic and contemporary look would be a great choice for the foot of the stairs! I envision them in an oversized, rectangular box casually leaning towards the sundrenched wall of the stair landing.

Photo link.

Finally, to complete the traffic path, I suggested placing yellow flowers also by the front door, a few feet away.

With a clear colour code established, there should be little mistake in the future which door guests should use.

As always, a little paint goes a long way!

 

Why attractive homes are like zesty gazpacho

What does a good-looking interior have in common with delicious food? I say: A lot! I was thinking about that while preparing a zesty gazpacho - a cold tomato soup - for a recent summer party.

Just look at this:

A room benefits from having a certain theme or a "mood". In gazpacho, that theme is "fresh veggies", with ripe, juicy tomatoes being the shining star.



Texture and contrast. Photo: Houzz.

Equal amounts of green pepper and cucumber add contrast to the red, and create a repetition of subtle flavours.

A slice of bread mixed into the soup provides texture, while olive oil and water make all the ingredients harmoniously blend together.

To give it all some zing, garlic, salt and vinegar are added to the mixture. The secret to an amazing gazpacho actually lies in the balance between those three ingredients.

They're the culinary version of that red stool that jumps out, a piece of art that ties a whole room together, or the light that reflects off a glass chandelier. They are the finishing touches that create outstanding results.

Are you ready to cook up a storm at home? Let me know if you need help!


The orange door "shakes up" this interior. It's like
garlic in gazpacho! Photo: Pinterest.

Woodworking and pancakes in Amish territory

If you like hand-crafted furniture, make sure to check out Pioneer Nook Woodworking. The company, located just east of Powassan, has made custom-built, wooden furniture since 2007, following the Mennonite craftsmanship tradition. They also refurbish and reface existing pieces.

Dove-tail detail.

I recently engaged them to make drawers for a client's dresser, and love the fact that the drawers will be made of solid maple, and will have strong, dove-tailed corners.

This Saturday, July 12th, Pioneer Nook Woodworking will host an Annual Bake Sale and Pancake Breakfast, between 7:30 and 12:00 noon, at 348 Pioneer Road in Powassan. What a great opportunity to explore an interesting part of our community, and to visit an Amish woodworking site!

Photo courtesy of Pioneer Nook Woodworking.

Red and white on Lake Muskoka

Happy Canada Day! A recent summer cruise onboard the R.M.S. Segwun, docked in Gravenhurst, made me see white and red, and broadened my horizons in more than one way.

 

As we steamed our way between rocky, pine-clad shores, it was the boathouse scene, more than the oversized lakefront mansions that caught my attention.

 

Compact, comfy and with prime locations, boathouses truly encapsulate the very best of summer living. 

 

Here are a few shots from my excursion. I can highly recommend it!