l e g o . m y . i n g o

designed by frans nieuwenborg for ingo maurer, delight is simply delightful! a soft romantic glow perfect for the bedroom. wall mounted with glass infused heat resistant fabric it simply drapes off a hook softly hiding the bulb inside. i decided to purchase one today as my bedside lamp since i wanted something super soft that gave just enough glow to flip through a design mag and drift off to sleep. this light is as much an art piece as it is a functioning light and if you ask me everyone should own a little piece of ingo mauer.

v a n c o u v e r . s p e c i a l

A new store worth checking out in vancity known as Vancouver Speical is just around the corner. Described below by local bloggers S&H and also featured in the Jan.09 issue of canadian House & Home magazine. I will be sure to drop in my next visit to Main Street and post an image then...

"Eero Saarinen, Yoshitomo Nara, and Endo met on a table. Folded into tight piles they stole sideways glances across the pottery and camo dishtowels. Eero eyed an apron, Nara eyed Endo, and together they elbowed their way into the spotlight display at Vancouver Special, Main Street’s newest art and design store. Jeff Wall’s massive hard cover coffee table read occasionally got jealous of the attention, but a few gentle finger strokes along the spine was enough to sooth the green monster envy.

Full of gadgets, gidgets, books and furniture, the business opened Saturday to share a myriad of creative comforts with mankind.

Owned by UBC Architecture grad Anne Pearson, the store is a breezy tribute to all things modern and cool. Function being their primary objective, it’s entirely possible to leave armed with an unusual radio, Danish-designed couch, or a slinky, if that’s what you’re after. “We’re definitely going for a clean, fresh, contemporary esthetic,” said Pearson, whose wide-eyed girl-next-door effusiveness belies a sharp instinct for design. “It’s all affordable, we really feel that good design doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

The location, which was previously occupied by an acupuncturist, drew all of Pearson’s architectural talents to renovate. What was 10 rooms is now one high ceilinged, light drenched showroom, with a loft adding extra floor space for the stock.

“I really liked that Main Street has a lot of independent retailers, it’s a good neighbourhood to land in,” continued Pearson. “And I’m really proud of the fact that all of our products are high quality.”

Quality, sure, but it’s the price tag that will draw the art hermits. Most of the small, portable items won’t ring out the credit card, so whether shopping for oneself or another, it’s a fair bet that you’ll walk away feeling sneakily proud of your thriftiness.

No method could be called into the madness of retail options available. It ranges from pottery by Vancouver artist Gailan Ngan (referred to as “our Gailan” by Betty Anne and her mother, Betty Anne) to Lotta Jansdotter bags, smokin’ Tivoli music players, Numark record players, Hay carpets, Sagaform juicers, ottomans, and even a portable space age $40 BBQ to knock the socks off any seasoned Spanish Banks summer dweller.

They also carry towel bars, cards, and a wide range of Japanese kitchen gear. Their couches are modular, thus easily adaptable to small or large places. Essentially, it’s like going to Ikea in terms of product range, but no one is going to have anything you come home with." -S.H.

3612 Main Street
Vancouver, BC
604-568-3673

o n e . p l e a s e

Designed by Charles and Ray Eames

Charles and Ray Eames adapted molding techniques developed during World War II to mass produce this classic design. Available in side and armchair versions, today's Molded Plastic Chairs are true to the originals and are fully authentic, with updated materials to meet environmental requirements.

Charles and Ray Eames, always interested in new materials, saw in plastic the chance to form organic seat shells that conform to the body’s shape. The enduring forms and quality construction make the Molded Plastic Armchairs - available here with a rocker base - comfortable, durable performers.

and a little lime green one on a rocker base will be all mine in 4-6 weeks!

m y . e a m e s

i think that everyone who is interested in design should own at least one mid-century modern piece. an iconic piece. an original work. a little decadent piece of history.

for me it the eames rocker by charles & rey eames. this is the perfect addition to any home for 2 reasons; first its a classic that you will never get tired of weather you sit in it or not and second its price point is affordable for any level of collector or design savvy student.

this will be my first purchase of an original mid-century design. now all i need to figure out is what color to get! im leaning towards white or a classic like pale yellow... any thoughts.

a . l i t t l e . s o m e t h i n g

im a lover of the plain white wall so what better way to add a touch of creativity then with a wall decal. these lovebirds are the prefect little addition to this dining space. simple, original and just enough art to keep your eye interested but not overwhelmed. this and other wall decals can be found at www.firmlivingshop.us

lately i have been dreaming of the day when i get to move out into my own place again and take full control of the design. i already have my sofa picked out at inform interiors along with my vision for the entire living room and hopes for a fabulous office space.

one can dream from beneath the odds and ends of their parents basement right?
so to all of you who do own your own apartment and are wanting to add something to your wall that is not a painting check out this site!

s t o c k i n g . s t u f f e r s

its never to early to start thinking about artsy originals to fill those stockings this christmas season. my sister has always been the most creative in our family when it came to stocking stuffers. this year i have decided to start early and track down fun little gifts perfect for the stocking and for those girl friends of mine who deserve a little something special this festive season. this sweet little pouch is designed by thomaspaul and can be found online at 2modern for $20. if you are a vancouver.ite like me may i suggest the gift shop at the VAG for great little gift ideas like printed shopping bags, fridge magnets and fabulous gift cards. happy shopping everyone!

o . s o . p r e t t y

its not exactly patio season but these darling little chairs are just too sweet to pass up. designed by patricia urquiola for the italian manufacturer emu this outdoor collection is hard to miss in brightly painted red, yellow, teal, pink and white. chairs and planters crafted in the perfect size for your downtown apartment patio or if you are so lucky as to own a small patch of grass how lovely these would look among the flowers. kinda makes me wish inform carried the line so i could take some home with me!

f i n i s h e d . r e n o

so i finally finished my little reno of the downstairs bathroom. painting the wood work white and spray painting the brown window frames fresh white to match really brightened up the little space! choosing a shower curtain that worked with the existing tile floor was an easy way to narrow down a wall color. the light green squares on the curtain that are a little hard to see in this image were a perfect match to dill pickle by benjamin moore. i decided to keep the existing mirror and have not decided on wall art yet but im sure something will jump out at me on one of my shopping days!

i . h e a r t . p a t t e r n

i am a lover of pattern and texture. this is not to say that im not a lover of color as well however i love mixing textures. the image above is a glimpse into my bedroom where i have mixed brocade pillows, printed bedding and french landscape wallpaper and i think they all go beautifully together. since the space was done mostly in black and white adding some "pretty in pink" and "summer fresh green" was a nice way for me to soften up the harshness of a monochromatic palate. i love to mix wood, glass, prints, photography, vintage and new however i think it is easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to work modern elements with antiques and color with neutrals. my advice is to start small and not to rush into completing a space on a time schedule but instead collect the perfect pieces as you find them. flea markets, vintage stores, small boutiques... all great hiding places for those old glass vases and gold picture frames that can work as points of interest in a room. your homework this weekend: hit up a flea market!

v i n t a g e . vs . f a k e

i have been working on a free lance project for a client in vancouver and have realized that the wonderful world of furniture stores here is oh so sad. when your wanting to work with mid-century modern design there are only 4 options in vancouver. 1. inform interiors (this is where i work) 2. living space 3. ital interiors 4. vintage

if you are buying an eames piece from anywhere else you are buying a fake! i am so devastated by the overwhelming take over of stores like nood, yaletown sofe and koolhaus. these companies not only sell ripped off designs but they cheapen the design itself because all of a sudden its seen in every display suite and apartment in the city and worst of all they dishonour the artist and designer who created the piece in the first place. it is actually amazing to me that such stores can even get away with this blatant theft! *sigh makes me want to cry.

my current client holds the same design morals as i do but really loves mid century modern design yet cant afford to buy from stores like inform or living space so i started to explore the wonderful world of vintage. it can be time consuming and you need to know your pieces so you know when your buying "authentic reproductions" vs knock-offs.

i recently discovered an online site called "Lushpad" which is easy to use and sells vintage mid century pieces along with other items of interest and i highly recommend that everyone checks it out! there is also a lovely little store on main street called fabulous finds. they are small so they dont carry a huge amount of items but it is worth checking out and they are honest about which pieces are certified and which ones are not.

it can be frustrating and difficult designing your space when the city you live in doesnt offer a great deal of variety so my advice to my client was "use your imagination and look past the piece of furniture you desire." sometimes when you cant afford the piece you want, instead of trying to match it pull all the things out of it that you love; the shape, the material, the color... and use your imagination to come up with a new solution. you may just surprise yourself and create your own look for the space instead of the one seen in the latest issue of elle decor!

l i t t l e . r e n o

before pictures of bathroom reno

its been a while since i did any personal decorating or renovations so i thought i would give my bathroom a little face lift. the changes are simple. the space is very neutral with cream walls, white toilet and sink, simple mirror and orange based ceramic tile and wood vanity. the first step in changing a wall color is to look at what existing colors will be staying in the space. in this case its the wood cabinet and the tile floor both with an orange base. the compliment color to orange is green so choosing a new paint color will fall somewhere in the green family. choosing the right green can either be done by finding an accessory and matching it or simple choosing a shade that you like and matching your accessories to the chosen color. i decided to shop for a shower curtain that worked with the space and color matched the wall color to one of the designs in the curtain.

the bathroom is in great shape and doesn't need any major work however the window frames are old and dark brown so an easy way of making them look new again without replacing them is to paint out the metal frames with white spray paint. above the window sits an unused curtain rod which i will remove since curtains are not needed.

m y . s t y l e

so i decided to start a design blog mostly because i come across so many sites and stores that i love and i need a place to store all of that information. this blog will mostly be full of everything i like, dislike, are currently working on and plan on checking out. the other day i came across Redmond Aldrich Design and its a rare thing to stumble across a designer who creates spaces that you would simply live in and not change a thing. Chleo Redmond Warner creates that type of space for me.

"Chloe Warner is a graduate of the architecture program at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design. Her stylish mother and grandmothers instilled a belief that interiors matter, and the worst kind of taste is no taste at all. Exposed from a young age to rooms designed by Sister Parish and Albert Hadley, Chloe finds inspiration in the colors and comfort of classic design, and enjoys updating this aesthetic to suit modern individuals and families. She is also an editor for Lucky Magazine." www.redmondaldrich.com