It had me at Yello

I love the yellow as the accent color to this brown palette. The ceiling sort of rounds out the room yet is unexpected...completes it don't you think?

via The Glam Lamb

Yellow, corresponding with earth, is considered the most beautiful color. The Chinese saying, Yellow generates Yin and Yang, implies that yellow is the center of everything. Associated with but ranked above brown, yellow signifies neutrality and good luck. Yellow is sometimes paired with red in place of gold.

Yellow also represents freedom from worldly cares and is thus esteemed in Buddhism. - via Wikipedia

via Nuevo Estilo

A little sunshine to brighten your day while we wait for spring.

A Living Room Project - Before and After

I've never posted client photos on this blog so I'm a little apprehensive. 

This is a Before and After shot of the living room...hopefully I've done my job and you can tell which is the B and which is the A!

The room felt dark and despite it's size it is narrow so my client's didn't feel they had any other option but two love seats and therefore only room for 4 people and a tiny side table, used as a cocktail table, to set drinks on. 

The ceiling fixture is off centre to the fireplace so framed the fireplace with a new chandelier from Nuevo Living on one side and a vase with tall dogwood branches on the other. 

Now the room feels bright, symmetrical and has plenty of room for entertaining.

I hope you like it!

Thrift store score!

I found this god awful chair at the Salvation Army in the fall. Honestly it was love at first sight but Steve was not so smitten. Regardless, I paid $5 for it and brought it home. 


Turns out it is extremely comfy and I now can often be found working on my laptop sitting in it. 


I had no knowledge of it's history, source etc. Despite searching the web for something similar. Until 2 days ago that is. I don't recall what I was looking for but off in the corner of a photo was a chair very similar to mine - minus the 'hair'. 

It was a pretty version of my beloved chair!


Turns out I've gotten myself an Arne Norell Scirocco chair and a rare one at that =) 


Manufactured in Sweden in the 1960's the Scirocco and Safari chairs by Norell are pretty iconic pieces of Swedish design. Neither are being manufactured anymore although the company still exists and produces beautiful seating.


If you'd asked me last week if I'd consider selling it I'd have told you no. I may reconsider now that I have an idea of it's retail value.


http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture_search.php?i_creator=Arne+Norell:

Here is my chair:

The color of the wood is off. In person it is beautiful richly grained. You can see it a bit in the back leg in this photo. Sorry iPhone camera! 

2011 Trend Predictions (Part 2) - Lux. Raw. Warm. Organic. Texture.

Gallery walls of mixed art and  the acceptance of black walls as a neutral we are going to start seeing a more creative movement when it comes to wallpaper and color.  Bold colour in large scale prints and graphics be it on all the walls in a room, as a feature wall or for those who want the edge but not the huge commitment, accent pieces such as pillows. It can be punk, graffiti, chinoiserie or all out baroque; but it will be big, bold and quite possibly colourful!

Don't believe me? Wait till you get a look at the January 2011 issue of Canadian House and Home's Style Files...page 28.  ;)

1, 2. Via Adore Magazine

3. Brazilian artist Assume Vivid Astro Focus for Mark Fletcher's living room via W Magazine

4. Wallpaper design by Kravitz Design for Flavor Paper (imagine this in a bright sunny room!)

5. Alexander McQueen Spring 2011 via NYT