end-of-summer spectacular

So as summer rounds the bend,

I'm savouring the last moments of lounging with the family.

If there was anywhere I'd choose to be staying this week, it would be this space,
found a la The Diversion Project.

Some homes are about the decoration, and some homes are about the architecture.
This one is architecture, and it's wonderful to see it left at that, with the unobtrusive decor.

The open loft-feel, large expanses of glass and heavily horizontal planes

 remind me of the stunning modular Dwell homes that I dream of building when we are retired :)

How cool is the kitchen window?
And that island, with it's concrete base and steel top.

Dreamy dreamspace.

I love the way the reclaimed timbers were brought all the way to the ceiling, for a wrap effect. 

And staying in the second bedroom would be sleeping in a treehouse, no?

This is the killer bit - the pool.

The sparkling azure tile beckons,

and I think we all deserve an afternoon in that hammock, don't we?!

And this slice of bliss is built into the structure, at most separated by a pane of glass.

How's that for an end-of-summer paradise?


I'll be back to more regular blogging next week, once the darlings are back to school,
so looking forward to catching up with all of you in the next few weeks :)

(and getting our projects around here back on track!)

xo

I'm officially cheating on summer.

I feel a bit like a guilty mistress,

but after dying my hair the darkest black brown,

and last nights tryst with a charcoal velvet cape, marled black wool sweater, and cow hide bag,
 I'm officially cheating on summer.

I can't help it...

dreams of handsome, supple leathers, plush velvets lush with color, and fur - fur! 

roaring fires and walks through bedazzled trees basking in the crisp air...

fall apples straight off the tree.

source 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Oh yeah, I've got it bad.

Anyone else feeling fall lust coming on?

Gowns, Baubles and Tables - It's a Lovefest!!

So this year BHLDN opened, 

and if you've not yet been entranced by their dreamy gowns,

you've got to experience it.

 We eloped to the Bahamas for our wedding, and we loved every single moment,

but if anything would have made me want a larger affair, this would have been it.

How is anyone supposed to resist the romantic appeal of these...

I mean, REALLY!

And if the frocks and frills aren't enough to tempt you, now they've expanded to include decor items.

um, staying away... staying away... sort of :)

The other day, when BHLDN sent me an email with a peek at their take on table themes,

I had pretty high expectations... and I wasn't disappointed.

Of the six presented, the Naturalist is my favourite,

with butterflies and flora frolicking amongst antique linens and moss, 

bits of glass and mirror lending a dash of sparkle.

It's such a romantic, timeless look.

I wonder which one will be your favourite?

These tables aren't just for weddings,

there are so many ideas here for your next soiree, right?

How about using those vintage, beribboned keys featured in the Naturalist as place cards...

the dove clips from the Oiseau collection would be stunning hung anywhere, all the time, as an installation...

Go ahead, have a peek,

let yourself get lost in the pretty  :)

string art revisited

Remember string art?

I am probably really dating myself here, but at one point 

almost everyone I knew had some hideous version of a schooner or the like hanging in their rec room.

But I found a crafter on Etsy that is bringing string art to a new level.

I give you... California.

some witty examples for a kids room....

or the kitchen...

(mangia means eat in Italian, and it was the first Italian word I learned growing up :)

I don't know if you ever dined with a large group of Italians, 

but always, ALWAYS, you are being urged to "mangia, mangia!")

Anyhoo, pretty cool take on string art, no?

How many of you are already thinking about that extra bit of wood in the garage,

plotting out a project?

I know I am!

Shopping: The Furbish Mix

Was cruising around my saved links recently and popped by Furbish.

(the store of the I Suwannee blog)

I'm loving so many of these bits and pieces that I felt like a post was in order.

First off, I've been searching for the perfect fabric

 to have my chippendale sofa re-upholstered in since the spring.

Then I saw this image.

And I fell in love.

(A note to Jamie revealed that this spotted fabric is indeed available for purchase,

however my upholsterer wants an outrageous cutting fee so we're still negotiating that one!)

But aren't you just dying over the mix of colour and pattern here?

This woman has a seriously good eye for the mix.

Want to see a bit more?

Of course you do - who wouldn't?!!

That's exactly the mix I'm craving these days -

clean lines and black and white balanced against a dose of color, wild pattern, organic pieces.

Are you feeling this one?

As for that sad chippendale sofa in my office...

with all this pricing drama,

I'm almost considering tackling the re-upholstery myself.

BUT... I've not done upholstery before, and am a little intimidated!

Know of any good tutorials out there?

Tips?

On the other hand...

I've just noticed that the Furbish one is up for sale, and it's quite reasonably priced....

hmmm...

Yay or Nay: Natural Swimming Pools

After growing up in Ontario, where getting to the lake is THE summer ritual,

I'm always shocked at how many people don't like to swim in lake water.

(although I won't go into the ocean, at least not past my knees - blame Jaws :)

And that has me wondering how many of you would venture into one of these:

a natural swimming pool, or swimming pond.

The whole bonus here is that your water will not be chemically treated, 

nor will your pool require cleaning (and if you've ever had a pool, you know that's a BIG bonus!)

but a carefully selected complement of plants will clean the water, 

creating a self-sustaining swimming pool.

I have a preference for more formal, classic pools,

and so really like this one -

a chlorine to natural pool conversion.

source 1 2

Although natural pools are relatively new here,

they're quite popular in Europe already.

Have to admit, when I first heard about them, 

images of overgrown, lilypad-filled ponds surrounded by copious amounts of boulders sprung to mind....

and some are!

But they can also be quite sleek and unobtrusive.

 If you're wondering what the cost of these pools is...

Toronto locals Ponds in the City say a 20' x 25' swimming pond starts around $25,000,

which is comparable to a regular pool of the same size.

What do you think?

A yay or a nay in your books?

color post: green and grey

A while back I did a grey and pink post, 

and asked which other combos you'd like to see,

and the most common response was green and grey.

This surprised me a little,

as I've yet to have a client request this combination in their home.

That said, the rejuvenating effects of green work perfectly to counter the sometimes dulling effects of grey,

making this a fabulous combination to both relax you and uplift your spirits.

I think the saturation of the green is the key to getting this mix right.

Pale greens will be better enhanced by warm neutrals,
which flatter by intensifying green and making them appear fuller.
Cool greys require more vivid greens that have enough strength for a rich and balanced palette.



Grey - softened:
here, the warmth of greyed down woods bridge the gap between sisal floors and grey walls.
The emerald green accents add a punch to the otherwise neutral space.

This is my favourite look, where a bit of warmth keeps things from being chilly.
An incredibly liveable space, right?

High Drama:
the coolest grey on the walls is a good choice to complement the white and black in the space,
but I'm curious to see if you would find this palette welcoming.

I suspect this grey is almost solely comprised of black and white, with very, very little undertone.
If you removed the green curtains and chair,
 it would almost appear to be a black and white photo, wouldn't it?

Grey Love:
When you are ready to make a commitment to grey, but are trying on green.

The question is, how much green do you want?
Grey furnishings, white walls and green accents -
or grey furnishings, green walls and white accents?

A flexible look for the no-house-is-ever-truly-finished-decorator:

grey walls, white furniture, and green accents.

With grey as popular as it is, the walls will last you a few years of palette changes,

and the green accents are simple to change when you tire of them, say, next year :)

source 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 

Some of you asked if I could list grey paints for you to try,
and I was going to begin including my favourites in my posts,
but the truth is, the paints I like may not work for you.
It would be awful for you to paint your home a certain color because someone said how beautiful it was,
and then end up really unhappy with the finished results.
The light and existing finishes in your home, and your personal preferences,
mean that every home is unique, and every home should have it's own personalized color palette.

Colors that YOU love, not colors I love!
(you may not know it but I do on-line consults now, they've become quite popular,
and if you'd like a hand choosing paint for your home just drop me aline and we'll get started)

So, after all that :) ...


what do you think about green and grey together?
Is it a combination you would try out?

DIY: jewelry as art

Since we're working on the eldest darlings room right now,

and she fancies herself something of a fashionista,

we were desperate for jewelry and accessories storage.

She really wanted to have her necklaces out on display,

and so the search began for a pretty way to style them up...

 All in a row, neat and tidy.

or tucked into frames....

amongst gallery wall of fanciful hooks and baubles...

or hung on almost invisible hooks and nails, 

necklaces cascading grandly down the wall....

Isn't that a dreamy vanity?

Although we both loved the idea of the necklaces being the focus,

Tash wanted them hung on hooks that had a little personality as well.

She wanted something unique, that no one else would have,

(who does she take after?!!)

and so we decided to head to the re-store, 

to pick up an odd assortment on mis-matched hooks and paint them white.

That way they would add interest, but still blend in with her new white walls.

Then we stopped by homesense :) to source something for a client,

and voila -

there it was..

In all it's bad burnished gold beauty!

A metal tree sculpture, the perfect size for her wall,

with umpteen "hooks".

after a coat of white spray paint we had our solution,

 for a whopping total of $20.00!

Styled up by Miss N herself :)

What do you think?

Works perfectly, right?

Simple, organic but still modern, 

and the necklaces are the stars.

We've just got to get the window's and floor dressed, and I'll show you the rest -

happy tuesday - x

Crushing on Color: Sundeep of DesignWali

I've decided that all the fabulous Crushing on Color guest posts will be up on Monday's,
because they're always chock full of eye candy,
and what better thing to get through a Monday-wish-it-it-was-Sunday ?!


I've been looking forward to this one, 
if you've visited the cool local blog Designwali, 
you'll see why - Sundeep has a passion for saturated color...
and she didn't disappoint!

Hello 10 Rooms Readers!

I am Sundeep from Designwali and for today's "Crushing on Colour" post you might as well call me Pinky.

 For some strange reason all shades of pink are on my mind lately

 with anything from coral to magenta to salmon pink! 

Now personally I think it is a lot easier to wear pink

 than throw it in a room,

 but in small doses it can really bring that punch to room

 and add some character when required.

ooh lovely shades of pink.
Salmon pink was my saree colour pick for my sisters wedding and it made me feel divine!
All images via Fashion Inquisitive

Pink can be cozy!
Image via House & Home.

Go bold with a wall... very chic.
Image via House & Home.

A pair of pink occasional chairs... of course!
Image via Decorati

Now this is super bold... but works!
Image via Houzz.com

For those of us that are not that bold a few orchids (or any pink flower) always does the trick.

  Image via Decorati.

Thank you so much Anne-Marie for letting me participate in your series.

For a girl who is usually devoted to grey...

punching up our lives with colour is an absolute must. 

Thanks all!

Sundeep @ Designwali

Wowsas, Sundeep! 

I loved this post - 

your pics show how much power a little splash of color can have...

That cherry blossom pink front door is my favourite -

what a happy, welcoming thing to come home to each night.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your color crush with us!

Anne-Marie x