Perfection Found - Lucite Landing

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It's no big secret that I absolutely adore Lucite, I also equally love mixing old and new, so this gorgeous little landing made my heart skip a beat, or two. And why shouldn't it? An open staircase, warm wooden floors, buckets of natural light from a ceiling skimming wall of windows... the bones of this space are so lovely it would be pretty difficult to mess up. Finished off with a hanging Lucite chair and furry white rug, it's not overdone or too sparse - simply perfection. 

Enjoy,

Calli

A Bit of Brilliance - Glorious Santorini

Our tour of Europe made a stop over in Santorini last week and although far too short in duration, the little island has made a lasting impact and can't wait to return. 

I also can't seem to shake the gorgeous white and blue hues that dot the cliffside from my mind, and the way the whites change as the sun moves throughout the day, especially leading up to sunset. White and blue is a classic palette that can often feel overly nautical, however in Santorini everything feels crisp, modern, and at times very glamorous.

See what I mean? Get my point? Do you catch what I'm laying down? Lots of clean lines, minimal embellishments, and the perfect amount of sea-inpired blue and white striped fabric (none, at all).  We actually passed quite a few lovely restaurants with mid-century inspired tables and seating, one even had the fabulous Louis Ghost Chairs I've been lusting after for years.

I can't think of a place on the island that portrays this minimalist mid-century mix better than Grace Santorini Hotel. No we didn't stay there, we didn't even seek our the lobby to have a peek inside - I admire better from afar (online stalking) - however I'd give up an appendage without a second thought , for just one night in their private Villa Room. 

All photos via Santorini Boutique Hotels

What a glorious gem, inside and out, in one of the most beautiful places I've ever had the chance to visit. Fair warning to the rest of Europe, this will be hard to match but I'm ready if you are.

Take care,

Calli

Guilty Pleasure - Girly Vanity

Do all little girls dream of sitting at a beautiful vanity, applying makeup and putting on their earrings? A quick internet search shows the dressing table's popularity hasn't wavered - lucky little girls everywhere are still stealing a squirt of perfume perched at their mother's vanity table. 

Unfortunately a lovely vanity is a luxury today, reserved for those with space. Today's compact condominiums don't allow for much excess square footage, however if you have the room to spare, and a childhood dream to fulfill, there's a vanity out there to match your personal taste and design aesthetic.

Ornate and antique, bohemian, glam, or vintage, perhaps girlie - these vanity tables are all as unique as their owners, and add a touch of childhood whimsy to any room.

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My absolute favorite might surprise you - the first, very curvy, very antique, very french wooden dressing table. It is, of course, followed closely by the mid-century desk-turned-vanity, and the above ornate and feminine whitewash table.

Where do your affections lie?

Enjoy,

Calli

Relapse, Eames style

Just two days ago a friend made me insanely jealous by revealing, via Facebook*, that she has been gifted an Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman.

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I was at work when the alert came through on my iPhone (don’t judge, I’m fragile right now) and may have let out a very audible gasp of excitement (mixed with anger and pain). Days later I am still trying to move past the envy and resentment, for the good of our friendship – and the hope that she lets me sit in it some day.

Now because we are close friends it’s ok that, after my initial pang of jealousy, I quietly question how she could have possibly “earned” such a fabulous gift. Some not so respectable things flashed through my mind in a moment of weakness however, now that the initial shock has worn off, I will say that my friend is wonderful and honourable and totally deserves this.

On a side note, I too am awesome and caring and 100% deserving of a gift like this too – just a casual FYI to any rich handsome benefactors out there…

It’s also because we are such good friends that I am helping her narrow down leather/wood grain combinations**, compare pricing and look for dealers in the area – oh did I forget to mention that she gets to handpick whichever chair she wants?

As it turns out, all this Eames excitement is too much for a recovering fanatic, my “research” has quickly spiraled out of control becoming a front for hours of iconic furniture stalking online (after the chair to “seat” ratio in our house surpassed 10:1 my internet privileges were limited). Meet my newest fixation, the Plycraft Lounge by George Mulhauser…

Isn't the mint upholstery killer? (via)

In some cruel twist of fate, Object Orange has a vintage Mulhauser lounge chair in stock right now, while all my furniture sits in storage and my money is devote to a trip through Europe.

The butter brown leather looks so soft in the pictures…

Take care,

Calli

*Everyone everywhere, if you ever find yourself in this predicament please take your chair obsessed friend somewhere public and break the news to them gently. Complement their outfit, make small talk, perhaps spring for coffee before completely crushing their soul.

**If this isn’t torture I don’t know what is; Jack Bauer holding a car battery is less upsetting than helping to pick out my dream chair for someone else. Straight from the movies, she’s marrying my Mr. Right and all I can do is thinking about his strong metal base, sexy curved back, and supple upholstery.

Swing Life Away

I was in Elementary school when Jeff Foxworthy came out with his series of "You Might be a Redneck" jokes. My Dad had the CD and it quickly became gospel in our house. I'd like to say we've moved onto more mature humour but lying isn't a good colour on me.

Years later, there is one joke that haunts me. According to Mr. Foxworthy, I am in fact a redneck. What's this silly joke you make ask?

"If your outdoor furniture doubles as your indoor furniture, you might be a Redneck."

Do you want to know the worst part? I've broken this rule twice. Yes, I have two chairs in my home that were designed for the outdoors. The first, a classic Solair chair that I'd keep even if I was banished to a cupboard under the stairs, and the second, a bamboo swing chair that, like a house pet, isn't acclimated to the outdoors.

I'm going to blame my chair addiction for this whole thing, it's a medical condition I swear. It doesn't help that I keep seeing images online reaffirming that what I've done is right. If everyone else is doing it...

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See what I mean? Cool chair, cool decor, inside, therefore it's ok, right? I must admit that the swing chairs are equally nice outdoors. If I had a porch, and somewhere to hang it, and could use it for more than 6 months out of the year, I promise I would hang the chair outside.

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For now, it hangs nicely in my kitchen area on a little metal stand and I can swing while my boyfriend makes dinner which is really quite lovely.

It's also quite the conversation starter...

Enjoy!

Calli

Reveal - Thrifted Side Table

I'm really excited today to show off a little project I wrapped up a few weeks ago -With all the excitement of Halloween I hadn't had time to share until now!

I found a little side table at a thrift store back in March and it rode around in the back of my car for a month. After that it moved into my garage and then made it's way upstairs into my kitchen area. Finally, six months after I originally rescued it from a dismal life at the thrift store, my little side table has a fresh coat of shiny paint and a sunny spot to sit in my house.

I'm thinking that this side table came from a boys bedroom as it had some skateboarding stickers on it. After peeling them off (with lots of water and a knife) I gave the whole thing a light sanding starting with a rough grit and moving to a very fine grit. Then I wiped everything down, gave it a coat of primer, and chose my paint. 

I decided to go with bright turquoise (the same colour as my master bathroom) since I already had the paint on hand and love it on my walls. It's bright and cheerful and covered the bare wood in two coats - marvelous!

Because it was interior wall paint I had to brush it on, compared to spray paint which I would commonly use for this kind of job. Although I didn't have to worry about spray paint drips, I did have to keep an eye out for any brush strokes or streaks. 

I ended up painting the handles white but I've been eying some glass knobs and might need to upgrade in the future. Until then, this little beauty is sitting pretty in my kitchen and doing a good job holding my lave lamp*

*Yea you read that right - I own a lava lamp (or two)!

Enjoy!

Calli

Oops, I did it again...

I went to Winners today to look for a spice rack and came home with a new floor lamp...

Although the title of this post may have you believe that I pick up lamps all the time (at the grocery store or when buying runners) this isn't really the case. But, doesn't it seem that when you need something you can't find it and as soon as you stop looking it's everywhere?

My living room doesn't have a ceiling fixture (which builder made that stupid decision...) so I had been thinking of a nice floor lamp for a while; I had seen some doozies online - for a ton of money.

Naturally, as soon as I put it out of my mind and decided I wasn't going to buy anymore furniture (chairs excluded of course) I found this lovely lamp for 40% off!

I love the retro desk lamp look enlarged to work as a floor lamp and, if you are in the area, Winners has a similar black lamp (the shade is a bit different) in the clearance section!

The inside of the shade is green!

My boyfriend is a good sport

For less than $100 I almost licked the darn thing to stop anyone else from snatching it up while I grabbed a cart.

Enjoy!

Calli

Loving Lucite

There's something insanely cool about clear plastic furniture. Like walking out over the Grand Canyon and looking down to see the rocky floor hundreds of feet below, it doesn't make sense. Although plexiglass is strong enough to support a grown human, we still gingerly perch on a chair or carefully place our glass on a side table. 

I've had my eye on a fabulous set of nesting tables at CB2 that would look amazing in my living room. Ikea also offers the TOBIAS chair that pairs cool molded lucite and chrome - a win-win in my books.

I love this lucite bucket chair. The shape and chrome base are glorious - especially when paired with a glam mirrored dressing table.

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Who doesn't want a chair hanging from the ceiling in their living room? Overall, this space has a retro feel but is still very modern and fresh. I'd take that suspended chrome lamp in a heart beat too!

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I apologize for re-using this image, I know I've posted it at least once if not twice. The thing is, this room really does it for me. I adore the printed wallpaper, sparkling chandeliers, and... the Ikea TOBIAS chair!

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Here is my idea of a home office. Clutter free, well organized, with an industrial feel. I'm not a huge fan of the arms on these chairs (they may get in the way) but overall, the lucite is fantastic!

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This may be my favorite use of lucite to date. After all, what is the point of buying pair after pair of gorgeous shoes and then keep them hidden away? You can only wear one pair at a time. This storage solution is genius and very cool if I do say so myself.

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I'm sure I could find a DIY project or two out there to help me add some lucite to my life... until then, I've got these images to get me by.

Enjoy!

Calli

The Tale of a Tulip... and a Table

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I have been completely captivated by this dining room. I first saw it in a magazine a year or two ago (I believe it was Canada's Style at Home) and ripped it from the binding as inspiration for the new home I had just purchased. The dark floors perfectly ground the bright white curtains, sparkling chandelier, soft gray walls, and sky skimming mirror. I am also head over heels in love with the gray-blue colour of the chairs and the overall balance of old and new/modern and eclectic. But, my favorite piece by leaps and bounds is the table. I have wanted a Tulip table forever - smooth sculptural base, cool marble top - and, as I do not have one of my own, I live vicariously through this image. 

Can you believe that I have drooled over this table a million times without Googling the designer? According to good old Wikipedia, Eero Saarinen, a Finish-American architect and interior designer created the Tulip group of furniture in 1956. The table was produced alongside matching side and arm chairs, bar stools, and coffee and side table.

Fun fact - Apparently Eero Saarinen attended the Cranbrook Academy of Art where he befriended fellow students (and design legends!) Charles and Ray Eames!!! I apologize if I'm just a tad bit excited right now - but common, how cool is that! 

I really love the timelessness and versatility of the Tulip table (and chairs). It can work with different spaces and design aesthetics - acting as a showstopper or silently taking a supporting role. 

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Recently, I've seen a crazy amount of Tulip tables online used with mismatched chairs for an incredible eclectic look. Or, the opposite, Tulip chairs as an addition around a wood table creating a perfect miss-matched look.

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Ikea's DOCKSTA table is actually a great knock off of the Tulip table and relatively affordable - Especially when compared to an original! I saw a couple original Tulip dining sets in a Vancouver furniture store this summer for an exorbitant amount of money, luckily my credit card limit is too low...

Enjoy!

Calli

Indecisive Over a Headboard

When I moved into my house two years ago I knew I wanted an upholstered headboard - It had been something I'd been dreaming about for a while.

I ended up going with tufting in a dramatic, slightly luminous, black damask. However, after painting a deep teal feature wall and finding dark gray paisley bedding the black seemed to be a bit much. 

Now, not even a year into my place, I find myself wishing for something different. In the end, I can always pull it off the wall and re-upholster it in something fantastic but until then, I'll occupy myself with these fabulous ideas...

These carved wood headboards are incredibly intricate - I wonder how easy one would be to clean? (White headboard via Pinterest; Natural wood headboard via Pinterest)

I will always love this headboard - this entire room actually. I could just sit here and stare at it...

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This textured art is a great alternative to a traditional headboard and I bet it would be easy to DIY.

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This glam headboard isn't really my style - but I'm oddly drawn to the shiny gold frame, and of course the tufting does it for me every time. 

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Oh Betty - I have always admired this headboard. Although, as my bedroom wall is turquoise it may not be the best option right now...

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I have a few projects to keep me busy over the fall - but, after I cross a few off my To Do List, maybe headboard upholstery will find its way back on... 

Enjoy!

Calli

Some Love for the Solair Chair

A while back, which gushing over Object Orange (my favorite mid-century furniture store), I introduced you to my Solair Chair. 

I had been wanting one of these beauties for quite some time when I pulled up to Object Orange and spotted four sitting out front - they hadn't even made it into the store yet! 

Between my mom and I there was only one left when we pulled away...

For me, Solair Chairs are just another part of summer - along with popsicles, bathing suits, and the smell of sun-tan lotion. They fit perfectly on a patio, around the pool, or at the lake, and everyone seems to have one or two, once your start looking...

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I remember growing up my grandmother having one as well as our neighbours at the lake. I  always thought they were cool and practical, the plastic is perfect for wet swim-suits, but it turns out these little beauts also have quite the history...

The Solair was designed by Montrealers Fabio Fabiano and Michelange Panzini, in 1972. Riding the wave of design energy coming out of Expo 67, the two newly minted designers were recruited by Industries Provinciales, Saint-Damien (Québec) to rework the concept of a Canadian-designed, comfortable and stylish, modern indoor and outdoor chair. Using new injection moulding plastic technology and steel framing, the chair was designed over the space of one weekend so as to meet a pressing contract deadline. Since 1989, the chair has been in continuous production and distribution by Industries Emile Lachance Ltée.

 

Extensively retailed throughout the 70′s the Solair was marketed across Canada and the eastern seaboard of the United States as far south as Florida. A stalwart in Eaton’s and Sears catalogues; the chair went on to become an iconic fixture of North American roadside motels and pools of the period. Lightweight and extremely comfortable, the Solair, with its simple lines and solid practicality exudes an allure that continues to speak to us about its emblematic place in Canadian culture.

- The Canadian Design Resource, by Kate Eisen and Duncan Farnan

So many colours to choose from!

I've decided to keep my Solair inside - right next it is in my living room. It turned out to be really comfortable and I just couldn't put it somewhere I wouldn't use it everyday. 

Enjoy!

Calli