It’s April…that means it’s time for the Victoria Home Show. Here’s all the details. (Pic is the link as usual)
If you want some help making the place you live a place you love, Contact me…I can help. Let’s go to the show together!
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I’m gonna get down to a little painting and gardening this weekend. Maybe even another re-upholstery task. What Can I say….The sun is shining and I’m motivated.
What are you up To?
Here’s a cool vintage poster (undated) from Benjamin Moore…You see! Peeps have doing this DIY thing forever!
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Every day me ‘n the dog hop in the car and go pick up the mister from work. He works in the vicinity of a huge recycling plant that crushes cars and other stuff….every couple weeks an empty barge shows up and over a period of two short days these guys on bulldozers Tetris these old cars and trucks onto the boat for a trip to god knows where. I love to park here and wait where I can watch this process unfold week after week. I’m astounded at how many vehicles are always being loaded up, I mean we ARE on an island…how many cars can there be? Until I figure out the answers to these burning questions I thought I’d share a couple snaps I took a few weeks ago…
I’m totally inspired by a client of mine who takes great local urban/editorial pictures and see’s inspiration everywhere she goes…so I thought I’d try to play photographer for a day until she lets me feature her work on the blog for you all to enjoy.
What do you think? Cool. Weird? Cray Cray? I’m kind of loving the idea of framing one of my pics in a white mat/white frame combo.
Crisp vs Crushed, Clean vs Dirty, New vs Recycled.
If you want some help making the place you live a place you love, Contact me…I can help!
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If you’re planning any Reno’s to your house this year, you should check out the builders show this weekend. It’s a great place to get some savings on decking, landscaping, windows, kitchens and bathrooms. Find the details here.
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I want to introduce you to a new talent in the Victoria design community; his name is Oliver Scott (no relation) and he is a phenomenal wood worker and furniture designer with a new local company… Caledonia Silva. His style is a fresh mix of Danish Modern and Arts and Crafts which you can see in his portfolio projects here. My favourite piece so far is the Honeybee sideboard…isn’t it awesome!
Oliver moved to Victoria from Scotland about 4 years ago with a desire for a life change and a passion for furniture design. His work pays homage to old world joinery traditions but has a cool modern sensibility and edge that make these pieces so appealing for contemporary living.
Oliver has several pieces available and is working on a line of furniture to launch next year. (Watch him take IDS West 2013 by storm) His goal as a designer and craftsman is to make his creations as accessible as possible without compromising on materials or technique; and trust me, he is so approachable that you are welcome to contact him to see his work or to collaborate with a truly gifted wood worker & commission a piece.
When I met with him recently I found his Scottish accent utterly charming combined with a gracious and humble cast when asked about his many talents. I wanted to know what he loved most about his new wood working venture and he effortlessly related that he loves problem solving and working with wood creatively but that the greatest feeling he gets is from designing a piece and having somebody really like it!
So hey, If you like his work, be sure to tell him:) He’s on facebook
I’m sure that as a new business there are many new projects on the horizon for Caledonia Silva, but as a decorator I am most excited about Oliver’s plans to start producing wood Barn Doors! Yes!! You read it right. I’ll be featuring his Barn Door creations as soon as they are done…email him if you want to know more.
All the best to you Oli! You are a Designer to Watch!
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Yesterday I was busy visiting clients and giving advice on holiday decorations all over town…it was a dream! One of my stops was in Sooke to start the decoration of a cottage by the sea. It is so adorable it’s crazy…more on the cottage later. I needed to simply and tastefully decorate for xmas, choose a colour palette and theme and leave the tree for the family to do themselves. No problem.
Here’s the view…
And here’s the mantle I started with.
I chose some driftwood accessories from Homesense (The garland the star and a tree) which totaled just over $50 dollars. Everything else was already there. The colour palette mimics the colours inside and out. Natural wood, white and green.
I stood outside in the pouring rain. In Suede Boots (I almost cried) snipping cedar from the forest right outside their door and just layered it into the driftwood garland and a set of Champagne coloured LED lights. The clients had candles everywhere so I grabbed all the white ones I could find and grouped them. Smelled great!
I used accessories like old books and antique or old objects from around the cottage to create little vignettes but mostly I put things away inside the built in cupboards for a clean and simple approach to Christmas.
It was dark by the end of the day but made for a calm and oh so pretty holiday room. The family will do a charlie brown tree on their own and I left them with some ornaments and suggestion to keep the colour palette to green white and metallic. So nice.
If you want some help with your holiday decorating it’s not too late. Contact me…Of course I’ll help you, I’m nice like that.
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I love everything on this post today, the only thing it needs is some vanilla sugar and it’s darn near perfect! How’s your shopping going? I hope these local lists are helping you get creative and SHOP LOCAL:)
Sources mugs / tamper / Salt Spring Coffee / knockbox / Breville /
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I’m happy to spread the word that I’ve teamed up with one of my favorite local stores TRADE ROOTS to bring you an interactive, hands on, vintage subway sign workshop on Sunday Oct 28th. RSVP to carla@trade-roots.ca and save a spot today!
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This has been a great week. I started it off with work in Vancouver. Flew in like the jet setter I am (ha not!)
scoped out a table set for a client at CB2 while I waited for my Take Out Curry (the single most important reason I go to Vancouver BTW)
Jetted home to set up a backyard birthday party for my dear friend…scrounged up some old brass pots, some $2.99 bouquets and strung all my Christmas tree lights all over the yard and overhead.
it was a magical night. Ive always ALWAYS wanted a twinkle light summer party…so what if it was a Wednesday and we all had to work the next day. It was awesome, weather was perfect and in case you didn’t know. We have NO bugs here. Nope, none I swear! It’s strange, but wonderful to be sure! Forgive the Fuzzy Pic 
Lat night I headed out to Sidney with some girl friends to check out the street market. Some cool things. I bought lots of veggies and fruit. So nice to be right down by the ocean too.
Watching a family band
Artichokes In Bloom!
Hope my weekend, and Yours! continues on this upward trajectory
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I’m getting really excited for the Interior Design Show IDS West 2012 show in Vancouver September 28-30th!.
Did you know that one of Victoria’s own 
very talented interior designers is speaking on the Sunday (September 30th) at 3PM! Yes, that’s right Amanda Forrest, of Amanda Forrest Design Group will be sharing her design insights and making the capital city proud. Check out Amanda’s blog Life + Style
The show is open to the public on the 29th and 30th and other special guests include the always charming Designer Thomas Smythe, Designer Kelly Deck and Suzanne Dimma and Mark Challen from House and Home Magazine. You won’t want to miss all the exhibitors, great ideas and deals for your home. Last year I was able to find the perfect art piece for a client because I attended the show and saw artist Sabina Hills exhibit…and I got a deal on my quartz counter tops because I attended. It pays to go so get a ticket here… I got mine!
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