All posts filed under: Home Decor

I want - I got's Toronto Design Offsite Festival 2014 Picks

I want – I got’s Toronto Design Offsite Festival 2014 Picks

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In Toronto the third week in January is all about design. Some really cool people I know help make the Toronto Design Offsite Festival a reality. The Toronto Design Offsite Festival (TO DO) is a not-for-profit, independent design festival happening annually at the end of January. TO DO’s aim is to provide exposure for local and national designers; to foster public understanding and knowledge of the practice of design; and to create an ongoing presence that promotes Canada’s creativity, drawing on great thinkers, practitioners, and educators to a deliver an innovative celebration of art and design. The TO DO Festival runs from January 20 – 26, 2014. Here are some I want – I got approved options if you are looking to check it out. A Film: Eames: The Architect and The Painter Tue, Jan 21, 2014 Herman Miller Canada Showroom | Film Narrated by James Franco, the film brings to light a virgin cache of archival material, visually stunning films, photographs and artifacts produced by Charles and Ray Eames with their talented staff during …

geekiviews: Sodastream

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Believe the hype. The Sodastream is an amazing kitchen appliance. The Sodastream system allows you to carbonate plain old tap water at home. Pair this carbonated water with many of the different flavours of sodamix and you have an alternative to buying pre-packaged bottled and cans. Most Sodastream systems carbonates tap water without electricity or batteries. It uses an exchangeable CO2 carbonator that can be refilled with beverage-grade CO2 drawn from the air. The company also makes flavoured syrups so you can make your own drinks like cola, root beer and even tonic. The flavours have less calories and carbs than traditional sode and the major bonus of no awful aspartame and high-fructose corn syrup. Weeks before I got my hands on a Sodastream system I heard nothing but praise. “It’s a game changer” is something I’ve heard from more than one person when describing the Sodastream. These incredible endorsements from people I trust peaked my interest, perhaps I should invest in a Sodastream. I love pop and my local convenience store can attest to …

Hermes Spring Summer 2013 – Long Live Sport

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Hermès does an incredible job with their product videos. They are extremely well done and hit that sweet spot of cute and whimsical that wins me over every time. The Sporting Life is the theme of the 2013 for Hermès and this set of four videos does a terrific job of conveying the theme. Each video takes items from the spring summer 2013 and incorporates them into sporty vignettes. Ping Pong features the Toolbox bag and the Rallye 24 Porcelain Collection. Rallye 24 Porcelain Collection: The new Hermès porcelain collection designed by Benoît-Pierre Emery and Damian O’Sullivan will be available in Canadian boutiques in May 2013. Rallye 24 has the emblematic anchor chain caught up in and propelled along by a new story on porcelain. It is playfully reworked as a car race track with its straight lines and oval corners, all short-circuiting with their foot to the floor.(source: Hermès PR) Toolbox bag: A slight family resemblance… A cousin of the Kelly, with a vanity-case touch, this bag unites the Hermès spirit and the practicality …

Come Up To My Room – 10 Year Archive Project

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Come Up To My Room, The Alternative Design Show starts this week. I’ve always really liked the event and covered it extensively for blogTO in 2007 and 2008. Come Up To My Room (CUTMR) is the Gladstone Hotel’s annual alternative design event. CUTMR invites artists and designers to show us what goes on inside their heads. Coming together in dialogue and collaboration, participants are limited only by their imaginations, making CUTMR one of the most exciting shows in Toronto. As this is an important anniversary for this ever-expanding show, the tenth installment will emphasize the idea that formed the basis for the very first CUTMR – occupying and altering a space in a dramatic, conceptual, or experimental way. So, CUTMR is 10 years old and now you can view all of the past events thanks to the Come Up To My Room 10 Year Archive Project. Attend the event at The Gladstone Hotel this week and see what you missed over the years online.

i got: Tubereuse Noir Baxter of California Candle

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My Barber at Hollow Ground Barber Shop introduced me to candles from Baxter of California.  Since 1965 Baxter of California have provided men with grooming products.  They have a range of skincare, shaving and hair care products.  In addition grooming accessories, candles and fragrances round out the product selection.  Baxter of California also collaborates with brands like Saturdays NYC, Porter and Unionmade. These soy wax-based candles are geared towards men and are produced with the brand Joya.  I love the Tubereuse Noir scent which has fragrance notes of  Tuberose, Bergamot, White Tea Rose, Geranium and Camellia.  The packaging, designed by Marc Atlan is very cool. You can get a wide selection of Baxter of California products (including the candles) at: Hollow Ground Barber Shop 1053 Bloor St W. Toronto image: baxterofcalifornia.com

I want – I got does Toronto Design Week: SUNG Outdoor Preview 2011

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I attended some exhibits during Toronto Design Week from January 24-30, 2011. Toronto Design Week culminates with the Interior Design Show but many local designers showcase their exhibits at this time. It’s taken me some time to get my photos all together and organized. There is a lot of sorting, tagging, cataloging and purging of photos going on. It’s often a nightmare task I hate performing. It feels hella good when it’s done though. SUNG Outdoor held a special media preview for bloggers during Toronto Design Week. Bloggers got a chance to see the currently SUNG Outdoor collection and the special IDS11 Blackwatch collection. The limited edition SUNG Outdoor Blackwatch collection is different due to the colour scheme of black, blue and green. It was only available for purchase at IDS11 this year. Designer Alfred Sung and Saul Mimran, President of the Mimran Group were on hand to talk. See all my photos from the SUNG Outdoor preview.

I want – I got does Toronto Design Week: MADE at HOME 2011

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I attended some exhibits during Toronto Design Week from January 24-30, 2011. Toronto Design Week culminates with the Interior Design Show but many local designers showcase their exhibits at this time. It’s taken me some time to get my photos all together and organized. There is a lot of sorting, tagging, cataloging and purging of photos going on. It’s often a nightmare task I hate performing. It feels hella good when it’s done though. MADE at Home is the new Radiant Dark in a way. Julie Nicholson and Shaun Moore have moved on from that project to new pastures with the MADE at Home show. I loved the presentation of this show because it felt so familiar. Turns out, I’ve attended creative exhibitions at this apartment on Dundas West before. This was the former apartment of Siya Chen, who is an artist and held installations in her home. There is an accelerating culture of craftsmanship and creative labour which lives here. Julie Nicholson and Shaun Moore of MADE will introduce 28 new Canadian designs highlighting …

I want – I got Reading Room: Toronto based Online Magazines

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Thankfully people email me about their projects because I don’t have the time to keep on top of things. I was glad to learn about some great online magazines created here in Toronto recently. Some are by people I know and I think that’s pretty cool. Here’s a glimpse of what’s on my reading list right now. PERFECTO Mag is Diego Armand’s baby. He works with handful of local toronto musicians, designers and stylists. PERFECTO is his way of showing support for their work and the diversity in the community. The first issue is out now and I’m really loving Stefania Yarhi’s editorial (pictured above). There are interviews and videos as well as editorials in PERFECTO. The second issue will hit the streets in the spring. Plaid Magazine started in digital and has supplemented that offering with seasonal print issues. Odessa Paloma Parker, Editorial Director sent me a copy of the inaugural print edition for Fall 2010. The magazine has beautiful editorials, shop profiles and interviews. You can get a copy of the print issue …

Jean Paul Gaultier x Roche Bobois

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Way back in May I told you about the ELLE Decoration Suite by Jean Paul Gaultier which talked about a collaboration between the designer and Roche Bobois. The collection has finally gone into production and wwd.com had a story and some images. I had to share. images: wwd.com

Hermès Tableware

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If you ever have visited a Hermès store you’ve seen the ornate tableware for sale.  I’ve never even thought of asking the prices because that would just be silly.  When viewing the Foot Ball film installation at Hermès, I had total access to go crazy with the Olympus E-PL1.