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Monday, February 23, 2015

3 Window Decorating Tips to Jazz Up Your Interior Design

In order to save maximum of space in the apartment we really often have to go for some tips and tricks. For example, an original approach to the design of the window and area next to it will help you to maximize the functionality of a small room.
Photo credit: Apartment Therapy

Even if there is no need to save every square meter, these ideas will help you make the windowsill a real decoration of the interior.

Today a cozy window and area around it is becoming increasingly popular. After all, you can increase the size of window sill to ensure that it performs additional functions. Besides putting the flowers on it, which undoubtedly creates a special atmosphere in the room, also it can be a great place to relaxation for both adults and children. 

Many people have turned their sills  in sofas, tables and other interior elements. If you are thinking about your window with creativity, you can come up to a great number of interesting options and then make them practical and beautiful part of the interior.

Tip # 1
The first option that we are going to present to you is such a construction like a sofa window sill. If you are the proud owner of a wide window sill, then this idea is not difficult to implement. Mattress, pillows and blankets will make a window seat in a comfortable sofa that can become an additional seating area or replace a bulky pieces of furniture. If you have an ordinary sill and the area around it is not so capacious, it does not mean that you cannot use it. Everything you need to do is to set the wide counter top, fasten it and get it engaged in the design of your new sofa. But you need to remember that this option can be attractive just if your vinyl windows effectively keep heat and protect the room against drafts.
Source: RatedPeople


Or just get rid of the window sill in its classical form by replacing it on the podium.

Tip # 2
The second option will be very profitable for the people who need some extra space for their belongings, such as kind toys or the painting tools, that will organize the small things in your room. You can create a sill-dresser. There will be never enough such things like cabinets, chests, drawers and shelves. This idea will help you to organize the space in any room, whether it is for the child or living room. In addition, the sill-dresser can be simultaneously sill-sofa. Just imagine how much you can facilitate the interior of the room, competently having issued the area near the window.
Source: Houzz

Tip # 3
The third option is the perfect variant for workaholics who need to create their office right at home. The sill-worktop is a very easy thing that you can create. For the inhabitants of small apartments is the most difficult thing to allocate space for a home office. However, if there is no need to place additional items of furniture such as a table, then the task becomes much simpler. Using a modified window sill as a working surface may be the only right decision, especially when it comes to child. 
Source: Homedit

But while making such reconstructions you need always remember that there are such factors like the type of the window, the location of your apartment, floor, the view from the window and how well the room is lightened.

Hope that you will get the inspiration in this article and create a stylish and unique design in your apartment.

This information was provided by Windowscanada.com vinyl windows replacement company in Toronto.

Saturday, February 21, 2015

A New Condo and New Art

Old Hollywood style and glamour never gets old. It's sultry, exotic, sophisticated, and just ultra glamourous, all that Brigitte Bardot is about. I framed this super fabulous black & white print in a minimalist Ikea Stromby aluminum frame, did a bit styling, and voila, I made myself an old Hollywood glamour nook in my living room. 

She is simply a bombshell! 

Earlier in the week, we inspected one of our condos located in Queen West, which was voted No. 2 world's coolest neighbourhood by Vogue magazine. As soon as we set foot in the suite, we were stunned by this unobstructed panoramic view of our country's most celebrated landmark - CN Tower! There is a short historic building across the community park in front of this condo building, so it will never be torn down to make room for another highrise in front of ours which means this killer view is here to stay until indefinitely. We are (Our tenant is) so lucky! 

The corner suite is bright and spacious. Every single room, with the exception of laundry room, has floor to ceiling windows. The wraparound balcony is accessible through living room as well as both bedrooms! I am not complaining but who makes condo suite like that?! Kitchen counter space is limited but I guess that's expected with condo living. Everything inside looks so miniature compared to our house because we are spoiled by large living space in the burbs. 

This was the Central interior option you all helped pick out, and it was a great choice. 

Bathroom Carrara marble counters are beautiful. 

See, I wasn't lying when I said every single room has windows, even the bathrooms have them! 

PM me if you would like to know more about this rental suite. 


Monday, February 16, 2015

Chanel and Phalaenopsis Orchid

First of all, I am finally on Instagram! Exciting right? Believe it or not, this was a huge step for me. I've been trying to hold off jumping on this bandwagon for as long as I could out of concern that I was going to get hooked and social media was going to take over my life (just kidding). I recently tried it by following a few of my favourite bloggers, loved it and mostly the quality of the images, so I've decided it's time for me to be part of the fun too. You can follow me here

Trust you all had a fantastic Valentine's Day long weekend. For us it was pretty much like any other weekend of our life, which I love and cherish. Saturday morning I woke to this super pretty pink Phalaenopsis orchid plant - after 14 years, hubs finally decided to give a non-rose floral a try, and I am glad he did! 

My camera couldn't do its beauty justice. It makes me want to add an orchid plant in every single room of my house. 


My Chanel Set of 3 coffee table book finally arrived. It contains high quality images of Chanel's three key lines of businesses: fashion, jewellery and perfume. 

A Valentine's Day isn't complete without sweets. We are recently hooked on Purdy's truffle line. Anthony's favourite is Himalayan Pink Salt Peanut Butter; and mine White Silk. 

When it's -40 Celsius (-40 F) outside, what better way to combat the cold than hot steamy Mediterranean sea salt bath and a glass of antioxidant-packed raw juice by Belmonte?

Do you use bread maker at home? We love/need our starch but I am always concerned about not knowing what goes into the store-bought loaves. And we are picky about the taste too: too salty, too dry, too sweet, too crunchy, and the list goes on. I received this Breville bread maker as a Christmas gift, and have since loved it to death! Not only does it allow us to control what goes into our bread and adjust the ingredients to our taste, it makes a perfect soft loaf of bread every single time. I used to have my reservations about a bread maker - did I really need to show the world I was so lazy that I couldn't hand knead my dough or oven-bake my bread? Not really. But what I don't have is the time every week to make my own fresh bread. Bread maker is really the way to go for busy professionals, and from my personal experience, you wouldn't need to compromise between taste and convenience. 


We recently came across this Cucina & Amore's Arrabbiata pasta sauce and it was one of the best readymade pasta sauces we've ever had. It goes perfectly with spicy Italian sausage. Pemberton makes pretty good Arrabbiata sauce as well except that it's not largely available in Canada. 


Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Project Fauxdenza and A Bust

I am so happy to report that project fauxdenza is a wrap! This past weekend we had our contractor Dmitriy back to cut down the extra 3/4 inch overhang. If you've been following me on my blog for a while, you would know this is probably my first mid-century modern corner in my house, and I am loving every bit of it. 



Those artworks and accessories are there temporarily until I collect enough pieces to create a gallery wall above the unit. 

This was the basement hallway before the fauxdenza. Those two Hollywood Regency Chippendale style faux bamboo chairs in the picture are on loan to a TV mini series called "Marilyn" (as in Marilyn Monroe). The show will be on ABC in the fall, and rest assured I will be vigorously looking for them in each and every scene. 

And this is the after. I will need to take better pictures when I have more time to play with the white balance. There is no window in my basement hallway so I always had to use the "Tungsten setting" to offset the warm (yellow) lighting. It would appear the setting has been overcompensating and consequently most of the pictures turned out to be too blue/cold. 



See how much difference 3/4 inch of the overhang made? This was the before with one inch overhang. 

This is now with less than 1/4 inch overhang. In hindsight, I wish I had pushed the envelope by making it completely flush in the front.



I opted for push-openers over pulls or knobs to complete the cleaner minimalist look. 

This past Friday after a meeting I wandered into a HomeSense nearby (Heartland). It was one of those random browsing trips as I had nothing in mind to buy, but guess what I found - the Apollo of Pantheon bust that's going for over $300 here and here. I've seen a smaller plaster version of it at HomeSense, but not this one. This handsome Greek fella stands 21" tall, and is as solid as a rock! 


Look how perfect he looks on my foyer chest? 


Saturday, February 7, 2015

Stylish Black White Coffee Table Books

Lately I like to incorporate black and white into my design so I have grouped a few of my favorite coffee table books with a monochromatic book cover to share with you. You can pair them with practically any color palette you are going for, and the best news is that each of them is under $100 so they are also pocket-friendly.  

Coco Chanel saw the absolute beauty and perfect harmony in the absence of colors. Therefore, when it comes to black and white, CC is your queen. You are going to find most of the books about her have a black and white cover. 

I recently picked up a discontinued version of the Chanel by Jean Leymarie which talks about the influence of Chanel's fashion and art history. 


And this Fashion: 150 Years of Couturiers, Designers, Labels which seems to an all-time favorite in the Blogosphere. 

I also have the Chanel Set of 3: Fashion, Jewellery, Perfume on order to grow my Chanel book collection. This is my Spring coffee table refreshed with a somewhat monochromatic theme. 

I think I need to get myself something more glamorous like one of these. 



Winterlicious 2015 is in full swing here in T Dot and last week we went to a couple of our favourites, including Auberge du Pommier. Still can't believe a restaurant like this would be part of the program but I am not complaining. 

The boudin blanc was perfectly done, tender, juicy and savory, a must try! They offered wine pairing with each course for an additional $20, and I would recommend not to pass up the deal.