Cane Chair Makeover - Switch Studio

I was browsing craigslist one afternoon when I saw a listing for a pair of vintage cane chairs on sale at the local (okay, not local, I had to drive about 45 minutes) ReStore. Now, let me tell you, a pair of anything vintage is hard to come by, and when you do find a pair, it usually means $$$. But these were reasonably priced at $50 each, no tax. I knew that I had to have them. 

After folding down the seats in my parents' van and making the drive to the location, I was a bit disappointed to see that the upholstery was in very bad shape. The cream striae velvet was very yellowed and very dark and stained in places, and some spots looked like they had been scratched by a cat, leaving rips and tears in the fabric. Still, they were the perfect thing for the apartment I was on the verge of renting, and I knew with a little love they could be really special. See the before below:

Fast forward 11 months into living at the new apartment and the chairs were still sitting here unchanged. Finally, I enlisted the help of reupholster extraordinaire Staci Edwards of Switch Studio. I left the fabric, chairs and plan in Staci's capable hands and on Saturday, I went to pick them up!! I was so nervous to see them but I am thrilled with how they turned out!

I went with a simple 100% linen in soft blue from Designer Fabrics for the front body of the chair. While I initially thought about doing a striped pipe as well, I think it would have been too busy with the texture of the cane. The stripe on the back panel, however, is the perfect touch. It adds pattern and interest but is not trendy. It is classic and timeless. 

Switch Studio also did up the sweet little lumbar pillows. The Schumacher fabric used was the first 'ah-ha' moment I had when developing the scheme for this room. It really made the corals and aquas in my existing (and beloved) rug make sense, and I used this fabric to pick out the fabric for my sofa cushions. I love the contrasting coral pipe on these pillows. It compliments my coral velvet pillows from Stuck on Hue so nicely. 

 I chose to keep the wooden and cane frames of the chairs in their original condition. They are a little roughed up, but I love the sense of patina and history that they contribute. I like my vintage in vintage condition.

 The peak-a-boo striped back is so charming.

Truthfully, I thought about attempting a DIY reupholstery job on these chairs to save money, but I knew that I wanted to keep these chairs for many years to come and didn't want to mess them up. I wanted them to look perfect, not just 'good enough considering I did it myself'.  

Switch Studio did an amazing job on the chairs and pillows and I couldn't be more thrilled! Well worth the investment. They are located in Oakville and service Oakville, Burlington, Mississauga, Milton, and Greater Toronto Area. If you are looking for an excellent, fairly priced option for reupholstery, this is your spot! A big thank you to Staci Edwards for making my chair dreams come true!

New Leopard Pillow

Many of you probably already know that I've been eyeing this pillow forever. Every once in a while for the past year and a half, it will come up in one of my posts. The other day, in light of some exciting news (secret for now!) I decided it was time to treat myself! I ended up getting it from this etsy seller, whose price was the best that I could find! I am so happy with it, I think it gives my room the final pattern that it was missing. 

After I posted this photo on instagram, I knew the room needed it, the combination really spoke to me:

Here are some more shots of my living space now!:

Have you treated yourself to anything lately? You deserve it!

xox

Term 5 Final Project: Advanced Residential / Piano Mansion

Do you all remember me talking about my major studio project for the fall, and then basically disappearing off the face of the blogging earth? Well, let's just say that this project consumed and challenged me more than any project to date, but that the satisfaction of completing it (and getting a great mark) was well worth the long hours, piles of discarded ideas, and even tears.

If you recall, my original concept for the house was the piano (as the client is a family of musicians), but as I developed the project further, I moved away from such a literal shape and idea into a larger concept of the stage and performance, into a liveable concert hall idea. I kept some of my original concept, such as the pitched roof, but basically, I wanted the home to capture and reflect the feeling of grandeur associated with attending a night at the theatre, as well as creating a liveable environment that was simultaneously conducive to entertaining, parties and performance. Here is the final result (click on photos to see them in larger format):

I was basically architect, structural engineer, landscaper and interior designer for this project and I also had to consider barrier free elements as one family member is in a wheelchair...did I mention the plot of land we were given was on a cliff like hill? That's a lot of hats to wear in ten short weeks, but I am so happy I pulled it off and proud of myself for not giving up!

Here's to a new term! xo

Project Pimp my Dollhouse & Some Big News

Happy Monday everyone! Is it weird that I love Mondays? (Probably because it is my only day each week with no school or work...does it even count?)
 Today I'm so excited to be over at Kim's fabulous blog, The Green Room Interiors, participating in her fun series, 'Pimp my Dollhouse'. Basically Kim asked a few of us here in blogland to each create a design board for the living/dining room in her own place, which she calls the dollhouse. Today is my day to share what I've created! The main guideline was that we had to incorporate the following elements:

 I mean with these as starting points, you can already tell the room is going to be amazing!
To see what I designed, head on over to Kim's Blog!

 I also have some very exciting news to share with all of you!
 On Saturday I found out that I got a new part time position as a KITCHEN DESIGNER for a particular hardware store that we bloggers absolutely adore. I have worked with this company for the past 8 months in the flooring and decor department, but this new position is much more in line with my career aspirations.
I couldn't be more thrilled, it is an excellent opportunity for me while I complete my degree and I can't wait to take on some clients and start designing!

Lastly, it's time to pick a winner for the $50 Minted Giveaway!
Congratulations to another Kim, who said "If I won, I would spend the money on one of the beautiful art prints, like The Peony Bottle! :)".

Hope you all have a great week! xox

The Tale of Two Sittings: Double Seating Areas

FYI The English major in me loves the cheesy title of today's post...
I love the idea of having a living room with more than one seating area.Obviously you need a lot of room to achieve this, but it feels so refined and charming. One for lounging, one for having intimate conversations by the fire...the combinations are endless really!

David Jimenez via Architectural Digest

Sarah Ruffin via Domino Book of Decorating

Sarah Richardson via

Nate Berkus via The Things that Matter (only electronic image I could find...excuse the numbers!)

Windsor Smith

Windsor Smith

I love the top two images with the chaise or bench dividing the space, they have my heart. It's a clever furniture choise because the chaise can be used for either sitting area as it is open on both sides. Windsor Smith's use of the back to back sofa is pretty neat too. What do you all think?

Pink Couches

I have pink couches on my mind. In my opinion, they are the ultimate girly luxury when it comes to furniture. Most of our men might let us get away with a pink throw pillow or decorative accessories...but a entire pink couch? Pinch me...I'm dreaming.

When I have my own interior design studio you can bet your bottom dollar that I will have a pink couch in the office! 

Now the question is do I go pale pink?:

 ^Smitten with this pale pink couch and that bird pillow! So sweet.

Or hot pink?:

via

^CaitlinWilson's hubby agreed to a corally pink couch. It is such a bright and cheery addition to this gorgeous living room!

Which do YOU prefer? I'll take one of each please.
xo

My First Floor Plan

So, this assignment was a doozy.
It was for my Fundamentals of Space Planning class. We were required to draft a living room/ dining room combo, transferring a given room outline from a 1/4" scale to a 1/2" scale.
Then we had to provide a living room area with seating for 8 (Realistically speaking...whose living room readily seats 8 at all times?) and a dining table for six.
The fun part was inventing our clients (and budget woo).

The hard part? We have not yet learned how to do floor plans in my drafting class yet. We are still on lettering...
Awkward for all of us.
I spent all of last week figuring out my way through this drafting process with no knowledge!
I'm sure there are technical errors, but my prof is aware of our lack of experience with floor plans and hopefully will go easy on us. And I really like what I did. Any space with a cowhide rug, a sputnik chandelier and an  Eames Lounge Chair is pretty sweet in my books!

Right after we submitted this one, we got assigned another one! A kitchen this time.
We also need to do elevations (which we also have not learned yet eeek).
Wish me luck guys! This program is more intense than I expected.
xo

Design that Stands the Test of Time

 Trends are inescapable. As a social media driven society, we have consistent exposure to these fads that are pretty, fun, popular, and well received. But for me, really good design is about incorporating those trends in a timeless way... in a way that won't need to be revisited or redecorated in a few months, or even a few years.

When I was browsing the current fall decorating issue of Style at Home Magazine, I was stopped in my tracks by this home:

So beautiful, and SO current. The zebra print, the lucite and butterfly artwork, the grasscloth wall coverings, the use of the color coral, the chippendale chairs, the polka dotted seat cushions - All of it embodies the major design trends of today.

And yet, when I read the article, I couldn't believe that this room was designed 30 years ago and has been unaltered since. That is the talent of the late and iconic designer Ray Staples, who decorated this room in the eighties.

The timeless beauty of this space and the careful and imaginative forethought and talent of Staples has left me truly awe inspired.  Her legacy lives on through her works that withstand the test of time.

Pillows for Brown Couches

Is it just me, or do a lot of people seem to have brown couches?
I think that for some the first instinct is to partner brown with more neutral earthy tones: beiges, taupes, tans, creams, etc.
BUT some of the best inspiration I've seen of brown couches feature bold florals in bright colours. Paired with geometrics it really makes the perfect combination.

First fabric up is Schumaker's Hot House in Spark:

via 6th Street Design School

Pillow 1 / Pillow 2

Next is the Chiang Mai Dragon Fabric:

via The Hunted Interior

Pillow 1 / Pillow 2

All pillows I've sourced here are from AriannaBelle's gorgeous Etsy shop!
So don't shy away from bold patterns and colours for you brown couch, or it might start to feel a bit too basic!
Be fun and be you!
xo