It is against this backdrop that the contents of a room come to life, but most often, it is because of it.

For more about features too often forgotten, check out my latest article for Ottawafocus.com.

Images from Domino Magazine and Morgan Harrison Home.

Whimsy.  Wit.   Style.   All in a trip to the thrift shop…

When the time is right, these babies are going to meet a can of glossy white spray paint, inspired by a few pricier versions below.  

Owl lamps from Urban Outfitters & Anthropologie.

This super slick glossy magazine is by far the best interior focused publication here in Ottawa, and it is a ‘must have’ for local house & home addicts like me.  Not only does this once a year edition offer readers a peek inside some of Ottawa’s most beautiful and intriguing spaces, it also provides indisputable evidence of a growing community of builders, decorators, architects and developers passionate about design.    Editor Sarah Brown, in collaboration with a number of well known local writers and photographers like Janet Uren and Rémi Thériault, makes it interesting by ensuring that the magazine reflects Ottawa’s diversity of decorative preferences.  

Featuring a range of looks from traditional to modern,  this year’s Interiors Edition includes 3 small spaces with serious style, a restored firehouse, and an expansive new build (made to look old) on the shores of Britannia Bay among others.  Also included is a spotlight on fellow web writer Sabine Modder, managing editor of big-time design blog MocoLoco and a quirky, kitschy vintage trailer makeover.

There is much to learn about Ottawa’s design scene.  Check the news stands now, and see for yourself!

 Photo of Ottawa Magazine’s 2009 Interiors Edition by me.

Is your space a true reflection of your interests, your preferences and your history?

Click here to find yourself at home….

                                  Aerin Lauder’s vanity, via Style Court.

Apparently, the construction of Greek furniture pieces was heavily influenced by the work of the Egyptians in materials and technique, although in style, ornamentation and motif, these pieces were quite distinct.  Oak, cedar, olive and boxwood as well as imported species such as maple and ebony were common building materials, with wood veneering, mortise & tenon joinery, and copper, bronze or iron metalwork frequently employed techniques.  It is also thought that leather and vegetable cords were woven to create seats, and that embroidered linens and animal skins may have been transformed into cushions.  Animal skin cushions eh?  No kidding!

Anyway, to this day these ancient classical forms provide a basis for modern western architecture and furniture design.  

For instance, the Klines was the precursor for our contemporary couch (for reclining, eating or sleeping of all things) and the simple, elegant Klismos, with its concave back, square seat and sabre legs, remains one of the world’s most popular – and most reproduced – chairs.  

Greek motifs have been the subject of numerous revivals and continue to be in fashion.  In particular, Greek keys have been popping up everywhere lately, from House Beautiful to design blogs like Apartment Therapy, Style Court and Elements of Style. 

So, what once was old is new again…

• With help from Furniture in History, by Leslie Pina.
• Image Credits:  Furniture Sketch from Furniture Styles, Greek Interior from waycoolpics.blogspot.com,  Martha Stewart Klismos Chair from Bernhardt Furniture, and Bathroom and Throw Cushion images courtesy of Domino.

The Crawford Alexander Designer Boutique has moved to 1089 Somerset Street West, a former used appliance depot in Hintonburg Village.  It seems that Luc Crawford and Jamie LeBlanc have spent serious effort to upgrade the space, and will offer custom furniture and home accessories in addition to their established interior design services. 

• Crawford Alexander Designer Boutique
• 1089 Somerset St. W
• Ottawa ON K1Y 3C6
• 613.722.0839

Furniture at Rhubarb tends toward the cosy and somewhat compact, with a slightly traditional flavour.  This strong foundation is effectively punctuated by a few very contemporary pieces - including paper chandeliers and chrome and glass tables.  Soft furnishings from Rhubarb would work equally as well in a downtown three story as they would in a newer home with large open rooms and a more modern feel, and certainly wouldn’t set a buyer back too far.  

If you’re in the market for some new furniture or home accessories, or if you’re simply curious, check out Rhubarb at 279 Richmond Rd. 

Photos by me.

If you’re interested in decorating, design or architecture and haven’t already heard of Desire to Inspire you are definitely missing out.   This hugely popular blog provides a daily dose of design related “eye candy”, sending stunning interior and exterior photographs straight to the inboxes of hordes of enthusiasts the world over.  

Ranked within the Top 5k on Technorati , noted by Canadian House and Home Magazine and recently named a Domino Magazine Editor’s Pick International Design Blog, local girl Kim and her Australian counterpart Jo have made it really big by blogland standards.  Top notch interior designers, decorators, architects, photographers and stylists have started sending their work Kim and Jo’s way, establishing Desire to Inspire as a PR “must do” for everyone who’s anyone in the field.

Acquainted through the internet, Kim and I quickly discovered a few things in common.  Not only are we both self-confessed design junkies, we are also day-job colleagues, and rival second hand furniture hunters (and yes, if you’re wondering, the other buyer in this sad tale was me).  Kim’s drive and energy are enviable, and her style is unique, utterly exuberant, and evolving constantly.  Lucky for her fans, she shares it all -including her thrift store finds, furniture bargains, and reno/deco updates on both the blog and on her Flickr page.  

So, back to the free kitchen…

Kim and Greentea Design, a Canadian company that specializes in Asian-inspired furniture and antiques, have cooked up quite the deal.  In exchange for new kitchen cabinets, she will blog about her renovation experience.  Apparently, they too understand Kim and Jo’s growing influence.

Good grief.  Can you believe it?    

BEFORE: Here is her kitchen when she bought her centrally located house last year.

NOW: This is Kim’s kitchen after a killer dose of pink paint.  News of this bold stroke circulated far and wide through blogland, and fans are actually sad to see it go!  (myself included) 

AFTER:  ????

Who knows how the new kitchen will turn out…tune into her new blog, Kim’s Kitchen Remodel to see!

So, toughest for me this week?  I missed a cool event, held on a school night! 

If it weren’t for design school  last evening, I might have tried to round up some company for the Ottawa Art Gallery’s House Party.   The OAG is a public gallery dedicated to the acquisition and presentation of contemporary art for the benefit of the local arts community. The OAG is marking its 2oth anniversary, and the resident Firestone Collection of Canadian Art is turning 35. 

My interest in both art and community seems to be growing, and while my enthusiasm for fun social events has never waned, I was at school last night learning how to draw (aack).  How ironic.  So, my supplies list is a mile long and truthfully, my nerves are shot.   I can certainly appreciate talent in others, but drawing has never been a strength of mine.  I haven’t really done much since…well…grade school, so I confess it was seriously intimidating.  That old familiar and very uncomfortable feeling that comes with being a beginner was palpable, which is usually a pretty good sign there is learning to be done! 

While I may have missed OAG’s big party, the 80’s music and the cake by The Girl with the Most Cake, I am still keen to see Evidence: The Ottawa City Project.  This exhibit explores “one of the most paradoxical places in Canada-a perplexing mix of wealth and poverty, summer heat and winter cold, nationalist and regionalist, poor arts funding and rich cultural heritage” and examines questions about what – if anything – is missing.  Evidence: The Ottawa City Project runs from September 4-November 16.  I will let you know if I get there.

Anyway, we’ll no doubt be off to Wallack’s for art supplies and to Value Village to stock up on fall fashion.  The younger girl about town really likes to create her own ensembles, and is a budding young thrifter.  Hmmm… I wonder why?

I just finished signing up for the “History of Furniture” and “Drawing Techniques” courses in the part-time Residential Decor Program at Alqonguin College.  I’m totally pumped!

I’ve been obsessed with interior design and decor for as long as I remember.  I have been dragging boxes of shelter magazines around with me for too many years to admit, in hopes of learning by osmosis, and have spent countless hours watching HGTV and reading design blogs like Desire to Inspire, Style Court, and Habitually Chic. I love to go back to my magazines over and over again.  I go for ideas and inspiration, for myself and when I am asked to help others, which I am pleased to say actually does happen. 

With interior design, there are so many possibilities; permutations and combinations of colours, textures, patterns and forms, and each composition expresses unique, individual tastes and preferences.  I am constantly amazed how some of my favourite designers like Celerie Kemble, Ruthie Sommers, and Schuyler Samperton can incorporate classic furniture, layer fabrics and create casual, comfortable but sophisticated rooms.  Design is a form of art as far as I am concerned, and those talented designers who can fashion beautiful, personal interior environments just make the world a better place!

Here is the room I imagine myself in as I write this… 

Image credit:  Domino Magazine