save on classic modern style.

save at the hive modern sale!

save 44% off list* may 5th-12th ( *approx. 10% off msrp)
you are invited to participate in their annual knoll space sale.

shop on!

starting may 5 and continuing through may 12, all knoll items will be offered on sale! they are only able to offer discounts on knoll once a year, so please plan on taking advantage of this annual event. customize your selection with our wide variety of knoll textiles and finish options to create a piece that truly reflects your individuality.

as they say, surround yourself with beauty, invest in innovation.

shout out to designgal, thanks chick-i-dee, your site rocks too! keep on bloggin'!

mom pleasers!

delicate.
pjatteryd picture $99.00 at ikea canada.
a definite splurge.

fresh update.
sommar tea towel $3.99 for a 3 pack at ikea canada.
[nonna would love this one]

colourful!
statist decoration tree $7.99 at ikea canada.
great for hanging jewlery or pick a colour and line them up in a row for a clean contemporary statement!

stylish flower power - at that price, what a steal!
tajt vase $4.99 at ikea canada.

my absolute favorite ..soo subtle.
the sommar wind chime $4.99 at ikea canada.
pretty + affordable.

spring fling..at tar-jay

modern mama day ideas from tar-jay!
cheap + cheerful.
economical.
budget concious.
any way you look at it, these are sure to make your mamasita smile!


practical + modern
copco fushion mirror teakettle $39.99 US

garden sharp!
not neutral fauna bloomin' set of 3 garden stakes $38.00 US

cheap + chic [non leather option too!]
xhilaration wigwam tote - turqouise $18.99
my little man had a fit in the store, i had to buy it - he said i had to have it it was BLUE!
looks much nicer in the strore.


charming + says i really love you!
sterling silver rose large cuff bracelet $59.99 US.
[must i say it? sooo, sara jessica parker a la 'sex in the citia'!]

stay tuned for more interesting finds.........

shaggy like that!

smile pouf created by designer paulo haubert in 2002 for avec, italy.
these 100% merino wool pouf’s are hand made in brazil at the dona concecao atelier. my faves of course, are the mare - navy to match my navy minotti 'gorky sofa' by rodolfo dordoni and the mela – fluorescent green.grab it at moss online nyc $1,245.00 US. fun, fun!

a moment...

sorry gang, don't feel left out...
a family member passed away on the weekend.
there's been not posting,
no yoga,
no super fun,
or jotting of interesting ideas to pass along to you.
just a lot of reflecting. be back thursday i promise.

***in loving memory of francesco d'amelio of thorold, ontario
dec. 07th 1923 -april 21, 2006.

perfect pawson

john pawson bronze bowl from 2000 is flawless. manufacturered by when objects work [belgium], the seamless crescent with a continuous curve to the bottom profile of the bowl allows it to create its own effect when placed on a surface. finished in a patinated bronze surface, sand fill. grab it at moss online $845.00 US.

more picture perfect pieces by monsieur pawson himself can be seen at mantin gallery in beverly hills, california:

pawson reworked the candle holder. the exterior package is a simple wooden cylinder with storage large enough for seven candles topped with the solid bronze cap …that when opened becomes the base. when combined with a slender glass tube, the bronze element becomes the candle holder. a new spin on the hurricane lamp. genius.

the hip tray is simply described as the circle in a square, is a geometrical combination of white lacquer inner circle surrounded by a wooden square. distinctive.

my ultimate fave, the exceptionally designed vase is a superb example of balance. fashioned with a clear acrylic segment which houses a subtle metal container within its interior, obviously intended for use with or without. its brilliant figure allows the projection of the inner vessel to change according to the viewing angle. clever.

and don’t forget the american cherry wood furniture [solid or veneer] designed by the minimalist mastermind himself for driade in 2002 [the year our mini man was born ;)].

bench, john pawson, driade 2002

wood table, john pawson, driade 2002
[wood table + bench and all other driade furniture avaiable via interior elements, 435 king street west in toronto]

surrealist birthday

wild. who knew?
a happy birthday to spanish painter joan miro [1893-1983 wow, those numbers are freaky].

chiffres at constellations amoureaux d'une femme
[ciphers and constellations in love with a woman]
joan miro, 1959

radical lamp

polished.

murano blown glass silvered acquatinta suspension lamp, michele de lucchi 1996 distributed by produzione privata, italy. $905.00 US via moss online and they also mentioned:

‘michele de lucchi, born 1951, studied architecture and became involved in radical and theoretical architecture movements, founding the group cavart in 1973. de lucchi then relocated to milan in 1978 where he met ettore sottsass and with him created the first memphis exhibition of 1981. de lucchi contributed several pieces to the memphis collection including his famous ‘first chair” from 1983. since 1979 he has been a design consultant with olivetti and since 1992 he is design chief for all of olivetti’s office products and office systems.’

cool. i'll take six please - right.

be back soon, mini man has a class.

gettin' down with design

red hot or not we all know about media + design firm treehugger …. BUT did you know about their remarkable creation available via design for all’s TARGET? their uber cool sustainable concept will bring tears of joy to your eyes when you find out that the eco-friendly stuffbumps are made of 100% natural wool felt and 100% recycled card stock. treehugger focuses on recycling and bringing the art of sustainability mainstream and their new product will be popping up on walls everywhere, thanks to tar-jay. a breeze to install, simply attach them to any vertical surface [like walls or the inside of doors] with 3 nails or screws, effortlessly pull them out + fill with everything from socks, anything scruchable like american apparel to stuffed animals or mail. when empty, they collapse flat. excellent for dorms, apartments, kids’ rooms or anywhere that requires an instate state of order and they clean up in a cinch, vacuum or wipe’em with damp cloth. and the best part …$20.00 US bucks and greg digs them too.

while you are red hot shopping for all that is designed with you in mind; target is even carrying amoebe art packs by koziol, a modular collection of plastic elements that snap together into free-form constellation enabling you to create your own sea like creature or dna masterpiece, the possibilities are endless. buy ot in link aqua or turquoise $39.99 US a steal at target.

battle of the plastic seaweed: hmmm...very algue–esque, you know from vitra 2004 by ronan & erwan bouroullec. the algues are the decorative interior or exterior injection-moulded plastic components that can add a dramatic element to any space. they have been described as being reminiscent of plants as they too can be linked together to form web-like textures - from light curtains to opaque, thick room dividers. 25 algues are required for a sq. m. of light net mesh. the algae are available in red, green white or black supplied in packs of 50 (= 2 m²) or in gift packs of six. hmmmm, $25.00 for a set of six at vitra NYC or $200.00 for a pack of 50. you do the math.



and they are even carrying these snazzy, colorful mobi baggies that I’ve posted about before. call it a lunch made with love, these sandwich-size bags come here in 3 cool designs—ditch dots, flower maze and main stripe—and the 3-box set includes 20 of each. $14.99 US. i ask you, can it get any easier to live by design all the time? sheesh!

i mean you knew about the red hot shop section at target, right? if not, sign up for their weekly email and see what hot each week, designer or not.

chic urn

a contemporary pink polyurethane soft urn by marvelous dutch industrial designer hella jongerius [1995] is a muted way to add some spring flavor to any décor. created + distributed by her rottendam studio jongeriuslab + a part of the collections at droog design amsterdam, moma NYC + centraal museum utrecht netherlands. available at moss online $1,415.00 US.

fresh update at caban

just in, caban in toronto is having their spring family and friends shopping event this weekend [april 20th – 24th] ontop of a 10% off sale! hello? get shopping at caban toronto, they have a fresh vibe over there. i stopped by last week and the pop of color is very invigorating, so many things for the patio. the spring 2006 collection is refreshing:

the walnut daytona table [$495.00 CAD] is new and fab urban addition to any living space.

the polysilk spring bria pillows [$40.00 CAD] will update the drab sofa you’ve been contemplating kicking to the curb –we all know it’s way to heavy to move, save the muscle power and exhaustion and just buy the pillows.

add some crispness to your décor with the clear glass athena vases [$65.00 CAD].

or illuminate with style with a spring update on your bedside table with the trumpet table lamp [$95.00 CAD].

reflect in either the frameless simple mirror [$25.00 - $175.00 CAD] or the deep frame mirror [$175.00 CAD], you choose.

or grab some dean + deluca while your at it, spend over $25.00 and recive a d+d signature mug. you heard me, dean + deluca - no need to smuggle it through customs now. shop on my little spring buddies, shop on.

hoppin' week

hope easter was egg-cellent!
wow, I’m back, what a whirl wind week of family visiting, shopping, egg hunting, horseback riding and butterfly chasing - yup, managed a yoga class in there too. its definitely spring and as the dust settles i realize there is so much more to do …like finishing the spring cleaning – ug! that will have to wait as i have so many posts to write up. stay tuned…..

[a photo of my mini man on his first horse ‘sarat’ with owner leslie– adorable and i’m so proud!]

ornamental

an elaborate bracelet if I do say so myself. a large 'duralumin' trinket [duralumin - that is what it is made of so its might not as heavy as it looks] by michal fronek origionally designed in 1996 and still stylish on the arm. manufactured over the pond of course by olgoj chorchoj group, former czech republic and it will cost ya a whoppin’ $845.00 US at moss online. yes i do like it, a lot.

gearing up for spring + family + stuff

well, my finger tips are burning - i'd love to say from frantically typing for deisignbungalow but it's from all the scrubbing and organizing. the family is coming up for 10 days from the 'OC' dudes to visit for easter. yeah! but not so yeah when you figure out that you indeed are the hired help aka: the cleaning lady. and little man is actually a great help, my little guy has been cleaning the walls and swiffering the floors for years. 2.5 to be exact and he’s happy to help – really he is.....so weird. and it’s great as long as he stays out of the way, my mad spring cleaning way. never fear! I will be posting as often and as periodically as i can. well, as often as you can with a 6 + 3 year old around. as a good friend of mine says ‘god lov’em’.

this is a bit about a new toronto fashion designer that won the fall 2006 fashion incubator new labels contest. her name katya revenka of her own line and label ‘desperately different’ she hails from the ukraine and now resides in toronto and is trying to make a difference in the fashion scene. check out her bio and hint of her innovative collection here. desperately different collection entails velvet and jacquard; assymetrics and precise cuts, oversized pockets and varying shapes. very tailored.

mark your calanders toronto, one of our grand little downtown retailers is having a blow out sale on maternity wear. where, where, where? wha, wha, wha? a spring + fall sample and clearance maternity wear sale at lilith 541 queen street west MAY 6 + 7th 11:00am - 7:00pm. they have got serious maternity style goin' on, so don't miss it ya here! hit yummumummy for more info.

casalife has an on going spring sale for your shoe box you call a condo. all of their compact living contemporary style is marked oswn 20 -80%. store it, use it, decor it, they have it all.

kuda furniture has new diggs, they have relocated to the WESTSIDE! a 25, 000 sq. ft showroom at dufferin st .... actually just under the bridge, south of queen street west and north of king west. it is quite an enormous site of imported specialties if i may say so myself. they have recently renovated a worn downtown warehouse and it looks stupendous, thatched roof top gazebo garden terrace for seasonal garden furniture shopping people! there is a 14’ Balinese stone waterfall and they have put their heart and soul into this one. so come on toronto stop by and have a-look-around.

oh, ferdinand…

i've been following this duo since 2002 and thought i would pass it along. ferdinand a charming portland, maine workspace+ storefront where you can find rubber stamp cards, t-shirts, patches, underpants, pillows, jewelry and many other products. my favorite is the bigwheel tee $22.00 US and matching onesie $15.00 US all printed on american apparel tee’s – smart! the cotton screen printed squirrel head tea towels are simply irresistible at $9.00 us a piece. they are even carrying even more products from independent designers and artists, including books, jewelry, clothing, belts, wallets, handbags, baby stuff and artwork, as well as vintage housewares and furniture. former west coaster designer diane toepfer and co-owner husband ron harrity created a studio in munjoy hill, portland, maine amongst a family of other small business owners. known for their genuine hand-crafted lampshades - popular throughout the portland, which explains the studio’s cool vintage lamp extravaganza. seems that Ferdinand even has a funky mascot dubbed the ‘softhead’ [$18.00 - $22.00 US plus shipping], a one-of-a-kind plush face with a multitude of expressions and is a big hit for toepfer. they too are hand shaped and fabricated. check them out while shopping online if you can’t make the trip out to maine.

PR2: canadian finale

i am a design geek, i know.

ok, so i'm behind the times on this one. i made sure to stop checking the internet for updates because i really wanted to find out on my own. about four episodes ago , in my head popped: chloe, it will be chloe, daniel rocks and santino, well someone loves him for who he is - but it ain't me, so he's just gotta go. and he kept sticking around, oh the agony, right to the final episode. that’s television for ya.
i was awestruck and even at the end of the runway shows, who, who, who will win? they were all so fantastic in their own right. ok, we could nit pick but why bother, the judges had made their choice. it was so exciting, i clapped at the end of each runway stint, for chloe, daniel and yes santino – he did grow up…a bit. daniel’s collection was subdued, innovative, moody and evoked sophistication. chloe was an artistic challenge, unusual and stimulated curiosity, leaving you wanting just a bit more...in a very good way. santino’s silhouettes were remarkable, and his final model was gorgeous in that dress and with that lovely hair. but it was chloe ultimately who won and made me proud. you go girl, make us proud. make me want to buy bananna republic again.
i must say something that i do dig about santino, i admire that not only did he fabricate and complete his final collection but he also managed to edit a runway song. and it wasn't that bad either, pretty hot actually. 'andrae, let's go to red lobster'.....big smile, that part about santino i love, i remeber those days with the best of them, in the studio and the jokes were much appreciated....especially at 2:00am.
ok, will be obsessing over america's top model now. [ yes, i have to admit, this one is really bad]

fancy foot

i wish my life were like a weeks worth of fancy shoes. you know, to balance out all of that modern design. balance, its all about balance. first of all it's really, really hard to find a magnificent navy shoe - period. and leave it to monsieur louboutin to make one. like a fancy slipper really. if i were a shoe this would definitely be me: slim, vamp, prominent, a trigger of distinction, depth, a splash of charisma and flirty with the added dash of a cherry sole. and this shoe surely comes with a 'cristal' lunch or any expensive 'demi-sec', always.

grommet leather wedge: juicy style.black leather, cutout upper with silver metal rivets, cork platform sole, $295.00 US. every day adorable toes, you choose the color of tootsies.

all caged in an ultra sexy jimmy choo strappy sandal, black leather with golden eyelets lace-up front, 4" heel. $740.00 US [ fyi: jimmy runs small, so order a half size larger than you typically wear] also, you scould catch a glimpse of these at a store called 'corbo studio' in yorkville, ya hear that toronto?

dazzling jeweled wrap sandal a signature emilio pucci print balanced by glamorous jewels and a high-stepping heel with an ankle wrap ties in back. $675.00 US

these just look comfy, a pedro garcia satin d'orsay black satin with frayed trim, crisscross with a platform sole. $325.00 US.

what? yes, i had a dream shopping day at bergdorf's.
ok, out of my system...for now.

rattle-n-roll baby!

now THIS is some serious baby style. if theres ever another one on the way, this is the way we will promote his or her 'greatest show on earth' !

rrr, i will elaborate later, my mimi man wants to bake a cake.

thanks greg.

thank you to justyna for here little boost. you sound like a great friend and your support is totally 100% genuinely appreciated.

elite deisgner madness

this is rad.
makeover madness, a host of designers took up the challenge
resulting in fourteen unique chairs being designed by the likes
of paul smith, louis vuitton, royal copenhagen, diesel, camper, missoni etc.

series seven chair by george jensen

what would your arne jacobsen chair look like today?
now that would be a challenge!

series seven chair by bizzazza

check out the exhibition of 14 uber fine inventively designed
chairs at the republic of fritz hansen in nyc on from april2 -april 11th.

brand participants include:
birger christensen
bisazza
camper
diesel
georg jensen
G-Star
hugo boss
hummel
louis vuitton
Mandarina Duck
missoni
paul smith
royal copenhagen
now also including another unique chair designed by kris ruhs from corso como.

paul smith collaborates with artist rob ryan.

the logo of the 50 years birthday anniversary of diesel
founder renzo rosso on the back, this chair will be a real catch
and investment for a diesel fan.

hummel which is famous for sponsoring the tibetan football team
and having a string of celebrity followers such as madonna and
jennifer lopez has created a chair with the distinctive hummel logo.

definitely worth having a look at. soo cool.