Farewell – I’m off home to Edinburgh for twelve days to see my friends & family.
More blogs when I return including the start of an exciting new reno!!
Gillian
Image – David Merewether Photographer.
Thank you Toronto Life for the lovely piece in 2012 City Home Edition.
“Growing up across the pond, British designer Gillies knew from a young age that she wanted to be an interior designer (rearranging furniture was an early hobby). She moved to Canada 10 years ago, and her classic sensibility hasn’t strayed far from her roots: Gillies cites renowned English designer Kelly Hoppen as a major design inspiration. One dining room renovation took a traditional space – rosewood table, silk draperies – and gave it a colourful boost using a bold geometric carpet and a lamp with an oversized black drum shade and gold leaf interior. 415-489-6781.”
I have to say, that I have been overwhelmed with the response from the Canadian House & Home competition for the best readers living room. My client from Project Charlie entered her room, and at this stage,two weeks on – we are in No.1 position.
I’ve had several emails about the beams in the living room – my first blog ‘Canadian House & Home….’ – only showed one before image so it wasn’t too clear what the room went through. Due to the addition and the removal of one wall, the original beams were removed. So what you now see are new beams, not the originals painted. See the images below for the full stage by stage process. The width of the room remained the same and it’s really only the chair (as seen in the second to last image) that benefits from newly found space in the addition. The addition gave us a mudroom and a far larger kitchen. More of these shots can be seen on my website, or by clicking on the Project Charlie category on the right hand side of this page.
Thank you again for all your support! If you haven’t yet voted – click here.
Gillian
Tim McGhie is the photographer on the last two images – as you can see he is far better at taking pictures than me!
The Easter long weekend is almost upon us – yahoo!
Eat, dress well and & have fun. These gorgeous images make me think of April.
Enjoy.
Gillian
Image
1. Marnie Skillings Designer
2. Michael Mundy Photography
3. Katie Quinn Davis Photographer
4. Matthew Millman Photographer
5. Aya Brackett Photographer.
Regular readers of my blogs know how much I love Kinfolk.
Although I could never in my wildest dreams claim to be a cook – I blame this solely on growing up in the UK and coming to the conclusion that as long as a Marks & Spencer’s food hall was close by (and I made sure of that) that there was really never any need to learn (and there truly wasn’t!). Imagine my sheer horror when I moved here and saw the state of ready-made meals………….this country is so lacking in that area. Brilliant in many others, but horrific in this one segment. It’s no surprise that I now live within walking distance to Summerhill Market, whose meals although limited are ready-made and remind me a little of home.
I digress, onto the reason for this post – Kinfolk is the fantasy life that I would love to have. I love entertaining. Our dining room is generously sized and I love nothing more than having a house full of people who my husband can feed. I set the table, buy fresh flowers, buy way too much table linen and make the salad. That is the highlight of my culinary skills. So I buy Kinfolk and allow myself the fantasy of pretending I can cook. I love the fact they divide it up into eating for one, two or a few. The photographs are dream-like and having these beautifully bound magazines in my home makes me feel like I could cook if I wanted too. Fantasy achieved!
Have a great Sunday.
Gillian
I recently blogged about my front porch in need of some TLC following Rocky Raccoons annual attack on the sisal stair runner – “Rocky Raccoon has me thinking Burberry Prorsum”. I have the paint colours, the gorgeous new Rocky-proof-flooring, but, what was missing was the front porch light. I wanted something different, something to echo the texture on the flooring and something that wouldn’t look out-of-place in a Burberry Prorsum photo-shoot – a girl can dream!
Well I’ve found it – courtesy of Serena & Lily. The Saigon Chandelier is going to be perfect. It’s quite wide so it will fill the space nicely, but it’s only 5″ high so it won’t hit anyone on the head (we are all fairly tall in my family) and the bonus is the open weave – this will cast a gorgeous pattern on the ceiling.
I will show the finished images on a blog entry. Now all I need is for the weather to warm up and the works can begin.
Oh and thank you so much for all your votes on the Canadian House & Home Competition – it’s going to be a close call – so if you haven’t already checked things out please do. My space is the Cosy Living Room #3.
Have a great Saturday!
Gillian
“IF YOU LIVE EACH DAY AS IF IT WAS YOUR LAST, SOMEDAY YOU’LL MOST CERTAINLY BE RIGHT”
This is a quote taken from a Steven Jobs speech, that Restoration Hardware’s Gary Friedman, has chosen to launch their Spring 2012 Sourcebook with. I’ll be honest I have a love hate relationship with RH.
I totally love their bathroom hardware – I honestly think you’d struggle to find such good quality pieces that are so well priced elsewhere. Things are normally in stock in the US and shipping takes a few days. Life for sure is too short to have a bathroom that doesn’t have enough well placed hooks, towel bars and mirrors! It’s a place you use everyday and next to the kitchen its an absolute must to have all functioning well.
However, if I had to live with any of these pieces from RH I would be wishing someone would put me out of my misery so I wouldn’t have to look at them all day long. I find them absurd. I think the people who make them must spend their days laughing their heads off at the insanity of it all.
This piece is designed (I think) so you can hide your embarrassment at having purchased it in the first place by closing oneself inside – its currently marked down – not that this should be any encouragement to buy one.
This is designed for the guy who has purchased a way too big TV and is trying to conceal the fact by ‘hiding’ it on a massive trunk.
Or, my all time favourite, the shoot-me-now sectional
However, and now I am back to the love side of the relationship, the BIG STYLE SMALL SPACES catalogue issue has me seriously coveting and wanting to specify several pieces of furniture.
Firstly the 19TH C Keyhole Metal Arch Bed – it’s divine.
1920′s French Metal Side Table – its $195.00 – what’s not to love. Personally I’d use this piece outdoors, it would look great on a back deck. It’s far more rustic in real life than it looks in the picture which is why I’d use it outside only.
Coat Rack Bench – super functional and it comes in two sizes.
So yes, live each day like its your last and think seriously about what you are going to be looking at! Having a gorgeous well-edited well-planned home will make you want to live longer! Guaranteed.
