williams-sonoma: the great cupcake pan

One of the great things about Facebook, besides reconnecting with long lost friends (and maybe a few you’d rather have remained estranged from), is being able to check out your friends’ latest and greatest pictures. Thanks to Facebook, I’m able to stay in touch with friends in a way that we just didn’t seem to have time for before the rise of social networking. I can get instant updates on their travel plans, see every angle of their newborn’s smile and check out what they were up to on the weekend. It’s great fun and while nothing replaces the necessity of face-to-face contact over drinks, it’s a pretty decent alternative when you’re busy. Anyhow … all of this is by way of explanation for how I stumbled upon this fab new find! Whilst snooping, I mean … casually perusing a friend’s photos of a baby shower she’d recently attended, I spied the loveliest, cupcake-shaped cake adorning the buffet table. Love at first sight! Where, oh where did she get the pan to make this, I wondered? But I wondered only momentarily because, in perfect Facebook fashion, everything I needed to know was right there in the comments section with a list of retailers for curious gals like myself. So I hunted it down at Williams-Sonoma and now I’m sharing it with you. Drum roll, please! I give you … The Great Cupcake Pan!

Available at: Williams-Sonoma
Price: $36

diptyque’s limited edition candle, pink roses

Fill your home with the fragrant aroma of roses. This limited edition Pink Roses candle from Diptyque is the perfect way to help you wish away winter. Yes, I’m still on that kick. I love winter around Christmastime but come January 1, I have no use for it. (It’s minus 21 degrees Celsius today … ) So I’m constantly sniffing out ways to make this tough season more tolerable. I don’t know about you but I like to nest in the winter months and making my home comfy and cozy is one way to survive when the weather outside is frightful. Luxurious bedding, fresh flowers, oversized mugs filled with steaming drinks, good books; these are the simple things that make me smile at home. Top it all off with a lovely fragrance filling the air and there’s a recipe for pure calm. So try a scented candle, one that evokes happy memories and dreams of spring. It’s just around the corner. We’re going to make it after all!

diptyque’s limited edition candle, Pink Roses, $68
Available at the Diptyque store in San Francisco and other stores such as Aedes, Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman & Saks in the  United-States, Noor in Toronto and Ogilvy in Montreal.

simple human sensor soap pump

Every now and then, you find a product that you never knew you needed. And then suddenly, there it is, in all its glory and you wonder how you ever lived without it. That’s sort of how I feel about Simple Human’s sensor soap pump. We’ve all used sensor pumps in public washrooms but it never occurred to me how brilliant it would be to have one at home. Well, now that I’ve used this, I realize just how great it is. Particularly in the kitchen, this soap pump makes a lot of sense. Let’s say you’re working with raw meat and you need to wash up frequently. With this pump, you don’t need to touch a soap dispenser with your contaminated hands. Just place your hand underneath the sensor and voila! Just enough soap comes out for you to wash up. So simple, so smart.

Available at: Home Outfitters or visit simplehuman.com for more information
Price: $49.99

west elm pin-tuck duvet cover

It’s a wet, cold, dreary day in Toronto today. It’s the perfect day to dive under the blankets with a good book and to keep a steaming hot cup of tea bedside. West Elm’s organic cotton pin-tuck duvet cover is the perfect attire for a cozy bed. I love this look; the multiple pintucks add such a pretty detail to this simple cotton duvet cover and add a burst of visual interest for the entire room. The cotton is certified organic, grown and processed without the use of herbicides or pesticides. This 230-thread count combed cotton cover will add instant style to any bedroom. Available in three gorgeous neutrals (sea spray, clay and natural), they’re easy to add to your existing decor. And priced from $79USD to $119USD, you might just want to pick up more than one!

Available at: West Elm
Price: $79USD to $119USD

sena cases for iPod touch

My friend and colleague Lauren McPhillips is always writing about awesome new tech toys and gadgets in her blog Tech Style. Have you checked it out? Trust me: Whether you’re a true technophile or a Luddite who’s contemplating conversion, you’re bound to find cool new products to drool over on Lauren’s blog so check it out! Anyhow, reading her blog got me thinking about my latest toy – my 2G iPod Touch. I love it. And just as the commercials say, it’s the funnest toy I’ve ever had! It’s sleek and slick and feels so good in my hands. Problem is, it needs to be protected to keep it shiny and scratch-free. I had initially bought a hard plastic case with a protective screen but within a handful of days, the protective screen was so badly scratched, it made my iPod Touch look terrible. And so I searched and searched until I finally found the perfect case. This case, pictured here, from Sena Store, is exactly what I was looking for. It has an ultra-slim design, is made from European Napa leather and has a luxurious velvet lining to protect the face of your iPod. They come in a variety of colours (I love the white!) and the best part is the price – they’re only $29.99! There are lots of cases out there for the iPhone but if you have an iPod Touch, the options are considerably more limited. So I was very excited to find this case. I also love the fact that it’s a pouch meaning that when I throw it into my purse, it’s completely protected, but when I want to use it, I am able to interact with the screen directly as opposed to through a plastic face protector. Part of the beauty and appeal of these Apple products is being able to touch them and this case allows you to do just that!

Sena store offers cases for all your favourite toys – laptops, phones, cameras, MP3 players and more. Check it out!

Available at: Sena Store
Price: $29.99

park hyatt, shanghai

When it opened in September 2008, the Park Hyatt Shanghai officially became the highest hotel in the world. The elevator ride up to the lobby is long and full of anticipation. But as the elevator doors finally ease open to reveal the stunning 87th-floor lobby, the view does not disappoint. The dark mahogany wood of the reception area against pale coffee-coloured walls is rich and luxurious. The exceptionally high ceilings (unexpected in a high-rise building) give instant grandeur to the space and create an immediate sense of extravagant style.

Designed by New York–based Chinese-American interior designer Tony Chi, the rooms at the Park Hyatt Shanghai are nothing short of sophisticated. With high-tech features (remote controlled shades that, at the click of button, reveal a sweeping view of Shanghai, a television screen hidden in the bathroom mirror and a toilet that does everything but your laundry) and an otherwise minimalist decor, the rooms are a perfect mixture of modern American design and traditional Chinese Zen.

We checked in with Caitlin Hickey, a public relations representative for the hotel, to find out more about the inspiration behind the hotel’s beautiful design. Click here to read the interview.

grand hyatt mumbai

It’s been a few days but … back to my Indian adventure! After leaving the jungle, I was off to Mumbai, where I stayed at the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai. This five-star luxury hotel was imposing and impressive, from the moment I stepped foot inside. I was pretty hungry on arrival and was thrilled to see the dining options, of which there were plenty. Dinner at the Italian restaurant Celini was delicious – I had a mouthwatering ossu bucco (I’d had my fill of curry and needed a change!). China House serves a menu of typically Chinese cuisine and M is a grill and martini bar. Of course, there’s an Indian restaurant, too; Soma dishes up authentic regional and tandoor-grilled cuisine.

The rooms are bright and tranquil and feel strangely out-of-place amidst the chaos of Mumbai that resides right outside the hotel grounds. But it’s a welcome respite and a wonderful place to rest and relax after wandering the streets of one of the world’s most intriguing cities. Pictured here is the Grand King room, with floor-to-ceiling windows (you can have a courtyard or city view) and the minimalist, modern decor is totally Zen. Crisp, white linens, golden Jaisalmer stone (an Indian sandstone) and light sycamore wood paneling give the 40-square-meter interior a spacious and airy feeling and ensure a good night’s sleep. Sweet dreams!

Click here for more information on the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai.

baghvan pench jungle lodge

Next up on the itinerary: A stop in the Indian jungle to go on safari! Here, I stayed at the wonderful Baghvan Pench Jungle Lodge. When I wasn’t out on an early morning (or mid-afternoon) game drive, searching for the ever-elusive tigers and leopards that roam Pench National Park, I was hanging out in the luxurious accommodations at the resort. Pictured above, you can get a sense of the “lobby” that greets guests. More like a living room in a thoughtfully designed home, this space gives an immediate sense of the style and intimacy guests can expect to find here. Cocktails here in the evenings give guests the opportunity to meet other guests and make you feel at home rather than “at hotel”.

The bedrooms are equally as welcoming. Featuring soaring ceilings and a rather rustic exterior (this is the jungle, after all!), the interiors are warm, comfortable and cozy. On cold nights, guests return to their rooms to find hot water bottles warming their bed and early morning tea and biscuits brought to the door are an exceptional way to start the day. There are many amazing resorts and hotels all over the world but this one, nestled deep in the heart of the Indian jungle, was truly special. Aside from the stylish accommodations and the surrounding natural beauty, here, heart, hospitality and friendship come first. Quite unexpectedly, I found myself shedding a few tears to leave the friends I’d made on my much-too-short stay.

For more information, visit andbeyondindia.com

shangri-la style

Many North Americans are unfamiliar with the Shangri-La hotel chain but that is soon about to change! This leading Asia-based luxury hotel group has 58 deluxe hotels and resorts in major Asian and Middle Eastern cities and is known throughout Asia as a premiere destination for business and leisure travelers alike. But get ready – the Shangri-La’s expansion plans are bold and the chain will roll out a number of North American launches in the next few years, starting with Vancouver (2009) and followed by Toronto, New York and Chicago (2011).

Yesterday, I started to tell you about a recent trip to India. While I was in New Delhi, I had the great pleasure of spending one night at the Shangri-La there. The hotel has 320 guest rooms and suites and the decor of the rooms is warm and inviting. I loved the dark woods and the colours, echoing shades of paprika and saffron, seemed fitting in this place so well known for its spices.

What is your favourite hotel? I’d love to hear from you about places you’ve stayed and loved.

For more hotel-inspired design ideas, check out Style at Home’s Hotel Style section.

travel in style

I recently had the opportunity to visit India. Have you ever been? To say it was a life-changing experience would be an understatement. India, as its tourism slogan states, is incredible.

But my journey there first involved a stop in Belgium and after the unexpected and devastating terror attacks in Mumbai, I went on to Shanghai. Over the next few days, I’m going to share some of the experience with you, and in keeping with the theme of this blog, showcase some of the beautiful hotels I stayed at along the way. If you, like me, love beautifully designed hotels, check out our Hotel Style section for ideas and inspiration.

The entire trip, I flew business class on Jet Airways. Wow! I had never experienced anything like this before. Jet Airways’ business class service is so deluxe, it makes a 12-hour flight seem too short! Check out the seats, pictured left. Each seat is private and features a television screen and lots of room for you to get comfortable. The best part is that the seats turn into completely lie-flat beds. This was a first for me and was an unforgettable experience. The flight attendants were the friendliest and most attentive I’d ever encountered and I know I’ll be flying with Jet Airways again. They made the experience very, very special.

OK, so my first stop was Belgium. I stayed at The Dominican, a luxury hotel in the heart of Brussels, just steps away from the Grand Place and a short walk from the Brussels Central Railway Station. The rooms here, as you can see from the photos, are luxe and decadent, the perfect place to relax after a long flight. There are 150 guestrooms and suites here and the contemporary design is rich and luxurious. It’s a beautiful marriage of old-world Europe and modern design. Intimate and elegant, this hotel was a real treat!

The bathroom was possibly my favourite part! The weather was very cold while I was visiting (lots of rain,  sleet and snow!) and I looked forward to long hot showers to warm up! Marble and stone in muted shades of black, brown and grey, complement each other wonderfully in this space and create a calming, zen-like environment.

THE DOMINICAN
Rue Léopold / Leopoldstraat 9
1000, Brussels, Belgium

10 things to do in January

The craziness of the holidays is behind us now. I don’t know about you but my December was frenzied. So I’m happy to welcome the slower, more civilized pace that January brings. But I don’t need to come to a complete halt either. If you’re looking for easy, practical things to do around the house this month, you should check out our story, 10 things to do in January, written by styleathome.com contributor Carmen Taylor. I’ll give you a sneak preview, but to read the rest, click here.

1 Review presents and hostess gifts
Of course your friends and family love you and were grateful for your hospitality, but no doubt you don’t really need all the tokens of affection you received. Surely someone else could make better use of that collection of tea, those pot holders or that picture frame? Hold on to what you love, by all means, but get rid of the rest by dropping it off at Goodwill, Value Village or your favourite charity.

2 Tapers, tea lights, scented …
Candles make the season and since you’ve probably gone through a whack of them, replace your stock now. They don’t have a shelf life so it’ll be one less thing to shop for next year.

3 Move the furniture
You may be surprised what you find there. Take the cushions off sofas and chairs, vacuum along the wall behind the furniture and then turn your attention to the inside of the furniture itself. After the hosting you’ve done, no doubt it needs it.

Image courtesy of Crate and Barrel

Read more …

updating my kitchen backsplash

Happy New Year! I hope each and every one of you enjoyed a wonderful holiday. I know I did. But it never ceases to amaze me how quickly it goes by. It seems like Christmas Eve was just yesterday and now it’s January 5 and I’m back at work. Boy, I hope this winter goes by fast!

So, I don’t know how many of you made new year’s resolutions this year – you know, those dirty little promises we tend to make and break? While personal resolutions are private, we asked the Style at Home staff about their around-the-house resolutions for 2009. You can read about them here.

My around-the-house resolution is to finally get around to updating the backsplash in my kitchen. I hate the one that’s there and I dream of something more striking like glass, which can be illuminated beautifully with under cabinetry lighting. I was originally thinking of one-inch by one-inch glass tiles but then I saw this backsplash (pictured here), which is also quite lovely. This is from New York-based Grayglass. Grayglass will custom-make glass backsplashes with coloured and patterned glass, according to their clients’ specifications. Ooh! The options! Now I can’t decide what I want to do. But it’s only January; I have time, right?

If you’re thinking of doing a kitchen renovation this year, check out our kitchen section; it’s full of helpful ideas for creating your dream kitchen.

easy and delicious eggnog

I spent this weekend enjoying holiday cheer with my family. We put on some Christmas music (some of my favourites are Elvis Christmas Duets, Sarah McLachlan’s Wintersong,  and Celine Dion’s These are Special Times) and set to the task of decorating the tree. It was a lovely festive afternoon of family and fun.

We also enjoyed a glass each of fresh and frothy homemade eggnog. I recently spent a weekend at Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito, just outside of San Francisco (you can read a bit more about it here) and I visited the cooking school, where Kelsie Kerr, Cooking School Director, was whipping up delicious, delectable holiday eggnog.

I was inspired. While I didn’t get my hands on Kelsie’s recipe, I did find a few online and I whipped up a batch of this sweet treat for my family. Mmm! Here are a few for you to try, courtesy of eggnogrecipe.net.

Easy Eggnog
Diamond Eggnog Recipe
Traditional Eggnog Recipe
Coconut Eggnog Recipe
Chocolate Eggnog Recipe
Low Fat Eggnog

kate spade christmas ornaments

Kate Spade sells gorgeous Christmas ornaments, too! Shocking! My sister is pining over a gorgeous Kate Spade bag (she likes the white; I like the black) and while I was checking out its specs online, I came across these pretty ornaments. The candy-coloured ceramic ornaments come packaged in a beautiful hatbox and will look stunning on your tree. Or, if you’re hosting a dinner party, put one on each guest’s plate with their name and let them keep it. (This means, of course, that you’ll have to buy extra for yourself!)

Price: $75 for a set of 5
For more information: visit katespade.com

jonesy christmas cards

I don’t know about you but it can be tough to be original year after year, holiday after holiday. I mean, I’m buying gifts for the same people every year (you know, minus maybe an ex-boyfriend or plus a new colleague I really like) … but for the most part, the list of family and friends remains the same. So each year I, like you I’m sure, am faced with the challenge of coming up with something new and special. Same goes for the Christmas cards I send out each year. Who wants to send out the same cards year after year after year? That’s why I was so excited when I came across the Canadian company Jonesy. Not only are their stationery designs super-cute, fresh and original, according to the website: “Jonesy is dedicated to supporting the highest social and environmental standards. All products are printed with soy based inks on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper.”

Cards can be purchased individually or in boxed sets and you can also buy gift tags. Plus, I love that you can also purchase select boxed sets of cards from which 100% of the net proceeds are donated to the Sick Kids Foundation.

For more information:
Shop online at jonesy.ca. Customers won’t pay more than $5 for shipments within Canada, and for orders of $75 or more, orders will be shipped for free!