seeing stripes

There’s something about stripes that says spring and summer. Stripes add an instant nautical feel to your home, especially like the casual striped rug pictured here. Striped accessories like cushions and dishware are easy to add around the house and have a way of bringing a light and airy feeling along with them. The picture below makes me think of Nantucket in the summer; I can just smell that sea air  — I love the effortless look of beach-inspired decor.  Add some vibrant colour to your home with these fab finds:

1 Pieced Awning Stripe Mat
Available at: Pottery Barn

2 Melamine Lidded Bowl Set
Available at: Crate & Barrel

3 Brie Stripe, Granite
Available at: Tonic Living

4 Cottage Stripe Cotton Rug Collection
Available at: Garnet Hill

5 Iittala Mug
Available at: Iittala

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magnique: magnifique!

Spring is in the air and with the arrival of this much-anticipated season comes, for many, a renewed commitment to getting organized at home. In some ways, it’s like the new year; a fresh start, a new beginning. And these days, getting organized has never been easier or more stylish. There are all kinds of tools on the market to help making home organization easier than ever before. But getting organized doesn’t have to mean huge at-home overhauls involving new built-in closets or large-scale pieces of furniture. Sometimes the key is to start with the little things, like bills, paperwork, odds and ends. I recently discovered these magnetic boards from Magnique, a fabulous Canadian company. All of the Magnique boards and gorgeous glass magnets are handmade in Toronto. These customizable boards come in a variety of colours of leather and suede and can be used all over the house to organize paper, create vision boards, keep track of grocery lists and to-dos or even display photos. I love the colourful magnets, handmade in Canada with glass imported from Italy. You may want to buy some extras for your fridge.
Visit magnique.com for more information.

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feeling green

I’m feeling a bit green today. Not eco-friendly, do-the-environment-a-spot-of-good green. Just green. Spring arrived somewhat anticlimactically last week and hasn’t been seen since. But inside, I’m ready for it, despite the fact that outwardly, I’m still bundled up in all my winter gear. So until spring decides to come out of hiding, I’m going to think green. It’s such a bright, cheerful colour, one that evokes feelings of life and rebirth, rejuvenation and new beginnings. Here are a few things to help add a dash of green to your home:

1 Hariette chair
Available at: Garnet Hill
Price: $1,550 – $1,680

2 Pine Cone Hill lattice citrus window panel
Available at: Layla Grace
Price: $64

3 Soho Apartment dessert plates and mugs
Available at: Rosanna Inc.

Price: See website for details

4 Martha Stewart Collection green colander
Available at: Macy’s
Price: $19.99

5 Jamie Oliver lime green pitcher
Available at: Sears
Price: $22.99

6 Tonal stripe organic duvet cover and sham
Available at: Pottery Barn
Price: $23 – $135

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update your bathroom with a new shower curtain

One of the quickest, most inexpensive ways to update your bathroom is to change the shower curtain. With so many designs out there to choose from, you can give your bathroom a whole new look in mere minutes. Here are a few I like:

1 Caribbean fish
garnethill.com
$48

2 Garden blossom
dwellshop.com
$73

3 Monterey shower curtain
cb2.com
$34.95

4 Dots fabric
cozyhomewares.com
$29.99

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dvira ink

I’m still scouring the web for designers whose work I love and for fab pictures to share with you. Up today: Dvira Ink. You may know the Toronto-based designer Dvira Ovadia from the Global television show From the Ground Up with Debbie Travis. Dvira won the show in 2007, earning her the title of chief designer for Debbie Travis. In this role, Dvira worked with Debbie Travis to design 10 model homes for Tribute Communities. Here are a few pictures that illustrate her elegant contemporary style. For more information, visit: Dvira Ink.

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les indiennes

Love, love, love these Indian-inspired fabrics. I just stumbled upon this site and fell in love with the simplified take on intricate Indian design. Here’s a bit about the Tucson-based company Les Indiennes:

“When Mary Mulcahy first developed an interest in Indian textiles, she just wanted fabrics that were as she envisioned them- fresh and simple, authentically Indian yet pleasing to the Western eye.

What were once complex traditional designs with multiple colors, she transformed by extracting and simplifying particular motifs, reducing them to a single color, and elegantly spacing them on a creamy white background. The fabric was so wonderful that Les Indiennes came into being.

We are particularly proud of the fact that Les Indiennes never set out to industrialize or to change the way things are done in India. The production of our fabric does not cause pollution nor does it disrupt the traditional lifestyle of the village where it is made. Les Indiennes provides fair trade employment for over 50 families, raising the standard of living for the entire community, and all the while leaving no environmental or social footprint.”

For more, visit: Les Indiennes

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eileen fisher bedding

One of my biggest pet peeves has to be finding something I love online and then discovering that the U.S. retailer doesn’t ship to Canada. I just don’t understand how cross-border shipping can still be such a problem. Regardless, I love cyber-shopping and getting inspiration from photos, even if I can’t purchase the product. This bedding from Eileen Fisher is just stunning. I adore the muted colour palette and the hand-tufted pure silk comforter.

More about bedding:
10 beautiful bedding picks
Buying guide: Pillows, sheets and duvets
How to: Make a bed

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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