Kim's personal links
MY FAVOURITE DECOR SHOPS IN OTTAWA
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kitchen remodel in my last house
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my twin sister's mostly kid's rooms decor blog
Love the styling of the latest range by Australian furniture designers Zuster. Fabulous furniture. Wonderful "rooms". Seriously how sexy are those American Oak legs on the Sabrina Lounge! By turning to the dark side the sisters have found the perfect counterfoil to their new range. Inspiring. Beautiful.
This is the last day of a 4 day weekend for me - essentially the only span of time off from my day job I am taking this summer. (I thought I should save my vacation days for the house renos which gawd knows when or if they will start anytime soon). Friday my husband Jeff and I stopped off at a couple of my favourite local home furnishing shops to get an idea of what we might want to purchase when the house is complete. One of those shops was Green Light District Design, which I have blogged about here and here. Jeff and I had dinner with the owners, Deborah and David, a couple of weeks ago and found out some very sad news. They are packing up the shop and moving it to Toronto. I am happy that Deborah and David are taking their shop to greener pastures but I am really disappointed that the shop didn't work here in Ottawa. So before they left Jeff and I decided to pick out some things that we've had our eyes on for ages, and we are planning to pick them up in Toronto and check out the new shop when the order comes in. In the meantime I picked up some more of the gorgeous dishes (handmade in South Africa) that I have been slowly acquiring since my first visit to GLDD, and of course took some photos. But before I share those, here are some details of the new shop: The name will now be 'Green Light District'....The new address is 365 Roncesvalles Ave in a totally renovated shop in Toronto's west end, near High Park....The website address remains the same....The neighbourhood of Roncy has had a complete street renewal over past 2 years which is now complete....We are keeping most of our current suppliers, but adding exciting new pieces....The last day in Ottawa will be Sept 11; opening in TO late September.
Here are the dishes Icould not pass up purchasing before the store closes. I snagged a couple more soup bowls, side plates, pasta bowls, finally some dinner plates (love the unfinished edge!), and a really pretty accent bowl. I adore how they are SO handmade that each piece is really a different shape, and when stacked they sit unevenly. PRETTY!!!
I only managed to fit in a few shops when I was in Sydney just over a week ago. Don't ask ... after all your marvelous suggestions I threw my back out and could barely walk. One shop I HAD to visit was Sibella Court's The Society Inc. Amazing! This wunderkammer of a shop is a must see on your Sydney travels. Two tiny rooms in a bijou Paddington terrace. Two tiny rooms packed to the rafters with the unusual, the quirky, the weird and the beautiful. Like a bowerbird's nest. Like an old hardware store. Like a step back in time. Like a dream. Only Sibella could pull it all together and make it work. On a wet, miserable day I was giddy with excitement. (Apologies again for my point and click pics. One day I'll buy a decent camera. Have promised myself a fabulous rug first :P)
I'll real estate stalk anything it seems. Like this Windsor, Melbourne terrace house. Perusing the photos I thought yes like the chandelier, celadon vases are certainly spectacular if not a little large (I'd be petrified I'd knock them over), blanc de chine on the mantle is lovely. Why is the chair facing a mirror? Is that make-up on a console? Strange bottles to have in the kitchen window. Light bulb moment when I read the accompanying text. Terrace for sale currently leased as a hair salon. Stylish indeed and just a little special, like a private boudoir. I'd love to see the courtyard in full summer bloom. I'm sure it would be lush with greenery. Link here while it lasts.
When I was in Sydney last week there was one place I just had to visit, one store that has been calling me like a siren ever since I heard its name. Pure and General, a wonderland of an emporium in Potts Point. Owner Linda Gregoriou and manager Cassie Karinsky made me feel welcome and shared the stories behind their beautifully curated wares sourced from exotic locales around the world. These women share a passion and it shows. Although I had seen shots of the space as a whole nothing prepared me for the beauty in the detail. Everywhere I looked there was something exquisite, something I soooo wanted. My little point and shoot camera just can't do this store justice. If you are ever in Sydney this jewel of a shop is a must visit.
Pure and General is at 114 Brougham St, Potts Point, NSW 2010.
Fri, 21 Oct 2011