Finally the warm weather has arrived! It’s time to go through the storage and dig out those patio chairs and flower pots. I always love this time of year, because I get a chance to experiment with colours and transform my outdoor space into something new. Like in nature everything is harmoniously connected. Like with any interior space it is important to create a cohesive look through layering. Look around your backyard and start pulling colours out of the surroundings. Look closely, it’s amazing how many different tones exist in a single pebble.

My neighbour recently came by for some designer advice on outdoor furniture. After looking at her backyard, we found several warm gray tones that would be used in her seat cushions. Incorporating furniture in a light wood birch would go perfectly with warm gray tones. Keeping larger items in a neutral palette allows for flexibility with accessories. A fresh new look each year with a few simple changes without breaking the bank.

The outdoor space really becomes an extension of our homes. Bringing elements such as lighting and even introducing artwork completely transforms my garden. The fence is simply a different type of wall. A recent DIY project of mine was a wire sculpture in the shape of a circle that I ended up hanging on my fence. It became a real focal point in my outdoor lounging area. Next step is finding that punch of colour that becomes the perfect accent. I think I’m in the mood for pink and yellow…can’t wait to go shopping!

Create the popular look by putting areas or blocks of solid colour next to each other. These colour harmonies can either be a combination of bright colours, muted colours, contrasting or complimentary colours. Have a look at the colour wheel as your guide and choose colours that are opposite on the colour wheel. Keeping your colour combinations in the same level of intensity is key – for example, pairing up a bright pink with a dull orange won’t achieve the colour block.

This could be intimidating to some. Start small with items that are not so ‘permanent’, such as bedding or vignettes. This is why I’m a big fan of white walls. A white canvas gives you the flexibility to change your looks completely with the season (or your mood) just by switching out your accessories. Once you are comfortable and confident with your creations, you can experiment with paint colours.

Colour Tip, stick to a maximum of three colors to avoid a ‘Rainbow Brite’ look.

Now, are you brave enough to Rock the Colour Block?

www.sa-sha-murals.blogspot.com
647.242.2330

Look out for a custom creation on the side of our office building by Sa~sha Murals in the near furture!

Highlights:
The gala greeters included entertainment from Stomp, So You Think You Can Dance… A headlining DJ set from DJ Karim Rashid, an auction of 20 Julian chairs by Magis (each redesigned by a different participant). There was Beer and Wine tasting and edibles from Wish, Burger Shoppe, Quality Meats, Belvedere Vodka and more.
The entrance installation featured a felt strip curtain of sorts suspended from the ceilings. Digital images were projected onto the piece.
Italian designer Piero Lissoni who has designed everything from household items to luxury hotels and yachts was this year’s international guest of honour. His installation covered 1,200 square feet – beautiful.
Mason Studio converted half of a shipping container into a living space, Our Home and Native Land. Designers Stanley Sun and Ashley Rumsey created a ‘trough-slash-table that featured various vignettes, but also acted as a route for water to travers, running from a faucet into a garden.
Just a few out of many incredible vendors.

Lighting:
Living Lighting on King Street, owner Jodi…. Was on hand – great booth!
Flos – Fantastic contemporary residential and corporate fixtures – Need to recharge your iPhone, tablet, laptop or other electronic gadget? Do so in style at the FLOS Power Station, where the lighting company will be previewing Philippe Stark’s ground breaking D’E-light lamp, which doubles as a PDA power source.
Am Studio – Custom Lighting and Art Glass Studio, Amazing
Eurolite – Fantastic, they’ve been around since the late 80’s, now in their new diggs 200 Queens Quay
Ridgely Studios – Very Kool

Furniture:
ELTE– One of our favourite Toronto furniture and rug shops. They have it all. ELTE displayed their one-of-a kind Silk Orchid Collection Rugs. These rugs are woven together with the unwound thresds of vintage silk saries from India. The entire collection currently consists of just 40 rugs.
UpCountry – Introduced a new line brought in by Terry Iwaskiw.
North on Sixty – Lots of beautiful wood!
L’Atelier – Owner/Designer Youssef Hasbani created a beautiful installation in his unique eclectic style.
Out Door Furniture:
SUNG Outdoor – Canadian fashion designer Alfred Sung launched the all new St.Tropez collection inspired by the pure and simple style of the French Riviera.
Andrew Richard designs – Led by brothers Andrew and Richard Bockner, they bring unparalleled innovation, style and comfort to outdoor furniture.
Jardin De Ville – This Quebec based firm with satellite showroom in Toronto has been family-owned for over 50 years. Specializing in high-end outdoor furnishings, they distribute Danish, French, Belgian and German lines as well as producing their own in-house designs.
Other:
JK Studio, Heidi Earnshaw Design, Shawn Place Designs, Felt Studio – The list goes on and on…

I recently dropped in to see a new lighting shop called Dark, located just south of the Lakeshore on Carlaw Avenue.  I was given the full tour by owner Mo Nahar who was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable.

If you’re looking for modern lighting that takes budget into consideration you must make this a definite stop on your shopping list.

They are distributors for Corbett, Troy, Habbardton Forge and several other lighting design/manufacturers.

Their showroom features some beautiful lighting fixtures from wall sconces to large and small ceiling fixtures, pendant lighting and task lighting. 

Let us know if you plan a visit to Dark Tools. We would be happy to introduce you and pass along any Designers Discount.

Happy Shopping.

DESIGN FIND ~ LED LIGHTING:

LED lighting has come a long way over the past 12 months.  Applications of strip lighting and SMD LED puck lights are endless.  Some of the advantages of LED lighting are their operational life, white LED lamps will have a 100,000 hours estimate life.  This is 11 years of continuous operation.  The average life of an incandescent bulb is approximately 5000 hours.  Another significant factor of us in large office buildings is the cost of maintenance to replace bulbs can be enormous. 

The key strength of LED lighting is reduced poser consumption.  When designed properly an LED circuit will approach 80% efficiency, which means 80% of the electrical energy is converted to light energy.  The remaining 20% is lost as heat energy.  Compare that with incandescent  bulbs which operates at about a 20% efficiency (80% of the electrical energy is lost as heat).

As the cost of LED lighting comes down along with the flexibility of usage, colour tone and brightness flexibility, LED lighting is an exciting trend that is here to stay.

Erin also spoke about the designers rule about not using more than three colours, you can use different shades of each colour but keep in mind rules can be broken. 

Global Style is certainly on trend and I’ll bet many of you already bring this into your décor now.  Don’t be afraid to add a little extra punch – start with a wild pillow. Have fun and ‘Live your life by design’.

Peter