This weekend offers Toronto house junkies an opportunity to experience one of the city’s most precious jewels, the quaint, cottage-y neighbourhoods on Algonquin and Ward’s Islands. Dubbed the Toronto Island House and History Tour, the June 13 event has been organized by Grannies in Spirit, a group supporting the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign, a project that has so far raised more than $7 million for African grandmothers and the children in their care. Last Sunday, I was lucky enough to enjoy a preview of three island homes with one of the tour organizers, Paulette Pelletier-Kelly.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
The carpet of blue Scilla (Siberian Squills) doesn't really make itself felt in the lead photo but it's jaw-dropping to behold in person. Every year, typically closer to May, the lawn at 67 Glen Road (corner of Elm Avenue) erupts in the most dazzling display of Prussian blue: add in the yellow Forsythia and pink and white magnolias and you've got a fine sight for winter weary eyes. How many years must it have taken to blanket the property so thoroughly?
Monday, March 29, 2010
There wasn't much chance of me passing the amazing mandala-style mirror in the entryway of Hardware without going in to investigate. What a stunner! The sunburst is about four feet tall, constructed of wood with a faux, gold leaf finish. The $895 price seems eminently reasonable given the amount of work and materials involved. The outer ring details are reminiscent of fleur-de-lis. Hardware is also featuring mirrored, lattice-style dividing screens ($995 per panel) and an impressive mirrored drum table ($1,150). Now, that's a lot of shine!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Toronto's Queen Street East is the city's best mid-century shopping drag and sometimes a trip down there can be the cause of considerable heartache. Like yesterday, for instance. At Phil'z (792 Queen Street East, 416.461.9913), I fell in love with what my companions and I dubbed the Hammock Chair. Shopkeeper Cynthia doesn't have any info regarding its provenance but what we all know is that the chair is a knock-out!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
As promised, here's a little survey of the newest entrants on Toronto's high-end decor strip along Yonge Street between Rosedale and Summerhill subway stations. This neck of the decorating woods is mostly out of my snack bracket and yet I find myself trolling this drag more than any other. The proximity of so many great shops is dizzying and I'm always inspired by how the goods are styled and staged in these posh, aspirational showrooms.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
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