Displaying posts from November, 2011

Cassiano Anjo was a journalist until the turn of a potter’s wheel changed his life. “What can I say about myself as a potter? I have so much fun doing it, and started intuitively a few years ago, after attending a ceramic workshop with a ceramicist that does beautiful work with paperclay. I guess I cannot tell how exactly my work is going to evolve, it’s kind of early, but I would visualize clean, organic forms, mostly in porcelain.” Beauty in the pots, beauty in the studio. What a wonderful space to create. Earthy, peaceful, rich yet simple, layers of texture but always the smooth beauty of the clay. Cassiano’s studio is in Uberaba, Brazil.

I thought those of you looking for a little kitchen inspiration might enjoy the following kitchens from the folks at Dovetail~Workers in Wood. They are based in Hampshire, UK, and obviously take pride in their work and create dream kitchens for each one of their clients. I love the details they’ve included in some of their kitchens – from a compost drawer to a little niche for trays. Check those out after the jump. First up, some kitchens that caught my eye.

If you’d like to send us photos to include in next week’s “pets on furniture” post, please ensure your photos follow our basic rules: First, the pet must be on a piece of furniture. And said piece of furniture must be clearly visible in the photo, so it takes center stage rather than your pet. Think of it more of a photo of a great piece of furniture that you want to show off…and your pet happens to be sitting on it. And second, the photo must be of decent quality. If it’s dark or fuzzy (from a camera phone) then it may not make the cut. Thanks! (Photos, your name, location and a brief description can be sent to  desiretoinspirekim[@]hotmail[.]com and PLEASE don’t send closeups of your pet!)

This is my Miniature Poodle (Mr.) Darcy soaking up the morning sun. He was looking towards the window and likely thinking of heading for the large armchair that he uses as his viewing spot.
– Jenn (Toronto)

I’m attaching a photo of a daybed that my husband made, using reclaimed wood.  We just upgraded to a flat screen (better late than never) and I wanted a daybed to place underneath the tv, so the wall can be used, not just watched! It is covered in our old organic unbleached cotton duvet cover.  Ikea lamp behind and 3 of our photos.  Chair under the photos is early 1900’s french.  Oh, and the cat is Smokey.
– Sylvie (Bellingham, Washington, originally from BC)

This is Mango our 8 month old Golden Doodle. Her favorite spot is your favorite spot!
– Monica (Brea, CA)

– Sharon (Bloomington, IN)

i normally don’t take many photos of my own dogs…but diego was just too cute as a puppy & we had a break on this particular shoot…so i put him up on the stool & snapped a few pics…the last one is of diego now
– Robyn

I would like to send you some images of my dog in my house. He is a lhasa-apso and his name is Zulu. I’m an plastic artist and I love colours and dogs.
– Isabel (Londrina/Pr/Brazil)

This is our cat, Mojo. She’s tiny — she weighs about 6 pounds. We call her “the koala” because of the way she grips things while she’s sleeping. I bought this butterscotch colored loveseat for $100 on eBay from a shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana a couple years ago. It’s a great piece of living room furniture and so easy to clean when you have pets! (We have another cat and a dog.)
– Katherine

A freak October snowstorm kept Cooper and Addie close to the fire on their favorite perch, a Barcelona ottoman.
– Cathy & Bruce

All of our animals are rescues- Bailey is the larger brown/white beagle/pointer mix. She recently lost her front right leg to a tumor and is doing wonderfully! The little white furball is Tank- I adopted him in April of this year! He is a pekingese, his mother was rescued from a puppy mill when she was pregnant. The one of him on the red towel all fluffed up was the first night home with us! I like the other one of him even more- his underbite is poking out and he looks like a very pensive man. Lastly the furry kitty is Gizmo- I couldn’t find many non-grainy pictures of her because she is always moving! I love that picture because she’s all snuggled up in the corner.
– Julia

I get this email from my wife with the subject line…. Monster created.  I figured it was one of our dogs, Molly or Ace doing something.  Turns out that after 6 years, Ace thinks he has free reign over all the furniture in the house.  In this case, it’s our bed.  Indeed, a monster has been created!!!
– Glenn (Rockville, MD)

Chloe the cat, “Yoga cat”, on our old sofa and having a merry Christmas on our piano.  
– Anne (Rochester, NY)

This is my mums cornish rex, India, she’s got a fabulous elegance about her, even while watching the other animals outside (she’s not allowed out because she’s got light skin and white fur sue she’d get sun burn) she sits on a chair. The second photo of her is on the food bin, with her “please feed me” face.
– Katie (Yarra Valley, Australia)

Love this twist on traditional bathroom by Alex MacArthur. Decadent and dark. If cleanliness is next to godliness then this grey ablutions room is perfect for those boys and girls who like to be a bit naughty but nice.

I was stoked to get my hands on a new book (out November 1st, from Clarkson Potter) by Celerie Kemble called Black and White (And a Bit in Between). Being a HUGE fan of black and white decor, this book was completely for me. It’s got a bit of everything, from classic to rustic to über modern. And I was pleasantly surprised to find some of my favourite black and white spaces – including photo #3 below (which Celerie also loves, as she has had it hung above her desk for years). There’s even a photo of Celerie’s to-die-for bathroom (photo #2 below). This book is a keeper, and I would highly recommend it to anyone with a love for this colour scheme. Get yourself a copy here or here (among others).

For Celerie Kemble and her acclaimed designer peers, the possibilities of black and white home decor are endless and suit any aesthetic. In BLACK AND WHITE (AND A BIT IN BETWEEN), Celerie welcomes readers into more than 75 homes, sharing advice on choosing the best paints and finishes; adding patterns, accessories, and collections; building an entire room scheme based on inspiration from nature; and even choosing the perfect accent colors.

P.S. More photos from the book and some Ottawa news after the jump

And for some quick local news – Mike from The Modern Shop emailed me that he is having a HUGE sale at the end of November. As I am a lighting whore and his shop sells all of my favourite brands, I’m booking it in my calendar. I think I’ll stock pile some fixtures (and maybe yet another chair) for the new house. 🙂