Displaying posts from August, 2012

Happy Friday everyone! I am back from Vegas, having attending the Vegas Market for the first time and holy smokes did I see some fantastic stuff! I had a great time so a huge thanks to Traditional Home magazine for sending me. I also got a rare opportunity to meet a bunch of fellow bloggers including Jill, Cassandra, Victoria, Naomi and Kelly. To let you in on what I was up to this week in Vegas, I thought I’d start by showing you a peek at the lovely hotel we stayed in, and my favourite showroom at Market.

We were booked at the Aria hotel, which is relatively new on the strip. I brought my mom with me (she needed a holiday desperately) and we both really enjoyed the room – the beds were heavenly, and it was very tough call to climb out of bed each morning. Lots of great restaurants (Julian Serrano’s tapas restaurant was YUMMY) and shopping too.

P.S. I have to mention this because I am so shocked. My mom flew home to Ottawa from Vegas with Delta airlines (I flew with AA). She missed her connecting flight in Detroit because the Vegas fight was delayed by about 2 hours. With more cancellations and a whole bunch of dumb excuses later, she finally got home – nearly 24 hours later. So just a tip for anyone traveling around the States – DO NOT fly Delta. And their heartless staff didn’t give a shit that almost 500 people ended up stranded – not for weather reasons but because of pilots not showing up and other ridiculous reasons).

On Tuesday after all of us bloggers had finished a tour and “treasure hunt” at the Market, we were invited for cocktails at the Four Hands showroom. This showroom became by far my favourite of the entire event. Their aesthetic is so up my alley – lots of pieces created from reclaimed wood and furniture made from metal creating a very industrial look. YESSSS!!!!! I had my margarita in one hand and my camera in the other, and did a quick tour around. Fabulousness at every turn. (I must add that there were such beautiful groupings of wild flowers everywhere that just made the displays perfect – one photo below shows flowers tucked into rolled magazine pages. Cute!)

Kim is hoping to start her new home in the coming year. She has been gathering ideas for months (actually that is probably years) and I have been equally guilty of bookmarking pages and saving files. Today I came across these stairs while real estate stalking. The moment I saw them I thought “Kim’s new home”. And if she doesn’t like them I’m sure there is someone out there who will. You can see the rest of the house here.

An original 1950’s post & beam house and a newly designed addition. Midcentury aesthetic married with honesty of materials. A beautiful transition between inside and out. A design that respects the site and the natural vegetation (yes that is a tree wending its way through the room). Privacy and a sense of voyeurism. Steel and wood and glass. It’s love on my part. The Runyon Canyon house by Mike Jacobs Architecture.

Here’s one more home designed by Melbourne’s Chelsea Hing. It’s a bit less modern than the last one, but I adore this one because of all the gorgeous Australain aboriginal artwork. I have a slight obsession I have to admit. I’d love a collection of black and white pieces one day…

Melbourne based interior designer Chelsea Hing is very versatile – check out an eclectic apartment (and restaurant) and a country-style home that Jo featured here in the past. Now it’s time for some modern touches, but what I love is that it’s not over the top modern. With the addition of some whimsical artwork (including a David Bromley piece), billowing curtains and a funky sofa pit in the media room, it’s a not-so-serious take on the style. And of course, how fab to have those moveable walls to open the indoors to the outdoors. (Architected by Richard Kerr)