Displaying posts from January, 2019

Elysian Landscapes

Posted on Fri, 11 Jan 2019 by midcenturyjo

First day back and I’m already in the garden but who can blame me when my inspiration is provided by Los Angeles-based Elysian Landscapes. Whether a private oasis to escape from the mad L.A. hype or the public face (or should that be space) for high end retailers like Balenciaga, Balmain and Isabel Marant, the design/build firm believes “that landscape is a conduit for social engagement and can inspire meaningful connections between people, places, nature and the seasons. With an ambition toward creating dynamic environments, which join us to our context and community, our projects are vibrant, visible and integrated within our daily lives.” It’s about atmosphere, movement, colour and light, about the public and the private. (Kim’s post from over 10 years ago is here.)

Blue and green in a Paris apartment

Posted on Thu, 10 Jan 2019 by KiM

This post is a combination of 3 big loves of mine. Paris architecture, jaw-dropping interior design and one of my favourite architecture + design firms GCG Architectes. This apartment is really REALLY fabulous. I adore every inch of it – from the blue and green colour scheme to the chevron wood floors to the tile and that little high gloss dining niche (that is something I’m taking note of – I ADORE how they painted out the window sills). ***Update: this is the apartment of Studio Maddox, who is responsible for the interior design.

Photos: Sister Agency

Catherine Bedel

Posted on Thu, 10 Jan 2019 by KiM

I came across the portfolio of interior designer Catherine Bedel recently and was intrigued by her bold use of colour and pattern in a modern way. Here are 2 apartments she designed. The first is in Luxembourg and the second is her own apartment in Saint Germain, Paris. Both are just really graphic, eye-popping and ballsy. So I now love her. And she makes me want to grab a paint brush, a huge canvas and some black paint and make some art.

Top 5 sleeper sofas and sofa beds

Posted on Wed, 9 Jan 2019 by KiM

For those on the hunt for a sleeper sofa/sofa bed I thought I would share some worthy options and will break it down into my top 5 favourites. But first a quick story. My husband and I own a 4 bedroom house. We have no kids. This was a sweet setup because we each ended up with a dressing room. And the obvious choice for the third extra bedroom was to use it as a guest bedroom. After a few years we realized what a dumb idea that was in reality. No one visits us and stays over! So we had a room with a bed that was only ever used by the cats. We ended up getting rid of the bed and put a small sofa in there and it became a media room where I do most of my Netflixing. Then my mother-in-law and niece-in-law visited from the Maritimes back in the spring and stayed several days. OOPS! What could we have used for this visit? A sleeper sofa!!! It’s the obvious choice when you don’t really want to take up much space for a bed that will only get used occasionally. On the hunt for sleeper sofas/sofa beds I go! I hear the problem with these are that they can be uncomfortable, heavy and noisy/clumsy to open. For the record, the following appear to be none of those.

My first pick is the Soho Sofa Bed by The Sofa Bed Store™.

What I love about this sofa bed is that you would NEVER know it is one. It really a statement piece, great for large family rooms, and larger spaces in general because of the bulky arms, which actually double as side tables! That is a perk when it’s opened as a bed too – tables right next to you for your book, phone, glasses etc. This one is a queen sized 12″ thick pocket coil mattress. WUT?! That is going to be SO comfortable. I would happily let my mother-in-law sleep on it. Currently on sale for $3695 (CAD).

My second pick is the Movie Night with wood arms. Also by The Sofa Bed Store™.

If chunky arms aren’t your thing, then this sofa bed is a clear winner. I LOVE the arms on this. And the overall style again is modern and leaves you clueless that it is a sleeper sofa. Perfect in a living room, a media room (mine!) and awesome for curling up and well, watching a movie! This one has the same queen size luxury mattress as the previous pick. Winner winner chicken dinner! On sale for $3495 (CAD).

My third choice is the Sulley by American Leather.

Offered in about a zillion different colours and in fabrics like leather, sunbrella, ultrasuede, crypton etc. etc. Tons of options to customize. This one has a 4″ high-density foam mattress. A sleek, modern option. On sale right now @ Artesanos for $3949 (USD)

Choice #4 is the Stretch series sleeper sofa. Again by The Sofa Bed Store™. I have to include a few photos of this one to show you its versatility.

Forget the mother-in-law – I want to lounge on this and Netflix binge for an entire day! This sleeper sofa is a perfect small space solution. Ideal in offices, dens, guest rooms, and of course bedrooms converted into media rooms 🙂 This one comes in double or queen and has the same luxurious mattress as the other 2 above but is 7”. Love the mid-century vibe of the legs. A great price @ $2469 (CAD).

#5 on my list is the Nest sofa bed. This one is also by The Sofa Bed Store™. If you prefer a simple design this one is IT.

The more I look at the photos of this one, the more I love it. It’s the perfect small space sleeper sofa for a corner of a room, or in an office where you want something tucked at the other end in an inconspicuous way. I got rid of a giant leather sofa in the home-office end of my living room and this would be perfect where my old sofa was as I want something bench-like where I could chill out and read a magazine when I need a work break. Or husband can perch on it while I stalk endlessly about all the projects I want done around the house. 🙂 Anyhoo, the serious bonus of this sofa bed is OMG – storage! Everything you need to turn this into a bed can be stored within it. This is a queen sized 8″ mattress. LOVE! This one is available on the US site for $1895 USD

***Note: The Sofa Bed Store™ happens to be located in Ottawa (!!!) and Toronto. And their products are flat-packed so yes, you have to put them together but you can easily get the sofa into any size room. (To note: if you live in Ottawa or Toronto they deliver and assemble free of charge! And free shipping across North America) Also noting pocket coil mattresses seem quite durable if you want a long-term option.