Happy New Year

Are you excited for 2012? I hope you have a wonderful year ahead of you, full of love, happiness and surprises. I'm so thankful for an amazing 2011 year - it was filled with so many memorable moments that I will cherish forever. 2011 was also very busy year, 2 major renovations (new house and cabin), lots of travel (London, Scotland, Quebec, San Francisco, Nova Scotia and The Turks and Caicos) and a new a business venture for Oliver (Octagon Motors). Homeworx has also been very busy due to the overwhelming demand for us to build custom homes for new clients. We hope to be starting on a new Homeworx project within the next couple of months, I'm excited about getting my creative design juices flowing again (I have the best job in the world, imagine a whole house as a blank canvas...so many new and well quite frankly old ideas churning in my head, I'm thinking, vintage, vintage vintage - love it). Anyway so much to fill you in on, including the fabulous year we spent in Homeworx's modern home on 15th. The house is back on the market and I can't tell you how much I miss that truly incredible view and that amazing kitchen with that to die for 14 ft island - an entertaining dream. I'd like to spend a few posts reflecting back on 2011, catching up and then onwards and upwards - 2012 promises to be just as busy and I say - bring it on. All the best Lisa

Congratulations to my creative friend!

My good friend Adam Katz of NATE (organics) was Designer of the Week in last Sunday's Vancouver Province. I love Adam's dedication to environmental and social awareness and sustainability, it comes from the heart. At NATE (organics), Adam's choice to use certified organic cotton helps him do his part to ensure that farmers as well the communities supporting the organic farmland are exposed to far fewer chemicals. Adam says that more than 1/3 of a pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used in the growing of conventional cotton - yikes. Sunday's Province article gives a shout out to Adam's new collection, "refind". In the refind collection Adam is using (he calls it upcycling not recycling) vintage designer silk ties, NATE organic Ts from past seasons and vintage rock Ts turning them into "a collection for the cool, conscious and collected". Well done Adam!



From Adam's website http://nateorganics.com/site

Keep Calm and Carry On, my favourite!



Sorry Adam, couldn't resist,  I found this picture on Adam's website... fair game I say. Adam with is faithful companion not coincidentally named Nate (Nate is now bigger than Adam!)



Wicked clever: Being eco-friendly and super cool!

Well spent afternoon

I spent Friday afternoon at the Interior Design Show West, it was trade day yesterday and it was nice to run into people I work with and chit - chat and about what everyone is up to. First off, I must confess that I have not been inside Vancouver's Trade and Convention Centre where this year's show is being held, so I was excited to be seeing this fabulous building (especially on such a gorgeous day), it definitely lived up to the hype - fab. Amongst the exhibitors I visited, was Lara at the Solus Decor display. We often use Solus for our fireplace mantels, they make the most amazing concrete surrounds in several styles - from modern to traditional. Lara was excited about a new line of planters they are carrying from Swiss eform. All of the Swiss eform products are handmade in Switzerland from a breathable, frost free, durable and recyclable fiber cement. My favourite from the line are the Ginko planters, the shape allows you to nestle them together or arrange them in a line, bonus - they are light weight!

Ginko Planters available at Solus Decor

Beautiful: seeing all the blond wood flooring EVERYWHERE. 

  

Excitng new store alert

Two of my favourite people are opening their first retail store here in Vancouver. Rien amd Michael are the brilliant young minds behind Revamp, Vancouver's first staging company. I have worked with Revamp for years they have a great eye for style, I wish them best of luck in their new venture. Mint Interiors will be opening October 25th at a super location, 1805 Fir St (@ West 2nd) right near the entrance to Granville Island and my favourite lighting store Luminosa.



Local artist shout out.

Being a home builder means keeping an eye on the competition and checking out what other developers are up to. It was during one of these outings that Oliver and I came across one home with several pieces of sculpture that knocked our socks off, amazing figures of bronze and cable (similar to the photo below).

A few weeks later Oliver had a chance meeting with our friend,  Michele Becker of Becker Galleries, Oliver explained the fabulous sculptures we had seen and Michele of course knew exactly who it was, in fact coincidentally she was hosting a an exhibition of the artist himself David Robinson. We have got great friends!

Oliver and I are so happy to have been able to purchase the above sculpture, Celestial Navigation by David Robinson, it's proudly displayed in our living room. The directional halogen lights help to show off the artwork's amazing detail, reflecting light and adding depth to the piece. It makes me smile every time I walk into that room.

Beautiful: a piece of art that entices one in, time and time again, sometimes seeing elements not noticed before.

Soup Anyone?

One of the fun things about designing a modern home's interior is that you can make some style choices that are a little quirky. I was so pumped to find some really interesting light fixtures for our two modern homes on west 15th Ave here in Vancouver.

The Canned Light from Ingo Maurer at 3715 West 15th Ave., inspired the red back painted glass backsplash.

Luzifer's Mini Mikado Suspension Lamp was one of the first design elements I chose for 3725 West 15th, I could imagine how the fanned out veneer strips would create interesting shadows on the almost white walls. The colour green was also bang on, bringing the outdoors in, perfect against the big front windows. 

Online finds

Choosing the right design elements for our two modern homes was a little out of my usual comfort zone. Working with talented architect David Nicolay who is responsible for some of Vancouver's hippest dining spots The Habitat Lounge, The Cascade Room and Latitude Restaurant and Wine Bar was also, needless to say a little daunting. Rising to the challenge, I did a lot of my shopping online, finding some pretty cool things while trying to keep to the idea of choosing eco-friendly products. I was thrilled to find some fantastic mirrors for the powder rooms on the main floor.

Powder room 3715 West 15th

These mirrors are made of recycled aluminium by New York artist Babette Holland. Babette spins the recycled aluminium much like a potter would spin clay to produce these works of art,  as well as beautiful lamps and vases. 

Wicked clever: artists who step out the box to produce beautiful objects through creative use of recycled materials.