Silver Fox Energy at A Black Tie Wedding

Posted on December 6, 2023 by tina

Silver Fox Energy At A Black Tie Wedding: Finding Your Style Voice

The silver fox energy at a black tie wedding I attended blew me away, and here’s the story. The silver foxes owned their outfits with an unparalleled panache, and amidst them, I found my place, armed with a firm grasp of my Style Voice. Wearing an ensemble that echoed my personal aesthetic, I felt a surge of confidence and comfort. Picture yourself at a sumptuous black-tie wedding, a setting far removed from the familiar comforts of home. Surrounded by extravagance and the implicit expectation to dress in a certain manner, I anchored myself in a vital truth: style is an intimate affair, a mirror of our inner world rather than a mere response to social cues. Embracing what felt genuinely ‘me’ empowered me to confidently showcase my own style amidst the lavishness of the occasion.

Witnessing a Mosaic of Style Expressions

The venue was aflutter with guests, each interpreting the black tie code through their unique lens. Their poise and assurance radiated, underscoring that style isn’t tethered by geographical confines. Amidst the dazzling variety, a group that stood out was the elegant silver foxes, both male and female. But the women, defying age stereotypes, confidently donned bright colors, mini dresses, ball gowns, and so much more. Their flair was a testament that personal style transcends age.

Staying True Amidst Glamour

In this ocean of diverse outfits, my choice resonated distinctively. Genuine style is about embracing what feels right, without external pressures. Rooted in my personal comfort and conviction, my fashion narrative that evening was clear: a blend of simplicity with a bold undercurrent.

Appreciating the Diversity of Style Icons

As I stepped into the venue adorned with opulent decorations, I couldn’t help but notice the myriad of age groups and styles on display. The guests exuded confidence and sophistication, each interpreting the black tie dress code in their unique way. It was a true testament to the fact that style knows no boundaries. In a world where fashion trends come and go, one truth remains unwavering: style knows no age or geographical boundaries.

Transforming Simplicity to Elegance

I gravitated towards a modestly-priced COS dress, symbolizing my love for simplicity. Yet, it was the personal flourishes – a resplendent embroidered silk scarf and coordinated sandals – that amplified the elegance. This moment was a vivid reminder: true style isn’t about expenditure but personal ownership.

Silent Stories Spoken Through Attire

As hours danced by, my outfit narrated tales of my identity. It mirrored my penchant for the understated with a spark of panache. Through fabric and design, my attire effortlessly resonated my core beliefs and individuality.

Extending Style Beyond Clothes

The wedding was a clarion call, reinforcing my belief that style pervades every life dimension. Just as I have a signature fashion voice, the same philosophy guides me at home and in my everyday choices, ensuring harmony, authenticity, and comfort in every corner of life.

Confidence in My Style Voice: Comfort as a Guiding Light

Amid the sea of sophisticated ensembles, I didn’t feel out of place with my style choices. What sets personal style apart is the ability to confidently wear what resonates with you, irrespective of external influences. The regional style expectations that could have easily swayed me were mere whispers in the wind. I was armed with a firm belief in my own taste and a deep understanding of what makes me feel comfortable and confident. My style voice echoed a sentiment of bold simplicity – a philosophy I embrace wholeheartedly, even in the midst of an upscale event like this.

A Dress, A Scarf, and My Style Voice

For the event, I decided to adhere to my style voice’s mantra of ‘Bold Simplicity’. I chose a $180 COS dress that embodied simplicity in its design. But it was the way I personalized it that truly made the ensemble my own. A heavily embroidered silk scarf draped around my shoulders added an element of opulence, while matching sandals completed the look. This transformation taught me that style isn’t defined by price tags; it’s defined by how you wear what you wear, and the vibe you exude.

Unveiling Your Story Without Words

As the night unfolded, I realized that my outfit, much like everyone else’s, was telling a story. My dress and flamboyant scarf were an introduction to who I am and what I stand for. They whispered about my personal style voice, speaking boldly about my preferences for simplicity with a touch of extravagance. And the best part? I didn’t have to utter a single word; my attire was a representation of me, my values, my heritage and my authentic self.

Beyond the Price Tag: Embracing Self-Confidence

At an event where luxury fashion is often on full display, it’s natural to wonder if our own attire measures up. The question of cost can be particularly intimidating, making us question whether our outfit is “good enough.” As I looked around at the silver foxes, I was reminded that true style is not determined by the price tag. Confidence, comfort, and individuality are the real hallmarks of a well-put-together ensemble.

Integrating Style into Every Facet of Life

Attending the wedding deepened my understanding that style is much more than clothing; it’s a comprehensive lifestyle philosophy. This philosophy extends beyond the boundaries of fashion, influencing every facet of our lives. Whether it’s in choosing attire, curating a living space, or making daily decisions, I’m guided by my style voice which is ‘Effortless Bold Simplicity’. This approach is about more than aesthetics; it’s rooted in feeling comfortable and confident, and staying true to our authentic selves. By weaving harmony and authenticity into every aspect of our existence, we ensure that our personal style voice is not just seen, but lived in every decision we make. Does your Style Voice say it all?

As we navigate the intricate tapestry of our lives, this approach stands as a testament to the multifaceted nature of personal style. It signifies that style isn’t limited to clothing, but rather it’s a reflection of how we choose to live and express ourselves in every dimension. So, let’s embrace this lifestyle approach, infusing every choice with the same spirit of authenticity, confidence, and bold simplicity that defines our unique style voice.

Closing Thoughts: A Celebration of Individuality

Stepping away from the grandeur of the black tie wedding, I carried with me a renewed appreciation for the profound impact of personal style. It’s a force that transcends generations and blurs geographical boundaries, serving as a reminder that we’re all threads woven into the global tapestry of self-expression. The elegant silver foxes and the diverse assembly of guests served as living proof that style knows no age or geography – it’s a universal language that unites us all.

The event wasn’t solely a celebration of love; it was an ode to the beauty of style and self-expression. The silver foxes, each donning their distinctive and elegant ensembles, underlined the notion that fashion is an exquisite canvas upon which our individual personalities come to life. Embracing our uniqueness while respecting the choices of others is a transformative journey toward self-assuredness.

In the world of fashion, the price tag becomes secondary to the way you carry yourself. Whether your attire costs $180 or $1,800, what truly matters is the confidence and authenticity with which you wear it. As we navigate our personal journeys, let’s always keep in mind that style celebrates our individuality, weaving a narrative threaded with confidence, authenticity, and an unwavering commitment to staying true to ourselves. So, let your style voice resonate, let your choices reflect your essence, and let your journey be a testament to the power of embracing who you are.

As we journey together in celebrating and mastering our unique style voices, I’m excited to share that registration is now open for ‘Silver Style On The Go: Mastering Your Style Voice’. This program is designed to help you travel light and look great, ensuring your style speaks volumes wherever you go. Join us in this adventure of fashion and self-expression. More info HERE

Building A Home – A Long, Layered Approach.

Posted on May 7, 2022 by tina

*Room designed by Lassel Fragtrup. The focus is on the entire space. The furniture melts into the room so that the fireplace and coffee table take centre stage.*

“Ornament is Crime” Adolph Loos

Architects are not decorative. Our focus is on the spatial. That is, how can we make our spaces better. How can we make them appealing without any decoration at all. While part of an architect’s practice absolutely focuses on dressing interiors and adding finishing touches for clients (myself included!) there is always an eye fixed on the bigger picture. The form, the function, the relationship of built areas and voids, each space as it relates to and works with the other spaces– it’s always there in the back of my mind. The dip into some HGTV buzz words, the bones of the house are equally important (and influential on the space) as the finishing touches to make a space feel yours, feel authentic. And, any decoration that is added to a space has a reason to be there. It is meaningful.

A ‘decorated’ room by Sarah Richardson. The symmetrical end tables, lamps and pictures and the matchy-matchy accessories make the room feel decorated rather than evolved. The carpet is the most spectacular thing in the room and gives some hints about the owner’s personality. I’d like to see more personal items in the space to make it feel more authentic.

*This room feel more authentic. There is no symmetry or matchy-matchy in the space. The neutral backdrop allows the owner’s of objects of art to speak on behalf of the owner.*

Speaking of HGTV– I’ve been thinking a lot about the many, many, interior design shows that have been on in the last 10 or 20 years. For a lot of people, either design lovers, the design curious, and (before Netflix and Hulu… HGTV is vintage!) those stuck watching TV on the couch at 2pm when sick and nothing else in on… these design shows are the first taste of ‘interior design’.

The shows typically all work the same. You get a tour of a home that the owners love, but it needs a ‘refresh’. The TV design team comes in and whirls around with tape measures, fabric samples, a carpenter with a pencil behind their ear, and an interior designer with fantastic hair. Then, the house is a construction zone and everyone wears a hardhat (can it even be done in time?!). When the paint is dry (our first glimpse into the “makeover”) we get a lot of short and quick shots of people bringing in furniture, a pillow gets fluffed and placed just so, maybe some new candlesticks are tastefully added to a mantel or bookcase (perfectly styled), and usually a photo of the couple/family is placed somewhere with a wink and the host exclaiming ‘time to show the homeowners!’. Then we have the REVEAL. The home owners see their new home and often it’s a lot of ‘oh wow!’.

*From Youtube to exemplify the idea of the ‘reveal’*

I really dislike the reveal. Also called the ‘install’ by Interior Designers.

Think of it this way: It’s difficult to smooth a layer of textiles and trendy furniture (we cannot forget the ultimate trendy Matisse print!, framed or unframed, you know the one) over a room and expect it to work. It’s like trying to ice a cake in delicious home-made buttercream when the cake itself is half-cooked or tastes like cardboard. It just won’t taste the way you want it to, nor will it last (will you think back and say, hey– that cake worked great last time, let’s do it again with a bigger budget?).

The ‘install’ feels a little like this cake. Homes feel staged. Inauthentic. Devoid of personality. The owners are presented with an ‘instant’ room. Over time I have come to learn to treat interiors with as much consideration and thought for the occupants/owners as we do the structure. It is difficult to go down a checklist of what is popular now and build a room that both feels like you and will still look good and still feel authentic in 5 or 10 years. There is a focus to make this transformation instant and exciting (which makes for good TV…) rather than considered and layered. How many people really fit and love the current trends of shiplap, a sheepskin throw, muted neutrals, and an abstract painting that a consultant selected without input? You deserve a home beyond trendy and decorative.

*A room we have seen over and over. Shaker cabinets with sheepskin and lemons. Styled to offend no one.*

Your home should feel relevant. Truly, the only way to make your home more authentically you and different from everyone else’s is to have your home evolve from your experiences, history, culture etc… The most interesting and exciting homes are those that display these unique aspects and spark questions and interests and can be the basis for a great story.

As I said, architects are not decorative. Certainly, one thing may be chosen over another for aesthetics or great lines (we all have our weaknesses), but the idea of pure decoration is a classic architectural no-go. I love homes where people have a really good foundation (great space, good colour palette, wonderful furniture– think a great cake recipe) and over time layer it with all those finishing touches a la HGTV that come from family, travels, art that you picked because you loved it– not the closest Ikea or Target (a good icing).

Everything has a connection and a story. The lamp was found next to a garbage bin in New Delhi. The sculpture is by an Indian artist found in a gallery in Varanasi.

In my own home, things are a bit idiosyncratic. But it works. We have a mix of collected ceramics, art, family photos that blend with a modern home because we made space to highlight the things that are important to us. Our personal touches get pride of place and everything has a story and a connection to my family.

*Slow collecting over years from our travels. Put collections on trays to frame them.*

Consider the Eames Case Study house in the Pacific Palisades– a completely modern home, an absolute machine for living. And yet, it feels lived in and loved because it is filled with personal items and things from the Eames’ travels. A classic modern box dressed with absolute personality.

*Inside the Eames Case Study House in Pacific Palisades*

*A great example of how this couple has added their personality to their home.*

Another family friend has an equally striking home– lots of white and neutrals and softness that complement the taste of the owners, but the entire space is punctuated with objects they find beautiful.They set a strong foundation that showcase the things they love.

It bears repeating, architects are not decorative. We can’t help but see the relationship between everything in a space, it’s what we’re trained to do! To really build a space that works, it is a slow and involved process that should feel like you each step of the way.

The obsession with instant fixes and trendy makeovers that build up to a ‘big reveal’ might make a space feel fresh, but does it really work? Do you really love it? Do you feel like you’re living in a magazine shoot that wasn’t built for you?

In summary, your home does not need to be perfect from the get-go. There is no downside to taking your time and layering yourself into a space with colours you like and things you love. It may not happen over a weekend, or make for great TV– but you will slowly build a space that reflects your taste, your experiences, your story.

Meet Artist Ben Wilson, the Millennium Bridge Chewing Gum Man

Posted on September 29, 2014 by tina

After a trip to the Tate Modern in London, we headed over to meet a friend at Kings College. We walked over the elegant, sinuous Millennium Bridge. Itâ€™s has been a couple of years since our last visit and this time we noticed that everyone was looking down and pointing, not the sort of thing you expect to see in the middle of this busy thoroughfare.Â The once magnificent, pristine bridge has definitely aged.

The metal rungs of the bridge are now the repository for discarded chewing gum. Itâ€™s a bit shocking to see the how little regard people have for their cityâ€™s icons. I am always surprised that so many people do not consider discarded cigarette butts and chewing gum as destructive litter.

The silver lining however is that Artist Ben Wilson, aka The Chewing Gum Man, apparently a regular sight on the bridge, takes these disgusting remnants of peopleâ€™s chewing gum and turns them into mini works of art.

Many of the pieces are commissioned by tourists and locals commemorating their visit or someone in their lives. The intricate paintings can take hours to make.

Ben likes to create art that means something to the people who ask for it. This was a tribute to victims of the Japanese Tsunami.

This image shows people on the bridge looking at Ben’s artwork andÂ St Paul’s Cathedral at the end of the Millennium Bridge axis.

Itâ€™s the endless possibility of patterns that seems to excite Benâ€™s creative mind. As Ben explains â€œsometimes I can look at the shape and I can see what I want to createâ€¦the gum gets stuck between the tread and takes on an echo or a form of the bridge.â€( quote is from (image from Inspiring City)

The Millennium Bridge has now become an experiential, free, outdoor art gallery. In his words, about painting onto discarded chewing gum, â€œitâ€™s not criminal damageâ€ he tells me â€œthe chewing gum is already there Iâ€™m just transforming it into something beautiful that people would like to look at.â€ (Quote is from Inspiring City)).

This may be the ultimate expression of â€˜taking lemons and making lemonadeâ€™. Ben Wilson has taken trash and turned it into an amazing interactive tourist attraction.Â Now if he could only turn his hand to those cigarette butts. (The 3 image above are from Inspiring City)

Meet the King of Kitsch, Vladimir Tretchikoff

Posted on August 25, 2014 by tina

Yesterday, while rummaging around in a mid-century modern vintage store, Refind, I found a fabulous painting of a magnolia branch by an artist I had never heard of before, Vladimir Tretchikoff, the King of Kitsch. Â Itâ€™s actually a print with an added pencil signature by the artist. Â The painting is called ‘Pink Magnolias.’

Those who know me know that I have a thing for kitschy Tiki,Â HawaiianÂ and AsianÂ objects of art. I love vintage Hawaiian postcard, I throw tiki parties, love the cocktails and will wear a Hawaiian shirt without any hesitation.

However, I have never delved into the world of kitsch paintings. Perhaps in my mind the prohibitiveÂ image of black velvet paintings is too strong. Â This all changed when I went to an open house in Los Angeles a few months ago. I was so inspired and taken aback by the collection of vintage Hawaiian paintings, hangingÂ in the master bedroom, that looked so elegant and stylish, and totally complimented the aesthetics of the room.

I realize it took a certain amount of panache to combine so-called real art with the flagrantly low culture pieces. Â But this was done, not for Kitschy irony but for the simple beauty afforded by the combination of colours and imagery.Â Read my blog post here.

My husband said to me yesterday just before we bought the painting â€œYou have to be pretty confident in your design style to hang this kind of stuff.â€Â Well we decided weÂ were,Â so we bought the signed print, replete with its original frame.

I am so pleased we did because it is amazing! I havenâ€™t decided where to hang this gorgeous piece so, in the meantime, I decided to do a bit of research on Vladimir Tretchikoff.

It turns out I may be the only one in the world who hasnâ€™t heard of him. Tretchikoff was a self-taught artist who painted realistic figures, portraits, still life and animals, with subjects often inspired by his early life inÂ China,Â SingaporeÂ andÂ Indonesia, and later life inÂ South Africa. â€œHis work was immensely popular with the general public, but is often seen by art critics as the epitome ofÂ kitschÂ (indeed, he was nicknamed the “King of Kitsch”). He worked in oil, watercolour, ink, charcoal and pencil but is best known for his reproduction prints, which sold worldwide in huge numbers. The reproductions were so popular that it was rumoured that Tretchikoff was the world’s richest artist afterÂ Picasso.â€ (Wikipedia)

The Magnolia and other tropical flowers, as well as, women from theÂ Orient and Africa seem to be common themes in his paintings.Â “Arguably the prints had a populist appealÂ for being representational not abstract, yet they were also intriguingly exotic and enigmatic with their unfinished backgrounds, unconventional use of colour and Far Eastern or African subjects.” (Flashin’ on the 70s)

The Tretchikoff painting above, called â€˜Chinese Girlâ€™ (popularly known as “The Green Lady”), is one of the best selling art prints of the twentieth century. Recently, the original sold for nearly $1.5 million in London. The model for the painting was Monika Sing-lee who was around twenty at the time and was spotted by Tretchikoff working in her uncle’s laundrette in Cape Town.

This short Youtube video explains the interest in the painting.

The Chinese Girl painting has appeared in numerousÂ famous depictionsÂ of popular culture.Â For exampleÂ the painting can be seen hanging in the background of an animated living room in the music video for the songÂ Young FolksÂ byÂ Peter Bjorn & John.

It can be seen adorning the living room of Bob Rusk, the killer inÂ Alfred Hitchcock’s movie Frenzy in 1972.

The painting is seen in the apartment of Ruby,Â Shelley Winters’ character, inÂ AlfieÂ (1966).

It is featured in his living room in the 2013 music video forÂ The Stars (Are Out Tonight)Â byÂ David Bowie.

As I always knew,Â exploration of junk stores leads to discovery and education. So next time you see a kitschyÂ oil painting remember that these iconic pieces have their own stories and areÂ touchstonesÂ of their period in time. TretchikoffÂ was interesting and his stuff is appealing â€“ even with the layer of nostalgia and kitsch.Â RememberÂ Itâ€™s OK and even pretty darn cool to combine disparate pieces â€“ high and low art â€“ Letâ€™s not forget Mr. Warhol!Â It shows confidence and leadership â€“ instead of waiting to see what might be cool â€“ you go with your instincts and have confidence in your taste.Â

Finally, don’t forget to drop in to some open houses because you can learn from touring real estate and seeing other peoples Mojo.

I decided to hang my Vladimir Tretchikoff,Â Pink Magnolias painting in my entry foyer next to my blue West German vase.

Some of the images above wereÂ found on google images. If these photos are yours and you have concerns about their usage on this blog, please contact me and I will remove them. Thanks!

Local Is the New Black: ADDRESS for a Fine Home

Posted on May 26, 2014 by tina

Sorry I’ve been MIA, but I’ve been busy working on a number of different projects that I hope to share with you soon.

Today I did some design sleuthing. The Chinatown Experiment showed up on my Instagram feed so I headed down to 434 Columbia street to see ‘ADDRESS’ an assembly of fine furniture and home accessories put together by Kate Duncan. ADDRESS is a carefully curated display of locally designed and crafted furniture, lighting, textiles, artwork, as well as natural and sculptural home accents.

I met Kate and was very impressed by the wood furniture and accents which she personally designed and made. There were beds, coffee tables, cutting boards, dressers, and an amazing bathroom cabinet made from a number of different maple finishes.

The lighting here by made by Alex Kyriazis out of plumbing pipe, wood and a very good looking bulb. Ceramics are by Golem Designs. The knit blankets are by Hendrik Lou, Painting by Derek Dix

Maple bathroom vanity by Kate Duncan. Terrarium by Green with Envy.

Cutting board by Kate Duncan, owls on cutting board by Amanda Parker, ceramics by Golem Design, Terrarium by Green with Envy. Textiles by Le Fil Rouge. Hanging sculpture is by Justina Yang of Fiber Lab. Justina is a one-time structural engineer who “uses math and science to create beautiful things.”

The watercolour effect pillows are byÂ Le Fil Rouge Textiles, terrarium by Green with Envy, ceramics by by Golem Designs.

Kate showing me the quality of the metal work on the maple coffee tables she has made. Painting below is by Derek Dix and is a collage of evocative outdoor images.

ADDRESS is at the Chinatown Experiment until June 3. Come down, have a look and support our local artisans and craftspeople. The work is so impressive!

Women and the Making of the Modern House: The Schroder House

Posted on February 24, 2014 by tina

The second innovative house project, involving female clients and well-known architects, is the Schroder House, in Utrecht, Netherlands. The house was designed by Gerrit Rietveld for Truus Schroder in 1923-1924.

This house is of particular interest to me because as an architecture student I made the pilgrimage to The Netherlands specifically to see it. I was studying in London when I made the trip to see this fine example of the De Stijl (aka Neoplasticisim) movement and icon of modern architecture.

It took a while to find it and when we did it was smaller than I had imagined but so beautiful. There it stood in all its acontextual beauty like an exotic alien species against the backdrop of austere traditional dutch architecture.

The Schroder House house looks like a 3 dimensional Piet Mondrion, De Stijl painting. The two are often compared to one another and arise from the same geometric theoretical principles of pure abstraction of horizontal and vertical forms expressed using only primary colours to achieve a kind of universality of form and expression. Ironically the Schroder, while in stark contrast to its historic neighbours, still expresses the Calvinist severity and clarity of the Dutch mind.

Truus Schroder was a young widow with 3 children when her family moved into the house. She had a vision of family life in the modern world. Friedman describes this saying â€œthe house had a double personality-playful and carefree on the one hand, yet disciplined and even moralistic on the other-reflects the complex personalities of architect and client, and the unique nature of the collaboration between Rietveld, who had never built a building before, and Schroder, a well-to-do women with strong ideas about how and where she wanted to live.â€

The house was an opportunity to break free of â€˜repressive traditions and rules-both social and architectural, and create a totally modern environment. The use of bright coloured elements represented freedom and choice.

Truus Schroder and Gerrit Rietveld went on to work together on a number of important projects together during the 1920s and 1930s. â€œThe work Rietveld and Schroder did together was not simply to communicate this new sense of life but literally to guide body and mind toward clearer and more actions and thoughtsâ€

The Red and Blue Chair was designed in 1917 by Gerrit Rietveld. It represents one of the first explorations by the De Stijl art movement in three dimensions.

All Photos are from Google Images. All quotes are from Women and the Making of the Modern House by Alice T. Friedman

Happy New Year!

Posted on January 12, 2014 by tina

This week was minted for me. Minted in all senses of that word; fresh, new, optimistic, tasteful and of value. Every year we receive a Christmas card from family friends, the Ds. Over the years, their family of 9, (seven children) has grown with each wedding, and with each new grandchild. This yearâ€™s holiday card was particularly beautiful. The D family photo was of all 15 of them on their 5^th childâ€™s wedding day. But this yearâ€™s card was different. This one was really beautiful. It had a pearlized, lustrous finish that made everyone in our household turn it over to find out who had printed it. It was by a company I had not heard of before called Minted.Â I had made cards through other companies but this one was very distinct.Â Because I do not have official permission to show you my friend’s card, at this time, I am just going to show you a slice, to give you a sense of what Minted can do.

Coincidently, a couple of days later I received an email from Matt from Minted. He asked if I would consider doing a review of Mintedâ€™s on-line stationary site. Normally I might not have paid any attention to the request, but because I had just received the D familyâ€™s Wedding announcement/Christmas Card, I was intrigued.Â Minted would like to introduce people to their 2014 wedding series. Here is the link to this new collection: http://www.minted.com/save-the-dateÂ .

What I noticed immediately about Minted is that they have an amazing collection of modern designs. The compositions are fresh, current and aesthetically pleasing. They have the look of being thoughtfully composed by trained designers. This is no coincidence, because Minted prides itself on their commitment to good design. They can give this assurance because of the Minted Design Challenge. Designers submit their ideas and the Minted community votes on which designs Minted should sell.

Minted has a great selection of announcements, as well as, photo cards.

Their â€œmission is to connect he worldâ€™s best design geniuses with a community of design-savvy customers who enjoy the creation and appreciation of good design.â€ Well, I cannot help but to agree with this statement. As a design-savvy consumer I instantly appreciated the quality and artistry of this yearâ€™s D family Christmas Card. I will be looking to Minted to give my family card the same â€˜lustreâ€™ and panache next year, and you should too. Given my own commitment to good design you can trust that I mean what I say.Â Have a look at the Minted options and see how you can wow your friends and family! www.minted.com

If you missed getting out your holiday card, try one of these Valentine’s Day cards and show your love!

Creating A Look

Posted on October 29, 2013 by tina

Mrs. Godfrey Chair by Jonathan Adler, $1,695.00 and available at Mint Interiors; Floral Arrangement by Quince Fine Florals, in vintage vase; Lamp by Letizia Chandelier, $583.

Barcelona Chair from Living Space; Carpet from East India Carpets; West German Vintage Vases, Attic Treasures; Painting by Hamish Todd

Revamped Vintage Chair, cushion and crystal glasses from Gild and Co. DIY flowersÂ by homeowner, Bette.

Vancouver Evening Style

Posted on October 14, 2013 by tina

Recently, I was at a friend’s birthday party at La Pentola Della Quercia in the OPUS Hotel Yaletown, when I looked up and saw something SPARKLE.

At the bar was a beautiful bride and her groom having a nightcap in full wedding attire. The brideâ€™s retro style was very evocative, and evidently she had designed the beaded, low-back gown, accentuated with jewelry and sparkly shoes.

Seeing this bride, just dripping with glamour, I got a distinctly nostalgic feeling. The look is such a welcome departure from the conventional, puffy or â€˜pufflessâ€™, strapless wedding dresses that seems to dominate the wedding scene.

This Gatsbyesque style dress by contrast is not only glamourous, itâ€™s practical. Â Â A bride, according to traditional wedding designer Reem Acra, â€œâ€¦wants the glamour, but she wants the flowy dress â€” so she can move â€” the sexiness and the embellishment,â€ she said. â€œAll these elements, in my mind, are saying â€™20s.â€

Jenny Packham, an evening wear and bridalÂ gown designer in London, comments, â€œIt was a wonderfully liberating time for women, to wear modern no-fuss clothing.â€ Thereâ€™s a â€œstrong contemporary relevance,â€ she added.

You donâ€™t want to overdo it though and risk looking like a period piece. Â Instead, like this bride, update the look by focusing on the Art Deco embellishments and dress cut. The long reverse pendant necklace is playful, and accentuates the bare plunging backline of the dress.

Back to the party……cousins with style.

Home Tours: Rochelle’s place in Vancouver

Posted on September 24, 2013 by tina

This is Rochelleâ€™s fabulous home. Rochelle and her family have recently moved back to Canada after living abroad for the last 23 years, and in Hong Kong, for the last 7.Â Rochelleâ€™s interior design degree from Parsonâ€™s in New York has served her well as is evident through the house. Wanting a pied-Ã -terre in Vancouver while her kids finished school, Rochelle and her husband took an old Kitsilano house and undertook a massive renovation.

They maintained the exterior character of their shingled Kitsilano house to respect the context of the neighbourhood. Only the large modern front door hints at what lies on the other side.

Typically homes of this vintage are comprised of small rooms where one must pass through one room to get to another. To offset this rabbit warren feel, Rochelle has opened up the rooms and totally modernized the aesthetic. Â The living room, dining room and kitchen are all one large space. She recognized that with so much openness, ample storage would be a must. So all along one wall are built in storage cabinets setting a clean datum line for art and accessories.

The stairs are pure sculpture. Glass rails are bolted with stainless steel fasteners transparently enlarging the space.

Cleverly tucked away behind the kitchen is the generous â€˜back of houseâ€™ where laundry, more storage, and home office reside. Recognizing that life happens, here the kids can drop their backpacks, shoes and what-have-you without impacting the pristine interiors of Rochelleâ€™s home.

Of particular beauty is Rochelle’s homage to China and Hong Kong, manifested through artwork, ceramics and the cinnabar high-gloss tiles in the powder room.

The couple are avid art collectors, and have acquired work ranging from graduating artists at Emily Carr to eclectic pieces that span the globe.

Above is the Scandia Easy Chair, 1957, by Hans Brattrud of Norway.Â Their sophisticated design aesthetic clearly shines in their collection of classic modern furniture pieces, right from the entry porch with its Verner Panton chairs through to the Saarinen dining table with Tulip chairs, nicely rounded out by the Arne Jakobsen Egg and Saarinenâ€™s Womb chairs.