Tag Archives: interior design

I VISIT MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOUR – ST PAUL’S on BLOOR STREET FOR “DOORS OPEN TORONTO”

Each year, Toronto hosts a special weekend called “Doors Open” where we can visit beautiful buildings around the city that are normally closed to the public such as offices, law courts, architectural treasures and places of worship. I’m fortunate to live next door to one very special building: St Paul’s Anglican church which is one of the largest parish churches in N. America. When I entered, the organist was practicing – take a listen here…

During today’s special tour, visitors got to see some of the most gorgeous stained glass windows in Canada, many depicting heroic WWI stories and in fact, one of the windows was made from the glass fragments found around some 70 destroyed churches and buildings in Belgium, France and Italy. Around the walls of the massive interior were many plaques and memorials dedicated to past parishioners who had lost their lives fighting in Europe…. …and the incredible wooden carvings of angels were breathtaking…Not a lot of people ever look up when they visit such venues but I always do (you never know what cool things you can spy up above) and I’m so glad I did…check out these awesome state-of-the-art fans in this video. They look old-school to fit in but are actually brand new….

The marble altar (above) shows the Last Supper – it’s so beautiful and is flanked on either side by historic figures from the first World War. There is just one female depicted in the carvings and statuary…Florence Nightingale! I found another beautiful window behind the altar screen (below). I could have stood there for an hour enjoying all the intricacies in this little window and the marble carvings in front….Next month marks the 175th anniversary of the founding of St Paul’s and to commemorate the occasion, a special craft lager has been created, the St Paul’s CLXXV, which will be available in 6-packs for a limited time only following their June 11th anniversary service. Considering the church’s reputation for warm hospitality and sharing food and drink, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate!

If you’d like to learn more about this fine church and the wonderful work they do, please visit: www.stpaulsbloor.org

GINA GODFREY UNVEILS HER NEW GALLERY SHOW IN TORONTO

Digital artist GINA GODFREY welcomed guests to her downtown Toronto gallery last night as she launched her latest show, “Black and White and Green with Envy”, just in time for holiday gift-giving. And to make her stunning prints accessible to everyone, Gina’s created smaller prints ideal for those with smaller wall spaces…..for the modest price of $150 (see partial selection below). The exhibition features large format art based on Gina’s collages and photographs which she then digitally alters to create stunning designs and images. I love this group (below) that includes a little Sinatra on the side! And these pieces certainly challenge your eyes and perspective. Fabulous! This is an extremely cool foursome (below)… I added some close-up details…what do you think? Her friend, Deb Belinsky (below, left) of Tableau premium water solutions dropped in to support Gina (below, right)….…and enjoyed the deelish spread along with other guests…yummmm!If you’d like to visit Gina and experience her work, please visit www.ginagodfrey.com for hours & directions (her gallery is centrally located, close to Yonge & Bloor).

REBARN OPENS NEW DOWNTOWN STORE, BRINGS MASTER WOODWORKING TO URBAN HOMES

Oh, I’m a lumberjack and I’m okay….. I know, I know – this is how most people imagine all Canadian woodsmen, but let me introduce you to Mark Livingston, Founder of REBARN, a true master craftsman who works with repurposed reclaimed wood from barns, railway ties, churches and other architectural salvage, turning them into works of art for installation in your home, cottage, office or store. This new 2nd location for Rebarn is 1611 Dupont St (10 mins. from Dundas W subway) and has only been open for about a month – Mark and his lovely lady Lola Kerecki (an artist herself) are working hard getting ready for an official opening event – they will retain the original workshop on Alliance Ave to handle the high volume of commissions received since Rebarn has been featured on TV shows like Colin & Justin’s Cabin Pressure (see below) and Cityline.Mark sources “rescued” wood and then crafts stunning barn doors for home installation using authentic hardware (below) in various finishes and styles to suit every decor or theme. Sometimes beautifully sanded and finished to a mid-century modern feel, other times more rustic and raw in appearance, each piece of furniture offers unique charm and appeal.And using old railway ties, Mark creates stunning fireplace mantles and shelving that look good in any home (below).Mark’s in-store loo (still under construction) showcases this wonderfully whimsical countertop upon which a glass sink will eventually sit…You can choose your preferred hardware from a wide selection (some of which is shown below)……but if you’re not looking for doors, you can find all manner of home decor accessories (see below) handcrafted by Mark and a colleague who specialized in woodburning. Don’t you just love this fun wee beastie? Much better to have a wooden moosehead than one that had to die, yes?And I spied this Noguchi-esque desk at the back of the showroom….isn’t it gorgeous?Lola has contributed a number of pieces to the store…love her moose painting on wood – see how she’s incorporated a western mountain lake scene into the body.I had fun playing with this giant mirror……and spent time sitting on this bench embellished with the “bird on a wire” burnt into its surface.Rebarn can customize barn doors, mantles, furniture or simply supply hardware for your own projects so contact Mark for design ideas and a quote: 647-968-4004 or info@rebarn.ca www.rebarn.ca Big THANK YOU to Lola and Mark for their hospitality…and good luck with the upcoming official opening party for REBARN!

ZEBUU HOME DECOR STORE OFFERS UNIQUE ACCESSORIES IN GALLERY-LIKE SETTING

When I visited Toronto’s Bloordale neighbourhood yesterday to celebrate the opening of the Dead Dog Records store, I walked past an intriguing store offering unique and incredibly beautiful home decor and art that I just could not resist…so I went inside.

Zebuu, located at 1265 Bloor St West just east of Lansdowne, presents its wares much like a curated gallery – collections of bird carvings from Brazilian artisans in lots of lovely colours grouped together like little birdies on a power line…delicately carved wooden angels flew across the entrance wall, and groups of wooden heads marched across the shelves live Easter Island moai come to life!

Co-owner Craig Williamson explained that he and his partner, Geraldo Valerio, import their home decor, room accents and textiles mainly from Brazil, Turkey and India, all handcrafted by skilled artisans. Check out the stunning copperware from Turkey and the beautifully decorated shears and scissors from Mumbai, India, below.

So many cute little treasures for the wee ones’ rooms as well as the big people…I wanted to play with these hand-carved beasties….…and what kitchen or family room wouldn’t benefit from the addition of these fine home accents? Don’t the wooden spoons look like art (above), displayed the way Craig has hung them on the wall? Each is made by hand from native Brazilian hardwoods, ensuring a one-of-a-kind look and feel.

If you’re more into Canadiana, have no fear…Zebuu has lots of lovely goodies for the true blue Canucks, too. The new website, www.zebuu.com, is still being populated with photos and product information, but you can call them on 647-748-1265 or email: info@zebuu.com Zebuu is a welcome oasis of art, home decor and giftware amongst a row of unremarkable but friendly neighbourhood cafes, convenience stores and thrift shops. You will feel welcome and at home so drop in and say hello to Craig and Geraldo, and do tell them I sent you.