Victorian renovation

This image caught my eye on the pinwheel (my term for what happens when you get stuck on pinterest going round and round in a happy trance of images).

seen: here

I absolutely love the old meets new vibe. It is so intriguing to me to imagine who lived in this gorgeous brownstone when it first built. I truly wish sometimes I could have a time machine and travel back in time for a day here, a day there  - just so I could drop by for a cocktail party at this grand old home (been watching too much Downton). 





Thoughtfully renovated by architect Julian King, this brownstone surprisingly retained a lot of original detail. The original floors were bleached and kept bare for a minimalist feel. The crown moulding was repaired and preserved in its original and ornate style.  Having been chopped up for rentals over the years, the floor plan was returned to a more logical flow. A beautiful master bedroom on the ground floor opens seamlessly to the outdoors. A rare treat in NYC.











Lots of white paint, a well thought out floor plan 
and a masterful balance between old and new makes this a renovation to applaud.  
Now, can I move in please? 

images found: here
photographer: Bruce Buck


rue magazine

Have you seen the new Rue magazine website?  They launched a new site called Rue Daily in January and it is such a great read. What started as an online magazine has now evolved into a website full of new content, inspiring interviews and a new fashion angle.  

And the magazine is still being published. It is a wonderful evolution and the founders of Rue should congratulate themselves on a job well done.  I have watched them from the beginning and am so happy to see they are evolving the idea and growing. 

The photography is lovely, the content is interesting and it feels fresh and exciting.  I can't wait to see more from these talented editors. 


















I suggest you take a look when you have a nice long time to wander around the site... every time I sit down to do so I get sidetracked by something and can't wait to get back to it. That's when you know they are on to something.  


pssst:  you have til noon today to enter The Sugar Mill giveaway... details here

late afternoon canvas interiors tidbit...

I've been doing a little house cleaning today, both literally and figuratively. Switching gears between the blog, the littles, the store, the store website, and my visiting and wonderful Mum.  Busy times here chez K.  A little late to the blog today but thought I would share a bit about Canvas Interiors... its been a while since I've done that.

I've been working on a few mood boards for the Canvas Interiors website so I thought I would post a late afternoon tidbit with you here:




We are working on putting together a few looks so you can see how all the pieces work together. We are SO looking forward to getting the website launched. Hope you like what you see here... in the meantime I'll be working on more mood boards for the site to reflect some of the collections we have created.

One of the looks we are currently having fun with is "Manvas".  My affectionate term for the parts of canvas that are a bit more masculine, a tad darker and even a touch moody. I am loving mixing these pieces with white - the challenge is to keep it fresh and not too 'one note' if you know what I mean.  





Thanks for stopping in. If you see anything you like here, you can email the store at hello@canvasinteriors.com or check out the store facebook page here and like for product arrival updates. 



inspire // desire: white lace

Today's inspire // desire is all about lace.  I saw this amazing architectural image on tumblr and a few images later an beautiful image of lace shorts.  Put it all together and a collage of lace was the obvious choice for today. 

image found: here and sourced to: here


I see lots of lace turning up in the mags for this spring and summer.  Fresh, cool and delicate.  

Here are some images to 

INSPIRE

images clockwise: 1 // 2 / 3 // 4 // 5 //

and some shopping links if you so 

DESIRE


simple pleasures

have a beautiful weekend

image found: here


xoox
catherine

ps: scroll down to enter to win the coolest towels ever in the Sugar Mill giveaway !

an interview with Linda Griffin of The Sugar Mill ...and a giveaway!

Today I am very excited to bring you and interview and a giveaway with The Sugar Mill! 

THANKS FOR CHECKING OUT THIS FUN POST...
THE GIVEAWAY IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED

Mr. K. and I got married in Harbour Island. People have asked me why we chose it for the wedding and my answer is: I just knew. I had never been there before but something told me it was where we were supposed to get hitched.  And Mr. K. said 'ok, sure!'. One week before our wedding we flew to Harbour Island (my wedding dress was lucky enough to score its own seat on a teeny tiny plane) for the first time and we have never looked back. It is a place we return to as often as we can and feels like a place that will continue to have that indescribable pull for us.


My favorite stop on the island is The Sugar Mill. I am always inspired by of course the selection of clothes and trinkets, but more so I am inspired by the creative spirit with which it is put together. 


Owned by friends and business partners Linda Griffin and India Hicks, The Sugar Mill is a treasure trove of goodies. I walk in the door of this store and immediately smile. It is cheerful, cheeky and stocked with a perfect assortment of clothing and accessories. There is always something that catches my eye and makes it home in my suitcase. The store stocks a fabulous mix of elegant and casual. You could arrive on Harbour Island with an empty suitcase and find everything you needed for a week's vacation. 



I wanted to ask these talented friends and business partners a few questions about how The Sugar Mill came to be. They were most gracious and after a few emails back and forth I had a great picture of what makes their partnership work. 

Here is my conversation with Linda Griffin, co-owner of The Sugar Mill:

Q. What inspired you to move to the Bahamas?  A big change from chilly Toronto...

A tall blonde blue eyed Fishing Captain, named Bob and the perennial sunshine he lived in.


Q. A little back-story perhaps? How did you and India meet? 

As a former student of Visual Merchandising at Sheridan College, being connected to the “outer world’ was paramount for me when I moved to the tiny island of Eleuthera. Having no internet, television and barley a working phone, books and magazines of all types were my connection to world, both visually and mentally. One day I happened to be flipping through an Avon catalogue and noticed a familiar face. I was sure it was the women who drove the same jeep as I did, dressed in similar clothing, (no big gold chains and hair weaves on us) arriving daily to drop her son off at the same makeshift island pre-school that my son attended…but really, could it be? It was indeed India. 

Our friendship grew out of happenstance and two little inseparable boys. Little did I know how my life would change from that moment on. India is a font of creativity and meeting her was like re-charging my batteries for life. 


Q. It almost sounds like life put you in each other's path ... how did you recognize that a business together was a good idea? Was it a single 'ah-ha' moment or a few moments strung together?  

We do have a lot of " ah-ha" moments but I would have to say it was many moments strung together as well as our fondness for good design and Cadbury chocolate. We tend to consume vast amounts whilst brainstorming. She inspired me to take a leap of faith and all the money I had in my bank account to start a little boutique with her on Harbour Island. In 2005 The Sugar Mill had been born and I knew we did the right thing.


Q. Describe your partnership, what works and why.

Our partnership is clear, she does the buying and I do the selling, but together we add our distinctive style, taste and humor. We are competitive in nature, from our fitness routine to our gift wrapping skills… I might have her beaten in that department.


Q. How has the store evolved and where you see the brand going? 

We have no set plan for the future of The Sugar Mill, as we fly by the seat of our creative pants, just simply to keep offering our customers a global and fresh array of unique items that keeps them coming back for more….
“A bottomless treasure chest full of captivating takings.”


Q. Do you have any frank, nitty gritty advice for friends starting a business? What does it take to take a great idea between friends and turn it into a real business? 

Friendship is one thing and business quite another, fortunately we have a blend that works. I think we motivate,challenge and compliment one another enough that it keeps the motor running. At the end of the day, follow your gut! ( just let the chocolate digest first.)


Q. What do you covet this season from The Sugar Mill?  

A Seaton Cashmere zip hoodie. Simply because it works whether I’m on a boat in the balmy Bahamas or zipping around the city in my hometown of Toronto.

Thank you Linda for a peek inside The Sugar Mill.  I so enjoy your insight.  I can't tell you how many  times I have heard friends say to each other "we should open a..." or we should start a business doing..."  I hope this inspires those friends to take a leap of faith and change the "... " into the next step.  

But wait, there's more!
The lovely ladies of The Sugar Mill are giving away a his and hers skull towel set. 
(colors to be chosen at random)

The giveaway is officially closed. Thanks for checking it out!

to enter simply:


1. like The Sugar Mill's facebook page
and
2.  follow me on twitter
(you need to do both to be eligible to win)
then
3. come back here and leave a note on the blog saying you have done both 
and include info on how to reach you via your email, facebook or twitter

enter by noon EST Wednesday February 27

* apologies but open to US residents only *

We will announce the winner next Thursday on my twitter account so be sure to follow. 


For more Sugar Mill goodies, take a look around India's website.
There you can see more beautiful items from the store, her highly covetable jewelry line, her bath and body line, adorable kids clothes, and lots of other things that will most certainly catch your eye.

Thanks again ladies, it has been a pleasure!


all images courtesy of The Sugar Mill except for the tree, that is moi.

lighten up

Today I am going to get you inspired to shake off the chills with some images of beautiful beach retreats.  Small details can work big miracles to switch the feeling of your interiors to light and airy.  I think you must know by now that I am a big fan of slipcovers. And white. And sisal. If you have checked out Canvas Interiors and our FB page  you can see the method to my madness.

So here are a few images to jump-start your summer thinking.  

 a cozy nook at the top of the stairs



 small space, graphic details used sparingly



warm wicker, wood and shells 



little  details



 a quiet corner



 a touch of glam



 sink in



 dive in



 fresh



open air 
(and the spot of our wedding dance floor before they put in the pool)



layers of texture


Just looking at these images makes me happy. This type of living lightens my mood. When I was little growing up in Toronto, I wrote a poem about wishing I was a bird so I could fly away in winter to live in the sunshine. 20 years in California and then on to Florida with a detour once a year to Harbour Island. Yup. Got that covered. My inner voice was guiding me in 1st grade.

Now, there are two clues in these images about a fabulous and fun post I have prepared for this Thursday.  It will include, yes, a giveaway of something so cool I want to enter.  But alas, that would not be fair so I'll leave it to you!

Be sure to check back this week!  

spotlight: photographer max wanger

Last Friday's image has been stored in my files for some time. The day after Valentines day seemed like perfect day to share that image with you. I found it on tumblr and when I dug for the photographer credit I got lost on his website for a nice long time looking at beautiful images.  I then decided I needed to share it with you today.


















I hope it gives you a little spring in your step to help you start the week off right. 

Start with his blog and poke around the rest of the site.  You can see his full portfolio here.
He sells prints too!  


Love

Wishing you a fabulous day!  


image found: here

xoox
catherine

Hudson Grace

Flipping through Lonny Mag I had to stop and linger over the images of Hudson Grace, a new store in my old neighborhood. I used to happen upon these new stores just by walking down the street with my coffee on a Saturday morning but now I view from afar and wish I could just pop in and look around.


Hudson Grace is the concept of Monelle Totah, a former VP of product design at Williams-Sonoma and her friend Gary McNatton an award winning product, fragrance and package designer. There are so many talented creatives working in San Francisco at the corporate offices of places like Williams-Sonoma and to see them break out on their own and start a new business is exciting. San Francisco is full to the brim with creative talent. I hope I can bring a bit of that to you here on the blog.  

At Hudson Grace they believe that in simplicity there is longevity. A core concept of this blog and a voice I try to convey here. Also a key idea when we concepted Canvas Interiors (if you are new to the blog look up top at 'inside canvas interiors' for a peek at the store). 















This store inspires me.  I hope you like it too. 


You can check out Hudson Grace here
and the Lonny mag article here

images: Hudson Grace






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