Inspiration

I picked up a copy of the Elle Decoration magazine in the local Presse International magazine store....reason being was the cover was total inspiration....


so the reveal is now in my window....a paris settee - uphlostered by Joe our upholsterer - he has a name on facebook called brokenheartedsuperhero if you need an upholsterer or you can ask me...but he is great...he picked it up last week and brought it to me.....it has been reupholstered in an orange silk and poly fabric - and is "awesome"

Oh and can I tell you....it is amazing with the Louis Vuitton pillows.......drop in and check it out for yourself...

FLIK BY DESIGN - NOW OPEN

Well the store is finally open - we actually opened a couple weeks ago and have been still tweaking it until I get the colour balance right...I love the new space - it feels like home inside and so far from the many customers coming through they all agree... I am adding a couple or more images of new product that is currently in my store - there are many one of a kind items that we have had made exclusive to Flik and I think most of you will like the orange as the new blue....

The metal cabinets come in various sizes , art of course is from Love the Design - by Christine Flynn - her work can be seen in my store and in her gallery under Quince flowers past Broadview on Queen or her site

http://www.lovethedesign.com/

I am working on a bedroom right now for a client - Chloe - she is 6 years old - she painted the below picture of the ladybugs and it will be the new addition to her room makeover...Christine actually attached it to a wooden mount and resined it...now it is an awesome piece of art that she will not only have for her life but it has become this one of a kind beauty with a modern high gloss art gallery finish

The colour orange has been brought in to the store in accessory form - custom Louis Vuitton or Chanel pillows, furnishings like the custom upholstered chairs and much more.

Stop by sometime...we are open Mon - Sat 10 till 5, Sun 11-4 and Closed Tuesdays

There is a lower level as well which has some amazing pieces.

Thank you to all of you for your loyal support and thanks to those of you who have welcomed me in the new Hood....



SNEAK PEEK INTO MY NEWEST VENTURE

I just wanted to take the opportunity to give you a sneak peek into the new store "Flik by Design"
the store will be more interior designed based with a new tag line " Where French meets Industrial with a twist to mid century" It will be a balance of design, texture and just awesome hand picked items available...

First Item - the coffee sac chair -  A Classic Bergere with an orange tweed like fabric and a coffee sac upholstered back - these have been featured already in Chatelaine (Sept issue) and the shopping guide for Toronto Life Aug 19th...We will have some wonderful upholstered items...all in our newest of colours....

Next item - Art....seems that high gloss is all the rage and resin finished art is a must - this artist meets all the needs - she is wonderfully talented and very "Flik" in photography....the inspiration of my store colours were Hermes.....the horse pic with tones of orange trademark of Hermes is just awesome... lots of new photographs will be featured exclusively...

Who can't live without Louis Vuitton....our custom pillows made from Louis Vuitton silk Stephen Sprouse graffiti scarves.... a must in all decor....in orange of course...

The Inspiration of old world french and industrial - doctors cabinets made from Vintage metals and authentic doctors cabinets, side tables, coffee tables all industrial inspired.

This is just a touch of our items....the store is full of items that are tactile and fun...the feather headress comes in orange or white and is almost an inspiration on its own....

One of my new favorite items is the Orange Transparent Ghost chair - they are UV coated and can not only be used indoors but also out....a new take on a classic....

So Join us next week when the new store officially opens and take a look at the new direction of Flik by Design 1360 queen street east at greenwood  647 352 3133

Setting things Straight....and all the rest of the stories

I have been off for the last - I'd say almost 3 months with health reasons.....in that 3 months when my store was closed - Chaos seemed to hit the fan....there is another expression and I think you all know what it is...I dont think I need to elaborate,
so now that I decided to close my store and focus on interior design with a smaller retail space as well - I would like to take this opportunity to set things straight ( no pun intended)

Sofa's.......ahhh the life and death of a supplier....we were lulled into a wonderful adventure....carrying a new line of upholstered goods and seeing how a local toronto supplier could help us grow our business ....who knew that when we started with them and they wooed us into believing delivery times could be less then 3 weeks that we would have the downfall and the rumours it all created....the first couple months of our "dating" the manufacturer , and I use that term because it is pretty much what it is....was smooth - we would place an order....and magically in 2 weeks we would get a couch or a couple of chairs....our dating turned into a romance - where we expanded to more and more product - again - they came through and we were entranced in the speed of delivery....then one day a gentleman came into my store....he looked at the couch and chairs in my store and loved them....but just didnt know what he wanted....he came back - week after week - month after month - until he decided to place an order....who was I to know that my romance would soon end....The gentleman called and emailed a couple days after the order was placed...moving into a new house was great but with no furniture to show anyone , it created the suspense....the supplier in the meantime was supposedly working away and creating the masterpiece that would be the gentlemans focal point...the piece de resistance for his housewarming.......but alas...the supplier and the romance died.....3 weeks went by and no calls.....no fabric arriving for the custom chairs....the sofa was taking more time then it should and the poor gentleman was lost - he had no furniture and no party to show it all off....I offered my assistance and thought...hmmm...I am at a home show - my store is closed...why not just use the pieces in my store....but no...it wasnt good enough....he decided to blog about it....blog and write and email and see how nasty things could get.....so nasty that the little gentleman became the evil menance for not only my store but also the thorn in my side....how could a sofa create so much anger? How can one little piece of furniture be the straw that broke the camels back.....isnt it really just a sofa......its not like a life or death matter - or am I really missing something?

So the romance of the supplier had faded....but then again came through as he was trying to woo us back.....a little couch here and a little chair there...here a couch there a couch everywhere a couch couch......

But alas...his true colours shon through.....deliveries almost halted......and why......cuz my store isnt big enough....my little old retail level is nothing compared to the big box stores....I am not the one giving him 40 orders in once ....I only order 1 or 2 a week and I thought it was good...

But you know ...the truth about retail is ......it sucks!!!!!!!.....I am the front man for all the bad...I am the one who takes the deposit...gives it to the wholesaler to manufacture a piece.....and then I get screwed....and what does the manufacturer say?......he says I should give him more money.......money for what? Money so he can screw me over and then I need to be accountable for all the wrong doings of one person....

We had a really good business prior to sofa world....yes we had the issue a couple times of a carpenter taking orders and not completing them....and then actually taken items to work on and leaving the province....and yes we have had some artists......wow....the stories of the artists....some are great and then there are those who think they are great..........the ones that think they are the be all to end alls of the art world and have a pluther ( sorry had to use that word as I saw it used in another blog and everyone loved it so much) of problems....
And then comes the real truth.....yes I have a personal life and yes I can pretty much do what I want as it is my own business.....yes it is the truth that some woman was so desperate to come into my store when my son was sick in the hospital and her husband was also ill and she had the oddacity to yell at me saying that I was not open for her to shop......

Doesnt it all come down to the fact that it is all about furniture or things....there is nothing that desperate that cannot be worked out or resolved....
I know there is a couple of outstanding people who are awaiting there refunds....they know who they are and they will get it...but you know the whole internet world has created a system where people are able to say how they feel and be angry and vulgar and slanderous...so how does the retailer handle it.....
The way I just did.......

the culprit......a pretty robins egg blue sofa....

THE INDUSTRIAL MOVEMENT IN DESIGN

Over the past couple of years it has become quite obvious that Industrial edge has made it big in design....the odd thing I find is that it doesn't only appeal to one type of person...We received a shipment of Vintage Metal Doctors cabinets and it amazed me to see that every type or person - age , race or sex loved them.....there were few people that had no desire for the cabinets but for the most part everyone loved them...

Pick up any French magazine right now and see that the industrial edge is a hot look in Paris, hot looks in the UK and all over the place including right in our own City....the look mixes well with french pieces, with rustic pieces and even more so with contemporary looks. It has that patina that looks amazing in many vignettes and the most important thing is that it is all so Eco friendly - the new movement of recycling. When being in my store on weekdays I watch the scrap metal guys drive by - the one day someone had stopped at the light in front of my store and he had this amazing metal locker on the truck - on his way to the scrap metal place...no idea where that is but it could be fun to look through...I stopped him - asked if he would sell it to me and he did....also told him to keep looking for more items like that...it was a shame to realize how many of these kinds of pieces actually do go to the metal yards now and what little amount of money they get for them..

I have since made friends with lots of scrap metal guys and have found myself some really great items...it doesn't just come down to metal pieces though - art has become very influenced with industrial images - the vintage subway signs from NY - you see them in lots of places now - a friend of ours does them for our store on a hardwood backing and resin finish over top in our signature Robins egg blue colour and they are amazing...we actually yesterday just got some authentic signs in from NY - something not sure if I am going to frame out and keep or if I am going to sell...I'll give it some thought and it will probably be in my store shortly....Christine from love the design also does smaller art with typeset and letraset - the images she does are awesome and fit into so many levels of design... the resin finish makes it feel modern and crisp.

So many websites have popped up that sell only industrial pieces and now there are actually companies reproducing pieces in vintage metal...We are in the process of fine tuning some details with a company in India that will replicate pieces that we design in vintage metals....everything from sideboards to dining rooms to chairs...keep watching for more information.

The great thing about working and owning a store like mine is seeing all these great items come through with so much beauty - something I never thought i would say about a rusty piece of metal but something that is very true - the craftsman ship - crude or not makes the pieces a statement in any kind of decor....

WAREHOUSE SALE SATURDAY APRIL 17TH

ANNUAL WAREHOUSE SALE




FLIK AND COMPANY INTERIORS,


PIED A TERRE, MAX’S WHOLESALE CLOTHING



ANTIQUES, HOME DÉCOR AND MORE AT UP TO 60% OFF RETAIL PRICING

MAX’S WHOLESALE CLOTHING WILL BE SELLING OFF ALL DISCONTINUED JEANS, TOPS AND MORE STARTING AT 5.00 AND UP….



SATURDAY APRIL 17TH

10:00 – 4:00

987 QUEEN STREET EAST AT CARLAW ( QUEEN ST EAST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH)



CASH ONLY

VISIT TO THE TORONTO FURNITURE SHOW

I went with a client last week to the Toronto Furniture show - it is a trade only show and is supposed to enlighten us all with the trends etc and items available for retail.....I can honestly say I was dissapointed with the whole bleak show....Mario and I travelled to Paris about 4 years ago - prior to both our children and saw most of what was available finally in Canada 4 years later...The lamps above were impressive - somewhat french inspired and somewhat industrial something I love and is becoming more and more edgy. Pricepoints were far better on the retails here in Canada on these lamps as I believe in Paris they were about 250 euro's at the time - here the retails will be about 125.00 and up. We ordered them and will have them in the store shortly - I believe the manufacturer stated that they will be available mid march.

Now the part I actually really liked was a local manufacturer who imports sofas, chairs etc...they are pre made when they arrive and currently in stock to send out...unlike the delays on the other sofa companies...these ones are ready to go...

French inspired - and very Elle Decor - tufted back in a pale linen and the bottoms of the couches were lined with nail heads - really really cool....the fabric is wonderful - there was a sofa, a loveseat, a deep chair , a comfortable sitting chair and then the tufted ottoman - also introduced in the line was a french dining chair same linen fabric with a bleached wood trim.....

Did the show inspire me....not really...I think there is way too much of the Leons look - large pillow backed leather couches and chairs, oversize iron beds and nothing that truly inspired....

We have started carrying some amazing chandeliers from a company that introduced the above table...it is made of one piece of tree - reflecting the flaws in the wood as well...the legs of the table are more pieces of the tree and would be amazing paired up with the Phillip Starke ghost chairs....if I had more room in the store I would carry the whole line of tables , benches etc.....and who knows maybe will get some space to do that....

Overall - I think I find more inspiration from reading all the french magazines...and kind of just stuff that pops in my head.. Our aesthetic is pretty simple to figure out ....French meets Industrial with a real quirky edge....

So when you are looking at all the other retail stores - other then the big box ones....think of how much work we all need to do to make sure our inspiration gets to you..