Fashion, Home decor and more - Its all about the Orange

I was thinking the other day about my next posting and wondering how I was influenced to make the choice of orange as the pop colour in my store and also in our house...I know Mario was a big influence in the choice as it is a colour that he loves. I am quite happy with how things have come about.

Years ago all I ever worked with in colours was Robins Egg Blue, white and brown - all the homes that I decorated were always in the colour scheme and my customer base was loyal with it as well. Who would have thought I would pop into orange and have it inspire me in more ways then I can imagine...

The Hermes box really is my inspiration - I have a nice collection of them right now and we search everywhere to find others - including stylists in the USA and abroad....decorating with the box gives a soft glow of orange but also the right amount of pop.

I spent my afternoon on our deck today searching the web for inspiration and realized that it surrounded me - literally and figuratively - last week my blog was about the orange around us - in signs, cars etc....this time it is all about fashion and style....

When you are inspired by a colour i think you take notice of it more....but designers like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior and of course Hermes have stuck with orange as a mainstay in their designs..
Joe Fresh Fall 2011 collection had hits of orange as did many of the other designers.

Then it became more apparent that Orange was a colour that came in every tone , any design and all over from Home to Fashion . I have a client who has turned into a friend - she and her husband painted her bathroom - the Benjamin Moore Electric orange ( aka : hermes orange) but also her stairs leading up to her second floor - she was inspired by my store and followed through...We had another client paint her kitchen the same orange and all shiny white cabinets from Ikea....the colour has become bold and fun and it is so good to see so many people inspired to use it...

I am happy in our choice as an accent colour in our home - we are currently working on a couple of new variations to showcase orange - but as i continue with my store - I am always in search of new ways to find and deliver the goods of orange.

There really is an Orange Cow......

JUST IN - Hermes Orange Cowhides.....limited quantities - these are beautiful

A day in the life of Orange

Today was my day off - Mario, Mari-Sol, Ben and I took a long walk from our house across the Danforth.
Within the first couple of minutes I was thinking that it would be interesting to see how the colour Orange is more common then we think and not just the trend that is current.




Of course we didnt walk all the way down to the Hermes store - but it is a lot more interesting to see how Orange is in some of the most unusual places.... ( dont get me wrong a trip to the Hermes is totally interesting.......)

Walking along the streets of the city - orange is definetly on machinery, construction zones....the obvious pylons, jackets on construction men with neon yellow, signage everywhere.... a lot more common then you think

Any of the Hakim Optical stores have the big orange glasses - this one was one of the older stores and there was definetly lots of orange in their sign.....
Cars drove by - of course there is 2 different taxi companies in the city with orange - Beck Taxi with orange and green and then Diamond with Black and Orange

but then there was a lady who drove past in this.....

bicycle parked on the side

The obvious fruit markets with oranges

Continuing down the street many shades of orange popped up - on the sidewalk markers, the newspaper box

a planter outside of a store

Now ....the best part - walking into the LCBO - right in the very front - one of our favorite champagnes.....and guess what.....it was all about the orange.

and then finally.....after the long walk, a quick lunch and kids ready to go home - we took the subway.......and luckily found the old one with of course.....Orange doors...

I guess it gives something to ponder...Orange had its hayday in the 60's - came back again sometime in the 80's and now is a hot trend.....one of the most expensive companies Hermes has orange as their signature colour and really it is in our daily life hidden or not but blending with everything else that is out there.....

Way to go ORANGE!!!

Is there really such a thing as an orange cow?

We are currently working on doing the master bedroom in our new house - it is of course the last room to be finished for reasons not really know to either Mario or I?  We had a hard time getting the right inspiration i guess and then all of a sudden it is coming together....the reason of this post is not to show the bedroom - but the cool new cowhide bench that came into the store made for us from a company in montreal.

The hide is dyed Orange - this one came out a little bright - so hopefully the next ones will be in an Hermes Orange - the hide is then added to the shiny metal criss cross frame for a lovely custom bench in front of our bed.

If you notice - the Gerbera daisys that are in the white vase on the chest of drawers is the exact colour of the bench.......

So our next step for this room is to do an orange damask tone on tone wallpaper behind the bed  - stay tuned.......hopefully this wallpaper goes up easier then the last one did.....

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The trend of animals.....Faux or real?



 Lately it seems that everywhere you look it is antlers, hides, turtle shells , zebras etc.....Decorating with animal motifs has always been a trend - fashion has always been hot and they use it not only in clothing but handbags etc.. but more and more people are getting concerned with the impact on the animal world so its become faux......


zebra hide - printed cow hide...not real zebra




Faux zebra rug in orange - Jonathan Adler



this faux hide was available through QVC

 Cowhides - can now be pretty much any colour - any style - our son has a giraffe printed hide in his bedroom - zebra printed hides are seen everywhere and are beautiful on the floor - colours like Hermes Orange - we are working on a bench for the store...Fuscia , Turquoise....can be seen in many design magazines and of course available in faux hide.....

We did the above chair in faux snakeskin - classic style french chair gives this a modern feel...the faux snakeskin is pretty realistic in feel - rub your hand against the weave and it actually feels scaley

Antlers are everywhere lately - Antlers are one of those things that are still in the "Not so bad" category....every year deer shed their antlers - so its not like we are sending people out to get them from the animals...but resin has come a long way.....


antelope antlers on mount - resin

 They look great in decorating....

Always have to add something whimiscal in orange - this is a resin horse mount painted in Hermes Orange - we have rams heads as well.....

tortoise shell bowls - not real

Tortoise shell - resin

 So as you can see - it is easy to find items that are not real - no one needs to smuggle turtle shells across the border anymore - resin ones have made their way in the world and keeping our animals out of harms way.

Polar Bear rug made from Recycled rugs

Spring is in the air and new product arriving .......

Well finally we are over what was a long winter again....Spring is somewhat in the air - next weekend it is easter and we have filled the store with lots of new product....and oddly enough for a person who is afraid of lots of pattern and colour...I brought in some amazing new pillows......

Inspired by Anthropologie - the oversize pillows are linen backed, down filled and quirky......the butterflies, moths, bugs and animals come in an array of styles and add a great pop statement to your home decor

New chairs - like the classic Concierge chair in burlap and black nail heads show case the bold blue butterfly pillow - chairs like the one below - a classic french style in weathered oak with an interesting orange ( of course) coral pattern

One of my favorite pillows is the Zebra print below......neutral in look but a great statment piece

and who can have spring without the glory of birds.......

Stop by to take a look.....and Happy Spring

LOVE THE DESIGN

Love the design is now open....I was lucky enough to watch Christine Flynn transform the space next door at 1362 Queen street east from the old H&R block to what it is today.
Opening officially last saturday - the space houses her resin finished photographs - Vintage inspired and true to Christines aesthetic, as well as a mix of Industrial inspired furnishings, Modern Eiffel chairs in Acrylic against an old door table, Burlap covered chairs and a great collection of Steam punk lighting.

the cloche light is a steal at 195.00 with exposed filimint bulb

The space is awesome - the focal wall as you walk inside the door is Christines painstaking 30hr project of old book pages arranged in only the way an artist can do all over the wall....it is accented with the steamer engine piece of art which again is true to form of this talented artist.

Christine takes inspiration from many things - the industrial edge is a hot look right now in design and the space is really reflective of it.. The touches of Gold - which have almost become a signature of Love the design is even transferred on her logo in the window.

As you all know from me writing about Christine before - Horses were some of my favorite - the dyptich of Levi the horse is spectacular - the 2 pieces make you feel like the horse is breathing on you....

Welcome to the hood Christine

http://www.lovethedesign.com/