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tangerine dreams

I hate to start a blog with the words “I told you so”, buuut…..it’s about this “Colour of the Year” business….

I mean, come on, orange you glad you saw it here first?

Now it’s everywhere - not only in fashion but in housewares too.

I’ve written about mixing Orange with turquoise but my favourite combo is to mix orange with fuchsia….can you tell by my website?

And by my cobistyle product line…here’s a taste of what’s new this Spring…

Some people think it’s “too much” to decorate a room with this combo but it’s great as an accent with neutrals…

Here’s some more cobistyle decor, I love pink and orange on chocolate brown…

Of course it’s great with black too…gorgeous!

And crisp white! This is an inspiration shot for my daughter’s coming soon, teenage room…

It’s a lively addition to a white bathroom too…

I’m so inspired by vibrant Indian sari’s.

Of course you don’t have to be Indian to pull the colours off…

It’s my favourite colour combination in the garden too…

Even when the blooms are made of sugar…

What fun colours to use in jewellery! I found this on Etsy…yum, looks like candy.

Or to decorate with at a wedding…

Or party…

So many great ideas…

Stick with me kid, and you’ll be ahead of the trends without even knowing it.

And have a lot of fun in the mean time!

breathing room

I was interviewed recently and one of the questions went something like this…“Cobi, we all put lots of energy, excitement and time into making our homes beautiful for the holiday season. Then January comes we simply take it all down and the house ‘goes back to normal’. Can you give us some ideas of how to overcome the winter blahs and find inspiration when it comes to winter decorating?”

It forced me to put into words something I’ve been feeling this January and many before. I love this time of year - partly because I’m Aquarius and feel a certain ownership about the month - but mainly because of the big ‘sigh’ that it provides us all with. January is like a giant exhale for me, and my house, and after the holidays, boy do we both need it.

Decorating for winter is as close as I get to being an anti-decorator. For me, it’s the one time of the year that less is more.

The winter months are about appreciating all things clean, quiet and pure. I suggest using this time to clear the clutter, purge unused stuff and put not only yourself, but your house, on a diet. Welcome the purity and quietness that comes with an unadorned, simple, functional home. Put out a few favourite things and let them steal the spotlight! One nice candle on a windowsill glowing in the evening. If I do any seasonal decorating at this time of year, I use white and winter white…it gives the house a peacefulness like new fallen snow.

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to make the most humble objects appear special - almost like art? I think that has to do with the fact that they provide breathing room around those objects so there is space to appreciate them. Try that in your house. One lovely old bowl or vase on a table. Nothing else. Don’t worry about ‘grouping’ and ‘styling’ and ‘layering’ … just let the quiet light and space surround one thing. It’s quite magical.

Just before the holidays I let a talented photographer friend rummage through my kitchen cupboards to use some of my things as props in a photo shoot she was doing for PaperChef. Now as I said, my friend and photographer, one Miss Margaret Mulligan is very talented and can find beauty in a brown paper bag - or in this case, baking parchment - but I have to say, I was astounded at how beautiful some of my humble (and often jumbled) odds and sods look when given “the floor” or “the counter top” in this case.

So whether fine or humble, give your favourite things some appreciation this month. Clear the clutter, do some cleaning, and see how your old stuff sparkles. Conveniently (in the month of credit card bills) it’s the cheapest decorating you’ll ever do.

my new years wish to you…

this christmas, have a ball

I trust you’re all busy bees, creating…

…in your home this season.

If it’s like my place, it feels more like a hurricane.

Baubles and beads are hanging everywhere.

Even from the rooftops!

I might as well serve them up for dessert!

They’re in every nook and cranny!

Even a few disco balls have gotten in on the act - “you’ve gotta move your feet when you feel the beat!”…

But wait - what about something homemade?

There’s still time to needlepoint a pillow if we work all night!

Or at the very least, make a snowman and dress him just right!

Whatever you do this Christmas, remember to smile. And don’t even THINK about escaping the Peace and Joy of Christmas.
You know you’d miss every crazy minute of it and so would I.

a cobistyle christmas

If you haven’t seen this issue of Reno & Decor magazine, I thought I’d show you the images from my recent cover story. We photographed the story in my own dining room back in September. With years of magazine experience under my belt, it brought back many fond memories to be dressing a room for Christmas on a warm, sunny day with the windows open.

What I’m not used to, however, is seeing my own product-line in a story (and in my house!). What fun it was to have fuchsia pink cobistyle chairs delivered from Decor-Rest. Open boxes of cobistyle throws, pillows, Christmas decorations, trays and accessories from Canfloyd. And hang beautiful chintz drapery named after my own daughter, Charlotte, from inVU.

It was really fun to integrate items that I’d conceived of for my line - like this lacquer box and Xmas balls - with my own personal decorations I use year after year.

And the colourful cobistyle table-decor with my own white dinnerware, linens and milk glass collection.

The brocade-covered Chinese take-out boxes are something of which I’m particularly proud. The idea is to use them for party favours or small gifts and the colours are so pretty - they come 4 colours to a box - and brighten up anywhere they’re displayed.

I guess I have a thing for multi-colours - these cobistyle napkin rings come 6 colours to a box. The jewel-like tones look great with crisp white linens.

I love my little Geisha girl place-card holders - are they not adorable? They also work as tree ornaments.

I know the colours are not traditional for Christmas but they look festive and bright just the same, especially when mixed with each other. The advantage too is that you don’t have to take everything down the minute Christmas is over. They look great for New Years and parties throughout the winter.

This shot doesn’t feature any cobistyle products but it does express my favourite sentiment for the season and so I guess in a way it’s still ‘Cobi-style’…

Merry Christmas!

online inspiration

After spending my career editing magazines, I’ve been very interested to see the online magazine industry unfold over the past couple years. But personally speaking, when asked if I like reading online magazines - my answer to date, is no. Never say never, but so far, they just aren’t doin’ it for me. It isn’t the content - they often carry wonderful stories and beautiful visuals. And it sure isn’t the price - they’re free! But for some reason it feels like monotonous work to turn the electronic pages and they usually lose my attention after a few short clicks. And so unfortunately I have yet to lose myself in a story, the way I do with print mags. I know electronic images don’t fade, yellow or stack up and collect dust like paper, but I also can’t tear a page out and put it in my “some-sweet-day file”.

Have a look at the online decor magazines I’ve been flipping through and let me know what you think! Maybe you can change my mind.

Lonny was launched in October 2009 and is definitely the top dog, at least on this side of the pond. It’s a bimonthly, online home decor and lifestyle magazine that highlights “extraordinary interiors, innovative bloggers, and the latest market trends”. The magazine’s name was formed by combining London and New York - the hometowns of its two founders. To date, Lonny has published 14 issues.

click here to check out Lonny

Trad Home is collaboration between Traditional Home magazine (print) and Lonny magazine (online). Trad Home was created to ‘capture a new “evolved traditional” design aesthetic’. I think that means - people who like traditional looks but still want to be current. To date, Trad home has published 1 issue and I read somewhere that there was suppose to be a second issue out last month but it didn’t happen, so now I’m confused.

click here to check out Trad Home

Rue magazine covers homes, entertaining, recipes, trends and products. It’s put together by two well known American bloggers based in San Francisco and has an eclectic, global feeling. It comes out bi-monthly and so far there are 6 issues of Rue.

click here to check out Rue

I didn’t realize until I wrote this blog that High Gloss magazine - which used to feature “inspiring interior design, fabulous fashion, fresh entertaining ideas and swoon-worthy travel destinations” - no longer exists. There were 3 issues created of High Gloss before its demise last summer. It sounds like things went south between the bloggers who created if if you read this entry by one of the editors from Elements of Style and this one from La Dolce Vita. Anyway, there are three issues to breeze through if you’re interested and who knows, maybe someone will recreate it. It all seems very ‘easy come, easy go’, in the online business.

check out High Gloss magazine

Dabble is Canada’s only online magazine covering design, travel and food. At the helm is designer Kimberley Seldon whom many of you will know from HGTV, Cityline, Chatelaine, etc. To date there has been 1 issue of Dabble but it looks like there will be another one soon. Good luck Kimberley!

click here to check out Dabble

Adore Home magazine is Australia’s first online-only home and lifestyle magazine. It covers “shops, hotels, homes and food. Adore Home invites you into inspirational homes, looks at the latest products on the market and whisks you away to gorgeous holiday destinations. Adore Home’s mission is to bring you beautiful homes from across the globe, tips and design advice from interior experts, as well as easy online access to the latest home treasures.” The Aussies sure know how to make a decorating magazine in print and so lets hope things go the same online.
Adore has published 6 issues to date.

click here to check out Adore Home

Ivy and Piper magazine covers “homewares, fabrics, home decor and design accessories”. It’s an online Interiors magazine from Brisbane, Australia. “Welcome to our design journal where we share and inspire our clients to embrace colour, pattern and beautiful home decor, which is what Ivy & Piper is all about!” So far there are 6 issues of Ivy & Piper.

click here to check out Ivy and Piper magazine

After having a look, perhaps you feel differently from me and enjoy reading online magazines? If so - please comment and tell us why. Or tell us about another online magazine that I’ve missed! It’s a big internet out there…

decorating by the book

I once read about a study that was done on how to get your kids to read. Was the key, reading to them every night? Making them read to you? Starting them young? What was the key to teaching kids the joy of reading? The scientists were very surprised to find that none of that mattered as much as one very simple thing. Having books in the house. By simple virtue of having books in the house - not even kids books - children turned out to be the biggest readers. The adults in the house didn’t even need to be huge readers themselves - it was simply the number of books in the house that made the difference. That being said, I can’t imagine a house full of books without an owner who loved to read. I imagine it’s just another life lesson of ‘actions speaking louder than words’. Kids or no kids, books are a wonderful addition to any house.

They not only add depth and character, but beauty as well.

I’ve always loved the idea of a ‘dining room/library’. It’s a great way to give a seldom-used dining room more purpose, and what a rich atmosphere in which to dine!

Black shelving is dramatic…

…but I’ll always be a sucker for white.

Bookshelves make for a double-duty room divider if you’re short of space.

And they provide a natural backdrop for bringing colour into a room.

For some, that means serious colour!

But for dabblers, books make wonderful pedestals for objets on tables…

Or on chairs…

Trolley’s…

Consoles…

And of course, coffee tables…

Books can even make a coffee table!

Or side table!

Books are a great way to warm up a mantle-scape…

Or fill in a big empty hole!

Wherever you choose to display your books, they’ll help make your house, a home, and it’s probably the easiest thing you’ll ever teach your kids.

the ultimate halloween decorating trick

More of a treat than a trick, a brightly coloured front door is an easy diy project that can really add character to your house.

And orange is a colour that’s often overlooked.

This woman went for a sunny tangerine and it totally livens up the front of her house.

But not just the exterior - look at the amazing affect the colour has when opened into the front hall…

Of course, an orange front door looks amazing at Halloween (and you still have a week to do it!).

But it works beautifully in the winter too…

Even in the summer…

Orange works particularly well with colours that can use a little warming up, like soft greys…

Blues…

Charcoal (wow - beautiful!)…

Orange can open up a ton of possibilities.

whether traditional…

Or modern…

If you think an orange door would work at your house - I’ve chosen a few shades to consider. They’re all Benjamin Moore and the best part is, one small can will do it!

For a sunny tangerine shade, I would try TANGELO 2017-30

For an earthier terra-cotta orange, try PRAIRIE LILY CC-98

For a beautiful burnt orange, I like ABANDON R-9916

And for a deep, true orange, I would go for RUMBA ORANGE 2014-20

Have fun and don’t forget to welcome guests with…”orange you glad I painted the front door?”

table ideas to fall for

If you’re hosting the turkey dinner tonight, have no fear - cute fall tabletop ideas are here! This image is stunning. The orange paper lanterns look like giant pumpkins overhead and I love the idea of bringing tartan to the table through napkins and blankeys. We should all have a collection of old wool tartan blankets to pull out in the fall!

Here’s another cute idea - pull out old family photos to use instead of place cards. What a great way to get people to the table!

And enjoy memories of family no longer with us.

If you have a box of price tags from the dollar store - create instant place cards by slipping them over the stem of a pear.

If you don’t; a little piece of twine works well with any kind of tag and fruit…

No tags at all? How about metallic pen on an apple or pomegranate? See - no excuses not to tart up the table!

If you’re more of a ‘professional arrangement kinda gal’ just make sure it’s gorgeous and bountiful like this…

Or buy a bunch of mixed flowers at the grocery store and cut them really short to create your own arrangement…

I love this skinny table set with old and new pieces. Classic and lovely.

Here’s a fun little craft if you own carving tools - these gourd vase and bowl ideas are sweet…

If warm tones aren’t you, don’t despair - purple looks amazing with fall colours…

As does crimson! It’s fabulous and unexpected alongside yellows and golds…

Try using unexpected items on your table or convert things, like candle holders, into props and pedestals.

Head out to the garden for some branches - understated elegance in a glass vase.

Or just lay one beautiful branch at each place - Bittersweet is perfect…

No branches? How about a simple piece of raffia and a wooden bead? See … no excuses…

Fall foliage also looks amazing in a glass vase - no fuss, no muss, no cost.

And here’s a perfect kids table anyone can do with kraft paper, crayons, a few pears and pots…

If you aren’t hosting this year, don’t miss out - do up your mantle and light a crackling fire …

And then take a moment to give thanks for all of your many blessings…

open to ideas

I’ve often had people ask me about the open-shelves in my kitchen. There’s an understandable fear of dust and grease making them impractical. Well I can tell you that after living with them for 6 years, I don’t find that to be a big enough issue to over-ride the appealing look, and ease of use, they bring to my kitchen.

Here are some other beautiful examples of open shelves in kitchens…

Gorgeous! But what if you aren’t renovating and want to create the look in your existing kitchen? Try removing the doors on a section of your cabinetry and paint out the interiors for a similar look…

Open shelves are often the key feature to a country kitchen…

But there are very hip looking kitchens with open shelves too…

And even loft spaces…

Open shelving is a wonderful way to show off a collection and make sure it gets use!

If you can’t find a way to incorporate open shelves into your upper cabinetry, you may want to think about a section of the lowers…

Or creating an impromptu version in a hutch…

Or even on a basic set of shelves…

Wherever open shelves are, they’re a beautiful way to create displays and vignettes in your home…

Or bring in colour…

The lack of colour on these shelves creates a more calm, classic, almost utilitarian look…

But hey, if colour is your thing, don’t hold back…

Basically, this idea is for anyone who’s open to it!

oh suzani, won’t you smile for me?

As you know, I’m not big on trends in the home. Or to clarify; I don’t think trends should drive a home. And so for that reason, I hesitate to cover the topic of suzani as they’ve been so hot with home-fashionistas over the past few years. But that’s silly. The truth is, the suzani has been a part of women’s artistic expression in Central Asia for hundreds of years. Traditionally, when a girl was born, her mother would start embroidering the suzani for her. As the daughter grew older, she would join in the process. The suzani would eventually become a part of her dowry and be used to decorate her home. There’s nothing trendy about that.

And so, a quick primer: suzani is a type of embroidered and decorative tribal textile made in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries. The term suzani means “needlework”.

Recognizable for the starburst, suzani designs were commonly used as coverlets for the bridal bed, but these gorgeous textiles bring color and texture to any space. Suzani make beautiful wall hangings, bedspreads, furniture throws, pillows, tablecloths or even upholstery.

Whether your bed is ‘bridal’ or ‘beyond’…a layer of suzani can really spice things up this fall…

Or you may want to upholster a bench in a suzani for the bottom of the bed?

Suzani patterns look great on arm chairs and ottomans. Don’t worry about matching the other fabrics in the room, a suzani stands on it’s own like a piece of art.

But if that’s too much of a commitment, buy a suzani (or look-a-like fabric) and layer it over your neutral sofa for some earthy warmth this winter.

Or over a club chair to cozy things up.

Toss one over a table to give texture to the terrace or dining room.

A suzani-style rug is a great investment and will travel from room to room.

If you invest in the real thing, consider hanging it on the wall for a dramatic focal point.

Fabric houses often print in the pattern of suzani…here’s a gorgeous version in two colour-ways from Donghia.

A few precious yards were framed dramatically (in the talented Emily Walker’s home) and featured on the cover of House & Home in 2009.

We chose this warm and sunny fabric for the cobistyle drapery line and called it Heirloom.

The flower-like pattern is easily integrated into rooms, and the same goes for wardrobes!

And ceramics…

Look at these gorgeous ribbons…

And towels!

We used suzani as wall art inspiration in the cobistyle accessory line…

If you’re interested in bringing some suzani into your home this fall, the easiest thing to do is buy a pillow.

I guarantee it will layer in nicely with your existing pillows.

And add some cheerful character to your room, especially in the fall and winter months.

I’m sure that’s why the suzani-style pillow we did for cobistyle this season is our top seller. Not because it’s trendy, but because it’s a classic - easy to enjoy - happy and bright, like a sunny fall day.

cobistyle comes to the backyard

We spent a day in my friend, Laurie’s backyard playing with some of my favourite cobistyle accessories…have a look!

I’ve decided these fabric lanterns are my ‘signature’ piece. Although they aren’t weather-proof, they’ve got such great character - and look as good on the patio as they do on the dining table. Look at how they turn a plain-jane ledge into a thing of beauty. They’ll look even prettier lit in the evening.

The smaller size lantern is perfect to hang on those garden shepard hooks many of us have for flowers or solar lights. They’ll mark your walk, day or night…

You know I’m devoted to the colour combo, blue and white (I’ve preached about it’s classic quality forever). The beauty is that it looks great anytime, anyplace, including the garden!

And look at it here with the addition of a few hits of orange… gorgeous!

And what would summer be without our favourite tastes from the garden? You simply can’t get a better appetizer than Tiny Tim tomotoes and basil from the garden with a little bocconcini cheese. Our bamboo skewers are perfect for party bites and reusable if you like. 50 skewers come in a clear branded box making them a great little hostess gift along with your contribution to the buffet table. (The bowls and tray are cobistyle too)

The cobistyle multi-coloured cotton napkins are a natural to brighten up classic white plates at a garden party. Guests will enjoy getting their favourite colour and won’t even notice if your flower bed isn’t blooming.

Setting up a summer table is so much fun and such a great excuse to play with colour. Who wouldn’t be happy to sit down to this table?

Or move things around to colour-block the place settings using a throw, lantern, napkin and chopsticks of similar colours…

The little cobistyle mini white ceramic bird vases are just right for holding sprigs from the garden (no need to spend money on flowers!).

I love the idea of throws ready in the garden for when the cool of evening comes. The juicy colours of our super-soft throws (and their washability) make them them perfect for the job. (I wish I could say this garden stool was mine too but it isn’t unfortunately.)

There’s just something about the idea of putting out lanterns and throws for an evening party in the summer - it’s so romantic…or, as my friends are now starting to tease me, so… cobistyle! ; )

the black hole of summer decor

Fireplaces tend to get abandoned in the summertime, leaving us with a big black hole in the middle of our living rooms. Take advantage of the display space and treat the darkness as a backdrop to lighter, brighter things.
Here are some cheap and cheerful ideas to get your noggin noodling…

Place a big potted flowering plant in front…

Fill the hole with a mirror for the summer…

Paint a pretty old fire grill white…

Fill the grate with white birch bark logs…

Or clean, split wood with the ends showing…

Lean a painting…

Lighten the darkness with houseplants…

Decorate with some dried hydrangea from the garden…

Put a couple of Chinese garden stools or large ginger jars and a bamboo screen in front…

Give one or two of your favourite objects centre stage…

Or if it isn’t a working fireplace and you’ve cleaned it up, use it as a place to store books…

And then of course there’s always the option of buying cobistyle lanterns (I know, I’m shameless). They sure do add cheery colour and a beautiful glow when lit in the evening…

I hope one of these ideas lights your fire this summer!

bamboozeled

I’ve always loved faux bamboo furniture.

It seems current and classic at the same time - not always an easy combination.

Jonathan Adler has made the bamboo Chippendale chair into a style icon. It’s great in vivid colours like cobalt blue…

Lemon yellow…

Crisp white…

Often you can find faux bamboo pieces in junk shops or mom’s basement and spray paint them yourself for great effect…

Or find beautiful quality vintage ones with the perfect patina…

Or spend a ton of dough on gorgeous, chunky new ones…

Who doesn’t love a classic wood faux bamboo bed dressed in crisp white sheet…

Or an antique dresser with a marble top…

Or bedroom pieces painted white…

No matter the finish, bamboo has a graphic quality while still looking warm and inviting…

It’s the perfect blend of contemporary and traditional…

And it looks great in any room of the house - feeling casual and refined at the same time…

Or even on the table…

I’m always so tempted to buy bamboo cutlery but my practical side wins out…

I love these lamps for sale on Etsy. I would paint the base black and add a black shade…

The look of painted faux bamboo gives light fixtures instant character and whimsy…

And I love the Hollywood, retro feel of bamboo-style outdoor furniture…

If you like the idea of faux bamboo, start with a great mirror - you can’t go wrong…

I’ve shown this picture before - bamboo ballroom chairs on Madison Avenue being delivered for a wedding at The Pierre… so romantic..

But how about these ones spray painted pink - even better!

backyard oasis

In 2007 we did a major overhaul of our backyard. You may remember it from the pages of H&H. My dear friend and very talented photographer, Virginia MacDonald captured it beautifully. You’ll notice how my daughter (then 8 yrs old) wanted into every picture, and you won’t notice my son because he wouldn’t come near the camera!

Here’s the porch that we added on to the house. It’s our favourite room 3 seasons of the year (we added an electric fireplace and put plexi sheets on over the screens from late fall to early spring to extend the season).

Here’s Hito, our pearl gray Porty, weighing the consequences of sneaking some of the popcorn prop…

And there goes Charlotte…

Here’s Charlotte at the bbq which is under a retractable awning - no more holding an umbrella while flipping patties…

And here’s Charlotte at the pool’s edge - we painted it grey so the water is a little deeper shade of blue…

Our furniture is from Hauser and I love the black and white theme but plan to have some fun mixing in colourful cobistyle pillows and accessories this year.

I love this shot that Virginia snapped of Charlotte. I’d like to blow it up poster size for her room some day…

Can you imagine the size of the house this oval window came out of? We converted it to a mirror to create some interest on the pool shed/sauna wall.

This furniture isn’t special but light was so pretty we had to grab it…

These floating candle holders are for the pool - I found them at Lee Valley.

Here they are at nighttime…

Although the backyard cost ten times what I thought it would (landscaping seems to be like that) we love our backyard and use it day and night.

Looking at these pictures again makes me want to get out there and set it up for another summer of fun - we just need the sun!