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better red than dead

Posted by Cobi on Monday February 13, 2012 at 06:00 AM
colour • decorating • Comments (3)

How to liven up a room in your house instantly?

Add a piece of painted red furniture.

It could be something big.

Or it could be something small.

It could be an unusual find.

Or something from IKEA.

It could be a high-end score.

Or a chinatown score (with a bucket ‘o paint).

It could be the only red thing in the room.

Or there could be only red things in the room.

Whatever piece you choose…

Red is sure to command attention.

And so get out your handy paint brush…

Or if painting isn’t your thing, your handy staple gun…

Or if stapling isn’t your thing, your handy wallet - because of course I put a painted red cabinet into my cobistyle furniture line…

And in fact, we’re featuring red in the new cobistyle Lighting line due to arrive in stores later this Spring!

There’s no doubt, red is a welcome guest in our homes.

And puts a happy tune in our heart, far beyond Valentines.

tangerine dreams

Posted by Cobi on Monday January 30, 2012 at 06:00 AM
colour • decorating • Comments (2)

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!

the ultimate halloween decorating trick

Posted by Cobi on Monday October 24, 2011 at 06:00 AM
colour • decorating • halloween • Comments (3)

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?”

oh suzani, won’t you smile for me?

Posted by Cobi on Wednesday September 07, 2011 at 11:00 AM
cobistyle products • colour • decorating • fall • Comments (2)

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.

marilyn makeover happy

Posted by Cobi on Monday May 09, 2011 at 05:59 AM
cobistyle products • colour • decorating • Comments (2)

On Wednesday of this week (May 11/11) I’ll be appearing on MARILYN (CTV).

To show how colourful accessories can transform a room from drab to fab, we made-over the living room of one of the show’s producers.

The room itself is very pretty with lots of character and warm wood floors and trim.

I won’t sound snobby if I use the homeowner’s own descriptive for her existing furniture - ‘frat-house style’. The paint was in good shape but the yellowy colour looked drab against the wood trim.

Step #1 was to empty the room and that meant moving the sofa ‘directly to curb’ (where it was picked up by 2 very happy guys in a van in about an hour).

Step #2 was to give the room a coat of fresh white paint - you can’t go wrong with Benjamin Moore 967, and then we added a punch of colour to the area above the fireplace. I chose Ben. Moore Pear Green 2028-40 which is crisp and clean and serves to draw the eye even more quickly to the room’s best features. We also took the old screens off the stained glass windows so they could actually be seen - so pretty!

Step#3 colourful cobistyle accessories to the rescue. Once again I found myself loading the family van with flowers, pillows and props - I think my next business should be called: ‘decorating by the vanload’.

Actually, this shoot took two vans plus a furniture truck.

Then we had to bring in the camera and lights and tv people - of course it was dark, rainy day that only added to the drama.

Decor-Rest very kindly supplied us with the big pieces of furniture for the day. The sofas and bar are from the Steven & Chris line and the ottoman is from the cobistyle line.

The oval shaped ottoman is great for traffic flow and I love the black and white geometric for adding interest while acting as a perfect foil for other colours.

Next we hung the art and I love these two pieces from Canvas in Toronto (I’m sorry I didn’t record the artist’s names but both are Canadian).

Love the colour and impact they bring to the white walls!

Next we hung the drapery - our top selling cobistyle pattern, Caliente, looked amazing! inVU Drapery comes at a standard length of 96” and so the ready-to-wear panels went up in a snap and totally softened the frame of the window while adding welcome pattern to the room.

Next came a mix of pillows and throws in different patterns and colours that easily played off each other on the neutral sofas.

I filled the fireplace hole with cobistyle Chinese lanterns (one of my favourite accessories in the line) and they added a ton of fun to a blank space. They’ll look great at night too when lit with a tealight making the coloured fabrics glow.

I know I’ve said it a lot, but blue and white Chinese porcelain looks good with everything - such a decor classic.

And look at these little cobistyle bird bud vases, chirping on the windowsill - so cute!

The homeowner mentioned that she likes the idea of a bar in her living room and I agree. A bar is handy if you’re entertaining and even if you aren’t a big party person, it’s a great place to arrange accessories and create another focal point in the room.

Flowers add lively colour wherever you put them. I lined up my everlasting peony-in-a-glass and love the simple look of repetition. The cobistyle white wood architectural grids look great against the green paint and add even more character to the room.

We used a purple(!) rug from IKEA to soften the seating area and as I’d hoped, the purple was very easy to live with - not too crazy at all.

I just have to show you the Before one more time for effect….

The transformation was pretty cool - it was like the room popped a couple happy pills!

Here I am shiny-faced from packing and unpacking boxes between scenes…such is the glamorous life of ‘decorator by the vanload’.

nature’s paint brush

Posted by Cobi on Monday April 11, 2011 at 05:58 AM
colour • flowers • spring • Comments (5)

People often ask me where I get my inspiration…well it isn’t hard when I see things like this…

These shots are taken of northern Netherlands in the middle of tulip season.

The Dutch landscape in May is a kaleidoscope of color as the tulips burst into life.

More than three billion tulips are grown each year.

Their dazzling colors are thanks to the years in the 17th century when tulip mania swept the globe and the most eye-catching specimens changed hands for a small fortune.

But like a Rainbow, this colorful landscape is a short-lived phenomenon.

When the flowers are gone, the land is cultivated for less exciting but ever important vegetables.

Take note hubby, a spring trip to Netherlands is on the bucket list, right alongside the south of France in lavender season.

sweet as honeysuckle!

Posted by Cobi on Monday January 31, 2011 at 06:00 AM
colour • Comments (4)

Every year the Pantone colour company pronounces the ‘colour of the year’ and 2011 marks the year of Honeysuckle. An “uplifting” reddish pink that lends a “lively flair” to interiors and a “healthy glow” when worn by men and women. Sounds down right rosy!

In case you didn’t know, Pantone is like an international language of colour. It’s a way to tell someone on the other side of the world, or in an office down the hall, what colour you mean and it’s a standardized system that all disciplines of design use. But lets get back to Honeysuckle…even Louis Armstrong had a thing for it…

Ev’ry honey bee…. fills with jealousy

When they see you out with me

I don’t blame them….goodness knows

Honeysuckle rose

When you’re passin’ by….flowers drop and sigh

And I know the reason why

You’re much sweeter….goodness knows

Honeysuckle rose.

When I’m taking sips…from your tasty lips

Seems the honey fairly drips

You’re confection…..goodness knows

Honeysuckle rose.

Even though I’m not a proponent of yearly trends, I’m proud to say that cobistyle features lots of uplifting reddish pink! Here’s a sneak peak of a drapery panel with a pink silk sash - just the right amount of colour like a great scarf with a classic suit.

And this little grouping of cobistyle pieces shows a perfect honeysuckle cozy throw to liven up neutral upholstery.

Lastly, I love this cobistyle pink velvet tufted bench. What a great piece to put at the end of a bed, in front of a fireplace or in a hallway. Covered in pink it’s like a flower blooming in your room all the time.

And so Honeysuckle it is! Something tells me 2011 is going to be flush with happy decorating.

eat, pray, lovin’ my way into the new year

Posted by Cobi on Monday January 10, 2011 at 05:59 AM
colour • movies • travel • Comments (1)

I know I’m a little late getting to the this whole Eat, Pray, Love thing, but with colours like this, you’ll have to forgive me…

I still can’t believe that three people in my life gave me the book (that’s a first) and told me they thought I’d like it, and it took me over a year to finally give it a shot.

In fact, I actually saw the movie first and then read the book (that’s a first too!). But there were so many brilliant lines throughout the movie, I had to read the book to really soak them in (and my nearest and dearest were all right - I did love it).

I only wish they’d cast a lesser known star for the lead - sorry Julia.

But wow! Look at that poster behind her at the launch…gorgeous!

Of course the location settings of the movie were pretty spectacular… Rome (look at that beautiful fence)…

And how about the stunningly crumbling apartment her character rented there…

Then just when we start to get used to that, she’s off to India…

The ancient home of vivid colour…

A wonderful shock to the senses…

Then snap, we’re on to Bali…

Another ancient home, but this one, more subtle and serene…

Still lots and lots of pattern though…

And that exciting feeling of ‘the Bazaar’ where everything just seems to jumble together beautifully without a plan…

The story and it’s settings left me inspired.

As I guess it did with many. I had no idea there were Eat, Pray, Love fragrances on the market…

Or products being sold under the colourful umbrella of the E,P,L look…

Prayer beads are a hot fashion accessory…

As are bracelets of all kinds using E,L,P as a selling hook…

Event planners have used the story as inspiration for party themes…

And of course, corresponding party favours…

Fashion blogs have used it to build stories around…

And sell more bracelets…

Heck, even foodies have written about the colours of Eat, Pray, Love.

You know something has touched a nerve when people see it in all aspects of life - from fashion to fruit.

And so guess I’ve learned two lessons:
One - next time three people give me a book, I’ll read it.
Two - “in Bali before dawn the roosters for miles around announce how freaking cool it is to be roosters. “We are ROOSTERS!” they holler. “We are the only ones who get to be ROOSTERS!” Geez, I loved that darned book!

a colourful christmas

Posted by Cobi on Monday November 29, 2010 at 06:00 AM
christmas • collecting • colour • Comments (4)

This weekend we started decorating for the holidays - ‘we’ being my daughter, Charlotte and me. My house is definitely not a ‘decorator Christmas house’. It’s a ‘family Christmas house’ through and through with homemade ornaments and bits and this-and-that from years of collecting and crafting throughout the house. While sentimental, I also like to make things pretty of course, and enjoy playing with colours and moving things around to see what works where, making a little magic whenever possible with what we have.

Our living room suits a traditional Christmas red/green colour scheme perfectly with it’s red sofa smack in the middle. But the dining room is a different story - it’s brown and watery blue scheme demands it’s own attention. What I’ve learned looks amazing with soft blues and turquoise at Christmas time is rosy cranberry red, blush pink and lots of silver. In fact, it’s become one of my favourite colour schemes and I use lots of my vintage Christmas balls for inspiration. If you have blues and browns in your house, try forgoing the usual Christmas red and green and try thinking pink … here’s some inspiration to get you going…

Over the years I have collected many boxes of ‘shiny bright’ vintage Christmas balls just like all of these, and every year I threaten that I’m going to forgo our usual sentimental tree ornaments and only decorate in my vintage ball collection. Of course I never do it. That would be too ‘decorator driven’ for our house and my kids would kill me! We talked about it again this weekend and Charlotte told me very plainly I would have to wait until she and her brother had left home to do it (at the time she was proudly hanging a large bell ornament made from an upside-down plastic plant pot, spray painted gold with a pipe-cleaner handle).

I told her that’s ok, it gives me more years to find ornaments on sale in junk stores in January when no one else wants them. I know it will be pretty the year I finally see my ornaments all out of their boxes, and the tree is laden with sparkly balls all different but of the same vintage and with just the right patina. But as life would have it, I also know that seeing my tree will mean the years will have passed and I will be looking at it with a melancholy heart and pine for the tree of proud pipe cleaners and noodle angels.

fire and ice

Posted by Cobi on Monday October 18, 2010 at 06:00 AM
colour • Comments (1)

Isn’t this a great image?

And this is beautiful too…

What do they have in common other than pumpkins?

Colour. The unlikely combination of firey orange and cool blue is something unexpected to the eye…

And quite beautiful.

Orange and turquoise are directly opposite each other on the color wheel, making them perfect compliments.

It got me thinking that orange and turquoise make a fun combination in decorating.

The blue cools the intensity of the orange and the orange lends warmth to the blue.

When I searched for examples, I was shocked to see how easy it was to find the combination at work in many beautiful rooms…

Have a scroll through and see how this unlikely pair can shape a room into something quite extraordinary…

Of course nature has known about this wonderful pairing for quite a while…

But the combination of orange and turquoise is really best when interpreted by humans.

appreciate your good ol’ mum!

Posted by Cobi on Monday September 27, 2010 at 06:00 AM
colour • fall • flowers • nature • Comments (0)

Poor Mums - they get no respect.
Maybe it’s because they’re available year round - you can always find them at the supermarket. They aren’t expensive, heck, they’re even penny-wise! They’re basically always there for you - rain or shine - but whenever anybody imagines a Mum, they just think ‘same old, same old’…

But that’s not true!! You just have to take a little closer look to see that Mum’s are beautiful!!

They come in many shapes, sizes and colours….

And sometimes it’s just how you put them together that makes the difference…

Mum’s love weddings. And even if we don’t have a wedding in the plans, we can often steal ideas from them…

How cute is this, young and old, boys always love their Mums…

So when you’re doing your fall decorating, don’t forget to include Mum.

She’s easy to work with…

And ask any pumpkin, Mums are not pansies, they’re sure to look good for a long time.

turquoise summer

Posted by Cobi on Monday June 21, 2010 at 06:00 AM
colour • decorating • Comments (3)

I love to accessorize myself and my rooms with the colour turquoise in the summer months.
Here’s my little ‘ode to summer’ in our porch….

Check out this turquoise ‘accessory’ in this great cottage…

That takes some serious commitment to turquoise, but here is a version of just two pieces that bring a room to life:

Turquoise is a natural choice in rooms where water and cleanliness are key - like bathrooms…

And kitchens…

Did you know there’s an entire website devoted to decorating with the colour turquoise? Check out House of Turquoise for wonderful inspiration. She has rooms shots divided into categories (ie. 260 turquoise bedrooms) - amazing!

You can also shop for anything turquoise, including jewellery, clothes, accessories, on a site called: decorbycolour.com . Just move your mouse over the squares of colour on the home page and you’ll find on block called “everything turquoise” featuring things like these great towels:

Turquoise looks great mixed with other colours - like Green…

Even Olive Green works with turquoise…

Or Orange!

And of course Red looks amazing with turquoise.

Tiffany blue is super hot right now in the colour world.

It’s a fun colour to use in an unexpected place.

I’m always attracted to turquoise coloured Glass. Either refined, like this…

Or casual/country, like this…

Or just bloody gorgeous, like this…

Or this…

Wouldn’t it be great if we could all enjoy this kind of turquoise this summer…

Or this?

Our water may be dark blue in Canada, but in the summertime, turquoise is a state of mind ; ) .

rick rack attack

Posted by Cobi on Monday May 31, 2010 at 06:00 AM
colour • craft • Comments (6)

What is it about rick rack that’s so appealing?

Does it bring back memories of one of Grandma’s aprons? Or a favourite blouse from your childhood? Is the wavy design the perfect blend of old and new?

Whatever it is, it seems to represent a simpler time when summers were long and houses smelled like apple pie.

You can tell how much I like rick rack just by looking at my picture to the top of this blog. I had that linen tunic made last year and chose large scale, white cotton rick rack to trim it. I love the gutsy, graphic quality of it.

Last week I found some amazing fabric called “Rick Rack Attack” - wouldn’t it make great napkins?

There are all kinds of things you can do with rick rack - from wrapping presents….

To wrapping lampshades…

Look at some of the things I found people doing on Etsy…

Laminated binders…

Pillows…

Hairbands….

Bags…

Flowers…

Clothing…

Even selling vintage rick rack…

Part of what I love about rick rack is the colour choice…

And did you know it comes in velvet?…

And glitter….

So make some waves and have your own rick rack attack…

Even if all you do is something small…

neat and trim

Posted by Cobi on Monday April 26, 2010 at 05:59 AM
colour • decorating • Comments (1)

I love ribbon trim on drapery. It seems to add that extra bit of tailoring and definition that turns the standard into the sublime.

Isn’t it interesting that something so simple can make all the difference?

And why is it that certain design classics - like ribbon trimmed drapery panels - always look current?

Questions to ponder as you get inspired….

Ribbon trim is a great way to add colour and character to a solid drapery panel or roman blind without going crazy with colour and pattern.

If you are going to add it to an existing panel, be sure to buy washable ribbon (some isn’t) and don’t go too skimpy - it should be at least 1.5 inches wide.

There you have it ~ another reason to ‘get trim’ this spring! (sorry, I couldn’t help myself)

very merry Marimekko

Posted by Cobi on Monday April 19, 2010 at 05:59 AM
colour • decorating • Comments (3)

I’m a fan of Marimekko prints and thought I’d do a little primer for anyone unfamiliar with this iconic company.

Marimekko is a Finnish company based in Helsinki that has made important contributions to fashion, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. It is particularly noted for its brightly-colored, graphic printed fabrics and simple styles.

Look at this restaurant in Helsinki with Marimekko tablecloths…

Marimekko was founded in 1951. They were made famous in the United States by Jacqueline Kennedy, who bought eight Marimekko dresses which she wore throughout the 1960 US Presidential campaign.

In the mid 1960’s, Crate and Barrel began a relationship with Marimekko, which continues to this day, using their designs on textiles sold in their stores. Crate and Barrel also uses Marimekko patterns as display backdrops in their stores to add color and seasonality.

By 1965, the company employed over 400 people, and was into every aspect of design from fabrics to toys, dinnerware, even completely equipped small houses. That year, the owner was quoted in a magazine as saying she was “against success–it is a sick word. Too many side effects.”

Interesting foreshadowing as the company was sold in 1985, and by the1990s, Marimekko was in such bad financial condition it was considered ready for bankruptcy which is the reason many people are unfamiliar with it today. It was eventually sold again and re-introduced with a new business model. The current company is generally seen as having saved Marimekko.

In the late 90’s Marimekko achieved publicity in the hit series Sex and the City. The main character of the series, Carrie Bradshaw wore a Marimekko bikini in season 2 and later a Marimekko dress. In the fifth season they featured tablecloths with Marimekko prints. The power of tv!

By 2005, Marimekko’s revenue had been quadrupled and it’s net income had grown 200-fold.

Smartly, they’ve licensed their designs to some very hot companies like Fatboy bean bag chairs…

Here is a swimsuit at H&M…

In 2007, Marimekko began opening individually-owned Marimekko Concept Stores in the United States and Canada. There is only one concept store in Canada unfortunately - lucky Vancouver gets it! At the end of this blog I’ve listed it, plus all of the other retailers in Canada who deal in Marimekko products.

All you really need is a yard of this great fabric to see it’s impact - I love the simplicity of stretching it over a frame like art…

Or made into a pillow like this one for sale on Etsy…

The current popularity of Marimekko is not only a good-news business story, but in my opinion, another indicator that the world is ready for exciting colour and pattern again.

Concept Store

MARIMEKKO CONCEPT STORE VANCOUVER MEKKO DESIGNS INC., 1233 HAMILTON STREET VANCOUVER V6B 6K3, BRITISH COLUMBIA Tel: +1 604 609 2881

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http://www.marimekkovancouver.com

Other Retailers

KIT INTERIOR OBJECTS LTD. 725 11 AVE SW CALGARY, ALBERTA Tel: +1 403 508 2533 Fax: +1 403 508 2538

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http://www.kitinterior.com

FINNPORT INC. 290 BAY STREET THUNDER BAY ON, P7B 1R8 Tel: +1 877 206 3466 Fax: +1 807 344 3604

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http://www.finnport.com

THE FINNISH PLACE 7670 YONGE STREET, #1 THORNHILL, ONTARIO L4J 1W1 Tel: +1 416 222 7575 Fax: +1 905 881 1950

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http://www.finnishplace.com

DESIGNHOUSE 1110 MAINLAND STREET VANCOUVER, BC V6B 2T9 Tel: +1 604 681 2800 Fax: +1 800 870 4433

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http://www.designhouse.ca

DESIGNHOUSE 616 YATES ST. VICTORIA BC, V8W 1K9 Tel: +1 604 681 2800 Fax: +1 250 383 3569

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http://www.designhouse.ca