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music to my livingroom

Posted by Cobi on Monday May 07, 2012 at 06:00 AM
decorating • display • family • Comments (3)

My daughter became a teenager over the weekend. She loves anything to do with the arts but particularly music. Her main birthday gift is a piano (her little keyboard just ain’t cuttin’ it any more).
As I’ve been trying to figure out where to fit a piano into our home - I started to look online for inspiration. Of course the best inspiration comes from a grand…

And although our living room housed a ‘grand’ when we purchased the house.

I managed to fill up the room with furnishings so that the only realistic option is an upright upright (for the pocketbook too).

I expected most pianos to be black…

Or dark wood…

But on a quick search, I found every colour of the rainbow.

Yellow…

Turquoise…

Red…

Pale blue…

Green…

Cream…

So many ideas, my ears are ringing. I will post a picture of our purchase once we have it and hope that you will all say, “Bravo!”

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!

online inspiration

Posted by Cobi on Monday November 21, 2011 at 06:00 AM
decorating • Comments (3)

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…

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.

cobistyle comes to the backyard

Posted by Cobi on Monday July 04, 2011 at 05:59 AM
cobistyle products • decorating • entertaining • garden • summer • Comments (3)

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

Posted by Cobi on Monday June 20, 2011 at 06:00 AM
cobistyle products • decorating • display • summer • Comments (1)

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

Posted by Cobi on Monday June 06, 2011 at 06:00 AM
decorating • Comments (1)

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!

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’.

stand at attention

Posted by Cobi on Monday April 25, 2011 at 05:59 AM
cobistyle products • decorating • flowers • spring • Comments (5)

Well I certainly hope that the April showers hold off this Friday for Kate and William - it’s so exciting! I can’t wait.
But if they do get the luck of rain on their special day, I’m sure they’ll manage their way in style.

It’s amazing how the Union Jack has made it’s way onto everything this spring!

I have a total ‘thang’ for umbrella stands and I have no clue why. Maybe I’ve watched too many romantic Period movies where the characters hurry home, on a dark rainy day, to a cozy London townhouse or country estate, and order up some tea to ward off the damp…

Even here on the sunnier side of the pond, there’s something lovely about the idea of an umbrella-stand-in-waiting for someone to bustle in and take welcome cover from a wet and wicked day…

Functional and full of character, an umbrella stand adds sunny personality to an entry hall.

Regardless of the style - cool, crazy or classic - they’re a useful and fun accessory, no matter the weather…

For an affordable stand, you can even try some d-i-y with a garden bucket - see these feet from a clawfoot tub…

and a bit of paint…

If you’re looking for a hit of colour for your hall - I love this modern Lucite design…

I also love this umbrella - but that’s off topic! …

When I did my wish list of cobistyle accessories - umbrella stands held pride of place right near the top. I’m so happy they made it into the first season of the line…

We have three colours of ceramic this spring - a gorgeous, glossy, royal blue, lime green and white…

Plus traditional - always perfect - blue and white…

They work just as well for Spring flowers as they do for April showers!

And speaking of spring flowers - I just couldn’t help but add this picture - what a great way to use a milk glass collection!

Spring is a time to refresh old things and try new ideas. I’m off to brighten up my front hall with a brightly striped mat, my green umbrella stand and a wreath on the inside of my front door. Then I’ll write a note to set my alarm clock for the middle of the night Thursday night. We did it for Lady Di, how could we not do it for her baby boy? Cheerio!

it’s curtains for cobistyle!

Posted by Cobi on Monday March 28, 2011 at 06:00 AM
cobistyle products • decorating • Comments (9)

I’m very excited about the launch of cobistyle drapery and cushions happening this month! I’ve been working with the inVU Drapery Co. on this beautiful collection and although we’re launching only in the Toronto area, there are plans to take the program National later in the year, so stay tuned!

I’m thrilled to boast that inVU drapery is made in Canada; fully lined; a generous 96 inches long; and amaaaazing quality. There’s definitely cheaper drapery on the market but I’ve got to say it - cheap drapes just don’t cut the mustard. There’s definitely room for ‘cheap and cheerful’ things in a house but in my humble opinion, drapery isn’t a place to skimp. Beautiful, quality drapery shows. It’s a luxury that I would rather save and splurge on, then cheap out and scoff at every time I walk by. Anyway, enough on price - have a look!

Lets start with one my favourite designs - we called it Caliente (which means Hot! in Spanish). It’s a gorgeous chunky cotton fabric made in Spain and printed with a beautiful pomegranate and floral pattern in every colour of the rainbow. I’m just crazy about this big, glorious pattern and expect it really will be a Hot seller!

Casbah is a denimy-looking Ikat, woven on 100% linen, that’s going to look great in a family room or any room that needs an injection of casual, classic blue and white. Ikat is a forever pattern that happens to be very hot right now - the word means ‘a method of creating patterns in fabric by tie-dyeing the yarn before weaving’. Ikats work great with other patterns too - don’t be afraid to mix it with florals or stripes.

Connection features a bold geometric on the bottom third, tempered by a beautiful linen/cotton plain on top. Between the two fabrics runs a ribbon of luxurious velvet. I honestly can’t decide if I like this drape better in the Royal blue (shown here) or the Espresso brown. Both are super handsome and I’m imagining them in a dining room for some reason although they’d work anywhere.

Here’s another design featuring beautiful detailing - Folktail has a colourful embroidered ribbon dividing the neutral linen-blend body from either a black (Midnight) bottom or fresh leaf green (Fruit Punch) .

And here’s a sampling of the types of coordinated cushions we’re offering…

I love this Suzani styled print called Heirloom. A Suzani is a decorative tribal textile made in the ‘Stans’ and other central Asian countries. We named the colour Sunrise because of it’s gorgeous golden tones. I think they would make a room glow of sunlight even on a gray day but I’ll know for sure when I try them out in my own living room.

This is a true classic called Scroll and it comes in either Charcoal or Chocolate…they’re neutral in colour but pack loads of punch through the bold, graphic pattern.

And here’s the fun part - you can dress them up with a sash just like you’d add to your favourite skirt. We’ve made them in both Fushia and Lime silk-look-alike that has vibrant colour and body. The sashes are sold separately so you can add them to any of the drapery designs.

The sashes also look beautiful tied on a pillow…

The last drapery design is simply Simplicity. Like the name says, it’s a simple 100% linen drape available in three great neutrals - Mocha (shown here), Camel or Ship - and looks amazing when gussied up with a ‘Carnival’ stripe sash and coordinated pillow.

And so there you have it - another window opens - this time on cobistyle drapery and cushions. And there are lots more fresh and sunny ideas ahead!

outside, inside, all around the house

Posted by Cobi on Monday March 14, 2011 at 06:00 AM
cobistyle products • decorating • Comments (3)

Decorating an outdoor space is like any other room of the house - the fabric choices can take it from average to amazing…

The same goes for a covered porch or sunroom - the colours and patterns of fabric, sets the tone and creates the interest…

But did you know that the incredible durability of outdoor fabrics is now available in soft, luxurious fabrics that work anywhere in the house? This chair is covered in Sunbrella velvet. Sunbrella fabrics are Greenguard Certified which means they’re an environmentally responsible product and safe to use indoors without any concern for air quality issues…

And look at this one…

Incredibly soft; great colours; and completely resilient to “life” and all that means: red wine, chocolate, fading, ink, the whole shootin’ match…

As the Sunbrella site says “this is not your grandmother’s velvet”…

And it doesn’t stop there (I just happen to love velvet) - there’s every kind of fabric under the sun (pun intended) that comes in ‘high performance’ fabric - like this houndstooth - the only difference between this and regular houndstooth is the fact that you can spill something on it and it doesn’t matter…

There’s a California fashion designer by the name of Trina Turk who’s developed a gorgeous collection of outdoor fabrics with Shumacher - very pricey but so much fun! People are using it indoors and out, and of course in southern homes fading is a major issue…

And did you know there’s a Canadian product designer who’s developed a gorgeous collection of outdoor fabrics? Me!

I’ve teamed up with Joanne Fabrics and Sunbrella to create a collection that’s full of colour, texture and pattern, and if you have children, pets, bright sunlight streaming in your windows or simply want durable, easy-to-clean fabrics for your home, you’ve got to check it out…

You can use it just about anywhere - sofas, chairs, pillows, and think of it on a window seat or ottoman!

No one will even know it’s ‘high performance’ (until they spill something and you don’t freak out).

I know this to starting to read like an ad. but I’m really quite blown away by this stuff. I’m definitely going to be putting it on my dining room chairs and kitchen banquet.

The cobistyle fabric book is available at over 2,000 places in Canada and just as many in the U.S. Look for it at upholsterers, furniture stores that carry Joanne fabric books, and designer showrooms or email Joanne at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to find a supplier near you.

Then you can twist and shout on your kitchen chairs and not even blink when you dribble your drink.

open and shut case

Posted by Cobi on Monday February 07, 2011 at 05:59 AM
cobi's house • decorating • Comments (0)

Here’s a little idea that really works well at my house and you may have an application at yours…

Both me and my husband, Bob, work at home now, which is great on some levels and frustrating as all-get-out on others.

Because Bob moved his work home first, he got the main office. It’s a nice room at the front of the house but it’s also right in the middle of the after-school action most days.

We put new french doors on the room when we moved in, but they don’t always do the job. The glass is pretty and pebbly but still see-through and the noise factor can be an issue.

Since then, I’ve added this layer - it was instant - and although it doesn’t solve the situation, it definitely helps.

I bought a queen-size quilted coverlet, a bronze-look tension shower rod, and rings with clips (all in one afternoon) and I came home and put it up. I guess we’re lucky to have bookcases on either side of the door but I imagine many situations have deep door frames, a wall, or free standing bookcase to use.

The quilt muffles the sound and makes the room feel much more closed off from the rest of the house. It actually reminds me of a tiny 10-table restaurant we went to in Paris a few years back where the owners had hung a velvet curtain across the entry so that when the door opened, the draft wasn’t felt as much by the diners.

In our house, it isn’t about the draft, but when quiet is in need, the curtain pulls easily across and when papa is happy, we’re all happy.

if the walls could read…

Posted by Cobi on Monday November 01, 2010 at 06:00 AM
decorating • Comments (0)

I have a wonderful stack of beautifully old, mellowed sheet music that someone gave me (well actually she was going to throw it out and I asked for it). I have a dream of taking a few days off to strip the worn wallpaper in my powder room, and decoupage these sheets on in its place, one by one.

The creamy colour of the paper is so beautiful and each sheet features lovely type and individual character…I just need the time! I can’t find many inspirational images of rooms covered in sheet music, but I did find some other neat versions to get the ideas noodling:

A crazy collage of snapshots…

Tears from an old botanical book…

Sheets from a dictionary!….

Old newspapers with lots of pictures…

New newspapers with lots of type…

Broadsheets hung in neat rows….

And of course, the famous New Yorker covers…

Old ephemera is often sold very cheaply at garage sales and new things come from free - imagine chinese newspapers!

Even one wall would look great done in something graphic and unique and would cost next to nothing.

Something else to put on the diy-decorating bucket list!