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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!”

this christmas, have a ball

Posted by Cobi on Monday December 19, 2011 at 06:00 AM
christmas • display • Comments (0)

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.

decorating by the book

Posted by Cobi on Monday November 07, 2011 at 06:00 AM
display • organizing • Comments (2)

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.

table ideas to fall for

Posted by Cobi on Sunday October 09, 2011 at 06:00 AM
display • entertaining • fall • nature • Comments (1)

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

Posted by Cobi on Monday September 26, 2011 at 06:00 AM
cobi's house • display • organizing • Comments (5)

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!

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!

hard-working heirlooms

Posted by Cobi on Monday February 28, 2011 at 06:00 AM
collecting • display • family • organizing • Comments (0)

It’s wonderful to be given something that has sentimental family meaning. It’s a beautiful way to remember and honour people who have passed and to make your home unique and your decorating meaningful. However, we all know that many heirlooms don’t suit our current day interiors and often create clutter and well, ok, I hate to say it but simply collect dust and we find ourselves including them in our rooms out of feelings of obligation and sentiment while not enjoying the objects themselves.

Here are a few ideas on how to incorporate heirlooms into your interiors while creating beautiful rooms at the same time.

Use the heirloom as a jumping off point for decorating. Here, a few old pieces of red transfer-ware are made into a focal point by building on the look further with toile wallpaper in a pretty hutch. Clearly these pieces are treasured and enjoyed every day this way.

Photos go from average to amazing when massed together and framed in a collective way. They command attention when placed together and make a great conversation point for guests.

One heirloom can spark an entire collection and why not? If you love something you’ve been given, it may just be a collection in the waiting. Just don’t forget which one has the sentimental story behind it.

Don’t be a snob about pedigree - your home isn’t a museum - mingle special family pieces with new reproductions. They will be more apt to be used and enjoyed.

Turn something old into something new. Make a few adjustments with paint or in this case, hardware, and suddenly an old piece has a new lease on life. A solution that’s easy on the pocketbook too.

If you don’t have the room or desire to display something all the time, bring out heirlooms at holidays - they will make holiday decorating all the more special.

Decorate around an heirloom. If you love it - let it set the tone for an entire room. No decor theme could mean more than family history.

Change the function of an heirloom to suit your lifestyle. This silver tea service is allowed to tarnish without apologies - many people love the time-worn patina of tarnished silver - and it’s used to hold flowers rather than afternoon tea.

And these candy dishes hold shell collections and other natural finds.

Let family pieces work for you rather than just sit on display. Your tabletops and rooms will look much more unique for it.

I will be on Steven & Chris on the CBC this Friday at 2:00pm talking more about this very thing. Be sure to tune in!

setting the bar

Posted by Cobi on Monday November 15, 2010 at 06:00 AM
display • entertaining • Comments (1)

With the holidays coming it might be a good time to think about setting up a little bar in your living or dining room. I can’t blame the MadMen phenomenon on the fact that I love the look of a little set up bar in a house. And I personally don’t drink mixed cocktails, so it isn’t even really self serving. I’ve just always found a designated spot for happy hour to look so glamorous and grown up. Very ‘New York apartment’.
What the heck, a girl can dream! Why not try it over the holidays….

You don’t need much - a little tray table…

A spot in front of a window, bookcase or blank wall….

Even just a tray on an existing console…

Or bookcase…

A trolley cart is perfect of course…

I love this one in Indochine black…

A sideboard that usually holds china or accessories can easily be put to work as a bar…

Setting up on a mirrored surface is extra glamorous and would be sparkly for the holidays…

I think it’s really just the ‘idea’ of cocktails that makes a bar so appealing. This whole set up does come with a built-in warning however, so be careful…

Caution: Proceeding with this decor idea may lead to Entertaining.

shelves and shelves of ideas

Posted by Cobi on Monday November 08, 2010 at 06:00 AM
collecting • display • Comments (2)

Last Friday I appeared on Steven & Chris and talked about arranging bookcases (if you missed it, click here to see it online).

It got me thinking how much I love bookcases in the home - even if it’s just straight white ones with a rainbow of colourful spines…

I love bookcases that wrap around doors…

Bookcases that wrap around windows…

Bookcases that go to the ceiling…

No matter the shape of the roofline…

Bookcases that even line the ceiling!…

Bookcases with wallpaper in the back…

Or painted colours to better show off the items on display…

Bookcases painted black…

Or the same colour as the walls…

Bookcases layered with art…

Running down halls…

Bookcases that turn dining rooms into libraries in the day…

Or divide two rooms…

And hold collections…

The latest decorating trend in bookcases is to ‘colour code’ your books…

It looks very cool but I’m not so sure about practical it is…

Same goes for ladders - I love the look but probably not very useful…

Speaking of not practical, this is probably my favourite room with bookcases, I love the swath of velvet in front…

But the beauty of bookcases isn’t just their appearance, it’s having them nearby a comfy place to read. It really doesn’t get much better than that.

for the love of art

Posted by Cobi on Monday May 10, 2010 at 06:00 AM
display • family • Comments (2)

This blog is for any mom or grandma out there, who received a piece of art or special handwritten card yesterday. Before you crumple up, tuck away or secretly stash your precious gift, consider treating it as a valued piece of art.

Here’s a piece my son did many years ago. Framed with IKEA, it takes pride of place over our bed (much to my daughter’s disgust). I like to think my legs are a bit better than he imagined, but he did get my hair colour right!

Here are some more shots to get you thinking about your own little Picasso’s….

These ever changing pieces are put into individual clear acrylic boxes…

I’ve shown this image before. I love the way the kids art is mixed with family photos…

A great way to have an ever changing display is to use clips…

You can do a whole wall of it for more impact…

I love this little strip of tack board - no need to line the whole wall….

Or how about wainscotting that incorporates cork board…

If space is an issue for you, take pictures of the art and keep it on display that way…

Or decorate your kids own room with it, they’ll love it…

Whatever you do, enjoy it. No other artist will paint for you with such love.

living with family

Posted by Cobi on Monday February 15, 2010 at 05:58 AM
display • family • Comments (0)

Happy Family Day!

One of the best ways to personalize your home is with family photos. It takes a bit of effort to turn family pictures into art, but done right, the payback is well worth it.

Maybe this is a good day to get out those photo boxes and start thinking about the possibilities?

For Christmas, I gave my daughter Charlotte a framed 8x10 black and white photo of each of her grandparents ‘cutting the cake’ on their wedding day. It’s nice to have them side by side in her room. I matted them in wide white and the frame is white too, so they make a fresh statement.

With family photos, it’s all about how you display them. Have a look at some ways I found while surfing….

I love this idea of just butting simple frames together to make a montage.

Or creating a montage without bothering with frames…these would be fun at a cottage…

Or how about this creative use of an old frame, turned bulletin board….

If you’re the framed-picture type, you just need to find places and ways to display them. Look at what my friend Cameron MacNeil at H&H, did in a small hallway nook and kitchen.

And everyone’s always wondering what to put on that long, blank wall in the livingroom….

I’ve always liked the idea of running family photos up a stairwell - it’s such dead space otherwise.

One colour of frame unifies disparate pictures, as shown here by Pottery Barn.

But sometimes all that matters is that you can see those cute mugs.

If nothing else, be sure to take a few good shots of your family today and don’t forget to Smile !

applause for the simple vase!

Posted by Cobi on Monday October 19, 2009 at 06:00 AM
cobi's house • display • organizing • Comments (5)

Here’s a quick organizing trick. I loooove jewellery but really struggle with storing it. Bangles are especially bulky, and take up a lot of room in my little chest of drawers.

Here’s my latest solution: we all have glass vases floating around that we don’t need….

I feel like I just killed two birds with one stone because by doing this I managed to get rid of two vases off of my stuffed vase shelf at the same time ~ oh bliss!

Yes, I do have to empty out the vase if I want a bracelet at the bottom, but it isn’t a big deal. The best thing is that by being able to see them, I find I’m wearing them more. It’s the worst when you have great stuff and forget to wear it.

I bet there are more uses for glass vases if we put our minds to it….let me know if you use them for other things!