stay in touch

all about style on chumfm

In case you missed me on CHUM-FM this morning with Roger, Darren and Marilyn, here’s the audio file of the segment. Just click the play button.

All About Style- January 21st, 2010[mp3]

article in The Toronto Star and YourHome.ca

Paint chips are personal
Jennifer Wilson-Speedy
YOURHOME.CA EDITOR

Trends are fun but the new decor movement is personal, says Cobi Ladner (www.cobistyle.com), former editor of Canadian House & Home.

It’s time to “get happy with interiors rather than following dictation,” says Ladner, who will be speaking at the Interior Design Show (www.interiordesign show.com), Jan. 21 to 24.

She says the past century was spent defining the rules and schools that helped us understand good design, which led to a lot of cookie- cutter spaces.

Now, design “is going to be about bringing out ourselves in our interiors,” she says, citing the movement toward customizing everything else in our lives, from cellphone ring tones to play lists.

If something you love happens to be on trend, it’s a great time to pick it up, says Ladner, but don’t paint a turquoise wall if you don’t love the hue.

“Heritage, passion, interest make our interiors really rise to the top,” she adds. “There’s a place for trends, but your home should bring you a little deeper joy than that.”

Toronto Star

IDS press

Keep an eye out for me this week, there’s a lot going on with the Interior Design Show in town.

I’ll be in the Toronto Star newspaper on Tuesday, January 19th along with their website - www.yourhome.ca

I’ll be talking design on ChumFM with my good friend Marilyn Dennis at 8:20am on Thursday, January 21st.

And I’ll be on Canada AM talking about some amazing small spaces being constructed at the show, on Monday, January 25th.

It’s going to be a busy week!

gearing up for the Interior Design Show

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Lots of preparations going on for IDS. The show runs from Jan 21-24 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, and I’ll be speaking on Trade Day (Friday) doing a “Pecha Kucha” presentation, as well as a Trend Talk Workshop on Saturday at 1:00. For those of you who don’t know what Pecha Kucha is (myself included until I was asked to do this presentation), it’s an exciting, fast-paced presentation format that draws it’s name from a Japanese term for the sound of conversation (“chit-chat”). Presenters have a brief 6 minutes and 40 seconds to showcase their projects, ideas and creative design concepts as inspired by the theme “GOOD IDEAS”. Pecha Kucha Night started in Japan in 2003 and now occurs in over 230 locations globally. It should be challenging, but it looks like fun. For more information, click here.

For a sneak peek at special features, speakers & programming, have a look at the videos. I have something to say in the launch video

interview with Ivan Meade of Meade Design Group

I was recently interviewed by Vancouver designer, Ivan Meade. He’s the Oprah of the design scene…have a look at his blog to read about all of the terrific people he’s interviewed. I’m proud to be among them!

getting ready for IDS

I’ve been asked to do two seminars at the Toronto Interior Design Show (IDS) which runs from January 21st-24th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Last week we were in the studio to take some photos for the show guide and promotional material. I’m not a big fan of getting my picture taken (is anyone?) but it was fun to be back in a studio again, and the photographer, Arash Moallemi did a great job. Stay tuned.

walking the catwalk

Well I did it!

I was terrified, but chalk another one up on the experience board of life. I don’t think I found a second career on the runway but it was a lot of fun and best of all, I got to keep the stunning tunic! Actually, it was a fabulous experience being a part of a great event (LG Fashion Week) and meeting lots of amazing new people like Cheri Milaney who is lovely and designs beautiful clothes - check out her website… . It was also great to see my 10 year old daughter Charlotte’s face as she watched her old mom get hair and makeup done among the real models and head down the catwalk. That made all the unnecessary worry totally worthwhile. Here’s a little more information.

design with meaning

Helping to raise awareness and funds for cancer care and research is always a worthwhile cause. Having a chance to win a fabulous home designed by the team at Canadian House & Home is just a bonus. The Princess Margaret Hospital Sweepstakes Showhome in Oakville, Ontario is open for tours. Those in the GTA can walk through the house in person ( for free, here’s the address and map). The house will be featured in the April 2010 issue of House & Home.

Sweepstakes tickets are on sale until November 26th. Good Luck!

work It, girl!

And now for something completely different…I’ve been convinced to participate in a fashion show that features ‘real women’ . As part of LG Fashion Week, Cheri Milaney will present her Spring 2010 Collection on October 22nd, and as an element of the show, she wants to highlight women of diverse ethnicity, age and size. Yes, I am now a ‘real’ model!

O.K., that’s not me, but it’s actually a great idea, and I’m in good company: Amy Sky, Tonya Lee Williams, Kirstine Stewart, and Erica Ehm are my fellow models. If you’d like more infomation, click here.

speaking at Cambridge Galleries

PRESENTS COBI LADNER

Wednesday, October 7th at 7:00 pm

Cobi Ladner, a renowned journalist, designer and former editor of Canadian House and Home magazine, will be presenting a lecture in the Auditorium of the University of Waterloo School of Architecture.

Ladner will approach her lecture from the point of view that distinctive personal style can be achieved without breaking the bank. Her practical design point of view shows in her interior work and in her new brand, cobi (a collection of beautiful ideas).

This lecture coincides with Cambridge Galleries’ Design at Riverside’s new exhibition, The Art of Wallpaper, running from September 1-October 18.

Tickets: Members: $9.00, Non-members: $10.00 Tickets are available at the Cambridge Galleries, 1 North Square, Cambridge, ON.

For further information: 519.621.0460

Speaking at Barrymore

I’m going to be speaking about my favourite topic - Creating a Home you love - at Barrymore Furniture on October 4th from 1-3 pm. Hope you can come! For further information, click here.

Interview in Masthead Online

Laura Godfrey from Masthead Online- a publishing industry newsjournal- interviewed me this week about my website. To view the entire article, click here.

Cobi’s cottage in Hello magazine

Yup, that’s me and my good friend Julia!
No really, check out the Summer ‘09 issue of Hello! magazine featuring my P.E.I. cottage. I was mortified when I realized I provided them with an old shot showing two worn out rocking chairs that came with the cottage (no, my favourite colour is not dusty rose! ), but it’s a lovely story and it was exciting to be featured.

To view the full article, click here

Cobi quoted in National Post

Nathalie Atkinson wrote on Saturday, July 11th, 2009 about the shift in design magazines of late. Check it out in the National Post

Cobi’s Children’s Book

When my kids were little, I wrote a children’s book that was published by McArthur & Company and has since gone into softback. It was a wonderful project to work on that brought together both my personal and professional lives. The best compliment I can get is when people tell me their little one chooses it off the shelf and asks for it to be read night after night. It’s a beautiful book with brilliant original watercolours by my friend and artist Lisa Smith.

Click here to order.

Here’s a review you can have a look at by Ryan the Librarian.