The Lost Queen

This is the project that never was. It exists only in my imaginary life where all my creations live and breathe and prosper.

This piece would have been the Queen of Multi-tasking, a divider of rooms, headboard and walk in closet.

First, my inspiration piece. This side pictured is the closet, drawers and shelving system, on the back-side of this rests a bed, fastened to the sides. I loved the concept but wanted to really make it mine.

If I could have it my way my piece would look a little less Urban Barn, a little more Commute Home.

Side A: The Sleepy Side of life. Wood panelling for a headboard with hidden drawers on his and her side, tucked within the panelling.

Side B: The Dressy Side of life. A three tiered storage system for clothes and accessories.

1) One solid panel made of either black steel as in Commute Home, or walnut, on a sliding mechanism. Behind this panel, shelving just like 2)

2) Open shelving only. When 1) slides to the right, it goes over top 2)

3) Six drawers disguised as wood panelling (matches headboard on Side A.)

The wood panelling would look a little like this:

The effect would be that upon entering the bedroom you walk into a dressing area, with my full length closets to the left, and this storage system to the right (Side B.) It would sit where the red bench is pictured now.

The height of the storage is such that you can still look over it towards the windows, but still high enough that it really feels like a partitioned dressing area.

Turn the corner, and you have the bed up against Side A, facing the windows.

The only potential downside to this fabulous Multi-tasking Queen of a piece is that although she's pretty, she's heavy. I'm afraid this Queen would fall under the weight of the clothes and the bed pushing up against her. It would only work if the bed could be fastened to provide stability, and take off some of the weight from the storage.

So, just for fun I took the designs of this Queen of mine to Commute Home to get it priced. The cost? A measly $14,000.

Too bad my budget isn't fit for a Queen.

Good Find #38: Unexpected Light

I'd like to believe that Emmanuel Cognee and I are kindred spirits. That or we've met in a past life, I can't be certain. But I will point to my post entitled "Lamp Made of Sticks" as proof (see Random Creations.) Coming across one of Emmanuel's pieces is like creeping up on a creature that's part electronic and lights up when touched. I picture these lamps coming alive at night, crawling the walls in search of batteries to eat. I want a family of them. I'll name them Zoe, Beatrice and Zachery. Click here to take home a creature of your very own to love.

Good Find #25: A + J + Glass + Ceramic = pretty

The perfect combination from a duo of artists: one part glass, one part ceramic = A+J Creations. I chanced upon this artist at the Interior Design Show Montreal and immediately wanted the entire collection. The mortar and pestle pieces are the perfect example of their winning combination. Pictured here, this piece started as a simple white ceramic vase, add a drop of glass on top to cover the opening and it goes from practical vase to showcase.

Fine, don't buy me!

I originally posted this basket table for sale on Craigslist because I couldn't stand the sight of it anymore. I was asking for a measly $30 and it just wouldn't go! So what the heck I moved it with me, slapped on a coat of white paint and now I can stand it again. I'm quite happy with it actually.

Turning Junk into White Gold

Got this old solid wood cabinet delivered to me off Craigslist for $35 (including delivery charge.) It came from an uber paranoid couple who were frantically leaving Toronto to escape the inevitable plague that would be H1N1. They left for a safe place they wished not to divulge. For some reason I picture the witch's house in Hansel and Gretel in the middle of a deep forest. But back to my story. A fresh coat of white paint makes almost anything look sparkly and new. Because this cabinet had vintage bones it still comes across as second hand, but now in a Queen West art gallery sort of way.

Sand paper, bonding primer, semi-gloss white acrylic and two hours of elbow grease.

My Favorite Little Wall

As a teenager I would plaster my walls obsessively and in no apparent order with magazine clip-outs: impossibly gorgeous women in designer labels and Absolut vodka ads. So 90's fabulous. Today my little wall collage takes on a more nostalgic feel. It's a collage within a collage: old records from my father, photo collages of my love, another of me made by my mother when I was four. My favorite picture, coincidentally at the center of it all is of my parents when they first met.

Winter Windowsill

In one of my room makeover moments I put my little bottles collection to good use and put them along the windowsill. It's a disaster for dusting, but what a pretty little disaster it is, don't you think?