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• 6 host gift ideas 6 host gift ideas

  

  6 host gift ideas of

  page 1 If you’ve received an invitation to a dinner or large fête, show your appreciation by giving your host a small gift. Here are a few helpful suggestions and things to consider. Rethink the bottle of wine"Most people show up with a bottle of wine, and I'm bored to tears of it," says designer and member of the Design Inc. cast Thomas Smythe, who happens to be an expert entertainer. Your host will have the meal and drinks already planned, and what you bring might not fit in. She may be serving white, not red; or cocktails, not wine. "You don't want to impose anything wine-wise," he says. Take care with flowers"A host is busy enough...having to find a vase and fill it with water while trying to greet guests can add extra stress," say Ashleigh Dempster and Amanda Blakley, cofounders of the exclusive Toronto culture club The Society. Instead, they recommend bringing a potted plant like gerberas or amaryllis, or sending a bouquet the day before, or even after the event as a thank you. Give something they'll use"Always bring something useful, like candles," says Thomas. He suggests high-quality plain white tapered candles, which everyone has a use for. Or try a bag of nicely packaged votives or a beautiful scented candle. page 2 Give the gift of luxuryThomas recommends a luxurious, yet useful, gift from a high-end retailer, like Eau d'Orange Verte perfumed soap from Hermes. "It's a total luxury, but it's about the same price as a really good bottle of wine," he says. "And it comes in a beautiful emerald green box, which is my favourite colour." Be preparedKeep one or two host gifts on hand to save you the stress of having to pick something up in time for Friday night's dinner. "I always have a bar of the Hermes soap ready in an Hermes bag at home," says Thomas. "When I give one, I buy another right away. I always have something to give." Beyond the giftIn addition to bringing something, show your host your appreciation by being on your best behaviour. "There's no need to show up at a party the moment it starts," says Amanda. "Most likely, the host is still running around like crazy taking care of last-minute details, anyway. Ten to fifteen minutes late is acceptable, but after 30 to 40 minutes, you're pushing it," she says. And don't stay beyond your welcome. Watch for signs that the party is winding down -- your host has turned the music down or the lights up, and she's beginning to yawn a lot -- and make a graceful exit.

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  Credit

  Corinna vanGerwen

  6 host gift ideas 

  Published:

  2008-10-10 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Corinna vanGerwen

  Updated:

  2008-10-10 00:00:00

• Place card ideas Place card ideas

  

  Place card ideas of

  page 1 Though it might seem a tad formal in this age of casual entertaining, setting place cards at your table is a thoughtful and charming way to guide guests to their seats, whether you're hosting a soiree for 60 or an intimate sit-down for six. And why not? Creative cards can serve up loads of fun, get the conversation going, and even double as favours. Just use your imagination, or steal one of these 6 ideas for your next fete. Spell it outAnother use for your family Scrabble game. Talk about simple -- all you have to do is know how to spell! page 2 Seasonal style Pretty papers and a seasonal paper punch make beautiful place cards possible without a huge amount of effort. Print each guest's name (in a classic font found in your word-processing software) onto a four-inch-square piece of card stock so that one name is right side up and the same name is upside down close to the top edge (when the card is folded in half lengthwise, each guest will see the name of the person who's sitting across from him or her). Use the punch to cut shapes out of papers in contrasting colours; glue shapes to card. Punch out some extra shapes to sprinkle about the table. page 3 What a pear! It's easy being green with this edible place card idea, but don't forget to remind guests to remove their name before they chomp! Stick letter brads (available at scrapbooking and craft or art supply shops) into a pear or any soft-skin fruit. When grocery shopping, select fruits that stand upright. page 4 Nesting instinct Simple but beautiful, this little paper nest can dress a tabletop any time of the year. With an exacto knife, cut small strips of construction paper (we used two colours). Curl paper by pulling a scissor blade along each strip. Intertwine the curled strips to form a little nest; loop one of the paper curls through a name tag. Drop a chocolate-covered almond into the nest and, if desired, sit the nest on a tiny feather placed on a plate. page 5 Table treats Just because you're all grown up doesn't mean you can't appreciate a thoughtful gift every once in awhile. Give your guests the adult version of a loot bag by wrapping a chocolate truffle or small ornament in a paper box that also doubles as a place holder. We used an inexpensive plastic key tag (available at most business supply stores) as the name tag on our tiny treat box. page 6 Flower stand Take a cue from the fresh flowers in your centrepiece and create cards bursting with blooms. Print guests' names on card stock cut to size; using a hole punch, make a hole in the top corner of each card. Poke a single stem through the hole and into a filled water pick (ask your florist for some extras the next time you order flowers). No stand is needed for this design, as the water pick will prop up the card.

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  Credit

  Susan Rogers

  Place card ideas 

  Published:

  2008-10-07 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Susan Rogers

  Updated:

  2008-10-07 00:00:00

• Lottery home makeover Lottery home makeover

  

  Lottery home makeover of

  living room Big, bold pattern and vibrant colours make a splash in this contemporary White Rock, B.C., home by Sarah Richardson Design. The grand prize in the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation Millionaire Lottery, it's the fourth big-give-away house Sarah has designed. "I really love doing the lottery homes," she says. "It's a world of make-believe, like a show home. They end up being the most revealing of what I'm in sync with in design." For Sarah, that means a house that's comfy and fun for a family, and ideal for entertaining. It's one that coddles its owners -- an escape that's about ease, indulgence and glamour, too. The bonus: this is style for a good cause.Kick-in-the-pants-purple walls add bold, bracing colour in the living room of this charity lottery home. Designer Sarah Richardson chose furniture with understated, tradtional lines as a backdrop for exciting elements like colour, pattern and texture.STYLE AT HOME The colours are quite vibrant. The living room is a huge surprise. Why did you go with purple on the walls?SARAH RICHARDSON It's a fairly regal purple, not aubergine. It's more like Concord grape. When everything was in the room -- furniture, accents, pillows -- I walked in and thought, "It needs a kick in the pants." That's how purple ended up on the walls -- as a fun experiment. I like to do something with strength, and using a hit of colour on the walls is easier to change than, say, a sofa, where I prefer a neutral like the soft grey we used here. You can change the two purple side chairs, but the sofa is the most expensive piece. dining room The glass dining room table doesn't visually consume too much space yet easily seats six to eight. A cream-and-indigo palette is carried through the silk drapery, cane-pattern fabric on the dining chairs, and two wall colours. The mirror has a strong geometric feel.S@H What was your inspiration for the home? SR Much of it came from the West Coast climate, which means lots of grey, foggy days. The popular palette there tends to be rustic, colours like subdued olives and mustards; I thought about what I'd want if I lived there, and I'd crave colour. It's also a contemporary house, and contemporary without colour can feel cold.  page 3 A light-colour tile backsplash and CaesarStone countertops bring a cookies-and-cream feel to the dark-stained kitchen cabinetry. The check fabric on the bar stools adds a haberdashery element. The cooking area provides an all-encompassing view of multiple sitting areas. S@H Pattern is a huge story in this house, too. SR Pattern isn't something to shy away from. I personally prefer patterns with a modern sensibility -- large-scale and monochromatic. Then I'll use accent colours to create tension. I'm also really interested in the lives of young families, and I think their homes should have a certain sense of happiness and casual ease. Rooms with soft and serene palettes -- we've seen that, it's been done. That said, I also used tons of white and cream in this house to temper the bold patterns and colours. page 4 "The master bedroom works for me because it has a balance of elements," says Sarah. "The palette of smoky blues and greys is masculine, but the motifs and accessories infuse the room with femininity. The furniture is crisp and tailored, the bed is soft with fine linens, and the white glass chandelier is romantic, but I like romance that's sexy."S@H The bedrooms are pretty luxe.SR I'm a big believer that bedrooms are for escaping. We all need a place for that. Also, there should be a balance of masculine and feminine elements in master bedrooms. It's pretty awful what we did to men in the '80s; we subjected them to a lot of frou-frou. S@H How did you achieve a seamless feeling from room to room?SR I like a space that's done right down to the artwork and accessories, so I adopt a save-splurge mentality. I'd rather use an inexpensive fabric -- the master bedroom headboard is upholstered in a $15 per yard grey flannel -- and splurge on beautiful lamps and original art. I don't compromise on consistency. All the finishing details -- the accessories -- are complete and work with the look. Each room gets the golden touch. page 5 A subdued grey-and-white palette in the master ensuite is enlivened by multiple tile patterns. "I like to bring in dynamism and textural interest through materials," says Sarah. Carrara marble, a penny-round pattern on the wall behind the sink, and different patterns in the shower and on the floor make "your eye work a little harder to seek out the detail," she says. The oversize sconces create a statement. "They're not something you'd usually see in a bathroom.""Life is so busy and chaotic -- let's design homes that are a bit playful. Have some fun with decorating." - Sarah Richardson, designer

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  Credit

  Kathleen Dore

  Lottery home makeover 

  Published:

  2008-10-07 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Kathleen Dore

  Updated:

  2008-10-07 00:00:00

• Inside design: Michael George Inside design: Michael George

  

  Inside design: Michael George of

  page 1 He has created florals for A-listers including Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, Vera Wang and, of course, his friend Martha (Stewart, that is), who wrote the foreword to Simply Elegant Flowers with Michael George ($30 US, North Light Books, 2008). Michael, who has more than five decades of experience, also owns two flower stores and is the artistic director at the prestigious FlowerSchool New York.Style at Home What is it that flowers bring to people?Michael George It's a quality of life issue, really. Having flowers at home brings us back to the organic side of our reality. We've moved so far away from that. I'm trying to put the "culture" in culture. My approach, which I call quattro stagione, or "four seasons," is a simple way for us to tune into what's real in life and to bring that into our homes.S@H About quattro stagione -- your book explains how to use the four stages of nature to inspire floral creations.MG Well, here's the thing: nature gets it right all the time. When autumn comes and the leaves start to change colours, I watch. Sometimes there's more fuchsia, sometimes more orange. I take my lead from that. When arranging flowers, look at the flower in its plant form, see how it grows, and use that to inspire the form of your flower bouquet. Why overstylize something that's already perfect? The purpose of my book is to demystify flower arranging, as Martha Stewart has. It's not rocket science. I want people to get their hands dirty. You know, when I was going through some bad times, I had this overwhelming urge to weed and work in the garden. Sounds weird, doesn't it? But I needed to get my hands dirty, and while I weeded, I worked things out. The same is true for most people; when you're working with flowers, you're happier than when you're just looking at them.S@H You're talking yourself out of a job here, you know.MG Look, the retail flower shop is dying. You have online services that you can order from, or you can stop at the grocery store or even a corner store to buy flowers. The costs of providing the flower-arranging service and staffing are becoming impractical. You have to move with the times; to stay relevant and survive, you really have to adapt. Evolution is a key word. Today, we're a hybridization of influences -- geographically, politically and spiritually. For instance, recently I was hired to do the flowers for a Jewish-Chinese wedding that took place in 21 Club, a famous nightclub in downtown New York!S@H So what did you do?MG I used roses, rose foliage, and oranges (which mean good luck to the Chinese), and draped the chuppah with a red satin bedspread that had a golden dragon on it.S@H Simplicity is a word that's often applied to your work. Is that what makes your arrangements so modern?MG The simplicity and monochromatic nature of my work is in line with the evolution of fashion and style, which are becoming simpler and more natural. My look is minimal, neat and monofloral, which is what makes it modern. For more great entertaining ideas, pick up the November issue of Style at Home or buy it online! Here’s the link to buy it online: November 2008 Style at Home All images by Brie Williams from Simple Elegant Flowers with Michael George by Michael George with Bob Shuman (Northlight Books, 2008).   page 2 S@H In Simply Elegant Flowers, you relate how the time your father spent in postwar Japan influenced his own floral creations. Like father, like son?MG Yes! I was married to a Japanese woman for 10 years, and she had quite a huge influence on me. I learned how to really see the simplicity in the beauty of nature. But I needed to learn how to translate that into arrangements that would speak to Americans, who just aren't culturally attuned to simplicity or minimalism. Abundance is key. I started doing low domes using a single flower type, arranging the stems like pencils in a jar. S@H You've written about how, as a baby, you crawled among the fallen petals and stems at your father's flower shop and how, as you grew, the flowers seemed to speak to you. For those of us who don't speak "flower" as a first language, what advice do you have?MG Handle flowers to familiarize yourself with them, look at them and how they grow, and read books about them. Nothing from nature is undesirable, whether it's grasses, pea pods or berries, so don't rule anything out. S@H Bringing a hostess flowers is never clichéd, is it? How can we kick it up a notch and elevate the ordinary?MG First, don't show up with flowers. We all know what it's like to entertain, and the last thing a hostess needs is one more thing to do. Now she has to deal with them, plus take coats and get drinks. Send flowers or an orchid plant the day before, so you don't risk overflowering the house.  Floral 101 with Michael GeorgeThe New York-based star floral designer shares his top secrets for creating his signature arrangements.Put flowers in water right away and, if possible, let them drink for eight hours before arranging. Michael also suggests using a plant food, like Chrysal, to extend the life of your arrangement.  Remove all thorns and foliage from flower stems below the water line. Align the tops of the flowers, cutting the stems with an even, straight stroke.  Drop flowers into a vase the way you would pencils in a jar.  Used to hold stems in place, rubber bands and clear hair ties are key to Michael's look. Position a band at the top of the water line, so it's not visible. By moving the band up or down, you can adjust the diameter of your bouquet.For more great entertaining ideas, pick up the November issue of Style at Home or buy it online! Here’s the link to buy it online: November 2008 Style at HomeAll images by Brie Williams from Simple Elegant Flowers with Michael George by Michael George with Bob Shuman (Northlight Books, 2008).  

  ©

  Credit

  Liza Finlay

  Inside design: Michael George 

  Published:

  2008-10-07 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Liza Finlay

  Updated:

  2008-10-07 00:00:00

• Hotel style: Hotel Le Germain Hotel style: Hotel Le Germain

  

  Hotel style: Hotel Le Germain of

  Hotel le Germain, Toronto The hotelLocated on a quiet side street in the middle of Toronto's entertainment district (clubland, the Rogers Centre, the trendy Queen Street West shopping strip), the Hotel Le Germain epitomizes boutique-hotel chic. Its minimalist grey exterior gives way to a warm, richly toned cocoon of neutral sand and rich mahogany wood tones in the soaring lobby library area. The lookEach of the rooms and suites has a clean, welcoming look. "The feeling is modern and calm," says Viateur Michaud, owner and principal designer of Quebec-based Lemay-Michaud Architecture & Design. A neutral palette and minimum of fussy details, plus large, recessed windows and an open-plan design make for a relaxing vibe. "We wanted to please the customer by providing intimacy and privacy in a space that feels more like a living room," says Viateur.Image courtesy of germaintoronto.com DIY solutions DIY solutionsLove the look? Here's how to get it in your bedroom and ensuite: 1 Quench your thirstKeep a bottle of mineral water on your nightstand along with an elegant glass souvenir from your stay. The Hotel le Germain sells tumblers customized with the room number from your stay. Visit hotelboutique.com.   2 BedsA pedestal bed has a sleek modern look, especially in a rich brown stain. IKEA's Malm Sultan Lade. Add more function while keeping things looking sleek with a Malm night table, which can be attached to the headboard. Image courtesy of IKEA.ca    3 BeddingDress your bed in crisp white, 220-count cotton sheets from Au Lit's Hotel line. Nothing's sexier than great quality bedding -- or more restful, if that's more your thing! Image courtesy of Aulitfinelinens.com  4 Flooring Slate tiles are sophisticated and add a dark, modern feel to the bathroom. They can be expensive though, so one way to get the look for less is through rustic slate-look ceramic tile like this Cairo Blue floor tile from Eliane. Image courtesy of Homedepot.ca    5 Accessories A glass vanity console like the Tiffany with built-in sink makes a grand statement in a modern bathroom. It's an impressive hit of eye candy that seems to float weightlessly in the room. Image courtesy of Art-bathe.com 

  ©

  Credit

  Yuki Hayashi

  Hotel style: Hotel Le Germain 

  Published:

  2008-10-07 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Yuki Hayashi

  Updated:

  2008-10-07 00:00:00

• Organizing your child's room Organizing your child's room

  

  Organizing your child's room of

  Organizing your child's room Nearly every mother has those "we-can't-live-this-way-anymore" moments, when she wishes she could just roll the garbage bin into her child's bedroom and start dumping. So what's the answer? The bad news is that kids and clutter go hand-in-hand. But the good news is that you can control the clutter and even make the process a learning experience. Set aside an afternoon and start mapping out your game plan. Be sure you and your child work together, and let her or him be the decision-maker as much as possible so that your child will take ownership of the newly organized and clutter-free room. The first step would be gather about six bins, bags or boxes and label them as follows:    * Garbage     * Give Away or Sell     * Put Away     * Storage     * Last Chance     * RepairsAs you sort through the clothing and toys, place unwanted items in their appropriate bins.Let's take a quick look at some helpful hints to help you organize your child's private space.    * Consider how you can maximize storage capacity by looking under, over, inside and behind things. A large part of getting organized and controlling clutter is getting it out of sight.    * Do not go shopping for baskets, bins, hooks or shelves until you determine your exact needs. Often, people purchase inappropriate, and sometimes expensive storage items only to find that the process was backwards.    * Remove all items, perhaps one area at a time, to sort and purge items.    * Determine how much of your child's items will need to be stored and/or displayed. Take measurements of the available space then look for suitable containers.    * Take a look around the house to see what you may already have. Clean, plastic peanut butter jars, shoe boxes and baby-wipe containers are perfect for small toys, and putting them to good use provides a valuable lesson in recycling.    * Finally, make sure you put things where they make sense and that related items are grouped together.    * Put your child's favourite toys and games in easily accessible areas.    * In keeping with the size of your child, low, open shelves are a functional addition to every child's room, whether along a wall or inside the closet.    * Every item in a household should have a place where it belongs. Add a variety of stackable bins in small, medium and large sizes to give everything its own place.    * Clear, plastic boxes are an efficient solution to the multitude of little cars, meal toys and other tiny objects that are too small for the large toy chest.    * Plastic chains with clips are perfect for suspending a collection of baseball hats or stuffed animals in an empty corner.    * If you put a shelf over the closet door or a window, you can make good use of otherwise wasted space to display collectibles.    * Plastic three-drawer units organize art and/or school supplies. One drawer can hold scissors, rulers, stamps, glue sticks and tape. Another might keep stickers and sticker books handy, while the third drawer stores pictures from magazines and catalogues.The most important thing to remember while you are working is that your child's bedroom most likely got in its present condition over weeks, months, maybe years — so you don't have to feel pressured to get it under control in an hour or even one afternoon. And, making sense out of a mess - and then keeping it that way - will be simple if you give your child the right tools — a reasonable plan and a lot of labeled bins. Best of all, cleanup will become routine and will give both of you a real sense of satisfaction. By making the best use of every available inch of space, there will be a place for everything and everything will be in its place.Image courtesy of Restoration Hardware.  Other storage solutions Other storage solutionsUnder-the-bed storage drawers (especially those with wheels) are great for out-of-season clothes or treasured school/art papers.Don't forget the valuable space behind doors, including the inside of the closet door. Using the backside of a door is a great way to store additional items while getting them out of sight. Shelf units designed for the pantry can work in the bedroom as a home for games and books. Multi-level closet rods are the only way to go in a child's closet. You can empower your child to have more autonomy by giving him or her access to their own clothing.You may also want to use different-coloured hangers for each child, if more than one child uses the closet.Image courtesy of Restoration Hardware. 

  ©

  Credit

  Debra Milne

  Organizing your child's room 

  Published:

  2008-10-07 00:00:00

  Author(s):

  Debra Milne

  Updated:

  2008-10-07 00:00:00

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  Style at Home Show

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