Versace in the sky

Versace decided to start to collaborate with TAG Aircraft Interiors and the result is a lavish interior for one of the largest private aircraft : Airbus A319 Corporate Jet. The Airbus A319 Corporate Jet will benefit of 16 seats arranged in one salon, one galley, one business office, and one stateroom. The entire interior will be signed by Versace and the result of the project could be seen at then end of 2008.

Versace Press Release:
“Versace and TAG-AI joined forces in April last year to create this exclusive interior design service catering to the needs of private jet owners. In this partnership, Versace Design is responsible for all aspects of content, design and style, while TAG-AI, with the parent TAG Group’s 30 years of experience as a world leader in the sale, completion and management of private jets, manages the sales, marketing, logistical, and technical aspects of the completion contract." The European client’s ACJ will have 16 seats in an exclusive four-compartment arrangement: salon, galley, business office, and stateroom with en suite bathroom.
Versace will provide the aircraft interior with a unique design customized to the aircraft’s specifications and floor plan. It will feature executive armchairs embossed with Versace’s signature Greek fret motif, furniture made of the best materials, and exclusive finishes and luxury detailing spanning the four cabins of the aircraft. http://www.tagai.aero/

Good eats in T.O.

This is not the type of thing I would normally blog about but I just can’t help myself. Alain and I were in Toronto this past weekend for the Interior Design Show (fantastic by the way!) and stumbled upon this awesome little eatery called Flavours catering (www.flavourscatering.ca). As it was we were desperate for a little place to have a quick lunch that would satisfy both our very picky natures and let me tell you this was it. The food was awesome, the service impeccable and the ambiance was very much Montreal. If you’re in town and in the mood for a quick bite or need to cater a particular event give these people a call. Oh one last thing, Alain and I both agree, best croissant we’ve ever had!

And we are off...

Off to the 10th annual Interior Design Show, Canada's premiere platform for contemporary residential design. Over the past 10 years, millions of Canadian and international furnishing, fixtures and accessories for the design of a home have been launched and exhibited by hundreds of designers, manufacturers, importers, retailers and distributors, here at IDS. Speakers like Marcel Wanders, Karim Rashid and Barbara Barry have participated in talks and lectures to the industry's professionals. I look forward to seeing what new things will brought back to the firm!

www.interiordesignshow.com

Summer Dining

Let's go candelabra!



Bring out your best Porcelain & some fresh garden flowers



All white, how about that!

The Classical white and blue stripe, always a winner!

Warm summer days and evenings are ideal for informal entertaining, and offer an opportunity to indulge in a little whimsy in decorative settings. Let yourself go, don’t be afraid to marry old and new, modern and traditional. In fact, don’t just try one look try a few, see which one suits you best. Sometimes it’s as simple as new flowers arrangements and a new china pattern.

St-Ambroise Contemporary Art Gallery - Annie Cantin

I haven’t been this excited about something like this in a long time. This is the best exhibition I have ever seen in Montreal. The pure joy of walking through The St-Ambroise Contemporary Art Gallery, host to Annie Cantin’s work is simply outstanding. Neighboring The St-Ambroise Contemporary Art Gallery is a privilege to us interior designers at Igloo; we are 2 steps away from a constant, ever evolving fantasy land, a world of ideas, thought, and process. This is the best source of inspiration or as I like to call it-food. Brain food that is; these ladies are constantly pushing boundaries, insisting on showing us the best of the best contemporary artists from around the globe. Artists breath and create there own personal interpretation of the world as they see it. Everyone’s unique, and therefore no two views or experiences’ are ever the same. This is art. And here at The St-Ambroise Contemporary Art Gallery, it is showcased in all the glory it deserves. I urge you all to allow yourselves to experience this wonderland of pure joy. I guarantee you will leave in ah, and most of all wanting more! http://www.galerie-st-ambroise.com/

Forgotten classics

Room Dividers no longer represent what they used to, when Hollywood once was. This shouldn't stop us from using them to solve our space dilemmas. They can be used as anything from a temporary partition to an awesome backdrop. They can also be used as free floating pieces of art work, if you encounter one you absolutely love. However if you're feeling fancy, feel free to use a screen in order to change into a smashing outfit and feel like a star!

Gucci NY

The new Gucci flaggship store openned its doors earlier this month to raving reviews. Notice the cleanliness of the shop-nothing is out of place and a great deal of this success is due to a cleaning and maintenance schedule - aside from the flawless attention to detail of course.

On another retail design note, nothing looks worse than a dilapilated storefront complete with washed out walls, and a chipped cash counter. I often find myself annoyed, when something new goes up, and everyone around me can't stop saying how wonderfull it is-and deep down, it's easy to see beyond it's shiny new facade, that it's full of design boo-boos and that the intoxicating, yet enchanting, smell of VOCs is about to fade. I find this is a problem, because clients get the wrong idea. How are clients suppose to know what is good and what is bad? Face it folks, just because it's a new space, doens't mean it's a good space. However, when Gucci puts out a new space, it's safe to say it's a stunning space!

The Palace Bottle

I love offering clients water from this oh so stylish evian bottle!  The bottle is tall and sleek (much like me!) and comes with a pourer that will catch every last drop.  A true conversation piece, to say the least, and the water is as clear as its always been.  Inspired by the purity of Evian water, and the beauty of the french alps, the exquisite Evian Palace bottle is available in restaurants and brings a heightened level of luxury to fine dining occasions." There is a pourer built into the cap! And a sleek coaster to catch the condensation! The Palace Bottle comes with the Palace pourer and the the Palace coaster which basically turn the bottle into an elegant carafe for serving. The new deign will be available in select hotels, restaurants and clubs and will sell for $15 to $20.http://www.evian.com/us/index_palace.php

Design a kitchen that is right for you!

Which kitchen style and configuration is right for you? You'll be happy to know the famous debate continues. Should you serve and eat in the kitchen? Should it be opened (loft style) to the rest of your space? It's true what they say: "form follows function, and colour follows form". The best way to figure out which way you swing is by first taking a good look at your lifestyle needs. I can tell you that although I personally prefer to cook in a closed off kitchen and to serve in a formal dining room not everyone agrees. In fact people with kids say they live in their kitchen, that's where they hang with their kids. Other open kitchen aficionados are people who enjoy "exhibition style" cooking. For these individuals part of the fun is having their guests watch them cook. Obviously these open "atelier" style kitchens are more informal in nature and allow for a lot of flexibility. It's not uncommon for guests to help in the cooking or the clean up. Typically the party starts and ends in the kitchen! If this type of spaceis right for you, you might want to consider an open kitchen. The kitchen will feel a lot bigger, and guests might be more comfortable by sitting in your living room and still "being in the kitchen". On the other hand if you enjoy sitting and chatting with your guests, in a relaxed and more orderly environment, you need a dining room. That's right, a dining room! Don't be ashamed, there's nothing wrong with not wanting to expose yourself and others to your dirty pots and pans. Typically this type of party ends in the living room, over some coffee or tea. The main thing remains that you be true to your needs. Set your own trend, don't create a space that is not suitable for you and your family.

Crossing over

CALLING PRADA
Prada will launch the first completely touch-screen phone at the end of February, in association with phone company LG. The Prada Phone comes in glossy black and is a mere 12mm thick. "The two companies worked together to develop one of the most beautifully stylish handsets the market has ever seen," said LG president and ceo Scott Ahn. As well as looking like it just stepped off a catwalk, the phone is full of the latest technology - it includes a video player, high quality camera and MP3 Player. "We were looking at a breakthrough in design," said president and ceo of Prada, Patrizio Bertelli. "We are not branding an existing product, rather Miuccia and I have been working with LG to give this new phone a very strong character and unique style."


From car design to kitchens...it's only a natural progression of course. More and more, designers are being called apon to cross over and breath new life into what may have been considered design specialties. What better way to approach a design process than with a different background, and/or view point? Move over Phil and Karim, Armani, Prada, BMW and Porsche are taking over, pushing full speed ahead! Here are some examples of well known design companies turning over a new leaf.

“A new kitchen especially designed for men – Miele exclusive supplier of appliances - Poggenpohl presents first Porsche Design kitchen - Herford/Stuttgart. Porsche Design Group and Poggenpohl Möbelwerke GmbH present their first co-designed kitchen P’7340. The kitchen is distinguished for its innovative framework, purist styling and high-quality materials. Kitchen appliances maker Miele & Cie. KG will be the exclusive supplier of all fitted electric appliances.”

The third line designed by BMW DesignworksUSA, the new Odea super automatic espresso coffee machines feature Saeco's innovative technology including the Giro interface, ceramic grinder, Saeco OptiDose and Touch Lift drip tray. Like all Saeco machines, the Odea line is easy to customize ensuring the perfect cup of coffee, ground fresh from whole bean, each time you brew. Modern in both form and function, the Odea machines are a perfect fit in any kitchen.

Designed by Giorgio Armani and realized by Samsung Electronics, the Giorgio Armani-Samsung Mobile phone will meet the needs of those who aspire to own a technologically advanced and beautifully designed telephone with which to communicate and complete their lifestyle.

How stylish is your bed?

What ever your style may be, one of the easiest ways to spruce up a room is bedding. The same room can be re-invented over and over again. Just remember to add lots af accent cushions and
accessories to match and voila!


Crisp & Fresh


Sophisticated


Classy


Romantic

Rubelli to the rescue!

The firm RUBELLI, founded in 1858 by Lorenzo Rubelli, is in many respects unique, given its capacity to produce hand-made fabrics using traditional techniques as well as highly sophisticated textiles of all kinds, using cutting edge technology in both their conception and production.Recognised as the number one company in its field in Italy, Rubelli is also considered one of the top 3 home furnishing fabric firms world-wide. Product development is undertaken entirely in the Venice Design Studio, where a tightly knit group of artists, designers and stylists translate their ideas into fabric with the help of a cutting edge CAM/CAD computer. The company relies upon its mill in Cucciago (Como) to produce the bulk of its collection.Rubelli's fibres of choice are silk, linen, cotton and wool, sometimes used in combination with the richest man-made fibres such as Novafil, Bemberg and viscose, in ways that enhance the natural properties of both. For the contract market, Rubelli produces a full line of fire retardant fabrics in Trevira CS in which a "technical" cloth is converted to a beautiful textile through the medium of fine design.