abo design co blog

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abodesignco — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:04:39 +0000

Thank you for visiting. Please visit abodesignco.com/blog for new posts.

Shedding Light on Table Runners

abodesignco — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:33:28 +0000

I’ve never really been a fan of table runners. Perhaps because the ones I remember all have christmas themes and often look garish. However, Sylvania’s new LED table runner certainly changes things.

The LED table runner illuminates and decorates any table in a classy way. It will last up to 10 hours on a single charge and comes with a rechargeable battery pack. If you really want to be creative, try it as decorative fabric on walls or mantels.

To order, visit Sylvania Online Store.

The Perfect Home for Book Lovers

abodesignco — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:00:19 +0000

Are libraries too boring? Do you crave adventure & intrique inside & outside of your many books? For those of us who need an interesting, unique abode where we can sit back & enjoy our favourite novels, Point Design Studio in Tokyo, has created the perfect solution…an igloo style room to store books. Bookshelves are designed to allow you to grab your books from inside or outside this hut style creation. The design is whimsical, fun, creative and makes me want to spend hours in bed reading, while surrounded by books!

Image courtesy of point-tokyo.jp

Image courtesy of Inhabitots.com

Bejewel Me Fabric

abodesignco — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:53:08 +0000

Jim Thompson has partnered with designer Hutton Wilkinson, owner & creative director of Tony Duquette Inc., to create an exclusive collection of woven & printed textiles for decorative home & commercial installations. Duquette, in his early days, designed costumes & sets for Fred Astair musicals. He also designed costumes for various theatre productions. The new Jim Thompson/Tony Duquett collection is reminiscent of the spell-binding bejewelled stages. Here’s a sampling of some of my favourites.

Octavian

Fireworks

Asia Minor

Feu D'Artifices

Bathing in an Egg

abodesignco — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:33:19 +0000

I’m very excited for the launch of Viaggi/Maxx’s new egg shaped bathtub! It is to happen this summer. The design is simple, and just beautiful! It is cradled in a wood stand that is beautiful in itself. This eloquent design is perfect for that spa-like bathroom. You know that feeling of cradling a warm egg in your hands? It makes me think of this experience. Very calming but striking enough to be the center piece in your bathroom. I’ll keep you posted on the lauch when it happens. In the meantime for a sneak preview visit www.maxx.com.

Innovative Wine Cellar

abodesignco — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:25:31 +0000

I received these pictures of a wine cellar, unfortunately without any information. Can’t seem to find any info on it, so would be pleased if you know anything about it! Great concept AND it looks good. Let me know if you know who the designer is.

Nature: Genius Designer or Serendipity?

abodesignco — Sat, 30 May 2009 00:00:19 +0000

I found a great blog post on environmentalgraffitti.com about the Fibonacci Sequence & Golden Ratio. Nature astounds me every day because regardless of where I feel my inspiration for that painting/furniture design/etc came from I can always find the roots deep in nature…

Hope you enjoy & learn something new with this article.

Is it an antique or is it just old?

abodesignco — Tue, 05 May 2009 03:12:12 +0000

When a client asked me this question I made a mental note to blog about this subject. The question clearly illustrates many new collectors’ experience with buying their first antique. If you’re lucky, you have inherited a piece of antique that you know to be just that because it has been passed down generations after generations. However, if you are in the market for antiques, you have most likely experienced the wave of confusion as to whether or not a piece is a legitimate antique or if it’s just simply old (can we say “junk”)? There’s a plethora of dealers out there waiting to sell you their next winning piece so can you really trust what they tell you? How do you know that they know what they’re talking about? What sort of items should you buy or not buy? It’s an ocean of questions!

First I would start by researching reputable dealers in your area. Then pay them a visit. If you are already at this point, then I’m going to assume you know what sort of items you want to buy so bring all your questions. A reputable dealer will be happy to spend their time telling you about the items you are interested in. He/she will give you it’s history, it’s age and origin, notable physical characteristics, how to spot a knock off, different clues that mark who the maker might be, what it might cost based on how rare it is, and whether or not it’s worth investing in. The mark of a truly good dealer is when they offer advice on how to care for your antique to maintain it’s beauty.

I am by no means an expert on antiques but I know how to spot a great dealer who will teach me what I need to know! A few I would recommend:

Guild House Antiques - member of Canadian Antique Dealers Asc (CADA), in business for 30 yrs, carries many items from 17th, 18th, & 19th century

RHV Tee & Sons – member of CADA, qualified appraisers

Uno Langmann Ltd – member of CADA, specialist in quality European & North American paintings from 18th, 19th, & early 20th century

CADA – safeguarding the purchaser of antiques in Canada

It’s deck season!

abodesignco — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:28:39 +0000

Finally! Sunny days are officially here and I bet you’re looking at your deck that’s been beaten up this past winter thinking perhaps it’s time to update or replace. Many others are in the same boat so get in line early or you will not see it complete this summer. Before you jump at the phone & call up your best contractor friend for a favour, you should look into the different products available for decks and choose something that will not look worn out & need work after another winter season.

One of the new products I’d like to introduce you to is EB-TY® Hidden Deck-Fastening Systems™. You can use them with every type of wood & composite. With EB-TY you can automatically set even 3/32″ or 1/4″ spacing between deck boards so deck boards are ensured to be level & uniform. The fastening system is based on tongue-and-grove flooring so you really don’t need any nails or screws. The biscuit fasteners are the most reliable & durable on the market today. They are simply hooked into slots at the edge of the deck boards where they cross a joist. Each board has a grove cut into the side & the fastener asts like a tougue spacing the boards will also holding them down.

Not to mention, they are safe and aesthetically appealing. There will be no nail holes, or puddle areas to ruin the look of your beautiful new deck. There will be no nails or screws popping up. The fasteners are practically invisible above & below the deck. For installation instructions click here.

The fasters will not rust, shrink, crack or soften. They are guaranteed for 100 yrs under normal use. If you wish to learn more about this product please visit their website. You can purchase this product at any lumberyard.

Powder Room

abodesignco — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:26:20 +0000

Powder rooms are one of those projects that you can have fun with. It’s a very utilitarian room so I always like to jazz it up and make it more than just a sink & toilet. This is a room for your guests so it’s a great place to make a statement about you & your personal style. Believe me, guests will appreciate a played up room while they sit on the throne contemplating about the people who live in the house. No need to go wild, although you can (powder rooms are forgiving that way), but do dress up your powder rooms with a few interesting accents & accessories.

As for fixtures, consider HOW the room will be used. Will your guests require the full storage that a regular bathroom calls for? Is it just one of those rooms, you pop in and out of or will you be occupying it for extended periods at a time? This will help a lot in the selection of sinks/vanities/seating/toilets. No need to provide tons of storage if you don’t require them. Spend your money where it’s needed & keep the rest for accessories & accents as they will pull the room together. Have fun with tiles & wall treatment. You can splurge a bit here because the space is small enough! There are so many different patterns & finishes that you can really get lost in the selection so be warned! If you are usually an undecided, don’t ask for too many “opinions” from friends or family members; they will just end up pulling you back & forth from one idea to another. Select your fixtures and if you really need help with design then seek a professional to help you pull everything together. It’s a small enough project that you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for professional services.

Consider art (even the written print). It makes for a more interesting room & you give your guests something to look at. Fresh flowers are always a nice touch. Wouldn’t you want to feel like you’re at a hotel when you’re a guest a friend’s house? Perhaps they would too! Clean accessible linens are a nice touch for that added hotel atmosphere.

Some great examples of powder rooms done well:

Sarah Richardson