Design Centre
Keeping your sofa at its best
Helpful tips to keep your sofas and upholstered chairs looking their best: Back cushions If your sofa or occasional chair has a loose seat back, with a zippered cover, then the cover can be unzipped and the insert removed. Pull out the insert and give it a good shake. If the insert is filled with dacron, then gently pull the dacron fibers apart until the fibers in the insert are fluffy and fully fill the casing. Replace into the cushion cover and close the zipper. The back cushion should look full and puffy just as they did on their first…[READ MORE]
What to look for when buying a sofa
There is no shortage of selection when it comes to buying a sofa. Quality and therefore the potential lifespan of the sofa is difficult to identify when a piece is fully upholstered. It is important to be able to ask where the sofa is actually constructed and to find out how it is put together. In our experience we have found that North American made sofas generally are better made with materials that meet stricter environmental guidelines, they also tend to have better stitching than an import sofa. Here we discuss some of the things to look for and to…[READ MORE]
IDS 2018
IDS 2018 (January 18-21) This is the first time we had attended the Toronto IDS, now in its 20th year. It is both bigger and brighter than the Vancouver IDS West which takes place in the Fall. For those of you familiar with the Vancouver show, the Toronto venue is much brighter with natural light, and a contrast to the more “Moody” setting in the Vancouver Convention Centre. The advantage was that it was all the better for viewing the furniture and displays properly. We were pleasantly surprised by the very strong focus on Canadian made product with some interesting…[READ MORE]
What do you have that’s a durable fabric for a sofa?
One of the ways in which fabric durability is quantified, is by its “Double Rub Count”. This is a measure of how much wear and tear a fabric can take from sliding over it, such as sliding onto your sofa. The way that this is done, is by performing an abrasion test where a piece of canvas is rubbed back and forth over the fabric until the slightest bit of wear is noticeable. One “Back-and-Forth” is One Double Rub. Usually the fabrics used for sofas have Double Rub Counts that range from 15,000 to 100,000. Manmade fibres, such as polyester…[READ MORE]
2018 Pantone Colour of the Year
Pantone has chosen Ultra Violet as the colour of the year for 2018, it is indeed an incredibly vibrant beautiful colour. Described by Pantone as: “A dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade, PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future.” Given our current tumultuous times, the thought must be that this colour will keep us focused on the future and perhaps enable us to keep the present in perspective Whatever the esoteric intention, I love this colour. It is an unexpected addition to most decors, looks fantastic with greys, silver and gold…[READ MORE]
Pantone Colours for 2016
They are here, and they are a dreamy ethereal pallet The Pantone Colours for 2016 According to the Pantone website, this is their inspiration: “The prevalent combination of Rose Quartz and Serenity also challenges traditional perceptions of color association. In many parts of the world we are experiencing a gender blur as it relates to fashion, which has in turn impacted color trends throughout all other areas of design. This more unilateral approach to color is coinciding with societal movements toward gender equality and fluidity, the consumer’s increased comfort with using color as a form of expression, a generation that…[READ MORE]
Tokyo Eco House and Building Expo 2015
We were very fortunate to have attended the Tokyo ECO HOUSE & ECO BUILDING EXPO held at the Big Sight convention centre in February this year. There were over 1,500 exhibitors from over 31 countries, the majority of whom were promoting alternate energy sources such as solar panels and small wind turbine generators. Currently in Japan the electricity is supplied by 10 major players: utility companies which have regional monopolies on the generation, transmission and distribution of Japan’s power supply. As a result of the Fukushima disaster, there has been an implementation of a 3 stage reform program. The upcoming…[READ MORE]
IDS West
This year we were again able to take part in the IDS West Show at the Vancouver Convention Centre. It was a hectic but fun filled four days of meeting designer, contractors, design students, other exhibitors and many many design aficionados. At the show we formally “introduced” our new Logo and showcased some of our newer pieces such as the Chesterman bed with under bed storage and our Barcelona desk. We also had a wide variety of our award winning Koncept Lights, including the protoype of the new Mosso Pro lamp with a built in occupancy…[READ MORE]
What is meant by “Solid Wood moves”??
When you buy a piece of solid wood furniture, you are getting a beautiful natural product, with all of its inherent features. One of these features is that solid wood will expand and contract or “Move”, or at least try to move as its environment changes. Generally you let the wood move. You don’t want these forces building up, as you may get undesirable outcomes, like cracking or warping. This is not something you are going to encounter with furniture using man-made materials like veneers since they are so thin and generally have a lot of glue to ‘set’ it….[READ MORE]
Dwell on Design 2014
This is the first opportunity we’ve had to attend the Dwell on Design show in LA since 2010. Wow, has it grown! There were a number of international exhibitors including the the US contingent. What really struck us was how a common theme amongst the product that we saw, was the ability for customization to suit the client’s needs. There has been a realization that people want to be able to express themselves through every aspect of their lives and homes, not just through their choice of paint, but through their furniture and even their fixtures. Whether this is a…[READ MORE]
But I asked for solid wood furniture, why isn’t the top made of one big piece of wood?
When you look at the top of your beautiful solid wood table, or dresser, or coffee table . . . you’ll notice strips of wood running the length of your table top. The grain is not continuous over the whole width of your table top, it changes at the edges of these strips. This is more noticeable the lighter the finish of your table. In fact if you don’t see these strips, or change in grain pattern, it’s usually a tell tale sign your table is made from a veneer. In virtually all cases, a solid wood top, whether it’s…[READ MORE]
Pantone colour forecast 2015
Are you redecorating and wondering what the colour trends are for 2015? [READ MORE]
Inspiration for a design
On a recent trip to Barcelona we were overwhelmed by the dizzyingly beautiful examples of architecture in this culturally rich city. The incredible organic lines of Gaudi’s designs, in particualr theinterior of the Sagrada Familia cathedral were particularly inspiring. The towering white columns which branched out to support the ceiling, gave the impression of being in a forest. Seeing the stained glass windows through the angled “branches” was like glimpsing the sky through the branches. Angles and shapes which at first glance couldn’t possibly have much structural strength, disproved our initial impressions. This was the inspiration for our Barcelona desk….[READ MORE]
Maison et Objet Show Paris 2014
It was our Spring treat to go to the Maison et Objet design show in Paris this year. We went to check out the upcoming trends, gather inspiration and we even found a new housewares supplier! [READ MORE]