Thursday 30 April 2009

My Virtual City Apartment

 09_De-Kooning_Untitledliam_sf_TOP babylon table lam[ usonacibic sideboard usonaresin platter red martha sturdyresin boxes martha sturdy  

           jonathan_round_gold oly              sienna_chair olyt

 

oliver_ottoman oly

       

         cooper_drum_lamp oly                                                    fornasetti_bowl_310_1954 -wall plate

 fireworks-chandelier

DT20MAS Basket masara collection qeratmaude_chair oly

 

                                        PRC807AQ fl cube

 

             michael-chair oly                                 fornasetti fiflesso cole and son

 

maison sideboard 

1. Art: Willem de Kooning

2. Sofa: Liam by Mitchell Gold

3. Table Lamps: Babylon by Usona

4. Sideboard: Cibic by Usona

5. Resin Boxes and Platter: Martha Sturdy, Vancouver

6. Side table: Jonathan round table in gold by Oly

7. Yellow leather chairs: Sienna by Oly

8. Ottoman: Oliver by Oly

9. Chandelier: Fireworks via RL lights

10. Shade: Copper drum shade by Oly

11. Plate: Fornasetti

12. Dining Table: Basket (the Masara Collection) by Qerat

13. Dining chairs: Maude by Oly

14. Bed: Cube by Ralph Lauren 

15. Tub Chair: Michael Chair by Oly 

16. Wallpaper: Fornasetti by Cole and Sons

17. Sideboard: Maison by Usona

I know, the pieces don’t necessarily jive, but I love an eclectic mix :) In the city, you can have fun!

Tuesday 28 April 2009

A Small Cabin Design





Design and rendering by Michelle Morelan Design

Little cabins are my secret love. This one has retractable doors to reveal a bathtub to bath in nature, and clearstory windows to let in the west coast light.

Monday 27 April 2009

A Room in Italy with a Special History

Albarosa_April 12_09

   Rendering by Michelle Morelan Design

This was a special gift to Alborosa at Brillante Home Decor and Staging. She wrote this as a thank you, and because I thought only she could explain it best…

“Michelle,

I am so touched by this extraordinary rendering of a very special room which signed the start of my life, in fact on October 2nd, year not revealed…..at dawn… I was born in this room.

The beds were designed and made by my maternal grandfather, who was a fine furniture maker.

The details on the headboard were carved and represent a Stork among flowers and an Amorino (cherub) with a garland.

It was dawn as I said and I was told by my parents that that was the reason they decided to call me Albarosa which can be translated as “Pink Dawn” even if many think it comes from White Rose (also a correct translation).

The chairs at the foot of the beds are original Thonet from Wien.

This is a room in a house near Venice where my family originally was from and where my mother decided to go to spend the summer with her family and wait for the delivery, instead of staying in Milan, very hot in summer months, where my parents and my older sister were living.

I still spend some time there, while not in Vancouver or in Milan and every time I look out of the window I see the same trees that my grandparents admired.

Memories are part of those walls and now more memories will come to my mind when I will admire this gorgeous drawing.

Grazie to my dear friend Michelle!

Albarosa (Pink Dawn)”

Around the House

My house was built in 1977, and is a split level. We bought it because it reminded me of the Brady Bunch, and had no crazy renovations.  We probably won’t; it’s the crazy market here…we are on a corner lot, and I have a feeling this lot, and others around it, will eventually be bought, re-zoned and developed into multi family.

Remember; 3 men also live here, and it’s an ongoing struggle to keep order :) Excuse the quality of the photographs!

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There’s  an eclectic mix around my house, but each item tells a story. The Buddha is from Brian’s grandfather’s estate, as is the art deco clock, which he remembers as a child.

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I like bar stuff…old decanters and such. If I drink, I like Chambord and Champagne or a nice cold gin and tonic. I bought the old bar cart in Key West at auction.

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I have lots of framed pictures, and have grouped them along both sides of my hallway and stairs. Many are framed art from my kids over the years, some are photographs of our travels. I need new lighting here.

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I love these little glazed china flowers from an old French chandelier-  I bought them at the Paris flea market last year.

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Lots of interior design texts, boxes from Africa, a selection of drawing pens, a photo of the Paris flower market and a postcard and my favourite piece of art; Gerard Ter Borch’s painting of Helena van der Schalcke. I stare at it for hours at the Rijksmuseum.

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Wooden block prints from the Amsterdam Cypmarket.

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I love my jM lamp, and keep a collection of drafting and drawing tools close by. (This was taken a few months ago-I have moved this stuff around)

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The framed prints are from Amsterdam- one of Moorish designs, and the other of wood veneers, but the best part is, they are in Dutch. The magazines…well you all understand the obsession.

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I have lots of smalls, which I group together on a tray on Brian’s grandfather’s phonograph. There is my husband’s award for landing a plane in extreme circumstances, many handmade items like flowers, clay cups and gifts from my kids over the years; including a plaque that reads “live like there’s a heaven on earth”.

There are Limoges boxes, an old native basket made by a friend of my mom’s in Ucluelet from the 70’s, a fertility goddess, and a plane ornament given to my husband from his friend Charlie McCallister. Charlie was in his mid nineties when he died, and my husband used to go to his airfield in Yakima, Wash. in the eighties to tinker on engines with him. It’s quite a story, because Charlie was from South Carolina, and his pilot’s licence was signed by one of the Wright Bros.

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This is funky and functional for me…wherever my husband is, I know what time it is there. Vancouver, NY, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong.

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Down into the Dining Room, where I keep most of my ID books, and use as overflow studio space. The throw on the back of the chair is a gift from my husband from Cairo.

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My bedroom has a reproduction of a very old map of Paris on the wall behind the bed. The mirror ball lamps are from Pier 1- I bought years ago, and the architectural prints and leather bag are from the Paris flea market. The king size Hudson’s Bay blanket was my Christmas gift. The bamboo side tables are from auction in Victoria, and I have painted them black. Tulips- nuf said there…we all love tulips.

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The backyard is somewhere I love to hang out; except for all of the hauling of cushions I do in here Vancouver. I love it out here in the summer, especially after dark, when I light lots of lanterns and votives.

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I love nature inspired and lodge anything…and this cast iron moose from Farmhouse is one of my favourite things- it also supports a saucer size clematis.

Now show me yours!!

Thursday 23 April 2009

The Classic/Modern Library

I love the library, and love books…wouldn’t it be great to have your own two level library with a warm fire, views to the ocean, and upper deck with overlook? Imagine the bedroom upstairs connecting to the upper mezzanine.

I’ve included a royal blue velvet sofa with nail head trim, a marble fireplace, tub chairs in a great yellow print, and red lined linen drapes. The pot lights are hidden in recessed bars, and there are lots of other lighting options for reading and relaxing.

I will show you the overlook next, and I’d love to see what the space would look like with mid-century modern furniture in more muted tones. Colour just renders so much better than browns. 

What’s your personal style…classic or mid century modern? Or other?

modern library_MMD_09

modern library_MMD_sofa_09                                   modern library_MMD_chandelier_09

Chandelier: Jamie Hayon- Josephine 9.6.3

Fabric on tub chairs: Kelly Wearstler- Imperial Trellis

Furniture, Interior Design and Rendering by Michelle Morelan Design

Tuesday 21 April 2009

Tulips

I have a few obsessions I have shared with you…including the one for tulips. I love the spring here in Vancouver; there aren’t many bugs (wasps in August and September keep me inside), and the landscape is still green. Most of all, I love April and May for the flowers. Rhododendrons, Magnolias, Cherry Blossoms and early trailing Roses are Spring’s great show here, and I love it.  In Victoria, it was the Sedums at Mt. Doug, Arbutus and Garry Oaks.

It’s just starting to rain cherry blossoms here, and I love driving down the side streets of Shaughnessy, letting them rain on me, leaving a fishtail of pink behind my car.

Here is some tulip love around my house…

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Living Room

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Front door (bulbs from Amsterdam last fall)

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Backyard deck…also from Amsterdam last year

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Ok, not tulips, but these delicate little roses look so lovely in this urn on the back deck.

My New Love…Usona Beds

willis bed by usona

Willis

flores usona

Flores

lorena usona

Lorena

thurman bed usona

Thurman

quito headboard usona

Quinto

you me and iola by usona

You Me and Iola

sato bed usona

Sato

I haven’t checked Usona’s website for a long time; look what I have been missing!

These beds are the star of the show in any bedroom. Throw in some Italian and Belgian linens, and…well…you have my idea of heaven. All of their pieces are this amazing…check them out…and get ready to say goodbye to 45 minutes of your time…sorry :)