John Saladino Style

Luxury Bathroom

A dream closet for a lucky young Toronto diva. Why not have a settee and lounge chair in your bath? A fireplace, a great packing surface and girly vanity...all with your dressing area right between. That's luxury! I'd want to go out every night too!

With a Good Book

Every home should have a library of sorts...this is one of my dreams...books to the 12' ceiling, library ladder, soft seating, a desk, custom audio, natural light and greenery. A plush carpet to soften the sound, (and your toes) and room for more books...to let your library grow.

Happy Reading!

Design and Rendering by Michelle Morelan

Ikea Hack...Fjellse Sunbed; the Master Bedroom Deck

I have been swooning over a double daybed for the deck off of the master bedroom at the lakehouse. It's my own private deck; it's great for lounging...so I draped the deck on each side, keeping the larger view elevation open. I looked at Restoration Hardware's double loungers...and they were AMAZING, but call me thrifty because the 6-8 thousand dollar price tag was just too much. Yes, you mostly get what you pay for, but there had to be a better way.

 
I used the single bed version of the Fjellse frame from Ikea on my deck off the living room last year, because it was left over from staging our Steveston house. It had a foam mattress that got wet, but dried out quickly. This year, I was going big... I wanted room for a tray with beverage and a book, so decided to go double. Brian painted the frame (and two end tables) in an outdoor black paint, after using the legs from the single bed that we already owned, to put together this one without a headboard:

A trip to Ikea later, I was home with the Fjellse for 59 bucks (another 35 for the slats). Now, outdoor foam is expensive, but seeing how this is a covered deck, I went with regular foam from Jysk. I was debating...a double mattress that I will have to store ($120), or two folding mattresses which equalled the correct dimensions ($69 each). They were both covered with a cotton zipped cover; I went with the two folding ones, since they could be easily stored or used as a cube which they fold into. They will get wet, but only because of sideways rain, so dry out easily once the sun hits them.

The drapes were another expense I wasn't willing to fork out for; the ones I wanted from RH were between 1-400 bucks, and I needed 3 sets for each side..too much! So, back to Ikea I went for drapes...I used the grommet type, made from cotton and called Merete, they have a great weight and hand. Outdoor drapes are typically made from Sunbrella fabric, which is fade resistant, so I went with natural and white (the deck below) so the sun damage is not easily seen. I will bring them down, launder them and store them inside till next year, but honestly, with the price of 50 bucks a pair, if they don't make it, I'm not too concerned.

 

The rope tiebacks I almost ordered from RH were 50 dollars a piece! Home Depot will cut rope lenghths for you...I used 4' peices which were over an inch in diameter in white...I had existing posts to tie them around, and in wind I can tie them really snugly, so I'm glad I didn't pay the 300 bucks for the 6 that I needed, since they wouldn't secure them in weather the same way.

Bed...check...curtains and tiebacks...check...so what about bedding, lighting and accessories for my bedroom deck? A trip to Heather Ross yielded a vintage hanging lantern...I actually saw it on the way out the door, but came back to purchase it for the deck...I thought of creating a pulley system of rope and cleat to make the lamp adjustable over the bed. I liked the weathered zinc (or whatever that great grey metal is).

The larger rug I ordered from Overstock.com last year, and the little one was a gift from a client. To cover the duradeck covering on my deck (we plan on planks in the future), I placed them at an angle to get the most coverage...and the black and charcoal with rope colours and white was setting a direction for the bedding, which was another Ikea find called Alina.

A quilted top is so comfy, and cotton is cool in the heat. It comes with two euros, which I bought inserts for at Ikea as well. I had a bolster to prop them up and chose to tuck in the bedspread to expose the legs of the bed and the black paint. And, I don't like the thought of bugs being able to crawl up the cover touching the ground...eww.

My new Master Bedroom deck :) 

 

 

 

Next year, maybe I will add some screens and it can become a proper sleeping porch :)

Small Modern

I am of the thought lately that you should only have as much space as you use. I have a large home now, that frankly, I find difficult to maintain, as a busy person, you may think...I'll just hire someone to do the house cleaning, but really, no one can clean and fluff like you. As we get older, my design mind has been going to what I call a compound. Plumbing and wiring for a bunch of little sheds and one main small house like this one. All on property that has a slight slope, and some interest...enough for my parents to eventually land with a small home. This is the living and kitchen/dining area I dream of...just enough space to cocoon you and provide what you need, but well considered finishes and furnishings.

This was a guide for my last workshop, since I had the model built.

Design and Rendering by Michelle Morelan 

My Studio Deck

 It's where we spend the most time that means the most to us, and this is the case with my studio deck. It's covered, comfortable and cool on hot days. With the nice weather we have had recently, I have already started using it quite a bit. The cushions are a Sumbrella Fabric and the furniture is from HomeSense. The little white tables from Ikea...the tray comes off the top...great idea! I got the banded rug from Overstock, the outdoor pouf from Target, and the patio lights from Pottery Barn. 

The deck is a nice size, and the bedroom and LR that stack on top are exacly the same dimensions. It's a space I switch around often, in floor plan and materials. I can change out to more muted tones by changing the pillow covers and the rug, the green working with both. My bedroom deck above is used for lounging, furnished with a double lounge, and the LR deck's function is a table and comfortable dining chairs.

I'd like to screen the studio deck in one day, but the bugs aren't too bad, and many glasses of wine have been had till the wee hours under the patio lanterns without issue.

What little part of your home have you claimed as your personal space?

 

 

Noguchi's 20N Table Lamp

Sometimes it's not the most expensive items, but the best designed ones that get my attention. Hence the 20N table lamp from Isamu Noguchi at just 155 dollars! It's a paper lantern 24 inches high, 16 inches deep and looks quite simple at first glance. I got mine at Gabriel Ross in Victoria.

I brought the flat box home, and started to put it together- first I opened the flat pack box, noticing the lack of materials both in the lamp and the packaging, a good thing. Then lifted out the lightweight shade and very thin legs and frame. The socket and cord are the bulkiest thing in the 3 inch deep box. I love the colour of the shade and the sound when it is touched. The spacing between the ribs is random, yet ordered, like nature. The black metal legs are very thin, and the frame is tall, creating a flimsy framework...until.

I really started to appreciate the design of the lamp when I put it together wrong. The shade is made to fit through the legs, not like the imitation. It's assembly is a design feat in itself. You have to lift up the shade from the legs, tightening just enough to slide the harp on the threaded post, securing it on the top of the frame. I can imagine the design hours going over the materials, construction and assembly considerations of this simple lumminaire.

The legs are super slim, and have some give to them. They are capped off by dainty little rubber feet, spherical and working together with the legs offering a dynamic yet stable base for the paper lantern, all slight on their own, yet strong as one peice when tightened and assembled (properly!).

After placing the lamp on my entry console and turning it on from the base of the socket, noticing the little red stamp at the bottom of the shade and standing back to adore it next to my Brent Comber Alder Disk, I feel the design story is complete.

Now I have simple layered light in the first room you enter, dimmers with narrow and wide spots highlighting the disk, natural light from lots of windows and ambient light from the lantern. The light is amazing! Paper is so flattering. And it's not just the function of this lamp...its the form...the beautiful, organic, make me smile every time I look at it, form.

Most of all, the exercise of assembling this piece of art was an essential part of owning it...one wonders if that was Noguchi's plan.

M

Antwerp 2012; Beautiful!

Before and After - Janette's Reno

Corner Fireplaces are tricky...this one needed more room to breath. Taking down the wall between the Living and Dining Rooms was a good start, and working out the proportions of the fireplace, creating returns back to the wall, and finishing it in drywall and paint brings it up to date.

Design and Rendering by Michelle Morelan

 

 

 

working things out in SketchUp

some details have to be precise

The fireplace now looks in proportion, doesn't take up too much visual space, and with the removal of the wall, can breath, not feeling crowded.

Much better...nice job putting it all together Janette :)

10 Recent Design Crushes

10 Recent Design Crushes

1. The Cherner Chair
http://www.chernerchair.com/index.php

I've had my eye on this lovely for a few years, and the new cream leather lounge chair is just so amazing! This bar stool version with metal legs looks great, but I'm partial to the wood legs. Like the Wishbone Chair, I would likely go with Walnut.

2. The Fiddle Leaf Fig

interior by Joe Serrins photo by William Waldron

interior by Peter Dunham photo by Grey Crawford

3. Dark Brown
http://www.thebay.com/eng/hbccollections-blankets-Millenium_Point_Blanket-thebay/156994

I have this blanket on my spare bed; I love the weight of it, especially when paired with my duvet...warm :)

4. Terrariums
http://www.paulahayes.com/terrariums/gallery.php?g=2&i=6

Paula Hayes produces pieces of art for exhibition, like this- wow

5. Linen Sheets
http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod2060009&categoryId=cat1580065

these sheets are so nice on your skin...they are rubbery in drape and come right out of the dryer, onto the bed

6. Transparency- My David's Tea Teapot
http://www.davidstea.com/the-glass-teapot-with-removable-strainer?&TF=8215E1C9208C&DEID=

interior Michelle Morelan, photo Heather Ross

7. Fraser Fir Collection by Thymes
http://www.thymes.com/Fragrances/Frasier-Fir/

nothing like your west coast home smelling like fir! we use the dishwashing soap, kitchen spray and handsoap

 8. Serge Mouille Lamps
http://www.sergemouilleusa.com/

interior Kevin Carrigan photo by Tim Furzer

9. Anything Platner
http://www.knoll.com/products/product.jsp?prod_id=75

the lines are so yummy, and the new colours are just right :)

10. Crusceet
http://www.lecreuset.ca/

they are popping up everywhere...the LeCreuset dutch oven...in the greatest colours

cheery yellow...and passed down for generations...my mom has an orange one

my new LeCreuset shallow dutch oven...love that they make it in green :)