PICK OF THE MONTH: The 'FLORENCE'

The Florence is the HOTTEST coffee table I have seen in a while.  I have had my eyes on this piece before it even came into our store. That's why as my introduction to 'PICK OF THE WEEK' I had to choose this piece! It's the perfect size for a condo or apartment. The Florence is a  modern oak and tempered glass square shaped coffee table with large space to store all your things.  Elegance, style and function. What more could you ask for in a coffee table ?

Pairs perfectly with a sectional sofa like the Waterloowhich is a modular sofa that be arranged into multiple configurations.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR, OR IS IT ? HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

 "Without Valentine's Day, February would be... well, January."  ~Jim Gaffigan

Happy Valentines Day!!!! or "Single Awareness Day" as others like to call it. Whether you're spending tomorrow with your hunny, single, or with friends enjoy this yummy cocktail on this special day. (I found it on the "cosmopolitan website: 20 Flirty V-Day Drink  you can visit them to get some more ideas for the night.)

  

Amore Vietato (Forbidden Love)

- 2 oz. Hendricks gin
- 1 oz. blood orange juice
- Dash simple syrup, 2 strawberries
- 4 slices of cucumber

Muddle fruit with simple syrup, add gin and blood orange juice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with strawberry, cucumber spiral and orange peel hearts.

Tip: You can rim the glass with sugar for an added bonus!

For a holiday that was made for lovers and comes only once a year, a lot of attention is given to it. By the end of January you can't walk into a store without teddy bears, candies and chocolate on display with cute love phrases attached to them. They're Restaurants packed with couples who had made reservations many weeks before, and line ups of couples who wish they had. Romance movies on TV. Girlfriends/Wives upset with their men who forgot to book the reservation or get them flowers, or got them candy when they wanted roses.  They're men who feel like "why didn't my wife/girlfriend get me anything for Valentines day? Isn't it a day that I should be appreciated too?" Lets not forget the single men and women who are annoyed of all the romance and love that seems to linger in the air weeks before valentines day has even arrived. Or worse the single or newly single ones that dread the day because they become painfully aware of the fact that they are single and will be spending the day alone like any other Monday.

PHEW* what a headache! Valentines Day the "hallmark holiday" is definitely a bittersweet holiday whether you are single or not. Personally I believe you should love and show appreciation to your man/woman 365 days of the year. You shouldn't have to wait for February 14th to roll around to show that special someone they are important to you. Don't you think ?

 

Whether you're coupled up tomorrow or single.  Enjoy the day! Love isn't about who you're with or not. Love is everywhere! You can go out to dinner with a group of single friends, spend time with your family, or take time to enjoy a relaxing night with a glass of "forbidden love", a bubble bath and a good movie.

COLOUR 101: 2011 COLOUR OF THE YEAR - HONEYSUCKLE

COLOUR 101is the new Modern Sensibility series. Once a week I will share something that I found fascinating in the colour field, keep you all up-to-date on how to use colour, how colour can work for you, tips and tricks, what not do to and more. The source for this series will come from 1 of 3 places; My own mind and opinions, the internet when I'm showing picture styles and comparisons, and a design and colour book which will keep us both informed on the ins and out of colour and home decor.

Pantone, the authoritative say on colour and colour trends announced that HONEYSUCKLE pink will be the colour of the year for 2011. What Pantone says goes, They translate to the industry whats hot, what in, and whats out in colour and the whole industry follows. The industries range from fashion, architectural, home decor, paint choices and the list goes on. Honeysuckle, and it's other nine colour counterparts will be the hottest and widely used colours for 2011.

Pantone was inspired to name this colour after the beautiful Honeysuckle flower. Unlike its 2010 counterpart Turquoise, which was chosen to help us relax and stay calm during economic downturn, honeysuckle helps us face our everyday troubles. I love what Pantone has to say about this colour: 

"... Honeysuckle emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. A dynamic reddish pink, Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. It elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life.

“In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect toward off the blues,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”

Honeysuckle will be everywhere by spring, it definitely won't work for everyone though. However, it is said to be a colour for both the males and females because of its deep red undertones.  We have already started seeing it in: 

  

Home accents and accessories ---- (doesn't this room look beautiful)

Electronics

    

On the red carpet 

In Accessories 

It will be EVERYWHERE! Try pairing these colours together this spring in your daily life

One month already behind us and we're well into February!

The groundhog didn't see his shadow, and spring is on the way.  Even if honeysuckle is not your colour, try to embody its message in your day to day  life - confidence, courage, facing life with verge and vigor, and tackling any challenges that come your way! 

Personally, I love this colour.  It's fun and exciting, it reminds me of a nice spring or summer day. I love the brightness of all 10 colours and will be incorporating them into my wardrobe, and home decor for sure. 

What do you think ? Will you be using Honeysuckle in 2011 ?

MODULAR SOFA VS. TRADITIONAL: WHY A MODULAR SET IS BETTER

Modular sofas offer you the ability to continuously change the shape of your sofa to fit your needs.  They come in many different shapes, styles, sizes, and the configurations are usually unlimited.  They are designed to fit different personality, styles, needs, and tastes with variety to choose from, whether you’re looking for a modern piece or just a standard one that offers you modular functionality.  They are perfect for larger spaces, a necessity for smaller spaces, spaces with restrictions and limitations, or for undecided people who’d rather get a piece in their home and then decide what to do with it.  If you take the time to shop around, and test out your sofa you’ll be happy you opted for a modular one!

Modular sofas are great for people like me who love to change the way their living room looks very often, but cannot afford to go out and buy completely new furniture every time they get the decorating itch!  Look at the sofa in your home now.  A year or two from now, will you still have the same needs for that sofa?  Can you change how it functions in your home?  Probably not! Traditional sofas are usually bigger, bulkier and are very limited in how you can move them around in your living room. Modular sofas run for around the same price as any ordinary sofa, looks great, and function 110% times better. 

 Judging a modular sofa to other types of sofas is a tough one.  Generally it boils down to what people are looking for in a sofa and their buying decisions. Usually people are more impressed by the modular sets because of the options it gives them to change and redesign their living rooms. They start to dream of all the possible ways they can use this sofa.  Watching TV is easier because now you have something to kick your feet up on; friends coming over is easier because you just put all the pieces together to make one big sofa or better yet a bed! Create a love seat, ottoman, and lounge all with just one set. Style? Check, Comfort? Check, Price? Check, Functionality? Check.   Hands down you get more for your buck with a modular set.

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY: AN EARLY SPRING 2011 FOR ONTARIO!

GROUNDHOG PREDICTS EARLY SPRING!!

*sighs with relief* I am so happy that today the groundhog did NOT see his shadow and predict six more weeks of winter. After today’s wintry storm,  cancellations of schools across Ontario, snow ins, and the worst snow storm prediction since 1988 which really was only half as bad as we expected it to be. Let’s just hope that the groundhog gets it right this year and marks an early end for winter coats, blowing winds, temperatures below "0", snow boots, and lets not forget SNOW.Keep your finger crossed, and prepare for SPRING.

Happy Groundhog Day!

Read what the Toronto Sun had to say about Groundhog Prediction Click Here

THE 411: TORONTO INTERNATIONAL DESIGN SHOW 2011

All of us at Modern Sensibility went to the IDS 2011, earlier this week. It was my first time there and I must say I was beyond excited to see the new trends, what was hot and happening. We started the day with yummy lattes that they were serving at the show; I wish I could remember the name now. I saw many rooms that inspired me, took my breath away, or just really caught my attention. From the new Audi A8 (which I didn’t take a picture of, but it was smoking HOT) to different room design set up by different companies and designers and they all looked amazing. The one that really caught my attention and was definitely my favourite of the morning was the black, white and silver room, the picture does NOT do it justice, not in 50%. Then there was the Vitra Panton Chair made for the Casey House, HIV/AIDS hospice. They were designed by twenty designer, architects, fashion houses and graphic design firm. They were fun, fresh and full of colour. Modern fireplaces, the new cupboard design (with no handle), Persian rugs which were stripped and re-dyed in all different styles called the ‘Second Life Rug Collection’ By ‘ELTE’. Who knew they had the technology to turn your flat screen into a mirror when not using as your TV? I sure didn’t! I seen it all, I learnt a lot too! I must say my love for art has definitely grown after seeing ‘Oeno Gallery’ amazing set up, they have some very talented artist in their roster. 

I took pictures, so I’ll let you see for yourself. 

Did you see any styles you liked? Anything that stood out to you?

Leave a comment!

HOW TO: SPICE UP YOUR HOME WITH THROW PILLOWS

Throw pillows are a must have for any living room.  Nothing else spices up your sofa or brings your colour theme together better than adding decorative pillows. Changing your decor can be as simple as changing your pillows to add a whole new feel to the room.   Decorative pillows come in multitude of colours, styles and fabrics; this makes for an easy way to decorate your home, without hassle, especially on a budget.  Throw pillows can be used anywhere you want to add a bit of style to the room. The sofa, chair, table, or bed are the most common places. You really can do whatever you want when it comes to throw pillows.  Big or small, pairs of two or three, or have a group of 4 or 5 of them together.  Don’t forget though, that you can have too much of a good thing. Remember to keep the size of your sofa in mind when choosing the amount of pillows to use.  Also, they don’t have to match as long as they all tie into you’re theme. 

5 TIPS FOR CHOOSING THROW PILLOWS: 

- Show your style.  Pick something that fits your lifestyle at the moment.  If you have children and the living room is a place they use a lot, accommodate them with fun colours and make the living room a place your whole family will enjoy. In this situation the pillows should also be easy to clean, we know how children can be! Married no children? Remember nothing too feminine or too masculine, strike a happy balance.  Tie it all together so that you will both be happy with your selection. Single, then it’s all up to you! Ultimately it's about showing your personal taste and style. 

- Be creative. The throw pillow can be used ANYWHERE you want it to be.  They come in all different sizes, shapes and style so you can be as creative as you want to be. If you're into a more laid back look, line a wall with over-sized pillows for increased sitting space. If you're like me and like loud colours, girly styles choose pillows that are bold, have added accessories like a belt or some frills. You can also change the pillows on your dining room chairs, or add them if you don’t have any already. The good thing about throw pillows is they are also easy to make, for those of you who love a DIY project, you don't have to spend a fortune whenever your taste changes.

-  Have fun.  It’s your home you should be able to add or subtract as you like.  Experiment with colour and get a feel for what you like and dislike. Keep in mind whether you want to tone down your sofa, or spice it up. Choosing the right colour for the room and then your accent colours (throws, pillows, vases,etc) make both these options possible.  When in doubt, always go with the opposite.  E.g "I have light/neutral colours in my home (sofa, walls) I want to spice it up" use louder colours to brighten up the space. Same goes for if I had a bright colour sofa, I would use softer coloured throw pillows to tone down the bright colour and bring the look together.

-Make good quality choices.  Pick pillows that are going to look good sitting on your sofa.  A lumpy pillow is never cute, even with the best designs on it.  You should also fluff up your pillows to keep them looking plump and fresh.

Our website has a great selection of throw pillows available. View our collection of Canadian made throw pillows by clicking here. You never know, maybe you'll find the ones you love!

How do you use throw pillows to spice up your room ? 

Leave a comment and let us  know !


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