Lynda Reeves

Last week I visited the SIDIM (Salon International du Design Intérieur de Montréal) design show and I found a few gems:

1. From DuRoy comes Vinyl flooring that I swear looks so much like real plank flooring that I was fooled. They even have the new greyed oak colour that we love.

2. At Dismo International I saw the new Tototo chair in crayon colours including this bright citron.

3. I found a great display of new Kohler sinks at Thalassa Domicile. My favourite was the rubbed brass sink, perfect for a powder room done in an exotic style. It’s called Kamala.

4. There were interesting glass shower stalls with doors that slide across instead of opening on a hinge. The tracking system was smooth and allowed for different shapes and configurations of stalls. The company was called Kinetik. Go to Fleurco to see more.

5. For the kitchen there were spigot taps, or "pot fillers," in the newest oil rubbed bronze finish that I had not seen before, from Moen. We’re just figuring out the kitchen in the Showhouse we are building in support of the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation. The theme of this year’s house is "modern farmhouse" and I can see this tap working perfectly along with the matching sink faucet and sprayer.

6. Have you heard about Fatboy? These big square, flat pillows are light as a feather and can be molded to fit your body, offereing amazing support and comfort. It’s the old bean bag concept using modern technology.

Here I’m relaxing with Kirby Miller from HH Media and the two “Fat Boys” Denis Dumas and Michel Abitbol. I won’t be putting these chairs in my living room any time soon, but I could see them in a dorm room, a playroom, kid's bedroom or first apartment.

7. This tracking system for hanging art is discreet and modern looking. The company is called AS Hanging, and they carry many designs ranging from simple, industrial-looking systems to more refined residential syles in many different finishes.

8. This good-looking upholstered chair is from Montreal-based DIB Design. They have this classic tufted slipper chair in a wonderful generous scale, and their claim to fame is a simple Parson's-style dining chair that is engineered so it does not need any cross supports between the legs — and yet it’s super strong.



9. Finally, I was inspired by the concept room at this year’s show. Called "Canoe House", it was designed by canühome to look like an inverted canoe with beautiful blond wood ribs forming the curved roofline.

Inside was a complete "house" with a kitchen, dining area, great room and a bedroom that included stackable laundry appliances and closet hanging and storage. Of course everything was made of sustainable materials, and the whole house was eco, portable, convertible, economical and energy-efficient.

The kitchen was outstanding, designed and built by AYA Kitchens and Baths.

To read more about the house, visit canühome.

It was not a big show, but there were some great finds, and best of all, I could walk the whole show in a few hours
and my feet were not killing me at the end!

I've saved a few kitchen finds for my page in House & Home Magazine. It's all about my passion — kitchen design.
Look for it in the September issue, on sale August 4th.

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Just picked up the May 2009 issue of Town & Country...annual spring home issue. Thin, yes, but still inspiring. (They say the bottom of this crappy economy is in sight, and by next year at this time all of us mags will be fat again. Fingers crossed...)

I like the story on page 100, "Safe Harbour," and especially the rooms on page 100 and 103.

With all the retro, boho, mod mixing going on in design, it can be hard to find a grown-up room that still stays true to its classical roots, and yet is fresh and current, like this one above.

I am torn between the super-cool rooms I see in our magazine — with the vintage postmodern furniture and '70s palette — and my desire to have rooms that are calm, sleek and serene, with hits of colour like the pillows on the sofa shown above.

There's nothing serene about an eye-popping mix of unexpected elements, is there?

I think these rooms hit a great note because they are dramatic, have classic elements, but they've brought in bits of trendy furniture, like the raw wood bench/coffee table and this wonderful metal etagere (above). Essentially all neutrals, these rooms glow with different tones and shades and are anything but bland. Shows that with lots of texture, great shapes and interesting pieces, neutrals can be exciting.

Love the natural oak doors and striped rug in the study. Has me dreaming about some updates to my house. I'm almost ready to share some snaps of rooms in progress.

P.S. Speaking of progress, I'm off to see the progress of the next Showhouse we are building for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation. It's in Oakville, Ontario, and it's so amazing it keeps me up at night. Stay tuned for details!

Photo credits:
Maura McEvoy
Room design: Sharone Einhorn, Honey Wolters, Ruby Beets Design

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