It’s no secret that Paris is one of my all-time favourite destinations. I have been lucky enough to have visited a dozen times or so and there’s always something interesting and to discover. Inspiration is endless! So when my friend Andres sent me a link to the BLC Design Hotel, first I drooled over all of its whiteness, then I decided that I just had to post it! I want to go!
Images courtesy of BLC Design Hotel and Oyster.
Many thanks to Andres for sending this my way.
Just because Family Day is over (an Ontario holiday), it doesn’t mean that family feasts need to end. Any day is a great day to gather around a gorgeous dining table and share a meal with family and friends. While my cooking skills still need to be refined (I’m working on it – trying out some of my mom’s recipes and putting the Gourmet cookbook to work), I do think that food really does have a way of bringing people together. It’s just a major bonus if your dining room is as inviting as the food you’re serving!
photo by Renée Frinking, via Desire to Inspire
L’Ouvrier restaurant in Toronto, via Desire to Inspire (not a home dining room but still a fabulous and inspiring space)
Kate Horseman’s Vancouver condo, via House & Home
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Does your flatware set have a history?
My everyday flatware (I am not mature enough to have a separate fancy set) is a hand-me-down set from my parents. My dad was working in Sweden for a while and he brought back this Boda Buffe cutlery set as a gift for my mom.
The set has been in my possession for almost a decade and I still love its design. I’ve been in search of replacement pieces but I’ve been unsuccessful. I did, however, come across this ad from an Australian newspaper, The Age, from 1983. Fun! (I don’t have the stand, by the way.)
Boda Buffe advertisement, May 3, 1983, in The Age
While I have no desire to buy a new flatware set anytime soon, it is still interesting to see what’s available in simple, sleek, and modern design. Maybe one day I will find it necessary to own more than one set.
LARD flatware, $19.99 (on sale), Ikea
Foster flatware, $25, Crate & Barrel
Vera Wang Wedgewood flatware, $75, Macy’s
Arne Jacobsen flatware, $100, MoMa
Villeroy & Boch flatware, $346 (on sale) 60 piece set, Macy’s
Update: My set looks a bit yellow in the photo but I can assure you the handles are very white. Also, my dad wanted me to add that he bought the set in 1980 in Stockholm.
I adore today’s feature pic: an illustration designed for graphic design firm Cottage Collections‘ website. No wonder the site won a design award back in ’08.
Isn’t this European market square space sweet and charming, and a perfect space to enjoy a Mayan hot chocolate with your loved one on Valentine’s Day?
Or a glass of pink bubbly would do.
Image courtesy of Cottage Collections
Judging by the shoe cloests of the White Cabana team, you’d think having a healthy collection would be a job requirement. But no, this is not the case. I wonder if my contributors would be appreciative if they found a shoehorn in their mailboxes. It would be amusing, don’t you think? To wrap up a shoe horn and put it in the mail*?
Look at how the prices vary of these shoehorns:
shoehorn, $5.95, Muji
pip bird shoehorn, £9.95, Koziol
Voyage shoehorn, €64, Georg Jensen
sterling silver shoehorn, $493, Annabel Chaffer
Elsa Peretti Padova shoehorn, $495, Tiffany & Co.
What do you think of those last two shoehorns? Almost $500 for a shoehorn? Would you buy one?
Happy Friday everyone! Have a wonderful weekend!
*I once mailed Corie a hula hoop from Kingston, Ontario to Surfer’s Paradise, Australia. That was fun! The postie looked at me like I was crazy.
I just love Ana’s food-related artwork available in her Etsy shop Anek. Not only do the prints’ simplicity grab my attention but the sayings on them are in my favourite languages and they share such positive thoughts. Lovely for your own kitchen or the perfect gift for your most favourite foodie, don’t you think?
Translation (from Italian): A little kitchen makes a large home, $30, Anek
Translation (from Italian): A dinner without wine is like a day without sunshine, $45, Anek
Translation (from French): The chef is always right, $45, Anek
Translation (from Spanish): A full stomach makes a happy heart, $45, Anek
The bedrooms featured here all have an airy, open, breezy feel to them which would surely encourage a calm and peaceful sleep.
Parrot’s Bay, Turks & Caicos, via Brides
via Out of the Bag
attic bedroom, via Country Living
Happy Friday everyone! Have a wonderful weekend!
The work of Turkish-born, Germany-based artist Sakir Gökcebağ recently caught my attention. I am impressed at the scale and intricacy of his installations and I also like his creative use of everyday objects in repetition.
Many thanks to Adrienne S. for sending this my way.
When Paris-based Anna G. is not working on her beautifully curated blog, she is tending to her online shop, La Maison d’Anna G. The collection of pretty white objects obviously caught my attention!
Photophore Alba n4, Finnsdottir Design, 20€
Torchon Plume tea towel, By Nord, 18€
Horloge clock couture, House Doctor, 85€
Guirlande Lumineuse, House Doctor, 45€
Coussin Pinwheel cushion, Hay, 109€
Images courtesy of La Maison d’Anna G.
Every day is the right day to send a friend a beautifully designed gift – even better if it’s wrapped in a pretty package.
snack box, Martha Stewart
Barr & Co., via Anthropologie
via Call Me Thirsty
Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Happy Friday!
This tutu skirt from Repetto…
tutu skirt, €95, Repetto
reminds me of this lamp from Ikea…
IKEA floor lamp, $129
I’m ending the week here with five beautiful wintery white living spaces.
via Country Living
photo by Katya De Grunwald, via House to Home (thanks to Colin for the submission)
via Scrapbook
via House & Home
photo by Kate Sears
Have a wonderful weekend!
—
Don’t be surprised if you don’t see daily updates over the next week or two. I’m taking a mini blog break!
Still on the hunt for a cool Christmas gift for (insert the name of your favourite person who you haven’t yet bought for)? If you’re in Toronto then it’ll be worth your while to visit Drake General Store. The shop is full of quirky, interesting, amusing, and Canadiana products that are sure to fulfill your favourite (insert person)’s wish list.
ceramic cactus, $22
p’tite poutine bowl, $24
hidden owl mug, $32
countdown clock, $135
Well isn’t this a modern nativity scene? I love Baby Jesus’ sweet curl and big smile.
Each year around this time my sister Corie and I become semi-competitive. Why? Well, because we’re each on the hunt for the most perfect agenda for the upcoming year. Last year Corie found Sarah Pinto‘s colourful agendas on a trip to San Francisco. One year she bought me a most beautiful agenda with a cut-out cover from Japan. A few years ago she settled on a fun Lilly Pulitzer while I opted for a plain Letts of London.
This year, I know I have won the agenda search competition!
You see – a couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon the work of Zurich-based graphic designer Julie Joliat. O.M.G. I could barely contain my excitement when I saw what was on the computer screen in front of me. White. Graphic. Swiss (you know how attached I am to Switzerland!). The most-perfect-for-me 2013 agenda! Corie was on vacation at the time so I couldn’t call her to brag so I had to keep calm (I mean, people might think I’m really nuts if I went on and on about my discovery, right?). I went ahead and placed an order for both of Julie’s designs because, well, I just had to!
above photos by Julie Joliat
I have rarely seen so many extra useful pages of information in an agenda book which makes me additionally happy with these ones. Weekly and monthly calendars are followed by several useful pages which details things like laundry symbols, clothing size conversion, vintage French red wine chart, and cooking ideas (possibly my favourite guide).
above photos by Jordana
So, if you’re anything like Corie or me and you are in need of a 2013 agenda, then let me please strongly encourage you to get one of these designs. And place your order asap as both are limited editions (300 copies).
Ikea is making it pretty easy for us to bring a good Jul (holiday season) into our homes this year (and every year, right?) what with its super selection of holiday items that are less than $20. For a very special edition of 20 Below, I am featuring not one but five great white decor items from Ikea that can be used during – and after – the holidays.
STRÃ…LAÂ 7-armed candelabra, $19.99
BLOMSTER lantern $19.99
JULKUL pastry cutter, set of 6 $4.99
STRÃ…LA floor lamp, $16.99
JULFINT mug, $2.49
Images courtesy of Ikea.
Well, okay, tomorrow is December 1st so I guess it’s appropriate to start the Christmas countdown. When I was growing up the only advent calendars that I ever had were of the chocolate variety – yum! Has an advent calendar been part of your Christmas tradition? Have you crafted one this year or do you have a store bought one?
DIY advent calendar by Muffins in my Backpack
advent calendar votive set, $168, terrain
advent calendar, (sold), Pi’Lo
advent calendar by Charm Stitch
Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy a wonderful beginning to December!
More advent calendar ideas here. Many thanks to Boba for sending me photo #1.
Weekend is near…what have you got on the go? Will you be in constant motion or will you make time for sleeping in?
Kensington iron bed, Garnet Hill
Marigold iron bed, Anthropologie
iron bed, Pottery Barn Kids
iron bed, Wayfair
iron bed, Ikea
Have a wonderful weekend!
I love the textures and patterns in each of these three bathrooms. Horizontal lines, marble veining, and an abundance of small tiles make each of these spaces pleasing to the eye. Repetitive forms and white design is a winning and classic combination. Wouldn’t you agree?
bathroom designed by Martin Gomez Arquitectos, via Desire to Inspire
bathroom designed by Martin Gomez Arquitectos, via Desire to Inspire
bathroom designed by Eque y Seta via Desire to Inspire
I’m spreading some pretty white goodness to you this Monday in the form of these gorgeous paper flowers! I think this elaborate floral artwork created by Helen Frances is simply stunning.
framed ivory floral paper art cluster, $250, Frances and Francis
Many thanks to Adrienne S. for sending this my way.
I was at a conference at the Sheraton Toronto last weekend and I got an unexpected surprise when I walked into one of the women’s bathrooms.
plant holders in the women’s bathroom at the Toronto Sheraton
I laughed when I saw how the Sheraton transformed (or tried to disguise?) the urinals (yes, in the women’s bathroom). While I didn’t ask anyone about this particular design choice, I imagine that the men’s bathroom was converted to a women’s bathroom for the purposes of the conference (women’s bathrooms always have long lines, or haven’t you noticed?). Whatever the reasons, I found this setup particularly amusing!
The MoMA store is one of my favourite places to visit online and in person. It is an inspiring shop full of affordable (and some not so much!) art pieces for the home. Here’s a round-up of what has recently caught my attention.
Ryan McGinness to-do list calendar, $24.95
Netzwerk bowl by Hedwig Rotter, $45
button magnets by Ikuko Nakazawa, $25
Switch salt & pepper dispenser by Chetan Sorab, $14
espresso set by Fellina Sok-Cham, $65
Have a wonderful weekend!
I’m not entirely sure if and how Nanoblock is related to Lego (can anyone with kids explain this to me?) but when I saw this white terrier at Chapters-Indigo, it made me laugh. And then it reminded me of all the things I used to create with my Lego blocks when I was little (a house was my favourite – go figure!).
Nanoblock white terrier, $11.95
I know kids still play with Lego but do they create their own sculptures or is everything already pre-built for them?
While these may look like over-sized napkin rings, they’re actually fluffy deco-inspired stools. I’m liking them quite a bit this Monday morning!
Diva stools, Azadeh Shladovsky.
Exactly one week ago I was browsing amazing collections of art at Art Toronto – Canada’s largest modern and contemporary art fair. Galleries from around the world came to display (and sell) some very special works of art – including eye-catching sculptures, photography, paintings and drawings.
Meddle by Andrew Smith, beeswax acrylic and plaster on plywood
Surrogate (monkey topiary) by Bethany Krull, porcelain & paper
Self-portrait White Marilyn by Yasumasa Morimura
as the wind carried it away by Matt Donovan & Hallie Siegal
Evocations by Andrew Fernandez, mixed media on paper
Images by me.
It’s no secret that we have an interest in decorating with fake animals in recent years. Remember my growing menagerie? I love the quirky appeal of these animal cutting boards from Quebec design company Brut Design. They would make perfect hostess and birthday gifts, don’t you think?
polar bear cutting board, $60, Brut Design
white beaver cutting board, Brut Design
These and other Canadian-made products are available for purchase at Galerie CO.
Made me look…
Some people have talent!
A colleague recently introduced me to the work of artist and textile designer Nithikul Nimkulrat after seeing her present at an academic conference in Europe. I am amazed at the intricacy of Nithikul’s white woven pieces of paper string and the way she thoughtfully and carefully combines art and research.
Isn’t it absolutely incredible what Nithikul can do with paper string? You can see more of her work here. She has also written this book which I’m sure does not disappoint.
Images courtesy of Ini Creation. Many thanks to Catherine D.H. for sending this my way.
It’s Friday! I’m ending the week here on the blog with five inspiring living room spaces and sharing with you what I like and dislike about each space. I welcome your opinions too so feel free to comment below!
1. There are a few great aspects in this first space. The juxtaposition of old and new is attractive to me as is the awesome tufted white couch. I could to without the rug in this space though as I think it should be a touch larger.
Le Case di Elixir via Desire to Inspire
2. In this corner at the Grace Hotel in Santorini, I love the white, white walls and the high curved ceiling. I also like the sculptural light fixture and sweet curved window. I would get rid of the mirror though and maybe add some art in its place.
3. I love almost everything in this third space. The layered art pieces leaning against the paneled wall and the comfortable side chair are very appealing. The substantial stone fireplace is a beautiful feature in the room and the variety of textures in the room draw me right in. I would probably opt for a different sculpture although I can’t say that I completely dislike cupid.
via EclecChic
4. In this Douglas Friedman space I love the mix of textures – wood, lacquer, soft fabrics. I also like the clean lines of the high rectangular windows. I do wonder, though, how comfortable the side chair really is.
Douglas Friedman via The Style Files
5. In this last space I think the collection of white trophies, goblets, and vases is incredibly impressive. I love multiples and I am always curious to see what people collect. The layers of shades of white is also attractive to me. I do wonder if there are additional touches of blue throughout this space or if it is restricted to the striped carpet. I am a fan of a comfortable couch so it’s a bit disappointing that there’s no couch in this space (or as far as the photo shows).
via The Painted Hive
Let me know what you think! And have a wonderful weekend! Happy Friday!
Ha ha ha…bone china. Clever.
Phoebe Richardson stackable skeleton coffee mugs, $88, via Far Fetch
Our White Out series continues today with a look at what white goodness our readers have spotted from around the world.
In New York City, Jeff sculpted a family of simple white mushrooms.
sculptures and photo by Jeff G.
In London, Lindsay snapped a photo of The White Company store (I’ll take one of everything please!).
photo by Lindsay W.
In Toronto Sarah recently bought a couple of Le Creuset trivets that have such a pretty design. It looks like cast iron to me but this French Trivet is actually silicone.
Sarah M.’s new white Le Creuset trivet
And to round of today’s series, Daniela snapped a photo of this fountain sculpture during her visit of Nuit Blanche in Toronto earlier this fall. The sculpture, titled Viva La Dada, Baby!, is a tribute to Marcel Duchamp created by Jolie Fejer and Viliam Hrubovcak. It was part of the Dada Reboot! exhibit curated by Thom Sokoloski. Duchamp’s now-famous (in 1917 it was quite controversial) urinal, the Fountain is considered by some as one of the most important works of 20th century art.
toilet fountain installed for Toronto’s Nuit Blanche 2012; Distillery District; photo by Daniela D.
I continue to be impressed by all the white our readers are finding in their surroundings. Please continue to send your submissions for White Out to me at whitecabana [at] gmail [dot] com.
The collaboration between London-based designer Andy Martin and furniture manufacturer Thonet has resulted in a beautiful beech-framed bicycle. Yes – beech as in the wood. Isn’t it incredible how the form of the bicycle mimicks the classic Thonet bentwood chair? Simply gorgeous.
Andy Martin + Thonet = beech wood bicycle
Thonet’s classic steam-bent beech wood chair
Images courtesy of Andy Martin Studio.
I am so happy to reveal White Cabana’s new look! It’s a bit more sleek and a bit more white (yes!).
There are a few more things to work out over the next little but for now please note that the new web address is whitecabana.com.
I would like to extend some very heartfelt thank you to some people who have helped make this all possible:
Shannon from AKA Design – Thanks for convincing me that a blog redesign was something that I could actually handle. It worked! Thanks also for taking the time out of your very busy life to answer my questions!
Patricia from Mira Belleza – Thanks for designing such a beautiful site…and for answering my ongoing list of questions.
The Namespro team – Thanks for making the blog transfer process so easy. Your technical support team was so incredibly supportive and clearly answered my never-ending questions!
(Is anyone noticing a theme here – my questions!?)
White Cabana’s fabulous contributors – Johanne, Mackenzie & Troy – thanks for being an awesome and very intelligent team!
My family – Thanks for giving me the thumbs up on all the blog design previews I sent you!
White Cabana’s readers – Thanks to you for stopping by the blog on a daily basis! I am so happy to share my love of white with all of you!
And before I leave you to enjoy a very lovely Monday, here’s a look back at White Cabana’s style…
White Cabana – the original header designed by Johanne
White Cabana – live until October 2012
White Cabana – live since October 2012
Is anyone tackling a bathroom renovation any time soon? Here are five serene bathrooms that may inspire you to renovate yours! (What else have you got going on this weekend? Right?!)
photograph by Ben Anders via House to Home
via AirBNB
the Hansgrohe Metris C collection
photo by Colin Poole via House to Home
Additional Reading: See previous posts featuring bathrooms here, here, and here.
Here’s something for the upcoming rainy weekend in Toronto: check out the new and ongoing exhibits at the city’s  Design Exchange (DX).
Located in the spectacular space formerly the hectic trading floor of the Toronto Stock Exchange, the Design Exchange “is Canada’s only museum dedicated exclusively to the pursuit of design excellence and preservation of design heritage.”
I highly recommend dropping by to see what’s in house and on display at the DX, and if you have no time for a proper tour, the gift shop is a mecca of cool finds, unique books and design gifts. I’ve always found a DX visit inspiring and refreshing and I know if you’re reading this blog, you’ll like your visit.
A few current exhibits you will enjoy at the DX:
Vertical Urban Factory, Sep. 3- Dec. 9. Looking at more than 30 factories to consider their integration within urban settings such as Detroit and New York, with case studies such as the American Apparel factory in L.A. and the VW “Transparent” factory in Dresden, Germany. (paid exhibit)
Considering the Quake: Seismic Design on the Edge, Sep. 13 – Dec. 9. “Design meets practical application. Examples: From ARUP’s Hermès Building featuring the work of Renzo Piano Architects in Tokyo, Japan and their York University Subway Station with Foster and Partners in Toronto, to Daniel Libeskind’s Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, to Cast Connex’s seismic technology that will be included in New York City’s World Trade Center 3 design.” (included with general admission, about $10)
Permanent/ongoing exhibit – Â the Must-See:
DXUNCRATED
This exhibit features iconic pieces from the Design Exchange’s permanent collection, which celebrates Canada’s rich industrial design history from 1945 to the present. Spanning over five decades, the Design Exchange’s permanent collection covers more than six hundred industrial design objects and archival materials including furniture, housewares, textiles, electronics, and lighting. DXUNCRATED illustrates political, technological, and social changes that occurred following World War II to present day. Items on display will include the famous Clairtone Project G Stereo (pictured below), Thomas Lamb’s Steamer Chair, and Russel Spanner’s Dining Chair.
The Clairtone Project G stereo produced by Clairtone from 1964-7 is a Canadian design icon
To celebrate all that is design and Canadian ingenuity, this year’s annual fundraising party coincides with the DX’s relaunch on November 16, featuring interactive design installations, fancy food from celebrity chefs, and today’s big names in Canadian design. Find out more here.
The lovely life-sized origami-style Folder chairs by designer Stefan Schoning are assembled by folding them just like an origami creation. How cool is that?
The ‘Folder’ can withstand your weight since it is made from paper-thin polypropylene, which means the look is very cool and the construction lightweight, rigid and tough. The chairs more durable than wood, plastic or metal and have been exhibited around the world: the National Design Museum in NY, Nike Design Library in Oregon, Colette in Paris, Salone Satellite in Milan, and 100% Design in London, UK.
What’s not to love?
Images courtesy of Stefan Schoning.
Malko Takagaki’s Tunell tissue box is functional and simply sleek.
Tunell tissue box, $14.95 (on sale), MOMA
Do you ever find yourself tempted to download a font and then wonder what you’ll do with it?
Well, now that the world of self-publishing has us doing everything from blogging to printing our own books, you’ll be surprised how many uses you’ll find for your new (free!) font.
Today I ran across the White Rabbit font designed by Matthew Welch. You can also see more of his design work here where the font is available for download. Use it to make your own Thank You cards, or better still- holiday gift tags.
And while we’re here, don’t we just love the font AND the name? So fun! And imagine my enthusiasm when I realized that White Rabbit is available for free on the site Font Squirrel.
White Rabbit font by Matthew Welch available at Font Squirrel
I know it’s Friday and the last thing many of us want to do is to think about the office but trust me when I tell you that the offices I have featured below are worth your time (and stares). While they are quite different in style an aesthetic, each office is pleasing because of the minimalist (and complimentary) colour schemes, interesting textures and forms, and unique architectural details.
I’m taking you to office spaces around the world today beginning with a room of contrasts which includes the sleek Air Desk from Chicago-based Casa Spazio. Next is the minimalist black and white office area designed by Morpho Studio in Poland. The final three spaces, created by Brazilian designer Maristela Gorayeb, showcase amazing collections of books and artifacts in a pleasing and inviting way.
Casa Spazio via Escapade
apartment in Krakow, Poland; designed by Morpho Studio
interior design by Maristela Gorayeb, via Desire to Inspire
interior design by Maristela Gorayeb, via Desire to Inspire
interior design by Maristela Gorayeb, via Desire to Inspire
Happy Friday!
The square has escaped elementary mathematics class and has landed in the world of fashion and design!
Sparkle & Fade cage back cropped tee, $24.99, Urban Outfitters
Paul Smith Jeans white check shirt, $144, ASOS
down duvet, $109-$129, Urban Outfitters
via Benita Larsson
via Dwell
Update:
More squares:
– these amazing Balenciaga shoes
– this kitchen backsplash
– this backpack
I love the Hans Wegner Wishbone chair (designed in 1949!) but it kind of bothers me that it doesn’t fully tuck in under the table. Does it bother anyone else?
via Shelton, Mindel & Associates
via Remodelista
via Remodelista
Or maybe because it’s such a lovely, well-designed chair, it’s meant to stand out and remain on display.
Today I’m featuring five very different but very interesting lighting options. I am loving the form of each one of these beauties.
Aki light by Studio Dreimann at Leucos USA
Raak Holland Saturnus lamp, $693, 1stDibs
Tahir Mahmood “Girgit 8” ceramic lamp, $475, Caviar20
Rare Neal Small white molded acrylic three-sided table lamp, $3650, 1stDibs
Parisian surgical light, $15,000, 1stDibs
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
As I mentioned last week, during my two weeks in Florida, I made a quick trip down to Miami. South Beach to be more precise. While the beaches, the nightlife and the architecture were all selling points for me, one of the things that I was most excited about was staying at The Tides. As in The Tides! Perhaps you’re already familiar with this hotel because I featured it on my first ever post on White Cabana. The iconic hotel is also known for the interior design work by Kelly Wearstler. Yeah, her.
If you’ve not yet heard about The Tides, let me introduce you to it.
The Tides, one of the King & Grove group of hotels, is perfectly situated on Ocean Drive.
The Tides lobby
My friend Shannon and I were instantly impressed with the courteous service we received by all staff members. They treated us with a smile and did their best to make sure our stay was as perfect as it could possibly be. Check-in was a breeze and staff had answers to any question we asked. Over our two days at The Tides, we always felt extremely welcome.
Photos from around the hotel (L to R; T to B) – console and lighting by the elevators, numbered door, cream window shades, Miami news of the week, K & G paper and pencil set, artwork
Each hotel room is at least 550 sq feet. This basically translates to spacious, larger than normal suites. Our room had two double beds, two desk areas, a seating area, a walk-in closet, and a spacious bathroom. While the hotels on Ocean Drive are not directly on the beach (as opposed to where we stayed at Madeira Beach), all rooms have an ocean view. Complimentary wi-fi is also offered which made our stay that much more comfortable.
Photos from around the hotel – bathrobes, white linens, large furniture pieces, orchids, restaurant, outdoor dining area
In classic Kelly Wearstler style – big, bold, glitzy and glamorous elements are found throughout the hotel.The furnishings throughout the hotel are golden and pink with large hints of white. Linens are all white, of course. The number of mirrors in our room was impressive. There were two large full-length mirrors and another couple of large mirrors throughout the space (perfect for two ladies who like to admire their tans, hmm…). The bathroom was large, comfortable, and full of marble. Delightful!
Bathroom included white linens and toiletries
The outdoor pool area was beautiful although much smaller than I expected. The chaise lounges were a perfect place to relax after a hard day at the beach (hee hee). On Troy‘s recommendation, we ordered the guacamole and had it delivered to us poolside (yes, we indulged!). It was perfect (although the delivery charge did make us laugh).
Poolside at The Tides
Complimentary breakfast in the hotel lobby was a good way to begin the day. The basics – coffee, tea, pastries and apples – were served in a casual and inviting manner.
Breakfast at The Tides and a water station by the fitness centre
And, if you haven’t already noticed, a variety of patterns and textures were every where to be found!
Patterns at The Tides – poolside and in the lobby
While we definitely did enjoy our time at The Tides, this review would not be complete without a brief look at some of the less luxurious aspects of the hotel. One of the first things that my friend and I noticed in the bathroom was the toilet paper. Um. It was so un-luxurious. I’m talking the 1-ply variety. I would have expected at least 3 ply. Right? I know it may seem ridiculous to mention the toilet paper but it really struck us as being a bit odd. Second, while the shower stall in the bathroom looked gorgeous, it did not function very well. Each shower resulted in a pile of water on the floor outside the tub area. The shower head was good – it was the hinged shower door that was the culprit. Not a very big deal but a definite design flaw. Third, while the bathrobes were comfortable, they were not as plush as I have experienced elsewhere. They did look great hanging on the padded hangers though. Finally, there was a $2 per coffee charge for the in-room coffee station (Nespresso I believe). I was surprised by this as I’ve stayed in many hotels where the coffee and tea in-room is complimentary. The issues I mention here really aren’t make-or-break issues but if The Tides is trying to be the best of the best, well, I would encourage the hotel to consider these points.
And a word of caution – be sure to make use of the in-room safe while you’re staying at this and any other hotel. Unfortunately our credit cards were compromised during our stay which has inevitably left a sour taste in our mouths. An unfortunate ending to an otherwise very pleasant experience.
Photos by me.
Six months ago my parents began a renovation of their main floor kitchen, laundry room, and powder room. You may have read about the progress here and here. I’m happy to report that the kitchen is (almost) complete. Here are five views of their new space.
What’s left to do? Well, my parents are currently dealing with a kitchen table DIY and the hunt is back on for the perfect set of chairs. It’s almost the end!
Custom kitchen by Parada Kitchens. Photos by Brunida Kaso.
Isabelle Stanislas and Leiko Oshima are the design duo behind Paris-based architecture firm So-An Architecture. Their work, which can be found beyond the borders of France, is mostly modern with a few quirky twists. The firm creates dramatic dramatic spaces which are filled with rich products and neutral colours. So-An has completed incredible projects in architecture, interior design, retail spaces and events and have worked with companies including Cartier, Zadig and Voltaire and Novotel. Let’s have a look, shall we?
white loft
Rue du Mail
Rue le Notre
Rue le Notre
Place des États-Unis
Place des États-Unis
I love the marble-clad bathroom in the last space. Black matte fixtures are so in vogue!
Which of the above spaces are you most attracted to?
Photos courtesy of So-An Architecture.
Many thanks to Alessandro V. for sending this my way.
