Over the holidays last month we found ourselves crossing the border into Canada for a day and heading up to the bitter cold city of Calgary. While best known for the Calgary Stampede our trip took us there to check out a recently renovated designer boutique hotel. Hotel Arts started out as a Holiday Inn, but has been transformed into one of the hippest hotels north of the border. Filled with original contemporary art and each room outfitted with chocolate expresso modern decor the hotel has a nice ambiance. Their focus on good food is just as strong as their focus on good design, and the hotel houses one of the top ten restaurants in Canada, the Saint Germain. We really did eat some amazing food while we were there. Due to the -10 degree temperatures we missed out on the outdoor pool, but we did put our in room jacuzzi through it's paces. While all this sounds very extravagant and expensive I was amazed at comparatively how affordable it was. Room prices start at around $260 canadian ($200 USD) which compared to the $120 stay in a La Quinta in Great Falls Montana made Hotel Arts seem like the bargain of the century.
I have been scouring Craigslist and other local online classifieds for a long time now to see if I could get any deals on kitchen appliances. As luck would have it, we were able to find what I think have been some pretty great deals. Most recently we found a built in GE Monogram refrigerator that was listed for $1,500 due to several dents and scratches put in it during a move. While that sounds like a lot for a dented fridge, retail is more like $6,000 so when I talked him down to $800 I knew I couldn't pass it up. All the panels need replacing, and to buy them from GE would cost another $2,500, but I have a hunch the guys at Interior Renovation can do it for a lot less. I'm just glad we didn't have to haul our old fridge back upstairs.
I first saw these dolls by Blabla a few years ago at a local boutique and have since given them to all the new babies that are born into our family. They are quite possibly the coolest dolls I've ever seen and almost make me want to have a kid just so I can rationalize starting a collection. In addition to these amazing dolls, Blabla also has clothing, rattles, finger puppets, blankets, backpacks and mobiles that all follow a similar aesthetic. So if you're looking for unique, quality children's items for yourself or a friend, definitely check out Blabla. Or if you're like me and never really 'grew out' of liking toys, I think you'll be pleased too, I mean who doesn't love a hand-knitted monkey? [They even have giant ones - three feet of knitted goodness!]
About Blabla: Blabla's collection is designed by Florence Wetterwald and knitted by Peruvian artisans. Everything is made from natural fibers of exceptional quality grown in Peru, making the line irrestibly soft and cuddly. Florence's poetic, simple, and vibrant style combined with the ancestral knowledge of the knitters has created products which look contemporary, yet feel like old friends. Boogaloos, Classic Blablas, and Giant Dolls from Blabla from $34 - $156.
In our last kitchen we had a 30" Bosch gas cooktop. We loved the gas, and swore that we would never have anything else. We do a lot of cooking at our house, and the two things that we didn't like about our Bosch were having to remove the grills to clean up after a night of cooking, and the 30" size. When we heard about induction cooktops, it seemed too good to be true. They are way more energy efficient than both gas and traditional electric, they have temperature control as good or better than a gas cooktop, and the glass top makes them easy to clean. The one downside is they are expensive. Our Bosch put us back $600, while the 36" Gaggenau we chose for this kitchen cost a shocking $2400. It was the one big splurge for our kitchen and I think it was worth it. There are quite a few induction cooktops out there, but to me what sets the Gaggenau apart from the others is the removable puck. The big dial used to control the temperature just sits on top of the glass and stays in place by a magnet. Burners are selected by sliding the dial in their direction, and then twisting to get the temperature you want. I love the tactile feedback of turning a dial compared to a touch control for the temperature, and the fact that it just sits on the surface means it's simple to remove for cleaning.
After a couple weeks delay and a lot of help from our friends at Interior Renovations, our countertops are finally in. I think I had mentioned before that we decided to go with a product from Trespa called Top Lab Plus. Its a laboratory countertop or in it's technical terms, a high density phenolic resin. It is fairly similar to Richlite or Paperstone, which are considered low density phenolic resin countertops, only it is harder and not necessarily green as the paper content is neither recycled or from sustainably harvested forests. The advantage though is the cost. We decided to do a thin 3/4" counter after some inspiration some pictures over at Henrybuilt. Our cost was $15 a square foot plus shipping which put it up to around $20 a square foot. While you can cut the Trespa with a normal carbide tipped skill saw, I chose to send it over to Interior renovation to have them do most of the cutting. They actually had it all done on a CNC and then just finished the edges with some very minimal sanding. Needless to say, we were very pleased with the end result.
We finally have a functional kitchen, but we still have a ways to go before we are really done. We have the tile backsplash behind the cooktop to do, the hood, and the whole north wall. I think that our next project will be using some of the leftover Trespa to make a matching dining room table.
We got our dog last September and since then I've become a little obsessed with modern pet products, something that Etsy has in abundance. Here are a few of my favorite shops that any lover of pets and modern design would appreciate.
This shop features custom pet beds for cats and small dogs. I love the retro shape and fabrics! Wood base - $69 / Acrylic base - $82. Custom orders welcome!
This shop uses reproduction and vintage fabrics to create one of a kind collars and accessories, available from $9.99 - $15.99. Check out the Lucky Fiona blog for a chance to win one for free!
This shop custom makes each collar to your pet's own measurements, allowing you to pick and choose each aspect of the design. Plus, 10% of all sales goes directly to animal rescue efforts. From $10 - $20.
While I tend to lean towards the plain white minimalist look, there is definitely a time and a place for a splash of color. If you happen to have a bunch of Ikea furniture that you are looking to spice up, Grippiks just might be the thing. Based out of Australia Grippiks they have custom sized decorative film for some of IKEA’s most popular items – BILLY, BENNO, EXPEDIT, and EFFEKTIV storage solutions, LACK tables, and MALM drawers. The stickers aren't really sticky at all but use "micro suction" to stick on, which means they are easy to take off and rearrange. At around $30 to do a three drawer MALM dresser it's not the cheapest sticker out there, but you have to admit it's pretty handy that they are all pre-cut to just the right size.
It's no secret that we are big fans of Avalisa here at GRM. It's been a while since I have checked in on her and I was delighted to see that she has some new prints out. I especially like the bus stop print which has a bit of a retro kickback that somehow reminds me of my childhood. While you can buy direct, experience has taught me that you will probably get better service going through an online retailer like 2modern.
There sure seem to be a lot of sales going on right now [can't imagine why...] and I'm definitely not complaining about all the hot deals! Here's one from Velocity Art and Design, where everything [with an asterisk] is 15% off and if you spend more than 50 Bones, you get free shipping. Yippee! I've had my eye on the bullet planter for a while, which I believe is on sale for $85. I'm also pretty tempted to get this pet dish, which I've been lusting after forever! Does anything catch your eye?
15% everything at Velocity Art and Design + Free Shipping on orders over $50!
Just in case any Salt Lake City locals had forgotten, there is a warehouse sale going on over at Modern Materials and Design. If you haven't already had a chance to check it out, make sure you get over there. Sheri tells me that they are still putting out new stuff, so if it's been a while since you've been there, it might be worth checking out again.
A whimsical take on a modern aesthetic, Three Sisters Ink features the collaborative work of, well, three sisters. Based out of Boston, this trio creates fun, graphic prints for your home (or office). Their designs are printed on 11"x 17", 100% cotton, Moab archival paper "which yields exceptional depth of color and a velvety fine art texture." Having printed on this paper myself, I can attest to this fact! What's more, these prints dance to the tune of $15. So, if you've been looking for a little somethin' somethin' to add to your walls, check out Three Sisters Ink - they may just have what you're looking for.
I ran across Jim Ward Morris' work the other day - a pleasant mix of mid-century and post modern design elements, or as he describes it: "imagery inspired by advertising from the 1950's & 1960's...certainly Joan Holloway and the Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency from the TV show Mad Men would absolutely love this work." Whether the big boys of Madison Avenue would love it or not we'll never really know, but I am certainly enchanted with the sizzling colors and retro graphics in these pieces. To see more of his work, check out his website www.jimwardmorris.com.
When I think of Eero Saarinen I always think of the Tulip chair, however after seeing this short clip, I'm left speechless about the TWA terminal in New York. What an absolutely fantastic building.
I stumbled across Dylan Strzynski's work the other day and was struck by the bleakness and beauty that somehow coexist in these contemporary landscape paintings. Combining elements of painting, drawing, and printmaking, Strzynski is able to achieve his goal of capturing the strength and "quality of haunted-ness" of the land. In his artist statement, he writes:
"An author like J.G. Ballard can describe blasted out landscapes of broken concrete for page after page until the setting becomes a metaphor for the psychological condition of the characters within the story. I seek to do this with my paintings. [...] I have found a way to flatten out and schematize what I see while making the image to appear, superficially, more like an optical illusion than the blueprint that it really is.
Human Progress is overrated."
I would definitely recommend a glance through his portfolio and if you're interested in purchasing a piece, you can contact him through his website. He also offers select originals for sale here.
It's been another great week over at Utahmodern.org with some wonderful contributions from our members. Laine of Interior Renovations is on a roll after making a kids desk last week. This week he made a full sized desk that has a nice contrast of stainless steel and wood. Make sure you drop by and let him know what you think of it. He's always looking for feedback. Jory shared some more of his great eye for art and talks about what Wassily Kandinsky and Chalupa's have in common. I also posted a video of a remodel in a downtown loft that looks like something more out of So Cal than Utah. Last but definitely not least Preston signed up for his free blog and shared some ideas about sustainable design.
I'm a sucker for pillows - especially colorful ones. A bold graphic doesn't hurt either. So when I saw these pillows from JOOM, I just about lost all bladder control. [TMI, right? Sorry.] These candy colored pillows are designed and made by Joom Klangsin, an artist/designer from Bangkok who currently lives and works in San Francisco. Using a variety of materials (silk, linen, cotton), Joom constructs these gorgeous accessories by hand and sells them on Etsy along with her art prints, cards, and bags. Lucky for you, she is having a sale from now until January 17th. So if you're looking for a splash of color, one of the these cheerful pillows may be just what the decor-doctor ordered.
There has been a big influx of attractive modern baby furniture and accessories over the last couple of years making it much easier for picky parents like us to find things for our kids. I just found this new site the other day that has some fairly decent stuff. It's called icribbedding.com and they have their own line of bedding with matching pillows, blankets, swaddles, towels and even wall prints. While their prices for a crib set are about the same as dwell baby, you can just buy sheets individually for $35 which is a nice option.
I absolutely love Etsy. It seems to have an almost never ending supply of great letterpress prints. My newest favorite of the bunch are these from ModernPOP. They have a great selection with everything from calendars and cards to prints to hang on your walls. The style of the whole collection is as the name would imply a combination of modern and pop art. All the illustrations are printed on 140 lb weight cold pressed watercolor paper and printed with archival pigment ink.
Award-winning, retro-modern design in perforated brushed chrome, available exclusively at Crate and Barrel. Two-slice toaster features 900 watts of power, variable browning and temperature settings, defrost and cancel buttons, built-in warming rack and removable crumb tray. Footed base stores cord neatly.
That's all good and well, but with a $69.95 price tag I really want to know if you can fit a bagel in there? If not, I just might have to pass on this sexy little chrome number.
How much would you be willing to spend on a toaster? Do you care if there is adequate space for a bagel? Or is that just me?
I have been scouring Craigslist and other local online classifieds for a long time now to see if I could get any deals on kitchen appliances. As luck would have it, we were able to find what I think have been some pretty great deals. Most recently we found a built in 
