What a week.  (I MEAN DID YOU SEE SCANDAL LAST NIGHT???) I know I say that all the time but this one was extra crazy however it was precision timed and I stuck to the timing for a change. It's the only reason why I managed to squeeze in as many meetings in all parts of Toronto area in. I felt VERY Gladiator aka Olivia Pope this week.

Our #Unionville project is a whole house and it's going to be a beaut. The kitchen as you may recall is from Aya Kitchens and includes the never before done CUSTOM COLOUR. Apparently the installers were uber impressed and I mean I know it's only a variation of say a black or a charcoal but it is deliciously different enough and it's truly magnificent. Aya has been a dream to work with from design to installation. Our electrician commented on how easy and professional the installers were to deal with. I can't COUNT the number of times I've had to play referee between different trades on a site. It's like they all become tattle tale Kindergarteners on me. This however, was not the case. Lots of sharing going on in the sandbox to our clients' great pleasure.

Hardware and crown/freize going in today - and we're ready for counters to be templated.

What a fabulous way to end the week!

My facebook and instagram feeds have been inundated with comments and questions every time I post a progress picture from our collaboration with Home Depot Canada. It usually goes like this: 

Meredith posts amazing photo.

Half a dozen people comment: "My Home Depot sure doesn't have that stuff."

Or "You got THAT from Home Depot?" (drips with incredulousness)

To each and every one I answer  "YUP!!!"

I think so many shoppers are plagued by the  "If I don't see it, it doesn't exist" mentality of shopping. It has to hit them over the head before they even notice it. I'm guilty of that on a few occasions. Now I also worked for Home Depot for 4 years and know that up there on those giant racks, the most amazing things are sometimes hidden. The bottom line is you have to ask. Find someone in an orange apron who can assist you. Always ask about their special order programs. Special Order doesn't always mean Mucho Dollars. It just means that they don't stock it at the store level or at that particular store.

Here's my other tip to anyone who thinks that they must only purchase off the shelf - familiarize yourself with the brands that Home Depot features/carries and then go on line and see what else they have. That's what I did with the Kohler faucets. I knew the styles I was interested in and then once I had their names, I looked them up on Home Depot's website and sure enough, there they were!! I may have found the Pinstripe knobs from them first. Octagon knobs of my dreams that they are. I didn't realize that there was an entire matching collection of toilet roll holders/towel holders etc. Janet the kitchen designer I was working with shared all of that with me and I couldn't agree to them fast enough.

With our floor tiles now installed, everyone who sees them thinks we went high end marble dealer. Their mouthes hit the floor when we say Home Depot. It's there on the shelves pretty much any and every time I've been there in the last few years. So the next time you are in to pick up lightbulbs or getting a key cut, take a look around and explore all that they have to offer. Who knows where it will lead!

A dear friend and client was over for dinner on the weekend. We are getting ready to have her house shot for a fabulous magazine and we are overhauling the family room off of the kitchen in anticipation of this. The kitchen is spectacular but the family room is just not coming up to snuff with the direction we ended up taking in the kitchen. This is one of those issues that can arise when you phase projects. The living room in the house is this weird transition space that they actually use as more of a sitting room/computer area so the plan is to move the very nice furniture we chose for the family room into the living room and then purchase new family room furniture.

I received some new fabrics the other day and I laid eyes on one such fabric and decided it was a MUST. We also have the Robert Allen Landsmeer and know that they both love it and it works amazing with the kitchen. The last time I was at their house, we discussed moving the furniture and layout in the room and opt for a sectional sofa to go in the corner and to put the TV over the gas fireplace. I'm not usally a fan of that, but this would make the room more functional in terms of entertaining so I'm game. We'll have to change the fireplace out - lower the mantle and change the look and feel to account for the tv.

I pitched my idea of the fabric for the sofa to the wife this weekend. She's game. She has a love of midcentury and this integrates a vintage flavour with the new look in the kitchen. We both know that the her husband will be shocked by our choice. TOTALLY out of his comfort zone. I'm advocating NOT telling him. Is that wrong? He's a sweetheart but I can't risk having my heart broken over this. I don't think using the fabric as pillows will do it justice. I'm all in favour of a solid fabric as the ottoman and the Landsmeer water colour fabric on a pair of chairs.... 

What do you think? Am I crazy? Should we just surprise him? It is brilliant non?

First up you may want to check my instgram & vine today - we've got a fabulous shoot with a fabulous magazine happening and there MAY be sneaks... In the meantime, let me entertain you with some Retail Therapy New Orleans style...

I only managed to get a morning and a half of shopping in and then a little bit more on my last day in NOLA. I feel like I needed another full two days to really do it justice but I just had to conserve my feet for the hell that was about to be High Point Market. I was definitely rushed and the one day I did the stretch with Lori Gilder from LA - it was hot and muggy. The rest of the time we were there we needed jackets. VERY STRANGE WEATHER.

The architecture is amazing and the people as I've mentioned are so damn nice. Even when they are NOT being nice they are nice. I love a backhanded jibe and my new favourite of all time sayings.... "Bless yer heart..." (sad in a sorta sad patronizing drawl) and if I want to twist the knife even deeper I add "Your Motha Must be SO proud..." It's terribly brilliant and well I want to be a Southern Belle now for sure.

What was amazing to me was to realize that so many talented artists and design personalities that I've pinned, repinned and coveted from afar are NOLA based. Amanda Stone Talley and Mallory Page being two of my favourites. I almost jumped off my shuttle bus to the hotel when I passed by Mallory Page's studio. Totally fan girled her sign. I even yelped when I went into the Julie Neill studio and saw Mallory's artwork hanging up on display. I NEED TO OWN I NEED TO OWN! Good LORD travel really does beget some expensive new hobbies/collections.

I truly and sincerely believe that you must travel. Sure you can always make excuses, LAWD knows I did for years but if you are honestly going to explore your own creativity and influences you need to get the hell out of dodge.

Two weeks ago I embarked on what can only be described as a new and emerging Love Affair. It's pretty torrid I have to say and it's with New Orleans. I've travelled all over the world and the only other places I had an immediate and passionate connection with were Paris (I swear I lived there in a former life), Key West (good god I love it there) and now New Orleans. I am firmly committed in my embracing of the WooWoo that I was a Southern Belle at some point in a past life (I don't know if I believe in such things but when I can't explain these deep rooted connections to strange places I feel this is but the best way to describe it). New Orleans is the nicest city I've been too ever in terms of people. Hell, the TSA agents were sweet as pie and oh so helpful - if that doesn't convince you well they also had the nicest drunk, homeless people who were all too happy to point you in the right direction (surprisingly accurate too considering the intoxication levels of a few).

Now I mentioned to you in a post last week about the converging of the gods and the stars aligning so that I found myself being introduced to Randy Jackson, Creative Director for the Amanda Stone Talley gallery via facebook at the precise moment that we were sitting & standing almost beside each other at the Ogden Museum for the Miles Redd talk right? We met the most amazing shopkeepers and design people strolling along Magazine street - the owner (I think) of Malachite offered to drive my friend Lori and I down the street to a bakery when we inquired if there was anywhere to grab a bite. Amanda Stone Talley herself offered to drive us to dinner after giving us a tour of her studio/home and gallery. I mean WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE????

Literally, these folks would have given you the shirts off of their backs if we'd asked. Such soul and taste - good sweet LAWD the whole place just oozes personality, charm and charisma even some of the less groomed areas. Here's a taste...