Town Crier Home and Garden Guide - Spring 2011

HOME

AND

Garden

Spring 2011

Cobi on colour Décor doyenne Ladner shares how to work with happy hues

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INSIDE 4

• GROW YOUR OWN: Vegetable gardening isn’t as intimidating as you might think. francis crescia/town crier

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• FLOWER STARS: Perennials that will vie for the limelight in your garden.

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• PRETTY YUMMY: Betcha didn’t know these flowers were edible too.

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• COLOUR YOUR WORLD: A fear of bright, bold hues shouldn’t stand in your way.

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• TURN BACK TIME: The 1970s are hot, but that doesn’t mean wood panelling and harvest gold.

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• BACKYARD BEAUTIFUL: Seven ways to pep up your patio for the summer season.

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It’s quite easy to veg out francis crescia/town crier

BEANSTALK YES, JACK NO: Steven Biggs, co-author of No Guff Vegetable Gardening, says his kids get excited about the eclectic veggies he grows.

Author says throw out the rules and have fun

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By Kelly Gadzala

re you a little green in the veggie-growing department? It can be intimidating if you’re a newbie, but starting and maintaining a vegetable garden needn’t be a major science project.

Toronto gardening expert and author Steven Biggs, who has co-authored with Donna Balzer the new No Guff Vegetable Gardening that’s hitting the shelves of indie book stores and Sheridan Nurseries locations, says you can have a no-nonsense approach to gardening whether a novice or a pro.

Biggs’ philosophy is that you can make gardening a whole lot less stressful by simply getting over all those gardening rules floating around out there.

• 1) Don’t test your soil

So many books instruct you to test your soil before starting a garden, but Biggs says it’s not necessary.

“A print-out with numbers probably won’t mean anything to gardeners,” says Biggs. “It adds this layer of complexity you don’t need in a backyard garden.”

If you’re worried about contamination, by all means, get it tested; otherwise, use the soil you have and if you feel it needs to be improved, add compost and manure, he says. And don’t assume that certain soils are bad either. Clay, for instance, isn’t as bad as you may think.

“I’d rather have a clay soil than a sandy soil.”

Clay, he goes on, can hold water and nutrients.

HOME AND GARDEN Town Crier Spring 2011

If you need to, lighten it up with some compost or mulch.

• 2) Where to plant?

Figure out where you have the most sun, Biggs says, as most crops like lots of rays. Many experts say you need full sun, but as long as you have at least six hours of sunlight you should be okay.

Some crops — like parsley or leafy greens — do better in cooler, less sunny areas.

• 3) How to make a garden bed

A lot of people think they have to have raised beds, says Biggs, but that’s simply not the case.

Raised beds can be good as they drain more quickly and warm up faster in the spring, but that

will also mean you’ll have to water them more.

You also don’t have to frame your bed in wood, something Biggs and his co-author object to on an aesthetic basis. With a flat spade you can cut an unframed, ground-level bed right out of the turf.

• 4) When to plant?

Start making your garden beds and planting as soon as the ground thaws. And don’t stress about getting everything in the ground at once. Biggs says many people think the entire garden has to be planted the May 24 weekend, but you can garden all summer long by succession planting. Plant the veggies that grow all summer — like parsnips — as soon as you can, and keep harvesting certain plants — like celery and parsley — past the frost.

Four backyard Wow crops Biggs says are sure to please

• 5) What to grow?

Keep it simple: grow what you like, especially if your backyard or growing space is limited.

Try not to grow too much of one thing, as then it definitely won’t grow on you.

“I grew too many parsnips one year,” Biggs says. “I made parsnip wine and it was revolting.”

Growing one thing new every year is also a good idea. Biggs makes his choice eclectic, so the kids will enjoy it. These are what he calls Wow crops, which can even be good options for you to dedicate your garden to.

“If you have limited space, grow something you can’t find in the store.”

• 6) Don’t stress about transplants

A postscript on what to grow: there’s no shame in buying transplants (ready-grown plants), Biggs says.

“Some people feel they have to start everything from seeds,” he says. “Don’t feel you have to do everything.”

Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, which take a longer time to grow,

can easily be bought as ready-grown plants and planted. Meanwhile it makes sense to plant the seeds of plants that grow easily and quickly, like peas, carrots, lettuce and beets.

• 7) Blocks versus rows?

You needn’t plant the traditional long, straight rows with a lot of space between them, he says. A square metre block takes up less space, and, because there’s not all that space between rows, there’s less room for weeds to grow.

“In more open spaces, weeds tend to hang out.”

• 1) Beans: Pole beans or bush beans; purple, plain Jane green beans or yellow beans. Grow a variety and serve ’em up raw on a veggie platter — then stand back and watch the kids eat all their veggies.

• 3) Mexican gherkins: They’re the size of a thumbnail but the kids love them and they’re easy to grow. They’re similar in taste to a cucumber but more tart, and the skin is thin enough that you don’t need to peel them.

• 2) Ground cherries: Technically a fruit, these tomatolike cherries taste like fruit too and can be served as a dessert. They’re easy to grow and you don’t see them in the store often.

• 4) Tomatoes: not the ones you get in the stores. There are endless, and quite unusual, varieties out there from green striped tomatoes you can bite into like an apple to small pear-shaped yellow ones.

• 8) When to water?

There’s no simple answer to that. Plants in containers will need to be watered more, Biggs says.

With the rest, simply stick your hand in the soil. If it’s moist, good; if it’s bone dry; bad. Take it from there.

• 9) Don’t aim for perfect

Last word: Biggs advises not fretting the details too much, as something will always come up.

His philosophy: “Vegetable gardening is detox for perfectionists.”

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photo courtesy Chris Hansen www.PerennialResource.com

DAISY, DAISY: The ‘Banana Cream’ daisy is anything but common with its wide blooms that mature from yellow to creamy white.

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Future stars of the garden

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tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a new season and the competition for best new plant is about to be launched at a garden centre or plant sale near you. I try to stop myself from getting excited about the bright new plants lined up on the nursery shelves each year, but I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help myself from seeking out the latest plant introduction in the hopes that it will perform well in my garden. While some do become garden stars, many eventually end their lives on the compost heap because they just didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand up to their celebrity status.

Without further ado, here are the contestants Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be rooting for this season.

At the top of the list is Euphorbia x martini â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ascot Rainbowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

I first spotted this showy perennial two years ago at Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh, North Carolina (Yes, I would go to the ends of the earth to discover a new plant.). The foliage is its main attraction: the softly variegated grey-green leaves are edged with yellow and turn red, pink and orange in the cool fall weather.

The flowers (really bracts) are no wallflowers, either. Tiny clusters of cream, lime and green blossom in the spring.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m becoming a big fan of daisies. You might think theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re as common as dandelions, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m betting on a new one called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Banana Creamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

The 10 centimetre wide, lemon yellow flowers remain fresh as an, um, daisy for weeks during the summer, maturing to butphoto courtesy www.PerennialResource.com tery yellow and finally creamy HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAY: Continued Page 8

The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Mighty Mouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hosta is an adorable addition to the garden.

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HOME AND GARDEN Town Crier Spring 2011

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white. Compact and with sturdy stems, ‘Banana Cream’ has what it takes to be a winner.

Never underestimate the adorable factor in any competition.

In the race for the most precious perennial, you really can’t beat a tiny hosta called ‘Blue Mouse Ears’. One look at its teeny pointy leaves and you’re smitten. In fact it’s so cute that plant breeders have developed an entire mouse ears family of hostas. The latest is ‘Mighty Mouse’. It’s a slightly bigger brother to ‘Blue Mouse Ears’, with variegated blue-green leaves edged with a creamy yellow margin. It’s perfect for showcasing photo courtesy Steven Still in a trough or rock garden.

Perennial Plant Association You might think the world BIG WINNER: The Arkansas blue needs another coneflower like CBS needs another Charlie Sheen. As star has been named Perennial self-destructive as some varieties Plant of the Year for 2011. have been, there are two new ones that I can’t resist trying. Echinacea ‘Firebird’ is a brilliant coneflower with scarlet red, downcast petals that blaze in the summer garden.

‘Tangerine Dream’ is another stunner. On a garden tour last summer, I spotted a clump of these bright orange-coloured perennials and they were standouts! If the startling colour isn’t enough to captivate you, then maybe its sweet scent will win you over.

I’m in love with variegated Japanese forest grass. This family of graceful grasses (some of which are willing to give up the limelight for a place in the shade) is growing fast. photo courtesy www.

This season, watch PerennialResource.com The foliage for two new siblings called ‘Naomi’ and to film. With such of the ‘Nicolas’. ‘Naomi’ ’ a reliable track w o b in a ‘Ascot R features cascades record, you know of slender cream these perennial is its main and green variegatplant judges have . n o attracti ed leaves that blush selected another winto reddish-purple in the ner for 2011, and they fall. Not to be outdone, have. It’s a North Amerithe foliage of brother ‘Nicolas’ can native plant called Arkansas turns bright orange-red in autumn. blue star – known in horticultural This is definitely a talented family circles as Amsonia hubrichtii. Its to watch for. fresh green feathery light foliage Well, the official votes are in. bears tiny blue flowers in spring, Each year, industry members of and in fall, watch out. The leaves the Perennial Plant Association become a burnished Sienna gold, designate a Perennial Plant of the making it a true star.

Year. Past winners in this perennial plant hall of fame include Surrounded by pots of new ‘Rozanne’ geranium, ‘Goldsturm’ perennials, Lorraine Flanigan black-eyed Susan and ‘Walker’s writes from her garden in the Low’ catmint. All have become to South Eglinton neighbourhood of gardens what Elizabeth Taylor was Toronto.

The grass can be greener

T

By Agnes Ramos

he streets are filled with playing kids. The family dog is running around in the backyard.

There is a bit of a breeze, but the sun is shining.

The snow has finally melted off for good, but only to reveal the unsightly dry and brown lawn that’s been hiding underneath.

That ugly brown colour comes from the cold winter season drying out the grass, explains Craig Hutchingson of Lawrence Park Garden Care.

Sadly, there is no quick fix, but the good news is you can have a lush carpet of green under your feet this summer if you follow a few basic tips.

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• Wait for the lawn to thaw

After winter, wait until frost is completely gone and the lawn has completely dried before using it. Hutchingson explains that the grass is still in a fragile state due to the stress of cold weather. Running and playing on it won’t kill the roots but will damage the grass.

•

More is not always better – don’t over fertilize Over fertilizing is a common mistake, says Hutchingson. Too much fertilizer can burn the grass and cause further damage. He suggests purchasing slow release fertilizers that are not water-soluble and to always follow the application rate listed on the packaging.

• Avoid dog urine

The high salt content in dog urine will dehydrate the grass. To repair damaged spots from urine, Hutchingson suggests watering the damaged area and feeding it with grass seed. Water will quickly wash away the salt and dilute the urine. Watch out specifically for female dog urine as it has higher salt content.

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e’ve all walked past a garden and mused that the flowers blooming in the sun looked good enough to eat. Well it turns out that many of them are.

Just think, that reluctant rose, those bashful tuberous begonias and the demure dianthus are all growing quietly hoping you won’t discover they’re tastier than those berries in your fridge.

For those hungry flower gardeners looking to make a meal out of their summer’s work, here are four plants that not only look good in your garden, but also taste great on your table.

• Nasturtiums

While I am partial to cultivating native plants, Nasturtiums deserve a special mention because they are so easy to grow (they actually tend to thrive when neglected) and are so very yummy in salads. These annuals are a favourite of container gardeners because of their showy red, orange and yellow flowers and their unusual water lily-shaped leaves — both of which are edible. The taste has always reminded me of a cross between black pepper and green beans and is often compared to watercress. The flowers add colour and zest to salads, and, thanks to their funnel shape, can be stuffed. Try stuffing them with a mix of cream cheese and chives to create a tasty appetizer. They can be added to a bottle of vinegar to create a decorative look and a peppery taste.

The pickled green seed pods, known as “poor man’s capers,” can be used anywhere you would use their richer counterpart.

• Daylilies

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GET STUFFED: While both the leaves and the flowers of the Nasturtium are edible, packing the blooms with cream cheese and chives can make a great appetizer.

Daylilies are another non-native species and are considered invasive in many areas. They earn a spot here because they are common and easy to grow. They are also highly edible, since all parts of the plant can be eaten, but watch out: in large quantities, the daylily can have a laxative effect. Unfortunately, since BE CAREFUL: Some Daylillies this plant is so popular, cultivated are tasty, others are toxic. varieties number in the tens of thousands, so I can’t vouch for the taste of them all. Indeed, I know for certain that some are far less tasty than others. The orange daylily (Hemerocallis fulva) has tubers that have Continued Page 12

Spring 2011 HOME AND GARDEN Town Crier

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HOME AND GARDEN Town Crier Spring 2011

a crisp texture and slightly nutty flavour. They’re best harvested near the end of the season and can be used to augment salads, soups and stews. The flowers have a sweet, mild taste, which is often compared to lettuce or asparagus. They are frequently used in Chinese cooking, including hot-and-sour soup. Like Nasturtiums, the flowers can be stuffed. Although I’ve never tried this, they are apparently quite tasty battered and fried. Note that there are many members of the Lily Family that are not edible (in fact they’re toxic), so make sure you’ve got the right plant before you start digging up your garden.

• Calendula

Calendula, a.k.a. the Pot Marigold, While many is a happy little plant that you will find ers common flow ou in most wildflower gardens, since it y is bright, low maintenance and seeds are edible, if easily. The petals have a peppery, aren’t sure, tangy flavour and can be used to garm. nish, colour and add some zing to your don’t eat the recipes. Just as the Nasturtium has been called the “poor man’s caper,” Calendula has been described as the “poor man’s saffron”. The petals add flavour and colour when blended into soft cheeses or butter. The next time you’re out in your garden, pluck a few petals, and add them to scrambled eggs; they’ll bring an otherwise boring dish to life. If you’re getting the idea that you can use these petals in anything, you’re just about right. If you experiment with cooking with Calendula, you’ll find that different varieties and colours of the petals have different flavours, ranging from mildly peppery to quite tangy. Even petals from the same plant may have a different taste depending on the time of day they are harvested.

• Lavender

I’ve included Lavender here because it’s one of my favourite edible flowers, simply by virtue of the fact that it is such a surprise.

It’s well known for its strong, flowery smell and has been used for centuries as a perfume, but it’s not as well known that the flowers taste great. Lavender is more difficult to grow than the other orna-

mental plants Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve mentioned here, but if you have a sunny, well-drained spot, it will probably do quite well.

Lavender flowers, dried or fresh, are usually combined with sweet treats and go well with shortbread cookies, crème brulee, white cakes and ice cream. Lavender can also be used to add flavour and colour to salads, breads and savoury meat dishes. Try adding it to lemonade for a refreshing summer drink. Like its smell, Lavenderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taste is quite strong, so it should be used sparingly. Different plants will have different potencies, so if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re keen on cooking or baking with Lavender, you will probably have to experiment.

SWEET SMELL, SWEET TASTE: Yep, Lavender is edible too.

Tips for good eating

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Make sure your plants are pesticide-free: This includes taking into consideration previous owners of your house and whether your neighbours are spraying. Toronto has an anti-pesticide bylaw but not everyone abides by it.

â&#x20AC;˘

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pick your plants from the side of the road: Pollutants and garbage are sprayed, spewed and tossed on the roadside, and, while the plants may look beautiful, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not the sort youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d want to eat.

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Ensure you have identified your plants correctly: While there are many wonderful surprises in your garden, there are also plants that can cause problems that might endanger your life. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re unsure about a plant, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t eat it.

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Make sure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re eating the right part of the plant: Remember the cautionary tale of rhubarb: the stems are glorious, and the leaves are poisonous. Not every part of socalled edible plants is good for you.

Lavender Cookies â&#x20AC;˘ 3 tbsp of fresh Lavender flowers (or 1-1.5 tbsp dried), crushed â&#x20AC;˘ 1 tsp vanilla â&#x20AC;˘ 1 egg â&#x20AC;˘ 2.25 cups white flour â&#x20AC;˘ 1.5 cups sugar â&#x20AC;˘ 1 cup butter, softened Combine the butter, sugar and egg.

Add crushed Lavender and vanilla.

Mix until firm. Roll the mixture into a log that is approx. 4 cm in diameter. Cover the log in plastic wrap, and chill for at least one hour. After chilling, pre-heat oven to 350F, then slice the log into cookies that are approx. 1 cm thick. Place cookies on ungreased pan, and bake for 7-12 minutes.

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Don’t fear th A little splash of colour can brighten your life

T photos courtesy Cobistyle

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL: You don’t need to go for a big shot colour in your home as sometimes a nice accent piece is enough.

By Kelly Gadzala

he honeysuckle pink that colour authority Pantone has named colour of the year is great as summery nail polish, but how do you incorporate the bright hue into your home?

Believe it or not, decorating with colour like that could very well be as easy as changing up the shade on your nails.

Working with bright colours isn’t as hard as most people think, according to a Canadian design guru Cobi Ladner.

“Colour is the quickest and easiest way to bring personality to your room,” she says.

The former editor of Canadian House & Home magazine has recently launched a furniture and decorative accessories collection, Cobistyle, which she says was designed in response to the sea of sameness in the décor and design world.

“We have been in a beige world,” Ladner says.

Comprised of vivid pink, orange, yellow and lime green pieces, Ladner’s collection features Asian-inspired accessories, patterned drapes and inky velvet furniture that pack a punchy colour wallop. Released in 300 stores, a good part of the collection is available at InVu Drapery Co. on Yonge Street near Lawrence Avenue. The collection stands in refreshing contrast to some of the blander tones and styles out there that Ladner sees as having dominated both the high and low end of the market.

Still, the colour tide may be changing. Ladner predicts a good long stretch of colour in our immediate style futures. If you want to jump on the colour bandwagon early, she has some tips for how to do it.

Accessorize colour with neutrals Colour can be scary for people when it comes to home décor, Ladner says, because it’s a commitment. So incorporate it into your home by playing with accessories.

Neutral décor has been the trend for so long, Ladner says, that colourful accessories can be popped into most rooms rather easily.

And if you accessorize with bright pops of colour, the whole colour question becomes less threatening, she says. For instance, the bright patterned sashes in her collection can be tied around a neutral drape and still create an effect.

“I like colour that’s tempered by neutrals,” she says.

“You don’t want too much candy.”

Ladner recommends buying several accessories in the same shade — say, a pillow, tray and throw — to create an impact in a room.

“You need to hit that note 3-5 times before the room starts to transform.”

Where to start?

It may be hard to believe, but people have walked up to Ladner at public appearances and asked her what colour to put in their living rooms.

Colour, she suggests, is so wholly personal that someone else can’t possibly tell you what hue to choose.

14

HOME AND GARDEN Town Crier Spring 2011

he fuchsia

francis crescia/town crier

PATTERNS CAN HELP: Cobi Ladner of Cobistyle says that you can pair bright, solid colours with neutral pieces and bring in patterns through accessories like pillows and draperies. If patterns are to much for you then she suggests adding a bright sash to a neutral drape for a pop of colour.

If you’re unsure Ladner suggests going back to your favourite colour when you were a kid. Or look in your closet, she says, as we tend to like colours that look good on us.

If you’re feeling a little hedgy about incorporating a colour into your décor, Ladner suggests you experiment in a small room like a bathroom. Try a strong colour on the walls for a dramatic effect.

Colour chameleon Is it appropriate to have different colours in different rooms of your home? It’s dangerous territory, Ladner says, as there should be some common thread uniting the various spaces.

But if you crave change, you can alternate

the colourful accessories in your home on a seasonal basis. Ladner puts away her deep red cushions in the spring and adds soft blue pillows, throws and other accessories to her space. Richer, deeper colours, such as those featured in her fall collection, are best for the cooler months, she says.

Some shades can work all-year round, she says, like the bright primary colours suited to a contemporary style. A fuchsia lacquered tray isn’t just for the summer time.

Large pieces Though Ladner says she loves her red sofa, she cautions against putting hot pink on the couch.

Pull back with colour for very large pieces, she says, and opt for neutrals. Remember, neutral needn’t mean beige. A dramatic black velvet couch can act as a neutral even though we may not think of it as one, she says.

Meanwhile smaller upholstered pieces, Ladner says, can take a room from average to amazing if done in a wonderful colour: “Imagine a pink velvet chair beside a window in a bedroom,” she says. “Or a lime green tufted ottoman amidst taupe linen sofas.

“The bold colour instantly brings character and personality to the room and the piece itself is such a statement that you can move it from room to room and it will take that charm with it.”

Spring 2011 HOME AND GARDEN Town Crier

15

Runway Keeping your décor on-trend

W

By Kelly Gadzala

francis crescia/town crier

TURNING THE WORLD ON WITH HER SMILE: Interior decorator Laura Stein says you can take that 1970s look from LG Fashion Week and bring it to your home by making small changes.

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ant to make your room look like your fave on-trend outfit?

If you’re groovin’ on the 1970s styles on the racks this spring and summer and want to incorporate the looks into your décor, you can so long as your interpretation isn’t too literal.

“You don’t want to redo your room every year,” says Forest Hill interior decorator Laura Stein of Laura Stein Interiors.

There isn’t a complete correlation between fashion and interior design, Stein says. A fashion cycle is shorter, more trend-driven and changes every season or so, whereas interior décor trends have more longevity.

But you can take cues from the fashion world and integrate them in your home in a way that’s lasting and will have classic appeal.

Take an outfit Stein saw at this spring’s LG Fashion Week, consisting of wide leg pants of a

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to living room brown soft wool herringbone pattern paired with a ruffled blouse. “(The outfit was a) sophisticated combination of the very feminine with the more structured menswear,” she says, and is a definite nod to the 1970s influence she identifies in the décor world.

There’s a shift towards a feminine aesthetic in interiors, Stein says, that’s very 1970s in feel.

“It’s less That 70s Show and more Mary Tyler Moore.”

To recreate a décor look that’s similar to the look Stein describes, focus on colour and texture when it comes to accessories.

For example, Stein suggests pairing the feminine colours that are hot this season – like honeysuckle pink and muted purples — with neutral shades like brown and more masculine lines and fabrics like tweed and herringbone.

You can interpret that ruffled blouse and herringbone pants in the form of a pink ruffled cushion paired with a brown tweed element, she says.

Larger furniture pieces, Stein recommends, should be kept neutral.

Brown is a key neutral this season that Stein says takes its lead from the 1970s. Opt for soft, curving lines over hard edges and corners in lighter wood tones like teak.

Gold, another huge trend Stein identifies as being influenced by the 1970s, can find expression in your home in the form of accessories just as it does in the fashion world.

Imagine that gold buckle on that skinny belt worn with the wide leg pants as a lamp or picture frame in your room.

Globe lighting is another 1970s throwback that’s very popular and is available in a variety of styles ranging from disco ball-inspired pieces with a definite Studio 54 vibe to more classic looks, Stein says.

She advises suspending one over table or in an entryway, or hanging one on either side of a couch over the side tables in the place of lamps with bases. Stores like Elte Lighting in the Castlefield Avenue design district are good places to shop, Stein says.

And of course, the bohemian aesthetic is going strong in stores like Anthropologie, where patterned sofas and linens, embroidered drapes and needlework lampshades are the norm.

But the look can easily be had by visiting flea markets, Stein says, and searching for vintage furniture that can be reupholstered or even spruced up with a coat of paint.

Bohemian embellishments you see in fashion can be easily integrated into your décor with accessories, such as a fringe on a pillow, Stein says. Or try mimicking the flowy prairie skirts and peasant blouses While large that are so hot this spring by putting up uld be sheer drapes. furniture sho ere’s However, Stein says the retro look th does have its limits kept neutral, r fun. fo “I would never say throw a handkerlots of room chief over your lampshade.”

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Sentimental decorating Making memories into art

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HOME AND GARDEN Town Crier Spring 2011

By Kelly Gadzala

et’s admit it: we all have those one or two sentimental pieces we just can’t let go of but wish we could do something creative with décor-wise.

Indeed, blogs like ApartmentTherapy.com have popularized the whole real spaces for real people décor ethic and helped promote the attitude that you can incorporate collections and other sentimental fare into your décor effortlessly and cheaply.

But what if you lack the inherent creativity of that site’s decorators and are at a loss as how to show off that shell collection from a tropical vacation, or your fave sweatshirt from university?

A new local product on the market can showcase that special item in a stylish, almost museumquality way that’s suited to contemporary design and décor.

Amanda Shapiro of Re-Formed makes what she calls ArtCubes, essentially pre- or custom

made acrylic cubes, which can house the pre- collections to a long baptismal gown that has been in a family for three generations. cious pieces in our life we can’t let go of.

“I have no problem working with scale.”

“It’s very important for me to have art She’s even framed her daughter’s baby I connect with,” says Shapiro, who started the venture after moving into a new home cap, shoes and baby blanket, the latter of and realizing she had nothing to hang on her which she plans to give to her daughter when she’s 12. walls.

“I’m totally sentimental,” she admits.

“I always had a fascination with shadow It’s not just parents who are coming to her. boxes and things that encase things,” she A handful of people are bringing their persays. sonal heirlooms bequeathed to them But most shadow boxes on the by grandparents. Small collections market are wooden and don’t suit such as spoons and jewellery contemporary décor styles, she e b can also be showcased. says.

ArtCubes can ty e ri Shapiro’s first two projects “The acrylic is such a a v a in used were items of her own that clean, beautiful medium,” she ep says. “We’re so used to a very of ways to ke s she wanted to keep but almost ento threw out as she didn’t know conventional look.” special mem what to do with them. One With a background in art . in your life was a Japanese slot machine; history and art installations, the other, a set of old stained glass Shapiro does all the design for windows whose frames were disinteRe-Formed ArtCubes and has them grating. She’s also framed a candy box that cut and fused together in a Mississauga she says brings back memories of going to the facility.

Boxes come in standard sizes but can also Jersey Shore when she was a kid.

“There are so many neat things in your be custom ordered. Customers can choose from different colours for a vinyl backdrop life that you hang onto.”

Her toughest project to date is a pair of and also for the vinyl inscription on the front.

Cubes can hang flush to the wall or sit on a wedding shoes she has to somehow affix to the bottom of the cube and make the whole mantle.

In the few months Shapiro has been oper- thing look polished and clean, she says.

“It’s a real custom job.” ating, she’s encased everything from watch

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Stretching PVC is the new thing

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By Kelly Gadzala

francis crescia/town crier

LOOK UP: Jack Verchenko is introducing PVC ceilings to the Toronto market.

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“It didn’t really capture me at the beginning,” Jack Verchenko says of the stretch ceiling concept.

Then he started researching and he got hooked.

Seeing a future in the lightweight PVC film that can be moulded to any shape and attached over existing ceilings or walls, Verchenko left the force behind and started his own business.

His showroom and manufacturing facility, Universal Stretch Ceilings, opened in August 2010 in the Dufferin Street and Steeles Avenue area.

Stretch ceilings are an alternative to traditional or suspended ceilings, Verchenko says, and function as a decorative finish that’s attached to an aluminum track system over existing ceilings

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ceiling concepts or walls.

They can be custom-made in a variety of colours, prints, finishes and shapes like curves and domes.

The concept is pretty new in North America, having been only available for about five years.

For most of that time the final custom product had to be shipped from Europe, which can be expensive, he says.

Verchenkoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s company manufacturers the final product on-site, which he says keeps costs down. The actual material, which is distributed by a single company in Germany, was apparently developed in Belgium in 1940s.

The ceilings have all sorts of applications.

Recently Verchenko has been working with the developers of a shopping mall and a limousine bus company that wants to install the custom features inside the vehicle. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The opportunities of this technology are endless.â&#x20AC;?

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also introducing the concept to local designers and architects. He says that the 20 percent who have heard of it are interested.

There just arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a lot of ceiling options out

there, he says, outside of a drywall ceiling finished in a popcorn finish or foam tiles. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier to use what people know,â&#x20AC;? he says of the lack of innovation in the field.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also more conservative The process in North America than in istic allows for art Europe, he adds.

But so far people like ages to be im the versatility of the ceilnto the transferred o . ings, Verchenko says.

And if people arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure PVC panels how theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to look once installed, his staff can create an electronic rendering of what the final product would look like francis crescia/town crier based on the chosen colour, finish and shape.

Aside from being eco-friendly non-toxic, Verchenko says the material doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t absorb saw the ceilings in his kitchen, he asked when odour and would be good for the food indus- the second floor ceilings would be put in.

The high gloss finish, Verchenko says, cretry. It also doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t collect moisture so it would work for rooms with indoor pools or ated an optical illusion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It enlarges the space â&#x20AC;Ś (and) it gives you saunas.

Not surprisingly, Verchenko has the ceil- the effect of no ceiling,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s endless.â&#x20AC;? ings in his home. He says when his father first

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Function key for backyard style Rec zones can ensure a multi-purpose outdoor space

Y

By Kelly Gadzala

ou know you want to build a spectacular garden and landscaped space in your yard this year, but you have no idea where to start.

How concerned should you be about honing a specific style in your outdoor space, and does it need to be consistent throughout?

Though it’s important to determine your style when planning an outdoor space, functionality plays an important role too, says Jennifer Hayman of Jennifer Hayman Design Group.

“The landscape really should reflect the family,” she says.

There’s a real trend towards creating recreational zones divided according to how the space is used — for entertaining, sports and play areas, says Hayman.

These zones can be separated by hedges and other natural dividers so categories can be somewhat fluid, Hayman suggests. And it’s not uncommon for her to see clients actually wanted to mix up styles.

“Many ... want to create somelook thing clean and tidy around Many people r the home and more relaxed fo and informal away from the to their travels it en home,” she says. inspiration wh The further you get away ir comes to the from the actual architecture, n.

Hayman says, the more natural outdoor desig and whimsical the outdoor space can be.

In terms of style, usually it’s the case that whatever area is closest to the home takes its cue from the home’s interior style, Hayman says.

“Often a homeowner would want the continuity.”

For that reason, Hayman recommends people look in their home and identify specific elements — like the colour of a tile — they may want to incorporate outside.

Hayman says that nostalgia can also play a big role for people who want to recreate memories from their travels in, say, Tuscany.

Continued Page 24

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Cont. from Page 23

The old rustic European style is very popular and features elements like stone paths, pergolas over the patio covered with vines, columns and oversize urns, she says.

Incorporating found objects like old metal gates can be a great way to inject personality in an outdoor space. They can serve as a finishing touch or sometimes they can even determine the direction youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll go in and the space will end up being built around them, Hayman says.

Though both contemporary and traditional garden styles are very popular, Hayman says, there are certain features that people are attracted to. A formal garden, for instance, has a strong draw for people as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more structured and has more continuity, she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has order.â&#x20AC;?

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Patio pleasers Pep up your outdoor space

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HOME AND GARDEN Town Crier Spring 2011

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HOME AND GARDEN Town Crier Spring 2011