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Decorate as You Dress — Flower Power!!

I am way overdue for a Decorate as You Dress blog post and the recent purchase of these fabulous floral wedge heels inspired me.  Aren’t they absolutely gorgeous for spring/summer.  And what an easy look to incorporate into your home decor this season.  Love the feminine chintz pattern on these seat cushions (image from Style at Home magazine)

 

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Here are a few more images from the same home featured in the April Colour issue of Style at Home Magazine. 

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And of course, you can never go wrong with having fresh flowers in every room!!

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In the latest spring issue of Dabble Magazine I wrote how Florals in home decor are a constant trend during the spring/summer season.  You can read my latest column here.

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So, will you incorporate something flowery into your closet and home decor this season.  Let me know by leaving a comment below!! 

Happy Victoria Day long weekend to my fellow Canadian friends!!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Glamour Friday: Jamie Herzlinger

In the latest issue of Dabble Magazine, a gorgeous Arizona home designed by one of my favourite interior designers, Jamie Herzlinger is featured.  And because it is so glamorous, I thought it would be perfect for a Glamour Friday post.

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This stunning 19th century Dutch corbeille shaped canapé greets visitors when they walk into this 7000 sq. ft. home.

 

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I love this very glamorous foyer  with neutral grass cloth covered walls, the fabulous marquetry commode and the stunning mirror above it make for a GLAM SLAM!

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This living room is so glamorous with all the sumptuous velvets and silks in this room.  And you can never go wrong with decorating in unforgettable plums and purples mixed in with neutral greys. Oh so very elegant!! Love it!

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The master bedroom is very calm and serene decorated in a neutral palette mixed with lots of whites.  I guess the lesson here is that it’s ok to put the bed against a wall of windows when it’s the only way to ensure that the bed remains the focal point of the room.

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This sitting area goes extra glam with nail head detail on the chair and ottoman, a large mirror and lots of gold and brass accents. 

This home designed by Jamie Herzlinger is truly a luxe retreat!

If you want to create a glamorous space in your home for 2012, then contact me online or via twitter…I’d love to help!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Happy 1st Birthday Dabble Magazine!!!!

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Wow, I can’t believe a full year has gone by already since the very first issue of Dabble Mag was launched!!  I am so honoured to be involved with this inspiring online magazine as a design contributor.  And it’s all due to the founder and editor-in-chief Kimberley Seldon!  She is a fabulous woman with a wonderful group of Dabble team members working with her!!

So In honour of their first birthday, Dabble is having a fabulous contest!!

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Enter to win a Design Express Trip for two to Charleston and Savannah on June 13-17 with Editor in Chief, Kimberley Seldon!

Valued at $11,000!

One lucky winner will win a Design Express Trip for two to Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA taking place on June 13-17th with Kimberley Seldon. Includes flights, accommodations at Charleston Place and customized events.

5 days, 4 nights, 2 amazing destinations!

The DE Charleston / Savannah Contest is brought to you by Kimberley Seldon Travel Group and CityTV’s CityLine.

The winner will be announced on March 28th, so enter to win!

I would love it if one my blog readers or followers on Facebook or Twitter won this contest….so please enter asap!!!

And if you haven’t had a chance to read the latest issue of Dabble Magazine and read my latest What’s Trending Column (its on page 64) on the gorgeous stone Malachite, then what are you waiting for.

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Now let’s raise our glasses up and make a toast to Dabble’s 1st birthday!!!! Cheers!!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Christine’s Rewind: What happened in September!

Hi! I’ve decided to start a new series today on The Glam Blog called “Christine’s Rewind.”  Sometimes I get so busy with client projects or my column for Dabble Magazine  that I don’t get to blog about things that are happening in my world.  Than weeks go by and all of sudden it feels like the moment was missed to blog about it.  So this new series will highlight what happened in the month previous that I never got to share with you. So here goes my September’s rewind – hope you enjoy it!   

So did you catch my second appearance on Cityline?  If not, than click on the picture with Dina Pugliese and I talking about how to incorporate the pattern Chevron into your home decor.

Start at the 1:28 minute mark if you want.  (Cityline Chic Chevron segment)

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My client Natalie’s fireplace got installed….so exciting.  Can’t wait to show you the final reveal for her dining room!  Yup, the fireplace is in her dining room. 

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And the custom area rug and sofa that I designed for her got delivered!  What do you think?  Stay tuned for final reveal.  We had some issues with fabric availability for the two occasional chairs so they are delayed at this point.

Natalie & Brent

And here is a sneak peek into my other client, Cindy’s new dining room.  Once we finish accessorizing the room I will dedicate a post to her living room and dining room.  It’s a total revamp from what she had before!!

Cindys Design plans

I also attended the Korhani Rug Media Breakfast at Holt Renfrew.  Fashion and rugs…what more could a girl want!!

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Korhani

Aren’t these rugs stunning and oh so glam!! You  can order these gorgeous limited rugs on Korhani’s website.

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Copyright All photo rights reserved by Brill Communications

Here I am with Kirsten Korhani, the Creative Director, her husband and 3 special ladies I met that morning over breakfast.

The last week of September I was invited to attend the She’s Connected Conference.  In a room with 200 digitally connected women and 10 Corporations.  It was  a very informative 2 days.

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Picture courtesy of She’s Connected

Fun with Tamara (wondermoms) Laurel (Opti-mom) and Wendy (mapsgirl)

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Laurel and Shannon from Her Blossoming Self

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Yes, it was a busy month. Hope you enjoyed my September Rewind !!  Stay tuned for my October rewind!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xoxo

Cityline & Dabble Day: Tips on Styling an Étagère

WOW!  What a fantastic week it has been for me professionally and personally! 

1) The Dabble Magazine Day show on Cityline aired on Tuesday, July 12th!!

2) I had a group of great women join me for breakfast that morning with lots of champagne and OJ to watch and celebrate my debut on Cityline!

3)  I’ve had wonderful feedback and comments from many, many people on Facebook and Twitter!.  So thank you very much!

So if you didn’t get a chance to watch it live, then you can click on the link to see it via the Cityline website

Oh, and this really excited me also!!

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It may seem insignificant to some but it’s a big deal to me –  especially when you are trying to build up your business –-  my name and company name was on the website as a Guest Expert!!  Whooo Hooo!

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So just to quickly summarize the styling tips I shared in this segment:

· Think in layers when placing items on the bookshelf and in different heights (i.e.: glass bowls layered in front of the picture.)
· When selecting objects, be aware of the scale and color. Objects shouldn’t blend in or get lost on the shelves. Beware of adding too small decorative items that will just end up looking like clutter

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· Books are wonderful home accessories, so showcase the most beautiful ones in your collection.

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· You can arrange the books by size, subject and color. And don’t forget to place books horizontally as well as vertically – it adds a nice rhythmic pattern to the shelf

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· Most people love symmetry when styling their shelves….it provides some structure and balance to the room…especially if the rest of the room has more chaos – like kids toys, etc. – this can be accomplished through matching book ends
· When grouping objects together – just remember the basic rule of threes — objects tend to look better when gathered in odd numbers, like 3s or 5s

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· Adding objects such as shapely ceramics, decorative boxes, small sculptures, family photos and original artwork makes your bookcase more visually appealing and personal.

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And because I was so nervous I totally forgot this last point I wanted to mention which was:

· Don’t forget about the background of your shelf….in this case; the shelves are open so you can see the dramatic painted dark wall…which helps your decorative pieces stand out stand out.
· Or you can paint or wallpaper the back of bookshelves to add a pop of colour and really bring the shelf to life

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Well I hope you enjoyed watching this Cityline/Dabble Mag segment as much as I enjoyed taping it.  Have a lovely weekend!!  Cheers!

Christine  x0x0

Dabble Magazine, Cityline and ME!!

What are you doing tomorrow at 9am – that would be Tuesday, July 12th at 9am or if you prefer afternoons…than how about 2:00pm?

Why you ask?  Because one of my career aspirations is coming true tomorrow!!  I’m appearing in a design segment with other fabulous Food & Design contributors from Dabble Magazine on Cityline.

It’s an action packed hour with Kimberley Seldon  and her daughter Raleigh on stilts!!  yes, that’s right – stilts!!  Dabble Chef Corey James Burgan  prepares a Caesar Salad to die for and great tips for having a great picnic!

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In this photo: , Corey James Burgan, Raleigh Gilliam Seldon, Nicholas Rosaci (photos), Christine Da Costa (Erin Mercer

 

Dabble’s DIY guy AKA Mr. Chic-ster Nicolas shows everyone how to create a funky étagère

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And I get to provide tips on styling a modern informal étagère versus a formal more traditional étagère.

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Do not ask me what Tracy and I were laughing about after my segment….I swear to god it is all a blur to me right now.  When I watch the episode tomorrow it is going to be totally new to me also!!

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In this segment Nicholas and I were teamed against Kimberley and Tracy and Corey and Raleigh to see who could set up a picnic table the fastest.

 

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I won’t tell you which team won!!

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Then we showed Tracy what each of our favourite item was to bring to a picnic!!

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A great pic of Dabble contributors, Kimberley and Tracy

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End of the show Kimberley and I were all smiles!!

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Thanks so much to Kimberley for this great opportunity and to everyone at Cityline for making my first time on Cityline so much fun!

Hope you will be watching tomorrow!!

Christine xoxo

Dabble Magazine – 2nd Issue is Live!!

Hi Everyone, 

The 2nd issue of Dabble Magazine is live!! The latest issue focuses on Santa Monica, Kimberley Seldon’s hometown….so be sure to read the latest issue here

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And then of course, be sure to head over to page 32 and catch my latest Industry Profile with Jeffrey Herr, the Curator at Hollyhock House in Hollywood.  Hollyhock House was the very first project in Los Angeles that Frank Lloyd Wright designed — It’s quite fascinating!!

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Hope you are enjoying Dabble as much as I am and please share…..what do you like to dabble in??

 

If your home is craving some glamour, then contact me online or in person! I’d love to help!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xo

Glamour Good Friday: How to Create the Hollywood Regency Look in Your Home!

Erin McLaughlin, Editor-in-Chief of Style at Home has named three of the big design trends that are popping up in the industry this spring and Style at Home has been kind enough to share them with me. 

Trend 1:  Hollywood Regency

Trend 2:  Bold 80’s Colour

Trend 3:  Diminutive Plants

And now I want to share my most favourite of the 3 trends mentioned in Erin’s Style at Home Spring Trend Report:  “Hollywood Regency.”  If you’ve been reading my blog for a while or follow me on Twitter than you know that was a pretty obvious choice!Winking smile

The photo below of a very glamorous boudoir from Style at Home’s very popular High/Low feature highlights glamour in all its glory!! Oh yes….it is a GLAM SLAM!!

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So here are some key ingredients to creating Hollywood Regency glamour in your home:

  • Elaborate chandeliers
  • Mirrored surfaces
  • Lots of Lacquer
  • Luxurious velvets

 

I’m also crushing on the panelled walls…..what an economical approach to add architectural detail to any plain square room! 

Oh, and one last item that is a big MUST in any glamorous room!!  Books – Fashion books in particular are also a stylish source of inspiration and you know how I truly believe that you should decorate as you dress.

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Room Design by Samantha Pynn Photography by Virginia Macdonald

 

Have a wonderful Good Friday and I hope the Easter Bunny brings you lots of glam-filled chocolate eggs!!  Happy Weekend!!

If your home is craving some glamour, then contact me online or in person! I’d love to help!

Glamorously yours,

Christine xo

Dabble, Kimberley and Strike a Pose!!

Last Thursday night the party to be seen at was held on the second floor of the ultra glam Elte store.   This party was all about Dabble Magazine, Kimberley Seldon and striking a fierce pose!!

So here’s a mini play-by-play of the evening’s events:

First, we had to get there!!  Tamara from Wondermoms and I drove in together and fought the gridlock on the 401 expressway.  Fortunately we made it to Elte in good time and even got a parking spot right in front of the main doors!!   Score 1 for the killer high heels!!  When we arrived the bar was still being set up with the absolutely to die for ‘’dabble-tinis” created by the very talented Cocktail Deeva!

Then I got my name tag identifying me as a Design Contributor for Dabble – exciting times!!  Check out my “Dabble blue” nail polish!

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Since the Media presentation wasn’t going to start until 6:30 the design contributors decided to kill some time by pretending to walk the Dabble catwalk and “strike a pose!”

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Nicholas Rosaci, Me and Nyla Free

 

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Me and Lisa Canning another design contributor

 

By 6:30pm the room was starting to fill up with a mixture of media folk and avid Kimberley Seldon fans!!  Then it was time for the media presentation to begin….and the guest of honour to take centre stage!!

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Kimberley took the media crowd through the thought process of how Dabble Magazine came to be born and how the name Dabble was chosen (following is an excerpt from the Dabble website and very close to what she actually talked about)

“Dabble Dabble Dabble.  Let’s face it.  It’s just fun to say.

But that’s not exactly why we picked the title.  It has more to do with Dabble’s subject matter, encompassing interior design, travel and food. Diverse topics that work in tandem to create Life Well Designed.

And that’s what Dabble is.

While I’m an interior designer by trade, travel is my muse. I learned early on that great design has roots that can be traced around the globe, speaking a universal language.  The same is true of great food.  How fortunate I’ve been to build a career that allows me to hone my skills working directly with clients, on television as a design expert, and as Decorating Editor of Style at Home magazine, all the while traveling the world for inspiration. You might say, I’ve Dabbled.

We want you to Dabble too.

Each bi-monthly issue of Dabble brings you inspiring design from around the world, immerses you in cities ripe for discovery, gives you a taste for far-flung cultures, and brings all of this together in an interactive magazine, so you can discover your own passion for travel, design and food.”

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That’s the back of my head as I’m trying to get a good shot of Kimberley!  Laughing out loud

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By 7pm, the throngs of Kimberley/Dabble fans had entered the building and the party was in full swing as we all rubbed shoulders with celebrity designers, bloggers and non-design folk!  Ohhhh, and there was amazing food and wine to keep everyone ‘s tummy happy and full!

Maple Leaf Food supplied all the yummy food for the party!!

 

By 8pm the room was packed…you could barely move!! Just the way a good party should be!

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There even was an area set aside where you could get your picture taken as if you were on the cover of Dabble – it was a popular spot…and where you could catch a lot of “posers” in action! Open-mouthed smile

Now let me introduce you to some of the key members of the Dabble Team”:

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Kimberley Seldon – the Queen of Dabble!!  I have 5 words to describe this great lady:  CLASSY, SUPPORTIVE, MENTORING, TALENTED and HUMBLE!!  I’m so proud to call her my friend now.

Cheryl Horne, Managing Editor and her significant other,  Jay Van Pelt

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Victoria Drainville, Associate Editor.  You can read all about the rest of the Dabble Team and contributors here

And of course, this blog posting wouldn’t be the same without my usual posse of Design Bloggers and all the outrageousness that follows us wherever we go!!  Winking smileIMG_5499

Ana, Vanessa, Sarah, Leigh Ann, Kate, Me and Christine 

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These are my dear besties from Oakville who came to show their support for Dabble and I:  Cindy and Linda!!

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Sharon Grech and I finally meeting in real life

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Leigh Ann, Me, Tina Holmes and Dee Brun Gow AKA Cocktail Deeva!

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Wendy Russell and Leigh Ann (again……lol)

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Christine, Vanessa, and Vitania

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Hanging out with my new blogger friend Pam Graham

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Lisa Ferguson and I hanging out still at the end of the night.

Now let’s all strike a pose!!!

Dabble Magazine Launch Party

That’s Simon Burn, the Creative Director for Dabble in the orange top.

Work it ladies!!!!

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Whew, I’m exhausted…..are you???  Now,if you hadn’t had a chance to check out Dabble Magazine live, then please click HERE!! 

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And don’t forget to go to page 32 and read my interview with Diane von Furstenberg! Embarrassed smile

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Thanks for hanging out till the end….I know it was a very long post!!

If your home is craving some glamour, then contact me online or in person!  I’d love to help!

Glamorously yours,

Christine  xo

 

P.S.  For those that asked about my shoes…I bought them in San Francisco and they are from Velvet Angels.

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Yup….that’s my foot!!!

 

 

 

Photo Sources:

Decor by Christine

Simon Burn for Dabble Magazine

Racheal McCaig Photography

Dabble Launch Party is Tonight!!

 

Dabble Magazine is having it’s official launch party tonight at Elte, a fabulous furniture store in Toronto.  I will have a ton of pictures to show you  tomorrow in my blog posting about this event.

It’s definitely the place to be tonight!!!

Ciao for now

Christine xo

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Cityline Nov 8, 2011

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Watch Me on CHCH TV

 

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What’s Trending Pg 47

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Cityline Sept 12, 2011

 

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ShesConnected Conference 2011 - I'm Going!
Getting Corked Teaser!
Getting Corked – Pt 1

Getting Corked – Pt 2