We are photographing a home in Aurora, Ontario that we’ve been working on for the last 8 or 9 months.  So why is there so much anxiety just 2 weeks before the shoot?  Well, let me count the ways….

A LOT has been done over this time…drapery, wall treatments, furniture, custom bedding, lighting, accessories, art work, area rugs….BUT  we do have a few, okay, several things to take care of.

1.  One more room to fill and fluff :  the piano/reading room.

2.  And before we do that we have to hang 18 rolls of grasscloth wallpaper in said room.

3.  10 rolls of wallpaper to hang in powder room.

4.  Art work to be finalized for piano room, hall, living room, and master bedroom.

5.  Waiting for accessories to come in from various companies across the border.

6.  Waiting for some Christopher Guy living room furniture to arrive which was ordered beginning of November.

7.  Need to hang 6 lighting fixtures.

8.  Get a bench reupholstered for master bedroom.

9.  Have a hand painted chinoiserie wall treatment done in the dining room.

 

So, admittedly, aside from the Christopher Guy furniture, everything else was ordered in the last month. We switched the wallpaper 3 times though, in order to find the perfect one AND IN STOCK.  Found.  Sometimes, these things happen for a reason…couldn’t find a more gorgeous one.  Everyone happy.  Until today.   Anyone in this business long enough knows to double and triple check everything you’ve ordered  cause somewhere along the line, the ball often gets dropped.  So today I thought I’d just check on the paper and make sure it was flying across the skies (paid extra for that service) to happily meet its new home.  Well, seems like this bird doesn’t fly direct!  Doesn’t fly to Canada so had to go through the U.S. first.  Ugh! more possibilities of that ball dropping….Its got to get on the next right plane and clear customs…..and guess what?  If all goes well it should be here four days  before the photo shoot.

Did I mention I gave up wine for Lent?

Well, how about the furniture for the piano room you say?   That was LAST Tuesday’s news.   The sofa apparently fell off a truck.  And the wood arm is cracked and chipped.  Hmmm.

 

Second call that day from another supplier was no better:  the mirrored top Lillian August cocktail table…has a small crack in the corner. Hmmm again.

I wonder if decorators tend to develop high blood pressure….hahaha….better keep laughing…

Christopher Guy furniture?  well, the customer’s actual furniture isn’t due to arrive till late April.  (little late) So being the determined person that I am I decided to buy a couple of their showroom pieces for our showroom and in the meantime use them for the Aurora photo shoot.  (They were the exact same style pieces)  Remember I mentioned the ball always seems to drop.  Well, the cocktail table was in the Las Vegas showroom and the mirror in the North Carolina showroom.  Vegas people thought they should touch it up before sending it.!!!!!!….usually a nice idea, but did no one mention to them that I need this like next week?!  I can do the touch up here…

I don’t know if I can wait till Easter Sunday….(for my wine, I mean:))

As for the chinoiserie painting in the dining room….sublime….the only thing that went smoothly.  Daily visits to the site last week was a wonderful break from those nasty calls… and really, this room is the showstopper.

 

But let me tell you.  It WILL all get done.  The furniture WILL get replaced.  The wallpaper WILL arrive early.  And the accessories that have not yet arrived, WILL.  Just say a prayer for me, won’t you?

Stay tuned for the pretty pictures, though.  It will all be worth it.  Kind of like giving birth.  Oh and did I mention?  They are going to be featured in a beautiful magazine!  More on that later…

www.lumarinteriors.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A while back I posted that ‘chairs are like shoes’.  So shoes and jewellery are my favourite things….I guess that means I love chairs and lamps!

What gives the outfit the final touch, the wow, the feelings you want to exude?  The jewellery or the lamps, of course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whether its elegance or manliness or colour or panache….lamps can add any of  that to a room.

If you need help finding the right lamp for the feeling you are after…we’re good listeners, give us a call or check us out at www.lumarinteriors.com

 

 

Why do we love and appreciate comfortable and luxurious accomodations in hotel rooms and yet not give them nearly as much importance in our own homes?

True, we generally want to get the  main living areas done first and then the kids’ rooms take priority  and by that point you need a new roof or furnace….you get the picture.  Life happens and the bedroom is often last on the totem pole.

The talk of late seems to be about how ‘experiences’ bring you more happiness rather than ‘things’. Then how about a beautiful bedroom to retreat to at night?  Why do we ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ over a beautiful bed in a hotel room?  One with amazing duvets and pillows and sheets, so smooth and soft….oh, and we love the throw at the foot of the bed that ties in with the drapery?….Maybe part of the wonderful experience of going away is enjoying the lovely accomodations.

So, perhaps, we don’t quite need a bedroom like the the Four Seasons des Bergues in Geneva……

 

But, here are our top picks to make your bedroom a wonderful experience:

1. Gorgeous bedding – whether simple or lavish but made to look pulled together (like a well-appointed hotel room)

 

2.  Dreamy Window Treatments – what’s the first thing you do when you enter a hotel room?  I go to the window, look out, make adjustments, let light in or black out the room….but not only are they so practical for a good night’s rest, they can dress up the room and totally add to the mood or feeling you want to create.  Custom window treatments offer the best of both: perfect function and beautiful fit.

 

3.  Beautiful lighting – lamps on the bedside tables for reading, please, and perhaps a pretty chandelier that makes you smile when you walk in.

 

 

 

4. Sparkling mirrors - imagine being  in a hotel room without one?  Make them practical and stunning…they add a little sparkle to a room.  And they don’t have to ‘match’ your dresser.

5. Pretty art – to accessorize the room (besides your traditional wedding portrait that found its way there?)

 

6. And finally, how about some sumptuous furniture to sit or lie on if you want to get away from everyone else?

 

 

So, wouldn’t it be lovely to spend a few hours  in this room?  You might even say it would be a beautiful experience…rather than a week or two a year, you can have it 365 days of the year….

 

If you would love some help in pulling together a beautiful bedroom, give Lumar Interiors a call.  We can co-ordinate and provide you with custom bedding, window coverings, furniture, accessories, lighting….everything you need to pull together a room of your dreams. www.lumarinteriors.com