Half Of What I Say Is Meaningless

But I Say It Just To Reach You, Julia (Fornasetti Plates)

People often inquire about the origins of my blog, the name in particular. I confess that the title is a touch unwieldy, and not particularly illuminating to the subject matter wherewith in. Particularly nowadays with the evolution of the blog towards more decor and design content.  My initial foray into blogging I believe was 2004 and I could not bear to part with that moniker, despite a marked absence of several years. “Half of What I Say Is Meaningless” is the first line of the lyrics to the song Julia by the Beatles , written by John Lennon as a tribute to his mother. Had my middle child Thomas, been a girl, he would indeed have been named Julia himself, and likely this blog would have been titled something entirely different.  Yes I am a crazy Beatles lover, though the incessant banging out of Hey Jude on the piano by my eldest has put a slight damper on that in recent weeks. 

Speaking of Julia though, I have garnered an entirely new obsession which I must attribute to my favourite interior designers at Atmosphere. The Julia Themes and Variations plates designed by Piero Fornasetti the Italian artist and graphic/interior designer, I had seen occasionally online, and famously in Leo’s apartment in the television show Will and Grace. Trevor and Curtis piqued my interest and then my relentless collecting instinct grasped hold. Little did I realize that there were over 350 variations on the theme, the face of Lina Cavalieri an Italian soprano transformed by Fornasetti using decoupage.

 

I have a narrow wall flanking my kitchen, already designated for my not quite burgeoning collection. I have the above three Julia plates in my possession now, and two somewhere in the midst of shipment (progress sure to be waylaid by a postal strike). I have decided not to hang any of them until I’ve acquired seven plates in total, but I’m contemplating the arrangement. Should they hang in straight rows a la the famous image of Fornasetti with his plates, or in a more random composition? The wall is about 34 inches wide and 9.75 feet high. The plates measure 10.25 inches, allowing a maximum of three across and ten high, given the first arrangement. By the time I acquire thirty, my husband may have had me committed, but in my defense that is less than on tenth of the entire collection. Any thoughts?

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Do You Really Want To Hurt Me

The past week has proven to be a bit of a disaster, which may be the universe’s means of equalization after a vacation that unfolded seamlessly. Yesterday, William was hit with a violent stomach virus which necessitated a swift departure from school. He appears to have made a full recovery today, yet he is home with his brother in tow as the teachers are on strike and school has been cancelled Wednesday and Thursday. The boys are somewhat pleased by this turn of events, though we shall see if this holds true this afternoon when I plan to assign them some math worksheets. Enforcing the separation of Thomas and Elizabeth appears to reduce the volume somewhat, ensuring a remnant of my sanity.

Then there is the case of my back, which hurts, necessitating zero bending and no running. I will spare you the gory details as I’m trying to block out the memory of three years ago, which involved a severe herniated disc and emergency back surgery. I have an MRI scheduled which will hopefully reveal all.

Yet the most dramatic of incidents occurred Friday morning when I noticed the smell of natural gas in my kitchen. My most beloved object, my Wolf Dual Fuel range was indeed trying to kill me. I immediately phoned the gas company and an inspector was promptly dispatched. He confirmed said leak, and shut off all gas to the premises, rendering us without hot water, yet preventing my imminent departure in a burst of flame. 

As I spoke with my plumbing and heating company, I wondered exactly how they  intended to extract the range given the impressive 550 lb. weight and the fact that it was wedged in tighter than...insert inappropriate analogy here. I was envisioning the removal of countertops and the gouging of floors. A team of five individuals arrived at my door (apparently my fears were adeptly communicated) armed with sliders, drop cloths and sheets of plywood. After many tense moments, the aforementioned removal, repair and repositioning was complete in a mere four hours. I could breath again, both figuratively and literally.

Fast forward to Saturday evening and recall that is was a long weekend here in Canada. The kids are each glistening in a thick layer of insect repellant and require their respective showers and baths. All faucets are ice cold, ugh. The hot water had been depleted and the boiler system was not restarted resulting in Error Code 14. We contact the emergency plumbing hotline. The on-call plumber, not versed in boiler maintenance and repair, had to attempt to call someone in Germany for guidance who was apparently not picking up their cellphone??? Again, ugh. Sunday morning rolls around and a plumber appears. My husband guides him through the restart procedure with instructions he (being my husband) found on the internet. Crisis averted.

For posterity, I share with you the first image of the kitchen and that of the cruel mistress, my Wolf range.

Project Front Entrance

An incident a couple of months sparked in me the incentive to decorate an area of my home that to date I had not designated as a priority. We had ordered a rather large assemblage of pizza from Domino’s to feed the hungry attendants of William’s birthday party. Upon delivery of said pizzas the Domino’s delivery driver says to me “So you just moved in, huh?” In my utter state of mortification I answered in the affirmative though thinking to myself, we’ve lived here for about seven months. Unfortunately, from the perspective of that individual, I could see the point. Standing just inside the front door, one can see directly past the expansive front entrance (completely empty) to the entirely unfurnished dining room. We appear to own not a stitch of furniture from this angle. Lo and behold this troubling situation arose again this past week when a mover (for the house next door) brazenly asked me if we owned any furniture, while requesting that I fill his water bottle. 

Thus, project front entrance has been underway since that first unfortunate incident, though little progress had been made until this week. Many people fail to recognize how difficult the procurement of just the right pieces can actually  be, how time consuming, how expensive. How frustrating... Though they are often the same people who wonder why I don’t just drop into The Brick or Ashley Furniture. But, I digress. I scouted and then purchased the most stunning credenza which then proceeded to arrive with an exceedingly mangled chrome base. I nearly cried, and then spent the next week dealing with the shipper, the seller, and a furniture restorer. I am hopeful that the repair will happen soon, and I will reveal the details and photos of my beloved piece when it has been restored to its full glory. For now it sits upended, wrapped in cardboard at the front entrance, adding a certain je ne sais quois to the space. I have also ordered a chair which will ultimately reside next to said credenza, however the estimated date of arrival extends to late July. Good things come to those who wait.

Occasionally I become so smitten with a piece of furniture that my quest to own overrides any thought as to where it will reside, the practicality of the item or if it will actually work in my home. Case in point, I have now bought myself a bar. Disregard the fact that we have already a lovely bar built into our butler’s pantry, and that having three children is not exactly conducive to a vast display of open alcohol. My latest obsession is furniture from the era of the late 60’s through the 1970’s, I would characterize it as Hollywood glam, with lots of chrome, angles and pattern. Prominent designers of the era would be Karl Springer, Milo Baughman, Gabriela Crespi and Paul Evans to name a few. Perusing 1st Dibs is my downfall and it is there that I first spied the pieces of American designer Paul Evans. I was particularly taken with the furniture he created for Directional in the 1970’s, a patchwork of chrome somewhat akin to a Tetris game. I stumbled across this vintage, signed Paul Evans bar on Ebay and after much coordination it winged its way all the way up north, from Florida. My first experience dealing with the customs broker proceeded quite smoothly.

Now as you might have guessed the bar has been positioned near the front entrance (in the awkward nook beneath the stairwell), at least for the time being.  A permanent designation has yet to be determined, but for now this should dissuade further unwelcome commentary from visitors. I quickly styled it (not my forte) with a resin Martha Sturdy vase, a Jonathan Adler bird, a couple coffee table books and an inoperable lucite table lighter (exactly what every non-smoker needs).

 

I lied, the first Paul Evans piece (though I didn’t realize the designer at the time) I spied and then proceeded to lust over was this bed frame in Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan’s Palm Beach Home.

 

A few other Paul Evans pieces for your viewing enjoyment.

Image Sources 1, 2, 3, 4

Vancouver and Alaska By The Numbers

We have finally returned from the wilds of Alaska, and the children are ensconced back at school giving me a moment to catch up. This was a trip planned not quite at the last moment, but close. The Disney Cruiseline was sailing from the port of Vancouver and we thought it the perfect opportunity to combine a visit with my parents (from Victoria), who spent the first three days with us in Vancouver, and a journey to Alaska. Now I must confess, a visit to Alaska has never been on the radar of places that I must visit. I would definitely not consider myself the outdoorsy type, and in fact I have been to Alaska once before. I visited Ketchikan 25+ years ago, for a swim meet. However the trip exceeded all our expectations. The scenery of coastal BC and Alaska is breathtaking, the weather save for one day was quite amazing, and our port excursions were both memorable and educational. Courtesy of the amazing Disney children’s programming we experienced some actual adult time sans children.

As we waited in an extensive queue to pass through US customs prior to boarding the ship, we were commiserating with another couple about the challenges of traveling with children. They stated that we seemed surprisingly relaxed given our three charges. I had to laugh when they commented that when vacationing with kids, the parental role is singularly that of support staff. Despite the difficulties I know that I will one day lament when this is no longer the case. One day these three children will be savvy enough to venture the world on their own.

There is a line from my favourite movie, The Sound of Music, that resonated with me during the trip. When Maria is asking the Mother Superior for forgiveness for being late for chapel she states “Mother, I could never be lost up there. That’s my mountain. I was brought up on it.” You see I grew up in a little town in coastal northwestern BC, Kitimat, just up a narrow channel from where we sailed. I knew those same mountains (though not via climbing, one disastrous experience in my youth was enough), the trees, the scent in the air. The essence of that place had long ago permeated my being, and in a sense (though not quite literally) I had returned home.

A Numerical Summary of Our Vacation 

Nights away from home - 10 (3 in Vancouver, 7 on cruise)

Suitcases - 4 large

Canucks Jerseys purchased - 1

Photos of icebergs taken by Thomas causing the camera battery to die prior to arriving at the glacier - 58 

Glaciers viewed - 3

Ports - 3 (Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan + sailing into Tracey Arm)

Average number of trips to the bathroom by each child at dinner - 3

Whales encountered on whale watching excursion, Orcas - 8, Humpbacks - 3

Bottles of hand sanitizer used - 2 

Sick kids - 0

Amount of time the boys spent in the Kids’ Club - every spare moment

Number of princess dresses my husband was sucked into buying for Elizabeth - 2

Amount of gold procured during the gold panning, thrilling the children - 4 tiny flakes per person 

Number of children on the ship to receive the level III Tongass National Park Jr. Forest Ranger Badge - 1, Thomas (most enthusiastic child ever as stated by the actual Park Rangers)

Types of salmon in Alaska - 5 (chum, sockeye, king, silver, pink)

Various bathrooms visited by Elizabeth - low estimate of 50

Number of children sobbing the morning we arrived back in Vancouver - 3

A Few of the 456 Photos

Digital Orca by Douglas Coupland - Vancouver

My Parents with the Grandchildren at the Olympic Torch - Vancouver

Elizabeth at the Character Breakfast

Mountains of Coastal BC

One of the 56 Iceberg Photos - this one was strikingly blue

Glacier in Tracy Arm- was incredible to see large pieces calving off

Panning For Gold at Liarsville - Skagway, Alaska

Disney Wonder At Skagway

At Mendenhall Glacier - Juneau, AK 

Juneau, AK

Totem Poles in Ketchikan, AK

One of many character photos, I will spare you the rest. By far Elizabeth's favourite part of the vacation.

 

My Bags Aren't Packed

At this moment I should be frantically packing, yet here I sit (enjoying a second coffee) avoiding the task I detest the most. Tomorrow, we are to embark on an eleven day vacation, and the suitcases still linger in the recesses of the basement. In my defense, I am finishing up the last of the laundry, which I hope can be quickly shuttled into the appropriate case. Though I consider myself to be a light traveller, the necessities required for five individuals constitute a whole lot of baggage. Compound this with the fact that we need to prepare for a wide range of weather scenarios, I am about to wage a formidable operation.

I will save the details of the destination for our return, although you are free to wager a guess (note the generous hint above). I can imagine that I will have a number of photos from the journey to share upon our homecoming. My children are literally bouncing off the ceiling with excitement, I’m sure at this moment their teachers are wishing they could sedate them. The children are becoming seasoned travelers and have been to some interesting destinations in their short lives. It is a luxury yes, but I do believe that travel is one of the great gifts you can afford a child. Seeing a world beyond their limited perspective broadens horizons, increases empathy, and encourages curiosity. 

My middle child, particularly taken with the notion of travel, has requested that his bedroom be decorated in a travel theme. Though his room is not slated for revision until we tackle several more pressing areas, I will share some images I hope eventually hope to use as inspiration. The central focal point will be an entire wall covered with an image of a map. Maps evoke such a sense of adventure and mystery, even as a child I would pour over our atlas in wonderment. Today there are now many sites that can convert a custom image into wallpaper. I have not yet decided which map, but I particularly love the bright blues with a vintage feel. I would also love to incorporate this steamer chest dresser from Restoration Hardware, but it may be cost prohibitive for a child’s bedroom. On that note I bid farewell, and hope our travels are filled with blue skies and healthy children.

 

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The Bocci Pendant Light

Since the onset of spring, our house appears to be swarming with grade school boys, that is in addition to my own. Our close proximity to the park seems to have served as a beacon summoning every friend that has passed the age of continuous parental supervision. I do want to be that house where friends are always welcome, encouraged in fact, yet this recent onslaught has illustrated that I must relinquish some of my control freak tendencies. My strategy to date (to prevent new house destruction) has been the proffering of a multitude of snacks and then quickly whisking them either to the basement or back outside.

A couple of evenings ago, the friend (who shall remain nameless) had left about fifteen minutes prior, and I was walking down the stairs. On the descent, I spy my dining room pendent wavering slightly. Mild panic, until I notice the tangling, then much shrieking ensued. To fully appreciate my angst, one must first envision the design of said light fixture. Imagine fourteen hand blown glass balls suspended on individual lengths of cable, varied drops from ten to fifteen feet from the double height ceiling. Apparently the guest activated the fixture in his own version of a perpetual motion machine (you know the ones with the row of metal balls). I am partly to blame as to date I have not acquired a dining room table, a purchase that has been subject to much contemplation. So I do understand the appeal, essentially unbarricaded and just tempting in the design. Fortunately, no harm befell said fixture, the untangling (which was minor by the way) was successful. My own child decimated a Slinky at a friend’s house last week, this was likely my recompense.

 
My Bocci

I am of the belief that lighting is the jewelry of the home, bright, sparkly, dramatic, the finishing touch. Between Atmosphere and myself, great consideration was placed upon each and every lighting selection (obsessed much, why yes I am). The aforementioned fixture, the Bocci 14.14 is a contemporary chandelier of blown glass spheres designed by Vancouver industrial designer Omer Abel. Each sphere is unique, comprised of two halves encasing the light, imperfect with tiny bubbles like water droplets.  It is honestly stunning, and a piece I knew I had to have in this space as soon as I was introduced to it. I do believe this fixture will eventually be regarded as an iconic Canadian design. It does remind me that I would love to incorporate more pieces by Canadian designers (although I do have another great one I will share some time).

The Bocci can be customized to work in different spaces by varying the orientation, the lengths of the cable drops and the number of spheres. Some of the installations with a seemingly vast number of drops are breathtaking, I strongly encourage you to check out more photos on the Bocci website. I have come across this fixture a couple other times, at a hotel in Disneyworld, a bar in New York, and I’m positive I saw it again somewhere in Europe (though that trip is somewhat of a blur). Though my own Bocci has a mere fourteen drops, I am charmed each time I see it. I cannot wait until my dining room is completely furnished and then I can enjoy a languid meal beneath its sparkling globes.

Other People's Bocci

TDF Bocci

Entirely Fascinating

The Royal Wedding, the joyous and grand event that it indeed was, has clarified one thing for me. I need a fascinator or several, immediately. We Canadians are just not schooled in the art of the headpiece, I myself particularly reluctant to wear anything upon my head. I should dredge up some unfortunate photos from my high school graduation as proof. The girls (myself included) had caps perched precariously upon the backs of their heads for fear they would interfere with the large bangs that defined the era. To this day I evade hats wherever possible, probably ill advised given our climate which tends to swing directly from a bitter cold winter to a sweltering hot summer.

But the fascinator, it’s like a hat, but not, yet it screams celebratory. Now I’m not inclined to anything of the epic Prince Beatrice proportions, just something I could snap on to declare it an event. Could have broken one out for my visit to the polling station this morning. Maybe next time...

But that is what the British do well, they know when to go bold. Certainly a study in contrast with many other aspects of English culture and society. Yet, that is the aspect I am drawn to in regard to British design. As I mentioned a few days previous, I will share a couple of my British design and decor favourites, and the bold thread definitely runs throughout.

When we were building the house, we had the arduous (for my husband) task of pouring through volumes of wallpaper sample books. Without a doubt, the British have wallpaper cased, in patterns both vintage and contemporary. I could easily have plastered every surface in my house. I employed the David Hicks Hexagon by Cole & Son in Elizabeth’s bedroom in pink (posted the image a few weeks ago), but I also adore this gold colourway.  In our basement lounge all the walls are covered in Trifid by Osboure & Little, same as the image from this Madonna video. Our basement lounge presently is unfurnished and serving as the Lego Death Star assembly centre so I won’t share an image just yet.

 

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I have long coveted any and all rugs by the Rug Company UK, and am presently saving my pennies. If I had my druthers, I would select one of these three, Skull by Alexander McQueen, Swirl by Paul Smith or Peacock by Matthew Williamson. Don’t even get me started on the fabrics and textiles...

 

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I am a huge admirer of the British furniture and lighting designer Tom Dixon. His designs are innovative yet accessible, and would easily incorporate into my decor. 

 
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