Penthouse Showcase Media Event

Saturday I held a Pop Up Private Media Open House at my Penthouse Showcase Project. To enjoy some wine and cheese with industry friends and to showcase how you can furnish an entire space with only shopping at two stores on budget with only a week turn around time. Thank you BoConcept and IKEA! (with a few w&c pieces mixed in)

Opening the party with TV personality Nicholas Rosaci, Blog extraordinaire Vitania M Liscio, Eventful PR Sharyn Smith and Moi.

PR rep Sharyn Smith and Yummy Mummy writer and City Line personality Sarah Gunn.

The stunning interior designer Jennifer Brouwer posing with City Line and Dabble DIY Nicolas and PR rep Sharyn.

City Line colour expert Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault enjoying the cheese platter.

My design assistant Chanele Cote enjoying the party after long hours spent at the Penthouse putting everything together with me and Maeve.

Dabble editor Victoria and Dabble DIY'er Nicolas ending the night for us at the event and posing with BoConcept's catalog.

Real Estate listing and details of the Penthouse.

http://www.venturehomes.ca/VirtualTour.asp?TourID=25831

Thank you everyone for taking a peak at the space and I want to say a special thank you to BoConcept and IKEA for the awesome furniture pieces and time spent with me on the this Project. I know it was a very tight time frame, you guys were awesome!

Make sure to watch out for the entire project showcased on City Line in the next couple of weeks!

Until the next Pop Up Media Event,

Jo Alcorn

w&c designer girl! xo

White Kitchen Inspiration!

No words needed . . . .

(was searching google images for white kitchens and this is what I found)

Oh I am so in LOVE with white . . . . .

My Favorite!!! xo

Until next time,

w&c designer girl!

Eco-Jo: Let's talk Flame Retardant!

Read the article at :

http://verdigrisvie.blogspot.com/2012/01/eco-chic-flame-retardant.html

Until next time,

w&c design girl!

My Favorite Things @ CB2

So my favorite picks for the month of January is at Crate and Barrel's sister store CB2, just in time for their Queen Street East location opening very soon!! It's about time Toronto got a CB store. . . . www.cb2.com

Until next time,
w&c designer girl!

Guest post by Design Shuffle - Fun Walls!

Happy 2012 everyone!! To start this new year Design Shuffle is sharing with us Stylish and Fun Walls and Colour trends that you will be seeing this year! Oh lala . . .

"Hi, I’m Joanna, a guest blogger with Design Shuffle, and online showcase of interior designers work from around the globe. I love all things design and fortunately, I spend my days searching the web for the most creative and beautiful rooms. Thanks for letting me share some of my finds with you today. Bold colors and big patterns are not for the faint of heart. To decorate and live with these design elements takes a fearless attitude. We love how a classic home can be transformed by simply using brilliant hues and patterns on the walls. Take a look at some of our favorite interior designs with stylish walls.

This chartreuse wall is framed in black with a soft blue background. The black makes a strong statement in a contemporary bedroom.

A country kitchen gets a splash of tangerine above the board and batten wall. This vivid shade of orange is trending hot right now.

A traditional style living room goes contemporary with brilliant blue walls. The touches of blue on chairs and tables anchor the color on neutral furnishings.

A soft silver metallic wallpaper gives this simplistic interior design a sophisticated feel. The modern lamp in silver and chrome carries silver off the walls and into the room.

Fun and feminine wallpaper dresses up this bathroom for a fresh and cheeky look. The white sink and dresser add just enough contrast against the busy pattern.

Another chic bathroom takes the pattern into the shower and out into the bathroom. Does this room inspire any interior design ideas of your own?

A peacock blue sofa takes center stage against chartreuse, black and mint green walls and doors. White trim at the doors make the other hues pop. This room is filled with decorating ideas.

Lots of bright color, whimsical pattern and brilliantly hued furnishings give this room an adrenaline shot.Images 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Are you inspired enough to take the color plunge? You'll find more great color ideas and inspiration at Design Shuffle. You can learn about interior design styles and connect with Boston interior designers and more!"

www.designshuffle.com

Thanks Joanne! Have fun everyone dressing your walls this year :)

until next time, w&c designer girl!

2012 Design Trends on Breakfast Television

Jo was on Breakfast Television this morning talking trends! Watch the segment on

http://video.citytv.com/video/detail/1342536435001.000000/thursday-8am9am/

Items supplied by:

Daniel Stuart Studio www.danielstuartstudio.com/

Bou Clair

IDEE 17 www.idee17.com/

Home Sense

Check out Jo's 2o12 Design Trend Forecast on the Home Sav Blog;

" We all have to turn to someone for inspiration. The fashion industry turns to the cosmetic companies to forecast their trends, and the Design industry always turns to the fashion world to forecast the newest trends for the upcoming year. We’ve been watching the runways, and here’s what’s in store for 2012 décor.

Colour is back! We’re exiting an era where walls were neutral and we relied on our accessories to pull colour into a room. 2012 will bring walls with actual colours! 2011 brought us blues, purples and moody hues in accessories, and 2012 is bringing that colour scheme to our paint choices. It’s an updated throwback to 80s décor: over-accessorised, textile crazy and moody bold colours will slink into our rooms. (We all remember the deep wall colours, dramatic drapes, and multiple patterns from the 80s).Of course, we’re not looking to repeat the trend exactly. Instead, we’re inspired by the 80s elements and can pair them with modern design aesthetics to achieve a truly unique look! For an example of beautiful 80s inspired décor, I have two words: Kelly Wearstler. Long considered ahead of her time, she’s now the icon for achieving this new look. Do I dare even mutter the words, wallpapered ceilings and coloured trim???Proud Patterns! Multiple patterns will be mixed and used to create humour within spaces that were once all one colour. Don’t be afraid to be quirky: pair traditional floral patterns with loose geometric patterns. Before, one bold pattern would set the tone for the entire room. Now it’s a competition of how many you can use! Tricia Guild anyone?" . . . . To read the full article http://livsavvy.com/?p=3725

Until next time,
w&c designer girl!

Great Speakers!

We had yet another fabulous semester of speakers at Humber College North Campus this Fall term. The students and myself were able to learn so much from each speaker and what they had to bring to the table on the design industry and the products and companies within it.
I want to send out a huge THANK YOU too:

Janine @ Para Paint
Fernando @ International Logistics & Stone Distribution
Carson Arthur
Morgan @ Richelieu
Mike @ Keilhauer
Terry Edward Briceland
Michael @ IDEE17
Vitania @ Verdigris Vie
Zsolt @ Zsemba

Thank you all for helping to shape the minds of the future designers. Appreciate your time and expertise shared with us!

Sincerely,
w&c designer girl!

2012 Design Trends Forecast!

Check out Jo's 2o12 Design Trend Forecast on the Home Sav Blog;

" We all have to turn to someone for inspiration. The fashion industry turns to the cosmetic companies to forecast their trends, and the Design industry always turns to the fashion world to forecast the newest trends for the upcoming year. We’ve been watching the runways, and here’s what’s in store for 2012 décor.

Colour is back! We’re exiting an era where walls were neutral and we relied on our accessories to pull colour into a room. 2012 will bring walls with actual colours! 2011 brought us blues, purples and moody hues in accessories, and 2012 is bringing that colour scheme to our paint choices. It’s an updated throwback to 80s décor: over-accessorised, textile crazy and moody bold colours will slink into our rooms. (We all remember the deep wall colours, dramatic drapes, and multiple patterns from the 80s).
Of course, we’re not looking to repeat the trend exactly. Instead, we’re inspired by the 80s elements and can pair them with modern design aesthetics to achieve a truly unique look! For an example of beautiful 80s inspired décor, I have two words: Kelly Wearstler. Long considered ahead of her time, she’s now the icon for achieving this new look. Do I dare even mutter the words, wallpapered ceilings and coloured trim???Proud Patterns! Multiple patterns will be mixed and used to create humour within spaces that were once all one colour. Don’t be afraid to be quirky: pair traditional floral patterns with loose geometric patterns. Before, one bold pattern would set the tone for the entire room. Now it’s a competition of how many you can use! Tricia Guild anyone?"

To read the full article http://livsavvy.com/?p=3725

Until next time,

w&c designer girl!

My Favorite Things @ Switch Studio

My new series, "My Favorite Things" has brought us today a special guest Staci Edwards, owner of Switch Studio. Her products and designs are too adorable and a perfect example of the treasures that are out there, that we might not know about. I caught up with Staci and asked her a few questions to really understand her designs and what she does:

Hello Staci!
1. What does your company do/make?

At Switch Studio I’m working hard to make reupholstery and furniture refinishing cool again! I take old furniture pieces, giving them a little TLC and a whole lot of style by redesigning, refinishing, and reupholstering them into beautiful one of a kind pieces for my clients to love. I also make other custom home decor items such as seat cushions, throw pillows, and curtains to help home owners complete the look. And if you need help coordinating fabrics with your interior then you’re in luck, because my background is Design, and I offer in-home consultations too.

"MY FAVORITE PIECE!!"

2. How did you get started with this new adventure?

I’ve always been drawn to the art of upholstery and furniture refinishing; I remember redoing furniture pieces I salvaged from my grandparents’ basement as I child – I mean, who needs Barbie Dolls when you have old furniture laying around? Okay, maybe I was an odd child, but that has helped to lead me to my true passion, and to the opening of Switch Studio - Hooray!
I truly loved being a Designer, but I always felt as though something was missing, so after some soul searching I realized it was that hands on element of actually creating something {which I enjoyed so much as a child} that I was craving. So, I decided to refocus a little more on the furniture refinishing and upholstery while still offering the design services that I enjoy doing, and Switch Studio was born!
3. What is your design philosophy and approach?

I cannot say I have a typical design approach, as every piece and person is so very different. I feel strongly that people should live with what they love, so when I redesign a piece, I really take the client’s taste into consideration first. I do try and gently guide clients to be a little more daring and step out of their comfort zone, just a little, in order to get a unique and show stopping piece. Next, I get to know the piece - Each piece really has it’s own ‘personality’ so to speak, so that helps to determine how I go about recreating it into something new and improved.

4. Are there any environmental components to your products?

At Switch Studio I do what I can to make the most environmentally responsible decisions whenever possible, because it is something near and dear to my heart. I don’t encourage reusing furniture pieces you already have just because that is my business, but also because it helps to keep these items out of the already very full landfills. I choose the greenest products possible to redo your pieces such as, zero VOC paint, water based glue, natural felt, and soy-based eco-foam and use eco-friendly packaging for shipping. To continue my green focus, our bags and business cards are printed on recycled materials, and to try to keep printing down to a minimum, we do all of our marketing and communications via email whenever possible. Basically, at Switch Studio, we’re kind of like happy little green fairies that happen to makeover furniture too!

5. Where can people find and buy your designs?

Thanks for asking! Most of our business is creating or redoing custom pieces for clients, so if you’d like a piece done please email the studio at info@switchstudio.ca for more information. I’m also working on creating items for sale, which can be purchased at our Etsy Shop. You can browse and purchase from our shop by visiting our website at www.switchstudio.ca and clicking on the SHOP button.6. Do you have a design tip or saying you would like to share?

"I feel strongly that people should live with what they love…”

Until next time,

w&c designer girl!

My Home Sav Inspired Pick SALE!!

My Home Sav Inspired Pick SALE starts TODAY!! Must have pieces for under the tree!!! https://www.homesav.com/
https://www.homesav.com/catalogue/vendors/inspired-picks-by-jo-alcorn



Luxury Home Decor for Inspired Living - HomeSav.com
www.homesav.com

Make sure to check out my blog post on the 2012 forecasted design trends!!

Until next time,
w&c designer girl. xo