Robie living room

Living room plaster repairs and details. Vintage Halloween mask found in the attic. Our contractors keep moving it about.

Robie powder room

The removal of 1970s drywall reveals two doors to access powder room. Perhaps a separate loo. The main door once had a transom... Pondering whether to return it.

Robie progress

Plaster, plumbing and fireplaces continued.

Robie main bathroom

Plumbing rough-in complete. Fittings and fixtures arrive today.

Robie basement

Colin's father completes a new set of stairs for the basement.

Robie plastering and drywall

At long last the wall finishing begins.

Robie

The main bathroom stripped of its 70s glory.

Robie deconstruct

The paneling from the bedrooms has been removed... Revealing wallpaper pre 1917. A newspaper from that year was uncovered behind the panels. Love the large rose wallpaper... Very John Fowler.

Uncovered at Robie House

Our 1830s house renovation starts with uncovering layers of Decoration and materials to reveal something beautiful.

Provincetown

An impressive collection of well cared for homes... Natural materials and historically accurate maintenance. Halifax could learn much from the practices here.

New Introductions

We're back in Halifax after visiting Georgia and the Carolinas. We were fortunate to meet leading designers in the industry including Thomas Pheasant, Suzanne Kassler and Thomas O'Brien. Pheasant's new line for Baker Furniture echoes classical architecture. Kassler's new lighting collection hints at the return of Spanish Colonial. O'Brien has also launched new lighting in luxurious finishes and a nod to mid century. These new pieces will be arriving at our shop in the coming weeks.

Valdese Weavers

Our Vanguard tour of Hickory NC continues. One of their key suppliers is Valdese Weavers. They are a leading North American manufacturer and distributor of fabrics. Unlike others they die all their fibers/yarn on site. They have recently teamed with Michael Weiss introducing a new collection of modernist patterns. The size of their operation and their library of fabrics is impressive.

Hickory

Enjoying a tour of the Vanguard factory in Hickory NC. Impressed with the quality, attention to detail, and the technology driven process.

Savannah

Colin and I are enjoying a pause on Tybee Island near Savannah GA. Many of the cottages are vintage 1930s. Ours is called Rose's Folie. A gabled roof, picket fence and story book garden make it a picturesque escape. A short walk to the beach and pub. A great escape.

Après Market

We are relaxing in Savannah GA post market. Inspired to make changes at the shop when we return. We are almost a year old and thankful for the lines we've secured and the clients we've grown with. The new pieces we have coming from Ralph Lauren Home, Baker, McGuire and Vanguard reflect our mission of bringing the most beautiful furnishings from leading north American designers to Atlantic Canada.
The architecture and history of Savannah and Charleston will provide inspiration for upcoming projects. Like Halifax, these cities have a wealth of Victorian homes and owners who our passionate about their care.

Rugs - high point market

Looking for Aubusson and Savonnerie rugs for a project. After reviewing countless stacks at four dealers we uncovered five selections. These pieces will echo the architecture of the rooms while adding luxury, history, and color.
Ralph Lauren Home has introduced a few new pieces to their rug collection we ordered these along with a Wexford in old russet. It will work with the Jamaica sofa and Alfred club chair we ordered. Looking forward to seeing the Ralph Lauren pieces on our floor. We love the line and dealing with their talented team.

Meeting with Baker

Meeting with our rep at Baker. He's one of the best. Reviewed the new introductions from Thomas Pheasant. Ordered his new sofa for the floor.
We have always admired the rattan pieces from McGuire... This market we signed on with them. Ordered breakfast room chairs, ring lounge chairs, Barbara Barry bench, and outdoor lounge chairs.

High Point

Early morning flight to Philadelphia and then on to High Point and the furniture market. Today we will see Rudy's collection of antiques and have dinner with Amy at Vanguard. Staying in Greensboro. Our hotel hosts media and leading designers. I'm sure we'll meet a few in the lounge before we retire for the evening.

Juliska at 31 Westgate

31 Westgate brings the beauty of Juliska to Atlantic Canada. An extensive collection of glassware, ceramics, linens, lighting, flatware and home fragrance all reflect a strong philosophy of historical styling imaginatively updated to suit today's demanding lifestyles.

Preparing for Market

Well here it goes... We're starting a blog so our clients, friends and family can follow us along on our journey of finding beautiful pieces and uplifting spaces. We're off to High Point NC on Friday for the furniture market. This week will be full steam as we ensure projects and the shop are in order before we leave. Market is meetings with our suppliers, seeing new introductions, finding new lines, much inspiration, meeting new people and enjoying frequent cocktails. A designer's vacation.