Those Canadian Bloggers

The finalists in each category for the Made in Blog (MiB)  Best Canadian Blog awards  as determined by reader voting have been announced.  

This is the first year I participated in the  awards process ( Home Design category).   Thanks to everyone who voted  for this blog because you helped Designing Home make it to the top ten.  A panel of judges will now decide the winners in each category.  Stay tuned for that big announcement. 

One of the advantages of my participation was an introduction to other Canadian blogs that I didn't know. Perhaps there's a blog or two in the list that you might like  to check out or follow.   Click  here see the  top ten  list for home design.

 You might also like to check in on  A Pop of Pretty, another St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador  blog that's also in the top ten for home design.

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Kerri  of A Pop of Pretty is currently participating in a Canadian Blogger Christmas Home Tour.  There are loads of close up photos of all her decorating efforts for this year's French Inspired Christmas Theme.  As she says in her blog description she loves all things pretty and there's no doubt that comes through in her space.

 If you'd like to see what other Canadian home owners are doing to get their homes ready for the festive season you can begin with Kerri and then link up to other open houses in blogland right across the country.  The link list is at the bottom of her post. 

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As I followed the links myself,  I found another local blog Adventures of the Uncommon Common Law  from St. John's.  I thoroughly enjoyed  seeing Becki's take on a modern Scandinavian  inspired Christmas. And why wouldn't I?  Her space has lots of neutrals, textures, clean lines, and white- a graphic delight.

 After visiting the homes of all these young energetic bloggers here's me- the grandmother blogger-   ill prepared right now for the festive season.

 I have no home tour to offer, but  I will have a Christmas post or two when I get the hang of my fancy new camera.   My decorating efforts,  as you may know from past posts at Christmas, are  a bit understated and usually consist of recycling and rearranging what I currently have.  I've begun to pull things out, and I'm happy to report my husband made me a lovely trough box (from recycled wood, yet to be painted) for an arrangement.

 I'm feeling nostalgic this year and thought my granddaughters would enjoy seeing my collection of wooden Santas I've painted over the years. Until more exciting things happen here,  I'll leave you to enjoy the links above. Have fun.

Am I the only one who needs to get moving on Christmas?

Canadian Designer Spotlight: Brent Comber

Brent Comber   is an  innovative  Canadian furniture maker  who uses local woods to produce a variety of designs.  I first became aware of his work through his Alder series.  He dries and fastens alder branches and then carves the piles into cubic shapes. By combining organic materials with geometric lines he produces furniture with a very dynamic aesthetic. I particularly like the idea of using alder - a sustainable wood- that growns like a weed in most places in Canada.  My husband is always battling alder bush growth near our summer house in Newfoundland. Alders grow quickly  into dense stands and left alone they will overtake an area. 

Brent Comber  alder stools and bench

Round alder stools

54 inch Alder disk at White Horses Spa

This  54” Alder Disk  hung in  White Horses Spa at Doonbeg Golf Lodge,  Ireland.  While the same materials used in Comber's furniture pieces are used in the disk, the viewer is  engaged in a different way, looking  directly at the patterns and rhythms  that emerge at eye level. The piece is convex in shape and the light changes depending on time of day and the viewing angle similar to the way the light is filtered in a forest.  

Baumkuchn Cafe, Tokyo, "log cake"

In German, Baumkuchn translates literally as “tree cake” or “log cake”. This European dessert is also popular in Japan, and is the namesake for this cafe in Tokyo.  The 120 foot feature wall, texturally stunning and  simplistically beautiful, serves as a cohesive element in the design of this small space.  

T  Cup stool

 This simple design speaks of the strength and stability of wood while referencing its passage and growth.

And there's so much more... 

Aperture table

Horizon Dining Table

The man behind the design....

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 Check out Brent Comber at Jennifer Kostuik Gallery.

This fall  Brent Comber was awarded Western Living's Furniture Designer of the Year.

Designing Home Blog 2014

 I just wrote my 200th post on Designing Home and I've had a very laid back Christmas with lots of time to consider what is working on my  blog and what I might like to add, change, or improve.  Here are the results of my mini conference with self:

Practical posts for  homeowners

 I usually write about  topics that I think  average homeowners are interested in as they go about refreshing  or designing new spaces.  I will still continue  to address these topics  because I can see from my stats that these are my most read posts especially any that address designing smaller spaces. Aren't blog stats a wonderful thing? I also know that my  largest blog readership is in United States.  Hey, where are the Canadians?

Lori Harrison Collection

  Canadian focus 

I've decided it's time to seriously ramp up my Canadian content. Stay tuned to meet some great Canadian designers over the next year.   I will include product designers (furniture, textiles, housewares etc. ) and also Canadian interior designers and  visual artists. 

 

 I am also on the search to add more Canadian bloggers to my reading list and encourage you to do the same.  I found a good source on Pinterest (where you find everything) that I am wading through and choosing my favourites.  

Paterson Woodworking Fisher Table

Local Design

 Newfoundland Labrador has some very creative people and their products can enhance any living space.  You will meet some of them this year as I encourage  my NL readers to buy local, and other readers to spread their wings our way when purchasing.

 

  Fine art focus

Anyone who knows me is aware that I am also a visual artist  with an art blog called Painting On.  It is becoming increasingly more difficult to keep both blogs current.  I am seeking solutions to this problem and I'm sure there will be cross posting or artist highlights on Designing Home. They will support my belief that no home is complete without art.  I also want to write more posts about the arrangement and display of art in your home. 
 
Google+ 

I just took the plunge and joined Google+ .  It's a little overwhelming right now, but I hope it will be a community where I can meet other  interior design bloggers.  

Welcome 2014