Fall chair, among the leaves

It was an absolutely gorg day here in Toronto, more like September than November, wonderfully warm, with lots of leaves still on the trees. One of those days when you're happy to just stroll around and frolic. On my way to meet a pal, I came across tios chair right on the corner of someone's lot. It looked as though there was an open house going on, and I guess this velvety wonder was deemed inappropriate for the function.

But I thought it looked like a work of art nestled there among the leaves, it matched them so perfectly. If I didn't already have a kajillion chairs at home I may have tried to get it home somehow. Wonder if it's still sitting there or if some passerby admired it as much as I did?

Read More

Redeemed: orange velvety

Ok, so I missed my chance with the red velvet couch I saw in the trash last weekend. But the very next night on my way home, I spotted this baby: orange velvety.

He was sitting on the sidewalk with a "FREE" sign on it. I stood there looking at him, wondering how I'd get him home, when I heard a voice from the bedroom window of the house it was in front of.

Turns out, the family had bought the chair years ago for 20 bucks at a garage sale, and they were getting rid of it only because they had bought new furniture and had no room.

As the lady and her daughter came down to the sidewalk and started chatting with me, it became clear that there was a whole family history woven around this chair, funny and beautiful moments of children barfing  while in the chair but not actually hitting the chair, of grandfather sitting in it - I'm telling you, I almost teared up on the sidewalk.

The lady of the house called him "orange velvety," which I thought was so cute. They offered to drive him to my apartment as they knew I loved him. Before they did so, we snapped a pic of Mom and her teenage daughter on the chair.

And so that's the tale of orange velvety. It's a much nicer story than red velvety, don't you think? Just goes to show, when one trashing door closes, another opens.

Read More

Someone stole MY couch

Wah! Someone stole my couch! I spied it from my balcony in the trash on Saturday night and was certain it was red velvet (and you know by now my near-obsession with velvet). When it was still there the next morning on my way to coffee with a pal (and I affirmed that it was, in fact, red velvet, and gorgeous at that), I felt quite sure in my bones that it was mine, that the trashing Gods had deemed it mine, that it would still be there upon my return from coffee.

Well, the very moment I was mentally rearranging my apartment coming back from coffee, the garbage Gods struck me down for my presumption! I rounded the corner expecting to see my sofa waiting for me (I knew I could work my charm and get some helpful soul to carry it up to my apartment with me) --- and it was gone.

Alas, the red velvet, the good bones, the lovely shape - all these wondrous traits obviously did not go unnoticed by some fellow style diva or duke in my 'hood. I have learned, alas, never to be too smug in my trash karma. May red velvety (there is a story behind this verbiage, just you wait as I redeemed myself the next night) rest in peace in its new abode.

Read More

I have no shame

Being a thrifter means you have to be an opportunist person to certain extent. So when I saw this wool pillow on the front lawn of a home in the neighbourhood one day - you know, one of those 'take what we don't want so it doesn't go in the landfill' type things - I stopped about 50 yards later and thought.

I thought, "Shall I go and pluck that used pillow off the sidewalk like some shameless second-hand hussie? Who is going to judge me? No one is on the street anyway [it was really, really hot outside]."

So, my dear readers, I went back, tucked that pillow under my arm, made plans to wash it [full disclosure: I haven't washed it yet], and it is now reposing on my thrifted green velvet chair.

I've picked up some great pieces in the trash over the years, so my advice is this: if you have the guts, go for it. If not, someone else likely will!

Read More

Forgotten table in the trash

There aren't just sad little Christmas trees curbside this week. This solid wooden table has been here all week, in a well-known trash pile I walk by every morning, which is behind a neighbouring apartment.

By solid, I mean heavy solid wood. Look, there are even extensions and legs, the whole shebang, just waiting to be picked up by someone.

 

I can't really believe no one picked it up. The garbage was collected the other day and I don't think any one had salvaged it by then. I really do hope someone saved it in the nick of time, as they say. How sad that it could be making its way to the dump at this very moment. If I didn't have three tables already, I would have considered it, believe me!!

Read More

Bring it foreward, I say!

I was going to show you an outfit I thrifted at a thrift shop I have yet to tell you about (will do so tomorrow, promise), but apropos of yesterday's post about my folks picking wicker curbside, I had to share with you this pic of a rattan chair on the sidewalk that I saw outside my building tonight.

Reader, it was mine, picked up a few years ago for $10 at a thrift shop. I put it by the dumpster yesterday afternoon as I was in clear out mode and figured SOMEONE would pick it up. It is, after all, so 1970s chic, no? Just look at those curved lines!

Well imagine my dismay to see someone had moved it to a more prominent place curbside - and no one had picked it up by 7 p.m. tonight!

BUT there is a happy ending: just peeped out my front window and looked out on the sidewalk -- and the chair is gone. Hope it's gone to a happy home! Love sharin' that thrifty love ....

Read More

My parents are trash pickers too!

I feel like a proud mommie. Except I'm really a proud daughter!! When I was home for Thanksgiving last weekend, I saw this wicker set on my Mom and Dad's bricked in area outside their front door. (I added the pumpkin to make it look more festive).

Readers, they trash picked it.

Well you can imagine - I couldn't have felt more proud. Sure it's a wee bit rough around the edges, fraying a bit on the legs, but good enough for outside for the kitties to languish on as they sun themselves these glorious fall afternoons.

There's even a table.

Don't get me wrong: it's not like Mom and Dad haven't trashed picked before. I year ago, methinks, I did a little post after coming home from a Thanksgiving trip showcasing the worn chairs my Mom had plucked from the trash and used as ledges for her potted flowers out on the back deck. And another time Mom took home a teak desk found curbside.

But let's just say they wouldn't have trash picked a few years ago. Granted it IS becoming more fashionable/acceptable nowadays, but well, I'd like to think I had just a wee bit of influence here - a daughter's prerogative, perhaps!

Read More

Green dreams

Yesterday was a stressful and busy day, but I'm going to share the happy parts of my day with you:

The day began with this retro Hoover vacuum spied outside my apartment dumpster as I was heading to work in the morning.

Just look at the dust bag at the back. The pattern is so pretty it could be a handbag!

Appliances are more muscle-bound macho industrial now, perhaps to appeal to the growing male market - no longer us chicks staying at home and doing the cleaning!


When I got to work, I saw that one of the Canadian Geese that hang out around the building had had her little ones - and here they are sunning themselves on a low hill, with mommy not pictured by very nearby.

Aren't they adorable?

They'll be waddling around the area for the next few weeks. The geese come back every year. I wonder what attracts them to a semi-industrial area where I work?

Then, at lunch, some of the work gang went to the Dairy Queen nearby, which we'd never been to in spite of having worked down the street for a few years!

Here's my pal Chris, wielding a Blizzard for our editor - Banana Cream Pie or something - do you know they still put real bananas in?? We watched them chop it up and everything.

We had burgs and fries and ice-cream outside on the patio - a great way to celebrate the day as it was super warm.

Read More

Trash rehash: magazine rack turned purse holder

I plucked this from the curb a few weeks ago as I was waiting for a friend to pick me up for an event.

I really had no intention of using it as a magazine rack, but I didn't know what I would use it for until I was looking around for a place to store it.

Necessity is the mother of invention: the only space I had for it was my bedroom, where several vintage purses have been scattered about on the floor and on a chair, poor bags without a home.

Well looky looky, now they have a place to hang out!

Effortless projects like these are at the core of my Grunge Philosophy - guess I'm too lazy and not crafty enough for the projects that require uber talent and zeal. But I do have an ability to see, rather on the fly, how certain items can be re-purposed. I'd like to think that approximates a certain kind of creativity - at the very least I sure hope it inspires others to get their creative ya-yas out without feeling they have to be Martha Stewart perfect!

Read More

Curbside find I left there

Ever hesitated over something at the curb, then lost it as a result?

This gorgeous Ash wood buffet was at the end of my friend Brenda's driveway on Saturday. I was still in the afterglow of having found my wrought iron patio set (see yesterday's post), so my MUST HAVE IT junker's tenacity had mellowed somewhat.

Still, I had to stop and take a close gander. It was old. It was wood. It had good bones. And those floral carvings? I did a mini swoon over those.

Let's go in for a closer look.

Pretty wonderful eh?

The owner, Brenda's landlord, had had the piece in his back shed for eons and just wanted to get rid of it. She kept telling him he could probably get some decent coin for it, but he musta ignored here because there it was, at the end of the driveway.

I contemplated calling a cab and lugging the thing into my pad. It was a flash thought I quickly dismissed: Too much work. Leave it for the next person. Got my wrought iron. Pass the junking Karma along. Plus it had major mouse droppings in it, eep.

So we left it there and went to Brenda's place for a few minutes.

On our way out, the landlord was in the driveway talking with some passerbys, who told him the piece was worth something.

Before we knew it they were lugging it back onto the front porch!

Now he's going to try to sell it.

I wonder how things would have went down if I decided to take it and called a cab? I still would have been standing next to it when the landlord came back and changed his mind.

Would we have duked it out over the piece, mouse droppings and all?

Read More

Spring streamlining

I'll give you a break from the bling and show you my mini-re-org in my pad, inspired by my recent lamp acquisitions - to those who have requested more decorating posts, thanks for your patience.

As you know from last week's post, I found this silver mirrored glass lamp and shade for $10 at a big sale at my fave lighting store in TO, Consumers Lighting & Lamps.

I decided to relocate the 'library' (ie: old brass retractable bookends with books in them) that was in my bedroom to the top of this vanity.


I cleaned up the Barrymore loveseat by putting a blue cover under the upholstered cushion.

I had a slipcover over it before but it went to the floor, and I must admit I prefer a clean line that shows the legs of the sofa. The huge pillow was found at my fave decor consignment shop in TO, Around the Block, for $30. It's custom-made with Victorian floral fabric - such a find.

In the warmer months it just feels natural to streamline the clutter and keep surfaces sparse and crisp.

The vignette on this bureau (which was dug up in the trash) was pretty extreme for me - there's only one ornament on it! But I like the clean look. Here the wood lacquer mirror and the piece of folk art are my 'accessories'.

I did the same clean sweep with my dining room table, relocating the strip of Ralph Lauren wall paper that was on my desk to the table. A couple lamps and just a couple decorative pieces finish off the look.

It's always funny to see peoples' reactions to my space when they visit. Just when I think I've been the ultimate streamlining slut, someone says, "Gosh you have a lot of stuff", or "Wow you have a lot of healthy clutter." Guess it's all relative eh?

Here's a view of the new lamp looking over the bottle green Kroehler sofa.

I didn't change much here; just put the thrifted gilt mirror where a big print was. In the mirror you can see that I relocated the big floral print to my work space.

I'm calling this a mini-re-org as I didn't get down and dirty and move any furniture. All I did was add and then rotate some lamps, change up a few lampshades, and move some accessories and art/mirrors.

You can get a whole new look by changing up and rotating your accessories - just as you accessorize the basics in your wardrobe by donning different pieces of jewellery, handbags and scarves.


I often think that lamps are the bling of the decor world - they really function like jewellery to me.

Gee, I am still finding a way to bring it all back to jewellery, aren't I???

I added a dramatic punch to my teak hutch by swapping the large gilt mirror for this darker lacquered one. I took off the runner to show off the wood, kept the books but added the large base lamp with the red shade.

The lamp is so big I think it merits being on a large piece of furniture, for scale. Then I plopped on an orange Made in Canada glass vase, for extra oomph. On the subject of mirrors, I love placing them directly across from or kitty-corner to windows - they reflect the light, make a dark corner lighter, and enlarge the space.

Voila! Mini-re-org complete!

Read More

Da Thrifted Sistas

We're not gonna take it!
No! We ain't gonna take it!
We're not gonna take those chandeliers thrown in the trash ... anymore!!

Especially when they're identical!

Ah yes, we're the trash rebels, my twin sis and I.

I'd like to think my junking ways have rubbed off on my sis but don't think I can claim that here as she's been known to do a trash dig from time to time over the years.

When she saw some twin brass chandeliers at the curb last week, well, she thought of a room in her house, and she thought of me, her trash-lovin' sista!

I like it!

Her hubby swears they were meant for the fugly train, but she and I feel these babies could look pretty snazzy if jazzed up a bit with a coat of paint.

They are SERIOUSLY heavy and quite large. Not sure if mine will work in my place - need some high ceilings - but we shall see! Will show you finished products if and when we ever do something with them!

Would you paint or leave as is?

Read More

Lover chairs in the trash

I was on my way to work yesterday and what did I see peeping out from a mattress in the famous Trash Pile on my street?

Looks like a wing back chair to me.

Sure, the pattern on it is kinda 1990s ick, but then again it does have a semi Anthropologie look to it, n'est pas?

A closer look from a different angle revealed two chairs, nestled one on top of the other, as though they were spooning.

Ahh, how cute. I want to give these chairs a home. I didn't turn them over but I bet their seats are in good condition - that one lone cushion there looks barely worn.

I thought about hauling one home last night but was out with the gals, and besides, I couldn't separate the pair now could I?

A heart spray painted on a curb nearby sent a silent message: keep 'em together, or leave 'em there for the next person.

We'll see if they're still in the heap tonight.

I haven't had a problem with trash finds yet but sometimes I do get weirded out by bringing upholstered pieces home - you know bugs and all - but there is a spray that you can nuke 'em with.

My preference is to use a non-toxic silicon-based powder that gets rid of the creepy crawlies. Or toss the thing on my balcony in the deep freeze and dare any living thing to survive on it.

Read More

Reading room

Here are my bunnies. Ever since redoing my bedroom (see a few posts below), they've been hanging out on the bed, as they are here.

I love the vintage-esque pillow I bought at Pottery Barn (with a media gift certificate. The pillow was not a thrifter special!).

It's sitting on a duvet cover I thrifted over 10 years ago for $3.99, which has this dusty rose on one side and a light blue on the other.

The brass bed was also found over 10 years ago for just over $100.

Let's leave Dink and Dag to their slumpers ....

Speaking of brass, I decided to haul this brass book holder out and put it at the end of the bed on the floor.

Why?

I had too many chairs after my breakup re-org, so the idea of creating a little reading area in my room came to me.


There's the thrifted purple bowl to the right of one chair.

I found the chair in the trash. The heavy brass table was given to me by my recent ex.






Here are the two chairs, side by side.

The blue velvet one on the far left was also found in the trash and it's one of my fave chairs.

My cat Dag loves it too. You may be able to see the white stuffing oozing out of the top of it!

One of my carpets, a long worn runner found for $100 at a decor consignment shop in North Toronto.

Have I actually sat in these chairs and read yet?

Not really.

But I like the look of it. It seems kinda old world, to have a formal-esque reading area.

Ta ta!

Read More

Seeing red

My most heartfelt thanks for the many kind comments from dearly beloved readers and followers on yesterday's post. I salute you all!

Speaking of hearts, I'm still seeing red over my V-day breakup.

Seeing a trend here? I decided to group all my red elements in one area, to pack a real wallop.

There is something to be said for having a certain amount of drama in one's adode. I'm a frenetic mass of energy - mostly productive - at the moment so why not have that reflected in my digs? It inspires me to tackle multiple projects with ferocity.

Offset that red with bright punches of primary green and orange and we're off to the decorating races.

When I'm feeling more calm, more serene, I'll evenly distribute the red throughout my space, to spread out its raunchier effects.

For now I'm content to revel in the red. This is truly what I call emotional decorating: having your digs reflect your state of mind, or mirror a desired state of mind.

A postscript to yesterday's post: this reorg wasn't really the redo of the century in terms of moving furniture around, but you can see if you've been following GQ for a while how changing up the accessories can create a wholly new look in your pad.

The Grunge part: of course you know everything here was either thrifted or found in the trash, don't you?

Big floral print: $4.99 at thrift shop

Green Krohler loveseat, $50 at garage sale

Floral lamp with chunky base: $6.99 less 50 percent at Sally Ann (red shade was new but on mega sale)

Every single pillow you see here: thrift, consignment or junk shop, various prices but nothing under $10 each

Orange April Cornell blanket found for under $10 at Value Village

Chrome chair and big wood dresser: trash finds

Orange blown glass vase, Made in Canada, thrifted for $9.99, and retro green decanter, a gift from my best pal

Painting of lady: $9.99 in framing shop that was closing down

Oh, and the console that has all the coloured glass on it? Got it from the same jerk who gave me the bowl I broke yesterday. Thrift and love, it happens.

Read More

View to my couch

This is the view to my couch, a place I am trying to spend some more time on these days as I unwind at night.

On the other side of the console table is another loveseat, which you can't see.

I love the idea of creating a cozy nook with two loveseats facing eachother. I find I tend to cozify my decor in the winter months, when nesting takes place - don't you?

I traded this console with a nasty ex beau; in return he got a (hopefully termite ridden) chest of drawers another ex brought me from the trash - talk about trash romance Karma!
Mt stinker of an ex said he bought this at auction and it belonged to Canadian parliamentarian Stanley Knowles. Who knows if that was the truth?

But I dig the table anyway - think it's actually a vanity as there's a ridge at the back where a mirror should attach. I like using as a divider in my living room. And generally, I like a clean look with no clutter under tables, but an old wicker chest piled up with decor mags and a worn handpainted wood bowl (and with a gorgeous thrifted purse hanging from the handle - I get off using fashion accessories in my decorative vignettes), made the look a bit more sloppy boho.

A smattering of beloved hardcover books - from ballerina Karen Kain to thrifty decor - are piled on top.

Another purse: the silk Banana Republic clutch bought at a consignment shop therefore found a home on top of a book.

The crystal tea light holder under the thrift shop lamp and garage sale shade was also thrifted. My sis received two exactly like that as a gift from a person who loves buying expensive gifts, so I know it's worth something (but that's not why I bought it reader: of course I love it!).

Read More