Today I'm thrilled to have Sarah Klassan from Haute Design here today to share with us some of her favorite sources, including a good many wonderful Vancouver resources, which make me want to visit Vancouver immediately. Haute Design is where I go to get my daily fix of pretty (where Sarah finds so much wonderful fashion and interiors photography is beyond me) and I'm thrilled that she was willing to share some of her secrets on where we can get a little bit of our own pretty.
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Hello! This is Sarah from Haute Design, sharing my favorite shopping spots with you today. If you read my blog regularly, you will know a bit about my style already. I am passionate about decorating and handmade items, and prefer to slowly and carefully build upon my space, filling it with items, pieces and tokens of things I love…I like a careful mix of modern, new, clean lines with more ornate, vintage and European antiques, and pieces with character. I love the subtleties of milk glass, time–worn mirrors, charming tea cups, and can often be found looking through various antique shops with my Mum. I also like to give new life to worn furniture pieces. About half of my furniture has been sanded, painted, and given new knobs, handles, and a fresh new look.
In general, I do not purchase from big–box stores. I’m truly a boutique shopper at heart, and would rather have a blank spot in my home, and wait for the perfect item to arise, than fill it with objects that I am lukewarm about. That being said, a few of my more functional pieces have been purchased at IKEA, such as my modern book cabinet and armoire. I look for the best quality that I can find and afford, and balance it with real investment pieces that I love and enjoy so much.
And with that, take a little shopping trip with me today!
18 Karat: a fantastic local design company that has now gone international. They have a strong line of accessories, created with a respectful influence of nature and organic lines, combined with more modern furniture. I love their hand soaps and sprays—all created in France, as well as their beautiful vases, plants and Christmas ornaments.
Montage: a wonderful local boutique, filled with many 18 Karat products, some beautiful jewelry, lighting, dishes, books, and more! Montage is a contemporary boutique, and one of my most favorite (nearly weekly) stops.
Inglenook Décor: some really sweet and lovely finds here. Their online shop is a delight to visit. One of my favorite products to purchase is Linnea’s Lights. There is nothing like them… they burn beautifully. My favorite scents are: Cashmere and Linden. I highly recommend them as gifts and for your home.
Anthropologie: though they are not considered a boutique, I like that they support artisans all over the world, and in that sense, they take on a bit of the personality and appearance of a boutique. I adore their accessories—their hooks, knobs, books, etc. and really enjoy their unique mix of products… and never seem to leave without a bag full!
Peridot: a pretty local boutique, filled with a delightful array of soft furnishings and accessories. For the romantic at heart, and lover of fine products, this is a must-see! (she also carries some items by textile designer Carolyn Quartermaine!)
Designer’s Guild: what can be said? They have the most vibrant and beautiful color combinations., textures and patterns. I love their luxurious towels, design books, scents, throws, and fabrics. The quality is just fantastic.
Scott Landon Antiques: this was difficult for me to share. This is my most treasured shop… they are purveyors of fine antiques, mainly from Canada. From exquisite, 10 ft. tall doors, to old, old shop counters, to industrial cabinets, to the most stunning chandeliers, this place is like Tiffany’s — a feel–good shop full of unbelievable finds/investment pieces. They are incredibly knowledgeable, quite innovative, and will often be seen creating a new piece from industrial parts, or innovating something and making it fantastic. They also work on a great deal of custom projects, with the movie industry, interior designers all over the world, as well as celebrities. On a side note, they are always ahead of the trends. We recently purchased four wire outdoor chairs (remarkably similar to those at Anthropologie) which were crafted in Argentina. They are a frequent stop in between meetings or just because...
Bailey Doesn’t Bark: one of my favorite little Etsy shops! Their iconic Postcup is a part of my daily coffee routine, and I adore their fun, handcrafted line…
Vancouver Special: a great, modern local shop brimming with cool, design–y items. They are my must–stop shop for Pantone products and modern office accessories.
Henry Dean: an amazing glass designer located in Belgium. His line is so beautifully shaped, colorful, substantial, and gorgeous. A few pieces are a must–have in my books!
B&B Italia at InForm: a fantastic, large, open store, housing some of the top European modern furnishing brands in the world. I drool over B&B Italia pieces, specifically, and dream about the day when I can bring one of their sofas or cabinets home. Also, they have a large library section, and carry a great deal of design books and magazines from all over the world(just in case you are paper obsessed like myself).
Thomas Hobbs Florist: I believe that no home is complete without nature! This English looking shop is beautiful and houses some of the most incredible flowers I have ever seen.
These are just a few of my favorite places to shop. In truth, I think I would need a small book in order to share all of my sources and favorite places! On another note, there are many items in my home that I have not sourced here… such as a large fashion canvas, painted by my boyfriend, an oil painting of the Champs Elysees I picked up in Paris, gifts, flea market/thrift store finds, and items that have been passed down to me… items such as these truly make up the flavor of the space, I find.
I hope that you enjoyed my décor shopping secrets, and that you discovered something new. Thank you so much for having me!
Next Week's Guest Blogger: Liz from It's Great to be Home.
