Take a bath before bedtime!
In those cold winter nights a bath will help increase your body temperature and help you relax. The drop in body temperature that occurs when getting into that (often cold) bed afterward triggers a subjective sense that it’s time to go to sleep.

Create a bed time ritual!
It could be as simple as washing your face and brushing your teeth, our settling down with a cup of Bedtime tea (Yogi Bedtime Tea certified organic tea available at retailers across Canada), a bedtime ritual allows you to slow down and prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep.

Clean Sheets!
w/ Liquid Soap Nuts (organic/chemical-free detergent) & Certified Organic French Lavender oil
The last thing you want to worry about while trying to fall asleep is dirty sheets, so make sure to clean your sheets regularly. Also add a few drops of Lavender oil in your washing machine’s rinse cycle and let the calming effects of lavender take you to sleepy land. Lavender has been known to decrease anxiety and has been proven to help you sleep better, also it’s nice not have any modified perfumes in your bedsheets that might cause irritations to the skin. Read the rest of this entry »

So you found a great set of teak dining chairs for a good deal the other day, the only thing is that they’re in pretty rough shape.

What now?

Well you’re in luck! Teak is one of the most durable woods out there. It’s a dense close-grained hardwood that actually contains it’s own natural oils that make it resilient to water and termites. I spoke with Carol Gray from Machine Age Modern on Queen St. East about some tips when restoring old teak furniture.

“I see a lot of older teak furniture, and the wood condition falls into two categories — some dry as a bone (never conditioned or oiled in its 40 year life) — and some that has layers of teak oil built up over the years.”

If a piece simply looks dry, Carol recommends “Howard’s Feed-N-Wax Wood Preserver.” Apply a heavy layer with a cloth and let it soak in. More may be needed the next day if you see dry patches, or you may have to wipe off excess if it’s still sticky.

If a piece looks dirty (dark, cloudy and feels tacky), glass cleaner does a surprisingly effective job cutting through the layers of old oil and dirt. “I work with 4-zero (extra extra fine) steel wool.  Spray the Windex, rub lightly in the direction of the wood grain with the steel wool.” Use paper towel to remove the grime, let dry and apply “Howard’s Feed N Wax” (be careful the glass cleaner doesn’t run and drip). Read the rest of this entry »

We’re really excited to have a guest post by Chris from Toronto-based styleNorth! We’re a bit green behind the ears when it comes to live (as opposed to online/ebay) auctions so he’s been nice enough to put together some information to help us all become a little more savvy. Thanks Chris!

Vintage shops are a great source for quality teak furniture but you can also score amazing pieces at auction. This week provides a prime example: Ritchies (380 King St. E. in Toronto) is holding its spring Select Sale March 10 – 12 with some top notch teak up for grabs at potentially killer prices.

The shot above is from Ritchies’ window featuring one of two Danish Moderne-style coffee tables (estimate $300 – $400 for the set) and a Jens H. Quistgaard, teak covered Congo Ice Bucket (estimate $125 – $175), just like John and Juli’s. Of course either piece could sell for far less than the low estimate, or for far more, that’s the crazy fun of auctions, you just never know which way it will go.

Auctions can be intimidating, especially if you’ve never been to one before. But make no mistake, you can land some incredible deals not to mention enjoy an entertaining evening or afternoon.

The merchandise is posted online in advance to give you an idea of what’s up for grabs but it’s crucial to attend the preview, which provides the opportunity to really look over the merchandise, checking for damage, repairs, and general condition. If you’re interested in a set of dining chairs, for instance, sit in each one, make sure they’re not wobbly or creaky. Previews of next week’s Ritchies sale are on this weekend (Sat – Mon 12 – 5 pm). Read the rest of this entry »

Today we’re featuring Grete Jalk’s Surfboard coffee table, Hooray! (Teak Week was becoming too much of a Boy’s Club).  Combining all the best qualities of Danish design, it’s a familiar shape that can be found throughout vintage shops and boutiques. If you were wondering what a lot of these models were fashioned after, this is the table. It has beautiful tapered legs and an ingenious magazine rack, which frees up space on the top of the table. We’re happy to say these tables are still attainable and their prices haven’t gone through the roof like we’ve seen from other Danish designers.

There seems to be a resurgence in Grete Jalk’s work recently, but it took long enough! The introduction to the Surfboard table in the 60s wasn’t necesarrily the tremendous hit across the pond, as it was for the likes of Hans Wegner and Finn Juhl. Although she was hailed by her peers for her designs of living spaces, Jalk’s claim to fame came later with the Molded Plywood Lounge chair, designed in 1963, it was a completley orginal design and took molded wood efforts to a new level.

Ok, so we only have so much stuff in our home to share with you (and we’re nearly tapped out on the teak front). Thus, I was inspired by a recent Lisa Canning post, where she put together a bunch of objects (teak dresser, a lamp, art, a pillow etc) to create an entire look for a room. So I thought I’d try my hand at it!

The teak items I chose I nabbed from 1stdibs.com, mostly because their photos are clean and clear. I will tell you right now, 1stdibs.com is the type of place that makes you register to know the prices, so you can imagine what they are. That said, I chose teak items that you can easily find versions of either on Craigslist or at the following stores in Toronto (or basically any vintage furniture store anywhere):

G.U.F.F.
zig zag
bungalow
Machine Age Modern
UpsideDive

Teak Sideboard: Jens Quistgaard, circa 1960 from 1stdibs.com. Sideboards pop up on Craigslist all the time.
Vintage Lithograph Print: by Antonio Guanse from UpsideDive, $150. I love love love this print. Every time I pay Upside a visit I secretly wish it’s still there, because I know I’ll be sad when it’s gone. Why don’t I buy it already?!?
Graphic rug: by Toronto textile artist Bev Hisey, email for prices.
Table lamp: Noguchi Akari Lamp 3 from Pazo on Queen St. East has them and a variety of other Noguchi lamp shapes, email them for price.
Pottery: Most vintage furniture shops carry at least a bit of pottery. Best selection we’ve come across is definitely at Rogue Gallery, 733 Queen Street East. Prices vary from $10-$500. Read the rest of this entry »

Kay Bojesen’s monkey started it’s life as a Danish Television wildlife program mascot, as well as a prize on a popular children’s quiz show. Designed in 1951 this cute little toy became an instant classic, and has shown it’s immense staying power being produced for half a century! Inspiring generations of children and adults alike, transforming bedrooms (and offices) into jungles it is truly a design classic. Still made from Teak & African Limba wood, we haven’t been able to scrounge up the money to purchase one yet but hopefully we’ll find a vintage one very soon!

A Monkey on a sled being pulled by an elephant? (Adorable)

Photo credit, Oliver Tomas