House & Home December 2014

For more letters: houseandhome.com/rsvp I love your magazine. It’s a constant source of ideas. In your September issue’s “Editor DIY” section, you featured a simple ladder made of dowels and copper hardware intended for hanging anything. Smart, inexpensive and attractive! — ANNE CASTLE I’m finding the decorator ideas and accessories you show in H&H too highend for a middle-class budget. Could you run some ideas for budget decorating? And don’t any of the designers watch TV? Some living room decorating suggestions would be interesting for those of us who don’t have separate rec or media rooms. — KAREN HOVEY I was thrilled to see (on houseandhome.com) that Suzanne Dimma loved Farrow & Ball’s Ocelot wallpaper enough to give it pride of place in her powder room. I did exactly the same…

Over the years, I’ve been to my share of parties — everything from intimate picnic weddings in Creemore, Ont., to jam-packed galas in Paris. While the over-the-top events with impeccably timed service and dramatic settings are impressive, they don’t always translate to meaningful memories. The parties where I’ve had the most fun have had one thing in common: they happen at my best friend Melanie Dunkelman’s house. She’s a seasoned caterer, so, yes, she knows what she’s doing. But in her spare time, she still has the energy to throw great parties for her friends, and her annual Hanukkah party is one I look forward to all year. What I’ve learned from watching Mel in action is that she doesn’t sweat the small stuff. She keeps it intimate with a no-fuss,…

CHANTAL BRAGANZA Writer, “Mountain Time” (page 84) How do you entertain over the holidays? We throw a party called “Princemas.” We’ll make appetizers and mulled wine, and play Prince albums. At holiday parties, I sip on... my family is half Mexican, so I grew up drinking agua de Jamaica (hibiscus tea). When brewed with fruit, a stick of cinnamon and rum, it’s this wonderful agreement between a hot toddy and sangria! DONNA GRIFFITH Photographer, “Rustic Refinement” (page 92) How do you celebrate New Year’s Eve? We have a neighbourhood “progressive party.” We go from home to home, eating and drinking along the way. It peaks at midnight with raucous bagpipes playing in the street. The perfect winter day is spent… at a cottage up north in front of a roaring fire. What’s your…

For more letters: houseandhome.com/rsvp I love your magazine. It’s a constant source of ideas. In your September issue’s “Editor DIY” section, you featured a simple ladder made of dowels and copper hardware intended for hanging anything. Smart, inexpensive and attractive! —ANNE CASTLE I’m finding the decorator ideas and accessories you show in H&H too highend for a middle-class budget. Could you run some ideas for budget decorating? And don’t any of the designers watch TV? Some living room decorating suggestions would be interesting for those of us who don’t have separate rec or media rooms. — KAREN HOVEY I was thrilled to see (on houseandhome.com) that Suzanne Dimma loved Farrow & Ball’s Ocelot wallpaper enough to give it pride of place in her powder room. I did exactly the same thing when we renovated last…

GOTTA HAVE IT Arranged together or apart, nesting tables elegantly transform into a bar, snack stand or gift table, so you’re always ready to welcome guests. STOREWATCH CELADON COLLECTION GIVES ITS TRAD-MODERN MIX A SLEEK NEW SETTING. FIND IT: 170 rue Peel, Montreal (514) 932-3306 or celadoncollection.com HISTORY: When Celadon opened in Griffintown over a decade ago, its refined furniture, lighting and accessories quickly made it a mecca for Montreal’s design lovers. This fall, co-owners Roy Caro and Scott Yetman moved the store to a larger, sleeker whitewashed space (shared with a new Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams store) in the same neighbourhood, where chic condos have started popping up alongside century-old buildings. STYLE: The son of an interior designer, Caro developed an eye for design early. Today, regular jaunts back to his native Madrid inspire…

<PLACES TO GO, PEOPLE TO SEE By Kate Spade Gorgeous photographs of dream destinations like Paris, Marrakech, Tokyo and the Amalfi Coast depict the spots where Spade and Co. draw inspiration, plus playful quotes and tips detail how to turn travel experiences into fodder for creative ideas. Bonus: Find four tear-out Kate Spade postcards at the back of the book. Abrams, 2014, HC 240 pages, $45. ۸ENGLISH ECCENTRIC By Ros Byam Shaw Take a peek inside captivating English abodes and discover what fuels each homeowner’s flair for originality. A BBC documentary filmmaker, a hairdresser, a ringmaster and even a politician are among the characters who’ve created a sensory buff et of colour and pattern in their unique spaces. Most memorable oddity: An antique birthing table transformed into a kitchen island. Ryland Peters & Small,…