News — Lifestyle

The potential carried by a changing season is always exciting. We eagerly welcome a new time of year as it brings forth hope and the promise of unknown opportunities.  As F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in the Great Gatsby, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”  For us at Artemano, the possibilities presented by the season are just as colourful as the foliage that marks it. As Falls leads our natural progression indoors, we see another occasion to proceed on our journey of creating memorable ambiances. Using the season’s resources and holidays as inspiration, we strive...

If you’re moving this summer, whether you’re upsizing to a new house, or even downsizing to a condo, one of the hardest parts of a move is figuring out what you should be bringing with you and what to buy new. So, where to start? Organize: Walk through your current home and start to make 3 piles. 1 - Garbage, 2- absolutely love this and can’t part with it, and 3- I like it and will take it with me if it fits. This applies to everything from furniture to artwork to books and accessories. Be honest with yourself! If...

What inspired the works of the world’s greatest artists, filmmakers, actors, singers and authors?  That’s definitely a question I’d like to ask someone like Edouard Manet, one of my favourite painters, or Jean-Luc Godard, a director whose films I truly admire. I wonder what inspired and drove these two individuals to create outstanding pieces of art that I not only love, but that enriched my life from the instant that I was first exposed to them.   Via sphoto.xx.fbcdn.net Via pbase.com Inspiration is on my mind today because Shimon has returned from his latest trip to India, Thailand and Cambodia. He’s...

My first memory of wood is associated with a bedroom set my parents bought me when I was five or six years old.  I remember it clearly. It was simple with straight lines and big round knobs that made opening drawers easy for a little girl. Probably built out of pine, it was delivered to our apartment untreated, light, almost white in colour, scattered with tinges of yellow. I can still see my mother taking her time, painstakingly sanding down each piece of furniture and then lacquering the dresser, the bed, night-table, desk and chair. I was amazed at how...

All photos credit: Lynda Felton Because our Canadian summers feel so short, we want to drink in the sun’s rays and the cool night breezes as much as possible. Some call the start of summer patio season, signifying the importance of socializing outside. Picnickers fill our parks in the afternoons and in the evenings people retreat to backyards and balconies to grill up delicious barbecue. At Artemano, we’ve discovered a cocktail that really helps us think globally (a subtle, citrussy hint of lemongrass recalls tropical destinations) while also sharing our experiences with friends— a Thai basil and lemongrass mojito. The...