Have you ever been to the wholesale flower markets in New York? I love going to flower markets when I travel. These photos are from late March - just the beginning of spring flower season. The shelves were TEEMING with blooms. At this place above they stack the bunches on their sides on 10-ft high metro shelving carts. 

Tulips, tulips and more tulips.

The flowers and plants spill out onto the street along 28th St. And, by the way, I'm happy to report that anyone can go into these places - you don't have to be a pro.

Ranunculus for days!!

This place was totally jaw-dropping -- an entire store lined with 9 and 10 ft high blooming branches -- mostly cherry when I was there. It was so crazy amazing. Why why why can't we have access to this stuff in Canada? This is the modern era people - put them on a truck! Sigh.

I came across this fun video interview with Carolyn Roehm taped in the Flower district. Kinda fun. One of my fave aspects is the sound -- get a load of the hustle and bustle - the place is busy and LOUD. Hey, it's NYC, whaddya expect? And three more things: 1. Could she be more chic? 2. That. Hat. 3. Peonies and garden roses. Of course. 

Peonies and roses. I share Carolyn's love of these two. I snapped these beauties at my place after doing a shoot with Virginia Macdonald. The story appears in the July 2013 issue of House & Home - on stands right about now. 

One of the fringe benefits of my styling gig is getting to take home flowers after a shoot. Well, this weekend it is bumper to bumper blooms chez Austin thanks to back to back floral shoots. On Wednesday, our place was the location for a floral story schedded for the July issue of House & Home. I was working with the most talented Virginia Macdonald - what a treat. I cannot wait for you to see.

Then first thing Thursday morning it was down to 299 Queen St. W. in Toronto to The Marilyn Denis Show for a segment on spring floral arrangements. It felt like I did the segment in 30 seconds so I have no idea what came out of my mouth - HA! The whole team there is so great to work with. I must confess though, my fave aspect is getting my makeup done. It just makes me feel so pampered and I rarely indulge in such things on my own (which I realize is dumb).

I got most of the supplies for the segment at the Real Canadian Superstore. I popped by today and sure enough the place is stocked with potted bulbs, tons of mixed arrangements, and of course they always have great vases and other vessels. I like the white ceramics in the serveware dept. even better than the clear glass vases. And the best part - nothing I used was over $20. So if you haven't decorated for Easter yet, click here to watch the vid and then head out to the Superstore.

OK, now I'm off to make some bouquets to bring to my Dad and Mom and her nursing home buddies.

Joyeuses Pâques!

First up is this fantastic piece from West Elm. It's part of the Parsons line of furniture -- which is all genius. The styling here is very pretty as well (except for those lame cushions on the floor on the left -- what's up with those? How come nobody in creative said -- what's up with those, let's photoshop them out.) But I digress. I could also see this done up with some pretty block prints.

...like the lovely Chatri quilt and sham combo from John Robshaw. And speaking of block print quilts I've got a little beef with West Elm over its discontinuation of almost all of its print quilts. Makes me sad. If you are quick you'll still find some for sale on the web site.

And here's the Parsons daybed all naked so you can see the bonus -- a trundle bed. Yay, so perfect! 

And then there's this excellent piece, the Jamie daybed, from West Elm's sibling PB Teen. I don't mind revealing that it's a bit of a favourite secret source. No need for kids or teens in your life to find good stuff there. The task lighting, carpets and some of the bedding all have appeal beyond the teen demographic. Mind you, the styling here definitely says "teen".

It's much easier to imagine the possibilities of this thing -- and to see its virtues more clearly -- when it's stripped back. Love that it has a back (so much better if you need it to do double duty as a sofa) and because it's upholstered and slipcovered it looks a bit more substantial than the WE version. This one comes in full (shown) or twin size. 

For the record, one of my favourite daybeds seen in editorial:

This is the NYC studio of Ellen O'Neill. The daybed is upholstered in a muted toile but what I really love is the undoneness of this styling. We in the print biz can't often get away with this sort of thing. But O'Neill is a styling superstar. Trust me, if you consume design you've seen her work often and her own homes even more. I tip my hat to her, to photographer Thomas Loof and to House Beautiful for this wonderful editorial. You can see the rest of it here. 

PS. Just in case you were wondering, this is not a sponsored post. No posts here are sponsored, ever. I take no advertising and I write what I like. That's all.

I could go on and on about my blogging delinquency, but I will not. So here I am with the biggest news to hit the Austins in quite some time. Voilà above is Mr. A's new venture, which opened on the coldest day of the year in Toronto's Corktown neighbourhood. The space, I must say, is the perfect backdrop for his vision: double-fronted window, south-facing, high-ceilinged. Mr. A and his crew even managed to reveal much of the building's original 120-year-old flooring in all it's beat-to-heck glory. 

The sign design above and his biz cards are the work of graphic design wizard Ashleigh Schouwerwou. They are the perfect iteration of Mr. A's aesthetic. Ashleigh is the typography whisperer - check out her cool new paper goods line Paper Society Co.

So anyhoo, back to Vintage Fine Objects. Here's a little tour of some of my favourite things. First up, that mirror, that commode. The mirror is a French Empire split column mirror that I find to be handsome and understated yet so grand thanks to its massive scale. Cylinder commodes are rare and versatile little creatures that are incredible examples of the cabinetmaker's art. I marvel at the curve of the wood. Love these in a bathroom or as a bar cabinet or bedside table. I told you - versatile! (and um, the floor!)

Dear mass-market furniture company based in California (you know who I mean), never in a million years will your "craftsmen" be able to replicate the authenticity of a true classic club chair. There are a pair of these. They are really from Europe. They are beautiful.

This desk. Rosewood. Mid-century. Chair to go with. Eat your heart out Don Draper.

Mr. A and I both have a thing for old art gallery posters. This one is super cool. He also has one for a Rothko exhibit. It rocks. Then there's that art on the right -- no idea how to describe that. I have a love/hate relationship with it. And those nifty little black and white stools - Mr. A has those custom made. Simple and perfect.

Mr. Acorn here is a little cutie. It's a lidded box that's hand-carved and one of the gems from Mr. A's collection of smalls.

This sexy beast is one of a pair once owned by Canadian interior design legend Ray Staples - you can see it in the background of this pic of Ray from 1989 (and yes, a leopard pillow is just what this chair needs!). Ray was a big fan and supporter of Mr. A and it makes me a bit sad that she didn't get to see this new achievement of his. But her chairs are here and I think she'd be proud of that. She would have said "You've done good kid!"

PS That wallpaper! Mr. A's idea for a show-stopping accent wall leads your eye into the two rear rooms. Well-played Mr. A. And the carpet - want that for our Tweed place. It's classic seagrass from Reznick Carpets.

Visit the new space at 328 Queen St. E. in Toronto, 416-686-5614, or here on the Internets: vintagefineobjects.com ; or follow him on the Twitter here.

Then it was onto the next item on the night's agenda: Bond, James Bond. Skyfall, I assure you, lives up to the hype. It's fantastic fun. Here is my small tribute to some of the details that made it for me.

First, the star of the movie...Mr. Craig? No. That suit. Yes! God bless Tom Ford for that dinner suit. First of all it's midnight blue rather than black -- a stroke of genius on the blue-eyed Mr. Craig. Skinny fit, silk shawl lapel, piqué shirt (the texture of the shirt cloth reads beautifully on the closeups on the big screen). Some people appreciate the big screen for the sound, the special effects yada yada. Me, I relish how it reveals the fabric of a tuxedo shirt.

This is the real moment of glory for that tux. Choreographed like a fashion runway presentation. Methinks the Tom Ford team might have had a hand in that...ps remember how we first saw Mr. C in the suit in this vid (ah, bless):

Generally Bond women are clad in all sorts of trampy nonsense. So this was a refreshing sight. Silk blouse, camel belt, pencil skirt, and done. Beautiful and sexy and tasteful. This is Naomie Harris. 

If you ask me the J. Crew No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Dark Poppy is a dead ringer. 

The carpets in the market in Turkey: to die for! It's so hard to browse the merch when there's a motorcycle chase scene in he way. Oh well. Still, keep your eyes peeled. 

And please join me to appreciate Judi Dench as M. The character is as icy and powerful as they come. It's so brilliant to have an older woman in this part. I just love Judi Dench - weirdly, she kind of reminds me of my Mom (who I assure you is not the least icy). It's the stature, short white hair, kind eyes (even when she's playing a cool character, Dame Judi cannot erase the softness and kindness of her eyes). Also, the role I most associate her with is Iris Murdoch, in the biopic Iris. It was a heart-wrenching movie about a brilliant mind destroyed by the ravages of dementia. In real life, Dame Judi is losing her sight to macular degeneration, my Mom is too. My Mom is also an M - Margaret Bernadette. This Bond pic is a great one for Judi Dench and for M. 

Can you spot that little dude on M's desk?

You also might know I have a thing for bulldogs. Sure, my main occupation is with the French variety, but I pretty much love all the smooshy faced K9s. And I've been known to display a bulldog figurine or two...This dude is named Jack and he's made by the good people at Royal Doulton. I'll include the link, but don't bother, they are sold out, of course.

This is the new blood. He's all Jimmy-from-Quadrophenia-meets-Matthew Broderick-from-War Games and I think he's a doll. He also happens to drink Earl Grey tea and play Scrabble...This is Ben Whishaw.

A Black Watch tartan blanket plays a supporting role alongside, or on the lap of, M. Love it. Already own it.

...And then there's this. Aanother killer stone house, Duntrune Castle (known as Skyfall in the movie), dropped in front of my eyes - and this one nestled in the misty rolling hills of Scotland. Gorgeous.

I'm pretty sure there's a law in Britain that everyone must own a Barbour coat. Bond's Barbour fits just as snuggly as his dinner suit jacket. Perfect.

While our "portfolio of properties" is far from Romneyesque, I love each one. But I do still dream of other types of properties and wonder if one day I might call one of them home. Call it an occupational hazard. Among my fantasies is a Haussmann-style Paris apartment, a mews house in any S or SW post code in London (actually, any place in London), a raw loft space anywhere, a converted barn by the ocean. And last, but not least by any means, is a centre hall plan stone house. So you can imagine my goosebumps when I clicked the Twitter link to this beauty posted by fellow lover of smushy-faced dogs and realtor, Douglas Hotte.

Hello gorgeous!. Here are the deets:

This Spectacular Rare Century Stone Home Built In 1861 With Newer High Efficiency Geothermal Heating/Cooling On 5.8 Acres In Northumberland Only 90 Min To Gta. 3 Plus 1 Bedrooms, Very Large Principal Rooms, Grand Foyer, Deep Windows, Built Ins, Servants Staircase, 2' Thick Stone Walls! Private Side Porch, Original Plank Flooring, Double Car Garage, Drive And Garden Shed.

Price: $529,000

I die. This place is located in the charming town of Warkworth, ON, 90mins from Toronto and also just a hop, skip and jump to my family members in Peterborough and Oshawa. It comes with a John Deere tractor. Please join me for a tour. 

Looks like there was some sort of portico on it at one point. Love the front door colour. Sad to see the gothic window replaced with a combo of arch-top shutters and a rectangular window. Getting the right window in there would be job 1.

A charming private side porch with a gravel walk. The perfect spot for tea, hot or iced depending on the season. 

Those windows, that stone.

Simple. Perfect. 

They could throw in that high boy, too! Handsome devil.

The room needs a pair of wing chairs or old leather club chairs by the wood stove. Done and done.

Upstairs landing for the main stairs.

I love old things but a clawfoot tub with a shower - been there, done that, not a fan. Almost always leads to a case of "attack of the shower curtain." But I'd endure it to live here.

One of the 2 secondary bedrooms. A bit museumy but look at those bones!

Et voila, le Master. It's a whopping 25ft by 16 ft. Amazeballs.

 And this little treat in the corner - the secondary staircase, which leads directly from the master bedroom down to the main level. 

A home office located on the main floor to the right of the entry. Needs books, books and books. 

And so my lovelies, by now are you thinking, hmmm, where's a photo of the kitchen? That's the most exciting part of this house. Because, you see, the answer is that no photos of the kitchen are posted. You know what that means in the real estate world: the kitchen is a wreck and/or needs a complete re-do. To me, this is the home's ultimate enticement. Cast your eyes upon the floor plan:

There exists an odd excuse for a kitchen in the back left corner of the main floor. But of course that simply wouldn't suffice. This home is crying out for the modern country kitchen of my dreams. It needs the Plain English treatment tout suite. Without a single doubt I am the girl for this design job. Truthfully, I have already begun the design in my head. I may or may not have started a private board in Pinterest devoted to it...

And for a little icing on the cake, here are the vistas:

To see the full listing or to buy this for me for Christmas à la Miracle on 34th St., please see the featured listings section of Caldwell Banker rep Douglas Hotte's web site.

Ole' Resto has done some whack stuff over the last couple of years. But this lovely, the Devyn Tufted Daybed, is making up for all that. A daybed never has to work too hard to win me over. Current number in the Austin personal inventory: five. Yes, that's right, five! Admittedly one is in storage. Four of our daybeds are on full active duty. Why do I love a daybed?

1. It's a sofa AND a bed.

2. More comfortable to sleep (or sit) on than most pull out sofas.

3. Endless opportunities for pillow design and styling.

4. Amazing for kids' rooms (since they are also great to hang out and laze around on).

5. Perf. for a home office that needs to accommodate occasional overnighters.

6. So cozy for a family room/TV room, since everyone can snuggle up (and so much more chic than a sectional).

7. Little known fact: also perfect as spot for packing suitcases: enough room to open the suitcase and layout all the clothes you need around it so you can make your final packing decisions.

Devyn is all these things and so much more thanks to the luscious tufting, the swooping arms that make it wing chair-like (another of my loves), and it comes in Sand linen and Fog velvet -- yum and yum. And last but not least, please take a moment to enjoy the unbelievable styling of those bed linens! We are def having a loose styling moment when it comes to beds. The keen creative squad at RH were no doubt trying to make this thing seem a little more 'tween/teen by styling it louche and relaxed (hello headphones). It's dreamy. When I transform one of our daybeds into sleeping mode I usually skip the putting onof sheets and such. Instead, I either fold a large queen duvet in half lengthwise like a luxurious sleeping bag or I just put one full duvet on the bottom and one on top and then add sleeping pillows. It's way less fuss to make and then to wisk away the next day.

Imagine how different Devyn would look with snug-fitting plum velvet mattress cover and a mess of velvet cushions. Or tweeds and tartans. Or ombré linens. Or a tumble of kilim and suzani cushions...honestly, the possibilities! (see no. 3 above).

RH, welcome back. All is forgiven (well, maybe not quite ALL...but close).

Here's a little tip for those of you who catch up with me here rather than on the Twitters or the FB. There's big news chez Austin (even bigger than our mini basement reno). Last week my Mr. A. launched his latest antiques business right here on the Internets. Vintage Fine Objects is his latest commercial-meets-creative outlet. On the new site Mr. A is sorting his wares into groups that reflect his favourite design profiles. He's also having great fun compiling Featured collections, which are kind of like mini gallery exhibits. It's early days yet – a few widgets and tools are yet to come – but I assure you he's very much open for business and he's got lots up his sleeve (and in a full storage space)!  

Here's where to find him:

web site: http://www.vintagefineobjects.com

email: info@vintagefineobjects.com

I've been pinning like a madwoman and racing around to the big box stores. My top criteria: cheap. Next on my list: black floor, white walls, and oh yes, cheap. I lucked into finding this great detailed post on Door Sixteen. This golden oldie circa 2009 by Anna Dorfman is exactement the look I'm going for. Truthfully I think this is one of the very best DIY blog posts ever in the history of the universe. Helpful detail shots, originality, incredibly detailed background info plus great comments and thoughtful answers. Ms. Dorfman has a new fan in me. So, here's her bathroom. Now, go see the rest of Door Sixteen.

So, here's something funny. I came across this box the other day and it sure looked familiar. Well, turns out I can add tissue box packaging stylist to my resume. Here's the original:

These are actually two separate shots that I styled as a mirror image of each other. They were for a budget-focused accessories story that ran in a magazine where I once worked ;-) The expensive stuff is on the left and the similar items with lower price tags are on the right. To be frank it was so long ago that I cringe a little when I look at it. That's pretty common for stylists. You look back and see everything you woulda/shoulda done differently. I remember I was trying to capture a little of the glamour of a Jan Showers moment but with an icy wintery twist -- it was a January issue. Looks a little bare to me and VERY studio - not real at all. Anyhoo, looks like Scotties used the image on the left but had it flipped on the box. Interesting.

And don't forget, by purchasing this box from this collection you "Enjoy the most sophisticated and feminine designs." :-)

all photos by daniel harrison