Jane Hall Design

I Tripped the Light Fantastic

Jane — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:45:36 +0000

I found Val’s store on my first magical mystery tour last year and returned to see what was new and I was not disappointed. I met Christina, her assistant who was born in Denmark, went to Berkeley in the 60’s, lived in Florida, and has now taken up residence in London. We discussed amongst other things, health care systems in the US, UK , and Canada, the importance of the use of colour in design, being a non conformist and being at Berkeley in the sixties during the Vietnam war, and how liberating those days were, being a hippie and dropping out and sitting in. Needless to say, we had a great chat, and the shop was packed with beautiful things! A great mix of antique lighting, vintage glass consoles, tables, dressers, and lighting that Val has custom made. Everything in this shop has a warm glow to it and the feeling of a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie. It has a feeling of femininity and softness which I am always drawn to. Check out her website at www.valeriewade.com

Valeries' style has a feeling of romance and a nod to 30's glamour. The store abounds with crystal and mirrored glass furniture which had a sparkle that made my heart flutter!

The addition of colour in glass accessories added such an incredible glow as it reflected off the glass.

What defines great design? In my opinion its the ability to combine different periods, materials, modern and antique. Valerie has done this brilliantly in her shop, and in addition many of the lighting fixtures are designed by her, which is the sign of a truly creative person.

1930's lighting fixtures, and the warmth of a feminine symbol of beauty and serenity.

Touches of Moroccan inlaid furniture, painted glass, sparkling crystal.

A luxurious chair and a glimmering chandelier beckoned me…

Jane — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:23:55 +0000

As it is just around the corner from my temporary home in London, I have walked by Ross Hamilton’s antique shop many times. With the walls sheathed in a dark forest green fabric and its windows aglow with majestic paintings, furniture and glorious objects I, Jane Hall, was a little intimidated about ringing the bell and gaining entrance. But the sinuous shape of a chair and the gleam of a chandelier beckoned me in, so I took the chance. Mark, the proprietor, couldn’t have been more welcoming and allowed me to take these photos, so I could share his treasures with you.

Proprietor, Ross Hamilton British Antiques

The chandelier, which once graced a medical science institute, retails for 67.000 pounds and the fab chair in the window is late 1700’s, acquired by using a backgammon set as barter. The walls in the basement were recently redone in a beautiful, lavender linen, which shows the warmth of woods of so beautifully that you can’t help but be entranced.

A superb antique chandelier graces the entrance way

: Green linen walls, created in 1986

Fab chair, acquired by using a backgammon set as barter

Paradise Found

Jane — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:17:55 +0000

As I traipse about London, England, popping into the most glorious design showrooms and lingering in each, I’m truly invigorated and inspired by the rich and colourful tapestry of fabulous textiles, luscious wall coverings and shimmering lighting. Undeterred by the snow (after all I’m a Torontonian!), the smallest trace of which seems to bring the city to a complete standstill, I’m driven to scour the city in search of the finest in European design. Never do I have to look further than the next block ahead, as each street seems home to yet another exquisite shop. Beaumont and Fletcher, located in Chelsea, an area of south-west London, England, is no exception as their furnishings are distinctive, unique, enduring in design and utterly English. Swathed in scrumptious fabrics, their furniture is comfortable, elegant and opulent, with an attention to detail that is rare in the industry. They specialize in creating custom made fabric panels, embroidered to the clients’ specifications. This service truly fits the English word bespoke, which means custom made.

I had a wonderful chat with John, the owner, and his lovely showroom manager, Jana. I spoke to Jana about the North Americans’ penchant for gray and beige interiors and their fear of infusing their homes with colour and pattern, lest they be considered different. She was perplexed as to why people didn’t want to differentiate themselves and I ask that same question myself. The intent of my magical mystery tour of England is to give you, my readers, a glimpse into the world of design, with the goal of inspiring you to let loose, to think outside the box and to embrace colour and pattern, as the Europeans have done for centuries.

The Tyranny of Good Taste

Jane — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 14:09:34 +0000

It’s too much, it’s overdone, it’s in bad taste. So say the design experts whose primary task seems to be giving clients’ homes “that look”. You know the one I mean. It’s that bland, beige, stainless steel look, which is featured so prominently, over and over and over again in North American design publications. For consumers, the underlying, yet not so subtle message, is simple; play by the rules. And yet I’m convinced that people are being sold a bill of goods and that with a little guidance, most would gladly step outside that can of beige paint, create a touch of magic here and there, and transform their space into something that looks less like a hotel lobby and more like a home.

Stephen Calloway, author of Divinely Decadent, got it so right when he showed another side of the design world where more is more and it is marvelous! Reviewed on Amazon, the book is described as a showcase of interiors sure to delight anyone who adores decorative elements; it is ” lavish, eccentric, opulent, bohemian, theatrical”. Written with wit, photographed by renowned interior photographer Deidi von Schaewen, and printed with extravagant 5th-color gold throughout, Divinely Decadent is structured around the theme of the seven deadly sins: from slothful living rooms to bedrooms to lust after, from envious furnishings to collections to covet and materials to arouse the anger of the puritanical. This is the perfect antithesis to worthy but dull neutrals, contemporary good taste, and minimal modern lines- a veritable feast for style-conscious maximalists.

It goes without saying that I believe colour makes us FEEL! In fact, what is most important is not how our houses look, but how they make us feel. Oftentimes, we move into our homes with the boxes but never arrive emotionally. Painting our houses in colours we love helps us to take emotional possession of our home. I have consulted with people who have lived in their home for years and were ready to move as they never felt they belonged. They may have lived there for years and were ready to move and yet once I had helped them take the plunge, they wondered why they waited so long.

Taking emotional possession of your home and making it reflect it who you are is a lot cheaper than moving. As one happy customer said, “I came in to buy a gallon of paint and spent 20,000 dollars but for the first time in 10 years we don’t feel like we were visitors in our own home. We were going to move and now we love our home!” A swath of luxurious fabric here and a touch of vibrant colour there can be life transforming and, for me, incredibly gratifying as I improve the quality of people’s lives.

: Anything but bland and boring, pink and lime green rule.

: This room, originally painted the colour of mud, is now fresh and airy. Although I have been using aqua for many years, just recently Pantane picked it as the colour of the year for 2010.

: A home where the art work inspired the room.

: This room transports the clients to another time and place and has allowed them (after 7 years!) to finally feel at home.

: “Jane Hall saved our lives. After a grand move from the United States to Toronto, one marred by months of renovation disasters, we were ready to throw in the towel on this house.”

“In brilliance, the process of working with Jane was like having Michelangelo or Da Vinci design one’s home. In product, Jane’s design is lush, pleasing to the senses, and one that makes us finally happy to come home.”

"Jane’s magic eye, and her brilliant knowledge of color, style, and design, revolutionized our house, and, consequently our lives."

Wondrous sights, radiant lights and shimmering nights. May these and all you wish for be yours at this magical time of year.

Jane — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:06:03 +0000

Like Matisse, “my choice of colour does not rest on any scientific theory; it is based on observation, on feeling, on the very nature of each experience.” This season, delight family and friends with the glorious gift of colour. Gift certificates, redeemable at my store, are available in 5 stunning designs and are perfect for those who wish to embrace the power of colour and add a touch of luxury to their homes. It’s my way of wishing you a happy holiday.

Choose from one of five stunning designs!

Our Collection

The Festival of Lights

Jane — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:29:26 +0000

As Christmas, the highlight of the winter months, draws near I give thought to how we live in a climate that is devoid of colour for 6 months of the year and longingly yearn for the months of spring and summer, and look forward to celebrating the harvest of fall colours.

Come November, as the leaves fall off the trees and the days grow shorter, the grey descends upon us. We see our neighbours less often, we turn on our lights earlier, and we settle in for the long months of winter. February is perhaps the most tedious month and it truly is a “SAD” time of year for some as the lack of daylight can cause depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Rather than swathing our homes in colour and light to escape the despair of these dreary months, we travel to tropical destinations and bask in the glory of the afternoon sunlight, We take lots of pictures of the tropical flowers, the lush greens and the brightly painted houses and then we return home to our ever so sophisticated, trendy and safe grey, taupe, sand, parchment and pebble interiors and wonder why we feel so depressed.

Instead, we could take a cue from Londoners, who live in a city that is perpetually dark and rainy, but refuse to paint their homes in London Fog (I am sure there is some depressing paint colour by that name). As witnessed during my trip to London in the dead of winter this past January, the homes in Chelsea, Portobello, and Knightsbridge are painted aqua, pink, buttercup, and lavender. Their interiors glow with patterns and prints and leaded crystal chandeliers, cut in Europe by craftsmen, sparkle and reflect the light like prisms, making even the draftiest interiors feel warm and inviting.

And so, as we set our homes aglow under a blanket of illuminated lights during this magical time of year, remember that this sparkle can be kept alive long after that last garland of twinkling light has been neatly packed away for another year.

“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.” ~Aaron Rose

People say colour is DARK….. my response is NO color is life and invigorating. It is life giving, stimulating, or calming depending on the color you use. But it is not DARK. It is not about the colour being dark; it is about the space not being adequately lit. It is commonplace for clients to worry that a paint colour may appear too dark when the room itself receives little natural sunlight and is illuminated by a lone 60 watt bulb in a dusty, dated ceiling fixture. Carefully chosen lighting fixtures, which can be works of art, in and of themselves, can transform a dark and dreary room into a warm and welcoming space that shines with colour and warmth. ~Jane

Don't let the the lighting control you, you control the lighting.

Lighting is misunderstood and underutilized in design and it is one of my true passions. While pot lighting can increase luminance in reading areas and brighten dark corners, it does absolutely nothing for atmosphere. I can’t imagine having a romantic dinner with 12 pot lights blazing overhead.

Table lamps with interesting bases and something other then a soulless white shade, add mood lighting and atmosphere. Scones are also great in powder rooms, dining rooms, and bathrooms.

I love finding antique and vintage lighting and giving them a new life with custom-made shades. I have discovered a wonderful custom line of chandeliers made by an artist in Montreal that is reminiscent of what I found in Paris and London. For Jane Hall customers, she is having a December sale on her showroom pieces, so this is a special opportunity!

Lighting that is unique, adds detail and ambience.

At Jane Hall you will find bases that are vintage, lamp shades that are custom made in silks, laces, Tricia Guild prints and wonderful trims.

"Light always follows the path of the beautiful." ~unknown

"Light is not so much something that reveals, as it is itself the revelation."~James Turrell

How to Design Around Something You Dislike

Jane — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:17:01 +0000

The answer is remarkably straightforward – don’t! Whether it’s teal broadloom, pink tiles or dated wallpaper, don’t perpetuate the mistake; instead, just take the plunge and ditch it. Often during my consultations, there is something the clients dislike but are reluctant to change because of cost. This can truly get in the way of loving your home.

In one case, navy broadloom almost made the owners sell their home because they kept decorating around something they really hated. They just needed someone like me to help identify the real issue and generate solutions. It is a whole lot cheaper to change the broadloom than to move!

Keep this in mind when choosing “surfaces” such as tiles, flooring and cabinets in a new build or renovation job. This is where you should choose the neutrals. Potential buyers of your home may not like the colour blue, so they will factor the cost of replacing those blue tiles in your bathroom into their purchase offer.

When choosing a wood stain for cabinets, remember that wood has colour. For example, mahogany has a red tone so everything you choose for your home will have to work with this colour, which is fine so long as you truly love red! Finally, don’t think only about the resale value of your home. Your home is not just a place to make money; it is also your sanctuary. Invest your money to make it reflect your personality, your passions, your dreams. Shake it up.

New stain, wall and trim colours were chosen to brighten and lighten a hallway.

A client’s new build had the same granite in each of the four bathrooms. The challenge was finding a colour to personalize each bathroom.

Live your life out loud in…technicolour

Jane — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:48:28 +0000

I recently watched the movie Revolutionary Road, based on a novel by Richard Yates and directed by Sam Mendes. It’s a story about a young married couple, played by Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, who moves to the suburbs in the mid 50’s and lives out their lives in quiet desperation.

Leonardo joins the army of men, dressed in suits of tan and grey, who travel by train to work in office cubicles that all look the same. Kate Winslet strikes out against her husband, accusing him of not having the courage to live the life they had wished for. She wants them to sell their house in the burbs and live a life of passion in Paris, as they had once dreamed.

This theme resonates with me as we have come to this place in our culture of design where we feel a need to conform, to not stand apart, to not differ in any way, lest we be viewed as eccentric or even radical.
It started with post-war utility in design, which generated a “manufactured urban landscape” of glass, concrete, square lines and houses built for the masses. What was once a necessity due to cost, has now become a design statement that places value on uniformity, depersonalization, function, form and utility. What we have given up is decor, which equates with fine craftsmanship, detail, more as opposed to less, along with those items that exist simply and solely because they are beautiful.

What we have lost and need to recover, is that which should be most cherished; our own vision, our ability to stand up and live our lives out loud in lilac, watermelon, pumpkin, buttercup, lipstick or whatever colours reflect our passions, our dreams.