To celebrate Pride 2013 and as a tribute to the vibrant West End which our store has been a part of since 2005, we are pleased to introduce the art print "Denman & Davie" by State Creative Group.

Great cities are defined by great intersections; Locations that play host to significant historical events, define the culture of a neighbourhood, and are the meeting point for diverse groups of people.

"The intersection at Denman and Davie sits as a little island of colour amidst the backdrop of the more muted Pacific Northwest environment; a little gem in the city. Hence the "gem" graphic, which consists of colours that conjure up the era of architecture in the neighbourhood but also represent the intersection’s unique surroundings: palm trees, ocean, sand, sunsets and fireworks. The clean lines and geometric nature of the lettering were inspired by the fonts used to display the building names seen in so many of the apartment lobbies in the West End."

Available in 3 sizes, printed on 600dpi inkjet CMYK on 190gsm archival rag paper, unframed or framed with white 1" wood moulding.

Visit the Intersections exhibition on view at Vancouver's Waterfront Station through the Summer of 2013 where seven Vancouver-based designers to explore seven essential locations throughout our city. 

Here is his recipe for the The West End Spritz  which is a take on the classic Aperol Spritz. 

The Aperol Spritz is a light, bubbly, aperitif style cocktail that one may drink while sitting on a patio in the late afternoon in Milan, or Venice for example. Aperol is a light, bitter sweet liquor from Italy, made by the Campari family. It is known as Campari's "younger, hotter sister" . The Pok Pok drinking vinegar will give the drink extra flavour and acidity, complementing the Beefeater 24 gin, a London dry style gin with the addition of Sencha and chinese green teas.  

West End Spritz

30 ml Beefeater 24 gin

15 ml Aperol

10 ml POK POK honey vinegar

3 dashes Scrappy's lavender bitters

60 ml club soda

Method - Build ingredients in order over ice in a Schott Zwiesel collins glass, top with soda! Garnish with sliced cucumber and grapefruit.

 Glassware, ice cube trays, drinking vinegar, bitters, and paper straws are all available at Homewerx!

Enjoy!

We are thrilled to have received of a nice assortment of throw pillows from Rock and Home. 

The founder of the company-an insider with many renowned designers including the infamous Peter Marino used her unique position to create a line of limited edition handmade pillows>  She has combined local craftsmanship with high end repurposed textiles from the top furniture design studios and fashion houses in NYC. Each cushion makes a statement (with a rock attitude) with luxurious fabrics such as silk, cotton, linen, and canvas with 10% down and 90% feather fill- and a custom designed decorative zipper by Riri. 

20"x20" cushions start at $250.00.

It's something you will likely read over and over again.

Enjoy!

http://www.homewerx.ca/products/cereal-magazine-volume-one

We would love to help gift wrap your purchases this Holiday Season!

Please be sure to include details at checkout in the "special Instructions" box (see below).  

If you would like us to personalize the gift tag, let us know what we should write on the "to and from" as well!

Email us at [email protected] if you have any questions!

On our last buying trip to New York City this August, we stayed at the new-ish 

Hotel Americano in Chelsea. 

In addition to being super close to the High Line, with rooftop pool and bar,

we were pleased to spot many great products throughout the hotel - 

a lot of them stocked at Homewerx. 

We also loved the unique touches such as in-suite ipads preloaded with 

music playlists for every mood, and an endless supply of Aesop bodycare.

We also ran into our friends from The Cross which was a pleasant surprise!

Needless to say, we had a fantastic stay!

Here are a few shots of some of our finds:

Yoshii- Imabari Japanese face cloths

Our Japanese-esque bed.

Fog Linen striped tray and Fog linen coasters, double pull pulltap corkscrew

Blomus Primo hooks

We can't wait to visit this property on our next trip to New York!

1. 'Be Mine' Greeting Card, $3.95 | 2. Becky Brisco, Sterling Silver Miniature Diamond Ring, $115 | 3. Therese Sennerholt, 4xLove, set of 4 postcards, $64.99 | 4. Compagnie de Provence, Soaps, creams and lotions, $2.50 - $32.99 | 5. Beta 5, Special Edition Valentine Chocolates & Caramels, $13.99 - $22.99 | 6. ILIA Beauty, Organic Lip Conditioners, $24.99.

Being a Japanese food fanatic, I have always been impressed by the different techniques used by chefs, and I have bought tonnes of cook books with some tricky tips. I possess an obsessional habit to reproduce everything I see. And usually, it works. But for some reason, making sushi has always seemed really difficult to me. At some point I just told myself: “Sometimes you have to accept that you can’t do everything yourself.” In other words, making sushi is an art and I’m not gifted!

Then one day I saw the Lekue Sushi Mat at Homewerx. So, I thought that maybe I would give it a last try. Yes I can do it. My self-confidence was boosted, I went to a famous Japanese store on Robson street, and bought some precious ingredients. Some nori (seaweed sheets), some special rice for sushi, a bottle of rice vinegar, some green onions, some ginger and wasabi paste. I grab some smoked sockeye salmon here, as well as some cucumber and mixed baby green salad there.

Now let’s have some fun.

1. I cook 250g (about 1 cup) of sushi rice.

2. At the same time I chop the salmon, cucumber and green onions. I display the nori sheet on the lekue mat.

3. Ding dong, the rice is cooked. In a bowl, I mix the rice with 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar while it’s still hot. I let it cool down a little (room temperature), until the rice gets sticky.

4. It’s time to display the rice on my nori sheet with the back of a spoon. It’s amazing how everything sticks together. I want to have something nice and flat.

5. I can now display the salmon, cucumber, green onion, and salad on the rice bed. I add a little bit of mayonnaise.

6. The moment of truth is approaching. Is it going be a total mess? Ready, steady, go! I start rolling the nori sheet on the mat with my fingers, and surprisingly, everything sticks together and I get my roll! Piece of cake. With this amount of rice I can do up to 4 rolls.

I place my roll in the fridge for half an hour. It’s way easier to cut afterwards.

With my sharp knife I start cutting the roll in 6 pieces.

Now let’s see how it tastes.

I just can’t believe it, I made it! With my chopsticks I plunge one piece in soy sauce, I close my eyes and for a second, I picture myself in an authentic Japanese restaurant! Job’s done.

Wrapped and ready to go, these small candles are a great idea for a last minute stocking stuffer! At $14.99 each, with unique scents like St. John's Wood, Field of Grass and Love that Burns, they make for perfectly chic gifts for anyone on your list.

Hailing from the US, they are made from pure soy wax hand blended with beeswax, essentials and perfume oils, filled into 40% recycled heavy weight vintage style glassware. 

Their notes/descriptions read:  

Love that Burns: the bitter and the sweet. lemon rose earth. give me your love in return but please don't leave me with a love that burns.

Holland Park: leaves are falling all around. rain soaked october earth layered under a musky moon.

Bron Yr Aur: stone cottage in the Welsh countryside. rain drops + moss. as we walk down country lanes in a landscape where magic fills the air.

Available in 5 scents, in store only.

We served up our Homewerx Signature Eggnog again his year, and it never fails to impress! Here's the recipe:

• 6 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3 cups heavy cream, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup Maker's Mark Bourbon
  
• 1/4 cup Mount Gay dark rum
  
• 1/4 cup Remy Martin Grand Cru Cognac
  
• Freshly grated nutmeg, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Beat yolks in a very large bowl until thick and pale. Slowly beat in sugar. Whisk in milk and 2 cups cream. Mix in bourbon, rum, and Cognac. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
2. Just before serving, beat whites until stiff peaks form. Fold whites into eggnog. Whisk remaining 1 cup cream until stiff peaks form, and fold into eggnog. (Alternatively, you can fold half the whipped cream into eggnog, and top with remaining half.) Sprinkle with nutmeg. 

Image source

A fail-proof gift this season is a pair of fun and colorful headphones by Urbanears.

On a mission to bring color into everyday life via their headphones, Urbanears released 3 new colors for their fall collection - Mustard, Raspberry and Indigo. We're happy to have the colorful Medis ($59.99) and Plattan ($69.99) Headphnes in stock in store and online. 

Want more color choices? Choose from Navy, Tomato, Dark Grey, White, Black, Teal and Orange! Gifts that suit any personality.

Another new arrival is the Plattan Quilted Edition headphones in Black:

"Jody talks with style expert Susie Wall about Homewerx; the best one stop shop for your Christmas shopping this year."

In case you missed it on City TV yesterday morning,  watch the segment from Breakfast Television Vancouver which featured a great selection of our gifts for this holiday season!

We love Susie Wall's enthusiasm and support for local stores like Homewerx. Check out the video for her take on our locally and internationally designed goodies, great gift ideas for everyone on your list! 

Some behind the scenes photos for your viewing pleasure.

Talitha's favorite product: Wool & the Gang's Foxy Roxy Scarf "100% Peruvian wool and chunky knit make for a fashionably warm winter!"

Talitha's last buy from Homewerx: Menu's CoolBreather Carafe, a cooler and diffuser/aerator all in one. Perfect for chilling and serving white wine, juice or water. Check out the video below to see it in action.

Want to try your hand at knitting but don't know where to start? 

We recommend the knitting kits by Wool and the Gang, packed with everything you need to make your own shirt, scarf or headband! Make a piece that's truly yours!

Made with new and experienced knitters in mind, the kits are filled with balls of premium yarn (colors vary), a pair of wooden needles and/or crochet hook, a pattern to guide you through the process, a sewing needle, and WATG patches. 

With colors like khaki green, space black, margaux red and tweed grey, the fall designs are stylish, simple yet structured, and oh-so-fabulously chunky and warm. Perfect gifts for the Bestie, the Girlfriend and the knitting fanatic!

Shown above: 1. Trophy Headbands Kit (Khaki Green / Space Black), $79.99; 2. Yarn (available in store), $24.99; 3. Little Giant T-Shirt Kit (available in Space Black or Khaki Green), $179.99; 4. Foxy Roxy Scarf Kit (available in Khaki Green, Margaux Red or Tweed Grey), $179.99.

No patience for DIY? Come in to the store and try out the ready made knitwear for instant satisfaction! 

1. Finishing Line T-Shirt (in Gold Yellow / Midnight Blue), Kit: $139.99, Knitwear: $209.99; 2. Trophy Headband Knitwear (in Margaux Red), $59.99.

Happy knitting!

Craft Design Technology believes in bringing these three disciplines together by evolving design through the use of craft & technology. We’re excited to bring you this beautiful, functional & enduring line of stationery from Japan.

The high quality tools are everything you will need for a cohesive workspace. Whether you're updating your office supplies, or looking for the perfect gift for the design nerd in your life, you can't go wrong with these pieces. 

1. A5 Lined Notebook, $39.99; 2. Graffiti Memo Pad (shown in Dark Green & Pale Green), $7.49; 3. Graphite Pencils (pack of 12), $34.99; 4. Stapler (available in Black or White), $34.99; 5. Eraser, $4.99.

From Binchotan Charcoal home spa products, to quality housewares from Fog Linen Work, to solid aesthetics and function from Craft Design Technology, you can't blame us for being a little obsessed with Japan right now. 

Have you tried any of the products we've shown in our three part feature? Leave a comment and tell us your thoughts.

You can't go wrong with Chilewich placemats, they're easy on the eyes, as well as easy to clean and maintain. They are Nalla's top pick from Homewerx this week.

Shop our Native shoes selection here.

Japanese designer Yumio Sekine's first Fog Linen collection started with only seven items, when she couldn't find simple, quality textiles for her home. Since then, the line and selection has continued to grow, adapting to fit her household needs.

Produced using materials like raw linen from Lithuania, the integrity and quality of the materials makes Fog Linen Work's pieces long-lasting. The minimal, natural designs age beautifully, embodying style and simplicity. If you appreciate craftsmanship, you will love Fog Linen Work.

Shop our Fog Linen Work collection, a curated selection of napkins, placemats, kitchen towels, trays, bathroom accessories and more.

Believed to have a multitude of beneficial effects, charcoal not only absorb odors, but it can also purify water and air, remove toxins and excess oil from the skin, and more. Unlike the commonly known Black Charcoal, Binchotan (White Charcoal) leaves no residue and is dust-free once it has been washed. It's a natural product with a lifecycle that is beneficial at every step.

The antibacterial Binchotan Charcoal collection, including a facial puff, scrub towel, toothbrush and more, purifies, deodorizes and exfoliates. Introduce these charcoal blended items into your daily routine for an all-natural, recyclable way to promote wellness in your life. 

Made in Japan, each item has a unique way in which the charcoal is infused. The "black" toothbrush ($8.99), for example, has bristles blended with high-quality powder of Binchotan charcoal from Wakayama, Japan. The result is a chic toothbrush, with bristles giving off negative ions, helpful for deodorizing, and for preventing pesky bacteria from growing on the brush itself.

Shop the Binchotan collection online and in store, $8.99 - $24.99.

In mid-August, one of my screenplays brought me to Denmark. The city surprised me with its progressive, almost-socialist film industry working as a healthy machine. I was pleasantly surprised as I discovered so much of our Homewerx product assortment littered in these streets. Scandinavian labels like Normann Copenhagen, Bodum and Menu not only dress up the fancy displays of high-end stores but Danish people inhabit a city where a Wegner chair can be found in the middle of a public plaza. I finally understood that Danish design is a lifestyle that matches a society fascinated by efficiency and harmony.

Scandinavians keep raising generations that don’t feel intimidated by the concept of modern design. Take, for example, Louisiana. The Danish created a museum of modern art that incorporates sculpture, architecture and nature in a single organic space. The result is mind-blowing, as the natural environment keeps changing the museum experience from one day to the other. “Living," the temporary exhibition at Louisiana right now, is sponsored by non-other than Bodum. There’s nothing like watching a dozen kids (5 to12 year-old), running the hills of Louisiana, climbing the wooden installations of “Living” and playing with clay trying to reproduce their own version of a Mirò sculpture.

And what do you think you can find in the store of the most-modern-modern-art-museum… WMF cutlery, Asa boards, the cutest MT tape packages, and the largest collection of Menu utensils I’ve ever seen. The conclusion: modernity shouldn’t be imitated, blindly followed or prefabricated. You have to experience it from within.

Alonso Aguilar Castillo

Homewerx staffer and screenwriter

Just in time for Fall, these printed pillows from Unison are ideal for mixing things up at home.

Combine a variety of prints and sizes to create a dynamic composition, or pop a few select prints along with some solid pillows, new or old. Try the warm tones of the Maritime Square in eggplant or the Stitch Squares in Khaki... we could keep going! 

Hand screened in the US on heavy cotton sailcloth, the graphic pillows feature feather-down inserts and hidden zippers. 

Shop the collection here, $59.99 - $74.99

One of the most widely used tools in industrial areas such as construction sites, the Japanese MT masking tape has now burst into the DIY world. With endless possibilities, the rice paper tape has been used in decor, gift wrapping, scrap-booking projects and more. 

Anxious to play around with the cute patterns and colors, the minute our MT Tape was in store, we started to experiment! Photographed above are some of our results: 

1. Tiny Flag cupcake toppers; 2. A decorated small envelope, perfect as gift wrapping for small gifts or DIY cards; 3. Homewerx's collection of MT Tape, come in to the store to see all our colors and patterns; 4. A plain pen decorated for a new look; 5. Little heart shaped confetti! 

Easy and fun projects that you can make yourself. Try some at home and send us your results!

Check out some more DIY inspiration online:

1. Mini party bunting; 2. DIY Paper Plate Basket (DIY tutorial); 3. Washi Tape fridge magnet pegs; 4. Taped up Mood Board; 5. Simple decorated bottle/vase.

Happy crafting! 

The Scrappy's Gift Boxes are back in stock. If you're running low on your supply, or you just want to see what all the fuss is about, these sets of 4 flavors are a great addition to your home bar.

Each set includes four .5 oz bottled flavors, plus a bonus recipe card to help get you started. Gift Box 1 (photographed above) contains Lime, Lavender, Celery and Orange bitters, while Gift Box 2 packs Cardamom, Chocolate, Grapefruit and Orange.

Some advice from Scrappy's:

"Bitters should be bitter or they will never round out a cocktail. A few drops of bitters should add boldness and intensity to a cocktail, not to mention aromatics. A good test would be to make an Old Fashioned or Martinez with bitters using inexpensive whisky or gin; the bitters should make your cocktail smother and add a bit of flavor.

Methods for tasting include, but are not limited to:

On their own – place a couple of drops on the back side of your hand and lick them off. Bitters should be bitter and very strong in flavor.

With soda – add a few drops to 5-8 ounces of soda water.(for enhanced flavor, add a few drops of simple syrup). This simulates alcohol in that the bitters should be present in flavor in the soda alone and similar to a dry soda with the addition of syrup.

For aromatics – place a couple of drops in the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together to warm the bitters and then smell. The bitters should be quite aromatic enveloping your olfactory."

It was World Toy Camera Day yesterday (October 15, 2011) and there's no reason to stop the celebrating!

We're definite fans of the plastic analogue fun. Check out our staff Lomo contest on our Facebook page. Each one of the Homewerx team was given a Diana F+ with three rolls of colored film, then our top results were uploaded online for voting by you! 

Shop our Lomography camera collection to get in on the fun.

Here's another link celebrating the day, showcasing 30 stunning examples of Lomography results.

Often the question is asked, “Can you please show me a plant that I can’t kill?” Olla Urban Flower Project does not deal in plastic or silk plants so this is a challenging question to field. However, for those looking for an elegant, low maintenance plant for a gift or home, you really can’t compete with orchids.

The orchid varieties that are propagated today offer the viewer months of bloom and a staggering number of exciting designs. Phalaenopsis, oncidium, and jewel orchids are varieties we carry most often and are a cost effective way to deliver long lasting floral impact to your office foyer, bedroom, or other special spaces. Whether you keep your orchid plant long after its blooms have past or replace your orchid quarterly for a perennial show of blooms, orchids will continue to be a supremely gorgeous and celebrated plant for the modern home and work space. 

Maintenance Tip: Even though an orchid’s ideal light conditions are high levels of diffused light, an orchid can survive in shadier conditions for weeks. So if you’re hell bent on placing your orchid in a shady location during its bloom period, consider moving the plant back to a bright location (east-facing window, ideally) so that the plant can be given a chance to re-bloom. Most commercially propagated orchids bloom twice annually.

Thanks for reading,

Megan

Olla Urban Flower Project

Brighten up your cooking routine in time for the holiday feast. Take a look at some of our favorite tools and accessories for the kitchen this fall...

Clockwise from top left: 1. Stretch Pivots, Joseph Joseph $19.99 | 2. Bottle Grinder Set (small), Menu $49.99 | 3. Phagun Mortar & Pestle, Tahir Mahmood $109.99 | 4. Baylun ONE Rolling Pin, Tahir Mahmood $64.99 | 5. 2-in-1 Measuring Jug, Joseph Joseph $11.99 | 6. Square Colander Medium, Joseph Joseph $11.99 | 7. Elevate Carousel Tool Set, Joseph Joseph $84.99 | 8. Dome Onion Bowl, Bodum $9.99 | 9. Rocker Garlic Crusher, Joseph Joseph $19.99.

Shop more of our Kitchen Accessories.

Today is National Coffee Day today in the US, so we thought we'd tag along for the ride and share the coffee love!

Did you know that coffee is the second most traded commodity on earth? That said,  it shouldn't come as a surprise that coffee lovers go to great extents to get their perfect cup o' Joe.

For a daily quick fix as easy the push of a button, many opt for a Nespresso machine. Plus with the help of the Aeroccino, the fresh burst of espresso can quickly turn into a delicious foamy cappuccino or smoth and creamy latte.

For a less techie option (read: affordable), Bodum's Chambord Espresso Maker offers a great alternative. The stylish stainless steel unit brews delicious and quality espresso right at the stovetop.

Another option is a Bodum French press, a brewing device that captures more of the coffee's intesne flavour and essential oils, which would otherwise be trapped in traditional drip brew machine's paper filter. Be sure to use a coarser grind in a French press, as finer grounds can seep through the press filter and into your coffee.  

The Pebo (Santos) from Bodum is another favourite among passionate coffee drinkers. This coffee maker extracts all precious oils from the coffee with its effective vacuum brewing process, entirely sealed off so no aroma can escape. You even get to watch the process through the two attached glass bowls like a science experiment!

The most time consuming brewing process is the cold-brew. Extraction relies on time rather than heat. Coffee grounds are steeped in water for about 12 hours at room temperature, then strained, resulting in a rich coffee concentrate that lasts for weeks in the refrigerator. If you have the patience for this technique , you will be rewarded with  a perfectly smooth iced-coffee, which eliminates any acidity or burnt flavours that are found if the coffee was brewed hot and then cooled.

Enjoy!

(originally posted September 29, 2011)

Currently displayed in our Black & White Gallery Wall is the series A Roll Through Stockholm by Paul Ismirnioglou. Vibrant, colorful and full of depth, the stunning photographs look great together in the gallery or as one hanging on its own. If you were thinking of adding more artwork in your home, these prints are definitely worth a look.

About the artist: Paul Ismirnioglou’s creative inspiration all began in the early 80’s as a child living in San Diego where he was surrounded by skate boarding, music and southern California beach culture.

Eager to be encompassed by the subtle magnitude and urban dwelling of Vancouver, Paul made his way here to explore a new style of west coast living. Inspired to utilize photography as an outlet Paul began to visually document the evolution of street culture using film as his medium of choice. As street culture evolved Paul’s work has expanded through travel and exposure to a global culture.

Paul’s “Roll through Stockholm” show captures mood, culture and a way of life. Working with Mamyia 7, Contax T2, Olympus XA cameras and ten rolls of film this work represents Paul’s perspective of Stockholm and his outlook on Scandinavian lifestyle.

Take a look through more of Paul's work here, or stop by the store to see the series first hand. Prices upon request.

We love our coffee and cocktails!