my 2 cents on design

The truth about how EMF in your home is connected to your health

Electromagnetic fields, known broadly as EMF, are regions of atmosphere where each point is affected by the Lorentz force. The force is magnetic and acts upon electrically charged particles accelerating them as a result. Both the electrical field and the magnetic force have a kinetic effect on the particles. Now does that not sound like…

Detox power 101 – Reading nooks and what the hype is all about | Part 1

Cleanses, weights-lifting, yoga classes, detox, purging and facials are just some of the perfect fixes for an adult crappy day. And for the lucky some, reading nooks just may do the same. That is, if you’re into reading. It does not need to be a book. It can be a tablet. Should you be into…

How to make most out of your morning ritual when you share the bathroom with your partner, part 2

Sharing a bathroom with a partner does take some work. So how does one make the most of a shared one? If you find yourself in this situation, here is the best way to set it up or, renovate. Two sinks are a must They not only allow to use yours at any time as…

Home Pods: how to make one and what to do with it

Aside from Cleaning Day or, more specifically, the day after when everything is perfect and a pleasure to look at, we don’t really spend time looking at our homes as if we are a visitor in a museum or flipping through a design magazine. We just go about the day and do what we normally…

How to design cities and homes for avatars and robots and why should we consider this

“I’ll be darned if I want to do this again. It’s a pain and I hate it!” If you’ve ever thought that about anything, this is why we need robots. When faced with the choice of doing things we like versus things we do not like, we all, without exception, would rather choose the ones…

What Italian cities and design awards in L.A. have in common

Dear F.T., It’s been a while since I’ve been to Italy. My feet are missing the round cobblestones soaked in the smell of morning espresso that is infusing the already perfumed Mediterranean air. There is nothing like a deep breath of air in that sea-surrounded country. You can almost see the molecules, swirling happily around…

How to make most out of your morning ritual when you share the bathroom with your partner, part 1

Let’s face it, we all want a bathroom of our own. From small grooming rituals to the pleasure of enjoying water on our skin, to the five minutes of peace and quiet away from a busy household, bathrooms can give it to you all. This expected convenience of modern living offers easy body hygiene maintenance…

Three tips for chores made easy when it comes to rug maintenance

I love rugs. They are nice on your feet and make barefoot walking a great sensorial experience. They enhance your tactile connection to your home in a direct and natural way. Aesthetically, any room can go from elegant to fun by swapping a rug and not changing anything else in it. This is particularly useful…

What we had in the hut and lost when we moved to the palace

When we all lived in the hut all things were, apparently, simpler. Rooms were multi-functional, less to clean, less to maintain. There was no need to show off since everyone had a hut and nobody was either on the streets, nor in a palace. Leaders that presumably had bigger huts were not questioned, nor envied…

Backyard detox through design – on a budget or not so much…

Get your detox before the winter with a bit of design therapy. With so little of the summer left, it is high time you do two things: try and enjoy your backyard more if you did not and, plan for its improvement for next year. Renovations are still surging as many Torontonians have opted to…

The cult of wine – introduction to a fulfilling lifepath and what could come with it

My letter to the wine traveler in you.. Dear fellow wine lover, searcher of all things exquisite in life, Wine travel can teach you a lot about how to live well while welcoming you into a cult-like no other. It sets you up for experiences that move imagination and fuel creativity in a way that…

The Canadian cottage reinvented, Drake Devonshire, Prince Edward County, PEC

A staple activity of the Canadian lifestyle, the escape to the cottage sets the weekend entertainment tone of many Toronto families. ‘Modest’ and ‘cozy’ are the typical characteristics associated with the architecture, the interior, and the immediately surrounding landscape. Here family and friends gather to spend quality time together, share meals, stories, and oftentimes, a dip…