// TOP 2016

// Location: Studio

Top country songs of 2016 is what I type into youtube every morning before I sit down in the studio. I then pour my first cup of coffee, put on my headphones, and turn the volume up as loud as my ears can take to drain out my thoughts. In return I've become a sappy hopeless romantic who wants a man to love me like a country song. Above are pieces from Collection N 22, ckd's newest wallpaper collection which will be launching next week. Inspired by Morocco, this collection is coming out completely different than expected. In a good way. Maybe it's all the country music. Or maybe it's because my life has been shaken up a bit lately and I've learned to turn that energy into my work - use it to my advantage. It's most likely the country music ; ) Alright, back to work, just wanted to say hi. x -C

// THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE

// Location: Studio 

Last Thursday morning you would have found me sitting on the floor of a my supplier's office. I was printing samples for a segment that might air on television. I am my PR team, my sales team, my marketing team, my design team. Thank god for my family and our Sunday morning coffee meetings or else there would be no team or CKD. While sitting cross legged on the concrete floor with my computer on my lap, I thought "What the hell have you gotten yourself into". These past three weeks have tipped my sailboat over - the sailboat that I was sailing gracefully on for the past few months. My boat was tipped over with no life jacket, and my only option was to surrender and float, or sink. My boat has tipped over before - many times, sometimes in deeper waters - yet this time I freaked out, and tried to latch onto everything or anything I could get my hands on to catch my breath. I know better - that's not the way to float. Floating requires you to be still. I was emotional, then scared, then sad, then happy, then scared, then happy. The many feelings associated with taking risks into the world of the unknown. There's a lot of fear associated with this world. Until I started to listen. I usually drive through my fear as if it's not a real feeling. It is a real feeling, and the moment I started to listen to my fear and understand my thought patterns was the moment my boat started to come closer until I was able to climb back on it. I've learned without fear there's no growth. Fear has become my confirmation that I'm on the right path. Because if something doesn't scare the shit out of me I know I'm not dreaming big enough. This adventure keeps on getting more and more interesting. But wouldn't have it any other way.   

// 10:33 pm

// Location: Planta

Hi. Just took off my makeup and crawled into bed. For some reason I can't find my reading glasses, the words I'm typing at the moment look a little blurry - so bare with me. It was Planta's opening party tonight. I told my sister and brother in law to leave baby O at home and come with me. Thank you Baba. Planta's print was finalized while sitting on an airplane flying from Paris to Florence. I remember the coffee I was drinking [which I dropped all over my white shirt], the water I asked for after, and the movie I put on for background noise, Pan. Naturally. Standing in that beautiful restaurant surrounded by CKD wallpaper was a pretty incredible feeling. Watching other people enjoy the print was a whole other incredible. One of those moments when life felt like a dream. A dream that didn't require me to be sleeping to be apart of - I mean, that's whole other level of incredible I've never experienced before. K, now to go to sleep to dream bigger. Night. x -C

// CKD FOR PLANTA

// Location: Bay & Bloor, Toronto 

Planta, the newest restaurant opening at Bay & Bloor.  Concept - plant based menu, decor -stunning. Planta asked me to be apart of the team just before I left for Europe. My office looked like this and thankfully my location looked like this. The inspiration behind the print was banana-leaf-Beverly Hills-Hotel-except-cooler. This is what I came up with. Excited to see the space when it's all finished. I'll have more photos from the opening this week! x -C

// CKD FOR PANTRY

// Location: Pantry, Rosedale

It's quite the experience walking into the new Pantry location on Rosedale. I can tell you first hand the guys who created this masterpiece haven't slept in a couple months. It's one thing to work with talented architects and designers, and it's another thing to work with the Pantry team. I had dreams of one day sitting in a room full of creative people, screaming out ideas - then coming up with new ideas, and then creating something bigger than we could have imagined on our own. This is what this job was like for me. Reminded me of why I got into this profession in the first place. Pantry is a whole new concept with not only the decor, but the food. Well done Pantry. It looks incredible. Thank you for bringing me on board. x 

// SUMMER SIXTEEN

// Location: CKD studio

This very day last year took place in New York City. I most likely just stopped into Blue and Gold for coffee, said good morning to my friends behind the counter, and began my walk to my office. I worked at Holland & Sherry in the custom rug department. CKD was a company that existed once I got home from an eight hour day. I woke up this morning threw on a sweater, put three cups of coffee into my french press, and walked right into the CKD studio. Crazy how much life can change in just a year. It was the beginning of May when I put together this studio. I was exhausted, very emotional, and exhausted. My days ended at 9:30 pm, and started at 7:30 am. Antony Rush and I revamped the website, I finished Collection N Fifteen, threw myself into projects and somewhere between all of that found my two feet again. So then I booked myself a plane ticket to London with no plans on coming home for 30 days [insert painted nails emoji]. But really, the thought of letting go of whatever it was I had last year felt as if it would kill me, literally. Once I saw this life change has a beginning rather than an ending, that's when I started to see possibilities in every corner of my life. Moving past my fears was well worth it, and surprisingly [or not so] I feel stronger. Summer sixteen, you've treated me well. x-C

 

// OFFICE/HOTEL/PARIS/BATHROOM

// Location: Paris, France.

I only owned that robe for four days until we left Paris for Florence. Then in Florence I crawled into my new hotel robe and it felt equally as delicious. The hotel-bed-robe-wearing office I started to get used to. Americano delivery to my room at 8 am only existed in Florence or else I would have never boarded my plane back home. I was in Morocco when I decided regular travel will become part of my future - for the hotel robes of course. Ok, I'm going to go and make myself another coffee. x 

// I WORK FOR COFFEE

// Location: Baddies 

I'm sorry, I had to. Can I predict this is Toronto's newest selfie station? Anyway... Baddies is officially open, and it looks and it feels, and just is, amazing. Alex and I worked really hard to make sure the wallpaper was perfect. From the life size waves to the Bondi beach inspired print covering the walls - it looks pretty perfect to me. Wanna know a little secret, one of the little Baddies guys sailing on the print is his father. How cool. Yes - naturally I cried a little when he gave me the idea. I seriously have the coolest job ever. Full scope of project has been updated! Click to here, or you can literally go to 679 Lansdowne Ave to see it for yourself! Order the Avo toast - you won't be disappointed. x

// BADDIES

Straight from the airport to the installation at Toronto's newest [coolest] cafe, Baddies. Alex is an Australian who realized Toronto is in some desperate need of good coffee and food [insert avo and toast here]. CKD is lucky to be part of his team. Check out the Bondi details, and the wavy stairway on your stroll downstairs. Congratulations Alex, dreams do come true :)