Candice Olsen and her use of space...

It's Friday, though not the Friday I was hoping for. I have two little gals under the weather and my 4 month old had a fever last night and was waking up pretty much every hour! Thank goodness for coffee. The day was planned for lunch/playdate with a girlfriend and afternoon at the park, well scratch that, it's all about getting well today. Anyway...back to my post.

I am a fan of Candice Olsen. She is a designer in Toronto, Ontario. She was recently on a local talk show and discussed the idea of designing for a space you will actually use. Instead of your typical living and dining room she likes the "lounge" approach. Have a space that you can entertain in and may suit a lifestyle of more casual gatherings and well, lounging. I love this idea. I have a more formal living and dining space, which I do adore, but the idea of having space where people can put there feet up, take a seat in the corner to eat some food and generally relax in a cool atmosphere is very appealing. She combines the function of a room in an unexpected way. I've often thought of adding a desk to my living room area as it seems like it would be an inspiring place to sit. Here are some examples I found of her work and how she has combined function with fantastic style. Enjoy...

Love the banquet. Can't you see this area as the perfect place for a cocktail party!?

White and blue...love.  What a great space -  sitting area, desk, window seat.

Again, she's made the eating area almost part of the living room, so cozy.

What a great space!

Okay, this one is not really like the rest but I have basement/playroom ideas on my mind and like the feel of this...