Mod On The Road - Day 2 - Meeting Fraser Loveman from 60s group The Modbeats

 

On the second day of our road trip, we woke up in Ste-Catherines, Ontario. A quick stop at the I-Hop and a short hop over a bridge and we were in Niagara Falls. My partner in crime Ben and I were pretty excited to go pay a visit to a true pioneer of the 60s Canadian rock scene, Fraser Loveman, lead singer of The Modbeats. You can read an interview I did with him here.

He had extended an invitation to us into his psychedelic lair full of treasures. Talk about an impressive collection of music! He has amassed, over the years, over 20 000 records all neatly organized. Once the initial shock subsided, I told Ben to pull out a 45 at random and see what we would end up with. Low and behold, he pulled out a Canadian pressing of The High Numbers’ I’m the Face. What are the chances of that happening?

Ben had asked, in a previous conversation, if he had the uber rare 45 from the obscure Canadian 60s Garage group Underworld. Ben had only heard of it and had never seen an actual copy. Of course, Fraser had one. Just seeing DJ Papa Bill mesmerized and salivating over this 7” piece of vinyl had me laughing for 10 minutes, especially when Fraser called him a “poor, sad, little man.”

In fact, laughing is almost the only thing I did for the following 4 hours or so. Just listening to the banter between Fraser and Ben was the most entertaining thing I have heard in a long time. If I wasn’t laughing, my jaw was usually dropped. Fraser showed us some color footage of his band in the early 60s, all dressed in full Mod gear. The go-go dancers, shaking their tasseled mini-dresses perched up high, had me hypnotized. It was IN-CRE-DI-BLE! This was some rare piece of Canadian Mod history I had just witnessed.

The Modbeats circa 1965

One of the lovely Go-Go dancers seen in the video

 Speaking of authentic 60s Mod fashion, Fraser showed me a stunning bespoke olive colored suit he had made back in the day. The slim fit jacket had some great period details like the Mandarin collar  (also known as a Nehru collar) and the covered buttons. It was now my turn to be made fun of for being in awe in front a piece of clothing. 

Tapered leg with frogmouth pocket

Fraser was a tremendously generous host. Aside from a towering pile of records (two of them being signed copies of his 45s) and a couple of magazines, I left with two great items of clothing from The Modbeat’s past. First was a great 60s leather cap that was sometimes known as a Beatle’s cap. 

Next was this cool blue Arrow shirt with contrasting white Mandarin collar. Aside from the fact that I love genuine 60s clothes, especially smart shirts with a contrasting collar, we really bust the coolness scale when you think that this was worn by Fraser himself. I think it’s safe to say that this will stay in my collection.

I not only got to see some incredible memorabilia from the past decades but we got to listen to some amazing music as well. One of the highlights for me was when Fraser pulled out a 3-track test pressing of The Modbeats album. You want to talk rare my friends? The first two demos sounded familiar and eventually made it on the album but the last song was a cover of Walking The Dog. 

How that song never got released, I have no idea. We also listened to Fraser’s audition tape that was made for Motown. It’s a shame that young white Canadians were not in huge demand at Hitsville.

I knew us meeting Fraser was going to happen eventually. What I didn’t expect was how hard I was going to laugh and how time would fly by so quickly. This is all thanks to a witty, sarcastic, funny and warm individual. Hope to see you again soon Fraser!

Mod on the road - Off to Motown - Day 1

 

What happens when you put two record collecting nuts in a car with a full tank of petrol on spring break? You get a road trip to Detroit, Michigan! I thought it would be a great idea to hit the open road with my Modtreal partner DJ Papa Bill. He might only be 19 but he has been digging for soul records since he was 9. That’s right, you read right. But there’s one place where he has never been and that’s Hitsville, USA. So off we were to go worship the Motown gods at the alter of Soul.

After both of us spent the night spinning some sweet Soul music at the Mod Club in Montreal, we didn’t have a minute to spare so we put the pedal to the metal and hit the highway. Our first stop was going to be Toronto, some seven hours away. Thank you Red Bull for the jolt I needed!

As soon as the sun came up, my co-pilot Ben had a strike of genius and looked for flea markets in the surrounding area on his phone. As luck would have it, we found two on our route, the first one being at the next exit in Courtice, Ontario.

Flea markets are usually hit or miss. If you are patient enough and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, you can sometimes hit gold for a pocket full of change. In this case, I didn’t find a 2000$ rare Northern Soul record but ended up with some decent, more common 45s at a 1$ apiece. One of my favorites has to be the Senior Soul single on Double Shot. He is known for doing groovy instrumental renditions of soul classics and garage anthems. This one had an amusing cover of Psychotic Reaction originally done by Count Five.

Just before we left we came upon a kiosk selling vintage musical instruments. A vintage 60s Kay guitar caught Ben’s eye. The price tag said 75$. When we inquired about it, we learnt that we had to multiply the price by ten. There was a 0 the size of a Cheerio that sat next to the 5. We still exchanged a few words with the owner but it’s when he said: “Some people just try to Jew me down” that we decided we had enough. Not the thing to say when your friend standing next to you has Shulman for a last name.

Our second stop was at the flea market in Whitby. This place had a few stalls dedicated only to records but the quality was limited. I still managed to leave with a dozen records for less then 10$. I grabbed a double of The Rationals doing a cover of Respect that I’ve always enjoyed.

Toronto was only a few hours away and Kops Records on Queen Street West was our intended destination. This place has always had a good reputation for having a wide selection of soul 45s. The thing is, they do. The downside is that they are a bit on the pricey side. 

The 45 collection found upstairs

Still smiling even after a night of non-stop driving

We intended on spending some serious cash but I ended  up leaving with only 2 singles. I’m happy with this one.

Ben left with one that he has been obsessed with ever since. You can bet that Barbara Lynn - You Can’t Buy My Love will be part of his regular rotation.

As we were leaving, one of the employees at Kops let us know of a record convention that was held in Hamilton, a town a few hours from Toronto. If we didn’t waste any time in the Queen City we would have a couple of hours to spare. So off we were.

The hustle paid off for me because I found a few interesting singles for a very fair price. The late hour probably helped in the negotiations. One was a UK pressing of My Generation by The Who. Nothing out of the ordinary here but I was happy to have Shout And Shimmy as the B-side.

The Canadian pressing I own has Out In The Street as the flip.  I also got an American pressing of Like We Used To Be by Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames released in 1965. This is something you don't come across often in Canada.

Here are a few more I was glad to have put my hands on for a dollar.

Open The Door To Your Heart - Darrell Banks - Revilot
You're A Wonderful One - Marvin Gaye - Tamla Canada
Security - Etta James - Cadet
Bring A Little Lovin' - Los Bravos - Parrot
Working In The Coal Mine - Lee Dorsey - Quality
Pictures of Lilly - The Who - Decca
Ready Steady Who EP - The Who - Reaction

526 kilometers, 2 flea markets, 1 record store, 1 record convention , 4 pancakes and 26 singles bought. This is what I call a good day.

A Mod in the Making

I just love sweaters that have buttons on the shoulders. They look even smarter if they have mock turtlenecks. There’s something distinctly Mod about them. They look good worn casually with a nice pair of Sta Press and desert boots or you can go for a more formal attire with freshly pressed Farah trousers and Bass weejuns loafers.

Having a fashion sense didn’t come overnight when I turned 16. At a young age, my mother would bring my sister and I to this children’s clothing boutique where they sold high-end clothes. I’m certain that she spent more on clothes for her children then she ever did on herself. Not many of my friends, in the late 70s, would sport exclusive lines imported from Paris. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was pretty fortunate. All I remember is spending countless hours in changing booths.

Ultimately, this is probably where my love for smart clothes came from and specifically my affection for sweaters with buttons on the shoulders. Well, in this case, a picture is worth a thousand words. Here you have it, a Mod in the making. This class photo was taken in 1979 when I was 8. I think that the fact that I chose this outfit for my yearly class photo, probably with some clever influence from a motherly stylist, says a lot about my burgeoning taste in fashion.

Two years later, in 1982, at the tender age of 10, there I am proudly wearing a similar sweater. My obsession with watches also dates from that year. I remember being pleased that this was the assigned pose because that meant that I was going to show off my watch. I had one of the earliest examples of digital LED technology. It came from Birks, a reputable jeweler here in Montreal and was one of my most valued possessions. A couple years ago, nostalgic for my first watch, I bought a similar vintage Birks model online.

Now, back to the modern world! I’m certainly a man that looks to the past for inspiration but my goal in buying the following articles was not to look like a boy. One of my favorite Mod clothing lines is Madcap England. They don’t have a huge collection, but what they have is worth investigating. Distributed by the online retailer Atom Retro, I can attest to the quality of their knitwear. I only have a minor issue with the Madcap brand. The colors seem to fade after a few washes. If you are looking for a vintage look then this won’t be a problem.

The first one I bought was this blue jumper with the red contrasting buttons and piping around the collar and the cuffs. In my opinion a perfect mix of a contemporary look with a retro touch. Worn with a dark pair of Levis and Clarks desert boots, you are in business.

I usually like to wear this sweater with my Diesel watch that has a red band around the dial or this slick timepiece by Fossil, designed by Philippe Starck.

I really like the next piece. It combines two of my favorite elements: buttons on the shoulder and racing stripes! How can you go wrong with that? With black being the template, it makes the burnt orange, reminiscent of the sixties, pop out. I like to wear this with a pair of black tapered trousers and Chelsea boots. 

As for the watch, I often go for this futuristic looking watch from Tokyoflash or this classic chronograph timepiece from Ben Sherman.

Make sure you have a look at what Atom Retro has to offer but beware, you might end up spending a bit more than you anticipated.

Memoirs of a rural Mod from the sixties

 

I’ve often heard Eddie Piller use, on his monthly Modcast, the expression: “Mod is a broad church”. I totally agree. And thank god for it! I certainly don’t ascribe to the narrow-minded view of what Mod is. For example, I’ve often heard (or read) that if you’re not British, you can’t be a Mod. What a bunch of non-sense (to remain polite).

The reason why I bring up that point is that, too often in the sixties, if you weren’t from London, you weren’t the real deal. Unlike today, you didn’t have Google, YouTube or Facebook to make connections with Mods from all over. So if you were outside of London’s influence, it was hard to keep current on the latest fashions and be part of the in-crowd.

That didn’t stop a young Jeremy Norman, from a small village in Norfolk from joining the ranks of the original Mods. A year ago, thanks to this little blog, I came into contact with Jeremy. I asked him if he wanted to relate is unique story of being, as he coined it, a rural Mod in the early sixties. I’m very grateful that he accepted. He exemplifies what truly is clean living under difficult circumstances.

Here is Jeremy’s story, in his own words.

Jeremy in 1967

My home village in Norfolk had a population of 120. The nearest large town was called North Walsham, which was ten miles away. The nearest city, Norwich, was 20 miles away. The village had no bus route and the nearest railway station was 10 miles away.

Before moving on to grammar school, my outlook had been mainly on plastic models and the like, usual small boy stuff. Going to secondary school changed some of that. This would have been in 1961.

Jeremy's grammar school

By 1962, I had started to have an interest in some popular music but was really still tempered by my dad's interest in jazz and blues. This somehow steered me towards some of the more bluesy music. There were no British radio stations that played that kind of music. This was before the advent of local radio. The only chance was to listen to a station called Radio Luxemburg that came within radio receiving range after dark. The reception came and went according to the ionosphere.

At school I made contact with others who liked the same kind of music so we could borrow each other's singles and LPs that we played on a Dansette.

Also, after another year, I remember that there was a change in attitude towards clothing. As we were at a grammar school, we had to wear a uniform, but it began to be ''cool'' to be ultra smart. There was a move away from ''greased'' hair to a natural washed state. Haircuts, had to be short for school rules, but shortness could be combined with smartness. As the years progressed, centre partings or a college boy cut became the norm. You could get ideas from seeing Perry Como, Tab Hunter and Pat Boone, if I remember correctly.

Clothing outside of school became a problem for some of us who had parents who did not allow us to buy our own clothing. At this time I had little income and pocket money was around 15 pence per week. I well remember saving hard for a pair of Levis. They were going for around £5 at that time. My dad refused to let me buy them. He thought it was too much money for jeans, so no street cred there!

I can remember at that time that those at school who had relations in London or had arrived in Norfolk from London, were very individual in their clothing. School blazers were tailored; grey school shirts were sometimes chosen with different collars, button-down or tabbed. Looking back, I can now see this was the influence of Modernism, although we had no real idea.

As school age progressed, the opportunity for part-time and seasonal work brought cash with which I had a say in spending! My parents refused to let me have a scooter at 16, but made me save for a car at 17, which proved to be a bonus.

Clothing was Tattershall check trousers and maybe a cord jacket. Shirts were button-down or the adorable tab collar and slim knitted ties. Friends with scooters had parkas (in those days priced around £4 in surplus stores).  We wore a variety of shoes: desert boots, square toed with centre seams, Hush Puppies maybe. I still remember a friend wearing a pair of white Levis! I had never heard of them before.

Clothing had progressed to Levis for normal wear. We would sit in the sea at low tide to shrink them and we would rub beach sand on them in order to have a faded look. My first suit, when I started working was a blue, wool and mohair three piece. Oh man I was so proud of that! It was made to measure at a tailor’s in Norwich called Chadds. They still have my original invoice! The suit cost me £30 when I was earning £7 per week. Shoes, if I remember correctly, were from a maker called Eaton. They were so soft. When taken off, they shrank and when put on, the leather stretched like a glove.

Jeremy in 1968 in a Burton's Directors 3-piece suit that he paid £25.

I don't remember any badges with roundels on them. We had lapel buttons at the time with things like ''Up is a nice place to be'' or ''Save water bath with a friend''. But it was only for casual dress. Parkas would be adorned with Union Jack flag badges. I remember that those I looked on as icons were mainly ''cool'' and less was more where they were concerned. Scooters would have their size on it, in sticky letters, like LI 150.

It was around that time, while I was still in school, that the Mods and Rockers battles took place at some of our seaside towns like Brighton and Southend. Our local seaside town, that was large enough, was Great Yarmouth. We really did not get too involved as Mods came for further a field for the gatherings and anyway, who wanted to ruin clothes bought with hard earned money by fighting?

Still having to use parents to get a lift to a local town or city meant that visits to gigs were almost non-existent. Although I can remember turning down an invite to see a band in Norwich called the Beatles as I did not think they would catch on.

Being old enough to drive a car was good for me. My circle of friends had no scooters anyway so there was more cred in a car at 17. Transport meant gigs at last. We had a local dance hall in a town called Cromer, where I saw The Action, PP Arnold, Long John Baldry and The Who in later times. We also had bands that we followed around when they played locally, especially Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, Jimmy James and the Vagabonds and Chris Farlowe.

Interesting note: I saw Chris Farlowe for the first time in years about three years ago. I met him during the interval and he was able to tell me where I saw him, the name of the club and the year. He could almost give me the date. He is remarkable and I still watch him whenever I can. I never got to see the Small Faces live but saw the Kinks at a local music festival.

I guess that although we were in a rural area, we kept our own local ''circle''. We still had friends who were able to visit London regularly and we would be able to find out what clothing trends were happening. As our wages increased, we started to spend it on girls. Clothing was still smart, as we had to impress!

I must thank Jeremy for taking the time to memorialize his story. It’s accounts like his that expend our knowledge and enrich the history of our Mod culture.

It just goes to show that Mods can be from different backgrounds and different generations but we all have two things in common. We don’t want to ruin our nice clothes in a fight and we all feel the need to impress the girls…

Collecting Rare Soul Records

The world's most expensive record.

When you collect soul records, you can often encounter some crazy, out of this world prices. What some people would pay for an original, first pressing of a 7” single is hard to believe and even harder to justify to your wife. When I casually explain to some of my uninitiated friends that some Northern Soul records go for the equivalent of a mortgage payment, they all think that I’m pulling their leg. Rarity + condition + desirability = big bucks!

The question remains. Does paying a record an insane amount guarantee that you’ll end up with a great tune? In my opinion, the answer is no. Conventional wisdom dictates that when you have a good tune, you have a commercial hit. But sometimes, great tracks slip through the cracks and don’t have the popular acclaim it deserves. This is the case of small, independent labels that had poor distribution and PR. Mods have been known, over the years, to seek out those unknown gems.

What is great about music like Soul and RnB is that it’s impossible to know everything and you’re always discovering something new. I love scouring flea markets in the hopes of finding a rare record. The thing I can’t wrap my mind around is how come some of these records can fetch a few thousand dollars. I can make a case for a song that will light a dance floor on fire or pull at your heartstrings. What about those songs that are just average or at best, mediocre?

Let me try to illustrate my point. Not too long ago, I came across this record from The Jokers on eBay. I didn’t know anything about it and was curious to hear how it sounded. “Alright, that’s an OK song. Nothing that blows my mind”, I thought to myself.

Out of pure curiosity, I decided to follow the auction. Would you be surprised if I told you that it ended at 1500$! I investigated a little bit further and found that it’s the actual going rate. I know that when I started to seriously collect 45s, I thought you had to be a lunatic to pay more than 40$ for a record. I have since loosened my purse strings a bit. But 1500$? Really?

I say I collect records but in reality, I don’t. I buy vinyls to play them. The number one reason why I spin these little round disks is to make people dance. It’s that simple. If I had a record that expensive, I probably wouldn’t DJ with it. I would be too afraid that I would accidentally break it, loose it or have it stolen. The worst-case scenario would be to have beer poured on it. Now you’ve ruined two precious things!

Aside from owning something really rare, what justifies paying those kinds of prices? It’s not like a piece of art that you can display for everyone to enjoy. Now let’s compare it with one of my all-time favorite soul tracks. Give Me One More Chance by Wilmer and the Dukes was a minor hit in the Buffalo, upstate New York area in 1968. I paid 5$ for it a couple of years ago and it gets a crowd going every time. Grant you; it’s not that rare. But between you and me, I think it’s far superior then The Jokers song. Even if it wasn’t as good, is The Jokers worth paying 300% more?

Some people might throw that argument in my face when they learn of the prices I paid for original 60s scooter accessories for my Vespa or my Lambretta. Good point. But at least I can drive down the street on my scooter, showing off the shinny accessories!

Paying 1500$ for a record! Now I know why they are called The Jokers.

Parka Avenue is 2 years old!

Just like last year’s post, these next few paragraphs are meant to thank all the great people who have contributed and inspired me in making this labor of love a reality. Let the love fest commence!

First, let me start by saluting a few of my favorite “rival” blogs. To the new kid on the block, Mod Male, keep up the great work. You are a true inspiration. I’m always amazed at how similar our views are on a lot of things. Anorak Things, I’m continually impressed by your vast knowledge of music. Keep it up! The Vermodernist is the underdog of all Mod friendly blogs. Writing about all things vintage from a small town in Vermont, USA is quite a feat. I salute you Jen and Eric.

The Mod Generation might not be a blog but it is certainly one the most comprehensive websites about our beloved scene. Stephen Hughes is continually improving upon it and the people that visit the forums are class acts. A special shout out to the Twitter Mod Collective (#twittermodcollective), you contribute to keeping the scene alive.

I have a special thought for all my fellow DJs from home and abroad. One of last year’s highlights was, without a doubt, MODchicago’s Our Way of Thinking weekender. I had the pleasure of rubbing elbows with some of the best wax spinners this side of the Atlantic: Dave Monroe,  Brian E Harris,  Amanda Otto, Dan Melendez, Moe Madness and PsychedAlex.  It was a great opportunity to meet some of the great DJs from Europe, Dante Fontana and Laurent Réus. This wouldn’t be possible without our beloved ringleader Sir Eric Colin. Hope to see you again in 2012 my friend. And Suzy Q, we have to share the bill some day!

My trip to Boston also permitted me to rub elbows with some of the best soul DJs around. Ty Jesso is certainly at the top of that list in my book. And thanks to PJ Gray and Sean Quinn, the Soulelujah night will remain a shinning beacon. I have to thank the Boston contingent consisting of Dandy Dan, Catherine, Eric P, Elker and Allison for making me feel part of the club.

Our small but loyal scene is also why I keep this blog going. To my DJ friends Papa Bill, Lee Modern, Toby, Eric B., Oliver Twist, Daniel Fiocco, Michel Alario, Mimi la Twisteuse, Sébastien Desrosiers, Aaron Maiden, Alex DJMagnificient Edwards, Scott Birksted and Flipped Out Phil, I hope we get to lay down some more groovy tracks together in the near future. 

DJ Papa Bill

Sebastien Desrosiers from the great French radio show Mondo PQ and the blog of the same name

Daniel Fiocco aka Napoleon 67 and I spinning at the Bubble Beat New Years Eve party

Aaron Maiden from CKUT's Roots Rock Rebel radio show

 
To all those in need of a good dose of 60s music on a Thursday night, the Korova is the place to be. You’ll find my mate Trevor aka Tinsoldierman manning the decks on a regular basis at the Pills, Thrills and Bellyaches.

Heartfelt and sincere gratitude goes to Gilles, Martin and Julie from the Atomic Café for letting me host the new monthly Modtreal night. 

I always wanted to start a night where you would only play the most obscure 60s tracks at a speed of 45rpm and people came for that reason. The Atomic Café is giving me this opportunity and I hope I won’t disappoint.

2011 has been a busy year for our local Mod bands, Kid Sentiment and the Chelsea Beat both came out with great albums. The Kid Sentiment Power Pop gem is available for download on iTunes. 

Le Chelsea Beat went the extra mile and put their LP out on vinyl. You want the perfect mix of Mod, Psych, Beat and Freakbeat with a French touch all mixed into one? You'll find it here. 

To Scootart, our one and only vintage scooter shop in town, I had the pleasure of visiting you a few times this year and you really have made my life easier. Plus, you have introduced me to my mate Dominic.

Caroline and Dominic, proud owner of a newly restored 1972 Vespa Rally 180 from Scootart

 
And finally to all of you readers, I truly value your support. As a small show of  my appreciation, I decided to organize a little raffle. Up for grabs is a small MP3 player filled with some of my favorite Northern Soul, RnB, Beat, Garage, Yé-Yé, and Psych tracks from the past year. You’ll find the entire Top 10 Northern Soul and Garage tunes from my two previous posts.

To enter is as easy as yelling We Are The Mods . All you have to do is share with us your favorite 60s song in the comment section below. You’ll get an extra chance of winning if you Like the Parka Avenue page or share this post on Facebook. I will gather all of your names and toss them in the ol’ pork pie hat. The contest ends in exactly a month. Good luck!

Building a Mod retreat

 

What do you do when you love to collect mid-century modern furniture but you don’t have spare space to put it? It’s simple. You build a mezzanine!

Since the first time I laid eyes on the building plans when I bought my loft on paper five years ago, I knew that one day I was going to add a mezzanine. With 14' high ceilings, it’s a shame not to take advantage of the vertical space.

More easily said then done, you need a vision, a healthy bank account and a trusty contractor. Luckily, the last two came in the form of an amazing family. My wife’s parents and my own parents teamed up to offer us a generous wedding present. 

First, define the space and frame it.

This will be the future reading and listening corner situated above the loft's entrance.

The futur bedroom

I can’t thank my father enough for spending the better part of 3 weeks turning my vision into reality. He not only provided skilled labor and a detailed plan, worthy of a seasoned architect, but also transmitted his passion for work well done and attention to detail.  If only I was this talented! It was equally pleasant to have my father-in-law join us on the weekends to lend a helping hand. 

My father on the left and my father-in-law hard at work

 

Built almost entirely of cedar, I thought it would match perfectly the existing 100-year-old columns. To add that modern look, some glass blocks made up part of the guardrail. 

Glass blocks were used only for part of the wall. One reason why is that they are bloody expensive. Plus, they are hard to displace if you need to move large pieces of furniture upstairs. So a section of the guardrail was built using industrial steal tubing and wooden posts. This gives the part of the mezzanine with less direct sunlight more light. 

One section of the rail’s tubing is slightly smaller in diameter then the next so that one can slide into the other. One of the posts can also be easily removed which leaves a large opening.

An engineered wood floor was chosen for it’s practical and economical advantages.

Elegant cedar planks were used for the ceiling of the first level to mimic the factory's original mill-floor ceiling.

What I think is the most impressive part about the design my father came up with for building the upper level is that nothing is permanent. Although the structure is very sturdy and solid, it’s the equivalent of a giant painting hanging from the wall. Every piece of wood is screwed in so if a future buyer doesn’t appreciate the extra room, it could all be taken down easily.

I would never paint wearing a Fred Perry but doing it in a Lacoste is acceptable.

Mezzanines are most often used as bedrooms and we won’t break with tradition this time. With the ceiling less than 5’ over your head, your options are limited. One area will be used as a reading and listening corner. A Space Age, Mod decor is in the works. Only 60s vintage furniture and accessories will be part of the landscape. This is when the fun begins for me! Picture Eames, Saarinen, and Panton for a mental image. Small halogen spotlights were also added under that section to add much needed light to the loft’s entrance. 

The bed's new home.

All that planning freed up space in the former bedroom to organize a proper office. I’m working on an antique industrial look that is the new trend in lofts and seem to be all the rage in Europe. Expect a future post on the design of the new office.

A huge thank you to my whole family for all their support. In the coming weeks, get ready for the more interesting part: the decorating. Now, that’s MY domain!