Listen Up

It has been showing up as floors for a few years. Now the reclaimed wood from the depths of the Ottawa River has been reimagined in a whole new way. Riverwood Acoustics takes preserved birch and handcrafts it into speakers. The plan is to begin production this spring.

Punch Drunk

The standard confetti toss is so passé. Eco-friendly couples are now opting for biodegradable birch bark harvested from fallen trees and hand-punched into tiny hearts, stars, birds and, our personal favourites, maple and oak leaves. Stephanie Halin of Not Mother jokingly calls her labour-intensive confetti (which can be found at Maker House and High Jinx), “my very own $15-an-hour minimum-wage job.” An increasing number of discerning eco-conscious socialites are also using the confetti to decorate their tables at dinner parties.

Glowing Review

Warm, inviting, and oh so serene, this luxurious bathroom by Astro Design Centre’s Janik Lemery takes its influences from nature and Nordic spas. The soft and dreamy design is aimed at taking the owners to a Zen state of mind after even the most hectic day.