Michael Shaikin, owner of Ottawa-based The Modern Shop, wants to bring a fresh take on modern design to Canada. As the former owner of a vintage resell shop, Michael certainly has the retail chops for this venture. And with an eye for great designs from Europe and the US, he has style covered, too.

This recent house tour -- Mary Lee's Life in 300 Square Feet -- is a perfect example of carving out a bedroom space even in a small studio. By day this room serves as cozy little living room, complete with a home office. By night, the sofa folds out, the bedding comes out of the storage cubes, and voila -- a bedroom. I rounded up a shopping list of the essential components of Mary's living room, along with a quick guide to why it works...

It's the workhorse of your living room, subjected to spills, snacks and couch surfers, so should you spend a lot or a little? The New York Times analyzes the couch. More

The camelback sofa is a great choice for fans of traditional styling. Aptly named for its curved back, the sofa comes in a variety of styles - one hump, two humps and barely there curved back. Check out 10 versions of this classic style after the jump...

A couple of days ago, Kathleen dropped a cherry bomb on all of us with a roundup of rooms featuring red sofas. Inspired by that roundup, I went in search of sofas in a range of reds and varying price points so that we can all get the look in our own homes. 

Red lipstick took off as a trend last year, for good reason — it's flattering and adds just the right amount of drama to an outfit. A cherry red sofa can have the same desirable effect on your living space. More

Devyn Tufted Daybed
• $1599 -1699
• Restoration Hardware Baby & Child

For the pint-sized sophisticate. And for tired moms who can't make it back to bed after night time feedings.

The living room in Pam & Bryan's Comfortably Creative Family Home has the perfect mix of neutral and bold. By keeping the walls and trim light and bright, the couple is given a lot of leeway for getting creative with furniture. Mixing a neutral boxy sofa with wild patterned chairs creates a playful look without overwhelming. 

Whether it's my desire for warmth in the midst of winter or my recent obsession with various shades of orange and metallic, the tangerine and gold duo puts a smile on my face. More

Scrolling around through Pinterest the other day, I stumbled upon a blog post that should be bookmarked by any mid century modern lover who may be planning a new sofa purchase — a resource guide with 28 sources for affordable mid-century modern style sofas…