Name: Melissa Agostino and Henry Tyminski of Sali Tabacchi
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Size: 600 sq. feet
Years lived in: 1.5
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We have a "thing" for small spaces here at Apartment Therapy - we love them and love featuring them. Melissa and Henry's place is no exception - in fact, it stands out as a great example of how to do it right - they not only are self-described "pack rats" who made room for their collections, but they also work and run their business out of the same space. That's some small space skills!
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Melissa and Henry founded graphic design studio Sali Tabacchi in 2007. Since December of 2008, Melissa is also the Art Director of Azure Magazine. From 2003-2007, they lived in worked in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Their small loft-style home and studio is perched on the 4th floor of a building in a quiet residential neighborhood which has a long history. It was completed in 1873 and was in use as a bread factory from 1919 – 1957.
AT Survey:
Our style: Retro-vintage-kitschy-modern
Inspiration: We are pack-rats and love searching antique sales and junk shops for “just the right thing”. We are attracted to graphic pieces that are either illustrative or contain typography or letters/numbers, mixing of bold styles and colours.
Favorite Element: The view of the Toronto skyline and bright mornings
Biggest Challenge:
Making the space suitable for both work/live, since we also use the space for our graphic design studio, Sali Tabacchi
Storage, storage, storage
What Friends Say: Awesome view!, love the building, great neighbourhood, cute/cozy space, “It’s so quiet” up here
Biggest Embarrassment:
The amount of Ikea items we currently own!
The style of kitchen cabinets/counter and bathroom (not shown) – we’re not crazy about them, but we are too lazy/busy to do anything about it at the moment.
Proudest DIY: Two 9ft tall industrial shelving units created from six 3ft tall pieces purchased from Home Depot. We had masonite panels cut to fit the sides and back of the shelves and painted them with green chalkboard paint – great for making spontaneous notes and personalized greetings to clients and guests.
Biggest Indulgence: Our vast collections of vintage items/junk
Best advice: It’s possible to create a real multi-functional space even if it’s tiny. We achieved this mostly with our work table that we use for everything - working, entertaining, cooking and creating.
Dream source: Lately, we’re in love with all the items that Blu Dot is producing, especially would love to have one of their x-large “Strut Tables” and set of “Real Good chairs” around it.
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Resources:
Work area:
- Industrial shelving Home Depot, cut masonite panels, green chalkboard paint
- books, vintage/antique items, letters, etc from various places collected over the years
- cardboard storage boxes from Ikea
- Vintage “Sali e Tabacchi” metal sign (1950s or 60s) from a shop in Italy (bought on eBay) that inspired our graphic design studio’s name
- “Forsby” wood work table from Ikea
- church pew bought at antique fair
- retro vintage kitchen chairs (blue), vintage couch collected over the years
- vintage flower “genetics” diagram pull-down from antique fair in Utrecht, The Netherlands
- window removable fabric panels custom sewed, fabric from Ikea
In front of bedroom window:
- 3ft industrial shelf, also from Home depot, with vintage “vino” jug and “Love is Blind” vase from Jessica Lertvilai on top
- 2 Danish modern chairs from local church bazaar
- behind window – roll-down shade from Ikea
- pillow by fashion designer Bas Kosters, Amsterdam
Bedroom:
- “Mandal” Bed frame with storage underneath from Ikea
- vintage paint-by-number paintings from eBay, Goodwill etc.
- “Billy” bookshelf with glass door and DIY painted “1”
Hallway:
- multiple “Besta” cabinets from Ikea placed side by side
- “Biby” glass cabinet from Ikea, contains a small selection of our much larger collection of vintage “perpetual calendars” from around the world, kitschy metal souvenirs from all the cites we’ve ever visited and various other vintage letters and misc. printing-related pieces
- on the wall/sitting on shelf: various vintage signs, French perpetual calendar and rubber stamp alphabet collected from our travels in Europe. Ceramic bowl made by a friend in Amsterdam and paintings done by Henry.
Throughout:
- Click Rail picture hanging system (ashanging.com)
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(Thanks, Melissa and Henry!)
Gorgeous stuff! And so tidy too! I love all the items and that it doesn't seem like clutter. An inspiration to really have only what you love in a place.
view lemort1's profile
I love it. It is so fun and bold and set up just right
view jessroo's profile
Cute! Echoing lemort1, I'm amazed that it's so full of stuff yet doesn't seem cluttered. Inspiration for dealing with some of my husband's collections, thanks much!
view whytephoenix's profile
It's all about making your space multi-task for you. And the more vintage objects you include, the better!
view Paul @ StructureHub's profile
great use of space, esp considering they're self-described pack rats & work from home--a real multifunctional inspiration!
view timmy jr.'s profile
lots of fun stuff to look at! i would love visiting this place.
view lipstickonyourteeth's profile
So much fantastic vintage goodness!
view waxyhearts's profile
Love all the vintage items! That bedding is totally groovy! Would love to know more about it. Your home is very inspirational thanks so much for sharing!
view suzy8track's profile
Love it!
view Lillian's profile
I'd love to see more pictures of the apartment, funky and all that your collections are... I can't get a sense of the layout. What I can see looks wonderful
view Maurs's profile
Bedding=IKEA (I have it in blue/turquoise) The pattern in it seems to be their mantra, I'm seeing it repeated in a lot of things there.
view dn's profile
I love it, and I am ESPECIALLY coveting that Italian Tabacchi sign - wherever did they find it?
view becky's profile
Great looking window coverings - how do they work?
view luna's profile
Can you explain how you made the window removable fabric panels? They look so, so great.
view pudgy-girl's profile
dn: Thanks for the info about the bedding. I thought it may be Ikea, but I wasn't sure.
view suzy8track's profile
Thanks for all your comments :)
Yes, the bedding is Ikea
The Sali e Tabacchi sign is vintage (50s-60s) - from a corner shop somewhere in Italy, bought on eBay (we actually have 2 others)
The window fabric is also Ikea (love their fabric selection). It's 2 flat pieces, I had the edges sewn and I added eyelets to the top edge and they hang from dark brown screws (like the window frame) - so they're practically invisible when the coverings are not needed.
view salitabacchi's profile
Super-duper apartment! Such artfully corralled eclectica. And a special thanks to Melissa and Henry for turning me on to Ikea's Biby cabinet: I've been holding out for the perfect antique medical display unit, and in the meantime my... things... have sprawled and taken over. The Biby is cheap and cool enough to stand in while I wait for that perfect buy.
Oh, and for those interested in Tabacchi signs... they used to hang outside any Italian shop or bar selling cigarettes. Don't know if they still do, but that's another option if you can't find any on eBay. Use your Hunt For the Elusive Tabacchi Sign as an excuse to take an Italian vacation.
view rosenatti's profile
YOWZA! That's what I call style. Please tell me you have a side business selling some of that cool stuff you're displaying - I would save up to buy sooooooo much of it. I'm seriously thinking of stealing your window panel idea. Thanks for sharing!
view cleanlines's profile
Nice color palettes, furniture and accessories, but there were too many pics of that and not enough of the space as a whole. Having a small house myself (730 sq ft) it would helpful to see better layout and flow of their space. Thanks.
view KYL's profile
Yes, this is an attractive fun apartment. I like the modest but charming print on the sofa, the many books, and the important collection of perpetual calendars.
view AustinSarah's profile
This is a really cool small space! It's really inspiring to see how they've managed to incorporate their collections into their decor, even when space is at a premium. Like KYL, I'd love to get a better idea of the space as a whole. Maybe a floor plan that shows how the furniture is arranged?
view msbetsy's profile
Amazing place! It's so cute.. and FUN!
Can you do a DIY post on making of that shelf?
And where is that green calendar from?
THanks!
view Alexis9's profile
Such a beautiful, cool and fun space. Loves it!!!
view gryt's profile
The paint-by-numbers are so great
view Stephanie K's profile
Love the fire blanket box and the German W sign
view designdaddy's profile
Yay, this is in the Argyle! Amazing job...I will cite this example to my boyfriend next time he insists I purge my belongings.
view estydesign's profile
nice space. Argyle lofts, right? On Dovercourt.... ( a few blocks from where I'm at)
love the collections and use of the space though more pics of the space and layout would be helpful in seeing the full feeling of the space.
R
PS. Always loved those Tabacci signs in Italy an in places like Terroni here in TO.
view rkuchinsky's profile
Great space. I love all the perpetual calendars and other collectables. Will try the bookcase idea - never thought to put wood with green chalkboard paint on side - inspiring!
Where is the green calendar (small green squares) from?
Thanks again.
view bonbon's profile
Alexis9 and bonbon: the green squares calendar was bought in a vintage furniture shop in Amsterdam - but I assume it's originally from France since it's in French.
And Alexis9: Was thinking of putting together a DIY step-by-step of the shelf eventually - will let you know if I ever get that together ;)
view salitabacchi's profile
Thanks again for all your kind comments! :)
For those of you in Toronto - our space is also featured in the new Fall 09 issue of Design Lines - available free at shops, showrooms, cafes and galleries across the city:
http://designlinesmagazine.com/magazine/wheretofind.php
view salitabacchi's profile