I’ve become, slightly to my surprise, the kind of person who really appreciates good linens. Not necessarily fine ones that young ladies traditionally lay aside for their trousseau, but dishtowels and napkins that brighten everyday mealtime tasks. I wandered into Zone Orange, pulled/repelled by the hipster Raplapla dollies in the window, intrigued by a sign’s promise of coffee, and ended up admiring screen-printed linens with bold silhouette designs of an upscale Etsy ethos. Among the pretty and funky ceramics were some flat-bottomed ice cream cones that I could imagine sipping espresso out of. I also liked the "Flirty Everyday Housewife Apron" line, reminding me to get out my mum’s old aprons from her stint in Portugal in the 60s. And the potato mashers with politico faces as the crushing end? Brilliant. If you’re not so kitchen inclined, there are vintage eyeglasses frames, pillows, Mtl icon tees, onesies, and, oddly, lucky carp made out of upholstery cloth.

Galerie Zone Orange

410 St-Pierre; 514-510-5809
www.galeriezoneorange.com