Going Coastal in the Bathroom
When it comes to creating a coastal-inspired oasis in your home, the bathroom is the perfect place to start. With its smaller size and relatively easy accessibility, transforming your bathroom into a coastal retreat doesn't have to be a major renovation project. By incorporating some carefully chosen decor elements, you...
Arranging Furniture in an Open Concept Living Room and Dining Room
When it comes to designing and arranging furniture in an open concept living room and dining room, you have the opportunity to create a harmonious and functional space that seamlessly combines the two areas. Open concept layouts have gained popularity over the years for their versatility, space-saving qualities, and...
California Dreaming!
Coastal Charm: Exploring California Home Decor Styles The state of California is renowned for its beautiful coastline, diverse landscapes, and relaxed yet vibrant energy. With such spectacular natural beauty, it’s no wonder that Californians have brought a piece of the coast to their homes through their home decor styles....
7 Step Guide to Coastal Home Design - It's Easy!
Have you always dreamt of a coastal themed home but not sure where to start? It's easier than you think and can be accomplished in small steps with this basic 7 step guide. Coastal home decor is a design style that has become increasingly popular over the years. Inspired...
How to Be House Proud Without Spending A Fortune
What does it mean to be 'House Proud'? Some believe bigger is better, that home size is connected to one’s level of happiness for their dwelling. Some believe that interiors are the star attractions – shiny new furnishings hit the mark making them social media worthy. Still others believe...
Cottage Kitchen Renovation Project
Those who have followed my blogs the last few years know that I’m kitchen obsessed. Since we did our own dream kitchen, I have devoured anything on this topic, pouring through magazines, glued to watching social media videos and TV shows. We are currently mulling over the idea of...
To DIY or not to DIY. Is it for you?
In the last couple of years, I’ve really become hooked on watching YouTube videos. I even wrote a couple of blogs about it last year. Not surprisingly, my favorite content involves videos related to design and decorating. They’ve inspired me to become more creative, crafty and thrifty with my...
The End of Open Concept?
When and why do trends come in and out of favour? It often feels like an omnipotent force regularly decides our design fates by bringing in new elements at the same time flushing out the over-saturated. Are these changes and decisions made by random thoughts or are they based...
Home Staging Done Right
I recently completed a successful staging project. Although we live in a city where houses practically sell themselves, I would like to think that some of the 16 offers were inspired by my work. I was lucky that these homeowners were really motivated sellers who took my advice on...
Youtube Influencers and Designing Part 2 Who You NEED to Follow
I hope you enjoyed my last blog – the wonderful and crazy world of YouTube. Here is the second half of my review of channels I subscribe to and enjoy. More Youtube and design influencers you NEED to follow!
Youtubers and Influencers You NEED to Follow in Home Design
Snuggle into a comfy chair and get ready for my personal picks and analysis of their content and sometimes larger than life personalities. Here is Part 1 of a 2 part series on Youtubers you should have a look at!
Pandemic Poolside
With the Pandemic keeping everyone at home, many homeowners have turned to installing pools in their backyards. If this is something you are thinking of doing, read on and find out if it's for you!
The Beach Isn't Just For Summertime
If you are like me and live in a four season climate, winter can be harsh and long. It's a major reason why I love the coastal style in home decor - it helps those cold, dimly lit winters feel a little less long. We often think of beach and...
Are you a Coffee or Tea Household?
Coffee or Tea? Answering this seemingly simple question is like entering a minefield of possibilities. When posing this question, I'm inevitably offering a veritable monologue of choices. When purchasing the goods at the store, I end up having to park myself in the aisle stocked full of endless options....
Spring is Here and So Is Cottage Season!
Spring is finally here! It has been a long and frustrating wait. One of the ways that people around here mark the season, is by opening up their cottages and cabins by the lake. We are guardians of a family cottage about 2 hours northwest of our city. It's...
Wanted Dead or Alive - Design Trends to Keep or Not?
Aside from major trend shifts year to year, I like to look at smaller design ideas to see if they also go in and out of favour. You decide whether they should hang around or hang their hats. I have to wonder, is Shabby Chic dead or alive?...
A Curated World
I must admit to not being very confident in my abilities to style a surface. I suspect many of you feel the same way. My interests and abilities lean more toward understanding the guts of a build or choosing finishes or space planning. Perhaps my colleagues would label me...
Bathroom Horror Story - The Powerful Forces of Count Mould
Once upon a time, in a land not too distant from our own, there lived a quiet but mighty Laird named James and his wife Carolina. Unbeknownst to them, a silent but evil darkness had fallen upon their castle. Its musty underbelly had blanketed the walls of their privy....
Three Featured Designers - Philippe Starck, Tom Dixon and Karim Rachid
Philippe Starck, Tom Dixon, Karim Rachid... Do any of these names sound familiar to you? The first is French, the second is English and the third is an Egyptian born Canadian. What do these men have in common? They are all visionary designers and I'm sure you're aware of...
Take Inspiration but BEWARE of Home Design Shows
HGTV (Home and Garden Television) first aired on December 01, 1994. It came into our area, late 1997. I wonder if founder Ken Lowe had any idea of this network's impact, almost 25 years later? I must admit to being an avid viewer and a fan of its various...