Dispelling The Decorating Myths

In today’s decorating, any style goes. Decorating is a very subjective topic. Questioning traditional practices is important when establishing one’s own ”personal style”. There are many decorating myths and I would like to dispel some of them here today.


MYTH 1. The ceiling should always be white.

White is not always the most desirable colour for the ceiling. Our eyes are attracted to objects that stand out and white stands out the most because it has the highest light reflective value. You may want a darker ceiling where the preference is to bring the eye back down to head level. To keep height though, you want white.

MYTH 2. An all white room seems larger.

A room that is all white or all black or all any colour will seem larger than one with many colours in it. Why? It is the contrast in colour that makes a room feel smaller. Think of the one wall darker than the other three, that one dark wall comes at you full force, whereas if the whole room is painted the same colour the space expands, no matter what colour is used.

MYTH 3. Trim must always be painted white.

This subjective area really depends on how decorative the trim is in your home, this will decide whether is it to be accented. White is commonly used however, a lighter or darker shade of the wall colour adds dimension to the room. Contrasting colours can also work well.

MYTH 4. Only certain colours go together.

All colours can be combined. It is the combinations that depend on personal taste and the space it is being placed. What is pleasing to one is not to another. A unifying factor, such as a fabric can blend colours together better.

MYTH 5. Paint colours must match furniture exactly.

Paint colours selected from patterns and colours in furniture, do not have to match perfectly, they do however need to be from the same family of colour and the same tone. Using lighter or darker versions can be very effective.


MYTH 6. Pink is for girls; blue is for boys.

Thankfully this stereotype is disappearing. Children’s rooms are taking on more character and creative use of colours, textures and themes. Though the feel can be distinctly masculine or feminine, the colours used are quite interchangeable.

MYTH 7. There should be only three patterns per room.

As long as the overall effect is not confusion, use as many patterns as you are comfortable with. Generally things done in three’s are pleasant to the eye, however with guidance, a myriad of patterns can be combined to make a beautiful palette of colours.

MYTH. 8. Always decorate around the sofa.

While it is generally one of the focal points of a room, it is not necessarily the only focus. When choosing a paint colour determine what you want to see in the room. Bear in mind all the items going into the space. Use of contrasting or complimentary colours can prove quite pleasing.

MYTH 9. Some colours are taboo.

Any colour can be used, a few colours, like black, dark brown and red can be used quite effectively especially when a little drama is required. Used in combination with other colours they can be incorporated into most rooms.

MYTH 10. Continuity means same colour throughout.

Colour continuity doesn’t mean having to paint the whole house the same colour. As long as there is a relationship between the colour scheme that moves from one room to the next. The use of unifying colours in adjoining room’s make them seem similar while looking different.

MYTH 11. Paint a long narrow hallway end walls dark.

Actually the opposite is true. When you paint an end wall darker than the side walls you are, in fact, making the end recede and are causing the hall to look even longer and narrower. If you want the hall to look wider, paint the long walls one shade and the end walls a darker shade of the same colour. It should visually push the walls out making the hall feel wider.


MYTH 12. The living and dining rooms must be the same colour.

Unless they are one long room, it’s not necessary. Even an archway between can provide the opportunity to change colours. Some common element should be used, a pattern, texture or furniture style will pull them together.

There are many other myths out there so, if you are still confused or have other questions about your decorating, don’t hesitate to contact me, I would love to hear from you.

Real Estate Trade Show

Yesterday we brought our display booth to the Ottawa Real Estate Trade Show. It was held at the Centurion Centre, which I think is a great location and the facility is wonderful. This trade show is only open to real estate agents. I want to thank the more than 300 agents that stopped at our booth to say hi and to pick up a brochure. The real estate industry has been very good to us over the years referring many, many clients to us. I think we have worked with clients from almost every real estate company in Ottawa. We also had two draws for a one hour consultation gift certificate, as our way of saying “thanks for dropping by”. The winners were Jacquie MacDonald from RE/MAX Metro-City and Irwin & Mindi Hartman from Royal Lepage Team Realty. Congratulations to both winners.

The Shower

Showers are no longer just a place to clean our bodies from the daily toils. They can be body massages, rain forests and steam baths. From beautiful tiled walls with clear glass enclosures to open showers that resemble roman baths and benches to enjoy an environment that delights the senses.

Showers cascade waterfalls, gently sprinkle rains and pound with body massage jets like the surf itself. Inspirational, relaxing and truly one of the most powerful moments of pleasure. Custom showers with adjustable jets, rain shower heads, waterfalls and steam baths are all available to create that spa like experience in your own home. Home hydro-massaging systems have integrated heating systems to maintain a constant water temperature while a recirculating pump keeps the water coming until every inch of your body is relaxed.

Now that I have gone through all the elements to have that perfect bathroom, why not call me and I will help you obtain that oasis you have been longing for!

The Whirlpool

Experience the whirlpool. No longer just the water jets, but air and water combine to provide variable speed effervescence and the ultimate in relaxation. Tubs come in every configuration you can imagine and work to fit your space. Whether a retrofit into an alcove or a tub centered in the room under the stars visible from the skylight above, every element of escape can be created in the privacy of your home.

Water is a natural way to rejuvenate your body, mind and soul. Bubblemassage, Aromatherapy Chromatherapy are all part of a multisensory hydrotherapy treatments that have until now been obtainable only at the most exclusive spas. You can have them all in your home. Creating a space that permits the indulgence of a spa within your walls to use at your leisure and once you have it, there is no further cost.

The whirpool experience is one that creates a sense of well being, for a private escape and a time for true relaxation. With floating remote controls there is no need to change positions to alter the function desired. It is at your finger tips. Extra deep tubs envelop your whole body, caressing you with warmth and effervescing water from back jets and neck jets. Adjusting to every contour of your body to relax and invigorate. Experience gentle massage combined with the colours of calm. Chromatherapy concepts are introduced to seduce your body and mind into relaxation as full spectrum colour gently washes over you. Coloured lights follow a sequence or you can choose a single colour that provides you with the most in leisure.

Next time the shower.

The Toilet

The toilet, we think of it from its functional point of view and while that is important the style also represents the continuation of the overall look that the room will have. From sleek low style, traditional raised back with decorative bases to a “hat box” fashion that will have them guessing where the toilet really is. Flushing mechanisms are refined to provide low water consumption, with effective waste elimination. You can even add power to the flush with discrete motors that eliminate the need for any visible tank.

No toilet would be complete without the seat. Not just any seat will do. Add a slow closing seat that not only doesn’t slam, it provides additional safety and hygiene not to mention those late night ventures into the dark that often end with splash down and shock. For those who want the ultimate in potty comforts the heated French Curve toilet seat by Kohler is truly a luxury you will wonder how you lived without. With even heating across the surface of the seat that is maintained at a comfortable 25 degrees above normal room temperature, your sit will be most enjoyable.

Next I will talk about the whirlpool bath!!

AHHH, THE BATH!

Over the next few blog postings I want to talk about the luxurious bathroom. Each posting will cover each component of this wonderful space.

Not simply a utilitarian space, your bathroom is your private place to relax and unfetter your senses. Appealing to that sensation of the spa and introducing it into our everyday lives, is becoming a reality when building our dream homes or renovating to allow the home bath experience to be one of our creature delights.

Water. The quiet simplicity of water, we love it. We go to places where the changing forms of it inspire us. From the rain shower, to the steam bath, the turbulent waters of the whirlpool and the crashing surf of the sea. Take all of these and transform them into the home spa. Luxuriate in the warmth, tantalize our senses and relieve our stresses. Capturing the feeling and the art of water in motion will achieve all of this.

The variety of inspiring luxurious products designed to compliment each other will astound. Remember the day when having a bidet was representative of a beautiful bath. And should you have a shower separate from the bathtub, well that was everything. Not so today. The options, styles and variety is, while enticing can be very confusing. We will review some of the items and upgrades to introduce into your bath with some explanation as to some of the differences. Let your senses soar. Use your imagination and create the bath of your dreams.

Let’s start with that bidet. Let us start from the early beginnings of the luxurious bath. Think of a bidet as a miniature bath, at a comfortable sitting height, that provides partial bathing and soft sprays to soothe our human conditions. The style compliments the toilet that is installed next to it. Sleek, contemporary to traditional and elegant. Convenient, clean and simple using a bidet for both men and women offer hygienic fresh water sprays that provide comforts beyond tissue. The picture I show here of the bidet is from Kohler’s website,

Next time I will talk about the toilet.

Budget, why do we need to know this?

Of all the subjects I get asked about from other designers, the most frequent one is, how do you get people to tell you the budget and when they do, be honest about it. The budget, or investment you want to make on a project, is the most important piece of information you can give to your designer. Simply put, we can’t do our job without it. As an example, lets say you want us to help you re-do your living room. You want new furniture, area rug, new window treatments, lamps, etc. You want to have the room painted and the hardwood floors re-finished. Once we discuss all of that the next question I ask is how much do you want to spend on this project? Now if you tell me you don’t know care you want it to look great, you want the wow factor!! My come back to you would be, “so it is ok if I send $150,000 to do the room”. After you pick your jaw off the floor, you look at me and laugh and say of course not. So you do care how much I spend of your money?? At that point I have a very serious discussion with you about money. I often have it said to me, “well if I tell you that I would be willing to spend $30,000, you will spend it all”. My answer is yes I will. I could also spend $12,000 too. However, if you are expecting the look that $30,000 will give you, don’t tell me that you will spend $12,000 and in your mind be prepared to go to $30,000 if need be. The problem I will run into is, as I work on your project and work hard to keep on your $12,000 budget by choosing cheaper furniture, cheaper fabrics, maybe blinds for your windows rather that a beautiful soft treatment that would have looked awesome. I will have to compromise on quality to stay on your budget. There is nothing wrong with that at all if that is truly what you want. I think you get the picture. I can guide you for what you need to spend to get the quality and look based of the rest of your house, but the final word is yours on budget, you just have to be up front about it. Once I have put your project together and return to your house to present it to you, you will be very disappointment in what I am showing you, with me staying on the $12,000 budget and you having it in your head, that you would spend $30,000. The best example of this is going through model homes. Go through a model home worth one million dollars and then go through one that is worth $500,000 and see how disappointed you are in the $500,000 model. It doesn’t mean that the $500,000 is not a great house; it just means you are not comparing apples with apples. Keep that in mind when you are doing projects around your house. You truly get what you pay for. I am not saying it is wrong, just different. I will work with any budget and if I think that the budget you have is not enough to do what you want done, I will tell you that too. Sometimes you have to do projects in stages based on budgets. This is much better than trying to do everything at once and compromising on quality. Let me guide you with that, I have been doing this a long time and have lots of experience with it.

What is Accessorizing?

In a follow-up to my post of August 27th and the trade show I attended to buy accessories for clients. I often get asked what is "accessorizing"? Putting the finishing touches on a room is the best way to describe what accessorizing is. One of the best ways to understand home accessory is to consider how you accessorize or finish yourself. It's about putting your best self forward. Most of us, when we go out make an effort to look our best. And we have all seen how an outfit can be pulled together with the right scarf or necklace. The same principal applies when it comes to decorating your home. A truly complete look that reflects your individuality is achieved by using accessories.

There are a number of different areas in the home where accessories can be used to emphasize your look or your style. Fireplaces and mantels, shelving units, display cabinets, coffee and end tables and even window sills are all appropriate surfaces to display decorative items. When you are looking to accessorize, whether it is in your bedroom, bathroom or living room, there are many things you can use. Accessories don't have to cost a lot of money. They can be sentimental items, collections or unusual antique pieces that when displayed in the best way possible manner, can polish and pull together your whole interior look.

The most important thing in putting together accessories within a well designed environment is to have it reflect your personality and not just mimic the theme or style of a particular room. The little things that you put into a space is what matters. We have all seen collections of badly thought out clutter! There is a huge difference between careful groupings of interesting collectibles and hoards of possessions that are strewn about in any old fashion! With some careful thought and planning even flea market finds can be displayed to look like a million bucks!

The greatest feeling

Today I want to talk about what makes life’s ups and downs so worth it. Having a grandson has been the most amazing experience I have ever had. I have heard it said so many times from other grandparents that if being a parent is great, being a grandparent is even greater. My grandson Alex is (now this is very, very bias) the most handsome grandson ever born. He has the happiest disposition of any child I have ever seen and is a joy to watch learn. This coming week he turns 19 months old and boy does he keep you busy. Jerome (my husband) and I often have Alex for the day on Saturdays. I often have to work, so Jerome picks Alex up in the morning and looks after him until I get home. With his new runners on he is hard to keep up to. I don’t know how someone with such short legs can run that fast. He is not saying much yet, but he has no trouble getting his point across. Jerome has him fixated on cars, so he spends a lot of time running and pointing at cars. My daughter Jennifer and her husband Albert often taken him on the OC Transpo bus, so bus is one word he says well. The most precious saying he has is “I did it”. He says it very quickly so when it comes out of his mouth it sounds like one word. He loves to open the cupboard doors in our kitchen, even though he knows he is not supposed to and when you ask him, “who opened the doors Alex”, he proudly looks up at me and says “I-did-it”. I am sure it won’t be long before he says, “It wasn’t me”, but that has yet to come. I hope you don’t mind but every now and then I am going to report some of the funny things he does. I can’t help myself, I am a very proud “nannie”

LiveWorkPlay

Wow, hasn’t the weather in Ottawa just been awesome these last couple of weeks? As anyone who knows me knows, I love to golf. I don’t get out as often as I would like, life gets in the way and spending time with my grandson is often more important. This past week I played in a charity fund raising tournament for LiveWorkPlay. It is a wonderful charity that supports people with intellectual disabilities to have a good life. It is Ottawa based and run by very caring people. I want to thank my playing partners for that day, Heather Munro, whose daughter’s wedding was on her mind seeing that it was just 4 days away, Wendy Bell and Lynn Jordan. Playing golf is always more fun when you are with a great group. I have to say being involved in a charity is a wonderful thing to do. It is truly better to give than receive. I always feel so good after I do something where others benefit.

Having Fun at the Accessory Trade Show

I promised that I would talk about the accessory trade show I attended at a couple of weeks back. There are many cities in North America that put on accessory trade shows. The CGTA (Canadian Gift and Table Association) puts on two a year in Toronto, one in January and one in August. It is the largest show on its kind in North America for the trade only; the general public is not allowed to attend. This is where everyone that sells any kind of accessory, lamp, area rug etc. goes to buy their inventory. It is in 12 different buildings with over 1.3 million square feet of space used to house the show. To give you an idea how big that is, you would take all on The Bayshore shopping centre in Ottawa and add another 30% and it would be close to the physical size of this show. There are over 1,000 unique suppliers/importers/manufacturers there showing off their products. It is like going to the Christmas Signature show at the Ottawa Congress Centre, only on a grander scale. Some of the booths you go into are 10’ x 10’; others might be 50’ x 50’. There is one booth there, a 10’ x 10’ and all they sell are bows, and there are others where it is like walking into a large furniture store. It takes us 3 to 4 days to go through the show properly. We might spend 5 minutes in one booth, walk by many and then spend 2 or 3 hours in the next. We are always looking for unique, quality items. I discovered many years ago that many companies that have the word “quality” or “fine” in their company name usually are not! So we are careful to check out the quality we are looking at.

I go to these shows armed with my list of clients that need finishing touches to the projects, along with fabric swatches, digital pictures from client’s homes and in some cases, throw pillows from the sofa so I can find just the right item to finish that room. Have you ever noticed when you go into a room in a home where they have too much “stuff” that the room never looks finished, just cluttered and then you go into other’s and they have no accessories and the same holds true, it just doesn’t look finished. That is why putting up the correct size wall décor and the correct number makes such a difference. Same holds true for table top accessories and for lamps, area rugs etc. Accessorizing a room to me is a lot of fun and so important, it pulls everything together to give the final look you are going for. So many people don’t do that, they buy a room full of furniture but don’t think of accessorizing it and wonder why their room doesn’t look as nice as they hoped for. You should always allow 10 to 15% of your total budget for those final finishing touches. Your will be glad you did! I recommend that people accessorize room at least twice a year, to give it a whole new look. By changing the wall décor or lamps you will be amazed how the room changes. Greenery is so important too. A good quality faux trees are very popular and it is amazing how they can pull a room together. I just love doing it!!

Wow Factor

Well I am back from my trip to Toronto to the accessory trade show. This show is for the trade only and is held twice a year in Toronto. This trip was a bit different. I am sure most of you heard that Toronto had a huge thunderstorm with plenty of lightning, wind and rain last Sunday evening. My husband Jerome and I were just returning to the hotel we were staying at from dinner around 8pm when the storm struck. The restaurant we had dinner at was a short distance from the hotel so it only took minutes to drive there. As we approached the intersection where the hotel is, we could see two fire trucks blocking the intersection and the 4 hotels on that corner were all in darkness. It turns out there had been a lightning strike that took down a hydro pole and there was a “live” wire laying on the street sparking. At first we thought it was the flares that emergency personnel use but after taking a second look I realized it was a “live” hydro wire. At the hotel it was completely in darkness with the small exception of some emergency lighting. We were told there was no way to get to our room at the moment unless we wanted to climb 9 stories in the dark and 30 degree temperature. So back to our vehicle we go and we drive a short distance to the Tim Horton’s along the airport strip and sit in our vehicle for 90 minutes watching the most amazing “natural fireworks” looking out over one of the large runways at Pearson International Airport. Now my husband just loves this kind of storm, the more lightning the better for him. I, on the other hand, hate them. I confess I am a chicken in this kind of storm and can’t wait for them to end, although I have to admit, the sky does look amazing when you see one of the wide spread sheet lightning and then two or three bolts go shooting across in front of you. It occurred to me that no matter how talented a designer I think I am, someone up above does a better job with the WOW factor!! By-the-way, we didn’t get power in the hotel until noon the next day. So no air conditioning, no hot water for showers in the morning and worst yet, no power for the hair dryer!! I will give you an update on the trade show in a future blog posting.

Never settle for what they have, get what you want

I can not believe that once again, as I sit at my computer to write this, it is absolutely beautiful outside today. For those reading this from the Ottawa area, you know that this year has not been good year weather wise. Maybe it has something to do with me writing my blog, ok I doubt it.

I am not sure if most people know that good interior designers and decorators have access to many unique suppliers that the general public don’t. Many of my clients are always so surprised when I am presenting my suggestions to them that included are the products necessary for project to be completed as we envisioned it. And I buy very little from local retailers. I find that they all have the same thing and that is not want our clients are looking for. This coming week I will be at a trade show that will have over 1,100 exhibitors presenting everything from furniture, lighting, accessories, area rugs to pop up toasters!! Ok, so I don’t put pop up toasters in my presentations, but I wanted to make a point, that everything we need to make your house your dream home is available to us. When I head off to this show I will go with many client files in search of just the right mirror, or just the right area rug to finish their room. I always tell clients it is worth the wait rather that going to a local store and limiting your self to their selection. The nice thing about not being a designer that is associated with one store, there is no limit to want I can supply to the client. If I need a certain item for a client and we don’t have a current supplier for it, I will find a supplier of it and buy from them. Never settle for what they have, get what you want and need to make that room just perfect!!

What are "Fillers" in Kitchen Cabinets

A lady called me this morning inquiring about having a kitchen design done. She asked what a filler piece is when it comes to the kitchen cabinets. She had heard many cabinet companies use them and wasn’t sure what they are. Many, many kitchen cabinet manufacturers have standard boxes sizes they use, like 24”, 30”, 32”. No such thing as 32 5/8”. The reason for that is that they can be built much quicker due to the fact they never have to stop to change the sizes on the cutting equipment. That is good for them, not so good for the client. That means that you will have some and in a number of cases many, of what they call, fillers in your kitchen. What a filler is, is a piece of trim that they put between two cabinets to fill in left over space or space between cabinets. The cabinets do look larger from the outside but when you look inside that cabinet you will see they are not as wide as they appear. Of course this impacts the space available in the cabinet. When you have a true custom kitchen done, there will be no or at least very few fillers. The reason is a custom cabinet maker will make the box size exactly what is needed to fill the space, hence no fillers. If a box size of 30 5/6” is needed that is what they make. It creates a huge difference in what can go into your kitchen cabinet layout. I have designed kitchens where I used 3.5 inches of leftover space, where a filler would have been used, but because I deal with a custom cabinet maker, I was able to put in a slide in spice rack. No wasted space. I really recommend using a custom cabinet maker to do your kitchen; you will be amazed at the difference and the often the price difference is very minimal. But remember a good design is the place to start.

Every now and then a design element comes along that I just fall in love with. Such is the case of the corner drawers in a kitchen. This design feature has been around for a while but not many people seem to know about it. Instead of having the large double hinged door in the corner you can actually put in a bank of drawers. When closed it looks like you have two banks of drawers touching each other. But when you pull on the handle it opens into a corner drawer. You can size the drawers like any bank of drawers so that you could use them as you see fit, such as pot drawers. It eliminates having to crawl into the back of the corner cupboard, which I hate to do. I love to use them when I can when I am designing a kitchen. Now a word of caution, I have run across some kitchen cabinet makers who say they can’t be done. Well, I am here to tell you they can be done. That is the beauty of working with a custom cabinet maker, they don’t take no as an answer.

What Does an Interior Designer Do?

When I meet people for the first time and they find out I am in the interior design business, I am often asked what is it an interior designer does. I tell them, simply put; residential interior design is working with people in their home environments.

Primarily I do residential work along with smaller commercial projects. Professional office spaces, apartment lobbies, and model homes for a builder.

Selecting a sofa or choosing new carpeting can be hard enough, but when it gets into a whole refurbishing, upgrading your kitchen and bathroom or purchasing a new home with an opportunity to start every room afresh, with the number of choices available, even the most decisive person can feel they have been set out to sea, not to mention doing a major renovation. That’s when you need the services of an interior designer. A professional approach will pull the project together and help you create an environment that reflects your taste while meeting all the needs of you and your family. Many times it is in ways that you may not ever think of, either decorating or spatial problems.

Decorating a space can take considerable time, but a designer can help save you a large chunk of it because you don’t have to spend your own valuable time going from store to store searching for furniture, and fabric samples, or tracking down competent trades and suppliers. That’s part of our job. In the long run designers save you money. Not only in a time investment, but also in avoiding costly mistakes and disappointments. No matter what the scope of the job is, whether just selecting paint colours, or decorating a whole room, designing a new kitchen or doing a 2 storey addition, professional guidance will save you time, money and frustration.

Not all jobs require creating a whole new environment. Sometimes a change in paint colour, rearranging furniture or fluffing up with a few new accessories can give you the fresh look you are after. Some people are only looking for advise on what to do and they will do everything themselves. I can spend two hours with them and make suggestions and give colour selections. This usually is a one-time consultation, but sometimes they grow into larger projects or the client calls back and goes the next step of embarking on a whole project.

What we do is very subjective. It all comes down to personal taste, and usually not ours. Listening to the client, hearing what they say allows us to work with what the client has, to create what the client wants. Personality is important; we work with clients in their personal space. Good communication and trust are paramount

How do we do this?
First meetings are important, and that everyone involved knows from the outset what is happening. Questions and more questions.
The interview comprises many aspects, lifestyle, children, pets, hobbies, colour preferences and dislikes. Many people are quite certain of what they don’t like and never want to see.

Where to begin, focusing on a particular project or problem gives immediate focus to the job.
Ideally the client will have done some initial homework, with magazine pictures, ideas and an indication of budget. By talking with them I can make suggestions to direct them to the home of their dreams.

One last piece of advice on choosing a designer to work with; be sure that you make a “connection” with your designer. It is a personal thing and you must work well together.

Thinking outside the box

Wow, another beautiful day in Ottawa, so far!! We haven’t had many days like this so enjoy it while you can. I wanted to tell you today about an interesting project I worked on recently. This client has an 80 year old house and has done the upkeep over the years so it is in very good condition for its age. Like so many people over the last few years he wanted more space but wasn’t willing to give up his large beautiful yard to move to a new larger home. He has always wanted a den and space that his daughter and his grandkids could use while they visit from away. The solution, why not make the one space serve both purposes? This home had a very large attic space that would do the trick. So we designed the space with both functions in mind. The biggest challenge we had is how to get furniture up the very tight stairs. Ideally he would have liked a sleeper sofa but that was out of the question without doing some major redesign of the stair case which the client was not willing to do. Which, by the way, I agree with. In my opinion the stairs, as they are and as they were originally built, add so much character that changing them just to get furniture up the stairs would have been wrong. What I proposed was a davenport style sofa where the back folds down turning it into a bed. I found the smallest one I could that would still allow it to be used as a bed. There was still an issue with size so on the delivery day I had a re-upholstery company (who better to know how to do this) go to the house and take the davenport apart and take it up to the attic in pieces and re-assembled it. The client was thrilled. Take a look at the before and after pictures. I think you will agree it turned out beautifully. The reason I am telling this story is to let you know you have to think outside the box to make things happen. Another such story happen a couple of years ago. One the designers with our company worked with a client and he wanted this large wall unit for his living room. The problem again was stairs. The condo townhouse unit was a split level where you come in the front door to a large foyer but then you have to turn and go up the stairs into the living room. There was no way this was going up. So the designer spoke to Jerome, my husband and business partner and he told her it could be done if the client was open to an idea. All we had to do is rent a boom truck (with the driver) and lift the unit (well protected with furniture blankets) over the back yard fence on to his deck and walk the unit into the living room through the patio door. The client was thrilled. Think outside the box!!

Summer Time in Interior Design

As I look out my office window I finally see the sun. It seems like we have had rain every day since the 1st of May. I know that is not true, it just seems that way. It strikes me that many in Ottawa take a good part of the summer off, especially in our business where so many designers and decorators work for themselves and don't have a "boss" to answer to. I am so please to tell you I don't do that. Of course I do take vacation, usually 2 or 3 weeks a year but I love this business so much and I have so many clients depending on me that I wouldn't take the whole summer off. Maybe as I get older I might change my mind, but I just don't see that happening any time soon. As a matter of fact, July and August is often two months that are very busy for us at CPI Interiors. It is a great time to meet with clients during the days that they are off and to get projects under way so that they are finished in early fall long before Christmas. Yes I said it, Christmas!! So many of our clients don't realize how long it takes to finish a project and come to us in late October or November and want it done for Christmas. I hate being the one having to say you can't have it for Christmas because you didn't come to us soon enough. So don't put off your interior design or decorating projects until the fall, call us now and we will get them started for you. Enjoy the sun today!!

Where to Begin your Decorating Project

I have had it said to me 100's of times over the 21 years I have been in the interior design business that I don't know where to begin. Starting a decorating project is often a daunting task for many people. Where to begin, how to pull things together, and what should I really be considering. What is necessary? All good questions, and to help put it into perspective we can examine 10 areas that will help with any decorating project. These are in no particular order of importance, but do make a world of difference to our interior spaces.

DeClutter

Clear out the things you don’t use, want, or like. If you haven’t used something in the last year, chances are you really don’t need it. Give it away, or toss it out. Clutter is one of those things that make us anxious and tired of looking at our space. Magazines, books and papers take up space and in many cases are not ever used. Donate unused items to professionals for their waiting rooms or long term care facilities for the enjoyment of the residents. The more you can clear out your space the better the opportunity to see it in a different light.

Focal Point

Look at your space and determine what do I want everyone to notice first when they walk in this room. Do you have a wonderful window with an amazing view, a beautiful fireplace or soaring ceilings. Determine what the focal point will be and begin arranging things around and towards that attention getter. If a beautiful garden awaits, use that as a springboard for your decorating scheme. A grand fireplace calls out for comfy chairs to curl up in with a good book beside a warm fire.

Scale & Balance

While not always the easiest thing for the amateur decorator to understand, scale and balance in the room is most important to how the finished look feels. If a couple of pieces are disproportionate to the rest of the room or the furniture, you will feel the imbalance, even if the rest of the room is well put together. Look at how the room feels empty and start putting pieces into it that a right for each other. Also look at the artwork and notice if it is too large or in most cases too small for the area it sits in. Hanging art too high will also throw off the balance of a room. A good rule of thumb, hang pictures so that the middle of the picture is at 60” from the floor. Even if you have high ceilings same rule applies. Pictures hanging over fireplaces should be at 4” above the mantle at the most.

Lighting

Probably the most forgotten element that goes into decorating a space is lighting. It sets the mood for the room. Use pot lights for ambience on dimmers, table lamps with tri-lights to give minimum and maximum coverage. Floor lamps and uplights provide not only task lighting but when on dimmers can create a wonderful glow throughout the room. Light the corners with small canister lights that shine up the walls. Put them behind plants to add texture to the walls around it. Not only does it take away from the darkness we find in corners, it adds warmth. Use good wattage bulbs in all task or high traffic areas. You can again, add dimmers to give light control for all of your different room uses.

Greenery

Bring the outdoors in. We hear this term used all the time, but it really does make a difference to how we feel about our space. And it takes more than just one tree. Loose greenery on shelves, in jars and boxes adds decorative touches and fills spaces. Not only using tall trees fills in the blank areas, but smaller bushes with other decorative items around can add so much to your room. Use a variety of species as well. There are so many beautiful and interesting looking trees that you don’t have to have the usual ficus in every corner. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, not to worry, trees with real wood trunks and authentic looking silk leaves can challenge even the best gardeners to wonder if they are real. Fresh and silk flowers adorning tables and counters create a garden indoors that can add cheer even on the dreariest days.

Window Treatments

Even when we have a wonderful view out the window, treating the interior with appropriate finishing treatments add to the finished look of your room. With so many options available today to cover our windows, choosing the right one can be quite a chore. Look to how much coverage to you want or need. Does the sun create problems with heat and glare? Do you have a privacy issue that needs addressing or look out into an open field. Even with the open fields and trees, it can be uncomfortable, particularly at night, when the blackness can make us unnerved by the reflections of ourselves or feel colder than it really should. Soft treatments can add warmth and decorative fabrics combined with the balance of the rooms décor create a beautiful finished look.

Quality

What does this mean? Buy quality. Whether you are purchasing a sofa, area rug or bed, the quality of the piece will be what gives the longevity you want from your furniture. If you buy a quality piece that will last you for many years and provide you with enjoyment at the same time, it will be well worth the price you pay to have that satisfaction. If you consider the cost of replacing items many times over, you will soon discover that the difference is quite remarkable. There are many trends in the marketplace today that come and go, but looking to good pieces will ensure a ground for your room as well as the ability to changes things around it as time and styles change.

Accessories

The finishing touch, the icing on the cake, the jewelry for our rooms. So many times we see rooms put together with nice pieces, but nothing to dress it up. Think of your wardrobe and how your finish dressing with the perfect earrings, watch or broach. It is also an important thing when completing your decorating project. To add finishing touches, trays, bowls, wall décor or sculpture all complete the look and make the space feel truly complete. Colour coordinated items, special knick knacks, original art and decorative candles all add so much to our rooms. Toss pillows on a sofa, large floor pillows for kids or pets to sit, or that extra bench for a seat are all part of that finishing. Group items together in uneven numbers 1, 3 or 5. Place them together even if you don’t have many things as a grouping they look so much more like they belong rather than having them scattered about. Have groupings of like things, a flower, vase and candle with a candle snuffer beside. Try unusual things that relate to you and your family. Photos with a ball in front, a trophy with a golf ball and tees. Use your imagination. We all have things that can be used without making major purchases.

Colour

If there is one thing that is essential to any decorating project this is it. Colour is the thing that binds everything together. It can create an environment so warm and inviting or cool and soothing. We can use colour to bring mismatched things into focus and give balance to everything in the room. It can make a space feel larger or smaller. Be brave, don’t be afraid to use colour. Most people when they view a space that is inspiring and comfortable, it is usually the colour that is doing it. When choosing colours, always do so during daylight and without artificial lighting on. Depending on the direction your room is facing, north, east, west or south, will dictate the colours you should select. Look at colours in the specific space they are going to be used, since colours will change as you move from room to room and even from wall to wall within the same room. View colours in both day and evening lights to see how they will change. Have fun with it. Paint is the least expensive and most effective tool in your decorating project.

Style or Theme

For those wanting to create a look based on a theme or particular style the first thing to consider is how will it fit with the rest of my home. If it is a bedroom, it can be done easily since it won’t affect any other areas of your home. However if you want the circus to come to your family room, it may impact the décor of the rest of the house in a not so nice way. When choosing a style, look through magazines, books or model homes and get a sense of whether the particular style you want will actually do justice to your home. Wanting a very contemporary look in a Cape Cod style house will probably not have the best of effects however introducing seaside cottage or French Country would be a wonderful combination. Get a sense of direction and use pieces you have to create a look that is truly unique to you. It is your home and should be representative of the people who live there.

In closing, enjoy the experience, take the plunge and start that decorating project today. You will be thrilled with the results and love your home even more.