If you are anything like me, your are getting sick of being at home. Getting bored of staring at the same spaces, day in and day out. I am. It’s exhausting being at home. Which is funny, because when we are all out in our regular lives, all we want is a few days at home to enjoy our families and relax. But, as in any aspect of life when one has no choice, that’s all one wants. So, how can we change our environment a bit, to make the days feel a little newer and not stale and boring? One thing I do when home staging, or even just redesigning a space, is look at what is there already. Often my clients want to toss out everything and start over. But, just as often, they have wonderful pieces that, in the right location, can really change the feeling of a space. When I first started out…many, many years ago… I was called by a retired couple (well into retirement), that were unhappy with their condo living space. They had a limited budget, but wanted it to be less cluttered, cramped and awkward. In one hour, we moved so much […]
Often clients call and ask me if it would be more economical to buy a new sofa or reupholster one. Off the bat, I can tell you the cost is roughly the same. It’s not a decision regarding economics. It’s a purely emotional decision. In all my experience, the most common reasons have been: “It’s the most comfortable sofa in the world.” “I want to be environmentally conscious.” “It fits perfectly into my space.” But my reason was purely sentimental. My Grandparents and their sofas I grew up in Montreal. Dollard to be exact. Just about a 30-minute drive from my father’s parents who lived in the village of Mont Royal. They lived on a nice, tree-lined, low rise apartment-lined street. They lived there for 30 years. From my early childhood until just prior to my marriage, I spent almost every Saturday with them. They owned a diner on St. Laurent. It was called Irv’s diner (the previous owner’s name), and my father would drop me off in the mornings on his way to work. At the end of the day, we’d hop in a cab and head over to their apartment where I’d eat too much chocolate, and […]
I am humbled. There comes a day, in most adults lives, if you have been working at your career long enough, when being humbled happens. Click. Humbled. For me, this happens often. Over our years, as we grow, our lives change, we move in different directions, our friendships morph as well. People we once saw and spoke to daily become people we see at parties. Our neighbours, specific friends, people we make time for, take the front seat. As does, in my married life; swim class, ski lessons, guitar, gymnastics, school, playdates, travel, blah blah. But it is when those people, those friends, whom you facebook with but never see, never speak to, when they call you and they ask: “Can you help us. Can you do our home.” That’s the moment. Click. Humbled. They are going to trust me. Me. The person they knew when I started my business 16 years ago. The person who they saw dance at 2am, pre-married, pre-kids, act like a buffoon, me. Yes, I was once an unruly young adult. It’s true. And those people, whom I still love dearly, they want to hire me. It’s happened twice this year. Once, I got to create […]
I have been working in the design industry for over twenty years now. Most of those years have been fabric filled. It’s really an obsession of sorts. My reps come to visit my office, they bring armfulls of new books. The books are filled with swatches of new and exciting fabrics, textures, colours and patterns. The smell of the fabric fills the room. The colours bounce around and the patterns dance like butterflies around my head. Okay that’s super hokey. But seriously. One the the best parts of my job is finding the perfect fabrics for a space. Drapery fabric. Makes a statement. Warms up a room. Creates mood and a luxe vibe. As long as ice-cream kiddie fingers aren’t grabbing them, they will look good for a really long time. And furniture! Who doesn’t love a soft velvety sofa with cushions that scream pretty, or industrial or chic or fun or bright or carribean or a combo of any of those and so many more! Those toss cushions! How we designers love thee! And how many hours have I spent picking out the perfect fabrics ?!?!? It sometimes drives me mad. But it’s fun. And I love it. […]
