Mad Men set – Interior Design Magazine
In the 60s, shag rugs began to surface. The TV show Mad Men has one designed space that blows my mind. The bohemian vibe, and shag rug over high pile rug make me feel a little nostalgic for the 70s, when this was all the rage, I am pretty sure one can link the rise of asthma with the popularity of these rugs.
You ever flip through a magazine and see a sofa with ten toss cushions on it and think “Wow! How did they do that?”
Here’s a couple of tips for you:
In spaces where you have one accent colour, and you want that colour to really play a part in your design, use multiple patterns, textures and shades of that colour in your cushions.
Continue reading “Pillow Paralysis? How to choose toss cushions!”
All the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow
-Leo Tolstoy
“Shadow”. It sounds so dark, exotic, sexy. It’s Benjamin Moore’s colour of the year. And it’s a good one.
To renovate or not to renovate? Well, let’s look at some stats, shall we? This is an average of what you will get back if you renovate. To be honest, it’s very timid. In my experience, kitchens and bathrooms bring you almost 100% return on investment. AND, the overall value of your home goes up if it’s awesome as opposed to okay. AND, you sell quicker, much MUCH quicker. AND, 1 last thing….renovations should end up costing you less than moving. We are booked with renovations consistently all year round. It’s great for business. So why am I so angry???
The Yonge Lawrence Kitchen
It was inevitable. They renovated their bathroom, see https://www.monacointeriors.ca/portfolio/yonge-lawrence-bathroom/ and the kitchen was to follow a couple of years later. They had called a few times, we had looked at it and discussed their options and their budget, and then, when they were ready, they pulled the trigger. And what a journey we took!
Continue reading “Let the Wall Come Down! A Kitchen Renovation Story”
I’m always game when the world of design moves in the direction of good wine. What? Oh, sorry, did I write that out loud? Marsala, a wine produced in the region surrounding the Italian city of Marsala, AND, the Pantone colour of the year (#18-438). An earthy brownish-red that is described by Pantone Color Institute Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman as “nurturing and fulfilling…Marsala is a natural fit for your kitchen or dining room, making it ideal for tabletop, small appliances and linens throughout the home.”
Our final goal at this residence was to make the very small and outdated bathroom more functional, and, of course, more visually appealing. The clients originally intended on increasing the size of the bathroom, but time constraints and the loss of much needed bedroom space quickly changed all of our minds.
