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10 Easy Ways to Look Smarter. Right Now.

11/02/2012
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This post is written by my fabulous design associate, Irene Hill who has decided that it’s an emergency that I correct the little mistakes I make when writing blog posts. Who knew she was this funny. . .  source When I first met Maria and started reading her blog, I thought, “This woman is one…

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Colour Me Happy is 4 Years Old!

10/31/2012
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Can you believe I’ve been blogging for four years? I post an average of every second day and this is my 849th blog post! The second post I wrote was October 31, 2008 and this is what my nephew William looked like 4 years ago. Here he is this year at 5 years old. It…

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How Many Blogs (Friends) Should You Have?

10/30/2012
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source I’m always thinking about what I’m going to write next on my blog. In fact I think about it so much that it hurts my relationship. We used to have coffee and get connected every morning, but now I wake up and bury myself in emails and work. It’s also very hard on a…

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Is Your Bath Perfect or Just Perfectly Nice?

10/28/2012
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Is your bath perfect or just perfectly nice? When done well, a bathroom design will be perfect. You can’t just purchase the perfect bath, it must be created and designed. And, just like any other room in your home, it all starts with inspiration. Source I recently attended an event at  Cantu, a fabulous bathroom…

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Rule for Chairs

10/27/2012
13 Comments

Awhile ago, I fell in love with Tara Dillard’s garden blog called Vanishing Threshold: Garden, Life Home. source Her posts are so simple, interesting, sometimes funny, and yet so profound. I subscribed to her posts because I was suddenly fascinated with landscaping since my new house needed tons of it. Maryanne White (My landscape designer) suggested…

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Rules for Choosing the Right Colour Quartz Countertop

10/25/2012
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House and Home I received some new quartz samples the other day. This is how they were packaged when they arrived. . . Every single sample had to be pried off with a screwdriver and taken out of the packaging. Why? Because it’s virtually impossible to choose the coordinating colour for your walls or cabinets…

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The Hottest Colour Trend for Countertops

10/21/2012
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We chose a BIG stainless sink from Franke for our kitchen and after the sink and my beautiful Franke faucet was installed in July, I was dismayed at how close everything was to the casings and window sill (below) ‘Don’t worry’ Jan (My kitchen designer) said, ‘There will be some quartz left over from your…

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We’ve Come a Long Way Baby!

10/18/2012
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My True Colour Expert Workshops have come a long way since the first course we launched in May 2010. source June 2011 was when I had the good fortune of meeting my right hand and associate Irene Hill who attended that workshop and with her multi-talented writing and computer skills, has turned our workbook/manual into…

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Should your Trim Colour match your White Vinyl Windows?

10/16/2012
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source One of my readers Melissa Huber asked: “My burning question has been what to do about the interior trim around replacement windows. The replacement windows are white but our window trims match all the wood throughout the house (molding, chair railing, beams, crown molding, all kitchen and bath cabinets). What is the best way to…

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Maria Killam on the go! Vancouver Show

10/11/2012
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Well today was a big media day at BC Place. I woke up at 3:00 am this morning and could not go back to sleep knowing that I had to be there at 6:15 am for Breakfast Television at 6:50 am. Why is it that you’re always so nervous up until you’re speaking? I was…

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Ask Maria: Which Tile is Best for Multiple Rooms?

10/07/2012
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One of my lovely readers Sian Morgan Kirk posted a question on my Facebook page about floor tile: “I know you don’t love it, but it’s very practical and common in Florida. So I’d love to know what you recommend if you’re choosing one tile for many rooms, entry, kitchen, hallways, bathrooms.” That is such…

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How to Disappear a Bad Beige

10/04/2012
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Paint the walls so dark that it takes all the attention away from your carpet, tile or furniture that is the wrong neutral. source All you notice in the dark and dramatic interiors of Atelier Abigail is the drama. Beige? What beige? Do you dare go this dark? Related posts: Beige is only Blah when…

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The Debate on Interesting and Trendy vs. Timeless

10/02/2012
46 Comments

source (INTERESTING) Have you ever noticed how many different tile combinations can be found in commercial bathrooms? When I travel I notice it the most. It’s always staggering to me why so many people feel the need to choose such a variety of conflicting patterns, colours and multiple sizes of tiles–and install them all in one…

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