I often get asked how to combine metal finishes in lighting and hardware. The look of matching all your finishes is long gone (even when working with brass). Here are a few guidelines to help you mix metals like a pro. Thank you to the Washington Post for including my… Continue Reading →
The new colour for 2020 is BROWN It took 11 years for brown to be back in fashion. No one wanted to wear it, because everyone was busy trying to eliminate the Tuscan Brown trend from their homes. I do smile when I read articles declaring that ‘Earth tones are… Continue Reading →
When you understand the basic principles and colours of classic and timeless design for a new build, it’s just as easy to make your own choices when it’s time to customize your RV. Lea and Greg’s Boxer Lab Cross (Babs) My sisters partner Greg (below) retired this Spring and to… Continue Reading →
Maria’s White Garden Transformation; Before & After I wrote the first rule of design (according to Maria Killam 🙂 ) in 2013 when I was working on my garden renovation. I have had this rule quoted back to me many times by my readers and by students who attend my… Continue Reading →
Don’t make this mistake when you photograph your interiors for your website! See the difference between a room photographed with a wide angle lens and without! This was the house Kelly (my design assistant) and her husband Mike bought a few years ago. Renovating the inside of the house was… Continue Reading →
This is the view from their home. My lovely clients Crystal and Rob built their home almost 10 years ago when the Tuscan brown trend was going strong. Five years ago, they bought the property next door and built a summer house which I decorated for them. Suddenly, they loved… Continue Reading →
Is the grey trend over? What colour trends are next? Knowing which colour is the next trendy neutral will not help you with your new build project or home renovation decisions. However, understanding how we are influenced by trends and how colour trend cycles work is design knowledge you can… Continue Reading →
Trying to find a more current paint colour for your home? These days everyone is opting for fresher and lighter exterior colours. The most important step in the process is testing your exterior colour. Here’s how test exterior paint colour the right way. Image via Brooke’s Instagram Today I’m happy… Continue Reading →
Often when I see a Persian or oriental area rug, I think DATED. In fact, I have an Ask Maria post about this very subject where I simply told my reader “This rug will NEVER be amazing”. Well, as I have said many times in this blog (often in the comments) I’m willing to… Continue Reading →
Recently I received an email that haunted me for days. This happens often by the way, when you send me a good one. It puts me deeply in my head and sometimes I forget to respond. I really get upset when that happens. This email from one of my subscribers, was one… Continue Reading →
It seems that neutrals are warming up. Here’s how decorate your living room for fall by injecting some brown – and still feel modern and fresh! For some time now, there’s been talk about browns and warmer neutrals coming back to replace gray. Last week, when someone asked if I would write a post… Continue Reading →
via Pinterest Since it seems like EVERYONE has a pod coffee machine because it’s the latest and greatest convenience, I thought I’d show you how I styled them last week AFTER a photo shoot. Not to be confused with the image I created for Pinterest and Instagram 😉 😉 First, here is what my… Continue Reading →
True Colour Expert Traci Zeller had a budget to manage for the model house she had been hired to decorate and she had to spread it around strategically to get the biggest bang for the buck. This is what a great designer does best and I talk about it all… Continue Reading →
Barbara built this house with her husband 5 years ago ago. He wanted a wood stained kitchen and although she’d love to have a white kitchen now, she wasn’t prepared to paint it in this phase of the decorating project.
Her biggest complaint was with the pendant lights, they created a lot of visual glare and she wanted them replaced.
Also, she needed drapery to block out the sun in the wintertime when it slanted through the windows.
My client Barbara and her husband had built seven homes together. Every time they would start a new build, she would say, “Can we please save enough money to decorate at the end?”
That day never seemed to arrive.
Last year, her husband passed away, and Barbara decided it was now or never. She’d been following my blog for years, so she felt she could trust me to give her the look and feel she wanted. In January, we started the decorating project: the living, dining, kitchen, and master bedroom.
Are you wondering if your kitchen and dining room should match? This is such a common decorating dilemma. See what advice I share with one of my readers. I’m am a big fan and follower of your “Ask Maria” series. I’ve never done anything like this before so I thought… Continue Reading →
