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Decorating Advice

10 Styling Necessities to Transform your Home ASAP

05/12/2014
24 Comments

In a few weeks, there will be magic happening at Aimee’s house in Port Alberni thanks to all of you! Irene will arrive with a team of 10 volunteers to assemble IKEA furniture and then the following weekend I’ll be there with my car full of accessories and lamps to hang artwork and create some tablescapes. I’ve been…

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Ask Maria: I Can’t Find the Perfect Area Rug

04/26/2014
42 Comments

This readers question is such a great example of a lesson we can all learn from because I think we can get a little too used to looking at our own stuff and stop seeing it objectively. The answer here is not an inexpensive fix, but if you want to move forward, start counting colours in your space. Sometimes,…

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The Key to Great Design is Contrast

03/26/2014
24 Comments

I still laugh to myself when I think about the fact that I blogged for an entire year before I figured out exactly what ‘my look’ was. I started my blog in October 2008 and even wrote a post in March 2009 about what my Interior Design Style was but it wasn’t until months later that I figured it out.

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My Newest Bed Obsession

03/19/2014
46 Comments

This is what I see when I walk by my guest room every day. I picked up this print at HomeSense years ago and seeing the big flowers just make me happy. The vintage dresser is Terreeia’s. The wall colour is SW 6422 Shagreen. I love the two small pieces of art on the middle…

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What every Lighting Obsessed Gal (or Guy) Should Know

12/12/2013
54 Comments

 Starry Lights I know, I’m completely obsessed with lighting. It’s hard to escape from a consult with me, without getting suggestions for at least 4 lamps. The other day, I had spent 1 hour and 45 minutes with a client in an on-line consultation. We had chosen colours, furniture, area rugs, lighting, coffee tables and…

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Are My Accessories Dated?

09/13/2013
59 Comments

Wondering if your accessories are dated? Do you feel like you have too many accessories already? Here are my favorite tips for styling your accessories if it’s feeling a bit dated. And, sometimes that means editing what you have and purchasing new accessories.  A client once told me she had so many accessories, she couldn’t…

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Why your Paint Colour is Kinda Boring

08/09/2013
23 Comments

Recently, I received this email from one of my on-line clients: Thank you for your consultation about half a year ago. We finally had a chance to re-paint the dining room. This color looked fabulous in the hallway, however there is something wrong how it feels with this color in the dining room. Something just…

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Happy Outdoor Living: Before & After

06/16/2013
35 Comments

  My sister Elizabeth called to tell me her husband had found a sectional for a great price for their patio. “We need pillows” she said, “And I’m worried that it’s the wrong size for the space. Before “That’s because it’s right up against the house” I said. So after I moved it away from…

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10 Styling Lessons from Jeffrey Bilhuber

05/26/2013
33 Comments

When I first started blogging in October 2008, I had no idea what a tablescape was even though I considered myself to be a pretty good stylist back then. Since then, I’ve come a looooong way that’s for sure! When I opened up June’s Elle Decor and arrived at this living room, I immediately recognized…

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The Zen of One Day Decorating: Before & After

05/12/2013
39 Comments

One of my favourite ways to help my clients create a space that fills them with happiness when they walk in their door is the one day shopping service I offer. If you just need an end table or two, lighting, pillows, possibly a carpet and accessories, you have comfortable shoes and a large vehicle,…

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How to Find More Money for Home Decor

04/02/2013
113 Comments

I follow this great blog called Social Triggers. Recently, Derek was interviewing an author named Dan Heath who wrote a book called Decisions: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work. It’s a very interesting podcast that I think EVERYONE could learn from. Check it out here. Unless you’re someone that never makes a bad…

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Creative Ways to Keep Kids Entertained

02/26/2013
11 Comments

This weekend, I’ll be at the Design Bloggers Conference in LA. I arrive Sunday afternoon and fly back Wednesday morning. Last year I happened to be sitting next to Barbara Miller from Yes Spaces who specializes in everything about kids, so this year we are sharing a room. Can’t wait to see her!   She…

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