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Decorating Advice

Designing a Kitchen? Lighting & Hardware is EVERYTHING

01/18/2023
46 Comments

Kitchen designs are expensive, but when you try to go it alone – without designer guidance – it’s easy to make even MORE EXPENSIVE mistakes that you’ll regret. Working with a designer not only saves you from these extra expenses, but also may save your sanity. And when it comes to choosing the right lighting…

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But Maria, I have the old colour wheel? Does it still work?

12/16/2022
4 Comments

Since the launch of the new Understanding Undertones Neutral Colour wheel earlier this week, we are fielding lots of questions about whether the other colour wheels are still useful. I have some good news if your purchased the wheel in 2022, but let’s also review the neutral colour wheel history. Because when you invent something…

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Understanding THIS, Instantly Makes You a Better Decorator

09/01/2022
9 Comments

Being able to choose the right undertone or the right colour are important skills gained in my training, but what’s even more powerful is how they transform into better overall decorating and design decisions. Here’s an example. Since my audience has grown quite a bit because my video about grey hardwood floors went viral this…

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Ask Maria: How Do I Style my Dining Room Built-ins?

06/30/2022
8 Comments

David Jiminez Today I thought we’d have a little styling lesson because when all else fails and you can’t paint because the beautifying-other-areas-of-your-house-list is long, accessories are what you need to distract the eye from colours you don’t like. Okay here’s the question from one of my stylish readers: “These built ins were in our…

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Two Best Ways to Decorate a Room With Grey Floors

05/30/2022
21 Comments

Whether you love your grey hardwood floors or you’d rather make them disappear, I’m sharing two of the best ways to decorate around them. The trick is to add some warmth, and I can show you how. When you inherit your floors and paint colours My client Deborah and her family moved and happily, all…

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What Everyone Should Know about Pink Beige

03/10/2022
48 Comments

Now that beige is trending again, it’s time to revisit the pink beige undertone because we’re about to see more of it. And that’s ok, if it’s paired correctly with other finishes and colours in your home. Here is some additional guidance for working with pink beige. Get your ‘real paint’ Understanding Undertones colour wheel…

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Interior Colour Flow is Easy (Before & After)

03/02/2022
29 Comments

When decorating with colour, it can be tricky to create flow from room to room. When I introduced new colours into my main living space I couldn’t ignore the rest of my house. Here’s another look at my living room makeover and a few easy ways you can create colour flow.  Recently, I shared my…

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The Truth About the Brown Colour Trend

02/17/2022
39 Comments

At first glance, it feels like brown is making a comeback from the 90s, but this new brown colour trend is different. Here’s what is new about the brown trend and some of my timeless guidelines for not going overboard with this new trendy neutral. Last week Vogue wrote an article outlining why brown is…

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My Living Room Makeover with Ballard Designs

02/09/2022
42 Comments

I reimagined my living room starting with a colour palette from some of my existing furniture and art and adding some new furniture and decor from Ballard Designs. Rich greens, a pretty lavender, and a versatile leopard print give my living room a new glam vibe that I can’t wait to share. I’m so thrilled…

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What Makes a Neutral Room Timeless and Beautiful?

01/21/2022
19 Comments

It seems our feeds are filled with gobs of pretty neutral rooms lately. But how do you replicate this neutral look on your own? If you want to create a pretty and timeless neutral room, you have to invest in some details. Let me break it down for you. My Understanding Undertones® real painted colour…

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What You Should Know About Beige in 2022

01/05/2022
44 Comments

Now that beige is trending again, I thought we needed to revisit the five undertones of beige in my System for Specifying Colour®. Because not all beiges are created equal. And understanding the undertones will help you make better colour choices. Here’s what you should know about beige in 2022. The NEW beige trend I’m…

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