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How to Choose Colour

Are Hardwood Floors Considered a Pattern?

02/02/2021
39 Comments

I’ve already told you that you shouldn’t choose more than one pattern when selecting your finishes like flooring, countertops and/or backsplash. But, many of you still want to know if hardwood floors are considered a pattern. Here’s when wood is a pattern that you can’t ignore and when it is classic and timeless.  Recently, I…

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Top Kitchen Colour Trends from the Last 50 Years

01/31/2021
22 Comments

Do you ever feel like there’s a rat race to install the next newest trend in kitchen design? Maybe you inherited a kitchen where the former homeowner installed the trendiest finishes from another decade? Well, you are not alone. Here’s my best advice for taking your dated kitchen from yesterday (whenever that was) to today. And, I’m…

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How NOT to Decorate Around a Dark Neutral Sofa

11/05/2020
33 Comments

This advice is for the decorating challenged. If you are a good decorator, you probably won’t need guidelines for how to decorate around a dark neutral sofa.  Chances are you already do these things instinctively. But if you are not in love with your space and you’re not sure why, or you need to furnish…

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Ask Maria: Help! My Light Grey Walls Look Baby Blue!

03/14/2020
29 Comments

Update to this post: Hey ya’ll, the reason why Courtney’s walls are blue is because she chose a blue. That’s the reason why choosing paint colours is not as easy as you think. I’m getting emails and comments saying ‘Hey, I had this problem too, my walls turned blue as well’. Your walls are blue…

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Now Available: Masterclass on Exterior Colour Selection

03/03/2020
26 Comments

Learn how to choose exterior house colours for your existing home or new build. I’ve packaged all my exterior design advice and answers to your questions about home exterior colour in my new Masterclass Exterior Colour Selection online training! After over 4 months of development during the Spring and Summer of 2019, plus more than…

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Q: Will ALL Training be Online in the Future?

03/01/2020
27 Comments

elearning industry In the recent mastermind group Terreeia and I joined, we learned that all education in the future will be online. I think it’s a stretch but suppose it makes sense given everything seems to be going that way. I met someone recently who teaches a university course and said only parts of it…

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My Nephew’s Homeschooling Room; Before & After

02/16/2020
45 Comments

When home is your school, you need a proper homeschooling room. So, I helped my sister makeover a neglected room inspired by a splash of colour to create a kid-approved room design. Keep reading to find out what I used as inspiration for the amazing wall colour. All photos by Macy Yap Photography The best…

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How to Update 90s Granite (and Make it Disappear)

02/03/2020
47 Comments

Are you tired of looking at dated kitchen finishes you didn’t choose, but not quite ready for a gut renovation? Here are some easy ways to work with what you’ve got and make your dated 90s granite disappear.  Since the grey trend has been replaced with black/dark and moody kitchens (the pendulum has to swing…

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Ask Maria: What Colours Work Best with Black Furniture?

09/23/2019
20 Comments

Now that the black trend is here, we will be seeing a lot more black sofas! Here’s an Ask Maria post about decorating around one. What colours work best with black furniture? Really the question should be, “What colours DON’T go with black leather furniture?” If you have black furniture, you have decorating and style…

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Decorating My Sister’s New Home Schooling Room

09/09/2019
52 Comments

This weekend my sister Elizabeth was home alone without the kids. Her husband took them camping with a friend. No one and I mean no one can get me to pick up a paintbrush except my sister Elizabeth. It literally hurts me to paint. My neck and shoulders are instantly sore and my body usually…

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Ask Maria: Can I Paint my Walls to Match my Couch?

07/23/2019
36 Comments

If you are shopping for a couch, stop trying to choose your wall colour first! Instead, I’m suggesting you paint your walls to match your couch! Here’s a little decorating lesson on how this can pull a room together, as well as some questions to ask yourself before you settle on a wall colour. Years…

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