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My Favourite Things

Styling School is in Session: All About Lamps

02/24/2025
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Styling School is in Session! Learn All About Lamps You will not be surprised to hear the first lesson is all about lamps. It’s still winter which means you’re forced to use your overhead lighting WAY.TOO.MUCH. Since my home is filled with lamps everywhere, the place I end up feeling most assaulted by harsh, glaring…

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My Favourite Gifts for the Colour Lover

12/09/2024
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Do you know why all that wrapping paper, ribbon and bows are so festive? It’s the COLOUR! This year, let’s make sure what’s inside is just as joyful! Here’s my list of colourful gift ideas 🎁 First things first, I came across this artist, Brittany Wright, on my feed and her latest post was how…

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French Country Home Tour; Before & After

10/31/2024
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Good things must happen to me in October because not only is October 31 the anniversary of when I started this blog, but we also took possession of our dream home in October 2022. It’s still a work in progress because my landscaping ate up most of our budget this past year but you’ll see…

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The Secret to a Memorable Dining Experience

08/15/2024
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Good atmosphere is noteworthy in restaurants these days. Most restaurants eagerly embrace a minimal decor aesthetic because it seems simple and budget friendly. But hey, if I’m patronizing your restaurant, I’m there for the atmosphere and experience as much as the food. Otherwise, I might as well order take out. This week I was in…

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Maria’s 2023 Holiday Gift Guide for the Decorator

11/06/2023
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Looking for the perfect gift for your friend, partner, mother or sister who has an eye for design and a passion for creating beautiful spaces? Today I’m sharing my Holiday Gift List for the inner decorator in your life. You know, that special person in your life who  loves to make their home beautiful every…

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Turn off Your Overhead Lights Forever

10/23/2023
35 Comments

Lighting, even over colour, is what makes or breaks a room. Avoid making this mistake in your new build or renovation. This post is written by my sister Anita Junttila who recently started working with me as my Creative Assistant. We’ve come a long way baby! I just did an Instagram live on Sunday where…

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Fall Nesting: Warm Colour and Cozy Styling

10/09/2023
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I can’t believe it’s already fall! In exciting news, our landscaping project started Thursday, see the demo video here on Instagram. You’ll see the colour of my neighbours house which I strategically avoid every time I have shown my front yard in the past. We truly had an exceptionally hot and sunny summer here on…

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12 Classic Outdoor Wall Sconce Lights

04/05/2015
22 Comments

Classic outdoor lights are inviting, but also look like they have been there forever, without looking dated. Here are my favourite classic and timeless outdoor wall sconce lights.  Is it time to replace the lights beside your front door? Here are some of my favourites along with some inspiration photos to help you decide which…

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My Mom’s (Soooo Easy) Famous Corn Salad

08/27/2013
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  Via Pinterest Since it’s corn season, especially out in the country where we live, it’s time that I shared this recipe with you. Chilliwack is known for their triple sweet Jubilee corn. My Mom is really good at one dish meals and since we are vegetarians, this salad is all we need for dinner….

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How I Discovered my System of Understanding Undertones™

07/28/2013
40 Comments

Have you ever wondered exactly how I discovered my system of Understanding Undertones™ that I teach to designers, decorators, architects, home stagers and colour enthusiasts from around the world? I didn’t see the subtle undertones in neutrals myself until I started using large colour boards. So really, they are a huge contribution to the existence…

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How to Get Exactly What You Want for Christmas

12/15/2012
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source Year ago when I was in a course by Landmark Education called The Wisdom Course, this woman came up to me and said “Maria, the reason why you’re single is because you’re too powerful. Men are intimidated by you”, you should do this course called Celebrating Men, Satisfying Women. source Whether THAT statement was…

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My Top 5 Picks for Fall Fashion

11/04/2012
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My sister Elizabeth and I were in Seattle this weekend for a little fall shopping. The rain held off for most of the weekend and we loved walking through the streets kicking leaves in between the stores.   Kate Spade We hit the outlets on the way into town and I picked up this purple…

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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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My 5 Favourite Things at West Elm

09/13/2012
21 Comments

Attention all Home Decor Lovers! West Elm has arrived in Vancouver to South Granville! It’s very difficult to find basic, stylish furniture, and home decor items in Vancouver. So many times, I will arrive at a consultation where my stylish client walks me through their entire house and basically everything is from a certain big…

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