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New Builds & Renovations

Before & After: Are Cherry Cabinets Back? Yay or Nay

09/20/2021
56 Comments

Cherry wood stained cabinets were once a popular and expensive kitchen option. Then after the brown trend took hold, they felt outdated – like a leftover from the 90s. But recently I’ve noticed this  cabinet colour being used in fresh new ways, making me think cherry cabinets might be back. This has been on my…

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Is the Natural Brick Fireplace Back? Yay or Nay

08/11/2021
22 Comments

Are you noticing this too? Natural brick fireplaces seem to be on the trend again. But, what if you already painted your brick fireplace? Here’s my take on the return of a classic and how painted brick fireplaces can also be timeless. The other day I received this question from a reader: I’ve been pouring…

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My Mom’s Beautiful Sunroom Reveal; Before & After

08/02/2021
51 Comments

Today I’m sharing the exterior reveal of my mom’s new sunroom. This lovely new extension on her carriage house is the perfect solution to our west coast rainy seasons. See all the before and afters, plus see how landscaping took this exterior from ‘meh’ to fabulous! Thank you for your patience… See those grasses waving…

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Is Your Cabinet Maker Still Selling Glazed Cabinets?

07/07/2021
50 Comments

Trying to choose a cabinet colour to coordinate with your matte white cafe appliances? There are plenty of beautiful cabinet colours to choose from, but glazed cabinets are not one of them. Even if your cabinet maker is still selling them. I know, I know, we’ve come full circle. 2o years after the brown trend…

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One Old Pool; Two Ways to Make it Beautiful Again

05/23/2021
24 Comments

Here’s some expert advice for making an old pool beautiful again. Plus, my best tips for all the right colour choices for pool materials and landscaping to create the most classic and timeless pool whether you are improving your existing pool or adding a new one. The Spruce (love how the plant material matches the…

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Introducing My 2021 VIP Collection Update

04/25/2021
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I’ve updated my collection of paint colours to include new, on-trend colours. If you haven’t purchased my large painted colour boards before, now is a great time to get started. Plus, I’m sharing my best tips for testing paint colours with large colour boards. The last time I updated my VIP collection, I switched out…

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Why You Shouldn’t Cherry-Pick Design Advice

02/18/2021
22 Comments

Have you ever wondered: OK, so I’ve narrowed my focus to this one particular element of my room. I am just stuck and need to know which is the right _____________. That’s it. Hmmm, but Maria doesn’t offer an eDesign package for this one detail. Darn… it’s just a teeny-tiny decision. Right?  Wrong. Here’s why…

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Two Magic Questions Every Decorator Should Know

02/07/2021
48 Comments

Trying to combine old finishes with new flooring? I’m sharing two magic questions that will make every decorating or design decision better.  House Beautiful | Read more: Encaustic Tile Trend Post I received so many questions about flooring from my last post; Are Hardwood Floors a Pattern,  it’s clear that this topic needs a follow…

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Are Hardwood Floors Considered a Pattern?

02/02/2021
38 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
21 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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