don't delete - script style

browse

BLOG

Community

START HERE

SHOP

Maria Killam

By

From Empty to Finished: A One-Day Cottage Makeover

10/01/2026

Archives

Hi, I'm Maria

I’m the creator of the Killam Colour System® and pioneered virtual colour consulting in 2010, long before online design advice became an industry. After guiding more than 10,000 colour projects and training thousands of design professionals, I teach homeowners and designers how to choose colour, finishes and furnishings that work together beautifully.

eDesign

Timeless

Neutral Undertones

Colour Trends

Bathrooms

Kitchens

A quick and easy way to start understanding colour, undertones, and design principles.

Shop Colour Wheels, Boards, and Guides—trusted tools for confident colour decisions.

Colour Resources

Master colour selection or grow your design business with expert-led courses.

Education

Let Maria choose for you. Skip the learning and just get it all done with eDesign.

eDesign Services

Ready to stop wondering what your room needs?

Today is the final day to save 10% on eligible eDesign packages and get an expert plan in place before the holidays take over.

Derek is a student, and he also works on his family’s dairy farm. He’d been living in this little cottage on the property for about a year, but it still felt more like a place he was staying than a home that felt finished.

The cottage itself didn’t need renovating. It needed warmth, better furniture placement, rugs to define the spaces, lamps, art and all the layers that make a room feel intentional.

This makeover is such a good example of something I talk about all the time: when the colour, scale, proportion and placement are right, a modest decorating budget can go a very long way. The rugs, lamps, art and furniture all work together and that’s what makes the whole room look more expensive.

Watch the makeover here:

Related Posts

You’re Overthinking Your Living Room: 5 One Day Makeovers

Fix Your Empty TV Wall Today

Could a Scandinavian Eat In Kitchen be for You?

share this:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi, I'm Maria

I’m the creator of the Killam Colour System® and pioneered virtual colour consulting in 2010, long before online design advice became an industry. After guiding more than 10,000 colour projects and training thousands of design professionals, I teach homeowners and designers how to choose colour, finishes and furnishings that work together beautifully.

eDesign

Timeless

Neutral Undertones

Colour Trends

Bathrooms

Kitchens

Decorating Advice

know what works
and why

Life’s too short to live in a home you don’t love, and it’s too expensive to start from scratch when you don’t have to.

 Let me help you make confident colour decisions for every project in your home.

About Maria

Maria Killam pioneered virtual colour consulting in 2010, long before the industry caught on. She's trained thousands of design professionals since, guided more than 10,000 virtual colour and design projects, and is the creator of The Killam Colour System® and the Understanding Undertones® Neutral Colour Wheel.

Shopping cart0
There are no products in the cart!
Continue shopping