Friday Find–June 14

Modern Bathroom by Austin Design-build Firms Triton Austin-Construction Professionals

In honour of Father’s Day this weekend, this is the perfect small space solution to adding a bar to your home!

Happy Decorating!

I miss my blog …

I was looking through some of my old blog posts today and reminiscing about how eager and inspired I was about blogging.  Since my first post back in April of 2009 blogging has been the source of so much good in my life.  I have met some amazing people, both online and in person.  I’ve been inspired by so many other blogs and their authors, and I hope that I’ve inspired others with the content of my blog.  

Over the course of these four years my commitment to blogging has waned.  With the advent of so many social media tools, there is only so much time one can spend online.  I suppose mine online time has shifted somewhat to Facebook and Twitter, not to mention the fun I’m having over on the TBB Wine Dine and Design blog.

But I miss my blog!  I miss the creative process.  I miss the interaction with commenters and readers.  I miss hoping that I’m inspiring just one person out there.

So in an effort to re-commit to my blog, I’m re-instating a favourite of mine – Friday Finds!

Tomorrow will be the first of many …. so stay tuned!

An Inspirational Series!

Over on the TBB blog, which I share with 5 very talented Ottawa decorators, we have just finished a series of guest posts featuring four of Canada's leading designing women.  These women shared with us their Colour, Fabric & Style forecasts for 2013 and let me tell you, I have been INSPIRED!  I know you will be too, so check them out:

 

• Kimberley Seldon gives us a glamorous "Gatsby" inspired palette
• Carol Reed shares a colour scheme that takes on cottage full of wood
• Sharon Grech paints the picture of a soothing seaside bedroom
• Margot Austin pairs tartan with ivy to comes up with a stunning result

 

 

 

I would love to hear which is your favourite!  I know I can't pick just one ...

 

Happy Decorating!

5 Tips to Welcome Spring in your Home

The weather is warming, the snow has disappeared and apart from the evidence that I have dogs, the lawn is starting to green up.  Spring has arrived!

Source: fanpop.com

Outside your home is showing all the signs of spring, but what about the inside of your home  After a long, cold winter, here are 5 easy ways to bring spring into your home:

1) Declutter

Over the course of the winter our nature is to nest and when we nest we tend to surround ourselves with items that give us happiness and comfort.  Spring is all about new beginnings, so here’s a little exercise to help you declutter. 

1. Start by removing all the tchotchkes in the room – everything! 
2. Now put a quarter of them back.  
3. Give yourself a week to live like this and I guarantee you will feel lighter and brighter. 
4. Either donate, store or give away the items you removed.  If you can’t bring yourself to do that, rotate them in and out of the room.  But remember - less is more, so if you put one thing in the room, you must take one thing out!

deniseinbloom.com via Michelle on Pinterest

2) Floors and Windows

Spring cleaning routines typically involve a good window cleaning.  Not just the glass, but the mullions, sills and trim.  While you are doing this take the opportunity to change up your window treatments.  Replace heavy draperies with sheers to give the room a breezy look. If you have horizontal blinds, consider removing all other treatments to give the window a cleaner look.

Traditional Kids by Houston Interior Designer Carla Aston | Interior Designer

Give the floor a good cleaning, including the baseboards.  If you have an area carpet, replace it with a sisal type rug.  The room will have a much lighter feel.   Area carpets are pivotal to defining your furniture arrangement so make sure the carpet is the right size for your room.  A carpet that is too small, unless it is there for it’s artistic value, will make the room look cluttered.  A good rule of thumb for the right size is to have a minimum of six inches and no more than two feet from the edge of the carpet to the wall. 

Contemporary Dining Room by Toronto Photographer Lisa Petrole Photography

Hint:  Area carpets look great on top of wall to wall carpeting too!

3) Rearrange

I’ve said it before and will continue to say it.  Move things around!  The art on your wall, the carpets, the furniture – if it fits with the colour scheme, move it between rooms.  If it doesn’t fit with the colour scheme, rearrange it in the same room.  You will be surprised at how fresh and new a room feels when you do this!

Traditional Living Room by Asheville Architect ACM Design

Hint: Your sofa or bed doesn’t have be up against a wall, pull it out a bit or angle it in a corner.  You can even angle the area carpet if you have the room. 

4) Colour

Adding colour can be done in various ways.  If you are ready for a change, a coat of paint does wonders to up the newness of a room.  If you don’t want to commit to new colours, then try a couple of new accessories or pillows in a bright spring colour. 

Source: colourlovers.com via Pamela on Pinterest

Hint:  You don’t have to buy new pillows – just pick up a few pillow covers and recover existing pillows.  Ikea, Homesense or Bouclair are great places to pick up spring accessories and pillow covers without breaking the bank.

5) Flowers/Plants

Bringing the outdoors in is as easy as adding plants or fresh flowers to your home.  Fresh flowers are a wonderful way to add a pop of colour to any room.  Houseplants are a more permanent way to bring the outdoors in, but keep them to a minimum (see #1), you don’t want your room to look like a greenhouse.   Plants are also a commitment – watering and pruning is required on a regular basis.  If you don’t have a green thumb, there are plenty of beautiful life-like silk arrangements available that would have the most avid gardener fooled.

Contemporary Spaces by Vancouver Architect Kerrisdale Design Inc	Mediterranean Living Room by Atlanta Architect Summerour Architects

 

I hope these tips help you to welcome spring into your home.  If you have other ideas, please share them with me!

 

Happy Decorating!

Please contact dh designs if you are ready

to create a home that reflects your style and your life.

Inspired at IDS 2013

Well it’s been a little over a month since the Interior Design Show in Toronto.  I have started this post several times and struggled with the words to describe what I saw, what inspired me and what was pure gorgeousness.  So instead of agonizing over what to say, I’ll show you the pictures instead – what a concept!

From Studio North, a section of the IDS floor devoted to unique artisans, crystal wine glasses repurposed as lighting from Tat Chao out of Montreal.

Urban Barn’s take on mustard:

And this lighting display from Living Lighting on King

Wide plank engineered hardwood from PurParket:

Gorgeous ikat inspired area carpets from Weavers Art in one of my favourite colour combinations:

Industrial cage lighting from the Earth Inc. booth

A wonderful blend of rustic and modern from Tomlin Group

There were many more inspiring exhibits some of which have been covered on the TBB Wine Dine and Design blog:

• Texture at the Interior Design Show 2013– from Lisa Goulet
• IDS2013 – Searching for Emerald – from Nicole Duguay
• The Return of Warm Metals – at IDS 2013 – from yours truly
• What Walls are Wearing … IDS13 – from Maureen Coates

I am looking forward to drawing on this inspiration in upcoming projects!

Happy decorating!

An Inspiring Interlude–#IDS2013

This week I’m heading to Toronto for the 2013 Interior Design Show, fondly known as #IDSToronto or #IDS2013 for those of us on Twitter.

It will be a whirlwind of activity including opening galas, after parties and glitzy hob nobbing!

Honestly though, the real reason I’m there is to be inspired.  Friday is “Trade Day”, where members of the trade are granted exclusive access to the show and it’s exhibitors, speakers and product.

The last few shows I’ve been to have provided inspiration on several fronts.

• The abundance of wood in design

• Lighting that dazzles

• Bathroom fixtures that amaze

• Works of art underfoot

I am looking forward to more inspiration this year – that and well, perhaps a little bit of the partying too *wink*!

Happy Decorating

Tray chic!

You've undoubtedly been noticing how popular trays are becoming these days. Over the last few months I've picked up a couple myself that I use in various locations throughout my home. One of them houses my "bar" in the absence of room for the increasingly popular Bar Cart.

Source: dustjacketattic.blogspot.com.au via Donna on Pinterest

Traditional Kitchen design by Oklahoma City Photographer Kate

Another houses a reading station on my coffee table. I use it to store recently received magazines, those little sticky page markers to mark my favourite pages and various pens and hi-liters.

Traditional Bedroom design by Minneapolis Interior Designer Martha O'Hara Interiors

Source: www.paloma81.blogspot.ca

 

Trays are great ways to set up these types of "Centres of Expertise" - to coin a phrase usually associated with the IT side of my life.  Here are a couple of ideas for trays in your home:

• Set one up by the front door to put keys, mail (incoming and outgoing) sunglasses, your travel mug or anything else you drop or pick up as you are coming and going.

Source: style-n-naina.com via Donna on Pinterest

• Use a tray as a "charging station" for your cell phone(s) or other mobile devices.

Contemporary Home Electronics design by Other Metro RedEnvelope

• Put a tray in your guest room to house toiletries your guests may have forgotten, a book or two they may enjoy, a glass of water you refresh daily, an alarm clock and some fresh flowers to brighten their stay.

source: www.bhg.com

Eclectic Bedroom design by Other Metro Media And Blogs Michelle Hinckley

• A tray in your bedroom is a great place to organize and display your perfumes or jewellery.

Source: www.bhg.com

Source: houseandhome.com via Donna on Pinterest

There are a myriad of uses for these little organizers, so pick one or two up and experiment a little.  You never know what magic you will create!  It will definitely be tray chic!

Make sure you check out my Pinterest board on Trays for more ideas!

Happy decorating!