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AUGUST? How did that happen?

8/27/2020

I’ve been silent the last month - well - relatively speaking. We have had so much on our plate and with my broken elbow pretty much all the heavy lifting went to Derek. I'm tired of going for therapy but the mobility doesn't seem to be improving much, despite all the work I am doing...so off I go. There is nothing worse than watching someone else work when you just want to get in there and get it done. (Thats a woman thing I think!)

Our kitchen floor before, during and after... And yes, that is a cushion floor. Easy to clean, soft and warm to walk on!

When Derek said, "you design the plan and I will execute it", I really feel like he had no idea what he was getting himself in to. A one man show(reno) isn't much fun. Especially with me peering over his shoulder! I think he deserves a hero biscuit. And while we have had our moments - we are still here and still renovating. Mostly with good humor.

The cabinet doors and my super cool sparkly backsplash sheeting. I can't wait to show it to you!

I will admit to really really wanting that kitchen in. But every time I look at the space it seems there is “just one more thing” to fix. Luckily, I know from experience that one day soon we will be able to say we are ready. As soon as the paint rollers hit the wall it will progress quickly.
Derek has had some pretty tough days. Hot humid weather and brutal chipping and pounding on the dated tiles and nasty subfloor (and then substrate!) took their toll. So we went to visit some friends, who's boys were glued to Derek the whole time. Hey! A little unabashed admiration goes a long way! Eighteen year olds don't have the same affections...
Then we took a few evenings/days with family in the last few weeks may have put us off our schedule, but have helped us stay in the game!

I attempted to start a quickie facelift for the loft bathroom and soon gave up. I absolutely hate everything about that room.... but I started to feel like there was no point in pretending I could put lipstick on it... you know the saying. (I won't finish the phrase for fear of offending some pigs.) It’s not something we can add to the list right now, so I walked away from it.
But... walking away from a challenge is not my forté so I regrouped and came up with a new new “quick facelift” plan. I will let you know how it goes!

Even after a hazmat cleaning this bathroom is seriously awful. Cringe-worthy.

I finally took a walk around the property last week. It’s not that big but I just didn’t have the time or the heart. There’s some good and some bad there. The bones are there but that’s going to take some muscle next spring! The ground is as hard as a rock and the 'gardens' are all weeds and neglect.

Check out these amazing trees we have.
So while things don’t look dramatically different on the outside we are rocking the drywall compound inside and the new kitchen target is September 1 -update- we are going to miss that deadline. (It is almost done - but countertops are 2 weeks out.)
I love to BBQ but I have to admit the “camp” kitchen is getting old.
My kingdom for a dishwasher!

This little lady had 3 batches of babies before flying the coup. She has more staying power than me!

The pool is a much needed but highly distracting section of the property. It attracts the local wildlife (relatives) on a daily basis! Keegan started charging everyone a 'snack' tax and it has worked out beautifully for us! Yum!

I personally have never seen a full grown 'cedar' tree. Its huge and gnarly and beautiful! Is it just me or do the trees seem so much bigger in this area? Derek suggested a longer growing season, and warmer winter (yay!) might be why.

The Art of Dining Out(side).

6/1/2020

Blue is always indicative of summer and the beach, not to mention a very popular colour this year. Layer your plates with simple and pattern like I’ve done here.

If there is one remarkable thing about social distancing you may have noticed it is how we have had the opportunity to rediscover the joy of eating at home.
As is evident by the lack of flour in the grocery stores, many people are also baking again. I am not one of those people! If I put something in the oven it doesn’t come out until it’s on fire. Also the whole idea of measuring is beyond my scope of abilities. My husband calls my dishes “one pot wonders”. I don’t think that is necessarily always meant as a compliment. He misses the meat and potato scenario sometimes. (Wrinkly face.)

I love Buddha bowls, Thai food and Poke - see where this is going? I will put anything, hot or cold, over a salad.

But, I will admit, over the years my cooking has gotten a little lazy. My husband was often away on business or not home until late in the evening, after his long and arduous daily commutes into “the heart of darkened” as he likes to call it. My 18 year old also has an interesting but limited palate. So cooking for myself hasn’t been all that inspirational.
Enter Covid, school cancelation, limited clients and hubby's job going out the window and suddenly family dinners are back. You know the scenario.

Some may have found the added kitchen activity stressful, while others are basking in baking. I've waited in anticipation for warmer weather and BBQ season- and here it is! (It's been a long spring!) Welcome June! We can BBQ! I dislike indoor cooking in the summer and I'm excited at the idea of BBQ’d veges and meat with sides of tasty and interesting salads. Yay! Summer!
So break out the gingham, set your outdoor dining table, cafe table or picnic table (with social distancing in mind).

Beautify your picnic table with some fresh greenery from your yard and enjoy! Keep it simple with charcuterie boards or BBQ chicken and whip up a fresh salad. Grab a glass of wine and head outside with your plate in hand. You deserve it!

April showers bring May .... Snow, Covid & Murder Wasps... but Snow!!

5/17/2020

What the..?! What a crazy spring it has been. I missed March & April Blog posts but I think you can understand why. So many things have changed…
I’m going to be frank. I really wanted to step up and be a voice in the darkness. I had visions of bringing you inspirational ideas to keep you busy and happy during our ‘lockdown’. Instead, like so many others I think, I just kind of crashed.

My whole family is at home and that disrupted my usual schedule as follows: quiet coffee with CBC Radio, make a little Instagram post. Check my emails and go out to the Studio to either paint or just look at what I have done… then in to the office to form a plan for the day and answer the many (or few) client questions via email.
Then it is lunch and down to work. I like to finish the day off with a little creative painting time before making dinner.
All that is gone now.
I think for the first few weeks we just waited in uncertainty. I for one, did not leave the house. My hubby does not call me a bubble child for no reason. If it is out there, I get it - and hard. So I sacrificed him to do the weekly grocery store run. Then we sat and waited. And listed to the radio. (We don’t have TV thank goodness). though I have been exposed to some rather disturbing press conferences. I shut that down pretty quickly when it happens. And I've stopped listening to the radio for the most part. Now I listen to my favourite music. It is much nicer!
Fast forward to binge watching Netflix, then Crave, then Amazon Video. And into the mix throw trying to get your ADD 18 year old to adapt to online learning. I don’t want to say I am giving up here, but yes, I give up. I think. (My son would beg to differ because I am a PITA).
I think our communities all have just…. crashed…… Emotionally and physically this has been exhausting. When I think about it, maybe it is that collectively we were all already emotionally and physically exhausted but never had the time or took the opportunity to really drop it all and …sleep. I think we have done that now. I certainly have. And like any good nap, we are all waking up now and thinking “Ok, time to get something done”. (I hope we will all be smart about how we do that!)
So here I am waking up now and I guess I should back up to reveal some circumstances that initiated our next response - Last year Sucked! My husband’s office was failing managerially, a difference in the provinces management style was very conflictual. So as his job came to a close we had some decisions to make. Last year I had the worst back issues imaginable. I was bedridden, drugged to gills and basically immobile . So in the new year I altered my business dramatically and began offering only on-line consulting and planning. It is something I have relied on in the past but to move exclusively to that is scary from a business viewpoint. We barely got off the ground when Covid hit and as much as I would like you to be focussing on decorating, I know you have many more things of importance. Like sleeping.
I had the overwhelming feeling, when all of this started that it was a cue. A cue for change. But what can you do when you you have been self employed for decades, when your country basically puts a hold on everything and your whole family is at home staring at each other. Well, you move of course! This takes an extreme leap of faith and surrendering to the idea of fate. We are still leaping, but with a little more direction. So we put our house in the hands of a very competent real estate agent and said with bravado “whatever happens"…
Half a day later we had a firm offer over asking and it was a done deal. No open houses and 2 showings shy of a nervous breakdown and it was all over. The emotional response went like this. “Wow!”….pause … “shit”.
I have to say packing kept us busy. But I think in some ways we packed too soon - I noticed I had to keep opening boxes to find things I needed.
Next on the covid trail was - where do we move to and how do we do it? Would we find a moving company? How do you say goodbye to all your clients and friends you love? How would we get rid of all the things we didn’t want when the dump and the thrift stores were closed. And most importantly, would we find a house??????
We decided to move to Leamington. We had been talking about it forever. My husbands family live there (fantastic people). There is open water, beaches galore, fresh produce and people we love. What more could you ask for? Oh ya… it is the warmest part of Ontario. So lets go...
con't below ..

Screeeching halt!
Houses were scarce and a couple we like had holds put on their listings. No one wanted strangers coming through their homes. Our agent had a hard time understanding what our intention was, since it was pretty much the opposite of ... all her clients. Our request: a one floor house with a garage. With good bones but a little sad. 'Here is one with a bathroom update'. Hell No. 'New kitchen'-Nope! How do I like my houses? RAW. I bought a finished house once. It sucked the life out of me. I never said I wasn’t a little crazy…. But though we wanted a raw house - we didn’t want a ‘falling’ down house. Apparently it can be a fine line..
Do you ever have moments where you you've convinced yourself you are calm. Ya, I’m cool, totally chill. We will find something. No biggie. I admit, I was starting to freak out!

RE-DISCOVER SOME LONG LOST MUSIC YOU HAVE LOVED.

A Belated Happy Easter
& Mother's Day!

Our On-line Planning Program
is Awesome!

I hit a nice groove
this spring in the Studio

..That Crazy Decorator lady....

STAY TUNED
Our New DIY Project
coming Soon!!!!

And then it happened. We found it. Now we need to familiarize ourselves with the big (small, super small, tiny even) town of Wheatley.
Unfortunately we couldn’t match the closing dates. Lucky for us, grandma Char has taken us in as squatters in her basement. Commence the family de-compression part deux. The storage locker is full and we are living in limbo for over a month. But we’ve got this.
STAY TUNED for future posts when we begin to make a sad house a happy one!
Look forward to video’s and A or B choices through Instagram and my Facebook page.
Help us give our new home a Facelift!

February Blahs.

2/13/2020

A New Year-A New Look
Easy ways to Freshen your Home

February…it so Boring! I am not quite in to the Spring Frenzy and just over the Holiday Coma. This is my annual rip-things-apart-month. Yup. February. The month where things need a little refresh so I don't go stir crazy. I’ve spend the year moving, buying and putting things here and there, sometimes without the thought it deserves. It is time to regroup and reassess - and I am brutal.
Be Brutal.... and Methodical.

Step 1. Clean and Purge. This is a very important step that requires a lot of discipline. Pick a room and go through your ‘stuff’. If it is chipped, broken or otherwise unsightly Throw It Out! (better yet, give it to charity or a crafter who can repurpose it.) You know all those things you shoved in drawers and set on the shelf promising yourself you would think about it later. Later is now Gator. Empty those drawers, clear those cabinets.

You will need 3 boxes. The Keeper - things you know you will use again. The Question - things you are not sure about and the Bye Bye Forever box for unusable, broken, I’ve-Always-Hated-That and the sad and I’m over it items.

Fill them up. That is right, clear every cabinet and shelf, drawer and table in that room. Bare Bones.

Step 2. Assess the room. Does it need a fresh coat of paint or colour? Now is the time to do it. Fill holes, repair cracks, caulk that trim. Change the colour or just freshen up the one you have.

Step 3. Dream it - Be it. Is this room screaming for a new look? Grap a cuppa and figure it out. (Or better yet call me for a consult!) Start at the floor and work your way up. New area carpet? This could change the whole look! Or maybe it is just new drapes. Has that coffee table always been a problem or has seen better days? Lots of places are having sales right now. Go shopping - but take a list and do not stray from the path my young Pad-wan.

Maybe the room just needs a little clean up. A little dusting and a wash. Like how long have those socks been under the sofa? Now is the perfect opportunity to give the room the full clean treatment. You will need your favourite music for this task. Alexa: play Nina Simone!

Step 4. Now that you have the major players for the room figured out- flooring, wall colour and furniture, you are ready for the fun part! Decorate!
Start with the artwork. Your mantra is: ‘go big or go home’ or if you want minimal ‘less is more’.
Make sure what you put up is relevant, meaningful and in keeping with the feel you have started with your rooms major players (wall colour, furniture and flooring). Smaller frames can be grouped together while leaving some space around them. Make sure whatever you put up is appropriate for the scale of the wall and is anchored by the furniture.
Next you have your decor items from the ‘keeper’ box. Don’t even look in the other boxes! Don’t space your items around the room. Group them in common themes ( odd numbers work well) and varying heights and layers and then most importantly, leave space between your groups. Depending on your personal aesthetics you will have a many layered curated room or a simple open space with only a few key pieces. Follow it through by not putting anything back that does not absolutely fit perfectly.
Now stand back and look at your freshly curated room! You might not even need to buy new items for a room. Re-working and removing some items is often all it takes to give your room a new feel.

Now on to the next room…

Tips: Sometimes items in one room can transfer nicely in to another room. But the same rule applies… don’t use it just because you have it. Make sure it has a story to tell wherever it goes. If you have some pieces that you absolutely can’t part with, but they don’t work in the space then wrap them up and if you have the room, store them. In a year or two they may fit when you rework another room. Send everything else off to charity. (The Question and the Bye Bye boxes both!) Don't hesitate. Be Brutal. You will feel so much lighter and your February blahhs will March right on out of here.

And So this is Christmas...

12/18/2019

So right about now you are out running around doing the last minute things before you get to the last minute things….

It seems like one minute you are feeling like you have plenty of time and the next minute you are packing up to go to the in-laws. You thought you had a head start. The lights went up and the decor got pulled out. Soon you were decorating the Christmas tree in plenty of time to sit back and have a glass of wine. A lovely thought went through your head. “Now I can relax and enjoy the season for a while.” (Insert a knowing snicker here.)

Holiday decorations, company parties, dinner parties, food prep, money in/money out. It can make your head spin. It might be too late to say don’t wait until the last minute so here are some ideas that might help or make you feel better.

Last minute shopping can bring you some great deals.
Make your food prep list NOW. Knowing what you will be making and what you need to do it takes at least half the stress away.
Get wrapping! You probably have bought more than you intended to or missed someone. Wrapping helps clarify this for you. Don’t get caught going to the local convenience store Christmas Eve to fill in the gaps. Just spend an hour at it. It will help keep your festive mood going to see all those wrapped gifts.
More wine is better. Thats all that needs to be said. Stock up.
Buy batteries-because it sucks to run out over the holidays.
Small gifts are ok. I think it is a growing trend to not go crazy with Christmas gifts. (Unless you have small children, then it seems all bets are off!) Take those small gifts and wrap them in a fun way.
Gift cards - Some may feel this is the easy way out and not as much fun as an actual physical gift but I think it is a practical way for people to enjoy your gift on a personal level. Teens love them, husbands love them. Your sister in law would love a gift card to her favourite store or pharmacy (makeup!)
Buy Extra chocolate. Who isn’t going to love a little bar of handmade or boutique chocolate? Really… its chocolate.
Keep your receipts in a safe place to make sure you can easily return items. Better yet ask for a gift receipt to put with your gifts to make it easy for everyone.
Plan your Christmas outfits. Make sure they are comfortable and put together some mix and match alternatives. Don’t forget some cosy Christmas pyjamas! Or- here is my little trick ladies. Yoga pants-boot cut, 3/4 or leggings. (Don't roll your eyes.) First, they are black (my favourite colour) and black goes with everything. Pair them with a glittery sweater, a glamorous jacket or a statement necklace and no one will be the wiser! It will seriously diminish your stress. My hubby calls them universal pants... because you can wear them for anything, even yoga. Pfftt. Yoga.
Have some games handy for company. Nothing says a nap like a big Christmas dinner. Having some games handy will re-engage everyone.

And lastly:
Enjoy the process by putting on your favourite (holiday) music while you run around, wrap gifts and make food. Engage your family as much as possible. Even though the holidays can seem more like a business deadline than a 'holiday' you can get through it with as much joy as possible by socializing ...and drinking wine. (Which is of course the whole point of having a holiday!)

But Wait! If you still have a few last minute things to get I have some shameless plugs right here!
Here are a couple of my favourite local places to get that perfect unique something. These are last minute gifts that matter that you can pick up in the lovely little town of Ayr Ontario
Karen Murray art - yup that is right- I’m plugging my wares. You can buy a framed piece of art right here, they are ready to go! (each piece comes with an authenticity certificate). Just check out the Art4You Gallery above! Come and get ‘em.
Boosh - hands down the best lipstick & gloss around town. Their tag- 'Life is dirty, your lipstick doesn't have to be'.
Willibald Farm Distillery- so many options here. For the man or couple in your life that likes the finer things. Go out to the farm and pick up a gift card for the restaurant, a bottle of Aaaamazing gin and some accoutrements.

A Not so Spooky Halloween

10/30/2019

Well it is almost halloween. For the kiddies and their parents it is a pretty special time of year. The costumes and excitement of trick or treating is as delicious and the candies collected! We all have our own halloween traditions, for some of us it might mean trying to avoid trick or treaters for the night. You might turn all the lights off and watch TV in the dark. But that eerie glow through the crack in the curtains doesn't deter everyone and inevitably you get some determined banging on your door. It can be pretty terrifying. For others, a night out is the ticket. Dinner and a movie anyone? Be careful driving...

Even if you don't like or have kids of the trick or treat age you may still have some halloween traditions that don't include hiding or running for the hills. You may take your family and visit one of the many fall farms in our area. The spooky hay wagon rides seem to teeter on too scary for the young ones and a lot of annoying eye rolling for the older ones (a lot!). What exactly is the sweet spot for those rides? I'm guessing at between 7-9. By the way-the fun of carving a pumpkin has no age limit. So pick out a good one when you get off the hay ride through the muddy mysterious sugarbush.
For a parent -ahem, father-the halloween tradition might include confiscating the best candy as a tariff when your trick or treater gets home. The negotiating between child and adult is inspirational if it is any indication of your child's future as a CEO.
Oh, speaking of traditions... As the grocery shopper in your house you may think you are ahead of the game when you stock up early, but you know you are going to end up having to go back to the store several times before those mega bags of candy and chocolate have a chance of making it to sundown on October 31. It is a little sad that the days of 'baking and making' are almost gone so unless you have a tight knit group Neilson and Cadbury are the big winners here. (However, as I recall when we were kids, most of the homemade stuff generally made it to the off cast pile that you would generously 'gift' to the family anyway.)

Though I miss the excitement of the night I'm not sorry to say that the days of negotiating the costume wearing are over. Some years went better than others. Plan the costume, talk about the costume, get or make the costume and then... refuse to wear the costume. Be cool. Just breathe. "Who cares". The first year out our son actually wore a costume but wouldn't knock on doors. He just ran up and down the sidewalk having a great time! (Much to the disappointment of my husband.) After that we convinced him to trick or treat occasionally but there were a few years where he was content to hand out candy at the door. Again, to the great disappointment of his father.
Now that the trick or treating era is over for him, the allure of the costumed kids and spooky decor has waned he still has one tradition that he (and we) looks forward to every year. It's about as spooky as pumpkin pie with a candy bat. Our spine tingling tradition includes forbidden love, espionage, discovery and...song. Yup, thats right. Every year we sit down with a bowl of popcorn and watch Nightmare before Christmas. Never before have the genre of claymation, horror, opera and Christmas combined so well. Jack Skellington is where it is at folks! His existential crisis is always on the menu for October 31. Thats what I call (eye & ear) candy! Oh Jack!

From cute to complex, halloween decorating is a much loved tradition. The pumpkin carving has gotten so sophisticated!

For some, halloween is a license to turn your home into a hallowed hall of hell! The killer instinct comes out in you and all the gory slimy screaming goo you can think of gets introduced to your porch and front hall. The creativity and time spent on eggs and jello creations is truly a marvel. For those of us with a firm thumb on restraint we can't help but secretly admire it! A good drive around town will turn up some truly impressive yards. It is worth hunting around and if you go slow enough you might just add to the creep factor of the evening.... Oh. Wait.... Well, do it but carefully! Don't make eye contact.

October 31 - Jacks Back!
So tomorrow night, whatever your traditions -gory or not gory - I hope you have a safe and fun, treat laden spooktacular night!

Happy Thanksgiving - a holiday worthy of gratitude.

10/10/2019

If you are crazy about pumpkin like I am this is a pretty exciting time of year. I love pumpkin 'spice' but also just pumpkin. Not only do I love how they look but I love them in soup, ice cream, carrot cake, pancakes, ravioli and of course --- pie!
TIP: Pumpkin soup with a dash of orange and curry spice is so easy and delicious it makes me wonder why I don't make it all year.
Of course certain things are synonymous with specific holidays and evoke fond memories. Reserving those rituals for these special times is what makes them so feel so magical.
The timing of Thanksgiving couldn't be more perfect too. It distracts us from mourning the loss of summer. This holiday brings back the idea of cosy, warm and comforting colours , decor and of course 'comfort food'. It re-introduces us back to nesting. I secretly look forward to this rare opportunity to indulge in creamy mash potatoes. Preferably ones that someone else made!

Locally, one of my favourite places to get pumpkins, gourds and squash is Good Family Farm just outside of Kitchener on Bridge Street. It only takes a quick drive to check them out! http://goodpumpkins.com/products/

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” ~ John F. Kennedy

Did you know?
Originally the concept was of course, to give thanks for the harvest season but since most of us don't grow our own food, the tradition now focusses simply on getting together with family and eating a large turkey dinner topped off with a big helping of pumpkin pie. Turkey coma is real folks!
Believe it or not though, the first Thanksgiving holiday in Canada was in 1872 to celebrate the recovery of the Prince of Wales from illness. After 1879 the celebrations were held every year but not always in October, they were sometimes held in November.

TIP: Get creative with white pumpkins and a gold spray can! Its a great way to create an inviting porch and table centrepiece. Have fun with it!
Lastly, as we gather our family and friends together, lets not forget that there are many who may be stressed about providing a holiday table worthy of gratitude. Consider donating to Feed Ontario to help fill the bellies of young children in our Province. https://feedontario.ca

It Time to get your Hygge (hue-guh) on!

10/3/2019

Hygge. The trend that defies ‘inside the box’ decorating.
It laughs in the face of cold, modern and sterile. Our youthful decorators want organic, natural, uncluttered and simple old-euro-world charm.

For so long now we have seen the ‘decorating in a box’ culture. Hence one of my tag lines- “Put the person-ality back in to our decor.” Our freedom has been curtailed and simple personal touches have been eschewed and replaced with a depository of overly curated homes. Just writing it feels stressful. While some people are ok with those formal lines (and thats ok!) most of us want a more inviting feel- a cozy place to feel safe and comfortable with our friends and family.

So even though we might want to move away from the greys and whites I think most of us still want to maintain a sense of calm and uncomplicated. We might be a bit bored with just simple grey & white but adding some soft tranquil tones will play well and take away the sterile look.
Hygge - simple, soothing, cozy and warm. The Danish trend that took the world by soft spoken storm...

How to Hygge...
Keep your colour palette simple. Embrace a light but soft background. Then add some rich textured materials and woods. Well cared for compact plants make a nice addition too. Don't forget light, whether it is in the form of candles, fireplace or a string of delicate lights. From the bathroom to the living room think a cozy place that a kitten could curl up in!

Did you Know: hygge means "to give courage, comfort, joy". Hygge was the work of the year in 2016 in the UK Collins dictionary.

So go ahead and cosy up. Make your nest. Winter will soon be upon us and with the cold, dark, days approaching, the simple joy of a lighting a candle and cozying up with a hot coffee and a fur could make a huge difference.

So.. whats up with grey?

9/25/2019

Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter HC 172

I mean, who doesn't have this colour somewhere in their house? Revere Pewter popularity is rivalled only by the 90’s trend of taupe. Why do we love it so much? It is a soft grey-but not quite white. It is the embodiment of ‘greige’ with a warmer feel than what we commonly think of as grey. The slight green in it makes it more palatable than a blue/grey. It looks great with white and again, because of its green undertone is friends with so many other colours.

I'm more of an 'Agreeable Grey' or Edgecomb Grey' person myself...

The search for the perfect grey began in 2016.

Whites were a hot topic then too. We chose BM Cloud white as our ‘perfect white’ years before. Then we needed a wall colour to partner with it. As with Cloud White, we searched for something not too cool. We live in the northern hemisphere so we wanted something clean but slightly muddy to keep it from being too chilly. Revere Pewter fit the criteria.
So we cleared our clutter and simplified our palette with grey and white. Our decor became more sophisticated. Country went upscale, traditional became more contemporary. The real estate market went wild with it. Suddenly, you can only sell your house if it is grey and completely devoid of personality and even furniture. I believe it is this trend that has started to cool our love of grey. When the pendulum swings that far, it will have an equal and opposite swing…

As we explore this grey colour trend, which I have embraced a little myself, we have to realize we lost our joie de vevre to a large degree. (Sophisticated minimalism needs very strict rules in order for it to work.) So instead of using grey to flatten everything, think of using it to compliment. Its not that we are using grey, that is the problem, but rather how we are using it.. You can and should use warm or intense contrasts with grey to give your room/home dimension and interest.

But not to fear, the design world is here to help you step it up a notch. Are you ready for it? We all know that as much as we have loved the grey trend, it is time to make some adjustments. Remember the taupe trend we loved and now never talk about?

Don’t worry though, the next movement doesn’t necessarily involve getting rid of grey and white but simply giving it some life.

"We should think of our colours as transitioning rather than trending."

Where do Colour Trends come from?

9/23/2019

In a word.... everywhere.

Colour comes from our favourite movies, fashion, street trends and last but not least…Colour Forecasters. Probably the most well known is Pantone. But the interesting part about colour trends is the masses don’t necessarily fall in love with the predictions. At the very least, we as conservative Canadian, are wary about embracing new and possibly wild colours. Maybe that is why the grey appealed to us so much- even though when it first came on the scene predictors were saying we would not use it because of our climate. So much for that!
If you have ever painted anything artistic you begin to have a new appreciations for the nuances of colour and how they interact with each other. I’ve taken workshops with Leatrice Eiseman (executive director at the Pantone Color Institute) and it has expanded my understanding of colour incredibly, even beyond what I knew as an artist.

I get excited about new trends - they can build on ones that have already been accepted. This can take us to a new level of interest in our surroundings. As a decorator I have to be open to all of it-to be able to if not embrace it, to at least know how to interpret it.

Some motives behind trend following:

Guidance: may apply to people who don't pay much attention to their personal style and therefore don't know what suits them. They want an instant solution in the era of instant everything because they're either not interested in decor (but they feel the need to stay current) or they don't have time to think about it. "If it's trendy, surely it'll look good in my house." This is often not true and ends up leaving our homes in discord with itself.
Smoke and mirrors: Sometimes we just want to impress others. Some believe they can prove to others that they are the same as their “decor idols". The world can be a fake-it-till-you-make-it place and that is not always a bad thing when taken lightly and perhaps a little tongue-in-cheek.
Fitting in: When we were kids there was exactly one right pair of jeans & the music everyone listened to. High school is so freaking traumatic that we often fall in to that trap with our homes and lives as adults.
Playing with trends: Creative types can embrace a trend just because it's there. If you are savvy and it doesn't work for you, you just let it go. Sometimes we have to understand that new isn’t always better. But change can be exciting or terrifying depending on who you are.

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I think everything around us is eye candy. Right down to the mundane everyday things I see as I go about my daily life. Come here to see what I see and to read about life hacks, local musings and practical decorating musings. My hope as you follow this blog will be that you enjoy the humour and delight in the smallest of things right along side me.

Blue is always indicative of summer and the beach, not to mention a very popular colour this year. Layer your plates with simple and pattern like I’ve done here.

RE-DISCOVER SOME LONG LOST MUSIC YOU HAVE LOVED.

​A Belated Happy Easter​& Mother's Day!

Our On-line Planning Program​ is Awesome!

I hit a nice groove​this spring in the Studio

..That Crazy Decorator lady....

STAY TUNED ​Our New DIY Project coming Soon!!!!

A New Year-A New LookEasy ways to Freshen your Home