Blogs

Do you ever have a moment – you are trying to make something, cook a great meal, pick an out fit and you start to hear your mother telling you what to do? You feel trapped by the “now I’m supposed tos”.Break out of that! Learn how to work freely between the two guide...

Simple materials.Rich material.Is it the finest of materials that make it art?Or is it the application of the language?It’s both, as when the language is artfully applied it creates a clear...

I learned early from excellent Mennonite carpenters that even with simple materials, such as wood, with a bit more care and attention, that the motifs could be repeated to create harmony throughout the home.You can create an interior with more impact by closely...

Have you ever noticed in a movie how the production usually has a colour scheme that is gently woven all the way thru the movie? The same can be done in a home. You can start with a neutral pallet and add a strong color in strategic placements, all the thru the home....

The Architect gave us a cue to how to design this room with his signature oval-shaped window. If you don’t have any inspiring shapes given to start with, here is what you can do.First work out the message. For example do you want a masculine or feminine message in the...

In other words don’t worry about the style until you work out the message.After you work out the message the style comes...

Though it sounds elementary – so many spaces are not designed for a good flow. Even a small space can be well planned to have good flow. The best way to work out a flow is to draw out a plan then trace the basic flow of the users through the space doing different...

Well designed spaces are only complete once the users are there in the space living and working. In other words it is the life in the space that completes the beauty.Add life to your space with well planned areas for people, pets and...

If you pay attention to the colours in nature, you’ll see unlimited ways that colour is combined harmoniously. It’s a the perfect inspiration, wide open and free for...

The first thing you have to do to find colour harmony is to find the KEY colour, that is the largest colour in the room that you can’t change. For instance you have a blue bathtub and you just can’t change it but you want a more modern look. Blue is the KEY colour....

When someone wants me to design something “simple”, I’m never wanting that to mean easy. Simple is brought about after you work out the design correctly-only then can you make it seem simple or easy.“Easy” is usually the worst thing to go for because it creates shoddy...

You can drive yourself silly trying to have the perfect room or the perfect home or perfect hair! In this interior we worked with the existing side board and the client added a new in expensive dining set and carpet. Because all the planning with the right colour...

My head was all cluttered as I fled the studio. Proposal after proposal was getting rejected. I was flustered and felt betrayed by my “education” especially in historical design. Or more likely I didn’t pay enough attention to historic design. But later I went back to...

The client presented me with a three sided fireplace she planned to put in the room to divide the living and dining areas. Although it was a great idea, the fireplace as a focal point, is too small to actually be THE focal point. A more dominant focal point was needed...

When I presented this headboard to the client, it had all the elements she wanted, a focal point for the room and place to provide comfort for her and her hubby. But what I did wrong was the introduction of a diagonal diamond shape in the button tufting. Although it...