Custom decor: better than a corkboard

Thanks to the proliferation of do-it-yourself crafters, there are a lot of bulletin board alternatives today that are visually appealing. The custom-made rattan board in the picture supports clips or pegs that can be permanently attached and won’t fall to the floor. I added this rattan board to the wall next to my front door…

Read More

Furniture shopping: storage the family will love

When you have a growing family, choosing furniture for storage can seem like a game of musical chairs. Rearranging belongings for young children and pets that get bigger every day, while prioritizing safety and trying to make everything visually appealing, doesn’t require being a natural-born Marie Kondo. With young children or pets, you may find…

Read More

Furniture shopping: creating an easy workspace

You can easily create a workspace anywhere in your home with nothing but a mini desk and chair. Home offices can feel overly secluded and take up a lot of space, while a mini workspace can be set up with only a few square feet. I created the workspace in the picture for guests to…

Read More

Decorating 101: how to use Google Image Search

Shopping online for furniture and decor with a specific aesthetic is easy thanks to visual search tools like Pinterest and Google Image Search. Let’s dive into how to use Google Image Search to find the aesthetic you want at the quality and price point that matches your needs. Selecting inspiration photos for furniture and decor…

Read More

Custom decor: make your own tavern sign

You can make your own custom decor that is authentic and one-of-a-kind without spending a lot of money. A tavern sign like the one I’ve rendered in Runway in the picture can be made for $20 to 50. The centuries-old logo from a family brewery makes it meaningful to me. At-home bars have surged in…

Read More

Professional design: biophilia to lift your mood

One of my favorite design philosophies to enhance the mood of a space is biophilic design. “Biophilia” is a word that means “love of living things” and biophilic design incorporates natural elements into your home. Making use of biophilic elements in your home boosts your emotional well-being by bringing the psychological benefits of time spent…

Read More

Colour basics: how to budget for interior paint

Making a budget for home upgrades like interior paint is an important part of shopping for any new home, whether you’re renting or buying. How much you need to budget for interior paint depends on the size of your home. As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to count the number of “standard rooms” in…

Read More

Professional design: 3 awesome feng shui ideas

You don’t need to be an interior design professional to make use of design philosophies like feng shui. If you’ve never decorated a home before and don’t know the difference between Art Deco and Hollywood Regency, a basic design philosophy can help you decide where to place your furniture and decor. Following a philosophy like…

Read More

Furniture mods: how to add edge cabinet pulls

If you’ve never modified furniture before, installing new edge cabinet pulls on a small cabinet is a great place to start. Small cabinets like the one in the picture are versatile. They can be used in a bedroom as a vanity, in a hallway as a console, or outside of a washroom as a storage…

Read More

Decorating 101: how to decorate a new home with neutrals

If you’re not sure how to decorate a new home, a neutral colour palette is the best decorating choice you can make. Even the top luxury interior designers use neutral colour palettes when staging $25-million contemporary homes. By starting with a predominantly white, black, or grey space, you will have a home that’s ready to…

Read More