Reason #2 to Hire an Interior Decorator: Matching Grandma's Favourite Chair

So most of us, when changing the decor in a space have limitations.  They might be an existing tile that can't be replaced,

Source:  http://uglyhousephotos.com/wordpress/?p=10249

 some drapes that you paid a lot of money for 3 years ago and can't afford to buy again right away,

Source:  http://autohomedecor.com

or it might be Grandma's favourite chair that she's either using or has such sentimental value, it can't be changed.

Grandma's chair...Source:  http://4.bp.blogspot.com

Or maybe these finishes or chair styles are not the problem, it's that your tastes has changed and it's time for some new things.

We all have decorating limitations.  It's the interior decorator's job to work within those limitations and still make your space as fabulous as possible.  I worked for a couple of years as a design consult at La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries.  During that time, I was frequently given the challenge to coordinate with some existing furniture in the client's home.  In most cases, it was entirely possible to bring in new things to blend, disguise or hide the challenge in the room.

So bring it to us...we LOVE challenges.

Until next time,





Special limited time savings of $25 for a colour consultation.  Click here for more information.

Reason #1 to Hire an Interior Decorator: Paint Colours

So here we are with a brand new year.  There is something about changing over to that fresh calendar that always feels so good.  A new year brings new possibilities and adventures, new opportunities to make ourselves and our spaces the best they can be.

This year I would like to bring you a bi-weekly blog detailing how hiring a certified interior decorator, like myself, can save you a lot of time, money and frustration, while altering your personal environment for the better.  We all know what it feels like when a room is "just right".  How can you achieve that? Let's start with something as basic as paint colour.

Now, anyone can go to the paint store and pick a colour.  After all, how many of you painted your room beige, thinking it was going to go with everything, but it didn't work.  Why are there so many beiges and whites?  Well, that's because they are all different!  Some beige will read as pink or red

Benjamin Moore HC-48 Bradstreet Beige

like Benjamin Moore's Bradstreet Beige, while others will look green like Benjamin Moore's Hemp Seed. 

Benjamin Moore CC-578 Hemp Seed

Some will come across as grey and others will change dramatically as the light changes in your room.  Speaking of light, did you know that the amount and quality of light, both natural and artificial, will also greatly affect the colour.  Do you still think you can pick the perfect colour, in a paint store, with all fluorescent light?

The next time you decide to spend money on several gallons of paint, and all the time it takes to paint a room, think how much you'll save in time and money by hiring a certified interior decorator to come and give you some paint colour choices.  Our extensive training in colour allows us to see what is in a colour, allowing us to choose between colours to make the optimum choice for your space and your existing finishes.

Wondering just how much can you save?  An average big box store sells a gallon of paint for roughly $50.  Figure you'll need a couple gallons for an average room to give you decent coverage.  That's $100, plus the ceiling, which often needs a colour other than pure flat white to show off your furnishings to their best potential.  There are after all even more types of white than there are beiges!  So adding in the ceiling paint, you've spent $150 (+$200 for a brand name paint).  Choose the wrong colour and you'll be spending a whole weekend--two or more times, plus $150--two or more times, when you could have paid an interior decorator $100-200 ONCE and got it right the first time.  How much is YOUR time worth?

Save your time and your money, and get it right the first time. 

Until next time,





Special limited time savings of $25 for a colour consultation.  Click here for more information.

Bright and Sunny to Warm and Peaceful...

This summer, it finally came to that point when all the high need remodeling had taken place in our house and the "I can live with it" colour in my living room was going bye-bye.  When we had moved in 6 years ago, the living and dining room was a warm yellow.  While the colour had great life to it, the walls were now tired and there were holes every where from art work that had been there from the previous owners.  Freshening up was a must.

The first part of the makeover started with getting some new cabinetry to house all the games, craft supplies, TV components, and dishware.  We knew we were going to eventually add a doorway on the fireplace wall, to go to a soon to be sunroom, so the cabinetry layout was placed with that in mind.  Off we went to my favourite store for storage solutions:  Ikea.  We installed three pieces from the Hemnes series: a glass door cabinet for dishware, a TV stand and a book shelf.

Sunshine yellow walls, a peek of the dining room and an unorganized space

Living room

Window coverings consisted of pleated blinds on the living room window.  We had installed those when we had the windows replaced in the first year.  The dining room window had already been replaced by the previous owner, so we had the classic mini blinds on that side, with a ill-fitting box pleated valence that they had put up.

The moment came, the kids were sent to summer camp and I got to work!  I already had a grey-blue sofa and some creamy beige chairs.  I found this beautiful fabric at C&M Textiles to use for some valences.  I only realized after ordering it that I'd seen it before for a charity makeover that I had helped a team of Ottawa decorators complete at the Good Companion's Centre.  I guess I really like this fabric.

From this, I chose to paint the walls in Benjamin Moore's Delaware Putty and put Behr's Pensive Sky on the ceiling.  The colours carry through to the hallway (thus the BIG paint job).  I have wainscotting there that was painted Behr's Popped Corn (as was all the trimwork), while the top was painted in Delaware Putty.

And here's the finished product:

Dining Room, Solace Interiors

To create symmetry with the windows, the same pleated window blinds that were on the living room windows were put on the dining room bay window.  As well, the mock relaxed roman blinds were put on both windows.  The curve of the relaxed roman blinds helps to soften the hard edges of the wood furniture pieces and the lines of the pleated blinds.

Dining Room, Solace Interiors

Living Room, Solace Interiors

This picture best shows the blue ceiling, which has made the space especially serene.

That's it for this space for the moment.  We'll eventually be adding a doorway to a sunroom that is still designing itself in our minds.  The fireplace shown above will likely be replaced with a two-sided gas insert to be enjoyed in the sunroom and in the living/dining room.  For now, it's a bit of 50s charm in a newly updated space.

Happily organized in my serene space.  THAT is what it's all about!

A House, Full of Character, Is Getting a New Kitchen

I want to share a new project I'm working on.  A newly married couple, in a 50 year old house, is getting a new kitchen to replace a dated layout and design.  They've asked me to come up with a layout so that they can shop at the do-it-yourself stores prepared.

Some of the problems with the current kitchen include poor traffic flow, too small of an opening to get to their basement (they are both hockey players, with a lot of gear), insufficient counterspace, a lack of storage and an awkward layout.  The finishes, as with all 50 year old spaces, also need an update.

This is what we've come up with for a floor plan:

Solace Interiors Kitchen Concept Drawing

Here's how we are going to do it:

The window shown here will be changed into a patio door.  In fact, that part has already taken place since this photo.  This opening, between the living room and dining room, is the one shown in the bottom right of the kitchen drawing.

Here's the 3D version of the new space with the patio door installed:

Kitchen Concept by Solace Interiors

There is a wall coming across between the dining room and kitchen area that will be minimized to go between the pantry and the fridge. This is going to improve the flow to the basement and inside the kitchen area.

Here is that partial wall now, as well as a view of their current cabinetry:

The owners are really excited to change the location of their plumbing so that they can do all their prep and dish washing near the window.  Their stove will be moved where you see the sink above.

Kitchen Concept by Solace Interiors

As I mentioned, these home owners need better access to their basement.  This picture shows why.  They currently have only 27" to get through.  We are increasing that to 39".

Kitchen Concept by Solace Interiors

The opening shown at the top of this drawing is the basement stairs.  The owners will now be able to get through there without any trouble.

We were able to put in 36" high cabinets, which will go to the ceiling and conceal some duct work that exists along one wall.  Having been through a kitchen renovation before, I know the excited feeling they must have looking at these drawings and imagining their new space.  I'll let know you when the rest of our finishes are selected.  Fun times!

Happy Thanksgiving!