Infused with a coastal vibe
So this sweet little chocolate brown labrador retriever, whom we’ve named River, has joined our family. While I love her to pieces, I don’t want all her utilitarian “stuff” taking over our home. Why does pet equipment have to look so ugly? Creating a dog …
How do I prevent bum prints on my sofa? This was the exact question that a neighbour asked me. You know what we’re talking about right? You get up and you can see exactly where you sat? And over time it just gets worse and …
In this world of HGTV and instagram, your home HAS to make a good first impression when viewed online. Or else no one will come to view it which makes it pretty darn hard to sell. Staging does what it says, it sets the stage …
Have you heard this term and aren’t quite sure what is eDesign? Simply, it’s working with an interior designer online rather than in person. Here are the typical steps of working with an e-designer step one: pick a package You’ll be asked to pick a …
As the saying goes, it is truly the small details that matter when it comes to how to outfit your property for vacation rental. Ensuring that there are two plates for every guest, hooks on the back’s of the doors to hang a robe or …
If you’re lucky enough to own a cottage or know someone who regularly invites you to theirs, this Cottage Gift Guide should give you some great inspiration! 1. Stemless Wine Cup Take it from someone who has an earned reputation for knocking over wine glasses. …
With our clean white shiplap walls, I hated the various electrical cords hanging down from our wall mounted TV at the cottage. Pottery Barn has a great burlap cord cover listed for $34 on their website but I am five hours away from the closest …
The cost of owning a vacation home is significant. Property taxes, utilities, insurance and maintenance all add up to a hefty price tag. While we love our vacation home, we can’t use it all the time so thought we could cover some of the costs …
It seems that every retailer and magazine is on the “coastal look” bandwagon. From Serena and Lily, to Pottery Barn, to Crate and Barrel, they are all featuring a coastal vibe. Of course, it is that time of year but it truly is a year …
Have you ever picked a paint colour to find that it didn’t turn out to be anything like you expected, once it was on your walls? It can be difficult just knowing where to start when choosing a colour palette for your home. It’s quite …
If you thought interior design was just about picking paint colours and fabrics, think again. Here I walk through what you can expect working with me, as an interior designer in the Comox Valley, on a full renovation, with examples from real clients. Initial consultation …
My first victim There’s an expression in my house: you better not sit still too long in one spot or you’ll get painted. Moving into a temporary home, we didn’t want to invest money in new furniture but our old furniture didn’t suit the beach …
The inspiration I first saw the idea for this craft project in a store and (being cheap) thought that I could easily make it. As it turns out, I was right! As it was such a simple project, I’m sharing how to craft an oyster …
The kitchen was dark, north facing and cramped. The layout was choppy and non-functional. For this family who love to entertain, it wasn’t cutting the mustard. They brought me in to help them realize their vision of a bright, sleek and highly organized contemporary kitchen. …
Decorating away the post-Christmas blues The house feels so empty once all the Christmas decorations come down. To combat those post-Christmas blues, I decorate with winter white decor. As with New Year’s resolutions, white feels like a fresh new start to the year in anticipation …
For years and years, I’ve been hosting wreath making workshops for friends. It’s allowed me to hone my wreath making skills as I’ve taught countless others to make theirs. I’m now also hosting workshops at the local garden centre. Taking it one step further, I …
The driveway to our beach house is hard to spot in the pitch black darkness of the night. And sometimes even in daylight! I have ugly markers with red reflectors that I bought at the local hardware store. The markers do the job but I …
We are so lucky and fortunate to have two homes. One is a vacation lakefront cottage I have previously posted about and one is a dark and dreary log “chalet” on the ocean. We hope one day to remove the log home, repurpose it somewhere …
I remember the first time that we opened up our cottage as newbies. We were so excited to arrive for the May Long Weekend and check out the property in the spring. Would there be wild flowers? How about fawns and other little baby wildlife? …
Pronounced “hoo-guh”, there is no direct English translation for the Danish word hygge but cozy comes close. The concept is about finding contentment and well-being through enjoying the simple things in life. The word may have its origins in the 1560’s word “hugge” which is …