I couldn’t help myself from calling this one our little gem. Not very big square footage wise but it had great “bones” and we jam packed it with a lot of comforting style. The outside got a lot of attention. We brought in an arborist to assess the trees and it was decided that the large diseased tree in the front had to go. That was sad but we substituted a lilac in its place that will look amazing in time. The house needed a LOT of cleaning. We designed and built the new iron and wood railing, stained it to match the existing trim then stained the deck and stairs and painted the front door black. I love the black handset against it that gave it a more contemporary look. We chose some tall grasses and flowers in the front bed in yellow, orange and pink colourations that will give it a lively fun personality. The back yard just needed a lot more cleaning and reworking of the pavers and then we added the great lounge spot under the covered gazebo. This was a large expense but knew it would go a long way to enhance the property. We completed the space with string lights and a cozy fire pit that made it the perfect hang out.

Stepping inside, you first noticed the brightness of the room and the large wall going down the stairs that begged for a grand painting. This room along with most of the upstairs is painted a very light grey that ties in well with the grey floors that were already there. We stained the railing black which actually deemphasized it by making it cohesive with the existing spindles. The kitchen was already laid out well and had solid wood cupboards. They needed a ton of work that just about killed us but I knew it would be worth the effort in the end. We had a lot of discussion over wether or not to change the counter tops but they were a great colour and in perfect condition so all we did was use a grey stain on the dated wood edge to update them. We put new clear glass in the cabinet doors, a new sink, faucet, cabinet pulls and curtains. The light in the kitchen was existing but it got a little makeover. I love doing that to save money when I can.

The primary bedroom needed some personality so we added the shiplap feature wall. The ensuite was poorly designed so we reworked the plumping in there to make it way more functional. We were able to keep the shower unit but replaced the flooring and all the fixtures. I decided that because we couldn’t make it bigger, it was going to have to be dang pretty to make up for that! The gold framed mirror adds a bit of elegance and the light fixture combines the mat black with a touch of gold there too. On the windows, I used an inexpensive tension rod, bought two floral terry hand towels and attached them with simple clips. I love this look! 

The basement was a blank canvas. A dirty, odd canvas mind you but we knew it had great potential. The vision was just to clean it up and give it a little personality so that potential buyers could see it being used in various ways. We also wanted to make it more functional by adding the half bath. The vanity is reclaimed from the original ensuite. We painted out the brick and reinstalled the wood stove. We finished the ceiling out with the whitewashed beams and added some great wall sconces. The flooring was a great find as it is vinyl plank and almost a perfect match to was was already down the stairs. The wall coming down the stairs is a custom shiplap that Rick built. It is whitewashed to match the beams and just added a nice textural warmth to the room. Did you notice the hidden door? Sometimes you just have to embrace the quirky hand you are dealt. The office downstairs had a secret bookcase door. We painted it out, styled it and it actually became a huge feature to the home!

I had to channel my city vibe for this one! This was an outdated, to say the least, 70's condo. The previous owner had already installed a grey vinyl plank flooring which was in great shape. We knew we could give the space a great look without taking down a wall which would have required approval from the condo board and waiting for permits. We did expand the kitchen into the dining area and built in a counter height table which gave it a great deal more counter space and storage. The cabinets were way too far gone to salvage anyway so we installed all new ones that we assembled ourselves and customized to fit the space. The counters are a concrete looking laminate with a steel edge so we continued up the backsplash with a concrete looking porcelain tile of the same color so that it looked more spacious and sleek. The kitchen has a ton of storage already so the open shelves helped make the room feel more expansive. The wood also warms up the coolness of the industrial look and  ties in nicely with the built in table. Let's talk about that table! We chose to beef up the legs by using the large black pipe for the base of it. New stainless sink, faucet and appliances with the exception of the fun retro stove which was done just because it is so fun and a complete contrast to the rest of the industrial look!

The bathroom had an awkward door that swung into the room. We customized the existing solid wood door by building a frame around it, painting it out and then adding the wood on the inside panel to make it a fabulous barn door. That addition of wood compliments the existing front door that we could not change. We did end up demoing the vanity and tub area completely and updated the plumbing. We purchased a floating vanity that suited the space well but then needed to customize that by building open cabinets down to the floor because the vinyl plank did not continue under the previous vanity. The frameless mirror and large format white subway tiles help expand the space. I totally love the industrial feel of the cage lights above the sink.

The bedroom was pretty minimal as far as work goes but made a huge difference. The accordion closet doors were replaced and we added some good shelves in there. The black ceiling fan added some interest as well as the dark grey for the feature wall. Grey, room darkening curtains were added after the photos were taken.

The whole unit got a fresh coat of white paint to brighten it all up. All new mat black lighting was used throughout and new door handles went a long way to bring it into this century and I think it turned out great!

Part 1
I have always been an artist. That’s a very broad description though. I grew up constantly creating. Always attending art and craft classes. I had some amazing instructors and graduated high school with a small art scholarship award. I then went to an art college to get a piece of paper that would say I was an artist. That’s what my parents told me I needed in order to be a “real” artist and to make a living at it. As it turned out, half way through the program I was offered a position with an actual “real” title at a Fortune 500 company. I promptly quit school and went to work there in that high rise building for 4 years in downtown Houston, Texas. I was a Graphic Artist.

After my son was born in 1990, I started a business painting children’s wall murals. I was a Mural Artist.

In 1995 I was introduced to a talented artist that taught and then encouraged me to draw people. Setting up a space at West Edmonton Mall and taking orders there, I was then a Portrait Artist.

Drawing and painting were always something I did while working at other jobs for the most part. It wasn’t until 2005 that I made the decision to pursue my art full time. I was then a Fine Artist.

Part 2
What I didn’t appreciate was that all that time, I was also learning to design spaces. Without really knowing it, I was also becoming a decorator. I now understand that decorating is art and rooms are canvases.

My first paid decorating job was in 1988 as a stager before staging was a thing. Skipping ahead to 1996, I was working for a new home builder in Canada. Together with my talented husband, Rick, I have been able to build, renovate and update just about any type of home imaginable over the past 20 years. They include but not limited to, a 1910 farmhouse, a new build that we designed from scratch, a small cabin on skids, a tiny home, a 1936 church, a 1970’s condo and 4 bungalows from various decades to date. We’ve also had the pleasure of consulting for countless friends and family on their projects all along the way. 

So, life is a journey of learning. Some great mentors and instructors have lead us to where we are today. I am excited to say, that after some encouragement this past year, Rick and I have started our consulting business. We are taking what we have learned through doing and offering advice and creative solutions for their homes to others.
I am a decorator. No, I don’t have a piece of paper to tell you that so perhaps I’ll just go with Interior Artist?