Monday, November 30, 2009

Vancouver Interior Decorator-Hotel Chic Guest Room; Before & After

Remember this post when I showed you the fabrics I had chosen for a guest bedroom I was designing for a client? Well here it is, almost done! The carpet will be replaced next (throughout the entire floor) so don’t look too closely at it.

Colour me Happy Blog 393 Interior by Maria Killam Colour & Design

The tufted velvet ottoman is on Lucite legs so that’s why it appears to be floating.

Here’s the before photo. My client's daughter had just moved out and she was turning it into a guest room!

Colour me Happy Blog 401 Before

Colour me Happy Blog 383

Photos by Maria Killam

The custom bedskirt is linen and the shams and drapery fabric are from Robert Allen Fabrics. I’m a big fan of the ‘hotel chic’ look, thus the store-bought-high-thread-count white cotton duvet cover (it has tiny squares in it but you can’t see them in the photos. I also love it when the stripes are railroaded so that they are horizontal instead of vertical!!

Colour me Happy Blog 384 image The wall colour was chosen first (the painter was coming) and she had just bought the art from a gallery so we chose a warm taupe to pick up the soft grays in the photography.

Colour me Happy Blog 388 Then I found the chair and decided to combine it with the hot pink for a hit of colour and drama! And the photos are taken by me (not a photographer) but I picked up one tip so far and that is, shoot from an angle--not the way I shot the before picture! And I am missing a flower in these photos but the ones I brought ended up looking too traditional so I nixed them at the last minute.

I have another big installation tomorrow! Should be fun, I always love installation day!

If you haven’t read Vicente Wolf’s blog, click here to read a great post about what his installations look like. I love his blog because he talks straight (like me), my favourite kind of person!

If you would like your home to fill you with happiness every time you walk in, contact me for on-line or in-person consultations.

Related posts:

Styling for Photo Shoots

Do all greens go together?

Dreamy Bedroom

Vogue Inspiration

New to this Blog? Click here ; Subscribe to my Monthly Newsletter; Become a True Colour Expert

Great Beginnings

I really do love Mondays!  (Even the one after Thanksgiving weekend.)  Yes, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!  Sometimes, on Mondays, a nice note even arrives in the mail – email - that is.  This morning, I received this:

“The design selection team at Ava Living has chosen your project to be featured this week’s edition of Ava’s Choice at AvaLiving.comI’ve included a copy for your use and distribution.

Your project photo will appear in the homepage slide show on www.Avaliving.com for 7 days, beginning on Monday, November 30th, until Sunday, December 6th at 10PM PDT.”

Wanda Horton - December 2009 An early Christmas gift!  Looks like this week is off to a great start!

Sending you a big “Cheerio” for your week!  Wanda

P.S.  Be sure to click onto my Facebook Page to see daily holiday tips.  I’ll keep them simple and wallet-friendly!

Here is my link:  Interior Concepts by Wanda - Facebook

Part Deux








Don't you hate it when you are looking for an image and can't put your hands on it only to find it soon after making a post! Here are some images that I found, after the fact, that I have updated and I am linking back to the original post in case you missed it the first time around. Admitably, this is mainly for my own benefit because I have realized how useful it is to have all these images handy on my blog. But I hope you enjoy!

~Images: 1) Cottage Living 2) Unknown 3) Pottery Barn Book 4) Traditional Home 5) Coastal Living

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Small Space Layout; Sofa and Two chairs vs. a Loveseat

Space Planning. It seems like such a simple offering on a designer’s list of services; however there are many people that go without furniture for years because they don’t know which pieces to buy and don’t want to make a mistake. Space planning then becomes critical and highly worth the designer’s fee.

image Interior Design by Samantha Pynn

So, if you are not sure which to buy? Here’s the tip of the day:

Only one person can comfortably sit in a loveseat so unless the room can accommodate a sofa, love and 2 chairs—buy 2 chairs and a sofa instead. Also easier if you are renting, and move to a new place. You can always move one chair into a bedroom if you run out of space but if you have a loveseat, it has to go!

Related posts:

The Best way to shop for Wallpaper

A Light Colour will Never Come to Life in a Dark room

10 Ways to save money NOW by Creating a Focal Point

If you are new to this blog, click here to see the Best of Colour me Happy

Friday, November 27, 2009

Why are Red & Green the Colours of Christmas?

I posted this last year but it was so popular (the images are stunning) that I'm re-posting it for 2009! Enjoy;



There are a few answers to this question but basically it comes down to this one by Glenn Baylock: Red symbolizes the blood that Jesus spilt to redeem us from our sins.

Green is the color of life. Therefore, green symbolizes the potential for eternal life that Jesus' sacrifice made possible for all of us. The evergreen tree is green all year round. So, it also symbolizes eternal life.

The flame of a candle, the lights on the tree and the star on top are all meant to remind us of the new star that appeared to proclaim the birth of the promised Messiah.

The bell is a reminder of the bells worn by sheep. They provide a means for the shepherd to find the sheep that has wandered from the flock and become lost. They symbolize our pleas to the Good Shepherd for guidance back to His flock.

The candy cane is shaped like a shepherd's staff. It symbolizes the responsibility that we all have to be shepherds, to help each other and guide each other back to God.
Finally, the bows on the top of the presents are symbolic of brotherhood. It should be a reminder that, just as the ribbons are tied together, we should all be tied together by the knowledge that we are all God's children and, therefore, brothers and sisters.

If you would like your home to fill you with happiness every time you walk in, contact me for on-line or in-person decorating and colour.

Related Postst:


New to this Blog? Click here ; Subscribe to my free Monthly Newsletter; Become a True Colour Expert

My 3 Favourite Designer Friends and I

Met up for the annual Living Space/Cantu Designer Party last week and we had such a great time

image Hanan, Nancy, Amber & Maria

image Hanan tried to awaken the sleeping prince charming but it didn’t work.

image This is Kara our fabulous Calgary Representative from Cantu

image This is Hanan with Aura Interiors. Click here to view her website!

image

This is Amber with Amber Beall Colour & Design

image

This is Nancy Devries a colour & design colleague with Urban Aesthetics

Hope you enjoyed my party pics! Have a great weekend everyone!

Related posts:

What everyone should know about Gray

Colourful trees for Canuck Place

Colour me Party! (last years Cantu Party)

Rolling out the Red Carpet

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Happiness is. . . Living close to the ones you Love

Years ago, I moved to Toronto for a relationship. My career wasn’t going as well as I’d hoped and I thought being in a new city would be good for me. Boy was I wrong—I lasted 9 months before I moved right back home [Vancouver]. One of the reasons why I was so unhappy was being away from my sisters and my mom whom I’m very close to.

imageThen when I read Penelope Trunk’s post in which she wrote ‘If you move away from your friends and family because you believe money will buy happiness, you’d need to have a salary increase of at least $133,000 in order to have a net positive impact on your happiness from that move’.

I love her blog and wished I had it to read back then when making dumb choices like moving away from my family. One hour away (I’m a city girl and they are in the burbs) is far enough.

image Image source

I just read another post with The Happiness Project, where Gretchen Rubin wrote that one question she gets a lot is, “If you had to pick just one thing, what would be the one secret to a happy life?” The answer is clear: strong bonds with other people. If I had to pick one thing, that’s it. The wisdom of the ages and the current scientific studies agree on this point.”

image

I have also learned that being happy is a gift that you give to people around you. When you are happy, it gives people around you (i.e. spouse/children) the freedom to make decisions and live their life without having to spend their time worrying about you.

image My mom’s name is Hellen and being around her makes me happy!

Since it’s American Thanksgiving I thought I’d link up this post to Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday! Click here to see some more beautiful tablescapes!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American Readers!! Have a great weekend! Remember to kiss and hug the ones you love now that they are with you (even if they aren't all the time)!

Related posts:

Happiness is. . . Having amazing Friends!

Happiness is. . . Living life to the Fullest

10 Commandments for a Happy Chic Home

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

650080

Sending my best to you and yours!

Thanksgiving Cheers - Wanda

Christmas in New York

Okay I’m finally going again (remember this post where I told you all about it, and then I had to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances?) Well this time I’m whispering (can’t you tell?)  in case something I say jinx’s it.

image flickr

image

flickr

image flickr

image

image flickr

But it’ll be Christmas in New York when I get there from December 3 – 6th so I’m looking for ideas on what I should do Thursday during the day and Saturday and Sunday?  So, shopping, designer home decor stores, and a museum.

Here is where I’m staying in Soho. I booked it on Hotwire today and now I’m thinking I should have just booked a 4 star (instead of 3 1/2 star) they don’t tell you where you are staying until after it’s booked so you can get the best rate but all the hotels I wanted to stay at were completely booked or started at $500 a night. Apparently it’s a hot weekend to be in New York!

image Hotel Reserve

I have never been there at Christmas and I can hardly wait!! So my lovelies, what are your suggestions?  I’m so happy that I have you to consult with!!

Related posts:

Happiness is. . . Champagne & Shoes

Rules are for Breaking; By Janice Lindsay

Happiness is. . . making New Friends

Happy Thanksgiving!!!










My apologies for not knowing the source of any of these photos! I pulled them in haste one day while getting inspired to decorate a client's home for her Thanksgiving supper and forgot to take notes. But they are all great images that will hopefully inspire you when entertaining your guests this Thanksgiving. I will be taking a short blogging break as I head to my parents in Beaufort to help babysit my three nephews. Three boys under the age of seven...I think grandma/grandpa need some backup! As I prepare to travel, I am reminded off all the blessings in my life-my wonderful family, my adorable nephews, my beautiful friends, my clients for allowing me to do something I truly love for a living and for being able to reside in such an amazing city!

Happy Thanksgiving y'all! Enjoy your turkey comas!

Invigorating Colour Combinations - Sublime Lime And Fuchsia Pink!


Just because autumn is upon us and the Indian summer has disappeared altogether you can still inject vibrancy and wonderful colour combinations within your home to cheer you up throughout the year!

Colour clashing remain in-trend within the world of interior design. Meaning even those who have what used to be perceived as lack of colour sense, can let their imaginations run wild and mix colours which clash to create stunning and inspiring interiors!

Lime and fuchsia pink are great examples of how two striking colours can look harmonious sitting side by side. The key is to use then in nearly equal proportions so that one colour doesn't grab all the attention! Ready made curtains swept open and held in place with matching tie backs are a great way of creating a frame to a picture, piece of wall art or highlight a display area.

Think theatrical! To create great focal points within your living space, remember ready made curtains don't have to be solely used as window dressings they make the ideal frame to your 'theatre' as well as being a simple way to divide rooms and even conceal untidy alcoves, let the colours scream out your personality!

Image: Belle Maison

Monday, November 23, 2009

10 things I learned (so far) from my Designer; By a happy client

A few weeks ago, I helped my good friend Gloria Lemay buy some lighting, an area rug, as well as some toss cushions. She started reading my blog on Facebook a few months ago and then bought a couple trays after reading my “How to create a Tablescape” post. Then she even created one all on her own, and wrote a very funny post about her experience which I mentioned here.

image Image source

Yesterday (after the recent transformation of her apartment) she wrote a post called “10 things I learned (so far) from my designer. Click here to read the entire post. And just before you do, I wanted to elaborate a bit further on a few points she made:

‘2. A lamp in every corner of the room.’

When I saw Gloria last week at a fund raiser, she told me she had just read my “Atmosphere, the one thing you cannot Buy” post and she said, ‘Yes you can, as long as you stick a lamp in every corner of the room!!’

imageImage source

And she’s right, lamps placed in your living room (or large master bedrooms) either on a table or standing, sconces, up-lighting, all go a long way to creating atmosphere (even without a designer). Even when I’ve done small “one-day decorating jobs, my client and I are coming back with 4-5 lamps.

‘3. Cut your flower stems to be in proportion to your vase. I was taught by a florist that “length of stem is everything”, my designer will not permit any of that nonsense.’

image When you receive a bouquet of flowers with the long stems, they must still be clipped to fit the vase you own. I notice this when I go to my sister(s) house. Unless it’s a hand-tied bouquet, flowers simply plunked in a vase, are usually many different lengths and no longer look attractive. So the stems should be inside the vase and the blooms outside. If this means cutting off 4 or even up to 12 inches of stem so that it works for your vase – do it. Then they will look like they’ve just arrived from the florist!

image If you don’t have greenery to fill in around the blooms, clip them close to the vase for a great contemporary look.

Anyway, click here to read the rest, it’ll make you smile!

That’s 70’s House actually took my off-the-top-of-my-head reply to her question “What do I do with the colour in this living room? I can’t figure out the undertone in my furniture?” It looked greeny/brown to me so I suggested (BM) Bleeker Beige, advised her to paint out the skinny door next to the entertainment unit ( it was too big of a focal point and had to go) as well as paint out the 70’s wood molding. Click here to see the transformation.

And finally, my beautiful blogger friend Brooke at Velvet & Linen is hosting a contest for a Brickmaker’s coffee table (below) there are 10 finalists, 10 rooms and there will be 3 winners! Click here to cast your vote!

image

Have a happy week!

Related posts:

Attention on Area Rugs

When to use Light vs. Dark Colours

10 Ways to save money Now by Creating a Focal point

New to this Blog? Click here ; Subscribe to my Monthly Newsletter; Become a True Colour Expert

LinkWithin