Category Archives: PRESS

HOW TO SURVIVE THE INTERIOR DESIGN SHOW

Posted on February 11, 2012 | Leave a comment

So… this post is a little tardy, but being that I’m now 30 weeks pregnant (when did that happen?) sleeping has taken precedence over blogging. Instead of a round-up of my IDS12 favourites, I thought I’d offer a few survival tips to IDS from this first time exhibitor (still can’t believe that happened too).

TIP #1: HIRE AN AMAZING ASSISTANT

Meet my assistant Lara Cupido, without whom I would surely be a grumpier designer (and poorly accessorized- that is her fantastic necklace I am wearing above, this girl has great taste). Lara has worked with me through 2 seasons of production design on For Rent, worked very hard through major client installations and has schooled me on the best restaurants in the city (look up foodie in the dictionary and it’s her face there). Inside and out, she’s one special gem and I’m so happy to have her as part of my team. (Photo by Arnal Photography).

TIP #2: WEAR SENSIBLE FOOTWEAR

As much as I love my heels, the Interior Design Show is one massive exhibit to work your way through. Save the heels for the opening night party, opt for flate for the rest of the show- above I am wearing sensible Stuart Weitzman flats during an interview with House and Home. (Photo by Sharyn Smith)

TIP #3: FIND A COMFY SEAT

Several hundred people rested their tootsies on this Pavia chaise lounge from BoConcept in my National Bank hub. Unless instructed otherwise, the booths at IDS are meant to be interactive. It’s a great venue to try out new products so do take it easy and soak in all the design eye candy. (Photo by Arnal Photography)

TIP #4: STAY HYDRATED  I don’t have any secret inside tips on where to get free water at the show- otherwise I would have taken more advantage! But one cannot live on coffee alone, so make sure to get your H20 fix too.

TIP #5: FINISH OFF THE SHOW WITH GREAT FRIENDS

The Canadian Design Blogger Meetup was the Saturday night of IDS- and it was so lovely to catch up with colleagues at Brasaii.

Here I am with fellow designers Jennifer Brouwer and Lisa Ferguson; with Dabble Mag divas Christine Da Costa and Nyla Free; and with blogger extraordinare Christine Dovey of Bijou and Boheme.

TIP #6: CAPTURE IT ALL WITH A GREAT PHOTOGRAPHER

Special thanks to Larry Arnal of Arnal Photography for capturing my work at the National Bank hub. Here are a few of my favourite shots:

And for a round-up for the best of IDS12, take a peek at what fellow bloggers thought of the show: Judtih Mackin for HGTV here, Tim of Design Maze here, Jennifer Flores of Rambling Renovators here & Pam at Cherish Toronto here.

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IDS12: OPENING NIGHT PARTY

Posted on January 27, 2012 | 4 Comments

It’s been a fun whirlwind these past 2 days- here’s a little recap of the Interior Design Show opening night party and the unveiling of my design of the National Bank Hub for the How Do You Live exhibit.

Furnished by BoConcept, I created a multifunctional space for the modern family. When you visit the space you’ll notice a home office, room for toys and lots of concealed storage to keep the space feeling spacious. Using the National Bank colours of red, black and white I was thrilled to outfit this small space. More detail shots of the space to come : )

Thanks to Larry from Arnal Photography for the great pics below from the opening party:

Photo 1&2: The lovely Allen Chan, Sharyn Smith and Glen Peloso paid me a visit. Photo 3: Showing Jen Wilson some of the smart storage solutions from BoConcept. Photo 4: With the lovely Sharyn Smith, the fantastic lady of Eventful PR who I’m so happy to be working with. It’s been a great start to #IDS12!

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SOME EXCITING (IDS) NEWS

Posted on January 17, 2012 | 3 Comments

Last week I tweeted a little teaser that garnered a few very supportive, lovely comments (thank you friends!). And now I can announce why I feel like I need to be pinched- I am designing a space at next week’s Interior Design Show!

The National Bank is the sponsor of the IDS 12 feature exhibit, How Do You Live? This exhibit will highlight small space living at its best, with TAS Designbuild developing the concept for the exterior shell of the multi-level showcase and six unique interior spaces, each designed and decorated by a different Toronto-based design firm.

The National Bank’s hub will sit side-by-side the HDYL exhibit- and yours truly is designing it! I’m thrilled to put my small space skills to use in this venue. I am humbled and excited to say the least to be a part of IDS 12.

What can you expect in The National Bank Hub? They have challenged me to transform a 16′ x 24′ shipping container (very cool that it’s reusable) into an office and den for the urban family. I’ll be going to one of my favourite retailers BoConcept (remember that great functional coffee table I used on The Marilyn Denis Show?) to outfit the space.

Not going to give away much more (surprises are so much fun)- but here’s a few of the sketches that led up to the final design:

Can’t wait to party with many friends and colleagues next week at IDS 12 and to unveil my design! I am truly so excited for this fabulous opportunity.

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DABBLE IN SOME HOLIDAY CHEER

Posted on November 20, 2011 | 1 Comment

As my mailbox fills with holiday party events I am reminded just how quickly the holidays come- and how each year I vow to savour them and not stress about a thing. The current issue of Dabble Magazine is a great resource for stress free holiday shopping, decorating and entertaining and I am so happy to be a part of it.

In my role as Market Editor I get to comb the marketplace bringing readers great home, travel and food products from around the globe. Check out my favourite selections for this holiday season by clicking on the images below- I am hoping to find the Chilewich place mats under my tree and that sumptuous HBC cashmere travel set wrapped up from Santa:

And in this issue we had the fun opportunity of having our house featured in the issue. So since this was shot long before thoughts of sugar plums entered my head, I am one step closer to a stress free holiday. Special thanks to Elte and Indigo for helping me glitterize my living room, and to photographer Simon Burn for managing to direct my kids in the shoot. Enjoy!

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DEBUNKING SMALL SPACE MYTHS ON THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW

Posted on November 20, 2011 | Leave a comment

As a follow up to my small space segment on Oct 13, I debunked a few small space myths on The Marilyn Denis Show. Click on the image below to watch the segment.

Myth 1: Small spaces must be painted in light colours to make them feel bigger.

I am often presented with this statement in consultations with clients with spaces big and small. A light colour may make a space feel bigger, but you do not have to subscribe to this rule. If you love a certain colour, use it- chances are it will inspire you and make you feel great. You can absolutely use a dark colour, as it can feel cozy, warm and dramatic, but ensure to use great lighting to illuminate the space.

Myth 2: Small spaces must be furnished with small furniture. 

A temptation in dressing a small space is to select everything in small scale- small sofa, small chairs, small table, etc. If you do this, everything will feel minuscule and like a dollhouse- which we want to avoid. Proportions must be considered- everything should be thought of in relationship to the other. Pairing a robust sofa with slender chairs will feel balanced. Space planning tools like icovia.com are helpful in judging scale and space.
Myth 3: Everything must match in a small space. 
This is a big decorating no-no. Going to a store and purchasing the entire set (dresser, night stand, sideboard, table, etc.) is pretty uninspired. In a small space where you may see each piece at one glance it is important to think cohesively, but it doesn’t mean everything has to be the same. Using pieces in a similar colour palette, or a similar style is a better approach.
Myth 4: Small spaces will look cluttered. 
Small spaces present a challenge for keeping clutter under control, but with savvy storage solutions, like some of the ones I featured here, or utilizing storage under furniture on taking advantage of height with bookshelves, you can keep it looking great.
Myth 5: Cabinetry will make a room seem even smaller. 
Creating great custom cabinetry, either from scratch or customizing off the rack ones can increase storage and save you space. There are a variety of options on the market such as small roll out desks that hide behind cabinet doors, and TV’s that are displayed well between attractive bookshelves.  Best of all, they hide clutter. Also, building high is a great way to use every inch, which is so essential in a small space.

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SMALL SPACE SOLUTIONS ON THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW

Posted on November 20, 2011 | 2 Comments

I have always loved the challenge of designing small spaces, and over the last two years I have been exposed to some pretty amazing finds to make small space living less daunting and more grand. On a recent Marilyn Denis Show segment I was able to share some of my favourite pieces for your small space. Click here to watch the segment.

Purple was the inspiration for this vignette. I paired the purple with a cream Howard sofa from Elte ($1895.00) and Elte’s Billy rug ($1945.00).

This BoConcept Urban Design Functional Coffee Table ($1495.00) provides storage and additional surfaces in a tight space.

Sconces attached to the wall free up valuable floor space when square footage is at a premium. I love these from DVI Lighting ($101.75).
And this table was the highlight of the segment- when you are really short on space, the Lacuna table by VNO Designs ($1099.00) is a great solution. Beginning as a mirror or photo (which you can customize), it transforms into a table for 5 in 10 seconds. The table was invented right here in Toronto by an architect who was expecting a child in pretty tight living quarters. So he developed this innovative table and I was so happy to debut it on the show! It is such a joy to find unique and original products that can make small space living easier. I paired it with two Ghost chairs from a recent HomeSav sale I curated.

Another tool I mentioned in this segment is icovia.com- a great on-line resource that allows you to plot a room and play with furniture placement so you don’t make errors when purchasing pieces.

Lastly, the lovely Marilyn Denis made an announcement that will definitely impact my small space- Marilyn was kind enough to announce that we are expecting our third child in April! We are so excited to give John another sibling and make Evelyn a big sister! Thanks to all for the wonderful tweets and messages  : )

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PLAYING CATCH UP- JERGENS OVERNIGHT FIX REVEAL

Posted on November 18, 2011 | Leave a comment

It has been a crazy last few weeks in the world of Lisa Canning Interiors- having just wrapped Season 5 of For Rent in my gig as the production designer plus the usual load of client work and my work over at Dabble Magazine. But now (sigh of relief) life is getting back to a more relaxed pace and I can (finally) get back to my love of blogging.

I am going to play a bit of catch up starting with the fantastic experience that was the Jergens Overnight Fix (read a bit of the background here). This 24-hour makeover for a Toronto YWCA was an amazing experience to be a part of, mainly because of the dedication, enthusiasm and tireless efforts of the 30+ volunteers who worked in shifts around the clock. There was a great camaraderie and sense of purpose among the team of mostly female, non-renovation experienced volunteers (even at 3am when delirium started to sink in for some!).

I described it to the media who attended in the morning as a labour of love- and that is so much what it was. The reveal reminded me why I love my job and my philosophy behind designing great spaces- to improve the quality of life of the people who use it.

Special thanks again to Arren Williams for connecting me to this project, Apex PR for their support and innovation towards PR, Jergens for donating the funds to make this happen, and to my partner in overnight crime contractor Christian Pavey. And much thanks to all the media who attended the breakfast and for their great posts on the event including Jennifer Flores of Rambling Renovators, Alex from Chick Advisor, Caitlin Kenny of Flare, & Elaine Song from Style At Home. Here’s a look at how it happened:

Here’s the beginning of our Allure flooring installation from The Home Depot. Christian and the volunteers adhered a contrast white strip to create some detail on the floor. This vinyl product is easy to clean and maintain, perfect for this high traffic space.

Storage became a bit of an issue while we laid the floors- here’s a peek at the hallways and the cube van outside the YWCA.

Here with Christian, still smiling at 1am.

And on to the reveal (photos courtesy of Jen from Rambling Renovators)…


And here we are at 9am, after our CP24 feature:


And a little Pure Design reunion with a visit by Julia Black of Chatelaine!

And for those of your who are curious where everything came from in this 24 Hour makeover, here is my source guide. It is amazing what can be accomplished with hard work and a lot of love in an Overnight Fix! I feel truly blessed to have been involved in this project.

Vinyl plank flooring- Allure available at the Home Depot

Wallpaper- Putkinotko by Marimekko available at Newwall

Framed purple floral images- Home Outfitters

White bi-cast leather chairs- Structube

White lattice cut side chairs- Home Outfitters

Purple ottomans- Home Outfitters

White round side tables & coffee table- IKEA

Silver vases & faux flowers- Bouclair Home

Pillows- Bouclair Home

Custom pillow fabric from Designer Fabrics

Commercial Flip Top tables from Triad Office Interiors

White dining chairs- IKEA

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MOM CAVE ON THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW

Posted on May 10, 2011 | 2 Comments

A really fun precursor to my mother’s day was a segment on the Marilyn Denis Show. I was given the assignment of the “mom cave” and did I ever indulge. For me, a mom cave is a dedicated space in a home for mom to feel fabulous and feel surrounded by her favourite things. In this mom cave we treated this glam mama to a dressing area, a lounging area and a chic crafting area all with furnishings from Elte.

I wanted the dressing area to feel like a high end department store. So with three white floating shelves I outfitted space for mom to look at her gorgeous wares. King’s Display in Toronto is a great resource of mine for bag stands and jewelry stands- while they are made for retailers they make a walk in closet extra glam.

A chaise is the epitome of feminine chic to me. The grey acts as a neutral against the purple carpet and orange paint (Navel by Para).

For the crafting area we installed a regular towel bar to the wall and threaded all our ribbon through. It is a pretty handy way to keep ribbons organized and handy (and for $9.99 pretty cheap too).

This was such a great segment to create and special thanks go to my team Jessica and Lara!

Here are a few more shots of the segment and to watch, click here!

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I AM A BLOGGER-SLACKER

Posted on April 8, 2011 | Leave a comment

I must confess- I am a blogger slacker. As much as I love my blog, I find there are always periods where other things take precedence. I think it’s the perfectionist in me that gets in the way from more frequent updates. The same way I fuss over how many inches to move a picture on a wall, or fluff the same pillow 5 times, I edit my posts. I am concerned with writing thoughtful, quality posts. To me, quality posts are ones that educate, inform, and give a behind the scenes look at the things my business does. And when I’m busy, my brain is not always inclined to writing eloquent posts of substance.

So today I am going to play catch up:

At the end of February two great projects began with fantastic clients. The above photo is a before shot from one of them- my loft project in the Toronto Beaches. It has soaring windows and ceilings but very 905 finishes (no offense to those of you in the 905 area code, but this tile choice is far too boring for this space).

So we have removed the offensive tile and built a new more contemporary mantle.

And we threw up a little barn board. I am dying to share the finished pics but I will leave you in suspense. It is breathtaking. This project is currently in the home stretch stage- can’t wait to style it for photos.

Speaking of style- Dabble is the newest on-line style fix. It’s an on-line magazine created by the fabulous Kimberley Seldon. I’m so thrilled to be a contributor to this publication- here I am with fellow design contributors Christine De Costa and Nyla Free.

I must share meeting Kimberley for the first time was similar to how I felt when I met Marilyn Denis for the first time. I grew up watching CityLine religiously, and would watch with bright eyes as these stylemakers would showcase their beautiful spaces. Now I am friendly with many of them- totally surreal.

In order to write about great design I have to shop the market- and an event I never miss in Toronto is the One of A Kind Show. Above is a fantastic bag by Brooklyn based Arza Design. I took home yet another Hilary Cosgrove owl for my son, and an owl music box toy to add to our now growing nest by mimi.

Lastly, I’m so thrilled to be working on a new project: Tori’s Bakeshop- a vegan, refined sugar free, gluten free, organic bakery in Toronto’s Beaches. In keeping with the philosophy of the bakery, the design and design process will be as natural as possible- and I’ll be sharig the whole process on my blog and on twitter. Very clever hashtag pending.

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WANT A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT MY DESIGN WORLD?

Posted on February 26, 2011 | 4 Comments

Thanks to the stylish team at KnotPR (I absolutely love their dynamic media release format) I have a facebook page for Lisa Canning Interiors. How will this differ from my blog? It will give you a behind the scenes look at how my projects come to fruition through daily photos. I’ll take you along the showrooms I visit, the samples I borrow, the sales I score and the more than occasional long lunch and shoe shopping pit stops. Taking projects from conception to finished product is always a fun ride and I’m so happy to have you along.

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