We created a custom division wall in this open concept loft space, a lounge area for entertaining guests and several work stations. Modern stylish elements were essential in the space (since the company’s dating site is exclusively for “beautiful” people they of course would care about the aesthetics of the office). It was a great project to do and fun to see it come to life on television.

Photos by Tanja Tiziana-Burdi.

Jonathan Adler recently partnered with Cottonelle to inject personality in the bathroom. He has designed plastic toilet paper roll covers in his signature patterns.

The “Cottonelle Bathroom Essentials Package” will help one lucky reader spruce up their bathroom décor. Valued at over $150.00 this package includes:
· Jonathan Adler’s newest book: Jonathan Adler on Happy Chic Colors
· Jonathan Adler Cottonelle roll covers
· Cottonelle toilet paper
· Jonathan Adler soap pump
· Jonathan Adler lacquer tumbler
· Reversible bath towels
· Rain shower head

To enter to win, leave a comment below for one entry, follow me on twitter @lisa_canning and tell me you did so below for an additional entry, and lastly like my Facebook page and tell me you did so below for a third entry. Entry is open to all Canadian residents and winner will be drawn at random. Contest closes Tuesday May 15 at 11pm and the winner will be announced shortly after. Prize pack will be mailed shortly after the contest closes.

Good luck!

I am reminded of the mom cave I created last year on The Marilyn Denis Show:

And of course I am thinking of my mom (loving this very vintage photo of her):

To my mom, a remarkable lady who was my first teacher on how to create a beautiful home. She is graceful, strong, tenacious and selfless. She has battled cancer and won. She has been an exemplary wife to my dad. She has brought my sister and I up to respect people and love people. And she has done everything with a perfect manicure and lipstick at all times. Mommy, I love you. I hope I have made you proud.

This is Amanda’s episode (watch this Season 5 episode here) located in Toronto. This was a typical bland, white box condo, with builder basic finishes. The first thing we did to add personality was vertical painted stripes in white and purple (Sherwin Williams Fashionable Gray SW6275). Using 3M tape to create the stripes was a lengthy process, but yielded beautiful (and inexpensive) results. For Rent was a show where very realistic budgets were used- and using paint to inject pattern or imitate wallpaper was a technique we utilized quite a bit.

We created a small office space in an otherwise impractical nook and used a clear chair so as to not take up visual weight.

This kitchen is a good lesson in working with what you have and making the best of it. It started out bland and basic and became a cute feminine jewel box by changing the knobs and adding a back splash.

This was one of many small spaces I enjoyed working on last year- one of my favourites. Special thanks to mdd Photography for the floral photography above the sofa. Enjoy!

Photos by Kelly Schnurr

Having some quiet moments has allowed me to reflect on my business and my strengths as a designer. In the hospital, I re-read a little book called Strength Finder 2.0. I recently took the test that reveals my top 5 (of 34) strengths as part of a business coaching program I am participating in. And what it has revealed to me has been very eye opening, on a professional and personal level. I’d like to share my top 5 strengths, and how they apply to my interior design business.

1. Empathy. People who are especially talented in the Empathy theme can sense the feelings of other people by imagining themselves in others’ lives or others’ situations.

Renovation and decor projects can bring stress and disruption to a home owner’s life. It’s my job to manage the process and make it as seamless as possible by ensuring my client is well informed of the process & knows what to expect at various stages. In 5 years I have experienced many surprises and put out many (non literal) fires. Experience has taught me how to educate clients in the process of the implementation of design projects- and empathy helps in making it as stress free as possible.

2. Strategic. People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.

This strength allows me to help you spend your money wisely. I’m very strategic in the way I balance a budget. I’m very cognizant that regardless of how large a budget is, it will ultimately run out. So if I think it’s better to use an IKEA mirror so you can afford $300 pillows (and yes, I think it’s worthwhile to spend $300 on a pillow) I will suggest it. In general, I like to spend mucho dinero on window treatments, textiles, custom upholstery, and wallpaper. I tend to save on accessories, picture frames and depending on the client, artwork. Of course everything is tailored towards the aesthetic and interest of each client- and this will impact where the budget gets allocated- but in my office we do it with intent and a heck of a lot of strategy to get the most out of whatever budget we are approached with.

3. Achiever. People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.

This strength essentially means that I need to get stuff done all the time. Being bored is not something I do well (or often). This strength lends itself well to managing a timeline. All our projects are broken down into pieces and shared with a client in a critical path that gets updated and sent to our clients on a regular schedule. I get a serious high crossing things off the list. The timeline often gets changed based on trade availability, product availability, client decisions, etc. but we sincerely do our best to manage and meet timelines when possible- the achiever in me needs to get things done!

4. Input. People who are especially talented in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information.

My obsession with blogs, design publications and reading in general is how this strength impacts my business. The way I view the world now compared to 5 years ago is incredible different. I am constantly thinking about how good design can make the quality of a person’s life better. I’m also constantly sizing up spaces (wish I could turn this off sometimes but it’s ingrained) noticing random details that my husband thinks I am weird for (yes, how many inches a baseboard is high makes a difference!). Soaking in all of these details informs my design aesthetic and ultimately helps in making each project we do beautiful, unique and functional.

5. Relator. People who are especially talented in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal.

I must say this pretty much sums up how I like to treat clients- like friends. But not the “OMG you are so pretty” all the time kind of friend. More like- because I care about you and your quality of life I am going to be honest & transparent in what we can achieve together in our design related relationship. Integrity is very important to me personally and to the way my team does business (same goes for the way I work with trades and the types of trades I like to bring in). It’s my goal that every client I work with comes away with a great looking home, but also with an amazing experience to speak of.

So those are my strengths. If you need help with a project you can email us at info@lisacanning.ca. If you’re interested in learning what your strengths are I highly recommend this book- it’s been so helpful for me : )

This is what I was presented with- a lumpy blue couch and some wooden (fruit?) crates as a coffee table- a refreshing change from the plastic milk crates that many of my bachelor clients have as furniture before I get to make some changes.

Here is what we did:

Goodbye lumpy couch and hello beautiful convertible dining table and Italian folding chairs. Also hello to some gorgeous pendant light fixtures, and a custom piece of artwork by Becky Simpson of RLS Studios.

We wanted this space to feel masculine and simple (cue the black glass table top, walnut wood and grey upholstery). Keeping the grey vibe alive the coloured E27 pendants were a perfect choice for this open concept loft. The art is a photo that my client took of a childhood travel spot that we had enlarged and painted using a custom encaustic technique (side note, you can read more about using art to customize a space in New Condo Guide).

Here’s a tight shot of some custom floating shelving we designed to feature some of my client’s eclectic accessories and travel memorabilia.

On to the bedroom- built in shelving around a bed is a great way to maximize space in a small space. We dressed the niches with simple graphic elements in keeping with the simple graphic bed spread. A simple modern pendant light illuminates another gorgeous piece of art we picked for the client by Ian Busher.

In my 5 years of business I’ve worked with many bachelor clients- busy urban professionals who care about design, but don’t have the time, patience, or sometimes interest to decorate their space. I’ve helped many men go from milk crate to absolutely great and this project was a great one to work on.

In other news, I am still pregnant, counting down the days (less than 10!) and wrapping up another bachelor project that I honestly cannot wait to share. Dramatic custom bed, custom linens, midnight blue paint… so good. Stay tuned for news on both fronts!

Photos by Tanja Tiziana-Burdi.

There are essentially 2 ways I typically work with clients in my interior design business. The first is full service project management, where I design, implement and oversee the transformation of a renovation or decoration project. Most of the clients I work with want the luxury of hiring a professional who can essentially say- “trust me to handle this”- and then they step back and we do just that. It’s a great partnership of trust and spectacular results can occur when this trust is there.

The second way I work with clients is in a design consultation. Design consultations are perfect for: a) people who can take a plan and run with it; b) people who have a plan and are looking for ways to maximize said plan; c) people who have the funds allocated to purchase home decor items but not to hire a designer in a full service capacity.

If a design consultation might be a good fit for you, here are a few tips on what to expect from a consultation with me and how to make a design consultation run smoothly.

1. Call in advance. If you know you need advice for your living room to get it ready for Christmas for example, give yourself lots of time in advance. While I do my best to fit consultations in as early as my schedule allows, typically it is 3-4 weeks from the time of your call. So to avoid disappointment, call with lots of time to spare.

2. Be prepared. I come to a consultation ready with a paint deck, paper, marker set, ruler, tape measure and iPhone (soon to be iPad!) to show you examples of furniture, window treatments, etc. on-line, on the spot, to aid in our discussion. You can maximize your time with me by having a list of questions and images and measurements of furniture pieces you want to incorporate if they are not already in the room. The more you have ready for me, the more you’ll get out of the design consult.

3. Pick a space to focus on. While I inevitably end up walking around the entire house during a consultation to give general tips on window treatments, light fixtures, paint colours etc. I like to try and focus on a primary area that we can build a good plan on. For me, this means we work out the furniture layout, window treatments, paint colours, lighting fixtures, potential art and accessory placement for one room in totality and I sketch it for you to keep. The sketch is obviously rough and done on the spot, but it will give you a general sense of how I picture a completed room in magazine photo ready form.

4. Maximize your time. I book a minimum 2 hour consultation that I will sometimes break up between your home and my office if I feel it will serve you best. For example, if there is a perfect wallpaper or tile selection that I have in my office library, or if I think a more detailed drawing of an area will be beneficial for you in achieving your design goals, then I’ll allocate some time in my office and send you notes after the fact. While I am in your home, you can maximize your time by being prepared (see point 2) and putting your phone on silent. Schedule your consult when you know your home will be relatively quiet without distraction, and at a time of day when you know you can focus on all the great things we’re going to talk about to make your home spectacular.

Photo by Larry Arnal.

Design consults make great gifts and can be done in person, or anywhere in the world with an Internet connection and Skype capabilities. Contact us at info@lisacanning.ca for more information.

In purchasing it I took myself through similar steps I take my clients- consider what style, what size, think about ease of care, construction and where it’s made- and finally, will this product help me live well.

Living well is a value I’ve learned is very important to the Marzilli family, owners of Decor-Rest Furniture Ltd. I recently took a tour of their 4000 square foot facility in Woodbridge, just north of Toronto. What I learned from my visit with Training Manager Janice Saulnier is that there is a great deal of integrity in their product and it’s made by people who really care.

So if you’re about to purchase a sofa (and ps- sofa is the most correct term in the industry, as opposed to couch or chesterfield) here are a few things to ask before you buy:

1. It might sound obvious, but make sure the sofa will actually fit in your room. I have been called in to assist in many homes over the last 5 years because of a “mistake” couch that is too big for a room. Take careful measurements, including doorways, and map out the size of the sofa with painters tape. Decor-Rest offers a variety of options for spaces big and small. For small spaces I love this economic fabric futon (here I go again with futons!):

2. Trust your instinct on your style (or call me to help you figure it out). When I asked Janice what is the #1 mistake people make when purchasing a sofa, she commented that it’s when they don’t trust their instincts. Whether you’re modern, traditional, contemporary or transitional- stay true to it. If you can’t figure out which one you are call me!

3. Know the inside story- quality is within. There is a lot more than meets the eye in the construction of a sofa. Janice recommends to pick up the sofa with one hand- if it’s heavy, it’s likely got springs- which is good. If it’s a Decor-Rest sofa, the springs are attached with plastic clips to Canadian hardwood so the springs won’t squeak. Another bonus is something the Marzilli’s developed called a “sling spring,” a specialized spring placed on either end to give you support when sitting near the arms (so you don’t sink into the corners). Here’s an image I snapped of the interior of a Decor-Rest sofa in their sprawling production facility- cool point, their factory foreman is a woman, in charge of hundreds of staff in the production of furniture:

4. Choose your material carefully. First figure out if you’re into leather, or fabric. This is going to depend on your lifestyle, how much you care about maintaining it and of course personal preference. Myself, I love fabric and all it has to offer to add to a decor scheme. You can select from hundreds of fabrics at Decor-Rest and customize practically everything. Look on the tag for something called the rub count- which is essentially a measurement of the fabric’s durability- the higher the count, the stronger it is- which is why microsuede is so popular (ps- you may also hear this dense, knit blend fabric referred to as Microfiber, which is a brand of microsuede, like Kleenex is a brand of tissue). Finally, zippers on cushions make clean up of kids (or clumsy adults) a breeze- so look for those too. There is so much I could write about fabric in general I’ll likely dedicate another post (or two or more) on it.

Here is Janice sampling just a few fabrics:

And this gorgeous chair can be done in many prints & contrast piping to suit any room. Love that it’s on a swivel:

Some behind the scenes shots of the production of sofa cushions:

5. After care beware. Decor-Rest sofas come with a limited lifetime warranty- which essentially means they’ll stand behind their product if issues arise. However, I learned that most fabric mills will NOT take a sofa back to be fixed if it has been treated with an after market product (like Scotch Guard for example). What Janice recommends is that if you buy an extended warranty on a piece of furniture from a retailer, ensure this retailer is not going bankrupt anytime soon- because if they go out of business, there goes your investment.

I learned so much in my visit (like that it is essential to have a candy bar in an office- these folks have a candy bar, roasted almonds made daily on-site, a pizza oven and on-site cook for buyer / designer events- very fun) that there will likely be more to report. Until then, bookmark this page for the next time you need to purchase a sofa!

Reflecting on this I am reminded of a project we completed last summer for a bachelor client in Toronto’s Beaches. The space began as a pretty nasty hodge podge of bad paint colour selections on very boring tile:

Inspired by my client’s love for travel, natural materials and love of the outdoors (16′ of south exposure windows) we started with some barn board:Added a little grey with a more modern mantle:

And coated everything in a fresh coat of white- resulting in a space that feels organic, simple, masculine, authentic and streamlined.

Displaying photographs from my client’s many travels was very important to him- so we did so in contemporary frames above a simple white unit to hide his media components:

Developing a floor plan was a bit of a challenge as I essentially had to contend with an open concept bowling alley- the space is very long and narrow. We used his existing sectional, added an Eames recliner and a contemporary, low slung chair to give views of the TV and the gorgeous view of the lake:

I am usually not a fan of plants but they really suited the lifestyle and aesthetic of this client. In these contemporary grey planters I think the look is elegant, yet masculine:

Finally, this kitchen was a great exercise of managing a budget appropriately. To be able to invest in quality pieces like the Eames recliner, we decided to reface the kitchen cabinets as opposed to replacing the cabinets entirely. Cost efficient stainless steel appliances and cabinet hardware from the hardware store kept the cost of the kitchen renovation low.

I hope you enjoyed these photos as much as we enjoyed the process of creating this space.

Photos by Marek Szkudlarek.