New Year New Home!

Hello Lovelies!

Well, we've finally done it!  A new site, a new blog, all waiting for your feedback :))

And to celebrate, we're giving away an Online Consultation - woohoo! Details are on the post...

Please come by and tell us what you think - hope you like it!

xo Anne-Marie and the Team

Making A Dark Wall Color Work in a Small Apartment

A and his partner B contacted me recently for a colour consultation. They are a young couple, living in NY, and so space is at a premium.

They were moving into a classic one bedroom apartment, with a small kitchen open to a combined living/dining area, one large window at the end of a long rectangular space. The landlord of their new apartment had graciously agreed to paint for them, including one accent wall of their choosing in the main space. A and B had ideas about what direction they wanted to go, but were looking for some assistance selecting the specific wall color in their new home. 

Below is a similar layout, so that you can get the idea…

We moved onto the design questionnaire phase, and they explained that they were looking to add a dark accent wall in the living space - would that work, they asked? Which wall should they paint? What should they paint the other walls?

A and B already had a Kivik sofa, upholstered in dark grey, a dark brown entertainment console, and were purchasing a small side c-table with an industrial feel. Their kitchen, which was open to the main living space, consisted of antique white cabinetry and dark grey stone countertops, and the entire space had gorgeous walnut flooring.

After looking through their pinterest boards, it was clear that A and B were after a slightly moody transitional space that incorporated industrial elements. When discussing the design direction with them, I mentioned masculine as a descriptive word - to which B replied that she definitely wanted their home to reflect that a woman lived there.

So how to make this desire for dark and moody, add some feminine elements, and make it all work in a small-scale space with limited natural light?

First off, I suggested painting the accent wall behind the sofa, and using a dark grey similar in tone to the upholstery. It always makes a room feel more spacious when the largest pieces are similar in tone to either the flooring or the walls, I discussed this in a previous post, here.

Next, I suggested keeping the rest of the space nice and airy, with a soft white that would work with the Antique finish on the cabinetry. Adding a wall of white linen curtains would soften the space without taking away any of our precious sunlight. A rug underfoot should bring in the grey and the white, to link the two and and some pattern. A glass topped-table disappears visually, but the curvaceous wood frame breaks up all the grey. Copper and gold metal accents, in lighting and accessories, will add some curves, warmth and pick up on the wood tones of the floors. Artwork over the sofa should be glass-fronted, bold and primarily white, or a large mirror would work here to bounce as much light as we can into the space.  Of course, a large plant near the window is a must, every room needs life.

 A & B prefer to work with Behr paints, so for the dark grey accent wall we chose the dusky Evening Hush, and then the beautiful soft chalky white Swan Wing for the rest of the walls.

A & B inquired about which accent colours to add here. A dark grey and white palette, paired with warm woods, naturally lend themselves to greyed pastel or jewelled tone accents.

My choice here would be to add a little femininity through some amethyst accents, look at the difference in feel created by simply adding a few throw pillows…

As a side note, as shown on the sofa, I found an Etsy seller, ArtPillow whose textiles are printed with her original artworks, offering up some pretty spectacular swirling explosions of colour available as shower curtains, pillows, and duvet covers…

Colorlicious, right? Art for your sofa. Dying.


Okay, I am easily distracted by art and colour, but getting back on track :)) every consult has one main driving issue, and this one was how to use a dark colour in a smaller space with one window..

There were four things to take note of here:

1. Using a similar wall colour as the sofa, the largest piece of furniture in the space, groups them together as one, visually, and keeps the room feeling more open.

2. Large, primarily white art fronted by glass bounces light into the space.

3. Painting out the other walls in a soft white, and using a floor-to-ceiling white window treatment, allows for maximum light and minimizes visual clutter on the other walls, allowing the room to "open up".

4. One element should bridge the gap between colors, here the rug fills that need.


My clients were very happy with the end results, which is the main focus around here…

What do you think? Would this design work for you?

am xo

take me to the tropics...

It snowed here. My patio furniture is white and sparkling as we speak. 

In April. 

In the spirit of self-preservation, I am going to focus my thoughts on places like this, and this….

and things like this….

have a fantastic weekend! x am

Online Consultation: Art Placement Over a Console Table

A little while back I had a client who requested help choosing art for her master ensuite bath. She has a fabulous arts and crafts meet industrial loft, and decided that her console table in the living/dining room was looking a little lonely. Voila, another art wall was in the works… thought you may enjoy seeing what I came up with here.

If you know me at all, you know I prefer to support and invest in original works whenever possible, and Etsy is my favourite place to play :)) so get ready for a juicy list of Etsy sellers ahead!! The space over a console table is the perfect place to indulge in a little art grouping, it's something I incorporate in most of my clients interiors.

As you can see, A. has fabulous taste and a great design sense. 

She has chosen perfectly scaled pieces with the right lines, materials and style for her home.

This drop-leaf table and chairs pull out and double as a formal dining space when guests come over, clever right?

First off, we needed to centre the grouping on the wall. 

Next I chose to incorporate the St Germain Swing Lamp, which offers soft mood lighting on an everyday basis and task lighting when the area is used for dining.

The existing buffalo print is fantastic, it just needed a little company, 

some smaller pieces that still allow it to be the focal point.

By hanging this off centre we can work out a more interesting arrangement.

A mirror offers up some sparkle, and an interesting shape breaks up all the rectangles.

Over top, a romantic equine photo perfectly suits a young couple.

For balance,  a pair of prints beside the light reference the white in our other framed works,

 but add softness and modern elements.

The portrait collage  print up top is by my current favourite art crush, 

a post on her work will be up shortly - it's too good!

The nude represents a piece A. already had which we wanted to incorperate...

Since A. resides in the Pacific NW, and we have used feathers in her wall art previously,

 a feather headband adds some texture to the grouping.

Beneath, a wooden carved city map represents a place close to my clients heart.

The sculptural bits on the table are from West Elm, and link the elements common to this space.

A. loved the grouping, but wanted to swap out two of the pieces -

incredibly, she already had the Horse Photo in her bedroom, 

and she preferred to use a feather element that didn't make an cultural reference.

We looked at a few substitute pieces… to replace the horse photo…

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to replace the feather headband…

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What do you think? Any of these pieces tickle your fancy?

am xo

Insane Ikea Cabinetry Upgrade

While we all spend time dreaming of custom fitted kitchens and case goods, budget rarely allows for such luxury. That means Ikea cabinetry is far more common than custom cabinetry. That doesn't mean you have to settle for humdrum finishes and door styles, however. A Swedish company is changing the face of stock cabinetry, literally. Fair warning - make sure you have at least 15 minutes to spend picking your jaw up off your desk before clicking on this link!

Superfront offers doors, cabinet panels, legs and handles 

that are fitted expressly for Ikea kitchens and cabinet frames, 

and the results are tres belles, mes amis….

I personally need these legs on something in my home right now... 

Now the good news - they ship worldwide. 

You're welcome :)

Day of Love

xo am

Arched Panelled Mirror: A Softer Shape

This wall panelled with arched-top rectangular mirrors caught my eye. While the rest of the space may not be to my taste,  these mirrors illustrate the power of repetition paired with restraint, yes? The clean lines, a simple arch, no muntins (the decorative dividers in windows and mirrors), paired with a decadent metal edge offer a very versatile piece. They create a linear effect, stretching the ceiling height, but the arches soften the shape. Grouped closely, they visually read as one element in this living room.

In a smaller space, the Abate Slatted Mirror from Anthro has a similar effect. It's huge, and brings a layer of patina into a more modern space, and it's clean lines update more traditional styling as well.

What do you think - time to replace that ubiquitous sunburst mirror, lol? Is this a fresher look?

The Ranch: Dining Nook to Hearth Room

Have you ever heard the term Hearth Room? Back in the day, this was the space where the family gathered, the true heart of the home, all centred around the fireplace. Now we generally have the family room, which is larger, located well off the kitchen, and tends to centre around the television. Those small intimate rooms had such a welcoming, come-home feel, and sometimes we lose that in todays larger spaces.

I recently had a client contact me with an interesting space. She had an open kitchen, with a space located off the cooking area that was surely meant as a dining area by the original builder. In this home, however, a mature couple with grown children and grandchildren, they dined in the dining room, and used the space as a hearth room.  It contains a wood stove which is lit daily, is fairly narrow in proportion, and the design must include a large cabinet that was a family heirloom.  The current furniture layout did not provide a conversational area. The home is situated on a working ranch, and gets lots of use by the residents, visiting family and friends, and their furry friends! This where they most often entertain guests and relax at the end of a long day of hard work.  J suggested most often the space would be used by two or four adults, and little ones that visited. The current furniture had seen better days, and the lady of the house was ready for a change! I came to see very quickly that J embodies the term gracious, and I wanted to give her and her husband a space where they could truly recharge, and that worked well for conversation with guests.

The first layout I suggested involved moving the large cabinet to another wall of the space, creating a different proportion in the room, that allowed for a sofa and two chairs to be paired facing each other.

J had struggled with the colour of the wood stove for many years. A true fan of warm earth tones, the navy stove was not working with the other colors in the space. J has gorgeous pine plank floors, wood kitchen cabinetry, and black stone counters with a warm neutral tile backsplash. We are working with yellow/orange tones in the woods, and slightly cooler neutrals on the tile. J had suggested she was open to bringing in greys here, however the rest of her home is warm and earthy. The large cabinet is a true antique barn red, which must be incorporated here, with the blue. Grey wasn't ring to work, but the walls could go a cooler beige, heading into the greige category, which would provide a soft backdrop. As the walls are similar in tone to the kitchen cabinetry, they don't divide the space visually, creating a more cohesive, larger feel.

Leather is perfect for the sofa, in a warm rich caramel, which is durable and will only look better with age and use.  Two wicker chairs add some texture and a little interest. An small black bench J already had would work as a coffee table, and we would bring in some pattern in textiles to work in the blue and red.

A large photo positioned over the sofa would ensure this was the focal wall, and we could now add two wall mounted sconces, in a flat black iron finish, to address the need for softer evening lighting. A ranch needs horses, right? I had a particular piece in mind from a very recent art consult, which I will share shortly.

J responded that she loved the palette and finishes, but that she had tried to place that cabinet on the side wall previously, and it did not work. She was completely right, it was far to large for that wall. This is where the back and forth comes in, something I love about the online process, we can work to find the best solution, instead of you just receiving a single design. J said that it could be moved to another space if need be, but I knew that in her heart she wanted it there, as it reminded her of her Grandfather, clearly a man she had loved dearly.  I needed to find a better layout that would allow the cabinet to remain in place.

I suggested something a little less conventional, placing four chairs in a grouping in the centre of the space, circling and round coffee table. By using this type of floor plan, we could provide seating for four very comfortably, and would include some ottomans tucked into the coffee table for footstools and as occasional seating for little ones. We would add a low bookcase on the side wall, and place lighting and the artwork there. J could display some of her favourite quilts on the shelves, as well as the games and books that would be used in the space. This is a great solution because the room remains open and inviting, but allows for intimate conversation.

Four matching leather chairs, in the warm caramel tone, form the base grouping. The key to this working, proportionally, is choosing chairs with wide seats, for comfort, and narrow arms, to keep their footprint fairly narrow.  The round table works for ease of movement, and a piece with reclaimed wood top and metal base keeps it light visually, and would tie in the countertops and lighting as well as the more rustic pieces in J's home.  J was very happy with everything, and went to to get a paint sample. Although she did not love the color on the paint chip, once she got it on the walls she loved it :) J painted her walls right away, and began to look locally for the leather chairs.  Once she those she will move onto ordering the other pieces.

The paint colour used here is Benjamin Moore Natural Linen 966.

The beautiful photograph is from Kara Rosenlund.

The table and bookcase are from World Market.

Nothing beats the moment when a client goes from "what do I do with this space?" to "I can't wait to get started on this space!".  It happens during every consult, and to hear the excitement and happiness that my clients are feeling is the reason I love my job! Our homes should make us happy, right? That's my goal, making sure they do...

Have great day! Will try to post about a few other consults shortly :)

 Am always getting requests for examples of the online process…  x am

A New Layer: Desks

So we've seen layered rugs, and footstools layered under coffee tables, but what about layered desks?

This is a really interesting idea.

You get the best of both worlds - 

glam legs and a large glass work surface on the outside,

combined with storage and some soul tucked in underneath.

 Something you would try? 

am x

Traditional Style Open Living

Usually open living means a space that is industrial, modern or minimalist. How often do we see a true multipurpose living space which includes more traditional styling and multiple layers?

This spectacular room sees living, dining and office perfectly incorporated into one, large space. It really makes you rethink the need for all those walls, doesn't it?

So many noteworthy ideas here...

Warm tonal hues create a soft welcoming envelope for living.

Note the way the sofa is presented - a large banquette that starches the length of the wall, it can accommodate several people at once and yet takes up minimal area.

A large sculptural table takes centre stage, and as the darkest piece in the room it is grounded although floating atop several large cowhides.

The office area along the right side of the space includes two generous workspaces, and cleverly uses additional dining chairs, which link the areas and allows them to be pulled to the table for larger groups.

A wall of storage above the workspaces is busy, but balanced by the wall of mirror on the left, which fills in the large area above the banquette without further visually cluttering the room.


What do you think? Would this work for how you live?

x am

January Blues: Navy

It's January, and with January always comes the return of blue. Why is this? Perhaps in response to the glut of red we've just surrounded ourselves with for the holidays, perhaps because of the yearning for the warmer days and the sea… I'm not sure, but whatever the reason, blue is the colour of January.

Feeling inspired, thought I may put together a few design boards based on nautical blues, island blues, you get the drift (pardon the pun, couldn't help myself!)…

The painting by Jennifer Latimer got the board started. Such gorgeous texture! Generally, unless you have a space drenched in warm light, navy and pure white are too harsh a combination. Navy works beautifully with soft whites, warm woods and grieges, and that's where I took this space.

The humble rattan chairs are so sculptural that they can hold their own against a Milo Baughman sofa and brutalist sconces. That carpet provides a much needed textural element against all those sleek surfaces. Imagine a wall of glass behind that sofa, graced by flowing linen panels...

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What do you think? 

Does this combination of navy paired with soft, warm, neutral layers appeal to you?

x am

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

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What are you all planning for 2015? Any exciting changes? Perhaps less change?

We are still pursuing simplification around here, trying to find more balance.

As the kids get older, we realize how precious our time with them is, and how fleeting.

If you been reading the blog, you may know we downsized last year. We had bought and sold for many years, each time buying a larger home. We finally ended up in our "dream" home, a huge house on a huge property, only to find we were overwhelmed by it. Not only is the upkeep enormous, but we lived separately, all off in different corners of the house. Our sense of family got lost in all the square footage. People could not believe we were selling to downsize. Everyone asked why we would leave such a beautiful house. The problem with that house was that it never became a home, it remained larger than life the four years we lived there. Going from over 4000 square feet to 2800 square feet meant losing a few perks, like an amazing kitchen, but we realize how lucky we are to still have such a gracious home. I love that we are all shoulder-to-shoulder here, snuggling on the sofa at night, one kid working on a laptop, a card game going on, the tv in the background. It's in that chaotic togetherness that a family thrives.

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A year later, I look around this home and realize that there are far too many "things".  I had purchased so many accessories in the last home, trying to warm it up with layers. Here there is no need for all of those layers, it's time to embrace a more simplified home. Are any of you feeling this? We all blog about more, more, more, but really it's about meeting our needs in beautiful way. Anyone else ready to get back there with me?

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This year on the blog I will try to focus on quality over quantity, on enduring style rather than trends, and things that help us to live a balanced life. Happy New Year, everyone!