Why Didn’t I Do This Before?

"Why didn't I do this before, so I could have enjoyed it?"

If I had a dollar every time I heard this from a client, I could probably have retired from the world of London Ontario interior decorating already.

People have busy lives these days – technology was supposed to make our lives easier, but instead it seems to have made us even busier.

Lifestyles are becoming even more fast-paced, especially for the entrepreneurs and parents among us.

We've all got a thousand things on our mind at any given moment, and when we come home at the end of the day the last thing we want to think about is redecorating, no matter how badly our home might need it.

And once the weekend comes, you've already got so many things planned – outings with the kids, visits to friends and family, maybe a concert or a festival to go to – that the idea of making time for decorating may seem like a far-off idea.

You might have been thinking about replacing that couch with a few holes in it, or that dated 80's floral wallpaper, or that 70's wood paneling on your wall, but for many of us it never goes any further than a thought.

"Gee, I wish my home looked nicer," you might think to yourself, "but I just don't have the time to renovate it or redecorate."

If that sounds familiar, don't worry – you're not alone.

Redecorating Your House

When I'm called in by one of the real estate agents I work with for a home staging consultation, I typically hear the same thing over and over.

After all, when you're ready to put your home on the market to be sold, you naturally want to make sure you squeeze every last dollar out of it you can.

At this point, homeowners are ready to do whatever it takes – whether it's a fresh coat of paint on the walls, downsizing, rearranging furniture, getting rid of old items that no longer work, or even more in-depth renovation work like replacing the floor.

And once I've finished staging their home, many clients end up shocked at how wonderful it can look.

It's like watching one of those makeover shows – when you neglect the way you look for a long time you sometimes end up forgetting how wonderful you can look.

This is true with your home as well – neglect it, and it falls into disrepair, but it can still be made to look beautiful again.

In fact, some people are so amazed they can't even believe it's their home.

Take the following photo, for example.

This home belonged to a couple whose children had grown up and moved away, and they found themselves with more house than they needed, so it was time to downsize.

This is what their bedroom looked like when I first met them.

It's a perfect showcase of how most of us live day to day in our busy lives, without taking into consideration the environment we're creating around us.

Thankfully, though, this couple was very open to suggestion.

After working together, here is the difference I was able to make with their bedroom:

Yep, that's the same room!

It may look completely different, but it really isn't – all it took was a coat of fresh paint, a new bed set, a quick furniture rearrangement, and some accessorizing.

After we were done, these clients told me they needed the push and the expertise of someone like me to make the changes for them, since it was always too overwhelming for them to do themselves.

Once they moved into their new home, these clients brought their new look with them, using many of the items they purchased to stage their old home to decorate their new one.

I'm always happy to show you how amazing your home can look.

Contact MatiDesign

Don't wait until you have to move to get the home of your dreams.

Contact MatiDesign today to book an in-home decorating consultation.

During that consultation, I'll help you understand what it is about your home that's causing it to look aged, tired, or worn out, walk you through some ideas, and show you hoe I can help you make your home look its best.

Don't just live with a home you hate.

Call me, MatiDesign, and let me give you a home you'll love

Discover additional info about interior design, decor, and style at: home stagers london ontario

Mati Design can help you enhance the natural beauty of your home in a way that is timeless, comfortable, and works for you and your family Contact her for more information on his work. Mati Edwards 441 Montrose Ave, Toronto, ON M6G 3H2 Mati Design in Google+ . - https://goo.gl/maps/RVwBYgm9sL52

Holiday clips: "Thomas Cole: Empire to Eden"

Episode No. 348 is a holiday weekend clips episode with curator Betsy Kornhauser.

Along with Tim Barringer, Kornhauser  is the co-curator of "Thomas Cole: Eden to Empire," which is at the National Gallery in London through October 7. (The re-titled exhibition debuted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in January as "Thomas Cole's Journey: Atlantic Crossings.") Barringer and Kornhauser's show examines Cole's origins in the north of England during the Industrial Revolution and the impact Britain and Cole's travels through England and Italy had on his American career. It is the first time Cole's work has been examined in the context of his European experiences, and aims to present Cole as not just an American figure, but as a trans-Atlantic figure. The outstanding exhibition catalogue, one of the best of 2018, was published by the Met and is distributed by Yale University Press. Amazon offers it for $65.

For images of art discussed on this week's program, see Episode No. 326.

Heartwarming Houston Wedding at the Hobby Center

Allison and Kyle are an incredibly gorgeous couple both inside and out. They're an inspiration of love and instantaneously spread joy to all those around them with their kind personalities and infectious beautiful smiles. Best wishes to these newlyweds – may the warmth of your everlasting love surround you both forever. ~ Bear Hands Media

Continue reading on Style Me Pretty

Carrie Moyer, Aram Han Sifuentes

Episode No. 343 features artists Carrie Moyer and Aram Han Sifuentes.

Moyer is included in "Inherent Structures" at the Wexner Center for the Arts. The exhibition features 16 artists who complicate abstract painting's traditional association with chance and aesthetic purity with work that addresses concerns that range from an exploration of materials and paints to the artists' sociopolitical interests. The exhibition was curated by Michael Goodson and is on view through August 12.

Carrie Moyer is a New York-based painter whose work has mined the history of abstract painting, particularly composition and the way artists have used different materials and techniques. Moyer's work -- and titles -- often point to contemporary life and politics. Moyer frequently writes criticism for outlets such as Art in America. In 1991 she co-founded the lesbian public art project Dyke Action Machine! The Tang Museum organized a survey of Moyer's work in 2013; she's also had solo shows at the Worcester Art Museum, and at the Katzen Arts Center at American University in Washington, DC.

On the second segment, Aram Han Sifuentes discusses her Protest Banner Lending Library, which she's organizing during a summer-long residency at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation in St. Louis. Protest Banner Lending Library is an ongoing, multi-city project in which Sifuentes works with a community to create banners and to borrown from her ever-growing library of handmade banners. The banners typically address contemporary sociopolitical issues. Her work has been exhibited at numerous museums, including the Whitney Museum of American Art and the MCA Chicago.

My Half-Finished Project Challenge

Today is May 25th. Already. That means that in 36 days (did I count that right?), this year will be halfway over. And I find that in the last months, I've fallen back into my bad habit of leaving projects half-finished and moving on to something else. It's a personality thing. I don't know if […]

2018 Western Architecture Awards

The New Zealand Institute of Architects names the winners of the Western Architecture Awards.

Four real bathrooms showcase latest trends

It could be said of kitchens too but there was once a time when all modern bathrooms looked much the same. From a minimalist Perth home to an art deco Melbourne property, these four bathrooms prove just how eclectic modern bathroom style is.

Golden opulence
"This young professional Elwood couple wanted to take their original, quirky but impractical bathroom and convert it into a large lush bathroom. Our client wanted the space to feel soft and align with the vintage art deco style of the 1931 built home, with modern inclusions such as brushed rose tapware and a few wow factors along the way," says Deb Cadzow, co-owner of Elwood Trade Services.

The brushed rose gold tapware is so elegant

The brushed rose gold tapware (Sussex Scala) is the hero of the space for me – swoon! Combined with the tiles, a gorgeous Kado Lux Petite freestanding bath and plantation shutters, it has a lovely spa-like feel. The bathroom is also a great example of using the same colours in different finishes to imbue the space with depth and texture. "The variation and textural finish produced by the tile layout added colour, depth and interest in this bathroom. The different wall tile and realistic wood grained floor tile offset the brushed rose gold tapware," says Deb.

"This was a period art-deco style home, but in the bathroom, the style was kept modern and fresh, yet restrained enough to align with the art-deco look," says Deb. Ultimately, I think it's a gorgeous exercise in restraint and is a fabulous example of a bathroom that is timeless but a little bit different too.

Clean & contemporary
Located in Perth and part of a newly built home, this clean and modern ensuite is comprised of a large dual basin vanity, ample storage and a wall-length mirror that increases the feeling of space.

"This bathroom is focussed on the best elements of modern, simple design. The wow-factor is found through the combination of contemporary clean lines, dramatic colour contrasts and minimal accessories," says Joe Varacalli, sales and marketing manager for New Choice Homes who built the home. "The effective contrast between the dark tiles on the walls and light floor tiles and white vanity delivers a moody, stylish look to the space," says Joe.

"The open shelves are a great modern storage solution that visually breaks up the long vanity. The walk-in shower completely enhances the spaciousness of the bathroom and offers a large luxury zone to unwind too," says Joe.

Stylish country
Part of a new build, these two bathrooms takes their design cues from their Southern Highlands location. "The design brief was modern farmhouse. Burrawang is a quaint village with many cottages dating back to the 1800's. We wanted to keep the heritage feel of the village but provide a custom-built luxurious home with some modern features too," says Jess Vassallo, managing director/builder at JNV Constructions, the company responsible for the build.

Bathroom one

The home features plenty of farmhouse inclusions such as timber weatherboards, a corrugated Colorbond roof, hardwood floorboards and v-joint lining boards throughout. But it's also full of mod-cons too. "We were able to include modern features such as underfloor heating to add a luxurious touch yet design the bathrooms and laundry to reflect the modern farmhouse style," says Jess.

Bathroom two

"Reece Kado Classic tapware was used in both bathrooms to recreate the era of the village. This, teamed with custom shaker cabinetry, handmade subway tiles and Carrara marble bench tops created an inviting space for the homeowners to enjoy," says Jess.

Bathroom two

Photography: David Russell, New Choice Homes & Mint Photography

For more | March 2018 bathroom trend round-up

 

The post Four real bathrooms showcase latest trends appeared first on The Interiors Addict.

The Perfect Signature Cocktail According to Your Netflix Binge

For more tips and guides for Home Decor and Interior Design visit here: http://bit.ly/2lgjfZ4

Fashion Friday: The Bag We All Need for Spring & Summer

image via Collage Vintage

If there is one bag you need for spring and summer it's a wicker or woven bag.  This is lucky since this style bag is most often VERY affordable (minus a few exceptions, like this INSANELY good vintage Ferragamo bag above that I would die for).  Natural toned wicker or seagrass goes with everything and anything- from jeans and a tee to a summer dress for an evening out.  Black or colored versions look a little dressier, and the types with leather accents add a nice refined quality to the casual woven texture.  So pick one up now and be ready for all the wear you'll get out of it (once all this snow melts….)

1. // 2. // 3. // 4. // 5. // 6. // 7. // 8. // 9. // 10. // 11. // 12. // 13. // 14. // 15. // 16. // 17. // 18.

The post Fashion Friday: The Bag We All Need for Spring & Summer appeared first on Elements of Style Blog.

Retrospective: A look at 70 years of Aussie interiors

For more tips and guides for Home Decor and Interior Design visit here: http://bit.ly/2lgcTsY