When designing a child’s room, you need to consider the room’s required furniture, plus storage and organizing systems. Add in a touch of fun design that the child can grow with, and you will have a room you’ll both love! It’s also great to include artwork they love or (even better!) have made themselves. My most recent makeover project ...
Colour. It’s a hot topic every year – what colours are in, what colours to paint, what colours to accessorize with. And what will be around today and tomorrow. The 2015 runways are filled with colours reminiscent of the 1960s – shades such as warm olive and rich orange are being given new life, while some colour trends continue to be popular. ...
If the kitchen is the heart of the home, the laundry room must be the liver. The laundry room cycles through messy household clothing and towels, and cleans them up time and time again. In addition to being the place to do laundry and store cleaning supplies, many households also have their laundry room act as a mudroom; a place to drop off ...
With the holidays just around the corner, so grows the list of “to do’s” within the home. Spending too much time inside makes you realize how many little projects you need to get done or want to do to jazz up your space. Not every project has to be a big one: you can make just as much of an impact in a space with little effort. These project...
With the holiday gift giving season upon us, our stress levels rise as we try to decide upon ideal gifts for our loved ones. Whomever you are shopping for this holiday season, we have five great options that are suitable for anyone (and everyone!) on your list. On first day of Christmas I bought an Oster Versa 1400 High Performanc...
City living may mean limited space, but you don’t have to sacrifice functionality. I was recently challenged to find a clever way to maximize a space. All of the bedrooms were occupied, but the home lacked a guest room, plus a more efficient workspace and storage in their walkout basement. This is how I created a dual-purpose room. An effic...
{Full article in this Friday's Toronto Sun!}You spend a third of your day in your bedroom. It should be a relaxing place you enjoy spending time. Here’s how you can create a beautiful, comfortable bedroom retreat on any budget. Cool Color Palette. I’ve had red bedrooms and I’ve had pale blue rooms. I can honestly say colour psychology is real...
Need Paint Advice? How about overall Decorating/Design Help? But can't afford a design consultation fee? Well you are in luck CIL has teamed up with a number of Design Experts across Canada assisting you once a week at a Home Depot near you for a limited time offer. Come out from 6 to 8pm at one of the locations below to meet with me for...
With our short Canadian summer, more and more people are buying all-season cottages or winterizing their existing cottages to make a year-round retreat. People want to enjoy a get away not only in the summer but also in the cooler Canadian months too. I recently took the design challenge of styling my client’s all-season cottage. Decoratin...
Who says you have to sacrifice fashion for function? For my latest makeover project, I wanted to strike a balance between style and organization to create the perfect walk-in closet. I called in organizing guru Clare Kumar to help with a closet makeover to make sure we ended up with a space that was functional and looked fantastic. I love ...
If you missed Jo's segment on Small Space Patio Décor on the Global Noon show no worries watch online: http://globalnews.ca/video/1401909/jo-alcorn/ Special Thanks to Home Depot for the products. Have fun dressing you outdoor space this summer! Until next time, w&c designer girl! ...
During the warm summer months, we tend to spend a lot more time outside, so it’s time to design or re-design your area to create a cosy ambiance that will encourage you to spend more time in the great outdoors. So for those of you who are seeking inspiration to spruce up your small patio or balcony space, I have some fabulous design tips to help y...
Placing your desk behind the sofa as if it is a sofa table is great addition to any room that can handle it. Most of the time that is wasted space so take advantage of it and create your dream office.
Have fun with it and layer it against windows or other pieces of furniture for a unique look that takes advantage of useless areas. 
As Jo says: don't just put furniture in a room for the heck of it, make every area of your room work for you! Using that extra space for a desk or creating a space for a desk allows you to enjoy your space that much more! And, who knows, you might get more work done if your desk is in the room of the house you love!
