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...

New Years Table Decor

New Years Table Decor

This year, December came around the corner extremely fast and Christmas flew bye. The holiday season is all about spending time with friends and family, entertaining and enjoying great food and drinks. With that being said your calendar will begin filling up with numerous dinner parties, leaving you with less time to decorate your own dinner table. Here are some easy tricks and items found around the house that could help you out for your New Years parties!


 

Stack dishware and layer with a fancy napkin. Adding a simple Christmas ornament will add a touch of visual happiness and extra Christmas spirit to your table.


 
Extra wrapping paper left over from last year? Use a role as a table cloth. This will instantly add a playful holiday cheer to your table.

 
Adding different size candles will bring a twinkle to your décor.


Happy New Years Everyone!!
 
Until next time
w&c designer girl!
Take the Stress out of Holiday Entertaining

Take the Stress out of Holiday Entertaining


Sofa and coffee table from http://www.modernsensibility.com
 
 
Special Thanks to:
http://www.sonos.com
for the too cool products!
My outfit from www.jacob.ca
 
The holiday season is all about spending time with friends and family, entertaining and enjoying great food and drinks. Don’t let entertaining become a burden. Easier said than done right? Here are some foolproof tips to ensure that parties, family gatherings, pop-in guests and out of towners feel, warm and welcome and the hostess is relaxed and joyous as well.


 1. Be ready for those pop in guests: It’s inevitable, over the holidays there will always be those few friends or family members who “pop-in” at the most unexpected time. Having a few items on hand for these surprise visits can turn a chaotic meeting(visit) into a fun spur of the moment gathering – for afternoon guests Keurig’s special edition gourmet single serve coffee maker is ideal (available at http://www.bedbathandbeyond.ca/).  Add gingerbread, sugar cookies or fruit cakes to the mix which can be stored in the fridge or freezer and warmed up when needed makes the perfect afternoon pairing.

Small AppliancesLibbey® Just Cocktails 4.8-Ounce Mini Irish Coffee Mugs (Set of 8)

 2. Overnight Guest Check List: No matter how large or small your home is, setting up a space where out of town guests feel at home is essential. For small space living Modern Sensibility http://www.modernsensibility.com/ has stylish love seats that can transform into a double bed. Add some comfortable and cozy bedding from Bed Bath and Beyond, some fluffy towels and as an added luxury a basket filled with bathroom items and slippers is always a nice touch.


3. Budget friendly centerpieces: Flower arrangements can get expensive so why not use some of the vases sitting in your cabinets collecting dust?  Add ornaments, pine cones, cranberries or even holiday candy and place the vases in a cluster of all different sizes. Your backyard, if you have one, can be great for finding sticks, and greenery that can be added to create a rustic arrangement.  Use gold or silver spray paint to add an extra festive flare to sticks and dried flowers. If you have a mix of candles in different colours, shapes and sizes, cluster them together as well.
 4. Stress Free-Holiday Party: Don’t become a slave at your own party. A few key pre-party set up tactics will ensure the hostess can enjoy the party as well. Set up an open bar. Offer guests a drink upon their arrival but once they are settled in, have a space where they can pick and choose their drink of choice. Pre-plan your menu. Have some simple appetizers and munchies that can be made ahead of time and refilled easily throughout the night. Set the right music. Sonos http://www.sonos.com/ offers wireless music that you can tailor to different rooms in your home. You can play holiday music as people enter your home but in the living room, you can play an (more upbeat music to get your guest dancing)entirely different genre. Great for the hostess and also makes a perfect holiday gift for the music lovers on your list.
 (This is a great gift for your the man in your life)
 5.Setting a holiday table: Another tradition in my family is a gorgeous holiday table for dinner. Again the key to de-stressing when it comes to a large family dinner is preparing in advance. I like to stick with white dishes and serving trays as they are timeless and versatile. Bed Bath and Beyond has a great collations called Everyday White Rim Dinnerware with pieces starting at $4.99. Sticking with white means you can accessories with beautiful napkins, table décor and candles to further set the mood. Again if small space living is your challenge, don't think that takes you out of the entertaining circle. Modern Sensibility has created a small foyer table (called the Campbell) that transforms into a full size table that seats 10 so you aren’t left out of the holiday entertaining mix!
Happy Holidays Everyone!
Until next time


w&c designer girl!
 

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