Boys & Their Toys: A Boy's Bedroom

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 and Design Trends of 2015

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. ...

Laundry in style – create a functional and fashionable laundry room

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 ...

Quick Paint Tips / Projects

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...

5 Days of Christmas Gift Guide!

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...

A home office and a guest room: How to create a multifunctional space

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...

Create your own bedroom retreat!

{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...

CIL DECOR EXPERT ON THE ROAD @ Home Depot

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...

All Seasoned Cottage Decor

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...

Dream Closet!

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 ...

Small Space Patio Decor on the Global Noon Show!

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! ...

Stylish Patio Makeover on a Budget!

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...

Watch BT Monday!

Watch BT Monday!



New and Now! Jo will be talking about; what’s hot in décor fashion and getting you ready for the spring and summer trends of the season.




  • The colour of the year is blues and greens but for the spring we are adding yellow to the mix and a touch a of pink!
  • Patterns patterns and more patterns.
  • Statement lighting
  • Dramatic floors
  • Animal craze
  • And Brass is back!!
Thank You:
Creekside Tile http://www.creeksidetile.com/
TEB Interiors http://tebinteriors.com/
Artcraft Lighting http://artcraftlighting.com/web/index.php/search?product_id=ja&page=1
For the fabulous products!!
Stay tune for Jo's next appearance on May 23rd, Getting ready for the patio season, lets jazz up your outdoor living space!!
Until next time,
w&c design girl!
IKEA answers your Kitchen questions?!

IKEA answers your Kitchen questions?!

To celebrate IKEA's recent Kitchen Event they asked Facebook fans to tell them their number one kitchen design questions. They received a lot of great questions and chose the top ten to be answered by their very own IKEA kitchen designer and stylist - Janine Love . . . here are just a few of the answers . . .

Where to start?
Cabinet style?
Working with a budget?
Creating a breakfast nook and more . . . check out the full story at
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151395011718434.1073741825.190977078433&type=3 Click on the image for the story.
 
How to maximize your counter and prevent clutter:
My number 1 mantra for preventing counter clutter is “A place for everything and
everything in its place!” I know this is easier to say than to do, but if everything has
a designated home, then it is more likely to be put away. Here are a few examples to
help with clutter management:
1. Take advantage of ceiling heights and utilize upper cabinets that meet the ceiling. Store seldom used items on top shelves.
2. Store all cooking utensils in a jar/vessel on the counter. The jar will contain frequently used items, and doesn’t take up much counter space. A well selected vessel will also add a little personality to your kitchen.
3. Create a “garage” to corral all small appliances, utilizing IKEA’s roll front cabinets.
4. Edit and clean out your drawers at least a couple of times a year. Do you really need 4 ladles and 78 mugs?
5. Designate 1 miscellaneous drawer for papers, supplies, erasers etc.Everybody deserves to have a “messy drawer” where one cannot be judged.Make sure drawer organizers are utilized to keep even messy items in place.
6. Install under counter rail system to save space, hang up items within easy reach and get things up off of the counter.
7. Allow a catch all tray or basket on the counter, and be committed to sorting the items and putting things back into their designated home.
8. Look for opportunities to mount open shelving or hooks.
9. Mount a large cork or magnetic board (preferably behind a door) to house all notices important papers, photographs, and children’s artwork.
10. Keep small appliances off the counter and arrange in a Lazy Susan lower cabinet solution.
11. Utilize wire pullout baskets for deep cabinets, making stored items more accessible.

Until next time,
w&c designer girl!!
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