Many of us are buying homes with unusual layouts and space constraints (like condo’s & bungalows) these days in an effort to downsize. However this makes it difficult to fit normal sized furniture into our downsized home.

”It’s not small, it’s scale sensitive.“

The first problem we all face moving into a smaller home is how are we going to find compact furniture that fits the space, yet still fit’s our body. (We’ll actually the first obstacle you will encounter in your new condo is ”ummm honey, the sofa doesn’t fit through the front door“ and then you will get to the real problem of finding furniture that does fit through the door.)

In light of this common problem, furniture lines have started marketing condo-size furniture.  Small furniture has always been around, but it’s not the same as condo-size, or as comfortable. A typical condo size sofa’s exterior dimensions are around 74“-78“ (a normal sofa is ”84-92+“). It can still have 3 seats, however typically it will have 2 larger seats or one bench style cushion to give the illusion of a larger piece of furniture. The inside dimensions will typically be similar to the normal sofa, or at least maintain the most important measurement for comfort; the depth of the seat cushion.

Condo-size furniture often looks better in a contemporary style; solid materials, straight line cushions, slim angular arms, and leg bases (vs. skirted). This is because a traditional curved, patterned and skirted sofa tends to look like dollhouse furniture when scaled down. Chairs are compact and often without arms to save space and not visually obstruct.

”It’s a table, a seat, a storage box and a footrest!“

Multipurpose furniture is a must in a small or awkward space. Every piece of furniture is an opportunity for versatility, multifunction or space saving. Tables should have shelves or storage below them and chairs should swivel or have rollers to change layouts. And don’t forget the storage ottoman, or cube. I don’t know who invented the leather storage cube but he’s genius!

When purchasing ”scale sensitive“ furniture for your home it’s important to think about the room as a whole. Condo-size furniture is often not very high; when combined with its short width it can look out of proportion even in the smallest of rooms because of the height of the ceiling. Use side-tables to visually lengthen the condo sofa if you can, add tall table lamps and art above the sofa to bring the balance up, and/or an area rug to add visual presence. Lastly, don’t add a coffee table or ottoman that is to big, it will make your condo-size furniture look like dollhouse furniture even without the pattern and skirt.

Fall is a time for richness. We are enriched by beautiful weather, fabulous foliage and new seasonal trends. Fall is all about warm rich colours, luscious textiles and dense fabrics that evoke a warm, cozy atmosphere as we get ready for the winter.

The best way to create a warm environment in your home throughout the cooler season is to incorporate these elements:

All these little things change your décor according to the season, and in turn prepare you emotionally for the cold season to come.

For decades leather furniture has been associated with luxury and quality.

But how many of us really know what quality leather is? Up until a recent trip to Norwalk, Ohio for a factory tour of Norwalk Furniture, my knowledge of leather was similar to that of diamonds; if it cost a lot, it was probably high quality.

Is it any surprise that I do not own a diamond or a leather sofa? I’ve always maintained it’s because I have yet to find someone to buy me one (the diamond at least… but I wouldn’t say no to the sofa!). However the truth is even with cash in-hand, I would not have had the education to make a solid investment.

Becoming a pro starts with a simple assessment of what is upholstery leather and why do we like it so much? Leather can come from many mammals; however cow is best for furnishings. Unprocessed hides are quite thick and can be split into many, many layers. We love leather because it’s more durable than fabric, easy to clean, ages naturally, resists tearing/cracking, and leather breathes.

If you only needed to know five things when shopping for leather, it would be this:

When shopping for leather furniture ask what ”genuine“ leather really means, remember splits are genuine leather too. Also ask to see it in writing, a sales rep may not know the difference or think you need to know the difference. As a pro you can tell what part of the cow you’re being sold!

Now I can sit back on my leather sofa and wait for my diamond.

article coming soon.

Incase you have not picked up a décor magazine over the summer, here is the must have list for Fall.

Kelly Green. I have learned the hard way that not all red-heads look great in Kelly Green; unless you want to look like a waitress at an Irish Pub. It does however look great in my home. This particular shade of green is bold and screams courage. (Make it a small scream with pillows or accent vases.)

Chintz. This ain’t your Grandma’s wallpaper! Look for new funky ways to apply an older pattern around the home. Whether it’s in small doses like china, chair seats and pillow fronts or a large focal point wall, the key to modernizing this print is not to repeat it. Make it a highlight, if you try to repeat this floral around the room you will recreate your Grandmothers sitting room.

Snake Skin. The 1980’s called; they want you to bring this print back! Again, easy does it; this is not a White Snake video set. An interesting piece such as a small side table, serving tray on an ottoman or lamp shade outta do it.

Coral. I have seen this design in some really interesting applications. The most popular items are bowls, wine racks and inset panels in the back of dining room chairs. You can also find Coral in fabric prints and silhouette art. It’s an interesting pattern that adds movement and softens without becoming too feminine, organic or beachy.

Greek Key. Make your home fit for a god. This simple pattern can be found edging everything from fabric to dishware to rugs right now. The latest take (on a very old design) is to bring the design back into furniture but not just as an inset panel or marquetry, rather the base of the piece, such as a bench or chair is sculpted in the motif.

Tribal Diamond. This print is the answer to ”what do I pair this pattern with?“ In different colours this print fits right in a traditional or modern décor.

Some other very popular trends this season are Moore influenced décor, chucky crystal, plastic pieces, silhouette art, shades of grey, Chevron patterns, art Noveau influences and of course houndstooth, damask and pokdots are here to stay.

Who say’s your baby room has to be so… baby? These little people are after all an extension of you, why can’t they share your great sense of style too?

I am surrounded by big bellies and baby talk. It’s an enlightening experience that has provided me with the opportunity to get creative, be playful with décor and most importantly the opportunity to visit some of Ottawa’s trendiest baby boutiques.

The first thing I noticed is that no one cares about the ”pink is for girls“ and ”blue is for boys“ stuff; any colour can be a baby colour. The second thing I noticed is no one is tip-toeing through a serene pastel baby room anymore. Parents to be are decorating with shocking pink, lime green, turquoise, eggplant and even chocolate brown. Any shade is a baby shade… baby!

And the third thing I noticed is the definition of baby furniture has evolved substantially. Manufactures have interjected ”design“ into designing baby furniture. The highchair does not need to be a big piece white plastic in the middle of your chic modern dining room. New high chair designs are shapely, made from wood with rich stains, and look like a piece of art; while maintaining all of the required safety standards.

For those with more contemporary tastes, the rocking chair has also had a facelift. Designed to look like a comfy overstuffed reading chair, the hidden glider is much smoother than a creaky wooden rocking chair, and ingenuity was exercised when providing optional upholstering colours in durable ultra suede fabrics.

If your home flavors more of a rich and traditional décor, you may choose to use a traditional dresser in the baby’s room. An ornate bombe style dresser painted a rich golden yellow may just be the way to re-use a practical family hand-me-down, while interjecting the style of your home into this new space appropriately. Plus think of how many baby clothes those dressers will hold!

Don’t forget the walls, accessorize accordingly. If the room has a traditional flair, find an antique mirror for above that dresser. If bright primary colours are not appealing baby art in your contemporary baby room, have them copied into black & white, and use the coloured mating of your choice.

It’s important to remember your going to spend allot of time in baby’s room, so why not make it as enjoyable as the rest of your home. Start your baby décor shopping with a trip down to Wellington St in Westboro to check out those baby boutiques I mentioned. Specialized baby décor from a reputable shop will ensuring you are acquiring baby safe items, while keeping you in great style throughout your baby years.

Each year we hear the same thing with respect to our outdoor spaces: ”bring the indoors, outdoors“.

But often this advice comes from stylists in California where even the bad weather is good weather. So how do we apply that advice to our great Canadian backyard where the mosquitoes roam free and rain and snow are more than just a possibility.

Start with style. The suggestion of bringing the indoors, outdoors really should pertain to style, not objects. No one wants to see your rec-room sofa and rabbit ear TV on the front lawn, but they would like to see some common elements that we usually reserve for indoor spaces brought outside. Add a seating arrangement (other than just a patio table set) like a lounge area with side tables, tea light lamps and an ottoman to kick your feet up on. Define your seating arrangement with a patio rug, pillows and drapes or netting. Textiles are key to mimicking indoor elements outdoors.

Textiles, are you kidding? Nope, outdoor fabrics and textiles have come a long way. No more moldy, faded, stinky, soggy pillows; I promise. Brands like Sunbrella and Waverly’s Sun-N-Shade Collection are the most popular and accessible outdoor fabric lines available, however many companies now offer outdoor fabrics. What you’re looking for is fabrics with UV-resistant color pigments, high performance fibers usually cotton/ acrylic blends, a high-tech fabric stain guard, large thread count and a UV protection seal.

The fabric’s properties are meant to resist mold, however you must brush or dust them regularly to remove organic material that mold might grow on. Also remember to wrap the pillows in plastic under the sham.

So you’ve got yourself some fabrics that are snow, rain, sun and all around ”acts of God and children with popsicles“ proof, so now let’s turn you on to color and pattern. Look at bright, bold and big patterns. Prints and colors you would never have the guts to put in your livingroom, but always wanted too!

You can find any fashion print, pattern and color, so pick your décor without reservation. Should your outdoors be an extension of your indoors? It’s up to you. If you’re going for a very set style and want to reflect the thought put into continuity, then yes, match it up. However, if you’re like me and are attracted to so many styles and décor trends, your outdoor space is an opportunity to do something completely different from your home; a different side of you.

My home is black and white, but my patio looks like a scene from Blue Hawaii. (It’s because I know if I build it, the King will come… rock-a-hula baby!)

May all your summer dreams come true.

Thinking of redecorating, but not sure where to start? How about a garage sale, or shall we call it a home decor sale?

My tastes change all the time but I still have trouble letting go of quality items that are no longer my style. But, by putting these items up for sale, I find it often helps me part with them. It not only provides funds for a new decor, but, often validates the sentimental value I’ve placed on them.

It’s much easier to let go of something special when it’s not going to end up in the dumpster.

That being said, an important step is to start by defining what is, and what is not junk. A good rule of thumb is if you plan to just throw it out if it no one buys it, maybe it’s too junky anyway. Anything worthy of being donated to a thrift store is likely of saleable quality.

Next, search your home for unused and unwanted items. I know many people who sew with the ”fabric pile of good intentions.“ Sell that fabric and get your money back!

Here’s a list of great home decor items just waiting to be sold:

Vases, bowls, pottery, clean candle sticks, unused candles, wall decorations, empty frames, unused mounted canvas, mirrors, throw pillow covers (keep the form unless it’s very, very new), draperies, valances, area rugs, plants (yes plants! I love that they have already had a strong chance at life), lamps and lighting decor, tablecloths, placemats and shelves.

A couple of notes: Everything should be clean, unstained, and without damage. Look for items that have been sitting in a drawer, like a never-used table-cloth set dotted with flowers that were never to your taste.

Be careful with lighting and anything electric, however. Contact Canada’s Safety Council to learn what is safe to sell. Also with lighting and draperies, if they’re really old or outdated no one will buy them. Would you?

Keep in mind also, rules, regulations and etiquette do exist for garage sales. Check if you need to make arrangements for signage, parking and traffic. Remember, advertising is key. Make sure prices are clearly marked and be prepared to make change. Buyers should, and will, barter.

If you don’t agree on a price, take a phone number in case the item doesn’t sell. You can always negotiate later.

Lastly, if an item does not sell, don’t keep it. You put it up for sale for a reason. Pass it on and get busy redecorating with your new funds.

Need your livingroom ripped apart and put back together with a whole new look in one weekend?

Sorry, can’t help you, but there are more than a dozen TV shows that say they can help you … but are they really helping?

They are not helping me, are they helping you? As a designer it is very difficult to communicate the length of a process to a keen client who has been up all night watching decorating shows and has a hammer ready in hand. If you rip that sink out today, I can’t get you a new one installed tomorrow; we need some time to do this right.

As a DIY (do-it-yourselfer) how many times have you watched a TV personality rip up old carpet, install new flooring, paint the whole room and sew ”fabulous“ slip covers all in a day’s work, and think I can do that? Only to be left with a weekend warrior’s mess Monday morning that you can’t address until next weekend. (aka. The next four weekends)

What an awful deflating feeling. Why do TV shows set us up for that? Why can’t they just show us the real lengthy, thoughtful, time consuming process? It’s like watching the television show ”The Bachelor“ — who falls in love that fast? Don’t they break-up after the show is over? Good luck doing that with the bathroom backsplash tile you fell in love with on the spot over the weekend. Once installed you’re stuck staring at that bad boy every morning, and you don’t get to keep the money after your love affair fades, just the scum in the grout.

Before you jump head-over-heals into a weekend DIY project, spend a few weekends planning, sourcing, and preparing. It’s like dating — get to know that tile, is it really ‘available’ to take home today or does it have baggage (i.e. shipping charges) and how does it fit into your current décor? Take it to meet your friends and parents, make sure they approve. Compare it to your old tile; okay well that’s just not fair, remember why you’re loosing the old tile!

The point is these things take time. Planning takes time, ordering products takes time, lining up contractors and trades people take time and tearing apart and putting back together your space takes time. Do you have that kind of time this weekend?

Hiring designers, decorators and contractors can give some of that time back to you, and ensure you’re going to have the result you desire, in a more controlled timeframe, but remember unless you’re looking for a Vegas wedding, nothing ever happens in a weekend that didn’t have weeks of planning behind it.

Sometimes I just want things to be black and white. Simple, uncomplicated, and definitive — black and white. When I’m tired of colour and its overwhelming choices, yet still need presence I start with black and white.

With colour I must always think balance, proportion, scale, tones and shades. With bold black and white it’s all about contrast. All I have to do is put black on white, and white on black and voila, we have drama, style, and sophistication.

The kind of black and white I’m talking about is not dull or basic, not to be used as your standby; rather your main attraction. Often when we can’t decide what to do we resort to black or white, like our little black dress in the back of the closet, or our ”safe“ white dishes that never go out of style. I’m suggesting you go there first, not because it’s safe, because it’s bold.

Building your décor around a black and white scheme is not hard to do; it’s incredibly in vogue. Vintage patterns such as damasks are made new on modern furniture, while silly patterns like polka dots are tamed and stylized in black and white drapery.

Textures add interest.

Textures and pattern are the next step after contrast in a successful black and white décor, because they add interest. Texture can be added with milkglass hobnail pattern vases, black leather ottomans, or a furry zebra rug… yes they’re back! Black and white patterns are making their biggest statement in wallpaper. It doesn’t take much; just one key wall will make a huge statement.

Black and white art is all the rage in any décor. Silhouettes and negative images are bold, classy and funky all at the same time. You’ll also find black and white prints on the backside and in the laps of every fashionista in the city. Houndstooth purses and polka dot blouses add interest to your wardrobe, so why not your home?

Starting with black and white is a powerful and sophisticated choice that always leaves room to add colour in and out on a whim, if you think you’ll need it.

Ever painted the wrong colour in your bedroom but just decided to live with it because after five hours of painting you’re exhausted and have paint in your hair?

Let me guess; you were out at the paint store, saw a beautiful one-inch paint chip and thought it would look fabulous across 1,200 square feet of walls? Too bad what you see in-store is not always what you see in-home.

You need to select a palette for your home, in-home, and maybe with some help.

For a lot of people the prospect of hiring a decorator to select colours for their home seems excessive. Why do you need a decorator? Remember that eerie yellow you painted your powder room last summer, all that time and effort because you didn’t know that yellow had a green undertone that looks ”yucky“ in residential lighting against a brown counter top — that’s why!

Painting is a big deal because it’s a major decision that affects your home for 5-10 years. It can also be quite the financial investment. To paint a two-storey, three-bedroom home you’re easily looking at $500 worth of quality paint.

Let’s not forget the painter, say another $1,500. That’s a $2,000 paint project — you don’t want mistakes.

Get a professional decorator to select your paint colours. An interior decorator can set up a paint consultation to select colours with you in-home and often will give you general décor advice as you move from room to room.

The time is usually 1.5-2.5 hours and makes up about 10% of your overall painting budget. The best part is most decorators will refer you to a paint dealer as a preferred client to receive a discount. If your project budget is $2,000, with 25% off paint, the money saved on paint has almost paid for the paint consultation.

A paint consultation is also a great opportunity to collect your colour information before you paint and give you the foundation to make other design decisions with the use of a paint plan. How many times have you needed to do touch-ups but couldn’t find the old paint can lid with the paint information.

A paint plan is a document that provides all the details you need to order the paint, (colour names & numbers) outlines where each colour is to be painted (details for the painter) and provides you with an chip for each colour selected. This is a great tool for shopping! You just pop your paint plan in your purse and you have your whole home with you wherever you go.

A paint consultation with an interior decorator is a smart investment before you paint, and a fun experience. It’s also a great gift for new homeowners.

Do you ever stand in a store and stare at a lamp for a really long time, like a ridiculously long ”Madame can I help you“ long time?

You cock your head this way and that, you circle it, you move on, you come back, you squint, you ogle and still eons later you just don’t know if that lamp is brilliant, or hideous?

This happens to me all the time! I am compelled by an object, but can’t make up my mind about it. It’s not just a slight should I add an adjective to that expression and upgrade it from ”cute“ to ”super cute“, no it’s an all out Roman Coliseum thumbs-up or thumbs-down.

How can I vary between two such extremes? Why is there so much ”grey“ between my two opinions? Maybe the truth is I know the lamp is just so hideously me, yet I also know I can kiss that magazine spread picture in my head good bye with this bad-boy on my side table.

What happened to my creativity, sense of adventure, my uniqueness? Why am I hiding those doily coasters from my Grandma, and the needle-point pillow that says ”put your big girl panties on and deal with it“ from the world?

Are doilies old-news or charming? What about needle point signs in the home, tacky or inspirational?

We get so caught up in wanting an image that we sometimes lose a little of ourselves to get it. I recently was in a home that fashioned original electric green vintage glazed tiles around the period fireplace, still intact in the front room. The homeowner professes to hate it, and can’t wait to update it to something more subdued. I thought what a shame as it takes somebody with a lot of personality and boldness to pull off this funky focal point; and that’s exactly what this fiery redhead has! That vintage tile was so her, she just couldn’t see it because she wanted the latest look and a newer image than the one that reflected her charisma best.

Wear your individuality, creativity and sometimes ”unique“ taste like a badge of honor.

Protecting your quirkiness can be an important part of expressing who you are within your home, not just who you want others to see. A few sentimental, family heirlooms, or just plain weird items are not going to ruin the grand decor scheme. When we look at these items with great debate, maybe what we are looking at is ourselves. Am I tacky and old-news, or charming and inspirational? I’ve got a lamp to buy!

Who says it’s not easy being green? Green is the easiest color to decorate with. There isn't one room in the home that couldn't pull off a green color scheme; you just have to mind your tones.

Green is one of those colors that transcends eras, trends, fads and seasonal decorating. Some shades make us think of soft warm summers, while others make us think of rich warm winters; whatever the season, green is always in.

Green is a color you can mold to meet your expectations — it has an ability to warm or cool an environment. Soft grass greens can be used to invite one into a new light and airy space, while dark pine greens can be used to create familiarity and comfort. The color green in its many tones always maintains a sense of reliability, balance, harmony and stability.

Greens in their purest form (which is not really pure at all, as it is a secondary color on the color wheel), such as mint, apple, grass, spring green and kelly green are variations of the original green that has been tinted up or toned down by adding black or white. These tinted and toned greens look great with other secondary colors that have been tinted and toned in a split-complementary color scheme; such as lilac purple and sorbet orange with a mint green. A simpler color scheme is green and red; they always pair well because they are direct complementary colors.

Yellow-greens, such as pear, moss and lime or blue-greens such as teal, aqua and forest green are greens that have one of their primary colors (blue or yellow) in a higher concentration. These colors are called tertiary colors and tend to work well with each other in a triadic color scheme.

For example, teal & pear, aqua & moss or forest & lime all complement each other, but they need contrast to complete their harmony. Adding red in its various tints and tones would complete a balanced triadic color scheme. For example teal, pear and pomegranate red are fabulous together.

When adding green to your home use as little or as much as you want, its presence will be felt one way or the other. Just remember every color needs contrast. If you would like to have a large concentration of green in the room, green on green on green is not going to have the effect you desire. Bold or dark green walls with rose colored furniture and apple colored accents will balance your green room drawing more attention to the depth of your greens.

Add a little green to your home, and have your neighbors ”green with envy“!

I recently caught up with a friend in the New Year who advised me that his New Year’s resolution was to break the rules.

Rather than work to improve some of his indiscretions, he has decided to take them to the next level. Go fun Bobby go!

Taking a page from Bob’s book, I’ve decided to put together my own list of the decor rules I plan to break this year. Believe me, this is way more fun than a ”lose weight, and clean out the basement“ resolution!

Be a drama queen, paint the ceiling dark! If you have higher ceilings in a well lit home, get dramatic. Keep the walls a light to medium value tone for minimal contrast. White walls with a dark ceiling might be too much and push you from drama queen to diva. While you’re at it, paint your baseboards a colour, paint a small space a dark colour or paint a large space all white. Don’t follow the rules, see what happens; it’s only paint.

Smoke a little! Smoked mirrors are coming back in small doses. Please, please, please do not run out and tile your whole dining room wall in smoked or bronzed mirror, your tanned reflection is only fooling you. Rather treat smoked mirror as an interesting accent in a very contemporary space. Some modern applications would be table top inserts and large scale framed leaning mirrors, (say 5’x7’) or a series of very small framed mirrors.

Be mis-matched! Wall to wall carpeting is typically only broken up with other types of flooring, such as carpet in the living room meeting hardwood floors in the hall. Don’t be afraid to pair 2 different types of carpet beside each other for visual interest and defining one room from another. It is important however to keep the carpets in the same pile, similar colour schemes and have a threshold or transition piece between the different carpeting.

Make a big scene! Typically the ”rule of thumb“ that applies to selecting and placing furniture is small rooms have small furniture, and big rooms have big furniture; except if you’re a big person feeling like Alice in Wonderland in your dollhouse. The best way to break this rule with a small room is to have less furniture in the scale that is appropriate for you. If you have a large room with small, sparse or low scale furniture, make sure you have nice flooring because it’s going to become a point of interest.

Really, when you think about it, we have been slowly breaking the rules for years now. Who said it was okay to bring back beaded curtains and shag carpets? Decor rules come and go, and in my mind that makes them subjective and suggestive.

Take your home to the next level this year by breaking the rules!

Okay, so a taxidermist, a scrapbooker and Andy Warhol walk into a bar… Oh you’ve heard this one? I guess you already know what they have in common — great walls!

I’ve been staring at a lot of walls lately. Don’t worry it’s not a mental problem; I get paid to do it. Wall decor is big business these days, especially with all the unique things to choose from. Here’s some of the latest and greatest.

Old lettering. Putting words up on the wall is nothing new, however, the latest spin on that is to try to find old store signs and pre-neon lights.

Paper Cuttings. This is truly amazing, in a ”don’t try this at home“ unless you have band-aids and insurmountable patience kind of way. You can now purchase sheets of paper cutout prints the size of curtain panels to hang in your space. Positioned as a focal point on a brightly painted wall, this effect is stunning.

The Andy Warhol effect. Turning photos into art is always a popular way to decorate your space; people love personal art. Now you can really get creative with your photos by having them blown up and digitally colourized into bright show-stopping colours. The effect is very pop art; perfect for a modern or contemporary space that needs a shock of colour.

Taxidermy? That’s right animal heads are all the rage. I would suggest faux is the way to go with this one. Lucite (clear plexi glass) animal heads are all the rage. It is made from the same material as the ghost chair that popped up everywhere in 2005. The effect of taking an ”old“ item like the head-mount and replicating the idea in new materials is very chic. An item like this can work in any décor because it bridges the gap between contemporary and classic decor.

Some other popular takes on the head-mount are antlers and bullhorns. If you would like something else organic and a little less ”was living, now dead“, large sections of branches are also an interesting effect.

If you have a large wall you need to fill, large canvas is still popular.

Paint some lines on it and call it expressionism. You could also try your hand at black and white photography. By that I mean take some photos to the printer to be reprinted in black and white. And lastly, my very favorite wall décor is magazine covers. So much skill is put into cover shots, so use them. A grouping of framed Vogue, International Tattoo Art or American Hot Rods covers would make quite a statement.

Colour affects our emotions and perception of space. In design colour is often used to enhance an item, and minimize or enlarge a space. Perception of space is a key element designers seek to manage, often with colour.

Managing an emotional reaction to colour is a little trickier; colour is subjective. However, with a little colour know-how, you can create an atmosphere within your home that will evoke whatever emotional state you seek.

The elusive ”calm“ — many of us seek such a spot in our home that makes us instantly relax and unwind. This area is typically the bedroom, bathroom or sitting room. Key colours and colour combinations can create a calm environment. Blues and greens soothe the soul.

Colour energy is the belief that our body is governed by electromagnetic energy, also referred to as auras and chakras. If we balance our chakras, we balance our lives.

Blue is the communication chakra. When in balance it evokes knowledge, wisdom and self-expression. Green is the heart chakra. It evokes compassion, personal growth and unity. Colour science teaches us that blues and greens in light values in warm tones create environments that encourage these emotional states.

Do you need ”balance“? There are some areas of the home where we need to be awake, focused and productive, such as the kitchen or home office. These areas require visual and mental balance.

We already know that greens evoke personal growth so try increasing the value (light and darkness) of your green to stimulate solidity, security and inspiration. Pure and intense purples also create a sense of optimism, imagination and poise.

At the end of a busy day many of us crave ”simplicity“. Achieving this feeling within your decor does not mean you have to have beige on beige. You should, however, stick to earth tones. These are light colours with warm undertones — oranges, browns and yellows.

A simple, uncomplex feeling within your home stems from your decor, colour scheme and placement, however, the right undertones make all the difference.

Warm browns with orange undertones evoke warmth and clarity from within the emotional chakra. Neutrals (tans, beiges and creams) with a yellow undertone create a freshness that keeps you in high esteem, in keeping with the intellect chakra.

You can also create, calm, balance or simplicity within your home by adjusting your colour pallet. Calm environments typically have monochromatic (variations of the same tone) or analogous (colors beside each other on the colour wheel) colour schemes. Balanced rooms can benefit from a split complementary colour scheme (google it). To create simplicity in your decor, well, keep it simple.

Managing your colours will help you manage your emotions within that space, creating the atmosphere you seek.

Present wrapping 101. If there ever was such a course (surely offered as a prerequisite to Underwater Basket Weaving 101) I would have aced it.

I love wrapping gifts. I will spend more time wrapping the present than buying it. And yes, it breaks my heart when you unceremoniously rip it open and throw three hours of origami bows into the hearth. By the same token, nothing makes me more secretly smug than to profess, ”Oh, it was nothing“ when you oohh and ahh over my gift-wrapping. (Oh, the depth behind my obsession.)

Here ares some wrapping tips:

Pick a colour scheme. Use the same series of wrapping papers bows and ribbons, then mix and match the colours and patterns. It's very Hallmark (the en-vogue of presents) to show up with an armful of gorgeous matching presents, looking like you just stepped out of a Sears holiday commercial.

Be precise. That sounds very Martha Stewart I know, but the extra thought won’t be lost on most and a quality-wrapping job will keep your gift from coming apart before the main event. You know when the tape on the flap keeps popping open, and then your cat licks all the sticky off the tape, and then you have to add more tape every time you walk past the tree for weeks. You’re thinking I just can’t wait to drop that off, the present, not the cat. (Is it just me?)

Soothe that holiday irritation (save the cat) by running your nail along the edges of the parcel after you have wrapped it. This will create a permanent crease that will keep the paper from wanting to flip back to its original shape. Silly, but it works, and makes the gift look ”sharp“.

Go over the top, it’s the holidays! Don’t show up with a bottle ”delicately“ wrapped in the LCBO bag. If you’re looking for ideas, metallic papers, doilies, and lace are trendy wrapping this year.

Another great idea is to use Polaroids instead of cards. (i.e. you holding a sign that says ”Merry Xmas“). Lastly, challenge yourself to bows and knots so complex they ought to offer a merit badge in Boy Scouts for this triumph. Try the Internet for instructions, they’re worth it!

Taking time to artfully wrap your gift will give that extra little joy to the receiver, makes you look very clever, and disguises even the simplest of gifts (trust me).

From yours truly, Happy Holidays.

Hark, is that the mind numbing, maddening jingle of holiday carols luring us to the department stores? Yup, and I’m totally ready to be seduced by this season’s glitz and glamour.

Lately the weather has most of us getting up in the dark, and driving home from work in the dark. It’s very easy to give into the gloom of dark dreary days. Perhaps that’s why we make such a big deal about seasonal decorating — it gives us something exciting to do.

So why is it not enough to celebrate the religious or spiritual observance of the season, or revel in the joy of gift giving?

Maybe it just doesn’t last long enough. The wonderful thing about holiday décor,  is it makes us feel good throughout the whole season. Something bright, and uplifting in dark days that gets us in the mood to celebrate, give and observe the holidays.

This season add some bronze and gold sparkle to your decor. It won’t be hard, bronze is huge this season, and gold seams to be the metallic of choice over silver.

Blue and green is a soft whimsical colour scheme for Christmas. It’s young, fun and a great alternate to traditional décor.

Mix it up

Long gone are the days when we wouldn’t dare to mix pink and red. Pink and red are this season’s party colour combo. It’s wild, bright and stimulating, perfect for a Christmas cocktail party.

A couple of ideas I have already seen emerging in window storefronts are filling clear bowls or vases with ornaments. This would be a great alternative to a traditional centerpiece, or on a larger scale, an alternate to decorating a Christmas tree — just stick all your ornaments in a big vase.

Also look for unusual elements to add to your holiday décor, or create a theme around. For example, butterflies. I have seen so many ornaments that are glittery and shimmery butterflies added to wreaths and Christmas trees this season yet these are not something we would traditionally associate with the holidays. So, feel free to stray from the snowmen, Santas and Nutcrackers.

And the next time you get annoyed that the frosted snow is on the mall windows faster than they can take the pumpkins out of the windows, remember it’s not so bad to start that sparkle and joy a little early.