To Design a Smart & Sexy Kitchen, You Need This

We want our kitchens to look sleek, sexy and classic right?  Of course! But it’s also imperative that they do what we need them to do in terms of functionality. It’s like when we meet someone who we are attracted to. Initially it may be their looks that entice us, but if there’s nothing between the ears and the personality is flat, then what’s the point?

Fortunately, when it comes to appliances, Thermador has very thoughtfully considered both.  A fridge/freezer with smart technology including a ‘touch to open’ feature, their latest Liberty Induction that boasts ‘No Looking Cooking’ & a dishwasher that cycles in just 20 minutes!  No, that’s not a typo!

Click on the video below and see it all with your own eyes in my latest video from KBIS Blog Tour in Orlando. Be inspired to do more in your kitchen.

You may know that I don’t like to cook. I even burnt soft boiled eggs last year…no I’m not kidding. However, these innovative appliances make me reconsider wearing the apron strings more frequently in the kitchen& there aren’t many things that I could say that about!

Below: Fridge/Freezer combination that you wouldn’t even know was there! You’ll won’t believe what can reside permanently on the inside of the refrigerator door…watch the video to find out and to see the spacious interior of this beauty!

I AM A FRIDGE, HEAR ME ROAR!
Thermador was the first to introduce a wine freezer with 3 different temperatures in one fridge

Thanks A-Latte…

A sleek built in coffee machine that cleans its own milk dispenser!

As a gracious sponsor of the KBIS Blog Tour in Orlando, Thermador pulled out all the stops for us. Not only did we get front row viewing of many of their new product lines, we also got treated to a lovely lunch out.  Thank you Thermador!

Are you planning to renovate your kitchen this year?  Contact me here and I can help you with the design or in pulling it all together with finishes and thermador appliances! that weIf you are considering a kitchen renovation this year, check out more products from Thermador here on their website.

To get more inspiration for your kitchen design, see all my videos from the 2017 Orlando Kitchen and Bath show here.

What Detail is Often Overlooked in Interior Design?

Earlier this month I headed to KBIS – Kitchen and Bath Industry Show – in Orlando for Blog Tour 2017!  It was an all expenses paid trip hosted by the lovely Veroinkia Miller of Modenus.

The purpose of the tours are to connect interior designer professionals from all across North America with vendors of the show so we can learn about their products and share them with you. Continue reading “What Detail is Often Overlooked in Interior Design?”

An Ugly Duckling Transformed!

It’s November already!?! Donald Trump is the new US President?!  Christmas is just around the corner?!!  I know, I’ve been AWOL for the last little while and so much has been happening in this world!

Let’s escape for a few minutes to see this latest transformation that I recently had photographed.  If you like a good before and after, you’re going to love this.

My Hamilton clients living room was a bit of a challenge to decorate due to the vast size of the space. When rooms are so large, it’s a good idea to create ‘zones’ that give each area a purpose.

Watch my Facebook live video here from my clients home. Forgive me for being sideways for some of it, this video was my first Facebook live!

Here are the before photos:

Living Room Before
Living Room Before

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This leather sofa went to the basement and a new room was born!

A New Room Is Born!

Large Gold Leaf Prints create a Stunning Focal Point
Large Gold Leaf Prints create a Stunning Focal Point

We accented with teal, oranges and some purple tones as well. The stunning artwork of these three gold leaf prints really are the focal point of the room.

When this artwork went up, my client said “Wow, these really finish off the room beautifully.” (And that was the hubby!)

Custom Floating Shelf
Custom Floating Shelf

My carpenter built a floating wood shelf to anchor the large TV which also allowed us to add some accessories on either side. The large gold framed mirror works wonderfully with the tones of the artwork flanking it on either side, as well as with the large gold leaf prints.

Below is a console we customised to fit three cubes underneath for extra seating as needed.

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We colour blocked the inverted pleat drapery using the same blues/cream that you see in the geometric pattern of the occasional chairs.

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The biggest splurge was the area rug which adds extra softness to the room while complimenting the colour scheme.
My clients recently put this house up for sale and it sold in just one day!!  The home required no ‘Staging’ and sold for more money than any other house in the area.

The realtors said that there wasn’t anything on the market in their area at a similar price point that was finished as beautifully as this home was and essentially ‘turn key ready’ for the new home buyers.

This was great feedback for me and goes to show that the return on the investment of working with an Interior Design professional is well worth it.  Not only did my clients get to enjoy the home while they lived there, but they also didn’t need to do any extra work in order to have it ready to put on the market. Nice!

My clients are thrilled with the result and so are we! What’s your favourite part of this living room?

Ready to work with me on your upcoming decorating project?  We are booking into January 2017. Contact me here to set up a phone call with me and let’s do this!

Halloween Decorating Ideas at Homesense

Do you go crazy for Halloween?  So many people do! I think it’s because you can have so much fun with decorating this time of year, there seems to be no limits and its only growing in popularity.

Last week, my daughter Elise and I headed to Homesense in our home town of Burlington, Ontario to see what decorating ideas we could find. Homesense never lets me down Continue reading “Halloween Decorating Ideas at Homesense”

Stonington Gray by Benjamin Moore

Despite the ever-growing popularity of the colour white in interior design, grays are still widely used for wall colours as a neutral backdrop and for many fixed elements. Stonington Gray HC-170 by Benjamin Moore has a slight blue undertone and is one of my favourites to mix with whites and bold colours.

Check out my latest video below where I:

  • Compare Stonington Gray to other BM grays
  • Select the best whites to use with this gray for your trim and ceilings
  • Show you pairings of fabrics that work wonderfully with this colour & how I’ve used Stonington Gray in a clients home

After you watch my video, to get all this information conveniently in one place and to have even more paint colour combinations to use with Stonington Gray, check out my Perfect Colour Palette for Stonington Gray.

A must-have for any colour enthusiast or interior design professional to use as a helpful resource.

Stonington Gray Benjamin Moore
Stonington Gray Perfect Colour Palette – Get it here now

Watch my colour review of Stonington Gray below.

Photos below of Stonington Gray in my client’s kitchen and front foyer.

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Stonington Gray walls surround this gorgeous window seat with custom treatments.
Stonington Gray Paint Blob
Stonington Gray HC-170
Gallery Walls with Stonington Gray backdrop and Cloud White Wainscoting.
Gallery Walls with Stonington Gray backdrop and Cloud White Wainscoting
Foyer painted in Stonington Gray with striking black dresser and lamps.
Foyer painted in Stonington Gray with striking black dresser and lamps.
Foyer With Black And Gold Picture Frame And Plant Decor
Vignette on dresser with gold accents.

I’ve also created a booklet appropriately named ‘Fifteen Shades of Gray’ which you can download for free! It lists 15 grays by Benjamin Moore and categorizes them into three different undertones so it’s simple to understand and use.  Download your free guide here.

Perfect for pinning on Pinterest!

Stonington Gray Magazine Cover Image
Stonington Gray Magazine Cover Image
Pinterest Graphics Perfect Colour Palettes

To see more on my Benjamin Moore video series, click here.

Comment below to let me know if there is a specific colour you would like me to review in an upcoming video. 

Be sure to also watch my most popular video on ‘Best Gray Paint Colours’. It has over 150k views!

Convenience At Your Fingertips

Our Perfect Colour Palette library is expanding. Click here to see all of my Perfect Colour Palettes.

Stonington Gray is now part of my Benjamin Moore Grays and Blue-Green collection showcasing all 10 of my Benjamin Moore gray and blue-green Perfect Colour Palettes.

Grays and Blue-greens Collections Covers Benjamin Moore

If you want to get all my Benjamin Moore colour guides in one place, look no further than my Benjamin Moore Ultimate Collection.  All 20 of my guides in one handy collection.

Ultimate Collection Cover Benjamin Moore

Remember, it only takes one mistake to take your home decorating project from divine to disaster. Don’t let the paint be what stresses you out!

Take my Colour Quiz to discover your Perfect Colour Palette.

Colour Quiz Graphics Blog 500x750 Resized 1

Avoid DIY Disasters – It’s Easier Than You Think

No matter what the task, project or goal, it’s no secret that when you have a plan in place you are more likely to succeed.  If you want to lose weight & you choose to just ‘wing it’, chances are you’re going to fail.

If you want to try making a different meal, but don’t have a recipe or know what the ingredients are, it’s probably going to be disaster. So why would anyone start a renovation or decorating project and invest thousands of dollars without having a plan?

fail to plan

You’d be suprised at how many people want to skip this part of the process. The most bizarre part, is that the reluctantcy to do so, is often because people think it will save them money not to plan!

But in the long run, it can end up costing way more and the end result is not nearly as pretty or functional as it could have been, had they taken the time to plan.

Here’s my latest video, check it out and see how easy it is when you have a plan!

Not subscribed to my Youtube channel yet? Shame on you! Go here to subscribe and I’ll see you there.

Ready to get a plan for your upcoming project? Contact me here.

Benjamin Moore White Paint Colours

Grays move over, whites are where it’s at!!  Have you noticed the shift? Well, it’s definitely happening.

Whites are quickly taking over as the most popular neutral and it’s no wonder, with the oh so popular Scandinavian design style that we see in all the magazines these days, not to mention the crisp, clean look that it offers which so many of us love.

Today I’m comparing three popular whites by Benjamin Moore & sharing beautiful spaces where these whites have been used.

comparing 3 whites

Watch the video below to learn more about using whites in your space and I’ll see you there!

A special shout out to lovely fellow designers, Jil McDonald & Kristie Barnett who kindly agreed to let me use photographs of their gorgeous work in this blog post and video. I’m so blessed to work in the same field as these amazingly talented women!

Simply White

Dining room & Kitchen Design by Jil Sonia Interiors, BC, Canada.

JIL SONIA INTERIOR DESIGN ABBOTSFORD, BC (3)

JIL SONIA INTERIOR DESIGN ABBOTSFORD kitchen (3)

White Dove

Piano Room & Living Space by The Decorologist, Tennessee, USA.

decorologist white dove photo 1

decorologist white dove 2

The ceiling in Kristie’s clients piano room is painted Kendall Charcoal HC-166, by Benjamin Moore.  You can also see how nicely these two colours work together when shown side by side here on my large paint boards.

White Dove & Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore.
White Dove & Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore.

Although our clients dining room shown below, is not in the video, it is painted White Dove as well.

Dining Room Industrial Lighting Claire Jefford Design

Snowfall White

Bathroom With White Custom Cabinetry Ontario Interior Design

Chandelier In Bathroom Claire Jefford

Bathroom design by Claire Jefford, Burlington, Ontario.

You can see more of our Toronto clients second floor project here.  All phography by Stephani Buchman.

Perfect for Pinning!

Snowfall White, by Benjamin Moore. Follow me on Pinterest to see more wonderful white interiors.
Snowfall White, by Benjamin Moore. Follow me on Pinterest to see more wonderful white interiors.

Cabinetry & Walls in Snowfall White by BM
Cabinetry & Walls in Snowfall White by BM.

Want to make sure you get the right white that works with the finishes in your home? Contact me, I have more than 25 large white paint boards to ensure I get the right white for my clients, everytime.

More fabulous tips for decorating your home is waiting! Subscribe to my blog here. Let’s do this!

Kitchens And Baths – Before & After

Before and After photographs are so compelling for any Interior Design business.  We can’t help but love seeing how spaces can be transformed from Fugly to Fantastic!

This is especially true if you feel there is a space in your home of which there is no hope for and it’s almost impossible to see past it’s current state…the key word there being ‘almost’.

In my latest video, I showcase all of my Kitchen & Bathroom Designs that have been professionally photographed, starting with the before photo and followed by the inspiring afters.

You can see these incredible transformations in my video below.

Photography courtesy of: Stephani Buchman Photography; Baeumler Quality Construction and Leah Kirin .

Here’s one of our latest kitchen designs below.  I wish my kitchen was as pretty as what I create for my Interior Design clients!

You can also see more of this kitchen here in my portfolio.

Custom kitchen design by Claire Jefford.
Custom kitchen design by Claire Jefford. Photo by Stephani Buchman. 

See more of this kitchen design in a video I did here.

Ready to transform your kitchen or bathroom into a space you’ll absolutely love?  Contact me here and let’s do this!

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