Page 5 – Claire Jefford

Designer for A Day-My Process

Do you offer Designer for a Day Services?

Or are you thinking about it, but not sure how exactly to go about it?

In this post, I will take you through my step-by-step process to help you decide if Designer For a Day is a service you’d like to offer in your Interior Design Business.

This is NOT Luxury Design, BUT…

Please note that if you only want to attract luxury, full-service clients, offering Designer For a Day is not going to suit your firm’s goals or brand messaging.

High-end bathroom design by Claire Jefford Inc.

BUT at the same time, don’t limit your thinking to believing this is a ‘cheap’ service. This is still a very valuable service that you can market to high-end clients if that is your target market.

With the uncertainty regarding the future of our economy, offering various levels of service may be what gets you through this tough time ahead.

This really is rule #1 when it comes to ways you can still have a thriving business if the economy collapses.

Manhattan Blues, Design by Claire Jefford Inc.
All photos by Stephani Buchman

What is Designer for A Day?

In our Service Outline template that comes with our Designer For a Day Contract, below is exactly how we describe this service.

Designer For a Day services provides you with expert guidance from us, your Interior Design Partner. Allow us to assist you with parts of the project that you may find especially overwhelming and to help you avoid making costly mistakes.

Services in our 6-hour time blocks may include, but are not limited to:

Space planning ideas
Guidance for kitchen and bath design
Sourcing of various finishes & furnishings
Specifications for paint colours
In-person meetings & communication with clients or trades

How you offer this service may look different and that’s the beauty of running your own business! Here’s a graphic I created to show you the potential earnings for this service.

More details on money matters closer to the end of the post.

What type of Design services can you provide?

Also included with all of our contracts in the Service Outlines are details of what type of specific design services we can provide.

For example, if we are assisting homeowners with fixed element selections for new builds we would include hardwood flooring, floor/wall tiles, countertops, bathroom or kitchen plumbing fixtures, and sometimes lighting.

In addition, we can choose complementary paint colours for cabinets and walls, as well as hardware, grout, and sometimes even lighting.

The Designer For a Day service could also be used for styling, an often very difficult part of the interior design process for homeowners to do successfully on their own.

White Down Family Room Design by Claire Jefford Inc.

Although we don’t do it, shopping retail for furniture could also be included as part of this service. The downside is that you need to take the time to create a floor plan with measurements of furnishings.

This can start to get quite time-consuming and is really more of an in-depth design service.

Also, when shopping retail and in person, there are no guarantees you will find exactly what you are looking for in that one-time shopping trip. It can be hit or miss depending on the availability of products on a showroom floor if you are looking to get everything done in one day. It’s a pretty tall order that is almost impossible to fulfill.

Another idea is to offer this virtually and use online resources that you can refer people to for purchasing products.

For us, we only shop retail for accessories on an install or photoshoot day. Otherwise, we reserve furniture specifying for our Full-Service clients and shop through our trade-only vendors.

Our Full Service Pale Oak & Botanical Spice Burlington Project. So colouful!

Step by Step Process

1. After a lead reaches out to us, we log the inquiry details and look to schedule a 15-minute Discovery Call to assess their needs, timelines, investment amount, etc.,

2. If it turns out that the lead is a good fit, we book and collect payment for an initial consultation appointment.

3. As you meet with them at this all-important first in-person meeting, if you ROCK your consultation then you should be able to carefully assess the details of their project to accurately determine which interior design service you offer that will be best for them.

Use my Service Outlines to review in more detail why you are recommending a specific service – in this case, Designer for a Day – and so they fully understand your process for moving forward. This is an excellent way to manage a client’s expectations from the offset.

Our Oxford White Design Project

*HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: When we help clients with selections for a renovation or new build, we always advise them that we prefer to use our own local suppliers. This will make you more efficient with your time because knowing the ‘lay of the land’ in a showroom and being familiar with their products, as well as having good relationships with the staff, makes this process go much more smoothly.

If they insist you use a supplier unknown to you, consider charging an additional fee as it will take you longer to navigate a store that you are unfamiliar with.

4. Once you’ve clearly established the scope of work, it’s time to review and sign your contract.

Collect full payment with the signed agreement and book a date in your calendar for the Designer For a Day. Here’s a post about what you should include in your contract.

Learn more about my Designer for a Day Contract Template

5. Take photos of the necessary areas of the home. Grab any samples they may already have on-site that they want you to work with or to consider as options for the project. If they have any floor plans or documentation that may be helpful, add that to your folder. If need be, take any quick measurements you may need to reference.

*NOTE – This step may need to happen as part of their Designer For a Day time allowance and be done first thing at a follow-up visit. It depends on how the consultation goes and if they are quick to decide early on at the meeting that they want this service.

6. When assisting clients with choosing finishes for a kitchen or a bathroom renovation, head to the showroom on your own first, and be prepared with any samples or documentation you may have already collected from them.

Samples showed here for my own kitchen renovation

We always take our large painted boards, samples of painted cabinet doors, and our grout palette. Then we do our thing, selecting finishes (usually 1 or 2 options) based on what we said we would do in the detailed contract.

We are lucky to have a designated area of the showroom – a quiet corner or the board room – to set up and leave our ‘presentation’ there for a day or so.

*NOTE: The selection process typically takes 2-3 hours depending on the scope of work and including travel time and setup. This means that around 3 hours are remaining from the initial 6 hours.

7. The way we work with Designer For a Day service is that we generally split the 6 hours into two parts.

For the second part, we arrange for the client to meet us at the showroom where we present the design finishes. Anything that needs to be swapped out or slightly modified can easily be done right there on-site.

A member of the staff makes a note of the final selections and tags the paperwork with the client’s name, my name, and their GC (if applicable).

Bathroom Refresh by Claire Jefford Inc.

8. If there is still time remaining in their allotted 6 hours, it’s not uncommon for us to either leave with the samples and take them to the client’s home to view on site.

Alternatively, we sometimes will go to a bathroom boutique or lighting showroom, depending on the client’s top priorities of what they want help with.

9. When we are done, we part ways and that’s it! Unless they need further services, you are done. No follow up meeting, no write-up required and no ordering of products.

Be sure to take photos to share on social media and/or for future blog posts. Then follow up afterward to ask for a review.

10. Go home, put your feet up and have a glass of wine, you’ve earned it 🙂

Of course, there are different ways you can offer this service. Tailor it in a way that works for how you want to run a successful interior design business.
If you are still unclear and want more detailed information to better understand how Designer For a Day could work for your model, reach out to book a one-on-one coaching session with me and we can tighten up this fabulous service offering to work for you in your business!

Interview with an Interior Designer

Did you ever wish there was something you knew about the design industry way back when you started your business?

Maybe you are an interior design student or a decorating enthusiast considering starting your own business in the near future and are curious to hear a seasoned professional’s thoughts on this industry and what they might like to see change.

This post is for you, keep reading!

For a school project, Kathryn Venema, an Interior Design student and my part-time designer here at Claire Jefford Inc., sat down with me to ask these questions and much more.

See all the Q&A’s here as I share my views on what it takes to make it in the interior design business.

Full-time student, and part-time interior designer Kathryn Venema, and business owner Claire Jefford.

Kathryn: What is something about the design industry that you wish you knew when starting your business?

Claire: I wish I was more prepared for the business side of the industry.

In school, I learned a lot about design, layout, etc. They taught me the foundation of how to design and decorate, but definitely not how to run a business.

Design is a complicated business. I wish I had a foundation about what services to offer, what to charge for each service, the best places to market for new business, etc.

Manhattan Blues, Design by Claire Jefford Inc.
All photos by Stephani Buchman

I learned what I know about running a business from experience, trial and error, and learning from others around me.

Now, I’ve been able to use what I’ve learned about the industry to coach young designers like yourself to give you the foundation of business knowledge that I wish I had when starting out.

Kathryn: What is the most rewarding aspect of the design process for you?

Claire: I have two. First would be the client presentation, seeing clients get excited about the possibilities of what their home could be because our designs are usually something they would not imagine for themselves.

Helping clients see their home in a new and exciting way and able to help them visualize their new space is so special.

Our Pale Oak & Botannical Spice Burilngton Project. So colouful!

My second favourite part about the design process for custom projects is the big reveal.

When clients trust the whole process and trust your designs without back and forth, being able to see your design come to life on a big reveal day is soooo thrilling!

Knowing the work and all the magic you put in behind the scenes in making it all work smoothly, and seeing clients so excited to view their new space, is one of the most rewarding parts of the process.

Claire & Kathryn at a big reveal! See more of this stunning design here.

Kathryn: Is there anything you don’t love about the business side of the design industry?

Claire: Managing renovation projects. As a certified interior decorator, project managing for full floor or kitchen and bath renovations is definitely not my thing.

I love to do what I do best in terms of the overall design, layout, making selections, choosing paint colours and guiding a client that way for a renovation as opposed to managing trades, ordering all items, tracking, and troubleshooting.

I trust my contractor and my team to support our projects in that way.

We do, however, project manage many decorating projects for our wonderful clients.

In terms of admin work, order tracking, sourcing, etc. it’s about how you want to run your business. Some people describe this as the 80/20 rule: 20% design and 80% everything else -basically running the business.

If you become your own boss, you need to recognize which aspects of the interior design process you don’t like and you aren’t the best at. Those are the tasks that you’re going to want to outsource first in your business or hire someone else to do.

Claire thinking carefully about which tasks to outsource in her Interior Design business. LOL

This past spring I hired my sister (who also happens to be a client) as my full-time Office Manager. As the goals that I have for my business continue to evolve, I needed help managing more of the administrative work if I want to continue to grow and successfully manage my business.

My sisters’ beautiful blue and white kitchen. See more here.

As a bookkeeper, and an extremely organized person (at work and at home) she has been a great addition, helping me in areas that aren’t my strength. This means I can focus more on the design and coaching side, while she looks after all the admin work.

Claire at the thought of doing less admin work.

Kathryn: What skills would you expect from an Interior Design student or Interior Design graduate to stand out when searching for a job in the industry?

Claire: One thing I preach all the time is the use of video. Video is something that is often overlooked but it really helps you to stand out from the crowd when initially reaching out to an accomplished firm with the hopes of getting a job or even pro-bono experience.

Natural and neutral living at our White Down & Serene Shavasana

I’ve spoken at many industry events and sometimes send a video along with my submission to introduce myself and describe how I can help them. That personal connection can’t be beat.

From a business’s perspective and in terms of the specific needs of my own firm, when hiring design students 3D rendering skills are a must in order to illustrate design concepts to our clients.

I used to do these myself, but now prefer to focus on other aspects of my business while someone else takes care of this important part of the project. Of course, I oversee the designs and share my vision as well as ideas I have for any project we take on.

The student should also have a good eye for material selections and being aware of ideal measurements and dimensions within any given space, is also an asset.

Being punctual, respectful in their communication and showing initiative is also high on my list of expectations.

Custom living room design of a Burlington Clients Great Room, read the full blog post here.

I wouldn’t expect them to know anything about business at that point, even as a new graduate.

My recommendation for anyone starting their own business is to go through your first design projects, whether it was for yourself or something you did for school. Build a portfolio of your drawings, before and after images and look at the design process to help you understand what issues may have arisen, what did you do to address them, how could you have addressed them better, and what was the purpose and obstacles of this project?

This will help you develop and refine your business processes and make you able to stand out in interviews when discussing problem solving scenarios, and with your clients in the future too!

Kathryn and Claire at the Claire Jefford Inc. studio.

Kathryn: What piece of business advice would you give to a design student or new graduate when entering the industry?

Claire: Although you need to learn through your own experiences and with every project you will gain more confidence in your abilities, try not to underestimate the value you bring as an interior design professional to a project and how beneficial your services are for homeowners. These designs you create and the choices you make, impact the way they live.

The ultimate home theatre.

Invest in your business! Remember that this is a business and you are a professional running a business.

When you invest actual money and develop a strategy up front, you’ll be more likely to take yourself seriously which will reflect the way you present yourself and how you work.

This includes investing in your website, creating a brand image, hiring a professional photographer to build your portfolio., etc.

I’ve seen too many new people start up an interior design business without thinking like an ‘Interior Design Boss‘ and it feels more like a hobby. This type of mindset is hard to shake and can lead to ‘imposter syndrome’. Invest in your business from the start with the necessary business setup requirements.

Be open to learning from others in the industry who have relevant experience because you can never know it all.

This includes working with trades and appreciating what level of expertise they can also bring to a project.

If you want to grow your business and enter with a mindset of bigger and better – hire sooner than later.

When you’re presenting your services to potential clients, don’t just disclose what services you offer, but instead make sure you are sharing the benefits of working with you.

For example, if you were to approach a realtor to work with them on styling, how will hiring you as a designer help them, and what skills do you bring to the table?

Kathryn teaches Claire some new tricks.

Reflections from Kathryn

“This was a really great opportunity to get some insight on more of the business aspects of the design industry from an industry professional and accomplished business owner such as Claire.

I gained a lot of insight on what goes into running your own interior design business, as well as valuable strategies and pieces of advice to get there.

Kathryn hard at work.

The biggest takeaways from this interview were to remember that when starting a design business, even if you start out from your home, you need to treat it like a professional business and invest both money and time into a business plan in order to find success.

In addition, considering which aspects of the design process you love and what you may not like, and understanding all the additional elements that go into running your own business, was a valuable takeaway for me as well.“

Kathryn is a lovely person, and I feel very fortunate to have her on my team. We have quite a bit of fun as well, if you can tell by our cheeky smirks in this photo above. 😉

I know she is learning a lot on the job while teaching this ‘not so old’ dog a few new tricks at the same time!

Cheers Kathryn, for all that you do here at Claire Jefford Inc.!

Sherwin Williams – Silver Strand

Silver Strand SW 7057 by Sherwin Williams

Silver Strand is just one of many beautiful and popular neutral gray paint colours from Sherwin Williams.

And like many grays it can look different at various times of the day depending on the room, the lighting and of course all the other accents and elements in the space.

Let’s take a closer look at this light and airy gray from Sherwin Williams.

If you’re new here, welcome! Below you will see what I cover in every colour review post.

In this colour review of Silver Strand by Sherwin Williams, I share:

The undertone of my featured colour
Colour comparisons in order to easily see the different colour tones
Best white paint colours for the trim and ceilings
Beautiful colour combinations to inspire you for your decorating project

Sherwin Williams – Silver Strand

After you read the blog, if you would like all the colour details in one convenient place, look no further than my new Perfect Colour Palette for Silver Strand.

My Perfect Colour Palette also includes 10 colours that go beautifully with Silver Strand, plus a 2-page step by step How-To for choosing a cohesive colour palette in your own home.

A must-have for any colour enthusiast or interior design professional!

Available for immediate download here

Undertone: blue/green

Colour Comparisons

As you can see below, it’s when we start comparing colours that you get a much better sense of a paint’s true colour.

Sea Salt SW 6204 and Passive SW 7064

If you couldn’t quite see the green/blue undertone it certainly is more apparent when comparing it to Sea Salt and Passive, two other lovely neutrals from Sherwin Williams.

Colour Comparison with similar colours by Sherwin Williams

Sea Salt is an extremely popular paint colour from Sherwin Williams that also has a green/blue undertone.

As you can see in the comparison above though, it’s not quite as strong or noticeable as it is in Silver Strand.

The paint colour Passive is also a gray but has a violet undertone.

When I do Colour Consultations in a client’s home, I always compare colours with my large colour boards so they can easily see the differences between the paint colours.

When I hold my large paint boards up to a decorative element such as fabrics, wallpaper or subway tile and then swap out one board with another board, it becomes clear as to which colour will work best.

If you think this slightly more subtle gray is more your style consider my Perfect Colour Palette for Sea Salt to give you some added inspiration.

Best Whites To Pair With Silver Strand

High Reflective White SW 7036 by Sherwin Williams

Snowbound SW 7004 by Sherwin Williams

Pearly White SW 7009 by Sherwin Williams

High Reflective White, Snowbound and Pearly White

All three whiles look super with Silver Strand but the comparison below gives you a good idea of the different looks you would get with each.

I can assure you that the best colour for your project already exists, you just need to know the 5 Steps on how to choose the right paint colour the first time.

Fabulous Colour Combinations

Silver Strand with Husky Orange, Slow Green and Snowbound

A bold and unexpected colour palette

Husky Orange SW 6636 by Sherwin Williams

Slow Green SW 6456 by Sherwin Williams

Snowbound SW 7004 by Sherwin Williams

We used the fabric below and my Perfect Colour Palette for Silver Strand to create this gorgeous palette.

From the room rendering below you can visualize the different ways to use these colours all together in one space.

The walls are painted Silver Strand.

The artwork on the left wall along with the cushions incorporates the Husky Orange.

And the accent chair is upholstered in a similar coloured fabric to that of Slow Green.

So remember, you can use my Perfect Colour Palettes to pull together a pretty colour scheme, being inspired by the colours for more than just paint colour for your walls.

Convenience At Your Fingertips

All of the colour combinations shown above plus more options for you to choose from are included in my Perfect Colour Palette of Silver Strand.

And it’s just one of the paint colours included in my newest Collection that showcases 10 beautiful neutrals from Sherwin Wiliams.

10 of the most popular Sherwin Williams’ Neutrals in one collection

If you are a fan of the beautiful rich paints by Farrow & Ball I’ve also created a collection of 10 classic colours from this popular British paint company.

Farrow & Ball’s Collection of 10 Classic paint colours

My Perfect Colour Palette library is often expanding, click here to see all of them!

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 find out what your Perfect Colour Palette is.

Perfect For Pinning

Farrow & Ball Oval Room Blue

Oval Room Blue No.85 by Farrow & Ball

A historic blue from Farrow & Ball, Oval Room Blue can be used to create depth and character in a space.

In interior design, blue is always on trend. You can’t go wrong with a colour scheme that includes this hue.

If you’re new here, welcome! Below you will see what I cover in every colour review post.

In this colour review of Oval Room Blue by Farrow & Ball, I share:

The undertone of my featured colour
Colour comparisons in order to easily see the different colour tones
Best white paint colours for the trim and ceilings
Beautiful colour combinations to inspire you for your decorating project

Walls shown in AI rendering as Oval Room Blue.

After you read this post, see all the featured colours in my Perfect Colour Palettes and consider this as a helpful tool to inspire your next decorating project.

A must-have resource for any colour enthusiast or design professional! Below is the cover for Oval Room Blue. Learn more here.

Oval Room Blue Colour Review

Colour: light teal blue

Farrow & Ball describe Oval Room Blue as…

the most ‘blackened’ of their blues, giving it a subtly aged feel. Named after the attractively shaped rooms of the late 18th century, it sits perfectly with our popular greys to create depth and balance in either a hall or a darker, cosier family room.

Let’s take a look at some comparisons of similar colours to get a better read of this blue.

Colour Comparisons

Dix Blue No.82 & Stone Blue No.86

Here it seems to look more like a gray blue when sandwiched between Stone Blue and Dix Blue. Oval Room Blue is much less vibrant than those other two colours.

But when you view it in isolation and pair it with specific hues, it seems more bright than you might expect.

Best Whites To Pair With Oval Room Blue

Pointing No.2003 By Farrow & Ball

Cabbage White No.269 By Farrow & Ball

Cornforth White No.228 By Farrow & Ball

Now that we’ve seen each white on its own with Oval Room Blue, let’s take a look at the 3 whites together.

These don’t even look white at all, but believe it or not, they are some of the lightest ‘whites’ from Farrow & Ball.

And while we are on the topic of whites, if they confuse you, you are not alone. But I can help. 🙂

Fabulous Colour Combinations

Oval Room Blue with Vardo, Down Pipe and Cromarty

I absolutely love how Vardo stands out and the contrasting Down Pipe in this Farrow & Ball colour combination! Do you love it too?

Vardo No. 288 By Farrow & Ball

Down Pipe No.26 By Farrow & Ball

Cromarty No.285 By Farrow & Ball

The chairs in this room image from Farrow & Ball resemble Vardo and Cromarty.

Convenience At Your Fingertips

All of the colour combinations I share here, plus more options to inspire your next decorating project, are included in my Perfect Colour Palette Oval Room Blue.

Oval Room Blue is also included in my Farrow & Ball Full Collection showcasing 10 beautiful paint colours and complete palettes for each one.

Perfect for Pinning

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!

The BIG reveal for this Coastal Living Room

Who doesn’t love a fresh white and blue colour palette for a living space?

This popular colour combination never goes out of style.

Check out the BIG reveal for this Coastal Living Room!

If you want to better understand the process of interior design and how we overcome various challenges when working on client projects, that’s exactly what I’m sharing with you today.

Let’s look at the details of this beautiful Great Room transformation, including before images, 3D drawings and our professional ‘after’ photos.

Project Location:

This was an older home in a beautiful mature neighbourhood known as Aldershot in my home town of Burlington, Ontario.

Client Wishlist

While they had an idea of what they desired to update and drastically improve this previously unused space, my clients sought professional guidance from us to make their dreams a reality.

Behind this wall was a very dated bathroom which was never used

To do this successfully, it was necessary to tear down a wall and remove an unused bathroom that would then allow enough room for everything on my client’s wish list, including an open floor plan between the kitchen and the new Great Room.

This rendering really helped the client see the potential of their space

In discussing the needs (and wants!) of our clients, we thoughtfully designed an entertaining area that the entire family could enjoy, a beautiful, coastal living room.

It was important for us to accentuate the great architectural features in this room, such as the tall slanted ceilings and abundant windows that provided a glorious view to the lush gardens in their backyard.

Custom entertainment centre built in – Cloud White by Benjamin Moore

Key Focal Points-Coastal Living Room

The main focus was the addition of a custom media wall unit and new fireplace that we designed using soft white shiplap and a small marble herringbone tile.

This rendering shows a sneak peak of the big reveal for this coastal living room.

All professional photos by Stephani Buchman Photography.

We were also really excited about the addition of a crafting area for the kids in the back corner by the windows!

Clients can easily see their homes transform with 3D renderings

The area rug and bench seat with pillows help to tie in the coastal blue colour scheme

This space used to house an old hot tub that the clients never used.

Check out the before image below.

Why keep what you aren’t using?

Wowzas! It’s incredible when you consider the possibilities of what you can do.

In my opinion, that’s one of the best parts of being an interior design professional. And making dreams come true too, of course. 🙂

With the additional sunlight that pours into this room from the skylights above, it was the perfect spot to create a cosy little nook.

The kids benefit from this renovation as well, with this gorgeous craft area.

The custom bench seat that sits perfectly within this bay window area not only looks great, but the drawers underneath for storage of colouring books, pencils, games and puzzles means that it’s super functional as well.

Colour Inspiration-Coastal Living Room

The client wanted a coastal design style, so we sourced fabrics in these great shades of blue.

For the colour palette I am often inspired by fabrics first.

Typically we use one or two swatches that become the ‘jumping-off point‘ for the entire design.

Blue and white is a great, ‘no fail’ colour combination.

From there we look at other decorative elements to support the design palette, mixing in some warm tones as well. You can see that reflected in the coffee table, walnut shelf on the media unit and console behind the sofa.

Wood console placed perfectly behind the sofa

Then we add in more layers such as the area rugs and accent cushions.

The wall colour is Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore.

There was an emphasis on creating a Coastal colour palette with nautical hints to complement the new shiplap fireplace.

You can see how we did that by using beautiful dark blue fabrics in the conversational seating area, as well as in the other blue tones incorporated into the children’s new crafting area by the windows.

The fireplace is a stunning addition to the big reveal of this coastal living room

More beautiful blue colour combinations can be found here.

You can also check out our coastal colour palettes by Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams and Farrow & Ball.

You may also like our blog all about Coastal Designs here.

Designer Secret…Sshhhh

Since it was important for the clients to open up this new space from the kitchen, in order to keep the eye moving you’ll see we used see-through acrylic panels by the stairs. Traditional railings can often distract the eye and look busy.

This is a clever design tip that makes for a seamless design that the client’s especially loved.

See-through acrylic panels give a more open look to the space

Fluffy seems to approve of the renovation updates too. LOL

We enjoyed working with these Burlington clients to redesign an area of their home that had previously not been used since they moved in.

Our job is most meaningful when clients trust us to create stunning and functioning spaces for gathering and making memories.

Plus, the return on investment for selling a property that has been thoughtfully designed and beautifully decorated is huge!

See their full project in our professional portfolio here.

Our clients reaction to the big reveal of their coastal living room:

From the colours to the fabrics, everything is perfect. We have had many compliments on our new space. Thank you for our beautiful room!

What design element did you like best?

Have a favourite part of this Great Room Makeover? Comment below to tell it was it was!

Colour Claire-ity

Do you know my 5 Steps on how to choose the right paint colour the first time?

Convenience At Your Finger tips

Check out my super helpful Perfect Colour Palettes. Find great colour combinations to inspire you for your next room design palette.

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!

Perfect for Pinning

Convertible Fridge Drawers & More!

Have you ever been to Napa in California? It truly is one of the most beautiful places on earth with continuous rolling hills, endless exquisite vineyards and greenery as far as the eye can see.

This was my second trip to Napa with the SKS – Signature Kitchen Suite Designhounds Tour by Modenus and I was thrilled to be invited back!

I arrived a couple of days early to meet some of my closest design friends. We decided to treat ourselves and booked a trip on the Napa Valley Wine Train for Mother’s Day.

If you ever find yourself in Napa, I highly recommend you sign up for this one of a kind experience. It was fun, relaxing, and a magical memory I will never forget.

Me and my girl, fellow interior designer Jana Donohoe.

SKS Kitchen Appliances

Fun train trips and beautiful landscapes aside, the actual purpose of my business trip was to learn more about Signature Kitchen Suite appliances and take part in their one of a kind ‘True to Food’ experience.

The kitchen is referred to as the ‘Heart of the Home’ for a reason.

It’s where you spend the most time, preparing food, gathering with family and friends and making memories along the way.

Deciding on selections for your kitchen appliances is a major decision and one not to be taken lightly.

If making the most of your kitchen is important to you, (which it absolutely should be!) then how the appliances you choose will look and function is a major consideration.

Your kitchen appliances are also a big investment, so you want to be sure to choose wisely.

Extra Large Capacity Columns

Let’s start with refrigeration. In this image above, taken at the SKS 24,000 square foot Experience Design Centre, you can see a full wall of panelled wall fridges/ freezers with glass wine columns on each end.

The extra-large capacity fridge columns preserve the integrity of your fresh food. There has been so much innovation and engineering put into the integrated 30-inch refrigerator and 18-inch freezer columns-both with one of the largest capacities in their class.

While it’s imperative to have ample storage, just as important is the ability to ensure the freshness of the food you purchase – especially with the increased prices for produce and all of our groceries these days.

Wine Cave Technology

It’s hard to imagine a more perfect partner for good food than wine. Am I right?! 🙂

That’s why the wine column refrigerators – shown on each end of the panelled fridge wall below – were developed with exclusive Wine Cave Technology. It actually mimics the ideal environment of historic Old World wine caves.

This protects wine against its four biggest enemies: vibration, light, and variations in temperature and humidity. And when you open the glass door, the light inside automatically comes on so you can easily select the best pairing of wine to go with your meal.

Panelled fridge/freezer wall with wine columns at each end from Signature Kitchen Suite.

Undercounter Convertible Fridge/Freezer Drawers

These are becoming increasingly popular because of their versatility and they look fabulous as well!

This is the only built-in under-counter refrigeration unit in its class with dual drawers and Multi-Temp Settings.

Both kitchen drawers offer a selection of six temperature zones:

Pantry
Fridge
Bar
Seafood
Meat
Freezer

Yes, you read that right! If you require extra freezer space, you can drop the temperature all the way down to make either (or both drawers) a freezer.

How cool is that? And yes, that pun was intended.

A look at both drawers open

And a birds-eye view from above

On a side note, the base shaker cabinets in this kitchen look like the colour Van Deusen Blue by Benjamin Moore. Blue is always in style in interior design.

Craft Ice Balls

Am I the only person who has never heard of these before?

Apparently, they are super sophisticated, maybe that’s why I never knew about them before…HAHA!

LG is connected to Signature Kitchen Suite and they have ‘Craft Ice’ refrigerators. These refrigerators deliver slow-melting ice for the best-tasting beverages.

LG Craft Ice™

Steam-Combi Convection Oven

See all the wall oven options from Signature Kitchen Suite here

While I’m not an avid cook, I can still appreciate the need for speed when preparing meals.

My interior design friend Jana and I had the opportunity to try out the Signature Kitchen Suite Steam-Combi convection oven.

This combines steam and convection cooking for gourmet results. The convection system cooks food quickly and evenly while steam helps to preserve texture, appearance and taste.

We made the cute mini ‘jacket potatoes’ that you see below on the plate of deliciousness.

All food prepared with Signature Kitchen Suite luxury appliances!

You can see more of that fun cooking experience here in one of my first Instagram Reels published from this event.

As well, I created a highlight here on my Instagram profile that captures all of the beautiful views, hands-on learning experiences and shenanigans that I got up to with my fellow Designhounds on this unforgettable adventure.

Which appliance from SKS excites you the most?

Comment below to share.

I am definitely partial to the convertible drawer fridge/freezer combination!

Find your perfect colour palette!

Have you done my colour quiz yet? You can take it here to find your perfect colour palette with décor inspiration for your next kitchen design, interior design or decorating project.

Perfect Colour Palettes

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!

Convenience at your fingertips

I have created Paint Colour Palettes for some of the most popular colours from three of the leading paint companies, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams and Farrow & Ball.

Our Perfect Colour Palettes help you confidently select the best colour for your home, and see which trim, ceiling, and accent colours pair well with your selected colour.

Until next time, cheers!

Design Style – Boho Casual

Boho Casual is featured as the fourth and final interior look in this initial Design Style series.

Bohemian, as it’s also known, is the least structured of all the Interior Design Styles we’ve covered – Farmhouse, Coastal and Mid Century Modern, being the other three.

There are no hard and fast rules for this freer style that uses layers of colour, texture and pattern to create an eclectic and highly individualized look.

Boho Casual Colours

Boho Casual design style has a range of distinct colours that assist in curating this look.

Let me share three inspiring Bohemian colours that will give you a great starting point if you are considering this interior design style for your own home.

Farrow & Ball – Green Smoke No.47

Green Smoke by Sherwin Williams

A gorgeous green, Green Smoke lends itself so well to the Boho look.

As you’ll see and read later, botanicals are a big feature of Bohemian design style. Green Smoke is the perfect colour to convey this look in a paint colour.

Green Smoke living area and fireplace wall – image by Farrow & Ball

This is a favourite green of mine, one that I even used in my own recent basement renovation.

Below are my custom shaker style laundry cabinets painted in Green Smoke by Farrow & Ball.

This green works so beautifully with the nature-inspired bird and branch wallpaper, which has subtle dark blues, similar toned green and warm beiges in it.

You know that my family and I are bird-nerds, right? 😉

Green Smoke cabinetry in my basement laundry room

If you love green too, I have created a Green Smoke Perfect Colour Palette that offers 10 colours to pair with Green Smoke, a fabulous decorating resource to inspire your next interior design project.

Benjamin Moore – Wild Flower 2290-40

Benjamin Moore’s Wild Flower

Not quite a terracotta, Wild Flower is a slightly brighter tone, a beautiful combination of pink, orange and red. It’s the perfect colour to pull off a casual Bohemian look.

This is a very on-trend colour and was featured in Benjamin Moore’s Colour of the Year palette for 2022.

It was also a colour that was seen in nearly every single showroom at the spring and fall Highpoint Furniture Market in North Carolina.

Wild Flower dining room wall – image by Benjamin Moore

Benjamin Moore – Mascarpone AF-20

Mascarpone by Benjamin Moore

Most styles do well with a neutral colour to anchor the look and Mascarpone is a great choice for this Boho palette. It’s soft and creamy and let’s the richer colours really shine.

If you’re hesitant about the colours in this combination for the Boho Design Style, check out my Mascarpone Perfect Colour Palette which gives you 10 colours to mix and match with this pretty, light neutral.

Green Smoke, Wild Flower and Mascarpone

Boho Casual Design Style Colour Palette

A bold colour palette speaks to the Boho look completely.

Design Details

What are some of the signature details of the Boho Casual design style?

There are so many, let me touch on some of them here.

Natural / Light Wood Tones

Light wood tones and woods that are closer to their natural state in appearance work amazingly with the Boho Design Style.

The light pine flooring below has a very natural look, as does the bed frame and side table, even though they are a bit darker in tone.

Light toned, natural wood flooring in this Boho inspired bedroom

An even lighter flooring as seen in the image below allows the other elements in this Boho styled bedroom to stand out more. But still in a very calm and casual way.

Boho Casual bedroom with light flooring and other natural and light-toned elements.

Organic Forms / Shapes

Softer shaped and less rigid forms are indicative of a Boho Casual design style. This style tends to incorporate more smooth, curved and rounded shapes into its look.

And look how gorgeous this room image is below with the contrasting, dark navy wall as a backdrop that really makes the natural woods stand out.

Orangic feel to this Boho inspired bedroom with furniture with no hard lines or corners

The image below exhibits brilliantly the less structured shapes and lines that you will often see in Boho Casual design style.

Curved and flowing elements contribute to the overall unstructured and freer Boho feel.

Plus, do you notice the colour palette? Yup, it’s displaying similar tones to my recommended 3 Boho colours!

Soft / Flowing Drapery

Beautiful layered drapery fabrics on windows and bed canopy

Fabrics & Textures

Rattan/Cane/Wicker

These natural and manmade materials are so versatile they are a common feature in many design styles.

In the Boho Casual look, they are often curved and have a very gentle appeal about them.

Rattan chair and table, wicker baskets

Large cane/wicker storage trunks, black and natural wicker basket

Macramé

Macrame is huge when creating an interior design with that relaxed Bohemian look and feel.

It’s everywhere, from wall art, and plant holders and is even being incorporated into some alternative furniture designs.

Macramé wall art

Bedroom with macramé over the bed, from a Design trip in LA I attended in 2018

Macramé wind catchers and wall art

Macramé hanging light fixture and plant holder

Tassels & Fringes

Tassel and fringed natural fabrics are perfect to get the Boho Casual look

Area rug with large tassels, along with floor cushion and pillows on sofa

Large and small tassels on decorative pillows in this boho-casual bedroom

No place tassels can’t go in Boho Design Style – plant pots embellished with tassels

Boho Casual Decor

Hats

Hanging hats on the wall, a simple way to get a bit of that Boho feel

A vignette from Fall Highpoint Furniture Market with hats over the bed

Grasses and Dried Flowers

Woven grasses wall art

Dried flower arrangement including palm fronds

Botanicals

Adding living plants, and plenty of them is probably one of the easiest ways to achieve a more boho-inspired aesthetic.

Include different sized, shaped and textured plants in a variety of containers made of wicker, macrame and wood and you’ll be on your way to getting that Boho style.

Beautiful Peacock chair and vibrant greenery

Robust array of plants of different sizes and textures and containers and Papasan chair

Boho Casual Design Style

If you prefer a design style that does not require you to adhere to specific rules, Boho Casual might be a great one for you to try out.

It can still be purposeful but it is not so obvious in its execution.

Layering is key but how you mix and match colour, patterns, and textures is what gives the Boho Casual look its unique and personalized aesthetic.

Boho Casual Perfect Colour Palettes

Loving the look of the Boho Casual design style?

Let me help you achieve this sophisticated yet relaxed feel with my Perfect Colour Palettes which provide 10 fabulous colour combinations in order to pull off a gorgeous Bohemian inspired interior.

Sherwin Williams Boho Casual palette

Sherwin Williams Boho Casual Perfect Colour Palette – 10 colours

Benjamin Moore Boho Casual palette

10 Boho Casual colours by Benjamin Moore

Farrow & Ball Boho Casual palette

10 complementary Boho Colours by Farrow & Ball

Green smoke

Mascarpone

Colour Quiz

Now that we’ve reviewed all the Design Styles featured in my updated colour quiz, find your Perfect Colour Palette to see which style best suits you!

Perfect For Pinning

Design Style – Mid-Century Modern

Mid-Century Modern style has been revived over the last 5 years in a BIG WAY!

Personally, I love this style. Our 3 bedroom bungalow was built in 1967 and the architecture of the home with the angled roofline definitely has a look reminiscent of designs by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Mid-Century Modern, aka MCM, design style had its beginnings in the middle of the 20th century. Post-WWII, people were looking for a more uncomplicated design style.

Focus had changed from the ornate to a less frilly, less embellished look in architecture and furniture.

Mid-Century Modern Colours

Mid-Century Modern design style has a range of distinct colours that assist in curating this look.

Let me share three inspiring MCM colours that will give you a great starting point if you are considering this design style for your own home.

Sherwin Williams – Earthen Jug 7703

Earthen Jug by Sherwin Williams

After seeing the latest images on social media from showrooms at High Point Spring Market in North Carolina, the warm Terracotta tones are still trending in a big way.

You may recall reading about the popularity of this shade in this previous colour trends post from the fall.

Farrow & Ball – India Yellow No.66

Farrow & Ball’s India Yellow

A rich mustard yellow, India Yellow is a colour indicative of this period of design. Paired with the right colour combinations it can deliver the MCM look down to a tee.

Learn more about this gorgeous deep yellow by Farrow and Ball here in my colour review.

See 10 stunning colours that complement India Yellow in my Perfect Colour Palette.

India Yellow walls and sofa

Benjamin Moore – Hale Navy HC-154

Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore

One of Benjamin Moore’s most popular blues, Hale Navy works so well in a Mid Century Modern colour palette.

It also looks amazing in other styles of interiors, like this gorgeous dining room we designed for clients in Toronto.

Hale Navy dining room nook and ceiling, White Dove walls.

Get more colour inspiration and what you need to know about using this popular Navy in my Perfect Colour Palette.

Earthen Jug, India Yellow and Hale Navy

Mid-Century Modern Design Style Colour Palette

What a vibrant and contrasting palette that highlights the look and feel of the Mid-Century Modern design style.

Design Details

What are some of the signature details of the Mid-Century Modern design style? Let’s take a look!

Dark Wood Tones

Teak is probably the best known of the dark woods prominent in Mid-Century Modern furniture.

Teak double shelved coffee table

There are many others that were used in furniture making during this dynamic period including Rosewood and Walnut.

Walnut is one of my personal favourites and I believe it is a warm wood that never goes out of style.

Dark toned wood shelving units, desk and chair

Tufting

Tufted blue velvet sofa with tapered wood legs

Tapered Legs

Coffee table, chair and floor lamp all with tapered legs. And notice the tufting on this gorgeous sofa!

Tapered legs are everywhere in Mid-Century Modern furniture design!!

Fabrics & Textures

Velvet

Colourful velvet accent pillows on a blue (tufted!) velvet sofa

Rich green velvet love seat and yellow armchair

Rattan/Cane/Wicker

Cane panelled sideboard

These design elements can be used in a variety of design styles, including Farmhouse and Coastal.

Leather

Simple MCM leather chair with tapered legs

Dark brown leather traditionally styled mcm walnut armchair

This sofa has it all: Leather in an earthy tone, tufting details and tapered legs.

Mid-Century Decor

Geometrics

Geometric area rug

Simple and bright, mid-century modern artwork brings a space to life

Hexagon shaped tiles and shelf boxes

Ceramics & Glass

Glass and ceramic smooth curved vases and vessels

Ceramic vases – popular decor elements in any MCM interior space

MCM Ceramic lamp with diamond pattern

Star Burst

Coloured ball clock

Starburst wall decor

Starburst mirror

And although the basement with pool table shown below is not Mid-Century Style, you can see that we used a colourful clock similar to the starburst style in this games room area.

The colourful clock is reminiscent of the ‘starburst’ seen in MCM design style

You can check out the entire 3000 square foot basement design here…it even has a hidden door in a bookcase that leads to the very cool and secret Xbox room with a graffiti wall!

Remember, just because you may not be decorating an entire room in one specific design style, doesn’t mean you can’t mix in various elements of style.

In fact, I encourage it to achieve a layered and interesting room design!

Mid-Century Modern Perfect Colour Palettes

Loving the look of the Mid-Century Modern design style?

Let me help you achieve this sophisticated yet relaxed feel with my Perfect Colour Palettes which provide 10 fabulous colour combinations in order to pull off a gorgeous MCM interior.

Sherwin Williams Mid-Century Modern palette

Sherwin Williams MCM Perfect Colour Palette – 10 colours

Benjamin Moore Mid-Century Modern palette

10 MCM colours by Benjamin Moore

Farrow & Ball Mid-Century Modern palette

10 complementary MCM Colour by Farrow & Ball

India Yellow Perfect Colour Palette

Hale Navy Perfect Colour Palette

Colour Quiz

Take my revamped colour quiz to find your Perfect Colour Palette.

Perfect For Pinning

Design Style – Coastal

Coastal Design Style

When I think of Coastal design style, an abundance of natural light and an airy relaxed look is what comes to mind.

You do not have to live by the coast or even near it to enjoy a beautiful Coastal design style.

The coastal aesthetic is common for properties in close proximity to the water, whether it be the ocean, lakeside house or cottage on a river.

But it can also be in an urban environment with a backyard oasis that exudes a similar feeling. That’s kind of the best of both worlds!

Coastal Colours

As with any design style, Coastal has a range of distinct colours that help create this look.

Let me share three inspiring Coastal colours that will give you a great starting point if you are considering this design style for your own home.

Sherwin Williams – Sea Salt 6204

This is a lovely and subtle green with a slight blue undertone. The colour it appears can change depending on lighting and other elements, just like the sea itself.

This is one of the most popular colours from Sherwin Williams and I did a colour review of Sea Salt that you can read here.

Sea Salt by Sherwin Williams

If this colour speaks to you, I have created an entire colour palette for it that you can check out.

My Sea Salt Perfect Colour Palette provides decorating inspiration and colour combinations if you are considering this calming colour for an upcoming home project.

Benjamin Moore – Van Deusen Blue HC-156

No colour says coastal more than blue and Van Deusen Blue is a great choice. This deep blue is clean, crisp and rich! It looks amazing as part of a coastal palette.

Van Deusen Blue by Benjamin Moore

Get more helpful and inspiring information from my Van Deusen Blue colour review here.

Look how great Van Deusen Blue looks on the vanity in this bathroom makeover!

We kept the original quartz counter, the flooring, mirror and sconces for this ‘refresh’ design.

Van Deusen blue bathroom vanity. Photo by Stephani Buchman

The vessel sink also stayed and that was where the inspiration came for the vanity colour and overall palette.

We then repeated the blues in the artwork and Roman blind which add a bit of that coastal feel to this urban home.

The paint colour, Natural Linen CC -90 by Benjamin Moore was thoughtfully selected after looking at the tones in the countertop.

See this entire Burlington client project here which also includes a stunning new home office as well as a casual, yet classy, living room.

In another project that we refer to as ‘Gray Owl and Coastal Cozy’ in our portfolio, you can see this deep blue colour on the fabric of the accent chairs.

Sherwin Williams – Extra White 7006

No coastal palette is complete without a great white – not shark, but paint colour that is! Sherwin Williams has a perfect one, Extra White.

Extra White

Being a true white it pairs wonderfully with Sea Salt and Van Deusen Blue to bring a cohesive coastal colour palette into your home.

Get more information on this trending white by Sherwin Williams from my colour review here.

See below for how fresh this colour combination looks when they are all put together.

Coastal Design Style Colour Palette

Such a stunning combination, you can almost smell the sun and hear the waves gently lapping against the shoreline.

Aaahh, can you tell it’s been way too long since I’ve been on a beach holiday?!

Design Details

What are some of the signature details of the Coastal aesthetic? Let’s take a look.

White Oak Flooring

Such a durable wood, white oak is also more resistant to water and rot than most other species.

It must be as it was used for shipbuilding and whiskey barrel making. And now it’s being used to create beautiful spaces in homes looking for an airy and natural coastal look.

White Oak Flooring By Carlisle Wide Plank Flooring

White Oak can come in so many colours. A more natural, organic colour as seen above or the popular whitewashed which will help reflect light and keep your interior nice and bright.

Hakwood White Oak flooring

Shiplap

Shiplap can be used in both Coastal décor as well as Farmhouse design.

Both interior design styles can be achieved, depending on the other decorative elements you combine with the shiplap within a space.

Shiplap wall in a mudroom that leans a little more to the ‘Farmhouse’ look

Another image from our Gray Owl and Coastal Cozy project is seen below with the shiplap fireplace to accentuate the high ceilings of this Great Room.

Photo by Stephani Buchman. Design by Claire Jefford Inc.

If you love the soft blue-green wall colour Gray Owl, then be sure to read my review of this popular Benjamin Moore colour.

Another Coastal inspired project featuring shiplap

Another Burlington client project of an entire home we have redesigned is currently underway.

My client is a sailing enthusiast so it wasn’t a surprise she was drawn to a coastal vibe.

She owns a beautiful piece of custom artwork that we used as the jumping-off point for the living room design!

You can see below in the design of the asymmetrical custom built-in media unit, we are using a vertical shiplap on the fireplace. The entire unit is Cloud White by Benjamin Moore.

Rendering of client’s new living room space with vertical shiplap on fireplace design

White or cream are the ‘traditional’ tones we are used to seeing shiplap done in, but it doesn’t have to be this way all the time.

Don’t be afraid to add colour!

If you read my blog post with the latest 2022 interior design trends from the Kitchen and Bath Show, you may recall this image below with the warm, clay coloured vertical shiplap as a backdrop to a bathroom vanity vignette.

Vertical shiplap in warm terracotta colour

Another outstanding example of using colour on your shiplap can be seen here in a coastal-inspired kitchen island in River Blue 2057-10 by Benjamin Moore.

I also love how In Detail Interiors repeated this rich teal tone in the light pendants above. Exquisite design!

Kitchen island with shiplap in River Blue by Benjamin Moore, Design by In Detail Interiors

If you are looking for a slightly deeper shade of blue, try looking at Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball.

Casual Furniture

There shouldn’t be anything pretentious in coastal design. The goal is to be super relaxed and comfortable. The furniture you select should only add to the chill, clean vibe of the Coastal design.

Casual furniture helps with the laid back coastal vibe

While I’m not loving the backdrop of the gray paint colour on the walls in this image below, if you swapped it out with a fresh paint colour like Sea Salt and added some blue pillows, it would definitely come to life and be more indicative of Coastal design.

The accessories on the bookshelves, the rattan furniture and sisal rug are all fitting for a coastal feel.

Super comfy sofa and lots of natural wood tones

Fabrics & Textures

Linen

Always a classic material and often seen used in coastal design, linen is the perfect fabric for drapery and accents like tea towels in the kitchen.

Its natural look and lightweight makes linen the ideal fabric to use, making a home inviting as well as relaxed.

Lightweight and natural – linen is a perfect fabric for Coastal interiors

Jute

Organic in feel and colour, Jute is frequently used in coastal designs for accessories and rugs.

Indigo striped jute rug – LD Shoppe

Jute and cotton rope baskets

Loose Looped Pile Rugs

Berber style rugs are soft to the touch and often seen with a subtle variation of other colours mixed in.

But I will say, after having had wall to wall looped rugs such as this in my basement for over 10 years, they do go flat after a while. Something to consider if you are thinking of purchasing this style of rug.

Loose looped pile

Loose Looped pile rug

Coastal Decor

There are many fantastic décor items that really lend themselves to the Coastal design style, too many to mention all of them here.

But let’s discuss a couple.

Artwork depicting water scenery

Vertical framed art with waves in a dining room design by Claire Jefford Inc.

A client’s beautiful sailboat painting was the inspiration for this living room design (3D rendering)

Clocks and Stripes

Coastal inspired kitchen design by Claire Jefford Inc

Rope style clock close up

See more of this Burlington interior design project we called Ocean Blue and Sterling Stripes in our portfolio.

Striped Roman blinds add coastal appeal to this kitchen design

In addition to the striped roman blinds shown in the kitchen design mentioned above, striped pillows are also a sure hit for coastal-inspired homes.

Coastal Perfect Colour Palettes

Loving the look of the Coastal design style?

Let me help you achieve this relaxing feel with my Perfect Colour Palettes to give you all the colours you need to pull off a gorgeous Coastal interior.

Colour Quiz

Take my revamped colour quiz to find your Perfect Colour Palette.