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Budget Decorating: What If Your Budget Is $0?
… And your imagination has really expensive taste? As I wrote in my introductory blog post (http://www.hearthandgable.com/welcome-to-hearth-gable-interiors/), about halfway through my extended maternity leave, I decided to go back to school part-time and study Visual Design & Interiors. My goal was to begin a blog and start my own decorating and consulting business. That was three years ago, and now I’m two courses away from graduation. It has been a long haul. Being a student AND a stay-at-home parent for six years meant that money was Tight with a capital T. So, it was a cruel irony of fate that during my studies I should find myself surrounded and inspired by all…
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Igniting the Spark!
With Valentine’s Day approaching, I thought it would be fun to write about an interior design feature that is unfailingly romantic in any room of the home: the fireplace. A roaring fire provides us with an almost primitive sense of comfort, inspired by warmth and safety. It relaxes us and fills our senses. Once upon a time, it was the only way to heat your home; the wealthiest home owners built fireplaces in every room. Today, the fireplace has become an attractive architectural feature that lends presence and simple elegance to every room it graces. There are few things in this world as enchanting as the mellow glow of a real, crackling fire. And…
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PANTONE’S 2015 COLOUR OF THE YEAR: Marsala
Pantone has declared Marsala (18-1438) Colour of the Year for 2015. It’s an unusual choice, and responses have been mixed in the world of design. It has been more favourably embraced in the fashion industry. But I like its uniqueness. It’s a rosy spot in an era of greige and neutrals. It’s certainly better than last year’s, “Radiant Orchid,” which was virtually unworkable from a décor perspective, unless your client was, a) a six-year-old girl, or b) Baskin Robbins. Marsala is a rich, warm tone that reminds me of red wine, cherries, and chocolate. (You don’t need me to tell you these are all good things!) Its darkest…