I spotted this super cute 55m² apartment on Nuevo Estilo….it seems Scandinavian style has ventured into Spain too (Durango, Vizcaya in this case). This is such a happy, welcoming apartment that with the help of lots of white and small-scale furnishings, is bright and doesn’t appear small. Interior designer David Da Cruz Orío of Cuandodavidllegóadurango made magic happen here. 

Because my trip to Mexico is not for another 3 weeks. Because I hate winter more than anything else. Because I love featuring talented Canadians. This cabin in the woods in Sainte-Adèle, Québec was designed by Appareil Architecture and is a great distraction from the current weather here in Ottawa. This home is exactly what bringing the outside in is all about. A cabin that is simple and warm and functional. What a little dreamy oasis in the country. 

interior design: Julie Raymond – homeowner, landscaping+design: Fanie Quenneville, Véronique Genest, photos: Mathieu Laverdière

I have a fantastic makeover to share with you today sent in by the folks at Indiana-based Susan Yeley Interiors. Let me start right off the bat with some before photos. From totally boring…..

…to totally awesome with a midcentury vibe!! Here’s the scoop: This small midcentury home south of campus has great bones but lacked vibrancy—a je ne sais quoi that the clients were searching to savoir once and for all. SYI worked with them to nail down a design direction and furniture plan, and they decided to invest in the big-impact items first: built-ins and lighting and a fresh paint job that included a beautiful deep blue-green line around the windows. The vintage rug was an Etsy score at an awesome price, but only after the client spent months scouring options and sources online that matched the vision and dimensions of the plan. A good year later, the West Elm sofa went on sale, so the client took advantage; some time after that, they painted the kitchen, created the drop zone/bench area, and rounded out the room with occasional tables and accessories. 

I had to share another refined rustic chalet in the mountains by the incredibly talented Marianne Tiegen. Where wood walls meet Tom Dixon Beat lights and a Mies van der Rohe Barcelona stool. And YES to the wrinkled linen duvet covers. (On that note, I am desperate to find one for my king-sized bed. If anyone knows of a reasonably priced preferably Canadian source let me know in the comments!)

Got a problem? Need some help? Just standing there shaking your head? Don’t know what to do? You’re not alone. Send us a link to photos of your design quandary and let the Desire to Inspire design crew help you…. that’s you lot… the readers! Hop to it. I know you have just the right solution. Today’s design dilemma comes from Paula.

Desperately seeking kim & jo’s interior ideas for a super/super long (24 feet long) by a super narrow (6 feet wide) living/dining/kitchen empty blank space that all connected open. I mean, I haven’t any clue how to explain this cold empty apartment and I am lost without a clue where to begin. Paula is looking to create a warm, calm, inviting home with the rather awkward space she has to work with as seen below.

I would like to share my thoughts and I hope many of you will too! First though – why oh why do people think dividing up a floor in an open concept space like this with 2 different materials is a good idea?! This space would be easier to work with and flow better if all the floor was hardwood. Paula I don’t know if you own or rent but either way, if you can swing getting that doing-nothing-for-the-space tile pulled up and replaced with the same hardwood that would be an awesome start. So I would basically pick a lovely calm, neutral colour and slap that all over all the walls. I usually say grey but you can really go with anything you like. Then pick 1 or 2 accent colours. I would then delineate your dining and living room zones using area rugs (neutral with a bit of your accent colour). I would get a round dining table and some not too weighty chairs like Eames or Philippe Starck’s Victoria Ghost chairs. I would try and find a very slim loveseat/sofa just under 6′ long and cram it in that nook under the 2 windows along the back wall. Or check if Ikea or small-space furniture companies makes a sectional that isn’t too bulky that might fit with the lounge part along the back wall. Then you can have a couple of occasional chairs in the more open area facing the loveseat with maybe a tiny table between them and they won’t be so crammed in. I would mount the TV on the wall behind that door in the photo above so it’s out of the way. That’s it – just keep a flow of colours throughout the entire space and keep every piece of furniture light, airy and ideally armless because I guarantee you’ll bring home furniture and wonder why it looked like a good size in the store but so big in your space.