Picture hanging is certainly not an exact science. What I know about picture hanging I have learned the hard way, since it has always been all about trial and error. All of that is what led my business partner and I to invent Hang & Level: so we could help to take the frustration and guesswork out of hanging picture frames. With that said, learn from my picture hanging mistakes to avoid making them...

Creating small vignettes throughout the house is a great way to celebrate a holiday like Valentine’s Day without feeling like you’re overdoing it. Vignettes offer a quick way to give your space a mini facelift without having to redo the entire room. Strategically place your arrangements on a coffee table, in an entryway, on a bedroom dresser, or on a mantel to create an instant focal point that is guaranteed...

I took this picture at a hotel I recently stayed at because the ornate mirror made such a good first impression on me when I walked into the room. It was strategically placed to reflect a beautiful view and natural light during the day, and to create a soft peaceful glow of the bedroom at night. Right across from the mirror, there was a closet, which made it very convenient to...

There’s no question that red roses are the most popular flowers to give to the special person in your life on Valentine’s Day. But what if you just started dating, if you’re just friends, or have recently fallen in love, should you be giving red roses or roses of another color? I read this fascinating article called “Are your Valentine’s Day roses saying more than you think?” and thought you might...

According to Twitter, working out on a more regular basis is at the top of the list for most people who make New Year’s resolutions, but how many people actually stick to their fitness goals? For me, working out is a big priority, but going to the gym is not always an option. I'm a busy mom, a business owner, and I travel quite a bit with my job, so having a home gym has been my savior in that it really has helped me to stick to my workouts. We’re not talking about a fully stocked equipment room here, just a space to call my own for working out.

On a recent trip to Montreal to visit family and friends, I also dropped by my favorite design stores, West Elm, Item, and Zone. I love these stores. They sell unique things and the displays are gorgeous, plus they’re always a real source of décor inspiration for looks you can recreate in your own home. Here’s a sample of some my favorite things that caught my eye and my credit card...

Whether you follow the trends or not, you must have heard by now that the Pantone Color Institute has revealed its color of the year for 2015, which is Marsala. Yes, you’ll now see the color influence the worlds of fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings, and interiors, which means you’ll see Marsala nail polish, eye shadows, lipsticks, ties, shoes, couches, rugs, curtains, chairs, bikes and so much more. To be completely honest, when I first...

When moving into a new space, consider grouping your art together in a hallway or in a room away from the traffic area. Group like items together such as mirrors, photos/portraits, paintings, kids’ art, canvases and clocks. When you’re ready to hang stuff it will be easier to find the right shape, size and colour of art you need for your new walls. It will be like shopping in your...

When you’re hanging a group of pictures, every time you hammer a nail, it disrupts  the frames already hung on the wall. You need to make sure that your frames are level as you go, otherwise a single crooked frame can throw off the entire arrangement. Rather than constantly readjusting and double checking your frames, you can use Anchor Points to keep them in place. This will make it easier...

  This arrangement of frames is the sort of display that looks great over furniture such as a sofa, headboard, hutch, dining table, or an office desk. You can recreate this look with these easy steps without any fear of messing up your walls.  Here’s how: Start by placing your frames on the floor to figure out the best possible arrangement. This will also help you determine the right spacing between...

  When I saw this Gallery Perfect Kit, I just had to buy it. It was affordable, comes with three sets of images, white mats, and all the frames are thin and black, which would look great in any décor scheme, no matter the style or color. To get started, I was inspired to recreate the look shown on the packaging, but once I was done I challenged myself and came up...

If you’re thinking of re-painting a few walls in your house, here’s a tip that will save you time and frustrations too. Stick pieces of bright colored painter’s tape on all the holes that need to be filled. It will be easier for you or for your painter to spot them when walking around the house with the drywall mud. Do you have any painting tips you’d like to share?...