My guest this week has been fabulously supportive and I have enjoyed getting to know her even more with this interview! Her blog is one of my must reads, my go-to source for all things related to colour and design. Please welcome.... Anne-Marie from 10 Rooms. Anne-Marie has such a fabulous eye for colour and is not afraid to embrace it in her home. She is also uber creative and has a knack for finding the most amazing things on Craiglist and thrift shops! She is my kind of gal! And the best part is I won a colour consult with her via her blog, she has given my some fabulous ideas for my living/dining room space. I can't wait get painting, but first I must finish my daughter's room. Check out her family space with dark inky walls. Nothing says cozy like dark walls. I love how the white sofa and large windows give balance to the wall colour. Love her roman blinds {she made them} and kelly green walls. Her front door, nothing says welcome better than a yellow door. Her fabulous dining room with the amazing light fixture she made! I love these juicy coloured mirrors in her powder room. They are thrifted {only $6!} and were a source of inspiration for me when I was shopping for a mirror for my daughter's room. Or how about this Campaign desk she found on Kijiji - can't you believe her luck? Her daughter's bedroom with Tiffany blue walls. Despite all the vibrant colours throughout her home, her living room all calm and serene. Check out her upcycled stool. Tell us a bit about your background? Your education? Has design always been in your blood? How did you come to be a designer? Well, as a child, my Mum says I asked for a Barbie house but no Barbies! I remember spending hours making furniture and decorating the rooms. Later I studied art, and became fascinated with color and the effect color has on people's emotional state. It never ceases to amaze me how the right environment can make or break a mood. How long have you had your design/colour consulting business? What challenges have you faced along the way? After I had children, friends started commenting on my home, and I began helping them choose colors for their own. Soon I was helping friends of friends, and a business was born. 10 Rooms has officially been in business for four years. I think the hardest part for me is the day-to-day accounting and so on - I'd rather spend my time looking at colour and design!! How would you describe your design style? Spare bohemian! Does that make sense?! I tend to love large areas of neutrals and pops of varied color, or large areas of one color with a very limited palette in the rest of the space. I like clean lines and geometric shapes, bold pattern, vintage finds and one-of-a-kind art - an original home is always the most interesting. How long have you had your blog? What made you decide to start writing a blog and what have you enjoyed the most about blogging? When I started the blog I really didn't know much about blogging! It came about as a marketing bit for my business - but then I got into the blogging world, and started making personal connections with people, and the whole purpose changed. I never in a million years expected to meet so many creative and supportive people, and it has really been a wonderful experience so far. Where do you find inspiration for your designs? Your blog? If you read the blog then you know that there is no schedule to 10 Rooms posts! I post about whatever is on my mind whenever I find the time, so usually it's something I've discovered on my travels or have been working out with a client. Really, anything can become inspiration - a recent trip to the local conservation area had me chasing around wild turkeys to try and get accurate photos of the color of their feathers :) Everyone just laughs now! What goals or aspirations do you have for your design business? For your blog? One of the biggest goals I have for the business right now is to gather some pictures of finished spaces I have consulted on. Often, I don’t even get to see the finished rooms. I would like to create a before and after section of photos on my website so people can really get a feel for the power of color. As for the blog, I hope that I can continue to have this great dialogue with other people who are interior obsessed as I am – it’s nice to know I’m not alone J Is there a common design mistake that homeowners make that makes you cringe? The only thing I can't stand is to see people decorate their homes around trends, rather than what they love themselves. Sometimes clients call me because they feel they need to update their home, when really all they need to do is embrace it, and trust their own taste. I love a home that reflects the people within it. What is one thing that anyone can do to update his or her home without breaking the bank? Paint! You knew that was coming, right?! The absolute easiest way to change up your space is to freshen up your walls and furniture. And buy vintage - the quality and prices are better. What tips do you have for aspiring designers to hone their skills? To experiment, and not take it too seriously. Offer to help friends and family with their homes, try things out, find your style - and read blogs J If you could meet anyone or do anything who or what would it be? My dream is to be able to travel extensively with my husband and children. Seeing the world from a thousand other perspectives gives you a better perspective of your own life, and I’d like to experience that with the people I love most. What do you like to do in your free time? If I'm not working on a project around the house, I'm usually outside for a walk in the woods or entertaining friends and family. Our home has an open door policy, which means we never know how many people are coming for dinner - and I wouldn't have it any other way. How do you manage to balance your family time, your work and blogging? Family comes first, before anything else. Blogging is a luxury, and sometimes it falls through the cracks (but not for too long - I miss you guys!!) Work is a necessity of life, and I love what I do, but we work to live here, not the other way around. What are your views on the role of Canadian design? Do you feel that Canadians have a unique sense of style, the way we design and decorate our homes? If so, what do you think sets us apart? Canadians are known for their multiculturalism. It follows that Canadians are interested in global style, and the mix of cultures makes for some interesting interiors. It also seems that more and more Canadians are buying local, vintage or green products for their homes, and that makes me very proud. Anne-Marie, it was such a treat to get to know you even more! I too had a Barbie house which I "remodelled" over and over again. And I need to hurry and re-do my living room so you can have some "after" photos! XO Barbara