Haven ~ Lisa Goulet Design

How to choose souvenirs that won’t become clutter

June 11, 2018 By Lisa Goulet

Photo by STIL on Unsplash

It’s that travel time of year! The time of year when we dream about hitting the open road with clear blue skies above. I may be in the minority but I love a road trip! Well, let’s be honest I love any kind of trip. But I do not love clutter!

So regardless of where you are headed this summer, you will likely bring back a souvenir of some sort. But then you get home and that bright Mexican plate that you just couldn’t part with in the market, just doesn’t quite look as good in your very traditional home.

So what souvenirs can be turned into decor pieces that don’t just clutter up your home?

When I’m traveling, I think about these things before I pick up something that’ll also take up my precious luggage space.

Where will you use or place it in your home when you get back? A colourful ceramic bowl or jug may be perfect thing to use at your summer cottage instead of your home.
Is it useful or at least tasty? I often pick up speciality food products that are unique to the locale, it’s great to enjoy and share with friends or family when you’re back home.
Picking up Christmas tree ornaments are perfect for remembering your vacation but they won’t add to your daily clutter quota. Plus they are usually tiny and therefore easy to pack.
Textiles are another favourite, a tea towel with a cute local saying or image or perhaps, an apron, both are useful. When I went to Paris, I picked up fabric at a flea market and once home, I had it made into cushion covers.
Perhaps you can pick up some seashells, sea glass or special rocks from your vacation spot. Once you’ve ensured you can remove them, collect away. By placing them in shadow boxes or displaying them in a bowl you can enjoy them year around. Kids of course, love to get in on this type of collecting and it’s easy on the vacation budget.
Do you take a million travel pics? I must confess I am guilty of this. But it’s great to pick one or two of your favourite and have them blown up and either mounted or framed for your walls. I’ve also made a personalized calendar with travel pics from the previous year. It’s a great way to remember the special moments.

So where are you heading this summer?

Filed Under: decor, design professional, DIY, Fabric, Haven, inspiration, Travel Tagged With: 613, Ottawa, ottawa area, Ottawa blogger, ottawa decorator, ottawa design blogger, souvenirs, Travel

6 design ideas to reduce anxiety

June 5, 2018 By Lisa Goulet

Reduce anxiety with some design ideas for your home.

Photo by Jen P. on Unsplash

Feeling a little overwhelmed? How about some design ideas to reduce anxiety? These six design ideas can help reduce your anxiety by targeting some of the smaller details in your home. If you have ever struggled with anxiety you know how hard it can be to manage and to overcome. It has a way of sneaking into every part of our life and we need to chisel it out out of there, little by little.

While these tips won’t cure your anxiety they will help soothe you and your family. They may be just the thing you need to get some calmness back in your life.

Target your sense of smell. This is the perfect time to use an oil diffuser in your main spaces, or perhaps you’d prefer a scented candle. Certain oils such as lavender can help you relax and decompress and peppermint is great for relieving headaches.
Fresh flowers or plants. A touch of the outdoors, especially colourful ones will instantly give you a sense of peace. So don’t you regret that impulsive bouquet purchase at the grocery store’s checkout line, it may be just the medicine you need.
Keep your rooms open and airy. Feeling like there is space in your home, can make you feel more relaxed and calm. Removing a few pieces to give the remaining furniture a little more breathing room can achieve this and may give you more breathing space as well.
Open those windows and drapes. Perhaps those heavy drapes have had their time. Light, airy drapes that will let the natural light in can go a long way to lighten your mood and bring the outdoors in.
Remove clutter. I know this is a huge anxiety trigger for me, and my family knows this all too well. I actually feel a little claustrophobic when I’m in a cluttered space. So no more excuses, it’s time to remove the visual clutter and watch how much lighter and freer you feel.
Use soothing paint colours. There is actually a science to colour therapy and it has been well proven over and over. Soft pinks, greens and blues are know to create feelings of wellbeing and calm, while colours like bright red, chartreuse and neon yellow can cause overstimulation and restlessness. It just may be time to get out the paint deck and contemplate a new colour scheme.

With today’s highly stressed and fast paced lifestyles a little anxiety reduction is always a good thing. Implementing these small changes may help you create a more balanced and happy life and perhaps reduce anxiety as well!

Filed Under: COLOUR, decor, design professional, drapery treatments, Haven, inspiration, nature Tagged With: 613, anxiety, design tips, Ottawa, ottawa area decorator, ottawa area design, ottawa decorator, ottawa design, ottawa design blogger, reducing anxiety

Exciting news

May 22, 2018 By Lisa Goulet

Photo credit: Melissa Kew Photography

This kitchen will soon be featured along with the rest of my log home cottage in a local magazine. I’m so excited. Once it’s published and available I’ll let you all know.

And did you know that it was an award winner? Click here or on the picture below to see the DDA video showcasing it.

Filed Under: Cottage, decor, design professional, Haven, Homepage Portfolio, inspiration, Kitchen, makeover, renovation Tagged With: 613, colour, cottage, country, decor, decorating, design, kitchen, Lighting, makeover, Ottawa, ottawa area, pontiac, renovation, transformation

Kitchen Planning Standards – Class 101

May 17, 2018 By Lisa Goulet

Photo credit – Melissa Kew Photography

Ever wonder what standards there are for either a new kitchen or a kitchen renovation?

Well, I’m here to help!

These industry standards will help you work out your plan properly so you don’t run into any unexpected surprises.

APPLIANCES

Standard oven width – 30 inches

Standard dishwasher width – 24 inches

Standard fridge width – 36 inches. Keep in mind that you should choose and order your appliances before building a new or renovating a kitchen, the cabinetry and countertops will be built around them for the most custom look.

CABINETRY

Standard upper cabinet depth – 12 inches

Standard base cabinet depth – 24.5 inches

Standard counter height – 36 inches

Standard counter depth – 25.50 inches

Standard distance between bottom of cabinet and your countertops – 18 inches**. If you are installing under cabinet lighting, a must in my books, then you’ll have to give some consideration to the extra space needed for them and valances. Also, if there is a special appliance(s) you would like to store on your countertop, be sure that the 18 inches will accommodate it.

**This height will change if you are putting in a gas cooktop. Please check with your contractor or designer with regards to your building codes and safety requirements for your particular kitchen design.

ISLANDS

Minimum distance between two working areas – 39 inches. 48 inches would be ideal but you can get by on the minimum of 39 inches.

Minimum island overhang – 12 inches with no brackets for support (depending on the counter material) or 15-18 inches with supports.

Minimum counter space on either side of the stove – 18 inches. A stove should never be placed right beside a wall, as this could be a fire hazard.

STOOLS AND LIGHTING

Bar stool height – 30 inches

Counter stool height – 24 inches

Height for hanging light fixture over a table or island – Standard is 30-36″ from the top of the dining table, however this can and should be adjusted for individuals using the space and for sight lines. I usually prefer to hang the light lower if it is a statement piece and if the table is large enough to accommodate it. For an island fixture – standard is 60-66″ from the floor, but again this can and should be adjusted for sight lines and for tall individuals.

HAPPY KITCHEN PLANNING!

Filed Under: design professional, Haven, inspiration, Kitchen, renovation Tagged With: kitchen, kitchen renovation, Ottawa, ottawa area, Ottawa blogger, ottawa decorator, ottawa designer, ottawa-carleton

How to properly light your kitchen

May 16, 2018 By Lisa Goulet

So how do you properly light a kitchen? I was asked this question recently in my Facebook group – Empty Nesters – Reclaim your Space (click to join). Here’s how to light your kitchen so you aren’t squinting when you are trying to create your gourmet meal.

There are three types of lighting:

Ambient or General Lighting
Task Lighting
Accent or decorative lighting

You really want to layer all three types of lighting so that you don’t get a spotlight effect in your room. And I always recommend dimmers for most lighting, even in a kitchen, especially if you will be entertaining.

For a kitchen, an example of all three types of lighting would be:

Ambient or General lighting – This is typically potlights (and yes, put them on a dimmer), one or more large overhead lights or track lighting. This is the overall light for the room. If you are using potlights your designer, electrician and/or contractor will have recommendations for you on their spacing. This is dependant on the size of the room, placement of fixtures, work areas and the size and light beam of the potlight you are installing.
Task lighting – this is lighting that directly lights your work area, think of a reading lamp. This would be your under cabinet lighting in a kitchen, or pendant lights over a sink, island or peninsula.
Accent or decorative lighting – this can be wall sconces, glass cabinets with interior lights or a decorative lamp placed on the island.

Here’s a visual showing all three types of lighting.

So in this example, the ambient or general lighting is the potlights. The task lighting is the under cabinet lighting, the pendant lights over the peninsula and the fan light over the stove. The accent lighting is the in cabinet lighting.

To see more of this kitchen renovation click here.

Proper lighting in a kitchen is essential and should be one of the first steps when planning your renovation.

Filed Under: decor, design professional, Haven, inspiration, Kitchen, lighting, renovation Tagged With: 613, accent, ambient, decor, decorating, decorator, design, kitchen, Lighting, Ottawa, ottawa area, ottawa decorator, ottawa design blogger, ottawa-carleton, proper lighting, renovation, task

How to furnish and love a long narrow living room in 5 easy steps

May 7, 2018 By Lisa Goulet

Do you have a long narrow living room? Are you a little puzzled on how to go about using it to it’s full potential or at the least making it appear less long and narrow? These quick tips will definitely help you.

1. First off, do not make the shorts walls a featured area. That is, don’t paint it a different colour than the other walls or put wallpaper on just this one wall. That will draw your eye right to the other end of the room and emphasize it’s narrowness. So, no accent walls of paint or wallpaper, and if possible, do not put the television or fireplace there.

Traditional Family Room by San Francisco Architects & Building Designers Leslie Ann Interior Design

2. Do try and place the television/fireplace or other focal pieces, on one of the long walls. This will redirect your focus there.

Contemporary Home Office by Boston Interior Designers & Decorators Terrat Elms Interior Design

3. Place furniture away from the short walls wherever possible. So that they will be drawn more into the center of the room. Creating two seating areas works well in a long narrow living room and enables it to be used to it’s full potential.

Contemporary Living Room by Denver Interior Designers & Decorators Possibilities for Design Inc.

4. Built ins or shelving units are your friend. They can be used on the short walls to create some additional storage and they will inevitably cause the room to be shortened in length. Especially if one of the longer walls has a focal point, as in the image below, the window wall will draw your attention before the shelving unit does.

Farmhouse Living Room by Richmond Architects & Building Designers Birdseye Design

5. Don’t be afraid of larger pieces of furniture, like sectionals, they work especially well for long narrow living rooms. They take up less space than a sofa and love seat and give you just as much seating, if not more, and allow you to stretch out to watch your favourite shows….hello, Netflix.

Modern Family Room by Miami Interior Designers & Decorators DKOR Interiors Inc.- Interior Designers Miami, FL

Recently, I did up a floor plan for a client with a long narrow living room and here are the two options I gave her. There is an interesting closet like space at the end of the room that we needed to work with, you know….. old homes and all their character. The challenge in this long narrow living room was accommodating the two entrances and windows and the traffic flow. Also, keep in mind drawings are for design layout purposes only and not necessarily suggestions for colour or specific pieces.

Long narrow Living room Option 1 –

The alcove at the end of the room is brought forward by using it as another seating area. Placing a console with a piece of art above and two matching chairs in front make this space functional. Having the television in the middle of one of the long walls allows it to become a feature.

Long narrow Living room Option 2 –

The left side of the room remains the same, with the right side accommodating a built in bookcases and storage.

So what’s your favourite Option for a long narrow living room?

Filed Under: design professional, family room, Furniture, Haven, inspiration, Living Room, makeover Tagged With: 613, built ins, decor, decorating, design, design plan, layout, living room, long, long and narrow, makeover, narrow, narrow room, Ottawa, ottawa area, Ottawa blogger, ottawa-carleton, rooms, transformation

9 easy steps to go all the way with design

May 1, 2018 By Lisa Goulet

Are you struggling with finishing or even starting to design a room. It’s something we have all experienced, even us decorators and designers. Life is so distracting sometimes and it can be hard to move forward. However, the key is to keep making decisions and to focus on ONE ROOM AT A TIME!!!

I know, I know, I always say that your home should be cohesive and it does, but trying to design a whole home can be hugely overwhelming. So tackle one room at a time and I think you’ll see that one room leads to another.

Here’s the way I design:

1. Make a plan. Decide on how you will be using the room, who will be using the room and what you need to do that properly. If it’s a family room and you will be using it to watch television and do crafts. You’ll need to have comfy seating for the tv and a large table with appropriate flooring and lighting for craft time.

2. Plan your lighting. Lighting is so important to a room. Just think how annoyed you are when you don’t have the proper lighting when you are trying to do something. Make sure there is ambient lighting (the general lighting for a room) and the appropriate task lighting (such as table lamps for reading or pot lights set over the craft table). Decorative lighting can be added for mood and ambience in the form of sconces, candles or a decorative floor or table lamp.

3. Style and colour. This goes along with #1 in that you need to have an idea of what style you would like. The best way to do this is with magazines – pull out pictures and keep a file or make a pinterest board. I’m eventually going to post some tips on keeping your pinterest boards on point. After you have a bunch in the file or pins on your pinterest board, a clearer picture of your style will emerge. Tada you have your inspiration. Colour will also show up in these photos. The colour of the walls will be determined at a later stage once you have the bigger pieces decided upon.

4. Large pieces. Now is the time to invest in the larger more expensive pieces for the room. Such as a sofa, area rug, draperies and case goods. These are the items that you will be keeping for the long term and they form the base of your design. This is where you usually spend the bulk of your budget and because of this I usually stick with classics and neutrals for these items. You can however diverge from this tract, if for example you love red and fall in love with a red sofa. GO FOR IT! This is what will make your room, you!

A note here about pattern, if the larger items that you have decided upon are all solids you may want to add some pattern either in the area rug or in a smaller upholstered chair or ottoman. This gives the room some pizzazz. Otherwise I would consider adding some wallpaper to the walls instead of a solid paint colour. The key with pattern is to ensure that the pattern sizes are not all the same. For example, if you have a large pattern on the area rug then have a smaller pattern on the ottoman, so vary the scale of your patterns.

5. Shopping. Okay now that you’ve decided on the larger items and their cost, you can form a budget. This will guide you as to where you can splurge and where you can save. A great room always has some of each in it – that is what makes it interesting. Remember to keep some money for paint and accessories (usually about 15-20% of the budget).

6. Paint colour. I look at all the major items purchased and the rest of the home and then decide what would be the best colour choice. Paint is one of the most inexpensive parts of the design process and with so many colours, this works the best. Once I know the main colour of the walls, I can then go on to the next step, accessory shopping.

7. Accessories. I do up a list of what I think I’ll need. For example, small round end table, gold framed rectangular mirror approximately 24”x12”. This is also when I check to see if there is an abundance of one shape in the room. If there are lots of square items, I balant with some round smaller items and accessories. Most decorators and designers will pick up way more accessories while shopping. Gives us a great bunch of choices when doing the final placement. Just return the items that you don’t need. So be sure the store you are shopping at has a great return policy.

8. Keep on track. Now is when you’ll usually get distracted and start looking for items for another room in your home. Try and keep focused and only purchase for the one room. Your budget will thank you and you’ll have one room done instead of all of them in progress.

9. Put everything in place. If you have managed to hold off now is the time to put everything in place. Of course, first off the room should be painted and then the larger items positioned in place. Then the smaller furniture pieces and accessories, such as artwork, mirrors and decorative pieces are added. And Voila!! a perfectly finished design!!

Filed Under: COLOUR, decor, design professional, Furniture, Haven, inspiration, makeover, Projects, renovation Tagged With: 613, 9 steps to design your room, decor, decorating, decorator, design, DIY, how to, Ottawa, ottawa area, Ottawa blogger, ottawa decorator, ottawa design, ottawa design blogger, ottawa-carleton

How decluttering can help you redecorate your home for free

April 27, 2018 By Lisa Goulet

Photo credit: Melissa Kew Photography

So what do you do if your budget is tight but you’d love to give your home a fresh update for Spring? You may not realize it, but there is a way to revive and refresh all the rooms in your house – without spending a cent. Do you think it’s impossible to redecorate for free? Well, just keep reading and I’ll tell you how.

Take a look around the house for all of the accessories and artwork you own – including art work, sculptures, vases, candles, picture frames, even plants. Gather them all up and place them all on your kitchen table, this is now your own little decor shop.

Look at everything on your table with new eyes, as if you are seeing it for the first time. Just because that piece of art has always hung over the fireplace does not mean it wouldn’t look even better in the foyer. Or maybe the frame just needs a quick spray paint to be perfect over your bed. Perhaps that red vase that faded into the background in the family room will make your powder room pop.

Keep going, item by item and room by room, until you have redone your entire house. This is the perfect job for a weekend so take your time and it’ll definitely be worthwhile in the end.

Keep in mind that when it comes to decorating, less really is more. That means you don’t have to find a home for all the pieces. Inevitably, there will be leftovers that just don’t seem to ‘fit’ anywhere – at least for now. If you love some of the unused items, store them until you redecorate again, and if you don’t, then it’s time to say goodbye. You can give find them a new home or donate them, just don’t keep them around taking up your precious space.

Now with less items around you’ll definitely spend less time vacuuming and dusting and just think you did it all without spending a cent plus you’ll feel great giving some much appreciated things away for someone else to enjoy.

Filed Under: decor, design professional, DIY, Empty Nesters, Haven, inspiration, makeover, Organizing Tagged With: 613, decluttering, decor, decorating, DIY, how to, organizing, Ottawa, ottawa area, ottawa area design blogger, Ottawa blogger, ottawa decor, ottawa-carleton, redecorating, tips, tricks

The 7 essential steps to decluttering and what you should not do.

April 23, 2018 By Lisa Goulet

Organization and decluttering Clutter…it’s our society’s nemesis. Everyone has their horror stories, relatives or friends’ relatives that hoarded until it was a health hazard. And we’ve all seen at least one episode of Hoarders on HGTV. Scary stuff. But realistically, most of us have at least one area of our home that could do with a good decluttering session. Spring is the perfect time of year to tackle one or more decluttering projects.

So, let’s take it step by step so it’s not so frightening.

First of all, don’t do your entire home, just do one small area to start. Then once you see how great it functions and looks you’ll be all in to tackle a bigger space. I’d suggest an entry, closet or even a medicine cabinet**. If you are feeling totally overwhelmed then just set a time limit, like 15 minutes. Fifteen minutes will give you enough time to tackle a junk drawer, medicine cabinet or cupboard. Once you see how great it feels, you can move on to spaces that require more time, perhaps an hour to do a closet. For this exercise, I’m going to use an entry closet as an example.
Gather all your supplies first. You’ll need 4-5 boxes, one each for Keep, Relocation (for those items that have a home somewhere else), Donation, Trash and Recycle. Then grab the vacuum and any other cleaning supplies that you may need.
Remove everything out of the closet and give it a good cleaning while its empty. You may want to even paint it, while you’re at it or perhaps not.
So now you sort. Look at each item and decide where it’s going or if it’s going back in the closet. When I’m doing this I like to think about the last time I used or wore the item. If it’s been forever, then let it go. It may help you to think of all the people that could use this item, so go ahead and donate it. One key to remember is once the boxes are filled and ready to go, bring them immediately to where they need to go. DO NOT let them linger in your home, that just defeats the purpose of the decluttering session. I put the garbage and recycling out immediately. Donation or giveaway items get put in my car right away, so that I drop them off the next time I’m out and about.
Once you’ve got done to the small keep pile, decide how you want to put it back into the closet. This is where you may need to purchase a few baskets or bins. But waiting till now, will make sure you only buy what you need. Pairs of gloves, hats and other small items stay organized in a basket. If you have many pairs of shoes and boots, perhaps a boot/shoe rack will be necessary and this often helps to decide exactly how many pairs are needed versus what we can store. Out of season clothing and footwear can potentially be stored in a guest room or basement closet.
Hooks or over the door racks are also great for adding usable space to a closet. Purses, scarves, shopping bags, leashes, etc. can be hung here for a quick getaway.
Keep it up. So now that it’s all organized, remember that you may need to spend a few minutes each day putting things away. Don’t let all that hard work decluttering go to waste.

** If you are decluttering a medicine cabinet, keep in mind that most drug stores will take back expired medications so that they don’t end up in the landfill or water system.

Lisa

Filed Under: decor, design professional, DIY, Empty Nesters, Haven, inspiration, Organizing Tagged With: 613, 7 steps to decluttering, closet, clutter, decluttering, organizing, Ottawa, ottawa area, Ottawa blogger, ottawa decorator, ottawa design blogger

The 6 questions you need to answer before you start designing your space

April 19, 2018 By Lisa Goulet

6 questions you need to answer before you start designing your space.

When I’m starting a client’s decorating or renovation project, function always comes before form. What I mean by that, is the function of the space has to be determined before we get to the layout or furnishings. The foundation has to be solid so that we can move ahead with the pretty. You wouldn’t spend money on having fabulous wallpaper installed when the wall is crumbling…right? Even the prettiest room has to function properly.

So on my first client visit I ask these 6 questions:

1. What do you use the room for?

All rooms have a purpose, perhaps even many purposes. If you need a room to function as a family room and as a home office, then that will determine how the layout gets decided and what furnishings are needed.

2. How many people will be using the room?

A dining room that sits 12 will be set up differently than one that sits 4. So think about the number of people using the room on a daily basis and perhaps those special occasions when you’ll need to accommodate a larger group.

3. Are there young children and pets that will be using the room?

Of course, if you have pets and young children that live or visit your home you’ll need some adjustments for them and likely for your piece of mind. In this case, think easy care fabrics, hard floors (like hardwood and tile) and washable throw pillows.

4. Are there any allergies to be aware of?

This is something that is often missed but critical if you or a family member has environmental allergies. Those goose down feather pillows may cause needless suffering and that paint should be low VOC.

5. What is the feeling or mood you want the room to convey?

The answer to this question, shows me the direction to go in design wise. If you say you want it to feel like a hug, then I’m thinking mid-tone warm colours, lots of soft textiles and larger “sink-in” sofas and chairs. If you want it to feel like a fresh breeze, then light toned cooler colours and clean minimal furnishings are what I’d be suggesting.

6. How long do you plan to stay in your home?

This is the big budget question. If you are in your forever home then you can decorate to your tastes exactly and also you will likely feel comfortable with a larger budget. If you are thinking you’ll move within 10 years than perhaps temper the design to appeal to a larger audience and the budget will likely be a little stricter.

Answer these questions and it’ll lead you in the right direction to set up your floor plan, the style and type of furniture you need and what your budget range should be.

Lisa