Christmas at the Canning's

This is the beginnings of Christmas at my house. I am admittedly playing with five different colour schemes in my head (advent purple and pink / navy blue and ochre / teal and pink / white and bronze / white and silver).

What do you think? Do I stay very neutral and demure or do I go bold with colour? I have two weeks to play!

Ladylike tween bedroom

A lovely ladylike room for my favourite 13-year old. Shanice is an aspiring fashion designer so we used textiles to our advantage. Enjoy!

Deck the Halls With Lisa Canning

Looking for an extra pair of decorating hands this holiday season? Why not book me (and my elves!) to come transform your home or office for the holidays?

Or consider giving the gift of Lisa to a friend or loved one. Click on the image below to make your home sparkle and shine. Happy holidays!

All finished- Steve's condo

My condo client at Yonge and Front all finished. This formerly lack luster white box in the sky is now packed of masculine, tailored details with pops of orange for contrast. Photos by Jonathan Castellino

One of a Kind Show

I am very excited for the One of a Kind Show this year. It has been a while since I've been and my crafty senses are tingling for some hand made goodness. There has been a real shift in decorating to the handmade- to items with history: antiques, reclaimed items, pieces with a story.

It's inspiring to me to see homes that are as colourful and character filled as their owners. And a visit to the One of a Kind Show is sure to inject some of this uniqueness in your home.

The One of a Kind Show runs November 26-December 6 at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto.

Artisans I will be looking for include:

Petit Flaneur

Felt Designs by Heidi

Sought

Working from home: What I've learned

Lately I've been inspired by blogs like Life is Glossy and Her Bad Mother that have a more personal (and sometimes a refreshingly honest) focus. So following up on my brief reflection of the past two years, here's a few things I have learned about working from home / being your own boss: the good, the bad, and the (sometimes very) ugly.

1. Pro- You can dress comfortably when you work from home. Goodbye pantyhose. Con- when your spouse gets home at 6pm and you're still in pyjamas, this is a problem. Casual Friday does not include bunny slippers.

2. Pro- You save time because you don't commute. Con- You justify watching Gossip Girl episodes on-line because, well... you can justify many things when you're your own boss. Which brings me to...

3. Pro- No one watching over your shoulder, you control how you spend your day. Con- No one watching over your shoulder, you control how you spend your day. Twitter is a wonderful marketing tool, but is reading about what @RyanSeacrest had for breakfast income generating? Not really.

4. Pro- When I am productive and in the zone, I am able to accomplish a lot as I have quiet and no interruptions. Con- I do miss interacting with other creative adults on a daily basis. My son hasn't quite mastered the skill of a good brainstorming session (he has mastered sucking on his big toe, however. Go John!)

5. Pro- setting your own schedule allows you to brunch, to shop, to take vacations at whim. Con- there is no con to this. Ha ha! I absolutely love being able to take a long lunch in the middle of the day, meet with creative peeps like Jen of Rambling Renovators, sit front row at a fashion show, or leave John with my mom and have some quiet time. The flexibility is great, as long as you can manage it all.

6. Pro- I have learned that balance is so important when you work from home. Con- I suck at achieving balance. I sucked at it before I had a baby (ie. workaholic, constant e-mail checker) and after having a baby, I learned I really suck at it. But having a baby has really reinforced where my priorities lie (my faith, my family) and that e-mails will still be there in the morning and yes, they can wait (thus why I don't think I will ever get a Blackberry).

Balance is a whole other ballgame and deserves a post of its own. But for now, I am turning off the computer, closing the ten tabs I have opened (all opened to design blogs, PS) and spending time with the men in my life that mean the most to me (what a classically cheesy ending. But I love cheese. I need more of it in my life).

Carita's Dining Room

Carita's dining room at King and Bathurst all styled and finished. Great deals include a print from Home Sense ($40), the IKEA BJURSTA dining table off of Craigslist ($150), gorgeous bench and chairs from Home Craft Decor on Queen W. Photos by Jonathan Castellino

Carita's Living Room

Carita's living room at King and Bathurst all styled and finished! Photos by Jonathan Castellino

Orion's nursery final photos

This was a wonderful room to work on- little Orion enjoys custom made curtains for privacy (and peek-a-boo). Great deals include DIY art with 4' x 4' canvas frames from Deserres, a lofty IKEA Besta storage unit, a custom made crib bumper from an IKEA pillowcase, and a few simple IKEA fames hung with those handy 3M strips. Photos by Jonathan Castellino

Personal time: a tired but happy and fulfilled mommy!

Reflection: I am coming up on my second year of running my interior decorating business. And what a wonderful / exhausting / exhilarating / messy two years it has been.

The best (and worst) of the last two years:

- Getting recognized as an HGTV designer on the subway. (Getting recognized on the WORST hair, makeup and wardrobe days)

- Designing a table for Willow Breast Cancer Support Eat to the Beat. (I was so sleep deprived at the event because I was up all night prepping)

- Shooting a pilot for a new HGTV show (that won't be going to air), but learning that there is interest to shoot another this year

- Memorizing Benjamin Moore paint chip codes (always misplacing the decks!!!!)

- Understanding what a double roll of wallpaper means (ordering way too few and panicking the day of installation)

- Making mistakes (sometimes costly ones) and learning to accept that I'm not perfect and with failure much learning comes

- Meeting incredible clients and being invited to be a part of their family and lives, one room at a time.

Oh- and of course, the best part of the last two years:

- Marrying the love of my life, and 9 months later giving that love a name (ie having my baby John!) While it has been an interesting challenge (and flat out struggle at times) being a mompreneur, the rewards of being able to raise my son and build a business have been so good.

Giving thanks today,

Lisa

Makeover Monday: More Pillows at Sean's

A few karate chopped pillows at Sean's to share with you. I am waiting on his artwork to come via etsy and for some shelving to be installed and then it will be complete!

I'm in love with this new coffee table from Structube. I've always loved the look of the glass but thought it was too impractical. Thanks to a chic white lacquered shelf practical can also look very good.

DIY Friday: Last Minute Halloween Inspiration

With baby and business I am sometimes tardy in my holiday decor- this year being no exception. So here are a few quick and easy ways to get your house ready for tomorrow's big day. (PS- I bought candy way on sale at Zellers, yesterday, they are already starting to mark down items)

The Sack-o-lanterns from Ready Made are so simple. Cut out your desired shape, throw some sand in the bottom, and light a votive candle and voila- no messy carving if you are strapped for time! I will be doing mine this afternoon...

From the poetic home a great way to use that typewriter you've got lying around. Type your visitors a scary message and leave it on your front stoop. I will be doing this one as well!

These are just amazing from decodir. Take a garbage bag, cut out a scary shape, tape it to your window and keep your lights on! It will cast an illuminated shadow for your visitors tomorrow night. Your your indoor guests, look how chic this table is. Proves that 99 cent spider webs can look classy. And of course, using regular food and coming up with spooky names for them is just so easy and simple.

What will my baby be for Halloween?

Just kidding. But this so so sweet!

For more ideas, check out my tips in The Toronto Star. Happy Halloween!

Wicked Deal Wednesday: Eames plywood repro

For my client Sean (I just posted progress shots here) we are adding a touch of mid century modern to his brand new condo- and I am just ecstatic I have been able to find an incredible spot for reproduction pieces (and very good ones at that) in Toronto.

Here is my lovely plywood chair being carried to the refinishers on the subway at Osgoode station. I was able to take it home from most! at Gladstone and Queen W for the throw away price of $129. Amazing!

Makeover Monday: Sneak Peek at Sean's

A quick peek at what's going on at my client Sean's house- good progress on good things, like this amazing new coffee table from Structube which combines the sleek line of the glass with the functionality of a white lacquered shelf.

More to come soon!

Lisa's first time at LG Fashion Week

My friends, meet Monica Mei, the petite powerhouse behind Aime Luxury, a gorgeous line of oh so pretty and oh so sustainable fashion (silks, bamboo, tencel and wool).

We have teamed up and I am designing her set design for next Thursday's show.

To see it, you must come! Thursday October 22 at 4pm in the new tent location at King and Shaw. I will be there with a pretty Aime bow on.

Follow Monica as she gets ready for the big show on twitter. And put your stilettos on- I'll see you this week in the tents!

Around the House Thursday: Damask Curtains

My regular design research leads me to rona.ca almost daily- and today I found the inspiration for my Around the House entry. These black and white damask curtains are only $32.99 from Rona- this is a steal!

Peruse a few inspiration photos on how you can add this classic print around your home.

From UK's housetohome

I love the contrast of the chair- a modern twist against a classic print from terry's fabrics

My fav- I love the mix of textures here. Oh textiles, thank you GP&J Baker

Wicked Deal Wednesday: Staging Warehouse clearout

My oh my bring bags and your empty trucks because this could be a good sale. A Toronto staging company is clearing out it's warehouse- I am definitely going to visit and nab myself some picture frames and mirrors if I still can!

Check out the bounty here. Happy hunting!

The fabulous Vanessa Ray

As designer on the first season on HGTV's Marriage Under Construction, I got to work with the lovely and talented Vanessa Ray. Little did we know that a mere two years later I would be married, with a baby and running my own business and she would be on Broadway and a soap star!

Here is the update: since starring in MUC, she played Olive in the National Tour of Spelling Bee, she has guest stared in the HBO comedy Bored to Death, she can be currently seen as Teri Ciccone on As The World Turns, and I just learned she'll be playing Chrissy on Broadway in Hair. On Broadway- New York readers go watch her now!

Hello talented! I'm so proud.

To keep up with the happenings of this star on the rise, follow @vrayskull on twitter.

Thanksgiving Treats

At the Canning house we hosted Thanksgiving a week early so we could relax with our large extended family this coming weekend- bonus, it means I get to share how I decorated my own table with you before the turkey festivities begin.

I was very inspired by Montreal stylist Nicola Marc's lesson in the November Style At Home on painting the stems of pumpkins silver- I took it up a notch and sprayed mine high gloss white and set them on dollar store candle holders.

My runner is a remnant of fabric from a client's pillows. Finally, I clustered a few more pumpkins in their natural state on my fire place for my festive foray. Enjoy!

IA:MM Showroom gets it's own makeover

IA:MM Showroom, a must stop in Toronto for buyers from Canada and the US (they represent glorious clothing and accessory lines including Love Quotes, Rebecca Minkoff, White & Warren and more!) just got a little Lisa added to their Richmond Street location.

In a two day blitz, we reorganized the space to make the buying experience seamless. With simple IKEA frames and shelving, each brand now has its own space to breath!