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Home Organization
“I’ll be floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee.”
April 24, 2012
What does this famous quote by Muhammad Ali mean to my blog post – nothing really! I just liked it and I have definitely been a busy little bee this past month.
You know that feeling when you lose control of the hours in your day and once the kids are put to bed you have nothing left to give….well, that’s how I have been feeling lately. And unfortunately, my lil ole Glam Blog suffers….so my apologies for the lack of blog posts this month.
So I thought I would share with you some of the client projects that has been keeping me working like a busy bee:
I’m almost finished with my Northridge Trail client. We just finished installing some custom built-ins. Here’s a sneak peak.
This is the new entertainment unit I designed for their family room — without the hardware in this pic. I love the clean lines and the shaker style door.
And here is the new built-in foyer seat with the custom cushion. Underneath are 3 small drawers for my client’s daughters to store their hat and accessories.
And a close-up of the hardware – don’t you love the half-moon pulls.
There is also a window seat in the living room but you will have to wait for the grand reveal to see it. I’m really excited to show you how I was able to transform my client’s first level of her home!!
Now my Palace Pier client lives in a condo and needed a lot of storage space….which is why we turned to built-ins. Below is a sneak peak at the installation that happened last week.
This storage unit in the office was built to organize and store my client’s daughter’s schoolwork, crafts etc. It’s also a perfect place to store the printer and display some books or photos on the open book shelf.
This is the built-in I designed for her daughter’s bedroom. As a result, she was able to remove 2 sets of dressers in this small room, open up the space but have the exact amount of drawer space she had before. Behind the mesh screen is a shelf for her TV and DVD player. The Swarovski crystal knobs give it a very girly touch….love it!!
And last but not least, is the master bedroom wardrobe with this incredible custom detailing on the doors of the wardrobe. Once this room is finished it is going to look so glamorous….so stay tuned!!
Then I was busy completing a a design plan for a client with different floor plans options of the family room. Here is a small sampling of what I present to my clients.
The Dollhouse rendering view of the room.
A 3-D perspective of the room from one angle.
And a technical overview of the room.
Well, that’s a snippet of a day(s) in the life of an interior decorator – ME! 
I can’t wait to show you the professional pictures of the first 2 projects above once they are done. Oh, and thanks for sticking with my blog!! I should be back to a regular blog posting schedule in the next week.
Glamorously yours,
Christine xoxo
Posted in 
Sarah 101: Boho Chic in Simone’s girls’ bedrooms
February 9, 2011
It’s that time again!!! Did you catch the latest episode of Sarah 101 decorating the bedrooms of 3 little sisters!! OMG…I just love decorating little girls’ rooms and it’s probably because I have 2 little glamour girls of my own.
Love what Sarah and Tommy did with the colour scheme of the 2 bedrooms: Corals, blues and yellow for the nursery AND blues and greens for the bedroom shared by the 2 older sisters. Absolutely adorable.
Here’s a peak of the 2 rooms if you missed this episode:
Utterly delightful!! In the next 2 months I will be updating the rooms of my 2 little girls and can’t wait to share the progress with you. We are true girly girls in my house and the east wing of our house is called “The Pink Wing” – and that includes a pink laundry room. So stay tuned!!
If your child’s room is craving some glamour, then contact me online or in person! I’d love to help!
Glamorously yours,
Christine xo
Dabble Magazine launching soon
September 3, 2010
Well, I have more exciting news to share with you. Starting this fall I will be a regular contributor to Kimberley Seldon’s Online Lifestyle Magazine called Dabble!! It will focus on Design + Travel + Food & Wine!
Kimberley Seldon is one of my Interior Design Idols, who not only is the Contributing Decorating Editor for Canada’s own Style at Home Magazine, but she is also a regular guest expert on the show Cityline. Check out her website at www.kimberleyseldon.com and on twitter @DabbleMagazine or @Kimberley Seldon.
Look for Dabble Magazine’s launch later this month!! And look for my blog postings focusing on interior design and decorating with a glamorous fashionable twist!!
xoxo
How to Get Organized for Spring 2010
March 1, 2010
It’s March….and we all know what that means: March Break and getting ready for Spring!! Below are a few tips to help you get organized this month.
Before You Start:
Make a list of the rooms you want to organize and what you want to accomplish. Designate one central area, such as the garage or hallway where everything will go that is to be thrown out or donated.
Getting Started:
If getting organized overwhelms you, then start small. It could be as tiny of a job as the junk drawer in your kitchen or the hall closet. Just remember, when you start organizing one area, don’t stop till you finish it as it will give you a sense of accomplishment and it will push you to start on the next organizing project.
Start with the Seasonal changes:
Get your home ready for spring/summer. Start by putting any heavy winter clothing and/or winter sports gear away in plastic bins and label it so you will know what is inside when you need it again next winter. For kids, I like to designate 2 seasonal baskets each – one for spring/summer that is full of summer hats and other accessories for warmer weather, while the fall/winter basket is full of hats, scarves and mitts. The winter basket will be moving to one of the top shelves in our closet and the spring/summer basket will be placed on the lower shelf where it is accessible to the kids. Keeping all winter accessories in one basket guarantees you ease of mind as you will know where everything is when the cold weather hits once again.
Are you ready to purge?
Yes, I know….it’s hard to part with things you own….but it’s a necessity if you want to get your home ready for spring and start fresh. My motto: If you haven’t touched it or missed it in over 1 year, then it’s time to get rid of it!! This could include the following:
- Clothing that doesn’t fit anymore or clothing you bought on sale/impulse but never actually ended up wearing it (I just hit a nerve with some of you right now, didn’t I?)
- Toys that are no longer being played with or are missing pieces – just get rid of it…trust me, the kids won’t even know it’s gone!
- Recycle or shred those piles of paperwork you have in the kitchen, on your desk…if it hasn’t been filed by now….it’s probably not that important. This includes kids’ crafts and school assignments. Get them to choose what they want to keep, place it in a plastic bin, label it and put it under their bed. Now the kids know where to put the school mementos that they want to keep. Put the rest in the blue bin!
- If you haven’t taken down the Christmas wreath or lights…..really folks, it’s time to pack that stuff away. And your neighbours will appreciate it!
Consider donating clothing or toys to Goodwill, putting it in the garage sale bin or just throwing it away for the next garbage pick-up.
Storage Solutions
To keep your space looking beautiful and relaxing, organize your storage in a manner that gives it a consistent, uniform look. For example if you are storing things in containers or baskets, purchase all the same type. Don’t forget to take measurements of the space to be organized so you don’t buy the wrong sized basket or bin.
Getting organized is half the battle – staying organized is the other half. I hope these organizational tips will encourage you to get started this month, so you will be fully prepared for next month’s hot topic: 2010 Spring Decorating Trends!
Happy Organizing!
Christine Da Costa, MBA,
