The great Beauty of Paris,

I recently vacationed in France.  As with other European cities I have visited, it is filled with history and wonderful architecture.  Having studied this in college, I am of course incredibly interested in viewing it first hand.  My first stop was Paris and nothing can quite compare to that!  Loved it and will be going back.  So much to see and not enough time.  What I did see was amazing.  I had a list and was able to accomplish some of it.
The buildings, the bridges are all so old and so fantastic.  I was really taken away with the intricate carving I saw everywhere.  Imagine our very industrial and practical bridges in comparison to the intricately carved bridges all along the Seine. Statues everywhere. Very ornate, very beautiful!

A stop at the  Galeries Lafayette  offered much more than expected.  Consisting of several buildings along Boulevard Haussmann.  It was so huge I only really visited one of the buildings. Must go back there for sure - lots of goodies!  From the second floor there is an amazing view of all the other floors with once again intricately carved and painted balconies.  The top of the building has a beautiful stained glass dome.

All of the floors viewed from this point  

Of course one must see the well known tourist attractions - The Eiffel Tower, was named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built it.  Eiffel lived in an apartment at the top of the tower for many years. 

A statue of Mr. Eiffel at the base of the tower                                                                                

Views from the top of the Eiffel Tower

Entrance to the Louvre

On a stroll up the Seine we were able to view the 
intricate details of he bridges.  So magnificant!

Notre Dame 

 

After our visit to the Cathedral we made our way down to the Archaeological ryps of Notre Dame which links to the Paris Catacombs which run for miles under the historical secton of Paris.

A view from the crypt out to the river

Looking out at the river from down in the crypt

Jardin des Tuileries

Versailles

A visit to Versailles is definitely worth the lineups.  Having studied this I was prepared for it's grandour and beauty but wow!! it is overwhelming in person.

 Famous Hall of Mirrors

An intimate dining space 












And set up for formal

entertaining

Above is a baby bassinetteA view of the gardens

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Champs Elysees - The famous shopping boulevard was all and more than expected. We spent out last night in Paris after returning from Cannes and strolled down the boulevard with a light rain falling,  just like in movies and art. Unfortunately all my lovely photos are on my tablet which is out there somewhere unknown...

Keep reading for part two - Cannes

The Learning and Education never stops.... or it shouldn't!

This year our GTA West Chapter embarked on another fantastic Professional Development Day for the members in this area.  Once again Willis, a very supportive affiliate of ours donated their space and refreshments for this 1/2 day event.

We followed this up with our annual Summer Luncheon held at the Millcroft Golf Club in Burlington.

A great day of learning, networking and eating was had by all!

Special thanks to  Jason Bouwman , Principal & Creative Director of Compass Creative in Stoney Creek, Ont., a marketing agency that specializes in serving contractors in the landscaping and home renovation industry.

Mike Hetherman, President, owner and CEO of Willis - a North American distributor of world class building materials including DuPont™ Corian®, DuPont™ Zodiaq®, Arpa Italian laminate and Artisan sinks and faucets

Hamilton potters Guild Spring Sale

It's that time of year - the annual spring pottery sale which is being held in the Dundas LIons Memorial Community Centre, 10 Market St. S., Dundas, ON.

Friday, May 2nd - 3 pm - 10 pm

Saturday, May 3rd - 10 am - 8 pm

Sunday, May 4th - 12 noon - 4 pm

Free Parking, Free Admission and the most gorgeous work by local artisans.

Check out the web www.hamiltonpotters.ca

There is a wide variety of beautiful hand crafted items available from jewellery to dishware and everything in between.

Carol Rossman is the creator of this lovely bowl.

What does an Interior Decorator offer - part 2

How do Interior Decorators create that perfect space?

There are many variables involved  to creating the perfect space  - from the correct use of colour, textures, lighting to space planning and creative furniture placement,.  Many things have to come together in order to maximize rooms to their best potential. 

Colour and lighting; whether natural or artificial can impact on how we feel in a space.  By using cool or warm hues we create a feeling for a room.  A variety of textures add interest and depth to the space.  There is no right or wrong opinion about neutrals vs. colour; it’s all a matter of applying the colour in an appropriate manner.

Interior Decorators are able to create fabulous designs while offering a functional space.  Great design is only great if it is functional.  A decorator can create that polished look through attention to details, creative lighting, custom millwork and window treatments.

An Interior Decorator creates innovative designs by manipulating the scale of furnishings and prioritizing features for both function and style, especially in small spaces.  A decorator can transform your space into the dream you have always envisioned. A decorator can take your ideas, make suggestions and in the end pull it all together and transform the vision into a perfect space.

An Interior Decorator can offer a full range of residential design options such as Color Consultations, Space Planning, Furniture Selection, Custom Draperies, Soft Furnishings, Flooring, Wall Coverings, Kitchen and Bath Planning, New home specifications and preparing the home for Resale, as well as Selection of Artwork and Accessories.  An Interior Decorator can assist in the Refreshing of a room by Re-purposing and Repositioning pieces to create a new look.

There is great deal of flexibility when working with an Interior Decorator.

A decorator will work with you to develop a decorating plan and establish a realistic budget.  Any project can be broken down into manageable pieces to be completed at a later date.

Ultimately an Interior Decorator’s job is to create a personal and livable space and add the icing to the cake.

Why Hire an Interior Decorator

Hiring an Interior Decorator can be one of the most practical things you can do for your home.

An Interior Decorator will work with you, the client, to solve decorating dilemmas and challenges, so that you can bring out your home’s potential and best features while creating a unique, innovative and livable space which reflects your individual taste, personality and style.

Using an Interior Decorator does not have to be costly, in fact using a decorator can stop you from making costly mistakes. And in the long run, clients can end up saving both money and time.  You don’t need a big budget to hire a decorator or to have a beautiful home

Most people have good taste, but are too busy to source exactly what they would love for their homes.  They are limited to resources available to the public, whereas using a decorator enables clients to have access to products not available to the general public, products that have one of a kind designs and a custom look. Decorators also have access to hundreds of choices in all areas of home décor, which in turn offers the client unique and exclusive designs. Decorators have the technical knowledge required to bring about great design.  It is extremely important for clients to be informed about the products they select with respect to care required or the ease of use.

With so much variety these days, the search for anything new can become very daunting and in the end the client can just “settle” for something as they are frustrated with the amount of “foot work” involved in selecting the perfect products.  A decorator works in partnership with the client to offer innovative and desirable results suited to the client and that maximize the client’s home’s potential.  A decorator gives guidance, and the services provided can involve as much or as little of the client’s time as the client desires.

A decorator has no emotional tie to the home; allowing for objectivity when making decorating choices. A decorator meets with the client, gets to know the type of style they want; their likes and dislikes in home décor and their lifestyle, by asking detailed questions; and then responds to their needs by beginning to source products to present.  Usually there are several choices and finally the client along with the decorator will zero in on the look they want.  The decorator continues to source the selections and can arrange for trades people to do the home remodel.  The decorator can also do the overall project management of the redecorating or redesign.

Be sure to check out part 2 which tells more about an interior decorator’s role in a home remodel.

Stephen and Chris Show

Once again our CDECA group of Interior Decorators headed down to the CBC studios in Toronto to be guests at the Steven and Chris Show.  What a couple of humourous and friendly guys, not to mention their talent.  The kept us laughing through a lot of the show. Catch them on CBC weekdays at 2 p.m.