why i love my clients

I must say that I've been extremely fortunate over the past 11 years to get the best clients a designer could ask for.  And I'm not just blowing smoke or sunshine, I really mean it!

Thinking back about my past and present clients - I just gotta say that I've been so insanely blessed to work with the people who have hired me.

 

I mean, look at the following examples...

 

My family and I were invited to the most glorious lake house EVER. And my kids got pulled around the lake on a tube. Super fun. And me? I got to wake up to a gorgeous lake view and sit on the dock sipping coffee. (Cue choir of angels...)

 

A client I hadn't seen for a few years gave me the biggest hug when we met the other day. Then we chatted about hair and nails and she gave me a high five when we'd decided on something for her house. Love that!

 

I had a friend hire me to design and decorate her ENTIRE house. She trusted me 100% and we had fun doing it.

 

I really like the people that hire me and usually leave our meetings so excited about our work together. I love that they trust me and take my opinions and allow me to be just a little bossy about their houses.

 

I often reflect on how blessed I am to truly LOVE my job. That's the dream isn't it? To love what you do, every single day.

 

How fortunate for me that I really do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Dream Bedroom

As a designer, you'd think I'd have a beautiful master bedroom.

Wrong.

It is on my wish list for sure, but has yet to be made a top priority on the ever-growing, never ending "to-do" list.

So until it becomes a reality, a girl can dream.

Here are a few images of what I'd love to see happen in my very own bedroom:

source

I love the dramatic light fixture, the upholstered bed and the soft pattern of the area rug. I also love how bright it is - I do not require black out blinds as I love waking up to the sunshine.



source

This one has an entirely different feel to it - but I'm still very attracted to it. I love how serene it is, but that orange throw really brings some energy to the space. 

source

This is much more masculine than the other two but I sure love this. In fact, I really love it. From the pendant to the bench to those worn wood floors. It is so inviting!

And I apologize that every bedroom I picked has white walls, but I just can't get enough of clean, bright white these days. However, I wouldn't do that for YOUR house if you weren't as enamored as I currently am!

Fortunately, I am working on two bedroom updates for two different clients so I get to live vicariously through them because my dream bedroom won't be coming to life anytime soon.

One thing is for sure...my dream bedroom will include a lock on the door so a certain five year old won't be able to wake me up at six a.m. on weekends! Sigh.

 

Stephanie Charest Interior Design is a full service Calgary Interior Design firm. I'd love to help you design, renovate or makeover your space! Please see the contact page to get in touch.

before and after...

Who doesn't love a before and after? I know I do. Remember Oprah's makeover shows? They were always the best. It's pretty amazing to see what can be hiding under dated attire or hair.

 

Same goes for interiors. I love getting to the finished product, but equally enjoy seeing the "diamond in the rough" for the first time and envisioning what it could be.

Before...

 

Yuck. Just plain nasty. (sorry lovely clients...but I speak the truth).

 

Now...behold the AFTER!

 

 

Quite the change isn't it? I'm so happy my clients loved it and they happen to be my in-laws...so phew! Lucky for both of us! I love the new contemporary bathroom design.

 

*NOTE: I took inspiration from a Candice Olson interior that I saw and knew my clients would love.*

 

Stephanie Charest Interior Design is a full service Calgary Interior Design firm. I'd love to help you design, renovate or makeover your space! Please see the contact page to get in touch.

 

Jewelry

 

 

This pretty thing is being suggested to a client of mine for her master bedroom re-design. It is much lovelier in person. Lighting is like the jewelry on your outfit...it can take a space from the everyday to extraordinary. Do not skimp on the lighting!

 

Here are a few more examples that show how beautiful lighting really completes a space...

 

House Beautiful

 

lush home

elle decor



 

Stephanie Charest Interior Design is a full service Calgary Interior Design firm. I'd love to help you design, renovate or makeover your space! Please see the contact page to get in touch.





in the shopping cart

What do you do when you're sick with an ear infection and cannot get out of bed? You shop online of course. Duh.

I am still suffering from an ear infection that had me bed ridden for five days and after getting terribly bored with daytime TV, I entertained myself with a little online shopping. However, I didn't actually hit the "purchase" button. This is just online shopping for the fun of putting items in the cart, but not really buying them. Do you do that? Put items in your cart but not purchase them? Of course you do.

I figured it would be fun to design my own home with dream items from the intranet. So grab a coffee and join me while I shop!

Please note this lovely comfortable looking sofa from Elte. I HATE my current sofas. Yep, plural. Why? Because they are terribly ugly and old and (please don't hate me) a matching set from Costco. Ugh. I bought them when I was much younger and clearly had zero funds. Could I go back, I'd never ever buy them again, but they honestly owe me nothing. One day, if you see a giant fireball in the sky, you'll know I've finally lit a match to them. So head over with some marshmallows.

This is what I'd buy if I could...

sofa / lamp / chair / pillows / side table / wood storage / coffee table / area rug

 

Sigh. Such fun! However when you come over, don't judge me when you see my current furnishings looking nothing like this!

 

Tell me, what would you put in your imaginary shopping cart?

 

 

 

 



new and exciting

A lot of work goes into a website and a blog. Did you know that? I sure do! But I'm pretty pleased with the new look of my website. A website! ME!!!! Something I've wanted for a while but never made the time for.

That said, there are still a few kinks to sort out as I learn how to navigate on here and make things look the way I want (as for content). As for the design and layout...all credit goes to Danielle Moss a fabulous graphic designer/blogger/website wizard for setting this up for me. Check her out  and get to know her. She's super cute, stylish and I must say - PATIENT. I am a techy moron so she had to put up with me and my questions and she did it without dumping my sorry bum.

As for my portfolio pictures, photo credit goes to Lori Andrews of Lori Andrews Photography. Boy do I wish I could take photos like that! I appreciated her eye on detailing and styling very much. Plus she's funny, blunt and gorgeous. Totally the same as me (except the gorgeous part. duh). However the photo she took of me for my "About" page is pretty awesome if I do say so myself. I sure do love me some filters.

A shout out also goes to my friend Peggy for the fabulous calligraphy she did of my name. I love it. She needs a website.

I look forward to posting on here far more than I have been in the past while...but an ear infection and vertigo will kick the crap out of a girl for nearly three weeks.

In summary...if I had a flute of champagne in my hand, I'd be raising it and toasting my new website and the exciting new design opportunities that I hope are to follow!

Cheers!

Stephanie Charest Interior Design is a full service Calgary Interior Design firm. I'd love to help you design, renovate or makeover your space! Please see the contact page to get in touch.

my favorite color of the moment....

BOOM.

Citrine.

Do you love it? Do you hate it? I personally L O V E it. All caps. That's a lot of love.

I know, I know. Color can be intimidating. I even struggle with bold color (in my own space) and I'm a designer. But this color - oy! It's so fresh and energizing!

I think my favorite thing is that is can be paired with so many other colors!! Just look at it with teal or peacock blue....

via etsy

 Eeeeeeee! It makes me giddy!

Citrine and Grey....

via Little Blue Deer

Very sophisticated...don't you think?

Wait for it....wait for it...

Citrine and PINK!!
(it looks more yellow here, but you get the point)
 

via Style At Home

 

Gahhh! I die!!!

And finally navy...(with pink too!)

via Barrie Benson

 

Oh to have a client so bold!

 

Here's an interior I put together with citrine as an accent. Chartreuse, Citrine, Midori, Lime Green...call it what you will! It doesn't have to be a main feature but even used sparingly, it is just so dang happy!! You can easily incorporate bold colors into your home using your current neutral furniture.

(if you are interested in any of the above products...leave a comment and I'll tell you where they're from.)

So tell me! What are your thoughts on this bold color? Do you love it? Do you hate it? Would you add some citrine accents to your house?

I bet a certain someone who reads my blog (hi mum!) is laughing right now because all I own at this point in citrine is a pillow that sits on my all white bed. When I make my bed. Which is never.

That said, I'd REALLY like to branch out and add more citrine (and peacock blue) to my own house.

Stephanie
(aargh. i'm trying to figure out how to add a signature here and darn blogger won't let me! I cannot wait for my new website to be up and running!!! Please have the patience with it that I do not currently have!)

fall "trends"

I'm a big believer in not following trends.

 

Actually, no, I lied. Let me explain.

I think trends are fabulous actually. I love seeing all the new fall clothes hit the stores in (gasp) August. I love seeing the new colors predicted as hot for the coming season or year, I love the excitement of trying to work in trendy pieces with each new season.

What I don't like is being overly concerned with "what's trendy right now". Why? Because if something is trendy but you hate it, does it matter that its trendy? Nope. If you L O V E a trend, then great, let's figure out how it will work in your space. But if you hate it, then it just doesn't matter if  they say its trendy, popular or "in". (Who are "they" anyhow? Whoever "they" are, they sure know a lot of stuff.)

 

via Elle Decor

brass. its hot again. can you handle it?

Knowing your style is key. Especially when shopping for new fall clothes...but even more important when undertaking a renovation or spending money on furniture! That is where I come in. Typically your current house will speak volumes as to your style. As will a conversation over a glass of wine or coffee! (The best clients always give me a glass of wine at our first meeting...seriously.)

One of the most exciting things for me is walking into the first meeting with a new client and getting to discover what they want to do with their house and what their style is. Sometimes it can be a bit painful, if I'm being honest, but usually it isn't too hard to figure out what style they are most comfortable with.

via Pantone

emerald green. too much for you? how about some pillows?

So...should you concern yourself with trends? Yes and no. We can always fit a trend in with your personal style whether its color, fabric or materials. As long as you love something, it will be on trend! And if you don't particularly like any of the current trends, I can work with that too. The important this is to update your space and make it exciting to you again. 

That, in my opinion, is always on trend.

*side note* I will definitely push you out of your comfort zones and into new and exciting horizons. you've been warned. 

via HGTV 

wallpaper. sigh. i love it.

Stephanie Charest Interior Design is a full service Calgary Interior Design firm. I'd love to help you design, renovate or makeover your space! Please see the contact page to get in touch.

North West Calgary, Renovation

 

Stephanie Charest Interior Design is a full service Calgary Interior Design firm. I'd love to help you design, renovate or makeover your space! Please see the contact page to get in touch.



Elbow Park Residence, Calgary



 

Stephanie Charest Interior Design is a full service Calgary Interior Design firm. I'd love to help you design, renovate or makeover your space! Please see the contact page to get in touch.

Stanley Park Renovation, Calgary

 

 

Stephanie Charest Interior Design is a full service Calgary Interior Design firm. I'd love to help you design, renovate or makeover your space! Please see the contact page to get in touch.

Epircurious Kids Cookery

How fortunate for me to be asked to design the new location of the Epicurious Kids Cookery in North West Calgary. It was a fun project do to with the bright colors and child-like graphics on the walls.

 

The client and her husband were very involved in the selections...to the point of presenting me with finishes they'd already purchased and I then had to work around! However, the end result is a bright, lively space that the client loves and the kids that cook there have fun in!

 



Jencor Mortgage Corporation