A CLEAR WINNER Many people believe that Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, but British inventors first demonstrated the feasibility of electric light as early as 1835. For the next four decades, scientists around the world continued to refine the concept,...
Light is one of the seven main elements of interior design. (To save you a search, the others are space, lines, form (or shape), pattern, colour, and texture.) Ambient — deriving from the French word “ambience” — is a direct descendant of the Latin ambiens, which was...
Believe it or not, the tried-and-true way to tell the difference between ceramic and porcelain is not hardness, sheen, or even price. It’s water absorption! Porcelain tiles must have a demonstrated absorption rate of 0.5 percent or less. Anything above that threshold...
Translated literally from Chinese to English, feng means “wind” and shui translates to “water.” Together, the words Feng Shui can be defined as “a Chinese geomantic practice in which a structure or site is chosen or configured so as to harmonize with the spiritual...
It’s thought that wallpaper made its debut in China around 200 B.C., and that it took the form of birds, flowers and landscapes painted on rice paper. The concept migrated to Europe in the 16th century, where options soon expanded to include hand-printed block wood...
Soapstone, marble, Corian, ceramic tile, butcher block and stainless steel … The list of material options for countertops grows, yet granite and quartz continue to reign supreme. Both are beautiful, durable, and offer a reliable return on investment, but there are...
Living through a global pandemic has inspired us to appreciate our homes as never before—and to make the most of every inch of floor space. More than a place to showcase our style, we’re looking to our homes for a sense of the peace and tranquility that’s become...
The art and practice of interior design presents endless opportunities for creativity and self expression. At the same time, there are certain tried-and-true guidelines and rules that savvy practitioners have come to rely on again and again. In the kitchen, one such...
Some people just seem to be blessed with an almost instinctive sense of how to bring out the best possible form and function in any given space, but many are not so lucky! No matter which group you fall into, a good interior designer can save you time and money—not to...
Like much of the year that’s already passed, this holiday season is going to be different from any we’ve known before. Who could have predicted we’d be expressing our affection for those we hold dear by effectively avoiding them? However, just because the vibrant,...
