This week I give up my decorating spotlight to bring you some insider thoughts about decorating with Canadian interior designer Candice Olson.
She’s got the No. 1 decorating show on HGTV (U.S.) and her show Divine Design can be seen on the W Network in Canada every Thursday night.
Candice is as friendly and charming in real life as she is on television; and she’s got a wicked sense of humour.
I caught up with her last month and was surprised to learn that her rooms are not only well decorated, but often incorporate many eco-friendly and hand-made products.
What design style are you best known for?
My look tends to be contemporary, parred down clean lines with a huge factor of comfort. I don’t like cold, sterile rooms so I like to use natural materials like natural fabrics and cork.
How does that differ from personal decorating style at home?
I actually like modern style, but love to incorporate the element of handmade into a room. Handmade items bring a sense of personal style and offer a look that no one else will have.
One of a kind items like sculptures, carved wooden bowls, baskets and artwork help to define a homeowner’s decor personality.
What are your clients requesting these days?
My clients are becoming increasingly more concious about earth-friendly products and are very savvy to incorporate them into a room’s design.
Although I have suggested products like cork flooring for many years, its popularity and acceptance has been increasing ten-fold over the past while. Earth-friendly decorating products don’t have to look hippy-granola; can you imagine cork flooring made to look like modern wooden planks or concrete tiles?
This type of stuff is really exciting to me.
What are a few of the fall decor trends that you will be following?
Clean, curvy lines and a touch of glamour are often added to my rooms; and I am also making an even greater effort to encourage eco-friendly products to my clients.
There are some incredibly stylish products for the home that are also good for our planet and as a designer, it’s my job to educate my clients about what not only looks good in a room, but is good for our environment.
