Tuesday 14 June 2016

Top 5 Reasons to Consult with a Decorator

If you are thinking about consulting with a decorator, Susan Fenn at Sensational Spaces does not want you to hesitate! These are the top reasons that really describe what consulting a decorator can do for you and why consulting with Sensational Spaces is worth your time and money.

1. Affirmation you are on the right track

Decorators provide professional advice to match a particular style to your personality and polish the ideas you bring to the table.


2. Guidance and suggestions to enhance your knowledge

Your decorator is here to bring you clarity and guide you to the direction you want to go.



3. Pulling it all together and making it work

Calling on a professional gives you an extra pair of eyes to create flow throughout your entire home.  The end result is that coordinated look within your space.





4. You save money in the long run

A great deal can be accomplished in a one hour consultation, a decorator can show you several right options that you can choose from before committing to purchasing any items for your home.


5. New ideas

A decorator is trained to come into your home and make suggestions on what needs to change and brainstorm new ideas to make your space personalized to you. Decorators follow the trends, they research tips and improvements and most importantly their experience has resulted in several tried and true design concepts that work.




Whether your dilemma lies with flooring choices, layout, renovation ideas, colour schemes or window treatments, Susan Fenn at Sensation Spaces Interior Design believes that everyone is within arms reach of assistance with design. After all, her company culture is "For any style, any budget, any home".

Contact Susan to set up a consultation
Ph 705.930.4136
E-mail sensationalspaces@sympatico.ca

Thursday 1 May 2014

Decorating on a Budet

Decorating on a Budget






“Decorating isn’t about breaking the bank,” said Susan Fenn, Interior Designer and owner/operator of Sensational Spaces, “it’s about injecting your own taste, style and flair into your home.”
                Fenn explained that designing your home can be performed exclusively while remaining on a pre-determined budget.  Deciding your financial commitment to the project prior to beginning is a positive step, and creates a very realistic goal.
                “To begin we look at what the clients priorities are,” said Fenn, “ their wish list, what they picture in their mind when they close their eyes, and to what end we can work together to transform their  financial expenditures into a redesigned living space.”
                If it is all new furnishing that are your goal, Fenn says the start point would be hunting through used furniture, flea markets and lower end outlets, always being sure that the client is okay with gently-used furniture pieces. “There are some very cool and creative treasures to be discovered in some of these places,” she said, “some of them just need freshening up to uncover a whole new life.”  Fenn explained that sometimes a simple coat of paint can breathe new life into an old forgotten piece.
                The two most important items worthy of an affordable makeover consist of paint and lighting. Fenn says that these two items can make a world of difference in a living space, and can be planned and executed while sticking to the all-important budget. Neutral colours in painted walls have been the mainstay for a long time, showcasing beiges, sand and taupe colour schemes. The big change in this chapter of decorating is seeing the neutral shades move from the beiges on the colour wheel, to the grays, said Fenn.  The gray family of colours is able to maintain the likes of a neutral palette, but issue in a breath of fresh air with cool grays that are easily adaptable and customisable with coloured accents. Grays tend to present a more ‘airy’ feeling than earthy beige tones, offering a huge fresh look as affordably as buying a couple of gallons of paint.
                “And it’s not only the walls that can be reincarnated with a luxurious coat of fresh paint,” added Fenn, “don’t forget about furniture. An old chair, a run-down table, any neglected piece of furniture can be an astonishing addition to a made over room with just a coat of paint.” A flat black, or a high gloss black, promises to showcase and renew furniture in your newly gray painted room.  But don’t limit your creativity there, rather encompass the art of change by splashing some coordinating primary colors into a room of neutrals. Even a subtle white or a stain can give life to old furniture. Fenn says to be creative with your ideas when it comes to reinventing the colour and theme of accessories.
                While shifting to neutral grays or “greige”, another affordable alternative is to go neutrally with large pieces in the room such as the sofa or headboard. The alternative is to now present an interesting colour scheme into the room via accessories.
                “There are stores locally that present colour coded accessories,” said Fenn. Apparently everything accessory is categorized, such as a lime green, or a slate blue, boasting everything from lamps to cushions to throws and area rugs, even vases and clocks, all in a matching colour. Selecting accessories in such an eloquently mannered matching colour scheme prove to set off the room’s neutral tones with whichever colour from the rainbow that you decide upon. “You owe it to yourself to visit stores such as Bouclair to browse through their colour co-ordinated lay out of accessories,” said Fenn.
                The second most important feature of any room’s overall look comes down to the lighting. Fenn admits that approximately 90% of the homes that she visits are under lit.  “It’s not a large expense to re-light any room with lamps; floor lamps, table lamps, ceiling light fixtures, and the endless possibilities of shapes and styles available is impressive,” she added. “Not to mention the plethora of options available with the shades for the new lamps,” she said.  Fenn also suggests that lighting up some of the artwork in your room is a great idea.  A light over a painting not only adds more illumination to an under lit room, but serves to highlight focal points, and can be done very affordably and inexpensively.
                It can be done, redecorating on a budget. Select the amount of money you are dedicating to the project, follow some of the ideas above or call an Interior Decorator, and let the magic happen.

For additional information about Sensational Spaces and Susan Fenn, visit her on-line at www.sensationalspaces.ca

Wednesday 1 January 2014

Trends in 2014

House Beautiful

Hello and Happy New Year!!
Welcome to my blog for 2014. First and foremost, I hope everyone enjoyed their New Years celebration! I would like to take this opportunity to wish my family, friends, clients and colleagues a happy and healthy year ahead.
Now...Lets talk trends for the coming year!!
Whoever said one mans trash is another mans treasure must have been a professional vintage shopper! Be fair-warned, vintage furniture shopping isn't for everyone. You must be well equipped with an eye for finding diamonds in the rough and a generous amount of patience, otherwise your efforts may go in vein.
 One of my personal favorite vintage collections is shown in the image above.
I think vintage and one-of-a-kind pieces will be highly sought after this year in home decor. It's great finds like these that keep people asking, "Where did you get that?". I adore the hot pink chair fabric in the entry, that REALLY makes a statement! Accompanied by a fabulous black chinoiserie dresser and a few interesting pieces of artwork on the wall above, you've created a sophisticated focal point for your entrance. Notice nothing is matchy-match here! An eclectic mix of interesting pieces make a very attractive visual staging first seen when entering this home.
To help you with your search, here are a few great spots in Toronto to find vintage furniture for your home;
"Around the Block" is located at 150 Lesmill rd. with is a great mixture of contemporary and antique furniture and lots of interesting unique pieces.
"Atomic design" is located at 965 Queen St. W. which offers clients art , lighting, modern glass and objects from the 60s to the 80s, all restored.
While strolling down Queen Street west check out "Black Pug DMK" which is located at 1712 Queen St. W. offering another great collection of interesting antique pieces.
When contemplating fresh decor in your home this year, ask yourself "what change could I make to improve the overall appeal of my home?".
For further discussion feel free to contact me:

Susan Fenn
Interior Designer
Sensational Spaces Interior Design
705-930-4136

Sunday 3 November 2013

Holiday 2013 Newsletter

Click the images to view the newsletter in its original size.



Fashion Trends Translated For Your Home

Fashion trends these days are getting stranger as the years go by. A few trends, though, are timeless and are always being reinvented in new, modern ways. One great thing about the fashion industry is that their trends are easily translatable to home decor trends. Don't believe me? Keep reading!

Try Going Monochromatic

Interiors that consist of a monochromatic colour scheme can be some of the most fabulous spaces. There truly are endless ways to design a room around differing shades of any colour of your choosing. Greyscale is the most popular for both fashion and interiors. With endless shades of black, grey, and white to choose from, you're bound to find a clothing or furniture piece to suit your style.

Add a Pop of Colour

Every now and again we want to stand out. The best way to do so is through adding a pop of colour to your outfit, such as a bold hued clothing or accessory piece, or stand-out makeup. Why limit our boldness to just our outfits? Add a classic furniture piece in a bright colour to your space to add freshness and interest. You don't always have to purchase brand new furniture either! Do you have a piece that is still functional, but the fabric is worn or outdated? Get it reupholstered in a fabulous fabric of your choosing and add fresh spin on an old classic!

Make a Statement With Leather

One of fashion's biggest luxury fabrics is leather. Be it a leather skirt, pants, jacket, or leather details on a shirt; it's very in. Luckily leather is not a new trend, nor is it a trend that will fade away any time soon. Just as with fashion, leather has always been a "must have" fabric to have in the home. A leather sofa added to a living room is a great way to make a bold statement, while still remaining family functional and aesthetically pleasing.

These are just a few ideas to get your mind thinking of different ways you can spice up your home using trends found on the runway. Coming up with different ideas may be fun, but executing a well-laid out plan may be difficult if not given proper direction. For this reason it is best to hire a trained professional whenever possible. Are you living in the Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, or Durham Region and want to change up your space but don't know where to start? Give Susan Fenn of Sensational Spaces a call and book a consultation. She'll walk through your home and take note of your taste, likes and dislikes, and give you her professional recommendation to suit your budget. Get started on your dream home today!

Contact Susan Fenn at (705) 930-4136 or by email at sensationalspaces@sympatico.ca

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