Stories behind the Aviatrix Collection

WASP pilots

The story of female pilots during World War II is one of perseverance and courage in the face of opposition. While there were experienced female pilots at the time, our culture wasn’t ready to accept them outside of a support role. Even their physical capability and mental capacity was in question. And yet they persevered in asking for a place and took any flying jobs they could get. In the end, they exceeded expectations and began to change the cultural perception of women.

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Learning how to be sustainable

With so many “things” in the world vying for our attention and easily accessible do we really need another brand with more stuff? These are questions I ask myself as a maker and designer. Am I a contributor to the problem of oversupply and waste? A sobering thought, and one that lies at the foundation of my work in timeless design. The best way to reduce waste and spend is to buy things that we can keep for a long time. How do we do that? 

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Biophilic Design

Picture Courtesy of https://eightdoors.com/biophilic-home-design-bring-the-joy-of-spring-inside/

I stumbled across the term “Biophilic Design” a few months ago and dove into an exploratory phase. Aside from sounding really smart (who doesn’t want that?) conversations around biophilic design have been growing in popularity. As we become more invested in health and wellness and the awareness of how our environment affects us, we naturally discover these principles. 

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Choosing a design style

When you’re beginning a home reno project, having a clear view of your style can make the decision making process much easier. I’ve picked three styles to review, minimalism, mid-century modern and maximalism. Let’s jump in!

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What’s next for our homes?

*A recent article written for Hometown St. Thomas enjoy! – Suzanne

With the holidays wrapping up we have all begun to change our homes back to “normal” and think about the New Year ahead. My home always feels a little bare after putting away all the Christmas decor. Although bare isn’t the only word I would use to describe it. It also feels like a clean slate which is refreshing.

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Traditional or not?

This article was originally written for Hometown St. Thomas Magazine

With the Holidays around the corner, many of us are starting to think about decorating and baking and all the holiday traditions. Decisions Decisions!  What makes Christmas feel like Christmas? For some it’s the people, for others, the wintry weather. And still others, the baking and decor. Did I mention presents? Of course it’s different for everyone, so how can you make it magical for all? 

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Decorating for Fall

Photo: Esther Hollywood

This article was originally written for the Railway City Tourism Insiders Blog:

When we think about fall decor, the first thing that comes to mind is pumpkins, mums and cornstalks. Am I right? While these iconic fall pieces are lovely, there’s so much more to changing our homes for this new season than just front door displays. Our lifestyles in fall change as well and our homes can reflect that in ways that are comforting and useful.

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Dried Flower Bars

As promised, a little more info about the new dried flower bars! If you’re like me I love incorporating natural plants and grasses in to my home. Dried flowers are a maintenance free and cost effective alternative to fresh flowers. They also offer some colour contrast to live house plants and can balance out a room.

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Gallery Wall 2022

I’m excited to present the Gallery Wall 2022! Work has been progressing behind the scenes for some time and I couldn’t be happier with the result. I’m passionate about making local art available to homeowners, businesses and interior designers.

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For the love of candles

For our 15th wedding anniversary in 2020, we planned a trip to Denmark. As you can expect, it was cancelled. It still benefitted me in many ways though. I had been researching Danish design for months leading up to it and discovered a new word which soon captivated my heart. Hygge. Recently popularised from the Danish language through books such as “The little book of Hygge: The Danish way to live well” by Meik Weiking. It basically means “cozy happy times”. Denmark is famous for its high happiness ratings. This seems surprising to many due to its northern placement on the map and many months of cold dark winter. If you ask the Danes, they agree that their belief in hygge and creating it in their homes is what this happiness is all about. And love of candles is right at it’s centre.

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