Canadian Small Business Women

Connection, Synergy, Community

Warm Up To The Cold

fire within res LocustHill ON

As winter approaches we all want our spaces to feel cozy and warm. Employ simple ideas to achieve this. The principles apply to work or residential spaces.

If your space is relatively neutral or decorated in cool colours (blues/greens) then add heat with accent pieces in warm colours (oranges/yellows/reds). Assess the textures in your space – if you have crisp cottons/linens and many hard surfaces, then add soft fabrics like chenille, velvet or fleece with throws, cushions or table coverings. If your space is already quite soft, increase the natural elements in the space (i.e. wooden bowls,plants,table covers).  Layer the softness – don’t be afraid to combine textures – put a faux fur throw on a chenille sofa, add velvet cushions (who says our work space can’t have fun items in them?).

When you look around your space you’ll see that you can change things quite easily. Here are a few suggested items to work with:  accent cushions, scatter and/or area rugs – layer an area rug on top of an existing one or on top of your broadloom; add throws to the sofa and chairs; create vignettes of items – include candles or items in natural materials like wooden vases; bathrooms- set out the large fluffy towels – add one in a contrast colour to the set (in warm tones). Put an accent piece of fabric with the window treatment, bring in a plant or vase of flowers (artificial or real!) use a soft and fluffy Flokati scatter mat! Consider a runner or area carpet over ceramic flooring, bring a few wooden pieces to the area and candles! At home pay special attention to your bedroom space – change the duvet and window treatments to augment the season; add large overstuffed toss cushions to the bed for a luxurious, soft and warm feeling, work with accent carpets, table covers – you can even change the shades on your lamps!

While warming the interior up with soft fabrics and hot colours – don’t forget that with long dark days you’ll need a bit of brightness here and there. Change the colour of your light bulbs to daylight for active areas. Have several glass items around – vases, candle holders, glossy ceramics – they’ll sparkle, catch and reflect the light for you.

 

These are just a few of the examples of how you can freshen up your interior to enjoy the season!

 

Karen Klucowicz is the lead designer with Erotica Interiors Inc. – a full service design studio that helps bring peoples’ passions alive through interior design – creating sensual private or commercial spaces. 

connect with karen via

www.EroticaInteriors.com 

facebook   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Erotica-Interiors/373175062771124

twitter @EroticaInterior

Entrepreneurs need a time-out!

 

Time-out Chaise

When we work for ourselves and service so many others, it’s important to take some time out for you. Follow these tips to create the perfect space to retreat to – if only for a short while.

Cold days are a great reason to spoil yourself. Even the heartiest outdoor enthusiast will want to warm up with these interior ideas – think chalet, think spa, think sacred space…Pick a spot in your home where you can indulge in a little retreat.

To plan this space let’s consider how you would like to use it, decide what elements in that space will allow it to provide that function and then put it in place. When you have the space prepared you’ll realize how valuable it is.

scenario for the reader, writer, or craftsperson

In this instance a space in a den, a corner of a living room or a section of a bedroom is perfect to create a comfortable retreat. Some of the furniture options to consider: chair and ottoman; chaise lounge; oversized chair to curl up in or a sofa. A side table or coffee table – not too large you don’t want to clutter this area up too much. Lighting- if this is an area you might be able to use in the daytime try to set up near a window. Whether or not you are near a window a good reading lamp (table or floor) is a must.

lighting tip –  the lamp height should be just above and slightly behind your shoulder so that it lights up the pages in a book or magazine properly, the interior of the shade should be white so that it does not cast an odd light. Work with warm fabrics in this space – if you have a linen chaise add a chenille throw and a couple of faux fur toss cushions, perhaps a small carpet beside the chair. Accessorize this space in a very personal fashion – on the table a favourite vase, a sculpture, maybe candles. Bring a plant in – it’s always a good idea to surround yourself with nature. Put a favourite piece of art on the wall (no wall? use an easel to add a unique dimension and presentation to the room).

Include a little storage in this space for books, magazines, crafts or pencils – this could be part of the side table or an ottoman with storage or for that matter a nice magazine container.

Indulge yourself, so that you can service your clients better.

 

Karen Klucowicz is the lead designer with Erotica Interiors Inc. – a full service design studio that helps bring peoples’ passions alive through interior design – creating sensual private or commercial spaces. 

connect with karen via

www.EroticaInteriors.com 

facebook   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Erotica-Interiors/373175062771124

twitter @EroticaInterior

Summer Do's For The Perfect Workspace

HRT-boardroom

Summer is the perfect season to edit spaces. In doing so we keep it feeling fresh, clean and cool. The same should be done with our work-space.

Take a good look around the area that you are working in. Are you walking around things, moving one pile from area to area? Is there too much furniture in the space, too many trinkets, too much paper? De-clutter table tops. Clearing away excess items will give the space an instant lift. Take some time to evaluate what you really need to have around you to accomplish your tasks.

Pay attention to the colours in your space. Working with your corporate colours in the interior, analyze how it relates to summer! If you need to throw in some white to cool the colours down – do so! or add a complementary colour to make your logo pop.  A little bling and sparkle will keep the space bright – cool blue glass to hold pens, a lime green plant holder, a simple crystal vase (and of course indulge in flowers!).

Bring a bit of the exterior in to the interior — be mindful of the spaces that lead directly outside. Bring some of the colours from outside to inside. This might be as simple as a landscape photo, a plant or the colour of files you use! You won’t feel as confined, restricted and desk-bound.

If (like me) you need to have many of the things you’re working on at hand, try to contain them in file folders, envelopes, boxes. Then neatly organize them on a side credenza or perhaps a wall file holder/shelf. They are still accessible but away from your immediate work.

Your immediate work space should have just what you’re working on (oh and I must have a little notebook as I’m forever entering new passwords when sourcing or a phone call comes in and I jot notes). Clear off as much as the surface as possible – this doesn’t mean it has to be sterile and empty. You may be able to clear it enough to accommodate a beautiful plant – a nice visual rest point in the space where paper seems to gather.

The space surrounding your work-surface also needs to be cleared up. If you have too many pieces of furniture around – take some away. Open the space up, be sure your walking path is always clear and your project items accessible.

Meeting spaces should also be clutter-free. Keep the focus on the people, the interaction and the presentation at hand. The boardroom shown here demonstrates simplicity and attention requirements for this space.

Change your light-bulbs to a cool day white – definitely more seasonal and easier to work in.

Experience the many benefits to clearing a desk, tidying a bookshelf, filing paperwork and enjoying the luxury of free space. It will energize you and allow your creative to surface more quickly.

Enjoy the season and challenge yourself to be comfortable no matter what the temperature is outside!

Karen Klucowicz is the lead designer with Erotica Interiors Inc. – a full service design studio that helps bring peoples’ passions alive through interior design – creating sensual private or commercial spaces. 

connect with karen via

www.EroticaInteriors.com 

facebook   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Erotica-Interiors/373175062771124

twitter @EroticaInterior

Tell All With Your Work Space

Karen K

Your business interior should be a direct reflection of your corporate brand. Whether you work from home, a corporate office or a retail space, and, whether or not you have clients coming directly to your space, the environment you work in should tell your story. It will keep you in a positive, focused head-space to stay creative.

The investment in your corporate branding – logo, business cards, promotional materials – must be consistent with the presentation of your business setting. We’ll look at a few here.

Colour – one of my favourite subjects! Space colour is a background to profile your business. If your space merchandises products then a neutral colour is often the way to go for walls, flooring and display units; if your business is a service then work with the colours from your logo – it might be a tint or a shade of one of the colours in it or a complementary colour – make sure you feel good surrounded by that colour.

Space planning  Obviously every business has different function, furnishings, and fixture requirements. Let’s focus on the core work space for the administrative side of things – your desk or workcounter.  Hopefully you are able to devote a specific space – this is step one in terms of being focused. Step two would be make sure the surface you are using makes you feel comfortable – not only in the function capabilities but in terms of aesthetics.

For instance I tend to work in a contemporary style so my desk surface is a crisp white narrow desk with minimal detail and two small pencil drawers. This type of space reminds me to keep things orderly (with the flow of paper work required sometimes a real challenge!), the white provides a blank canvas for me when pulling schemes together with colours, textures and style.

In a corporate environment you may choose to work with casegoods that are reflective of your business (if you have the option make sure it is reflective of you!). In an executive office reflecting a “corporate” business the furniture may need to be very formal however the colour can project what you need to say – warm gold-tone woods or cool gray finishes say two very different things about you and about the business. Determine what best suits and make a statement!

Feed your creative soul.

Details in design are critical to reflecting your brand. Surround yourself or profile items in your space that tell your story and inspire you. This might be books displayed on your desktop, art on the walls, or a little vignette of products that you particularly like to sell. By keeping these items in your line of vision it will remind you of the value of your service or business and likely unleash your sales-guru, and, let’s face it – we are all in sales.

From network to new work

Our logo, the business card and our personal presentation start the branding experience for your company. Doesn’t it make sense that if the person your networking with has an interest they will also have an expectation of your space?

Enjoy your space, have fun with it and keep it sexy!

Karen Klucowicz is the lead designer with Erotica Interiors Inc. – a full service design studio that helps bring peoples’ passions alive through interior design – creating sexy private or commercial spaces.  Connect with Karen via www.EroticaInteriors.com or on Facebook  or on  twitter