In choosing the size of a chandelier, there are no concrete criteria of evaluation. Interior designers always advise to stay away from buying a small-sized chandelier for a large room. On the other side, the use of candelabras or small chandeliers allows, in certain cases, to attain an interesting compositional effect. Every-thing depends on your taste and wants.

Unlike the homes in the magazines, most of us will never own a Schonbek crystal chandelier to tower over a twelve-seater dining table. In fact, these days we’re lucky if there’s enough floor space in our homes for a dining room at all! Multi-functional, small scale and affordable is the way many of us live. And as more people move into and vie for premium spaces in the cities, large spaces will continue to be an expensive option.

The rain sets in, flowers bloom … and the mud comes in! The majority of homes today have a transition area from the outdoors to the indoors. Some are large and some are not. It is the space where family members, drop their bags, shed coats and deposit dirty shoes and boots. Dripping umbrellas and boot puddles abound and we need to make the most of the floor space available. It certainly is a well named space. A full room, while it would be nice, isn’t essential to …

PPG’s 2012 / 2013 colour trend forecast calls for an awakening of the senses, a new positiveness, a search for increased intensity, and a sense of luxuriousness.

If you’re planning ahead for 2012 and want to know what is happening in terms of colours, the Color Marketing Group (CMG) suggests Boyz-N-Berry, a “deep rich purple with slight red undertones. It is mature and elegant yet has a youthful edginess. It reflects our changing mindset on so many issues — off centre and unconventional, spiritual, meditative yet impulsive. It is serene and in control.” It is also able to blur the line, being both masculine and feminine and appealing to everyone.

Do you feel the need to watch the news, or anything else on television, while you’re in the bathroom? Many people install separate televisions in their bathrooms, however, if not done properly, the space quickly looks overcrowded and overdone. Not to mention the potential hazard of cords near water, depending on the type of installation. If you must have a TV, opt for one that is embedded in your mirror.

If you’re a trend watcher and can’t wait to know what’s on the design horizon for 2012, here are a few of the evolving shifts occurring within Canada and the US pertaining to home design, which are making our living spaces more practical than aspirational. These trends apply not only to new homes, but more extensive renovation projects.

A common design battle... One partner wants the fireplace to stand alone or to feature artwork. The other wants to mount the TV above it. If you can compromise, and prefer a modern flair, check out the Scenario from MCZ.

In an ironic twist, a Dutch design firm, design label, Vij5, has introduced lumber made from recycled newspaper: NewspaperWood.

Based on a new report from the International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA), houses are getting smaller, living rooms are disappearing altogether, and dining rooms are seeing a renaissance.

After a brief hiatus to focus on this year’s Oceana Ball (more to come on that in the future), we’re attempting to return to our normal routine and schedule. Having spent an inordinate amount of time the past several months concentrating on all things themed “Oceana,” including pieces of driftwood that washed up onto the shores of some of our native beaches, taking a look at reclaimed wood seemed a logical fit.

To answer the ongoing question of what to do with all those discarded PET water bottles, Shell created a company in conjunction with its venture capital arm.