My First Design Project was at 9 years old

October 17, 2018

If you want to ask me “Have I always wanted to be a decorator?” I will first have to tell you this story; When I was 9 years old, my family was in a bit of limbo. We came to Toronto (from Vancouver) to stay with friends in an adorable and charming brownstone semi in Cabbagetown. The homeowner, my mother’s friend, had an eclectic style of antiques, modern art and a red piano.

Their kitchen had high ceilings with exposed brick walls, a big central island with a butcher block top, full of copper pots and thick cookbooks. Tall skinny staircases led to small rooms full of built in cabinets, big beds layered in linen bedding, and gallery walls of photos. It was my dream home, and I still believe to this day I could accurately recreate the home to scale with just my memories. With no kids my age to spend the days with, I decided that the furniture in the living room should be rearranged. It was the 80’s, so of course the furniture was placed diagonally across the room. Always being more a traditionalist, I moved the furniture around into a floating symmetrical arrangement. Just picture that, a scrawny, knocked kneed 9-year-old girl pulling, pushing and inching a full sofa across the room, and the chairs, and the side tables, lamps, rug, etc.

Each night, the “adults” would move the furniture back. And each morning, I would again move it to the “correct” arrangement. Needless to say, when it was finally time for us to head back to Vancouver, I wasn’t missed. Ha!

So, there you have it! I guess the answer is that yes, I have always wanted to be a decorator, and more accurately, I always thought I was.

In 2010, I was newly married and once again living in Toronto. All that old inspiration came flooding back to me. We had just completed the design and build of a cottage in Prince Edward Island and the process was so satisfying. I knew it was time to make my hobby a reality. I had a full time career but decided to enroll in the George Brown Interior Decorating program in the evenings and weekends. Within 2 years I had fully made the transition, out of my corporate job and into a staging and design firm. And 2 years after that, I took the leap to begin Mint Décor as the Owner and Principle Designer.