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Design Sewlutions of Salmon Arm

Drapery, Slipcovers, Blinds and Education

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There is a lot of information here. 

SEARCH is available in the top right corner or by CATEGORY in the bottom left corner. 

For a list of all the articles, click on ARTICLES  in the menu above.

I've written three books on simplified decorating. Buy them here. 

FOR DOWNLOADS OR ADVANCE COPIES OF COLUMNS CLICK BELOW

Take me to the list of downloads. Send me advance copies, please.

How to Choose Window Coverings

Want to learn how? Click here

Here are the last 8 posts.

Read more through the search below, or the articles list in the top menu

Quality

Quality If you attach the word 'quality' to something, what does that really mean?  It may be of limited quantity, it is probably more expensive than other similar items, and it is considered 'better' than the other items. It may be made of rare components, it may be made following a patented formula, and it probably isn't easy...

14 Nov 2021 Read more"Quality"
Blue ribbon for the best

What is ‘BEST’, anyway?

What is BEST anyway? If you have a question about almost anything, you can ask 'Quora'. It's an online platform for just that, asking questions. Someone will answer it. Probably. I'm one of the people who do the answering, my answers have been read 142,500 times. Which is pretty mindboggling...  One of the most frequent questions...

9 Oct 2021 Read more"What is ‘BEST’, anyway?"
busy woman at A DESK

Instant Expert

Like most professions, mine has advances and "new" things come along every once in a while.  I try to keep up; I do fairly well, but I don't think there have been ground-breaking discoveries in my profession in quite a while.When IKEA first came out, I was working in the design business in Calgary at a...

21 Aug 2021 Read more"Instant Expert"
c to f convert

Heat, from under the heat dome, July 2021

How to beat the heat take 2.Well, who expected THAT little heat burst?  Every year I look forward to that ONE day where it gets to 40. I love it. And then the next day it goes down to 'reasonable'. I can handle a lot of heat, but I saw so many people really struggling this...

21 Aug 2021 Read more"Heat, from under the heat dome, July 2021"

Hints for keeping cool, summer 2021

5 ways to feel cooler.  If I told you that the shirt you are wearing makes the temperature against your skin about 20 degrees higher than the already super-warm air around you, and was increasing your heart rate, and I could give you a shirt to wear that would decrease this temperature sensation, would you be...

8 Jun 2021 Read more"Hints for keeping cool, summer 2021"
stop being a student

Are you a student, or just avoiding doing the job?

For a while, early in my Decorating career, even though I'd taken and quite successfully passed a two-year course on decorating, I was convinced I had to take just one more course before I could call myself a full-service decorator. Invariably, during that course, I'd realize that another of my skills wasn't top-notch, so I'd take...

8 Jun 2021 Read more"Are you a student, or just avoiding doing the job?"
hobby mind map

You’re never too old for a hobby.

Did your mom ever say, "Well, if you're bored, I'll find something for you to do'? And the 'something' turned out to be folding laundry or looking after your brother, or the WORST one ever, weeding the garden? My mom did that, and I had to move quickly to get out from her laser-vision, but I...

29 Mar 2021 Read more"You’re never too old for a hobby."
noise

Noise. Period

I have a neighbour with a wind chime. It's so loud it wakes me up in the night. I mentioned it to a friend the other day, and she said, 'Oh, you'll get used to it'. I wondered about that, and I also wondered why I should have to get used to it. But that's another...

5 Mar 2021 Read more"Noise. Period"

Some columns about Guidelines

Quality

Quality If you attach the word 'quality' to something, what does that really mean?  It may be of limited quantity, it is probably more expensive than...

Read more"Quality"
Blue ribbon for the best

What is ‘BEST’, anyway?

What is BEST anyway? If you have a question about almost anything, you can ask 'Quora'. It's an online platform for just that, asking questions....

Read more"What is ‘BEST’, anyway?"
busy woman at A DESK

Instant Expert

Like most professions, mine has advances and "new" things come along every once in a while.  I try to keep up; I do fairly well,...

Read more"Instant Expert"
c to f convert

Heat, from under the heat dome, July 2021

How to beat the heat take 2.Well, who expected THAT little heat burst?  Every year I look forward to that ONE day where it gets...

Read more"Heat, from under the heat dome, July 2021"

Hints for keeping cool, summer 2021

5 ways to feel cooler.  If I told you that the shirt you are wearing makes the temperature against your skin about 20 degrees higher...

Read more"Hints for keeping cool, summer 2021"
stop being a student

Are you a student, or just avoiding doing the job?

For a while, early in my Decorating career, even though I'd taken and quite successfully passed a two-year course on decorating, I was convinced I...

Read more"Are you a student, or just avoiding doing the job?"

Lighting.

lighting gesture

The Last One About Lighting

My column from a few weeks ago about light bulbs has been getting some attention....

Read more"The Last One About Lighting"

How to Choose Lighting

The credo here is “Light the tasks, not the room.” I’ve said that before but...

Read more"How to Choose Lighting"

LED or CFL? How do I choose?

I see so many people standing in the light bulb isle with a glazed look...

Read more"LED or CFL? How do I choose?"

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Search for information by category.

Stop Rings and Grommets From Catching on an Expansion Rod

Every been so frustrated at the curtains snagging on the expansion joins that you just wanted to spit?

Here is the solution. I don’t remember where I learned this, if anyone knows where it came from, please let me know and I’ll give due credit. I’ve been using this fix for several years.

 

Articles about solar shades and film

How to Feel Cooler in the Heat

Five Things About Solar Shades

blinds outside in

Solar Shades 2016

too-sunny window

How to choose the right solar shade

layers of drapery help keep the cold out.

Layers are the Key for Reducing Heat Loss at the Window

Window Heat-Loss Rant

Summer Sun

Shade Fabrics

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