Shelley Budd 
Smell that?  Maybe it’s your furniture.  Yes, needlessly holding onto old furniture is just as bad as wearing tattered and stained sneakers on a date.  Out with the old, in with the stylish and sustainable. 

If you’ve seen HGTV Canada’s Makeover Wish, then you’ll know Ami McKay, the designer and creator of PURE, an awesome eco-friendly furniture line.  PURE’s collections are inspired by the elements: Fire, Water, Earth and Air.   Ami uses organically dyed, eco-friendly fabrics in solid colours; they make a room classy-fication quite easy.  A bright and sophisticated Cyrillia Daybed from the Fire collection would put up a good fight against all the natural drench of the Vancouver rain, turning your apartment into a heat-den, all cozy and full of life; or if you’re like me and bathe in the calm of a summer rain, why not invite more liquid love in your home – the Senna Loveseat of the water collection adds just that right kind of moody Hollywood glamour.

The pieces mingle well with neutral furniture, so no need to throw absolutely everything in the donation bin – keep those sturdy plain staples.  Then comes the personal flair, which can rear it’s head in lampshades, jazzy frames or maybe a wild painting by local artist Fiona Ackerman; get the details to pick up a hue and run with it.  The Cross (Homer & Davie) has some great accents like vases, chandeliers, mirrors, Moroccan Poufs (alas, the floor needs funk too!).   But just so you know, nobody wants to sit on that worn thing, so let’s trade in together and revamp like our spirit depends on it!

The Furniture, PURE: www.purebyamimckay.com
The Art, Fiona Ackerman: www.fionaackerman.com
The Details, The Cross: www.thecrossdesign.com