Inspiring Canadian Home

I recently stumbled across the lovely home photos of freelance children's book illustrator Claire Louise Milne on Flickr and asked her if she'd like to share her space on decor8. Lucky for us she said yes! Here's a little peek at her darling abode in Toronto, Canada where she resides with her husband Bradley. In addition to photos, I asked her a few questions so that you could gain a little insight into what inspires her and where she finds her cool stuff. :) In this photo I'd like to not only highlight the lovely orange and purple combo, but the wood storage box from IKEA that Claire painted and added wallpaper to. I'm going to run to IKEA next week to buy one of these for my new kitchen to store my tea bags in. Love this idea -- so creative!

How do you find time to decorate?

"It's just over a year since we bought our first house, so there is still so much to do! Most of my projects tend to be driven by the same goal, to make a tiny house (1-bedroom) as light and airy as possible. I work at home (as an illustrator) which really helps because I putter around tidying when I'm procrastinating. Also because I'm a freelancer there are sometimes gaps between projects which gives me more time. Also our house is tiny which forces you to edit all the time because there's just no room! I find it hard to concentrate on work when things are too cluttered around me."

Here's a better view of Claire's IKEA hack. :)

I really like her craft studio, especially that glass cabinet with those fancy doors. She used wallpaper in similar cabinets to give them a bit of a transformation, which you will see in the next photo, but either way the cabinet looks lovely to me. Claire recently blogged about her craft studio in case you'd like to read more about it just click here.

Where do you find the things that you use in your home?

"I find a lot of things at flea markets, antique shops, craigslist or thrift shopping. Mainly because I love vintage or antique things. I also find lots of good basics at places like IKEA."

Here are her secretary desks with wallpaper inside. So pretty!

What are some of your favorite things in your home?

"I love my old singer sewing table which is actually a very practical way to have a dedicated sewing corner without taking up much space. Also the box you've seen was a very simple project but I loved the results."

This is one very organized lady!

What inspires your decorating projects?

"I'm inspired a lot by pictures in books and magazines. Whenever we're starting a new decorating project I go through a big stack of books to get ideas. Also there are a few decor blogs I like too - such as decor8. :) I'm also addicted to decor programs on TV."

This is a really pretty view of her kitchen, I am LOVING the curtains with the tiny dots... I have a blouse like this that I think I wore every day this summer. :)

Another kitchen view... Great gray walls I think.

A collection of vintage tins for sewing supplies keeps things neat and pretty.

More tins and stacks and stacks of fabrics for her quilts - yes she makes quilts too! I love this lady, she can quilt and draw. Some people have all the luck!

Here's a glimpse of her dining room with cabinets from IKEA (Liatorp bookcases to be precise).

Find Claire here: Flickr: Needle Book, her blog, professional portfolio, and a list of her published books.

Thanks Claire for visiting all of us today on decor8!

(images from claire louise milne)