Living on the Prairies, my guest this week has amazing talent and a real eye for design. Using her creativity and ingenuity she is designing her home to create a visual treat. Passionate about design and a DIYer to the core; give this girl some fabric, a staple gun, glue and paint and she can whip up some spectacular. Please welcome Sarah-Rae from The Prairie Perch Some of a few projects she has recently accomplished: A fabulous headboard made from paintable wallpaper and a door! A made from scotch ottoman, what a stud! Re-designed dining room wall... A beautiful hand painted lantern.... Pinch pleated curtains... Her son's room makeover... And a living room design she has put together to show us her fabulous sense of style. Love the tables and the mirror! Tell us a bit about yourself, your background, your education, has design always been something you are drawn to? I’m a prairie girl, born and raised in Saskatchewan. 28 years old. Married to a family doc (in training) with two kids, ages two and one. Music was a big part of my life growing up. I pursued some training in that area and taught piano and voice lessons for several years until giving up teaching when our second child was born. Interior design was an interest of mine from a young age. As a teenager, I remember rearranging my bedroom furniture, organizing my closet, drawing up floor plans, and devouring all the design-related books and magazines I could get my hands on. What made you decide to start blogging? I started blogging as a creative outlet. I really enjoyed reading blogs, and I thought I might enjoy writing a blog. I “practice-blogged” for about 6 weeks before I told anyone about it, and by then I was hooked! I knew it was something I was going to love. Blogging fits into my life really well since I’m home full time with my two little ones. It’s also been a great way for me to “get my feet wet” in the design world. I’ve dreamt of owing a shop or some sort of design-related business, but haven’t ever taken the plunge. Blogging seemed like a good way to start. What have you enjoyed about blogging and what has surprised you along the way? I’ve been surprised by how much I’ve enjoyed it, how much I’m learning along the way, and how many great people I’ve met! Where do you go for inspiration for your blog? Where do I NOT find inspiration? It really is everywhere and often in the most unexpected places. Daily life often inspires me, along with books, magazines and other blogs. I do try to write on my blog first and read blogs second though – not because I don’t love reading other blogs, but because I hope to keep things as fresh as I can. (Nobody likes a copycat.) What are your hopes and dreams for your future? I’d like to get some design-related training and experience and perhaps take some writing classes. I hope to offer online design services in the next few years and being able to offer in person services would be great too. I feel like I still have some things to learn before that happens though. I’ve toyed with the idea of opening an Etsy shop or homeware boutique; it would also be exciting to write a column or article for an interior design publication. For now, I’m focused on learning though, and we’ll see where things go from here. How would you describe your design style? I like a real mix of styles, but I’d say I gravitate towards an overall modern look with a healthy dose of glam and a touch of vintage. Oh, and mixing in a few rustic elements is always nice too. Hmmm. Perhaps eclectic is the word I’m looking for. Tell us one thing about you that would surprise us! I’m a rather conventional sort of person so I haven’t done anything too “out there.” B.C. (before children) I was quite an avid runner and completed several races, including a marathon. I haven’t done as much running in the last year or two, but I hope to get back into it again. (That’s about as “surprising” as I get.) If you were given the opportunity to meet anyone or do anything, what would it be and why? I would love the opportunity to hang out with a few of my favourite designers and see how they do things on a day to day basis. It would be great to see how they run their business, how they schedule their day, how they keep themselves organized, etc. Learning in a sort of apprenticeship/intern way would be so much fun! What do you like to do in your free time? Free time usually means family time. “Me” time usually means I’m sitting with my feet up reading or, if I’m feeling energetic, I’ll be out shopping. You are a Canadian living on the Prairies, how does living where things are so flat, winters long but one of the sunniest places in Canada, affect the way homes are decorated. Do you think the Prairie geography influences design? thrifting and DIY projects almost necessary at times, and this kind of approach seems to be quite popular in our neck of the woods. What are your views on the role Canadian design plays in the world design scene? Do you feel that Canadians have a unique sense of style and design, and if so, what is it that you think sets us apart? When I think of Canadian design, I think of it as being “accessible.” Sarah Richardson of course comes to mind. She is probably one of our most well-known designers, and her look is welcoming, always cohesive, and very appealing to the general public. It’s such a likeable look. It seems that Canadian design is more moderate and less cutting edge. That doesn’t mean that we’re not inventive and current though. But overall, it seems that we gravitate towards “down-to-earth” design, and perhaps that’s because we’re generally down-to-earth kind of people. Sarah-Rae, I love how we have similar talents. We can sew, paint and staple gun our way into creating cozy homes for our families. I too taught music briefly! Can't wait to see your next projects.... XO Barbara