Sarah Elizabeth Design + Interiors is a Toronto-based design firm. This spring we photographed this cozy and colourful project which featured updates to a family room and primary bedroom.

I love the neutral palette accented with hits of colour through the artwork, textiles and some of the furniture.

A rich blue paint colour added to the built-ins makes for another great focal point. Sarah and her team styled the shelving in a mix of decor, books and artwork. I love how they flipped some of the books backwards to offer a more cohesive look for the photoshoot.

The bedroom features a moody accent wall, neutral furnishings, custom drapery, built-in cabinetry and pops of colour through the accessories and art. Definitely a great oasis to come home to!

We also took some time to capture a couple of portraits of designer Sarah Bilicki in the space!

If you are an interior designer, decorator, architect or builder and have a project you are interested in photographing, let’s connect!

Ink Interiors & Bridel Design Build teamed up on this project to update several areas in a narrow east-end Toronto home. Toronto is no stranger to small spaces, I’m always impressed when design-build teams can come up with design solutions that improve flow in addition to looking great! For this mini-shoot we captured a main living space, stairwell and primary bedroom.

The updated living room now features an elegant stone fireplace feature wall with beautiful floating shelves millwork that doesn’t encroach on the floor space. We also captured the new custom furniture which plays well off the variety of artwork in the space. A gallery wall over a console plays double duty as an entry way feature and a conversation piece you can see from the living room.

The stairwell also saw a contemporary and space saving update with the addition of a full height glass wall. I also love how a solution like this allows light to pass through and doesn’t take up as much space as a traditional railing.

Finally in the primary bedroom, a custom headboard and floating nightstands offers interest and function, all while taking up minimal space. Custom built-in storage on the opposite wall fits right into the sloped roofline offering tons of storage and space for a tv. I’m always impressed by the way custom cabinetry really maximizes the space and offers a seamless look!

If you are an interior designer, decorator, builder, contractor or architect and have some projects you’re looking to capture let’s connect!

Kathlyn Shaw Interiors

Adding Life to Still Images

While photography is a static medium, it doesn’t mean images can’t have a little life in them. Whether you are selling a service or a product or something that’s a bit of a mix like interior design, the end consumer is a human being!

Appealing to your ideal customer or client just involves understanding their lifestyle and adding in elements to the imagery that matches what they are looking for. Most businesses consider what’s called a ‘client avatar’ or an ‘ideal customer profile’. This generally involves some understanding about their lifestyle, interests, budget and demographics. With this knowledge in hand, you can tailor the way you add life to your images in a meaningful way.

Three easy ways to add life to images is through styling, people and pets!

ALC Interiors

Adding life through styling elements.

Choose styling elements that are in line or appeal to your ideal client’s current or desired lifestyle. This can be perceived through the types of items used, quality of the products, and the types of brands. For example when styling an entryway, you may choose between ‘jean jackets and tote bags’ for a busy family or ‘stilettos and a high-end hand bag’ to appeal to a different audience. Keep the styling elements a bit aspirational but still achievable.

Style in a way that it feels like someone just stepped away. Whether it’s some fresh produce on a kitchen counter for recipe prep or an open laptop on a desk, it gives the sense that this space is lived in.

Melanie Kushner Interiors

Intent Designs

Add a furry friend!

Who doesn’t love seeing pets in photography? They instantly evoke a little fondness as most people have or have had one in their life at some point. The feeling that this is a space where a pet is free to roam instantly brings in a humanity that their owner is just around the corner.

Central Standard

Melanie Kushner Interiors

Add people to your shots.

Adding in a person offers a sense of scale, can be used to demonstrate functional elements and of course makes a space feel livable. There are many ways you can add people in a scene:

• Include people posed in spaces either looking at the camera or away as if in thought in the space.
  
• Include people interacting with spaces to show the livability or functional elements in the space.
• Add a blurred person to give a hint of a life.

Choose expressions and actions that make sense with the style of space. Similar to the styling elements, don’t forget to consider overall aesthetic and style of clothing. Use models or current clients that match your desired client in terms of demographics.

Dochia Interior Design

If you are looking to create dynamic images for your brand or small business, reach out! I’d love to connect with you to see how best to capture photography that connects and engages your potential client.

Sarah Elizabeth Design + Interiors