I've written this short blog to show how to remove those annoying Folders that Microsoft creates and recreates from your Documents folder, so that each time you start your computer or update Windows, it's still hidden.

This worked in Windows 11 for me. Finally.
Note: others will say to:

• Right click on the folder your want to remove.
• Click on Properties
• General
• Under Attributes click Hidden, ensure the check box is ticked, click apply then OK.

BUT, That didn't work for me. It did initially, but when I restarted my laptop, it was back.
​

I finally found a little bit of soluction, you can hide it so it permantely doesn't pop up when updated or restarting your Computer.

Go to Word, on left side, click: options

Under Options: 

• Click Save
• Scroll down to where it says Customize how documents are saved.
• click on the Default personal templates location (not on the default file location.
• Click OK
• And you are done!!

It doesn't permanently delete it, (I can't find out how to do that anywhere), but at least we don't see it popping up in the documents folder. I'm an interior designer, not a tech person, but I hope this helps you!

I was so honoured to help design the new Commnity center for Cheam First Nation in Chilliwack, BC.

Cheam's culture & community is so important to the Cheam Community! ​The Xwchíyò:m have lived in S’ólh Téméxw for thousands of years. They are a thriving community and needed a centre to support their members.  We were happy to help.

​Cheam’s vision is to continue looking after their fish and our environment, as the Pilalt did, and to keep their community healthy and strong.
The Vision of the Cheam First Nation management team is to encourage greatness; embody excellence; display professionalism; empathy; courage; valuing culture; tradition and integrity and deliver a service second to none.
​How wonderful to work with a community who embrace that teaching.

We added a health and dental wing, traditional healing room, huge gym, several offices and meeting rooms and a large kitchen to be able to feed the community during the many events that are hosted here.

In the Fall of 2021, several areas were affected my intense flooding.  Cheam kindly used their gym to offer food and provisions to those in need.

​Introduction by Councillor Rick Quipp 
Our culture and spiritual teachings are important to the Cheam community. It is our teachings that build the person that we become. Our most important teachings to ourselves is to have fun, respect ourselves and others, be proud of our community and be proud of who we are and where we come from. We have a program for Cheam children in foster care, this program is called “Roots and Ties”. Once a month we have a dinner and encourage family members of children in care to come spend time with their children. At the dinners, the families share stories and other cultural activities. Historical events are discussed such as colonization and residential schools and how this changed our community life and our families. In fact, these two historical events almost wiped out our spiritual and cultural traditions by: taking our identity away; banning our spiritual practices; prohibiting us from voting and enforcing the Indian Act.

I am so very grateful to Chief Andrew Victor and his team for hiring us to create this important gathering place. A place to learn, to heal & come together as community.  We know that it will have an important legacy and our design team is happy to have been a small part of this beautiful factilty.

​I was so honored to be featured in the Spruce again.  Here's the article, penned by amazing writer Sarah Lyon!

I've copied it here.

How do you know when a decor item is timeless or whether it's just a trend? There are many factors to consider, designers say—and we asked them to share the details! Below, nine designers comment on what they think about when determining whether something is a classic or may be fleeting.

Determine Whether It Can Be "Carried Through the Ages"
"Timeless to me is about quality materials, lighting fixtures, furniture, et. cetera, that work with every style and can be carried on through the ages. Most trendy items have a hard time fitting into all design direction as they are very specific to an age or theme. I try to steer away from what is super hot and zeitgeist-esque, as it tends to get overused and worn out quickly. My take is that personal style is like selecting a wine: If you love it and it works for your taste and feels right, that is all that matters." — Samantha Tannehill of Sam Tannehill Interior Design

Look for Quality Materials and Production
"In order to avoid falling into the trend trap, I like to look for quality materials and production. Investing in natural resources like woods, metals, and stones can also turn into a savvy investment. I once purchased two vintage Finn Juhl rosewood chairs for a project in North London. Not only do they look better with time, but they have increased in value. Natural materials that are taken care of properly can age beautifully and maintain their value and classic appeal." — Susan Knof of Knof Design

Approximate When It Was Designed
"The first way to determine if an item is trendy or timeless is to try to approximate when it was designed. If you cannot pinpoint the approximate time period, then it is considered timeless. For example: Look at a beautiful Persian rug, it looks beautiful in a room, either 100 years ago or today. That is a great indication it is a timeless piece." -- Jil McDonald of Jil Sonia Interiors

Decide Whether It's Versatile or Not"
The best way we like to determine if a decor item is timeless or a trend is to think if the piece is very versatile or not. Timeless decor tends to have clean lines, neutral colors, and natural elements which allow them to fit in for a long time. Earth and natural tones such as wood, linens, stone, and leather are key materials we look for when selecting timeless items." — Megan Whalen of JL Design

Look at Design and Proportions
"Timeless pieces are those that have classic style and proportions and have been around for decades. If you flip through several coffee table design books and see the same type of lamps, tables, or fabrics in all of them, chances are they’ve stood the test of time and will still be a detail of beautiful rooms for years." — Jerad Gardemal of JF Gardemal Designs

Decide Whether It Can Be Built Upon
"I think a great rule of thumb for determining if something is timeless or trendy is to ask yourself, 'Am I able to use this design as a great base to build upon in upcoming years?'' For example, if I’m redoing a kitchen, I will want to select timeless features that will be relevant and stay fresh for years to come. How I determine that is by asking myself if I can keep all the main design elements the same and make small tweaks in the design years down the road to keep it fresh. Is the design resilient enough to withstand new waves of trends along the years and still manage to look current? Timeless design is resilient in that regardless of how many new trends or fads come and go, it will always hold its own." -- McCall Dulkys of Interiors by McCall

Determine What It Means to You Personally
"The ultimate answer for knowing if a decor item is timeless or a trend is what it means to you personally. I always advise my clients to collect and surround themselves with things that have meaning to them. I find that is the most natural and organic way to style and decorate a home. Then even if it was an item that was 'on trend' at some point, it will still feel special. My mantel is a collection of a midcentury metal wall hanging (the first piece of art my husband and I bought together for our home 19 years ago!), a painting from my childhood, and driftwood collected from beach walks with my family, while they are all of different decorative 'genres'. they are timeless because of what they mean to me." — Amy Sklar of Amy Sklar Design

"Finding a connection with decor items that relate to your personal story, or with a connection to nature, is a great way to ensure that your decor will stand the test of time. Whether it’s something you pick up during a trip abroad, something you made as a child, or a sentimental piece from your grandparent’s basement, you can use these pieces to make your spaces your own and generate a feeling of timelessness." — Nicole Cole of Vestige Home

Ignore the "Rules" and Choose a Piece Based on Whether It Brings You Joy
​“I don't have many rules when it comes to decor items except for one: It should bring you joy. Honestly, it doesn't matter if it's a piece that will stand the test of time or a passing fad, if it makes me (or my client) smile, it passes muster. Books, art, and items collected over time from travels are all pieces that can work well in any space." — Molly Torres Pornof of DATE Interiors

I hope that helps determine whether an item is trendy or not.  But keep in mind, your home is not a show home, it should reflect what you truly love!

It can be challenging to determine the 'wattage' of LED lights. When incandescent light bulbs dominated the lighting market, it was easy to tell how 'bright' a bulb would be.

When using LED Lighting, we use the term lumens which is the power or strength of the light. A Lumen (lm) is the International Standard unit that shows the total amount of visible light emitted from a source. Like Watts, Lumens are a standard measurement within the lighting industry and can be found on the box of most light bulbs.

The next time you purchase a light bulb, remember to look for both Wattage & Lumens. Watts show the amount of power used & lumens show the brigthness of a bulb. The best combo to look for is:

LOW WATT & HIGH LUMENS = BRIGHT, ENERGY SAVING BULBS.

We understand it's tough if you are switching out from Incandescent light bulbs to LED light bulbs, we need to know the comparable light values.

​Here's a quick and easy chart to get you started!

Need to know how to space your recessed lighting & how many recessed lights do you need?
Be sure to check out my most popular blog post.
We provide a simple formula to help you layout your recessed lighting!

​Happy designing!