Meredith Heron Design Inc.

WANT A SNEAK PEEK?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​We are getting ready to install the Sexiest Library of a Dining Room. Our client LOVES books and fabulous decor. We have got:

⬩ High Gloss Lacquer Millwork
⬩ Marbled Wallpaper on the Ceiling
⬩Velvet Drapery embellished with metallic leaf painting
⬩Murano Wall Sconces
⬩Meredith Heron Collection Wool & Mulberry Silk Rug
⬩Original Photography by Meredith Heron
All of this starts installation NOW in Regina, Saskatchewan. We are thrilled to be working with on this project. That Winnipeg connection still paying dividends! It's great to be able to support trades across Canada! .

WANT TO KNOW ONE OF OUR SIGNATURE MOVES AS DESIGNERS?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
We love to work with stocked light fixtures and then make them our own. Adding our own custom designed shades is one of our go to moves for projects. Chandeliers, table lamps, sconces - we will change in a heart beat. This is a great way to personalize and tell a much richer story.

With paper shades we like to do a high gloss lacquer with a metallic liner. Sometimes we will add a contrast gold leaf band at the top and bottom of the shades.

We LOVE to use a fabric found in the room and repeat the same fabric on the shades, like we did with this incredible Hermes Fabric (we WISH would bring back their fabric line!).

We have even designed our own shade form and made a Pagoda inspired shade that we had to create a mock up for sconces we lined two hallways and a gallery with! I believe it took 3 total mock ups for us to declare a winner. We then upholstered these using a Pierre Frey fabric that transforms!

Personal. Distinct. Style. Passion. This is Meredith Heron Design.

AN MHD MUST HAVE FOR EVERY PROJECT....?​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.
We include florals/greens in every project we do - sometimes fresh, sometimes faux (but only premium quality faux will do). They add a lovely layer of finishing that completes the room. Premium faux are an investment, but they are fun to rotate either from room to room or season to season. Ideal for clients who travel a lot and don't want to come home to dead or wilted flowers. I have some in my own home and I always recall a friend coming over and stopping me mid sentence to ask me "Where on earth did you get Viburnum at this time of year??" Nailed it!!!! .

Wanna Know a Secret?​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.
While nothing can replace travelling as a source of inspiration, sometimes the next best thing is using the internet to research spaces and places that will inspire and help you tell a better story. I can look at photos of in Umbria as included here and be transported to heaven. Of course it is made all the more poignant because I've been to Umbria. I know the woodland smells and can imagine them mixed with waxed leather. I know the magic of the sunsets there and use that as inspiration for palettes that I pull... how the sun will dance on the water as it dips below the horizon. Our palette pulls leather-bound books and juxtaposes them against the deep blues and greens that abound. This is what sets us apart and why you should work with us. Bespoke interiors that are a reflection of who you are, where you've been and where you are destined to go. Personal. Distinct. Style. Passion. This is Meredith Heron Design.. .

With successfully completed projects over the last 15+ years in Florida, Puerto Rico, California, Boston, New Hampshire, Alberta, Winnipeg and New York - including several remote Island Residences - we know remote design work. These aren’t E-Design projects, these are complete homes and all but 1 we have visited and 2 we oversaw installation remotely vs being on site. Flexibility and strong communication are essential for this sort of work. We don't shy away from Bespoke and have an arsenal of trades and logistics specialists who ensure we are able to bring the magic on the road! One of our contractors has even said that our project was the smoothest one he’s ever worked on and still can’t believe that we didn’t meet in PERSON until Year 3 of the project! Personal. Distinct. Style. Passion. This is Meredith Heron Design. Think we may be a good fit for your project? Let’s Chat! ​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.

Are you making THIS design mistake?​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.
When we design a room, especially a large Great Room, we are always sure to include RUGS, ARTWORK & ACCESSORIES in our presentation. We have had clients tell us to “just focus on the big pieces” first or will obsess over “What paint colour goes here?” instead of the details of the decor and design. We’ve heard the “Oh we can add those in later…” but we disagree. These are the pieces that will make the design and are often the things that get scrapped when budgets creep. I can’t count how many times a TV got infinitely bigger in a room and more costly and then we couldn’t afford a rug in a space to absorb all of the sound that this new monster TV was going to blast out. When it comes to budget, it’s easier to spend it up front than hope to finish a room off after the main pieces have gone in. The budget for these items will be drastically reduced after the fact so if it’s planned for from the start, all that will be missing will be the “je ne sais quoi…”
Now this isn’t the case with all clients, we’ve worked with a few over decades and we have a rhythm to our process with these savvy design aficionados who love to add layers. We do so love to work with people who appreciate that more is more.
Does this sound scary to you? Not to worry, we’ve got you covered. Let’s book a discovery call today!

FAVOURITE BUDGET & TiME SAVING HACK ⤵️⤵️⤵️​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.
We love to find ready made occasional pieces with a great shape to them and make them our own. Reupholstery is less expensive on occasional pieces than say a sofa or lounge chair and requires minimal yardage. We’ll source new or in some cases we’ll find vintage or lucky finds and reimagine them. Switching out legs, finishes and/or upholstery enables you to make it your own and stretch the budget a bit further. Sometimes it’s just easier than designing new and going through the prototype/shop drawings and then production time. Time is also money and it will free you up to work on other aspects of the project that need more time and attention. This bench was in a catalogue and had the perfect shape for what we were after. New fabric, a faux fur throw and pillows it pairs beautifully with the bespoke club chairs grouped with it. .

MARVEL MECCA - AVENGERS HEADQUARTERS HOME OFFICE​​​​​​​​​That was literally our mandate. To design the Avengers’ Headquarters in a windowless basement room to be used as a Home Office. The room itself has an abundant crawl space area below given Frost Line building issues in Winnipeg which allowed us to put in vent grates and we may or may not have smoke machines to expel “exhaust” for dramatic effect (and there is lighting to go with). The screens are all functional and the console desk area has iPad screens inset to display a rotating series of original comic artwork done by our client and others. ​​​​​​​​​We’ve got lots of functional storage in this room that houses a robust comic book collection and assorted Marvel memorabilia. The lighting design for this room, should be the final exam for any Design School. It was intricately conceived and executed to meet a variety of needs and effects and much of it is not immediately visible or obvious.
We had custom chairs made to suit the console height to enable working at it and of course we had to embellish with a custom embroidered Avenger Logo… It is one of the coolest spaces we’ve ever been asked to design. .

CLOSET SURPRISE! Walk in Closets need really great lighting and why not throw in a Statement fixture (they don't have to be expensive but can be WOW). This guest room has a closet surprise for guests with this statement chandelier. When guests open the door they will be greeted with this fabulous tie in to the rest of the guest suite which says "Welcome, we've thought of everything, enjoy your time with us!" .​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.

I BROKE MY OWN RULE ON THIS ONE!! What rule is that? READ ON!​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.
I hate black faucets and black hardware. Truly. I loathe them. Matte Black is usually something we say “Thank you, Next!” to…. but this client wanted minimal and spare and I said, alright we need some contrast and well I hate White Faucets more so black it was. I think making the shower enclosure and mirror (and the light fixture we chose) all look like they were part of the same theme is the key to the room’s success. We were working on ELEVEN bathrooms in this house, so we had a budget and while we wanted tile on all the walls and a seamless look, it wasn’t in the budget so we opted for this Faux Bois vinyl that we ran horizontally to give a similar vibe but add some visual texture to the space which we felt was absolutely necessary. We also added a frosted privacy glass screen framed out like the shower to block off the toilet when you entered the space. Little details do a lot of heavy lifting in this space. Bet you didn’t think we did modern like this did ya? We’ve got skills. .

TWO PROJECTS ONE RUG!!​​​​​​​​​As designers we often re-use products from one project to the next but we try very hard to use them differently. This is harder of course with an area rug, especially a rug. Here are two different homes both using our Courtyard Rug and a slightly similar palette. I think we’ve accomplished a very different look for both and the rug compliments but isn’t the main event in both spaces! .​​​​​​​​​.

Stone Fireplaces - JUST GO FOR IT! (Don't cut corners). This means NO MORE Ledgestone veneers, stacked brick, or stone replicas. No one wants to see a repeating pattern of stone on a fireplace especially a two storey one like this one (bad Flintstone stone especially!!!) If natural stone isn't in the budget but you're building something of this scale, you may want to rethink other choices to afford it or look to a different material altogether (DO NOT DO FAKE SLAB COMPOSITE WANNA BE STONE EITHER and NO BOOK MATCHING VAGINAS on it either!) .​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.

Need a Kitchen Refresh instead of a Reno? How to KNOW if this is for you!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This kitchen was exceptionally well built when we were asked to take a look at this project. It was dark wood and felt heavy and a bit dated like the rest of the house. It was TOO sturdy and well made to rip out so we opted to invest in repainting and went for new stone counters and backsplash to update the look and feel. We added new pendants over the island and new counter stools and window treatments. If you aren't fortunate enough to have a framed kitchen it may not be worth saving the cabinets but if they are solidly built and the boxes in great condition, it may be worth a repaint or even replacing the doors and drawers to update the look and feel. We are currently re-imagining a 20yr old kitchen with some cabinetry modifications, new island being added into the space and a repurposing of some other cabinetry by adding more to create a pantry like effect. When you work with a professional team, there are many out of the box options that can transform without starting from scratch! .

KIDS’ ROOMS: TO INVEST OR NOT? Check out our BEST TIPS Below!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​NURSERIES - I get it you’re excited you want to welcome the new addition. I think these should be done with minimal investment. Depending on your bebe, they may not even sleep there for the first 6 months +… Keep it simple
TODDLERS - Invest in a good bed that will last them for some time. As they start to get older and have opinions you can start to involve them but in most cases, if you set the tone, they’ll follow suit. This bedroom we designed here was initially designed when the child was a FOURNAGER. He was 4 years old! He’s not 14 years old and it feels very much him and he’s got oodles of style and appreciates great design as a result.
TEENS - smart storage and organizational add ons are great for Teens. Thinking through electrical requirements and tech needs are a smart investment these days so that the room will function better for these kids. Quality window treatments and breathable bed linens are helpful too with changing bodies that need more sleep. You’re setting them up for adulthood so if you’re looking to invest, think ahead to first apartments. I KNOW I KNOW ::rocks in a corner::
Area Rugs - Natural fibres, hand knotted ( obviously) will be a good investment that will wear well and potentially travel with kid as they move on to bigger and better. .

GUESS HOW OLD THIS KITCHEN IS? ⤵️​​​​​​​​​5 YEARS?​​​​​​​​​10 YEARS?
15+ YEARS?

This kitchen is 19 YEARS old!! And while I am NOT a major fan of white kitchens (so hard to maintain) it really worked in this narrow row house in Yorkville. We opted for concrete countertops which were new at the time and they worked. If I were to re-imagine this in 2024, I’d do a honed busy veined marble on the counters and the backsplash but there’s little else I would change. Invest well the first time and good design will last. .

OUTDOOR KITCHENS - A GUIDE TO OUTDOOR LIVING AT ITS BEST! ​​​​​​​​​Natural Stone - BUT MAKE IT HONED! Weather will weather and honed Quartzite is our preferred material for the Great Outdoors. It’s more durable than granite and honed is easier to maintain and doesn’t show water spots.​​​​​​​​​Outdoor Cabinetry - we are Naturekast dealers and the door profile selection and finishes are really outstanding.
Appliances - there are a lot of opportunities to save and splurge here but working with a design professional who can integrate these into the design is key.
Plumbing Fixtures - not all fixtures can be used outdoors and finishes are also a factor you have to contend with. If you have Salt Air, you are even further limited in what can be used outdoors.
Lighting - think about BUGS. Will the lights catch bugs they will for sure attract them so having a varied and thoughtful lighting plan is key. As are screens!!!! ( TV and Bug alike!)
Timing - if you are wanting an outdoor kitchen for Summer 2024 that ship is really about to set sail but end of Summer is doable if all things align. Better yet, let’s start planning for summer 2025 NOW so you have time to put the design and budget in place .

BUDGET BATHROOM MUST HAVES… ⤵⤵⤵​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​SHOWER vs SOAK with Partition Wall. Free Standing Tub Fillers can be the price of a car. Partition vs Full Enclosure saves money but you have to make sure you have the proper slope on the floor & drain. We prefer a longer infinity drain that can disappear into the floor! If slope doesn’t work, build a curb. It’s not as seamless as a continuous floor but you can disappear it

Mix & Match less expensive wall tiles to stretch the budget. Glass or ceramic tiles on the walls in the shower can help to stretch the budget. We paired this with commercial grade wallpaper outside of the shower and a great vent to help remove moisture. We like natural stones for a vanity top or integrated sink/vanity all out of stone (great for smaller spaces). Sometimes you can work with your fabricators to use remnants for vanity tops to save budget!

Drawers vs Doors - Drawers cost more and don’t always allow for the most functional of vanities. HOWEVER, you can make doors that look like drawers (A REVELATION) to get the look but keep the functionality or allow for free access to plumbing. Budget saving (though you will need extra hardware to fake everyone out!)

OUR MOST IMPORTANT MUST HAVE - HIRE MHD to design your bathrooms and your entire home while we are at it. .

OUR COLOURFULLY NEUTRAL SECRET WEAPON IS…. ⬇​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.
OYSTER! It’s not Jailhouse Grey, It’s not Barney Purple both ::Shudder:: horrible. Oyster is a mutable hue that takes on the cast of other tints/shades in the room and creates moody and
sophisticated spaces. IT PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS, like all good mutable hues do. To really make it come alive, we love to mix warm metals with it but don’t discount a little Silver Leaf for some shimmery drama. .

PUTTING TOGETHER THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO OUR NEW WEBSITE! HAVE A GREAT FAMILY DAY WEEKEND!!! .​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.

TROPIC THUNDER // WHY Working on Remote Projects are Definitely their own Chapter in my Forthcoming TELL ALL. First and foremost, the floor tile was in and installed and there was zero room for me to get it torn out and replaced to my great disappointment. My solution was to do everything possible to distract from it and that included adding a rug to cover most of it up. Puerto Rico + Design + Client Health Emergency = White Lotus Season Six worthy story line. Everyone survived but there were a lot of unexpected challenges along the way - my fave being our arrival right after New Years only to discover that Puerto Rico pretty much takes Christmas to Lent off for holidays. The drapery installers we set up scaffolding for to install 2 storey Drapery Treatments in the Living Room into cement walls (the house was made entirely of cement) with hammer drills? Well they looked at the scaffolding and refused and then still tried to bill us for a full day installation. Fortunately, Asa had arrived to help SHOOT the project and ended up being the one to install the drapery. I don't think he's quite forgiven me for this. We literally were still shooting as we were packing up the hired car with our gear and luggage to head to the airport which required connecting flights!!!!! Did I mention that we arrived to install and that was the first time we had ever stepped foot in the place? .​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.

SKI CHALETS - WE LOVE TO DESIGN THEM! This is our FIFTH Chalet we've designed and each area has been entirely unique. We've done the Rocky Mountains, The Blue Mountains and here in the Waterville Valley in New Hampshire. Our clients had very clear directives, no GREY. They wanted our signature colourful design and we were thrilled to deliver. We had previously done their home in Weston, MA and we know how much they love Moroccan influences so we had to morph that a bit here to suit the environment but there are nods for sure we've just blended them with more rustic elements. The view is unmatched and provides the chalet with an abundance of light but the light morphs like no other project we've ever worked on. There were more than a few re-paints because the colours just read SO differently here. We look forward to building on this property in the near future and continuing the FUN! .​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.