Welcome to designsbyobrien.com

Open Your Door & What Do You See?

At work, do you walk into a space that is exciting- reaching your desk to enjoy the day- in a space that reflects your business personae?

At home, do you open your doors to a warm and cozy environment, where the stresses of the day are lost once you close the door to the world? Does the hardwood floor soothe your bare feet, as they take you to your favourite chair after a long day? Does the decoration reinvent your personality?...Are you back to being the "real you"?

At the cottage, do you open your doors to a serenade of water crashing on the beach, calmly lit and coloured spaces, cool and crisp air- as the dusk starts and the sound of casual flip flops on the deck relax you... Your thoughts thinking of everything and nothing?

If your spaces do not represent you and your lifestyle, please do not hesitate to contact the corrector of "closed doors". Designs by O'Brien rejoices with you, as we start to unlock the potential in your spaces with you.

Please consider that interior design is important to your daily life. Form and function can alleviate stress or manifest it.

Designs by O'Brien will work with and for you to alleviate the physical problems of your daily life and in return. Many of the hidden psychological stresses will disappear, once your spaces are customized and corrected . Who knew that adjusting space can change one's life?...WE DID!

Allow Tracy O'Brien to unlock your doors to design and bringforth the real you... in all your surroundings.

Please contact 416-451-3013 to arrange for a consultation.

"Interior Designer vs. Decorator"- the Correct Terminology- NCIDQ defined

Many people use the terms "interior design" and "interior decorating" interchangeably, but these professions differ in critical ways.

Interior design is the art and science of understanding people's behavior to create functional spaces within a building. Decoration is the furnishing or adorning of a space with fashionable or beautiful things. In short, interior designers may decorate, but decorators do not design.

Interior designers apply creative and technical solutions within a structure that are functional, attractive and beneficial to the occupants' quality of life and culture. Designs respond to and coordinate with the building shell and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project. Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability.

The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology—including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process—to satisfy the needs and resources of the client.

Many U.S. states and Canadian provinces have passed laws requiring interior designers to be licensed or registered—documenting their formal education and training—and many of them specifically require that all practicing interior designers earn the NCIDQ Certificate to demonstrate their experience and qualifications. By contrast, interior decorators require no formal training or licensure.