The road that leads to UPSCALE Downsizing is a unique one. It starts with my friend Mary. She had no idea a simple gift would have such profound impact on my life.
A SIMPLE GIFT
At the time, our young family of four would soon be moving from Toronto to British Columbia. As a parting gift, Mary invited some significant friends to share lunch. And their gift to me? Words.
Each friend was given a 3 x 5 index card and was instructed to write something that summarized our friendship. Each woman shared her sentiments around the table that day, and while they were meaningful and deeply appreciated, it would be some time until I would realize the gift’s full impact.
Months, maybe even years later, I pulled out those simple cards and read them each again. Over and over, the theme repeated was beauty—they saw me as someone who appreciated beauty, created beauty and encouraged beauty.
And their words resonated. The joy I experienced as I created and shared beauty was hard to describe. In that moment I decided to embrace my passion and follow my heart into design. My mantra has become “bringing beauty to life.”
THE EARLY YEARS
I first became aware of my appreciation for beauty as a very young person. I grew up in a pastor’s home - in a parsonage, actually. My mother modeled what it meant to use what one had to create an environment of warmth and beauty. However, it was my dear Aunt Gen who impacted my young life most significantly.
My family lived in Northern Alberta, 300 miles north of Edmonton to be exact, in a small town called Beaverlodge. To say that it was remote would be an understatement. There was one grocery store, one hardware store…you get the picture.
My Aunt Gen and her family lived in Minneapolis Minnesota. It was a beautiful metropolitan city, and theirs was a most beautiful home. Each time we had an opportunity to visit, I would simply wander around, drinking in the beauty. I can still recall details about that home to this day.
My Aunt had a gift. Her home was tastefully and carefully appointed. She had lovely fabrics and special embellishments that made my eyes dance with delight. I loved being in her home. I loved how I felt in her home. And I knew that one day, I too would have a beautiful place to call home.
Those visits were so many years ago; however, the one consistent theme that has been the thread running through all my experiences since is the theme of creating beauty.
THE WORDS THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
And then there was the day I saw my passion stated plainly in front of me.
“I’m going to make everything around me beautiful – that will be my life.”
The moment I laid eyes on those words I knew that I had to display them in my home. Now a small frame holds these words and rests next to a vase in my kitchen, the bustling center of our home.
THE ROAD FORWARD
My passion is creating beauty everywhere and anywhere I can. Whether it’s food, fashion, flowers or design, my heart is compelled to create beauty. Order is beautiful. Simplicity is beautiful. A curated home where things can be seen and appreciated is soothing to the soul. I believe these things to be true, and it is this belief that has propelled me to embrace a more minimalist approach to life.
I want less clutter - more clarity.
I want more peace - less chaos.
I want time for other pursuits and passions - less to maintain.
I want lovely things - less superfluous stuff.
I want to be a conscious consumer - not a mindless spender.
I want more focus - less distraction.
I want contentment - not the pursuit of things.
I want a haven - not simply a house.
UPSCALE Downsizing has grown out of the joy of working with clients who have embraced moving from more to less. It has grown to encompass the simple process of editing and refining any space. Creating beauty with abandon...this will be my life.