Despite the final choice, which, inevitably and with very few exceptions, is the shower, every one of my clients that renovated bathrooms went through the mini or full-fledged agony of considering both. And that is not because of some flimsy let’s do our homework before we jump approach, not even because of real-estate considerations, which,…
Author: Adriana Mot
My 2 Cents on Design is a lifestyle magazine focused on promoting the positive impact of design and creativity on living an impeccable life.
Founder and editor in chief Adriana Mot is the owner and lead designer at Dochia Interior Design, Toronto, Canada
Staffing the new way: what app to get instead of a person to do what you need?
A design practice is multi-faceted, unlike others. It’s at the cusp of four very different sets of skills that need to be mastered equally: highly trained professional knowledge, a tremendous amount of soft skills, especially people-pleasing skills, the capacity to communicate verbally and visually and last by definitely not least, be a masterful time-manager with…
Do you own your interior design practice? Where do you focus your attention and what do you prioritize? part 2
If you have the will to succeed, by far the most important skills to build are those related to how to recognize, attract and leverage talent for your firm. This is the only skill that will free up the time required for you to focus on the growth of the business, which is the absolute,…
Design mixology – one part talent, one part science, one part charm and a whole lotta love
Admired and envied at the same time, a designer’s work is often viewed with a certain mystique combined with a magnetic curiosity, which is hard to let go of. They seem to see and sense things that others do not, to say things that others don’t think of, to put together environments that simply splash…
Home vibe – what it really is and how to positively resonate with your home, part 2
Home-lovers and house-users are two kinds of homeowners that look at things very differently. The home-lovers cherish their homes dearly; the house-users have a non-emotional go-about their day, move tomorrow if a better gig appears type of sentiments. There is nothing wrong with either; however, if you’re in the house-user camp, something is to be…
Do you own your interior design practice? Where do you focus your attention and what do you prioritize? part 1
Being your own boss in interior design is not as easy as you think. If you work by yourself and generate enough income to support your basic self, live the life you want, save for a rainy day and, yes, save for that retirement that willy-nilly will come, then you’re good. If you have what…
Home vibe – what it really is and how to positively resonate with your home, part 1
Home vibe is not a myth. It is controllable, measurable and real. As obvious as this may be, the less obvious part is the strong dependence between vibe and meaning. Science may not have quite all the tools set up, but the foundation is there, and the data is available. When lawyer and philosopher Tam…
Paris, Cartier Latin and the difference between shopping and collecting
I mostly collect. The shopper yet, an anti-shopper. The buy it forever because you need it and want to keep it, truly, not the buy it for the right price or the right sale. I don’t judge and don’t care what others do. Except when they are my clients, in which case, I strive to…
Homes these days are less about norm and more about culture, part 3
Continuing our house tour of this eclectic home… (If you’ve missed it, start with part 1 and read it HERE) COLOUR Early-century modernists were purists that looked at interiors and architecture in a sculptural and straightforward way. Colour, artifacts and the interest in chinoiserie punctuated this aesthetic. Similarly, here, colour was applied in rich tones,…
3 Lifestyle Trends for Summer: confidence, self-care and incompleteness syndrome
My top 3 picks for this spring: Confidence at ease gets everyone smitten, Bite-size home self-care democratizes design, and incompleteness syndrome turns into a positive mantra Incompleteness syndrome turns into a positive mantra Most things in our lives are on the go. Seldom can we see a chapter fully closed and when we do, that…
Focus – Personal growth one step at a time, Part 2, FORGETTING | CREATIVITY | EXPLORATION
Continuing the path of those before me, I put myself first and through that, I make my home a better place. 🧞♀️xA. FOCUS, part 2 FORGETTING “There is nothing new except what has been forgotten.” Marie Antoinette Think about all the first experiences of youth. The simple ones. The ones that now, you don’t even…
How to live together with a teenager the 20/30/50 rule
One of the biggest myths is that teenagers are self-absorbed. The passion, loyalty to their group and friends, as well as assertiveness of their opinions, if appropriately interpreted, paint a completely different picture. Sociologically they have a strength that is seldom recognized: they are highly capable of meaningful contributions to help those around them. The…