So Canadian, eh? : Maria Killam

Today's guest is one that hardly needs introduction. She has made a name for herself in the blogging and design world as the colour guru. I have had the pleasure of meeting her last May when we had our first local blogger meet-up.

Her blog posts are always so informative and chock full of fabulous design advice.

Welcome Maria Killam from Colour Me Happy.

She is

Maria  also runs a successful interior design firm, Maria Killam Colour and Design

where she works her magic and brings rooms to life with her keen eye for colour.

She is not one to shy away from colour and if you read you blog you'd understand why. Known for her love of colour, she writes her thoughts and reasons so convincingly as to why homeowners need to inject colour into their homes. I try to take to take the lessons she teaches and put them to practice as I work on re-designing my home!

Even Maria's home radiates with harmony and energy with her tried and true colour theory!

One of my favourite spaces is her home office inspired by the classic Tiffany box!

I love following her as she designs her living and dining room space. 

Using beautiful art colourful backdrop, her re-vamped dining room chairs recovered in juicy yellow really set the tone for her soon to be finished space!

Some spaces she has designed.

One of my favourite spaces she has worked her colour magic on!

Tell us a bit about yourself, your background, your education, has design always been something you are drawn to?


After 10 years of decorating for friends and family in my spare time, I started my own firm in 1999. Upon graduating from the The Day Studio Workshops in San Francisco, I spent 4 years with Benjamin Moore as a paint/colour specialist creating exterior and interior palettes for architects, developers, builders, property managers and homeowners.  Later I established a partnership with one of the top interior designers in West Vancouver, working with builders and trades specifying finishes, renovating and decorating high-end homes. Currently I teach  my system of specifiying colour to interior designers, decorators and homeowners in my True Colour Workshops in conjunction with my design business and writing my blog, Colour Me Happy.

What made you decide to start blogging? 

I spend 2 days listening to a workshop/webinar for designers, one of the speakers said ‘every designer should have a blog’ so that weekend I started mine.

What have you enjoyed about blogging and what has surprised you along the way?

I really enjoy the blogging community and writing my blog. What surprised me was how big my readership got. I didn’t even think I could write when I started.

Where do you go for inspiration for your blog? 

In the beginning I would read other blogs or just surf to try and come up with ideas but they just come to me now.  I am always thinking about what my next blog post will be so my inspiration comes from everywhere.

What are your hopes and dreams for your future? 

I want to own a beautiful house close to the water, travel the world and not work as hard as I do right now.

How would you describe your design style?

Clean, colourful, contemporary, cozy and comfortable.

Tell us one thing about you that would surprise us! 

 I’m way more sensitive than I appear.

You are a colour consultant/specialist extraordinaire – what are some common mistakes you find homeowners make when it comes to colour?

It’s a very common mistake to think that it should be the easiest to choose colour without having any inspiration. Here is an article I wrote that talks about just that.

If you were to give a quick lesson on choosing colour, what is the are some things one should know/understand?

That you should shop first and choose colours later.

If you were given the opportunity to meet anyone or do anything, what would it be and why?

 I would love to travel Europe first class.

What do you like to do in your free time?  

Be with my family.

        

What are your views on the role Canadian design plays in the world design scene? Do you feel that Canadians have a unique sense of style and design, and if so, what is it that you think sets us apart?

Since I conduct consultations on-line all over the US and Canada I actually think we are very similar. Even though most people know I love yellow, I rarely get to specify it. All over North America, people just want gray, green and blue from me. I think right now with the economy greens and blue’s seem ‘safer’ than the brighter shades but I think it’s coming.

Thanks Maria for visiting this week and sharing your colour insights with us! 

Your blog is always such a great read and your knowledge about colour is astounding.

Hopefully one day I scrape my pennies together and take one your courses!

XO Barbara