Strip makeup lights just don’t give you a fighting chance no matter how good looking you are. Light sconces that flank the mirror illuminate your entire face evenly. – Candice Olson
One of the most common reasons people renovate their homes is a change in their lifestyle – an upcoming wedding, a new baby, or grown children moving away. – Candice Olson
I think people underestimate the importance of lighting – layers of lighting, not just one light. I do a lighting seminar where I take a $300-a-yard fabric and a $3-a-yard fabric. I show what lighting can do to either one. – Candice Olson
We’re a very active family, and I like everything in its place. I’m all about designing every little space. It will help me in the business of being a mom. Every single day is so crazy with my work that I just need to be able to come home and do that business as efficiently as I try to do my professional work. – Candice Olson
We don’t have one of those houses where there’s a rope that separates the kids’ area from the adult area. There’s a happy medium. It’s all about fabric choices, accessories. – Candice Olson
I know it can be difficult for parents, but I really do believe that kids need to play the predominant role in the choices that go into their own space. – Candice Olson
I never want to hold myself up as the poster child of the successful mother-businesswoman. It’s a total ‘Gong Show.’ I won’t pretend. When you do so many things, something always suffers. You just can’t be great at everything. – Candice Olson
With every bathroom renovation, there are three areas that I focus on: budget, function and style. – Candice Olson
I’ve dealt with a lot of couples over the years, and most cite the battle for closet and bathroom space as one of the most frequent causes of marital discord. – Candice Olson
When I’m doing kitchen planning as well as bathroom design, I try to walk through the day with the homeowner. If we’re talking about a kitchen, it will be: So, we are walking in with the groceries. When we are taking them out of the car, where will they go? What is the distance to fridge, to pantry? – Candice Olson
Things have changed a lot since the earth was cooling and I was a teenage girl, but the basics of teenage bedrooms have remained the same. Every girl wants a place that they are proud to call their own and where they can express their own individuality. – Candice Olson
It’s great to design a beautiful, modern, sleek home like you’d see in a magazine. But if it doesn’t suit your lifestyle, it’s really wasted. – Candice Olson
Bathrooms are, on a square foot basis, the most expensive room in the house to renovate. If you want to test your heart’s fitness, try shopping for simple bathroom faucets. Add in the cost of the required valves, mixers and trims, and you may need reviving when you see the tally! – Candice Olson
Sometimes living in a room that’s badly designed isn’t the worst thing in the world. Trust me – this is a fact! Living in a room that has no design whatsoever is even worse. I’ve learned this from my many clients over the years that have moved into new houses and just can’t figure out where to begin. – Candice Olson
Ask any teenage girl to describe her perfect bedroom, and you’ll get answers like ‘a room with a private phone line, a place to hang out with friends, and for it to be way-cool and funky.’ Ask parents the same question, and ‘a locked door that opens on their 21st birthday’ might top the list! – Candice Olson
There are no more white linen sofas in my house. We have a rule here: Anything below 36 inches has to be brown or black – the color of chocolate or peanut butter! – Candice Olson
Now that our kids are getting older, they need their space. We dug out the basement so they will have a place to go crazy in the wintertime. My son is already talking about how he’s going to make a skateboard ramp. It’s just a mosh pit down there, so they can do whatever they want. We’re not even going to finish it. – Candice Olson
Look for inspiration in books, magazines, and even other people’s homes – then be brave and take a chance with a room in your home. – Candice Olson
A common mistake people make regarding dining rooms is to buy a matching set of table and chairs, which can be monotonous. I like to mix guest chairs in one style and head chairs in another for a more interesting, dynamic look. – Candice Olson
