FIVE DESIGN TIPS

Brian Gluckstein could easily be considered one of Canada’s interior-design treasures.

The celebrated creative, TV personality and designer behind the Gluckstein Home brand has released a new design book full of images of inspiring interiors that also includes insight into his inspiration and decisions. It’s a tome of chic decor — and a testament to his talent.

Thumbing through the book, we pulled out five fast words of wisdom from Gluckstein that can be found within its pages.

1

On fireplaces ...

“I like double-sided fireplaces because they don’t turn into black boxes when they’re off — light will pass through them.”

2

On frames ... “Designing relaxed interiors is about conveying a nonchalance to everything, even the accessories. I will lean framed art against a wall rather than hang it, because there’s a looseness to it that feels unhurried and unplanned.”

3

On art ...

“There are no real rules for how to hang art correctly, but there’s a ‘don’t,’ which is this: Don’t worry about how much wall space is around a piece of art. People often think that the higher the ceilings, the higher the art should hang, but it’s more important for pieces to relate to the furniture in a room.”

4

On televisions ...

“I rarely mount televisions on walls. I don’t think of a television as a decorative element, so I usually hide it.”

5

On drapes ...

“Drapes should always just touch the floor.”