DECORATING PROJECT

CreativeOutlet

For mom-of-two Sarika, decorating her home offers personal and professional balance. She went to medical school at The University of Saskatchewan and did her residency in anesthesiology and pain medicine in Ottawa, where she now lives and works. “I did go into medicine, and I work full time, but I always knew that interior design and decorating was something that I gravitated to. I love having that outlet to explore,” she offers.

FACING PAGE HAMPTON PENDANT LIGHT IS FROM AERIN, VISUAL COMFORT; RUG IS FROM LD SHOPPE THIS PAGE SARIKA ENJOYS TIME TO REFLECT IN A ROOM SHE CREATED FOR HER DAUGHTER

BY OLIVIA TAGGART PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK HOLLERON

She and her husband Denis are raising their son and daughter in a home on a tree-lined street, close to schools within a community bursting with amenities. The house is older and in need of renovations, for Sarika that means there is plenty of opportunity for her to express her creative side. She started with her daughter Valentina’s nursery. The colour scheme plays up the feminine side of the spectrum and while Sarika hadn’t intended for it to be a pink room, she ended up going that route with calming and sophisticated results that offer a space meant for a young girl to grow into. The lighting and wallpaper are soft enough that they work beautifully in a nursery yet are easily suited to an older child’s space.

Knowing that the room would be a place that she’d also be spending plenty of time in, Sarika injected some of her own interests with art that reflects her passion for travel. The entire family are avid readers so including books within the décor seemed like a natural fit. “Books are a big part of our life. We read to the kids every night and we knew we needed a bookcase to have some of the books easily accessible,” states Sarika, who also reveals that she could spend hours playing with objects on a bookcase to create the perfect display.

Sarika sees the big picture when tackling a decorating project. The nursery reflects a variety of her interests and showcases her talent for choosing items that ensure the space is a thoughtful reflection of the occupant with enough personal details to add authenticity to the décor. She scoured Etsy for just the right pieces so that her daughter’s room stands out as stylish yet soothing, offering both mother and child the balance they need at the end of a busy day.

THIS PAGE (LEFT) PERSONAL DETAILS ENHANCE THE SPACE (RIGHT) FEMININE TOUCHES ARE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE ROOM

FACING PAGE MARBLE WALLPAPER IS FROM HOVIA.COM

Books are a big part of our life. We read to the kids every night…”