Happy New Year. And while I’m at it, Happy New Decade.
I think I can safely say that few of us were sorry to see 2009 come to an end, what with the financial turmoil changing the landscape all around us, sometimes uncomfortably close to home. We can only hope that the great recession is well and truly over, as various banks and governments have been promising us as early as last July. It does feel like we’ve turned a corner, but a slow recovery seems certain.
In the spirit of “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” Canadian Interiors, though leaner last year, introduced two new annual publications. First up was the Product Source Guide, covering everything from accessories and architectural products to wallcoverings and window treatments. Next was Best of Canada, previously a special section in the July/August issue, now its own separate publication. Both did well. We’ll publish the 2010 Product Source Guide in the spring, and Best of Canada — featuring the winners of our 13th annual Design Awards — in the fall.
First comes the Best of Canada Design Competition and its spring deadline for entries, of course, and now is the time for you to consider entering. Visit www.canadianinteriors.com to get information and updates (we’re in the process of making some exciting changes to the Best of Canada celebration in September).
Any time is the right time to submit a project to the magazine — we’re always looking for innovative new work to feature in our pages. It’s easy, too. Just e-mail a short description of the project, along with low-res images (for now), to me or to managing editor Erin Donnelly ([email protected]). And don’t rule out a project you plan to enter in Best of Canada: submitting to the magazine, and perhaps appearing in our pages, neither harms nor helps your chances of winning a Best of Canada Design Award.
A note about images. They have to be magazine-ready, and that means — almost exclusively, we’ve found — taken by a professional photographer who’s mastered the tricky art of shooting interiors. Hiring an expert is a good investment. Whether a project is published or not, you’ll have a bright, shining record of work well done — for all time.
Here’s to a promising 2010. CI
Michael Totzke [email protected]