Ellen Walker Design Group

10/02/2026

Last days on Lake Bolsena 🇮🇹

Finishing our Italian journey with a stay at a beautiful villa on Lake Bolsena. A place where history seems to be layered into everything around you.

The lake was formed in an ancient volcanic caldera, leaving its distinctive black volcanic sand shoreline. One of my favourite discoveries was finding fragments of old pottery washed up along the water’s edge. This area has roots stretching back to the Etruscan era, long before the Roman Empire, making you wonder about the stories behind every little piece.

And, of course, I can never resist the architecture. ❤️

Weathered stone walls, massive timber beams, terracotta floors and ceilings, arched doorways and wooden shutters—materials that have aged beautifully rather than being made to look new. As a designer, I’m constantly collecting inspiration when I travel, and the combination of stone, warm timber and terracotta feels especially relevant for a current project waiting for me back home.

And what would an Italian villa stay be without a little time in the kitchen? We had a wonderful cooking class right in our villa, making fresh fettuccine from scratch, pasta sauce, bruschetta and appetizers—and, most importantly, my absolute favourite…tiramisu! 🇮🇹🍝

Architecture, history, gardens, food and a little time beside the lake—a pretty wonderful way to spend our final days in Italy.

Now it’s time to head home with a camera full of photos, plenty of memories…and more than a few new design ideas. ❤️

09/29/2026

09/29/2026

A little Italian inspiration photo dump… 🇮🇹

From the sweeping Tuscan countryside around Montalcino, to the incredible architecture of Orvieto, to wandering through small villages and quiet alleyways — everywhere I turn there seems to be something worth stopping for.

Ancient stone walls, beautifully worn wooden doors, intricate door knockers, ironwork, sculpture, pattern, texture and craftsmanship that has survived for centuries.

And then there are the happy accidents — taking a road we hadn’t planned, discovering a little restaurant tucked away in the countryside, lingering over wonderful food and simply taking in the scenery.

As a designer, I find this kind of travel incredibly inspiring. Not necessarily because I’ll recreate any one thing, but because it reminds me to notice the details — the way materials age, how old and new coexist, the beauty of imperfection, and how much character comes from things made with care.

Italy has certainly given me plenty to notice. ❤️

And I may have taken just a few photos of doors and door knockers… 😉

use:

09/26/2026

Florence — where art, architecture and craftsmanship are quite literally everywhere. 🇮🇹

I found myself constantly looking up — and stopping for the details. Centuries-old doors, detailed windows, arches, stonework, painted ceilings, proportion and layers upon layers of history.

And, of course, seeing Michelangelo’s original David. Standing more than five metres tall, it was carved from a single block of marble that had been started and then abandoned by other sculptors. Michelangelo was only 26 when he took it on, spending nearly three years creating what would become one of the most recognized sculptures in the world.

As an interior designer, places like Florence are endlessly inspiring. It’s a reminder that great design isn’t about following a trend. It’s about proportion, material, craftsmanship and details that stand the test of time.

I’m coming home with a camera full of doors, windows, stone, colour and architectural details — and more than a little inspiration.

09/23/2026

First day in Florence 🇮🇹

A morning wandering through the market, and I couldn’t resist photographing the incredible colours, patterns and textures everywhere I looked.

Soft greens of fresh figs and pears, deep aubergine, striped beans, vibrant peppers and those beautiful zucchini blossoms — nature certainly knows how to put a palette together.

As a designer, I’m always noticing these details. The stripes and markings on the vegetables could easily inspire a textile or wallpaper, while the unexpected colour combinations spark ideas for an interior.

It’s a reminder that design inspiration isn’t always found in a showroom. Sometimes it’s waiting in a market stall in Florence.

Travel has a wonderful way of refreshing the creative eye. ❤️

❤️

09/21/2026

A day in Venice 🇮🇹

There is something extraordinary about experiencing Venice from the water. Wandering its narrow streets, taking in centuries of architecture, and then seeing it all from a gondola—with a little singing along the way.

The weathered plaster, exposed brick, carved stone, ironwork, colour and incredible layers of history… everywhere you look there is another detail to take in.

As a designer, I’m always noticing how places age, how materials develop character, and how old and imperfect can be incredibly beautiful.

A pretty memorable way to spend a day in Venice. ❤️

09/20/2026

Truffle hunting in Slovenia 🇸🇮

Into the forest with the dogs to search for one of Slovenia’s hidden treasures — truffles!

And the perfect ending? Fresh truffle pasta and w**e at a local vineyard. 🍝🍷

Travel is about the places we see, but also the experiences, traditions and flavours we discover along the way.

Loved the experience!
Definitely one for the memory book.

09/18/2026

If these walls could talk…

My husband and I are taking a little time away, travelling aboard a small cruise ship along the Croatian coast, and so far Dubrovnik, Havar and Split have captivated me.

One of the highlights in Split was exploring the Green Market and fish market with Chef Massimo Capra (from Chopped Canada and other shows), who is travelling aboard our ship as a guest Chef. Seeing the markets through a chef’s eyes—from local produce to fresh Adriatic seafood—was such a wonderful way to experience the culture of the city.

Then you turn a corner and find yourself surrounded by nearly 1,700 years of architecture.

Ancient Roman stone, Venetian influences, worn passageways, weathered shutters and buildings that have been repaired and adapted for centuries. Croatia’s more recent history is here too—only about 35 years ago, the country was entering a war that would profoundly affect it.

If these walls could talk, imagine the stories they could tell.

As a designer, I’m drawn to those layers—the imperfections, patina and evidence of lives lived. And then, amongst all that history, I found a solar-powered bench charging station. Old and new, quite comfortably existing together.

It reminded me of something I think about often in renovation:

What deserves to stay? What needs to change? And how can the new feel as though it belongs?

After more than 30 years in interior design, apparently the designer in me doesn’t take a vacation.

Some of the most beautiful places aren’t newly created. They’ve evolved.

Croatia, you are certainly inspiring me. 🇭🇷

09/07/2026

From vision to reality…

This renovation is well underway!

Our clients purchased this early-90s home knowing they wanted to make it their own. While it had many things they loved, the interiors were still very reflective of the era — including that sunshine ceiling in the kitchen!

The kitchen is being completely reimagined as part of a much larger whole-home renovation, with the goal of creating a home that feels current, functions beautifully for how they live today, and will serve them well into the future.

The first two images are our realistic 3D renderings, followed by where we started and where construction is today.

3D renderings are an important part of our design process. They allow our clients to truly visualize how their cabinetry, finishes, lighting and furnishings will come together before construction begins. In our experience, they are remarkably true to the finished space.

Now we get to watch the vision take shape. I can’t wait to share the finished home!

Interior Design & Project Leader Ellen Walker
Contractor Svea Contracting

08/10/2026

A renovation doesn’t always mean starting over. Sometimes the best spaces begin with deciding what deserves to stay.

This ensuite had beautiful reclaimed prairie-elevator fir timbers that were part of the character of the home, but the room itself had become dark, dated and no longer worked particularly well for the homeowners.

Our goal was to honour those existing timbers while creating an ensuite that felt brighter, cleaner and more current.

The seldom-used tub between the two vanities was removed, allowing us to rethink how that space could actually serve our client. During our conversations, we learned that she had been doing her makeup tucked into a far corner of the walk-in closet. So rather than simply replacing what was there, we incorporated a dedicated makeup desk between the vanities, right where it belonged.

The toilet was enclosed in a private water closet, and a leftover metal and glass transom from the original built home were repurposed for the transom along with an etched glass door creating a detail that feels as though it had always been there.

And because our client loves colour, we didn’t shy away from it. A striking quartzite became the feature of the new shower and vanity countertops, balanced with soft grey limestone tile floors, blue/green wall tile and trim pieces, clean-lined cabinetry and the warmth of the original reclaimed wood.

The result is a room that feels completely different, without losing the character that made the home special in the first place.

That is so much of what we do at Ellen Walker Design Group—listen carefully, understand how our clients really live, and find the opportunities that aren’t always obvious at first glance.

Beautiful design isn’t simply about choosing beautiful things. It’s about creating a home that works beautifully for the people who live there.

📸 Phil Crozier
👷 sveacontracting