What They Say?
"Irene has the knack of drawing out our feelings and likes. She put together a room that gives us the warm cozy feeling we were looking for."
About Us
Irene's journey has followed a meandering path engaging both her creative and her academic skills. Having completed continuing education programs in fashion design and business administration at Ryerson while working full time, Irene returned to school in the 1970's and graduated from Toronto School of Interior Design. After a brief position as a decorator with a large Toronto drapery house and working freelance, she enjoyed a successful career in association management for eleven years. She left her post as President of the Confectionery Manufacturers Association of Canada in 1988, and returned once again to the world of interior design opening That Country Place in Orillia, Ontario, which ultimately evolved to the well-known custom interior design house, Turnbull Interiors. Looking back Irene recalls, "Something was awakening within me during my last years at CMAC". It was the end of the eighties and like so many women my age, I was beginning to question a great deal about my life. Somewhere deep within me I knew there was just so much more to everything." Now, I realize that this was the beginning of twenty years of personal growth and discovery that would change my life forever."
It became evident to Irene early in her career, that decorating decisions were not always easy for people. Often differing opinions caused stress where Irene believed there should be joy. She set out to discover why this was so, and after many years of intense study and practice, she began to understand that most difficulties for people had little to do with the colour of paint, or the furniture in the room, but rather, it was all about how we relate to our choices. Irene clearly understands that we have an emotional connection to our homes and it is this link that ultimately influences whether we feel good in our space our not. Her passion for bringing this "feel good" result to her clients has earned her an enviable reputation as a true leader in her profession.
Irene is committed to maintaining the integrity and professionalism of the interior design/decorating industry. She served on the Board of Directors CDECA (Canadian Decorators Association) from 2004 to 2009, and was recently honoured by CDECA Members for her outstanding service as Chairman from 2006 to 2008.
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Irene Turnbull has a mission "to make the world happier, one home at a time!" and what's more, she is doing it!!! Now, she wants to share her Secret of Great Interior Design and Decorating with you!!
A self-proclaimed addict for knowledge about our mind-body-soul connection, Irene persued some of the worlds's leading researchers and authorities on the subject. Her dedication and relentless quest to understand how we experience our homes - our relationship with the physical world - how we see and feel and the link between our perceptions and our emotional satisfaction has resulted in her leading edge approach to interior design & decorating.
Irene believes good design is about the people who live in the space, not about the designer. It is about understanding needs and desires and helping to express the best feelings in a way that brings harmony to the home to be enjoyed by all who share it.
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Testimonials
"In no time flat, Irene knew who I was, what my lifestyle was, what my background was, what I liked and didn't like and I think that's the key to the whole thing. I love it, just love it."
Sheila Clarke
"Details that were already in the house were part of the plan...there was a particular kind of furniture we had and they picked up some of the line in the detail and colour right away. It was amazing to me what they were able to do with the fabrics. I never would have thought of that, but it looks great!"
Rev. Art Storey
"The interesting thing about Irene was that she took me outside of the 'box'...it was an awesome experience...courteous and fun. Irene offers more than just decorating like furniture refinishing and draperies so for me it was one stop shopping."
Cathy Barker
"Initially, we were he hesitant to contact an Interior Designer because we wanted our home to reflect our tastes and not someone else's. Contacting Turnbull Interiors was the best thing we could have done. Irene took detailed notes of our colour preferences and of environments that made us feel comfortable. She spent many hours developing designs and colour schemes that worked for us. We feel happy and relaxed in our new surroundings and thank Bill and Irene for turning our house into our home.
Linda and Bill Huttons
"Irene has a knack of drawing out our feelings and likes and with her amazing team put together a room that gives us the warm cozy feeling we were looking for. Through conversations with both of us, Irene was able to determine what colour and style we preferred to feel calm and relaxed in our new space.
Dave and Patty Wainwright