The earrings we created in her honour are very delicate, featuring a faded colour over a vintage lace pattern with a shiny stone, that adds a perfect feminine touch.

Picture by Michelle Gagné /Make up and hair by Anaïs Côté

We were short on time to head to our usual supplier  boutique Modéco for a couple of magical pieces of clothes, so we asked Vanessa to bring her own tops for the picture. They were all so pretty, like the one with pineapples that you see on the picture. She really has a talent to dig up fabulous items, in all categories! 

We asked her a couple of questions, to get a grasp on that inspiring woman. She has many projects and is a mom of three on top of that : 

"I get my inspiration everywhere; in fashion (that predicts the future trends in decoration), my trips and even in food.  It's crazy how the combinations of colours in flowers and food inspire me with garden colour schemes.  For makeovers, I get my inspiration in vintage magazines that I find in flee markets. There outdated and sometimes cheesy, but they teach me a lot on looks and colours over various time periods. I don't copy them, but they inspire me. My top magazines are Living Etc, from England, Elle Décoration from France and on the internet, Rue and Lonny have excellent publications."

Her office! To learn more, please visit her blog Damask et Dentelle!

What challenges have you met in life? 

"All of them have been defining, because I learned something important facing all of them, they made me a stronger woman. One of them was to start my own business, it was a big challenge and it came with unknown, anxiety and sleepless nights. When you hold on, light always comes at the end of the tunnel.  The only challenges I find harder to get over are the ones implying my children. I would like to always keep them from suffering, but I know that's not how it works. They also have to learn from their challenges and difficulties, I have to find it within me to be there for them so they come out stronger." <3<3<3

What would you say to someone who's dreaming of transforming furniture for the first time? 

"The best tip I can give them is to chose, for the first experience, a piece that is not very important to them and not a rare antique piece.... :) It's true that learning can come with a couple of mistakes, but they are all part of acquiring experience. You'll learn what not to do and the good way of working with furniture. There are three (+ 1) important steps to create a great make over :  

Picture by Michelle Gagné / Make up and hair by Anaïs Côté

You can follow Vanessa with Sauvez les meubles and Marché conclu! on Canal vie. You can even follow her adventures on her blog and social medias. Her book Damask et dentelle is now available here, and for her new project, le répertoire déco, with all her favorite adresses, come here often!