Avia Collinder, Outlook Writer

In the dining and living room, minimal furnishings create ease of passage. Colours add warmth and cosiness. - Contributed

Units at Chateau Lingfield, a gated community on Marley Road and off Hope Road - were already sold when an intrepid Janice Blake convinced owner Byron Kerr to allow her to 'redo' the model unit.

So convincing was she that he said yes and, in a whirlwind of designing, planning and shopping, one 'manor' was turned into something that uncannily reflected Kerr's English 'country' tastes.

"It was done in such a way as to give the purchasers home decorating ideas," says Blake, who only embarked on residential decorating in 2004 after being tormented by relatives and friends into doing their homes.

Accepting the challenge of using her designing abilities even while still working at Digicel, Blake targeted Lingfield as a project which could place her name on the market.

It was not the easiest thing to do.

Byron Kerr was a big history buff who adored the Old English Manor look. He had also named each block in the housing complex after an English racehorse. Everything in the model apartment had to reflect the manorial and racing theme.

Kerr had also expressed in interest in Warwick Manor in the U.K., a place which was very Victorian and neoclassical in presentation.

Blake and her team set to work at capturing the cosiness of this old English house, using warm colours and a homey decor. The spaces at Lingfield were relatively small; but, with the use of large and simple pieces and no clutter, the desired effect was achieved.

Neutral earth tones, sophisticated yet warm, chandeliers and pendant light features were used throughout. The master bedroom was done in a cool shade of green with dark accents. Paintwork was complemented with shades of green, champagne and gold in furnishings.

The second bedroom was done in more contemporary colours, including bold orange. The kitchen was painted

in neutral tones and furnished with all the latest appliances.

Janice Black admits that preparation for this project involved whirlwind visit to San Francisco and Florida in the United States for decorative and accent pieces and furnishings. All appliances, however were supplied locally.

"What drives me is that I love to have people express themselves," Blake explains in reference to her part-time hobby turned job.

"I love the challenge of capturing their desires. I hate the approach of telling people what they should do with their surroundings."

Ecina-ja - the name of her company is Janice spelt backwards with an 'a' tacked on. The University of Technology and Manchester Business School graduate says, "I have always liked to dabble in design and decorating, and then I started to do some of this as part of my job description at Digicel."

Working with a team of friends who all bring different skills to the refurbishing and decorating projects, Blake states, "I am inspired by people's lifestyle. I believe people should be happy with their surroundings. If people feel good, they will take pride in keeping their homes and communities clean."

Ecina she says is not catering for the very elite but the everyday man - school teachers and nurses can have a nice house too.

"You see it on TV and you think it costs big bucks and you can't do it, but there are ways to do things which are different and which will fit into your budget."

She says, "I say to clients, tell me what you want and what it is that you do. When they see the results of the consultation, when they see their desires captured, they feel good. One woman hugged me and said, 'thank you, thank you, thank you'. Our clients are our inspiration."