For many residents of apartment-style condo buildings, a balcony offers a small, private slice of the outdoors – a place to kick back with a book, sip your morning coffee, catch a few rays, or enjoy an al fresco meal or cocktail.

In recent months, the widespread adoption of social distancing and self-isolation to combat COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of private outdoor spaces. For those who have them, balconies and backyards provide a crucial refuge – a safe space to get some fresh air while avoiding contact with other people.

In a competitive housing market, if you want to sell your home faster and get your asking price, a degree of home staging is a must.

Shopping for furniture involves a lot of choices. For each different piece, there are endless size, fabric and colour options.

However, finding the perfect furniture for your home can be a breeze with some pre-shopping preparation and a bit of advice from the experts.

When it cools off outside, it's time to warm up inside with a seasonal update to home décor.

"Fall is a great time for design in general because you can start to layer," said Alykhan Velji, principal and senior designer for Alykhan Velji Designs. "Just like in fashion, where you can start adding scarves and such, with an interior you can start adding more textural items – layering on more pillows, throws and artwork."

Here are three of Velji's top design trends for fall:

How to create a great backyard getaway for patio season

Patio season is underway, so it's time to get your garden ready. With a little planning, you can make your own cozy corner for sitting and entertaining a reality this weekend.

Given our climate, it's no surprise that Calgarians spend a lot of time indoors. Fortunately, the latest design trends offer some exciting ways spice up your home's interior. From colours to curves, let Alykhan Velji of Alykhan Velji Designs and LeAnne Bunnell of LeAnne Bunnell Interiors walk you through a range of options to keep you on the cutting edge.

Trendy design pieces for any budget

Furniture should speak to your soul

Selecting your furniture is an exciting-but-challenging task in which scale, colour, style and function are all considered.

Yet don't just fill your space; fulfill your space.

Both should feed your soul; it should seduce you into wanting to stay in that room forever, engaging your emotions with serenity, comfort and sensibility. This will happen when you consider the perimeters of your space; appropriately scaled furniture, whether a casual or formal lifestyle, can make or break a lovely design.