Dec 18, 2013
Paula Velez talks with us about her recent retail project - creating her 'little barn in the city', a boutique retail store for expecting couples and parents - Draw Me A Sheep.
Paula explains how integral flooring is to create a cozy, natural environment.
“There’s few things I don’t compromise when I design – flooring and lighting are super important.”
“Everybody compliments Karndean Designflooring. People don’t notice that it’s not real wood. It looks exactly like wood.”
“My idea with the design, and the feel, and the space was to bring that little barn in the city inside the space. I tried to match the barn wood from the outside and in the window frames with the floor and I got exactly what I was looking for. It was all about barn wood, it was about that coziness, it was about that being by the fireplace in your barn- it was just that natural feeling that I wanted”
Conceptualized by Toronto-based interior designers Lina Marin and Paula Velez, Draw me a Sheep started as a dream – The duo wanted to open a creative business that catered to both new and expecting parents offering not only baby products, but also a fun, personalized experience that would prepare them for their new bundles of joy.
With a passion for all things beautiful, an eye for detail, and a treasure trove of knowledge for everything baby and beyond, a business partnership was forged and Draw me a Sheep Inc. was born. Lina and Paula now embark on an adventure as business partners, cousins and best friends!
Draw me a Sheep Inc. is an independent boutique design firm specializing in selling premium, artisan, and handmade products for babies and young children in Toronto. Like a marriage between a design consultancy and a baby store, Draw me a Sheep walks new parents through the process of selecting products that would suit their lifestyle, as well as offer affordable nursery design services.
Unlike larger commercial infant stores, Draw me a Sheep offers a more unique selection of merchandise, including innovative and trendsetting luxury items – many of which come from local designers and artisans. Making a nursery stylish and fabulous has never been so easy!
From a young age, Paula was immersed in design, growing up in a family of homebuilders in Colombia.
Paula has over a decade of experience, designing residential and commercial spaces and has an extensive background as a furniture buyer.
She is also the newest co-host and lead designer of “Restaurant Takeover” on the Food Network.
Paula takes a genuine and personable approach with each client, working together to achieve the client’s vision. By incorporating function, comfort and style into your individual space, Paula creates modern living with a classic flair.