About Dayle Laing

Dayle Laing has been a College Instructor of Interior Design and Decorating, lecturing on Material Finishes, Textiles, Historic Textiles, and Business Practices for 19 years. Using humour, excitement and extensive knowledge, she shared her 20 years of experience in residential and contract design practice with her eager students.  From simple residential decorating consultations to complex commercial projects exceeding ½ million dollar budgets and requiring project management, Dayle displayed a broad ranging talent for the business and the creative side of design. Some of her clients have been with her as long as 18 years.

Dayle taught her design courses with an environmental twist, and with each passing year, more and more of the students appreciated this approach.  She has seen the students’ attitudes change, from initially disinterest when she discussed the environmental impact of their decorating choices for fabrics, and material finishes, to a few showing interest, to almost all showing considerable interest, especially since Al Gore’s movie “An Inconvenient Truth”.  She has always encouraged the students to help their clients make choices: for good design and quality that will last long after the most recent fads have faded, to not end up quickly in the landfill, to consider their choices carefully in light of chemicals and allergies and what is best for the consumer. 

Dayle has an Honours Applied Science degree in Consumer Studies, Consumer Textile Major, and Business Minor from the University of Guelph, a 3 yr. Diploma in Interior Design from Sheridan College where she was awarded the medal for the highest marks, and a 15-course Certificate in Interior Decorating, also from Sheridan.

In her fourth year at university, she researched and wrote a thesis in partnership with fellow student David Laing (who is now her husband of 30 years).  They studied “The Characteristics of Consumers who Recycle versus those who do not”.  Recycling was in its infancy with volunteers who manned the collection of clear and green glass bottles, newspaper, and crushed food tins.  The environment has been an underlying passion throughout Dayle’s life.

In her previous career, Dayle gained valuable experience in the Pharmaceutical industry as a Marketing Research Analyst, a Professional Sales Representative and finally District Sales Manager.  Here she was responsible for building a well motivated team of 11 sales representatives and achieved ‘District of the Year’.  She left the industry after 12 successful years to pursue her creative side in the interior design field.  This background has been invaluable for understanding the organic chemical side of sustainable design.

Dayle is a Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor and has her Level II in Reiki.  She has taught yoga in her own studio, in health clubs, corporately, and on an international cruise ship.  Balance in one’s personal environment is essential for balance in the global environment.

Dayle has travelled extensively around the globe with her husband and business partner, David.  Their passion for adventure trekking has seen them climb Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, trek for 3 weeks in the Everest region of Nepal, sail in Greece and the British Virgin Islands, canoe down the Yukon River in northern Canada, and canoe trip every year in the wilderness parks of north central Canada, and downhill ski annually in western Canada.  Their most recent trip was mountain climbing in the Rocky Mountains to celebrate a family birthday at 10,000 feet.  Every year Dayle sea kayaks for a week with her sisters.  Dayle knows what it is to sleep in tents on the mountain side, pump and purify water from a puddle and use open pit toilets.  Four and Five-star travel does not give this experience, but she has enjoyed some of that too -- Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Japan, India, South Africa, Kenya, Czech Republic, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, England, Wales, Scotland, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Bahamas, Bermuda, Jamaica, Mexico, St. Marten, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Barbados, Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska in the US.  The result has been international exposure with a more global perspective. 

Noting the importance of giving back to the profession, Dayle was elected to the Board of Directors of CDECA, Canadian Decorators Association, where she served as the Director of Education for the past 2 years on a volunteer basis.  She was committed to raising the educational standard of interior decorators and designers.  She continues to serve as Chair of the Technical Committee. She has also served as President of the Sheridan College Interior Designers' Alumni Association and as President of her Cottage Association.

She has lectured and led professional development seminars in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Calgary. Recently, she has conducted sales training on sustainable interior design fabrics for a major textile supplier. In a lighter vein, Dayle has spoken about “The Magic of Unicorns in Medieval Tapestries”. Dayle is a member of the Canada Green Building Council Greater Toronto Chapter.

Currently, Dayle is researching and writing her book, "Coolest Shade of Green -- an Insider's Analysis of Beautiful Sustainable Interior Design Products".