January 2009 - Posts

Top 5 Friday: Natural Floor Treatments

Floors are tricky. You want to be responsible and cost-effective, but it’s just such a vital element in designing a space that it’s hard to make concessions. In my books, it’s definitely important to invest as much as you can in a product that will ameliorate
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Shoestring Makeover from an Ottawa Reader!

How do real people decorate on a real budget? A very timely subject, I think! Laura A. from Ottawa recently redecorated her main floor: living room, dining room, kitchen and foyer. It was “a labour of love” for her, which she managed to execute on an
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Cheap Artwork Find: Original Art for $20, $50 and $200

NYC-based gallery owner Jen Bekman believes that everyone needs art so she came up with a digital way to connect emerging artists with new collectors. "It's art for everyone. New original editions weekly, at ridiculously affordable prices," it says on
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Question of the Week: Install a Floating Floor or Save for Hardwood?

A floating floor essentially means flooring that does not need to be glued or nailed to the subfloor, but the term is almost always used in reference to laminate or engineered floors. The options in this type of flooring are vast, and in most cases, much
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House Tour: The Cascade House in Toronto

So a family relocates from Arizona to Toronto, and not wanting to leave the feel of ‘big sky’ behind, order themselves up a house that literally bags up the sky, for the pleasure of its dwellers, inside…. Wouldn’t that be nice???? Cascade House, view
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Boy Vs. Girl Room Makeover

This week on Home Heist , Colin and Justin transformed an unsightly suburban home where kids come first and style comes last. Two bedrooms – one for a boy and the other for a girl – get stylish, kid-friendly makeovers. First Up: The Boy Room Before To
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Feel-Good DIY of the Year

An Oakville, ON grade 5 teacher – the handiest grade 5 teacher ever – has built the “Bibliochaise” ! The highbrow design item was featured in my post on book storage , showcasing the trend of incorporating book storage right into furniture. Well, Mr.
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3 Desks That Aren't Too "Desk-y"

I admit that I am a just a shade insane about home offices. I don' t like them! And I hate the look of office chairs. Why are so many so ugly? But that's beside the point... My boyfriend and I have had more than a few "chats" about a home office. If it
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Question of the Week: Gas or Wood-Burning Fireplace?

Well it’s certainly fireplace season! And boy did I wish the previous owners of my home didn’t close in both of the first and second floor wood-burning fireplaces (no doubt to save on maintenance costs) when this past Friday and Saturday my family lost
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Top 5 Book Storage Ideas You Wish You Thought of

Book storage is a bit of a passion for me. Nothing says warm and lived-in more than a floor-to-ceiling wall of books. Many of us however, don’t have an entire wall to devote to book storage, and doing a little surfing for new ideas, I discovered that
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Colin & Justin makeover: Preppy meets South Beach

Last week on Home Heist , Colin and Justin tackled an out of date living room, dining room and kitchen for homeowners with two young sons. The result? A fresh, bright spin on classic preppy style with a side of South Beach glamour. I love bold wallpaper
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Modern Wine Storage Solutions

Over the holidays I spent a lot of time entertaining family and friends and a common gesture that my guests extended was wine. So early this New Year, I suddenly found myself well stocked in Merlots, Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs, but unfortunately
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Question of the Week: Would you Hire a Designer to Tell You How to Decorate?

I for one, would not. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE watching Sarah Richardson , Samantha Pynn , Peter Fallico and of course, that devilish duo, Justin and Colin (among many others) decorate other people’s homes, but with all due respect, I’ll do my own decorating.
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Canadian Paper and Textile Designers Finally Get Website!

Schoolyard Studio Tea Towels, $25 I’m super excited for this because this eco design duo is one of my faves. Schoolyard Studio is the name, and I couldn’t really share them with you earlier because their website was a no-go and I know how you guys don’t
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New Shows and Returning Favourites to Watch Out for!

I've been reading some of your responses to the question of the week , and you guys sure don't disappoint! Thanks for sharing (and continuing to do so) all your comments about content, and incidentally, I thought I'd mention a few of the new and returning
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Bryan Baeumler and Samantha Pynn Predict 2009's Decor Trends

I asked HGTV hosts Bryan Baeumler from Disaster DIY and Samantha Pynn from Pure Design to look into their expert crystal balls and tell us what they see happening in home decor this year. Vanessa : What colours do you think will be important in 2009?
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2009: What to Keep, Buy and Store in Decor

I admit it: I'm kind of obsessed with decor. As such, I can be said to keep a close watch on the world of interior design, and today venture to share with you my opinion on what all those concerned should be keeping, buying and storing with respect to
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Question of the Week: What Type of Content Would You Like to See in 2009?

We know you’ve got your likes and dislikes with regard to what we put out on HGTV Canada -- both on television and online -- so lets talk about it! Are we speaking to your Home and Garden concerns? Are there certain hosts that appeal to you more than
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Photo Challenge: What Project Are You Most Proud Of?

Happy 2009! The beginning of the New Year is the perfect time to tackle that leaky faucet, re-think your window treatments or build the closet of your dreams. Ladies, we're talking to you. It's common for the fairer sex to let men handle projects that
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