Room Candy: paint

Yes another New Year (cheers🎊!) and another round of “Trends”. Lots to sift through in the home decor world these days! Many say conflicting things!

So... where do you go for the real goods?

If you 💗 it then that is pretty much all you need !

Really! It’s your home, you live there and if you love a certain look colour style then go for it! How to pull that all together is another whole thing and that's maybe where you look for help - magazines, inspiration pics (Pinterest Houzz) , call a friend with a good eye, call in a professional. We do A LOT of styling with only what homeowners currently have. It's amazing what a little shifting, editing and styling can do.

If you want a refresh but limited on time and budget (most of us!) There are simple quick ways to refresh and feel like you are up to date with your space.

I just read an article where designer Kristi Margiotta called it the "3 P’s of Decorating

Paint
Pillows
Plants

I love this because its totally true- if you do 1 or all 3 of these you can create a fresh new look in a room fast and inexpensively.

Paint is still our number 1 go to for quick refresh! And its relatively inexpensive - especially if you can DIY - plus a HUGE transformation if the walls haven't been updated for years! Calm fresh colours that flow through out the entire house always work.Pick only one or 2! Add some drama with colour in personal spaces - master bedroom dining area or office. (wallpaper is also a great Drama add-on in these rooms- that's a whole other post !!)

So guys, pillows are really a girls best friend! An added step to uncover the bed or sofa is just your new fact of life 😉 But really, just the simple step of changing up the pillows in a room can create a whole new look. The key is pulling together solids and patterns with texture and colour! Don't be afraid to mix and match!

Photo Pottery Barn

Plants… I have a black thumb so everything green in my home is not real ( faux- cringe- not the trailing dusty ivy!!) If you can, live greenery is awesome, if contained and simplified. If that's not an option there are TONS of really great modern faux greens to work with.(locally- Chintz Pier 1 Homesense) We ALWAYS use greenery in our end styling and that is what finishes a room. The Fiddle Leaf fig is definitely trendy but a really really great tree! Grasses and succulents always add softness but still that bit of green life we need in a space.

If you are looking for more ways to incorporate something new (old!) think on these …

Hygge ( pronounced hoo-ga) is all the rage right now. This is a Danish word used for the “feeling” of cozy! Think comfy knitted warmth being present in the moment in front of a fire - that's Hygge. So you can't really buy it per se, but you can create the feeling in your home. There are lots of Hygge books out now for inspiration and I do think this is here to stay as we all try to connect more within and shut out the junk and noise in our busy lives.

Boho and Jungalo are another blast from the past! I made Macrame plant hangers by the dozen at summer camp! Again these are back on trend but the key is to not go so far that it feels cluttered and busy. This is big with the millennials! (my daughters follow tons of instagrammers that have a great design aesthetic which I think is pretty cool from a design mom thing!) This is where plants rule and texture is Queen. Jute , pattern, greenery and coloured accents…this all works especially when on a simple backdrop of white.

Photo IKEA

photo Karissa Pukas

Classic elegance will never go out of style. Seeing updates with this is terms of finishes metals -especially gold is here to stay, just that they are softer- brushed and burnished). Some say the white kitchen is out…I disagree. A white kitchen makes my heart beat faster! Keeping it warmer with wood accents and textures is how it can stay fresh. Again here is when - if you love it, then it will work - is so true! Flooring is going lighter and I love this. Time and maintenance saver. Lots of different flooring choices now- in millions of shades and textures and price points.

Photo oldseagroveshomes

Photo Brian Gluckstein

Photo Eichholtz

Know what you love, know when to stop, know when to ☎ a friend or expert for help. That will save you time energy and money - and on your way to a fresh new look!

_________________

Happy Styling 2018!

~ Tracey

Here's a very long over due look at the progress on our TLC House renovation.

The good news is we are pretty much on schedule ( even with the holidays thrown in there!) and according to the banker ( L not T ) pretty close to on budget. I know I'll get told very quickly when we are NO LONGER on budget
so that keeps me a little scared and very thrifty! The sign of a good partner !

The bad news, well there really isn't any bad news! There is just sometimes not a lot to see when its a lot of "guts" work . It can be slow going. Many many ( many! ) trips later - they just say "Hey Ladies " at Home Depot and Rona ! The fun really begins now with the finishing and we get to see all of the planning really start to take shape.

We have replaced all the electrical with a full new service. All new windows. The plumbing is all updated and we have a new gas furnace ( replacing oil ) and all new ducting ! Whew!

This was a proud moment !

We have boxed in a gas fireplace into its new location (not in the middle of the living room). Cabinetry will flank the fireplace for some much need extra storage. We have a little DIY planned for the fireplace but we will wait on that for pictures :)

The whole house was touched with new drywall of some sort. Full boarding in basement and patching and skimming in the main part of the house. With a property of this age decisions have to be made regarding wall and ceiling textures. We had no less than 3 styles of texturing going on. Now fully understanding the value of our friends in the drywall business! First coats of primer and paint is on exterior and interior. (with much more to go) New front and basement doors are installed along with all new interior doors and trim.
Maybe a good time to go back to review the "before"

This week we are having the kitchen floor installed and feathered into the original oak hardwood. Once installed we can then sand and stain and finish the flooring in the entire main and upper floors.This will be a big day when its done. We had a lot of pressure to rip out the old hardwood but we really wanted to keep it .
Its original and in good enough shape to refinish . I think it will be beautiful!

Basement flooring will be installed this week as well

and the kitchen cabinet boxes go in next week.

A HUGE shout out to our team. We have some really great players on board.

Argus Excavating (250 656 4800)

The Vinyl Window Co

Grounded Systems Ltd

New Heights Contracting ( Painters)

Network Home Improvements (Gutters 250 589 4527)

White Wolf Drywall (250 478 9314)

Bendle Homeworks ( 250 886 9411)

Dan Aune Plumbing and Heating (250 880 1995)

Harbour City Kitchens