‘Out with the old, and in with the new’, that’s how most people feel about their outdated furniture. But replacing old furniture can be a big hassle, and a big expense. So if it’s time to upgrade your old sofa set or kitchen cabinets, consider giving them a furniture face-lift. Here’s a few tips and tricks to help freshen’ up every day pieces of furniture.
1. Make Your Old Cupboards New Again
Bright colours are always a nice way to combat the winter blahs, especially when it comes to your kitchen cupboards. You can have your cupboards re-finished professionally at a low cost, or tackle it yourself. For those who prefer to do it yourself, remove the hinges and handles from your cupboards and wash them with soap or diluted bleach and let dry. Then lightly sand the doors with fine grade sandpaper and wash them again thoroughly. Finally, add a couple coats of primer and colourful paint and voila, a new set of colourful cupboards!
2. Covering up Old Styles
Has your couch seen better days, or even better decades? A slipcover might be the best way to update your style. Slipcovers don’t just look like sheets thrown over your sofa anymore. Today’s furniture covers are stylish and come in an assortment of colours and designs; they even come in stretch fabrics that make it hard to tell your sofa has even been covered.
3. Out with the Old, in with the Older
A newer, modern look isn’t for everyone. If you have a piece of wooden furniture that you’d like to send back in time, it’s possible to give it an ‘antique’ look. You’ll need to strip your furniture’s paint and apply numerous paints, glues, and glaze mixtures before sanding its surface to create that worn, aged look. Ask your local paint store or decorating centre for an Antique Paint Kit, and follow the instructions.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Space Saver Makeovers for Houses & Condos
Are you constantly misplacing household items like your screwdriver or tennis racquet? If so, perhaps your household needs a little re-organizing. Whether your home is a compact condo, cozy semi, or spacious detached, we can all benefit from a periodic check-in to see if we are making the best use of our space.
For house owners…
Take a peek inside many Canadian garages and chances are you won’t see a car. Garages and basements often become a dumping ground for all the things we rarely use. Here are five quick ways to makeover your garage and/or basement:
•Clear the clutter! Have a yard sale, sell your unused goods online, or donate items to your local charity.
•Add tall utility shelving to free up floor space, keeping any hazardous cleaning, garden, and automotive supplies out of reach of children by placing them on the top shelves.
•Store lesser used items on utility shelving in plastic storage containers with lids to keep out dust and moisture. Use bigger bins on casters for more frequently used items and roll them out of the way, such as under a worktable.
•Clear off your workbench and use a wall or pegboard to hang frequently used tools and store the rest in a tool chest. Use jars or plastic bins for storing and organizing smaller items like nails, screws, and nuts.
•Hang skis, bikes, brooms, shovels, wheelbarrows and other unwieldy sport, garden, and household items off purpose-built wall hooks or in specialty containers to keep them free from damage.
For condo owners…
Even in the smallest of condominium units, there is often under-utilized space. Here are a few ways to help you optimize it:
•Transfer your music collection to a digital format and sell your space-hogging records and CDs.
•Keep out-of-season clothes and spare linens in vacuum-sealed storage bags under the bed. Use hooks for bathrobes, clothes, purses, or even jewellery.
•Use decorative baskets for small items like magazines, hats, scarves, mittens, and children’s toys to keep things neat and organized.
•Open or floating shelving will create the illusion of space while providing stylish storage for household and decorative items.
•Invest in multi-functional furniture versus individual pieces which can take up valuable floor space. For example, a padded ottoman can be used as coffee table, storage space, and extra seating.
For house owners…
Take a peek inside many Canadian garages and chances are you won’t see a car. Garages and basements often become a dumping ground for all the things we rarely use. Here are five quick ways to makeover your garage and/or basement:
•Clear the clutter! Have a yard sale, sell your unused goods online, or donate items to your local charity.
•Add tall utility shelving to free up floor space, keeping any hazardous cleaning, garden, and automotive supplies out of reach of children by placing them on the top shelves.
•Store lesser used items on utility shelving in plastic storage containers with lids to keep out dust and moisture. Use bigger bins on casters for more frequently used items and roll them out of the way, such as under a worktable.
•Clear off your workbench and use a wall or pegboard to hang frequently used tools and store the rest in a tool chest. Use jars or plastic bins for storing and organizing smaller items like nails, screws, and nuts.
•Hang skis, bikes, brooms, shovels, wheelbarrows and other unwieldy sport, garden, and household items off purpose-built wall hooks or in specialty containers to keep them free from damage.
For condo owners…
Even in the smallest of condominium units, there is often under-utilized space. Here are a few ways to help you optimize it:
•Transfer your music collection to a digital format and sell your space-hogging records and CDs.
•Keep out-of-season clothes and spare linens in vacuum-sealed storage bags under the bed. Use hooks for bathrobes, clothes, purses, or even jewellery.
•Use decorative baskets for small items like magazines, hats, scarves, mittens, and children’s toys to keep things neat and organized.
•Open or floating shelving will create the illusion of space while providing stylish storage for household and decorative items.
•Invest in multi-functional furniture versus individual pieces which can take up valuable floor space. For example, a padded ottoman can be used as coffee table, storage space, and extra seating.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Curb Appeal is Critical
Alluring, or ho-hum: how’s your curb appeal? When you are ready to sell your home, be sure to pay close attention to the exterior and strive for that wow factor. You want your home to standout and shine!
Prospective buyers driving past your property will make snap judgments on whether they want to slow down and see your home, or simply drive away. If the exterior is poorly maintained, with uncut grass, peeling paint on the windows, a dowdy door, or sinking eaves troughs, they’ll assume the inside is just as uncared for. But if a buyer sees an attractive, appealing façade with a nice-looking lawn to boot, they’re going to want to see more – much more.
Beckon buyers up to your front door by painting it in a contrasting colour to the rest of your house. Dark jewel tones of red, blue or green will add a little drama. Consider embellishing the door further with an ornate knocker, polished-metal kickplate or a sumptuous seasonal wreath. Replace plain doorknob hardware with something more attractive.
If your light fixtures and house numbers are looking dull, add a fresh coat of paint to make them look like new. Brass accessories should shine or you may want to refinish them. On a cool, dull day leave lights on: warm lighting creates a cozy ambiance.
Outside your door, planters or urns in resin or cast iron add appeal and interest. In the fall, fill them with colourful chrysanthemums that will last through to the first frost. When signs of winter appear, consider using tall evergreens or dogwood.
Need a new mailbox? An imaginative mailbox adds character to your front door, whether it is a whimsical wood box made to look like a country cottage or a wrought iron creation with the antique look of yesteryear.
If you have pets (especially dogs), clean up any waste and ensure there are no lingering pet odours. Consider taking Fido for a walk if you’re going to show your home. Not all prospective buyers are animal lovers, and a barking dog could intimidate them. Also, be sure the lawn and/or landscaping is in pristine condition.
Buy a new Welcome mat! It’s simple but effective. When prospective buyers step from the impressive outside of your house to the inside, and see clean, clutter free rooms, they’ll be better able to picture themselves living in it. They’ll hopefully feel right at home, and you will have succeeded in creating a memorable first impression.
Prospective buyers driving past your property will make snap judgments on whether they want to slow down and see your home, or simply drive away. If the exterior is poorly maintained, with uncut grass, peeling paint on the windows, a dowdy door, or sinking eaves troughs, they’ll assume the inside is just as uncared for. But if a buyer sees an attractive, appealing façade with a nice-looking lawn to boot, they’re going to want to see more – much more.
Beckon buyers up to your front door by painting it in a contrasting colour to the rest of your house. Dark jewel tones of red, blue or green will add a little drama. Consider embellishing the door further with an ornate knocker, polished-metal kickplate or a sumptuous seasonal wreath. Replace plain doorknob hardware with something more attractive.
If your light fixtures and house numbers are looking dull, add a fresh coat of paint to make them look like new. Brass accessories should shine or you may want to refinish them. On a cool, dull day leave lights on: warm lighting creates a cozy ambiance.
Outside your door, planters or urns in resin or cast iron add appeal and interest. In the fall, fill them with colourful chrysanthemums that will last through to the first frost. When signs of winter appear, consider using tall evergreens or dogwood.
Need a new mailbox? An imaginative mailbox adds character to your front door, whether it is a whimsical wood box made to look like a country cottage or a wrought iron creation with the antique look of yesteryear.
If you have pets (especially dogs), clean up any waste and ensure there are no lingering pet odours. Consider taking Fido for a walk if you’re going to show your home. Not all prospective buyers are animal lovers, and a barking dog could intimidate them. Also, be sure the lawn and/or landscaping is in pristine condition.
Buy a new Welcome mat! It’s simple but effective. When prospective buyers step from the impressive outside of your house to the inside, and see clean, clutter free rooms, they’ll be better able to picture themselves living in it. They’ll hopefully feel right at home, and you will have succeeded in creating a memorable first impression.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Making Your Neighbourhood Great
We all know the “location, location, location” adage. Its part of what buying real estate is all about. But, what actually makes a location great?
According to Jay Walljasper, author of The Great Neighborhood Book, a great neighbourhood is about community. It’s about knowing your neighbours, feeling safe, and having pleasant spaces to be together.
Walljasper’s book offers lots of ideas for making your neighbourhood a better place to live and for building a stronger community:
•Know thy neighbours. Sit on your front steps and say hello as people walk by. Have a chat with the person who pumps your gas or the retired lady down the street. You’d be amazed at how people open up to a little friendliness.
•Create a great gathering spot. A nice playground with benches and shaded areas is a natural place for residents to gather. Communities across Canada have worked together to raise money via personal and corporate donations to build spaces kids and adults love.
•Make it an event. Whether it’s a neighbourhood barbecue, a Saturday street sale, or an organized trick-or-treating event for the kids, getting your neighbours together to do something fun builds friendship and community.
•Walk more, drive less. Get out and enjoy the neighbourhood instead of sealing yourself off in a car. Encourage walking by lobbying the city to widen sidewalks, add crosswalks, and traffic calming zones.
•Be neighbourly. Shovel your neighbour’s walk when they are out of town, offer an afternoon of babysitting to the single parent down the street, or welcome a new neighbour with an invitation to coffee.
•Take back the streets. If you live in an area where crime is a problem, organize a neighbourhood watch and walk around. If you see anything suspicious, notify the police. Criminals are deterred when there are too many people around.
•Shop local. Supporting your local merchants will ensure they succeed along with the distinctive flavour they add to your neighbourhood. If you don’t have shops in your area, it may be due to zoning restrictions. Lobby your city council to change zoning so that retailers can set up shop.
•Take pride. Take care of your neighbourhood the way you take care of your own property. When you go for a walk, bring a bag to pick up litter. Plant flowers in public places. Spruce up the park swings with some fresh paint.
•Take advantage. Enjoy what your neighbourhood has to offer. Hang out at the coffee shop, go for a walk or bike ride, relax in the park. A great neighbourhood is only great if you take time to enjoy it.
It takes work to make things better, but everything you do will pay off through your enjoyment of your community – and increased property values. For more ideas, consult The Great Neighborhood Book. It’s an excellent resource that could spark some greatness is your neighbourhood.
According to Jay Walljasper, author of The Great Neighborhood Book, a great neighbourhood is about community. It’s about knowing your neighbours, feeling safe, and having pleasant spaces to be together.
Walljasper’s book offers lots of ideas for making your neighbourhood a better place to live and for building a stronger community:
•Know thy neighbours. Sit on your front steps and say hello as people walk by. Have a chat with the person who pumps your gas or the retired lady down the street. You’d be amazed at how people open up to a little friendliness.
•Create a great gathering spot. A nice playground with benches and shaded areas is a natural place for residents to gather. Communities across Canada have worked together to raise money via personal and corporate donations to build spaces kids and adults love.
•Make it an event. Whether it’s a neighbourhood barbecue, a Saturday street sale, or an organized trick-or-treating event for the kids, getting your neighbours together to do something fun builds friendship and community.
•Walk more, drive less. Get out and enjoy the neighbourhood instead of sealing yourself off in a car. Encourage walking by lobbying the city to widen sidewalks, add crosswalks, and traffic calming zones.
•Be neighbourly. Shovel your neighbour’s walk when they are out of town, offer an afternoon of babysitting to the single parent down the street, or welcome a new neighbour with an invitation to coffee.
•Take back the streets. If you live in an area where crime is a problem, organize a neighbourhood watch and walk around. If you see anything suspicious, notify the police. Criminals are deterred when there are too many people around.
•Shop local. Supporting your local merchants will ensure they succeed along with the distinctive flavour they add to your neighbourhood. If you don’t have shops in your area, it may be due to zoning restrictions. Lobby your city council to change zoning so that retailers can set up shop.
•Take pride. Take care of your neighbourhood the way you take care of your own property. When you go for a walk, bring a bag to pick up litter. Plant flowers in public places. Spruce up the park swings with some fresh paint.
•Take advantage. Enjoy what your neighbourhood has to offer. Hang out at the coffee shop, go for a walk or bike ride, relax in the park. A great neighbourhood is only great if you take time to enjoy it.
It takes work to make things better, but everything you do will pay off through your enjoyment of your community – and increased property values. For more ideas, consult The Great Neighborhood Book. It’s an excellent resource that could spark some greatness is your neighbourhood.
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