“I recently painted my living room a dark red. It took so many coats to cover evenly! What do you think about the drapes I bought and how do you feel about the sofas?”

- Alida, Mississauga, ON

Good job on painting the room. The dark colour looks good, although I wouldn’t have chosen it for the entire room. I would have preferred a lighter taupe colour with the red as a feature wall behind the beige sofa perhaps. Something to consider if you decide to change it up in the future. The amount of natural light you get in the room is a huge factor in painting with a dark colour. The more light the better. Dark colours usually take quite a few coats of paint to cover the walls evenly. To get around not using so many coats, you could have purchased a tinted primer that would have only had you do about two coats instead of five!!

The draperies themselves are nice and add the light element and contrast that I like. They also match your throw pillows. The issue with them is that they don’t look like they’ll close and cover the entire window. Here you can do one of two things; keep them as fixed panels where you keep them open at either end of the window and purchase blinds to cover the window, or get rid of them completely and use them in another room. Either way you win because you don’t have to give them to someone else! For the blinds I suggest white wood or PVC (wood looking) 2″ venetian blinds. I would also use the same style blinds in the other windows of the house to keep it looking consistent on the outside.

The style of sofa is definitely not my favourite. And the fact that they are so contrasting in colour isn’t something I suggest. But to make them work for now, try to get the same throw pillows for both sofas.

So now the only things that are missing is an area rug and coffee and side tables. For the area rug I suggest an 11′x18′ rug. The larger the rug, the larger the room looks. I would find one that incorporates all the colours with a neutral base and the colours as accents. Or get one that is a neutral colour with a border. This may be a less expensive choice but will work well to soften the look. And since you have a little baby I would get an oval coffee table so there are no pointy corners and usually a round side table coordinates.

Paint, blind and furniture samples/pictures will be added shortly

Thank you for your questions!

A common housdehold problem - Mould

WHAT TO USE: A mixture of bleach and water

HOW TO USE IT: Bleach is best to use because it doesn’t only remove mould, but it kills the fungus that causes it. Scrub stains with a sponge or firm brush that has been dipped in a solution of 1/4 cup of bleach to 4 cups of water. Wait about five minutes then rinse thoroughly. Remember, never use bleach on aluminum surfaces and keep in mind that the mould can appear because of a more serious problem below the surface.

Until next time,

Clean windows with an earth-friendly home-made solution!

Keeping it clean – Windows

WHAT TO USE: A mixture of vinegar and hot water

HOW TO USE IT: Vacuum window frames and sills to remove debris and excess dust. Add three tablespoons (45 ml) of vinegar to one gallon (4L) of hot water. Wash the windows with a soft cloth or newspaper. Whichever works better for you. To get into the corners, use a cotton swab moistened with the cleaning solution. If the dirt is difficult to remove, wash first with hot, soapy water. Dry the windows with a cloth, or better yet, newspaper.

Until next time,

Get rid of discoloured and dirty grout with this tip!

Keeping it clean – Grout

WHAT TO USE: Any liquid cleaner, gloves, brush, sponge, undiluted vinegar or bleach, grout sealer

HOW TO USE IT: First, wash the entire tile surface with a bathroom cleanser to remove soap scum. Pour a little vinegar or bleach onto a damp sponge and apply it to the grout lines and let stand for a few minutes. Scrub the grout with a brush and rinse with clean water. If you prefer to get right in there, use a toothbrush dipped in vinegar or bleach and scrub. Be careful! Bleach can cause discolouration – it’s best to test in a hidden spot and never use on coloured grout. Rinse with fresh water and let dry. When everything is dry (after and hour or so) apply a grout sealer to prevent new stains. You can purchase grout sealer at your local home building store.

Until next time,

Remove grease buildup on your kitchen walls in a snap!

Keeping it clean – Kitchen Walls

WHAT TO USE: A degreasing powder containing trisodium phosphate (TSP)

HOW TO USE IT: TSP can be purchased at your local building supply store. Add 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of TSP to one gallon (4L) of warm water. Wash and rinse thouroughly with clean water.

Until next time,

Remove unwanted marks and scuffs including those made by shoes and chairs!

Keeping it clean – Vinyl Flooring

WHAT TO USE: A little water and vinegar

HOW TO USE IT: Mix a little vinegar in hot water. Add as much as you would of your regular cleaning solution. Wash and rinse for best results. Dish detergents and creams leave a film and can attract dust so avoid using them.

Until next time,

There are products out there that work best to get out tough stains and grease. Here’s what you need to know!

Keeping it clean – RANGE HOOD

WHAT TO USE: A mixture of water and dish soap

HOW TO USE IT: Wash the metal filter in a hot mixture of soap and water. Keep in mind that you can also put the filter in the dishwasher making sure to wipe away most of the grease beforehand. Wipe the inside and outside of the hood thoroughly, rinse with clean water and wipe dry immediately.

Until next time,

1. Hiring a contractor who works under the table for cash, without a contract, without any guarantees and most importantly without insurance. Insurance is a must so that you aren’t sued if anyone gets hurt.

2. Doing work yourself without the necessary knowledge and know-how or time needed to complete the project.

3. Neglecting any household maintenance like crumbling brick walls or water leaks around windows before renovating. Make sure everything is in good shape before covering it up.

4. Using materials and finishes that do not somewhat match or work with the rest of the home. A home usually looks better when the materials in the house marry in style and colour scheme. This is true unless you are planning on changing the house’s style room by room.

5. Making renovation choices without the approval of other household members. Be sure to speak to your partner before starting. You should come up with ideas together.

6. Starting negotiations with a contractor without knowing what you want. Get ideas from family, friends, television shows, magazines and an interior decorator or designer before contacting a contractor.

7. Failing to include all the details you require in your contract with your contractor. Make sure all details are included in writing so you and your contractor don’t get in trouble later.

8. Signing a contract where the totals are equivalent to what you expect to pay. Always have extra money on the side to cover any snags you may run into. Be aware that they usually happen!

9. Planning your project with only the ideas and suggestions others give you. Make sure you do what you want and what you like.

10. Changing project details after it has started. This will cause a delay in the renovation and will cost you money. Usually thousands of dollars.

USEFUL RESOURCES

Canada Housing and Mortgage Corp: www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca

Ontario General Contractors Association: www.ogca.ca

The Appraisal Institute of Canada: www.aicanada.ca

The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing: www.mah.gov.on.ca

The Ontario Ministry of Energy: www.energy.gov.on.ca

The Office of Energy Efficiency: www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca

Until next time,

 ”I was wondering if you could help me pick a colour for my bathroom. The tiles on the floor are cream and the back splash around tub is brown.”

- Marcus, North York, ON

 The renovation is looking great. I love the embossed alligator print on the tiles. It’s very different and so masculine. Your bathroom is going to look amazing when it’s completed!
You have a few choices for wall colour depending on the look and feel you want to achieve. If you want the light tiles to blend with the walls, I suggest Benjamin Moore White Down CC-50. It’s a nice off-white colour that will work well with the lighter tiles and keep the room light and airy. If you would prefer a little contrast I suggest Benjamin Moore Muslin CC-110. It’s a little darker than the first colour, adds some contrast, warmth and depth and still works nicely with the tiles. And lastly if you want drama I suggest Benjamin Moore Hiking Trail CC-514. This would be the boldest choice but it would make the room very sexy and continue the masculine feel of the room.

Of course the right lighting makes a difference. You have installed pot lights which is wonderful. Make sure they are on a dimmer so you can adjust the lighting to suite your mood and create the ambiance you want. I also suggest adding a chrome wall sconce on wither side of the mirror so you have balanced lighting there.
Make sure all hardware is modern and chrome to tie in the chrome around the tub. And finally, white towels and colourful prints framed with a black frame and white matting will finish off the look and add the hit of colour.

Thank you for your questions!