Downsize with Style

Downsizing is a tough experience but it can also be very freeing!  A fresh new chapter in life where you can have a space that is all yours, so enjoy!  It can be tricky to know where or how  to start so here are some helpful tips for downsizing in style.

Edit, Edit, Edit

Transitioning to a smaller space poses one of the biggest challenges, often, people want to move their entire homes into their condos. Instead, consider it a fresh new space, and be willing to make sacrifices and part with pieces.You can pass them onto family and friends that would love them as much as you did or consider consignment or donation.  You can't keep everything!

 

Organize and Optimize

The smaller the space, the more organized it has to be. An excellent way to control clutter is to have furniture custom made.They’ll fit your space much better than ready-made pieces, and the cost difference isn’t as much as you would think. Building floor-to-ceiling shelves (1 foot deep) along the entire length of one wall for books, CDs, and knickknacks. There’s a lot you can store in 12 inches. You won’t miss the foot, but you’ll gain all that storage. In the end the extra cost will be worth it to get exactly what you want and need.

 

Bring The Outside In

Create a seamless transition between interior and exterior by choosing color palettes and natural materials (hardwood, granite, or textured wool carpeting) that complement the view from your window.
When there are no visual barriers, the outside comes in and becomes a part of the room … (and) a small room can appear more spacious.

 

Watch That Scale

Select furniture pieces in proportion to the size of a room. Oftentimes, people want to push the boundaries of how much a space can hold, but size isn’t everything; comfort can be accomplished with a 60- or 96-inch sofa. Rooms have to breathe, furniture has to breathe. Filling a space with lots of small items, crowds a room the same way extra large furniture will, so scale is very important.

 

Find Flexible Furniture

Every piece should have a function, or at least be mobile and flexible. Nesting tables are fabulous in that way,  as are sectional sofas that split apart. Ottomans that open are great for storage and can be tucked beneath console tables. Or use a trunk as a coffee table.Also look for storage sofas and beds!

Ombre - A Cool and Fresh Look for Your Walls and more

So we are still seeing lots of people decorating with accent walls.  We have all seen the bold colour accent walls (red walls were hugely popular) and then the neutral colour accent walls (like a chocolate brown or a charcoal) and then wall paper accent walls ...if you love an accent wall take a look at what is trending this season - Ombre Accent Walls.  The Ombre look is something we have seen a lot in fashion in both hair and clothing and now we are seeing it in home decor.  The Ombre wall is a fresh look and the colour choices are endless you can opt for a bold colour option or a neutral shade or blending two different shades like pink and grey or blue and grey.




Here's what you need:

Paint Colors (for a grey and pink ombre wall like the image above)

• One gallon of gray
• One gallon of salmon pink
• One gallon of light gray

Supplies

• Tape measure
• Paint roller
• Paint tray and liners
• Wide paintbrush

Get Started: Paint and Blend

Ombre describes a graduated color scheme- from the lightest color through to the darkest.

Paint a Base Coat
For best results, wipe down or dust the wall you are going to paint. Choose the lightest shade of paint and begin by painting the entire wall this color. Don't skip this step: This will give your other colors a fresh base of paint to go over, making a smooth, even surface for blending. Let it dry.
Divide the Wall Into Sections
To achieve an ombre look, measure three equal sections on your wall and mark lightly in pencil. The top section will be the lightest color. The darkest color goes at the bottom, leaving the third color for the center.

Start With Medium in the Middle
Paint the middle section with the second-lightest color, leaving 6" of room between the edges of each section. In a timely manner, hold a dry brush at a 45 degree angle to blend.

Apply the Darkest Hue at the Bottom
Paint the darkest hue at the bottom of the wall, leaving a foot between color sections.

Mix the First New Color
In a fresh paint liner, mix your lightest color and your middle shade at a ratio of half and half. Use this first new color blend to paint the 6" gap between the lightest and middle color. Taking a dry brush and holding it at an angle, quickly blend up until you meet the next color section.

Mix the Second New Color
In a fresh paint liner, mix your darkest color and your middle shade at a ratio of half and half. Use this second new color blend to paint the 6" gap between the darkest and middle color. Taking a dry brush and holding it at an angle, quickly blend up until you meet the next color section. Continue to brush the three sections together until you achieve the level ombre you desire.

Your new ombre look can be on furniture too, like this great dresser




You could do this colour blocking look in a ombre palette on a wall too, you wouldn't need to blend the paints but you would need to tape the portions before hand, so you will need good painter's tape and a level for straight lines.

 

 With ombre the possibilities are endless - furniture, walls, art, bedding, rise of the stairs, pillows and even the spindles.

Best Overwater Bungalows

So it is officially Spring and if you live anywhere near where I do, it is really hard to tell.  Especially when there is still snow in the forecast:(  But maybe these images of the world's best over water bungalows will whisk you away from the snow and cold....even if it's just a day dream.......

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Where: Maldives

Although there are plenty of beautiful over water resorts in the Maldives, what makes Cocoa Island by COMO stand out is its design. Instead of the traditional thatched-roof bungalow, guest rooms are built to look like traditional dhoni boats. All over water suites have private sundecks with loungers, and guests can enjoy the services of Cocoa Island’s butlers, who tackle everything from arranging romantic dinners to giving guided snorkeling tours.

Insider Tip: Cocoa Island's surrounding waters are filled with coral reefs, manta rays, and even a shipwreck. Shark viewing is offered for experienced divers.

Starting rate (per night for 2 adults): $1250

(Photo Credit: Courtesy of COMO Hotels and Resorts) 

  

Where: Riviera Maya, Mexico

The Rosewood Mayakoba is spread over 1,600 acres of beach and jungle connected by a series of lagoons. The hotel is just south of Cancún, but guests won’t find a spring breaker in sight. While all guest rooms have a contemporary design, the Deluxe Over water Lagoon Suite sits above the resort’s lagoon and comes with its own deck, private plunge pool, and outdoor garden shower.

Insider Tip: Guests can sign up for a daily guided eco-tour of the resort’s lagoon, led by the resort’s on-site biologist.

Starting rate (per night for 2 adults): $810

(Photo Credit: Courtesy of Rosewood Mayakoba) 

 

 

Where: Belize

This four-acre private island resort has only seven villas, and those looking for total privacy can rent the entire island. One Cayo Espanto villa, the Casa Ventanas, is built over the water, located off a 150-foot-long dock, and surrounded on all sides by the Caribbean Sea. Guests can relax on sun loungers at the end of their dock, where a private dinner can also be served.

Insider Tip: Casa Ventanas has a glass-paneled floor, which reveals fish swimming right under your bungalow.

Starting rate (per night for 2 adults): $1795

(Photo Credit: Courtesy of Cayo Espanto) 

Where: Bora Bora

Bora Bora is often described as one of the most beautiful spots on earth, but the Four Seasons Bora Bora kicks it up a notch, featuring 100 over water bungalows perched on stilts above a private lagoon. The largest ones have private plunge pools and ladders leading down to the water. Guests who feel motivated to leave their villas can unwind at the spa, where treatments incorporate local ingredients like vanilla.

Insider Tip: Head to the resort’s own private lagoon to snorkel, view coral grafting exhibits, watch octopus feeding sessions, and discuss the Polynesian ecosystem with a marine biologist.

Starting rate (per night for 2 adults): $1393

(Photo Credit: Courtesy of Moeava de Rosemont, Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora)

Shades of Grey

I have been using a lot of different grey tones in my renovation projects lately.  Some of my clients are a bit hesitant at first but once they see the different options in the grey family they are pleasantly surprised with the results.

Greys can be dark or dull but there are warm options, soft options, but it really is an ideal neutral for the whole home.  try it is in bedrooms, kitchens, living, family and dining rooms even in children's rooms.  With the right accents and furniture you can transform your space into an look you want with a great backdrop. Here are my favourite shades of grey, so far...

Benjamin Moore Sea Salt is a calming and soothing grey.  I used it most recently in a family home.  they wanted an urban farmhouse look.  they paired the sea salt walls with a Mascarpone kitchen (we matched all of the trim and doors to the mascarpone paint) which added a lot of warmth to the space, with knob and cup chrome hardware with a charcoal glass subway tile back splash and a granite back splash with white, light grey and darker grey veins.  The flooring was natural oak (original to the home) to give it  country feel and we added 100 year old barn beam legs to the island that had storage and seating for 6.









Most recently, we staged a property that was in need of some updating.  The layout of the condo was great, with lots of natural light and over sized rooms with a white kitchen and bathroom.  We wanted to add a bit of drama on the walls but because this was a property that was going on the resale market we did not want to scare away buyers.  We choose a softer grey tone which is elegant and classic, Silver Satin by Benjamin Moore.  with the staging furniture - a white sofa, some traditional wood tones, blended with glass and some modern pop of Radiant Orchid - the space is coming together nicely and it will have broad appeal in the market.

 




Another favourite of mine is Ashley Grey by Benjamin Moore,  we used this shade a more traditional kitchen with pashmina colour cabinets and a quartz counter top to add some more modernness to the space.  We wanted to mix the traditional feel of this home which was built in the 1920s so we used the Ashley Grey from the Historic Collection but by pairing it with pashmina painted cabinets in a traditional style and quartz counter tops (which are more uniform) we had a beautiful blend of old and new.






If you are still hesitant to give grey a chance, try a warmer grey like Benjamin Moore's  Balboa Mist (which was featured recently in a spread 'Seize the Day' in Better Homes and Gardens February 2014).  The chip looks like a true grey but when paired with warmer wood tones and off whites, it looks more beige but in a more modern palette.

 

Perfect Pairs

There are perfect combinations everywhere you look and home decor is no exception.  If you are looking to spruce up your home this spring take a look at these paint pairings for your space.

Calming -

For a soothing combination with a bit of pop.  This is perfect for anyone looking a for that farmhouse look.  The ancient Marble is a great basic and the Hubbard Squash is a great accent for a furniture piece like a bookcase that you really want to highlight.
Sherwin Williams Ancient Marble paired with Sherwin Williams Hubbard Squash. 

 If you love a cooler green-gray palette in a contemporary space.  Try combining C2 Ice Fog and C2 Artichoke Heart.  They transition well together so one colour could easily be the dominant hue in the home and the other an accent.  And you can always add even more punch with some pops of orchid or tangerine or keep it cool with white.



Here's a hall, staircase and entry in C2 Artichoke Heart.  In this more traditional style home it works but it can also work in a contemporary space.

Classic -

If you look a classic look but still a bit on the bold side why not opt for a combination of black and white.  there are endless possibilities of how you can work this combination in your space.   Black can work well as an accent, or furniture pieces, drapery rod, accent chairs and more.  And you will always find art and textiles in this class combo.  Try BEHR White Truffle and BEHR Black Suede in your space.

 


BEHR Black Suede Bathroom with white tile and fixtures give a dramatic yet classic look.




 BEHR White Truffle walls look so crisp and clean and with small black accents including the french door and accent chair (which is in BEHR Black Suede) you have a a classic and cool entry.

Chic - you can have colour on your walls without making the space feel closed in.  Colour can also add warmth to a space.  With the right furniture and accessories you can change your look from traditional to more contemporary or a hybrid of both.

Benjamin Moore's Seersucker suit is a perfect dominant colour and it looks so chic with a clean white sofa and some cognac leather club chairs.  and if you want to add some more paint accents in the space try Benjamin Moore's Brownberry for furniture pieces or smaller areas like a powder room or entryway - although a darker colour it has a lot of warmth almost like a terra cota so it pairs beautiful with most other neutrals.

The Kardashian Home

Keeping Up With the Kardashians' Fake House for Sale

By Taryn Ryder | Yahoo Celebrity – Wed, 5 Mar, 2014 2:56 PM EST

An exterior shot of the house used in 'KUWTK' (MLS/Getty Images)

The fake Kardashian-Jenner mansion can be yours for $6.25 million! Let's back up for a minute. You didn't actually think the exterior shots of the Italian-style home featured on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" belonged to Kris and family -did you?
Reality TV's first family chose not to depict the outside of their true house on the show for security purposes. The mansion that is often featured on E! is actually located in Studio City's Fryman Estates. The 7,043-square-foot home boasts seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and is known as the "Palazzo di Sono."
Instead, Kris, Kim, Kanye, Kendall, and Kylie live several miles away in a private gated community in Calabasas, California. Their real home has six bedrooms, eight baths, and is 9,000 square feet. However, the interior shots you see on "KUWTK" all take place inside the family's actual residence.
"My old home in Beverly Hills was really my home; I would get people showing up at all hours ringing my gate and I had to call the police on several occasions. People hoping the gate; it was scaring me," Kim explained on Twitter when asked about the house. "It was so unsafe. The hollywood star tours would stop by too, because they recognized my home from our show. After that we realized how unsafe it is to show the exterior of our homes. So now we use different homes for the outside for security purposes. When we film inside, thats obviously our real home."
 

One way to easily tell that there were two different houses being featured on the show is that the faux home's design was inspired by a Medici castle in Florence, while Kris's tastes are clearly much more modern.
And if you are a true Kardashian detective, you may have also noticed that the front doors and fountains don't match up while watching the show.
Check out a photo below that Kendall Jenner posted on Instagram, with the caption, "Driving home to all this! #yup my family is officially car CRAZY:"

 


Fun fact: the fake house has also been used in HBO's hit show "True Blood." It will be up to the new owners of "Palazzo di Sono" to decide if they will allow filming to continue there.
When the Kardashian and Jenner clan moved into their "dream home" in 2009, they gave a tour of their new digs to Life & Style. However, the family apparently then decided they did not want exterior shots featured on their hit show for security reasons.

 
Khloé and Kourtney have both allowed cameras inside their homes to film, and in Season 9 of "KUWTK," fans have gotten a glimpse of Kim and Kanye's unfinished $11 million dollar property.
Khloé and soon-to-be ex-husband Lamar Odom just recently sold their Tarzana, California, abode to Kaley Cuoco and Ryan Sweeting. Khloé just bought Justin Bieber's noisy old pad down the street from the gated community where Kourtney, Scott, Penelope, and Mason are moving.
Whether Khloé will let fans get a peek inside — or outside — her new bachelorette  pad remains to be seen.