What does it mean to "shop your home" ?

If you have been watching home decor shows on TV or reading online articles about home decor recently, you have likely heard the term 'shop your home'.  It's #trending these days....let us explain to you what this term and trend mean.

Basically #shopyourhome is all about using what you have already and bringing it out (if it was stored away), maybe re-purposing it or maybe even updating it. It's part of a recycling movement - instead of tossing out items that are just out dated but are still in good condition and work just fine, give them new life by updating them or re-purposing them (a new location or a new purpose all together).

Some great "shop your home" examples...

Paint - we all know what paint can do to a room but what can it do to an old piece of furniture or a light fixture? Instead of buying new - update what you have!  This is easy, affordable and you are recycling something that might other wise end up in a landfill. this painted light fixture is a simple fix, affordable too plus the end result is a unique 'one of a kind' light fixture that will add WOW factor to your room.



Fabric - give a bench or chair new life with some fabric.  A few yards of fabric will go a long way and give you a whole new look.  It is easy to re-upholster a simple bench or chair seat - you will need some fabric, fabric glue, staple gun and a screwdriver to remove the seat cushion.  You may want to add some foam or cotton batting if the seat needs some volume or cushioning.



 Hardware - new hardware can completely change the look of a room.  We recommend this to our home staging clients as well.  This works on furniture and cabinetry - this is a great update for a kitchen and bathroom.  It is easy to do but it really makes a big impact.



Art - bored of your current art displays but can't replace your pieces? Try moving your art into a different room or in a different arrangement.  This can make a huge different in a space. It's a great way to display pieces that aren't usually seen.





 Garden - do you have beautiful flowers in your garden? Instead of buying cut flowers from the market use your own - it adds a special touch to your space and it's a great way to add a welcoming scene to a tablescape, front entry, coffee table or even a guest bedroom.



Scarf - if you are like either of us, you probably have a drawer full of beautiful scarves and for every season - so make use of them!  Try re-purposing your scarves as a table runner.  Think bright and colourful for summer, neutral for fall and airy for spring.  It adds a fresh new look to the table, it sets the scene and it adds a unique touch.




Furniture - try moving your pieces into a different layout or swapping pieces around - accent chairs are a great and easy choice to re-arrange.  Think of re-arranging your furniture to take advantage of a view of your garden in the summer months or  place your furniture in a way to snuggle up by the fireplace.

 


 Feeling inspired yet?  Home decor can get expensive but if you shop at home and get creative you can get a whole new look !

We Answer Wednesday - Small Space Room Divider

I live in a studio condo. What type of items can I use to separate my bed area from my living area and it not be so bulky or obvious? (I wanted something different from a screen and I don't want to build a wall). 

To make an unobtrusive, cohesive look, think about open “etage” or open book case. This idea would create your separation, and also give functionality of order and storage, utilizing the open design of the book case.

 

The style should be something that could “dress up or dress down” your space - there are many styles and finishes of bookcases so you won't be stuck in terms of style. The one thing you will want is an open book cases meaning no backing, you can see through the bookcase.  Usual height for bookcase is 84″Hx42W”x 16D. It would have a fixed top, as your center line, bottom and center shelves, and four adjustable shelves where you could create closure/privacy with accessories or books. This gives you privacy (especially once it is decorated) without the heaviness of a wall and it won't be flimsy like a screen.

 

It would be open -pulling your eye up and out, instead of screening or blocking your area.  This idea is versatile, and will also work spatially, even if your ceilings are lower.

You can fill up the open book case with decor items and books - it will fill up the shelves but it will also be functional (especially if you are a book lover)

 

We Answer Wednesday: How to add extra storage to a bathroom (without a renovation)

"We live in a small house and the whole family shares a bathroom.  We are managing just fine but the clutter of everyday stuff is getting to me.  What can we do to add some storage to our bathroom and not take on a renovation?"

The bathroom is a busy place and every high traffic area has a lot of stuff collecting everywhere but there are some things you can do to at least keep it under control.

We suggest taking a look at the type of clutter and where it is.  Counter space in a bathroom can often get overwhelmed with products and more and it can lead to spills and just overall disorganization. 

Baskets.  Can keep things look neat and tidy but still at your finger tips.  We often recommend baskets when we stage homes as they are easy to hide and bring out when you need them.  But for everyday, there is no problem with baskets that are 'out' - just having your items tucked away in a small basket keeps things looking (and feeling) organized.



Another great way to use baskets is hanging them - it's pretty and pretty practical.  That space over the toilet is often used for decor purposes but make it functional. These basic baskets (in a coordinating colour) hung on towel racks are a great way to keep everyone organized, so smart!



Towel racks. Think about relocating your towel racks to a location in the bathroom that will allow you to use the other wall space for more small storage. Hanging 2 smaller towel racks on the back of the door makes so much sense and it gives you more room for other important storage pieces and ideas.



Floating shelves. We highly recommend that floating shelves in your bathroom be the small colour or close to the same colour as your walls - this will keep them from looking and feeling bulky in the space.  A floating shelf is ideal for items that you need easy access to like towels or toilet paper.  Adding a few decorative items to an open shelf makes it more pleasing to the eye.  But matching baskets to contain smaller pieces is attractive, too



Small storage pieces. If you move your towel rack you might be surprised to find some wall space that would work for a small storage piece.  We love the idea of a tiered or ladder shelf, the piece itself isn't bulky and it offers lots of storage for everyday items.

              

Hooks and hangers.  Keep your towels (used ones) organized with hooks on the wall.  For your children keep the hooks at their level - this will mean they can hang up and tidy up on their own.



 closed storage piece.  We have looked at a lot of open shelving options but if that won't work for you look into a piece with doors (aka closed storage).  Chances are you will be able to find something that works with your current vanity - it really is best to have something similar we want consistency and flow. Look at the image below - this is a whole set.  It looks clean and streamlined not bulky and messy.  This is a great spot to hide medicine, creams, personal grooming items and more. 



Don't forget about the interior of our vanity for storage....

Try using a kitchen utensil holder to organize costume jewelry or even make up 



Baskets inside of your vanity are very effective too.





A Lazy-Susan isn't just for the kitchen, we love it for inside of a cupboard.  cupboards can get cluttered an disorganized very easily.  A lazy-Susan will help with organization, maximizing the space and gives you easy access. Or even just tiered shelving for inside of a cupboard - try the kitchen organizing department.



Lighting.  A dark room any room will always feel smaller so be sure to check on that lighting.  Are your bulbs working? Are they bright enough? Can you add more bulbs? Think about updating a fixture with more bulbs to add more light if you need it.






 Paint.  A fresh coat of paint can do wonders.  A small space like a bathroom would be a great weekend job for painting and with the right colour you can really brighten up that space.

How to Add 'Flare' to your Patio this Summer

One of the best things about summer is entertaining outdoors.  We have been cooped up all winter and even on those cooler spring days and evenings - so it is a welcome change to get outside in the warm weather. 

Summer nights are perfect for having friends over for a BBQ and some drinks but they are also great for quiet nights in as a family or couple. Summer nights are the best! Just because you are outdoors doesn't means that you are limited to basic patio furniture - there are so many options! You can add decorative touches to make your outdoor living space even more comfortable and inviting.


Here are some of our favourite summer outdoor living decorating ideas:

Lanterns: we love the look of lanterns! We even like them for the indoors.  But lanterns are a great way to add some candle light or soft lighting to your space.  Keeping open flames like a candle in a lantern keeps it safe, too.  We like lanterns on the ground (see the image above) but try them on a table top (think dining under the stars) or hung up - they look great every way.

 


Outdoor rug: a rug? outside? Yes!  It is a great look - it adds some colour and possibly some print and pulls the outdoor living space together. It makes the outdoor area look and feel cozy.  Make sure the rug you get is designed for 'outdoor use'. An outdoor rug is made of materials that can stand the weather (sun and rain).  An outdoor rug also has a nice 'foot feel' - meaning when you stand on it, it feels good on bare feet unlike a concrete, cement or even wood surface, which can all be a bit rough.



Pillows: like the rug - this is a great 'indoor' comfort that can be brought outside - just be sure to have pillows in an outdoor safe fabric. There are tons of colour and print options.  Pillows not only add even more comfort to your outdoor seating space but they add some style, too.  Be sure to have an overall colour theme (which includes your rug as well).  Just like decorating the indoors you want consistency with your style. See the image below - the pop of colour is red and orange -so bright and fun even the table top lanterns coordinate with the colour theme.



Small furniture:  sure, you have your main pieces for furniture likely a seating area and a dining area but what about small pieces of furniture like coffee tables and side tables? You will want those for surface space.  The garden stool is also a great option if you need some last minute extra seating - they are a perfect multi-purpose piece.  We also look how a garden stool adds some colour and some texture - plus they are easy to clean and in the cooler months - you can use them indoors!



Bar cart: outdoor entertaining like indoor entertaining needs serving space.  Since you likely won't have an outdoor kitchen (and if you do have one - you are so lucky!) you need some kind of serving space for food and drink.  We love bar carts (for inside too) for the outdoors.  You don't have to sacrifice table space (or at least too much table space) when hosting. A bar cart is perfect for serving light snacks and drinks - if you host huge parties and have the space, consider getting 2 carts - one designated for drinks and the other for snacks.



 Lounging: who says outdoor furniture can't be comfortable?! Hoe about some outdoor bean bag chairs? We love the fun patterns, the easy maintenance and the absolute comfort.  Perfect for summer afternoon naps or eating for kids. We are seeing 'bean bag' seating more and more in resort spas because it is so comfortable and comfort is king!

We Answer Wednesday - How to create curb appeal in the early spring

"My house is hitting the real estate market very soon.  I know we have a great house on the inside but right now in this early spring weather, it's not looking great.  What can we do to increase our curb appeal when our gardens aren't in bloom?"


You are so right! Depending on where you live this time of year isn't the prettiest.  The good news is there are simple things that you can do to show off your great outdoor space. But your home is on the market now and you don't want to wait until the gardens are in full bloom.

The gardens aren't quite in bloom yet and the garden centers are gearing up for the season but in some areas it is still a bit early for planting.  But the grass is green, so use what you have and make the best of it.  So start with giving your yards (front and back) a good raking.  There is always some dead leaves and branches on the ground - just getting those off the grass will give the exterior a clean look.  Depending on your area you grass might be a bit on the long side.  So give it a mow and you will notice how much neater everything looks.



Flowers are a great way to add a splash of colour but because you are selling you might not want to make a huge investment in flowers this spring season plus it is still a bit early for planting.  A great alternative is planters at the front of the house and if you have a great deck space, some planters at the back are a nice touch too. So in these early spring days which flowers can handle this fresher weather? Potted Pansies are a great option - they are sturdy and colourful and if you take care of them, they will last all summer.  A bit of height is a good idea when creating your planters - in the spring we love forsythia - the pop of yellow draws the eye in! Remember these 3 words when creating a planter: Spill, Fill and Thrill; in other works, have some greenery or flowers that hang over the edge of the planter, have some plants and flowers that fill the majority of the pot (of medium height) and some height - the image below is a great example of a spring planter.



Create a welcoming vignette at the front door - this is the buyers first impression of the home so make it count! If you have a porch put out a bench with a cushion for a pop of colour.  Try a wreath on the front door. 


Just because it isn't summer yet doesn't mean you can't set the scene for buyers.  So pull out and dust off that patio furniture - maybe this is a bit early than usual but remember you are show casing your home for buyers so you want them to see how they would enjoy summer BBQs and get togethers outside.  So place the furniture like you would if you were entertaining so have a dining area and a seating area. Roll out the BBQ and take off the cover.  Now that the furniture is set up and clean, make it pretty with some outdoor pillows and maybe even an outdoor rug - it creates a welcoming scene for buyers.





Want to take it to the next level? For the photos you can set the dining table or at the seating area, set up a tray with a pitcher  - this will help make that emotional connection with the potential buyers who are looking online.

If you have a pool, make sure to have it open and running.  A pool always looks better (and photographs better) when it is blue and beautiful!

If you have incredible gardens or a beautiful flowering tree look through your photos and see if you have some beautiful 'full bloom' summer photos to share with your agent - these would be great to show buyers as well.

Other curb appeal factors to look into:

- check all exterior lighting are the bulbs in working order ?
- brush away any cobwebs or other debris that may have collected over the winter
- check the mailbox, is it rusted or loosely affixed to the house?
- does your doorbell work?
- how is the paint on the front door?
- how is the roof?
- sweep the walkways, driveway, porch and decks

We Answer Wednesday - A Whole Home Colour Concept

"I want to have a cohesive look in my home - my entire home.  How can I do that without being boring?"

Most people like the look and feel of a home with flow and cohesiveness.  There are a number of tricks and tips to  help you achieve a cohesive space but the easiest way to create a cohesive or fluid look in your whole home is through colour.

 

Creating a colour palette or colour concept for your entire home will make your decorating choices much easier but also you will connect each room to the next, so even if the style varies a bit in each room you still have a common thread pulling it all together.

Think about the magazine images and model homes that you have seen (and likely fallen in love with) ...sure, they are full of beautiful and brand new furniture but one of the big reasons why they feel so good is the colour choices. 

We can't all live in a 'model home' that's not realistic but we can take inspiration from these showstoppers.  Here's how: by using a limited number of colours and using them in different ways in each space to create a fluid and cohesive home. 

 

Let's get started:

1.  The colors you use in your home are completely up to you.  Do what makes you feel fabulous cause no one ever gets sick of that right? So you don't have to paint your entire home white or beige - pick a colour that you like.  It could be grey, green, beige, taupe, blues even bolder choices like yellow or purple. 

2. Stick to 3-5 colors for your color palette.  For those of you who love color, this may feel limiting, but I promise you will still end up with a colorful home.  For those of you with a fear of color, go with more muted shades of color so that you add color into your life without it being too in your face. We personally recommend a neutral in that palette if you want some bolder colour, for instance if you want some yellow we like mixing in a neutral like grey.  But you don't have to.

3. We are not talking about redoing your entire home tomorrow - that may not be in your budget and that's OK.  We are talking about setting up a color plan so that over time it will guide your decorating decisions and eventually you will have a beautiful home that is totally you and flows nicely from one room to another. So be sure to write your plan down somewhere and include the names, brands and formula codes of the paint colours you have selected.



Starting with your favorite color means that you won’t be getting sick of it any time soon.  Now I’m not saying that if your favorite color is cobalt blue to go paint all of your walls that color, but you can most definitely use it as a starting point. Use that bold blue as your inspiration. Remember your 'colour plan' isn't just about paint, it is about creating a cohesive look using colour - so think about your paint but also think about furniture, accessories, rugs and more. See the image below - that bold cobalt blue is part of the decor scheme using accessories.  Only you can determine the amount of bold colour you can handle or want in your space.




Still not sure on which colour direction to head in because you like all colour? Think about the feeling you want to create at home. Do you want your home to feel calm and spa like? Or lively with lots of contrast?  Or how about uber modern?  Color will help achieve the feeling you want.

So in summary, here's how to get the perfect colour concept for your entire home.

1. Pick a white.  Not all whites are the same, they have various undertones.  So put your white paint swatches up against your main space elements like flooring, cabinetry, and the furniture that you will be using/keeping.  If you know what kind of palette you want - cool or warm, look at your whites.  If a white looks a bit blue-ih or grey-ish, that's a cool white.  If your white looks warmer even with a touch of yellow, that's a warm tone.  You can choose either - it's up to you but you want those undertones to be consistent throughout your colour palette. 

2. Pick a neutral.  This will be the main colour in the home, some called it the 'field' colour. This will be the colour that really connects all of the rooms.  Now using the term neutral doesn't mean you need to pick beige or beige - you can get more creative with greys, taupes, even soft greens, yellows or blues. you will see a lot of this colour in your space - which is why we recommend something softer and more subtle, many of us tire of deep and bold tones after a while.

3. Pick a saturated colour.  Because you have neutral tone so far this is where you can get a little more adventurous, if you like; and you can choose any colour you like!  If colour isn't your thing, we suggest opting for a deeper neutral like a charcoal grey or perhaps a deep brown.  Keep in mind this colour may not necessarily be on your walls - it might be used as an accent (remember the bedroom image above with the cobalt blue accents).  If you really want this colour on a wall, an accent wall would work.

Typically for smaller and more open concept spaces, like a condo-apartment we recommend stopping at 2-3 paint colours and the rest be used for accent colours - so for accessories, bedding, art etc...
 

This room is playing with various neutral - really only 3.  White, tan and charcoal. This is an easy neutral palette but the mix of timeless neutrals and adding some texture - see the wood frames mirror, the glass side table and pops of gold- they follow the colour palette plan and create this very sophisticated space.  Neutral doesn't mean boring. 
 
4 and 5. Pick accent colours.  You have lots of choices depending on the look and feel you want.  These colours will be used in decorative accents and they will compliment the above 3 colours - so everything works nicely together to get you that designer look and feel.  If you want a calmer feel and a monochromatic look - add some neutrals in various shades.  If you want more 'pop' add some complimentary colours, so if you have blue already think about adding some orange and/or yellow to really make things bright and fun.




 Take a look at the image above, there is a 5 tone palette - with a white, a neutral and 3 pops of colour.  The soft aqua is the main colourful element and the blush and coral and secondary.  there are some various tones in this image but they all work together to create a cohesive look because there is a plan.

So now that you have your palette or colour concept what do you do next?  Use these colours as your guide which means it is all about using the colors (or variations of the colors) you chose differently in each room. Remember this is just your guide.  Going up or down a shade or 2 to make it work in the space you are doing is great.  The idea is to stick to your palette as a guide. So when you are shopping for some art and accessories keep the palette in mind but don't panic if you don't have exact matches.