Sale! Sale! Sale!

If you enjoy holiday decorating this is a great time to visit stores and take part in some great sales! Many decorations are marked down to 50% off the original price. Saving money is always a good thing and next year you won't have to run out and gather any pieces. Another great way to save money is to make your own decorations. It's also a fun thing to do with family and friends.

Merry Christmas!

Natasha, Jennifer & I would like to take this time to wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. Keep safe, reconnect with friends and family members and we'll see you in the new year!

Toilet Sale

If you are in need of a new toilet they are having a great sale this weekend at Lowe's. A new Lowe's store just recently opened it's doors in Orleans. To keep up with other retail stores they have created some great deals. If you buy an American Standard Flowise Dual Flush toilet you will receive another one for FREE!!!! Hurry in because they are only offering this until Sunday to first 300 customers. The toilet is worth $209 and has the advantage of having a low water consumption. It also has a good MAP rating of 800 grams. The MAP rating is how many grams of solid can flush per one flush, 1000 grams being the highest. The higher the toilet is rated on the MAP test, the better it is.

Happy Toilet Shopping!

Wall Tattoos

Wall tattoos are a distinctive and creative way to liven up a space. They provide a unique solution to décor dilemmas as well as create an eye catching feature that is sure to attract attention. Wall tattoos are easy to remove wall applications that are available in a broad range of categories. Pictures, words and phrases are available and the option to create very your own artwork. Installation is just a matter of peel and stick because of a self adhesive finish on the back. This makes wall tattoos very easy to remove or reapply. These tattoos are used both residentially and commercially and provide a space with one’s own personal touch.

One way to learn about wall tattoos and where to find them is to research the internet. The internet provides flexibility allowing an individual to browse at their one pace and compare prices with different companies to get the best deal. An additional advantage to the internet is that you can read past customer’s comments on the product and get an overall rating.

Another method to learn more about wall tattoos is to go to a Home Show. Because wall tattoos are such an up and coming product, make sure to stop by and speak with a wall tattoo employee. This way you can directly ask what kind of service they provide and also get to see the product first hand which can help you with your decision. I went to an Ottawa Home Show and spoke to a wall tattoo employee. Not only was this employee so keen on the product, he was also was very helpful when I asked him questions about the company he worked for.

I asked him about the market for Ottawa. He informed me that there was a huge market in Ottawa for wall tattoos. Because the company offers such a broad variety they are able to please most customers’ personal style and taste. Young couples in their first home can integrate styles with wall tattoos. Commercially it would be a fascinating approach to embellishment in pattern and graphics. Advertising would benefit greatly from displaying messages, product logos and brands in such an appealing method. Since ‘graffiti’ is such a widely witnessed art form then wall tattoos are sure to attract the attention to a younger generation. However because of its flexibility in style, wall tattoos can also be sophisticated and subtle. Any modern business would be wise to invest in wall tattoos for perhaps an office or a workspace of sorts. Trendy restaurants would also benefit for wall tattoos.

Downtown Ottawa is filled with design studios and furniture stores that personify retro and modern décor. Wall art is such an ingenious way to provide a mood and make a statement about the existing space. These eye catching pieces can draw in business just simply based on curiosity itself. I know that I was immediately attracted to the display at the Home Show and being an accredited Interior Decorator and Home Stager, I took a mental note of the amazing capabilities of this product and how I would be able to use it for so many different projects. This product is sure to please the market and satisfy the needs of many people who are looking for solutions to their decorating dilemmas.

Happy decorating!!

Jennifer

(Image courtesy of Google Images)

Decorating 101 - Part 2

Found your inspiration? GREAT! Let’s say you’ve chosen a beautiful scenic painting to be your inspiration for your new room. What design elements can we pull from this painting? A colour palette to start! If you have a busy painting or picture and you’re not sure what colours to pull from it to accent it best, try this simple trick. Stand back; blur your eyes and whatever colours you can still see in the fabric, painting, or picture are the dominant colours. These colours can come into play when picking out fabrics, accent pillows, accessories, paint colours, and even furniture selection. This is now your colour scheme!

Try to maintain a sense of harmony in the space. Coordination is one of the keys to a beautifully decorated space. Make sure there is a sense of rhythm when selecting finishes, furnishing, accessories, etc. For example; you’re decorating your new dining room. You have a new stunning crystal chandelier and you feel it is the best part of the entire space. How do you accentuate its visual impact? How do you create that ‘wow’ factor and make it work within your space? Take that crystal element and disperse it throughout the room. Crystal (or glass) knobs for the buffet or reflective surfaces like mirrors to highlight the sparkle. Use your imagination and don’t be afraid to take your time. After all this is a space FOR YOU! Love it and be proud that YOU made it beautiful!

Inspiration is in check, coordination is key, ideas are flowing. You're off to a great start!

What next? Even more decorating 101 to come...

(Image courtesy of Google Images)

Courses available for 2010

If you are interested in some general interest courses I will be teaching 3 during this winter & spring season at Bell High School:

Home Staging 2 pt class
-February 16th
-March 23rd
-May 25th

Home Staging 1 class for Real Estate Agents
(How to sell home staging to your clients & utilize it to make you more productive)
-April 20th
-June 8th

Colour Consulting
-February 2
-March 2
-May 11

For more information visit my EVENTS page on my website.

Paint Tip

When choosing a paint colour it gets overwhelming trying to envision what your whole room is going to look like from a 2"x 2" sample. When you've narrowed it down to the specific colour you want, try going to the paint dealer and asking for a bigger paint chip. Sometimes they can give or sell you a larger sample of the colour you are interested in. When you are home, tape this sample to the wall and it will give you a better idea of the colour you are wanting to paint your space. Some companies also have small 8 oz. containers that you can get mixed to any colour. The containers are around $5 to $7 and will cover a large area on the wall to give you a good idea of the colour you are choosing. Using these tips will help you choose the right colour the first time and save you money in the long run by not having to re-paint the original colour you didn't like.

Have a good day!
Natasha

Defining a rooms purpose during staging.

Office Nook BEFORE
Office Nook After

When it comes to home staging, defining a rooms purpose is very important. Before you can see that this nook was used as a guest bedroom & Storage. Since this space did not have doors because it was an open loft leaving it as a bedroom would be in appropriate. Especially since the bed was way to big for the space.

Since 1/2 of this room was used for an office I decided to make the nook a nice reading/ relaxing space. Adding a rug, 2 chairs, and table with the owners existing accessories allowed this space to become an actual focal point.

HOME SOLD IN 2 DAYS, with MULTIPLE OFFERS.