• Extra Space: You no longer have to battle with limited space in your home, especially when there is an addition of a family member. This is where a professional comes in to add an extra room to the property without endangering the existing building. Do you have a need of home office, attic, spare bedroom or recreational room? A renovation expert can easily transform that trivial basement in your building into any of these within a reasonable time frame. Where necessary, one or more stories can even be added to the existing roof to get more rooms and spaces for the whole members of the family.
• Beautification: This is another thing you stand to achieve when you use an expert for your home renovation project. You can have your kitchen and bathrooms completely revamped and made more appealing than they were. You can also install new flooring on your home and you have lots of options to choose from which includes but not limited to linoleum, carpets, wood, tiles etc. You can also have wood panels installed, walls repainted and where needed, paper walls put up. There is the upgrading of the cabinets and fixtures, replacement of windows and doors among other things.

As you use a professional for your home renovation, you can also get the plumbing and electrical system taken care of, especially if you have been having issues with them. The chimney, roof and foundation of the home are not left out. With all these, it only makes good investment decision to work with a renovation professional who is not only reliable but insured and also certified as far as home renovations are concerned. After all, getting good and quality services for the money spent is not a bad thing.

PANTONE FASHION COLOR REPORT • SPRING 2012

For spring 2012 designers are inspired by diverse influences, showcasing a range of styles and lifestyles — from free and playful to light and breezy, and contemporary classics. Colors likewise reflect these differing moods, encapsulating vivid brights, soft muted tones and fun-loving pastels. “Consumers look to spring for renewed energy, optimism and the promise of a brighter day,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “They have learned how color can help them alter a mood, while providing the vitality and enthusiasm that enables them to experiment with new looks and color combinations.”  Provocative Tangerine Tango, an enticing juicy orange, is a vivacious and appealing refresher to enliven anyone’s outlook this spring. Providing a jolt of energy, Solar Power radiates warmth and cheer. Fanciful Bellflower, a distinct ornamental purple, exudes uniqueness and creativity. Scintillating and sexy, Cabaret is a sensual and intense rosy-red — an excellent choice for summer clothing and cosmetics. Sodalite Blue, a classic maritime hue, brings order and calmness to mind. Like an anchor to a ship, this dependable shade works with every color in the palette. Cockatoo, a tactile blue-green, is sure to make your spirits soar. This unusual hue adds a whimsical touch to the palette and will make a statement this spring. Margarita, a piquant yellow-green, lifts spirits with its refreshing and stimulating glow. Reminiscent of a blossoming garden on an early spring morning, fragrant Sweet Lilac evokes the fresh scents of summer. This delicate pinkish lilac adds a touch of romance to any wardrobe. Natural, versatile neutrals add practicality to this season’s brights. Driftwood, an adaptable blend of beige and gray with a slightly weathered feel, and Starfish, a perfect warm summer neutral, complement all colors featured in this season’s top 10.  For an ultra-bold look this spring, try mixing Bellflower with Tangerine Tango and Cabaret. Combine Margarita with Sweet Lilac and Cockatoo for a subtle alternative, or Margarita with Sweet Lilac and Driftwood for a more practical variation. Solar Power is best juxtaposed with Sodalite Blue, and for a safer bet, add a natural neutral like Starfish to the mix. For over 18 years, Pantone, the global authority on color, has surveyed the designers of New York Fashion Week and beyond to bring you the season’s most important color trends. This report previews the most prominent hues for spring 2012.

www.pantone.com/spring2012

Tangerine Tango

PANTONE 17-1463

Solar Power

PANTONE 13-0759

Bellflower

PANTONE 18-3628

Cabaret

PANTONE 18-2140

Sodalite Blue

PANTONE 19-3953

Cockatoo

PANTONE 14-5420

Margarita

PANTONE 14-0116

Sweet Lilac

PANTONE 14-2808

Driftwood

PANTONE 18-1210

Starfish

PANTONE 16-1120

A Residential Designer can help you to sort out all of the details of your project to help make sure the planning phase of your project runs smoothly.   A Residential Designer is a qualified professional that specializes in residential design and is often more affordable than a licensed architect.  Once you hire a professional it is time to discuss what you have in mind for your project and to prepare a list of the things you would like to accomplish .   It is very important to share your dreams and desires with your designer so that they know all the little details and can help you to achieve your vision!

The design process is one of the most important stages of any project and it is one of the easiest to get off track.   Homeowners often get side tracked and start to feel overwhelmed.  The role of the designer is to help keep the program in focus and to maintain the integrity of the original vision all the while ensuring the direction of the project keeps moving forward.  In reality, if the vision is clear about the desired outcome for your project and things are well planned,  then it is easier to keep the project on course,  your designer will help you stay on track.

Designers are problem solvers and our goal is to help you try to solve those “design problems” for you. Ensuring the best design for the you involves coming up with solutions for circulation problems, privacy issues, safety matters, and of course the aesthetics of the space.  Once the final design has been decided upon, a process that can last from a few months to many years depending on the client, the next phase can begin. 

Preparation of the Construction Documents is the stage when all the details of the design are worked out and put into a readable format that builders and trades can work from.  At the end of this phase you are ready to apply for permit and put the project out for bidding.   

With the help of a design professional,  a well planned project can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience that you will be proud to show off to everyone you know!

Mold is a big problem. People who live in homes that have a mold problem can develop all sorts of health problems including headaches and respiratory issues. The best way to keep yourself and your family healthy is by making sure that you look into mold removal as soon as you spot it.

The first thing you need to do is make sure that you do not provide the mold with the type of environment that it likes. Mold grows best when it is in a moist, dark area. You cannot really eliminate the dark, but with the use of dehumidifiers you can eliminate the moisture from the air.

After setting up the dehumidifiers to help prevent the mold from spreading, you need to decide how you want to go about removing the mold. You can choose to do it yourself, which can be time consuming. Your other option is to contact a mold specialist and have them remove it which can be expensive.

The place that people most often find mold is on their drywall. Since replacing the drywall can be expensive and frustrating, most people try to clean the wall instead. Cleaning the wall is possible, but if the mold has been there for a long time there is chance that it will be stained.

Make sure that you are wearing protective clothing and that the room is well ventilated. Create a solution that is one part bleach and four parts water. Use a clean sponge to scrub at the wall until the mold is gone. Use fans to make sure that wall is dry or the mold will start to grow again.

Dealing with regular mold is something that you can do by yourself, but if you find black mold you are going to need professional help. Not only are there serious health issues that are connected to black mold, but it is eradicating it is also very difficult More often than not, the only way to make sure that they black mold is gone is to gut the affected area. While the removal process is going on, you and your family are going to have to evacuate your home.

The important thing to remember about mold removal is that you want to make sure a through hob has been done. Once the mold is gone you want to make sure that it does not return. The drier you keep your home the better. Regular inspections also reduce the odds of a mold problem growing out of control.

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/mold-removal-advice-for-home-owners-3712021.html#ixzz16A49LSf1

Every year people tell me I am crazy when I get so excited about the festive season, but what is not to love? It is cold outside and warm inside, everything sparkles and looks so pretty, everywhere you go it smells amazing, and people, well, they just seem to be a little bit nicer at this time of year.  Well most people anyway, and for the purposes of this column, I choose to discount any Scrooges out there!

For me, Christmas has always been a special time.  It is a time to spend with friends and family and celebrate the real reason for the season, a time for festivities and food and of course, a time to decorate!  Christmas is the only holiday I know where you get to keep your decorations up for over a month. I think that calls for a little something special!

Decorating your home doesn’t have to be expensive.  When it comes to outdoor holiday decor there are so many beautiful things that you can use to make your home look festive and nature has so much to offer.  Evergreen boughs are a must for your outdoor Christmas decorating and you can get them in all different shades of green depending on your taste.  If you are trying to create a “Traditional” feel, try dark green spruce or cedar.  Sumac and holly berries are a great addition for adding some red to your traditional theme. 

If a “Country Christmas” is more your style, opt for a long needle pine in a smoky silvery-green and try throwing in some apples, cinnamon sticks and plaid ribbon.  If your tastes tend to lean a little more toward the “Contemporary”, try boxwood or holly leaves.  Layer your foliage deeply but embellish lightly for that minimal feel. 
Embellish your fences, gates and banisters with swags of evergreen boughs and top them off with big colourful bows.  Oh, and what would Christmas decorating be without pinecones?  Personally, I like to go in to the bush and gather my own boughs, but they are readily available at your local garden center or grocery store during the Christmas season.

Oh and one last idea for your Christmas decorating, try making festive planters.  Use your flower boxes or planters, bunch white mini lights on the bottom and then fill them with translucent plastic Christmas balls.  Hot glue the balls in random places so they say put.  Dress up your planter by adding random metallic balls or maybe a few glittery plastic snowflakes.  This is a very simple idea that creates a big visual impact!  This also works really well for the moss lined hanging baskets just poke some of the mini lights out through the moss before filling with the plastic balls.  With a dusting of snow your baskets will  look absolutely amazing!

From tips on décor to advice on building and renovating send your questions to My Designer.  Patricia Krotki, Professional Designer, is a member of the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario. Questions can be directed to mydesigner@polcandesigngroup.ca

Define your career. If you are a doctor, you diagnose and treat peoples’ ailments. If you are a hairdresser, you cut, colour, perm, and style hair. If you are a police officer, you uphold the law, investigate crimes, and in general protect the citizens of the district in which you work. Most careers can be at least briefly described by almost anyone. If you have one of those careers, you are very lucky.
Before I entered the work force and opened my own design firm, I never would have imagined that I would be getting calls to mend curtains, remove stains from carpets, find out why one bulb in a chandelier will not work… I am an interior designer — I design interiors; but I can recommend a seamstress, carpet cleaning company, electrician… Then the dreaded question comes, “What do you mean you design interiors?”
Once-upon-a-time-ago I thought that to be an easy question to answer. Somehow, I now find it easier to explain to a child why the grass is green.
Rather than trying to define interior design, I have taken to explaining the process of designing an interior.
I analyze, ask questions, draw, review the budget, draw some more while asking more questions. Slowly, what started off as sketches develop into floor plans and other technical drawings. Some of the drawings get coloured in. I help my clients make informed decisions regarding the use of space, materials, products, colour, lighting, layout, construction methods, other professionals… The drawings/plans then go to contractors and specialty contractors. I review the submitted process with my clients — one submission is higher, but that is not necessarily bad because the others are each missing things. A contractor is selected, the contract signed and the work begins; I’ll be there routinely while the work is in progress. I basically act as a representative on my clients’ behalf, as well as a protector to my own design. Time schedules are reviewed frequently, problems that arise are handled in such a way that my clients may later know the solution but not the headache involved to understand and work out the problem. The work is wrapping up, only the finishing touches are left but I am already preparing a list of things that have to be finished, repaired or touched-up.
What had been a noisy, dirty, smelly construction site has now fallen quiet and already been cleaned. I walk around looking at and examining the full-size, real thing of all the drawings I had done weeks, if not months, ago. Back at the office, I edit the deficiency list started a few days before and send it to the contractor and clients. The job is soon completely finished, but my work is still not done.
My clients call, happy with the finished space. There are some last minute questions concerning maintenance of some of the new items, where to find certain decorative things and accessories that suddenly have importance, placement of these things, and so on.
About two months later those clients are likely to call again. The voice on the other end sounds either a bit annoyed or even slightly panicked. The tile grout is crack in one area on one wall. It’s probably just because everything has had the time to settle; I’ll come by to see it, then contact the contractor.
Define my career. I am an interior designer. I am an analyst, an artist, an educator, an interrogator, a project manager, a site supervisor, a purchaser, a space planner, a specifier, a decorator, a technician, a draftsperson, a troubleshooter…
But can I help a client plan an outdoor project? Can I design a cabana or gazebo for a client’s yard? Can I design custom furniture or lighting? Work with other professionals to provide technical drawings for things that do not fall into the scope of work of an interior designer? Work with clients and their real estate agent to help in the selection of the perfect home or commercial space to meet their needs? Provide consultation services to do-it-yourselfers? Handle the enlargement of a building? Work on new constructions as well as renovations? Plan the enlargement or relocation of a kitchen or washroom? Do I know the building code? Can I help obtain renovation permits from the municipality? Design spaces for use by people with physical disabilities?… Yes, and more.
In a rush, I sometimes describe interior design as the career that fills the gap between architect and decorator, but the accuracy in that statement is something even I have debated. So I am still left without a solid definition of my own career.
Karen S. Weiner is the owner and principal interior designer of Idealspace Design in Montreal, Quebec (Canada), since 1997.

It has been said that the only people who don’t desire to build their own homes are the ones who already have!

The plumber put the toilet in the wrong location, the electrician didn’t show up, the kitchen is too small, the project came in way over budget, …we have all heard the stories; building a home can be exciting and rewarding but it can also be frustrating if you don’t know what to expect.  No matter how much planning you have done, there are bound to be unexpected issues arise and when you are dealing with a number of different people, communication can be somewhat of a challenge!  Although you cannot prevent unexpected surprises when you build, having a “constant” throughout your project will make the whole process run a lot smoother.  Having the design and build of your project handled by the same company will help to ensure that these types of problems do not occur.

Residential Design/Build is a method of project delivery by which one company (the constant) provides both design and construction services.  There are many benefits to this method of project delivery such as:

Responsibility -The owner looks to a single company responsible for budget adherence, quality control, scheduling, timing, and performance of the project. The results are: clearly defined responsibility, maximum cost control, and immediate attention when issues arise.  The client is provided with a comprehensive view of the project, as opposed to bits and pieces from multiple sources.

Early Estimation of Construction Costs – Construction costs are known far earlier than in other delivery systems.  The company responsible for design phase is also  aware of construction costs  as well as the project budget and is therefore simultaneously designing  and estimating according to the pre-determined budget.  This process permits early change decisions – which have the least impact on overall cost.

Cost and Time Savings – Designers and contractors, working and communicating as a team, evaluate alternative materials and methods efficiently and accurately.  Because design and construction are overlapped, and bidding periods and redesign are virtually eliminated, total design and construction time can be significantly reduced therefore reducing overall cost.  With designers and contractors working together, construction work can begin before the construction documents are fully completed .  Time saved equals money saved.

Reduced Client Administrative Time – During the design and construction phases of the project, the owner is not required to invest time and money in coordinating workers and arbitrating between separate designers and contractors and is able to focus on make important and timely project decisions.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of the Design-Build method is the reduced stress and peace of mind that comes with knowing you got the best value  for your dollar. Design-Build is easier, more efficient, faster, and less expensive than any other process of facility planning and construction.

This is my favourite time of year.  The days are growing shorter, there is a familiar crispness in the air and the last of the brilliant colours of the autumn leaves are blowing down the street preparing the way for Old Man Winter to make his grand return!  As we snuggle in and anticipate the cooler days ahead, our homes become central in our lives and the gathering place for our family and our friends.  Autumn evokes a feeling of nostalgia and an earnest desire to re-connect with family and friends amid the craziness of our busy lives.

If you are like me, you want home décor that will impress, de-stress, and welcome company, a home that exudes comfort and warmth.  Pay attention to the entrance because the entrance to our home after all, is where our guests cross over the threshold into our private lives.

There is a tendency in design to limit our decor to the visual elements or what we can see, but the truth is, good design is a very sensual experience and it involves all of our senses!  When our senses are aroused we create an experience that will be with us for some time to come.  As a young girl I can remember coming home to the smells of baking bread and soup….oh yes, soup.  To this day I still love Dad’s soup.  Strangely enough, it makes me feel safe.

There are many things we can do to create an experiential setting: a rough hewn log table, a tattered braided rug or a sparkling chandelier that casts shadows that dance upon the wall.  A collage of photos depicting loved ones adorning the walls of your entryway becomes the perfect canvas telling a story of the family within.  Baking cookies, burning candles, a basket of fragrant pinecones all provide subtle stimulation to our olfactory system.  Soft playing music or the trickle of a fountain add a soothing sound which disarms our emotions and takes our spirit to a place of relaxation and comfort and adding a basket of soft comfy slippers in various sizes will enchant your guests making them want to come back again and again! Oh and don’t forget the mirror, a must for every entryway!

When our senses are awakened, we remember, sometimes we are not sure what we will remember but, we remember.  One day when you are least expecting it, you may walk into someone’s home greeted by the sweet aroma of pumpkin pie as it wafts past and you will quietly reminisce, thinking, I remember when…

The Harvest season is full of such delights to the senses and always reminds me of just how truly blessed I am, this is why it is my favorite time of year!

What are the latest home décor colour trends this summer?

Ahh, if you are like me, a child of the 80’s, you will remember big hair, skinny jeans and pumps (heels, for those who may not know) in every fashionable colour imaginable!  I remember having a pair in pink, aqua, teal and purple.  The brilliant colours are etched in my mind and I don’t think I can remember a time since then where the trends have been so fun!  I am very happy to say that those colours that defined the mid 80’s, well, they are back, and they are hotter than ever!  According to PANTONE®, the world-renowned authority on colour, the number one colour for 2010 is Turquoise!  This comes as no surprise as it can be seen popping up everywhere!  Although the colours of 2010 may not be known by the same names as they were in the 80’s, they are definitely back!

The colours this summer are being used in fun and creative new ways.  Remember the saying “blue and green should not be seen except for in the washing machine!”  Well, forget that! There is nothing sharper than soothing Turquoise green paired up with a vivid Caymen blue, put them together and watch the colours pop! 

A popular décor trend this summer is to use a monochromatic colour palette; a palette made up of the various shades of one colour.  Using colours from the same palette creates a feeling of calmness and promotes relaxation.  One of the hottest colours this summer to use in a monochromatic colour scheme is blue.  Blue is fresh and soothing, it is pure and clean.  Blue promotes a feeling of renewed energy.  Deep Aqua Blue in particular, is very popular this year and by combining A deep Aqua, with an icy blue, a crisp white and cool grey, you have a palette that is worthy of the cover of any interior design magazine and a space that you want to spend all your in!

The colours this season are fresh, fun, bold, and dynamic!  Cool hues of water and sky, purples, plums and pinks…don’t be afraid to use these colours to update your décor in exciting new ways! 

In a tribute to summer, I think I will grab a nice cold drink, my turquoise pumps and relax on the porch and enjoy the lovely summer breeze!

From tips on décor to advice on building, do you have a design question for My Designer?  Patricia Krotki, Professional Designer, is a member of the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario. Design questions can be directed to mydesigner@polcandesigngroup.ca

Curbside Appeal! Most realtors will tell you first impressions are paramount! Whether a potential buyer sees your house online or by strolling past while walking down the street, you want people to take notice and take a closer look.

House exterior—your house will attract more interest if it is tidy and well kept. A few simple things can make a world of difference, like touching up exterior paint and problem areas such as trim, windows, fences, etc. Clean up eavestrough and downspouts. Make sure house numbers are clearly visible and entrances brightly lit. Consider adding a splash of colour to your front door and upgrading door hardware; making your entry a focal point draws people in.

Yard and Driveway—mow the lawn and weed the gardens, a well kept yard says a lot about the rest of the house. Pressure wash driveway and seal cracks. Make sure garbage is tidy and in sealed containers. Potted plants at the entrance have a big impact and are an inexpensive way to add a welcoming touch.

Remember, when you look at your house you see a home filled with memories, when potential buyers look they see your house with all its bumps and warts. You want the viewers to envision themselves living there so don’t forget that how your house presents to others can mean the difference between a potential buyer stopping to look or moving on to the house next door. Give them a reason to look!