Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day to all the fantastic moms out there, enjoy your day on Sunday.

Happy Monday!

Bathroom updates are less labour intensive and much less expensive than full-blown renovations. I must admit that we have always updated our bathrooms and the end result has always been great! Although we have always had decent tile work so that helps! Updates can totally transform a bathroom and can look great when done properly (when the job is done well). Here are some budget friendly updates for a bathroom that can leave buyers smiling:

1. Paint-It is amazing what a coat of paint can do! When selling it always best to choose something that can appeal to the masses. 
2. Vanity lighting-This can be easily done by just changing out the shade. Lowes sells shades for builder basic lights. 
3. Clean the grout-Grout can get dirty looking. I combine baking soda and water to make a paste then I apply it and scrub with a scrub brush. This usually works wonders!
4. Update the mirrors-This is a simple and inexpensive way to update. 
5. Change your faucet-Ikea has a great selection of faucets at such great prices. 
6. Paint or stain your bathroom vanity-This can make such a huge difference. We have done this before and the end result looked pretty amazing. 
7. Change the hardware on your vanity cabinet-A small change but can add so much interest. 
8. Buy a new shower curtain-Who does not like to see a new, clean shower curtain. 
9. Update your countertops-This is a little more expensive, but well worth it. Buyers love quartz or granite.
10. Change your towel bars add hooks. 
11. Style your bathroom. Light styling and new towels are a great addition to an update. 

Take a look at our bathroom update right below!

Paint – SW Sea Salt

Faucets – Ikea

Mirrors – Home Depot

Quartz & Sinks – Kanata Granite

Happy Wednesday!

Having your property showcased properly to attract the right buyer is as important as having a thorough home inspection. Both can cost the seller and buyers thousands of dollars if they are not done properly. Both showcasing a home properly and a home inspection should be done by a professional in that field as well! Just like property stagers home inspectors are not regulated in the province of Ontario. Finding a good, qualified home inspector that can do the job well is extremely important! 

Home Inspections

Why you need them, who to call, and what you can do to prepare your home for one (seller).

Why you need a home inspection: The obvious, it is to make sure there are no unexpected issues in a property  that you want to purchase. 

Who to call:

The profession is not regulated in Ontario but hiring a home inspector that is a current member (in good standing) with the OAHI ( Ontario Association Of Home Inspectors) is important. Members of this association have taken the required courses, passed exams and must meet standards set out by the Association. 

A good home inspector is insured.

Somebody with experience in renovations and home construction is also a valuable asset. 

What to do to get your home ready for a home inspection (seller):

Tidy your home to make it easier for the home inspector to see things. 

Remove your pets. 

Take care of very minor repairs. (Major repairs are done prior to listing)

Home inspections should take about 2 to 3 hours. 

Get a written and signed report from the home inspector.

Here are a few amusing home inspection photos…

Happy Wednesday!

Restoration, redecoration, modernization, makeover and improvements are all words that can describe a renovation. Here are some things to consider when you renovate DIY way. 

Renovations are time consuming. You should ask yourself if you can commit to the time it takes to renovate. If you are renovating yourself your weekends and nights can be consumed by swinging a hammer. It can sometimes be not so fun after a long day at work. 

Do you have attention to detail. Bad renovations are very noticeable. It requires a lot of patience to do a great job. 

Are you ready to live with a mess? Renovations can be extremely messy. Dust seems to go everywhere when renovating. Are you prepared to live with the mess?

Do you have the knowledge to do the job? Knowing what tools to use and what products to use is important. To do a great job you have to also know how to use the tools. 

DIY renovations take time. They almost always take longer than what you expect. 

Have a plan and a budget with a contingency. This is really important, especially when you live in an older home. 

If you renovate do it right. Don’t take short cuts, call in professionals for things you cannot do. Check if permits are needed. 

Nice things cost money. You love the look of quartz, beautiful tile, cultured stone……but nice things can cost a lot of money. Quartz can cost anywhere between 60 to 100 dollars a square foot. The cultured stone that Scott installed in our home cost $20 dollars a square foot. Things can very easily add up!

Have a fantastic day, see you Friday!

Happy Monday!

Having organized storage is important when selling a home. It should be on a “what to do” checklist before showcasing a home. Potential buyers like to see closets that are well organized but also free from clutter. Below are a few tips to get your home ready before showcasing. 

Front Closets

From coats to boots to hockey sticks front closets can get really crammed full of stuff. I often recommend buying textured baskets for visual interest but organization as well. Oftentimes they look great on a shelf in a front closet. I personally love shoe racks for shoes or boots and they make for an overall neater appearance. Removing coats and adding coat hangers of the same colour is also a great idea. 

Bedroom Closets

Kids can have messy closets and thats fine when you are living in a home…..but not for selling. Remove toys and stuff from closet floors. Use a bin to put stuffed animals and toys and just keep one bin on the floor. Use baskets for lego or other smaller toys. 

Sometimes colour coordinating clothes can make a difference with the overall appearance of a closet. In a master bedroom having an abundance of stuff in the master closet can seem like there is not enough storage in the home. Remove stuff that does not belong in a master closet. Purses, clothes maybe a pretty hamper is all you need. 

We are working on a beautiful ReDesign. Can’t wait until I can show you some photos. See you Wednesday!

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Happy Friday!

Oh my word, I am in love with this bistro style kitchen. Designed by Canadian Designer Philippe Côté for his clients living in historical Montreal. 

Do you not love the beautiful cabinetry in such a gorgeous shade of blue? It is a nice change from seeing all white kitchens. This kitchen features a fantastic herringbone tiled backsplash, open shelving and gorgeous hardware. I love the flooring, and he did such an amazing job combining all the kitchen elements together. It really does look like you are in a French bistro. The styling is spot on as well. There is so much light streaming through this kitchen through the beautiful doors.  

Bigger kitchens are not always better. This kitchen has no island but there is an abundance of cabinetry and more than enough space for cooking or baking. 

Visit styleathome for more details of this amazing transformation. Here are the photos right below!

Phillipe Côté Design

Happy Wednesday!

When I saw this beautiful kitchen by Elizabeth Lawson Design I immediately loved it. It has been saved, bookmarked and pinned thousands of times. People love this kitchen and it is not hard to see why. 

This kitchen features dark grey lower cabinets, satin brass hardware, open shelving and a stunning Carrera marble backsplash. I love the combination of different door fronts. The apron sink, open shelving, and sconces add interest but timeless simplicity as well. 

This was definitely my inspiration for our next kitchen. Although I do not have dark grey lowers I chose a dark stain for our oak cabinets on all lowers and white painted open shelving for the top. I really wanted a combination of contrasting colours. It might be trendy to have satin brass for hardware but love the look of it. I have always loved open shelving, so having lots of open shelving was a must. Pam from Deslaurier Custom Cabinets showed us Silestone called White Arabesque and it was beautiful and I chose that. I prefer quartz over granite and Deslaurier has a nice selection of quartz to choose from. 

Here are some more photos of this gorgeous kitchen right below!

Elizabeth Lawson Design

Have a great weekend!

Happy Friday!

I love all colours but blue is definitely my favourite of them all. It is a perfect colour for a bedroom. Blue painted walls look great in coastal inspired homes but can look great with all styles. It is a popular colour choice for staging as well. A light blue is calming and relaxing perfect for a master bedroom.

There are so many different shades of blue and picking the right paint colour can be overwhelming. Here are some blues that look terrific in bedrooms!

Daniela Pluviati Home Staging

CIL – Swiss White 30BG 72/017

Accent Wall – Wythe Blue HC-143

Aquidneck Properties

BM Quite Moments 1563

Purple Cherry Architects

SW Silvermist 7621

 On a more personal note I am excited about taking my staging course this weekend. I have been looking forward to it for a while. I am passionate about Home Staging and I hope to make a difference here in Ottawa. Have a wonderful weekend!