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Renovating my House

Which Pendants for My Kitchen Island (or Not)?

05/21/2023
343 Comments

Please help me decide! Should I add new pendant lighting above my kitchen island, or not? I’m testing out 5 options and would love to know what you think. First, let’s take a little tour of the kitchen updates I’ve made so far in my new house. These are the pendants that came with the…

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Fifth Rule of Design: Don’t Panic, Trust the Plan

05/04/2023
fifth rule of design
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While deep in my renovation plans, I discovered a new design rule that I wanted to share with you. And it’s something I’ve been guilty of myself. That is, overthinking the small details before a project is finished. Hello: panic. So, I was reminded recently to trust the plan. Details matter when planning a renovation….

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Sneak Peek: Trying On Exterior Paint Colours

04/05/2023
103 Comments

Spring is in the air and that means it’s time to choose new exterior paint colours for my house. Here are some colours I’m “trying on” to see what looks best. Before This is what my exterior looks like now: This is a French country home built in 2011. I like the design of the…

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Get Sold! Updates that Deliver the Highest Returns

03/16/2023
timeless home updates
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Want to sell houses faster?  Here are some foolproof strategies to increase your chances of selling your house quickly and for a higher return. *I recently was asked to speak to a group of real estate agents about which home updates deliver the most return on your investment. But, I thought my readers might find…

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Timeless Penny Tile in My Bathroom Renovation

03/09/2023
44 Comments

I have always wanted to install a timeless penny tile floor and I finally made it happen in my primary bathroom renovation. Here’s a look at the floor tile colour and pattern I chose, plus some of the changes we made in our bathroom design. After I completed the renovation of our main bathroom in…

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Bad Design Costs the Same as Good Design

02/24/2023
30 Comments

What makes a design good or bad? Often, the one thing that sets apart good design is having a plan. What else makes a good design? Good design and bad design cost the same Have you ever thought about that statement? We see it all the time – just like in this post. A brand…

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How to Know if it’s Timeless; Our Herringbone Floors

02/02/2023
38 Comments

Just because something is trending, doesn’t also mean that it can’t be timeless as well. But how do you know?  After our herringbone wood floor was installed in our entry, I got to thinking that a really good test of whether you’re installing something timeless is to ask this question: Would anyone walk into my…

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How to Interview Trades for Your Renovation

11/21/2022
10 Comments

Hiring the right trades for your renovation project can make all the difference in your timeframe, cost and sanity! My project manager has been doing this kind of work for more than 40 years and she’s got some excellent tips for interviewing trades for your renovation. My renovation is speeding along at an alarmingly fast…

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Consider a Colour on Your Ceiling: My New Obsession

11/14/2022
31 Comments

Ceilings are often overlooked as a place to inject a little colour – and it’s my new obsession. See which paint colours I’m adding to the ceilings in my new home. It’s just another way that colour makes me happy. First, I don’t hate taupe Since I started posting videos  on my Instagram stories of…

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Our Front Garden & Driveway Design Idea

11/06/2022
23 Comments

When I asked my landscape designer about a circular driveway as a solution to the awkward parking, she said no, but that everyone always thinks that’s the answer. In fact there’s a better solution to our parking situation. And now that I can visualize it, I’m so excited for our front garden and driveway design…

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