Puttin’ on the Ritz – House Proud, Sun Media
Who among us hasn’t wanted to take home something beautiful we saw in a movie: a piece of furniture, stunning artwork, Daniel Craig. …
Columns
House Proud – Wallpaper is Back in a Big Way, Sun Media
When you think of wallpaper, you might get a mental picture of a busy floral print that looks a lot like antique upholstery fabric. Perhaps the smell of lavender and musty books comes to mind with a musical accompaniment counted in by Lawrence Welk. Ah-one-anna, two-anna. Well it’s time to associate a new image with wallpaper because it’s back in a big way. …
House Proud – Wallpaper is Back in a Big Way, Sun MediaRead More »
Anonymous, You’re Not
Kids who have grown up never knowing a world without the Internet are getting an education in what it means to post mean or false things about other people while trying to hide behind a nickname: there’s no anonymity in cyberspace. …
Sun Media article – Kitchen Cousins are Back in Action
The cousins are getting out from behind the kitchen island and taking their reno and design know-how to the rest of the house and even to the back yard. …
Sun Media article – Kitchen Cousins are Back in ActionRead More »
House Proud – Anything Goes Underfoot, Sun Media, April 12 & 14
I let out a squeal of joy when hubby announced that his annual early-spring project would be replacing the tired living-room carpet with laminate. In my typical approach, I set out to view virtually every type of flooring available to mankind and along the way I discovered some unusual and funky designs that weren’t right for us, but beautiful to consider. Instead of merely supporting lovely furnishings, flooring is now making a statement of its own. …
House Proud – Anything Goes Underfoot, Sun Media, April 12 & 14Read More »
House Proud – Without A Trace, Sun Media April 5 & 7
They prefer pinks, flouncy curtains and floral-patterned rugs. You like calm neutrals, soft lighting and the clean lines of wooden blinds. The only thing you have in common is that you both saw the same place as a space you could make into a home. They’ve moved out and now you’re moving in so it’s time to get rid of any trace of them and truly make the place your own. …
House Proud – Without A Trace, Sun Media April 5 & 7Read More »
My Pals at My Aircheck
It’s been several years now since I started writing a monthly column for Myaircheck.com. …
House Proud: A Penny For Her Thoughts, Sun Media, March 22-24
Our guest bedroom has a hardwood floor with an odd little corner that was covered with some very old-school stick-on tiles. …
House Proud: A Penny For Her Thoughts, Sun Media, March 22-24Read More »
A Breath of Fresh Air – House Proud, Sun Media
*A note about this column which appears in The Toronto Sun and in other Sun Media newspapers this weekend. I’ve received quite a few emails already asking about certain plants that appeared with the column in various cities. Sadly, I can’t identify them nor can I even see that particular version of my column! Not only do I not know when or where across the country my columns appear, unless someone writes and tells me, photos are chosen locally. In Toronto, they decided to use a picture of people suffering from allergies. Having said that, I truly enjoy the feedback about House Proud. …
Gitcher Motor Runnin’
Erin Davis wrote an excellent journal entry about the prevalence of motorcycle Mamas – and Papas – these days. With the World of Motorcycles Expo now underway this weekend, we certainly have riding on our minds.
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Blogger Blogs on Another Blog
Thank you to my friend Dan Brown for allowing me to post a guest article on his blog for Sun Media/Canoe. …
House Proud: Cat Hair Be-Gone! Sun Media Newspapers
Last fall, our little family expanded in the most delightful way. For a while, hubby and I have been debating the pros and cons of hearing the pitter-patter of little feet in the hallway and in November, it finally happened. Yes, we adopted a rescue cat. …
House Proud: Cat Hair Be-Gone! Sun Media NewspapersRead More »
Get That Reno Done Right – House Proud, Sun Media
My apologies if this weekend’s Toronto Sun column seems very familiar. It’s based on the experience we had with Miracle Method which was the subject of earlier posts. It’s called working smart, not hard! So I took the blog posts I wrote about the reno and turned them into a column complete with photos I took of the process. …
Get That Reno Done Right – House Proud, Sun MediaRead More »
Style and Substance with a Made-in-Canada Label – House Proud, Sun Media
When people say they don’t have any style or décor sense I say, nonsense, you just haven’t found your décor guru yet. Thank goodness for the leaders in the field who present an array of options for us to accept or reject and, often unwittingly, define our own style. In an era when it just makes economic sense to shop at home, a Canadian manufacturer is celebrating its success and its star power as it marks 40 years of manufacturing without ever leaving the country. …
Style and Substance with a Made-in-Canada Label – House Proud, Sun MediaRead More »
Old Is New Again – House Proud, Sun Media
Ikea means different things to different people. For some, it’s a place to stock up on inexpensive essentials for offspring leaving the nest. For others, it’s the home of organizational inspiration for a closet or a room. And still others see it as the preferred option for in-home kitchen design and installation. Its name conjures up an image as individual as the shopper who straps on a big blue bag and strolls through its Marketplace but there’s one irrefutable fact: Ikea has always first and foremost been about innovative product designs. It can’t be a coincidence that Ikea rhymes with idea. …
House Proud – The Look is Chic but the Price is Cheap, Toronto Sun
It’s a common household issue: you want to remodel a bathroom or a kitchen but you’re on a budget. You can do most of the work yourself but some of the prices on replacement sinks and showers can get out of control. A Canadian company is streamlining the business model for popular products such as showers and sinks and in the process, it’s keeping costs low. If you have a little know-how and like your décor to have clean lines and a modern style, Artika may have just what you need. …
House Proud – The Look is Chic but the Price is Cheap, Toronto SunRead More »
House Proud – Put More Summer Into Your Life, Sun Media Papers
“There’s just so many summers babe, and just so many springs.” Don Henley, Last Worthless Evening
Every time the warm weather returns I hear this song lyric in my head along with the heavily-Facebooked quote, “It’s later than you think.” This year the drum beats have been louder than usual. Perhaps it’s because I’m hitting a milestone birthday in the fall. Or maybe it’s just that I’m finally getting smarter about using my time wisely. …
House Proud – Put More Summer Into Your Life, Sun Media PapersRead More »
Trends – The Condo Quickie; Sun Media newspapers
It’s a bit of marketing genius aimed at young professionals. A Toronto design firm has taken the mystery out of turning a condo from a clean slate into a beautiful, albeit small, home. It’s called The Condo Quickie and it has become the most popular service offered by Isabelle Glinka and her company, Lux Design. Glinka says she had that “light bulb” moment when she conceived the idea and immediately trademarked the name. …