On the Road Again…

This past weekend we decided not to let the rain and cold weather get to you. Instead, we headed indoors for the Ottawa Home Show and made some new discoveries.

We saw lots of hard surface inspiration. Counter tops, custom hand crafted, gorgeous doors and windows and bathroom vanities. New in the bathroom world is a cool unit by Mondeau, the “You” bathroom set. It had a drawer base unit and trough sink with a slim mirrored cabinet above, that lifts up to reveal more storage.

The base unit attaches to the wall so it left lots of space underneath for additional storage!! Storage, storage, storage!!! Who doesn't want more storage...

A favorite was the "Pillow Cabinet" from Laurysen Kitchens, as seen below. We loved the way the edges of the cabinet roll to a finish, giving a hard surface and soft look.

We discovered SGO Designer Glass, who provide custom stain and leaded glass for any window or door. Check out their photo gallery at www.sgodesignerglass.com

We visited the Wicker Emporium booth. Boy, did we get a surprise!! They have very comfortable chairs and all kinds of furniture. These wing backs made of bonded leather were $145 per chair!

The sale is on until the end of October. Check out what they have to offer at www.wickeremporium.ca and no it doesn’t just carry wicker furniture!!!

After the show we wondered downtown to the market to check out Urban Barn and Zone. Two of our favorite stores.

Zone Maison is always a pleasure to visit and definitely worth the drive. The selection of lighting, for this size of a store, is amazing. There is always lots to fall in love with, like this handmade wood Noisette Pendant. Courtesy of la Belle Provence, Quebec.

From lighting to furniture, curtains, accessories and dream kitchen items, this store allows you to drift away for a while. We can't decide what we like better....

the ball leaf pendants,

wicked (in a good way) contemporary console table.

or these gear clocks. We loved these!:)

There were great sales at Urban Barn too! We were pleasantly surprised to find a mix of contemporary, traditional and antique reproduction items. And lots of accessories to sort through. We LOVED this bench!

We couldn't pass up these adorable book ends and umbrella holder!

Oh! Since winter is coming, we scooped up this 100% wool carpet for about $150 dollars! Our feet will be warm and definitely not bored!!

Although we like to promote shopping locale, a trip to the market is always worth while. You'll need a latte pick-me-up or a great lunch and there is plenty of to choose from. But that's another topic!!

Fresh Start

With the cool wind blowing in and beautiful fall colours all around us, it feels like time for a fresh start! We thought now would be a good time to bring you fall trends. What's new and exciting for colours? Let's look at some of our favorites from Benjamin Moore and Para Paints .

Benjamin Moore
Listed below are the inspirational colour trends for 2012. Take a look and see why we like them!
Click this link to upload your own room photos and try out the new colours!!

Farm Fresh AF-360
Minbus Gray 2131-50
White Dove Oc-17
Gypsy Love 2085-30
Stardust 2108-40
Persimmon 2088-40
Refined AF-75
French Press AF-170
Revere Pewter HC-172
Amethyst Shawdow CC930


PARA PAINTS- choose a room from the list below that reflects both you and your home.

REVIVE-Trendy, Dramatic, Edgy and Energetic. This room is filled with colour, perfect for non-neutral zones! This space is a true reflection of the vibrant homeowner. There are hits of colour at every interval with only some gray to ground the space. It is definitely unconventional, so throw the rules out the window!!

Bean Bag Toss P5049-42
Church Tops P5007-62D
Garden Plum P5096-85
Candied Apple P5042-83D
Guys Night P5248-73

RENEW- Think contemporary yet warm and inviting. White sofas and warm wall colour with beautiful art work and a cow hide rug. Soothing, like a warm fire on a cool day, yet fresh and modern.

Golden Rod P5058-83D
Headboard P5237-85D
Northern Exposure P5230-51
Rocky Crest P-5104-72

REFRESH- Upcycle! All things old are new again! There is no denying that recycling is HOT!!!HOT!!!! HOT!!!! In this room, smooth urban grey is the neutral paired with gorgeous blues or stunning purples. (stay tuned to see what we have been up to with respect to upcycling:)

Fashion Girl P5194-63
Assert Yourself P5080-63
Mountain of Toys P5161-41
Boys will be Boys P5248-850
Loft Space P5248-44D

RETRO CHIC-This room has colourful, bold walls and funky or clean lined furniture positioned in front of it. Solid and geometric patterns. Lots of texture and anything that is a reflection of what you love!!

Flamboyant P5191-63
Fireside P5076-63
Cotton Sweater P5177-41
No Win Situation P5111-41
Starless Sky P5155-62

Let some of these trends inspire you to make a fresh change in your home this fall. Perhaps painting an old dining room buffet a new colour or brightening up your bedroom walls before the snow flies. Whatever you decide, have fun!!