Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Some DIY projects from a guest blogger....

I am asked on occasion to post "guest" posts on this blog and this particular post is about some DIY projects sent by Shahab Shokouth, that I thought were interesting,   so take a look.



(Photo) Doing your own DIY remodeling can at times be a daunting task, but it can also be quite simple, depending on the project. In this post we will discover several DIY remodeling tips and tricks of varying complexities.
  • Custom Colored Glass Light Shades!
Tinting your own custom colored glass light shades can be done in 30 minutes with the following ingredients: Mod podge, food coloring, water, jars (or clear glass light shades). For the full instructions, view this clip.
Ball Canning Jars are perfect for this kind of project.



  • DIY Towel Rack
This DIY’er is perfect for both the kitchen and the bathroom. Re-purpose the back of an old ladder back
back into a towel rack and hang your towels.


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  • Designer Tile Accents
Often times, the whole point of being a DIY-er is to save money. In this example, by having accent tiles on the shower wall (instead of tiling the shower with designer tiles), it makes for a cheaper price tag, but still showcases an effective and sleek, design cue. This is also ideal when you want some more elaborate tile work in your bathroom, but you don’t want to rout all of your tiles. And if you have tiled flooring in your bathroom, a designer tile accent may be an effective remodel for your floor, as well!

 
  • Dresser Turned DIY Kitchen Island
Speaking of DIY friendly, here’s a DIY Kitchen Island, created by re-purposing an antique dresser. All it took was taking a dresser and repainting the surface. On the side, they have added hooks to hold kitchen utensils, and have simply added a towel dispenser to the side of the dresser. The vibrant blues and whites also help brighten up the kitchen space. If you’re not feeling very “DIY”, there’s the “Buy It Yourself” option… In that case, the Kitchen Island DIY installation process involves: buying it, placing it in your kitchen, and removing the price tag. Unless of course you’re buying it from IKEA in which case it will require assembly. Whichever way you go, it might be a good idea to decorate your Kitchen Island with some bowls, as seen above. This will also add counter space to your kitchen. New kitchen islands range widely in price, size, and quality.   About the Author Shahab Shokouhi is a Writer at Dulles Glass and Mirror – a manufacturer of commercial and residential glass products including custom mirrors, glass top, and glass top desks.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Getting some R and R in the Sun and in Style.....

About 3 years ago I caught up with 3 friends from high school via facebook, having lost touch for more years than I will mention.  Such fun to catch up and see where life had taken us.  One friend in particular,  had taken almost an identical career journey as had I.  We both started out in fashion design, then some other odds and ends, children and finally, our true love of Interior Design and Decorating.  She lives and works out of Montreal and recently purchased and renovated a lovely home in Florida which is available for rent.   I wanted to share photos of this extremely well decorated and well situated home by Susan Jameson, Decor Options who can be reached at -decoroptions.sj@gmail.com

The home is located in West Palm, and only 15 minutes from the airport.  The ocean is so close you can see it from the front of the house and the restaurants and bars are close by as well, which I think is always a bonus!!
Check out some photos of it below and for more details go to
   http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p963815

I think every room has been done to perfection!!

Beautiful stainless kitchen....





Lovely Sunroom looking out to the garden and pool area




















Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Celebrating the Season.....

Our GTA West Chapter of CDECA had a nice celebration just prior to Christmas at the studio/showroom of one of our members.  Check out Parsons Interiors in Mississauga and Jackie Connolly will be happy to help you with your decorating requirements.www.parsonsinteriors.com

We had a great time and actually covered chapter business but more important - the food was great.  Unfortunately there are more photos of us having a good time and eating than of the lovely pieces in the showroom, so you will just have to stop by to see them!!