Back to School Decor with Jo on BT

If you miss the show Monday morning, watch it online @ http://www.bttoronto.ca/videos/2629853478001/

 

 

Products From:

Staples www.staples.ca

HomeOutfitters www.homeoutfitters.com

The most wonderful time of the year!

Inspire your kids to do work and get a head with stylish working and study areas.

It’s a great idea to start to teach them how to be organized now so when they do go off to college they have the right skills to succeed away from home. For those going off to school here are some cool way to stay organized!

 

It’s a great idea to start to teach them how to be organized now so when they do go off to college they have the right skills to succeed away from home. Staples is a great one stop shop for all their school essentials and electronics for a great price!

Just like buying back to school clothes you should also spruce up their working areas to get them excited to work as well.

1) Home Outfitters is Canada’s largest kitchen, bed and bath superstore – which means the best selection across the country.

2) "We understand student budgets…  Home Outfitters 2013 Back to Dorm Collection is not only stylish but affordable – everything is under $99!"

3) For your chance to stock up on all these Back to Dorm essentials, be sure to visit homeoutfitters.com and enter to win $1000 Home Outfitters Gift Card.

https://www.facebook.com/HomeOutfitters

Have fun and jazz up their working spaces with bright and motivating colours. Happy back to school shopping everyone!!

 

Until next time,

w&c designer girl!

The Front Door with a GREEN approach!

With Fall approaching it is that time of the year to start preparing your home for the colder months and what a better place to start then with your front door!! Angelo DiGangi is our guest blogger this month and he going to enlighten us on how to be GREEN when choosing the right doors!!


A Green Welcome

The front door. It's our welcome home, the first impression given to visitors, a quick glimpse into our aesthetic personality. So why shouldn't it also be one of the first places we turn when considering ways to give our homes a green makeover? Rather than simply pass through the front door's embrace on our way in or out, let's take a moment to really consider how to boost the eco-friendliness of this architectural punctuation mark. We'll begin with the door itself:

The longer a door can stand proud in its place, the less stress placed on the environment, so it's important to seek one that's been engineered with durability in mind. I favor two avenues above all the rest when it comes to selecting an enduring door.

Behind door number one: 
Steel doors are some of the strongest and longest-lasting options on the market, since they resist rust and corrosion. For this reason, they're ideal for homes located in areas of the country subject to harsh weather like tornadoes and hurricanes. And even though you're making a safe choice when it comes to materials, you can certainly take style risks with a steel door, as most come ready to paint in any bold color you'd like and feature panel embossing for a bit of definition. Just beware that steel doors may easily dent and can heat up easily if facing direct sun.

Behind door number two: 
While real wood appeals to many homeowners' traditional tastes, wood doors tend to warp and crack over time and require a great deal of maintenance to ensure a long life. For a harder-wearing option with a similar look, opt for a fiberglass door that boasts a wood-like grain texture and traditional panel detailing while resisting splitting, cracking, and rotting. And unlike the steel doors mentioned above, a fiberglass front door can withstand corrosion, rust, and dings from everyday use. With finishes to mimic mahogany, oak, cherry, and more, these wood lookalikes fit nicely with craftsman, cottage, and colonial house styles. (If you do still choose real wood, be sure that the timber comes from a sustainable, managed forest.)

In addition to paintable surfaces, both steel and fiberglass doors offer homeowners a great number of design opportunities, including grand heights up to ten feet tall and period-appropriate decorative glass -- including transoms and sidelights -- to complement a home's architectural style and maximize natural light (an eco-friendly perk).

To be sure that your door will perform smartly over its long life, stick to those that have earned an Energy Star rating -- you can be certain these doors have excellent weather-stripping to prevent air seepage; core materials, such as fiberglass, wood fiber, and polyurethane foam, that will provide superior insulation; and double- or triple-paned windows that keep outside heat at bay. (*A note about polyurethane foam: In order to create products that are both cleaner and safer, many manufacturers have turned to foam that doesn't contain hydro chlorofluorocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons, or formaldehyde.)

Want to up your green factor even more? Here are five additional things you can do to bolster the efficiency and environmental friendliness of your entryway:

1. Add weather stripping. A tight seal around the frame of your front door helps to minimize air and heat leakage. If you can see daylight squeezing in around the edges of your door or you feel a draft when standing in your foyer, then you should install weather stripping around the frame to create a snug seal. A door draft stopper can also be laid at the base of the door.

2. Install a storm door. This secondary door adds another layer of protection and insulation to your home while also allowing you to take advantage of milder temperatures (with screen inserts) and natural light.

3. Cover your front porch. A portico or awning above your front door adds depth and dimension to your home's façade while also reducing the amount of heat from the sun that enters these windows. And by shading the front door, a roof can also extend the life of the door and help cool your house.

4. Lay out a doormat. One of the simplest steps you can take to green your home is to set out a good doormat, which works to capture pesticides, fertilizers, oil and gasoline, and other contaminants from shoes before they cross your threshold.

5. Introduce potted plants. Nurture a bit of nature with potted plants situated beside your front door. These easy-to-maintain accessories add texture, life, and a breath of fresh air to your entry.

Angelo DiGangi is a Home Depot sales associate in the Chicago suburbs and is a frequent contributor on doors and windows for Home Depot's website. Angelo's interests include providing tips on color, materials and insulation.

Thanks so much Angelo for the tips, now off to Home Depot to shop!!

Until next time,
w&c designer girl!

Unexpected Uses for Tile

It is always fun to use materials or products in unexpected ways in design... well on Pinterest I came across some fun tile uses!!











For more check out http://www.remodelista.com/posts/10-unexpected-ways-to-use-tile

Until next time,
w&c designer girl!!

Jo's on BT talking Window and Wall Trends

If you missed the segment watch it online @

http://video.citytv.com/video/detail/2577077997001.000000/updating-your-windows-and-walls/

 

 

Products are from:

Para Paint www.para.ca 

Budget Blinds  www.budgetblinds.com/SouthEastToronto 

With the summer humidity keeping you inside it is the perfect time to tackle those small indoor projects you have been putting off. Have a painting project? Or wanting to finish that drape project?

·         I always say your window treatments are like the icing on the cake, you don’t always need it but it sure does make it more exciting.

 

All images from Budget Blinds

 

·         Freshly painted walls always gives a room a new look and this is the perfect time to tackle those painting projects.

·         Wallpaper can be expensive however you don’t need to break the bank to get that unique wall experience.

·         Paint goes along way and creating painted patterns on the walls give you that custom feel and look to any room in your home.

 And don't forget painted furniture is stunning!!  So don't throw out those hammy-down furniture pieces, refresh them with a fresh coat of paint!!

Have fun with your projects!!

Until next time,

w&c designer girl!!

Too Cool Pinterest Board - get your creative juices flowing!!

I wanted to share some of my interesting finds on Pinterest, to help keep your creative juices flowing in this heat wave!! xo






For more check out my "Too Cool" board on Pinterest http://pinterest.com/whitewashco/too-cool/

Until next time,
w&c designer girl!

Cottage Chic Decor

Watch Jo Monday morning on BT, she is talking Cottage Chic decor for your cottage or creating that cottage feel with your home!!

DID YOU MISS IT: Watch online {http://video.citytv.com/video/detail/2503218014001.000000/cottage-chic-dcor/}

 

Thanks to:

IKEA http://ikea.ca/

Jamie Alexander http://www.jamiealexander.com/

for the products!

4 tips in creating that perfect Cottage Chic Style in your home: 

1. Embrace your pine paneled walls, just add a whitewash to them for that instant fresh feel!! And paint those floors for that wow factor!!

"One of the most charming aspects of cottage living is its natural, simplistic and bare-boned style. Rather than cover the small guesthouse walls in artwork" designer Sarah Richardson

2. Fall in Love with WHITES!!

3. Distressed Furniture! "One of the key elements to cottage-style decor is distressed and weathered furnishings. Although scouring flea markets, yard sales, thrift stores, estate sales and auctions to find a stunning piece of furniture for an amazing price may be exciting, don't look over a piece you may already have right in front of you."

4. Cozy it up! "As soon as you walk into a cottage-style home, you should feel right at home. The neutral color palette and natural materials should instantly rejuvenate your senses. The space should look and feel comfortable, easy and livable."

 

Stay cool this summer season!!

Until next time,

w&c designer girl!

for more information http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/cottage-style-decorating-16-fresh-and-simple-design-ideas/pictures/index.html