LoveMyPlace.com - Renovation, Design, Real Estate

When it comes to furniture design, either form and function can trump the other, and force a homeowner to choose between an exquisite piece that no-one will want to use and an overstuffed behemoth that scores high on comfort and low on looks. (more…)

Debbie Travis has just added affordable modular furniture to her line at Canadian Tire. Homeowners can customize unitd to suit a room’s function and their own storage needs. Pieces comes in a maple-coloured laminate finish, which can be painted to match any of the four “moods” into which Travis divides her collection. www.canadiantire.ca.

The new line of LED (light-emitting diode) fixtures from Sylvania combines great design and energy efficiency. LED lighting emits a clear blue-toned white light, is cool to the touch, shock resistant and is made without mercury or other toxic gases. LED lights are also long-lasting—the manufacturer claims that LEDs last up to 20,000 hours, compared to about 1,000 hours for regular incandescent bulbs and 10,000 hours for compact fluorescent bulbs. www.sylvania.com.

Designer Barbara Barry’s new line of ceramics might make you hope that a snow day comes sooner rather than later, just so you have a reason to relax on the couch and sip tea from a “Musical Chairs” teacup, part of a whimsical tea set that Barry has designed for the venerable china manufacturer Wedgwood, which has been making fine ceramics for the last 250 years. www.barabarbarryco.com

Designers Lorne and Tracey Kadish have come up with a gift/décor idea that they think will brighten any dull corner. The Brilliant Gift is a glass block lit from within and decorated with crystals, pendants, metallic stars and ribbons.
Available in shades of metallic, blue, plum and green, and in single eight-inch block or a set of six, eight and twelve-inch blocks. www.thebrilliantgift.com.

One fun and affordable way to add individuality to home décor and design is to incorporate poetry, inspirational words or literary quotations to walls or other household items such as lamps, vases and picture frames. Wall Talk makes the process simple, with pre-cut, pre-spaced lettering that can be pressed onto the wall or other surfaces. The quotations come in a variety of fonts and sizes, and are available in matte black or low-sheen pewter. www.walltalk.ca

The best way to overcome the feeling of having a houseful of unfinished projects is to schedule a few weekends and actually finish them!
Here’s a list of projects you can quickly tackle (with a bit of help from friends or family) (more…)

The tape measure used to be a lowly little tool. But over the years, a staggering array of models and styles has become available. How different can they be, you ask? Plenty, I answer. So how do you decide what to buy? Here’s all you need to know about making a measured decision. (more…)

You’ve already changed all the incandescent light bulbs to more efficient compact fluorescents, installed low-flow water devices on all your faucets and showers and even fiddled with those pesky wires to install a programmable thermostat (if you have a hot water radiator system, consider www.thesmoother.com instead of a programmable thermostat). Here are few extra—and unconventional—DIY tips that will help save you energy this winter.

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Many customers ask me how different manufacturers rate in after-sales service.

It’s a good question, and a tough one to answer. But there are a few ways to find out whether a manufacturer is looking for a long-term relationship or is going to love you and leave you. (more…)