1 Work from the top down, inside to outside, to avoid getting what you just cleaned dirty again.
2 Do one room, even one area of one room, at a time to avoid unfinished jobs. The satisfaction of seeing one room sparkle will make the hard work feel like it's worth the effort.
3 When tidying, reduce trips around the house by temporarily depositing items in one spot en route to but not at their final destination.
4 Do two things at once. While laundry is going, scrub the shower stall.
5 Make small repairs. If you're not handy, hire someone.
6 Invest in good rubber or vinyl gloves to protect your skin and nails.
7
Dust before vacuuming or cleaning the floor. Try feather or lambswool
dusters, especially extendable ones for reaching above window and door
casings and into corners. Household rags are invaluable for jobs
requiring a damp cloth – natural fibres work best.
8
Buy mops with a squeeze mechanism (great for vinyl, linoleum or ceramic
tile floors) and a decent-size heavy-duty pail – one with a measuring
scale helps get soap-to-water ratios correct.
9
Don't stand your brooms on their bristles. It will destroy their shape
and diminish their effectiveness. Instead, get a broom holder, like the
Magic Holder 5-position broom organizer.
10
Use a Swiffer for light dusting, or your favourite broom or vacuum
attachment to clean hardwood floors. Then damp-mop with a mild cleaner
such as Murphy Oil Soap. I recently discovered BonaKemi's MicroPlus
Hardwood Floor Care System, which includes a mop with a removable
washable microfibre pad and a nontoxic water-based spray cleaner. It
makes the floors glow, and smell good, too.
From of Style at Home magazine
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Spring!
OK, maybe I am rushing things a little but I can feel it in the air and am dreaming of it's sweet scent. Looking forward to my tree in full bloom as seen in the photo. Some more favorite pics of Spring and a favorite poem
Chorus from 'ATALANTA'
Pictures courtesy of:
Sonya Kinkade Design
Andrewprokos.com
hiderphoto.com
designsdelights.com
For winter's rains and ruins are over,
And all the season of snows and sins;
The days dividing lover and lover,
The light that loses, the night that wins:
And time remembered is grief forgotten,
And in the green underwood cover
Blossom by blossom the spring begins
Algernon Charles Swinburne 1837-1909Pictures courtesy of:
Sonya Kinkade Design
Andrewprokos.com
hiderphoto.com
designsdelights.com
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Valberg Imaging
Valberg Imaging is Ottawa’s only combined photographic art studio and gallery. Located in the heart of Westboro Village, award winning photographer Michelle Valberg leads her team of highly talented professionals, including Valerie Keeler and Jennifer File. All three photographers are dedicated to using their creativity to fuse art and science with breathtaking results. I have had the privileged to work with Michelle and will work with her and her team on more design projects in the future.
Michelle Valberg is an award-winning Canadian photographer, renowned for her soulful portraiture and stunning landscapes. She possesses a magical combination of artistic creativity, entrepreneurial spirit and community commitment with a diverse career and excellent reputation. Valberg’s work has appeared in numerous magazines including US Magazine, In Style, above & beyond, Ottawa Life, Canadian Geographic, PhotoLife, Reader’s Digest and Chatelaine, and has been the subject of her two self-published books—Look Beyond… The Faces & Stories of People with HIV/AIDS and Dare to Dream… A Celebration of Canadian Women, which became a national bestseller. Each of her book projects has raised money for Ottawa-based charities. Valberg is currently at work on her third book — The Land & Life of the Inuit… Through the Generations —due to be released in 2011.
If your looking for a great photographer look not further than Valberg Imaging!
Located
Michelle Valberg is an award-winning Canadian photographer, renowned for her soulful portraiture and stunning landscapes. She possesses a magical combination of artistic creativity, entrepreneurial spirit and community commitment with a diverse career and excellent reputation. Valberg’s work has appeared in numerous magazines including US Magazine, In Style, above & beyond, Ottawa Life, Canadian Geographic, PhotoLife, Reader’s Digest and Chatelaine, and has been the subject of her two self-published books—Look Beyond… The Faces & Stories of People with HIV/AIDS and Dare to Dream… A Celebration of Canadian Women, which became a national bestseller. Each of her book projects has raised money for Ottawa-based charities. Valberg is currently at work on her third book — The Land & Life of the Inuit… Through the Generations —due to be released in 2011.
If your looking for a great photographer look not further than Valberg Imaging!
Located
322 Richmond Road, Ottawa
Ontario, K1Z 6X6 Canada
613-521-3117
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Do's and Don'ts of Decorating
Decorating your home can be a little daunting for someone who has never done it before, but the exercise is well worth the time spent. You do not need to be a designer to decorate your space. Before you start on your home, go through design magazines and start collecting the pictures that you like. Shortlist the colors and textures that you like. Take a fresh look at what you have. Once you understand what kind of style appeals to you, take stock of the furniture you have. Decide what stays, what goes and what needs an overhauling.
Keep the following rules in your mind and you will be able to change your home so it looks like a page right out of designer book.
Do’s:
Do pick a signature piece to work around. It can be a beautiful piece of furniture, a fabric, an area rug, a picture or a piece of pottery. The item should dictate the color scheme of the room as well as the style and mood you wish to create.
Do identify the focal point of the room. It may be a fireplace, a painting, a work of art, even a bed or an armoire.
Do purchase large elements first (rugs, draperies, upholstered furniture) and coordinate all other styles and colors around these major pieces.
Do use various textures; touch is very important. The sofa and drapes can all be the same color yet look different just by changing some of the textures.
Do use neutrals on the walls. It makes the home look timeless, classy and open. Use same color palate throughout the house as it will give a sense of flow.
Do use the principle of repetition when planning shapes, colors, fabrics, and patterns. One red accent in a room may look like an afterthought whereas several red accents here and there will contribute to the color scheme.
Do buy furniture with clean classic lines. It will always be in style. However, you can mix styles, periods, and pieces of furniture.
Do personalize your space by keeping things that you love, things that make you happy.
Do buy the best quality fixtures and products. These fixtures are going to last a long time, maybe for generations. Spending money on good quality will save you headache and money down the line.
Do make a lot of storage. It will help you keep the house organized and clutter free.
Do keep a lot of plants inside the house and remember to tend to them. Not only do they improve air quality in the house, they also give it a fresh look, they are the most natural and inexpensive decorative items you can buy.
Do upgrade the lighting in the house. Keep lamps in the living room. Recessed lighting will take the look of your room from common to classy.
Don’ts:
Don’t have any clutter in the house. Just by de-cluttering the house you can make it more livable, spacious. Do not keep family pictures all around the living room. The hall is a better place for them.
Don’t use artificial flowers anywhere in the house (not even in the bathroom). They look cheap and tacky. Instead go out and break some twigs and put them in the water. One real flower is classier than a bunch of artificial flowers.
Don’t try to match everything.
Don’t forget to consider lighting. It is the most important factor in the house.
Don’t buy everything from the same store. Take your time and instead of matching, coordinate.
Canadian Home Trends Magazine
Keep the following rules in your mind and you will be able to change your home so it looks like a page right out of designer book.
Do’s:
Do pick a signature piece to work around. It can be a beautiful piece of furniture, a fabric, an area rug, a picture or a piece of pottery. The item should dictate the color scheme of the room as well as the style and mood you wish to create.
Do identify the focal point of the room. It may be a fireplace, a painting, a work of art, even a bed or an armoire.
Do purchase large elements first (rugs, draperies, upholstered furniture) and coordinate all other styles and colors around these major pieces.
Do use various textures; touch is very important. The sofa and drapes can all be the same color yet look different just by changing some of the textures.
Do use neutrals on the walls. It makes the home look timeless, classy and open. Use same color palate throughout the house as it will give a sense of flow.
Do use the principle of repetition when planning shapes, colors, fabrics, and patterns. One red accent in a room may look like an afterthought whereas several red accents here and there will contribute to the color scheme.
Do buy furniture with clean classic lines. It will always be in style. However, you can mix styles, periods, and pieces of furniture.
Do personalize your space by keeping things that you love, things that make you happy.
Do buy the best quality fixtures and products. These fixtures are going to last a long time, maybe for generations. Spending money on good quality will save you headache and money down the line.
Do make a lot of storage. It will help you keep the house organized and clutter free.
Do keep a lot of plants inside the house and remember to tend to them. Not only do they improve air quality in the house, they also give it a fresh look, they are the most natural and inexpensive decorative items you can buy.
Do upgrade the lighting in the house. Keep lamps in the living room. Recessed lighting will take the look of your room from common to classy.
Don’ts:
Don’t have any clutter in the house. Just by de-cluttering the house you can make it more livable, spacious. Do not keep family pictures all around the living room. The hall is a better place for them.
Don’t use artificial flowers anywhere in the house (not even in the bathroom). They look cheap and tacky. Instead go out and break some twigs and put them in the water. One real flower is classier than a bunch of artificial flowers.
Don’t try to match everything.
Don’t forget to consider lighting. It is the most important factor in the house.
Don’t buy everything from the same store. Take your time and instead of matching, coordinate.
Canadian Home Trends Magazine
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