Toronto Renovation Stories & Expert Advice
Noisy neighbours? Here's a solution...
Toronto has one of the highest denisty of condo developments in North America. There are a variety of positive features to condo living from easy access to public transportation or walking distance to work, access to ammenities such as movie theatres and restaurants and simply the luxury of not sitting in your car for hours on end on the 401.
One of the drawbacks of condo or townhome living however, is the chance that you might be listening to your neighbours' lives -- and they might be listening to yours. Perhaps you can hear high heels clacking on the floors above you, or your next door neighbour's parties or that brand new sound system they've recently installed.
There is, however, a solution to the noise problem. A product called "
QuietRock" is a sound-proofing drywall that can be used during construction of your new home or added as a retrofit right on top of your home's original drywall. It can also be used under a variety of floorings from marble to hardwood as well as for ceilings.
One layer of QuietRock is the equivalent sound barrier as eight sheets of drywall.
Quietrock is distributed in Canada by Soundivide. Visit their
website to find a dealer near you.
Labels: condos, soundproofing, Toronto
Posted by Cathy
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More great finds at IDS
Way back in February, 2008, I went to the Interior Design Show. There were so many inspiring exhibits that I've been featuring a few of the exhibitors every now and then. Below are a few of the retailers and manufacturers that I particularly liked.
Snob Is a newly opened store importing furniture and accessories from South Africa. Owner Denise Zidel works with women's groups in South Africa creating new designs, often out of old material
http://www.snobstuff.com/.
I also like the console table made from acacia wood harvested by a "Women's only group" from Kwazulu, Natal, pictured at the right.
Denise designs pillows made from factory scraps of copper wire and buttons or beans. They're crafted by a group of women in South Africa who live under difficult circumstances such as poverty, family violence and families with AIDS. The copper wire is crocheted and the buttons are atta
ched. Each pillow is a unique design and size.
Propellor Design in Vancouver, Nik Rust, Pamela Goddard and Toby Barratt create custom lighting and furniture with an eco sensibility. The firm uses materials such as reclaimed fir, bamboo and
ecoresin to give their lighting fixtures an original look.
Their latest design is a new fixture called Pomegranate (pictured at the right). It is a three foot in diameter sphere made from ecoresin. It is available in different colours and sizes and distributed in Toronto through
Made.
Hutj: Toronto designer Stuart McQuarrie has designed the
ultra cool stackable chair. So smart looking, you'll never actually think about stacking it. Made from a variety of hardwoods, it doesn't require any cross bracing because the joints are mortised in tight. The seat is made from nylon strips and can be woven in different colours presenting some really fun seating options. Distributed through
Hollace Cluny in Toronto or buy direct from website.
http://www.hutj.ca/ Eauterre Studios: Contemporary eco-friendly furniture from tables to bedframes to chairs, made from locally harvested FSC wood and salvaged wood. Scraps are turned into accessories like small bowls, so there is minimal waste in production.
http://www.eauterre.com/ Labels: interior design, lighting, Toronto
Posted by Cathy
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Staining your deck on the long weekend?
The long weekend is the usual "open the garden for summer" weekend. We like to think we're going to relax but let's face it, whether you're opening the cottage or staying home and using the backyard, it is, more often than not, a work weekend. We clean barbeques, windows, lawn furniture, garden beds, etc.. And some of the more industrious of us will even take on restaining the deck.
Last week I received a press release from the people over at Sico paints announcing a new product launch. This is a new wood stain that makes your outdoor wood look as clean and shiny as your indoor wood. Called Transluscent Exterior Finish, it is a high performance stain that gives the finished product a shiny look as if it's been varnished. The finish lasts longer than a regular outdoor stain and can be used on any outdoor wood piece from fences and decks to furniture.
Sico also sent a list of tips if you're planning on spending your holiday long weekend giving that deck new life:
Sico's Wood Staining Tips:
Cleaning comes first: Wood tends to turn gray with age. Use a good quality wood cleaner to remove loose gray fibres, brighten weathered surfaces and restore the wood to its original colour. Strip wood when needed: If your wood has been previously stained, painted or varnished, strip the surface with an exterior stain remover that’s specially formulated for exterior wood surfaces that are deteriorating and peeling. Rinse well and let the surface dry for a couple of days.
Sand both new and aged wood: To remove imperfections and residue, and open the pores of the wood for a better staining job, sand the surface using 80-grit sandpaper or use 120-grit sandpaper for vertical surfaces. When you’re done, sprinkle a few drops of water on the surface. If the water beads, you need to keep sanding. If it penetrates into the wood, your job is complete.
Conditioner is key: To improve penetration of the surface and ensure better adhesion of the stain, use a conditioner before staining, even if the wood is new. Consider environmentally-friendly conditioners like Sico’s biodegradable cleaner, brightener and conditioner, which contains no bleach, phosphate or volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It cleans and conditions in one single step.
Weather, tools matter: Wood planks become warped with time, so a paint brush – not a roller – is the best tool to apply a stain. Use brushes that are specifically designed for wood staining. Before you begin your project, ensure the weather has been dry for two to three days and the temperature is between 15º C and 25º C.
Labels: outdoors, painting
Posted by Cathy
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freegreen.com has free home plans you can download -- really!
The other day I was reading my usual rss feeds when I came across one I had to share with Homestars users. A new website called
http://www.freegreen.com/ offers free downloadable house designs. Since we here at
Homestars.com have a similar, "free to the consumer" business model, we think this is one great site and one great idea! At the moment there are only two designs available but the site is still very young. The picture is their 3 bedroom 2 1/2 bath standard family home. Why "green" in the title? Because the house plans are energy efficient, "green" home designs. As they say on their
website:
“Green” means different things to different people. What is important is that as a society we are constantly improving our building culture. The goal at FreeGreen is not to produce the “greenest” possible home but rather to provide a variety of different home plans that allow people to create homes that fit their lifestyles in a responsible and equitable manner.
As their website grows and more homes plans become available it will be a boon to those looking to build. This site is also great for builders looking to get into green home building. There is information on each product recommended for each plan. You can save product info in "My Favorites" section and refer back to it later.
::free green via ::inhabitat via ::treehugger.com
Labels: energy efficiency, green home decor
Posted by Cathy
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Toronto's Energy Efficiency Initiatives
I had heard a rumour that Toronto increases your property taxes if you add a solar panel or other renewable energy feature to your home (such as a geothermal furnace or mini-wind turbine) because it's considered a capital improvement. So, I checked with Cindy Bromley, the Communications Manager for the Finances and Administration Department at the city. She wrote to me and said:
"There are no Toronto tax incentives or penalties for home power generation."I have to admit, I was kind of disappointed to discover this if only because I thought it would have made a great story. Cindy did, however, send me some useful links on what's happening on the city and taxpayer level regarding some energy efficiency initiatives.
Below is a list of the links she sent me. In the first link, there is a section called the "home energy clinic." I've used it and it's kind of neat. You add your utility bills and it will calculate your overall energy use and what steps your could take to decrease your greenhouse gas footprint.
http://www.toronto.ca/environment/energy.htmhttp://www.toronto.ca/environment/energy.htm#solar_hotwaterhttp://www.ec.gc.ca/cleanair-airpur/Taking_Action/Participation_Initiatives_and_Resources/Energy_Efficiency-WS7BDAE643-1_En.htmLabels: Solar Panels, Toronto, Useful links
Posted by Cathy
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Paint websites
When my husband and I bought our first condo, I painted our diningroom what I thought was a nice deep burgundy. At least that's the way it looked under the fluorescent light at the paint store. When we put it on the walls it turned out to be raspberry. It looked great at night when we could light candles and use the chandalier's dimmer switch, but woah! in daylight the room was aglow in neon pink.
What that mistake taught me however, was how to be prudent when choosing colours. For one thing, now I'll paint an old piece of cardboard with a tester first before slapping it up on the wall. I also live by the decorator addage of choosing a colour two shades lighter than I want and if I feel it's not coming out too light, then I'll put on a second coat in a darker colour. Finally, I rely a lot on the advice of the paint experts at local paint stores. I'll take a fabric sample into a store and tell them what I want. The sales people, particularly at smaller specialty shops, really know their stuff and the colours they recommend have been exactly what I'd imagined.
If you're thinking of painting your rooms, the latest tools to help you with colour are provided by paint manufacturers' websites. On many of the websites, not only can you see what a colour looks like in a room's setting, they'll usually pair it with one or two complementary colours to help you pull a colour scheme together. Try out a few of the websites first, then consult the HomeStars directory for reviews of paint stores near you.
Useful paint links:
Benjamin Moore: This site offers you the ability to colour your own walls by inputting your rooms via digital photography. If you don't have a digital camera, they also have their own room selections too.
Para Paints: Para has a "Trend 2008" section as well as a section which will help you put three colours together. Best of all it's fast and easy to use.
Sico: Sico offers an "interactive" method of giving you colour advice. Your mission is to help Maude and Sarah, otherwise known as the "Colour Squad," choose colours for a friend's colourless home while the friend is out. When you make certain style decisions, it is recorded and at the end of the video you go to the virtual decorator to see what you've chosen -- or you can skip the whole process and just go the the virtual decorator.
Farrow and Ball: Like the Para site, Farrow and Ball has a selection of complementary colours to go with the primary colour you've chosen. However, I find the site more difficult to use as it's necessary to go three screens deep (or click three times) to get the result. I'm not sure the effort is always worth the trouble, but if you're a big fan of F&B's colour lines it might be. I do like their wallpaper selection though.
Labels: painting, Useful links
Posted by Cathy
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