Tag Archives: advice

Is buying a vacation property right for me?

6 questions to ask before making a move.

As the weather warms up, a cottage by the lake may sound appealing ― but is owning a second home right for you? If you’re looking to purchase a place, prices will vary greatly depending on where you’re searching.

There are several important factors to consider before purchasing a vacation home, so don’t let the allure of a lake breeze or the excitement of water sports keep you from thinking it through. First, ask yourself these six questions:[……]

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From the 60s to the 80s, everyone was rushing to install wall to wall carpeting. Decorative, warm, comfortable, sometimes soft, they had everything. Synthetic fibres proliferated on Quebec floors.

Faced with the accelerated degradation of the environment, ecologists pushed carpets out of our houses. There are many reasons. Carpets cause a great deal of pollution, from manufacturing to use. Carpets are not biodegradable, don’t last long, can barely be recycled, contain numerous toxic chemicals and are made of petroleum products.

Health professional have added their grain of salt with a concrete argument: carpets can be dangerous for your health. They attract everything that floats in the air: dust, chemical residues, mites, humidity and even outdoor waste that sticks to soles. They also contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and sometimes turn into germ nests. That was the end for carpets. We see less and less.

Hardliners have tried to group rugs with enemies of the environment, but in vain. Today, certain rugs are made entirely of recyclable materials.[……]

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Installing a carpet is not complicated, whether it’s made of synthetic materials or natural fibres, but you have to be an excellent handyman to do it right. You also have to be patient and precise, have specific tools and get advice from a renovation centre professional. Here is some general advice:

-If you opt for natural fibres, remember that you have to allow the carpet to rest for at least two days in the ambient air of the room that it will be installed in, so that it becomes acclimatized. Remember, they are natural fibres and not synthetic materials.

-Seagrass is perfect for the bathroom because it grew in water. However, you want to avoid sisal as it doesn’t like excessive humidity, although it’s elegance makes it perfect for other rooms in the house.[……]

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The beauty and richness of carpets and rugs is undeniable. They are a fountain of colours, styles, designs and textures. They can give a room its decorative momentum.

Carpets and rugs have been getting bad press for a few years (read the Green carpets and rugs article), which explains their decline, but that doesn’t affect their role as creator of ambiance. The sumptuous lofts of Chelsea in London or Manhattan in New York do not deprive themselves of carpets.

Walls with neutral colours allow carpets and rugs filled with flamboyant designs to become the centre of attraction, since these textiles have the ability to define the style of a bedroom, a living room or any kind of sitting room. For example, sparkling colours will blend with the warm woodwork of a room, creating a sumptuous decor.

On the contrary, a plain carpet or rug allows you to decorate a room any way you like. Sometimes designs and colours of a carpet or large rug are found elsewhere in the room: bed cover, curtains, a throw rug on a crate, creating an effect of continuity. If everything is rather plain, you get an atmosphere tinted with great intimacy.[……]

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You should let a professional do the laser cutting of a glass surface. However, an excellent handyperson can do it, as long as they’re careful.

Here is some general advice.

  • Wear protective gloves and glasses.
  • Laser cutting a glass surface requires a great deal of accuracy. The process must be done in a single cut, under steady pressure. It’s best to make a few dry runs before doing the final job.
  • Practice with the laser cutter so that you can handle it skillfully. The owner of the tool or merchant will tell you how to hold it properly. You could even look at a video on YouTube.
  • First you have to moisten the tools (glass cutter or shaping tool) with oil.
  • Place a cloth or other material between the table and the glass surface to cut.
  • Draw a straight line along a ruler using a felt pen, soak the traced line with oil and break the line with a slight tap of the finger or joint.
  • For a circular line, use a spinner with suction cups equipped with a shaping tool that acts as a compass. The technique requires a great deal of accuracy.
  • Once the line is broken, rub it with a silicon carbide abrasive moistened with oil along the line.
  • While we’re at it, if you have to drill a glass surface using an electric drill, place a material around the area to be drilled and make sure it’s firmly attached, as the bit tends to slip.

[……]

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Patio is a Spanish word that means inner courtyard. Anyone who travels in the Caribbean, Spain or South America has already encountered these outdoor spaces, often covered, which run the length of house or direct people to the centre of the property.

In Quebec, patio means most outdoor structures: large gallery, big balcony, deck. In general, a patio is on the ground while a deck is raised above the ground.

To get a taste of the great outdoors, the patio is a great choice if you have a small budget or if the space is too narrow. Sometimes it’s just a simple set of steps or a staircase leading to the yard. You can place plants, flowers and decorative pots there.

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The great thing about patios is that you can set them up any way you want, thus the importance of determining its use before you start the work. Do you extend it to the bedroom so you can have your morning coffee or a candlelit breakfast? Do you extend it to the living room for the pleasure of a cocktail in the fresh air? Do you extend it to the kitchen to benefit from outdoor meals or to organize receptions?  [……]

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