Tag Archives: bathroom

Imagine a blue colour throughout a bathroom; an all-white dining room; a completely yellow bedroom; and, a lounging area dressed in green, from floor to ceiling. This includes the walls, floor, ceiling, and even the furniture and fabrics. Intriguing, don’t you think?

No matter the colour you choose, a monochrome colour scheme always makes a striking impression. We are left speechless in front of such harmony. Let’s face it: it’s perfect harmony, but you have to be bold to try it. A monochrome design commands admiration.

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Its look varies from one colour to the next. Violet creates a deep and intimate atmosphere, while an all-white space conveys inclusiveness and airiness.[……]

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This is a chronic problem for a number of homeowners: lack of space. If your budget doesn’t allow any expansion or room extension under normal conditions, what is there to do? Here are a few great ideas.

A well-structured attic, no matter how small, is an interesting option. It’s the perfect space to set up a home office. The space under the roof offers a quiet place. The natural light from outside is easy on the eyes. The staircase serves as a psychological border between work and family life. The feeling of working in complete isolation is similar to that of working in the basement or backyard shed.

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A living room in the attic has multiple advantages. You’ll enjoy tranquility; if you install skylights, you will have more sunlight than in the basement; if the beamed ceilings and traditional dormer windows have been preserved, you’ll achieve an invigorating design; not to mention a beautiful birds-eye view of the exterior landscape, especially during the fall and winter. Again, here, the staircase isolates you from the rest of the world.[……]

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Homeowners once believed that having a pool in their backyard meant selling their homes faster and at the price they asked for. They were wrong. Others counted on their flower beds, patio and garden. Another disappointment. So, the landscape won’t make a difference either? Definitely not!

The landscape increases the value of a property, but very little compared with a kitchen or bathroom that is renovated pragmatically with modern materials and configured in a way to increase practicality. A roof and foundations in good condition, a basement designed with taste, and even multiple and efficient storage spaces will increase a property’s value more than the landscape.

You are selling your home. You are waiting for those first emails to come in or those first buyers to visit your home. If you were in their shoes, what would your first inquiries relate to? The landscape or the condition of the windows? The flower beds or the radon levels in the soil? The patio or the structure of the home?[……]

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Is it a crime to talk about a colour as dull as grey when spring is right around the corner ready to show off its vibrant colours? Not at all. On the contrary! Grey is a lively colour once you learn how to adopt it. Who knows, maybe it’s the colour you’ve been looking for!

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Grey is a neutral colour, like black and white. It is the perfect backdrop to make all the colours of the artist’s palette stand out, from lime green to yellow, followed by pink and purple. However, unlike white and black, the contrast is less intense with grey. It is much softer. Grey’s main attribute — its magical trait so to speak — is creating contrasts in a soft and cozy atmosphere.[……]

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The beauty of wallpaper is that no special skills are needed to install it. Although some wall coverings are more difficult to hang than others, you will need to follow these basic guidelines.

Vinyl wallpaper is the easiest to install. Embossed (or textured) wall coverings and metallic wallpaper are more difficult. Especially the metallic ones, which can be extremely frustrating to install for some.

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The traditional wallpaper is somewhere in between.

You can install wallpaper in every room. However, thick vinyl wallpaper is usually best hung in the kitchen and in the bathroom. Vinyl does not trap dust mites and is resistant to mold and mildew. Note that some traditional wall coverings are more resistant than others. Some materials are preferable in humid conditions.[……]

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Brown is such a rich, deep, warm colour that it calms the mind, creates a welcoming environment and promotes togetherness. At the same time, it stimulates hunger for life. Like hot cocoa. Which shade do you prefer? Dark chocolate or milk chocolate?

More often than not, brown is frowned upon or even made fun of. Some say it is bland, dull and perhaps a little sad. However, you can find a velvety brown as you would find a velvety red. You can also find a stylish brown as you would find a stylish blue. Take the time to explore all the different shades of brown.

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Brown and neutral tones blend beautifully well together. Take, for example, chocolate brown, caramel brown, coffee brown, hazel brown, chestnut brown, dark brown, Sienna, mahogany, amber, terracotta, sepia, cream, ivory beige, and ochre. Otherwise, if applied according to the glazing technique, you could create a nice faux leather brown.[……]

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Years have passed and it seems your basement is in need of a little TLC. Or, you may have witnessed last spring’s catastrophic floods, which are expected to happen over and over again, so maybe you want to keep your basement dry next year? If so, follow this guide.

While you are at it, why not check the radon level in your home. Is this cancer-causing gas seeping into your basement? The detection device is sold in large shopping centres and hardware stores. If you do not believe this gas is present in your home because you have not smelled it, think again. Radon is odourless and colourless. If the level is high, the Écohabitation organization has designed a system, supported by drawings, to evacuate the gas.

On the Écohabitation website, you will find the basic steps to waterproof your basement in a sustainable manner. Here is a quick summary.[……]

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