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Novus: The Cure for Acrylic
While I was touring Patina last week, shop owner Sal Shivji was busy at the counter polishing each and every Lucite slab of a stacked, spiral lamp. Shivji was using Novus plastic polish, a miraculous product known to few outside "the business." Novus takes scuffs and scratches out of Lucite, acrylic and just about any other polymer. And given the explosion of sexy plastics and polycarbonates from manufacturers like Kartell and Calligaris, it might be a good idea to buy some Novus stock. The product will certainly keep your chairs, lamps and anything else made of acrylic crystal clear. In the past you could order Novus through the Home Shopping Network but a recent search revealed they're no longer carrying the product. Shivji's partner Garry Punnett tracked it down online and ordered directly from the manufacturer. Given the abundance of gorgeous Lucite at Patina, my guess is the boys are going through cases of the stuff.
Full post and comments...Good Rental Karma
Friday, April 2, 2010 by Chris
A lot of you will think I'm nuts but I'm going to share my latest project with you anyway. The bathroom tiles in my soon to be former apartment are original to the 1952 building and look it thanks to years of paint splatters and God knows what else. I knew that an easy fix would be to give the floor a once-over with my favorite paint stripper, a biodegradable, green product (if you can believe it) available through Lee Valley (below). What a difference!
Full post and comments...VIP Seating: Product Placement at TIFF
Wednesday, September 9, 2009 by Chris
High-end Toronto furniture retailer KIOSK has partnered with publicity machines M.LINK (Los Angeles) and GAT (Toronto) to outfit a rented Yorkville townhouse, ground zero for the promotion of 17 festival films including Suck, London River, Bunny and the Bull and The Good Heart. Like a fashion designer who loans a gown to a starlet for a red carpet appearance, KIOSK has provided floor models to leverage some of TIFF's buzz.
Full post and comments...When Paper And Paste Are Bred In The Bone
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 by Chris
Hanging wallpaper isn't rocket science but it's not a walk in the park either, especially if the walls being dressed have lots of cut-outs, corners or slopes. When I asked professional painter and paper hanger Mike Scapillati for tips on how to do the deed well, his advice was simple, "Hire a professional! High-end papers can cost upwards of $500 per roll," he says, "and in a lot of cases the order turnaround is six or even eight weeks. If you mess up the application of just one sheet of paper it could leave you looking at half-finished walls for a couple of months."
Full post and comments...Trade Secrets: Crazy Joe’s
Thursday, May 21, 2009 by Chris
An upholsterer I know recommended Crazy Joe’s for inexpensive fabric and when someone in the trade makes a referral, I pay attention. Joe’s tagline is, “if you don’t shop at Crazy Joe’s you pay too much!” With three locations – two in Toronto and one in Mississauga — I figure Joe must be doing something right . . .
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Tuesday, December 14, 2010 by Chris
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