Tag Archive | "Do It Yourself!"
New Windows Not Necessarily Better
I'm contacted by publicists all the time with pitches about this or that product or designer. I rarely take the bait but I was intrigued by what Ottawa-based general contractor Paul Denys is doing on the restoration front, specifically his methods of reviving and restoring hundred-year-old windows to make them energy efficient and beautiful again. Denys is putting new technology at the service of old technology and saving the environment and his client's money in the process.
Full post and comments...New Gold Dream
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Some of you will assume that my upcoming trip to India is the inspiration for my new bedroom but in fact, the genesis of the decoration goes back several years to a bedroom ceiling I painted in Farrow & Ball's India Yellow; I loved lying in bed staring up at that deep, gold canopy. And since my new bedroom is a windowless pocket measuring just 8' x 10', I decided to wrap the entire room in the colour as a compliment to the shimmering blue-green saree I picked up for next to nothing at a consignment store close-out sale last year. Of course, it's the brass, fretwork pendant casting those exotic shadows that really makes the space.
Full post and comments...Why Just Black or White?
Sunday, June 17, 2012
In the latest issue of House Beautiful is a feature titled Repaint, Refinish, Recover about the decorating adventures of Zim Loy, editor of Kansas City Spaces magazine. Loy is a plucky, roll-up-her-sleeves kind of gal, who says, "I find old things in horrible condition at estate sales, but I know that if the shape and size is right, I can paint it black or white and it will work for me." Naturally, I applaud Loy's approach but I really have to ask, why just black or white? Why not blue or yellow?
Full post and comments...Not So Ugly Duckling
Monday, May 28, 2012
You couldn't really call it ugly; even with its goopey, brown stain the cabinet was too inherently glamourous to merit the u word. But the finish was appalling and so my friend Susan was determined to give the piece a makeover, ideally in a tasty, high-gloss colour to approximate the Tommi Parzinger examples below. Suz decided on canary yellow and set about sanding the piece down to prep it for spraying. Much to her surprise and delight a swan began to emerge almost immediately. Susan was stunned by the beautiful wood grain and thought the piece might be teak although the jury's still out on exactly what kind of wood she was working with.
Full post and comments...Upholstery Class Wrap Up
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Last Saturday was a happy day, my upholstery class ended giving me back my weekends and I brought my chair home completed and comfortable, not perfect, but what is? And that description neatly sums up the class itself, which was frustrating in lots of ways but ultimately satisfying because instructor Robby, pictured, was able to guide me to a good result. In the end, I felt a lot of empathy for Robby and a bit of resentment toward the Toronto District School Board, which runs the class without nearly enough resources. There was one sewing machine and three staple guns for 11 students. Madness.
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Friday, March 1, 2013
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