The holidays came and went in a flash...ours were fantastic. The perfect combo of Canadian winter, family gatherings and some good old lazy days.
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I am super excited for the new year ahead and look forward to all the great things I already have planned. OffHerHinges will be at 2 shows this winter...ladies days at 2 ski clubs. These are a great venue to show my wares so I am pretty happy to be doing those! You may remember the "Jimmy's" from my last post? Luckily I have 2 very skilled brothers in law that chainsawed up over 30 more slices I will be transforming soon into Jimmy boards.
We are also planning another reno at the homestead. Finally we are putting in another bathroom. I cannot believe how excited I am for this to happen. We will be taking over the 3rd floor here and making our Master Suite!!!
As you can imagine this project has swamped me with ideas, planning, obsessing about colours and materials etc. My husband listens and nods politely and then just tells me "whatever you choose will be fine"....which is pretty great right?
Choosing from the more than "50 Shades of Grey"
If anyone else is doing a reno or planning one in the future, I have to say I am addicted to 2 different sites. Pinterest and Houzz www.pinterest.com and www.houzz.com
They have become invaluable tools for all sorts of inspiration. You can search products, rooms, paint colours...you name it! Sort of like a ramped up Designer's version of Google images.
I've also been sourcing fixtures and materials for this project. Anyone who has done that knows it is totally consuming and at times overwhelming. When I am working on projects for clients I don't usually have this much trouble selecting finishes and fixtures...but for our own project I have been obsessing....an unhealthy amount!
Upon searching around I realized a few things:
1. There are things you need to splurge on....cheaping out on a major piece like the vanity isn't wise
2. Go with your gut instinct....usually what your first thought or idea is will be the one you end up happy with. Just make sure to do some research to be sure you are making the educated decision.
3. Buying from a local source who specializes in what you are looking for is the best way to get the quality and service you want. Upon shopping at a neighbourhood bath store I learned that the Orange Aprons (you know who I mean) couldn't touch the price, quality, knowledge or service of this great source...if you live in Toronto, I highly recommend Bath City on Kingston Road. http://www.bathcity.ca
As well as The Tile Store on Bermondsey. http://www.thetilestore.ca/ These guys were about 1/4 less expensive than the orangeys and really know their stuff.
I wasn't surprised that the service and knowledge were far better at these amazing stores, but I was surprised that their pricing was really competitive. Sometimes we avoid the specialty shops thinking we will get a bargain at the big box stores but it isn't always the case. I encourage you to check out these "little guys" and you may be pleasantly surprised.
I will keep you posted on all the upcoming events....the shows and the renos and all the projects I have on file to be completed. 2013 is going to be a busy year!
