Transform your space with a gallery wall

 Imagine walking into a room and being immediately captivated by a gallery wall that tells a story—your story. Gallery walls have become a transformative element in home decor, offering a unique way to personalize and elevate your living spaces. In Ottawa, where homes often blend historical charm with modern aesthetics,

Guide to Bathroom Renovation in Ottawa

 Renovating a bathroom not only enhances the comfort and aesthetic appeal of your home but also significantly boosts property value. Ottawa, with its unique blend of historic charm and modern development, provides an exciting backdrop for bathroom renovations. Understanding the Ottawa Market Current Trends In Ottawa, there's a strong preference

Bathroom design trends to try in 2019

 The bathroom is one of the most important rooms in the home and some people have more than one that they need to deal with. Some people go for a simple bathroom design while others opt for one that has been a little more thought out. Choosing your bathroom design

This Will Floor You

 “Hi, I’m Shelley Alexanian”… ha ha. Some of you may recognize me from TV as the Alexanian Carpet and Flooring spokesperson. Contrary to popular belief, I am not in fact more than five feet tall. I am a mother of three, proud wife, and I enjoy a healthy style of

John’s Reno Tips | Adding the Finishing Touches

 By the end of any home renovation process, you may be sick of the hassles it has entailed. However, make sure you’re not walking away from an unfinished project with these practical tips from John Gordon, owner of Your Reno Guys contracting business in Ottawa. Here are a few tips to ensure any space looks polished and welcoming. Tip

An Impromptu Q&A with OLM’s DesignerDIY

 This past weekend I was invited to be a speaker at the Ottawa Home and Design Show at the EY Centre. Despite a few technical glitches, we managed our way through with creative enthusiasm. Since challenges are merely opportunities in disguise, I decided to scrap the presentation and join the crowd to

Bidding the Bathroom Blahs Bye-Bye

 As with every large purchase decision in life, there are many factors that should be considered. Take for instance the purchase of a new home build, with so many available options and upgrades, the decisions can be overwhelming. We all want the model home look without the model home price.

Designing The Perfect Work-Life Balance

 So what prompted the 'designing the perfect work-life balance' series? In one of my previous posts, 'Designing the Perfect Work-Life Balance', I discuss a forthcoming project and this is why... It started with a nonchalant conversation with an entrepreneur friend of mine as we casually discussed the number of hours we worked in any

Eclectic Beach House — A Retro Revival

 All images courtesy of: Natalie Mireault Photography In most cases, the inspiration and vision for a renovation can come almost immediately after seeing the space. However, in the case of this particular home things were a bit more complicated. There are several neighbourhoods in Ottawa that boast a certain element of

Victorian Vogue — Ceiling Drama

 The ornate features of the Victoria Era included decorative elements of design such as intricate mouldings and plasterwork that would fabulously adorn the ceilings of interior spaces. However, in the late 1800s, tin ceilings were introduced as an affordable alternative. During this period, thin rolls of tin were being individually

DesignerDIY – 5 Minute Makeover Video Tutorial: Kitchen Faucet

 You will need: •     a fabulous new faucet •     an adjustable wrench •     a pair of pliers •     a pipe wrench •     a screwdriver   Step 1:  Prepare the area •     Since you will be working in a relatively small area, remove all items in the work space. •     Turn

Designer DIY – Chantsy’s Creative Conundrum

 Chantsy from Ottawa tells us about her latest reclaimed treasure and asks our opinion on her creative conundrum:   Here’s what our readers suggest: ‘I vote change the shade keep the enamel’ - Melissa ‘I say paint it white only because it's already been ruined with paint. You could sand

Brandelyn Cameron of Haute Decor Interiors is thrilled about the partnership with OLM as their newest online columnist bringing you the DesignerDIY Column

 Join us online as our DesignerDIY accredited Interior Decorator, Brandelyn Cameron of Haute Decor Interiors, takes the city by storm with her do-it-yourself debacles. Brandelyn will feature several ‘how-to’ stories on DIY property styling, remodelling, home staging, furniture restoration, green design, soy candles, lip gloss and…well, you name it, we’ll

Accessible Elegance for Family Living

 From its dramatic moody dining room wall colour and modern abstract art to its light-filled, south-facing kitchen and traditional butler’s pantry, this stately three-storey centre hall brick home in the Glebe is a study in contrasts: elegant and refined, but livable and modern for today’s busy family. With a Georgian-inspired

Modern SIMPLICITY: A Makeover in Alta Vista

 Designed originally for city privacy in the 1960s, this Alta Vista bungalow is best suited for display of an extensive art collection with its expansive walls, high ceilings, and minimal trim work. Original owners were the late Samuel and Caroline Baylin, who were a family of artists, she a painter

2nd Annual Spaces Issue

   Premier Ottawa designer Tanya Collins shows us that we can have a beautiful home even it’s filled with kids and pets. It's all about making the  right style and function choices. Tanya shares her tricks and  her sources for beautiful fixtures and finds.   London Calling: Classic British Style

Graphic Urbane Style

 Unexpected colour combinations and doses of pattern create a happy quality to this historical home. From its chocolate walls and graphic fabrics to its Murano glass chandelier and classic furniture shapes, this house exudes fresh sophistication. Built in 1908, original architectural features abound, providing dynamic tension for the fashion-forward décor. The

A Makeover That Works

 A makeover that works is always one that is budget-friendly and achievable with off-the-shelf furniture and accessory items. Other than one on-line order, the transformation of this one-bedroom rental apartment was accomplished with items from many big box retail and home décor stores here in Ottawa. The fixed elements such

Artistically Transforming A Brighton Beach Neighbourhood

 Surface Developments is an Ottawa-based real estate development company specializing in design-focused residential projects ranging from infill single-family homes to condominiums. At the heart of Surface Developments’ philosophy is a belief in the transformational potential of creative design and its capacity to create not only beautiful homes but also vibrant

Fabritec-tastic: A Kitchen Cabinet Renovation

 By David Ginny Ever hear the story about the couple who went out for a new faucet and came home with a new kitchen? That’s what happened to us recently and are we ever glad we went with our instincts. Completely renovating a kitchen can be a major undertaking. For us,

Homes: Light Up Your Life

 With the days being so much shorter now, there is no better time to discuss the impact of lighting in the home. While lighting serves to generally illuminate a room, to highlight or spotlight an area or item such as a piece of art, or to provide directed light for a

Homes: British Mania

 With 2012 being the banner year for all things British, what with the celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in June and the Olympics in July, it couldn’t be a better time to show a little love for the union jack. Have you ever considered injecting a little British flavor

Homes: Beam Me Up

 WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT Star Trek here. Take a look up and marvel at the architectural use of beams in an interior environment. My clients had a vision. They wanted their home in Westboro to have an overall rustic organic feel of a cottage get-a-away mixed with the tailored

Homes: Bathroom Bliss

 Hmmm – bathroom and bliss: an oxymoron in your home? Is your toilet the first thing you see when you walk into your bathroom? Do you have sufficient storage for all your bathroom essentials or is all the clutter driving you mad? Do you long for more space in sharing

IKEA’s Big New Ottawa Store Opens for Business TODAY!

 The highly anticipated launch of Canada’s largest IKEA store is set for today. Growing from the company’s smallest store to its largest, IKEA Ottawa will double its product offering to fill the newly-expanded 398,000 square-foot store. The new store will also offer customers double the number of parking spots, triple