Real Estate Blog - design

Here are the Top Paint Colours for 2023

Deep reds, bold blues, and neutral earth tones are leading the way for the top paint colours of 2023. See what companies like Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, Glidden, Behr, and Pantone have chosen as their colours of the year. 

Refreshing the home is a big part of embracing the new year, and with so many potential changes from flooring to furniture, it’s hard to know where to start. Paint is a quick and easy way to freshen up any space or piece of furniture, and interior designers and paint companies have their predictions on emerging colour trends for 2023. Ranging from earthy reds to warm neutrals, here are the colours the pros say we’ll be painting our homes with and why they work. 

Pantone’s highly…

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Design Trends to Watch Out for in 2023

Looking to update your home’s interior style in 2023? If you’re thinking about sprucing up your home décor, you might be paying attention to what’s in and what’s out. 

Each of the following design trends provides an opportunity for you to explore what décor is most in line with your own style. Trends are a great way to glean inspiration, not necessarily dictate your entire home design. From dark and moody colours to bold marble and curves, learn more about some of the trends that are predicted to dominate 2023.

Moody jewel tones

Interior design is all about creating a certain feeling in a space. One of the quickest ways to do that is through the use of colour. According to HGTV, there are some dark, moody colours trending for 2023 that…

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How to Apply Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper (And Ways to Use It)

Have you ever wondered how you can transform an ordinary room into something extraordinary? With peel-and-stick wallpaper, you can easily and quickly decorate your home—especially if you’re a renter or like to redecorate often.

Install peel-and-stick wallpaper to add a pop of colour to bland walls, a subtle texture to a ceiling, or a fun pattern to walls, stair risers, and furniture. When compared to traditional wallpaper (which requires pasting), it’s much easier to install and remove. No commitment, no wall damage! Peel-and-stick wallpaper is typically sold by square foot, so your costs will depend on how large of a space you’re looking to cover. You can find it at local home improvement or craft stores for about $70 for 30 square feet, or online…

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What to Keep In Mind When Choosing Your Living Room Aesthetics

Often considered one of the most important spaces in a home, the living room is a place to embody the perfect design that allows you to seamlessly relax, socialize, and enjoy entertainment with family or guests. Whether you enjoy hosting, using the living room as more of a quiet space, or you’re looking for a cozy, comfortable space decked out with the latest smart tech, we’re here to walk you through the process of how to go about choosing design features for your living room. 

Start with functionality

While there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all when it comes to designing and decorating your living room, there are some key elements of design that can be emphasized once you establish its function.…

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Basement Design Through the Decades

We all know heading to the basement in a horror movie is never a good idea.  Despite their cinematic reputation, basements are a versatile space in the home, a fact their design evolution over the decades can attest to.

As with other rooms in the house–like bathrooms, kitchens and living rooms–basement design has ebbed and flowed over the decades. Their functionality and design, including flooring, are heavily influenced by the happenings of the wider world.

1950s: The beginning of basement evolution

Before the 1950s, basements were mainly crawl spaces and cellars. The combination of post-Second World War industrialization and the introduction of concrete transformed these dank, dark, cramped spaces…

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Kitchen of the Week!

This homeowner had regretted the kitchen she’d selected for her home when it was being built and had spoken with her friend and neighbor, kitchen and bath designer Sarah Robertson, about renovating it for years. Because the busy family of four entertained often, the layout just wasn’t working — it lacked pantry space, had a lot of blank space on one wall and included a kitchen desk that seemed like a good idea at the time but wound up never being used. Robertson planned a new layout that made cooking, prepping, cleaning, storing and entertaining a breeze. She also took the style from so-so to sophisticated, pulling together walnut, wood, white, blue, glass, brass and zinc to personalize the space.

Before Photo Becky Harris Photos by…

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Homes of the East: Architectural Influences in the Maritimes

Though L’Anse aux Meadows at the northern tip of Newfoundland saw European settlers first, it was the three Maritime provinces that received the second wave to become the “downtown” of Atlantic Canada. Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick formed a distinct region based on a sea-going economy built around fishing and shipbuilding. 

While things have changed plenty over the last 500 years, the Maritimes have developed their own architectural flavour, shaped by immigration, economy, fire, and war. Like the pace of life, Maritime architecture is unique to Canada, yet as familiar and cozy as a Tim Horton’s sign on a snowy drive. 

First Nations

The southern Maritimes were home to the Abenaki and Mi’kmaq nations,…

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4 DIY Ways To Step Up Your Staircase

When you think about home makeovers, what comes to mind first? Kitchen? Bathroom? Basement? You’ve probably thought of everything but the stairs. Updating a staircase is rarely top of mind, even though it’s one of the most noticeable elements of a home. The process may seem like an intimidating undertaking, but you can opt for easy DIY techniques that will make your staircase a charming functional focal point. All you’ll need is some inspiration to get started—we’ve got you covered—and a can-do attitude. These ideas are budget-friendly, too!

Risers over runners 

If you have wood stairs, don’t settle for a basic carpet runner. Zhush up your stairs by drawing all attention to the risers (the vertical area under each step). Go for bold paint…

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The Most Popular Kitchens From Around the World in 2021

Good design is universal. And you’ll find plenty of evidence — and inspiration — in the most-saved kitchen photos of 2021 from 10 countries around the world, presented here in alphabetical order. See how dramatic color palettes, hardworking storage and an elegant mix of finishes and materials can create a stylish, high-functioning space that defies boundaries.

First Avenue Homes 1. Australia

This Melbourne, Victoria, kitchen by First Avenue Homes is a study in contrasts that integrates key material and decorating trends in a classic, timeless way.

We’ve been seeing an increase in dark palettes used in Australian kitchens, and this space shows how to successfully balance those colors with light features to create a lasting style.

The…

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The 10 Most Popular Living Rooms of 2021

There are many ways to design a living room. But if you’re looking for a shortcut to a stylish and comfortable space, take a few cues from this countdown of the most-saved living room photos uploaded to Houzz in 2021. You’ll find approaches that succeed by mixing colors and materials, offering plenty of seating, adding some display space and leaning heavily on a palette of white and wood.

TVL Creative Ltd.

10. Bold Black Touches

Rather than trying to hide the black void of the TV in this Denver living room, interior design firm TVL Creative celebrated it with a recessed niche and shiplap siding. Black window frames, ceiling trim and other black details complement the TV, making it feel like part of the design.

A perfectly sized sectional,…

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