Off to the cottage - the sun better follow us

Now, I know it's tough on you, dear reader, but there will be no posts for a bit. I'm off to the cottage. Yes, for those of you who don't already know, my husband John and I recently bought a money hole  beautiful cottage in an idyllic setting. (Do I smell a new column in Cottage Life?) We're still not entirely confident that we can afford the place, but we sure do love it. So we're off for a week of sun (please, God?) and fun, and hardly any work - although I plan to take down the giant African mask the former owners so kindly left behind (it scares the dog) and I may paint the living room (see pic at left) since I find it a weeny bit dark for a summer house. My designer friends are urging me to paint it out all white to get a rustic Scandinavian vibe, but that seems out of place to me in Ontario cottage country. (Okay, so I'm unsophisticated!) One thing is for sure. I plan  to spend lots of time down by the lake (see below for a picture that John took our first weekend up there) marveling how when it comes to design, Mother Nature always has a great eye.

Drywall - the sequel

After Venie convinced us to have pros do the drywalling for our bedroom reno, we had an independent contractor who does installation work for Rona come round to look at the job. He suggested that this might be the time to think about adding some insulation to the exterior wall, which has always been cold (see an upcoming post for what our experience with Roxul insulation was like; hint - we LOVED it!) That, of course, meant ripping out the existing plaster wall. I volunteered for the job, which  went pretty quickly, considering that we discovered that there were actually two layers of wall that had to be ripped out, as a layer of drywall had obviously been attached to the original plaster wall during a reno that took place in the 60s. Thank God I have a  Stanley Fubar . The jaw on the end allowed me to get a purchase on a piece of wall and pull out huge hunks at a time. Lots of fun ­— I was only slightly sore after wards. As a reward, I went over to Bed Bath & Beyond to look at bedding, where I fell in love with some gorgeous stuff from Donna Karan (more on that later, too).

Anthropologie opens new location - we think

Pssst! Anthropologie, the uber-cool U.S. home décor, fashion and accessory retailer, has quietly unveiled a second Toronto location at 80 Yorkville Ave. (The first one is at the Shops on Don Mills.) Apparently, the store opened last week (not sure why, but these folks seem slightly reluctant to share news of store openings with lowly local media!)  Starting on July 30th, there are several workshops being given by members of Anthropologie’s buying and design teams at which customers can repurpose older pieces, such as T-shirts and cardigans. But you’ll have to check with the store closer to the date for details, since there’s nothing about individual store events on the company’s website, and a call to the store  found that no-one had information on the events.

A new flea in town

Flea market lovers rejoice! Trawwna’s getting a new market. The Portobello Eastmarket will feature the wares of local artists and designers on the last Sunday of every month, starting this Sunday (July 26th) from 12 to 6 p.m. at the Fermenting Cellar in the Distillery District. Admission is  $5 (children 12 and under get in free).

Inspired by the famous European and English markets, the monthly event will provide a low-cost venue for local artists and designers to show and sell their goods directly to the public. It's the brainchild of Carlie Smith and Tom Parkinson, who in 2006 launched a similar concept in Vancouver. While the main focus right now will be fashion and jewelry, the market will also feature housewares and accessories, such as the gorgeous pottery pieces made by Pam McFayden of Lurearts Pottery  (shown above).

Honey, that's a great cup of coffee!

  This week’s Hot Home Products column is about one-cup coffeemakers, most of which use pre-packaged pods. But if you prefer a big steaming pot of coffee along with your weekend paper (The Toronto Star, of course,) here are a few tips for getting a great brew. 

Use fresh coffee beans, and grind them yourself for every pot. Grinders are very affordable now, with prices starting at about $20. (If you use it for grinding spices as well, choose one that has a removable chamber that’s dishwasher-safe, like the new one from Hamilton Beach).

Make sure you choose the correct grind for your coffee maker.

Try adding a touch of ground cinnamon to the ground cofee to enhance the flavour.

Keep your coffee maker super clean. Wash it after each use and rinse it with water that has a very small amount of baking soda added. Rinse your drip maker with vinegar, followed by two or three pots of water, once a month or so.

Only make as much coffee as you’ll drink in one setting. If you’ve made too much, better to transfer it to a thermos (I love the Thermos bottle shown below), rather than let it sit on the hotplate. Or save it and use it for something delish, such as the Caramel Coffee Sauce on page 922 of Mark Bittman's  How to Cook Everything (Bittman suggests using freshly brewed coffee, but I’ve cheated on this before. I’ve also used coffee as the liquid in cookies. Yum.)

I love drinking coffee from a beautiful cup and saucer. This one above came from Teatro Verde, which, BTW, recently opened a lovely new store at 100 Yorkville Avenue. And if you're in that neighbourhood and want to look at some absolutely stunning coffee pots for fun, drop by the Amarynth Gallery at 161 Cumberland Street and ask them to point out the pieces from Italian silverware design firm, De Vecchio.

Drywall, demo and dimpled ceilings

John was right that I was overly optimistic in thinking that the closet would be framed and ready for drywall within a day. But I was right in thinking that I would actually enjoy doing the demo work before the framing got started. Doing your own prep work is one way to cut down on costs. (Just make VERY sure you know what’s coming out and what stays!) I admit the work is tiring (see the picture of me at left asking John to remind me that I’m saving money by pulling down walls!) But it's also good exercise and for me, oddly satisfying.

I’m now on day three of the reno and we’re just now ready to start drywalling. But there are a couple of issues that  need to be settled before we move forward. We’re now wondering if it doesn’t make sense to incorporate the open area under the slope of the roof into the new closet space rather than just closing it up. If we do, we wonder if it we should add a layer of insulation. We’re also wondering whether we shouldn’t go all out and drywall the ceiling, rather than just painting the (ugly) stippled plaster that’s up there now. EXCEPT that now that I’ve shifted and cut a few sheets of drywall, I’m not sure I want to lift 10 or so of them up above my head to attach them to the ceiling (not even with John’s help, and he’s pretty darn strong). Thank goodness Venie’s coming over from Rona later today to answer our questions.

The Big Bedroom Reno Begins

Okay, folks - this is the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Well, it’s the moment I’ve been waiting — and waiting and waiting — for. I am finally about to embark on the Big Bedroom Reno. Venie, my project guide from Rona has done a great job so far helping me plan for the initial reno work of ripping out the closet shown in the picture at left (YIKES!!!) and replacing it with an expanded closet that will open with a pocket door. And in case you're wondering, I was NOT responsible for the striped vinyl wallpaper cleverly applied to approximate (very loosely) the effect of bead board. Then comes the fun stuff for the rest of the room - a new floor, painting, lighting and bed linens. To save money, and to gain new skills, I’ve enlisted the help of Yvonne Williams of I Have Total Confidence to oversee the closet rethink. I'll be working side by side Yvonne. I could have accessed a contractor to do the job for me through Venie, but I love a challenge. For my next post, I’ll show you pics of me demolishing the wall (that’s the one DIY task at which I truly excel!) With my help, Yvonne thinks we’ll get the closet reno in one day, but when I mentioned this to my husband John, he just smiled serenely, and said he’d be more than happy to pitch in if necessary (I LOVE that guy!) Watch this space for the progress of my project, and for all the great tips I’m getting from my new BFF, Yvonne, and the oh-so-knowledgeable Venie.

Revival styles

This week’s Hot Home Products column is about styles that keep turning up again and again, with a focus on design elements from the 70s. Karen Sealy, a regular expert on CityLine, who designed the room shown at left (more pics in my column), suggests using elements from that era in small doses, or in affordable accessories, to avoid going overboard on retro. For example, she bought a furry shag rug to place in front of her own fireplace for a fun 70s vibe. “But I didn’t spend a lot on it,” she said, “because I know it’s a look that I’ll tire of and want to replace."When it comes to colour from the era, she advises against trying to replicate it, but instead using it for inspiration. The orange shown in the pic echoes the burnt orange that was popular in the mid-seventies, but it's got a fresher, brighter tint that works better now. 

The column also featured decorative hardware from Stanley Home Design, which comes in a “transitional” style that incorporates designs from various era and global and influences, and two new finishes that reflect the trend toward warmer metals — Egyptian bronze (see below) and satin nickel. At about $6 for a two-pack and about $20 for 10, they’re a quick and inexpensive way to update a look.

 

 

Leon's rocks the Roundhouse

Went downtown yesterday to visit the newest Leon’s Furniture store in Toronto’s John Street Roundhouse (255 Bremner Blvd. - just behind the CN tower), a semi-circular structure built in the late 1920s and used by Canadian Pacific to service locomotives. Part of a $25 million rejuvenation of the Roundhouse area, this 40,000-square foot retail space is gorgeous, featuring original ceilings (32 feet!), Douglas fir wooden beams, brick walls, and floor-to-ceiling windows that let light come flooding in. Contemporary touches will include an in-store café, celebrity chef demonstrations and interior design and home entertainment seminars. Designed to attract urban shoppers, the store showcases signature pieces exclusive to this location, and has two living room vignettes that approximate the size of an average downtown living space. While the site is accessible by TTC and delivery is free, there’s also underground parking. The store is also in the process of getting LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for its sustainable design, which includes district steam heat and deep water cooling. Even if you don’t feel like shopping, you should get yourself down there, if only to see this beautifully restored building. And see my blog entry below for more on Leon’s, which is celebrating its 100^th anniversary this year.

Making the cut

A few weeks ago, I wrote a column about reel mowers that elicited a huge response, and lots of questions from readers about how to sharpen the blades themselves. Since I’m a newbie to reel mowers, I wasn’t sure, so I called Emily Routly, a customer service representative for Lee Valley Tools, which has been selling reel mowers for years. She told me about two products the company sells for sharpening and offered some good general tips, such as:

Before you purchase a reel mower, make sure the blades can in fact be sharpened. Routly says some models are designed with blades that must be replaced when they’re dull.

Sharpen the blades of your reel mower after it comes out of the box, because they may not be ready to cut. Routly says mowers from Lee Valley, for example, are shipped with the blades painted to prevent rusting during shipping.

Use a soft cloth to keep blades clean and dry between use. If you’re fussy about your tools, wipe them down with oil to prevent rust.

Keep a good edge on your blades, says Routly, and not only will mowing be easier, you’ll minimize tip browning because the blades will shear the grass rather than tear it.

Lee Valley has two options for sharpening blades: A hand mower sharpening kit includes a lapping compound — a slightly abrasive gel — that is applied to the edges of the blades after one of the wheels has been removed. When the blades pass across the cutting bar, they’re honed. The kit sells for $25.50. Additional lapping compound is available separately for $6.50. The other product is a 20-inch strip of aluminum with an abrasive finish that clamps to the bottom plate of the mower. Again, as the blades pass across it, they’re automatically sharpened. The strip can be trimmed to fit mowers as narrow as 10 inches. Three strips come with the sharpener, which costs $26.50, and a replacement pack of two strips costs $7.50.