Why not spruce up your home this long weekend? 4 days, 4 projects, $400

If you're among the fortunate souls taking an extra long weekend in honour of Canada Day (can you tell I'll be working?), why not seize this chance to tackle those weekend chores you've been putting off?

And, to help get you started, I thought I'd share this handy weekend project guide from the Home Depot - four projects, one for each day of the four-day weekend, each with a $100 budget.

Of course, you could also pick and choose your tasks - two days, two projects and $200 works just as well.

Project 1: Improve your curb appeal

Paint your front door - which will make it look new at a fraction of the cost of replacing it. To get started, scrape off the old flaky paint and debris, give it a quick sand, wash, then paint. Easy-peasy.

And, if you want to take the look even further - and invest a little more money - there's always new lighting, door hardware, house numbers, door mats, planters, and mail boxes to provide even more polish.

Project 2: Paint your space

You know those rather dreary walls you've been staring at all winter? Odds are you're sick of the colour, and, come next winter, you'll be thankful you devoted one day of your long weekend to updating it!

Patch your walls, apply your painting tape, prime and paint, then go out and enjoy a cold beverage on a patio while you wait for it to dry. 

Project 3: Stain your deck

You can extend the life of your shabby looking deck with a coat of outdoor stain. A little bit of elbow grease is needed for this one, as you've got to thoroughly clean and prep the surface. Then start staining! Home Depot suggests remembering to pick up a stain brush to ensure an even distribution and prevent streaks.

And, of course, you can top your newly spruced up outdoor space with goodies like a new dining set, an outdoor area rug, lighting, planters and accessories. Get more exterior decorating ideas in our outdoor living guide.

Project 4: Organize the garage

If you've got to move the garbage bins, a couple of bikes, a toy chest and your gardening gear just to find the mower - and, truthfully, this is the case for many of us - it's not a bad time to tackle the garage. (Check out the seven deadly sins of garage disorganization here).

Empty out your storage space, chuck, donate or sell what you don't need, then restore the rest with some smart storage solutions, like shelving, hooks and pegboard.

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Shop like a pro: Think Canadiana

Shop like a pro's Angela Koszuta (shoplikeapro@hotmail.com) shares her picks for showing your pride this Canada Day.
 

Arctic Iceberg porcelain bookends by Katherine Morely, $190. Available at Made, www.madedesign.ca, 867 Dundas St. W., 416-607-6384.

Great Outdoors cushions by Kerry Croghan, $125. Made of hemp with vegetable dyes. Available at Made, www.madedesign.ca, 867 Dundas St. W., 416-607-6384.

Antler ring in walnut or maple by Anneke van Bommel of Touch the Dutch, $30. Available at aanekvanbrommelis@hotmail.com.

 

Porcelain Crown Jars by Claire Madill, $85. Available at Made, www.madedesign.ca, 867 Dundas St. W., 416-607-6384.

'EH' disposable cups and plates from PC Home at Loblaws stores, $2.99.

Weekend roundup

Yourhomers are quite the tidy bunch! According to last week's poll more than half of you (58 per cent) make your beds every single day, while an additional 16 per cent strive to do so. The remaining quarter instead opt for the lived in look. Read the full story.

This week, I'm turning my attention to the holiday! For me, Canada Day always means BBQs, cottages and ice cream - even when I'm stuck in the city. Check out our entertaining must-haves to help you get ready for your mid-week break, or extra long-weekend.

And, while I like to think I'm as patriotic as the next gal, I've never been one to break out the red and white goodies for July 1. (Though, next time the Olympics roll around, I'll certainly be trying my hand at this project.) In lieu of peppering the house with tiny maple leafs (though that's certainly good too!), I think it's more fun to showcase chic Canadian designs for our nation's birthday, so I'm looking very much forward to sharing some stylish finds with you in tomorrow's Shop like a Pro!

In the meantime, please let me know in the front page poll whether you haul out the red and white vignettes or hang your favourite Mountie memorabilia for Canada Day.

And, be sure to check out some of our great weekend reads:

- Colin and Justin go wild in the bedroom

- A behind the scenes look at one family's experience on a reality home reno show

- Fun solar light finds

- The Selby is in your space

- Cottage gardening guide

- Rookie landlords have a lot to learn

I'm decorating imaginary spaces again ...

As I go about my daily routine, which includes filing press releases, skimming blogs and a wee bit of online window shopping, I'm forever bookmarking bits and pieces that would furnish my fantasy spaces - you know, the one you'd have if the real limitations of your space, time and money weren't a factor.

My fantasy bedroom would have enormous windows, allowing me to really play with light and dark elements. Here are a few of the key elements:

The walls, of course, would be bathed in a light grey, like Benjamin Moore's Silent Night.

Accented by this purple damask wallpaper from Graham & Brown, $40 a roll.

The space would be lit from above with a simple hanging pendant, like West Elm's short drum pendant, $149.

As for the bed, I'd still opt for a simple frame, like the classic Ikea Malm that currently resides at Casa Speedy, ($279 for the king size) though I'd certainly slipcover or spray it a pure white.

And then dress it in some nicely detailed, and broody, bedding, like the organic cotton pin-tuck duvet and shams from West Elm, duvet $119.

For night tables, I'm currently loving the minimalist, low profile look, like the Madison line from Structube, $159.

And then, in lieu of space-hogging lamps, I'd wire in sconces on either side of the bed, like these Turner Sconces from CB2 (coming soon to Canada!), which are currently on sale for $29.95.

To cap off the look, and keep things cushy underfoot, a plush rug is a must, like the Irma from EQ3, $350.

 

While all my clothes, of course, would be stored in a stellar Sex and the City-worthy walk-in closet in this fantasy, I'd still want a vanity in the space, using a simple table, like West Elm's Parsons Console, $350, and topping it with Semikolon boxes to keep all my makeup and jewellery out of sight and well organized.

So that's the start of my fantasy master bedroom! Which, to be quite honest, is in many ways just a small upgrade from my master bedroom on a budget makeover (see it here) - so I guess I was on the right track!

For some inspiration for your own space, be sure to check out Colin and Justin's top tips for creating a heavenly sleep retreat.

Renovating my home and my life

A recent blog post by Twitter friend @jenselk about how renovations are the perfect metaphor for her life over the past few years has really set me to thinking lately.

You see, without going into too much detail, over the last few months I too have been "renovating" my life -- breaking down old habits, creating new priorities and routines, essentially, ripping the whole thing down to the studs -- and can't help but see the parallels to totally gutting your home.

Like starting over with a new home, 'renovating' your life allows you to reconfigure, re-prioritize and, essentially, turn something that was less than perfect into something that works for you.

Odds are, when you bought your home you compromised. Maybe the space was smaller than you wanted, the layout was a little choppy or the neighbourhood wasn't quite right. You figured with time, you'd be able to spruce it up and make it work for you. Plus, there's always quick fixes to keep patching it along - a fresh coat of paint here, a new drawer pull there, and voila!

But, eventually, those temporary solutions start to wear a bit thin, and you decide it's time to finally jump in with both feet and find something that really works for you.

In a home, that means modernizing kitchens, blowing out walls, changing colour palettes and finding organizational systems that suit the way you live. In life, while there are no clear floorplans, you're still analyzing the way you live and trying to create a "space" that's healthier, happier and, quite simply, more "you."

And it isn't easy. The moment that first sledgehammer or drill hits the wall, when you've hit the point of no return, you're instantly left second guessing what on earth you've gotten yourself into. What was really so bad about that cramped kitchen? You certainly could have lived without that walk-in closet. Maybe a coat of paint really was all it needed. And perhaps your old routines weren't so terribly unhealthy?

Of course, by that point, it's always too late to go back.

Once the initial shock wears off, you're left tackling a logistical nightmare. There are countless mundane decisions that demand your attention every minute as you try to figure out what's going to fit in with your new reality. Bills mount, and timelines stretch on and on. You wonder if it's ever going to end, and what happened to your nice orderly pre-reno life.

Everything feels like a mess and you just can't wait for the dust to settle. 

But eventually, the light at the end of the tunnel starts to emerge. You get to see the new pieces - whether it's those killer kitchen cabinets finally being installed or your new exercise regime finally kicking in - coming together and you're reminded why you started the whole lousy process in the first place.

Because, in the end, you're getting exactly what you want and need. You've reinforced the foundation, brought all the elements up to code, and made room in your life for more of the things you enjoy.You've made your life, and space, work better for you - which is never a bad decision. But it's OK if, like after each time you move, you still swear to never do it again.

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Single serve custom ice cream? I'll scream for that!

I've always had a pretty serious sweet tooth. I've yet to meet a cookie, cake, pastry, ice cream, bar or chocolate that I didn't like. In fact, earlier this week I was reminiscing with an old high school chum about the lengths we used to go for sweets - including mixing up our own icing, tinting it pink and eating it with a spoon!

So, it's no wonder that Hamilton Beach's new Single Serve Ice Cream maker (with a suggested retail of $39.99) appeals to my inner sugar addict. 

 

It comes with two bowls that freeze in under four hours. After freezing, you toss in your ingredients, pop on the lid and churning paddle, turn it on and, they say, you'll have ice cream in five minutes, without wrestling with rock salt or ice.

The idea is that you can control your own ingredients, flavours, calories and portion size, and even work around allergies that may have made store-bought ice cream a bit tricky.

Personally, the appeal is being able to try out a bunch of different flavours using my own fresh ingredients!

My sweet tooth would thank me for buying this. My waistline, not so much.

Weekend roundup

We're finally getting weather worthy or my summer dress wardrobe, and it's not a moment too soon! Barbecue season is in full swing (be sure to check out our roundup of great products for backyard entertaining), and, according to last week's poll, I'm not the only Yourhomer keen on dining al fresco.

Nearly three-quarters (71 per cent) of those who responded said they plan to entertain outdoors this summer, while 29 per cent will be keeping their hosting duties inside. 

This week, I'm continuing my preoccupation with the bedroom (as seen here, here and here) and asking if you make your bed every day? Let me know in the front page poll!

And, for some more weekend reading, be sure to check out:

- How to pull off retro style

- The latest trends for your walls

- Colin and Justin turn a garage into a mancave

- In defence of 'half-assed housekeeping'

- The 10 things you need to clean with company's coming in 30 minutes

- Father's Day gift ideas

Pimp my KitchenAid?

I'm all about customizing your big box buys. Whether it's dressing up a classic cheap and cheerful bookshelf with some wallpaper, tricking out a nightstand with some paint or DIY carpentry skills or just finding ways to make mass-produced products look like they were crafted and chosen with care, I love reading about creative new ways to make pieces feel special.

That said, I definitely hadn't considered the possibility of tricking out my appliances before!

But now you could give your KitchenAid mixer the same treatment as your car with these decals, starting around $15 on Amazon.com.

And if pink flames aren't your style, the decal kits are also available in blue and metallic flame, flying tiger shark plane, vintage rose and cow spot patterns.

Or you can always try fashioning your own or modifying existing decals to fit - I'm thinking a graphic monochrome pattern or some colourful polka dots could really give a kitchen a stylish boost!

(Found via @kattancock)

Gorgeous gallery wall

I must confess that I find hanging art intimidating. Putting a nail in the wall (or even a photo hanging tab like those from 3M) feels pretty permanent. So I try to measure to eye level, compare the scale of the piece (or pieces) to the rest of the room's furnishings, hold it up to eyeball how it looks and even tape out the outline, with the hopes of getting it just right. All this effort realistically means that very little actually makes it onto the wall, and I've never made it past the planning phase with my hopes for a gallery display.

But this Cabbagetown home tour has reminded me just how great a gallery wall can look!

I just love how the display flows around the corner! I also like how it's large enough to dip down to the sofa level and almost up to the ceiling - giving it real presence as a focal point in the space.

And, despite the mismatched frames and variety of sizes, I think the close spacing - and the arrangement of the largest pieces in a row at a more traditional hanging height - keeps the whole thing looking cohesive.

Check out the rest of Will's stunning home (those dark grey walls and carefully curated collections make me swoon!) on Apartment Therapy.

I've got the bedroom on my mind ...

Whether it's a lack of quality sleep, an urge to cozy up with a good book before bed or the desire to simplify my life, I find my thoughts have increasingly been turning to the bedroom these days. In terms of decor, of course!

The master suite tends to be a tricky area to decorate. For starters, it's hard to make it a priority. Who's really going to see it? It's much easier to justify splashing out on your dining room or living area - places where you and your guests will be spending your waking hours. Plus, who really wants to spend time arranging and dusting knick knacks you're likely only going to see before you nod off at night and flee the house in the morning?

But, the argument goes, the bedroom is also supposed to be your personal oasis; a tranquil space to relax. It's hard to do that when you've got builder's beige walls and a stack of unpacked boxes hanging around. (Check out Colin and Justin's tips for getting the most out of your bedroom.)

At Casa Speedy, the master bedroom makeover came midway through the decorating list in an attempt to balance off these two needs - the public space to entertain and a personal retreat to relax.

With the heavy lifting - painting, accessorizing and the like - done, I'm still perusing pretty spaces but am mostly preoccupied with those mundane maintenance tasks to keep what I've got presentable, both for myself and those guests who inevitably ask for a tour. Of course, that to-do list includes making the bed.

But lately, I've been questioning my routine. I've always (well, since my teen years) been a huge fan of a neatly made bed. I find it can make your room look put together and much, much cleaner with minimal effort. Plus, as far as chores go, it tends to be a quick one!

What changed my mind? For starters, I came across a study that says an unmade bed actually helps with allergies and asthma by eliminating the moisture that dust mites crave. Breathing easier is certainly a plus for the unmade bed.

Then on Monday I interviewed HGTV stylist Lisa Quinn, author of the new Life's Too Short to Fold Fitted Sheets: Your Ultimate Guide to Domestic Liberation. While the full story will be in this Saturday's paper (and stay tuned to Yourhome this week for her list of the 10 things to clean - in order - when guests are coming in 30 minutes), I couldn't resist sharing her thoughts on the bedroom a little early.

For starters, she says we should be skipping all those fancy, colour-coordinated sheets. Instead, she suggests having just two sets of simple white sheets for each bed in the house, because they don't fade, they're interchangeable and they're easy to clean. I certainly get that logic, and anything that cuts down on my laundry time is a plus in my books.

She also argues in favour of a rumpled look for bedtime and beyond. Not just for time-savings, but also because of the message it sends. Quinn says those tightly fitted sheets and rows of throw pillows (in my defence, I have only the one!) are "uptight and prudish", while leaving the bed unmade is romantic and sexy, "like tousled, after-sex hair."

So, now I'm tempted to leave the sheets askew a few mornings a week, while accepting that I just simply can't imagine leaving it unmade when company's coming. 

What do you think? Is it time to give the unmade look a try? Or do you already rock the rumpled look?