What was once a hardware store...

So it has been a long time since I posted anything. Lots has changed. New apartment, new jobs, new city... But before we cover that...

Has anyone else looked at some of the the home decor lines that Canadian Tire carries now (e.g., Canvas, Globe, etc.)? They are really impressive and the prices are exactly what you would expect from CT i.e., reasonable!

Just to give you an idea, I bought a floor lamp very similar to this one on Saturday.

This version is $329 at West Elm. Don't get me wrong- it is a beautiful lamp, but that price is kind of steep. Enter CT and the Canvas Quinn floor lamp...

This lamp is $129.99 regular price but (in true CT way) it is on sale regularly for $97.49. Which is what I paid. And, from what I can tell, the line is good quality.

The icing on the cake- CT also carries "retro" light bulbs.

Since the bulb of this lamp is exposed and it is a lamp that is not used all the time, I thought it would be nice to have something unique in it. 

I found this version of a vintage tube filament bulb at Restoration Hardware for $13 (after conversion from US to CAD).

                                     

This is the version I found at CT. The Globe retro tube filament bulb ($6.99). Same look- half the price. For a total of under $105 (versus just under $350) I got exactly what I was looking for.

The Closet Door Conundrum

A while back I posted about installing a barn door for our bedroom closet door. I loved the idea (and still do) but, unfortunately, the closet opening was an awkwardly large size so we were unable to find a door that would work (or the barn hardware that would fit the width of door we needed). The end result- a quick, easy and inexpensive fix that still looks great and is functional.

The curtain closet door- Inspiration pics

Before

After

...soon to come...

Barn Door- Yay or Nay?

I have a odd sized, uncovered opening for my bedroom closet seen here in two of the listing photos...

I have put the bed the other way so that the foot of the bed is partially covering the closet opening. This allows the tiny bedroom to have much more use-able space. The idea I had was to use a barn door (with mirror) for the closet door. Something similar to below...

Personally this one is my favorite...

I was thinking that I could get an old door for cheap (thrift), put a piece of mirror on it (maybe thrift too...) and frame it in wood painted cream. Hmmm...

Another Kitchen Update #2

So this has been a slow process but the end is finally in sight! At this point we have replaced the counter-top, sink, faucet, drain for the sink (well technically all the plumbing going to the sink) and hinges. The cabinets are painted grey and all that's left to do is to put the final coat of matt-finish Varathane on the cabinets and oiling the counter-top (a couple of times).

We love the the look of the counter-tops, sink and faucet. And (bonus) we had enough wood leftover from the counter-top to make a BIG cutting board.   

Another Kitchen Update

Here is how the kitchen looks today. The insides of the cabinets and drawer fronts are all finished being painted. I did all the back-splash touch-ups. Now we just have to finish painting the cabinet doors, buy and install new hinges and put everything back together. Then my favorite part begins... decorating...

Apartment For Sale

I realize that I am not done posting the before and after photos of the apartment, but here is the amazing virtual tour that our agent had made for the sale of the condo.

Update on Kitchen Mock-up

Although I had hoped to paint the back of the open cabinetry cream as I said here... I have now accepted reality and, in an effort to save myself time (and a lot of frustration), decided to paint the backs the same grey as the rest of the cabinetry. It will still look really nice and be much easier to paint.

Here is what it will look like now.... 

And here is what it actually looks like right now...

Even in its current, disheveled, in-progress state it is so much better then this...