edmontonjournal.com
FALL 2 012
Fall at home
Tips and trends for hibernation season
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inside this issue
advertisers Bengel Custom Homes.... PAGE 31 Boss Design Ltd.............. PAGE 22 Carpet Craft & More........ PAGE 26 Edmonton Bath Products................. PAGE 14
6 16 cover up | PAGE 6
bath time | PAGE 18
Get ready for those long, cold nights with sumptuous bedding from local shops.
Pamper yourself with an exotic array of spa-worthy products from Chintz and Company.
Floform Countertops......... PAGE 5 Pacesetter Homes Ltd..... PAGE 10 Sabal Homes.. ................. PAGE 19 Warehouse Direct Kitchens (Can-Cell Industries).. ...... PAGE 30 Windsor Plywood.. .......... PAGE 32 Woodhaven Edgemont.. .... PAGE 2
fall looks | PAGE 8 Welcome guests with colourful accents at your doorstep.
dressing up | PAGE 20 Dansk Gifts’ Stasis Nawrocki helps you design the perfect tablescape.
eco furniture | PAGE 11 Go green with reclaimed woods, exotic bamboo.
art as dÉcor | PAGE 23
chef at home | PAGE 12
jayman trends | PAGE 24
Discover the latest kitchen trends at Modern Kitchens and Trail Appliances.
The latest in new-home design.
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Rent or buy works to personalize your space.
walls that sizzle | PAGE 27 lighting trends | PAGE 15 Chandeliers for the modern age.
FInd out what’s hot in the world of paint trends.
do-it-yourself | PAGE 16
warmth underfoot | PAGE 28
Ikea’s whimsical fall textiles encourage full family participation.
Cosy carpets from the Area Rug Gallery warm up your floors.
ON THE COVER: Design the perfect tablescape with help from Dansk Gifts
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editor’s note:
Welcome to our fall edition of
Homes&Design
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Flip through these pages at home or on the run, in our iPad edition; some of the stories here will also find a home in the Homes and Condos sections of our newspaper in the coming weeks.
Look for tips and advice on the best of the season, from what’s new at Ikea to the very latest in home décor. Find a stunning, contemporary chandelier for those long, dark nights, or a plush and colourful area rug to warm your feet. Discover the latest in building trends from one of the city’s premium builders, and dream up new ways to update to the latest in chef-style kitchens. Whatever you’re dreaming of as the nights grow longer, you’re sure to find it here.
Sincerely,
sasha roeder mah Homes & Design project editor
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2012
edmontonjournal.com Editor
he annual big chill is just around the corner. And even though most of us aren’t allowed to hibernate through winter, there’s no better time than now to feather our nests and cosy up in our dens. With that in mind, the Journal brings you the second edition of our Homes & Design e-magazine.
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fall
HOMES & DESIGN
sasha roeder mah sroedermah@edmontonjournal.com Contributing Writers
Leanne Brownoff, jane cardillo, david ryning, Chris Standring, Ann Sutherland Designer
Christine Pearce Advertising Lead
rhonda vickers rvickers@edmontonjournal.com
For advertising opportunities in the next issue of Homes & Design online magazine please call 780-429-5553
Published by the Edmonton Journal, a division of Postmedia Network Inc., at the Journal building, P.O. Box 2421, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2S6
Warm up to the season’s chill
Add pizzazz to the bedroom with gorgeous duvets, covers BY ann sutherland Edmonton Journal
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opular in Europe for years, the duvet is increasingly becoming the cover of choice for the North American bed. A duvet consists of two components: a down or synthetic-filled comforter, and a separate cover. According to Karen Visser, owner of Bella Casa, a down duvet is by far the most popular. “Down should feel light, but cosy,” she says. “Look for a high loft factor, which determines the warmth of the duvet, but also keeps you cool in the summer. A loft factor of 800 is the highest quality.”
Photos: jason franson / edmonton journal
Bella Casa’s Secret Garden bedding set is a sophisticated blend of neutral greys and taupes. Dark chocolate sheets warm up the look.
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She also recommends looking for the Downmark symbol of approval, which means the
down has been cleaned properly. People mistakenly think they are allergic to down, but it’s actually what’s on the down, such as dander, that they are allergic to. If it’s been well cleaned, allergies shouldn’t be a problem. Expect to pay between $700 and just over $1,000 for a high quality queen-size duvet. The cover is where you can really add some personality to your bedroom, and from a practical point of view, it protects the duvet. The best covers come in a variety of colours and designs, and are made of natural fibres, such as silk or Egyptian cotton. The other advantage of a duvet is that you can easily change the cover to give your bedroom a new look. The Secret Garden set available at Bella Casa is a traditional look. The king-size duvet cover sells for $419.50 and shams for $105 each. For something more contemporary, the queen-size Gracia duvet cover sells for $260. If you’re looking for a blanket with a dual purpose, consider buying a throw such as the one available at Del Adora Fine Linens. This versatile quilted throw looks great as an accent piece on the bed, or use it to wrap around yourself and cosy up on the couch. Made by Bella Notte, the throw is remi
niscent of a patchwork quilt. Its charm is found in the combination of different fabrics, prints and textures. Filled with polyester, the throw comes in eighteen different colours and is completely washable. It comes in two sizes and sells for $560 for small and $698 for large.
TOP LEFT: Exhuberant floral patterns dance across a cream background on the contemporary Gracia bedding set, available at Bella Casa. ABOVE & TOP RIGHT: The Bella Note line of patchwork-look throws, available at Del Adora Fine Linens, comes in a rainbow of gorgeous colours. Among the options: the regal richness of purple, warm tones of chocolate, and soft blues and greys.
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Play
dressup with your doorway Welcome guests with eclectic fall displays BY chris standring Edmonton Journal
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all is a great time to dress up your entryway with displays that say “welcome.”
“There’s lots you can do with fresh, silk or dried materials in wreaths or pots,” says Barry Fulmer of EarthTones Garden Shoppe. “We find more of our customers looking for fresh ways to decorate their entryways, with mums, ornamental cabbage and kale. Just make sure they get lots of water and are out of direct sun,” he suggests. For a formal look, aim for balance, with one side of the doorway a mirror image of the other. Start with matching containers of mums or pumpkins to flank the doorway or try small inexpensive evergreens, such as Alberta spruce, in urns. Water well until freeze-up and they’ll last the winter. Add a lantern or three (always go with odd numbers) on each side, to complete the look. To make your pumpkins really pop, spray them with a clear glaze, such as Krylon’s Triple-Thick Crystal Clear Glaze, $4.99 at Canadian Tire. Pumpkin orange not your colour? Try spraying an assortment of gourds white, silver or gold, which will help them last longer.
Photos: jason franson / edmonton journal
Fresh container displays are a great way to accent your entryway, says EarthTones’ Barry Fulmer. Fulmer put together this variety, including ornamental cabbage and kale, dried twigs in intriguing shapes, and oversized dried seed pods. Vary the height and design of your containers for visual interest.
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Placing a simple autumn display on your front door provides a welcoming touch for arriving guests. Feel free to be as creative as you want, but try to keep things symmetrical and make sure to use a soft backing to protect the door.
Here are just a few more ideas to inspire you: or an informal, rustic look, combine bounty from the F garden with whimsical elements like scarecrows, a willow chair, a ladder and garden tools. Pails, baskets, milk cans or even boots are great as containers. To vary the height, use hay bales as platforms. dd a simple twiggy wreath to your door. Embellish with A silk sunflowers, small gourds, colourful leaves and mountain ash berries. S tuff a narrow-mouth container with assorted leaves and seed pods. Add a simple bow at the neck. Hang from a wreath hook or suspend on clear fishing line fastened with a thumbtack to the top edge of your door. Felt backing will prevent scratches on the door. Instead of a wreath, hang a cluster of Indian corn or a bundle of wheat stalks tied with twine or raffia. rim the outside of a shallow basket with silk leaves, ribbon T and berries and hang wreath-style on your door. ill baskets or urns with bunched up newspaper and cover F with a display of apples. Chris Standring is a former editor of Homes and Gardening sections at the Journal. Shop: EarthTones, Stony Plain Road and 142nd Street
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Eco-furniture a growing trend Reclaimed wood, bamboo feature prominently in unique pieces BY ann sutherland Edmonton Journal
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en years ago if there was any ecofriendly furniture to be found it was most likely tucked away in a dark corner of the store.
Times have changed. Today, walk into almost any furniture and home décor store and you’re most likely to find some eco-friendly products. And the bonus? The eco-furniture usually has the most interesting look out there. It’s practical and green, but also stylish and full of character. Crate and Barrel offers a wide selection of eco-friendly furniture. Their collections use renewable woods and reclaimed materials. Bamboo, for example, is one of the most renewable and sustainable plants in the world. The store offers a complete line of bamboo furniture including the stylish Parsons dining table. The solid bamboo top is finished with a durable water-based polyurethane and sits atop a dark tubular steel base. It comes in various sizes and has chairs to match. The smallest table seats four comfortably and sells for $899.
peroba comes mainly from old buildings. Each coffee table is unique in look and sells for $799.
Another green option available at Crate and Barrel is the Seguro rectangular coffee table made from reclaimed peroba wood, a hardwood tree native to Brazil. The reclaimed
For truly distinctive pieces check out the Seven Drawers, a small, locally owned furniture store on 109 Street that specializes in reclaimed furniture and furniture made
jason franson / edmonton journal
Seven Drawers’ vintage print block cabinet is made from a whimsical combination of reclaimed wood and old print blocks from India that were used for adding pattern to fabric. $1,429
supplied: crate and barrel
The Seguro coffee table, from Crate and Barrel, is made of reclaimed wood from the peroba tree, a hardwood tree native to Brazil.
from plantation wood – wood that is grown for a specific purpose. Owner Beverly Braaksma says that reclaimed furniture has been popular in Europe for years. “Europe doesn’t have vast forests where they can go harvest trees. They were forced to get creative and reuse wood from old buildings and structures.” The vintage print block cabinet is a wonderful example of the creative use of reclaimed materials. The hand-made cabinet is made from reclaimed wood, and also from old print blocks from India that were used for printing on fabric. Full of character and charm, the cabinet sells for $1,429. FA L L 2 0 1 2
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Kitchens ready for their spotlight State-of-the-art workspaces offer flexible functionality BY chris standring Edmonton Journal
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o room in the house has changed more in the last 20 years than the humble kitchen. It began with the kitchen island, improving flow and functionality, opening up possibilities for entertaining. Now, a new emphasis on prochef design, with commercial-style “smart” appliances, has transformed the kitchen into the high-tech design hub of the home. Kristi Litwin, design consultant with Modern Kitchens, attributes the changes to television. “More people are tuning in to the Food Network, watching chefs outdo each
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other in state-of-the-art dream kitchens,” says Litwin. The appeal is irresistible.
with steam-assist and convection ovens, and microwaves.
Lifestyle changes also have had an impact, she adds. “Today’s time-strapped families want kitchens with flexible functionality, designed for the whole family,” says Litwin. As examples, she cites lower-access beverage fridges for the kids, workstations grouped for efficiency and smart appliances that store recipes and can be programmed to accommodate fluctuating schedules.
Another major trend is the integrated kitchen, where appliances are hidden away with fronts that match cabinetry. “It’s a cleaner look for today’s more open kitchens,” Litwin explains.
Workstation design organizes kitchen tasks like cleanup, prep and cooking. “It makes for more streamlined design,” says Litwin, “with fewer up-down, up-down surfaces.” Look for the new “tall walls” that stack builtin appliances such as conventional ovens,
Today’s time-strapped families want kitchens with flexible functionality, designed for the whole family. — Kristi Litwin, design consultant, Modern Kitchens
jason franson / edmonton journal
Today’s homeowner wants a kitchen the even the pros would be proud of, like the ones shown here. ABOVE LEFT: In this integrated kitchen, the fridge is cleverly hidden away, with a front that matches and blends in with the surrounding cabinetry. ABOVE RIGHT: Modern Kitchens’ Kristi Litwin shows an induction cooktop, with a warming drawer below. LEFT: Trail Appliances’ in-house chef Lantz Vernon with a “tall wall,” one of the latest trends in kitchen design that incorporates several elements stacked on top of each other.
Induction cooktops, long-used in Europe, are catching on here. They generate electromagnetic fields to heat up your pots rather that the cooktop, leaving the cooking surface safe to touch even moments after cooking. “Hood fans have definitely become a design element in the kitchen,” says Litwin. They’ve gone from mere function to fancy. Some commercial ones are sleek and shiny;
others called “pretenders” show up as chandeliers or even sculpture. If you’re redesigning your kitchen or just shopping for appliances, here are some features to consider: Pro-chef (restaurant-style) design; Smart appliances with intuitive touch-screen interfaces; Steam-assist cooking in ovens and microwaves;
arming drawers; W Energy-efficient induction stovetops; Workstations, including “tall walls” of stacked appliances; Designer hood fans. Chris Standring is a former editor of Homes and Gardening sections at the Journal. Shop: Modern Kitchens, 10367 170th St. Trail Appliances, 12404 149th St.; 9880 47th Ave.
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Lighten up!
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The Graffiti’s chrome and laser-cut aluminum is available in a variety of sizes, the smaller of which would be at home in a modern condo. The largest version retails for about $4,200.
Today’s chandeliers depart gracefully from tradition BY jane cardillo Edmonton Journal
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ith a name like The Graffiti and a brushed metal design that conjures up images of flames shooting skyward, one thing is certain: This is not your grandma’s chandelier.
Chrome and laser-cut aluminum have replaced teardrop crystal above the dining room table. And The Graffiti is a prime example of what a younger, hipper crowd wants, says Jared Johannesen of Park Lighting, a store that carries everything from floor and table lamps to hanging light fixtures. The largest version of The Graffiti retails for about $4,200. But, it comes in scaled-down sizes with less imposing price tags, too. The more petite ones are ideal for smaller rooms or for doubling the glamour in a big space, says Johannesen, who has placed a pair of them over a dining table for extra oomph.
jason franson / edmonton journal
The Starr’s multiple halogen bulbs shine through a lacy aluminum exterior in an updated nod to the chandelier. jason franson / edmonton journal
Traditional chandeliers are definitely still in demand with some homeowners, says Park Lighting’s Jared Johannesen.
Adding a cosmopolitan shimmer to your dining room doesn’t have to be outrageously expensive. The Starr, a sleek, circular fixture created from laser-cut aluminum, is one of the most popular — and eye-catching — pieces in Park’s showroom. Halogen bulbs, nestled amid layers of crystal, twinkle through the fixture’s lacy aluminum exterior to create dazzle that’s both sophisticated and fun. It’s available in a variety of sizes. Smaller ones cost $229.95, while a larger version retails for $349.95. Both The Starr and The Graffiti do something that traditional chandeliers can’t: they cut through gender barriers and housing styles. Both are edgy and solid enough to appeal to men, but have the sparkle that women love. The Graffiti would look at home in a downtown loft or a rustic log cabin, says Johannesen. The Starr’s modern-day elegance elevates it to dramatic artform that would enhance just about any setting.
Still, there is something to be said for tradition and it can be found in the collection of heirloom-style chandeliers in Park’s showroom. Exquisite crystal teardrops drip from the branches of wrought iron candelabra where tiny electric flames burn brightly. The style finds favour particularly among the 40-plus crowd who are drawn to its Old World elegance, says Johannessen. Prices are in the $2,600 range. For more lighting ideas visit Park Lighting at www.parklighting.ca FA L L 2 0 1 2
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DIY fun for fall Make your dĂŠcor one of a kind with help from Ikea BY sasha roeder mah Edmonton Journal
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TOP LEFT: Embroider your favourite inspirational saying on the DUKEN headboard and guarantee sweet dreams. TOP RIGHT: Textiles are the hit of the season, with a wide range of colourful patterns to choose from, in cushions, throws and even matching area rugs.
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rom glam to country chic, sleek lines to monochrome colour schemes, Ikea has had us covered for decades.
This fall, the Swedish super store breaks new ground with a range of home solutions just awaiting your at-home creativity. Textiles offer a quick, simple way to refresh a room, whether you’re tossing a cosy wool throw on the sofa, framing your windows with a crisp new set of curtains, or wrapping your bed in a brand-new duvet. Add personality to the kids’ rooms with a duvet cover sewn from TIDNY. A colouring book on fabric, the crisp black-andwhite expanse is sprinkled all over with images of colourful characters and fascinating adventures. “The idea is that you can use fabric pens to fill in the contours any way you like – to
match the colours in your room or to bring out a theme in the pattern,” say designers Sissi Edholm and Lisa Ullenius. Spread out with the kids on a cool autumn Sunday and help them design their own curtains, duvet covers or cushions. For a more grown-up take, pick up a few metres of GURINE fabric. Inspired by nature, oversized falling leaves in gold and green are strewn across a neutral background. Each leaf is surrounded by a dotted line, making cutting out your own whimsical cushion covers a breeze.
Now that your creative juices are flowing, expand your horizons with the REGOLIT paper lamp shade and TARVA chest of drawers. Both are designed to be painted at home, to whatever style suits your décor. Go wild with an abstract jumble of vivid shades, or show off your sophisticated side with muted fall tones. And if your calendar is too full for a DIY day, the celebration of textiles continues in store at Ikea, with a wide range of cushions, throws, window coverings, rugs and duvet covers to please any taste – and all you have to do is carve out time for a shopping date.
Put the finishing touch on your customized bedroom with a DUKEN bed frame, where the headboard is your clean slate for an inspirational embroidered saying.
supplied: ikea
RIGHT: Fall into autumn with this fabric’s whimsical pattern of falling leaves. With the dotted outline surrounding each leaf, it’s easy to cut them out and make a series of matching throw cushions. FACING PAGE: Customize the bedroom with the paintable TARVA chest of drawers and REGOLIT paper lamp shade. Go crazy with bright, abstract patterns or keep things simple with one or two muted tones.
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serenity Escape to Wide array of products make bathtime like a day at the spa
By David Ryning Edmonton Journal
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hat’s your excuse? Work is getting you down? Winter will be too long? It’s your birthday? It’s not your birthday?
Well, there’s good news: You no longer need an excuse to pamper yourself. There are many in-home products available, such as fragrances, oils and lotions, to turn your busy home into a relaxing spa. The first thing you need for your home spa experience is the proper ambience. Making good scents always makes good sense, and the Lampe Berger collection from Chintz and Company is an excellent place to start. The diffusion system cleanses the air in your home, and with a wide array of lamp styles and fragrances available, offers something for everyone. If you’re still in the dark about setting a relaxing mood, Voluspa candles can offer illumination. These fragrant candles burn clean and create a candlelit spa experience you won’t soon forget. Another name to remember when creating your home spa is Cote Bastide, makers of personal-care products including soaps, shower gels, linen sprays and body oils. For instance, Cote Bastide’s Vetyver line offers a wide range of products for men and women looking for that true spa experience, while 18
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the Argan line is a paraben-free range of products that features gels, bath salts and massage oil. Lothantique is a company rich in tradition. Since 1920 it has enjoyed a reputation for creating handmade quality bath and home products. Complement your relaxation regimen with its refreshing bath foam and soaps.
jason franson / edmonton journal
With a wide Finally, to put a wrap variety of exotic on your spa experibath products, candles and plush ence, wrap yourself in textiles, Chintz and luxury 100-per-cent Company wants to help you relax and Giza Egyptian cotton pamper yourself towels from Abyss. this winter. These colourful 700gram bath sheets look great in the bathroom, and they feel even better. Available in 97 different hues, they are the perfect accessory as you absorb your home spa experience.
You can check out all of these products — and many more — at chintz.com.
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Tablescapes bring the outdoors in Repeating elements bring beautiful symmetry to the table BY chris standring Edmonton Journal
Photos: jason franson / edmonton journal
Silver-coloured moose figurines pop from among this arrangement of colourful leaves. Pewter goblets repeat the silver tone amid contrasting linens with mix and match tableware. TOP: On Stasia’s sprawling Edmonton acreage there’s a creek inhabited by beavers that chew down the white poplars dotting the landscape. Stasia took one of the chewed off branches and laid it across her table. She added bunches of apples from a neighbour’s garden and had hubby Bill slice lengths of poplar for candle sticks. Small lengths of twigs became the place-card holders, all laid out on her grandmother’s antique linen cloth.
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hen Stasia Nawrocki is looking for inspiration for her dining table, she turns to her garden for what’s in season. “And if I don’t find it there, I look in my refrigerator,” says the designer, author and owner of Dansk Gifts at Southgate. “And if it’s not there, I go to the market.” The result is a welcoming tablescape that beckons with the promise of the shared meal ahead. We asked Stasia to design these four tables
with items that most people would have around, and simple so that anybody could do them. Many more ideas, like these, are available in her charming book of tablescapes, called Trio. “It’s simple, really,” she explains. “You just start with a theme, like fall harvest or forest bounty or just apples, then choose up to three colours and stick with them,” she says. “Then repeat, repeat, repeat” the elements and colours for a unified, pleasing look. All dinnerware is available at Dansk. Chris Standring is a former editor of Homes and Gardening sections at the Journal.
In Poland, as a child Stasia always loved gathering chestnuts in fall. So when her brother visited this summer, he brought a bag of them, which she uses here in clusters by the candles and on each place setting. The contrasting tangerine colour is the season’s hottest hue, she adds, and the combination is stunning.
For a delightful brunch, Stasia combined tomatoes with pots of fresh herbs that added a lovely fragrant layer to the setting. “I use the same herbs in my cooking, so the flavours complement the aroma on the table,” says Stasia.
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Artful living Creative works anchor unique interior design jason franson / edmonton journal
BY leanne brownoff Edmonton Journal
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all’s fleeting beauty often fuels an irresistible desire for transformation.
If you’re ready to make a change to your space, but don’t know where to start, why not allow a beautiful work of art to be your inspirational muse? Peter Robertson Gallery (12304 Jasper Ave.) is the home of many fabulous local, American and European works, waiting to stir your creative juices. “Often, people come in and look for a piece to fulfil a specific need or destination- such as over a sofa,” reflects owner Robertson. “They are looking for a specific size or colour to complete an interior.” But according to
Robertson, taking that approach can limit your choices and diminish your home’s potential personality. “A more fulfilling approach,” he suggests, “is to spend time viewing various pieces and noting what moves or interests you.” First find a piece of art that compels you, he suggests, then design around it. “If you like the work, you will find a place for it.” Heather Hamel, manager of AGA Art Rental and Sales at the Art Gallery of Alberta (lower level of #2 Sir Winston Churchill Square) concurs.
If you like the work, you will find a place for it. — peter robertson, owner, Peter Robertson Gallery
According to Peter Robertson, it’s best to choose art that speaks to you, rather than seek out a piece to match a paint colour or fill a bare spot above the sofa.
Hamel also makes it her mission to encourage visitors not to be intimidated by original works. “After viewing the gallery, people will stop by and are genuinely curious about the works we offer for sale here,” she says. “Original art can reveal new facets each time you look at it,” states Hamel, “adding richness to any décor.” The best thing about using art as decor? If you’re hesitant to commit, you can dip your toe in the art-collecting pool by renting. FA L L 2 0 1 2
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Jayman talks building trends Discerning buyers look for open, flowing spaces
BY ann sutherland Edmonton Journal
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fficient use of space, integrated living space, and contemporary design are some of the latest trends in homebuilding, according to Stephen Barnecut, director of product development for Jayman Homes. Opening up “Open concept has been around for the last 40 years,” he says. “It’s still popular, but what we’re finding is that the kitchen and living room are even more integrated, where one space blends into the next.” 24
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Today’s homebuyer is looking for cleaner lines, in a more contemporary design that isn’t as formal as in the past. Say goodbye to the formal dining room, and hello to a dining area that flows easily between kitchen and living room. Including an island with a flush eating bar - as opposed to a raised eating bar, which tends to create a visual barrier - opens the space up even more. The bonus room When builders started including front double-attached garages, the bonus room was born in the space above them. Barnecut says now about half of their floor plans instead position the bonus room in the middle of the house.
“Again, it’s more efficient use of space,” he says. “The bonus room is located at the top of the stairs and allows for separation of bedrooms, so the master bedroom is located on one side of the bonus room and the secondary bedrooms on the other.” His and hers “Homeowners, whether buying a starter home or an estate home, insist on having two and a half baths, one of which is a full en suite,” says Barnecut. Lately, Jayman has been getting requests for ensuites with separate his-and-her vanities, as opposed to the side-by-side option. Barnecut speculates this trend is a reflection
PhotoS: jason franson / edmonton journal
TOP LEFT & FACING PAGE: The open-concept look has evolved into a more integrated approach, says Jayman’s Stephen Barnecut, in which kitchen and living area blend even more seamlessly into each other. In today’s kitchen, the focus is on features such as islands with a flush eating bar.
LEFT: Locating the popular bonus room in the middle of the home, says Barnecut, allows for more efficient use of upstairs space.
of each person wanting their own personal space. Neat and tidy Today’s mudrooms have one purpose – to keep things organized. No longer are these spaces serving double duty as utility room and laundry area. Instead, the laundry room has moved upstairs for convenience. Mudrooms now include both closets and lockers or compartments for each household member.
In the quest for more personal space, many homeowners prefer separate his-and-her areas in the ensuite bath.
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H O M E S & D E S I G N
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Rich, vibrant tones head up this season’s trendiest paint shades BY leanne brownoff Edmonton Journal
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nspired to update your surroundings? Why not start with a stroke of brilliance?
When it comes to creating spectacular décor, painting your walls is not only visually stunning, it’s highly economical. Just in time for the fall season comes the latest interior paint palette from the laboratories of AkzoNobel, makers of CIL, Dulux and Sico paint. “While in reality, interior painting season is any time thanks to new eco-friendly paints that don’t even require open windows for ventilation,” states
LEFT: An accent stripe of saturated teal from Sico’s Vibrant lin is right at home in this contemporary setting.
Alison Goldman, brand manager for AkzoNobel, “many people still seem to choose the fall months to paint when the air begins to get cooler.”
more classics, for richer looking décor settings.”
MIDDLE: CIL’s trend-setting shades include a mix of warm and cool shades, as shown in these contrasting walls in golden tan and pale lilac.
On Tustin-Fuchs’ hot list for the season:
RIGHT: Dulux’s French Stripe Red is a bold choice in this high-ceilinged space.
Inspired by the brilliant palette of autumn, CIL’s trend-setting colours for this season include golden reds, deep oranges, green-infused blues and jeweltoned purples. “This year’s fall colours include both warm and cool shades,” explains Goldman, “so they can easily adapt to a wide range of individual tastes.”
rench Stripe Red: A warm F tropical red with hints of peach; Simmering Cider: Burnt orange with tan undertones; think less pumpkin and more copper; Provincial Majesty: An exotic, spicy golden hue with hints of curry and mustard.
Over at Dulux, Martin TustinFuchs notes that the new palette is “leaning towards maturing tones, so we can expect to see
Sico paint is also adding to the “full bodied” tones for this season’s décor trends. “Vibrant colour is one of the biggest fashion trends in home décor right FA L L 2 0 1 2
now,” explains brand director Mylène Gévry. In fact, Sico’s newest line of ultra-saturated hues is aptly named “Vibrant.” “Your home is the perfect place to convey your personal style,” says Gévry. “Start introducing vibrant colours, and you’ll see there are no limits to your creative self-expression.” HOMES& DESIGN
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Touch down
for comfort, style The right area rug underfoot offers warmth, beauty BY leanne brownoff Edmonton Journal
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HOMES& DESIGN
W
hen the crisp autumn air rolls in, our thoughts often turn to feathering the nest. One of the most stylish and cosy ways to update your home in an instant is with an exquisite area rug.
“The right area rug definitely adds stunning impact to a décor,” explains Whitney Jowett of the Area Rug Gallery, “but it also provides comfort, safety, sound absorption- all while unifying the design, as well as providing functional divisions.” That’s a lot for any design feature to offer. “Wood and stone floors continue to be popular,” shares Jowett, “and often an area rug is required for high traffic areas, so durability is top on the list.” So what should you look for? “A high density weave is a true indicator of quality and durability,” explains Jowett’s sister and fellow sales manager Jill Edgelow, showing the back of a luxurious rug from Belgium, “regardless of whether the fibres are synthetic or natural.” In fact, some of their most specialized lines use high quality synthetic fibres that are positively exquisite to the touch. “Quality wool rugs are absolutely beautiful,” she continues, “however, high quality synthetic fibres are also beautiful, very durable, tend to shed less, and retain their colour over time.” Another quality indicator is whether a rug has been made with reinforced top and bottom edges. “This allows the rug to lay flat without curling,” explains Jowett, “which can become a huge safety issue down the road.” Regarding safety, a common request made by clients is for customized stair runners. “Many of our custom lines offer carpets of various sizes and shapes,” explains Jowett, “including runners for curved staircases.” With over 500 area rugs and runners in traditional and contemporary designs, The Area Rug Gallery proudly showcases many Canadian and European companies.
Photos: jason franson / edmonton journal
In a variety of shapes and sizes, whether synthetic or luxurious wool, an area rug can bring a new layer of colour and texture to any room, not to mention some much-needed warmth underfoot.
Shop: The Area Rug Gallery, #100, 17834 106th Avenue
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Warehouse Direct Kitchens
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