Design Project

I was given the honour, by my boyfriend, to completely decorate his house from start to finish. He purchased it with the intention of renovating it and selling it, which he accomplished successfully, thanks to my great staging abilities, of course. I got to choose everything from the paint colours to the kitchen colours (cabinet, backsplash, etc) to the furniture. It was great because I needed to buy almost everything as he came from a bachelor pad, so I had a ton of fun shopping with his credit card ;)

His semi detached home features 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms in Corso Italia with a 2 car garage. Here it is, let me know what you think!

Before...exterior

After...exterior

Landscaping...done with my bare hands to save on costs, I had all the trim painted black (ie. railings, screen door and window trim) to give it a modern look and bought a funky light fixture at the antique market

Before...living room

After...living room

Modular couch from Modern Sensibility which can be arranged 30 different ways, rug and painting from Ikea, coffee table found on the side of the street and redone by Renee Elliott from Eat.Live.Shop, decorative pieces from the antique market (I love antique markets!!!!) and Bou Clair. We used a high quality laminate floor that was the perfect brown, as darker floors show every speck of dust, which is annoying to keep clean. Since the house is so big and bright and I wanted it to feel more warm and cozy, so I decided to use a darker neutral colour from Benjamin Moore, Hiking Trail, to make it feel more homey!

Before...dining room

After...dining room

Dining set was bought at a great price....although I can't reveal all my secrets, the off white colour of the backs of the chairs really complimented the colour of the kitchen cabinets while the colour of the seats tied in the table colour, it was a perfect find! I decided to do an accent wall in the dining room which turned out better then I expected. Decorative pieces were bought at Kitchen Stuff Plus

Before...kitchen

After...kitchen

Here, I went with shaker style cabinets which look clean and modern with grey handles. For the backsplash I decided on black subway tiles which really gives this kitchen a pop and makes it stand out, the speckled colour of the granite has all 3 colours, white, black & grey, from the kitchen, giving it a cohesive look

Before...main washroom

After...main washroom

The washroom is really small and it's the main washroom for the home, so I wanted it to look as big as possible. We started off by installing a sliding glass door, the colour I used here was Silver Fox from Benjamin Moore, grey is a colour I'm seeing used a lot in homes and I wanted to incorporate it into this home. Also Silver Fox goes really well with the Hiking Trail colour that is used throughout the home as it has a neutral undertone and keeps the bathroom looking bright and airy. Accented with a few grey and neutral pieces and the bathroom looks like a million bucks!

Before...2nd bedroom

After...2nd bedroom

I decided to choose a theme colour of red in this room to make it feel warm and inviting and a colour that complimented the walls. Again the decorative pieces are a mix of antique market finds and Bou Clair (did I mention I love this store?) I think this room is a success!

Master bedroom

Unfortunately I don't have a "before" picture. I absolutely love accent walls in bedrooms and here is no exception, I used the same colour as the accent wall in the dining room. I wanted to "cool" down the room and make it look masculine, so a mix of black and grey colours worked really well here.

Before...basement

After...basement

Once again I decided to use Silver Fox from Benjamin Moore, luckily majority of the furniture and decorations came from the bachelor pad and worked really well in the basement. The fireplace is inactive but I didn't want it to go to waste as it's the focal point, so a few tall candles from Ikea went a long way. I was happy with the outcome as I didn't want to spend a lot of money on the basement, as we all know kitchen and bathrooms sell homes

Before...backyard and deck

After...backyard and deck


Most of the credit for the backyard has to be given to my boyfriend who built the fence with his neighbour and built a 2 tier deck, primarily on his own. It turned out fantastic...a true extension of the living space. My job was to stage the backyard and I decided to use browns and greens, I love how these colours go so well together. The outdoor tableware and decorations, were purchased from  Bou Clair and Kitchen Stuff Plus, did you expect anything different?

All in all the project was a huge success. I received a lot of positive feedback on the decor and colours during the open house and I couldn't be more pleased. I'm sure the new buyers are super excited and anxious to move into their new home and start their family. This home is one they will truly cherish and enjoy for many years to come!

Great Find: Kitchen Faucet

I was at Costco the other day and came across this great faucet! When I saw the price, I was even more excited, who knew that at some point in my life, kitchen faucets would excite me so much. Since the closing on my next house is around the corner, I thought I might as well buy it and save myself the trouble and money, looking for a faucet when I'm actually ready to redo the kitchen.

Here is my beautiful, new, kitchen faucet:

Available at Costco, in store only, the price is $124.99 + tax. Call your local Costco store to make sure it's in stock, Item# is 430936. Based on my experience, these faucets are usually $300-$400 so this is a great deal!

I highly recommend that if you're even thinking of renovating your house or any parts of it and spot a good deal, that you should snatch it up. At the time it might seem as a costly investment for something you don't need right away, but in the long run you will save yourself some money by not having to buy certain things at full price, not to mention the hassle of running around and trying to find a good deal. My other piece of advice is to put yourself on every home improvement stores newsletter list, because they send out great deals that you may be missing out on. Some of the stores I recommend are Home Depot, Rona, Lowes, Costco, Canadian Tire and Home Hardware, you never know what you will find. Also the good thing about the majority of these stores is that they will do a price match as long as you show them the flyer. You have absolutely nothing to lose and tons of money to save!

Let me know what you think and feel free to share any great finds with me.

Tips To Sell Your Home This Fall/Winter

 As the cold weather approaches, sellers need to pay extra attention to certain details to set them apart from their competition.

Here are some tips to keep your home ahead of the game:

A Warm Home = A Cozy Home
When potential buyers come inside your home they want it to feel cozy and inviting. When a home is cold it will turn off the buyers, not giving your home the chance it deserves. Also buyers like to know that someone is actually living there and taking care of the property, so spend the extra money to make it as inviting and comfortable as possible. On the reverse side, you don't want your home too hot as bundled up buyers will be uncomfortable and your utility bills will be sky high. A comfortable temperature this time of year is 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit)

Let The Light Shine In!
If you have showings during the day, don't be afraid to open up all your curtains and blinds and even roll up your blinds half way (unless you have old ugly windows, or starting straight at a brick wall). If your showings are in the evening, then put on all your lights, even side table lamps, again this makes the home look cozy and potential buyers won't be fumbling for light switches in the dark and truly enjoying your home. With dark rooms, place lighting behind the furniture to give it that bright effect.


It's All About The Senses
We all know first impressions are everything and that includes how your home smells to potential buyers. It's one of the first things they will notice when they go inside your home and it needs to smell good! Make sure you don't have any dirty dishes in the sink with food stuck on them, throw out all spoiled food from the fridge (as buyers can be snoopy) and take out all garbage, compost and recycling before your showings. Also to give your home an inviting smell, you can use Glade Plug In with a smell that is not too overbearing like vanilla or cinnamon, a perfect smell with the holiday season just around the corner, burn a scented candle 1/2 hour before your first showing or get a fresh boutique of flowers, like this one here, from Coriander Girl. It will be one more step towards making your home feel cozy.

A Landscaped Yard Is A Happy Home
Flowers are not exactly flourishing this time of year, but that doesn't mean your front or back yard has to look drab and dingy. Cutting your grass once a week is a must and fallen leaves should be cleared up as much as possible. Adding flowers such as mums, which come in an array of colours, on your front or back porch makes a nice touch. Also stores such as Home Depot or Lowes carry nice fall flower arrangements, which are easy, all you have to do is place them in a good spot outdoors. Another great idea is using black foxtail plumes, those definitely remind me of fall and look nice outside your home!!!! Lastly anything with pine also works, it's able to suffer through the coldweather and also reminds me of the holidays and family time which is perfect, as you want potential buyers to be able to picture themselves and their family in your home.

Fall is a great time to sell your home, especially since the Toronto market is going to finish strong for 2011 and prospective buyers are hoping to make a decision before the holidays and hopefully spend their first holiday in their new home. Take advantage of the fall market by pricing your home correctly, adhering to my tips and calling me to list your home. Hope to hear from you soon!

Howard Park Ave: Urban Condos

Triumph Developments is set to release their next pre-construction condos and urban townhomes on Howard Park Ave in the heart of Roncesvalles Village this Fall. There is very few details about the project right now as it has not officially been opened to the public yet. I will be attending the VIP broker event next Wednesday, so I will keep you posted!

Below are a few details about Howard Park as well as some renderings. To register and receive updates, please don't hesitate to contact me at 416.707.1209

Building Facts:

• Located at 24-66 Howard Park Ave, between Roncesvalles Ave and Dundas West
• Starting from the $200s
• 2 phases, 10 storey east tower & 8 storey west tower
• 92 modern residences with oversized terraces and private gardens
• City skyline views
• At grade, 5 two storey urban townhomes facing Howard Park Ave
• TTC and subway minutes away
• Retail at grade level
• Entry court bordered on one side by a glazed bridge linking the 2 towers

***For more information on Howard Park and to take advantage of this pre registration, please contact me***

Cool Homes: Italian Villa

I've always been a sucker for looking at pretty homes and this one is no exception. I came across this Italian Villa which I think is pretty cool! The Villa was originally built in the early 1970's and is located near Mount Vesuvius in Naples, Italy. I will take one please, just for the pure satisfaction of saying "let's go to my Villa in Italy for vacation!"

Take a look at my future Villa and let me know what you think:

mediterranean exterior design by other metros architect Fabrizia Frezza Architecture & Interiors

mediterranean exterior design by other metros architect Fabrizia Frezza Architecture & Interiors

Take a dip in my pool?

mediterranean exterior design by other metros architect Fabrizia Frezza Architecture & Interiors

mediterranean exterior design by other metros architect Fabrizia Frezza Architecture & Interiors

Love those chairs....I want!!!

mediterranean living room design by other metros architect Fabrizia Frezza Architecture & Interiors

I want that fireplace

mediterranean living room design by other metros architect Fabrizia Frezza Architecture & Interiors

mediterranean bedroom design by other metros architect Fabrizia Frezza Architecture & Interiors

Totally digging that chandelier and dresser....it has "me" written all over it

mediterranean bedroom design by other metros architect Fabrizia Frezza Architecture & Interiors
***all images via Houzz***

So who's coming with me?

TCHC To Sell Off 706 Homes

 The Toronto Star recently reported that Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) will be selling off 706 homes in their portfolio, majority of them single family homes. Out of 706 homes, 631 house tenants that pay rent geared to income and the rest are market rent. Currently these homes cost $10 million more to operate than they raise in revenues. Also with demand on the rise for affordable housing and a $650 million repair bill for current homes owned by TCHC, it not only makes economical sense, but will provide better living conditions for the current tenants. As the CEO, Len Koroneos, of TCHC said, "it's my responsibility to stand up for all 164,000 tenants, many of them living in poor quality housing, and do everything I possibly can to improve the quality of their housing and their quality of life." Not only will these sales generate revenue of $300 million which is much needed, but also free up more than $12 million per year for repairs which can be used on the remaining homes/buildings which will not be placed for sale.

Tenant's leases would be honoured until the end of their term and TCHC will provide assistance in making this transition as smooth as possible for them as well as pay for moving costs. Fellow Realtors and potential buyers shouldn't get too excited yet as the plan still has to be approved by the Toronto City Council. If the City Council approves it, then it would also require approval from the Government of Ontario, meaning, still awhile away from seeing these properties pop up on the Toronto MLS system.

If this does actually happen, what will this mean for the Toronto Real Estate market? Will it be flooded with a lot of inventory for buyers/investors to choose from, meaning driving prices down?  Well, not necessarily, so don't get too excited. These homes will be sold at fair market value, which range anywhere from $200,250 to over $1 million. TCHC has homes scattered all over the city including middle to upper income neighbourhoods and believe me, they know what they are worth! Also, to avoid flooding the market and driving prices downwards, the TCHC proposes a plan to offer homes for sale using a phased approach that will take place over several years. The first to go will be 70 vacant homes and you can start seeing for sale signs as early as next June if all goes according to plan. These 70 homes are on streets such as Crawford St, Davisville Ave, Milverton Blvd and Logan Ave, all family oriented neighbourhoods.

What's my opinion? I think this plan is good for all involved, including tenants, and current home owners living on the streets where these homes are located. From the several TCHC reports I have read, these homes are in very poor state of repair, even unlivable, which not only causes sub-standard quality of life for the tenants living there but also attaches a stigma to the neighbourhood where they are located. The TCHC will be able to move these 164,000 tenants into homes/building that are more stable and have better living conditions, these tenants will not be left to figure it out themselves. Buyers/flippers/investors will not only snatch up these properties, but will bring them up to par with renovations, improving the neighbourhood and encouraging other owners to do the same with their properties.

For now, I'm play the waiting game to see what happens with the Toronto City Council. In the meantime, while I wait ever so patiently, I want to know what's your opinion?

Halloween Night!

How was your Halloween? I know mine was great! I took out my god daughter and my little sister as well as Harley, of course! We went trick or treating in my neighbourhood, the Junction Triangle, where tons of kids and adults were all dressed up. Our night consisted of scary houses, jack-o-lanterns, doggies in costumes and lots of silliness, I must say Halloween was a huge success!