We-Design-Day: Trending 2012

I promise, one day, I'll finish the basement and do the big "reveal"... Really, I will but today is not that day.

With the year winding down (that's a thought, hey?), predictions are being made and pushed forward. Not predictions of gloom or the curse of 2012 but design, fashion, architectural changes and innovations, colours and all the things that make our living world functional and aesthetically pleasing. Generally, I am not a trend follower - trends come and go and with my strong subscription to sustainable design, I have a moral obligation to encourage repurposing, reusing and reducing the unnecessary consumerism.

But daydreaming and rethinking some of the ways we look at trending can lend itself to incorporating bits and pieces into designs so we can be modern without breaking the bank, destroying the environment or having all Harvest Gold appliances for decades after it went out of fashion (Hmmm... I wonder if Stainless steel will ever end up causing the shivers Avocado green does????)!

I'd like to introduce to you the "must have" colours being predicted for 2012...

PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango
PANTONE 13-0759 Solar Power
PANTONE 18-3628 Bellflower
PANTONE 18-2140 Cabaret
PANTONE 19-3953 Sodalite Blue
PANTONE 14-0116 Margarita
PANTONE 14-2808 Sweet Lilac
PANTONE 14-5420 Cockatoo
PANTONE 18-1210 Driftwood
PANTONE 16-1120 Starfish



Any thoughts? It is funny to think that a panel of people sit around picking out and trending the upcoming colours - two years in advance. Seriously! Someone already knows what the top colour selections will be for the fall of 2014!

This following photo is great eye candy but I love how it's blending a work space with a living space! The basement renovation I've undertaken was done so I could have my studio as part of the family living area so we can work and interact together without isolating us from the family. This space does this fantastically - I love the idea of using fabrics as (temporary) art! If you are a sewer, this would be a fabulous way to store your fabrics and remember what you have on hand! And your "art" can always stay fresh as you'll be using your stash! The over sized hangers would be a simple and easy wood project - some MDF and a jigsaw and TADA!



Design Tip

Incorporating the hot colours could be done easily and sustainably if you work with a neutral colour pallet. If you look at the hot colours Pantone is predicting, there are a few selections that are neutrals. Those colours vary slighting in shade and tone but the essence remains year to year. Incorporate ones that work for you in fixed items - large furniture and base colours for walls and play up the fun and interest by using the punches creatively - whether it is in toss pillows, lamp shades or fresh flowers you can use the colours to anchor a space.

Not a fan of the neutral? That works too - if you pick your big pieces to work long term with a variety of neutral accents. Just make sure you love the colour and will love it in five or ten years! Even with the advent of knock-down furniture, not everyone will want (or could afford) to replace it semi-annually!

Have questions about trending or want more information? Below are couple of links with trend information. For a whole new world, take a look at Maison De Objet - inspirational, for sure!

Pantone 2012 Predictions
2011 Design Trends

We-Design-Day: Progress!

Well, at long last, our space is nearing completion. We are still in the dark and we haven't upgraded the power as needed, but I am starting the long journey of unpacking and rehousing all my stuff. This will probably be one of the toughest things I've done (short of packing up the room in the first place).

I have lots of stuff. So much so that I don't know half of what I have anymore. I've purged many things but there are lots of boxes and bins to go through and I have to get them to fit in a very small and confined space. Part of this fills me with anxiety - I love my craft stuff and the things I have parted with has been very difficult. Mostly because I keep seeing all these awesome craft ideas I want to do with the things I've parted with!


However, given my sister's incredible talent, I think the paint went to a very good home!



Design Tips Being an interior designer has taught me to be flexible and to often change things on the fly. Whether it's a new building, a gut and renovate or even a simple revamp, being flexible and having a willingness to compromise is essential.

It's ok to have a dream and to work towards it, but sometimes, design - as it happens in life - is subject to change.

the storage in the studio is a prime example. I need lots of storage. More correctly, in order to keep all the stuff I have, I need lots of storage. But I bought this unit from Ikea and I love it - but it doesn't work in the area I purchased it for... So, I decided (for the moment) to not finish the upper half of the salvaged cabinet (at this point - yes, honey, that means we have to find room for it in your garage).



I just love the way the Expedit unit looks on the refurbished unit! And this allows me room to put up my Bygel rails and a cork board!

I also got to work a bit on the office area. Above the rail, we are going to get a tack board and make a secondary family command centre. I want to gang the tables together and we so need a new chair!



Things are coming together and I'm excited to see it all fit... Assuming we get the lights done... ;) Thank you for stopping by and we'll see you again next week!

We-Design-Day: Palletable Fun!

With my recent interest in upcycling all I can, I've really being taking notice of all the interesting ways people are reusing things in their lives. One item that I hadn't considered reusing (before seeing this) were pallets.

I recall hauling heaps of them away when I managed a warehouse and calling around to company after company asking them to please take them... I may have even offered my sister as part of the deal once (she worked with me), but I still couldn't get rid of them!

Now, I'd really like to get my hands on a pallet or seven! I always saw the wood as moderately valuable but until you really look at an object as a whole and not as the sum of it's parts and even toy with the idea f making it something it isn't, are you really able to open up to the infinite possibilities so many things in our present world can offer us.

A woman (who shall remain nameless) recently built herself a snazzy back yard retreat out of pallets!


Work in progress

There are numerous things to consider when reusing pallets - I like Funky Junk Donna's article about pallet wood. Check it out, please, before undertaking any pallet wood project.




From shelving units to tables, there are hundreds of ideas out there for reusing pallets and the wood salvaged from them. If you ensure the quality of the found items, use them responsibly and keep an open mind, we all could seriously reduce our consumerism!


Finished Product

Need some more inspiration? Check out these cool places for funky and interesting pallet upcycling!

The WebEcoist 13 Fab Pallet Projects
The WebEcoist - 20 DIY Pallet projects
Pallet Long Island

Thanks for stopping in and see you again next week for our We-Design-Day!

We-Design-Day: Upcycling Old Furniture

As part of my basement renovation, I salvaged an old and ugly two piece storage unit from my parents. It was the quintessential dark wood look laminated particle board unit with ugly brass pulls. It is massive too - both pieces are just a little below waist height and about 5 to 6' feet long.



But as period as it is and as heavy and as awkward as any furniture piece could be, I saw the awesomeness that was laying with in. I needed a solution that had ample storage, was flexible in design and could house a variety of items, had a a few doors because I need to be able to tuck away some more dangerous products (like glue - nothing can be more dangerous than a bottle of glue in a toddler's hand). This unit allowed me all of that and more.

Sure, it was a little shabby and I would be it's third or fourth owner and nothing irritates me more than painting laminated wood, but I couldn't watch this gem to to the landfill!



I got ready to refinish this piece. Paint, scrappers, sander, wood filler, nerves of steal, patience of a saint and one very helpful three year old. We set to work late on a Monday morning.

After wiping away a layer of dust, I decided to scrape the chipping layer of paint that had been previously applied to the top of both units (my parents had the units sitting side by side and used the top for display). TroubleMaker kept asking if I was done scrapping as he really wanted to get painting! It took a lot of scraping to get it all chipped away but a short while later, it was done!



Now, I've painted laminated wood before and I'd used melamine paint. It was stinky, hard to work with and not something I saw myself battling again - especially with my extra special helper assisting! I wanted easy, water clean up, a primer/paint all in one and a durable washable paint. I ventured to my local big box home renovation retailer and the paint counter attendant recommended Behr Interior/Exterior Primer/Paint product. Once I'd taken the paint off the top, I got my Palm Sander and started to sand. It made no difference. I had hoped it would rough up the smoothness of the laminated covering but it didn't.

Next I got some wood filler and filled in the holes where the door handles were and filled in a couple of scratches. The product I used is tinted to simulate wood but it is also paintable so it worked perfectly! As TroubleMaker painted the back of the unit, I worked my way around the unit. Once I'd rolled on a good coat, I went back and painted in the corners. By this time, TroubleMaker had lost interest and was off riding his extra cool tricycle with trailer around!



After one coat of paint, it became obvious that this was going to take many more coats... And the surface wasn't as durable as I required. Items will be moving in and out of this unit frequently and I need it to stand up to use. This past weekend, I did the second coat and it does look much better (one more coat should do the trick) the need for a sealer became obvious.

I researched the potential possibilities and have settled on a Minwax Polycrylic Gloss polyurethane. It is suitable to put over painted surfaces and is supposed to resist scuffing... I'm hopeful that it will work!

If I had to do it again, I think I would have specified an enamel paint. As much as I don't like working with them, I like the resiliency of the finish. Design Tip Don't always take the word of the person at the paint store - the Internet is a great resource for finding the right product for your job!

I have a certain paint that I generally use for interior applications - and I buy it from the store - yes, it costs me more and yes, I have to actually go out of my way to get to a store but it is a paint that's quality is rivaled by none. That said, I do use 'cheapo' paint or paint from the local home store. This is one of those situations where I knew what I wanted and what I should've used but deferred to the 'experts' and was (again) let down.

Here are few places to check out - the have product specifications, helpful hints, online paint viewers and access to a whole host of information!

Benjamin Moore
Behr Paints
CIL
Sherman Williams
ICI
Pratt and Lambert

Please note, I am not affiliated with any of the above paint companies. I do use a few of them personally (and professionally) but paint selection and what type you use is often based on personal preference and experience.

We-Design-Day: Blood, sweat and more sweat

After riding the high of last week's very successful demolition, bright and (not so) early Thursday morning, I came up with a list of needed materials. I drew and redrew the reflected ceiling plan*, trying different solutions that would minimize the need for new grid pieces (don't forget, I'm all Earthy and like to reuse, reduce and recycle where I can) and simplify the work. There wasn't an easy solution so I opted to purchase all new equipment for the space so that we could connect it to the existing ceiling. We needed lumber, drywall and some fasteners. Our total spend came to a surprising $332.68! If you recall, my budget was very near this number. I also realized I made an error (who, me?!). Design Tip Just so you know, a "Dummy Knob" is just a single sided door knob. I'm not really sure of what purpose it serves but it won't work for what we needed it for! So the cost of our knobs increased to $20.97 per piece. I also decided to not get new registers. What we have is fine and getting anything new may require alterations to the existing duct work.

Building a Bulkhead

We got to try our hand at construction. I am a great planner - I see everything from start to finish but I don't always understand how to make that vision a reality. This is where my husband is great. Between the two of us, we talk through the issue and "air draw" the solution. Hence this bulkhead. I could see it in my head and I could illustrate it on paper but it was the air drawing that solidified the plan forward.

Mud Trouble

Once we patched all the walls and erected the bulk head, we set to mudding the walls. I am most definitely the one with the "touch" for this job but the boys always help me. It took me a while to figure out why the full bucket of drywall compound was disappearing so quickly. I soon learned that TroubleMaker had his own method of applying it - thick, thicker and thickest!

The Weekend's Work (new floor)

We learned some helpful stuff along the way. Design Tip When you are patching a dropped ceiling, ensure that you line up the holes on the t-bar. We learned this the hard way... Thankfully, I had bought enough to rebuild the old ceiling (I had hoped to reuse what we took down). Having done it once, I wouldn't be afraid to do it again but it is fairly labour intensive. Having said that, it certainly is easier than hanging drywall!

New floor with ceiling grid

The floor was a labour of love. We decided to install it over the existing carpet. We patched the area where the walls once stood and laid it down. Over all, I am happy with the look of the floor and the decision. To take up the carpet and patch the million Hilti nail blasts to the concrete would have added time and cost to the renovation. It is a bit spongy but I'm hopeful that once we get the furniture in place, it will lose some of that soft feeling. TroubleMaker loves the new floor and has spent plenty of time dancing around on it!

I'm extremely proud of the work we accomplished over the six days. Although I had hoped to get the room fully finished by the time I went back to work on Monday, I've come to realize that there was far more work involved then I initially thought. Adding to my upcoming expense and time line are refinishing the walls. As we removed the baseboard, much of the paint peeled with it (and yes, we did "cut" the seam) and TroubleMaker thought it a good idea to try and rip some of it off! I look at this as a good thing - I wanted to real customize the studio and this will give me the chance to do it!

Next week, I'm going to go over some important information about refinishing furniture. As you may recall, I'm refinishing a hand-me down cabinet for a fabulous Upcycled Interior Chic project.

Thanks for stopping in and come back soon!











* A reflected ceiling plan is much like a 'floor plan' but it looks up, instead of down.

We-Design-Day: A Renovation Break

Last week, I was all prepared to commence the Great Demolition.

It did not happen. Sometimes I have a tendency to over schedule myself, my fantastic memory also occasionally forgets previous commitments, thus leaving me double booked! So instead of driving myself around a bend trying to get it all done, I bumped the demolition. As it was, I still had too many things booked on Saturday but I know now there is not possible way I would have gotten any demolition done.

I did however get to Ikea to get all the additional furnishings needed and I scored some flooring for a fantastic price! Brand new flooring, I might add, for $14 a box (which covers 24 square feet). It’s not funky linoleum or cork liked I’d hoped but it will be functional and clean and will allow me to put money towards extra furniture and better lighting!

The demolition is planned for the last week of the month. I’m planning to take three days off work to get it done. This will give me six days off (in a row) to complete the demolition, building and finishing the space.

This week, I’m featuring a great Upcycled Interior Chic project! I found the plan on Ana White and imagine my surprise when I blog I read and follow built the exact same plan – scaled down to fit any interior!

The genius of this plan is the availability of the materials needed to build it. It is a classic example of taking something that doesn’t always have a second use and making a fabulous piece of furniture out of it! The cost is minimal (often free) and it can be a grand or as simple as you decided. It is solid wood and if you’re lucky (and it fits your décor), it often looks antiqued or aged naturally! If your taste is more modern – it’ll take paint or stain and you can match it to other pieces in your home.

Are you excited yet? I am. I can’t wait for my neighbours to free up the five or so pallets they have in their yard!

Yes. Pallets. Typical, everyday crate-like resting places for goods being shipped anywhere and everywhere. Not a commercial shipper? No problem! Scout out the back of any industrial area in your city and there are likely stacks and stacks of good and broken pallets behind the rows of warehouse doors. Pallets are a dime a dozen (unless they are the fancy blue ones – those are hot commodities and you could get beat up trying to take one of those) but the usual pallets that a local big box store receives it’s good on are likely fair game. Furthermore, many companies can’t get rid of these things fast enough. When I worked in a warehouse, we’d spend hours calling companies trying to get someone to come take the hundreds of pallets away!

Check Kijiji, Craigslist or join a local Freecycle site and find them there.

So what do you do? Well, someone was kind enough to post the plans on how to build a full book shelf and Courtney from Cooking Up a Family built the most awesome wall mounted magazine rack!


Picture from Cooking Up a Family, used with permission










The uses for old pallets is endless… Coffee tables, tea carts, islands, picnic tables, dollhouses – the list is endless for this upcycled project!

We-Design-Day: Upcycled Interior Chic - a way to save MONEY!

As promised, here is the updated budget! I'm so excited to see the savings! By repurposing old previously loved furniture, I can save over $800! And it will be CUSTOM to my tastes and needs. Does it get better?



Perhaps! I've been scouring the free ads and looking for 'second' hand flooring. There are an amazing number of ads posted by people who bought too much flooring (or not enough and can't match it) and are trying to get rid of it. I'm just waiting for the right opportunity to come up! I did consider doing a painted treatment to the floor - like an etch or staining - but my husband assured me it would be worth getting a floor - and he's likely right. Bare concrete (especially in a basement application) can be cold! And because I hope to be working in the space for long periods of time, I better make sure it is inviting.

The construction schedule is still behind (and not updated as it's on the home computer) - but I have good reason! We leave for holidays on Friday so I won't be blogging or renovating anything! We are taking a week off - from everything! It doesn't do the renovation any good, but I'm sure it will do a whole bunch of good!

So come back for the next installment of We-Design-Day, coming to you on July 6th! Until then, happy renovating!

We-Design-Day: Upcycled Interior Chic

If I told you people were doing things that are (going to be) the wave of the future, a way to reduce consumerism, keep things out of the landfill, and give old products new life – that would excite you, wouldn’t it? It excites me! Probably a little too much! This idea I’m going to present to you isn’t new – it’s something old, really. Probably really old… If you think back to a time when most homes were single income, had multiple children and money was scarce, everyone ‘reused’ everyday items until they wore out and fell apart.

The photo below is of my grandparents. It was taken February 8, 1935. I love this picture – it’s so beautiful and whenever I see it, I’m reminded of a few things my Grandmother told me about her early married life. Life was tough for her and my Grampa!



It was the mid –thirties and the country was embroiled in a depression. Although we are North of the United States, the ripple of the 1929 stock market crash was felt globally and by the time Gramma and Grampa married, jobs were scarce, unemployment was high (it hovered around 10% for the entire decade) and the once fertile and supple prairie land had been left drought-stricken, dry and cracked with plagues of grasshoppers.

Take another look at the wedding picture - see my Gramma's dress? Can you guess what it is made from?

Flour used to come in flour sacks. It was common practice to keep the material, bleach the print out of it and sew it together to make clothing, bedding, curtains and an entire blog post of additional uses. But this dress, this beautiful, bleached flour sack dress, was sewn and adorned by my Gramma!

So what does this have to do with (what I’m hoping will be a new - you heard it hear first, Blue Door Interiors, We-Design-Day original) design trend called Upcycled Interior Chic©? Well, as my budget has been getting smaller and smaller for the renovation, I began at looking at how to get all the things we need on our budget – which, by the way, is now around $800 (down from $2000).

But despaired I am not! I’m re energized, excited and I cannot wait to get going! This is so much more my style – funky, odd and so GREEN! It’s like my eyes opened and everything I see now (almost) gets my brain working overtime thinking about how it can fit into my plan! I popped over to my parent’s garage sale this weekend and found the PERFECT piece!

With some paint, mactac and a piece of plexi, I’ve already got four pieces to refurbish! A simple desk will be the new family computer station, an old wall unit will become the storage centre for my studio! It’s only the beginning but already, by reusing and repurposing these items, I’ve kept them from the landfill AND I’ve saved almost $500! And yes, I know my time is worth money but I’m either assembling knock-down furniture or I’m painting. This way, I get a custom piece that I can ‘funky’ up.

This also allows me to spend what we do have on the most important things: power upgrades and new lighting! I'm now on the hunt - scouring the Freecycle and Kijiji listings for anything usable and FREE! How is this not the perfect plan?!

Let's get knocking some walls down!

Come back next week as I'll be posting an updated construction schedule (as obviously, we're behind) and revamping our budget. Thanks for stopping in and what piece do you have that you can see Upcycling?




PS Please note that the phrase "Upcycled Interior Chic©", to the best of my knowledge, has not yet been used or applied as an interior design finishing concept. Being that not-everything is original, I am hoping this is. If you have seen or heard reference to it else where, please let me know (and provide the link). Otherwise, I do believe this is an original concept and would appreciate any use of it being referred back to here. Thanks!