airing my dirty laundry

{Note: The submission period for the Makeover Contest 2009 is over, and they’ve received hundreds of entries… Now it’s up to you to decide who is in most desperate need of a makeover (pick rouge!) & who will come away with the $2000 gift card from Home Depot. You could win a prize just for voting…voting closes on October 8.

For a bit of fun, check out rouge’s very own entry as copied here…and vote by following the link below!}

I have a confession. I run a side business in staging & design….and this is my laundry room. It’s my dirty little secret.

People actually pay me to make sure their house is shown in the best possible light. They pay me to refresh & redesign their living spaces. They pay me to evaluate and organize.

This is the part of my house that is hidden when guests visit. The outside door won’t open without a two-handed pull with all my might. It doesn’t close without a solid hip and shoulder check. The plywood on the floor is covering part of the ugly linoleum – and the hole where my foot went through it.

You see, it’s rotting from the bottom up. And it’s possibly the worst use of space I’ve seen. It’s cluttered and disorganized. It’s painted in a lovely shade of burn-your-eyes-yellow. Notice the duck tape and Styrofoam patch? You can feel a stiff breeze on a windy day.

You know what they say…”the cobbler’s children have no shoes”.

Please help me break free from the shame.

Vote now --

http://makeover2009.styleathome.com/entry/1482126?&channel=1490&sort=upload DESC,id ASC&offset=23

rouge secrets

Here are just a few secrets of the industry that I thought you might find useful in your own home. And this bunch of little tips and tricks are also entertaining! Trust me, these are not old wives tales. Mostly, because I’m not an old wife. But I know you won’t believe some of these until you try them out for yourself, and that’s ok.

Candle drippings -- for spilled wax on a carpet, use a brown paper bag as a blotter and run a hot iron over it, which will absorb the wax.

Removing scratches from wood furniture/floors – rub mayo into the scratches on furniture with your finger, let it stand, and remove with a soft cloth.

Deep scratches – for a deep scratch, break a walnut or pecan meat in half, and rub scratch with the broken side of the nut.

Nicks and scratches – mix enough water with instant coffee to make a thick paste. Rub it into the scratch or nick, let it dry, rub off the excess, and wax as usual. (only use on dark wood)

White water rings – rub the spot with petroleum jelly, let stand 24 hours, and rub into the wood. Wipe off excess and polish as usual.

Refrigerator odor – place a cotton ball soaked with vanilla on the lower shelf to eliminate any nasty odors.

Stainless steel sinks – remove spots on stainless steel sink with white vinegar. Use carbonated water to add shine.

Shiny kitchen chrome – parts made out of chrome can be polished with flour. Pour some flour on a dry cloth and polish for a bright shine.

Window cleaning – the best mixture for cleaning windows is ½ cup of ammonia, 1 cup of white vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a bucket of warm water.

Remove rust – if you need to remove light rust from metal, take the skin off a potato and dip it into baking soda. Keep dipping it in the baking soda and rubbing the rusted area to remove rust fast.

Clean toilet – pour your not-so-favorite cola in the toilet and let it sit for an hour. Flush it and it’s clean as new.

There are lots more to come…stay tuned to future blogs for more handy tips & tricks like these!

living the dream

The Sullivans are living their dream.

It’s what happens when an artist, a chef, business owners, and two active toddlers get together to make a decision about where they want to live. Actually, that’s only 4 people – Lisa, Brendan and their two kids, Ava and Fox, recently built their dream home on 10 acres of land just outside Windsor, Nova Scotia.

With a real passion to live a more sustainable lifestyle, which includes the slow-food movement, their new home was built around the kitchen. But I’ll get back to that.

Their build included using reclaimed timbers, sustainable cork floors, and pine plank flooring as integral parts of the design found throughout the entire house.

Their home also features a large cold storage room. Based on “old-fashioned physics”, the air-tight room is equipped with 2 vents – one up and one down. In the Fall, they open the lower vent and close the upper one so that the outside air goes into the cold storage room and sinks. When the air in the storage room reaches the desired temperature, the bottom vent is also closed so it’s trapped in the room. Adjustments are made as the outside temperature changes with the seasons.

Their land is incredibly unique because they are quite literally right next door to the elementary school. It’s about 100 ft. from door-to-door for Ava on school days. And they have a wonderful view of Martock Ski Hill from all the windows on the other side of the house.

But they also have space for 32 chickens and 2 pigs (dubbed Snuffy and Wilber) that will find themselves contributing to their food supply. Did I mention Icecream and Milkshake, the pet goats? What about Banjo the puppy? They all find lots of room to peck, root, nibble, sniff, and roam around the property.

In the spring, they also planted a small orchard of 26 apple trees that will be fruitful for years to come.

There is a 100 x 100 ft. garden that will produce squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, asparagus, strawberries and more.

And of course, all the herbs any chef would want in abundance like basil, parsley, sage, oregano and cilantro are also grown. In fact, the day rouge visited, Brendan turned a garbage bag full of basil into jars and jars of the best pesto I’ve ever tasted. It was hard to find room on the expansive countertops for them because of all the recent pickling and canning Lisa had just finished. A skill she learned from her Grandma.

Now, you can probably understand why the kitchen truly is the heart of this home. It features a beautiful, large custom-made table that can easily seat 10, a kid’s booth for arts and crafts (or extra seating while entertaining a big crowd), and a wall of windows that offer a spectacular view and tons of light.

Rouge is excited to help put the finishing touches on this kitchen – a little added storage, some increased functionality of what’s already there, and a little boost pull together the overall design. We’re inspired by the beautiful design and the commitment to living a more sustainable lifestyle.

rouge is stylin'!

rouge has recently learned that a senior editor styleathome.com is a fan and frequent reader of the just a little rouge blog! We are thrilled, of course, because rouge is a big fan of theirs – the magazine, the website, and the blogs.

Here’s something you may get a kick out of…their latest project is the Style at Home Makeover Contest. The contest invites Canadians to share a photo of a room in their home that’s in desperate need of a makeover. Whether it’s a kitchen that’s buried under a sea of clutter or a bedroom that’s just plain boring, they want to see pictures of rooms that need a decorating overhaul.

There are two grand prizes of $2,000 each in Home Depot gift certificates, plus 20 $50 Home Depot gift cards are up for grabs, just for voting and posting comments. Visit makeover2009.styleathome.com/ for more info (and full contest details).

Prizes aside, it’s incredibly entertaining to browse the entries submitted so far (over 450 entries), as well as reading advice other people have offered in comments.

Be sure you check out my very own entry…. “Airing my dirty laundry”. Vote for it after September 25!!

dining chair makeover

I have been without dining chairs for almost 3 months now. Which makes it sort of difficult to sit at the table for a meal. When I sold my old ones on kijiji, I didn’t think it would be hard to replace them with something I really liked. I just added it to my “to do” list.

Aside from the fabulous “ghost chair”, that sells for about $400 each (craziness!), not much out there was really grabbing me. I think the problem was that I really couldn’t decide what would look best. Maybe it was best to wait for a bit until I see something I really like...

I have an old harvest table that I got in a swap with a friend (she wanted a smaller table, I wanted a bigger one). I painted it black, fixed the drawer and added new hardware. For seating on one side of the table, I used a large vintage bench, complete with the original tufted leather and chrome frame/ legs. I got this gem for free when I rescued it from the junk pile that was being thrown out by a previous employer who was cleaning house to gain more storage. All I had to do was scrub off 30 years of dirt and dust. I love both of these pieces because they are originals and because they come together to make an interesting and eclectic look.

All that to say I was really having difficulty choosing two chairs to complete the seating around the table. And I thought it would be easy!?!

As I was trolling the good ‘ol Army Navy Store on Agricola Street, I saw these typical hotel/conference room chairs. Nothing to get too excited about…except I really liked the shape. Looking past the 80’s pink itchy fabric, there was some potential here.

For 10 bucks each, I figured I’d give it a shot. Next, I headed to Fabricville and scooped up some heavy-duty vinyl that looked a lot like the leather on my bench for $30. I re-upholstered the seat back myself…after a slightly frustrating hour spent trying to figure out how they came apart (!).

Because I wanted to be sure these chairs could stand some wear and tear, and because I wanted to make sure they looked more professional than the attempt I could make, I took the seats (and the rest of the fabric) to a professional upholsterer.

And I’m glad I did. For $60, he replaced the foam, re-upholstered the seats – complete with piping - in an hour. I took them home, popped them back into place and…voila! Now I have two dining chairs that look kinda like vintage 1950’s diner chairs for $55 each.

They are a great fit with the existing table and bench. All together, I love the set…it’s original to me and it perfectly fits the style of my home.

size it up!

Have you ever found yourself asking….”is this hung too high?” or “should the legs of the chair or sofa touch the edge of the rug?” or “does this chandelier look funny?” How about…”do these pants make my butt look big?”

Well, I can’t answer that last one for you, but here are a couple of staging tricks and guidelines that will steer you in the right direction for those other pesky questions.

Area rugs: use a rug to ground or define a space. Most people buy their rugs too small. A typical sofa and chair or loveseat configuration works best with a 5 ft. x 8 ft. rug.

If you are creating a conversation area, have all front legs of your furniture sitting on the rug by at least an inch.

If you decide to use a rug under your table and chairs (not recommended if you have nice floors), look for one that is 24 to 30 inches wider than the table and chairs.

If you are putting down one big rug in a room to cover most of the floor, leave 25 to 36 inches between the edges of the rug and the walls.

Artwork and photographs: ground your art to furniture pieces. Place the bottom edge of the artwork 4 to 6 inches above the surface or the back of the furniture.

If the art is alone on the wall, hang it 54 inches from the floor to the centre of the art piece. This is a comfortable eye-level for most people.

Chandeliers: to hang a chandelier in an entry way, measure the height of the space from floor to ceiling. The chandelier should hang down 3 inches per foot of the height. For example, if the height is 12 feet, the bottom of the chandelier should hang down 36 inches from the ceiling.

If you are hanging a chandelier in a dining room, the bottom should hang anywhere between 30 to 42 inches above the table top.

Hanging curtains: be sure to place the brackets a couple of inches on the outside and a couple of inches above the moldings around the window. When the curtains are pulled back, you don’t want them to obstruct the view or the light. When they are closed, you want a nice clean line that covers the top of the window & molding.

Never, ever screw anything to the face of the moldings. It looks bad and it’s much easier to repair the wall where the brackets were, then trying to repair damage to the face of molding surrounding the windows. (Of course, hanging window treatments -- like blinds made to fit -- on the inside of the window is fine.)

If you want a window to look bigger, mount the curtain brackets well beyond the edges and the top of the window and make sure your curtains are large enough to cover the entire space when closed.

Miscellaneous tidbits: if traffic flows around a table, make sure you have at least 48 inches between the edge of the table and other furniture or walls.

Be aware of what’s being reflected in your mirror. Put it where you are reflecting greenery, light, the outside view, a backyard or garden. Rethink it if you reflect the ceiling, wall, closet...etc.

As for the pants question, well…I know there is a theory about what the back pockets are like and where they hit you, but I'm never so sure... that’s why I’m mostly a “dress and skirts” girl!

99 low cost organizing tips (part two)

{Note: As promised, here are tips #51 to 99. For tips #1 to 50, check out last week's blog. Remember...start small and try out one or two tips at a time!}


by: Claire Smith, styleathome.com newsletter (july 20 issue)

51 Don’t limit closet storage to hangers. Hang hooks on the door for frequently used items.

52 Tackle that kitchen junk drawer problem head on. Today. Purge, edit and keep things in place with a drawer organizer.

53 Are you a piler, not filer? That’s fine, just keep piles of paperwork organized by using folders and write-on clips.

54 Recycle leftover gift-wrap ribbons by using them to tie up extra electrical and other cords in your utility closet.

55 Dedicated tie, belt and scarf holders are closet must-haves.

56 Upgrade your address book for a classic Rolodex. They’re retro-chic and easy to keep updated.

57 Buy a framed corkboard, hang it in the kitchen and pin up favourite recipes, clipped from magazines.

58 Make space by putting your CDs in organizers, by genre. Recycle the jewel cases or put them into storage in the attic.

59 Or, purge your CD clutter once and for all by having your CDs converted to digital files at riptopia.com. Sell or donate the used CDs.

60 Buy a hotel-style hairdryer that can be installed on the wall to save space, time and energy in a small bathroom.

61 A pot-lid holder puts the vertical space behind a cabinet door to good use.

62 A wrap-organizer does the same, creating the perfect spot for plastic wrap, aluminum foil and waxed paper.
63 Organize vanity essentials on a vintage tray. Très organized and très chic.

64 Use an extra wine rack to hold rolled-up magazines.

65 Use cutlery trays in your drawers, but to save even more time, stash everyday flatware in a countertop caddy.

66 Shrink-wrap out of season clothes, blankets and duvets to save space while storing.

67 You’ll never fit sheets back into those reusable vinyl zip pouches they were sold in, but you can stash cloth napkins in them. Use one pouch per set and label the quantity with a Sharpie.

68 Buy 10 pairs of the same gym socks, to minimize sorting.

69 Do the same for your hubby.

70 Do the same for his dress socks if he can get away with always wearing the same black ones during fall/winter at least.

71 Stash kids’ art supplies on a lazy Susan so everything is easily accessible.

72 Organize household bills in an accordion file with month-by-month pockets.

73 Hold onto paint chips, fabric swatches and brochures from your last redecorating session. You never know when you’ll need to reference them. Store them in an accordion file.

74 On your mudroom wall, hammer in two nails, then string wire between them. Provide clothes pegs and have your kids hang their wet mittens and gloves to dry overnight.

75 Banish tiny piles of coins and start saving in style. Get a designer piggy bank and keep it by the entranceway, laundry or kitchen—wherever you’d like to dump your change.

76 Tired of that circa-90s cast-iron pot rack? Move it from the kitchen to the garage or potting shed and use it to keep garden tools organized.

77 Get – and use – a garden hose caddy.

78 Edit your hangers. Choose: wire, plastic or wood and unify the hangers in every closet.

79 Use pillboxes to stash your earrings and rings when traveling.

80 Use a soda-can dispenser in the fridge so you can access your pop easily without tipping.

81 Use a wall-mounted broom and mop holder, or tie ribbon loops on the end of poles and hang them from hooks in your closet, garage or utility closet.

82 Make a party kit. Stash napkins, extra glassware and plates, votive candles and holders, extra vases, cocktail picks and other necessities in an old wine crate and pull it out pre-party or pre-holiday entertaining so you don’t waste valuable cupboard space.

83 Use a binder to store all medical records and information for everyone in your family, including each pet. Use dividers for each family member and include plastic pouches or expandable pockets to contain receipts and tiny record cards.

84 Stash awkward, easy-to-misplace necessities (extra hairbrushes, lint roller) in decorative reusable tote bags. Hang them off a doorknob in every room.

85 Burn digital images to CD once a month so you’ll never lose them if your computer (gasp!) crashes. Or print them ASAP!

86 Store photos in archival-quality, acid-free boxes until you have time to organize them in albums.

87 Get a heavy-duty paper shredder for peace of mind – and efficient shredding without risk of overheating.

88 Place your shredder where you intercept daily mail. If that’s the kitchen, so be it.

89 Put a small plastic caddy in your gym bag so you can manage hair care and skincare products without dropping anything. Excess water will just drain out.

90 Stop losing lock combinations and computer passwords once and for all. Jot everyone’s codes and combinations down in a notebook and store it in your family’s fireproof lockbox.

91 Store reusable shopping bags one inside the other.

92 Always keep one cute, foldable shopping tote in each of your heavy-rotation purses so you’re never caught without.

93 Avoid the last-minute drugstore run by always having a kit of your favourite travel-sized toiletries (and common OTC meds like allergy pills) packed and waiting in your suitcase.

94 Get a gift-wrap organizer and stock up on a year’s worth of wrap and ribbons, or ready-to-fill bags and tissue.

95 If perishables regularly go to waste in your fridge, start planning weekly dinner menus. Just buy ingredients for those meals, plus lunch basics. Post the menu on your fridge so you’re on track.

96 Mount a magnetized knife rack to a wall in your utility closet or basement, to keep your most commonly used screwdrivers and wrenches handy, not buried in the toolbox.

97 Donate your battery-powered emergency flashlights and stock up on windup models so you never have to worry about replacing batteries.

98 Stop stressing over the emergency preparedness kit the Canadian government recommends all families have. Just make one and get on with your life. Visit getprepared.ca to learn what to put in it. Stash it in a rolling suitcase so it’s mobile in case you have to be, too.

99 Plan a closet cleanout once per season. Less mess makes staying organized a lot easier.