#pineavenuespruceup - The Basement Reveal!

Happy Monday!

Today I have a small but exciting reveal. 

After a few weeks of dealing with drywall dust & paint fumes the basement is finally complete.

3 years ago in order to deal with the abundance of toys & wanting a place where the kids could play freely & I could simply walk away from the mess. We chose to divide the basement in half. One half was kept for storage, the furnace & the hot water tank. We put drywall up on the walls & a laminate floor. The walls were never finished & the ceiling was left open, but there was plenty of space of playing & having fun. 

The walls & ceiling were properly taped & finished, flat stock baseboard & trim were applied & everything went bright white. To use what we already had I mixed all of the partial cans of white paint into a large bucket. By doing this saved about $200!

Here are a few before's so you can really appreciate the afters.

Here are the afters.

My most loved space is the gallery wall of the kids art.

I am very proud to say that the only items purchased to complete this space was some simple white frames for the gallery wall!
I am completely obsessed with all the white - I just want to paint everything!

Kids Art Gallery Wall

I am on the home stretch of #pineavenuespruceup & today I am putting the finishing touches on the basement. I have been saving the kids art work since they began preschool 3 years ago. I have clear plastic bins with a lockable lid for each child. When they come home with a fabulous creation, we hang it up for a bit then into the bin it goes. Admittedlty I have thrown away a lot, don't tell them though. 

 I decided that since the basement is their playroom & space for creativity what better place to create a gallery wall of some of my most favourite pieces of art they have brought home to date. I have tried my best to narrow it down to 10 or 12 pieces, but it was tough!

I'm going to go to good old IKEA to pick up some frames in all different sizes. 

In my mind I'm thinking all white frames & matings.

Here's some kid gallery wall inspiration.

For those of you with kids, what have you done will all the art that gets brought home?  

Wednesday Wants - Leather button tufted sofa

I have long dreamed of a tuffted leather sofa & with a new house on the horizon I am thinking that one of these might have to happen. 

Although this is in no way what I described above, this Clamshell sofa would be amazing with the scheme I am planning.

Until tomorrow.

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My new website is just around the corner

I have been working on getting my new website off the ground since the beginning of the new year & it is slowly coming along, mainly due to my, wanting it to be just right because I can see it exactly how I want it in my mind.
In February I had the uber talented Michelle Peek photograph some of my work, with the assistance of the equally amazing Sara Wilde for my portfolio. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I have not had any real pics taken of any of my work for all these years- I know that is bad, bad, bad!

So it was a wonderful surprise to open my in box yesterday & see this.

After seeing these images that of spaces that I have created, I got really excited & I have vowed to have my work photographed from now on.

If you like what you see, I'd be thrilled to create a space for you just drop me a line.

I also have created a business Facebook page, click here & like it, if you please!

On that happy note I am off the fill about a gazillion nail holes in the basement! 

All going well a few  #pineavenuespruceup reveals will happen this week.

#pineavenuespruceup - Powder Room

Well, I have finally decided exactly what's going to happen in the powder room spruce up!

I have been completely torn on the all black or all white, so were going to compromise.

Benjamin Moore Midnight Dream in ultra flat has been put on the ceiling & a high gloss finish was used for the baseboards, trim, door & lower wall.

 Benjamin Moore Cloud White has been applied on the upper walls & chair rail. Please excuse the "greeny" look of the colour white, every image I have found of this colour is coming up greenish! As you know it's a very soft white.

A simple round mirror.

A roman shade in one of my favourite fabrics.

& a small piece of art.
 I'd love to get my hands on this piece made by Christine.

A final reveal will happen soon.

Wednesday Wants - Sleek White Kitchen

It's been a whole week since my last post & I've missed you!

There has been lots of action at the house with the whole project #pineavenuespruceup

I think now it's time to let the cat out of the bag.

We're moving!

There I said it!

We have no idea where we are going but where ever it is, is going to be fixer upper & hopefully all of the dirty work can be done before we move in.  After 10 years we have decided that it's time to move on. We have definite ideas on the desired finished look & feeling. Mid Century Modern meet the Hollywood Hills is how I would describe the overall feeling. 

Floor to ceiling windows, walnut floors & a sleek, smallish functional kitchen, that is somewhat closed off from the rest of the space. Having lived with the open concept kitchen, dining & great room space. I have summed up that I don't really love it. When were done in the kitchen I don't want to see it!

 I was reading the latest issue of Domaine & fell in love with this kitchen.

This is the work of Neal Beckstedt. 

The off centred hardware. The reflective edging of the counter tops, uppers over the stove top & the kick give the illusion that everything is floating.  I also enjoy how the pantry wall & cooktop wall have been framed out & the millwork is set back.

Infact this entire apartment is straight up my alley, it sums up the feeling of the new house in a nut shell.

Have a wonderful Wednesday.

Wednesday Wants - The Modern Fireplace

I have become completely obsessed by the more modern fireplace surround.

No mantel & no TV.
Wood burning rather than gas.
I love the simple sleekness juxtaposed with the roughness of real wood.

I am bound & determined that this will happen in my next house.

images 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / no source  

All The Pretty Colours - Orchid

Admittedly, purple as a colour is not one of favourites. Maybe it's just so Eastery if that's even a word & sweet, but with all of the "Radiant Orchid" talk & the more I'm seeing it it's beginning to grow on me...ever so slowly.

Here's a round up of some standouts, that are causing this hue it grow on me.

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See you back here Monday.