We have been beyond thrilled with the response we have received after debuting our new Hidden Desk Bed at the 2012 Home Renovation show. The comments and suggestions have been overwhelmingly positive. People have ideas for the HDB that we hadn't even considered. One gentleman who visited us at the show suggested it would make a great basement bar for 360 days of the year and when the mother-in-law visits for a week you don't even have to remove the bottles!
Since the show wrapped we have been inundated with calls and emails asking questions and booking free in-home consultations. Ottawa loves this bed!
For those who couldn't make it to the show here are a couple of photos of the space we lived in for 3 entire days:
The bed went up, the bed went down. The bed caught everyone's attention. Walking around the show you constantly heard people talking about us and how amazing this bed was. Even the other exhibitors were abandoning their own products to come by and see what everyone is talking about.
If you want to hear what kind of response we received from the visitors at the show, click here.
The single (Twin) bed and the double bed are launched and ready to go. We expect the Queen bed to be available in about 90 days. Be among the first to be told when the Queen bed is available. Submit a consultation request and we will give you a sneak peek before it is released.
Have you got questions? Give us a call or fill in our form. We would love to hear from you!
We have been working on a lot of mudrooms lately. People are gearing up for the “Who tracked snow through the house?” season. Mudrooms bring order to the most used entry to your home. You can create a good mudroom even in tight spaces. A well-designed corner inside a doorway will work just as well as an entire room dedicated to entering the home.
The location, size and function of your mudroom will help determine how it is finished. Perhaps you have a large family with lots of kids or maybe you own a home daycare and are focused on keeping tiny, wet, muddy boots and coats in an easily accessible and convenient location. Maybe you have teenagers or you are an adult only home concerned mostly with aesthetics and storage. Whatever your focus, there is a design solution for you. It is typical to find benches in larger mudrooms. Sometimes they are granite or laminate (depending on your budget) other times they have a cushion or cushions for comfort. High and low hooks allow easy access to adults and kids alike. If aesthetics is important to you, top-quality decorative hardware can add a touch of elegance without skimping on function.
No matter if your mudroom is dressed up or down, there are five elements common to every room. Here are some hints on how to bring order to your entryway.
Flooring
Mudroom floors take a beating on a daily basis. The floor should be a durable material and slip-resistant. Concrete, laminates and vinyl withstand wear and tear but tend to be slick when wet. Wood requires a lot of upkeep, especially in damp conditions. You may want to look at what's available in textured rubber, ceramic or unpolished stone tile. Choosing a dark colour for the floor will help camouflage dirt. Whatever the floor material, doormats can minimize the amount of dirt that gets tracked into the house.
If you are building a new home, you may want to consider installing a central drain so you can hose down the floor.
Walls
Wallcoverings can be anything from vinyl wallpaper for easy cleaning, a highly durable paint for easy repairs or wainscoting which also offers effective, good-looking protection. Ultimately all wallcoverings have pros and cons, it will truly come down to personal style in the end.
Seating
A comfortable, sturdy place to sit while pulling off shoes, boots or inline skates is important. Benches are the usual choice and are sturdier than chairs and stools. Seating should be located off the path that leads to the rest of the house and clear of the door swing area. Consider putting a hinged top on your bench or pull out baskets for more storage options.
Storage
Open cubbies, bins or baskets for books and backpacks are ideal storage solutions for mudrooms that are frequented by children. Colour-coding storage areas for each member of the family or daycare child will keep things in order. A high shelf that's out of a youngster's reach is perfect for things like purses, cel phones, keys and other adult necessities.
Remember to account for bulky winter gear when estimating wall space. Winter is bigger than summer when it comes to outdoor gear. Pegs and coat hooks are convenient in areas with limited floor space, but they aren't great for long-term storage since garments may stretch out of shape.
Designate a waterproof area for shoes and boots. You might want to consider pegs on the wall as a possible solution. They can be placed close enough to hold boots upside down while they dry.
Organizing Accessories
Specialized bins and hangers for sports gear collect oddly shaped equipment like racquets and mitts. Pet leashes can be strung from ordinary hooks, keeping them from tangling. A corkboard or chalkboards can help organize useful family information.
Why not opt for a key rack or a newspaper recycling center as an accessory? Really, it all depends on your lifestyle and why a mudroom is important to you and your family.
Our homes are becoming increasingly challenged as the struggle for space and functionality rages on. Modern homeowners are looking for new ways to do more with available space. The traditional wall bed has been vastly improved. With the introduction of the new hidden desk bed, homeowners are being offered a unique storage solution.
The hidden desk bed is able to convert from a desk to a horizontal wall bed in seconds- all of this with little effort and without adding or removing any items from the desk surface. The balancing mechanism provides a smooth, uninterrupted transition, allowing items on the desk to remain stationary while changing the unit from a desk to a bed.
Canadian statistics indicate that the average new home will decrease in size by ten percent over the next few years. Maximizing usable space and demanding smarter storage options are a must. The Hidden desk bed becomes the best solution by providing multiple functions without compromising on space or style.
Your home needs to meet all of your needs. For some people this means making a bedroom into a playroom or a study, a sewing room or a craft room. With the hidden desk bed you can have that specialty room without sacrificing the spare bedroom, the twice a year in-law suite or your children’s bedroom after they go off to university or college. You CAN have it all.
The desk bed can stand-alone, but adding shelves, bookcases, and storage cabinets can transform the space to an inviting room with ample storage.
The desk bed is offered in a wide range of styles and finishes providing deep color and a detailed wood grain look. With solid construction, precise engineering, and uncompromising materials, the desk bed is a high-quality solution for the organizational and aesthetic needs of Ottawa homeowners.
Everyone is looking for extra storage space in his or her home. Rarely do you hear someone complain that they have too much storage space! So the question is… if you are going to build more storage- what is the best way to go?
The first and most important thing to consider when weighing the pros and cons of built in wardrobes versus the conventional freestanding offers is the extra storage space afforded by built in wardrobes. Actually, I would go as far as to say that built-in wardrobes can give as much as 50% more storage when you take account the fitting from floor to ceiling and wall to wall. Freestanding furniture not only stands away from obstacles such as baseboards and wall switches, but is also built with a top and therefore restricted in height and storage space.
The second advantage of having your furniture built in is that it can add value to your home, not unlike a custom kitchen or bathroom. People who are moving from one home to another and don’t have their own furniture or are looking to replace the furniture they’ve got would see built in furniture as a major advantage. If the home they are purchasing has fitted, built-in bedroom furniture, it will save them an immediate purchase and afford them plenty of storage space. Your home immediately goes to the top of their list.
One over-looked advantage of fitted bedroom furniture is that updating your colours or a change in the designs of your doors is simple with built-ins. You would be able to simply buy new replacement fitted doors for your bedroom furniture and get a brand new bedroom for a fraction of the cost!
Lastly, there is no dust collecting on top of your wardrobes. Floor to ceiling allows no room for dust collection… just think how wonderful that would be!
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Did you know that there are homes out there with entire rooms dedicated to holiday decorations storage? Some are outfitted with uniform rows of shelving units stacked with color-coded bins for Easter, Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, and countless Christmas bins. Others have basements, garages, and attics full of these same bins. If you are one of these holiday decoration hoarders and you are feeling like it's all too much, here are some thoughts for whittling down the decorations without giving up the same festive look:
Before you purchase the next adorable decoration that gives you pause, ask yourself these questions first:
- Do I have a place to store this after the holiday is over?
- Will this item survive for a few years in storage?
- Will this item be high maintenance, requiring electricity, inflation, a noisy air compressor, or light bulb(s) that might be hard to replace? Will it require daily attention?
- Is this decoration trendy and likely to be out of style next year?
- Can this decoration stay out for the entire autumn season and not just Halloween, giving me longer enjoyment?
- Is this item safe for everyone? (Fire, Choking, or Poison hazards)
Consider as many consumable decorations as possible, like pumpkins, straw and leaves as a greener option…
These can form the base of your décor and they can possibly even be eaten or composted at the end of the season.
Consider the durability of your decorations for another season…
Were they worth all of the work involved? Could you have decorated less and still felt the same same sense of fun?
Consider donating your unwanted decorations to Goodwill, a greener option that diverts items from landfills and also creates jobs in your community. (And don't forget to find costumes at Goodwill and donate them when you're finished!)
For greener decorating, try:
- Buying LED lights to save energy.
- Making your own decorations as a creative project, and recycling what you can.
- Choosing beeswax candles over paraffin, which is petroleum-based.\
We are pleased to welcome Diana Augspurger from Creative Storage as our guest blogger this week. Diana has been in the closet and home storage business for over twenty-five years. She is a past president for the Association of Closet and Storage Professionals (ACSP), the industry’s official trade organization. Diana is as passionate about what she does, as she is creative and professional. When she isn’t following her other passion, sailing… she is striving to be a leader within her field. One of her most recent successes has been creating and launching the e-commerce website http://www.morestorage.com. Welcome Diana, and thank you for agreeing to guest blog for us this week!
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I prepared three estimates this week for properties worth over a million dollars with the worst closets ever. They were small, angular and the cheapest material for closet rods on the planet. I am at a loss for words as to why a contractor would offer this and why the homeowner would accept it. Can I fix it? Sure. Should I have to? No. Many builders do not place value on what happens in the closet. It's a small ticket relative to the overall cost of the house.
I was told once that the closets are only important to me. Wrong. For many men, it's low on the totem pole of wants to begin with. The reality, however, is that often a woman picks the house and women LOVE closet systems. My advice to you the builder, woo your customer by offering a closet she just can't resist. What is my advice to you, the homebuyer? Read the fine print and negotiate up front for a closet that suits your needs and suits the house. You have a lot of leverage before you sign the contract; so tell them you want the closet of your dreams… so you won't be facing a nightmare.
D. Augspurger – Creative Storage.