Bird Watching

Last Christmas, I received these playful bird prints by artist Josh Brill which I've just hung up in my hallway. The series is called Flora Fauna and each print is signed and numbered by the artist. You can order some of his prints on his website : http://shop.lumadessa.com/

Potty

Potties come in all shapes, sizes and colours. They range from really elaborate contraptions that play music, dispense toilet paper and auto-wash to simple objects that just do what they need to do. Does your baby's potty really need to help him learn how to play the slot machines ?

I wanted to keep it simple and found the Hoppop potty. Its minimalist design and size is perfect for our small bathroom but it is still very sturdy and smooth and seems to be very comfortable. So far, we've had a lot of success with it!

Here are some other good choices. the Boon potty that transforms into a stepping stool. It is quite massive so if you have a tiny bathroom, this won't work for you :

And the Baby bjorn potties. A classic that comes in white or in many vibrant colours to match your bathroom decor :

Toys

Just because they are kids' toys, doesn't mean they shouldn't be well designed and appealing to parents' eyes as well. Here are some of Elsa's favorites, and mine too :

The Oball is light, easy to catch and throw, fun to chew on when baby is first teething and fun to kick around when toddler is first learning to walk. It's a toy that evolves with every step.

I like these hand-puppets from Ikea. Simple and classic :

Founded in 1880 in Germany, Steiff is the world’s oldest plush manufacturer. Best known as the company that invented the Teddy bear, their products are collected and enjoyed by children and adults around the world. I have a groundhog which I've kept since childhood and Elsa now has her own sweet little lamb which she will cherish for a long time I'm sure.

Finally, Plan Toys are environmentally sound, innovative wooden toys that promote intellectual and physical development...plus they are well designed and enhance baby's room.

Bathroom, The Result

The bathroom is finally finished. Come and take a look :

We used the original wood door but installed it as a pocket door allowing for much more space inside the bathroom. For the outside surface we left the door in its original stained-wood finish and added an antique brass handle to fit with the rest of the doors in the hallway. Inside, we painted the door white with the same pocket-door handle but in a chrome finish :

We pushed the wall back one foot making the room feel more spacious. We also painstakingly removed the 12 layers of paint on the rad (with a great local product called D : www.superdecapant.com).The rad's a nice tribute to the house's past and a great way to heat the bathroom :

The pharmacy with its 3 mirror-doors almost covers the whole wall which also creates the illusion of space and allows for a lot of storage :

The custom-made vanity sitting on 4 square chrome legs, hides a drawer for more space conveniently cut out to make room for the pipes :

In this small space we chose the most narrow and modern toilet we could find at 15" wide :

The sink sits on top of a quartz countertop. We chose it from the scrap pieces at the suppliers warehouse at 40% off the price (they might not tell you about it so don't hesitate to ask to see their scrap pieces). Choosing a wall-mounted faucet is tricky. You have to make sure the proportions, height and length all fit together :

We chose a multi-circle glossy tile which fits in together creating an even surface. Even though the whole bathroom is white, the tile makes it fun and dynamic without being too over the top. The rain and  hand-held showerheads are a convenient feature :

The curved shower rod pushes the curtain away from you, making the shower feel less confined :

This light fixture sits a top the pharmacy and adds a touch of whimsy :

As does this crystal "miniature chandelier" which I just love : 

So this is the result of many months of work, but in the end, it was totally worth it. 

Best and Worst shop experiences

Best

Ceracolor I found the most fabulous tile. From faux-wood to marbre and glass mosaic, nacre penny tiles to large 24x24 porcelain floor tile to teeny-tiny square porcelain-fragment mosaic (I'm talking 2mmx2mm). Their selection is amazing. The showroom is being revamped at the moment. 

Almar for great European appliances which are more compact and fit great in a smaller kitchen. Great service.

Union Electrique for lighting. They often have sales. You can also find door handles for your cabinets and bathroom accessories.

La tuilerie End of the line or sample tile. Great prices. Go often to find treasures.

Reno Depot  Less expensive than Rona and Home Depot, but their slogan "We've got it" isn't always necessarily true.

Worst

Signature Bachand or as we can it now Signature Dans l'champ. Worst experience ever. On my first visit no one comes to help me. Second visit, I find a hood with a nice design and a good price. Put a deposit on it. The sells clerk sends me the specs with photo. The model that he sends me isn't exactly the one I ordered. Stop by the store to make sure he ordered the right hood. Guy is super rude making me feel stupid because I question his order. The hood arrives, I pick it up. The box is all banged up...very suspicious. Look at it quickly, at least it's the right model. See my sales guy, say hello. HE IGNORES ME. I can't believe it. I complain to the girl at the desk about his strange behaviour. She says he's a serious guy who comes off as rude...What ? And he works in customer services?? Change careers! Get the hood in the car, go home, start bringing it inside piece by piece because the box has fallen apart. Realise that the metal is all banged up. Call back the company, they say they can only call services on Monday and it can take another 2 weeks to get the part replaced!! Ok, so bring the rest of it in, then realise that it's totally busted. The motor is in pieces!! Last straw. Bad service and broken merchandise. Brought the whole thing back got my money back and bought my hood elsewhere. First and last time you'll se me at Signature Bachand. 

Lessons learned

So it's been more than 2 months since we've started the renovations to my upper-duplex condo and as you can guess it's been a long and treacherous journey with many ups and downs. And it's not over yet. Just like a horse arriving at the stables, it seems like we can't get there fast enough. I've learned a lot along the way, here are a few lessons learned :

1-It will take MUCH longer than expected, however well, you think you've planned your renos because 

          a-suppliers don't carry anything in stock (it always takes 2-3 weeks to come)

          b-your contractor is working on other projects at the same time or the plumber/electrician etc. he's contracted doesn't work on Fridays or Mondays so the job won't get finished before the next week

          c-sometimes you just can't make up your mind about what to buy

2-Supervise the work your contractor is doing day to day especially when he's working on the finishing touches. Take off from work if you can (you probably will have to). Know that contractors don't usually read the instruction manuel. Send your contractor a list of tasks left to be done that he can check off.

3-Be confident in your design. Contractors will usually complain about things not being standard or might even try to bully you but remember that it's your house and you're the client.

4-Don't feel awkward about asking your contractor if he's competent for a particular task. Installing tiles for example, requires a certain expertise and you'll save much more money in the long run if you hire the right person for the job the first time rather than having to do it over.

5-A hood should be 24" to 30" above your range.

6-Always order 10% more tiles than needed.

7-Grout with sand is for tiling when you have more than 1/8 of an inch between your tiles and grout without sand for tiling with 1/16 of a inch between your tiles. The wrong grout won't stick. 

8-Always install the kitchen cabinets without the doors, then the countertops and then cabinet doors. They should go in last so they don't get scratched.

9-Make sure your contractor hires someone to clean and vacuum your home regularly. It should be in the contract.

10-Don't hire a contractor by the hour because you'll definitely lose money. Remind your contractor that you eventually need to move back into your house before you forget where you actually live.

The Quartz countertops in Pure White  are in :

Yeah!! :

The gaz cooktop :

The undermount sink with a 10° curve for easy clean-up (rather than a 0° edge which requires a toothpick to clean) :

Montreal is a Small Town

Since we've started renovating our house, I've discovered a whole new realm of shopping. No more shopping just for ME! but also buying stuff for the house.  

So after going through many Decor magazines made in Quebec which are useful because they supply you with a list of shops that you can actually visit (and not as tedious as going to Milan...if I only had the time ;)) I've been all over the city (and the internet) to find what we need for our place : appliances, bathroom fixtures, light fixtures, countertops, tiles, etc. What I've realized (which kind of depresses me) is unlike Montreal's fashion scene, Montreal has a very small decor/design market. Basically, the choices out there are quite limited (in my price point anyway, which is not super high, like most of us). 

Most of the stores carry the same brands and lines and the only thing that differs is what is shown on display. And what also mystifies me is why the most simple designs are always the most expensive...

However I did find some great items and I'm hopeful that when it all comes together, it will look great.

Ciot, is a great place to get started with its amazing showroom and helpful sells staff. It's a one-stop shop for tiles, stone countertops and bathroom and kitchen fixtures. You can also visit Mondial their sister company for better deals. 

Also, it's good to know that Ciot is the main distributor of Caesarstone and Aquabrass. So basically they can give you the best price out there for those two products. 

Our cabinets are being installed (without the doors for the moment). But still, Hurray !!! :

Before :

After :