For the past few years, interior design trends have largely stayed the same. This year? The talented crew at Studio McGee predicts some bold shifts in the design world.Swipe for a few that may catch your eye this year: <ul><li>Country club aesthetic: A style that wraps your rooms in the tranquillity of whites, creams, and playful greens — just like the country club golf course.</li></ul> <ul><li>Natural and luxe pairings: This trend is all about merging natural elements like plaster and stone with modern, sleek finishes like glass and straight lines.</li></ul> <ul><li>Warm reds: Dusty pinks, deep burgundies, and earthy red undertones will give our homes a cozy, comfortable feel in 2024.</li></ul> <ul><li>Understated opulence: Rich velvets, fluted glass, European bedding with piped borders, fringe, and marble. A blend of elegant simplicity and intricate craftsmanship.</li></ul> <ul><li>Italian-inspired pieces: Ironwork, plaster ceiling medallions, marble, busts or sculptures. Don't be surprised to see touches of the Renaissance coming to a home decor store near you.</li></ul> <ul><li>Statement tile and flooring: Expect to see exciting tile combinations, both on walls and floors, to make an expressive statement about your style.</li></ul> What do you think? Are you a fan?? Have you already started to see these trends come to life? Comment below!

Interior Designs Trend Predictions for 2024 👀

Just moved in? Here's how to quickly fall in love with your new neighbourhood: <ul><li>Host a housewarming and invite neighbours over for drinks and appetizers.</li></ul> <ul><li>Get involved. Attend local town hall meetings to listen and learn the latest news and happenings.</li></ul> <ul><li>Explore meetup.com for local interest groups. Shared hobbies are a fantastic way to connect. Join a local gym and attend classes.</li></ul> <ul><li>Peruse a local farmers market to support local businesses and enjoy the community vibe.</li></ul> <ul><li>Join your area’s association. Most neighbourhoods have an association. Search for one on Facebook. Join yours to get involved and meet neighbours!</li></ul> <ul><li>Take after-dinner strolls. Explore the neighbourhood by going on leisurely walks at a time when most of your neighbours are home. It's a great way to discover hidden gems and meet fellow residents.</li></ul> What's the best way for new neighbours to settle in? Share your thoughts and what's worked for you below.

How to fall in LOVE with your new neighbourhood ❤️

Standing in front of paint chips at the hardware store, it can be hard to tell the difference between the hundreds of options out there (after a while, Cloud White, White Linen and Marshmallow really do look the same). Roll it on the walls and it’s an entirely different story. That crisp white you loved in the store looks glow-in-the-dark against your IKEA furniture. The creamy shade you plucked from the paint chip clashes with your white kitchen cabinets.Turns out, the design classic is anything but simple.To help us discern the nuances of white paint, we turned to Toronto-based interior designer, television personality and color expert Jane Lockhart. Why white is so trickyBefore you get rolling, consider this. “One of the biggest problems with white paint is that it doesn’t look white when it goes on the walls,” the designer explains. “The paint reflects other colors that are in the room or more importantly, transforms into a color you didn’t intend once you review it against other elements in the space.”Things to consider are the type of artificial lighting (the same white will look slightly different with halogen versus LED bulbs), your room’s geographic exposure and other paint colors, furniture, flooring and design elements around it.Even white paint has undertonesIn the end, it’s all about undertones, the automatic result of mixing two or more colors together.The designer breaks it down: “A warm undertone in white paint will have a bit more yellow in the color, tempered with black paint. A cool undertone will usually have some blue in it, tempered with black. Those undertones will really come out when they’re against other items in the room. If you have warm wood floors, for example, you’ll want to look for a white with warmer undertones to complement it.” In the paint industry, there is no white that hasn’t been tinted with other colors, even slightly. “People often only think of undertones when they’re talking about color, but you won’t find a white without them.”The designer favors white shades from Benjamin Moore and has turned to these five again and again. “For overall use, a good warm white is Benjamin Moore’s Cloud White which has a touch of yellow and black in it,” Lockhart suggests.The designer recommends trying it on your ceiling instead of the typical pre-mixed white you can grab off the shelf at the hardware store. Simply White is a crisp warm white with slightly less yellow than its sister, Cloud White.Lockhart gravitates to Simply White when going for a more modern feel to complement warm accents in the room. According to Lockhart, White Down is the perfect antique white, without leaning too yellow or making the walls look aged. “It feels very natural but still appears white,” she says. “This is a great color for kitchen cabinets if you wish for your space to feel a little more relaxed overall.”Lockhart explains that White Down is a more taupe-based white, so it maintains its warmth without going flat. But before you commit, be sure to match the color against any white accents in the space, like kitchen tile or appliances, to ensure it’s complementary. “My favorite white sits in the middle,” the designer explains. “Oxford White isn’t too blue or too yellow. It’s got a little bit more black to it than Simply White and Cloud White, without going grey. A great choice if you want a clean, bright white and a modern look.”Looking to paint your trim to enhance the architectural details? Oxford White is a safe bet, Lockhart suggests. True to its name, Decorator’s White has been a standby for designers for years. Lockhart suggests using the shade if you want to complement cooler color tones in the room (think grey or black accents).The current trend in white paint is leaning towards using warmer whites, but they are constantly swinging back and forth.“If people really love that blue-tone white it’s great, but be careful. Decorators White has a tendency to look a little blue in a lot of homes with hardwood,” Lockhart warns.To help you choose a color with confidence, Lockhart suggests putting a swatch of your color of choice on a board before applying to a wall. With these five tried-and-tested shades, you’re sure to find one that is just right for you.

Tips for picking the right white paint color and the 5 shades designers love to use

Canadian winters are long and hard on our homes and our pocketbooks. We all know that with dipping temperatures comes higher heating costs, so with several months of winter ahead of us, there’s no better time to ensure your home is in tip top shape and running at its most efficient. For advice on how to increase your home’s efficiency while decreasing your monthly hydro bill, we turned to Paula Doyle, District Sales Manager at Enercare Inc. Here she shares her top 8 energy-saving tips. 1. Use a programmable thermostatRunning your home’s heater all day is both inefficient and unnecessary. By using a programmable thermostat, homeowners can set the temperature for different times of the day to ensure that the heater isn’t operating while nobody’s home or while you’re asleep. Smart thermostats add the ability to control your home’s entire HVAC system right from the palm of your hands via a smartphone app.“As the cold weather hits, homeowners naturally begin to turn on their furnaces, which becomes the top energy user in the home during winter months,” says Doyle. “A lower temperature at night and after you leave for work can save up to 10 percent on your heating bill.” 2. Furnace maintenance saves energyEnsuring your furnace is running at top efficiency can save you money on your next hydro bill. “A tune-up from a licensed technician can save you 3-10 percent in heating costs,” says Doyle. “Your furnace filter also affects the air quality of your home so a good rule of thumb is to clean or replace it every three months, all year-round.” 3. Install a humidifierOne of the biggest benefits of proper humidification in the home is a financial one. Using a humidifier allows you to turn the thermostat down one or two degrees while still maintaining a comfortable feeling, thus lowering your heating bills.“If the air inside your home contains the proper amount of moisture, you can comfortably turn the furnace down a notch without noticing,” explains Doyle. “As an added bonus, a humidifier helps eliminate dry air that can cause damage to your home and health.” 4. Take advantage of free heat!There are easy, low-budget ways homeowners can conserve energy without having to make any major modifications to their homes. “Open drapes during the day to let the sun’s rays warm your space,” says Doyle. Hosting family or friends for dinner? “When entertaining or when the house is full, turn down the thermostat as body heat will help warm the space.” 5. Manage light usageRemember when your parents would nag you to turn the lights off when leaving a room? They were onto something. “It costs about $2.55 per year to light one room for one hour,” says Doyle. “Switch off the lights when you leave a room and install automatic timers, motion sensors, dimmers and solar cells to help you conserve energy.”Switching from traditional bulbs to energy efficient ones like LEDs can help you use up to 40 percent less energy indoors and out. 6. Find and seal leaks“Up to 30 percent of the heating and cooling costs in a home can be lost through poorly fitted windows and doors,” explains Doyle. “Caulking and weather stripping around existing openings or installing new energy-efficient windows can save home owners about $150 a year on their energy bills.”How can you detect air leaks? “Place your hand against doors/windows from the inside. If it feels cooler than the inside walls, install a door/window that’s better insulated,” says Doyle. 7. Use your ceiling fans year aroundIn the summertime your ceiling fan rotates in the counterclockwise direction pushing cool air down to help chill a room, but it can also be used in the winter. “Having your ceiling fan spin clockwise at a low speed will move air around to improve airflow but will not push cold air throughout the room,” says Doyle. “The gentle updraft created will bring warm air near the ceiling down into the room.” 8. Don’t forget about the fireplaceIf you have a fireplace there are several things you can do to ensure that it’s running efficiently whether it’s wood burning, gas or electric.“Split wood into pieces that are 10-15cm (4-6 inches) in diameter so that it burns more cleanly due to the larger surface area exposed to the flame,” says Doyle. “Homeowners with a gas or electric fireplace should consider installing a fireplace thermostat to help control the room temperature.”If you have a fireplace damper, make sure it remains closed when not in use and check that the seal on the flue damper is as snug as possible. Doyle also suggests to not use the fireplace when the outside temperature is below -7°C (19°F). “The cold air coming into your house through the open flue wastes more heat than is gained.”

8 tips to lower your hydro bill and increase your home’s efficiency this winter

Helping you achieve your real estate goals is my top priority. When we work together, it is about YOU. You can expect dedicated, personal &amp; attentive service.My ever growing knowledge in the market and areas will help you navigate the process of buying or selling with ease. I’m here to guide to through the entire process and I aim to make it an enjoyable one! With experience in all price points ranging from, luxury homes, country properties, condos, townhomes &amp; everything in between. The same energy, time and dedication goes into each transaction.EVERY MOVE MATTERS. I am dedicated to providing an experience you will remember. I believe that luxury is an experience, not a price point. Being able to connect with new people and create meaningful &amp; lasting relationships is what makes me so passionate about Real Estate as a career. I am invested in my clients journey. The best marketing strategy is to simply CARELooking forward to working with you in the futureDirect: (289) 441-4248 sarahanndonnelly@gmail.com <a href="https://sarah-donnelly.com/" target="_blank" class="btn">Click here to visit my website!</a>

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