Concrete sinks and countertops in your bathroom? Who would have thought? And why not, few other countertop surface materials offer more customization in shape, color, size, design options and thickness, as I soon found out after talking to Justin Brown, the man behind 2Stone Designer Concrete at The Calgary Home + Interior Design Show. It is no wonder that a multitude of home owners and design professionals alike have come to the conclusion that concrete counter tops and sinks are an excellent way of creating a distinctive look and adding beauty to your restroom. Read the rest of this entry »
Most people would agree that heating and cooling systems are two important factors for those looking to purchase a new home and are an integral part of having a comfortable indoor living environment. Down at the Calgary Home and Interior Design Show I was looking for someone to explain to me the importance of ventilation in your home and ultimately your bathroom. It was at this point that I came across L & K Plumbing & Heating Ltd. a full service plumbing and heating contractor dedicated to complete home comfort by maintaining just the right temperature and sustaining good quality indoor air in your residence. Read the rest of this entry »
Captivating, alluring, enduring and enchanting are just a few of the words that come to mind when looking at these emotionally uplifting wall waterfalls created by Slate In Design. Down at the Calgary Home + Interior Design Show I came across an oasis in a sea of vendors and as I stopped in to talk with the owner and creator of these magnificent works of art using natural and man-made materials, I was intrigued to learn more about the company’s humble beginnings to where they are today with an incredible demand for these one of a kind artistic masterpieces. If you are a connoisseur of art you can appreciate the endless possibilities for the application of these 3-D wall waterfalls, from the refuge of your spa bathroom, to your living room feature wall, to the foyer of a major corporation, these works of art can find a home just about anywhere. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the first booths that I came across at the Calgary Home + Interior Design Show was Bath Solutions of Calgary. The large display of shower surrounds invited me in to take a closer look. I was greeted by two charming French ladies whom as I found out had come all the way from France and had only been in Calgary for about a month. At first they were a bit shy when I asked to interview them because they weren’t sure if their English was good enough but with a little coaxing one of them agreed to be interviewed and she explained to me exactly what it was that Bath Solutions did for their customers. So let us begin, mon ami! Read the rest of this entry »
What first caught my eye about the Spa Berry jetted hot tub was the bright red and yellow hot rod racing stripes off in the distance at the 2009 Calgary Home + Interior Design Show at the BMO Center in Calgary, Alberta. As I drew closer I noticed there were a whole slew of them with different pictures on the sides. A sales rep from Trail Appliances noticed my interest and asked if he could help me, I told him I thought these two-seater spas were really cool. It was then that he gave me the specs on these cute little portable spas called Spa Berry. Read the rest of this entry »
When I came across Cerastone at the Calgary Home and Interior Design Show I was curious because I assumed that the stone in front of me was all natural but I suspected there was something different about this display so I stopped by to investigate. After talking to Don Waldorf for a couple of minutes, a Cerastone sales rep, to my amazement I soon realized that these stones incredibly were manufactured stones. Boy was I shocked. I couldn’t even tell the difference! The Cerastone motto is surround yourself with the beauty of nature which is why all their products are inspired by naturally occurring elements. The Cerastone product line would be a great way to create a feature wall in your bathroom so that you could bringing the feeling of natural stone into your bath. Read the rest of this entry »
Trends in bathroom materials indicate that in the last couple of years, natural stone has become an increasingly popular tiling design choice for bathrooms. At one point in time these precious stones were mainly limited to high-end houses but today natural stone has become much more affordable for the everyday home owner. Prestige Granite & Stone Ltd., a Calgary based company, imports beautiful granite and marble slabs to create exceptionally striking countertops, vanities, tables, shower surroundings and fireplaces for both the bathroom, kitchen and livingroom spaces. I had a quick chat with them down at the Calgary Home and Interior Design Show about Emperador Dark a popular type of granite used for bathroom countertops to create a refined modern appearance. Read the rest of this entry »
I came across some interesting booths on my travels around the Calgary Home and Interior Design Show. While the majority of the vendors that I interviewed were in the bathroom industry, there were others that I imagined could somehow be applied to enrich your lavatory décor; Striking Glass was one such vendor. It occurred to me that a lot of people would like to display art in their bathrooms. Unfortunately that art has to be well protected behind special airtight glass so that the artwork is not damaged from the moisture ridden environment. And even then it’s a precarious situation. What if you could have beautiful decorative art that would never get mold, mildew or any other sort of water damage? This is where Penny Ellis of Striking Glass comes into play. As you can see the art that she produces is beautiful as well as recycled for that extra green touch. Read the rest of this entry »
When talking to someone, you can tell whether or not they are avid about a subject though their body posture, attitude and rate of talking. Talking to Chris Roberts of Makore Kitchens and Fine Renovations, I could tell he was extremely passionate about what he did and what his company could do for their clients. As we chatted down at the Calgary Home + Interior Design Show, he told me while Makore’s focus is the kitchen; the bathroom is also part of their repertoire as well. Read the rest of this entry »
It occurred to me that the only time that people seem to think about the ground that they’re walking on is if they trip over it or when remodelling their homes. With all the buzz about going green, homeowners are following the trends and looking for natural, earth-friendly products when renovating their bathrooms. There are a number of sustainable flooring merchandise on the market such as bamboo flooring and cork flooring products. Down at the Calgary Home + Interior Design Show, I literally walked onto the Alberta Hardwood Flooring display and had an interesting conversation with Kevin one of the companies’ sales consultants about cork as a possible bathroom flooring material. Read the rest of this entry »
