The Calgary Fall Home Show is officially underway.
More than 300 booths are at this year’s event, featuring local businesses and experts in the field of home improvement, design and decor, many of whom can teach you how to save big money. It’s an important topic during inflationary times.
Two such experts are Colleen Pastoor from LemonThistle.com and Rosalyn Lazaruk, who runs Tipsy Palm. Pastoor is a DIY specialist and Lazaruk is a vintage curator (clothing and homeware).
Both women are successful at going big with a small budget.
“DIY moulding walls are actually super simple to make,” Pastoor said. “All you need is a Mitre saw, a nail gun — and if you don’t have a nail gun, you can use adhesive.”
The key is all in the finishing, she said.
“Filling your holes and then adding caulking along the lines so that it looks one with the wall, that’s where you’re going to make or break it, and make the corners look really clean,” she said.
Pastoor admits while this is on trend, it’s a timeless touch that actually adds value to your home.
“With DIY, so often people are wrecking their resale value, and this is one that’s not going to go away.”
Lazaruk has a keen eye for cuteness and character vintage pieces that add warmth and charm to any space, especially in today’s modern decor trends, which often rely heavily on neutral pallets. Her specialty is repurposing vintage blankets and linens.
“I take vintage fabrics and I make them into toss pillows for your home. I make some things into cloth napkins.
“It’s really about taking textiles, things that are already out there, creating something new with them to add new decor to your home,” she explains. “Totally affordable and a great way to switch things up.”
While she does have a sewing machine, Lazaruk relies on seamstresses to do most of the work. She also uses the same guidelines when choosing vintage homeware, focusing on things that never go out of style like pottery, crystal and classic china.
“It’s really about adding those pieces and not being so stuck on everything matching,” Lazaruk explains. She advises people to have fun and collect a few quirky pieces to work in with your everyday ware but to be careful as to not make your home too “Alice in Wonderland.”
Like most things when it comes to design, having good taste goes much further than how much you spend.
Check out Lazaruk and Pastoor’s exhibits and get their tips firsthand at the Calgary Fall Home Show. It runs all weekend at the BMO Centre.
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