The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

8 in si de ha lt on .c om O ak vi ll e B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, A pr il 5, 20 18 | Know if open shelving is right for you Advertorial Dear Debbie, I've been reading a lot about open shelv­ ing in the kitchen and I don't think it's a good idea. From my experience, too much stuff ac­ cumulates on the shelves and they become an eyesore. Rebecca Dear Rebecca, You make a very good point. Open shelves have many plusses, such as keep­ ing items close to hand, and adding visual interest and pops of colour to the room's decoration. But they only work if they are clean, tidy, and kept under control. It's an option for replacing upper cabinets in the kitchen if you have the space, and th is airy style opens up a room if stacked with care. Before deciding to work with th is storage solution, it's important to manage what is going on display, and not to overcrowd the arrangement. This means discarding ex­ cess plates, bowls, cups and glassware. Group like objects together on the same shelf to save steps in the kitchen. Open shelves for everyday tableware positioned over or near the dishwasher saves steps. If you opt to have an open spice rack, revisit the spices and toss those that are dated or rarely used. Show off colourful canisters, mixing bowls and utensils. Add one or two antique kitchen pieces found at second hand stores for interest and visual appeal. Keep the not so attractive kitchen stuff in closed cabinets. However, if you are feeling stressed by the appearance of open stor­ age, then cabinets are for you. Dear Debbie, We live in a small log home constructed by us! Log homes tend to be dark inside due to the natural colour of the logs and the stain applied. Add a stone fireplace and exposed beams and it's not light and airy in here. I love my home but dream of a white kitchen and decorating in classic cottage style. Any suggestions for decorating would be much appreciated. Jane Dear Jane, You have chosen to build a home with very strong character; log buildings portray a sturdy, rustic, hands-on appeal that you both welcome. It's not difficult to brighten the interior with a few simple decorative tips and tricks. Swap out heavy draperies and furnishings for pieces that have less visual weight and you will feel lighter and freer in the space. Show off the legs on chairs and sofas. Whether they are simple pine or hand-turned antiques, don't cover them up. Cottage style fabrics are easy-care and comfy. Look for ticking, gingham and soft florals with a white or light background. Pieces upholstered in any of these fabrics will wrap your rooms in cottage style. Area rugs for your wood floors are a must. Look for that homemade quality found in braided and hook rugs and floorcloths. Sisal is an option, but I prefer the warmth and the soft, light hues and textures you can find in any type of rag rug. DEBBIE TRAVIS House to Home For your all white kitchen, why not choose painted wood cabinets and a light stone look for your countertops, which would con­ nect with the fireplace. If there is a window in the kitchen, light cafe curtains will tie in with your cottage style. Classic cottage and log cabin style is un­ pretentious and suits a mix of old and new. Give a dresser or cabinet a weathered paint finish or whitewash. Utilize old trunks for storage or extra seating. Go on the hunt for old wood or metal items that can be trans­ formed into a base for a table or lamp. Log cabins beg for stories and you are building a history within those hand-hewn walls. Written by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Please email decorating questions to house2home@debbietravis.com. Follow Debbie at instagram.com/debbie_travis, facebook.com/thedebbietravis, debbietravis. com. W h at to c o n s id e r w hen c h o o s in g a ra ilin g Both decorative and fu nc tion a l, hand­ ra ils shou ld be chosen w ith care. Here are a few cons ide ra tion s to help you m ake a sm a rt pu rchase . Of course, to achieve v isua l harmony, you shou ld choose a m odel th a t m atch ­ es the sty le o f your s ta ircase and the su rround ing area. But before th in k in g abou t a e s th e tics , it 's im po rtan t to con­ s ide r the role o f the ra iling as a sa fe ty barrie r -- espec ia lly if you have young ch ild ren or share your hom e w ith any­ one w ith lim ited m obility. For exam ple, as fa r as the handra il is concerned, it's a good idea to go w ith a rounded shape to m ake it eas ie r to grip. For the ban ister, avoid horizonta l bars: ch ild ren can eas ily c lim b them . A lso, m ake sure th a t litt le ones a re n 't able to f it th e ir heads or shou lde rs between the bars. There are va rious norm s and regu la tions th a t govern th ing s like m in im um ra iling he igh t -- call in an expe rt to make sure every­ th in g is up to code. Finally, when it com es to choos ing a m ate ria l fo r your ra iling -- m eta l, wood, p lex ig lass -- sty le is o f course im por­ ta n t, bu t a lso make sure to keep m ain­ tenance in m ind. (NPT) TO P 1% IN CANADA FORROYAL LEPAGE SHEILA BARRY & LINDA ZYLIK SALES REPRESENTATIVE BROKER u. lerage REALTY PLUSIUI OMlf. BROKERAGE INDEPENDEKTiy OWNED AND OPERATED CALL OR EMAIL TODAY905.467.4745 LINDA@ SHEILAANDLINDA.COM • TO VIEW ALL LISTINGS AND VIDEOS GO TO SHEILAANDLINDA.COM OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY 2-4 OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY & SUNDAY 2-4 w e s t o a k v il l e • $2,999,000 193 w ilder • $2,388,888 $1,619,988 234 ALISON CRES • $1,448,000 ALTONVILLAGE - $1,389,000 CUSTOM BUILD INW EST OAKVILLE W ITH APPROX. 3020 SQ FT D ESIR A B LE SW OAK V ILLE P O C K E T LUXURY LIVING OVERLOOKING 16 MILE CREEK. 2 4+1 BEDROOM S, 4.5 BATHROOM S O N SPECTACULAR CUSTOM BUILT HOME. 4+1 BEDROOMS, 4+2 BEDROOMS AND 5 BATHROOMS. LOWER LEVEL COMPLETE 95'X 150 ' LOT. 3000 SF + F IN . B S M T 2 0 'X 4 0 ' BEDROOMS PLUS DEN AND 2.5 Baths . Sh o r t WALK TO SUPERB LO CA TIO N IN LAKESHORE W O O D S. 4 Ba th r o o m s OF LUXURIOUS UPGRADES. W i t h REC/ROOM, GAS FIREPLACE, WET BARAND 5 PC BATH. P O O L . R EN O V A T E D IN T E R IO R . MARINA, PARKS, SHOPPING AND RESTAURANTS. Fu l l y FIN ISH ED LOW ER LEVEL. PROFESSIONALUf FINISHED LOWER LEVEL. mailto:house2home@debbietravis.com