Often the only difference between a room we love and live in and one we barely use is whether the room‘s decor meets with our family‘s needs. We can transform that barely used room from dreary to delightâ€" full We at M S Design Group help our clients design their home to support the way they live; whether, they envision their future home as a haven from the outside, or a cross between the two. We help them define their needs within the parameters of budget, time, and available sources. We also provide interior design service for corporate and professional environments. In the past six years, we have helped many families in the Oakville and surâ€" rounding areas, creating environments that meet their unique and individual lifestyle. We provide our clients with a total interior design solution, which includes consultâ€" ing, space planning, project management, sourcing subâ€"trades, products, and instalâ€" lation. But, our clients have the option of selecting the degree of our involvement in the project, whether it‘s selecting finishes for one room or providing interior design for a large renovation project. Building a good rapport and developing a good communication system with our clients is very important to us. The ability to produce good quality work efficiently and providing excellent customer service with an effective price is what makes us at M. S Design Group â€"â€" successful. If you have ever had a great idea for your room or office, but you just didn‘t know how to make it happen, give Mary Spiteri a call at (905) 827â€"9647 and find out how she can help you create your "Dream Room". WIN A $3000 SH * Have you ever... had a room that you just didn‘t know how to decorate? * Have you ever... * Have you ever \Q\ PaRTIC l/’r7[ TOn had a deooratmg Ex:)blem you just didn‘t w how to solve? Find out how we can help you _ create your "Dream Room" had a greatidea for your Call for an appointment room, but didn‘t know how to make thema ty â€"evry. 0L. MS DESIGN GROUP RESIDENTIAL A Member of ARIDO Mary Spiteri When water gets through the joints where the grout has washed away, even through small By Ben Bramble ~tiles in a shower or bath l{ enclosure should receive k. regular maintenance other than routine cleaning. The grout between tiles, whether they are plastic or ceramic, is vulnerable to water and over time will wash out. ome Sweet Home can become a disasâ€" H ter area when it comes to doing one‘s own renovations. Half finished proâ€" jects that never end, paint on the walls that is too dark, crooked flooring, and other problems are not uncommon to the novice doâ€"itâ€"yourâ€" selfer. Canadian Living Decorating and Design director, Karen Kirk, says, "the design team has created a stage resembling a kitchen/family living centre for preparing meals, doing school work, or just relaxing. Along with ongoing demonstrations, the audience is encouraged to participate in various doâ€"itâ€"yourself projects. We want to show as many tips and techniques as possible for easyâ€"toâ€"do home renovations." The design team will interact with the pubâ€" lic, experimenting with the latest textiles, Maintain tiles to avoid costly maintenance To demonstrate how to make the task of home renovations a lot easier, Canadian Living magazine will host a series of working demonâ€" strations at THE Indoor Living Show, at Exhibition Place, September 15â€"18, 1994. Indoor Living Show full of special exhibit THE OAKVILLE BEAVER The same weathering occurs in the mortar joints between bricks, especially on chimneys openings, it will attack the wall and the adhesive behind the wall and cause them to fall off. The tiles themselves are impermeable to water but the grout, which is made up of fine sand held together by an adheâ€" sive, is vulnerable to water, even though it seems very hard. In addition to the Canadian Living feature area, THE Indoor Living Show will showcase City Country Home‘s "Antiques Collectibles Treasure Hunt," and a Silent Auction to benefit the Institute for the Prevention of Child Abuse, featuring valuable products from various companies, as well as personal artifacts from Toronto media personâ€" alities. Another attraction will be demonstrations by husband and wife design team Vi and Stu Cutbill, who are featured in October‘s Canadian Living, ‘Decorative Finishes Made Easy.‘ The designing duo will show how paintâ€" ing an intricate ‘tromp l‘oeil‘ wall finish can be as easy as potato printing, with their new block printing system, designed for doâ€"itâ€"yourâ€" selfers. painting, flooring, and lighting techniques. One focus will be how to bring the outdoors inside all year round, by using skylights, garâ€" den doors and unique window treatments. THE Indoor Living Show will also be the A Touch Of 828â€"6173 KING .:... .:. 122 issc 820â€"3020 Bâ€"BZBAPROON‘S .. 2103000 ies e 828â€"2022 BlOX 331 ie Opening Soon Crafters Marketplace..........................,.. Opening Soon 1i ob e 820â€"1509 Grand n 828â€"6100 1000000 00e d 828â€"2654 IMANOL 828â€"8880 HeIGCCKEF s 828â€"6570 Home Cinema SOUNG 828â€"2100 sns 820â€"7868 J.J.. CIOSELS 820â€"9646 Kinsell® INLEDIOES ..........:...01.4â€".:2..00 820â€"7409 «.34 s es 828â€"0000 Mother Hubbard‘s...............:....\ .L. 828â€"5711 Oak‘s 2. 820â€"9906 Pacific en 607â€"2959 Paint Paper 002. 607â€"7966 828â€"6311 Pioneer Fammily 569â€"2500 ROXLION Gall6fy 820â€"8333 Timeless Treasures 607â€"7962 The Light ShODDE Opening Soon Shopping Spree courtesy of J.J. Mirror Closets, Kinsella Interiors, Timeless Treasures, Home Cinema Sound, Bathtub King, Hearth Manor Fireplaces, McGinnis Landing Restaurant and HausenBamn. Contest closes 5:00 p.m. Sunday, October 2, 1994. The first correct ballot drawn will WIN! You‘ll find a full set of ballots and rules and regulations at any of our retailers. So come on out and try your luck. WIN A $3000 SHOPPING SPREE! Tiles should be mounted on special water resistant panels such as Duroc, not normal dryâ€" wall which crumbles when exposed to water. Older homes often have drywall behind the tiles so regular maintenance is especially important there. The two most likely spots for water to seep behind tiles is at which are under constant attack from wind and water. Spot the flower vase pictured here, located in three different stores, write them on your ballot and deposit it in the ballot box at our new Design House. THE Indoor Living Show, Sept. 15â€"18. wil be held in the Automotive Building a Exhibition Place in Toronto. Hours: Thurs. Sept. 15 â€" 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Fri., Sept. 16 noon to 9:30 p.m.; Sat. Sept. 17 â€" 10 a.m. t 9:30 p.m.; and Sun., Sept. 18 â€" 10 a.m. to p.m. Admission includes taxes and is $7.50 for adults, $4 for seniors and children (8â€"14 years). Children under 8 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. launching pad for Build Green Inc., a partne ship of the Greater Toronto Home Builder Association and ORTECH Corporation. Thi innovative new company will unveil the wid variety of environmental choices offered t today‘s home buyers and renovators. THE Indoor Living Show is the newes| event on Toronto‘s calendar. It will greet visi tors with warm sophistication and usher the into an exciting environment that will hel them make the most of their indoor space dur ing the winter months and the coming holida season. You can buy special metal clips that will firm up the top and bottom edges where there are no studs for support. It is a messy, frustrating job that should be avoided at all cost. Cut the wall away until half the width of the stud is exposed; this will give you a purchase for the piece of drywall that will fit into the damaged section you remove. Now you can screw the patch onto the studs at both ends. If you ever get to the stage; where the wall has been damaged‘ you will have to take off tiles until you reach a section of the, wall that is sound and on a stud. If some of your tiles are loose get right at the job of removing them and replacing with the same pattern if possible; if not make up a pattern with whatever is available. Anything is better than leaving loose tiles on the wall to trap water and continue the damâ€" age. If the grout is soft, remove as much as needed to reach a solid section. One of the best removers is a common can opener that has that sharp point for puncturing juice cans. As I mentioned, the grout should be examined regularly for signs of wear. Top it up when it shows signs. You buy grout as a powder that is mixed with water or sometimes with a special liqâ€" uid. Some brands now have a plasâ€" tic finger on the top of the tube so you can smooth out the bead evenly when finished. You can also dip your finger in water repeatedly and smooth it out without having it stick to your finger. Remove all old caulk. It pulls away fairly easily but if small sections remain use nail polish to loosen it, not a knife which could scratch the tub. When applying the caulk you can push or pull the tube as you squeeze. Keep enough pressure to ensure it fills the crack and leaves a small bead on top. If you need to recaulk, invest in the best silicone quality because you want one that will keep its flexibility. The weight of a full tub of water exerts tremenâ€" dous downward pressure on the tub, causing it to move down slightly and then back when it is empty. Neglecting the broken tile could result in a whole wall replacement if the wall behind is of standard drywall material. Silicone seal is applied at both joints but it can age and separate from the wall or tub and cace behind the tiles water is pulled up by capillary action from the bottom or down by the sâ€"me force plus gravity. The seal around fixtures is also a trouble spot as well as the obvious but often negleâ€"zed cracked tile. Cracked tiles shâ€"uld be replaced, even if you caâ€"not find the same pattern as the oâ€" giâ€" nal. the bottom row where the tiles meet a bathtub or at the top row! where they meet a wall. MAINTENANCE! September 7, 199