A Guide to Feng Shui in Your Office

 Photo courtesy of Bri Anderson-Jackson When Jana Mitchell, CEO of Wheels for the Wise, wanted to revamp her office space, she went to Brandelyn Cameron. Below Brandelyn discusses the inspiration behind the plan. Feng Shui is the ancient art of channeling energy flow, or Chi, in a room or space

The Next Generation of Website Development: QuickSilk

 Have you ever tried to build a blog or a website for yourself or your company? At first the sites you’ve always heard of for “easy” website building seem like a good idea. But after 30 minutes of clicking around, you begin to understand the limitations and realize there is

Taxidermy Trend

 The resurgence of taxidermy as a desirable element of home décor is something to be embraced. Over the past several years, we have witnessed the design trend incorporated into commercial spaces and it finally is making a dramatic appearance in homes. With animal pelts, skulls and heads plastered on the

A Cave No Longer

 Doors, Floors and Garages Like You’ve Never Imagined. When you think of a garage, does disorganized, dark and dirty spring to mind? What if it could be transformed into a clean, warm, bright and organized space? That’s what the professionals at The Floor Company can do. The start to any garage

Let It All Hang Out

 Exposed wooden beams are growing in popularity with the massive prevalence of using reclaimed wood in modern décor. Within this dated mid-century space, the design stage boasts minimalism and functionality, yet the homeowner desired elements of traditional adornment, so our beams are the perfect complement to the dramatic fireplace. Our

Do’s and Don’ts for Choosing a Contractor

 How to go about choosing a contractor is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly but it doesn’t have to be an intimidating one. By arming yourself with a plan, you can be sure to land the perfect contractor to execute your type of renovation. Don’t simply rely on one

Beauty Beneath

 To the average person, Tornillo, Sapelle, Marupa and Ipe might seem like the names European soccer players. However, they are actually the names of art materials to Frank Diaz, owner of Buena Vista Flooring. “When you’re working with wood, stain, colours and custom designs, you can do anything. When the

Outstanding Obaaberima

 Photo credit: Jeremy Mimnagh Looking for something incredible to do this week? Head to the National Arts Centre to see its latest production Obaaberima. Playwright and actor Tawiah M'Carthy won a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best Outstanding Production in 2013 for his masterpiece. The play actually won three Doras in total:

Jeremy Harder: The Art of Dynamic Doodling

 Photo courtesy of Jeremy Harder For as long as he can remember, Jeremy Harder loved to draw. By the age of five, he was already receiving praise from family and friends for his talent. By the time he reached high school, Harder was constantly filling notebooks with doodles and designs.

Canada on canvas: the art of Julia Veenstra

 ABOVE: Ontario artist Julia Veenstra in her Hamilton studio. Since childhood, Julia Veenstra has been an artist to watch. Her mother would often be told about her daughter’s artistic talent. Veenstra took her calling and attended Sheridan College in Oakville where she studied illustration. She found her niche as a painter through

Disegno Fine Jewellery: The Essence of Design

 Pamela Coulston is the owner of Disegno Fine Jewellery,  launched in 1992. In Italian “disegno” means more than just “design.” The word also suggests the ability to envision a design and execute the drawing. At the heart of this notion is the discovery of fresh concepts, often from unexpected sources;.

Holiday Giveaway

 Sparkle this holiday season with OLM and Originals by Andrea! Share with us your favourite holiday tradition for a chance to win this stunning, one-of-a-kind necklace from Ottawa’s own Originals by Andrea. To enter, head over to our Facebook page and leave a comment on this post telling us about your favourite

Evoking Memories on Parliament Hill: The War of 1812

 The War of 1812 Monument on Parliament Hill was inaugurated this November by the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, and Toronto artist Adrienne Alison to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. “This new landmark on Parliament Hill will forever remind us of

Claudia Salguero–100 per cent Artist in Everything she Does

 Claudia Salguero is a photographer and graphic designer. She also paints, sculpts, creates digital images and sings Latin jazz professionally. Salguero moved to Ottawa from Bogotá, Colombia, in 2001. She found opportunity in Ottawa so she never left. “I’ve been able to make my way because I do many things. I

The Devil is in the Details

 How to finish your new build with “builder-included” finishes It’s beautiful! I love it and it’s reasonably priced, so I’ll take it. But wait…what do you mean? I have to invest an additional how much in upgraded features so it looks like this? It does come with doors right? Sound

Wood Construction Drives Down Cost for Mid-Rise Buildings

 Finding a way to save on major purchases without compromising on quality is a top priority for most consumers, especially on big ticket items such as a home. Enter mid-rise wood construction. Driving down the costs for homebuilders and buyers alike, wood mid-rise encompasses buildings that are five and six-storeys

Making the Most of Fall and Winter: 2014/15 Ottawa Event Guide

 “I’m bored! What should we do?” This familiar question far too often doesn’t have an answer. Stop right there! Look no further! OLM’s Fall and Winter Event Guide is here to relieve your boredom. With the turning of the seasons comes many new activities to kick the fall and winter blues

Customize Your Clothing: Fiore Apparel

 Screen printing, custom clothing and embroidery—the options are endless at Fiore Apparel. The quality custom-made clothing Fiore is known for tells clients, “You design it, we will create it!” Edy Alan, manager at Fiore Apparel, started customizing clothes many years ago from home. “He had about ten sewing machines in

An Impromptu Q&A with OLM’s DesignerDIY

 This past weekend I was invited to be a speaker at the Ottawa Home and Design Show at the EY Centre. Despite a few technical glitches, we managed our way through with creative enthusiasm. Since challenges are merely opportunities in disguise, I decided to scrap the presentation and join the crowd to

The DIY Backsplash

 There are several affordable ways you can incorporate some design wow into your interior space. One of those ways is with the kitchen backsplash. Not only will this protect your walls and add visual appeal, but it will also add architectural depth to the space. I still remember the completion

Pfister Pfaucet Pfabulous

 Kamato Single Handle Lavatory Faucet (Drain Included) Pforever Seal™- features advanced ceramic disc valve technology with a never leak guarantee WaterSense Certified- 30 per cent less water consumption without compromising your water experience 1 or 3-hole mount with optional deck plate Decorative Waterfall Spout Features Push & Seal™ tool-less drain

A Kitchen Catastrophe – Greasy Granite

 So…who knew that a butter blob could wreak such havoc on my new granite counter tops? Yes, I know I should have sealed them, but figured…meh…what’s the worst that could happen? Well, let me tell you what I came home to today….an ENORMOUS greasy butter blob stain smack dab in the

Lazypants: What’s Your After?

 Whether it is when you first roll out of bed in the morning or when you get home from a long day at work, nothing sounds better than throwing on a comfy pair of sweatpants. Right? I’ll admit it. I consider myself a somewhat-fashionista by day and a sweatpants addict

The Art of Mary Pheasant A Mix of Family, Culture and Healing

 Kitigan is a one-of-a-kind online Aboriginal art business that sells authentic, high quality, Aboriginal handmade goods. Kitigan provides artisans with a forum for developing their market, promoting their work and creating an ongoing revenue source through sales and royalties. Kitigan is a social enterprise incubated by the OFIFC's economic development

Eclectic Beach House — A Retro Revival

 All images courtesy of: Natalie Mireault Photography In most cases, the inspiration and vision for a renovation can come almost immediately after seeing the space. However, in the case of this particular home things were a bit more complicated. There are several neighbourhoods in Ottawa that boast a certain element of