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Happy New Year!

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The holiday season signals that another year has flown by – and by any account it’s been another successful one over at Imaginahome and we are tremendously grateful to all those who have contributed to our success and growth in 2015. We want to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a wonderful holiday filled with the best life has to offer and we look forward to starting 2016 with fresh enthusiasm, renewed vigor and a more focused direction.
 
The New Year is a time for resolutions and the best resolutions always involve proper home maintenance – just kidding! (sort of)
 
While resolutions don’t usually include proper home maintenance, maybe they should?
 

Even small little things can make a big difference in the long run and even little actions such as:

The yearly caulking/resealing of windows and doors
Checking your roof for leaks
Resealing an asphalt driveway
Resanding an interlocking brick driveway
Keeping drains flowing with monthly maintenance
 
… Can all make life a lot smoother by catching and/or stopping issues as they arise. Many actions are very simple and can easily be done, so taking the few minutes to take care of them will pay off in the end.
 
Make yourself a list of all the little home maintenance items that need doing around your home and break them down into bite-sized and easily accomplished tasks that you can do over several weekends.
 
Sticking to your home maintenance resolutions will become second-nature after a while and you’ll wonder why you avoided them in the past!
 

Have a wonderful New Year everyone!

Your Holiday Home

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The Toronto holiday home is a warm and welcoming place for everyone to enter. Creating a holiday home doesn’t necessarily involve strings of lights and inflatable snowmen – although they do help!

There are several ways to make your home more festive for the holidays without much effort. Cleaning up the front is one of the easiest. Shovel the snow or rake the yard. Tidy up the plants, dust off the front door and sweeping the driveway all go a long way toward the appearance of your home. Next, throw on a festive wreath and add a pot or two of seasonal flowers next to the door and your home will automatically exude a festive vibe.

If you want to put a bit more effort into your trappings, then adding lights to the exterior of your home is always a jolly way to spruce things up. However, if you aren’t handy with lights, you can always invest in one or two light displays that come in different shapes – reindeer, snowmen, candy canes. These handy light displays are placed on your lawn and simply plugged in – no wires or strings to untangle and at the end of the season you just unplug them and put them away!

Adding pots of dried winter flower arrangements is another quick and inexpensive way of cheering up your home for the holidays.

Another quick and inexpensive fix is to buy strings of imitation fir garlands from the dollar store to place on your exterior fixtures – around your door, windows, lamp posts, etc… These terrific garlands are versatile and easy to work with and can be reused every year.

Another great way to making your home looking inviting for the holidays is to highlight any large trees or shrubs on your land either with spotlights or strings of lights. Even just such a simple addition to your home’s exterior will make a huge difference to its curb appeal during this merry time.

Regardless of what you choose to do to your home for the holidays, we hope that it is filled with love, laughter and happiness during this season and beyond!

Walk-in Closets

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Walk-in closets are a feature that has grown in popularity and size in the last couple of decades. Whereas the single closet gave way to the double closet, today’s standard in luxury is definitely the walk-in. With consumer culture taking off at lightning speed, the necessity of a walk-in closet was soon apparent and builders rushed to fill the void. Today, walk-in closets are the standard in any luxury home and expected in nearly every other property. However, having the space for a walk-in closet doesn’t mean that it is complete – the finishing and features given to the interior of the space are what truly set apart the different closets available.

Materials
Standard walk-in closets will come with the regular steel bar found in closets. It is up to the homeowner to customize the space to their specifications. The kind of material chosen for this will certainly depend on your budget and what you consider necessity. The most basic material is metal. You can get inexpensive closet kits from any big box home hardware store that you can put together yourself to create different shelving levels and bars. A level up from metal is press wood shelving. Again, kits of presswood closet shelving can be found in most big box stores and can be customized to meet your needs. The deluxe version is to have custom shelving built out of real wood. However, this will naturally involve a professional and a much bigger budget.

Lighting
One of the key elements to any space is the lighting chosen – the same holds true for closets. A big window will need to have a good lighting system so that you can see every nook and cranny of your space without effort. Some closets even have movement activated lighting that turns on automatically when the closet door is opened and switched off when the door closes.

Features
Closets can have shelves for sweaters, cubbies for shoes, drawers for jeans and unmentionables and bars for hanging clothing. Depending on size, they can also have descending bars mounted right on the ceiling for those seasonal items that you only access once-in-a-while. They can have mirrors, centre islands fitted with additional drawer/storage space and they can have seating. The sky is the limit when it comes to closet customization.

Regardless of the size of your walk-in, making it your own is really the only way to get the most out of all the space you have!

The Master Retreat

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The master bedroom in Toronto is the one place in new homes that has grown more than any other. In the past master bedrooms were slightly larger than the children’s bedrooms and had a slightly larger closet as well. Over time this principal bedroom in a house has steadily increased in size while the closet went from a single to a double and then to a walk-in, and now, to actual dressing rooms adjoining the master. The same transformation holds true for the ensuite. The master ensuite began life as a powder room and progressed in scope and function to deluxe, spa-like spaces fitted with everything needed to fully and entirely unwind and pamper yourself.

Master bedrooms today are more like entire suites. The most ambitious in design often take up an entire level or wing of a floor and they include sitting rooms, a sleeping chamber, dressing rooms with walk-in closets and ensuites. At the very minimum, master bedrooms will include a walk-in closet and an ensuite.

The phenomenon of a master suite is relatively new starting to appear in the mid-nineties and growing through the end of the century into what we find in today’s most luxurious homes. In fact, a large majority of homebuyers will cite a master suite as a necessity when looking for a new home. The only people with whom master suites are still relatively not so important are middle-class families with more than two children – in their case, they prefer having an extra bedroom over the master suite.

If your home currently doesn’t have a master with a walk-in closet or ensuite and you are looking to upgrade to one, the scope of the project will depend on the space on your floor. If you have three extra bedrooms, then you can feasibly turn one of those bedrooms into an ensuite with a walk-in. However, this should only be done if the market in your neighbourhood will return your investment when you sell. Naturally, this will not be a consideration if you plan on living in your home long-term.

If you don’t have extra space that you can use, then consider building an extension or building out over an attached garage. Obviously such ambitious projects will come with certain costs that might be more than you anticipate.

However, as we move into a new way of thinking about home and larger numbers of people are moving towards smaller, more sustainable dwellings, the phenomenon of the grand master suite might be on its way out. Only time will tell.

Fun Kids Room Ideas

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When it comes to decorating – no design project can beat the thrill of decorating a kid’s bedroom. Given their vivid imaginations and exuberant sense of fun, the sky really is the limit when it comes to designing and appointing these spaces. Naturally bright colours and light will play integral roles in any design for a child’s room, but the size of the room and your budget will also be important factors in its decor.

Ideas for small spaces
If you have a small bedroom, then consider a loft bed; they offer a practical solution that features the excitement of sleeping high-up while maximizing your floor space. It is the ideal solution for slightly older kids who might need a desk for homework or a couch for lounging with friends.

The same idea holds true with bunk beds – they are the best solution to comfortably accommodating two kids in the same room.

Reading/lounging Corner
A great idea that kids will love is creating a reading/lounging nook in their rooms. Setting up some bookshelves and placing a little seat nearby will encourage youngsters to read or play quietly in their “own” little den.

Fantasy Painting
If you have the talent (or the money to hire a painter), a simple way to make your child’s room more fun is to give it a custom paint job – trees, birds, clouds, the sea, space… whatever interests your child will make their room pop and lend itself well to imaginations that need only the slightest nudge to soar…

Cubbies and Crannies
Kids need lots of storage – but they also love places to hide and to pretend – why not give them both? Creating cubbies that are strong enough and large enough to hold a child’s weight will serve dual purposes – as storage and a great hiding place!

Crannies can be created under a raised bed, around a desk corner – and they can be as simple as stringing up a colourful throw and adding a string of Christmas lights to the mix.

Whimsy
Adding a touch of whimsy is always a good idea when decorating a child’s room. Whimsy can be as small as stencilling fairies, flowers, planets or other favorite elements around the room to as complicated as creating a tree in the corner with an actual swing hanging from a branch. The sky’s the limit when it comes to such creative touches.

Ultimately your child’s room should be a fun and imaginative place for your child to retreat to, but also an easy place to clean and maintain.

The perfect lounge

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When setting up a lounge in your Toronto home – whether a formal living room or a casual family room, the idea is to create a stylish space for relaxation where family and guests alike will feel welcome and at-ease. Regardless of the space you have to work with there are certain tips and tricks that will help you personalize your setting.

Colour
The right colour will influence the ambiance of your room and promote either a festive, refined, sophisticated or casual atmosphere. Your personal style and taste will dictate the color palate that you choose. When putting together your palate try to pull in everything that will be in your room including wall and window treatments, upholstery and any other textured element – and then match them to each other. Interior decorators work with a swatch board on which they attach all of their color and texture inspirations so that they can see whether what they envision works together in reality. Making your own swatch board is a great way to get professional results when planning everything yourself.

Texture
Colour is not the only important element in a room – texture is just as integral to a unified space. Whether you are looking at wall paper, rugs, upholstery, flooring or moldings – the proper texture will add weight, depth, character and style to your space. Be sure to match your texture to the overall vision for your lounge.

Furniture
Furniture is the backbone of your lounge – not just the actual pieces you choose, but also the placement of those pieces within your room. Depending on the size of your room, you might want to consider placing the furniture in the middle of the space leaving room behind for circulating. Ensuring that talking areas are not crossed is another element to keep in mind.

Bar
The addition of a wet bar in your lounge will definitely get the party going! However, wet bars are not as popular in formal living rooms or family room as they are in recreation areas or lower level lounges. However, that doesn’t mean that if you want a wet bar in your living or family room you can’t break the mold and go your own way. There are a number of ways to incorporate a wet bar into your lounge – from hidden compartments to the creation of an actual bar with stools and hanging glasses.

Lighting
As with everything else, lighting is a very important part of creating the perfect lounge. Indirect or mood lighting works best for entertaining although you will certainly want to have full overhead lights for those occasions when better lighting is needed. Two sets of lighting is therefore smart – overheads that are used only when needed, and mood lighting for every day.

The perfect lounge really will depend on what you consider important in such a space and what your comfort level dictates.

Creative Kitchens Updates

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The kitchen is one of the most used spaces in any home. Toronto kitchens run the gamut from extremely high-end, luxury models to tiny, well-designed spaces made to maximize effectiveness and practicality.

Remodeling your existing kitchen is one of the best ways to guarantee a return on your investment dollars. Whether you have an unlimited budget or you have to make every dollar count, you can turn your existing kitchen into an attractive, modern and stylish setting using a few old tricks.

Paint
Although it might seem too straight-forward to work, painting your kitchen can change its look entirely. If you already have good cabinets made from solid wood, then swapping them out for newer cabinets might not be the best solution. Instead stripping them of their old paint and giving them a new colour will definitely do the trick. Another good option that works wonders is resurfacing your old cabinets. A layer of new finish is added to the existing finish and details are incorporated such as moldings, capping and more to create a whole new look. Resurfacing is more costly than repainting but still more economical than changing your cabinets completely.

Counters
Even if you don’t do anything else, changing your existing counter will make your kitchen pop! Depending on your budget you can opt from the most popular materials of melamine, composite or pure stone counters. The choice you make will be largely dictated by your budget as well as your taste. Bear in mind that if you opt for a stone counter, then you must be prepared to maintain it every so often in order to keep it in top condition. You can also go with lesser used but just as attractive materials including concrete, wood and stainless steel.

Backsplash
Adding a backsplash is a good and inexpensive way of updating the look of your kitchen. If you already have a backsplash, you can either change it entirely or scrub it clean and repaint it – the finished effect is far better than what you would expect. Another option is covering it with some of the newly available stick-on tiles found in hardware stores – they are easy to use and will give your kitchen a fantastic new look.

Lights
Changing your light fixtures to something more modern will also be a good way to give your kitchen some pizzazz. Instead of sticking to the tried and true dome lights, try something suspended, track lighting or even pot lighting.

Fixtures
A very quick and easy fix to any kitchen makeover is changing the fixtures. Installing high-end fixtures can change the look of your cabinets within a half-hour.

If you have a larger budget, then hiring an architect to help you include an additional pantry, a centre island or even the redesign of the entire space is a good way to go as they can give you ideas that you might not have on your own.

Whatever you decide, just make sure that your kitchen suits your needs and your style.

What are the pros and cons of installing a skylight?

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Adding a skylight to your Toronto home can add depth, light and ambiance to a setting. However, there are certain realities to keep in mind before such an addition should be made. In some estimations the cons of of adding a skylight outweigh the pros – but for others the pros tip the balance in their favour. We’ll let you decide what’s best for your situation by presenting the facts.

Facts

Skylights are installed in a roof in order to add light to a dark room or to increase a view. The fact that these windows are installed in your roof means that you will have to cut a hole into your roof and the floor of your attic in order to install it – not to mention the creation of a box around the shaft to seal it off. Installing a skylight is, therefore, a major renovation.
Once you install a skylight expect your insurance company to increase your premiums as they are considered high-risk for leaks and other damage.
Expect to pay more in heating and cooling costs unless it is very well installed, sealed and insulated.

Now we’ll get into the pros and cons.

Pros

A skylight will automatically make any room look bigger.
A skylight will increase the value of your home.
They are a fantastic source of natural light.
Depending on their placement and function, they can provide fantastic views of the sky and landscape.
They create a terrific ambiance in any room in which they are placed.

Cons

Will cost a lot to install.
Will cost a lot to maintain properly.
Have the potential to leak and damage your roof and structures.
Will increase your heating/cooling bill.
Will increase your insurance.

As your can see from these lists, the pros have more to do with lifestyle and quality of life while the cons have more to do with cost. So, if you prefer to invest in your quality of life and the beauty of your home, then accepting that the addition of a skylight will incur some costs is your best option.

Should you convert an extra bedroom into an ensuite?

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The question of converting an existing bedroom into a master ensuite is a good one – especially in a hot Toronto market. Unfortunately, there is no straight-forward answer to this dilemma. Whether such a decision is a good one or not will depend on several factors and it is best to gauge the sentiments of the buyers in your neighbourhood to truly determined whether a room conversion will add value or decrease the value of your home.

Generally, Ontario homebuyers will look for certain house-types in a given neighbourhood. If your neighbourhood is full of three-bed, two-bath homes, then your four-bedroom home might benefit from a conversion. However, if buyers flock to your area for four-bedroom properties, then you will significantly impact the value of your home.

Another factor to keep in mind is practicality. Usually buyers expect there to be a bathroom on each level of a home. So, if you have a basement bathroom and you relocate it to the main floor, this will certainly add value. Additionally, buyers generally expect a ratio of 2 baths for 4 bedrooms – if you have this, then adding a third bathroom might be excessive. If your home has 4 bedrooms with only one bath, then an extra ensuite will certainly make your home more attractive.

Another very important element to be aware of is the cost of such a conversion. If the homes in your neighbourhood are selling for $200,000 and it will cost you $40,000 to convert a room into an ensuite, then it might not be worth your while to do so as you are not likely to recoup your full investment.

The market in your area is another big consideration. If you are in a family-oriented community, then having more bedrooms will likely attract those with larger families while if your neighbourhood is mainly home to young professionals and retirees, then you will likely have more success with an ensuite and fewer bedrooms.

If you have an attic that you can turn into a loft, then converting an existing bedroom into an ensuite might be worth it as you would simply be diverting the space from one area of your home to another.

The last piece of advice we can give you is to check with a realtor if you have any doubts. Most realtors in the Toronto area will provide this service free of charge if you are interested in knowing whether such a conversion is a good idea or not.

In the end, however, if you want the ensuite for your own convenience and you intend to live in your home long-term, then you might as well make the investment so that you can enjoy the ensuite.

Matterport: The Future of Real Estate Imaging

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Matterport 3D imaging is the future of real estate marketing and Imaginahome is already a veteran of this cutting-edge technology. Offering this forward-looking benefit since the spring of 2015 has helped Imaginahome master the finer points of this incredible technology. By placing cameras at strategic points in a home, every detail of a residence is captured. When the pictures are stitched together they create a seamless, virtual walk-through of a property that a homebuyer can control.

“The future of real estate marketing lies in the real benefit that a true virtual tour gives to the buyer – and that is exactly what Matterport delivers,” says Bilal Jamous, owner of Imaginahome Inc. “As more realtors discover just how easy Matterport imaging makes the home-buying process, the more integral the technology is becoming to their marketing strategies.”

CTV news covered Matterport last week and described how the virtual tour allows potential home buyers to walk through a home in a manner similar to how you can walk through a video game. You can watch the CTV report over here //bit.ly/1OZonJt.

Contact us today to find out how the Matterport marketing solution will benefit your clients!