Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Not everyone knows...

... that what we all know as the Muskoka chair, for the reason that nearly every cottager has or had one on their docks, is actually known in other parts of North America as the Adirondack Style Chair.
The Adirondacks are the northern regions of New York State, a six million acres of natural landscape where in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century the most prominent families came to build their expansive summer retreats, also known as the Great Camps built with the region's natural resources. And that is where the Adirondack style was born, and the origin of one of our favourite chair.


Try building your own just like this gentleman built his own Muskoka chair


Monday, April 20, 2009

Renovations can be very stressful, not matter the size.

Renovations can be very stressful, not matter the size.
I am an Architectural Technologist, and I am going through my own reno. We are demolishing a non load-bearing wall between the kitchen and the living room, and increasing storage space (closet) in the master bedroom. I would have hired someone, but the job is so small that even in this climate it's hard to find someone willing to make only a few hundred dollars. My brother and I began working at the end of February, and at this stage have achieved 80% of the project so far. Working with family has been rewarding, and I'm so grateful for his help - without him we'd never have achieved so much.
Now that we're reaching the finish line, however, it seems even further away! It's time to start focusing on the finishes (trims, baseboards, paint) and it just doesn't seem to end. Our house is littered with baseboards, paint chips and circular saws, and we're living in the basement to escape the dust. Working full time and preparing for a baby in September has helped me understand what my clients might be experiencing as they undertake their own home improvement projects, but the reward of seeing the finished product and knowing that I did it with my own hands will be the motivation that will see me through.