7 easy ways to feng shui your apartment

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As intangible a concept as feng shui may seem, it all comes down to the basic idea of having a space you’re happy to come home to because its energy is positive. Feng shui is an ancient philosophy about how you can improve your life and create a space that supports and nurtures you. Indeed, adjusting your apartment in just a few small and informed ways can make all the difference in the look and feel of your unit and, resultantly, your own wellbeing. Ahead are some ideas you can apply to your space, straight from a pro.

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1. The importance of a headboard
While having your mattress on the floor may seem very zen, or in some apartments may be a spatial necessity, the pros advise against it. A headboard is really important in feng shui, it connects the partners. Not having a headboard can enhance the temporary feeling of a unit. If you simply don’t have space, a good alternative is wallpaper or crafting mural on the wall behind you, or mounting a mirror.

2. The 36 inch rule
No doubt about it: space is a luxury in Vancouver. Still, if at all possible, 36 inches of clear space between pieces of furniture should be a goal. There is a grace zone, but less than 18 inches between items constitutes “very cramped.” So get rid of clutter, and if it does not spark joy, try your hardest to toss it.

3. It’s not easy being green
Cultivate kindness and plants are a great way to do this, as they grow into both a symbol of health and life as well as a source of oxygen and toxin-removal. I recommend the golden pothos, a flowering species that requires minimal maintenance and light. It’s really easy to care for and it bounces back and we really need to have that in Vancouver.

4. Cabinet tops as display space
In many rental units, the kitchen cabinets do not extend fully to the ceiling, creating a space for bad energy to collect. Potential quick fixes include filling the space with plants, lights, or a collection of beloved items— anything to keep the bad vibes away.

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5. A quality gatekeeper
Pay attention to your front door, an often neglected area that, as the first and last thing people see when they visit you, is deeply important. Just taking an hour to clean the area surrounding it can make all the difference, and taking further steps like reaching out to your super to repaint the door, buying a new welcome mat to lay in front of the door, or ensuring the door doesn’t creak or squeak will have an even bigger impact.

6. A good life smells nice
Scent is very important to feng shui and is thus a valuable focus for your energies, especially in rentals where painting walls or making other long-term fixes aren’t an option (unless you want to lose that security deposit). Incense, oil diffusers, and replacing your chemical-rich cleaning products with organic substitutes can make a huge difference.

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7. There will be light
Maximize light in whatever way possible. This can be done in temporary, security-deposit friendly ways, by buying lamps, opening blinds, investing in sun lights and light colored rugs, as well as in more involved but also more impactful ways, like painting your walls a clean shade of white. I recommend Benjamin Moore’s Super White and a flat finish on the ceiling.

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Are you interested in selling or buying your home in the next few months? Work with award winning realtor, Carmen Leal and her team that specialize in Real Estate Vancouver and have qualified Buyers that are looking for a home in your area!   604.218.4846 & www.carmenleal.ca

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      This communication is not intended to induce breach of existing listing agreement.

How to Paint a Room: 10 Steps to Painting Walls Like a DIY Pro

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Painting a room is a popular project for beginning DIYers and veteran renovators alike. After all, it’s pretty painless, relatively inexpensive, and should something go horribly wrong, easy to fix. But before you grab your roller and get started, it’s important to have a plan of attack. Read on to learn how to paint a room and see the steps you’ll need to follow to make sure your project is a success.

1. Plan your approach

Start by thinking about how you want the finished project to look and remember that you’re not limited to four walls in the same color. Consider painting an accent wall in a bold hue or highlighting moldings in a contrasting shade or finish. And don’t forget to look up and see whether the ceiling could use a refresh as well.

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2. Choose your color

Browsing through fan decks and paint chips can be overwhelming. Start by figuring out the general color characteristics: Do you want a warm or cool shade? A neutral or a saturated shade? If you have existing furniture or art, you’ll also want to consider how the shade will compliment them. Once you have a sense of what you’re looking for, pick a few shades and get samples. Test the shades to see how they look in the room at different times of day.

Many paint companies also have tools on their websites that will let you upload a photo of your space and preview different colors on the walls. But colors can look different in real-world conditions, so you’ll still need to try it out in the space.

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3. Pick out your tools and materials

Every project is unique and you may need different tools depending on the paint you choose and the condition of your walls, but there are a few must-haves.

• Paint
• Paint roller
• Paint roller extension pole
• Drop cloths
• Paintbrushes
• Paint tray
• Sandpaper
• Painter’s tape
• Rags
• Putty knife

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4. Determine how much paint you'll need

Whether you’re painting a powder room or the exterior of your house, the general rule of thumb is one gallon per 400 square feet. But that’s just a rough guideline: To get a more precise number, which you’ll definitely want for large projects, use a paint calculator like the ones provided by Benjamin Moore or Pratt & Lambert; they take into account window and door measurements. (And both assume two coats of paint per project.)

Planning on whitewashing a charcoal-gray wall? You’ll likely need additional paint when going from dark to light. On the other end of the spectrum, a deep color base tends to require more coats of paint than a lighter color. It is recommended to apply a gray tinted primer to the surface before you paint your walls a saturated color to help reduce the number of applications. When it comes to finish, you may have heard the glossier it is, the higher the coverage rate, but it’s not enough of a difference to change the number of gallons you need to buy. If you’re painting a highly textured surface rather than a smooth one, buy a little extra. Cabinets with complicated millwork require more paint, too; it recommended to purchase about 10 percent more than calculated.

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5. Prep the walls and the room

You don't want to damage your favorite sofa or that heirloom Grandma gave you, so empty the room of all the furniture. If you don't have enough space, push everything to the center. Cover the pieces with a drop cloth or lightweight plastic sheeting and do the same with the floor. Don't skip the drop cloth, paint will splatter.

Grab a roll of painter's tape and firmly apply it to the edges of the room's corners, base and crown moldings, and door and window casings, using a putty knife to seal if needed. Getting a good seal so paint doesn't get under the tape is everything, plus it will pull away clean after everything is dry. If you dare (or have an artist's steady hand), you can skip taping entirely. Remove outlet and light switch covers and apply painters tape to protect outlets and switches from paint drips.

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6. Mix your paint

Use a wooden paint stick to stir the paint, and re-stir often throughout the project. If you’re using more than one gallon of paint, combine the cans in a large bucket in case there is a slight variation in color.

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7. Pick your painting techniques

Your paint is mixed and your roller is at the ready, but make sure to plan a strategy before you get started. Work from the top of the room down, starting with the ceilings. Planning a bold focal wall? Paint the adjoining light-color walls first. Don't worry if you get paint on what will be your accent wall—the dark paint will cover up whatever lighter paint found its way there. After the lighter wall dries, tape off that edge so the dark color doesn't bleed onto your new paint. If you're covering up dark walls with a brighter hue, plan on three coats: your primer, plus two coats of the new color to ensure nothing shows through.

Tackle one wall at a time. Take a brush and "cut in"—paint along the molding and the corners from top to bottom—while your friend uses a roller to cover the main expanse of the wall, staying away from those more precise spots. When applying paint with the roller, use long strokes in a W pattern for ample coverage (and to avoid those pesky roller marks). Once the wall is dry to the touch, it's ready for a second coat.

If you are painting the trim, remove the painter’s tape and wait for the walls to dry, before applying tape to the walls. Start with the trim closest to the ceiling, moving on to door and window frames, and finally the baseboards.

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8. Don’t forget ventilation

Make sure your space is well-ventilated throughout the project by opening windows and using fans.Keeping the room warm and a fan blowing definitely helps speed up the drying process. If it's a damp day, it will take much longer for the paint to dry.

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9. Clean up

You’ve done multiple coats, but it’s not time to relax just yet. Remove all painters tape and gather drop clothes, making sure any spills or splatters are dry before you move them. For latex- and water-based paints, clean brushes with soap and water, while oil-based paints will require mineral spirits. You can use a painter’s brush to clean and reshape bristles. If you want to reuse roller covers, use the curved edge of a 5-in-1 tool to remove the paint under running water.

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10. Give yourself enough time

The amount of time your project will take depends on the size of your room, how you’re painting, and your skill level. For instance, using a dark shade on the walls and painting the ceiling and trim will take longer than just doing the walls in a neutral. While some spaces can be done in a few hours, others may take several days. Be sure to budget more time than you think the job will need and don’t forget to take prep and cleanup into account.

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Are you interested in selling or buying your home in the next few months? Work with award winning realtor, Carmen Leal and her team that specialize in Real Estate Vancouver and have qualified Buyers that are looking for a home in your area!   604.218.4846 & www.carmenleal.ca

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      This communication is not intended to induce breach of existing listing agreement.

The 10 best plants for apartment dwellers

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From purifying the air to making your apartment feel more welcoming and alive, there are a multitude of reasons to incorporate plants into your home decor. However, for many of us, keeping these precious specimens alive can be a small but legitimate challenge—especially when space and natural sunlight is limited. To make the commitment to caring for and sustaining the life of greenery a bit easier, we’ve put together this list of special and very sturdy plants perfect for apartment dwellers like yourself.


1. Pothos – Epipremnum Aureum

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This leafy green is ideal for adding lively accents higher up in your apartment. They are perfect for hanging baskets or as a climbing plant. Plus their purifying qualities allow them to absorb and strip toxins like formaldehyde often found in common household items like carpet and area rugs. They can survive in a variety of lighting conditions, but please note that low light may reduce the leaves’ variegation.


2. Snake Plant – Sansevieria Trifasciata

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Snake plants are some of the most tolerant plants out there. They can withstand weeks of neglect without losing their shape and fresh look. Snake plants are great for the novice green thumb as they can thrive in environments with very low light and water. Added benefits include their ability to help purify the air by removing toxins like formaldehyde and benzene.


3. ZZ Plant – Zamioculcas Zamiifolia

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ZZ Plants are native to Zanzibar, a country located in East Africa, and are considered by some as the “Houseplant of the Future.” This is one of the lowest light plants available, only needs to be watered three times per month, and rarely attracts pests.

4. Iron Plant – Aspidistra Elatior

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Iron Plants boast dark leafy greens and can add a visually striking aesthetic to any dark corner. They also have an affinity for low lighting and can survive with very little water and poor soil.

5. Cacti – Cactaceae

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If variety is what you’re looking for then you might want to invest some of your apartment funds into purchasing cacti. Cacti are available in all sorts of weird and wonderful shapes and sizes. These easy to care for plants can survive in the desert, so if you have a window available, it’s likely your apartment will be an equally equip environment to provide these plants with everything they need to thrive.

6. Succulents

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Who doesn’t love a succulent? Over the past few years, we’ve seen a boom in this plant’s popularity which can probably be attributed to their good looks and they are no fuss (they are nearly indestructible). All you need to keep these guys going is a little bit of sunlight and water once every other month.

7. Spider Plant – Chlorophytum Comosum

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Spider plants again fall into the low light category, but they also self propagate by sending out off-shoots. So if abundance is what you’re after, look no further. Spider plants do well when their roots are crowded, making them the perfect companion for any apartment whether planted in a bundle or on their own.

8. Bamboo

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Bamboo only needs water and shade to survive, and in addition to its good looks, bamboo is also meant to create a positive living environment. It is considered a living example of the feng shui elements of water, wood and earth, and in accordance with feng shui practices, if you place your bamboo in the correct pot, it can introduce fire and metal to complete a balance of the five elements.

9. Ficus Tree – Ficus benjamina

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If you’re lucky enough to have room for a full tree, then the ficus is what you should be after. Also known as the weeping fig or Braided Ficus, this low-maintenance, attractive plant is perfect for your indoor oasis. The braided trunk, however, does not occur naturally. When the plant is young, its multiple trunks can be weaved together to grow into a permanent braid. While the ficus is a very common indoor plant, they are also grown outdoors. In nature, it can reach up to 50 feet tall.

10. Peace Lily – Spathiphyllum Wallisii

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This beautiful plant boasts long dark green leaves and elegant white flowers. The Peace Lily is great for small spaces and requires little sun for survival. In fact, direct sunlight can actually damage the plant’s foliage—it has the nickname “Closet Plant.” The plant doesn’t require a lot of watering, but when it does, it’s easy to tell as the leaves begin to drop.

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Are you interested in selling or buying your home in the next few months? Work with award winning realtor, Carmen Leal and her team that specialize in Real Estate Vancouver and have qualified Buyers that are looking for a home in your area!   604.218.4846 & www.carmenleal.ca

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      This communication is not intended to induce breach of existing listing agreement.

5 Easy Painting Projects That Can Reinvigorate Boring Household Items

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After weeks of sheltering in place, you're likely to have exhausted all the obvious options for home improvement. You've probably disinfected the bathroom to perfection, cleaned out your makeup drawer, and organized your Tupperware drawer to the nines.

But you may still be looking for a way to keep busy and spruce up your home decor, without buying new furniture or accessories. That might mean it's time for the satisfying task of painting household items that you already own.

Adding a splash of paint has always been one of the easiest and least expensive ways to change your environment radically. But the following projects are not big undertakings that require multiple hours and years of DIY experience.

In fact, we have faith that anyone with some extra paint and a little creativity can reinvigorate these boring household items that you were thinking of setting aside for donation.

Check out these items that you can revive with a few strokes of your paintbrush.

1. Shelves and bookcases

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One way to update a room instantly is by painting the back of shelves or bookcases.

It adds an unexpected, decorative twist to any space, and it draws the eye to the color, instead of any clutter.

If you’re struggling to pick an accent color for your shelves and bookcases, there’s a simple solution.

Scan the room and see what colors are already in play, in your pillows, artwork, rugs, and other decor. Then choose a color similar to what you already have. It'll pull the room together.

Painting shelves or their backdrop is a fun, easy way to add personality to a space and to create a focus point with very little effort.

To prep the shelves for painting, remove all items from the bookshelves and lightly sand the surface to prepare for the paint. Then prime, let the primer dry, and apply the coats of paint.

Be sure to let it dry in between, and also lightly sand between coats.

2. Vases

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Everyone loves fresh flowers. Flowers aren’t the only things that can bring color to your interiors.

Try repainting your old vases. Match the colors in your house, or go for something neutral, like black or off-white.

We love the idea of painting an accent stripe on a vase, like the one above.

3. Dining room chairs

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Is that dining room set your grandmother gifted you looking a little run-down? Use paint to give the chairs a modern look.

In today’s home trends, nostalgic pieces of furniture are at an all-time high, and people want to keep items with charm and character that they have a connection to.

Before you begin painting, remove or tape around cushions or anything you do not want to paint. You also need to prep the surface, with coarse-grit sandpaper. This is a necessary step to ensure that the paint will adhere to the chair.

Applying a coat of primer and letting it dry. Then, it's time to paint.

If you’re painting wooden chairs, its recommended that you paint with—instead of against—the grain, as this will produce a smoother finish. It may take more than one coat, and if so, she advises letting the paint dry between coats.

4. Mirrors

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Mirrors are another small project that you can tackle with a small amount of paint.

Painting an old mirror can revitalize its overall appearance, without committing to painting an entire room. And just one quart of paint is enough to complete numerous smaller projects.

When choosing a color to paint the frame of your mirror either coordinate with the existing color on your walls. For a more subdued look go in the opposite direction and select a statement color to draw attention to the mirror.

No paintbrushes? No problem. Spray paint is a great alternative. Just be sure to tape the edges where the frame meets the mirror, with painter's tape.

This can be turned into a project for kids who want to redesign their bedroom.

Allow them to connect with their creative side, and have fun turning an old mirror into a masterpiece they can be proud to show off.

5. Planters

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The weather’s getting warmer, so while you're sheltering in place, take your painting project outdoors. You might not have space for planter boxes, but if you're determined to grow plants at home, consider putting in a vertical garden with painted wood boxes.

Make sure the surface is clean wood, free of dirt and debris. Its recommended to use a wood cleaner first, to ensure the best results.

Sand the wood on the boxes, apply a coat of primer, and then apply two coats of paint in your chosen color.

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Are you interested in selling or buying your home in the next few months? Work with award winning realtor, Carmen Leal and her team that specialize in Real Estate Vancouver and have qualified Buyers that are looking for a home in your area!   604.218.4846 & www.carmenleal.ca

Vancouver-Realtor-Carmen-Leal

      This communication is not intended to induce breach of existing listing agreement.