Welcome to the fifth exciting issue of Design Directions keeping you in touch with the latest news with both Avalon Interiors and the design industry.
If there are any topics or trends you would like to read more about, or have heard of a new and interesting product you'd like to share with all my readers, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] and I'll respond in a future issue.
Looking forward to hearing from you and keeping you up to date on the latest happenings in the design world,
Kind regards,
Tracy Kundell,
President,
Avalon Interiors
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Lighten Up For Spring
Not everyone has the luxury of having big windows that let
in lots of sunlight. Many
apartments and houses have at least one room that is continually dark. A dark room can cause accidents,
eye-strain, and even a sour disposition.
If you'd like to add more light to your room - without taking a
sledgehammer to your walls, try a few of these room-brightening tricks. A brighter room will lead to a brighter
mood!
Paint
your walls a light color, and use eggshell or semi-gloss paint. Dark, matte finishes actually soak
up the light, making the room seem darker - even when you put the lights
on, but lighter, glossier paints will reflect the light back into the
room.
Keep
your ceiling white. It's
amazing the difference that a white ceiling makes on a room. Just like dark walls, a
darkly-painted ceiling will absorb a lot of the available light.
Add
more lamps. Yes, this
seems obvious. But many
homeowners rely solely on overhead lights to illuminate the room. Light needs to come from various
levels - low, middle, and high.
Combining uplights on the floor and lamps on tables around the room
with overhead lighting will create a brighter, more comfortable room.
Hang
large mirrors. Large
mirrors can act like windows, reflecting the light back into the
room.
Choose
reflective surfaces. Just
like walls, other large surfaces can absorb or reflect your
light. Opt for glossy
countertops, add glass panes to your hanging artwork, and place mirrored
trays on top of dark tables.
Light is important for your physical and mental health. So make sure your home is getting all
the light that it can get!
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The New HST
Assuming homeowners will rush to
get projects in under the deadline and avoid the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST),
the government has also added a May 1 deadline clause. Essentially, any project
that involves permanently installed goods ordered by May 1, but not completed
by July 1, is subject to the whole 13% tax.
If your projects are completed before July 1 it will
be taxed at the existing 5% GST.
The government research has shown that with this new implementation it will
increase jobs and prosperity in Ontario. I am not an economist, my husband
would be the first to agree, but I personally feel it encourages an already
struggling economy into under the counter cash transactions. Even with the tax
cuts they are offering for the 2010 taxation year it will not be enough to
offset the increase in the long run.
The new HST tax will add 8% to a design services/renovation invoice. Currently,
homeowners pay only 5% GST for services, which includes labour. But with the
HST, labour will be subject to the new tax, bumping the overall invoice tax to
13%.
Consider the following:
You get a quote to paint your home for $8,000
currently it will cost $8400.00 incl. 5%GST. If you wait however until after
July 1st to complete your project your total is now $9040.00 with 13% HST!
That new painting project will cost 8% more.
If you are planning on projects you want done, you should be planning to have
it done before the new tax takes effect.
Contact Avalon Interiors to see how we can assist you with your upcoming
projects.
For more information on the new HST, visit Ontario Ministry of Revenue.
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