ENJOY A ROMANTIC VALENTINE'S DAY ON A BUDGET

Valentine’s Day is a special day for couples to celebrate and appreciate their partner. Men and woman spend hundreds of dollars on this day buying their partner a dozen roses, romantic dinners at five star restaurants, weekend getaways and the works.  I believe you recognize your special someone and you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars to do it.  The day is more about spending the time with that person and letting them know you appreciate them than all the material things that go along with the holiday. So whether you spend $2 or $100 this day will still be special as long as you spend it with the one you love. After all it is the thought that counts on Valentines Day not the dollar amount.

1. Make a Scrapbook/Homemade card

 A couple of days before Valentines or a week or so start collecting your favorite pictures and memories together, get a scrapbooks and put it together with a nice note for your partner. All the supplies can be bought at the dollar store and will really warm your partner’s heart that you took the time to make something so special for them.  Also, if you've been together for a while it will serve as a reminder of fun things you've done together and rekindle the memories of love.

2.Dinner For Two

Make a mix CD with all your favorite love songs, or songs that both of you enjoy listening too and have a special moment too. Set the mood with a romantic table for two with candles fluttering softly in the background of whatever room your set up is in. Feel like you’re at a 5 star restaurant without the 5 star price tag.  You can even cook the meal together so you have more time to bond as you cook.

3. Go to Your Romantic Place or Relive Your Favorite Memory

Do you and your partner have a 'spot' the place where you two always use to go to and don’t have the time to anymore because of busy schedules?  Why not go there for Valentine’s Day and make a new memory there. Another idea is to surprise your partner and relive your favourite memory. Maybe it was your first date, or the first place you guys kissed anywhere that held a big memory will do. This will mean more to your partner than any generic gift you could have gotten.

4. Make or Print a Coupon Book 

Make a coupon book with redeemable coupons and give it to your partner. You could make your own with coupons that are specific to your relationship, or you could download some off the internet. Include things like: one free backrub or massage, a relaxing bubble bath, a kiss whenever they want, cooking dinner or a strip tease. Include silly, romantic or intimate things that your partner can redeem whenever they want. 

Here are a couple links for ideas and printable coupons: 

http://www.romancestuck.com/romantic-printables.htm

http://www.lovingyou.com/articles/844799/fun-love-coupon-book-ideas

5. Strawberries with Chocolate Dip

Why not stay in and just talk, laugh and cuddle on the sofa and enjoy a yummy treat. Make Chocolate covered strawberries, or strawberries with chocolate dip and spend the night feeding each other.  How romantic!

6. Make a Gift Basket

You don't have to spend a lot of money making a gift basket. Include all your partners’ favourite things; it doesn’t have to be anything expensive either. Small things like their favourite chocolate and candies, a book from their favourite author. Think outside of the box, and choose things that show you actually listen throughout the year.

Valentine’s Day also known as 'Singles Awareness Day' doesn't have to be expensive if you're with someone and it also doesn't have to be lonely if you don't have someone. Valentine’s Day is about showing the people in your life you love them. If you're single you still have family members and friends who love you, why not get together with them and enjoy your night.  Or if you'd prefer to spend it alone a romantic night for one is still okay; pamper yourself with a luxurious bubble bath with candles, your favourite dinner, or anything that makes you feel special. You don't need someone to do that for you.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Modern Sensibility.

I hope everyone enjoys there night.

CONTEST: TAG AND WIN WALL ART GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Hey Everyone!

Today we're going to announce the winner of the Tag and Win Wall Art Contest ($69 Value).  We have to announce in on our blog because facebook prohibits announcing contest winners by using any of their tools(wall, message, etc). 

The turnout was amazing, and participation was high that we decided to announce 5 winners instead of 1. Everyone who entered was assigned a number and entered into a spread sheet and then their number was chosen using random.org. I want to thank everyone who participated and hope that you will continue to be a part of the Modern Sensibility community.  We always have contest and giveaways and fun activities for our community, and also provide information about deals, sales or home decor info through our blog, twitter or Facebook. 

.....DRUM ROLL PLEASE.....

1. Heather Holmberg 
She said, "I love this, and it matches my favourite bed sheet set .. I would hang it in my bedroom"





2. Margret Imecs 
She said, "PIERS would go straight in my living room"

 

3. Mario Louis

He said, "so modern, I think this would be fantastic for my foyer"  



 



4. Darla Soulder 
She said, "I would hang this in my living room, I have a red accenting wall and this would be go really good" 

 


5. Susan Hanley

She said, "I would love this artwork in my bedroom. Seeing this each morning would start my day off on a positive note."

 

All winners please email news@modernsensibility.com or call us at 416 760 7632 within 48hours to claim your prize and for further details! 

To everyone who didn't win, don't worry! We are all winners here.  Modern Sensibility is offering you a $30 dollar coupon to use towards getting the Wall Art of your choice! Just click view image, print it out and bring it into our store with you. 

Rules: Must have been a contestant in the tag and win giveaway.

2012 COLOUR OF THE YEAR - TANGERINE TANGO

Earlier this month Pantone Colour Institute did their official announcementof the colour of the year for 2012.  The last two years I have kept you up to date on Pantone colour choice of the year for 2010 Turquoiseand 2011's Honeysuckle"and this year will be no different! I find it so exciting to see which colour will reign as the "it" colour of the year because it literally becomes incorporated into all areas of design whether that be from home decor, fashion and makeup trends, to architectural choices. Already Tangerine Tango has started popping up all over the place; if you've visited the malls or taken a look magazines you'll notice the usage of this colour becoming more and more predominant as we look forward to forgetting winter and welcoming spring. 

Say Goodbye to Honeysuckle the colour that encouraged us to face our everyday trouble with verge and vigor and say Hello to Tangerine Tango which will take Honeysuckle's message a step further by giving us the "energy charge" we need to actually make change happen.   

TANGERINE TANGO

Here's what the executive director at Pantone Colour Institue had to say about 2012 colour of the year:

 “Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it {...} reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.” 

Thinking of adding 'Tangerine Tango' into your home decor? I've read about people who paint their walls or get the "colour of the year" sofa to keep up with home decor trends. In my opinion that's a bit much simply adding it as an accent colour will do the trick!  Tangerine pairs well with neutral colour such as grey, brown, cream and white.  It also looks great with bolder colour such as ice blue, greens like olive and army, yellows, navy blue, and other colours in the orange family.

Decorating with Tangerine Tango

These are the other colours chosen for Spring 2012.  A lot of these colours pair well with 'Tangerine Tango' as combined accent pieces. You can use them in your wardrobe for fashion forward colour blocking outfits as well. 

With today being the first day of February, is it too early to start counting down the days until Spring?

Will you be adding Tangerine Tango to your home decor this year? @ us on twitter @modsensibility and let us know!

SIX FAVOURITE BLOG POSTS OF 2011

I want to thank everyone who read and supported this blog since I started writing in 2010. I will be adding an introduction page in the next couple of weeks so everyone can see the face behind the Modern Sensibility blog and hopefully it will help me connect and personalize the blog for 2012. Continue to read, and I'll continue to write informative blog post about how to decorate, budget, accessorize, use colour and mange your home. I'll also keep you informed on what's going on or coming up at Modern Sensibility.

I wish everyone happiness and success in the year of the dragon, it is suppose to be an amazing year after all.

-Kadian

TOP SIX FAVOURITE BLOG POSTS OF 2011

I choose the top six blogs first by making a list of the ones I enjoyed reading and writing the most and then I checked my blog stats to see which one were most read in 2011 and for the most part they were the same as the one I’d chosen.  So take a trip down memory lane and re-read, or maybe you're reading them for the first time the top six blog post of 2011:

1. Is Grey The "New" Beige?" 

-This was the top read blog post for 2011.  Grey was announced as the "new" beige in 2011. It took the place in home decor as the "it" neutral and furniture stores quicker introduced grey fabrics to match the change. Grey isn't going anywhere soon, it will continue it reign into 2012.

2.Colour101: What Does Your Sofa Colour Say About You?

-This was my all time favourite blog post to write and many times I find myself going back to this post just to read it again and again. I enjoy reading about colour theory and I realized there wasn't a post on the internet about this yet. It was fun to read about colours and what they stand for and to twist it to make it about the colour of your sofa. Did you agree with your colour choice?

3.Decorating The Sensible Way - On A Budget"

-At Modern Sensibility we have a subscription to Style at Home Magazine. I enjoy reading the different articles and look forward to guessing the 'High and Low' article they have every month. The High and Low that inspired this post was one of the first ones we'd seen and I was completely blown away that one room cost $20,000 and the other one a mere $4,408! They were virtually the same room, talk about paying for the designer. At Modern Sensibility we pride ourselves on being sensibly priced and still offering you style and function so I thought this would be a great article to write to help people avoid the ridiculous price tags furniture comes with and still get a great looking home.

4.Six Tips To Choosing The Perfect Accent Chair"

-This blog post was actually written in 2010 but ranked in the top 5 most read post in 2011. This post offers six tips based on different functions in your home from style, space, function and design. I liked this blog because I wrote it at a time when we had recently introduced accent chairs to our line up so it was a memorable post for me as well.

5.Six Natural Ways To Remove Stains From Your Sofa"

-No surprise that this ranked as one of the top read blog post. It's a question asked so frequently, “How well does this sofa hold up with stains, pets, dirt, etc" or "How do I clean this type of material" that I felt this blog post was absolutely necessary.

6.Five Tips For Choosing Condo Sized Furniture"

-This is another post that was inspired by the customers we interact with at Modern Sensibility. We specialize in condo sized function furniture and people come to our store for this reason. We hear it all the time: "We need a sofa that will fit into our small space, we only have "x" amount of inches to work with" or "We've recently downsized and the furniture we have is too big" or "We've been searching forever and we're so happy  we found your store!" I wrote this blog so that I could help people who have smaller home or awkward spacing realize what needs to be thought about when choosing condo sized furniture, and making your space work for you not the other way around.

Enjoy reading these top ranked blog post take tips and pointer from them, and leave a comment if you have any suggestions to add or your own insider tips to share. Look out for the blog post for 2012!!!

Remember you can always email me at news@modernsensibility.com to suggest blog posts you’d want to read, or any questions you may have. I’d be more than happy to respond to your questions.

 

CONTEST ALERT: 

Every month we choose a painting winner ($69 value) at random from people who've signed up for our newsletter. This month I thought it'd be fun if we included our Facebook Fans as well. All you have to do is visit our Wall Art photo section on Facebook and tag yourself to your favorite painting and leave a comment saying what room you'd put it in if you won.  That simple! 

February 10th I will contact the winner and tell them to come into the store to claim their price.

YEAR OF THE DRAGON - CHINESE NEW YEAR 2012

Chinese New Year is one of the most important holidays on the Chinese Calendar. It starts January 22nd which is considered New Years Eve, and last until February 15th; this is when they celebrate the Lantern Festival. The celebration includes fireworks and dragon dancing, good-luck gift giving where adults give red envelopes with money to the young adults and children symbolizing wealth for the New Year, decorations, and lots of gathering and eating, many cities and towns also hold big parades.

It's a time for families to come together and prepare for the new year by cleaning their homes thoroughly, all this has to be done before New Years Day is over. This is said to clear their homes of bad luck and bring good luck for the New Year.

Chinese New Year Parade-- Vancouver

In the Chinese New Year each year is represented by an animal. The Dragon, Horse, Monkey, Rat, Boar, Rabbit, Dog, Rooster, Ox, Tiger, Snake, and Ram are the twelve animals that are used yearly to symbolize the New Year. 2012 is said to be a very special year for the Chinese people because it is the year of the dragon. The dragon is said to live in the skys which is thought of as heaven.  The dragon is a symbol of power in astrology people who are born under the dragon are known as people who have good luck, who are extremely successful and ambitious, who live life with their own rules.  They are the mightiest of any other astrological sign. source

With everything the dragon stands for it holds high hopes for what 2012 has in store for us.  Everyone is said to go after the things they want most in life, make new changes, and make big noticeable movements in their life. Why not introduce boldness into your life this year?

...dragons are the luckiest and wealthiest people and everyone wants in on the dragon’s legendary rewards. source

In preparation for Chinese New Year Modern Sensibility we visited Pacific Mall from January 14th to January 22nd with a professional calligrapher giving out handmade Duilian. Large groups of people came out to receive their Chu Lian  a special type of Dulian specifically used during the Chinese New Year for celebration and good luck. They include messages that bring hope and new beginning for the New Year and are hung on door or walls of home as decoration. 

 

If you want to learn more about Chinese New Year you can visit these links below:

15 Day Chinese New Year Celebration

How To Celebrate The Chinese New Year

Year of The Dragon

What Your Year Year Says About You

NEWS AND UPDATES: WEEK LONG BOXING WEEK SALE

Yesterday was Boxing Day and to kick off the week of spending and deal hunting Modern Sensibility has something for you too. Our Week Long Boxing Day Red Tag Sale!!! Amazing deals on all your favorite pieces AND a free painting of your choice to top it off. Hope everyone is enjoying their Holidays and looking forward to the New Year.

This is an Interactive flyer, just click on an item to go  to the product page.

5 TIPS TO MAKING YOUR SMALL SPACE APPEAR AND FEEL LARGER

Nan: How do you like your new apartment?

Dan: I have no room for complaint.

Many people live in smaller spaces for different reasons; whether it's because they can't afford to live in a larger house, a smaller space seem more inviting and practical to them, or they've decided to downsize from a bigger home.  Moving into a smaller space is great, but there's always the challenge of how to decorate without overcrowding.  In a smaller space you want to be able to make the most of the space you have which can be hard when you don’t know where to begin. With the right furniture and the right lighting this all becomes possible!  Knowing tips and tricks about decorating a small space will make all the difference between a spacious or cramped room.

Use Light Colours
1.     Light colors are a good way to brighten up a room and make it appear to be larger. Lighter colors help reflect natural light making it seem bigger and more airy. Using colors to get the most out of your space you can gain the appearance of a larger room.  Different colors are associated with different feelings; colors such as white, cream or beige (natural colors) work great for walls.  Also using inviting and warm colors such a yellow, blue, and green can add the effect of a larger room.

Tip:  Always remember shades when choosing a color. Stick to the lighter or lightest shades if possible in the color. Remember the goal is to reflect light.  Also, try to stick to complimentary colors in the home.

Remove Clutter
2.  We all have it- letters, notes, piles of magazines, loose papers and other things that are just lying around collecting dust.  Get rid of the clutter!  In an already small space the last thing you want to do is add more clutter.  Organization is the key.  Having the ability to hide things is a major plus!  Buy baskets to put your magazine way, and bins and filing units for other papers to decrease the clutter and free some space in your home.  Bookcases, shelves, and centerpieces can also be a great way to save on space and minimize clutter.

Add Height
3.  You always want to draw attention upwards in a smaller space.  Having low ceilings can make an already small space feel smaller.  Adding height to the room gives the appearance of higher ceilings.  A good idea would be to incorporate standing floor lamps, tall plants, wall art, and higher drapes to your space.  These items will shift the attention upwards giving the appearance of an open space.

Tip:Shorter floor to ceiling ratios can be solved by painting the ceiling and the wall the same color, or by keep the wall white.

 

Use Functional and Modular Pieces
4. Buying modular or multi-functional sofa pieces is always the best way to go in a smaller space.  There are many furniture stores who specifically target apartment/condo sized living so that you can still buy luxurious, comfortable pieces that will fit into your space. Modular sofas like The 'Waterloo(pictured on the right) come in handy for getting them into a smaller spaces and helps increase the space in your home.  Wouldn’t it be great to have a sofa with a hideaway storage unit, or a modular piece that can be designed to meet the needs of your living room but can still be used later on if you decide to move to a larger place?

Use Mirrors 
5. Use mirrors – Mirrors really brighten up a room, and are a great fashion piece for any wall.  The bonus of doing this is the reflection of the mirrors gives the illusion of a bigger space.  Mirrors come in many different options and styles ranging from a clutter of smaller mirrors to one big mirror in a large hallway, entrance of your home, or over a sofa.  So not only can you create a decorative piece, but make your room feel bigger at the same time.

Always Remember Less Is More! 

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