Mirror Paint

I had a question today about mirror paint and this is something I had never heard of!  Mirror coatings, sure, but paint-on-mirror?  This was something new.

Time to research!

It looks like you can buy spray paint from Krylon called Looking Glass.  I do not see it on the Canadian site, however and there is very little information about it.  A few reviews state that it did not work as expected, ran out quickly, and just made the glass look cloudy.

Cheer up!  You could just buy yourself a new Bimmer with mirror paint or chromed.  

There are some fascinating projects that use this paint on Pinterest:

There are TONS of Youtube videos about “Chroming” different items too.

 

If you are up for a lengthy tutorial, check out this silvering of mirrors from a traditional mirror making company called, Angel Gilding.

 

Another interesting find is the Martha Stewart line of Precious Metals Paint.  This blogger had great success. (Although she says it turned out “just ok”, I think it looks pretty good.

 

I was expecting some interesting new roll-on mirror product or hydrographic mirrors, but no success.  Anyone have any other ways to “mirror paint”?

 

 

New to Acco Kitchen and Bath… Pratt and Lambert Paints

We are excited to announce that Acco will be a dealer for Pratt and Lambert Paints so watch our Facebook promotions carefully! We will be offering great deals on this excellent paint and what better way to cheer up your space?  Now that the cold weather is coming and you have to be indoors anyways, start painting!  Visit the Inspiration Gallery for some great colour combinations.

Think about your fall projects now, and check back to save on Pratt and Lambert paints.

How to Choose a Quartz Counter top – Part One of Three

When it comes to choosing a quartz counter top, there are so many choices that it can be overwhelming.  A lot of questions come to mind.  Do you match or contrast the cabinetry?  Should I choose the back splash before or after I choose my counter?  What about the floor?  Should I bring my flooring sample along too?  Perhaps now you’re completely confused and you want to run away from all these decisions.

Samples for a Kitchen

Don’t run yet, we’re going to help you make choosing your counter top simple by giving you some helpful tips – whether you are doing a complete renovation or just giving your kitchen or bathroom a face lift.

Step 1    Definitely choose your cabinetry first.  The cabinetry will be or already is a more permanent fixture.  It covers the largest surface in a kitchen and will dictate the rest of the finishes around it.  In a bathroom or kitchen, consider the lighting:  is there lots of natural light? If so, you can afford darker cabinetry.  If your space is smaller with little natural light, you may want to lighten it up with glossy white or bleached wood cabinetry.

Step 2   Look for inspiration.  Whether you choose wood or laminate doors, a light or dark finish, do a quick search for kitchens or bathrooms with similar cabinetry.  You will quickly see what others have done and what appeals to you.  Houzz is a great resource, and Google is too.  Try searching “espresso kitchen” or “natural maple cabinets” or whatever finish you decided on, and see what you come up with.

Step 3   Don’t forget your flooring!  If you have not already chosen your flooring, I would recommend this step before you choose your counter top.  It is easier to see how a counter top will work with a floor and a door rather than just the cabinet.  So many times clients choose their cabinet and counter top and forget about the flooring, only to find later that the flooring looks too beige, or doesn’t offer enough contrast.  Floor finishes can really vary, so bring along 1 or 2 or even 3 tiles when you start choosing your counter just to get a complete idea of the variation.  If your flooring is already down, bring the counter top samples to your bathroom or kitchen so you can see them next to each other.  Taking a pictures is not a good idea.  It leaves too much room for error and colours look different on screens and in different lighting.

Step 4   Visit a store for samples.  Most stores will have different brands of quartz – for example, Acco carries the full selection of Cambria and Ceasarstone, but we also have some other brands to choose from.  Be sure to bring along your other finishes: cabinet door, flooring, backsplash to help you choose your quartz counter top. What about a paint chip you ask?  Paint is the easiest and cheapest thing to change in a room, so unless you are dead set on a particular colour, I would recommend choosing paint last. Pick the brain of our sales person or designer.  They have seen many counter tops installed, and can give you insight into the final feel of the finishes – something you can’t get from a little sample!

Watch for our next posts about choosing a light coloured or dark coloured quartz counter top. We’ll give you lots of inspiring spaces with a solid design commentary that should help you decide what is the look for your home.

ALNO Cabinetry

Acco Kitchen and Bath is an exclusive dealer of ALNO Cabinetry from Germany.  We have mentioned ALNO in some of our previous posts: here, here, and here. Perhaps it seems a hot topic for us, but these kitchens are really something special.  Here’s a peek at their 2013 catalogue and what I’d like to call, Acco’s Guide to ALNO Cabinetry.

Innovation

Tempered Platinum Blue Glass, ALNO

Glass Fronts – Nothing says quality like glass fronted cabinetry… and its tempered, so its going to hold up to abuse!  And in the event that it did get damaged, it might just crumble a bit at the edge, rather than break away in big, sharp shards.  Available in Satin (ALNO Satina) or Clear (ALNO Vetrina), with or without handles.

A Close Up

Ceramic Fronts – This front is unlike anything you’ve seen before.  ALNO has taken a typical finish for your kitchen floor and brought it in-your-face as a cabinet front.  Beautiful, natural feel for a kitchen uniquely yours.

Ceramic Front completes the space with a hard-wearing natural feeling finish.

Also available in this finish, reminiscent of slate.

Accessories + Pullouts

When you are planning a new kitchen, a very important part of this is choose hardware and accessories.  ALNO makes this very easy.  Every kitchen comes with these already included, no add-ons, forgotten pieces, or assembly required.

Pantry Pull-out give easy access to the back of the cabinet

Kidney-style corner pull-out keeps the corners from being useless!

Cutlery dividers fit perfectly.

No more drips on your cookbook!

Foil

Even if you’re looking for an inexpensive kitchen… ALNO can and should still be a front-runner.  All three of these kitchens are made from the ALNOPlan (Thermofoil) line, and they come in under $10,000.

ALNOPlan White + Chestnut

White + Acacia with Black Glass

Walnut + Magnolia White

Excited to plan your modern kitchen yet?

Let us help you with design and material selection.  Contact us for more information!

Showroom Renovations

Hello from Acco!

We are doing some changes in the showroom (aren’t we always?)  but they will soon be ready for the BIG REVEAL.  Stay tuned, the countertops will be on the new showroom kitchens within the next few weeks and you will be pleased with the outcome.

A sneak peek?  Na, come see for yourself!

Houzz.com : 10 Great Ways to Make Houzz work for your Renovation

Houzz.com is a fabulous resource for inspiring interiors, exteriors, and spaces in general.  Looking for a great patio idea?  New island?  Countertop colour examples?  This is the place.

If you have yet to check out Houzz, you can browse for hours (til your head is spinning) through their high-quality images and keep all your favourites in an Ideabook.  You can further organize your Ideabooks by room, category, style, colour, etc.

How can you make Houzz really work for you?  Here are 10 Great Ways to Make Houzz Work for your Renovation.  It will save you time, and help you organize your ideas.

1. Create Ideabooks – rather than browsing for images and losing them, start with the Ideabook and THEN browse for images.  Say you are doing a Kitchen Renovation.  Don’t just title the Ideabook ‘Kitchen’, but use all these sub-categories:

Kitchen Island/Galley Kitchens/White Kitchens/Hardware/Drawer Ideas/Countertop Finishes/Professionals In My Area

This way, your stuff really stays organized and you can easily access it.

Ottawa, Rideau Canal

2. Check out your local Metro – who better to serve you than professionals in your area?  Go to ‘Find Local Pros’.  For Ottawa, click here!  You can then specify WHO you are looking for. (Architect, Designer, Window Installer, etc).  You will quickly find those in your area and can read client reviews.

3. Keep Looking – even if you’ve put Houzz aside for a while, go back!  There are CONSTANTLY new images and projects added that might just be the inspiration you’ve been looking for.

Cambria Brentwood

4. Product Search – Perhaps you are looking for a specific finish for your countertop, as an example.  Wouldn’t it be great to see it installed in various lighting and kitchen styles?  Well, try ‘Cambria Brentwood’ and you come up with this, and this, and this! Great way to see your finish without committing with a big price tag.

Modern Kitchen

5. Search by Style – Know you want a modern kitchen but are unsure where to start?  Check out the search option for Modern and add Kitchen as a search term and you will come up with this!  (Don’t forget to add your favourites to the Ideabook as you go!)

6. Ask Questions – Did you find something you LOVE but wonder what it is exactly?  Ask a question!  If you look next to this photo, it has 9 Questions.  Stain, Hardware, you name it!  And the owner of the photos usually respond quickly, so you won’t be left in the dark.

7. Contact Local Professionals – Need further help?  Or are you ready to get the project started?  Contact a local professional by clicking the big green Contact Me button on their page.

8. Check Prices and Sources – Some images have Product Tags that show you the brand and the pricing if available.  This kitchen has one for the Wolf Range and you can get to the Wolf website directly from Houzz.  This can also be used to find dealers in your area.  Double win!

9. Check out their articles – Houzz has many articles written by design pros for every detail of a project.  Looking for a kitchen layout? This article is excellent to help you choose what works for your space.

10. Take a Break  – Houzz is OVERWHELMING.  Don’t get discouraged, take a break, and come back later (with a glass of wine or a partner in design) to help you choose form the vast array of inspiration.

Check out our Houzz, and feel free to ask questions!