About the Décor Centre
Design Trends

Visit our Décor Centre today for professional decorating advice. Our experienced Décor Consultant can help you select fine finishes and features in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.

About the Décor Centre

Our Décor Consultant will help make the purchase of your new home a very exciting experience. It’s time to have some fun finishing the home of your dreams. Our Décor Centre is a place where all your dreams become reality.

Exterior Ideas

A home should not disappear after sunset. Exterior pot lights add charm and elegance in the evening hours. A well-lit home is also essential for safety and security; as well don't forget an exterior receptacle in the front of your home for holiday lighting. Entertaining with family and friends just isn't the same without music; a receptacle in your backyard allows you to plug in your portable player. A garden in the front of your home adds curb appeal and colour. Keep the maintenance of watering convenient by adding an additional faucet at the side of your house. It's also easy access when washing your car.

Interior Ideas

The exterior of your home creates a first impression just as the interior is a lasting impression. Aesthetics are important as they are an expression of you. An exotic foyer in a slate tile or granite is an instant attraction. A powder room with an upgraded tile or pedestal sink will impress your guests. Extend the foyer tile into the main hall giving your floor a continuous flow which should also extend into the kitchen. A kitchen is truly the heart of your home so consider the best quality cabinetry that your budget will allow. Built in accessories are the beginning and end to every functional new kitchen design; make your new dinette area complete by adding two garden doors.

The Great Room is a place where your family and friends gather. Television can be a constant distraction; imagine the thought of a classic oak fireplace, finished with an elegant marble facing as you sit, unwind and enjoy a glass of Chardonnay in your favorite chair. Change the brightness of your amber pot lights by adjusting the dimmer switch to create a more ambient atmosphere.

Your floors can be finished with the richest, darkest oaks that offer a back drop to your home furnishings. Complete the feel of richness on the second level of your home with a plush 60 ounce carpet under-laid with the thickest density under-pad. Your feet and lower back will thank you.

Don't over look the comfort an ensuite can offer. Surround those shower walls with large 8X10 tiles and listellos or boarders, flower inserts or architectural details. A light above your shower will add convenient additional lighting. We all know the feeling of a shower on a cold winter morning, adding a heat lamp will warm up the room on the coldest winter day. In the evening it is time to relax in your air jet Jacuzzi with aromatherapy lotions.

As important as aesthetics are, a practical and organized home is a happy stress-free home. No more carrying a heavy vacuum cleaner, install a central-vac system with extra outlets. An electrical garage door opener is a must, for easy access into the garage on those cold winter days. You have invested in a high-end stereo system; have us rough-in the wiring to avoid a visual mess. A three piece rough-in in the basement is a minimal cost compared to the cost of ripping up the basement floor at a later time.

Baywood can help you personalize your home.

Design Trends

Which ones will stand the test of time?

Trends come and go, so which design trends in housing will last into the next century? According to top interior designers, topping the list are open floor plans, big windows, fireplaces, hardwood floors, kitchen islands and porches.

While colours may change like the seasons, many of the features seen in today's new homes are likely to endure the test of time.

People want openness, and rooms that flow instead of being chopped up by walls. They also want more livable space, and they want their homes to be maintenance free.

Many of the new features, in addition to being attractive, are also practical. They serve as, or reflect, contemporary lifestyles.

In some older homes, it's not uncommon to find rooms separated by walls. Someone cooking in the kitchen can barely hear -let alone see -someone talking in the living room.

All of that has changed in the home today.

Now, it is common to see a kitchen, dining room and living room opened up, with no walls between them. Some partitioning may still occur but not to the point of closing off each room.

Also feeding a need for openness is the trend toward large windows. The increased use of glass, in a variety of shapes and sizes, helps create an open feeling, and it lets more natural light in.

Natural light is always more inviting than artificial light. This is why lower levels have windows and doors leading to a patio or yard. The use of transoms, oval or circular windows and side lights add interest and light to the homes.

While many floor plans show a traditional dining room, it is recommended that potential homeowners ask themselves how much they'll really use that space and whether it could be better used for something else. Instead, the same space is being dedicated as a computer room or home office.

Other features that are likely to stick around are hardwood floors, centre kitchen islands and porches.

And fireplaces are always popular - gas direct vent fireplaces are today's most popular choice. They're self contained and there's no heat lost through the fireplace, as with the traditional wood-burning fireplace.