After many drafts and revisions, I’m happy to report that the new and improved M2JL STUDIO website is finally online! Browse the site to discover various residential and commercial projects, read some comments from clients and learn about the new design and decoration services offered.

2009 was an interesting year. For M2JL STUDIO it was a year with a lot of changes that come with moving to a new city. This was accompanied by a new look for this blog and the birth of a new popular blog, Modern Ottawa (nominated by Ottawa Start as one of the “30 essential Ottawa blogs“), and being featured on three occasions in Je Décore Magazine amongst other things.

There’s a lot of good things to look forward to for 2010, especially considering the fact that the recession is over. The new year has always been an opportunity to take on new challenges. So on top of establishing the business in a new city, I will be teaching at La Cité Collégiale and taking on the responsibilities of elected Program Director for the local chapter of CDECA. There are also a lot of new features planned for this blog. If there’s something you’d like to see, let me know. I wish you a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year. Thank you for stopping by and come back often.

If you’re looking for an original and thoughtful gift, you might like this new offer from M2JL STUDIO, a 2-hour in-house consultation package. This is the kind of gift that will help transform an environment to make them happier. For more information, check out the Gift Certificate link or contact me directly (designer@m2jlstudio.com)

I’m happy to report that M2JL :: STUDIO is back in the latest issue of Je Décore magazine. Entitled “Salles de bain bien pensées” (which loosely translates to Well thought out bathrooms) the magazine focuses on bathrooms. For this project I was asked, along with two other designers, to create a new concept for an existing bathroom where we had to include three specific items in the room (a sink, a mirror and green tiles). We had a budget of only $750. Quite a challenge! Especially if you never get to see the actual place or make last minute changes to the final touches. But it turned out great as you can see here.

Generally there’s a contest for people to vote for their favorite transformation. It should be online soon. This issue is filed with great tips and ideas on how to transform your bathroom. Once again, I’m looking forward to get my copy!

I’m happy to report that one of my projects has been selected to be published in the June 2009 edition of Je Décore magazine. This clever magazine from Quebec is filled with tons of valuable information for DIYers. What’s great about those magazines is that they are really made for DIYers. There’s a lot of detailed information on various topics related to decorating your home. There’s also a lot of inspirational space, including mine (on the far left) to give readers some ideas on how they can transform their home. There isn’t a lot of magazines out there with that much information for readers. This is a really good one.

The June edition of the magazine is all about Harmonious Colors and is filled with color trends, practical painting tips and tricks on how to integrate color in your home. I’m looking forward to get my copy!

Here’s the cover…

And here’s my page.

M2JL :: STUDIO – Kitchen renovation (Before)

If you’re home is in desperate need of a little TLC, now’s a good time to renovate it. As part of its stimulus package the Canadian government has created an incentive to encourage families to invest in their homes: The Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC). If you renovate your home or the land on which it sits between January 27,2009 and February 1,2010, you are eligible to receive up to $1,350 in tax relief on renovation expenses.

The credit can be claimed on eligible expenditures incurred on one or more of an individual’s eligible dwellings. Properties eligible for the HRTC include houses, cottages and condominium units that are owned for personal use. Renovation costs for projects such as finishing a basement or re-modelling a kitchen will be eligible for the credit, along with associated expenses such as building permits, professional services, equipment rentals and incidental expenses.
For example, the following are eligible for a tax refund :

- Renovating a kitchen, bathroom, or basement
- New carpet or hardwood floors
- Building an addition, deck, fence or retaining wall
- A new furnace or water heater
- Painting the interior or exterior of a house
- Resurfacing a driveway
- Laying new sod

So why not hire a designer :) It will make a big difference. See :)

M2JL :: STUDIO – Kitchen renovation (in progress.Check back soon for the final result)

More information on the HRTC is available here site.

MARTINE LACHANCE
St-Jean-sur-Richelieu

Martine, is the winner of a $50 gift certificate from IKEA. I would like to thank my clients for taking the time to answer the customer satisfaction survey.

Martine est la gagnante d’un certificat cadeaux IKEA d’une valeur de 50$. J’aimerais remercier mes clients pour avoir pris le temps de répondre au questionnaire de la satisfaction de la clientèle.