International # 3: Jo's Primary Pop

Name: Jo
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Type of Home: One Bedroom Rental

What inspired you to use color? When I moved in, my apartment was painted dark gold and green. I needed to change it immediately, so I painted with primary colours and clean whites. It made the place cheerful and beautiful.

Color Tip: It is easy to sleep in a blue bedroom.

Colors Used: The kitchen is painted in "lemon tart"

Comments (23)

That is the table I have been trying to find for my apartment! Someday I will prevail!

I agree about a blue bedroom.

I agree about a blue bedroom! I've painted every room in my apartment at least twice...except the bedroom...it has been blue ever since I moved in and I love sleeping in there. I like that yellow, and I normally don't like yellow!

AT JUDGES, take note! this is what we want to represent us in the color contest. places that are fun & bold, but not unreachable. we don't really want places that require a team of professionals & loads of money. we want to be inspired by something a real apartment renter can do to their real place.

I'm totally in love with your use of colour. For us is quite difficult since we're renting our apartment. We colud paint, but here in Spain they build completely tiled kitchens and bathrooms, and unless we ever save enough to build or buy (&remodel) a house, I don't think we'll ever find a kitchen we can paint.
The walls in our apartment where some shade of vanilla - custard - something, and although is not so bad, I'd love to customize it a little...
Any ideas on how to cheer up a white tiled kitchen?

this is one of the first entries I really like. the colors are bold but not over the top neony.
Also the pictures are very good. I'm afraid the best place with crappy pictures is only half as good.

Nice to see an entry from Ottawa! My mom was born there...

Love the lilacs, dog, and bike!

My love affair with blue bedrooms has been rekindled.
<3

Lovely home, dog and adorable bike!

Aww, adorable Snoopy bowl!

Nice! That's a great blue in the bedroom.
And yay for the Canadian entries!

cute!

I hope to see this entry in the finals!

I agree, this one should be in the finals. Anyone with a "neutral" should be disqualified for this particular contest.

Also, love the closet organization.

Good luck, Jo!

We live in Ottawa too and are waiting for the Smallest, Coolest contest to come around. Here's hoping Canadians do well then and now.

Well, I dont know about this one making it to the finals...there are one or two others that have entered so far that I think have a more creative use of color overall...but I agree with the mariegael that AT editors and judges need to take note, that we want to see things that we can actually DO to our everyday rental apartments instead of showing us these designer lofts that only the very well-to-do can afford. Show us how to work with what we GOT instead of showing us what we can NEVER HAVE!

Love it. Where did you find the print with al of the cameras? I would love to track it down!

Love the living room and the flowers!

You have an amazing knack with a most difficult color: Yellow. You make it look yummy!

Thanks everyone!!! Wow, I had no idea the response would be so great!

Xieta: My kitchen actually has a lot of tiles (the small square white ones) and they used to be brown! A previous tenant painted them white, which I like much better, however I wish she'd used a different paint. Right now they're matte and hard to clean.

Nadie: The camera print came from a craft fair in Chicago. I think the artist had 50 to sell and they were only $20 each! One of my favourite scores. Sadly, the artist's name isn't on the print, and I didn't have the presence of mind to write it down.

And thanks for all the Canadian love! ;)

J.

Oh wait! My expert-googler partner found the print here:

http://coudal.com/swapmeat/i/SM0001B.jpg

"Vintage Projector T-shirts
ID SM0231 (photo)
Arrived 00.00.07 PM, Carrier
From Rod Hunting, Chicago IL"

J.

Jo (and other Ottawa readers) - I'm wondering if you do any thrifting in Ottawa? If so, where are your favourite places to visit? I'm still finding my way around the city and would welcome any suggestions.

Hello DK,

Ottawa does not have many options when it comes to thrift furniture/kitch of the design styles regularly featured on AT. Also, you will find stores distinguishing themselves as "thrift" or "antiques" depending on just how expensive their merchandise runs. If you are looking for more inexpensive thrift the best place in Ottawa is probably St Vincent de Paul, at 1273 Wellington Street West, at Harmer Avenue, in the Westboro neighborhood. We have several Value Village, Goodwill, and Salvation Army stores but they are what they are...

The best opportunity for thrifting in Ottawa is the annual Glebe Garage Sale, which happens during the last weekend of May. During that weekend thousands of people walk the streets of the Glebe thrifting, and it's a genuinely opportune time: you can find tons of great used stuff among all the trash. Sandy Hill and New Edinburgh also have community garage sales around the same time.

Craigslist is not a great resource in Ottawa, though UsedOttawa.ca is a little better and based on the same principle.

There are a few more expensive places where you can find Mid Century and other 'designer' used furniture... let me know if you want names and addresses.

- - -

We in Ottawa need to get creative when it comes to furnishing our homes, especially if we do not have a diplomat's budget. It helps that we live between Toronto and Montreal, but if you look in people's homes at night while walking the dog or whatever, it seems clear to me that Ottawans do not have much taste in interior design (folks like Jo excepted).