"Trading up"/ "3 Thoughts on ... designing a hobby room"

May 11, 2019 "Trading up": Today I found this article by Kristina Ljubanovic in the Globe and Mail.  It's in the "Favorite room" section on Sat.  I like this because it's about trading instead of buying things to decorate your home.  You save money and it's good for the environment:

“Not to get too corny, but we like used things; things with a little bit of history,” Aubrey Jesseau says. Many of the furnishings in the two-storey rental he shares with girlfriend Ellen Jurgenson, located in Toronto’s Little Italy neighbourhood, were procured through online trading platform Bunz, where Jesseau works.

More than a cheap decorating strategy, trading is a philosophy for Jesseau – one that

encourages sustainability by giving products a second life 

and mindfulness around ownership 

and need. 

But practically speaking, furnishing your space through trades can amount to a lot of time spent online hunting – though not necessarily. “You can kind of manifest things on the app,” Jurgenson says. 

Through filters, 

saved searches 

and alerts, 

Jurgenson assures it’s easy to look for the things you want and get notified when something similar becomes available.

“You can build your own mental mood board of things you’re on the hunt for,” Jurgenson says. 

“But inevitably you come across things that you didn’t really think you wanted. Then you see them and you’re like, ‘Oh, there it is! I could use that in my house,'” she says.

Jesseau and Jurgenson present their finds to one another, and if both are in agreement, they’ll offer a trade. Usually it’s wine or Bunz’s digital currency, BTZ. But sometimes, traders get inventive. “There are, literally, no rules,” Jurgenson says. 

She once secured an item for a donation to the charity of her choice. “I gave $50 to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and [the trader] was happy with that,” she says.

When furnishing one’s space this way, patience is key. In their case, the better part of a year was spent accumulating items. A pair of Eames moulded fiberglass armchairs were a score for Jesseau (along with an IKEA rug and some stoneware dishes). The previous owner was moving to Britain and looking to rid herself of most of her earthly possessions this side of the Atlantic. “It was one of the best trades ever. I think we gave her enough wine to last her, well, until she left,” he says.

And despite the space’s furnished state, the trading continues. “It’s hard to be done,” Jurgenson says. 

“You develop new tastes for things 

and playing around is so much fun. 

We’re open a

nd not scared to try out different things,” 

she says.

The couch is next up on their list of trades, for purely pragmatic reasons, since, Jesseau says the cushions have flattened over time. The rug in their living space was a non-Bunz purchase, ordered online. “There are corners and nooks where we have a combination of new and used things and that’s pretty cool. I think it’s a good combo,” Jurgenson says.

But trading will always be the preferred method of procurement. “When you trade with someone, you’re getting an item with some history,” Jesseau says. “Sure, it probably has some scratches and some wear.” 

But it also has a story. “That’s when it has more meaning for us, knowing that this item already has a history and we’re going to continue it,” he says. The ins and outs of the transaction can often make for a good tale as well. “Any time anyone says, ‘How’d you manage to get that?’” says Jurgenson, “I’m like, ‘Funny story.’”

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-design/article-favourite-room-patience-pays-off-when-trading-for-decor/

5 hours ago

Furniture direct from strangers' homes? Not a chance. All I can think is "bedbugs, bedbugs, bedbugs."


Here's the site:

https://bunz.com/

The Reuse Centre: This is in Edmonton and you can get what you want and need.

"The Reuse Centre currently offers reusable items to Edmonton residents free of charge. Individuals and businesses can also donate items to be reused by others."

https://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/garbage_waste/reuse-centre

Feb. 28, 2022: I found this in my old physical news articles:

May 10, 2015 "3 Thoughts on ... designing a hobby room": Today I found this article by Leanne Brownoff in the Edmonton Journal:

Hobbies may have once been considered the pastime activities of children. Au contraire, these prized personal preoccupations are all grown up and have literally become 

the talk of the town, 

the deciding point on a resume 

and a prescription for a happy life. 

The Journal’s decor expert Leanne Brownoff and stylist Shelley Cronin help us 

inspire creativity and relaxation,

 by designing a dedicated space for your daily diversions.

1) What’s your muse?

Surround yourself with artistic inspiration to stimulate your passion.

— Keep journals ready to write down ideas that pop into your head.

— Surround yourself with a private library on your favourite subject matter.

— Pin objects or photos that inspire.

2) Artistic Storage: what to tuck away and what to leave out

Balancing artistic casual clutter with proper placement is all about storage.

— Old ladders are perfect to fashion into bookcases.

— Repurpose containers such as jars, old paint cans and buckets.

— Stacking is fine for objects that can be recognized and retrieved at a glance, but ensure it doesn’t encroach on floor space needed to manoeuvre.

3) Lighting makes a difference

— Natural light sets the mood for creative projects. Northern windows provide a more consistent light, but any natural light is appreciated.

— Task lighting is a must for the fine technical processes. Desk lighting that provides a tri-switch and an adjustable head is most effective.

— Ambient lighting, such as this decorative Edison-style string, may not produce adequate light to perform detailed tasks alone, but it does set the mood for inspiring creativity.

You can contact Leanne at leanne@leannebrownoff.com or Shelley at Shelley Cronin Design (certified interior decorator) scronindesign@gmail.com.

Special thanks to, Homes by Avi for providing The Hawthorne show home, located in Henley Heights at Secord.

3 Thoughts on ... designing a hobby room | Edmonton Journal