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Even though some of my friends in Montreal woke up to snow this morning, here in Moncton I feel spring! I’ve been getting by with lighter jackets and left the house in sneakers yesterday! Spring is in the air! The grass is green and the birds are chirping. By incorporating these springtime hues, this month’s colour palette should get rid of your winter blues!

It just so happens that the basement at my house is a cheery shade of green, so I staged it for you all! I’m really not this clean, but I am excited to share a few tips and tricks for brightening up a basement. Painting the walls green might seem like a terrifying task, but bright walls in the basement really enlivens the space without having to add a crazy amount of windows!

A lot of us don’t have time to fuss with keeping plants alive, but framing large artificial leaves adds some freshness to the room. Most of the furniture is quite neutral, but don’t be afraid to mix and match shades of green. I love that dark green chair against the bright wall!

When you’re trying to create a fresh feel, geometric shapes and symmetrical lines are definitely a go-to feature. Initially, we really wanted to go with a larger tv, but this one matched the size of the window and added to the flow of the rec room. I’m glad we choose it! The circles on the wall keep the airy vibe without making the wall look too bare.

This fresh palette sets the right mood for a brisk walk on the treadmill or a bit of yoga after work. The wall accents are all home made by Heather (the girl who took the photo of the bird in the palette!)  She filled photo frames in with patterned scrapbook paper and made a sunburst mirror out of ties she picked up at second-hand shops! The clean geometric lines make their way into the laundry room as well with a floating shelf holding enlarged photos from vacations.

This palette works great in a bedroom! The greys and white tone down the bright hues while keeping the look really crisp and fresh! Once again, framed natural elements add to the vibrant springtime feel of the palette. The framed pictures above the bed are from Superstore (How crazy is that!?) I love the modern take on traditional patterns that the painted white headboard and side tables give!

Lastly, this palette works great in my study space. A large window above the desk allows for lots of natural lighting and helps keep me focused. This space is a bit more cluttered, but I like to keep some of my favorite things on these floating shelves! I find the white keeps the space from looking too chaotic. This desk is made by setting a countertop on top of two short shelves! The plastic storage stack fit perfectly, but the other side is kept open to store larger items.

I hope you guys enjoyed this mini-tour of the basement! I’d love to hear how you guys brighten up your gloomy spaces!

I bet most of you–at least those of you from Moncton–were distracted by these little signs plastered around the city.

These signs, and a few billboards, were directing you all to the largest home show in Atlantic Canada! If for some crazy, unexplainable reason you couldn’t make it, here’s a recap of our favorite show! You know those model kitchens and bathrooms at Kent or Home Depot? Imagine that scene at the coliseum and you’ve got the Greater Moncton Home Show! Last weekend, many of you strolled through the doors of the annual show to chat with anyone and everyone in the housing industry!

With the help of our friends at DS&Co., our booth got a major overhaul from last year! It felt like a good ol’ maritime kitchen party as we spent the day chatting with friends-new and old-in our cozy, modern flat!

We also partnered with the Boys&Girls Club to offer you all a coat check and chance to win your dream cottage! Its not too late to buy a ticket! Click here for the dets!

I had the chance to sit in on this seminar and learn some practical tips about building your home with the future in mind. While spiral staircases rock, it may be a bit is way more practical to think about installing a staircase that is compatible with a lift. I definitely wouldn’t have thought of that right of the bat!

We really enjoyed chatting with all the guests, but it was awesome to catch up with some of our partners and friends like the people at Atlantic Home Warranty and artist Matt Leblanc!

There were SO many smiling faces around the coliseum! Bergman Landscaping & Masonry even set up a backyard camp out!  Also, how cool is that hide-a-bed! Who needs a pull-out couch when pull-down bookcases are an option?

Maritime Door & Window and Efficiency NB were right around the corner from us, so we were able to check out all the latest innovations for keeping your house eco-friendly and stylish!

The show was nothing short of chic with many companies showcasing modern lighting, flooring, and countertops! I’ve always had a thing for black countertops, but I think Precision Countertops won my heart with their stone-patterned display model! It seemed so fairy-tale meets HGTV.

If you didn’t make it this year, we hope to see you next year! BUT, if you did make it, what was the highlight for you?

There’s going to be yet another (caffeinated) reason to live in Moncton’s fast growing North End… Startbucks. That’s right  coffee lovers, soon we’ll be visited by the lady in green with hipsters and business people alike flooding the area to get to Moncton’s first Starbucks (with the other two being in the far away land of Dieppe). What’s even better? It’s less than 5 minutes away from our office!

You’ll remember that it was March that we introduced you to the Moncton-brewed Jitter Bean Cafe. It would seem that as each month passes, the competition for the hearts and caffeine addictions of North-enders grows with Second Cup going up in the fall and now Starbucks. All three of these great cafes (and a mandatory Tim’s) are located within a 2 minute drive down Mountain Rd!

Though the opening date isn’t clear, here at Martell Homes we’re excited to be both a spectator and a contributor to the growth of the North end. With the perfect blend of activity and oasis, it’s the place to be!

Will you be checking out the new Starbucks?