Real Estate Advertorial Living room makeovers that will revamp your space Dear Debbie; During the pandemic we have been spending a great deal more time as a family in the living room. It's feeling a bit tired and I'd like to make the room wel- coming and special, What can I do? -- Henri Dear Henri; I was intrigued, but not surprised, to discover that the space thought by many to be the "heart of the home" is now predominantly the living room. I've been writing about busy kitchen life and the many ways to create clever designs that handle everything from cooking to nosh- ing with guests, overseeing homework and handling personal emails and busi- ness transaction. Everybody gravitated to the kitchen. But life changes. Daily routines change. The object of good de- sign is to accommodate what you require in your home in a way that elevates your lifestyle. So it's off to the living room and some ideas to make it special. Landing spots: The sofa and easy chairs must be comfortable; they should look as good as they feel. Investing in these seating mainstays is money well spent. Opt for rugged upholstery in a colour or pattern that's easy to care for, and layer with pillows and blankets. Bring in seasonal colours and motifs. Textural elements: We feel with our eyes and well as touch. Knitted fabrics, velvets and fat ribbed corduroy are in- viting. The grain in a wood floor, a pat- terned carpet, a metallic lamp shade each serve to develop the room's char- acter. They highlight what you like to have around you. Plants, as always, in- vigorate with natural grace. Personal collections. Are there hand- crafts or other particulars that your family would like to showcase? Set up a table with an artisan exhibit of items you have made or bought. This personal showcase can change with the seasons keeping current with what you are doing. Written by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Email decorating questions to house2home@debbietravis.com. DEBBIE TRAVIS House to Home Layering richly textured fabrics creates a welcome home vibe. in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, M ar ch 4, 20 21 | 22 Let your community know you're open for business. ommunity c ourt yeL To help our communitieswe have created an online business directory that features local businesses that are open, hours of operation and how customers can safelymake purchases from your store. Our business directory can be accessed from anyone of our 25 Community sites in Ontario. Visit metroland.com to find the community site in your area. Signing up is easy and free. 1 Visit our community website in your area and click on the banner at the bottom of the page 2 Click the "Add Business" link 3 Complete and submit the formSubmit www.metroland.com STEVE PAIKIN FROM TVO'S THE AGENDA Democracy is fragile. That's the thinking behind the Toronto Star and TVO partnership, The Democracy Agenda - an in-depth look at threats facing democracy here and abroad. Tune into TVO tonight @ 8pm or 11pm ET Stream on tvo.org