When COVID first became a reality, no one really could have imagined the scale and longevity that the virus would take on. A few months or so in I remember chatting with my friends about how when this was all over we were going to plans a girls trip to relax and take a much needed break – but the sad thing is – we never thought it would last this long. 

Fast forward ten months (and counting), and we are nowhere near that girls getaway or any other getaway for that matter. Like us, many people have found themselves shifting focus from vacation planning to renovation planning, and using funds that would have otherwise been spent on travel now going towards upgrading, renovating, and decorating our homes which have become our sanctuary these days.

Our family definitely falls into this category as well, and with no sights on vacation for who knows how long – we’ve been working on lots of things around the house (did you see our formal dining room and entryway reveals?), and beginning to plan out finishing our basement. With all these projects on the go, I was thrilled to visit Improve Canada a few weeks back to get some inspiration and be introduced to industry experts that could help us plan and execute our goals.

Improve Canada is Canada’s Largest Home Improvement Centre located in Vaughan, Ontario that is a true one-stop renovation and decor destination where architects, builders, contractors, designers and their clients can all go to source, shop and be inspired for their next project. There are over 350 home-improvement showrooms for every possible project you could be working on. From general contractors, window and wall treatments, kitchen and bathroom designers, and custom furniture – Improve Canada has 320,000 sq.ft of showrooms ready to help you complete your project.

While I obviously couldn’t visit every showroom in one visit, the lovely team at Improve Canada mapped out which ones I would visit for my guided tour based on our specific project needs. This is actually a complementary service that the centre offers which makes navigating this large space such a breeze – especially during COVID when we might not be able to browse as we would like to. The free personal shopping service starts with a call to the Improve Canada customer service team (905-677-2577) which – after discussing your project needs – will provide you with recommendations of showrooms to visit based on your preferences. As in my experience, they will even escort you thought the centre on a guided tour to meet the industry experts themselves and take the stress right out of your project.

When you first arrive at the center you’ll be able to pick up a brochure with all the showroom names and booth numbers. The center is strategically mapped out with “street names”, and each aisle is clearly marked with showroom number ranges. If you’re browsing on your own, simply find the aisle which contains the number of the booth you are looking and it’s simple to find. At first it can be a bit overwhelming, but once you get your bearings it’s a breeze to find what you’re looking for.

Even though vacations might be off the table for the foreseeable future, investing in our homes is actually not a bad way to spend the winter in the long run. And since our home IS our sanctuary – a place where our family feels safe and secure during these crazy times – now is the perfect time to tackle those small or large projects to make your home even that much more enjoyable to be in.

Be sure to give Improve Canada a call and book your complementary personal shopping adventure now, and stay tuned here on the blog for a future post all about the specific showrooms I stopped into on my visit, and the inspo they gave me for our upcoming projects.

Ps. When you visit you may even be able to catch a glimpse of Mike Holmes filming his podcast at the centre from Unit 273!

*This post is Sponsored by Improve Canada, however, all opinions are always my own.
*Photos by Darby Mitchell Photography