When you need a bit of hand-holding to get you through a room make-over, a move or a down-sizing, Kathryn Osborne Design is an interior designer who has the resources and 20-year background to make it all feel stress-less. When re-upholstering (or making slipcovers), she can sell you the high-end fabric from her atelier (Brunschwig & Fils, Robert Allen, Waverly, Kravet, Colefax & Fowler, Designers Guild).

She can design a whole new floor plan or suggest ideas for designing bed or window treatments, wallpaper or selecting furniture (custom-made sofas too).

Beyond the norm, she can arrange a move, then place the furniture, hang the pictures and even offers a lending library of 200 decorating books for you to peruse.

Location: 1357 Greene Ave, 2nd floor, Westmount
corner: Sherbrooke
Phone: 514-931-1357
Hours: Mon-Fri 9:30-5:30, Sat by appt.
www.kathrynosbornedesign.com

Simm Sigal distributes designer clothing, shoes and accessories for the whole family – men, women and children – from Paris, LA, NYC and Copenhagen. To give you an idea of what kinds of lines they sell, these are some names seen there in the past: Rich & Skinny, C+C California, Tara Jarman, Tahari by Arhtus F. Levine, Melissa shoes.

They are clearing out their winter lines now so you can help them by buying them at clearance prices.

Location: 155 Beaubien ouest
Corner: l’Esplanade – enter on Esplanade
Phone: 514-849-6011
Dates and Times: Thurs May 3: 10-8, Fri May 4: 12-5, Sat May 5: 10-3

This is one of those outstanding sales that you have to be in the know to know about. Hundreds of samples of the Spring/Summer 2012 Collections of women’s prêt-à-porter and European imports of a (shh! famous labels that we can’t mention) will be sold off for six days only in this little boutique. They will all be 50% off suggested retail price. You can be wearing all the colors and styles of this season right now. Besides the samples, sizes medium and large will also be available.

Nestled in a courtyard, the S.I.L.K. Prêt-à-porter boutique is usually divided neatly in half between new samples (European labels and domestic labels) at 50% off and designer consignment clothing. The collections are so carefully handpicked that’s it’s really quite difficult to tell the new clothes from the gently worn ones: DVF (Diane von Furstenburg), Dolce Gabbana, Escada, Max Mara, Marccain, Sonia Rykiel or Save the Queen. After the sale, the consignment clothes will be back and you can also stock up on great basics or classics from Jones NY, Joseph Ribkoff and Simon Chang . New locally handmade artisanal jewelry is showcased for you to accessorize the clothes.

Location: 1213 Bernard St. W., Outremont, H2V 1V7
corner: Bloomfield
Tel: 514- 274-8282
Dates: May 1 – May 6
Hours: Tues-Fri 11:30 – 8, Sat 11- 5 , Sun 12 pm-5

A homegrown company, Arianne still produces the majority of their lingerie, dresses, tops, camisoles, and loungewear at their facilities in Montreal. Bras are only $10-$14.

A nicely organized event, all of the items are set out by size and price so you can easily find what you’re looking for.  The merchandise is hung up and items that are on tables, are well marked.  Fitting rooms with mirrors are provided.

You can find them on Facebook. Note that taxes are included in their prices.

Location: 1655 Louvain ouest
corner: Marche Centrale
Tel: 514-385-9393
Dates:  Apr 26-May 5
Times: Mon-Wed 10-5, Thurs & Fri: 10-8, Sat & Sun 10-5
www.ariannelingerie.com

You know how frustrating it is to be stuck in automated voice systems. Christian Allen publishes cheat codes to bypass these prompts in the  automated voice systems for 8000 companies like: Walmart, Facebook, United Airlines, Delta, Bell Mobility, eBay, Levi’s, Panasonic and on and on.

The site looks amazing but I have not tried anything on it. Let me know if you use it and if it works.

http://gethuman.com

When in difficult economic times,  learn to shop the warehouse sales. At Dahlia you can fill in your Spring wardrobe with their pretty blouses, tops, sweaters, jackets which are made under the monikers of: Dahlia, Katherine Barclay and Renuar. For this sale the prices are only $10 – $20.

Location: 225 Chabanel, Suite 315
Corner: Meunier
Tel: 514-381-5393
Dates and Times: Thurs & Fri Mar 29, 30, Apr 5, 6: 11-8;  Sat Mar 31 & Apr 7: 9-2
www.daliacollection.com
www.renuar.com
www.katherinebarclay.com

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There’s a sportswear warehouse sale at Fana Sports in St Leonard which features a wide selection of officially licensed Montreal Impact gear. The company is a year round supplier to local soccer clubs and was the official uniform supplier for the impact last season. It’s time to liquidate that stock now. Prices are: caps $3.95,  jerseys $17.95 and track suits $24.95.

Other soccer clothes (Legea, Tana, Givova) is clearing as well. Legea track suits at 70% off  are $19.95, soccer jerseys $4.95, soccer shoes $9,95 and balls are a mere $1.95.

Location: 6140 Marivaux
corner: du Prado
Tel: 514-648-8888
Hours: Wed 10-5, Thurs & Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5, Sun10-5
Dates: The sale will last til stock runs out

Since 1925, M. H. Grover & Sons, a family-run business has been dressing the hard-to-fit man. From underwear to outerwear, you can find everything, including suits (to size 70), in famous brand names like Chaps, Nautica, Report, Arrow, Pelle Pelle, Tommy Hilfiger, Hathaway, Axis and Columbia. They sell running suits, jeans (to size 78), dress and sports shirts (to size 8XL), dress pants (to size 80), corduroys (to size 66), belts (80), swimsuits and winter coats (to size 8XL).

They run semi-annual clearance sales in Feb. and Aug.

Location: 4741 Wellington St., Verdun
Corner: avenue 3rd
Tel: 514-769-3771
Hours: Regular plus Sun 12-5
www.groversbigandtall.com

Ladies purses and shoes by Kathy Van Zeeland, B. Makowsky, Tyler Rodan and Tignanello are being offered up befor for 50%-70% off.  Look inside the Tyler Rodan bags as they should have a matching umbrella inside (so useful!) and the B. Makowsky line is in leather.

They are being cleared out at their warehouse in the Marche Centrale area. Go around the inside corridor to their rear door. Bring cash please.

Location: 1400 Antonio Barbeau, suite 102
Phone: 514-332-2555
Dates: Apr 26-May 5
Times: Thurs & Fri: 12-6, Sat 9-12
www.kathyvanzeeland.com
wwwwww.zarby.com

This is one of those outstanding sales that you have to be in the know to know about. Hundreds of samples of the Spring/Summer 2012 Collections of women’s prêt-à-porter and European imports of a (shh! famous labels that we can’t mention) will be sold off for six days only in this little boutique. They will all be 50% off suggested retail price. You can be wearing all the colors and styles of this season right now. Besides the samples, sizes medium and large will also be available.

Nestled in a courtyard, the S.I.L.K. Prêt-à-porter boutique is usually divided neatly in half between new samples (European labels and domestic labels) at 50% off and designer consignment clothing. The collections are so carefully handpicked that’s it’s really quite difficult to tell the new clothes from the gently worn ones: DVF (Diane von Furstenburg), Dolce Gabbana, Escada, Max Mara, Marccain, Sonia Rykiel or Save the Queen. After the sale, the consignment clothes will be back and you can also stock up on great basics or classics from Jones NY, Joseph Ribkoff and Simon Chang . New locally handmade artisanal jewelry is showcased for you to accessorize the clothes.

Location: 1213 Bernard St. W., Outremont, H2V 1V7
corner: Bloomfield
Tel: 514- 274-8282
Dates: May 1 – May 6
Hours: Tues-Fri 11:30 – 8, Sat 11- 5 , Sun 12 pm-5