Renovation & Design Articles
Energy audit helps maximize investment
It's a given you're not King Midas. So where exactly should you invest when it comes to ramping up your home's energy efficiency? Building envelope People want a "one-size-fits-all solution and that doesn't exist, " says Christopher Straka, whose Ottawa company designed Canada's first certified passive home, which uses about one-tenth the . . .
February 4, 2012
Household energy hogs run up your bills
Yes, little things do add up to big things when it comes to energy conservation. Here are some little energy-saving tips. * Electronic devices continue to consume "phantom" or standby power even when not being used, adding five to 10 per cent to your energy wbill. Culprits include televisions and home . . .
February 4, 2012
CONNIE OLIVER: An easy and affordable bedroom makeover
I've been mulling over doing a bedroom makeover lately. Maybe it's the winter doldrums at work here but it's time for a change. Yes, it seems like just yesterday I did a whole "brown and pink makeover" in my bedroom but in fact, it has been a few years. Time . . .
February 4, 2012
MIKE HOLMES: Renovations, new construction take different skill sets
As a contractor, I've built a few new houses and I've renovated many more. I can tell you there's a huge difference between building new and renovating -- and that is something you need to be aware of when you hire a contractor to do your renovation. First, building new typically . . .
February 4, 2012
ASK THE INSPECTOR: Void in older homes can lead to condensation
QUESTION: We are in the process of renovating our home and removing carpets to be replaced by a floating floor and repainting. The problem exists in our bedroom. It has a bay window near the centre of the room facing the north side. The other exterior wall of the bedroom faces . . .
February 4, 2012
SOLUTIONS: Bring dishes back to their original colour
QUESTION: We live in the country and have hard, rusty water. My Corelle dishes are turning a yellowish, brown colour because I have washed them in bleach. Does this come off somehow and what can I do to get them white again? The finish may be coming off the cups . . .
February 4, 2012
Carefully balanced room will look eclectic
Dear LEANNE: I have a question about matching nightstands. We just purchased a beautiful sleigh bed for our master bedroom. We were not enamoured with the stands that went with the suite. Originally we thought we would pick up two nightstands from a different collection, but I would love to . . .
February 4, 2012
Split personality
Wildwood Park home's lodge-style addition offers comfy contrast
What do you do when you're from Manitoba and you love the ambience of ski lodges in Alberta and British Columbia? Bring the lodge to you, that's what. Thus, when homeowners in Wildwood Park came to builder Cal Dueck with the idea of attaching a lodge-like addition to their existing home, it . . .
January 28, 2012
City designer's creations born out of necessity
Fougere's Tyndall stone table a 'feat of engineering'
WHEN asked to talk about himself, Thomas Fougere's modesty comes to the forefront. While his furniture designs are making a splash in the interior design industry, he tends to stick to the facts about his training and talent. The Regina-born designer moved to Winnipeg in 2006 for architecture school at the . . .
January 28, 2012
ASK THE INSPECTOR: Outdoor backwater valves a bad idea here
QUESTION: I live in Winnipeg and have a question about sewer backups. Is it possible and allowed in Canada to have a backwater valve/back-flow preventer installed outside the house? I have seen several websites and videos on the Internet that show these outside devices in use. Thank you in advance, John . . .
January 28, 2012
