Renovation & Design Articles
Tools for tasty treats
Handy gadgets make preparing food and drink a snap
Can't quite afford to renovate your kitchen? If the heart of your home is in need of a wee facelift, funky gadgets and colourful appliances will do the trick with an instant, easy update until you're ready to take on the big job.Cuts like a knifeKiss herb-chopping goodbye with these . . .
March 12, 2012
Building green different than talking green
I've been hearing a lot of green talk bandied about lately. It's the thing to do nowadays. I know we're talking green, maybe even thinking green, but are we really doing green?I won't comment on other industries -- I'll leave that to their own pros -- but I will talk . . .
March 12, 2012
Sun-novators
Students design super-efficient, adaptable solar-powered home
Students from Ontario's Carleton University, Algonquin College and Queen's University have joined forces to enter a prestigious U.S. competition that will challenge their skills, creativity and ingenuity while they build a solar-powered house of the future.Called the Solar Decathlon, the decade-old competition, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, attracts . . .
March 12, 2012
Emphasize differences in style mishmash
Style challengeIf you're just starting out in your first home or are blending two homes into one, you probably have a mishmash of furniture and accessories to contend with. Some items may have been handed down, some gifted and others found along the way.What you're left with is a mix . . .
March 12, 2012
Should worries be flushed down the drain?
QUESTION: I am wondering if it's a good idea to have both a main back-flow valve, under the basement floor, and a backup valve in the basement drain. Please excuse me if this is a little long-winded, but I will try to explain my worry.I had a back-flow valve installed . . .
March 12, 2012
Stop down jacket from leaking feathers
QUESTION: I very much enjoy and appreciate your solutions in the paper. Here is one challenge that I have and haven't noticed mentioned before. I have a lovely down-filled jacket that is warm and comfortable. But it is a few years old now and the feathers sort of leak out . . .
March 12, 2012
The past is present
Heirloom seeds excel in flavour, aroma and nutrients
Most of us would agree that home-grown fruits and vegetables always taste better than any store bought variety. This superior taste is one of the biggest motivators for people to either start gardening, or continue year after year. Exciting the palates of more and more gardeners are heirloom or heritage fruits . . .
March 3, 2012
CONNIE OLIVER: Create a new kitchen with Old World charm
This beautiful kitchen exudes tons of Old World charm. You can almost feel the comforting warmth of the golden hues and smell the roasting eggplant Parmesan and garlic bread. It's no easy feat to create a room design that evokes all of these senses with just a picture. This room . . .
March 3, 2012
MIKE HOLMES: Don't cry -- weeping windows can be fixed
I get a lot of emails every week. A lot. And what always interests me is seeing what everyone's talking about. What are the important issues for homeowners? What do they want to know about most? And over the last few weeks, there's been something a lot of people have been . . .
March 3, 2012
ASK THE INSPECTOR: Some attic frost nothing to worry about
QUESTION: I consider myself a fairly attentive homeowner and have noticed something in my attic that has me concerned. We recently installed a wood-burning fireplace insert in our 1980 home, retrofitted into the brick fireplace with a stainless chimney liner installed. The chimney is two storeys high and vents a good . . .
March 3, 2012
