CONNIE OLIVER: Cottage kitchen renewal

Creating interesting and personal spaces can be done cheaply

Cottage season is finally upon us. If you're lucky enough to have a cottage you know how long it's taken to get here. Cottage living is relaxed and kick-back and a cottage décor, whether in an actual cottage or as a . . .

Posted: 2009-05-24

Close up holes to prevent rodents from entering your home

Question: I read one of your articles about insulation and rodents. Do they chew through soft spray foam insulation? Do they chew through hard spray foam insulation? I’ve put up hardware cloth with one quarter-inch spaces over any openings. But now . . .

Posted: 2018-08-04

A colourful end to the winter blahs

Get a jump on spring with brighter hues and Easter cues

With this recent blast of cold weather I, along with many others, am getting tired of this long, frigid winter. To brighten things up I thought it might help to start looking ahead to the warmers months to come. Spring . . .

Posted: 2009-02-07

Simple serenity the key to a happy, healthy home

We yearn for serenity in our daily lives more than ever these days. Everywhere you look there are books, DVDs and gift sets with candles in calming scents all touting stress-relieving, serene experiences, and we're buying it. Our lives are . . .

Posted: 2015-10-10

Less is MORE

Gardens and flower beds with a small footprint and a big impact

Size matters. A discussion of size, though, in the example of garden space, has less to do with overall dimensions and more to do with the same design principles that apply to any garden, big or small. Unity, texture, scale, . . .

Posted: 2015-10-03

For your viewing pleasure

Renovation in condo unit requires careful planning

Things get trickier when a renovation is requested within a condominium unit. The condo board must first approve the renovation plan. And depending on the type of work being done, this can sometimes take a while. Once the project is . . .

Posted: 2020-01-18

Maintaining slope away from foundation is essential

Question: I was reading an old article of yours and have a quick question. We are looking at putting river rock between my house and my neighbour’s house by the sidewalk. Prior to that, we are looking at adding some . . .

Posted: 2019-08-10

Definition of custom work leads to impasse

Made to order jobs always multi-faceted

A while back the neighbour of homeowners a huge multi-tiered deck was being built for inquired as to whether my creative prowess went beyond exterior construction. Upon further discussion, it became evident the young couple was interested in renovating their . . .

Posted: 2024-05-04

Late bloomers

Grow your best fall garden yet with these proven performers

Is your garden looking tired? Looking forward to next spring when you can begin anew?It can be difficult, sometimes, to not focus on the plants in our gardens that are done like toast after a wet, hot and yes, dry . . .

Posted: 2016-09-03

A condo that feels like home

Wolseley abode oozes character

For young couples or a single professional, finding a solid starter home is tough these days.And if your budget is in the $200, 000 to $225, 000 range, you're usually left with two options: a single-family home that's going to . . .

Posted: 2013-03-02