Using your home to improve your well-being

Interior design experts recommend four general approaches to creating a healthy house

Can your home help you get healthier? Interior designers say clients don’t just want help creating a more beautiful home anymore. They want to create living spaces where they will cook healthier foods, breathe healthier air and improve overall wellness. Here, three . . .

Posted: 2019-06-08

Kitchen countertops don't have to be perfect

Stains and nicks are bound to happen

As a designer and avid cook, I’m often asked what material I recommend for kitchen countertops. My answer: honed marble (statuary or Carrara are my favourites) or soapstone because I like their mellow look juxtaposed with my kitchen’s polished-nickel fixtures . . .

Posted: 2018-01-06

Simple steps to updating your kitchen

From getting rid of clutter to adding an accent wall, how to make the room look brand new

Who hasn’t stared at their kitchen and wished HGTV could sweep in and update it? Short of a television show’s budget and ability to bring in contractors, the next best thing might be talking to people who have decorated for . . .

Posted: 2019-02-23

MIKE HOLMES: Water can give your yard a failing grade

Some homeowners might be starting to notice flooding on their properties. This is thanks to the extra water accumulation the spring thaw brings, not to mention those April showers. When pools of water start to gather in sections of your . . .

Posted: 2012-04-28

New building materials could trigger chemical sensitivities

Question: I have multiple chemical sensitivities. The builder putting up my house insists that our local building code requires a preserved wood foundation (PWF) on the concrete slab for the floor to lay on. What alternatives are there to chemically . . .

Posted: 2019-06-01

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. . . .

Posted: 2012-03-03

Grill season is coming

No summer weekend is complete without an outdoor barbecue. But before you fire up the grill this season, you’ll want to give it a thorough cleaning and make sure it’s safe to use. After all, you don’t want a grimy, . . .

Posted: 2018-05-19

Choose the right builder for a log home that lasts

W hen most people think log house they think cottage. But for some people, a log house is their ultimate dream home -- and they might be determined to make it a reality.I love log houses -- their look, . . .

Posted: 2013-10-19

SOLUTIONS: Use pantyhose for long-term onion storage

QUESTION: I would like to know what the best way is to store onions so that they will keep for a fairly long time. Thank you, Ruth (Shoal Lake, MB) ANSWER: My favorite onion-storage solution includes a pair of clean pantyhose. . . .

Posted: 2013-05-18

Garage more than a house for horsepower

I love my garage. I get some of my best ideas there. It's where I go to get away from all the chaos, to unplug and decompress. Actually, it's the reason I bought the property I live on in the . . .

Posted: 2012-07-14