Easy on the eyes

Presentation will help you bring your garden into the 21st century

Thomas Hobbs believes achieving greater visual beauty in our gardens is why we garden. He is perhaps best known as a nurseryman, florist, retailer and author, but he is also a professional landscaper and designer. He’s blessed with a sense of . . .

Posted: 2019-04-13

Repurpose that tree with pyrography

Woodburning transforms diced chunks into lasting treasures

Well, you just never know what’s going to come out of the woodwork! And in this context... that’s a good thing. If you missed last week’s column (and if you did, SHAME on you), I wrote about my plans for having my . . .

Posted: 2019-04-13

Cold-air ventilation will fix moisture problem in camp's crawl space

Question: My camp is up in Sudbury, Ont., and I have a problem with moisture in the crawl space. It is mostly enclosed, due to the previous owners living up there full time, so they required this for the plumbing. The . . .

Posted: 2019-04-13

Creative choices solve bathroom reno issues

Smaller tiles hide wavy subfloor in older home

During a bathroom renovation, it’s not uncommon to encounter a few minor obstacles. When the reno is on the second floor of a three-storey house built in 1906, the list of unexpected hurdles can quickly escalate. Luckily, a few select design . . .

Posted: 2019-04-13

Garden, gardener evolve over time

Subtle changes all part of life, and horticulture

Sometimes the long-distance gardener looks out the window and notices that the maple tree he planted as a two-metre sapling 21 years ago has become a shade tree eight-metres tall and six across. Maturity creeps up on you — in trees, . . .

Posted: 2019-04-13

A home for all reasons

Functional elegance defines A & S Homes' Canmore II

Thanks to wide-ranging wants and needs, designing a family-oriented home is no simple task. First and foremost, a home must be versatile so it can seamlessly meet the daily — and ever-changing — needs of active families. Second, it must be . . .

Posted: 2019-04-13

Plenty to love in updated bungalow

River Heights home is well-located and move-in-ready

As unlikely as it seems, empty nesters and young families are often on the same wavelength when it comes to looking for a new place to call home. Though the two demographics are clearly at different stages in their lives — . . .

Posted: 2019-04-13

Liven up any room using trendy barn doors

Many styles, options available to suit your needs

Barn doors have been trending lately, as an entryway alternative to the traditional door and jamb. Barn doors are available in many styles and options; even an old hinged door can be converted with a few slight modifications. Although the principal . . .

Posted: 2019-04-06

Transforming old oak into masterpiece

Getting creative to salvage what's left of backyard tree

REDRUM! REDRUM! I confess. I believe it was me who killed the beautiful old oak tree in my backyard. Not intentionally, but through ignorance. Nevertheless, it’s just as dead. How? I believe I accidentally over-watered it. Water from the sump pit pumps out . . .

Posted: 2019-04-06

Leave furnace repairs to the pros

Explosions, leaks, carbon monoxide poisoning are a few reasons not to DIY gas-line projects

Question: We installed a new high-efficiency furnace three years ago. When it gets really cold outside, the fresh-air intake collects frost on the inside of the PVC pipe, so the furnace does not have enough air and will not operate . . .

Posted: 2019-04-06