Navigating your way through window shopping

There's a lot to knowabout your home's glass and its sound-dampening capabilities...

When I have insomnia, I hear every car and conversation that passes outside my house. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that when I hear every car and conversation outside my house, I get insomnia. Either way, . . .

Posted: 2018-12-15

Look to Mexico for garden inspiration

Monasteries were among first to design and plant courtyards

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, Mexico — Step off the dusty cobblestone streets and peek behind nondescript, weather-worn, faded, even grimy brick facades and encounter the startlingly beautiful courtyard gardens of this central Mexican colonial town. These oases of beauty and calm . . .

Posted: 2018-12-15

Choose carefully when upgrading a kitchen

Many factors to consider when remodelling

Cupboards and countertops are the two main ingredients required for a full kitchen remodel. Sure, there are obviously multiple other factors to consider including lighting, flooring, plumbing, fixtures and appliances, but failing to choose the right cupboards and countertops may . . .

Posted: 2018-12-15

This ain't your grandma's wallpaper

Let your imagination run wild with custom-printed designs to enliven every room in the house

Brace yourself, Bridget! Big news! Wallpaper... is making a comeback! I wouldn’t kid you — well, not about this. It is, however, not generally used to cover every wall in a room as we did in days gone by. These days, it . . .

Posted: 2018-12-15

'Tacky' or traditional: the great Christmas lights debate

Growing up, Christmas always consisted of begging my mother to add those fun, multicoloured lights to our meticulously decorated gold, burgundy and ivory colour-schemed tree. "No, honey, " she’d say softly. "That’s tacky." According to a recent survey conducted by Wakefield Research, . . .

Posted: 2018-12-15

Dividing up cheese is certain to please

Question: How can I prevent cheese from getting mouldy before it’s even half-used? I already keep grated cheese in the freezer. — Anonymous Answer: For storing cheese, I like to buy 350- to 400-gram slabs of old or mild, especially when it is . . .

Posted: 2018-12-15

Insulating air ducts to prevent mould

Minor maintenance required to keep airways in tip-top shape

Question: I have a question related to insulated fresh air intakes. Should those intakes be replaced periodically? Can they be a source of concern for air quality in a home? Can mould and other unwanted products be caused by the . . .

Posted: 2018-12-15

Understated elegance

Homebuilder effortlessly incorporates style and grace while avoiding 'trying too hard'

Wow factor is something every builder strives to incorporate into their show homes. That’s understandable, as they want to entice consumers to purchase a new home. However, should a builder try too hard to impress, that wow factor can seem forced. Ideally, . . .

Posted: 2018-12-15

Modern updates bring new life to old charm

Renovations add value to home with plenty of space for the family

From the outside, 149 Brock St. looks to be the prototypical River Heights classic. With its Tyndall stone front steps, white-trimmed windows with carved brown shutters on either side and tidy stucco exterior, it doesn’t look all that different from neighbouring . . .

Posted: 2018-12-15

Greenhouses growing in Manitoba

Facilities for tropical houseplant sales and tomato production to satisfy local tastes

Two new year-round greenhouses will grow more of what Manitobans love — tropical houseplants and tomatoes. A new tropical greenhouse opened in November at St. Mary’s Nursery in Winnipeg and a proposed 30-acre commercial greenhouse that will grow tomatoes-on-the-vine will . . .

Posted: 2018-12-08