How to make your Christmas decorations stand out

Designer Taniya Nayak joined staff writer Jura Koncius last week on the Washington Post’sHome Front online chat. Here is an edited excerpt:   Question: What do you think is a reasonable number of lights for an eight-foot Christmas tree? Each year, my husband . . .

Posted: 2017-12-23

Guests deserve to sit pretty

Folding chairs shouldn't look or feel like an afterthought

When hosting for the holidays and beyond, extra seating is easily overlooked, says Aleah Valley, an event planner in Seattle. But if you plan your seating as well as you plan your food, Valley says, "your guests will feel appreciated and . . .

Posted: 2017-12-23

Make your list and check it twice for 2018

Wish lists and the holiday season go hand in hand. With Christmas upon us and the start of a new year only days away, it’s the perfect time to look forward to see what to expect the hottest home design trends . . .

Posted: 2017-12-23

Festive holiday influence trumps history

Christmas likely didn't look like this in 18th-century Colonial Williamsburg

The pineapple-studded wreaths, oyster-shell-trimmed swags and apple fans are some of the highlights of the annual holiday tours at 18th-century Colonial Williamsburg. They’re also the icons of what’s become known as the classic Williamsburg look. But when tour guides drop the . . .

Posted: 2017-12-23

Blissing out on botanicals

Oil diffusers a popular Christmas request

More and more people are discovering the healing energies of aromatherapy, a botanical based-therapy which uses naturally extracted essential oils derived from plants. While the benefits of aromatherapy have been known since ancient times, the word itself didn’t come into usage . . .

Posted: 2017-12-23

Staying on schedule with winter looming

Decision to sub out exterior finishing work ensured project was done ahead of time

A long journey from idea to fruition, and a personal Christmas gift. That’s what the completion of the exterior of my south-side addition — a full month ahead of schedule, and before the snow flew — means to me. The exterior . . .

Posted: 2017-12-23

Sold / Offered

SOLD: Niverville ADDRESS: 233 First Street N. ASKING PRICE: $159, 900 SOLD PRICE: $155, 000 TAXES: $1, 827.54 SQUARE FOOTAGE: 800 BEDROOMS: 2 BATHROOMS: 1 LOT SIZE: 70 x 132 LISTING AGENT: Candice Bakx-Friesen, Royal LePage Dynamic, 204-392-6406 SELLING AGENT: Ewald Kehler, Sutton Group-Kilkenny, 204-475-9130   SOLD: Oakbank ADDRESS: 15 James Way ASKING PRICE: . . .

Posted: 2017-12-23

Maximized space with uncomplicated design

Game-changing home takes residential living to a new level

Signature Homes’ sales representative Jeff McArthur needs few words to describe his new show home at 24 Landover Dr. in Bridgwater Trails. "It’s a game-changer, " he says of the Admiral, a 1, 501 sq. ft., two-storey attached design. "With all . . .

Posted: 2017-12-23

A resale home that's as good as new

Established community adds to property's appeal

The decision to buy a new home versus a resale home is often an easy one to make. After all, you stand to get a brand-new home custom built to your exact tastes. Add in the fact everything in the home . . .

Posted: 2017-12-23

And the winner is...

Sparky Award recipient taps into his inner Clark Griswold

Sparky was the nickname Clark Griswold’s wife, Ellen, had for him in the classic film Christmas Vacation. In the spirit of Christmas, our first annual Sparky Award, for the best Christmas display in Winnipeg, is being presented to a man . . .

Posted: 2017-12-22