Wallflowers and paper gardens

Regina watercolour artist brings nature-inspired designs to home décor

Inspired by her garden and the textures, patterns and colours found in nature, Michelle Austin’s designs bring the outdoors inside your home. Austin is a Regina watercolour artist and surface pattern designer. She creates original hand-painted works of art for . . .

Posted: 2026-04-04

An island unto itself

While working at a job site for weeks at a time, it has been my experience that conversations with homeowners eventually lead to the prospect of other impending projects. In this case, fortunately, this led to early preparations for a . . .

Posted: 2026-04-04

Streamlined style

Revamped floor plan boosts Transcona two-storey’s livability

One of the most important aspects of new-home design is very subtle, yet extremely important. That aspect? Never being satisfied that a tried-and-true design is too good to be modified. In other words, there’s no room for complacency in designing . . .

Posted: 2026-04-04

Like-new luxury

Stately East Fort Garry two-storey still stuns a decade on

Entertaining the idea of building a new luxury home in one of Winnipeg’s newer neighbourhoods is a romantic pursuit. After all, you’re getting a brand-new home from top to bottom. That being the case, it’s unlikely you’d get hit by . . .

Posted: 2026-04-04

Compare and contrast

‘Before’ and ‘after’ images highlight true transformation

On occasion, while rifling through my photo catalogue on my iPhone, I stumble across a forgotten “before” image taken at a job site. And when that photo underscores how spectacularly a transformative reno project has improved the homeowners’ abode, . . .

Posted: 2026-03-28

‘A step above’

Infill home’s exceptional livability comes down to deft design details

There are two types of infill home builds. The first is one done quickly to maximize profit. That being the case, its build quality, floor plan and finishing standards often leave much to desire. Then there’s the second type: a . . .

Posted: 2026-03-28

Solid place to start

Well cared-for, updated Crestview two-storey great fit for young family

These days, a starter home can range in price from $300, 000 to $400, 000, depending on its condition and location. And as many a young family has discovered, starter dwellings run the gamut from those needing a ton of . . .

Posted: 2026-03-28

Be smart with basement ceilings

Of all the lower-level and basement full-gut and remodels achieved throughout the years, only a handful have been finished with drywalled ceilings — and there’s a good reason for that. In most homes, services mapped throughout the structure originate from . . .

Posted: 2026-03-21

Sculptural shrubs

Woody plants make bold, distinctive statements

We’re on the cusp of a new season in the garden. As the snow begins to retreat over the coming weeks, gradually revealing your garden, it’s an opportunity to study the woody framework. Will your garden be a blank slate . . .

Posted: 2026-03-21

Elegant efficiency

Family-friendly two-storey has small footprint, loads of functionality

Over the past few years, builders have been constructing two-storey homes on smaller lots to make dwellings more affordable for prospective buyers. It goes without saying that building a residence on a narrower lot is a challenging task. That’s because the . . .

Posted: 2026-03-21