Dinner party tips: six ways to serve better food

What can I do to polish up my dinner-party act? I am a gracious, grateful dinner guest. I swear.And yet, when I’m invited to dinner I can’t help noticing little things that went wrong that could easily have gone right . . .

Posted: 2016-07-09

Add texture to your decor

This lovely bedroom photo, courtesy of PPG Paints, boasts a comfy, inviting bedroom. Why do you think that this room is so appealing? It’s the texture in the room that adds a sense of coziness.Let’s start with the bed in . . .

Posted: 2016-07-09

Repair concrete once, the right way

Question: I enjoy your column every week. I do hope you can advise me on a problem. I have a concrete driveway that started to crumble. It would cost $6, 000 to $8, 000 to fix it. I’m afraid I . . .

Posted: 2016-07-09

Proper ventilation paramount to mildew prevention

Question: Year after year, mildew develops along the caulking/sealant around my windows. In past years, my husband has regularly used bleach and much elbow grease to clean it. We don’t mind the normal amount of work a house takes, but . . .

Posted: 2016-07-09

Common mites found on Manitoba trees and shrubs

There are thousands of known mite species around the world. Mites are, as their name suggest, very small. They are definitely not insects. Most are less than 0.3 mm long. Under a 100 power microscope they look like squashed cylinders . . .

Posted: 2016-07-09

Clean slate

Designer home strikes perfect balance of form and function

When it comes to building a home, there’s always more to it than meets the eye. If that task involves conceiving a grand-prize lottery home, the process becomes even more challenging, said Frank Cotroneo of Artista Homes."The design of this . . .

Posted: 2016-07-09

Urban OASIS

Tranquility awaits in the middle of the city

It’s an opportunity for young families and empty nesters that seldom presents itself. A comprehensively upgraded home in a mature, walkable neighbourhood 10 minutes from downtown and a host of amenities. Not to mention a warm, welcoming home that backs . . .

Posted: 2016-07-09

Perennials - unwrapped! What are these wonderful plants?

"Perennial and Annual" are gardening terms used to describe a plants survival performance – "do they survive year to year?"Sometimes the terminology can be confusing to the beginner gardener. One would think an "annual" plant would represent a plant . . .

Posted: 2016-07-06

Hedge fun

How to care for beautiful, practical and natural boundaries

A tightly clipped, well-maintained hedge is often an essential part of the formal landscape. Beautiful yet practical, hedges, whether formal or informal, can serve many functions. Hedges may be used as a means to separate two different areas in the . . .

Posted: 2016-07-02

Watermelon, lemon hot summer colours

I love to change up the look of my interior spaces with each new season, tweaking my bedding, furnishings and displays just a bit to give them a fresh new feel.If you want to join me by embracing the glory . . .

Posted: 2016-07-02