Fit and function

Savvy floor plan makes A&S design feel ample

These days, a 1, 600-square-foot home is often perceived to be on the small side. Granted, when compared to the 2, 000-plus-sq.-ft behemoths that seem to be popping up all over the city's new-home landscape, a home measuring in at under . . .

Posted: 2014-02-08

Tempting townhouse

All the conveniences of a larger home, without the hefty price tag

Young families looking to move up from a starter home to a larger, more contemporary home are often confronted with an obstacle. More often than not, that obstacle is affordability. As many young couples with small children have found, it's not . . .

Posted: 2014-02-08

GARDENING: Fight that winter bulge: Ferment!

Home fermentation of veggies is hot new trend in preserving nutritious food

Overeating during the winter months probably wasn't an option for our earliest ancestors. Hunters and gatherers understood the importance of stocking up on food before winter set in; any insulating fat they may have had at the outset was likely . . .

Posted: 2014-02-01

Distinctive designs

Six trendsetting pieces revealed at the Interior Design Show

From Jan. 23 to 26, Canada's top designers, decorators and architects -- from cutting edge to classic -- came out to play at the Interior Design Show in Toronto. And where there are designers, there follow design-hounds, ourselves included. Here are . . .

Posted: 2014-02-01

Mixed-use condo space requires streamlining

Dear DEBBIE: We are looking at a big move from a house to a newly built condominium and are struggling with design ideas for the combination living/dining/kitchen area. We enjoy cooking and would still like to have a few friends . . .

Posted: 2014-02-01

'Personal' describes 2014 design trends

Wide-ranging offerings from designers known and unknown

If there is one word to describe the design trends we'll see in 2014, it's "personal." "We entertain so much in our home, we're becoming super savvy about design, " says Karen Kang, the director of strategic partnerships and programming for . . .

Posted: 2014-02-01

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Temper your indoor temperature expectations

QUESTION: I own a 1-3/4-storey home with no basement, but a small crawl space. I installed a new high-efficiency furnace a year and a half ago. Over this past winter, my tenant complained that it got very cold overnight in the . . .

Posted: 2014-02-01

RENOVATION: Wise investment

$80,000 basement reno yields1,000 square feet of luxurious living space

Is it possible to buy a 1, 000-square-foot house for $80, 000 in today's real-estate market? You might pick up a building lot in a tony new subdivision for that amount; but, a functional house with a lot of amenities? I . . .

Posted: 2014-02-01

CONNIE OLIVER: Lower level need not look like a basement

Generations are sharing living quarters these days to thwart the high cost of moving to a larger residence, so it makes sense to make the most out of the space you currently have. Utilizing the lower level or your . . .

Posted: 2014-02-01

MIKE HOLMES: Get the LEDs out -- you won't regret it

You might have heard of the new federal regulations on light fixtures that came into effect Jan. 1. Basically, manufacturers can no longer supply 75- and 100-watt incandescent light bulbs to Canadian retailers. Retailers can sell off any stock they have left, . . .

Posted: 2014-02-01