ASK THE INSPECTOR: Open up crawlspace to fight moisture

QUESTION: Our house is a 700-square-foot bungalow built in 1973 in St. Vital on a number of concrete pillars. A crawlspace surrounds an approximately 7x7-foot "partial basement" with concrete block walls that rise about four to five feet high. The . . .

Posted: 2012-08-25

Let the Mediterranean inspire your lighting

Spanish architect and artistic genius Antoni Gaudi took the presence and conditions of light and the effect it has on interiors very seriously."Light achieves maximum harmony at an inclination of 45 degrees... neither horizontal nor vertical, " Gaudi said. "This . . .

Posted: 2012-08-25

Low-income housing news also important

LAST week, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation released its forecast for the rest of 2012 and for 2013. The news was certainly promising for Manitoba as continued growth was definitely in the picture. However, articles in the Free Press indicate . . .

Posted: 2012-08-25

Decompress and stretch

Spacious La Salle home an inviting rural retreat

Admit it or not, the entrance of a home -- in particular a new-home design -- sets the tone for the rest of the house. That's certainly the case with 54 Medinah Drive, one of Gino's Homes' newest show homes, . . .

Posted: 2012-08-25

Water world

H2O latest addition to trendy Waterfront Drive

RESIDENTS of Waterfront Drive are going to get new neighbours. A new condo project featuring panoramic river views and loft suites is moving in. The project, says RE/MAX Performance Realty's Bill Thiessen, is called H2O. It will be situated on land along . . .

Posted: 2012-08-25

100 years young

New Tuxedo home looks like a classic outside but has modern amenities inside

When the owners of a large infill lot on Grenfell Boulevard in old Tuxedo hired Huntington Homes' Rob Swan to build them a new home, he was confronted with a challenge. First, the owners wanted the home to look like it . . .

Posted: 2012-08-25

'An engineering marvel'

Mansion borrows from the Frank Lloyd Wright school of architecture

Almost half a century ago, Qualico's Dr. David Friesen set about building himself a home in Tuxedo. Armed with an unlimited budget, Friesen -- an engineer by trade -- pulled out all the stops in the pursuit of a home that . . .

Posted: 2012-08-25

GARDENING: Beautiful killers

Invasive species threaten native plants, wildlife

MOST gardeners at one time or another have experienced rampantly growing plants that threaten to take over far more than their allotted space. Even after pulling them up, vigorous shoots can continue to appear throughout the garden . . .

Posted: 2012-08-18

CONNIE OLIVER: Punchy colours help painting projects pop

Want a bright idea for your home this season? Splash your walls with one of the most popular décor trends of 2012 - vibrant colours. From deep corals, luminous yellows and lime greens to pumpkin oranges, berry-ripe reds and lush, velvety . . .

Posted: 2012-08-18

MIKE HOLMES: Respirator an essential tool

I remember the days when if you had work boots and a hammer, you were good to work on a job site. Back then, a lot of contractors would demolish a house without thinking about the potential risks, such as . . .

Posted: 2012-08-18