The new neutral

The hottest design colours this year are many shades of grey

Sharon Grech knows a thing or two about colour and she's not afraid to paint her walls to prove it. Hues inside her home range from a golden tan to a tawny orange to a dark purple-brown. She'll probably switch it . . .

Posted: 2009-06-14

Colour-wheel gardening

Achieve classical harmonies and contrasts

Marco Polo Stufano, the former director of the trendsetting Wave Hill garden in the Bronx, N.Y., knew he was breaking all the rules when he put together orange dahlias and pink asters. He called it the "Barbra Streisand effect, a jarring . . .

Posted: 2009-06-14

Dig it: 10 ways to get kids interested in gardening

Gardening can be child’s play. Here are 10 ways to spark your children’s or grandchildren’s interest in gardening. 1.  Use common scents. Some plants have interesting food-like fragrances. For instance, Cassia didymobotrya is called the popcorn plant because its foliage gives . . .

Posted: 2009-06-14

DEBBIE TRAVIS: Change is as good as a rest

Shake up your decor with a summery feel

I imagine we all get the feeling at one time or another that our home needs a good shake-out. Maybe we have become bored with the similarity of it all, or have tired of a colour we once thought was . . .

Posted: 2009-06-14

CONNIE OLIVER: Pick a theme and Set yourself loose

There is more than one way to create a great decor. You don't necessarily have to follow current trends or styles to have a space that you love. Sometimes, looking back instead of looking ahead can provide a solution to . . .

Posted: 2009-06-14

Clear that clutter: Organizing your space builds confidence, peace of mind

His posh Manhattan apartment was a disaster zone. Old clothes, which he'd worn before an 80-pound weight loss, were scattered throughout. The former chef and musician left the tools of his trades stacked on any available surface. It took a team of . . .

Posted: 2009-06-14

SOLUTIONS: Wicker basket smell nothing to snicker at

QUESTION -- We recently purchased some wicker baskets for our home. The problem is that they smell like cow manure! We are not able to keep them in the house. I have left them outside for a few weeks and . . .

Posted: 2009-06-14

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Don't use wood to damp-proof foundation

QUESTION: I wanted to know your opinion on waterproofing a 1960 basement foundation. We are planning on doing only two sides of our foundation and the other two in about five to eight years. We can’t afford to do it . . .

Posted: 2009-06-14

Real estate is not a faith-based sector

Unrealistic expectations went bust

The elevation of real estate to another faith-based topic best not discussed in good company was probably inevitable, if an American scholar of investor behaviour is right. A couple of years ago, Robert Shiller circulated a paper that says an unprecedented . . .

Posted: 2009-06-14

SOLD / OFFERED - 06-14

SOLD Charleswood Address: 223 Haney Asking Price: $114, 900 Sold Price: $103, 000 Taxes: $1, 562.14 Square Footage: 572 Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 1 Lot Size: 50 x 126 Listing Agent: Brad Gross, Royal LePage Prime Real Estate, 509-7653 Riverview Address: 69 Morley Asking Price: $119, 900 Sold Price: $117, 000 Taxes: $1, 388.00 Square Footage: . . .

Posted: 2009-06-14