Creature comforts

Animal prints add exotic touches, but restraint is key

Animal prints can conjure up all sorts of images. Many times they get a bad rap and are attributed to tacky rooms with velvet paintings and satin bedding. That can be the case sometimes as we've seen in the past . . .

Posted: 2009-01-31

The many shades of green

Weeding out a homeowner's best eco-options

Google "green home tips" and the engine churns out 60 million results, about 59 million of which contain the same tangle of cliched, overlapping pointers. For that reason, narrowing the choices down when it's time for a carbon-conscious, 21st-century renovation is . . .

Posted: 2009-01-31

Craftsman-style home fits right in

Searching for a timeless, enduring design that would look as good in an established neighbourhood as in a new subdivision? Plan L-21024-B, by the Home Plans LLC, is worth a look. Its balanced, Craftsman-influenced facade teams with a narrow footprint and a . . .

Posted: 2009-01-31

Filling the gap

Infill condos to help breathe new life into neighbourhood

For who knows how many years, a compact lot fronted by mature trees sat empty between residences at what is now 387 Talbot Ave. Thankfully, the 60-foot by 110-foot lot -- which had been used largely as a dumping ground -- . . .

Posted: 2009-01-31

Beyond borders

Home designers expand limits of creativity

Just because a new home has all kinds of livable space, that doesn't mean it's going to be enjoyable to live in. Take, for example, one of Hearth Homes' newest show homes, The Berkshire, a 2, 405 sq. ft., two-storey abode . . .

Posted: 2009-01-31

Winnipeg realtors to upgrade website

Easy home-finder coming here at last

Winnipeg Realtors Association has bowed to complaints from Winnipeggers frustrated that upgrades to the Multiple Listing Service website that earned rave reviews elsewhere were not available in Winnipeg. Last year, sweeping changes were made to the national online real estate site . . .

Posted: 2009-01-31

Wooden it be lovely?

Carpenter learns new techniques to add artisan's touch to furniture

EDMONTON -- Ralph Reichenbach is not one to shy away from a challenge. Whether it's climbing the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies or building an electric guitar from scratch, the 47-year-old woodworker will take a shot at just about anything. "I . . .

Posted: 2009-01-24

Oh, oh; Don't use tin foil in self-clean oven

Try baking soda and white vinegar

QUESTION -- I have a bit of a challenge. We have a new self-clean oven which hasn't had a lot of use yet. As my wife was out, I decided to heat up a frozen pizza for supper. It was . . .

Posted: 2009-01-24

Outdoor planters need drainage

QUESTION -- We have planter boxes made out of treated plywood on top of composite decking. My question is do we line the boxes with anything and if so, do we also put drainage holes through the lining and bottom . . .

Posted: 2009-01-24

Bathroom fan moisture a source of worry

Keep ducting well sealed and insulated

Question -- I have a question that hopefully you can answer, or at the very least, offer up some recommendations. I have a 1960s bungalow and recently had the bathroom renovated, which included the installation of a new bathroom fan. . . .

Posted: 2009-01-24