Even the dogs have noticed a difference.

“It took them no time at all to enjoy the grass and the smells and tree cover like at Clark Park and Trout Lake,” says Jesse Ray-Contreras.

In early March, Ray-Contreras and their husband Gabriel Ray-Contreras, along with their two Boston terriers Olly and Ella, took possession of their new home at 12th and Commercial. They moved from a 620-square-foot one-bedroom rental in Yaletown to a 1,100-square-foot three-bedroom in Ace, a Wesgroup Properties development.

“We wanted to live somewhere with a different pace than downtown — more trees, more grass for the dogs, a variety of architecture, smaller businesses, that type of thing.”

The six-storey building holds 61 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, with remaining homes ranging in floor space from 512 to 1020 square feet. North-facing homes have views of downtown, the North Shore mountains, and the shops and restaurants lining Commercial. South-facing homes look out over a second-floor courtyard with two barbecues and a sink, and a kids’ play area. The courtyard connects to a shared-use room with multiple lounge and game areas, a kitchen and a bathroom, for 2,900 square feet of amenity space.

A work hub sits off the lobby on the main floor, which is home to several retail spaces including a café, Merci Boulangerie. A hair salon, wellness and meditation studio and electronics repair shop will also be moving in.

Nearby restaurants include The Burrow, the vegetarian Mexican restaurant formerly known as Banditas, and perennial Szechuanese favourite ChongQing. The Rio Theatre and City Avenue Market, formerly Donald’s, are a few blocks north.

The Ray-Contreras began looking for a presale home in 2023. Ace’s 2026 completion date “gave us time to get our affairs in order,” Ray-Contreras says. Both are psychotherapists with their own practice, In Good Company Counselling. They wanted to be close to the SkyTrain for easy transit to their practice’s downtown location.

“You’re so close to the SkyTrain station. Getting just about anywhere is faster than by car.”

They came across Ace shortly after beginning their search and knew of the developer through a friend who lives in the River District, which was master-planned by Wesgroup.

“We started conversing with a colleague-slash-friend who’s also an agent on a Saturday. By Wednesday we had signed the paperwork and given our first part of the deposit.”

According to Wesgroup senior sales manager Richard Alvarez, as of this writing, 60 per cent of the homes had been sold. Buyers have mostly been in their 30s and 40s, many first-time homeowners.

For the Ray-Contreras, ACE checked a lot of boxes: price, location, size, and esthetic.

“We wanted something modern but still cosy, nothing too sterile. It very much feels like Ace was developed by and for millennials — said with compliments.”

The homes have an open layout. Bedrooms are designed with walk-through closets and ensuite bathrooms. High ceilings, 8’8” add to the feeling of spaciousness. Balconies range in size. The Ray-Contreras’, for instance, is 174 square feet, while the home’s floorspace is 1020 square feet.

Kitchen features include a herringbone white tile backsplash and Italian cabinetry and appliances like Fulgor Milano gas cooktops, wall ovens and integrated fridges. The two colour schemes, crema and coffee, provide Oreo-cookie-sharp contrasts.

“It feels modern, not kitschy, and designed to age well. I also think the layouts pay a lot of mind to the utility of space. All of the bedrooms in the suites we looked at are separated, they don’t share a wall. And the flow works quite well.”

They originally purchased a two-bedroom home but decided to upgrade a year later to a three-bedroom.

“Neither of us is from Canada, so having enough space to host friends and family from out of town is really important. Now we have not only a guest room but a flex space that acts as an exercise/game/dog room.”

Other building features include a ground-floor dog-wash station and, in the underground parking lot, a bike storage and repair station and stalls pre-wired for EV charging.

“We don’t have an electric vehicle, but it’s something we would like to do,” Ray-Contreras said. So having the option gave us a lot of flexibility.”

Olly and Ella aren’t the only ones enjoying the new neighbourhood.

“There’s a friendliness to East Van. You can tell that folks invest in the neighbourhood, not to say that folks in other parts of the city don’t. I just think that there’s a hustle and bustle to downtown that maybe squeezes some of that out. And there’s a slower pace, quite literally, in some cases in East Van. It’s been a welcome change for us and for our two dogs.”

Project: Ace

Project address: 1680 E. 12th Ave., Vancouver, B.C.

Developer: Wesgroup Properties

Architect: Ciccozzi Architecture

Interior designer: Wesgroup Properties

Project size: 61 homes

Price: One-bedroom homes from $555,900

Number of bedrooms : One-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments

Sales centre: 1680 E. 12th Ave., Vancouver, B.C.

Centre hours: By appointment

Phone: 604-571-9904

Website:wesgroup.ca/ace

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Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.

8529 Ashleigh McIvor Dr., Whistler

Type: Four-bedroom, five-bathroom detached

Size: 4,320 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $4,878,000

Listed for: $5,395,000

Sold for: $5,000,000

Sold on: May 17

Days on market in this listing: 143

Listing agent: Bob Cameron PREC and Sally Warner PREC at ReMax Sea to Sky Real Estate

Buyers agent: Nick Swinburne PREC at Angell Hasman & Associates Realty

The big sell: This modern four-bedroom detached home was built with an eye firmly on contemporary style and an aim to capture the breathtaking views that span Green Lake, Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, and Black Tusk. Set within the Baxter Creek community on the north side of Whistler, there is ample opportunity to enjoy all four seasons with access to a swimming pool and hot tub at the strata’s clubhouse, and proximity to myriad recreational activities that the town is renowned for. The house was built in 2014 with warm wood finishes, radiant heated tile floors, an open-concept living area complete with a floating gas fireplace and glass doors that open to a sun-filled deck, a well-equipped kitchen, a large mud room, and a gym and family room on the lower of the three levels. A legal one-bedroom suite offers additional accommodation. The home has an integrated double garage, and a monthly maintenance fee of $220.13.

2323 Graveley St., Vancouver

Type: Four-bedroom, two-bathroom detached

Size: 1,882 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,506,600

Listed for: $1,750,000

Sold for: $1,695,000

Sold on: June 10

Days on market in this listing: 21

Listing agent: Adam Chahl PREC at Oakwyn Realty

Buyers agent: Jessica Smith PREC at ReMax Select Realty

The big sell: Vancouver’s eclectic Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood is the venue for this 1920’s house that exudes Craftsman detailing. The exterior has stone pillars supporting a gabled roofline with exposed wood elements including rafter tails and purlins, and the recent addition of a new roof adds to the value. The interior was renovated in 2014 and features a fully-finished basement with a two-bedroom legal suite with its own entrance and address, while the main floor has a modern bathroom and kitchen with Shaker-style cabinets and stainless-steel appliances, a living room with an electric fireplace and linear stone tiles above the mantelpiece, two bedrooms with the primary enjoying a walk-in closet, and the attic provides additional storage. High ceilings are finished with crown moulding, laminate floors flow through each room, and the walls are finished with designer paint colours or wallpaper. Outside, the front and backyards are fully fenced.

136 — 1350 Mitchell St., Coquitlam

Type: Four-bedroom, four-bathroom townhouse

Size: 2,002 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,352,000

Listed for: $1,289,900

Sold for: $1,270,500

Sold on: June 27

Days on market in this listing: 53

Listing agent: Rod Bahari PREC at Sutton Group — West Coast Realty

Buyers agent: Krista Lapp PREC at Royal LePage Elite West

The big sell: The four-year-old Ballantree development comprises a collection of townhomes that were built by Polygon on Coquitlam’s Burke Mountain. Set among nature, the three-level units offer four bedrooms and a range of floor plans. This particular home has an end-unit position with just over 2,000 square feet of internal living space. There is an open kitchen with a large island, stone counters, a marble backsplash, and stainless-steel appliances including a gas cooktop, nine-foot-high ceilings, vinyl floors, a custom feature wall with built-in cabinets, and a flexible area that could be used as a home office. Three bedrooms reside on the upper floor served by two bathrooms, while the lower level offers a fourth bedroom and bathroom. A side-by-side double garage provides an electric vehicle outlet, and the property comes with a monthly maintenance fee of $346.40 and the balance of the New Home Warranty.

These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.

Realtors — send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com

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Le Creuset Canada opened a new Signature Boutique today at West Vancouver’s The Village at Park Royal, marking the brand’s third location in B.C. and bringing its network of stand-alone Canadian stores to 13.

“As Le Creuset continues to grow across Canada, Park Royal stood out as the perfect home for our next Boutique,” said Sarin Keusseyan, managing director at Le Creuset Canada. “It’s vibrant, walkable village atmosphere aligns beautifully with our vision for an elevated, interactive retail experience. We’re thrilled to welcome West Vancouver shoppers into a space that celebrates our heritage of craftsmanship and colour.”

The new store follows a retail format the brand has used at its other Canadian locations, with open shelving and island-style displays allowing shoppers to browse cookware, bakeware, dinnerware and home accessories in a hands-on setting.

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Founded in Fresnoy-le-Grand, France, in 1925, Le Creuset is now globally renowned for its enamelled cast-iron cookware, particularly its signature Dutch ovens, and has since expanded into stoneware, stainless steel and kitchen accessories available in a wide range of colours.

The Park Royal opening builds on Le Creuset’s existing South Granville and Richmond boutiques and reflects a broader push by the cookware company to expand its direct-to-consumer retail presence across the country.

Le Creuset said in a press release that it is “proud to deepen its presence in British Columbia” with the new location and views the opening as a chance to reach home cooks, culinary enthusiasts and design-minded shoppers in the area.

The Le Creuset Signature Boutique is now open to the public at Unit B8, 940 Main Street, West Vancouver.

Find out more.

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He loves modern, clean-lined architecture; she loves colour, and plenty of it. This couple each realized their dream in a custom-built home in White Rock with dramatic angled walls that created a distinctive profile and interiors inspired by a vividly coloured Italian side table.

The five-level, nearly 7,000-square-foot home with views over Semiahmoo Bay and including a gym, theatre room, spa, rooftop deck and outdoor lap pool was designed by Dag Design & Co. and built by Tycon Building Solutions. Madeleine Design Group (MDG) was responsible for the interior design that included everything from developing design concepts, sourcing custom furniture, and recommending finishes and textiles to ensure the completed home would reflect the homeowners’ vision.

While the table, with its kaleidoscope of colours bought by the homeowner on a vacation in Italy, was the primary source of inspiration, the colours were not replicated as much as interpreted, says MDG principal and creative director, Madeleine Sloback.

The colour palette is evident in different forms throughout the house — muted for the cabinetry, more vibrantly reflected in furniture like the dining room chairs and highlighted in textiles like the custom area rug in the great room.

Stepping into the main level entryway gives the first clue to the homeowner’s bold approach to colour and design.

The geometric shapes on the area rug introduce a playful and expressive layer to the entryway that reflects the client’s love of colour and brings personality to the space while the architecture and millwork establish a strong backdrop, says Sloback.

The wallpaper in the powder room located directly off the foyer makes the connection between the two spaces.

“Although the rug and the powder room wallpaper are different materials and patterns, there was definitely an intention for them to feel related. Both use geometric forms and a similar palette of greens, blues, warm neutrals and earthy tones, helping create a sense of continuity as you move through the home,” says Sloback.

The kitchen, identified by Sloback — and Tycon president Tyson VanDelft — as one of their favourite rooms in the home, is anchored by a green 160- by 60-inch island with a honed marble countertop while a table-height bar is supported by arched legs and constructed with contrasting charcoal quartz (Caesarstone Black Tempal).

The backsplash tile (Ann Sacks by Kelly Wearstler) was selected as an expression of the client’s personality and to reflect the broader design of the home.

“Throughout the project, the client embraced bold colour, rich materiality and a sense of individuality, so it felt important that the kitchen reflect that same confidence rather than relying on a more conventional backdrop,” says Sloback, adding she was attracted to the texture and movement in the tile while the pattern also mimics the soft curve seen on the lowered eating bar on the backside of the island.

“The subtle relief catches light differently throughout the day, creating depth and shadow across the surface and giving the kitchen a layered, tactile quality. We wanted the space to feel visually engaging and lived-in, rather than flat or overly polished,” she says.

Moving from the kitchen to the adjacent dining room, a walnut slat ceiling — a recurring design element in the home — visually zones the open-concept space, improves acoustics and conceals the custom track lighting.

The dining room chairs are another nod to the homeowner’s love of colour.

“Once we landed on the chair that she liked, it was an opportunity to bring in the colours from the inspiration table and just make it a little bit more playful,” says Sloback.

The Italian table was also front and centre at meetings held to design the custom rug in the great room.

Sloback worked with M R Evans, a Vancouver-based wholesale supplier that specializes in bespoke rugs and floorcoverings, to create the rug.

The four-to-five-month process that begins with inspiration images and ends with a completed artwork to form the basis of the finished product is not for the faint-hearted. The colours were hand-picked to tie into the Italian table.

“We held each colour pom (a sample tuft of dyed yarn) against the table to see which ones complemented it and which ones didn’t,” she recalls.

With the decisions made, a small 18- by 18-inch sample of a section of the design is created and signed off. M R Evans worked directly with famous Portuguese manufacturer Ferreira de Sá to complete the project.

Moving through the home, the colour story continues in the primary bedroom.

“We wanted to introduce some colour into the space, but not too much,” says Sloback.

Leaning into green, a shade seen in several places throughout the home, the design team presented several wallpaper samples and the final choice of a forest scene now provides an out-of-the ordinary backdrop for this space that also includes a seating area that overlooks the pool in the backyard and ocean views in the distance.

“We loved the juxtaposition with the ocean views at one side and the forest on the other side. It’s like a piece of art that gives more depth to the space,” she says.

In the en suite bathroom a curbless frameless glass shower enclosure enhances the feeling of spaciousness while a black tub and neutral surfaces allow the MOM light fixture by Penta to be the focal point.

“Throughout the home, the client embraced bold choices and wasn’t afraid to introduce moments of surprise, so we wanted the lighting to reflect that same spirit. What drew us to this fixture was its collection of individually shaped and coloured glass elements. It feels almost like a curated grouping of small art objects, creating visual interest without overwhelming the space,” says Sloback.

Today the spa is the picture of calm and serenity — but it took a lot of head scratching and a multitude of trades to make it the feature that won Sloback the 2026 NKBA B.C. chapter’s Design Excellence Award for a Wellness Space (and contributed to her winning the organization’s 2026 Designer of the Year award).

VanDelft acknowledges the challenges the space presented.

“Getting the mechanical from one side of the house to the other through very narrow pathways, and considering designers want to maximize ceiling heights, that room ended up being far more complex than just what you see in a finished picture,” he says.

“You have all mechanical for the entire house serviced through pockets because there’s so many levels to the house and a stairwell in the centre; we had to get mechanical through the house and of course above that spa ceiling,” says VanDelft adding that the confined space also needed to house the complex mechanical system necessary for the sauna.

While Sloback wanted to include the wood-slat millwork feature that runs throughout the home into the spa as well, but walnut wasn’t suitable for the space.

“Although cedar is a naturally warm yellow colour, it’s what you have to put in the sauna,” she says. “Incorporating the cedar and having it in all the millwork detailing in the spa made it feel like its own special space but still having that repetition.”

Ultimately this unique home highlights the collaborative process between the homeowners and the building and design teams to create a home that successfully marries modern design and the sophisticated use of colour.

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Traditional, or “hard”, lofts — those hip, happening New York-style spaces converted from warehouses into residences — are not as prevalent in Vancouver as they once were. You’ll still find pockets of them in Gastown, Mount Pleasant and Yaletown, many of which are not warehouse conversions per se but more self-styled artist lofts, says Oakwyn Realty’s Andrew Lasko, listing agent for the Richards Street loft condo .

“The zoning laws changed so lofts aren’t economical to build anymore,” he explains.

Also, new building codes, costly retrofits, HVAC and insulation requirements all take a bite out of building budgets. Not to mention all that empty space floating around below high ceilings that doesn’t count toward density the way a full second floor would.

And while not a warehouse loft conversion, the name of this one, “Tribeca Lofts”, is a nod to its New York-inspired style with partial brick exteriors that also reflect Yaletown’s roots as a warehouse district.

Lasko says what sets this building apart from the converted boutique lofts and the newer loft towers is its size — just 53 strata units over eight floors, which he says is uncommon. Plus, as a bonus, this particular unit was initially designed as two separate units when the building was being constructed in 2006.

“The original owners purchased both units from the developer and expanded and customized the layout and finishings,” says Lasko of the 2,055 square foot double unit. “They wanted room to entertain, so you get this great space that is so multifarious. (There are) four distinct areas that are not part of the open space, in kind of an x shape, where you can’t see out from but are still connected with some privacy.”

What’s inside

Being a loft-style condo, the ceilings stretch 16 feet and the floor-to-ceiling windows with motorized blinds let in plenty of natural light.

Lasko says the hardwood flooring made of Brazilian Lyptus in rich cognac and honey tones is unique and durable.

The kitchen oven, steam oven and warming tray are premium German-engineered Gaggenau. The refrigerator is Sub-Zero, faucet is European-designed Blanco Culina, and glass-front aluminum cabinet fronts are supported by German Kesseböhmer’s parallel lift hinge technology, which lifts parallel to the cabinet body as opposed to swinging out.

Lasko describes the unit’s “double string” staircase — with two metal beam supports on each side — as an “architectural staircase”, meaning its design isn’t just functional but decorative. “Each step is solid wood and quite thick, and the tempered glass balustrades are mounted with exposed stainless steel standoff fittings, which gives the impression that they’re floating,” says Lasko. It ascends to a second-level walkway, which he calls a “skywalk”, leading to two en suite bedrooms and a third bathroom.

The primary bathroom countertop features a semicircular glass bowl sink that sits on a tiger wood vanity with adjacent tiger wood shelving and a floating mirror suspended by wires above. The primary shower has a double rain shower plus a third detachable shower head/arm. Leucos Design Lab Cubi lamps in hand-blown cubic form with white satin diffuser spread a soft, even light.

The primary bedroom is large enough to fit a king-size bed, which could be positioned to wake up to a view of the tree canopy outside the windows, which are covered with hardwired motorized blinds. The room also features a large walk-in closet with built-in shelving. “It’s a room in and of itself, less of a closet and more of a dressing room,” says Lasko.

He says the rest of the home’s lighting, including the large Moooi Random Light II sphere, was designed to work with the angles of the windows to spread unique patterns in different ways at different times of the day. Low-profile regressed lighting with pinhole openings throughout are ideal for art display. The office’s lighting is Italian-made by DGA.

Because it is an amalgamation of two units, the home has two balconies but they’re not large. “It’s not a home for the outdoors-oriented person, but you could put a little bistro table out there that looks out onto the quiet treed courtyard.

“Despite being in a vibrant, sometimes louder downtown area, because it faces onto the courtyard, there’s a great sense of quiet and space between (the unit) and any other buildings. The building is L-shaped with the unit in the L, so it’s insulated from sound.”

The double unit also means it comes with a storage room plus a locker as well as two parking spots.

Lasko says the home “is grand, spacious, luxurious, and unique. It meets the needs of someone who wants something special with the practicality of walkability, location, and vibrancy.

“I think the right buyer is someone who is downsizing, who wants something a bit more central. Maybe they like to entertain, have art or just want a sense of quiet and space. I think it could be an (older) couple or younger. People in tech seem to gravitate to these kind of spaces, especially since there are so many opportunities for home offices — there could be three offices in here if you take away one bedroom.”

In the neighbourhood

The current owner, an artist, had purchased the unit initially intending to live in it for five to 10 years, but ultimately stayed for 16 years. Arts and theatre are a big part of her life, and she loved the vibrancy of the neighbourhood, the walkability to galleries, restaurants, shopping, or transit, says Lasko.

B.C. Place is a 10-minute walk away, Science World a seven-minute drive in one direction, and Granville Island 10 minutes’ drive in the other.

Many schools — elementary, high and private — are a short drive away. St. Paul’s Hospital is a four-minute drive away and VGH 11 minutes.

Location:401 — 988 Richards Street, Vancouver

Listed for: $1,899,900

Year built: 2006

Type: Two bedrooms, three bathrooms

Size: 2,055 square feet

Realtor: Listed by Andrew Lasko, Oakwyn Realty Ltd./Lasko + Associates Real Estate Group, Vancouver

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There are buildings we know first as images, and Fallingwater is among the most familiar. Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1936 house stretches over a waterfall at Mill Run, in the wooded hills of western Pennsylvania, its concrete terraces appearing to float above rock and water.

For Vancouver artist Mike Seymour, the deeper impression came from being inside it, after the visitors had gone.

Seymour studied architecture in Winnipeg before moving into an experimental practice spanning ceramics, lighting, glass and metalwork. On Aug. 29, he will present three chandeliers at Fallingwater as part of the house’s 90th-anniversary gala and the completion of a three-year renovation.

A Facebook invitation

The opportunity came through Facebook, a platform he rarely uses beyond community and farmers market updates. When an advertisement appeared for a residency run by Fallingwater and the nearby Touchstone Center for Craft, it seemed so precisely suited to him that he doubted it was real.

“I thought it was a scam,” he says.

Seymour called Touchstone, who he’d never heard of, and asked “is this competition real?”

They said it was, and applications were closing in two days. Seymour says there were about 10,000 applicants. His proposal set out a simple idea: to reconnect his architectural training with his current work in craft. He was selected and had roughly four weeks to prepare.

Alone in the house

The three-week residency began with seven days at Fallingwater, followed by two weeks making at Touchstone, about 20 minutes away. Seymour arrived with thoughts of creating stone furniture, but his thinking shifted as he spent time there.

Fallingwater receives around 1,500 visitors on a busy day, but at night Seymour could enter the house almost alone. Without the movement and conversation of a tour, its atmosphere became more apparent. Deep overhangs shade the interiors, making the house almost cave like, while polished sandstone floors gather and reflect the changing light.

Those solitary hours also revealed the house as more than an architectural monument. Seymour noticed early Tiffany glass experiments and a collection assembled by a family (the Kaufmann family who Fallingwater was built for) engaged with art and design. Treating Fallingwater as a found site, rather than approaching it only through Wright’s reputation, allowed him to respond intuitively to the objects, materials and landscape around him, he says.

The river inside

The river, so dramatic in photographs, provided another surprise. In places, Seymour says, it is only about four inches deep. Its bed is formed from compressed sandstone with wavelike contours shaped in prehistory, creating an impression of much deeper water.

That texture continues inside. The polished finish was inspired by stonemason Walter Hall, who had used it in his own house. Its reflected light resembled the light on the river, and Wright brought the idea into Fallingwater, strengthening the sense that water and stone continue through the rooms.

Seymour has translated that effect into ceramics. He formed very thin sheets of clay over small rocklike shapes, then deliberately overfired them so they softened and distorted into rippled forms. To give them the glistening quality of wet stone, he recreated glossy mid-century glazes, adapting formulas that had originally relied on lead.

Flowers in the forest

The surrounding forest offered the next layer. The Kaufmann family chose a site filled with rhododendrons, and the grove remains. Seymour arrived in late May, when much of the woodland was only beginning to green but the rhododendrons were full and starting to flower, he says.

Their overlapping leaves and petals gave him the structure for a ceiling-mounted chandelier that he’s created for this gala.

Around stainless-steel armatures, the glazed ceramic forms will sit like broad petals or low rosettes. Light will move across their uneven surfaces, recalling both the polished floor and the shallow river beneath the house.

The other chandelier Seymour is creating is a wood-fired version of his Paean chandelier. Touchstone’s kiln allowed him to try wood firing for the first time.

Made for one place

The work he’s created for Fallingwater builds on a direction established in Milan in 2023, when Seymour launched his slender ceramic-tube lighting work at Villa Bagatti Valsecchi. The series led to commissions around the world, with new glazes and finishes developed for individual clients.

Fallingwater offered something different.

“A two-week deadline on making a whole new body of work is pretty nuts. It’s short. The intention behind it was to force decisions really quickly, to think intuitively and respond quickly rather than thinking about it too much,” he says.

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August is one of the most pivotal times in our gardens because we can reap our greatest summer produce , see the beginnings of fall just around the corner and plant winter vegetables for February and March harvest.

The seasons seem to converge this month, but there is much to do to maximize each one’s potential.

After our many hours of nurturing and care in the veggie garden, we now need to take preventive maintenance steps for crops like tomatoes and potatoes, which can be destroyed almost overnight by late blight. Mid-August is the critical time frame, and all you need to do is to create a protective poly covering to keep rain off the foliage. Furthermore, when you water, please wet the soil only and not the leaves.

Your tomatoes would also appreciate a dose of tomato food with added calcium to prevent blossom end rot, which causes the bottom of the tomato to turn black. Alternatively, you can apply a little lime at the base of the plant which will also help to add calcium. Harvest season for tomatoes should continue well into September, so taking these extra precautions will ensure you can enjoy these wonderful fruits for many weeks to come.

Another other red flag in our gardens this month is the white cabbage butterfly. If you see them, they will already have laid their eggs on your brassicas. A weekly preventive spray of the biological insecticide BTK (bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki) bacteria will keep the leaves of your cabbage, cauliflower, kale, broccoli and Brussels sprouts clean and ready to harvest.

If you have open space in your garden, you can still set out started plants of lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard and beets for later harvests in the fall, but try to save some real estate for winter veggies.

Over the next few weeks, you can either seed or transplant the true winter vegetables. These hardier strains of brassicas, beets, onions, carrots and lettuce were developed to grow and size up in late fall, rest in the coldest parts of winter, and be ready for harvest in late February or early March, depending on the severity of the winter.

They are cold-rated for Zone 6 growing but, when planted in the warmest location in your gardens and protected by Remay or N-Sulate during significant cold spells, their survival rate is amazing.

Purple sprouting broccoli, pure white cauliflower, tasty corn salad or Winter Density lettuce are delicious, novelty treats at that time of year. If you have never tried winter food gardening before, it is well worth a little trial.

Food preserving is making a huge comeback with the ever-increasing prices of fresh produce. Many folks have fruit trees in their gardens with the fruit simply going to waste, but making jams, jellies and preserving plums, peaches and pears and berries is a great way to enjoy them year-round.

Should you have lots to share from the garden, keep in mind that food banks are in great need of quality fresh food, but it does need to be clean. Check with your local centre to find out the best time to deliver your excess produce. You’ll be filling a very important continuing need and it is very rewarding helping so many others.

August is also the only time of year to find the unique and stunning late summer blooming crocus. The most well-known is c. sativus, also known as the saffron crocus. Planted now, they will flower in September with beautiful lavender blooms. After flowering, they will die down and stay dormant until next year when they will return with an even more stunning display. Plant lots, by the way, because it takes about one thousand stamens to produce one ounce of saffron!

Other beautiful crocus are also available in August, the largest of which is the Autumn crocus (colchicum a.). They are well worth planting, because once they naturalize over the years their display can spread to almost a meter across. Colchicums are available in soft lavender, double lavender, and white. They have not become very popular, simply through lack of public knowledge, and I think they are a huge, missed opportunity in September gardens.

There are several other varieties of fall blooming crocus too, like c. kotschyanus (zonatus) and the yellow sternbergia lutea. If you can find them, plant them for years of enjoyment.

August is also the perfect time to shift the colour palette of your garden into autumn tones. Including both late flowering perennials and early flowering ornamental grasses can transition your garden into an autumn feel.

I love the many new echinacea varieties which have been bred for increased colour selection, longer flowering habit and hardier plants. Sombrero, Double Scoop and the Sun Magic varieties are just a few of the new standouts.

Long blooming false sunflowers (heleniums) in their yellow and rust tones, or heliopsis, and the many new varieties and colours of coreopsis create a rich autumn show.

The rudbeckia family is perhaps the most significant in terms of strong, long blooming perennials that last well into October. From the two-metre tall Herbstsonne to the compact Little Goldstar, they all enrich the fall garden.

All of these beautiful and long-lasting perennials play nicely with ornamental grasses, but in particular with the rich bunny-tail plumes of pennisetum, shorter miscanthus like Yaku Jima, with its handsome bronze flower plumes, and the panicum or Switchgrass family, many of which have foliage and flowers that mature into rich burgundy tones.

August is a very different time in our gardens, opening up opportunities for winter food, September fall crocus, and a perennial and grass landscape to enhance our colour schemes for the arrival of autumn.

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• Brian Minter: These are some of the great new plants undergoing testing right now

A perfectly edited room may appear calm and effortless, but then family life arrives with wet coats, bicycle helmets, laundry and charging cables.

For Vancouver interior designers Chad Falkenberg and Kelly Reynolds, minimalism is not about pretending these things do not exist. Through their studio, Falken Reynolds, they create highly resolved interiors that accommodate ordinary life without allowing its clutter to dominate.

Their clean but warm approach pairs disciplined simplicity with natural materials, fine craftsmanship and a close understanding of how clients want to live.

“For us, minimalism is never about removing character. It is about removing unnecessary distraction so the people living in the home become the focus,” says Reynolds.

Practical restraint

Rather than beginning with a look, Falkenberg and Reynolds begin with daily routines. What needs to be stored, dried or carried through the house?

These considerations become part of the architecture rather than problems to solve afterwards.

Warmth is created through natural materials, craftsmanship, texture, acoustics and the way daylight moves through a room.

The studio draws on Japanese restraint, Scandinavian comfort and the clarity of mid-century modernism, borrowing shared principles rather than reproducing recognizable styles.

“If someone walks into the house and immediately identifies a particular design movement, we’ve probably been too literal. We’d rather they simply feel calm, comfortable and connected to the home,” says Reynolds.

Falkenberg and Reynolds agree that minimalism may look simple, but it requires planning. The mistake is editing away warmth instead of clutter. A limited palette and thoughtful detailing give each element room to breathe.

Philosophy made visible

Seawall House is a great example of the Falken Reynolds approach.

Built in 1929, the Vancouver home retains the character of its Craftsman exterior while opening into a contemporary interior shaped by natural oak, generous light and exacting craftsmanship.

The clients wanted a forever home for their young family, with a life revolving around cycling the seawall, walking the beach, working from home and entertaining friends.

“The clients often talked about wanting a home that could only exist in Vancouver,” says Reynolds.

Views outdoors, natural wood to soften grey winters and practical spaces for wet clothing and equipment root the house in its setting.

Architect Peter Rose restored and evolved the exterior while navigating heritage requirements, says Falkenberg:

“The craftsmanship and detailing on the outside are remarkable. It feels as though the house has always been this way, even though almost every detail is newly built.”

Inside, Falken Reynolds respected its Craftsman origins without recreating a period interior.

The idea that materials should be touched, repaired and passed down informed solid oak appliance pulls, timber wall panelling and a staircase that quietly reinterprets traditional construction.

Warmth without clutter

Natural oak runs across floors, walls, cabinetry, furniture and stairs. Repetition is avoided through changes in scale, purpose and detail, becoming architecture in one place and furniture or a tactile surface in another.

Wood meets leather, Corian, stone and steel with enough precision to allow each material to be appreciated without competing.

Rather than selecting numerous finishes, the designers use fewer materials more extensively and allow craftsmanship to provide richness. The result feels cohesive but leaves room for belongings and memories to accumulate.

The invisible work behind calm rooms

“The most successful minimalist homes are usually the ones where the hardest work is invisible,” says Falkenberg.

They designed the Seawall house mud room with individual storage bays for all four family members, laundry facilities, drying closets, durable concrete floors and easy-to-maintain surfaces. Technology is concealed and frequently used possessions have designated places.

The lower and main floors were lifted to increase ceiling heights, allowing daylight to reach further inside and creating room to integrate lighting, storage and millwork discreetly.

“This was fundamentally an architectural intervention led by architect Peter Rose. By lifting the lower and main floors while carefully working within heritage constraints, the house became dramatically more livable without losing its relationship to the neighbourhood,” says Falkenberg.

A changing idea of home

For Falken Reynolds, global uncertainty is having an impact on how people view their homes: less showcase and more anchor.

“We’ve noticed our clients thinking more deeply about home than ever before. They’re asking questions about legacy, well-being, sustainability, family and how they want to spend the next twenty or thirty years of their lives — not simply what looks beautiful today,” says Reynolds.

That shift is visible across Falken Reynolds’ current work. Walden, a private lakeside retreat near Pemberton, spans five acres and eight buildings, with warm hemlock interiors conceived as a Canadian interpretation of a forest retreat.

They’ve also recently completed a Nova Scotia cottage using local stone, rich woods and furniture by eastern Canadian artisans. Other projects include minimalist townhouses planned around pets, a charcoal-toned penthouse and homes designed around allergies, ageing parents and multi-generational living.

Luxury that earns its place

At Seawall House, the owners asked for luxury to be expressed through details rather than grand gestures.

That might mean cabinetry made with the care of fine furniture, a carved Corian pull that doubles as a tea towel rail, or an integrated sink with fewer joins to clean and maintain.

Luxury lies not in precious surfaces, but in durable materials and thoughtful solutions that make a house easier to live in.

“Good design isn’t about creating beautiful moments. It’s about making ordinary moments feel effortless,” says Reynolds.

Related

• Getting the most out of every room in your home
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Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.

1181 Keith Rd., West Vancouver

Type: Four-bedroom, five-bathroom detached

Size: 3,113 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $2,919,000

Listed for: $3,280,000

Sold for: $2,920,000

Sold on: May 22

Days on market in this listing: 30

Listing agent: Haneef Virani PREC at Virani Real Estate Advisors

Buyers agent: Benson Lee PREC at Nu Stream Realty Inc.

The big sell: Selling for just over its assessed value is this four-bedroom West Vancouver home that blends luxury with functionality. It was built in 1999 on a gently sloping 200-foot-long lot in the district’s Ambleside community with a design that covers three levels to take full advantage of the south-facing city and ocean views. The principal reception rooms are on the middle level with a great room layout that enhances a natural flow between living, dining and kitchen areas accentuated by sleek hardwood floors and a wall of windows and french doors that open to a balcony. The contemporary kitchen features clean lines with white cabinets, Miele appliances, and a generous centre island topped with a warm butcher block-style countertop. Upstairs, the vaulted ensuited primary bedroom has a covered deck retreat, while a one-bedroom legal suite resides on the lowest level offering additional flexibility.

310 — 55 East Cordova St., Vancouver

Type: One-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment

Size: 699 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $544,000

Listed for: $598,000

Sold for: $550,000

Sold on: June 25

Days on market in this listing: 107

Listing agent: James Litman at Century 21 In Town Realty

Buyers agent: Adam Chahl PREC at Oakwyn Realty

The big sell: This one-bedroom apartment forms part of Gastown’s Koret Lofts, a live/work warehouse conversion with 118 units divided over six storeys. This particular home underwent a customized renovation in 2021 with a beautifully crafted kitchen with bespoke white birch millwork, glass panelling, Miele and Sub-Zero appliances, and marine edged stainless-steel countertops and backsplash. The bathroom features sophisticated Cosentino Dekton stone countertops imported from Spain, an angled matching stone sink, a double walk-in terrazzo tiled shower, Brizo fixtures, and Bocci lighting. Philips LED Hue smart lighting creates the perfect ambience while there are many reminders of the building’s origins with an exposed brick feature wall, wooden ceiling beams, and polished concrete floors. The home has a monthly maintenance fee of $411.12, and pets and rentals are permitted including short-term leases.

3027 Plateau Blvd., Coquitlam

Type: Five-bedroom, five-bathroom detached

Size: 6,883 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $3,443,000

Listed for: $2,999,900

Sold for: $2,875,000

Sold on: June 9

Days on market in this listing: 38

Listing agent: Jordon Sutton PREC and Fateme Parsaei at Angell Hasman & Associates Realty

Buyers agent: Nancy Zhou at Evergreen West Realty

The big sell: This architecturally distinctive residence resides on Coquitlam’s Plateau Boulevard which boasts large-scale homes in the city’s Westwood Plateau neighbourhood. Constructed in 1992, it showcases a brick exterior and a grand two-storey-high pillared, domed entranceway with ornate glasswork and clerestory windows surrounding the front door. The air-conditioned interior has been elegantly reimagined with — according to listing agent Jordon Sutton — more than $800,000 spent on bespoke upgrades. That accounts for handcrafted stained-glass doors, rich millwork, a chef-inspired kitchen with Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, granite surfaces, a butler’s pantry and wine fridge, contemporary pendant light fixtures, wainscot panelling, designer tiles, a media room, and a lavish primary bedroom complete with triple-sided fireplace and sumptuous adjoining bathroom.

These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.

Realtors — send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com

Learn more about the latest mortgage rates and explore our guide to Canada’s lowest national insured and uninsured mortgage rates, updated daily.Related

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Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.

5425 Angus Dr., Vancouver

Type: Nine-bedroom, six-bathroom detached

Size: 5,367 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $4,846,000

Listed for: $5,290,000

Sold for: $5,290,000

Sold on: May 28

Days on market in this listing: Four

Listing agent: Danny Chow PREC and Salina Kai PREC at Rennie & Associates Realty

Buyers agent: Maddy Lindahl Coflin, Kelley Lindahl and Tony Ioannou at Dexter Realty

The big sell: Superlatives abound with this colonial-style family estate that occupies an elevated position within Vancouver’s rarefied Shaughnessy neighbourhood on an enviable 12,825-square-foot lot. The 100-year-old house has a beautifully landscaped frontage, a columned entryway, shuttered windows, and sophisticated renovations. It showcases rich hardwood floors with inlay detailing, decorative crown molding, Victorian-style radiators, skylights, sash windows, wainscot panelling, premium Sub-Zero, Wolf and Miele appliances, and French doors that open to a manicured garden with multiple seating areas. There are five bedrooms upstairs — all elegantly presented — including a primary suite with access to a balcony, while a further two bedrooms occupy the top floor. The lower level offers private nanny or guest accommodation as well as a recreation room.

305 — 1328 West Pender St., Vancouver

Type: Two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment

Size: 1,005 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $994,000

Listed for: $899,800

Sold for: $900,000

Sold on: June 12

Days on market in this listing: 12

Listing agent: Holly Calderwood PREC at Royal LePage Sussex

Buyers agent: Meeti Martin at eXp Realty of Canada, Inc.

The big sell: According to listing agent Holly Calderwood, multiple offers were received for this two-bedroom condo that resides in Coal Harbour’s Classico tower. Built in 2003, the rainscreened building offers a smorgasbord of amenities for residents including concierge services, an indoor swimming pool, a sauna/steam room, a fitness centre, a party room, bike room, and several guest suites. The unit in question has a corner position and was renovated earlier this year to the tune of new floors, quartz countertops, stainless-steel appliances including premium brand Bosch, fresh paintwork, heated floors in the bathroom, and updates to the fixtures, doors, and gas fireplace. There is a solarium as well as a storage/flex room and a balcony, separated bedrooms, and the northwesterly exposure offers mountain views. The unit comes with a storage locker, parking, and a monthly maintenance fee of $526.15.

B318 — 31940 Raven Ave., Mission

Type: One-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment

Size: 604 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $386,700

Listed for: $409,900

Sold for: $400,000

Sold on: April 16

Days on market in this listing: 48

Listing agent: Jay Ilhareguy at ReMax Magnolia

Buyers agent: Shannon Drummond PREC at Royal LePage Elite West

The big sell: Mission is the location for the sale of this one-bedroom condo that resides in the city’s Wren + Raven development — a three-storey condo building that was constructed in 2023. It features a number of facilities including a fully-equipped gym and a party room with a kitchen and seating, and a central position with shopping, schools, eateries, and the West Coast Express all nearby. This particular unit has a private balcony that converts into a solarium for year-round enjoyment, a den that could be a home office or small bedroom, quartz countertops and stainless-steel appliances including a flat top range in the kitchen, and radiant heat throughout. The home comes with one parking stall in the underground garage, a large storage locker, and a strata that permits pets and rentals with restrictions. Its monthly maintenance fee is $361.84.

These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.

Realtors — send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com

Learn more about the latest mortgage rates and explore our guide to Canada’s lowest national insured and uninsured mortgage rates, updated daily.Related

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As Canada’s population ages, interior designers will play an increasingly important role in meeting the needs of older adults who want to maintain their independence, safety and quality of life by proactively taking steps to future proof their homes and age in place.

In British Columbia, one in five people are currently over the age of 65, and the Office of the BC Seniors Advocate projects that within the next decade, that figure will rise to one in four.

This statistic is important in light of the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) 2025 Ageing in Canada Survey released in early 2026, that shows more than 80 per cent of Canadians want to remain in their homes in their later years, but only 38 per cent have taken steps to do so.

“Aging-in-place design is less about preparing for decline and more about preserving independence through beautiful, ergonomic environments that can flexibly support people across their stages of life,” says Lori Sutherland Burns, principal at Port Moody-based Studio Ten Interior Design .

Hannah Cheng, founder and principal interior designer at New Westminster-based CHY Design agrees.

“What draws me to aging-in-place design is the opportunity to create homes that are not only safe and comfortable, but also beautiful and welcoming. I believe some of the best design solutions are the ones people hardly notice. They quietly remove barriers, make everyday tasks easier and support independence without compromising the feeling of home,” says Cheng, who is certified in adaptive home renovation with an emphasis on aging-in-place design through the Canadian Home Builders’ Association.

Burns says when discussing a custom home or a renovation, adaptable — or aging-in-place — design is always part of the conversation.

“We design beautiful homes that just happen to be adaptable,” she says, adding, “everybody deserves to live somewhere that’s super functional and beautiful.”

That early conversation with clients is exemplified in a recently completed project that included aging-in-place design throughout a home that won several awards in the 2026 Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN) Awards for Housing Excellence.

“We knew this was going to be their forever home,” says Burns, adding the primary bedroom, en suite and closet are all on the main floor.

“All the doorways are accessible width so that if they ever needed a walker or a wheelchair, they wouldn’t have to make any modifications,” she says. All the showers are curbless and accessible width and the hallways are wide for the same reason.

In addition to her role at Studio Ten, Burns is program head for BCIT’s Diploma in Residential Interiors and a faculty member who teaches all levels of the Interior Design Degree program including Inclusive Environments, a design studio that focuses on designing an independent living/assisted living residence for ages 55-plus.

According to the British Columbia government’s Seniors’ Fall Prevention information, one in three residents in the province over the age of 65 will fall once every year, and falls are the main reason why older adults lose their independence.

The risk of home stair falls is a major concern. Having no stairs is the best solution but if a home does have stairs ensure good lighting especially in hallways, stairways and entrances where level changes may be difficult to see, particularly at night. Even short sets of two or three steps should have sturdy handrails to provide extra support, says Cheng.

Stair dimensions also matter, she says, adding that steps should have a consistent height because uneven risers can disrupt a person’s natural walking rhythm.

“Our body has a sense of memory. So when you’re going up or down the stairs and all of a sudden one tread is a little bit shorter or higher it catches you off guard and you can easily lose your balance,” she says, adding if flooring is being replaced it’s important to account for any changes that could alter stair height.

Bathrooms, with their hard, sometimes slippery, surfaces are one of the most important places in the home to focus on to reduce the risk of falls.

Grab bars are often one the first things on the list but safely adding them can be a challenge. However, planning ahead can make this a relatively easy task. In a new build, or during a bathroom reno, installing wood blocking to fit between the studs before the walls are closed with drywall or tile will provide anchor points for future grab bars.

“Even if you don’t feel like you need [grab bars] right now, I would still put in the wood blocking so that in the future you don’t have to take down your wall tiles, you can just add the grab bar,” says Cheng.

She points out that adding comfort-height toilets is also a feature worth considering. “Comfort-height toilets are typically around 17.5-inches from finished floor to seat,” says Cheng, who advises optimal heights should be tested in bathroom showrooms because needs may vary according to body stature.

But aging-in-place design isn’t just about mobility, it’s also about vision, says Burns who notes the importance of making sure there’s a difference in lightness and darkness that is easily discernible even if a person has vision challenges.

“We always make sure that there is sufficient [visual] contrast between the floors, cabinets, countertops and backsplashes,” she says adding that carefully planned, balanced lighting with appropriate colour rendering to reduce glare, show trip hazards and limit visual confusion is also necessary.

Smart home technologies — such as motion-activated lighting, video doorbells, smart locks, programmable thermostats, motorized blinds and touchless faucets — can improve safety and convenience for older adults.

“My mom, for instance, is 85. We set up her home so that she has everything voice activated — smart locks and lighting — she doesn’t have to get up to turn off a light, it’s all voice activated,” says Burns.

Cheng says circadian lighting systems that mimic natural daylight to support peoples’ internal biological clock can also be helpful.

“It’s a type of lighting system that adjusts the colour temperature and also the intensity to sync with our natural sleep patterns and help with our sleep at night,” she says, explaining a system can be preprogrammed through a computer, or there are light bulbs, such as Philips Hue , which can be managed through a smartphone.

While making a home more adaptable is an important part of aging in place, the NIA says preparation goes beyond renovations. It also includes budgeting for future accessibility upgrades, setting aside funds for care, planning for changing health needs and maintaining strong social connections to help prevent isolation.

The five pillars of a healthy home

Creating a home that supports healthy aging should incorporate wellness-focused design to promote both physical comfort and overall health, says CHY Design’s Hannah Cheng, adding those principles are based on five key elements.

Indoor air quality

During renovations, choose low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints, flooring and finishes to reduce off-gassing. Good ventilation and air filtration also help maintain healthier indoor air.

Thermal comfort

A home that’s consistently comfortable is easier to live in year-round. Cheng recommends radiant heating where possible, noting that it provides even warmth while circulating less airborne dust than forced-air systems.

Lighting

Good lighting doesn’t rely on adding more fixtures. The goal is to increase overall light levels while minimizing glare from reflective surfaces, which can strain aging eyes.

Acoustics

Open-concept homes can amplify noise, making spaces feel overwhelming. Soft furnishings, textiles and textured finishes help absorb sound and create a calmer environment.

Water quality

Faucet filters, under-sink filtration systems or refrigerators with built-in filters can provide an added level of protection and improve the quality of drinking water.

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Hafeez Jiwa is kind of bummed that potential buyers don’t particularly care about his property’s biggest selling point: that it’s built to net zero standards. Slightly different from zero emissions buildings, which the City of Vancouver states use only renewable energy and generate no pollution at all, net zero causes some pollution but produces as much clean energy as it consumes.

Jiwa, of boutique property development company Maven & Co. Projects, who developed and consulted on the four-bedroom front-back Dunbar duplex, says, “We’re finding not a lot of people care about the net zero aspect itself. You have to educate them on that. But what they do notice is there’s more space in the unit because of that bonus density that the city allows you to have.”

Density bonusing , a zoning rule that allows for bigger buildings — in this case, 20 per cent bigger — than are normally permitted in an area, appears to be the bigger draw. “It doesn’t seem like a lot but it’s allowed us to have a really big main floor, which you don’t normally get in these half duplexes,” says Jiwa. “We’re also able to get a third bedroom onto the second floor when, typically in these half duplexes, the second floor has two bedrooms, and you need to go up to the third floor to get to a third bedroom. The third level has a spare/guest bedroom/office, so it’s actually a true four-bedroom unit. That 20 per cent bonus density makes a big difference.”

As does the attention to detail. “There are very few spec builds that use brand name architects and interior designers and put this much effort into design. We used Noble Architecture and Shift Interiors, who (made) sure it’s timeless, modern and quite unique compared to what’s on the market right now.”

He does acknowledge, however, that the exterior won’t win any beauty contests in the traditional sense. “It’s meant to be sort of Scandinavian: very muted, very clean and modern.” It’s what’s inside that counts.

What’s inside

Jiwa says, “When you walk into this unit, you get a sense of quality that you don’t get anywhere else.”

He points to the white oak herringbone on the main floor that was more expensive because of the additional labour involved in laying the pattern in short strips.

Also, the new generation of engineered stone for the powder room, kitchen countertops, backsplash and island from Coquitlam company Bordignon Stone was costlier. According to the company, it has the durability and practicality of quartz with a look of natural marble but without the required maintenance of marble.

The bathrooms all have seamless showers with no sill; custom glass and mirrors; and the main en suite has a double sink vanity and detailed porcelain tile that meets smoothly without the need for a corner trim.

Jiwa says that detail extends to the staircase edge, which is usually built with a one-inch nosing, whereas the duplex’s waterfall staircase has a clean, sharp edge and no trim. The wood cabinetry was custom-made by a local craftsman.

The fully integrated Miele appliances are induction, not natural gas, to meet the requirements for net zero homes.

When you enter through the French doors into the top-floor bedroom, a unique circular window frames the trees that line the lane below. Two skylights, one that is electronically operable, add extra natural light.

There is a detached garage, and the backyard features a big, multi-level deck that runs across the back unit with space for seating as well as a lower area for a fire pit or barbecue.

“The quality of construction has to be a step above; everything has to be more efficient, in order to meet this net zero standard,” says Jiwa. “So the windows are all triple-glazed from Delta manufacturer Norden Windows; the envelope has to be nearly air tight; there has to be a fresh air ventilation system so there’s fresh air continuously being pulled in from the outside and exchanged with interior air.

“With net zero, you’re trying to balance the amount of energy that you’re using in the house with the amount of energy that you’re producing by using your solar panels, and you only have so much space on your roof. So that means all the electrical heating and cooling equipment is more efficient than normal; you’re not using natural gas for heating or cooking; your building envelope has to be more air tight so you have greater insulation and less rogue air coming into the house.”

He says the more than 20 solar panels on the roof generate 11 kilowatts of energy, and even though the house is empty, it’s been generating more energy than it’s been using. “B.C. Hydro actually pays you for that excess energy,” says Jiwa. “So over the course of the year, the savings can amount to $3,000 to $4,000 on electricity. Plus, you’re living in a healthier home and contributing to the city’s zero emissions targets.”

Now that’s worth caring about.

In the neighbourhood

The coveted Dunbar area is a blend of quiet, upscale neighbourhoods with the buzz of nearby Dunbar Village and its many independent businesses, including specialty shops, bakeries, grocers, gyms, pubs, restaurants and the historic Dunbar Theatre.

Downtown Vancouver is a 20-minute drive away. Many parks, including Pacific Spirit Regional Park, are close by, as are the beaches of Jericho and Spanish Banks, and public and private elementary and high schools, plus UBC.

Location:2 — 3449 West 22nd Avenue, Vancouver

Listed for: $2,599,900

Year built: 2026

Type: Four bedrooms, four bathrooms

Size: 1,852 square feet

Realtor: Listed by TJ Almodovar, The Almodovar Group , Vancouver

Related

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A generous home is not necessarily a large one. It’s one that makes daily life easier, welcomes people in and fits those who live there.

This matters as more people live in apartments and compact homes, although the challenge is not confined to small floor plans. Larger houses also contain narrow hallways, awkward corners and rooms that must serve several members of a household.

Meghan Willisko, head of home furnishing and retail design at Ikea Canada, says adaptability matters more than floor area.

“For the many Canadians living in smaller spaces, it isn’t about square footage, it’s about how well a home adapts to their needs,” she says.

That means considering the activities that take place in a room, from working and eating to exercising, socializing and accommodating overnight guests, rather than assigning it a single purpose.

Furniture that earns its place

In a compact interior, every sizable piece of furniture must earn its place. A bed can provide drawers, a footstool can become additional seating and modular furniture can be rearranged as needs change.

“Rooms are no longer used only for their traditional purpose, especially in small homes. That’s why we think about activities rather than rooms, paying close attention to adaptable spaces and multi-functional, versatile, convertible, collapsible, and stackable products,” says Willisko.

Furniture that moves easily from one room to another can help a home shift between everyday life and entertaining. A cohesive style also allows those pieces to work comfortably in different settings.

Willisko points to the Förlunda footstool and Brimnes bed frame with storage as pieces that solve more than one problem.

“These pieces combine comfort, storage, and flexibility, reducing clutter while allowing rooms to shift easily between functions.”

Vertical space is also valuable. Tall shelving frees floor area, while overlooked zones beneath beds, above doors or at the end of a hallway can accommodate belongings without crowding the main living spaces.

A bedroom designed for rest

Bedrooms should be practical without feeling like storage units with a bed in the middle. Willisko recommends planning around six sleep essentials: light, sound, air quality, temperature, decluttering and comfort.

Blackout blinds can control light while introducing colour. A patterned bedspread adds personality and warmth, while well-planned storage keeps distracting clutter out of sight. Soft materials can also help distinguish the bedroom from busier parts of the home.

“It’s more than just a place to sleep, it’s a personal sanctuary. A space we use to rest, recharge, and find comfort after a long day,” says Willisko.

A restorative bedroom need not be anonymous. It should still feel connected to the person who sleeps there.

Colour without chaos

Strong colour can give a home energy without requiring an expensive redesign.

“We love the idea of using pink, burgundy and red for a modern, seasonal table instead of orange this autumn,” says Willisko.

These shades can run through tablecloths, trays, napkins and tableware, with patterns balanced by solid colours. Gold accents, lanterns and candles add warmth, while varying their heights creates a layered rather than overly co-ordinated display.

When combining prints elsewhere, Willisko recommends finding a point of connection:

“A simple rule is to vary scale while maintaining a cohesive colour palette.”

A large floral can sit beside a fine stripe or small geometric design when the colours relate. The change in scale adds depth, while the repeated palette keeps the room calm.

Rooms that grow with children

Children’s bedrooms must adapt quickly as interests, activities and levels of independence change.

“Flexibility is essential in children’s spaces because their needs evolve so quickly,” says Willisko.

Adjustable or repurposed furniture lasts longer, as do storage systems that can move from toys to books, clothing and schoolwork. Timeless larger pieces can be paired with textiles, artwork and accessories selected by the child.

This leaves room for self-expression without requiring a full redesign whenever tastes change. A new bedspread, wall print or cushion can transform the room while its practical foundation remains intact.

Hidden storage in every room

Storage should reduce visual clutter without making a home feel institutional. Rather than treating organization as a separate concern, it can form part of the overall design.

Beds with built-in drawers, decorative baskets, hidden compartments inside ottomans and modular systems keep belongings near where they are used. Open shelves can display books, ceramics and favourite objects, while less attractive necessities remain behind doors or inside drawers.

“The most successful storage solutions blend seamlessly into the home,” says Willisko.

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AmericanHort’s Cultivate Expo in Columbus, Ohio, is North America’s premier horticultural show each year with some of the world’s best plant breeders showcasing their latest developments. Also on display is the best new technology and robotics that are improving greenhouse growing efficiencies. Their seminars and educational forums cover a wide range of relevant topics from marketing, integrated pest management for insect and disease control, and innovative opportunities within the industry. Even Martha Stewart was there gathering ideas.

This year’s Cultivate was one of the best shows I’ve been to over the past 30 years, and I would love to share with you some of the best new plants.

Chris Hansen is a brilliant American plant breeder and someone I’ve known for years. His focus is on sedums and sempervivums. He has been the recipient of several international awards, including for his Golden Nugget yellow Chick Charms sedum series. His new variety of ajuga called Feathered Friends is now turning heads, and his vibrantly coloured sedum SunSparkler series have all been acclaimed additions to the gardening world.

My go-to sedum, however, is his evergreen Angelina series. Hansen developed Angelina’s Tea Cup and Angelina Prima, more compact and non-flowering varieties, which are much improved over his original Angelina.

Hansen took me by the arm and excitedly showed me his latest innovation. Well, in the world of sedums, he knocked this one out of the park.

Branded Tight & Tidy, he has developed five new varieties of evergreen sedums, prairie hardy to Zone 3, adding brilliance to gardens and containers the whole year round. Mildew resistant and growing only about three inches tall by fifteen inches wide they do, truly, remain Tight & Tidy all year long. Ranging from blue, pink, red, green and yellow, these go beyond the traditional sedums in adding a new dimension to the sedum world.

They will be available in late spring next year and I’m sure the demand for these exciting new plants will be significant. Congratulations, Chris.

For me, the second most innovative breeding breakthrough had to be the breathtaking feathered heucheras, branded Fyre Wings. These truly unique heucheras are hardy to Zone 5, have sun and shade tolerance and come in a wide range of seven colours. They catch your attention immediately with their striking fluffy foliage and will be outstanding in both beds and containers.

Terra Nova Nurseries in Oregon bred these innovative new heucheras, adding to their long list of internationally acclaimed introductions. They have been at the forefront of heuchera development for many years, but this is one of their most remarkable varieties.

Third on my list of great plant discoveries is a rose that changed my perspective on the best-selling series in North America.

The Knock Out series of roses continues to impress. Originally their claim to fame was their bulletproof ability to stand up to any type of wet, miserable spring weather by staying cleaner in foliage and stronger in bloom. They are also one of the hardiest winter varieties, down to Zone 5, needing little, if any, winter protection in our area.

With continued new breeding, Knock Out has evolved into some double red and pink varieties, but the star of the show was the new Triple Knock Out. This is a game changer with larger, fully double flowers and a delicate perfume. I did, in fact, stop and smell the roses at the show, and even in an enormous building, under less than optimum conditions, they had a lovely fragrance.

There were many additional take-aways from the show, from thoughtful plant compositions to interesting trends.

We do nice combinations of flowers in many varieties, but we seem to plant lavenders in single colours. One creative company showcased both the more tender Spanish types and the hardier English types with blended colours and textures in one container. It was a refreshing look and very attractive.

Today, there are many shades of blues and purples available, and blended with pink and white, I thought they looked stunning. It was great to see this idea, and for both your containers and garden beds, I’m sure you’ll love lavender displayed in this new way.

Mandevillas are still making great strides at becoming the go-to hot summer flower with so many new varieties, colours and plant forms. From strong, upright varieties, to a climbing series, and trailing varieties for hanging baskets, they have never been more versatile. The colour range as well, from the traditional white, red and pink, to yellow, salmon and bicolours, will spice up our summer gardens, planters and hanging baskets. Remember these are plants that thrive in summer heat.

Lilies seem to be making a comeback in today’s gardens, mostly as a lift to perennial borders. They make wonderful, reasonably long-lasting candidates for cut flower gardens, too. I would leave them the first growing season, as they will usually have just one stem. After a year or two, however, they will produce multiple stems creating many opportunities for cut bouquets. The colour choices today are simply amazing: from blacks and bicolours, they now come in so many unique shades.

The Oriental lilies not only have a great colour selection, but they also share a beautiful perfume. I was speaking with several of the breeders who mentioned that double Orientals are becoming very popular and, again, are available in a wide range of colours.

Many of the lilies are pollenless, meaning no anthers to stain your nose or your clothes. A single bulb, planted in fall or spring, will provide beauty and fragrance for many years making them, perhaps, the best value in a perennial.

These are my top take-aways from Cultivate ’26. It was a wonderful show, filled with amazing people, incredible innovation, and captivating plants.

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• Brian Minter: Now is the perfect time to plant for late summer colour and harvests

Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.

44 — 3552 Victoria Dr., Coquitlam

Type: Three-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse

Size: 1,596 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,022,000

Listed for: $950,000

Sold for: $910,000

Sold on: June 3

Days on market in this listing: 12

Listing agent: Erin Aldrich-Rae at ReMax All Points Realty

Buyers agent: Mike Giesbrecht at Royal LePage Sussex

The big sell: According to buyers’ agent Mike Giesbrecht, his clients were attracted to this property as it offered more space than newer, similar homes yet was new enough to avoid significant capital expenditure for building projects in the near term. A location in Coquitlam’s family-oriented Burke Mountain was another draw. The home in question is a townhouse within Mosaic’s Victoria development, a six-year-old complex that offers Mount Baker views, a clubhouse, playground, and access to nearby parks, schools and trails. The unit contains lofty 10-foot-high ceilings, south-east-facing windows, a modern open-concept kitchen with quartz countertops, matte black hardware, and a centre island for family gatherings. All three bedrooms are upstairs including a primary suite complete with a glass-surround shower in the ensuite bathroom. The lower level features a recreation room (that could be a fourth bedroom) plus an additional bathroom. The home’s monthly maintenance fee is $330.33, and it comes with two parking spaces.

2256 Garden Dr., Vancouver

Type: Three-bedroom, three-bathroom half duplex

Size: 1,902 square feet

B.C. Assessment: N/A

Listed for: $1,998,000

Sold for: $1,965,000

Sold on: May 18

Days on market in this listing: Six

Listing agent: Jessica Chen PREC at Oakwyn Realty

Buyers agent: Cara Wong PREC at Oakwyn Realty

The big sell: Both the front and back homes within this newly-completed duplex property sold within days of each other with a thoughtfully-designed interior, modern colour palette, and spacious floorplans contributing to the appeal. Built by Mirani Homes in East Vancouver’s Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood, the property benefits from proximity to the eateries and amenities that line Nanaimo Street as well as schools and transit arteries. This particular home is the west-facing front unit and features all three bedrooms and two bathrooms on the second floor, and a top floor that boasts a versatile space in excess of 500 square feet that could be a home office, playroom, media room or used for guests. There is herringbone flooring on the main level, custom millwork, a fireplace feature wall, overheight windows, and a useful powder room. A detached single garage and a substantial crawl space offer additional storage options.

2522 Bronte Dr., North Vancouver

Type: Five-bedroom, two-bathroom detached

Size: 2,871 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $2,020,000

Listed for: $1,799,000

Sold for: $1,760,000

Sold on: May 19

Days on market in this listing: One

Listing agent: Brian Rybchinsky PREC at Virani Real Estate Advisors

Buyers agent: Kelsie Struch PREC at Stilhavn Real Estate Services

The big sell: This custom-built one-owner home was on the market for just one day before an accepted offer was received. Situated in the heart of Blueridge, the two-storey house features a generous layout with more than 1,500 square feet on the main level and a little less than that downstairs. There are oversized windows and skylights throughout the main floor that allow for an abundance of natural light to fill the home, generous-sized rooms with hardwood floors, a double-sided fireplace, a solid oak kitchen, and recessed lighting. The lower level provides equally expansive rooms with a recreation room, kitchen, great room, and two bedrooms. On the outside, there is more than 400 square feet of elevated sundeck with steps that lead down to a beautifully manicured lot that enjoys a 67-foot-wide frontage and 135-foot length. Blueridge consists of a series of cul-de-sacs that are linked by walking paths with schools, parks, and a coffee shop nearby.

These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.

Realtors — send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com

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If you’ve found yourself at your door juggling grocery bags, boxes and baby while fruitlessly searching your pockets for those darn keys, smart locks can get you in. They work through a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection using an app on a smartphone or via integrated home security systems or devices like Google Nest , Amazon Echo or Apple’s HomeKit to unlock your door hands-free.

Not only can you go completely keyless, you can program these handy devices to generate a temporary code for guests, deliveries, housecleaners, dog-walkers and other services. They also take the worry out of wondering if you locked the door or left it ajar. They even maintain an activity log so you can check on your home remotely.

Most smart locks work with the lock you already have or you can get a complete deadbolt that you can easily install yourself (more complicated devices might need a pro).

Unlock the right lock for the right door

There are tons of types of smart locks for any kind of door that will operate via PIN codes, fingerprint scans, Wi-Fi, smartphone apps, or keypads. Some locks allow you to program more than 50 fingerprints and over 200 different access codes. Set up is done using a separate app or on the lock itself.

The New York Times’ Wirecutter reviewers, Consumer Reports, Popular Mechanics and even Mike Holmes named Schlage as a top pick for its reliability, ease of installation and use, as well as its heavy metal encasing with the ability to withstand 250,000 cycles and 10 door strikes with a hammer (?!).

“Today’s smart locks use a combination of technologies,” says Katherine Tmej, marketing manager for security company Allegion, Schlage’s manufacturer. “Bluetooth provides a reliable local connection, Wi-Fi lets you manage your locks remotely, and newer technologies that are Matter-certified (meaning they work across different brands and platforms like Apple Home, Google Home and Amazon Alexa) help improve connectivity across the smart devices in your home.”

She says the new Schlage Sense Pro Smart Deadbolt , featuring Schlage Converge technology with Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Matter and Thread networks, detects when you’re at your door and ready to enter then it will unlock hands-free. You can also tap to unlock your door with Apple Home Key using your iPhone or Apple Watch; by keypad code entry; and one-touch locking on your way out. The company’s Encode Plus, with Apple Home Key support, built-in Wi-Fi and a BHMA Grade 1 deadbolt, gets high marks for withstanding Canada’s frigid temps.

Speaking of which, Canadian company Alfred Smart Locks manufactures commercial grade door hardware that’s specifically designed with our climate in mind, using specialized seals that keep the lock from freezing in temperatures down to -35C.

Utilizing Bluetooth connectivity, Z-Wave (a low-energy wireless signal similar to Bluetooth) with Google Home or Alexa apps, Alfred locks work through a touchscreen PIN pad, fingerprint scanner or physical key. The Alfred DB series alerts you to who’s entering your home and when, handles up to 20 PIN codes, and comes with a physical key override. They also get top marks for looking so good in their chrome, gold or black finishes.

The Yale Assure Lock 2 Plus gets good reviews for its versatility without the bulk of similar locks. The module also works with Bluetooth, as well as Apple Home and Z-Wave, and lets you tap your iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock your door. It also stores a virtual key in your Apple Wallet. The built-in Wi-Fi module lets you track comings and goings, gives you real-time alerts, and locks and unlocks the door from anywhere using its app.

The Aqara U200 is coveted by tech heads for its ease of integration with a variety of smart home ecosystems including Amazon Echo or Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home. It uses a fingerprint scanner, PIN code, app, NFC Card, Apple Wallet virtual keys, as well as a physical key, pairs with Apple Home Keys and connects via Bluetooth or the Zigbee wireless mesh network.

The Lockly Visage Zeno deadbolt not only has built-in Wi-Fi, Apple Home Key, Apple Watch, 3D fingerprint sensor using AI, and PIN codes, it utilizes facial recognition in one second to unlock automatically, even at night using infrared. It also allows you to use Siri to unlock your door. Each of the two rechargeable batteries lasts up to eight months. In fact, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your battery power and expect to replace them every six to eight months, depending on usage. Also, keep up with software and firmware updates for extra security.

You can also get smart locks through telecommunications companies as part of a monthly fee. Telus offers smart locks through Weiser Home Connect 620 with keypad access, remote control, and SmartKey technology (which also allows you to use your existing key) as part of their SmartHome+ subscription. Rogers’ Smart Door Lock Touchscreen Electronic Deadbolt system, which also uses Weiser, is available through its Smart Home Monitoring plan.

Screw it

Installing most smart locks is pretty straightforward, requiring roughly 15 minutes and a simple screwdriver if you’re replacing an existing deadbolt or installing one in a new door that’s pre-drilled. It takes longer if you’re installing a new deadbolt in a door without one.

The locks usually include the bolt, exterior keyed lock or keypad, and interior thumb lever and plate that replace your existing deadbolt, or you can place them above it. Or you can simply replace the interior thumb lever and plate and use the existing deadbolt and exterior keyed lock.

For backup, most companies offer a step-by-step guide to installation as well as answers to any questions around usage and troubleshooting.

Tmej says the difference between doorknob and lever handle replacement locks comes down to a balance of style, function and accessibility. “Many homeowners select a lever or doorknob based on the look they want to achieve, while lever handles are generally easier to operate for people of all ages and abilities. Regardless of the style, the deadbolt, not the handle, is the primary security component for exterior doors.”

Smart locks are available from Amazon, Home Depot and Best Buy with prices ranging from $78 to over $400, depending on features and home compatibility.

Cybersecurity protections

Manufacturers insist that their locks are pick-proof and hacker-resistant. But Michael Felgner, SST-TQ, RSE, RSC, PID, and BCIT instructor for its Security Systems Technician Program, says, “Any technology is hackable. Any functionality has a failure rate. In my own personal opinion, you are forfeiting a lot of security for convenience. When your smartphone comes in proximity to your property, the door will unlock, the alarm will turn off. If someone takes your phone, they don’t necessarily need to access the phone, they just need to have it in proximity to the residence and they have access.

“Generally speaking, locks with a key are incredibly reliable. There’s no app, no ongoing fees, no recurring revenue you have to pay out to somebody else. So from a cost perspective, really good quality locks are an incredibly good investment.”

He also questions personal data protection when you hand over your personal information to use companies’ apps. “If you have a system out of the U.S., you have no data sovereignty. Does the company have the right to sell your information? Who’s the custodian of that information and what happens with it? We in Canada have much better privacy protections than the U.S. but most of these products, like Nest or Google, are American-based and they have the right to the data that you have to give them in order for these things to work.”

He concedes, though, that if you choose quality products with reputable suppliers “you should have no trouble”.

Tmej says you don’t have to be a cybersecurity expert but you should look for locks that have an established track record in security and ongoing software support. “While most smart locks use encrypted communication, the difference is often in how manufacturers manage vulnerabilities over time through regular firmware updates, responsible security testing and long-term product support. Keeping your lock’s firmware up-to-date is one of the most important things you can do to maintain both security and reliability. Our smart lock offerings are convenient to use without sacrificing homeowner security. They’re designed with the latest encryption technologies to ensure they are secure and only authorized individuals can communicate with them.”

Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.

106 — 237 East 4th Ave., Vancouver

Type: One-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment

Size: 1,541 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,260,300

Listed for: $1,099,000

Sold for: $1,075,000

Sold on: May 29

Days on market in this listing: 14

Listing agent: Stephen Morris at Oakwyn Realty

Buyers agent: Hong Lang PREC at Royal Pacific Realty

The big sell: Boasting what must be one of the largest floorplans for a one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver, this 1,541-square-foot ground-level artist loft blends character features with an expanse of space. It forms part of Artworks, a live/work building in East Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood with myriad amenities all around. Inside the home there are soaring 16-foot-high ceilings, oversized windows with a southern exposure, entrances at both street level as well as through the building, and a raw industrial esthetic with exposed pipework, a metal staircase, corrugated ceilings, track lighting, and concrete floors. The two-level interior accommodates a number of layout configurations with a mezzanine level that could be a bedroom or living room, and a flex room that could be used as a bedroom instead. The unit’s monthly maintenance fee is $647.17, and it comes with parking in the underground garage.

11471 95 Ave., North Delta

Type: Three-bedroom, two-bathroom detached

Size: 1,811 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,051,900

Listed for: $1,168,000

Sold for: $1,115,000

Sold on: April 20

Days on market in this listing: 22

Listing agent: Shafik Ladha PREC at ReMax Westcoast

Buyers agent: PJ Cheema at Sutton Premier Realty

The big sell: This three-bedroom North Delta rancher was originally built in 1958 in the community’s Annieville district but has benefited from numerous updates since then. It sits on a lot size of almost 8,000 square feet with a north-south exposure and features an expanse of one-level living that encompasses the sleeping quarters on one side of the home and the reception rooms on the other. Renovations include the installation of new floors, fresh paintwork, modern light fixtures, an updated kitchen and bathrooms, stainless-steel appliances, breakfast bar seating, and a refreshed backyard. The family room has a corner fireplace for a cosy ambience, as well as access to the garden where there is a wraparound partly-covered deck overlooking the fenced yard. A single carport and driveway can accommodate a number of vehicles.

42 — 1305 Soball St., Coquitlam

Type: Three-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse

Size: 1,440 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,011,000

Listed for: $999,900

Sold for: $1,040,000

Sold on: May 1

Days on market in this listing: Five

Listing agent: Rod Bahari PREC at Sutton Group — West Coast Realty

Buyers agent: Sahar Saba PREC at Royal LePage Sussex

The big sell: This corner end-unit three-bedroom townhome resides in Tyneridge North, a multi-unit complex that was constructed by Polygon in Coquitlam’s Burke Mountain subdivision. According to listing agent Rod Bahari, the home features a rare side entrance with easy main floor access, plus unobstructed south-facing vistas from the living room and primary bedroom. Interior highlights include granite countertops, a powder room on the main level, new carpets throughout, blackout blinds, and updated paintwork. There is a generous-sized fenced yard complete with patio, as well as a side yard off the main floor, ample storage space, and parking for three vehicles. The unit’s monthly maintenance fee is $360.61, and the strata permits pets and rentals — both with restrictions. The home was snapped up for over the asking price in five days.

These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.

Realtors — send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com

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How does Pamela Anderson ’s garden grow?

This summer, it is growing bountifully, as the Hollywood star shared in a recent Instagram post from her family compound in Ladysmith on Vancouver Island .

“Look what’s growing in my garden,” said Anderson , as she turned her camera on a large garden filled with an abundance of vegetables.

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The video isn’t the first time Anderson, a vegan and the co-founder and co-owner of the Sonsie skincare brand, has taken her fans into her island oasis.

The early stages of the garden were chronicled during Anderson’s HGTV series Pamela’s Garden of Eden. The two-season series followed the actor/producer and former Playmate as she renovated the British Columbia waterfront property purchased from her grandmother decades ago. You can stream the series on Hulu.

Anderson’s garden tour post comes just a couple of weeks after the Baywatch, The Last Showgirl and Naked Gun star attended her and ex-husband Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee’s 28-year-old son Dylan Lee’s marriage to interior designer Paula Bruss in a garden ceremony in Saint-Tropez, France.

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Anderson, who is also an ambassador for brands including Pandora and Aerie , isn’t the only Hollywood star showing off the province this summer.

Transformers star Josh Duhamel recently posted a video to his Instagram account from the base of the Fraser Canyon at Hell’s Gate while Your Friends and Neighbors star James Marsden posted a gallery of images on Instagram that fans scouted as being taken on and around Vancouver Island.

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Architecturally, Mercer Village, the 12-acre master-planned community in New Westminster, leans to a traditional, heritage-inspired esthetic influenced by the city’s historic housing stock and colour palette while the stylish interiors are decidedly modern with contemporary finishes and designer touches.

The setting of Mercer Village — adjacent to Port Royal in the Queensborough neighbourhood — is a combination of a central Lower Mainland location with a range of transport connections plus proximity to the shores of the Fraser River where a boardwalk links to a walking and cycling trail network, says Kyle Shury, principal at Platform Properties.

The development comprises multiple phases. In the first phase there are 23 townhomes, in the second phase, there are 27 townhomes (completing summer through to fall). Full build-out of this portion of Mercer Village will ultimately include 146 townhomes and 14 commercial units, says Shury. Future phases on neighbouring lands include additional townhomes and a mixed-use portion including up to 200 apartments and approximately 50,000 square feet of retail.

All the townhomes in the second phase are three-bedroom and three-bedroom and den/flex space layouts ranging from 1,284 to 1,566 square feet. The homes, all with air conditioning, span three levels from the grade-level garages (tandem or side-by-side with EV charging outlets), kitchen, dining and living room on the first floor (along with the den/flex space in some floorplans) and bedrooms on the top floor.

Charyle Ross, principal of Ross & Company Interiors, says the interiors at Mercer Village are designed to stand out from run-of-the-mill “vanilla” schemes and reflect a more urban and inspiring design.

Ross created two colour palettes to give homebuyers the option of a light (Mercer) or darker (Blackley) interior scheme.

Both palettes include light oak accents in the kitchen with the difference between the schemes seen in the matte white cabinetry in the Mercer scheme or the charcoal-coloured cabinets in the Blackley option. Major appliances are by KitchenAid including a gas cooktop, fridge/freezer, dishwasher and oven.

Ross notes the backsplash is a key design feature in the kitchen. Quartz countertops extend a few inches up the wall with the vertically laid mosaic of small rectangular (often called a chiclet pattern) tiles to cabinet height, adding texture and interest to the space.

The islands (or peninsulas) include a sink, dishwasher and space to tuck in counter-height stools. One of the standout features are the oak accents seen in open shelving on the kitchen wall and the island (in some homes). The wood accent wraps around the corner of the island, explains Ross, creating a space for cookbooks, kitchenalia or favourite decor pieces.

The flooring — tile in the bathrooms, carpet on staircases and on the upper floor and wood grain vinyl flooring in the main living areas — is the same in both schemes as are the matte black plumbing fixtures in the kitchen and bathrooms.

The light oak cabinetry seen in the kitchens carries through to the vanities in the bathrooms. The vanity in the primary bathroom has two sinks and provides plenty of drawer storage while the framed mirrors and a display niche with a decorative wall sconce that casts a layer of soft light sets the tone for the space. Oversized 12- by 24-inch terrazzo-style tiles on the floor and shower walls and the textured tile backsplash add the finishing touches.

As this group of townhomes completes, Shury reflects on the last decade of work to reach this point in the masterplan.

The Mercer Village lands were assembled from a former school board property (intended but never used for a school), city-owned parcels including a tow yard, dog park, works yard and additional private properties.

“It’s been a long project in the making,” he says, noting it has taken more than 10 years from acquiring the first parcel of land, completing the extensive planning process, the addition of major servicing infrastructure and site preparation to launch the new community.

The name of the development traces back to Mercer Street, a central road in the land assembly, coupled with the inspiration of creating a village-like environment.

In the planning phase of the development feedback from local residents noted the lack of shops and services in the area.

“This idea of village was recognition that we’re completing a community by bringing the shops and services to the neighbourhood in addition to the housing. We want to be that social node, the gathering place,” says Shury.

“So it’s a locational attribute, but village to me is the more defining term and it’s that central gathering hub and heart of the neighbourhood that we are truly trying to connect, which is sadly the only piece missing out there right now,” he says, adding the vision is to attract an anchor retail tenant, such as a grocer, to the area in a future phase.

Amenities for Mercer Village focus on outdoor, lifestyle-oriented spaces and leveraging the location’s proximity to the riverfront. Shury says a central amenity area scheduled for phase two will provide a mix of active and passive open spaces — bench seating, play elements and a dedicated dog run with water fountain — all connecting directly to the Stanley Street Greenway and the riverfront boardwalk network.

Project: Mercer Village

Project address: 388 Duncan St., New Westminster

Developer: Platform Properties and Domus Homes

Architect: Ciccozzi Architecture

Interior designer: Ross & Company Interiors

Project size: 146 townhomes and 14 commercial-residential units

Number of bedrooms: 3-bedroom; 3-bedroom and den

Price: $929,900 — $1,329,900

Unit size: 1,284 — 1,566 square feet

Sales centre: 260 Ewen Ave., New Westminster

Centre hours: Saturday — Tuesday from 12 noon to 5 p.m. and by appointment

Phone: 604-780-5087

Website:mercervillage.ca

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At Hastings Park, the newly completed Freedom Mobile Arch is giving Vancouver a new kind of cultural landmark: a covered outdoor venue designed for concerts, festivals and public gatherings of up to 10,000 people.

Completed in June, and host to the city’s FIFA Fan Festival, the amphitheatre is defined by a sweeping mass-timber roof that shelters audiences while preserving the feeling of being outdoors. It’s a civic room that frames the sky and North Shore mountains.

For Venelin Kokalov of Revery Architecture, who designed this building, the finished venue closely reflects their original vision, but with one important difference: the atmosphere can now be felt.

“On drawings, it’s a structure. In reality, it becomes a feeling. What I’m most happy about is that it still feels open. You’re covered, but you never lose the sky, the air, the mountains. That was the original idea, and standing here now, you can feel it working,” he says.

Raised roof beams

The amphitheatre’s defining gesture is its roof: a starburst mass-timber canopy spanning 105 metres, arcs rising 25 metres high. Comprising 60 arches arranged in six vaulted segments, it has the drama of a landmark, with the softness of a natural material.

For Kokalov, the design begins with the visitor’s emotional experience, not only with form.

“The main design inspiration for the new (amphitheatre) was people’s well-being and the human experience. Our creative process always begins with people — how they perceive, feel, and interact with a space,” he says.

That ambition gives the venue its aspirational quality. It is not only a place to sit, listen and watch. It is a place to gather under a structure that feels protective and open.

An open-air landmark

The beauty of the amphitheatre depends on a complex structural idea that appears effortless. For Robert Jackson, partner at Fast + Epp, the structural engineers on this project, precision was required across the full team.

“The roof was incredibly complex and required a high level of precision and immense co-ordination across every discipline. From the early design phase through to the suppliers, fabricators, and the on-site construction team, everyone had to be fully aligned to achieve what we’ve done here,” he says.

The roof is a hybrid system, with steel carrying the heavy lifting in the valley arches and timber taking on the secondary structure. Jackson says the lesson was knowing when to use each material.

“It’s about putting the right material in the right place, not defaulting to one system for the whole roof,” he says.

Warmth and connection

More than 2,000 cubic metres of mass timber were used in the landmark roof. The venue is 100 per cent electric, powered by renewable hydroelectric energy, and is targeting Zero Carbon Building certification through the Canada Green Building Council.

For Jackson, mass timber supported both the project’s environmental goals and long-span needs.

“Mass timber was the right choice for this project for several reasons. It supported the client’s sustainability goals as a renewable material that stores carbon throughout the life of the building. Structurally, it has excellent compression capacity and performs well in long-span applications, making it ideal for a roof of this scale,” says Jackson.

Kokalov points to the feeling of the material overhead:

“From an experiential perspective, the natural, exposed wooden arches not only evoke a sense of wonder with the unprecedented scale of their profiles, but radiate a warm and comforting finish to the roof’s underside.”

A civic stage for the world

Accessibility, acoustics and landscape are all part of the design. The venue is targeting Rick Hansen Accessibility Foundation Gold, and its roof, walls and sound system have been shaped to improve the concert experience while reducing noise impacts on neighbours. Indigenous artists from the local nations have been integrated into the project, with local Indigenous languages also being incorporated into signage and place names.

Now, as Vancouver has welcomed the world, the amphitheatre has served as a gathering place.

For Jackson, that global debut carries a wider message.

“It has been extremely rewarding to see the success of the venue in hosting the FIFA Fan Festival. We hope this project sets a precedent for future projects to also explore the possibilities of this approach,” says Jackson.

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