Touted as a “luxury tree fort on a cliff’s edge”, this ocean- and mountain-view Squamish property built into solid granite high above the Squamish and Mamquam valleys certainly feels like an exclusive hideout. But with five bedrooms, four bathrooms and more than 3,500 square feet of living space, it has a lot more room than your typical playhouse up a pine tree. And it’s not just for kids.

Built in 1960, the home underwent a major renovation in 1975, then again in 2022 when current owner Lindsay McIvor and her husband purchased the property. “I could see the potential of the home,” says McIvor. “And the land is so special. You get views you don’t get anywhere else in Squamish. We have windows in every direction and we’re not concerned about privacy. It really does feel like a tree fort.”

McIvor and her husband hired Skladan Architecture to completely rebuild the house right down to the framing. Annaliesse Kelly, founder and creative director of AK Design, led the redesign to enhance the home’s modern mountain esthetic while maintaining its strong connection to the natural landscape.

“We had to respect the character and soul of the architecture, and honour the era it was designed in,” says McIvor. “I would call it traditional architecture with a bit of mid-century twist in terms of the way we placed the windows, which are off centre and to the side. The interior finishings have that colour that you find in more of a mid-century home. It was kind of an ode to the 1960s character of the home.”

McIvor says that, because the house is situated on top of granite, the original builders had to do a massive amount of blasting. “That kind of blasting is so expensive to do now. The concrete of the house was (attached) directly to the granite. It’s really on there.”

And in there: the interior stairs were built on top of exposed granite, a nod to the nearby Stawamus Chief mountain, and a room that is used as a gym is “basically underground,” says McIvor. “The concrete wall is up against granite. I joke that it could double as a bomb shelter.”

That melding of concrete with natural granite is what impressed Jenna Franze, personal real estate corporation at Stilhavn Real Estate Services, who’s handling the sale of the property. “What really stood out to me was the craftsmanship in the concrete work around the exterior and entryway,” she says. “The way the design integrates the natural rock formations into the home itself is truly impressive.”

Valley views

The abundance of natural light that streams in through the many, well-placed windows that look out onto the Stawamus Chief and Mamquam mountains, combined with the lofty, 12-foot high cathedral ceilings of the main living area, further add to the tree fort feel of the home.

The expanded deck space also takes advantage of the views. “It has a nice indoor-outdoor flow when the weather is decent,” says McIvor. “We maximized the deck space because of that.”

She says she also admired the original gardens that cover the half-acre lot. “The former owner had planted a beautiful garden, nothing like I had seen in Squamish. There are such a variety of species of trees and perennials and annuals like what you would see in Victoria or Vancouver.”

Kitchen and bathrooms

The kitchen, remodelled by Squamish company Solo Designs, features high-end Thermador appliances, including a push-to-open, integrated fridge and freezer, and a built-in coffee maker that can be concealed behind custom cabinetry. The large quartz island serves as a stylish centrepiece for food prep or entertaining. Engineered hardwood oak spans the home, with white oak in the kitchen, living room and book shelving.

The spa-like ensuite bathroom features a soaker tub, heated floors, integrated LED lighting, and one of three skylights found throughout the home.

Garage and mud room

The newly added double-car garage, with extra storage space for activity gear, also has EV charging capability. The garage leads directly into a spacious mud room which, says McIvor, “has good flow from the garage into a fully equipped mud room. Everything you need is in there — laundry, utility space, extra storage. You can come home dirty from your mountain bike ride, take off your gear, (and hit the) shower in the bathroom down the hall.”

McIvor says she and her husband designed the home to reflect who they are: an active Squamish family. “It really is a dream family home that’s not so big that you don’t ever see your kids. It doesn’t feel industrial or cavernous; it’s got a lot of character and cosiness.”

The Northridge neighbourhood is close to shops, restaurants and other amenities across the Sea to Sky Highway, and is within walking distance of five schools. “That’s been important to me, especially when we had little kids,” says McIvor. “We value the ability to bike and walk everywhere.”

Location: 38243 Vista Crescent, Squamish

Listed for: $4,199,000

Year built: 1960

Type: Five bedrooms, four bathrooms

Size: Living area, 3,588 sq ft; deck/patio space, 989 sq ft

Realtor: Jenna Franze, personal real estate corporation, Stilhavn Real Estate Services

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In the Eastern Fraser Valley, early November has always been considered the deadline for having all our plants ready for winter.

Based on past experience, we know that those infamous, northeasterly, outflow winds can arrive early, without much warning, resulting in the loss of many more-tender plants. I remember that, quite a few years ago, this exact situation happened on Oct. 31, which was a Sunday, with no groundskeepers working.

We suffered tremendous losses of heirloom fuchsia trees, Angel Trumpets (brugmansias), bananas and palms — plants that we’d grown in our gardens for years. Echeverias and other tender succulents were wiped out, as were roses, gardenia trees and special geranium varieties. We had not yet closed the gardens for the season, and with 27 acres of plants, it was not possible to winterize them all in a very short time period.

Weather can be uncertain. While we have a window of opportunity before any severe cold arrives, it is important to winterize our gardens, as well as plants in containers on decks and patios. Winterizing the plants that provided so much beauty over the spring and summer will go a long way to ensuring that they won’t be lost. Outdoor tropical plants, like hibiscus, mandevillas and similar non-hardy greenery, don’t do well when the temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius. These types of plants should now be inside, sheltering by a window with cool, indirect light.

When bringing plants inside, it’s important to check them for insects and disease, and, perhaps, give them a gentle leaf wash with a Safer’s Soap product, like Trounce, or a mild solution of horticultural oil.

Keep them cool and the soil just moist. Mist them with warm water a few times daily for a week or so to help them adjust to being indoors.

Hardy annuals, like fuchsias, lantanas and brugmansias, should be pruned back and placed in an area which is cool but always above freezing. A window for light would be helpful or at least some grow lights turned on for eight hours per day. All the leaves should be removed, and the plants should sit dormant until late February or early March.

The eastern Valley has a hardiness rating of zone 6a or 6b South Surrey, Vancouver and most of Vancouver Island are rated zone 7 or 8. This means, as a rule of thumb, if your plants are rated for the hardiness zone of your area, they should be fine. However, once plants are taken out of the ground, they lose one zone of hardiness and may need extra protection; so potted plants will require mulching with fir, sawdust or bark. Alternatively, you could bury the pots in the ground on the southwest side of your home, use a frost blanket or a proper insulating wrap, like N-Sulate, to keep them safe. Tender succulents, agaves, mangaves and aeoniums, as well as geraniums, lantanas and mandevillas, will need to be kept from frost.

All tender succulents need to be in a highlight situation next to a south- or west-facing window. Being inside a warm house, they will need a good water check at least once a week, and they should be kept as cool as possible.

Red leafed bananas are purely tropical and must be inside now. In a well-lit location, they will adapt to indoor settings. Although they are quite big, they can also make a nice indoor tropical plant. If their leaves are somewhat damaged, they can be trimmed along the edges, or if really unattractive, they can be carefully cut off to improve the look of the plant.

Many folks have already potted spring-flowering bulbs in containers, but if cold weather comes, the pots will need to be wrapped with an insulating material. Frost blankets are ideal. Remember: burlap has no insulating value.

Roses are always one of my major concerns at this time of the year. Traditional floribundas, hybrid teas and grandifloras, which are budded on the bottom, must be covered with at least 12 inches (30cm) of protective mulch to ensure that they will not freeze. All the new shrub roses are much hardier and do not need that protection because they are growing on their own roots. However, as a precaution, it still might be wise to add just a little mulch.

The greater challenge is with tree roses, where the graft is two to three feet up near the top of the stem. The simplest way to protect them is simply wrapping a three-to-four-foot piece of metal fencing around the tree and filling the space with either a mulch or with household insulating material, which must be kept dry to be effective.

Tender plants, like camellias and star jasmines, need to have protection whether they are in containers or in the ground. A good mulching around the base will protect their roots, but if they are exposed to outflow winds, they will have to be wrapped with insulating material just until the cold spell ends.

Far too many folks have lost their fig trees in past cold winters. Figs, planted locally, are all zone 7 plants living in zone 6 areas. As the leaves fall off, the whole plant should be heavily mulched around the base and wrapped with insulating material if temperatures dip below -10C. The same is true with green bananas (Musa basjoo). In zone 6 areas, the outer leaves should be cut back now, leaving only the central stem. Mulch the bottom and create a narrow tripod out of 2 x 4s around the stem which you can load up either with leaves or with insulating material. The tripod, covered with netting or with insulating material, will keep snow from damaging the stems. Bay trees (Laurus nobilis) and rosemary trees can be treated in the same way.

Dutch windmill palms (Trachycarpus fortunei) will also need winter protection in zone 6 areas. When severe cold arrives, they will need to be either placed indoors or wrapped with insulating material and with heating cables added for extra warmth.

Outdoor winter containers, planted with hardy perennials, grasses and shrubs, will need just a wrap of insulating cloth to keep the plants safe in temperatures below -8 to -10 degrees Celsius.

At this point, it’s important to have all your mulches and insulating materials on hand, just in case weather conditions change quickly. Tropicals and tender plants should be put away as soon as possible. Last year we had a reasonably mild winter, and very few plants were lost, but being prepared for an early cold spell is just wise gardening.

Fall is still a time for planting, and hardy bulbs, shrubs and trees — ones rated for your particular area — are OK to plant now. Take advantage of our current mild weather to add value to your landscape, but be sure to protect your investments: tender plants need that extra bit of winter protection to survive.

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Homes for the Holidays marks its 20th year this November — a milestone for one of Vancouver’s most-loved seasonal traditions.

On Nov. 15 and 16, the city’s design community will once again bring festive magic to Cecil Green Park House, the elegant 1912 mansion located in West Point Grey, overlooking the Strait of Georgia.

Each room will be transformed into a winter wonderland by some of Vancouver’s leading designers, all donating their time and creativity for a good cause. This two-day event raises funds for the YWCA Metro Vancouver Housing Action Fund, helping to create safe, affordable homes for women and children across the region.

Community, creativity and a great cause

For Vancouver designer Trish Knight, of Knight Varga Interiors, the event blends everything she loves most: design, community and giving back.

“My parents taught me, from a young age, that your work isn’t truly complete until you use your skills and time to give something back. Community involvement has always been a source of joy and purpose, and it’s incredibly rewarding to contribute to something that directly supports young people and families in need,” she says.

Knight Varga’s team will transform the Cecil Green library this year, infusing it with warmth and storytelling vibes.

Knight’s relationship with Homes for the Holidays runs deep. She has volunteered for the event many times, decorated clients’ homes for the tour, co-chaired this event, co-ordinated social media, and organized the Designer Happy Hour.

“My friend Sarah Thompson was one of the original presenting sponsors, and over the years, it became a cherished tradition among our group of girlfriends. We’d tour the homes together and then celebrate the start of the season with a special lunch,” she says.

Two decades of good times and giving back

Since its debut in 2004, Homes for the Holidays has raised more than $1.5 million for local charities and evolved from private-home tours into a single-venue celebration, based at Cecil Green Park House.

Like the homes featured in this event, Homes for the Holidays has also undergone its share of makeovers. From multi-home to virtual tours to its current single-venue iteration at the prestigious Cecil Green mansion, says Toula Favreau, Homes for the Holidays 2025 event chair.

Six local design teams — Knight Varga Interiors, Formwerks Interiors, Daniel Meloché Design, Harmony Sense Interiors, Madeleine Design Group, and Ross & Company Interiors — will each interpret the holidays in one of the mansion’s rooms.

Outside, the Terrace of Trees will feature more than 20 decorated trees by additional designers, along with wreaths, a boutique market, and silent-auction treasures.

Nature-inspired design

Returning designers and last year’s “People’s Favourite” winners, Formwerks Interiors, are decorating the conservatory in the Cecil Green mansion this year.

“The nature of its design has greatly influenced where we’re taking the room this year. Touring Cecil Green on any day is a treat, but filled with breathtaking decor, florals and live music, it’s truly magical,” says Formwerks’ interior designer Shauna Townsend.

It’s an incredible opportunity to team up with talented local vendors to create something beautiful that raises money for a meaningful cause, she says.

Each year is so unique because you have different designers creating what Christmas is to them, with the added influence and inspiration being drawn from the rooms that they are assigned,” says Formwerks’ interior designer Eleanor Coyle.

A good cause

YWCA Metro Vancouver CEO Erin Seeley saysHomes for the Holidays makes a real difference.

“Right now, many families are struggling with rising rents and limited housing options,” she says. “For single mothers especially, the challenges can feel overwhelming. While we operate 18 housing communities across Metro Vancouver, more than 1,000 families are still waiting for a safe place to call home.” 

“Proceeds from Homes for the Holidays tickets will go directly to the YWCA Housing Action Fund to help us create more housing and stability for families across Metro Vancouver,” Seeley explains.

Making the most of the tour

Varga encourages guests to take their time.

“You’re not just touring a beautifully decorated heritage home, you’re supporting an incredible cause and seeing Vancouver’s design community up close,” she says.

Her tips: choose VIP tickets for more flexible entry times, browse the silent auction for one-of-a-kind gifts, and pre-order a fresh wreath — a crowd favourite.

“And don’t rush. Plan time to enjoy a hot chocolate or a glass of wine while taking in the Terrace of Trees. Go with friends, make a day of it, and soak up the inspiration.”

Tickets are on sale now at homesfortheholidays.ca

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

985 King Georges Way, West Vancouver

Type: Five-bedroom, four-bathroom detached

Size: 4,287 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $6,157,000

Listed for: $5,788,000

Sold for: $5,200,000

Sold on: Aug. 24

Days on market in this listing: 76

Listing agent: Brian Lane at Royal Pacific Lions Gate Realty and Holly Calderwood PREC at Royal LePage Sussex

Buyers agent: Victoria Qiu PREC at ReMax Crest Realty

The big sell: Deep pockets were needed to secure this West Vancouver estate property with a final sale price in excess of $5 million. Boasting spectacular 180-degree south-facing ocean and Vancouver skyline views, the home sits on a lot size in excess of 0.5 acres (24,785 square feet to be exact) on what is dubbed the district’s Golden Mile. According to listing agent Holly Calderwood, the mid-1960s home was originally built by a Warner Brothers cartoonist/designer with a Tuscan-inspired style that reflects Southern California’s Mediterranean architecture. There are exposed rafters and beams, stone-surround fireplaces, a statement entrance hall with a curved staircase and chandelier lighting, shuttered windows, vaulted ceilings in the bedrooms, an elevator, terracotta tiled floors in the kitchen and bathrooms, and an expansive covered patio from which to soak up the vista.

2128 — 2130 East Pender St., Vancouver

Type: Eight-bedroom, five-bathroom detached

Size: 3,450 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,880,000

Listed for: $1,990,000

Sold for: $1,997,500

Sold on: Aug. 7

Days on market in this listing: Eight

Listing agent: Bob Bracken at ReMax Real Estate Services

Buyers agent: Shawn Anderson PREC at Engel & Volkers Vancouver

The big sell: This legal side-by-side duplex is located on East Pender’s wider boulevard street just east of Victoria Drive. It comprises a mix of suites divided between three levels with three two-bedroom units and two one-bedroom units each with separate entrances that, according to listing agent Bob Bracken, bring in a gross income of $11,476 per month ($137,712 per year). The building has been well maintained with updates to the electrics, plumbing, floors, kitchens, bathrooms, furnaces, meters, hot water tanks, plus the suites enjoy private patios or decks, and mountain views. There is coin laundry (although one newly-renovated suite does have its own laundry), mechanical rooms, and storage. Character features celebrate the home’s 1926 origins with wood floors, high ceilings and wainscot detailing. The property sold over asking with multiple offers in eight days.

101 — 2969 Whisper Way, Coquitlam

Type: One-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment

Size: 712 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $535,000

Listed for: $565,000

Sold for: $545,000

Sold on: Aug. 19

Days on market in this listing: 48

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

Buyers agent: Anita Aheer at Oakwyn Realty

The big sell: This one-bedroom fully-renovated ground-floor condo resides in Summerlin, a four-storey complex within the Polygon-built master-planned Silver Springs community located in Coquitlam’s Westwood Plateau. The home has an open-concept living space under nine-foot-high ceilings, stainless-steel appliances including a gas range, quartz countertops, new light fixtures, Shaker-style cabinets, laminate floors, and it has been decorated in designer paint colours. The bedroom has a six-foot-long walk-in closet and custom cabinetry for extra storage space, while outside the covered patio provides a venue for additional entertaining. The home comes with one parking stall, a storage locker, a monthly maintenance fee of $391.98, and access to the development’s Cascade Club where residents enjoy an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness studio, hot tub, theatre, barbecue and lounge areas.

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

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

Want more expert mortgage info? Robert McLister shares Canada’s best national insured and uninsured mortgage rates, updated daily.

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Dear Tony:

We recently sold our strata lot of 10 years. Our lawyer contacted us a day before the transaction to inform us there was an $1,800 charge back fee for damages caused by our unit in March of 2024. We were never informed of any such claim and cannot find any indication in the minutes of our council meetings of any incidents in the first six months of 2024.

The property manager advised it was damages to common property as a result of an overflowed toilet from our vacant unit. We were never away in the first six months of 2024. We immediately requested all the documentation, but to avoid complicating the sale and clearing the title, we paid the amount.

Can we still go after the strata corporation for a false claim? The strata corporation has still not provided any evidence or documentation.

— Warren M.

Dear Warren:

Yes, after the fact for the period you were an owner, you are still entitled to file a claim. Start by following up on all related documentation. You may file a claim with the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) for both the related records, correspondence and minutes, and to dispute the claim for the amount.

Review the bylaws of the strata corporation to determine if they have any provision to charge back for insurance deductibles, damages, claims below the deductible, or costs for the strata corporation to manage a claim. Sellers may request a copy of a Form F payment certificate well in advance of a sale to confirm their account is clear. The declaration on the form is valid for 60 days.

If there is a claim it gives you time to dispute a claim for any unsubstantiated costs, and the seller may pay an amount either into the courts with a commenced dispute or in trust to the strata corporation pending the dispute being resolved. A request a few weeks in advance of a sale is well worth the effort. Strata corporations, councils and managers must also exercise good judgment on these matters. You simply cannot drop a claim on a Form F at the last minute, attempting to collect an undisputed or unsubstantiated amount. A bylaw for your strata corporation that addresses potential charge backs, claims, damages, insurance deductibles, and enforcement costs is strongly recommended and essential for cost recovery.

In the event of a dispute, the bylaws will establish whether the ability to impose charges against a strata lot are permitted. The CRT and the courts routinely reference the bylaws for enforcement and to determine if a) the bylaws were properly enforced b) whether a decision of council was obtained to impose the charge backs and c) the extent to which the corporation can make a claim. $1,800 might appear to be a nominal amount, but these claims can easily exceed $100,000 in extreme circumstances.

Tony Gioventu is executive director of the Condominium Home Owners Association. Email tony@choa.bc.ca. 

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Jordan Jones started sketching designs for his parents’ lakeside cabin in Kaslo, B.C. back in his university days. The early concepts were riffs on what he liked at the time — modern architecture — without much thought to surroundings.

“It wasn’t necessarily a goal at that time, in my mind, to find a way for that modern, contemporary style to fit,” he recalls.

But eventually, his early sketches would evolve into blueprints for something much more personal: a reimagined home for his parents to spend their golden years. “My parents’ dream was to retire here. But it just wasn’t performing to be used year-round,” says Jones, principal of Town Architecture.

The cabin had already lived a few lives of its own; built in 1945, with reclaimed wood in its bones. The Jones family had bought it in 1999 as a modest summer retreat on the edge of Kootenay Lake.

Meanwhile, over the years, Jones had come to appreciate architecture that honours its origins. “We wanted to renovate rather than rebuild; to make it livable while keeping the spirit of the place,” he says.

With this in mind, the structure retained its basic form — including the familiar gabled roof — through the project. Wood-look touches and soffits, a nod to the construction of neighbouring structures, accent stylish dark steel cladding.

A flat-roofed addition off one side, previously sinking due to an improper foundation, now extends farther toward the lake, walled with glass, bringing the home’s total square footage to 1,388. And the carport, once an informal zone for meals and hammock naps, is now a properly covered parking area, designed to ease winter upkeep and snow shovelling.

Getting to this point was tricky: a compact lot meant the redesign had to fit within tight setbacks and sightlines. “With it being a corner lot, it didn’t allow much room for expansion,” says Jones. So, he reconfigured the interior spaces strategically instead. The original living room was wider, for instance, while the bedroom was only nine feet wide. Now, the proportions are balanced and suitable for “the home to actually function as a home, rather than just a summer cabin,” says Jones.

Durability was also major concern. Kaslo summers are mild, but its winters can be harsh, and wildfires are also a growing issue. With this in mind, Jones selected non-combustible cladding, reinforced with a rain screen and mineral wool insulation. The end product is low-maintenance, a bonus for the senior Joneses aging in place.

As the property underwent these modern upgrades, more pieces of history came to light. During demolition, the team uncovered lumber that had been reclaimed from an even older house across the lake — and gave it third life as concrete formwork for a new wraparound patio.

Inside, simplicity prevails. The open living, dining and kitchen space flows visually toward floor-to-ceiling glass doors, with lake and Selkirk-Purcell mountain views. Pale wood floors and crisp white-and-grey cabinetry bounce light from end to end.

“Because it’s a fairly small space, we felt it was important to keep it quite minimal,” Jones says. Surfaces are clean and artwork limited. “It was really that view we wanted to frame, and that would be the artwork for the home,” he adds. One example is a clerestory window near the entry, which looks out toward Kaslo’s historic SS Moyie, a circa 1898 sternwheeler that once ferried passengers and freight across the lake; now a national historic site.

A cylindrical wood-burning stove in the corner recalls times when the family would gather around a wood stove in the basement — the cabin’s original source of heat. “To me, it always seemed kind of silly to be hiding downstairs in the basement next to the wood stove when you’re then missing out on this amazing view,” says Jones. Now it’s possible to enjoy sit and enjoy both. Or, there’s the patio just outside, where Adirondack chairs face the water, surrounded by soffit and deck lights that trace the surrounding structure with a soft glow by night.

Though Jones’s parents have now settled in, the space is still evolving. Future plans include adding a large sliding barn door to the west windows, to add privacy and shade, plus solar panels and landscape furniture. But the home has been serving well as a full-time residence.

Jones, who lives a five-minute walk away, says it’s been a pleasure to live close to his parents — and one of his finished projects. “When they’re away, we come and house-sit for them. It’s nice to be that immersed in the space, and kind of gives you an extra ability to analyze it and learn from it,” he says.

Not that he’s been in town long himself: Jones and his family moved to Kaslo in 2023 when he founded his firm. “We’re absolutely loving it,” he says. “It kind of feels like a dream every day.”

Design: Town Architecture

Construction: Handley Construction

Millwork: Lasca Construction & Design (Kitchen), Purcell Custom Wood Products (Ensuite)

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Handmade beauty meets every day living with the arrival of Mud Australia in Canada.

The popular Sydney ceramics brand has opened its first Canadian retail space inside Toronto’s Hopson Grace , showcasing its signature minimalist porcelain pieces in a serene palette of soft, natural hues.

We caught up with founder and creative director Shelley Simpson to find out more.

For anyone not familiar with the brand, what is Mud Australia?

I started Mud Australia in 1994 with a simple idea, to make nice things for good people. Every piece is designed in our Sydney studio and handmade by our team using porcelain from Limoges, France. The goal has always been to create pieces that feel balanced and timeless, the kind that quietly become part of your daily routine.

We’ve had a wonderful seven-year wholesale relationship with Hopson Grace and saw a natural opportunity to share more of Mud Australia with Canada. We’re now bringing the complete Mud Australia store experience to Toronto, a thoughtful extension of the brand and an exciting new chapter for us.

How has the brand evolved since 1994?

Back in the 90s, I was working out of my garage in Sydney, making pieces for friends. Over time, we’ve grown Mud into a global brand with stores around the world, but the philosophy hasn’t changed. Everything is still made by hand in Sydney and refined until it feels just right.

We make many more pieces now — and we’re much better at making them. The way we add to the collection is more intentional, always guided by harmony and function. The scale is larger, but the care and craft remain exactly the same.

What sets Mud Australia apart from the rest?

We do not chase trends. I have always wanted Mud to be about longevity, pieces that last and sit easily alongside the things you already have. There is a softness to the porcelain and a warmth to the colours that make them feel lived with from the start. Each one carries the touch of the maker, and I think that is what people connect to most.

Who is the target customer?

Anyone who values design that quietly improves everyday life. People who appreciate objects made with care and purpose that feel considered but not precious. Our pieces are made to be used and loved, not kept on a shelf.

Tell us about your partnership with Hopson Grace.

Hopson Grace shares our belief that good design should be timeless, useful and made to last. They have such a thoughtful approach to curation and a real understanding of how people live with objects. It felt like the right way to introduce Mud to Canada, a partnership built on shared values rather than scale.

Is there a customer favourite or bestseller, and why does it resonate?

The Pebble Bowl range has always been a favourite. It was one of our first designs and remains one of the most collected. It is versatile, generous and works in any setting. I think it resonates because it is simple but never plain, a piece that quietly earns its place on the table.

What is the price range?

Pieces start from around $50 for a small bowl and go up to around $500 for larger serving or lighting pieces. Each one is handmade in Sydney and passes through the hands of about 15 makers before it leaves the studio. Everything is designed with longevity in mind, the idea is to buy once and use it for life.

Where can people find Mud Australia?

You will find our stores in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, as well as two in London, one in Los Angeles and two locations in New York. Most recently we opened a new shop-in-shop in Toronto with Hopson Grace. The full collection is also available online at hopsongrace.com.

What can be shared about new products to come?

We are always refining and evolving, often in quiet ways. A recent project I’m proud of is our Rescued Clay Collection, made entirely from reclaimed porcelain and handcrafted in our Sydney studio. The trimmings and spills from production are collected and recast into new pieces, diverting over 1,500 litres of clay from landfill each year. It reflects our commitment to thoughtful design and responsible making, and the custom colourway sits beautifully alongside our core range.

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At last night’s opening of the 43rd annual Vancouver Fall Home Show , Shannon Evans, DIY expert and Home Network’s Renovation Resort season two contestant, took to the Main Stage, offering up her easy, budget-friendly decorating tips.

With hundreds of home renovations and furniture projects under her belt, the approachable and witty Evans dedicated both her talk and workshop on removing the fear out of DIY projects.

With a little dose of artistic inspiration and some ingenuity, Evans shared a few wise and inexpensive tips for decorating on a budget. From creative wallpaper tips (that is don’t be afraid to install wallpaper on your ceiling), to affordable decor updates, Evans’ onstage insights inspired many in the crowd.

“In one of the episodes of Renovation Resort, Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler told me that they had just bought four dressers from the thrift store,” says Evans. “Then, they told me they needed me to turn one of them into a vanity, and you have three hours on camera to accomplish it.”

Using slides to demonstrate the before and after, Evans explained how to transform an old dresser into a vanity by simply adding fluted wood strips. The result was a contemporary, sophisticated dresser that she repurposed without spending much money.

“I spent about $20 at Home Depot,” Evans added. “All fluted wood is, is rounded edge strips, and all I did was cut the strips and glued them on the front of the vanity. That vanity could have easily sold for $1,000 in a store. It also had “magic lighting,” which was nothing more than cheap sensor lighting.”

After her presentation, a lucky few were invited to take part in a workshop focused on her favourite DIY projects, including just how easy it is to install peel-and-stick wallpaper like a pro.

“Wallpaper can be bold, it can be fun, it can look amazing, and best of all, it is very easy to apply,” Evans quipped to the crowd, encouraged a few attendees to try their hand at it. “This wallpaper is so simple to use and has such a seamless application. I hope this inspires you to try it yourself. Peel-and-stick wallpaper is inexpensive, so I regularly change it up … it is my go-to to freshen up my home.”

From paint colour consultation to what’s trending in new products, the Vancouver Fall Home Show is your playground. Whether you need one-stop shopping for a major remodel, decor or cooking inspiration, the annual show has the latest experts and products to transform your home into your palace.

On the Main Stage, Home Network personality Bryan Baeumler will be joined by his wife, Sarah, to discuss their new television series Building Baeumler. Jamie Banfield, principal designer at Jamie Banfield Design Inc., will discuss low cost alternatives for kitchen renovations. My House Design/Build’s Graeme Huguet will share his expert insight into creating great living spaces. Returning to the stage at the show for the second year in a row, seasoned plumber Keith Hankins will share his most practical plumbing tips, long-lasting plumbing solutions, as well as the latest kitchen and bathroom trends.

New to the Cooking Stage is Chef Tushar Tondvalkar, founder of the Indian Pantry and a season one winner of Chef vs. Wild, which streams on Disney+. Audiences will also get to see Renée Chan, dietitian and founder of True Nosh; Bruno Feldeisen, Great Canadian Baking Show judge and award-winning pastry chef; Christopher Siu, pastry chef, MasterChef Canada winner and Daan Go Cake Lab owner; and Vancouver-based whisky expert and business strategist Stacy Kyle will guide attendees through the basics of hosting a whisky-themed evening for guests.

Special features at the show this year include the Bloom and Build Pop-Up Flower Shop, where floral experts will demonstrate how to arrange flowers like a pro.

Hundreds of vendors, including more than 30 new vendors and exhibits, are on hand to offer home and garden items and services of all kinds, including the debut of several new products.

New to the home show, North Vancouver’s WholeHome is showcasing its newest tool in home renovation — immersive 3D virtual tours.

It’s a game-changer for clients, says WholeHome head of marketing and design, Tianna Lee.

“Using 3D virtual technology, we can create an interactive walk-through of the room or rooms they want to renovate,” says Lee. “It allows our clients to visualize and explore what the transformation will look like before we even start. They get a clear idea of what the renovation will look like, simplifying the design process.”

The Vancouver Fall Home Show runs now through Oct. 26 at the Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building. Find the Main Stage and Cooking Stage schedule, a rundown of features and workshops, plus show hours and tickets at vancouverfallhomeshow.com .

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Light or dark. Typically, those are the interior design options for condo buyers — in a large building this means multiple interiors with the same finishes and dozens or even hundreds of units that look the same inside. So how can you turn a standard condo into a more custom home?

Samantha Müller, principal and interior designer at Kleen Design Studio , says there are several ways to give a condo a more bespoke interior without making changes like knocking down walls or replacing pricey features like cabinetry.

Lighting can make all the difference in turning a basic condo into something special, say all the designers approached to share their tips and insights for people who want to give their home a more personal look.

“Switching out standard lighting fixtures for statement pendants — or adding features like wall sconces — can pep-up a space,” says Müller, noting rechargeable light bulbs can be used if hardwiring sconces is not an option.

Ehsan Vali, principal, ValiDesign , says while condos usually include a rough-in for a light above the dining table they often don’t include a light fitting.

“You could quickly add a very nice chandelier there — it could be a pretty quick thing for an electrician to install a light fixture like a chandelier,” he says, also suggesting replacing builder-grade track lighting with more stylish options.

But before shopping for light fittings — or any home decor — Müller suggests creating a Pinterest board to define the look you’re going for.

“It keeps you on the right path so you’re not buying things that don’t fit your vision. Take your Pinterest board with you so that you and the assistants in the lighting store are looking at the same inspiration,” she says. “Start with the main room fixtures that everybody sees, like your pendants, your dining fixture, and that will freshen things up quite a bit,” she says.

Wall surfaces are another place where it’s relatively easy to change up the look with paint, wallpaper or trim to add visual interest.

Shelley Scales owner and designer at Shelley Scales Design Associates , suggests colour drenching as an option that will instantly transform a space.

Colour drenching involves painting the walls, ceiling and trim in one colour — this eliminates contrast by getting rid of traditional white trim and creating a unified look.

“Not many people living in a condo would have the guts to go all the way with colour drenching, which is doing the ceiling too, not even me, because there is often not enough light [in a condo],” says Scales.

A less dramatic option, but still achieving a unified and sophisticated look, is painting out trim in small, not open, spaces to match the wall colour.

“Paint the trim in a pearl finish and the wall a matte finish, and that way you can see a slight variation between the two even though it’s the exact same colour,” she says.

Müller says to change up a space she often uses wallpaper for the textural impact rather than choosing a patterned option.

“A lot of times I’ll just pick one wall, say in a powder room, and do something that’s more textural and not a big pattern,” she says.

Some of the basics to consider when deciding on wallpaper is not to choose a design that will overwhelm the space unless you’re going for a busy eclectic look, says Müller, adding she often sources wallpaper from Metro Wallcoverings in east Vancouver.

Adding wall trim — moulding can be purchased in lengths or in kit form — instantly differentiates a room.

“It’s very inexpensive and it makes a design statement,” says Müller. “Add trim six to eight inches around a piece of art to elevate the look.”

Staying with millwork, the entryway is a good place to start to give a standard condo a more interesting look, suggests Scales.

Many times, there are bi-fold doors on hallway cabinets. “Take them off and replace them with a wood or wood-look door,” says Scales.

Options include wood such as engineered oak or even salvaged doors, she says, or a kit that may be easier to install.

“What you’re looking for is a good-looking large door that is hung on a track,” she says adding the Magic Door available on Amazon has a hidden track and immediately transforms the space. “The track is behind the door, and it slides without you ever seeing the hardware,” she says, unlike a barn door with an exposed track.

While space constraints often limit adding large cabinetry, Scales says introducing a new feature like shelves takes advantage of vertical space and gives an otherwise ordinary wall added interest. If you’re looking to add shelves Pottery Barn has many options, says Scales with another tip to add shelves into a niche to make the space more useful and attractive.

Well considered upgrades in the kitchen also make a big visual impression and impact lifestyle, functionality and even return on investment.

Although it is one of the more costly changes, Vali’s list includes adding a kitchen island.

He says developers — often for cost reasons — frequently don’t install a kitchen island if it is not needed to house appliances like a cooktop, or a sink. Adding a kitchen island transforms a space and adds a lot of storage and countertop space and because there is no need for any electrical or mechanical connections it’s a relatively easy and quick addition to a kitchen.

Building an island on-site is an option, another choice is buying a prefabricated island from a home improvement retailer like Home Depot .

Think about logistics if a prefabricated island is your choice.

“It has to be light enough so that you can move it and it has to fit in an elevator,” cautions Vali.

While matching the countertop of a new island to existing perimeter countertops can be done, especially if the material is a well-known quartz brand, not matching the countertop, or the cabinetry colour, is just as appealing.

“There’s nothing wrong with doing a new island that has a different cabinetry, given that they still go together obviously, but there is no reason that you can’t do that. It does not have to perfectly match a hundred per cent,” says Vali. Indeed, not matching is a popular option even when an entirely new kitchen is installed.

Replacing hardware on cabinet doors can update a space but it’s not always as easy as it sounds.

“Not all hardware will fit the same screw holes as the old hardware,” he cautions.

The same advice applies to replacing a kitchen faucet.

“As designers, we tend to co-ordinate all the plumbing fixtures so there is some consistency in the design of faucets in the kitchen and bathrooms,” he says.

Transforming a cookie cutter condo into a custom condo takes some planning, careful measuring but most of all the energy and resolve to make your home reflect your personal style.

Scales suggests finding a space in your home to “make a moment” with a bold wall colour or wallpaper.

“Just make a place that is just so striking and then it can just be where you like to sit — an Instagrammable space! It gives you that distinctive background for Instagram or even for Zoom calls,” she says.

And it makes your personal style the final, essential upgrade.

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Designers rarely get carte blanche. Most projects come with mood boards, must-haves and lengthy wish lists. But Phyllis Lui’s brief on a recent Vancouver condo renovation was refreshingly simple: whatever you like. Right down to the silverware in the kitchen drawers.

The home was a 2,321-square-foot suite in the city’s glassy Fairmont Pacific Rim tower, and her client wanted a refresh — with very few strings attached.

“He might be my dream client. He was so easygoing through the whole process,” says Lui, principal of Vancouver’s Kalu Interiors . “When we gave him options like: do you want to go this direction or that direction, he would ask me back: which one do you like?”

The homeowner, a single man with adult children and grandchildren, splits his time between Calgary, Phoenix and Vancouver, a natural meeting point for the far-flung family. “When he’s in Vancouver, this is somewhere they can gather,” Lui says.

What the suite lacked, however, was personality. Despite being located in one of Vancouver’s most prestigious addresses, with jaw-dropping views, the interiors were showing their age, with generic finishes and details.

“Even though it was in the Fairmont Pacific Rim, which is this high-end resort location, it just felt like it really needed some love,” Lui says.

The initial plan was limited and mainly cosmetic: replace the floors, update the fireplace and remove some clunky sliding doors. But with each check-in, the to-do list grew, until Lui had reworked nearly everything, including the kitchen, laundry room, entry and both bedrooms.

The living room, bordered by floor-to-ceiling windows, became a visual anchor for the space, appointed with a new linear fireplace and Dekton stone surround. One of the homeowner’s few specific asks was a U-shaped sectional for his living space, and Lui delivered a spectacularly large specimen, sourced from CF Interiors and assembled in pieces.

“We had to make sure it was big enough, but not so big you couldn’t get out to the patio,” Lui says.

Ocean-hued cushions and indigo throws from CB2 play off the blue-on-blue views, against a palette of whites, greys and brushed metals. A two-piece travertine coffee table from Rove Concepts, triangular and mobile, lightens the look and adds flexibility for entertaining.

To balance uneven spacing on either side of the fireplace, Lui designed matching — yet differently sized — shelving, which tricks the eye into seeing symmetry. Large-format onyx-look porcelain tile backs the millwork, adding dimension.

“We really wanted it to feel different [than the fireplace]. You know, not like we took one material and used it everywhere — we wanted it to feel a lot more custom and elevated,” says Lui. “

In the kitchen, another unusually proportioned item sets the tone: a wedge-shaped island. Building out from the footprint of a pre-existing island, the upgrade added complex mitring within unexpected angles. “There were lots of discussions with the various trades to get our design intent across,” recalls Lui. A wine rack punctuates one end, while Roll & Hill pendants hang overhead, along an angle calculated to emphasize the room’s unusual geometry.

Cabinets were refaced with a cool-toned veneer by Burnaby’s Luminous Cabinets. Routed finger pulls streamline the look, alongside a custom hood accented with brushed bronze. Dekton counters run up the wall to form a seamless, reflective backsplash.

The home’s dining area embraces oversized scale, with a six-foot round table from Restoration Hardware, paired with sculptural dining chairs by Interlude Home. A commissioned art piece by Vancouver painter Wendy Jia adds depth against a smoked-glass mirror wall.

Bedrooms lean into the design language of a luxury hotel, softened by bespoke elements. In the principal suite, a custom bed with an upholstered headboard stretches over a plinth-like base to add seamless seating. A stepped wood wall treatment above frames a Jonathan Adler abstract sculpture. “It does all feel a bit like a very luxury hotel,” Lui says. “That was kind of our goal,” along with keeping focus on the floor-to-ceiling views of Stanley Park and the North Shore.

Even the laundry room received an upgrade by the end of the project. An LG WashTower replaced bulkier side-by-side machines, opening space for extra cabinetry and an L-shaped counter.

Throughout the space, styling and accessories add soul. Here, Lui really got to play, because the homeowner wanted the residence to be totally turnkey . Arteriors mirrors and sculptures define the entry niche, for instance, and layers of textiles — from Restoration Hardware bedding to CB2 throws — soften modern edges.

“He even had us buy the pots and pans,” she says. “And because he didn’t have much input, it was really fun for me … I got to think, oh, what if it was my place?”

The result is simultaneously refined and welcoming, formal enough for cocktails, yet relaxed enough to host a multi-generational gathering with grandchildren scrambling over the sectional.

The suite has already garnered recognition, named a finalist for Best Renovation at the HAVAN and Georgie Awards. But its real triumph is the end product: a space where the interiors live up to the views beyond the glass.

Project design: Kalu Interiors

Construction: Tall Tree Construction

The founder and principal designer of Studio Albertazzi and her clients had an interesting opportunity: transforming a three-piece bathroom on the main floor of a 1930s-era character home in New Westminster.

Whereas a full bathroom is like the “meat and potatoes” of a home, since it needs to be functional for daily use, a powder room is “the dessert,” notes Francesca Albertazzi.

“You can decide how much of it to have, and you can have fun with it,” she says.

Because powder rooms are typically on a home’s main floor, they can be a statement-making space for guests. In this renovation, which was part of a larger six-month update of the home, the designer reconfigured space from the previously adjoining office and bedroom, adding much-needed storage.

Almost everything went while gutting the original bathroom — including a bright blue shower stall and large rustic floor tiles — but the designer saved the window, allowing for loads of natural light.

Albertazzi always asks clients to share inspirational photos at the beginning of a project, but she doesn’t want “interior design” images.

Rather, give her a beach shot, a stunning hotel room or a snap of a model wearing a gorgeous herringbone suit — anything but another kitchen, a bedroom or, in this case, a powder room.

This time, she was pleasantly surprised when the client sent her a photo of an ultra-stylish cake. The “naked cake” design merged a more traditional fresh flower adornment with a contemporary design in which some of the icing had been scraped away.

The resulting powder room’s floral wallpaper, wainscotting and custom-made vanity with legs are Albertazzi’s nods to the traditional aspects of the cake, while brushed gold sconces, a gold bordered mirror and oak wood flooring add contemporary flair. When selecting the wallpaper, the designer worked closely with the client to ensure the pattern reflected their tastes.

“Wallpaper is like artwork, and because it’s more permanent than other aspects of the room, it’s an investment that’s worth spending time on,” she explains.
Empowering her clients to be bold and confident in their design choices is one of Albertazzi’s core design philosophies. That means helping them look inward to understand what really lights them up instead of going with what’s trendy or what their friends will like.

“In Italy and lots of other parts of Europe, people are so confident in their own styles,” she explains. Because the resulting powder room is a true reflection of the clients’ tastes, this one is sure to stand the test of time.

Builder/Contractor: Rembrandt Renovations

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Residential energy requirements have changed dramatically since the era of rotary phones and TV rabbit ears.

Two-pronged electric outlets evolved to three and 200-amp service is now flowing into our neighbourhoods. There are enormously high energy demands for smart technologies such as Wi-Fi doorbells, refrigerators that know when you’re out of milk and devices that eavesdrop on us more than neighbours on party lines ever did.

AI is making life incredibly convenient, but the need to reduce our energy consumption is reaching a critical stage, says David O’Reilly, vice-president of the home and commercial solutions division at Schneider Electric, a multinational company specializing in energy management and automation.

“We’re going to need more capacity. Nuclear power plants take 15 years to build and [Canada] is going to need nine more of those by 2035 to meet our energy needs,” says O’Reilly, who is based in Mississauga, Ont.

“We’re not going to get there. Technology will help homeowners with the energy conundrum in the meantime.”

Our wireless, high-tech appliances, plugs, switches, cameras, alarms and monitors all feed off the router, but O’Reilly says that to truly scale back on the amount of energy our smart devices use, homeowners need to start with power’s point of entry: the electrical panel.

Schneider’s Wiser Home Energy Solutions improve the energy IQ of even the most intelligent of homes. Those include surge protection right at the panel, a must-have given the severity of storms in modern times. When purchased and installed by an electrical contractor, surge protection also comes with up to $75,000 in insurance in case anything in a home fries during a storm.

Then there are smart panels with smart breakers that provide insight into every kilowatt that comes and goes.

“Our technologies allow you to keep your current infrastructure at the current amperage levels. Through a web-based app, you can control when power is used and how it’s consumed. For example, you can prioritize the dryer over the EV charger or manage the temperature and power to the heat pump.”

Based on the amount of power demand, the interface will learn where everything is located in the home and intuitively tell you what’s going on with it. It will recognize that the vacuum that was plugged into a socket in the dining room has been moved to the living room. It will read and report the load footprint and what’s plugged in and drawing power, even if the device isn’t operational.

“It will tell you how much electricity you’re using, both on and off. Remember, if something is plugged into an outlet — think your phone charger — it’s actually pulling load. It’s a low level, but you’re still drawing power. Many people don’t realize this,” O’Reilly says.

Other energy-saving insights include an automatic shut-off when the electric vehicle is fully charged. A smart panel will know when the battery bank for the solar system is full and automatically begin sending electricity back out onto the grid if the local municipality allows for it. O’Reilly refers to the proactive homeowner as a “prosumer”, someone who does more than consume power. They’re involved in how it’s used and distributed, reducing their energy consumption and costs by 20 to 35 per cent, even in a home that has been upgraded with premium insulation, new windows and doors and LED lighting.

“We can use all the smart home devices for convenience, but here’s the real power of our smart home-energy solutions. You’ll know how and when you use power and receive suggestions on how to use less. You’ll know when you’re using too much. When people have visibility into the amount of electricity they’re using, they’ll start using it more wisely.”

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Morrison Walk, a townhome project by Creo Developments that’s under construction in Moodyville, features interior design by Netflix personality Karin Bohn.

The B.C. designer, who hosted the 2020 series Restaurants on the Edge for the streamer, has come up with three colour palettes inspired by the North Shore.

“We have one light white scheme, which we’ve called our cloud scheme,” Bohn says. It’s a combination of white cabinets, light oak millwork and floors, and a soft white countertop and bathroom scheme. The mountain scheme “is a little bit more rugged with oak and grey. There’s grey cabinetry, a beautiful grey stone in the bathrooms, and a grey quartz on the kitchen and bathroom countertops.”

Taking a step in a bolder direction, the forest scheme offers “a dark green for the kitchen cabinets paired with a rich, deep walnut-coloured millwork.”

“You see that both in the kitchen and the bathrooms,” Bohn says. “There’s a darker walnut floor, accented with black countertops throughout — a really rich and bold, masculine scheme definitely inspired by the forest.

“And then all three schemes are accented with gold hardware and fixtures, which makes them feel really elegant, really elevated and incredibly modern.”

Often, says Bohn, developers offer just one or two colour schemes.

“But being a North Shore girl myself, the landscape in North Vancouver is just incredible, and the three schemes were really inspired by the surrounding nature.”

Bohn also worked with Creo to refine the units’ plans.

“We wanted to ensure that the stacked townhomes were very functional, so we integrated storage solutions wherever we could.”

The estimated completion of Morrison Walk is the fall of next year.

morrisonwalk.com

Cold plunges by the sea

AetherHaus, Vancouver’s first sauna and cold plunge studio, opened in June at English Bay. Inspired by the German aufguss, a ritual where aromatic steam is circulated through the sauna, and the Russian banya, a communal bathhouse tradition known for heat, steam and social connection, AetherHaus features a Himalayan salt sauna, communal cold pools and a tea lounge.

The interior was designed by Karina Hamman in keeping with the vision of AetherHaus founder Kevin Frank “to celebrate the duality of fire and ice through a uniquely West Coast lens.”

Throughout, lighting is key, adding to the intimacy of the space and bringing shapes and textures, like a rock wall surrounding the ice baths, to life.

aetherhaus.ca

Heritage wallcoverings with a modern pulse

Interior designer Kelly Deck is launching a new wallcovering company, Odette. The debut collection, Château de Cartes, “draws from historic motifs — florals, stripes, paisleys and geometrics — reimagined with modern colour, scale and ground,” according to a news release. Each design is printed in small batches in England on sisal, linen and eco papers. Deck is also launching a design blog, The Dispatch, and a newsletter, Letters from Odette, which includes a letter from Deck.

odettehome.com

A mountaintop beacon for contemporary art

The Gibson, a new art space at SFU, aims to connect academia and the public with critically engaged contemporary art in an inclusive format. Designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects and Iredale Architecture, the 12,010 square-foot space has an art studio, courtyard, salon and forum. Reflecting its location on top of Burnaby Mountain, the design features include locally sourced timbers, engineered hardwood floors and expansive windows. The Gibson, which opened in September, will house SFU’s art collections, which currently have over 5,900 works. The inaugural exhibition, Edge Effects, features 12 new works by Canadian artists.

gibson.sfu.ca

Towers take in impressive river outlooks

Bosa Development is calling Pier West “a true legacy project.” Comprised of two towers — at 52 and 43 storeys — the New Westminster undertaking offers 665 homes with unobstructed views, spacious layouts and premium finishings. Each building has more than 5,000 square feet of amenities, including a fitness centre, sauna and steam room, and a lounge with outdoor patio, private dining room and kitchen. Pier West also has public green space, a park and a 2.5-kilometre pedestrian and cycling path. In a news release, Bosa founder Nat Bosa says that something like Pier West “will never happen again — homes in a park, right on the water.”

pier-west.com

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“Housework won’t kill you, but then again, why take the chance?” mused comedian Phyllis Diller.

We take the chance because, for most of us, doing potentially lethal housework isn’t optional. And most of us tend to use commercial cleansers that are awash in hazardous chemicals such as bleach, ammonia and hydrochloric acid if used incorrectly or in an unventilated room. According to the David Suzuki Foundation , these toxins can trigger allergies and asthma, cause skin and eye irritations, reproductive disorders and cancer (which can be deadly).

And that lovely fresh scent left behind after a sparkling clean? It’s often made of synthetic fragrances or perfumes that can cause hormone imbalances and reproductive issues .

Researchers also say the colourful concoctions of blue, yellow and green can contain synthetic dyes made from petrochemicals swimming with heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium and lead that can cause nervous system damage and cancer .

Yet Canada doesn’t require warning labels on these conventional cleaners and the makers aren’t mandated to list their ingredients.

“We’ve seen some fantastic progress with the Canadian Environmental Protection Act being amended,” says Becca Kram-Dos Santos, communications and public engagement specialist with the David Suzuki Foundation. “But one of the shortcomings is (around) what constitutes chemicals or toxins. We’re still pushing to see better regulations. I think it really comes down to the industry and the profits that could be at stake with better regulation.”

Kram-Dos Santos says it’s a challenge accessing precise data from municipal water treatment plants but she estimates that millions of litres of toxic cleaning chemicals enter our waterways every year.

A natural solution

Most of us use these toxic cleaners because a) we may not be aware of how dangerous they are; b) we think natural solutions are ineffective; c) green cleaners are more expensive; d) we can’t escape the dirty work of cleaning our homes. But does it have to harm us?

That was the conundrum facing Monika Scott and Robyn Mair, who owned a cleaning business in the resort town of Ucluelet. After years of exposure to harsh chemicals, they started suffering from eczema, asthma, allergies and even lung scarring. They thought there had to be a better, more natural way.

Then came COVID. Vacation rentals shuttered and streets emptied, leaving plenty of time on their hands. They began researching alternative, safer ingredients and started formulating their own products, including laundry detergent, hand soap, dish soap, floor wash and all-purpose cleaner, in their kitchens.

When deciding which natural scents to use, they looked no further than their business name, Mint Cleaning. In addition to the sweet smell, “We found mint essential oil helps with germ-fighting and degreasing,” says Mair. “But it also has a lot of healing properties and helps energize the person using it. So it became this perfect ingredient that we now add to most of our products.”

They further discovered the woodsy scent of tea tree oil also fights bacteria. And lavender’s lovely calming aroma does double duty as an antimicrobial, antifungal agent, particularly good in laundry. Eucalyptus oil, it turns out, has antiviral, antibacterial properties which also cuts through grease. Even citrus oils can disinfect and deodorize many surfaces. “There’s a whole science behind essential oil blending,” says Mair. “Every one of our ingredients is intentional; they all have a purpose.”

The partners believed so fully in their products that they brought them into the Dragon’s Den, where four out of five dragons also believed enough to want a deal. They struck one with Brian Scudamore of 1-800 Got Junk.

Natural selections

Apart from the alchemy of what works well on what dirt or stain, natural cleaning ingredients are pretty basic, the kind your mom might have used. “When I was younger, things were a lot simpler, there was a lot less of everything,” says James Roberts, CEO of North Vancouver-based Nellie’s Clean. “My mom (had) common sense. Her basic cleaners were vinegar and baking soda. Today you open a cupboard and there are a dozen different products. Are they necessary?”

Nope. So Roberts took inspiration from his mom and developed his own line of non-toxic cleansers and named them after her (a nostalgic illustration of her graces product packaging) from Laundry Soda to Dish Cubes and Dish Butter to shower, bath and toilet bowl cleaners. “When I was a kid I was the window guy,” he says. “There was no blue window cleaner. It was ammonia and water or vinegar and water.” Can’t get more natural than that.

But what denotes “natural”, exactly?

“It’s become such a commonly used word without there being a defined term,” says Kram-Dos Santos. “Generally, the word ‘natural’ means that the product is made from ingredients that are biodegradable, derived from plants or minerals, rather than petroleum and synthetic compounds. The word itself has no official standard by the federal government, so it’s been commodified within the commercial industry.”

She says some manufacturers get away with calling their products natural because one or two ingredients are natural while the rest is synthetic. “We encourage folks to really look into what ingredients are actually in the product itself.”

Mair says they avoid the word because of how loosely it’s used. “I think ‘natural’ is definitely a heated word. It can mean so many different things, and just because something’s natural doesn’t mean it’s healthy. We’re using (terms like) plant-based, eco-friendly, biodegradable because of the disinformation.”

Nellie’s prefers “eco-friendly” for their products and focuses on their packaging. “We’re promoting the use of less, tight packaging which uses less space. We chose powder because we don’t want to sell or ship water. The efficacy of powder per gram is greater than any liquid product. And because we use powder we don’t have to use plastic for packaging so we chose metal, which is one of the most commonly recyclable products on the planet.”

Cleaning house

Barriers to using greener cleaners come down to accessibility, cost and effectiveness. Natural cleansers aren’t always available in remote or rural regions. They’re generally more expensive because the ingredients are more expensive — synthetic fragrances are a quarter of the cost of pure essential oils and organic ingredients, says Scott.

“Our products (also) cost more because we put in more surfactants,” agents that lift oil and dirt from surfaces, adds Mair. Buying in bulk and reusing recyclable plastic containers can cut that cost significantly.

Roberts adds that when you’re producing smaller volumes you buy chemicals in smaller volumes, not in cheaper bulk. Packaging that is eco-friendlier is also more expensive, he says, pointing to the tins Nellie’s uses for some of its products. He agrees buying in bulk will bring the price down, as will using the right amount of the product. “Most people, even though we tell them one tablespoon, they just can’t help themselves, they put in two or three. So they’ve just tripled the cost of their laundry experience.”

Most Nellie’s and Mint products are multi-purpose, which eliminates the need for multiple cleansers. “We have a product called One Soap that you can use on dish, dog or hands,” says Roberts. You can also toss one of their Dishwasher Nuggets into a hot tub to clean the whirlpool jets.

Scott says of the many Mint products that do double-duty, the best is their glass cleaner. “It can be used as an upholstery refresher, an after-shower spray, cleaner of stainless steel, light switches, remotes, eye glasses, TV screens, laptops and phones.”

As for effectiveness, when Mair and Scott switched to more natural products after their health issues, they found that they “freaking sucked,” says Mair. “So I could have easily fallen into the (view) that natural products don’t work.”

But their research taught them that hydrogen peroxide is just as effective as bleach, vinegar can kill mould, and baking soda is a good grout cleaner, and all are biodegradable. “So if you can’t afford to buy natural products you might be able to afford a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, isopropyl alcohol, or vinegar — all these products will work wonders. Just mix two parts hydrogen peroxide and one part dish soap, it’s an amazing cleaner.”

Roberts says Nellie’s struggled with a natural, effective dish cleanser until they developed their Dish Cubes. “We’ll go up against the best of the best and we’ll be very tight competition on that, and you’ll see that in our reviews.”

To check if a cleaner is indeed non-toxic, Kram-Dos Santos advises looking for labels that read B Corp, EcoCert, ECOLOGO, EWG Verified, Green Seal, Leaping Bunny or Safer Choice, all of which indicate the company is upholding rigorous standards and that their products are made with the safest possible chemical ingredients.

Or you could just make your own . It wouldn’t kill you.

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Celebrity design duo Sarah and Bryan Baeumler, the couple behind Island of Bryan , are heading back to Vancouver to share lessons from two decades in homebuilding, hospitality and family life at the Vancouver Fall Home Show, which runs Oct. 23 to 26 at the Vancouver Convention Centre, West.

Celebrity designers

Bryan and Sarah Baeumler have built a TV empire around turning rundown properties into dream destinations, from their Bahamas resort on Island of Bryan to their latest series Building Baeumler , which premiered on the Home Network in September. This month, the couple returns to Vancouver — once their home base — to headline the Vancouver Fall Home Show.

Their presentation, Lessons Learned in 20+ Years of Real Estate & Hospitality , promises more than glossy renovation tales.

“We usually start with what we’ve been working on over the last year, but we also talk about where homes are going now and where we see the industry heading,” says Sarah.

The housing market’s shift has changed what people need from their homes, she says. It used to be, how do I renovate a bathroom? Now it’s more like, how do I afford a home? How do I get into the market or how do I work with my parents to cohabitate?”

The rise of multi-generational living

Sarah says today’s conversations reflect the high cost of housing across Canada. They’re seeing more families living together across generations to make it work, she says.

Drawing from both experience and cultural inspiration, she says the family’s years in the Bahamas have reshaped how they view home ownership.

In the Bahamas, most homes are multi-generational, says Sarah. People don’t borrow money from the bank. They build their home as they can afford it. It may take seven years, but that house is theirs forever, she says.

The Baeumlers have brought that philosophy into their own design projects. They’ve renovated homes where the grandparents have the lower apartment, the grown children are on the main floor and the university-aged children live upstairs.

“We’ve looked at how you can designate spaces within one environment that feel unique to each party, and not like you’re living in one big house,” she says.

It’s definitely a shift in thinking and one that’s more geared toward what’s sustainable (that is you’re not house poor all the time) and simplicity, she adds:

“In North America, it’s all about quicker, bigger, newer. But maybe we need to stop measuring success by square footage and start focusing on whether we’re happy, healthy and connected.”

Working from home, wisely

Another topic Sarah plans to tackle on stage is how the work-from-home revolution has reshaped both houses and minds.

Since COVID, a lot of people are choosing to work from home, but it’s created this challenge because there’s no ability to disconnect. Technology isn’t left at the office anymore.

People are struggling with this, because they’re going between their computer and non-work time at home, and there’s no separation. You no longer have that rapport with an office community, and are not able to shut off the lights, lock the door and go home for the evening, says Sarah.

Her advice doesn’t hinge on size or budget. A bigger home isn’t necessarily the answer, she says.

“I think the answer is much more internal. It’s in how you set up your existing spaces and your own schedule.”

It’s about setting up your routines, getting sunlight, taking walks and avoiding that reflex to reach for your laptop as soon as you wake up, says Sarah:

“You can’t have your office in your bedroom and expect to rest properly.”

Life lessons from the islands

Living and filming in the Bahamas continues to influence the couple’s approach, says Sarah. During COVID, the island taught them a simpler way of life, she says:

“We were obviously catching fresh fish every day, and that was the healthiest our family has ever been. There wasn’t a cold, a sniffle, or anything. We were active, we were eating well. We were rising with sunrise and all went to bed at the same time at the end of the day. We were probably the happiest we’ve ever been at a time when the world was in complete chaos.”

That experience inspired lasting changes, she says. They realized how connected health, food and environment are, and since then, they’ve been integrating proper agriculture into their projects — learning how to build in a way that’s regenerative and mindful.

The Baeumler family now split their time between Canada, Florida and the Bahamas, and continue to explore new ways of living well. Their next projects include a Florida Keys hotel, an expansion of their Bahamas resort and a personal renovation in Canada — all featured on Building Baeumler .

Despite the scale of their work, Sarah’s message remains grounded:

“People are starting to want simplicity again. Not less by way of belongings, but less pressure, less stress. They’re reconnecting with what really matters.”

Meet the Baeumlers

Catch Sarah and Bryan Baeumler on the Sleep Country Main Stage at the Vancouver Fall Home Show , Vancouver Convention Centre West, Oct. 23 to 26.

A huge part of the gardening experience is the anticipation of things to come. Planting fall bulbs is a prime example of this expectation of future rewards. With a little strategic planning, you can look forward to six months of colour from January’s snowdrops to the stunning alliums of July. In many cases, bulbs will faithfully repeat their performances year after year.

One of today’s challenges, particularly with smaller garden spaces, is finding a place to plant these beautiful winter-through-spring blooming opportunities. However, with a little creative thinking, you might be surprised where many bulbs can find a home.

Lawns are one of the very best locations for planting early flowering bulbs. Their colourful flowers contrast nicely with the rich surround of green grass, making lawns an ideal planting spot. Snowdrops, crocuses and even blue, pink and white muscaris are excellent candidates. By planting early blooming varieties, there will be enough time for the bulbs’ foliage to die down naturally before the first mowing of the grass. Muscaris might bloom a bit later, but if you are OK with letting your lawn get a little longer before the first cut, then muscaris would also be an attractive option. It’s always important to be patient and let all the nutrients in the leaves return back into the bulbs to ensure the success of next year’s blooms. Bulbs will be fine laying dormant in your lawn over summer and fall, even if you let your grass area dry out.

Ideally, your lawn area will have some good soil below. But, if not, when the soil is moist after a fall rain, aerate and apply about one-quarter inch (.64 centimetre) of washed sand to improve the soil’s drainage. I would then use a square nose shovel to lift back the turf. If you see that the soil is of poor quality, just work in about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimetres) of good potting soil. Drop in a grouping of snowdrops or crocuses just deep enough so the bulbs will be covered, then gently close the turf. You’ll be surprised how easy this is. The bulbs will immediately begin making roots, and autumn rains will keep them adequately moist. Avoid low spots where water sits after a rainfall because bulbs will not survive where there is too much moisture.

Areas planted with ground covers are also excellent spots for bulbs. Whether it be low-growing cotoneaster varieties, evergreen ajugas, sedums, thyme or low-growing candytuft, they all offer an opportunity to incorporate a display of bulbs. Even shady areas with Japanese spurge or lysimachia can be great locations where under plantings of bulbs can naturalize and multiply each year.

If you have only a weedy patch of soil, why not turn it into a more attractive spot with a beautiful ground cover. There are so many choices. One of my favourites is Angelina sedum with its year-round golden foliage. In cold winters, its foliage turns a touch red, which only adds to its beauty. Some newer varieties, like Angelina Teacup and Prima Angelina, do not flower, which is great as that can be a little messy.

I also love to plant early snowdrops, crocuses, blue muscari and Scilla siberica for a sequence of colour over a four-month season. Ajugas, especially the new Feathered Friends varieties, offer a wide range of colours from yellow, bronze and burgundy to a soft tan. The rich colour of Black Scallop ajuga makes a stunning backdrop when partnered with snowdrops and white crocuses. The blue flowers that ajugas later produce further adds to the beauty of these combinations. Yellow winter aconites, with their tiny buttercup-like flowers, would look amazing against the blue-grey foliage of woolly thyme.

Low-growing cotoneasters, like C. dammeri, have red berries and early white flowers which are a nice complement to blue crocuses, muscaris and scillas. Tete-a-Tete narcissus, a short, multiflowered bright yellow variety, would make a fabulous showing nestled in a bed of this great ground cover.

Low-growing junipers, like Wiltonii and Bar Harbor, can provide an ideal home for a wide variety of bulbs from early to late bloomers. Later-flowering botanical tulips are magical. Coming in a wide variety of colours and producing several, short stature blooms, they are quite stunning. However, a word of caution: they are a squirrel’s favourite snack, so I would plant them using a fine wire mesh. Put a little soil on top of the mesh and then wrap the mesh overtop to prevent them from digging up and eating the bulbs. Our squirrel population is growing, and the fact that they are quite at home in residential neighbourhoods makes this method of planting tulip bulbs basically mandatory.

Perennials make perfect companions for many varieties of bulbs. New perennial growth will complement the bulbs’ flowers and conceal the bulbs’ dying foliage. Day lilies are a great complement for all narcissus because their foliage is so similar. I love Stella D’Oro because it blooms continuously all summer. Although the plants are shorter, they make a nice companion for a wide range of narcissus. Taller hemerocallis would make an ideal location for planting some late-blooming, fragrant narcissus, like N. Cheerfulness, Yellow Cheerfulness, Bridal Crown and Geranium. Tall sedums, salvias, phlox, monardas, achilleas and astilbes would all make great bulb companions.

Many herbaceous grasses, as well as evergreen carex and festucas, are natural homes for bulbs. Late-blooming alliums would make wonderful companions, and the grasses would almost look like they are flowering. Stanley Park does this beautifully.

Low-flowering shrubs, like spireas, the new dwarf weigelas, forsythias, clethras and deutzias, could accommodate a base planting of a wide range of later blooming tulips and narcissus.

If you have winter containers on your deck with evergreen perennials, compact evergreen shrubs and grasses, bulbs will make a welcome addition. You would need to live in zone 6 or warmer to ensure the bulbs would not freeze too hard during the coolest winters.

There is lots of time to plant bulbs for a special treat in spring. By combining them with other plants and in your lawn, the effect can be truly stunning.

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As millennials and Gen Z-ers look for socialization and connection opportunities, wellness amenities in new condo developments are providing spaces where residents can find value and build communities. It is, says one developer, the new generations’ version of the country club.

Developing a wellness experience in a multi-unit residential building focuses on creating a “fourth” space, says Maxime Zentner, vice-president, product development and interior design at Marcon, explaining, “it’s not your home, office or gym — it’s somewhere between all those spaces, a middle ground where people can create their sense of community.”

“Statistics show that millennial and Gen Z demographics are investing a lot of their disposable incomes into wellness experience areas,” says Zentner.

In multi-unit developments the goal is to create a wellness experience that fosters a sense of community, rather than just providing individual fitness facilities, she says. However, the success of these spaces hinges on the execution.

“People are looking at these spaces and wanting them to have a connection and a flow between them so that, again, it’s almost like you’re entering a club where you go in and you’ll get to know all the same people (in the resident group) who are using all these different facilities and you’ll create a sense of community,” she says.

“We’re seeing the most success of this type of execution when these spaces have visual adjacencies, whether it’s actual glass, where you can see the people between all the spaces or you have a (glass panel) door that then enters you into this entire wellness, gym, fitness area. So again, it feels like a club, and not just separate little rooms spaced out around a building. People really want this sense of community and a culture that is created around this entire experience,” adds Zentner.

Söenhaus, Marcon’s new seven-storey building in Coquitlam, includes many of these principles with more than 9,600 square feet of amenities designed to exude tranquillity. These include the sauna at the heart of the thermotherapy area where people move through cycles of hot, cold and rest; a fitness centre that connects to the outdoors, and the relaxing al fresco dining area on the rooftop terrace.

Cheryl Broadhead, principal at BYU Design says several influences are impacting the popularity and design of wellness amenities.

“It didn’t start with the pandemic but the pandemic reshaped people’s expectations and what they need from their homes,” she says. “It forced our society to focus on mental and physical health more because of the constraints of the current designs and spaces.”

Broadhead notes that focus was lacking in many residential buildings.

“Access to outdoor spaces, quiet zones, reflective/meditative areas, gathering and group spaces that help build connections and community (was lacking),” she adds.

Broadhead says social media and influencers also brought wellness to the forefront.

“They have created complete brands and have really amplified personal well-being and self-care, from fitness routines and immersive experiences to mindfulness practices. You can see it in the push of the ‘clean living’ esthetic that has been the go-to for a couple of years,” she says.

In multi-unit buildings addressing wellness is also tied to practicality: living spaces are smaller so the amenities are an extension of residents’ living space and have become increasingly important, says Broadhead.

“Some of the buildings we have been working on have amenities that include spaces like thermal experiences with saunas, steam rooms, and hot-cold plunge circuits and private or semi-private fitness areas that offer flexibility for personal training or quieter workouts so you can be more comfortable with your level of fitness,” says Broadhead.

She says some projects include specialty therapy areas like salt rooms, chromotherapy (light therapy), and infrared/red-light integration and nutrition focused amenities like juice bars and purified water stations throughout common areas.

“We try to design spaces that offer a layered approach to wellness, that address physical fitness, mindful reflection, and also help build community connection,” she says.

Many subtle design decisions can directly impact well-being, says Broadhead. Adding tunable lights that work with people’s circadian rhythms, biophilic design elements that reduce stress and promote calm, and sound scaping or scent diffusion to address other senses help to create immediate comfort and belonging and trigger reflection and memories.

One of Broadhead’s favourite projects is Cedar House, the amenity designed for tower 2 in the Kwasen Village development in Burnaby where she worked with the Aquilini Group and project partners the Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh people.

The Cedar House design is centred around three pillars: physical activation and fitness; restorative and spa-inspired experiences; and outdoor connection and social engagement.

“It includes everything from an active gym fitness space with private workout areas, to a salt room with chromotherapy and a large outdoor deck with fresh air and views. It’s comprehensive, immersive, and includes flexibility for the residents and allows them to tailor their experience. We designed it to address wellness requirement that are holistic and adaptable to individual needs,” she says.

Diana Ellis, CHIL senior interior designer, associate, also points to the pandemic and the need for people to find ways to relax and mentally support themselves as an impetus for change.

“Health is the new luxury and you’re seeing it from the condo level all the way up to celebrity level. People are treating themselves and spend that personal time to unplug from the day-to-day stresses,” says Ellis.

By integrating health and wellness orientated designs like infrared saunas, hydrotherapy and space for yoga, barre or Pilates, developers are differentiating themselves in a competitive marketplace, she adds.

Developers who recognized the shift early on and incorporated wellness amenities in their projects are in construction now, says Ellis referencing Solhouse, a Bosa Properties’ development in Burnaby.

Wellness facilities take priority on the sixth floor of the building, and the self-guided circuit includes features such as the infrared sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunges and a rest area with heated hammocks and daybeds overlooking a garden.

The circuit is a mind and body experience, says Ellis, noting that while there are guidelines for each stage, people can move through at their own pace.

“I think it makes people more mindful when they’re being thoughtful about what their next practice will be. Will I go to the yoga room after this, or will I read a book on the hammocks or the daybeds?”

Ellis notes that equipment and facilities aside there are other considerations for designers. “From the moment you walk through the doors and are seemingly guided through the spaces, the use of natural materials and lighting is so important. And obviously the ability to select from a number of multi-sensory spaces,” she says.

Space once specified for yoga room might now become a multi-purpose area and referred to as a meditation-breathworks room which can be self-guided or used by groups, says Ellis. Designs for these spaces now incorporate wood features and often include larger floor to ceiling windows and a natural outlook while lighting options also elevate the experience.

Ellis also worked on the Signature and Hollybridge buildings in Aspac Developments’ River Green community in Richmond where resort-style amenities include health and wellness centres, social spaces like lounges and mah-jong rooms, and entertainment features like lounges and media rooms.

These spaces complement outdoor facilities such as pools and gardens.

“I believe our job as designers is to be mindful of the space planning, the movement, the selection of materials, ceiling heights and how we light the space,” she says.

As Marcon’s Zentner points out, ultimately amenity spaces become part of a company’s strategy.

“There’s a large shift right now within the rental market as well that (wellness amenities) become a competitive asset within the building. And if it is something that truly brings you value, that you would otherwise be spending your dollars on somewhere out of the building, then there is a return there that actually feels like it has value to you versus an amenity space that just ticks a box and is not used. We’re really trying to shift that narrative to make this space truly have value to people,” she says.

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Coquitlam’s newest cultural hub is a destination for the Lower Mainland’s design lovers. The Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF) is the largest festival of its kind in the world, and is running special screenings at the TriCity Pavilion’s Gallery Theatre until Nov. 30.

For visitors, it’s a chance to immerse themselves in architecture and design stories from around the globe, in a gallery-style setting where films play on a loop and guests can come and go throughout the day.

“Architecture and design have a profound impact on how we feel and perceive the world,” says festival director and ADFF founder Kyle Bergman.

“One of the festival’s goals is to remind people how essential good design is to society’s well-being,” he says.

A gallery of stories

The Gallery Theatre sits on the second floor of TriCity Pavilion, a 12,000-square-foot space that opened earlier this summer. The Pavilion has already welcomed more than 20,000 visitors with its mix of food, culture, and design.

Partnering with ADFF is a natural extension of that vision, says Nic Paolella, executive VP at Marcon, the developer behind TriCity Central.

“TriCity Pavilion is a destination and community hub for food, culture, and design and a tangible expression of the future TriCity Central project. Anchored by Nemesis and Kitchen Table, it also features the Gallery Theatre as a flexible space for cultural programming like ADFF,” says Paolella.

Until Oct. 14, the first set of films will play daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Highlights include Form & Place (a meditation on Patkau Architects’ work in Whistler), Counterweight (Olson Kundig’s kinetic architecture) and The Color of Light (artist Esteban Fuentes de María’s journey through Luis Barragán’s iconic Mexican homes).

Design lessons for everyday life

While ADFF brings international stories to Coquitlam, its themes resonate at home too. For Bergman, the festival is about more than iconic buildings — it’s about how design touches our daily lives.

“Great design principles transcend scale. Whether for a public plaza or a private residence, ideas about proportion, light, and flow remain the same — only the scale changes,” he says.

He also stresses the role of natural elements:

“You can’t consider colour, light, or natural surroundings in isolation — they work together to create the full experience of a space.”

Paolella echoes this in describing Marcon’s design philosophy.

“Architecture sets the tone for how we feel in a space. At TriCity Pavilion, we focused on openness from outside in, with glass connecting people to nature and layered spaces that feel both communal and intimate. It shows how function and emotion must work together,” he says.

A city in transformation

The Pavilion is part of TriCity Central, a mixed-use community that will eventually include more than 4,000 homes, parks, retail, offices, and cultural spaces, and is near Coquitlam Central Station.

“Vancouver’s design expectations are rising, with more demand for buildings that connect to place and community,” says Paolella.

“We draw inspiration from architects like Renzo Piano, who show how natural light and context can create timeless design. Our philosophy is to move away from ‘gingerbread’ buildings toward simpler, higher quality expressions rooted in symmetry, proportion, and timelessness.”

For residents, that vision means more opportunities to connect with design every day. Public spaces show the importance of flow, accessibility and inclusivity, says Paolella.

Films for everyone

With free daily screenings, the festival is designed to welcome a wide cross-section of the public — from design enthusiasts and students to families and casual visitors, says Bergman:

 “At every ADFF event we aim to inspire and inform audiences about the power and importance of design. Our broad range of films ensures something for everyone: compelling human stories that appeal to the general public, as well as in-depth design narratives that engage professionals.”

Oakwoods, the new Aragon Properties condo and townhome development in Esquimalt, is imbued with the same old-world charm that characterizes Rosemead House, the revitalized boutique hotel that is part of the redevelopment of the four-acre site in Lampson Street, Esquimalt.

The first Oakwoods condos on the market are those in Flora, a 58-unit building where prospective buyers can choose from 24 different floor plans ranging from studio apartments (395 square feet) through one-, two- and three-bedroom homes including “soft lofts” — and the two level (1,801 square feet) homes with soaring ceilings.

“(The soft loft) is non-traditional — this design works for people who love to entertain,” says Lenny Moy, president and founder of Aragon.

Soft loft units comprise two levels; entering the condo the bedrooms are on the higher level with a few steps leading down to the lower level or sunken living space that includes the kitchen, dining area and living room. The high ceiling above this sunken living area gives the unit its loft-like ambience.

Interior windows between the bedrooms and the lower living area can be kept open — to take advantage of borrowed light streaming in through the expansive folding doors that open onto a patio — or closed to make the space more private.

When completed, Oakwoods will comprise 179 homes in four phases. The master-planned development also includes Rosemead House with 28 guest rooms and the award-winning Janevca Kitchen & Lounge restaurant, Salt & Ivy Spa and a fitness centre along with many courtyards, gardens and paths.

The many colourful floral hanging baskets along Oakwoods’ pathways and outdoor corridors are reminiscent of the famous baskets in Victoria, about a 10-minute drive from Esquimalt.

The original building on the Lampson Street site has been through many iterations from its 1906 beginning as a private home designed by Samuel Maclure, a renowned Canadian architect who also designed Hatley Castle, now home to Royal Roads University. The home was later used to provide accommodation and respite to servicemen stationed in Victoria during the Second World War. Over the decades buildings were added to create a tourist destination with a replica English village theme including the 55-room Olde England Inn. The Inn closed in the late 1990s, and the property changed ownership several times before being acquired by Aragon in 2015.

“We wanted to retain the mansion and mature trees, so the development was strategically sited to keep as many of the trees as possible,” says Moy, noting the Garry Oaks on the property.

He adds that his vision for the development of Oakwoods included respecting and paying homage to the architecture of the original 1906 residence on the property but not emulating it.

Designed by Merrick Architecture, that influence can be seen in the buildings’ steep roofs, exposed gables and wood elements, says Moy. The stone base on Rosemead House inspired the stonework on the first two floors of Flora, he adds.

The six-storey Flora building reflects the hotel influence Moy intended.

“We wanted to make sure that when you come into the building it’s not a standard corridor. We wanted to make it like a hotel,” he says.

The wainscotting, deep green walls — Farrow and Ball’s Forest Grove — and framed prints of English landscapes sourced in the U.K. by Moy on extensive buying trips to purchase furniture and fittings all create a timeless and elegant ambience.

Some of his other standout purchases on those trips include furniture from the Dorchester Hotel, crockery from the five-star Savoy Hotel and gates that will mark the entrance to the property, acquired from the set of the blockbuster TV series, The Crown.

In keeping with Aragon’s practice of including a feature wall in each of the homes it develops, many of the condos in the Flora building include a wall constructed from reclaimed bricks Aragon sourced from demolished buildings elsewhere in British Columbia.

“In my mind the brick always brings a lot of warmth to the room,” says Moy. “We spend a lot of effort in accumulating brick — we’re probably the biggest used-brick buyer in the province.”

“When we learn of a building that is coming down, we talk to the general contractor or demolition contractor, and we ask for (the bricks). They’re loaded and delivered to our cleaning and sorting site before they’re stacked,” he says, adding that some of those bricks are now being used in the Oakwoods development.

Another distinctive feature of the development is that homes are heated and cooled using a geothermal system that operates by using warm water in winter and cool water in summer to manage temperatures. Moy says Aragon will gift the system to the strata rather than sell it to a utility company, ensuring there is no leasing cost in the strata budget.

Working with Moy, the interior design team created the three interior colour schemes that can be seen in the Flora show suites: grey tones distinguish the Shoreline package, the Meadow palette reflects more natural hues, while dark features anchor the Grove collection. A distinctive feature of all the homes is the herringbone-patterned engineered oak floors.

“They’re tongue and groove and have to be laid in a (precise) way to create that pattern,” says Moy, noting in some cases floors have been laid more than once to ensure the herringbone pattern is perfect.

The kitchens include quartz countertops, polished tile backsplashes and Italian-made shaker style cabinetry. Major appliances — refrigerator, gas cooktop, electric convection wall oven and dishwasher — are by GE Monogram while the built-in espresso machine is by Fulgor Milano. Select homes include a premier

GE Monogram appliance package including some larger appliances and a wine fridge.

“We paid a lot of attention to the interior (design) features of the kitchen where we have a lot of pullout pantry drawers and special lighting that gives the space a great ambience,” says Moy, adding that some floor plans include a desk in the kitchen. “I come from a family where everything was always (happening) around the kitchen. (In this design) whoever’s cooking in the kitchen can (also) sit at the desk, do some computer work or look at recipes while they’re cooking,” says Moy.

Project: Oakwoods

Project address: 427 Lampson Street, Esquimalt, B.C.

Developer: Aragon Properties Ltd.

Architect: Merrick Architecture

Interior designer: Aragon Properties Ltd.

Project size: 179 homes; 4 phases

Number of bedrooms: 1 to 4 bedrooms

Price: Starting from $598,900

Sales centre: 104-427 Lampson Street, Esquimalt

Centre hours: Previewing 1 to 4 p.m., Friday to Sunday; 5 to 8 p.m., Thursday; by appointment outside of open hours

Phone: 250-858-1381

Website: oakwoodsbyaragon.ca

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Dear Tony:

We live in a 142-unit townhouse complex in the B.C. Interior. They are combination of four-, six- and 12-unit buildings. There is a golf course, clubhouse and a short bridge to cross for unit access.

During a thunderstorm this year, the bridge was severely damaged by a flash downpour and no one has been able to cross the bridge with vehicles to access their homes.

While only 14 units were affected, our group of owners have been forced to find other accommodations until the bridge is repaired. We can walk across to our homes but there is no access for emergency services at this time.

With only a small portion of units affected, the strata corporation was very slow to respond and unsuccessful to raise the funds for the bridge repairs because our reserves are so low.

The first vote failed for the levy with another meeting in early October. What happens if the next vote fails? We have been paying strata fees, insurance and mortgages without any concessions from the strata.

The strata council keep telling us they are working within a reasonable time period, but it has been over four months.

— Lydia F.

Dear Lydia:

The Strata Property Act provides options for strata councils to address emergency situations.

Emergency Council Meetings: the standard bylaws permit council meetings to be called with less than the usual one-week notice as long as all council members consent in advance of the meeting or in the case of an emergency: all council members consent; or all council members are unavailable to provide consent after reasonable attempts to contact them.

Emergency Entry: standard bylaws enable the strata entry to a strata lot without notice in the event of an emergency to ensure safety or prevent significant loss or damage.

Emergency Spending: the Act enables expenditures from the operating fund or the contingency reserve fund without the normally required approval at a general meeting if there are reasonable grounds to believe the expenditure is needed to ensure safety or prevent significant loss or damage, whether physical or otherwise.

In addition to the costs associated with repairs, did the strata corporation decide not to insure for the infrastructure of your complex?

Has your insurer been contacted? Why have they exempted from a depreciation report? This asset would have been identified.

If the next levy for the repairs does not pass, I recommend your strata and affected owners retain an experienced construction/strata lawyer. This may require a court order for temporary access, the repairs and the levy.

It’s worth noting there is a provision in the Act if more than 50 per cent of the owners at the meeting vote in favour of the levy and the repairs, there is an expedient court application the strata council can direct. Don’t wait for a disaster.

Does your community have a response plan for fire, flood, earthquake, evacuation? Join CHOA on line or in person for the Sept. 20, Kelowna Strata Emergency Planning Conference. www.choa.bc.ca or email info@choa.bc.ca

Tony Gioventu is executive director of the Condominium Home Owners Association. Email tony@choa.bc.ca. 

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