Organic Gardening News

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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As we enjoy the start of a new season, it’s a perfect time to transition our patios, front porches and decks into autumn decor. A fresh, new look will really lift the ambience of our outdoor living spaces.

As the heat of summer gives way to crisp, cool evenings, blue skies begin to grey and daylight hours shorten, refreshed outdoor decor can give us a much-needed boost.

Fall containers and hanging baskets are the most important ways to set the tone for some autumn magic. There are many ways to turn the look of tired summer plantings into the promise of a new season. Ornamental grasses make their best showing at this time of the year. Their flower plumes add a touch of fun and whimsy to any container. The bunny tail pennisetums, like the compact Little Bunny, Burgundy Bunny and P. Hameln, are a delight when their tiny plumes dance in the breeze.

Many taller varieties of miscanthus produce an array of one-to-two-metre flower heads that make nice screens, and they, too, sway gently with the slightest movement of air. I love the variety called Morning Light, with its variegated foliage and bronze flower heads. Another excellent variety is M. Fire Dragon, which has become popular because of its striking red fall foliage and contrasting light cream flowers.

Many panicums turn beautiful shades of bronze or burgundy that contrast nicely with their light-coloured seed heads. The narrow, architectural grass, Calamagrostis Karl Foerster looks striking with its slender green stems and beige-coloured seed heads. The schizachyrium family is also beautiful now as the foliage of both the blue and variegated varieties turns a deep red with contrasting green seed heads. There are many other great grasses that will add life and motion to your plantings well into fall and winter.

Pansies and violas are excellent choices for adding fresh colour to containers. Planted with a few evergreen grasses, like the EverColor carex family, they will provide colour well into winter and then revive with late winter colour in February. The addition of evergreen euphorbias, like E. wulfenii and E. Ascot Rainbow, will keep those containers looking evergreen and with the promise of stunning chartreuse blooms in late February.

Don’t forget about using the many unique colours of evergreen heucheras. From the deepest purple to rich peach and hot lime, these winter jewels play nicely with so many other winter flowers, and they have a significant impact when used in winter containers.

Shallow wicker or wire moss frames are ideal for creating winter hanging baskets. Using cool-loving, trailing Wave pansies, spillover carex evergreen grasses and variegated trailing ivy will create quite a beautiful look. With the addition of some muehlenbeckia (wire vine), lime coloured creeping jenny and some spillover rich purple heucheras, along with variegated evergreen honeysuckle (Lonicera Baggesen’s Gold), your basket will look truly amazing.

Summer annual containers can now be transformed into stunning fall and winter pots. You will need a little drama for the best displays, and the larger the container, the more creative you can become. I love to use tall, skinny shrubs as anchor plants in containers. Tall, narrow Hinoki cypress, golden Irish yews, slender boxwoods, like Graham Blandy, and the vertical Sky Pencil Japanese holly all work great.

Leucothoe Scarletta, Leucothoe Rainbow, Nandina (Heavenly Bamboo), which soon turns red, the holly-like Osmanthus Goshiki, with its cream foliage, and compact Pieris japonicas, just flushing out their winter buds, would all be my first choices for accent plants. Not to be overlooked, the heuchera and heucherella families, with their stunning colours, would certainly add some sparks, and a selection from the evergreen euphorbia family would also be a dramatic feature. Spill-over grasses always provide an interesting look. My favourite is the hot lime Carex Everillo. If you can squeeze in a pyracantha, with either yellow, orange or red berries, it, too, will provide colour and a very unique look.

There are other berried plants that work well to create a nice autumn vibe. Deciduous holly (Ilex verticillata), when planted in a good-sized pot, will stand up well all fall and winter with vibrant colour, although birds may take a snack or two as they love the berries. Most varieties have coloured up now and still look good while the leaves are on. After the leaves have dropped, massive berries in shades of gold or red remain to be enjoyed all winter.

If you have some extra room on your deck, add a potted Japanese maple or two for some dramatic fall colour. Once the leaves begin to drop, they can be used as an excellent framework for clear mini lights. Just as Japanese maples can add an element of structure to a patio, containers of cut contorted willow branches in green, red or yellow can do the same thing. Anchored in potting soil, they may root by spring. We have three pots in front of our office, and they not only look great but they also provide space on their tiny branches for hummingbirds to rest.

The final touch to this seasonal redo is to add some designer pumpkins, gourds and decor squash to the mix. They will truly reinforce the whole fall experience, and you will have many weeks of enjoyment from your revitalized outside living spaces … until it’s time for Christmas change overs.

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According to the calendar, summer is a few days longer than fall. But summer never seems to last long enough and fall always seems to arrive too soon. With the first day of autumn fast approaching it’s time lean into sweater weather and make the most of the opportunity to indulge in all things pumpkin, cosy up the home and prep the garden for the cooler months ahead.

Lori Steeves founder and creative director of North Vancouver-based Simply Home Decorating likes to get the practical tasks done before focusing on creating autumnal ambience.

“Most people don’t use their fireplaces very much during the summer months, if at all, so we always suggest a fireplace service before the winter comes. Also, it’s a good time to change your furnace filter because once the winter gets going, you don’t want to have maintenance issues,” she says.

Other annual chores that set the scene for the cooler months include: freeze-proofing outdoor faucets and underground sprinklers; checking windows and doors and sealing any gaps with weatherstripping and caulking; and checking smoke and carbon monoxide alarms according to manufacturer instructions.

Contrary to popular belief, fall is a good time to stain outdoor wood surfaces.

“Many people don’t realize that early fall is the best time in the year to stain outdoor wood surfaces like decks or fencing, whether they are new, unprotected, or if the previous stain has worn out,” says Louis-Philippe Morand, senior marketing manager for Sico.

Not only are fall temperatures more comfortable to work in, but Canadian winters are incredibly tough on wood and destroy unprotected decks, says Morand noting that waiting until the next spring can lead to a lot of damage and more work.

According to Morand, the biggest challenge people have when it comes to wood staining is achieving an even and consistent finish. To this end, Sico Formula 77 is a new line of one-coat “grab-and-go” wood stains that can be applied at almost any temperature, on any type of exterior wood, leaving no runs, laps or marks.

Steeves says in fall and winter interior decor is all about texture — the more soft, velvet, knitted, faux fur and chunky throws and cushions the better, she says, adding it’s also time to introduce moodier colours.

“Deeper, richer jewel tones or darker earthy tones are what I would bring in at that time of year. And if your decor is more of a neutral backdrop — your sofa is cream or brown — it’s easy to switch up these items to add that seasonal touch,” she says.

Add another layer to the sensory transition to fall with “homey” aromas like the warm smell of baking cookies. If baking isn’t on the to-do list consider a simmer pot — slowly simmering aromatic ingredients like citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise and fresh herbs such as rosemary on the stovetop or in a slow cooker to fragrantly fill the home.

Steeves also adds to her candle collection as the days get shorter. She suggests a combination of real candles — she often lights unscented candles that don’t interfere with the taste and flavours of food — for a cosy table setting, while elsewhere she typically opts for battery operated candles.

“It’s never safe to leave lit candles unattended so good quality battery operated candles are a safe option when you’re looking for that soft glow,” she says.

Lighting changes with the season and dimmers on light switches are especially useful in fall when softer, warmer illumination is part of creating a comfortable and welcoming space.

As temperatures drop it’s also a good time revisit stocks of warm drinks.

“Many people have a year-round coffee station, and this is the time of year to change up the mix of what you’re offering so it has more of a seasonal taste,” she says, suggesting quintessential flavours like pumpkin spice and cinnamon and apple. Adding chai and hot chocolate also extends the available choices for family and friends.

A big part of any fall checklist relates to the garden. One of the first tasks to tackle is the leaves, says Alex Johnson, store manager at GardenWorks in Coquitlam.

“Smart gardeners see leaves not as a nuisance, but as free, homegrown compost waiting to happen,” he says.

“They’re a fantastic natural mulch that helps insulate soil and feeds it as they break down. Spread them under shrubs or chop and mix them into beds, but avoid thick, soggy mats that can smother grass or perennials,” says Johnson, noting if plants had issues with fungus during the season, clear those leaves away entirely so spores don’t stick around for spring.

Johnson advises it’s also a good time to remove summer annuals that have finished blooming — clearing them out keeps the garden tidy, reduces the chance of pests or disease overwintering and opens up space for bulbs or fall crops.

For perennials like hostas, day lilies, or irises that have grown into big clumps, fall is perfect for dividing them. Lifting and splitting the roots not only rejuvenates the plants but also gives you extra pieces to spread around or share, says Johnson.

“It’s one of those insider tricks that turns one plant into many — stretching your garden budget while keeping your perennials healthier.”

Pruning should be light at this time of year, mainly removing dead or damaged growth. However, if you see branches or stems at risk of snapping in wind or under heavy snow, it’s wise to prune those more heavily now to prevent winter damage, advises Johnson.

Also on the fall list is to pay attention to the soil itself — beds that have produced over summer will benefit from an infusion of organic matter such as well-composted manure or mature compost.

“Adding them now enriches the soil food web and sets the stage for next year’s growth — it’s like tucking a pantry full of nutrients into the garden before winter arrives,” says Johnson.

It’s also worth remembering that fall is a great time to plant in the Lower Mainland, says Johnson.

“The soil still holds warmth, autumn rains help with moisture, and plants can focus on developing roots without the stress of summer heat. It’s one of those secret weapons experienced gardeners rely on to get a jump on next year,” he says.

Spring-flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, crocus and snowdrops all need a cool period in the ground before they can bloom and planting in fall ensures a colourful display in early spring. Cool-season vegetables such as kale, spinach and arugula can produce fresh harvests well into fall and winter, he adds.

Johnson says if you’re thinking longer-term, perennials and shrubs establish beautifully at this time of year, settling in over winter so they’re ready to burst ahead next summer.

Seasonal suggestions

Routines change with the weather — here are a few tips to make the most of autumn.

When the furnace comes on, indoor conditions shift quickly and houseplants feel it, says Johnson. The biggest mistake people make, he adds, is watering on a schedule instead of checking the soil. Let the top couple inches dry out before watering again — this avoids soggy roots, which are especially vulnerable in winter. A little patience here pays off with healthier, longer-lasting plants.

Dry air is another challenge, says Johnson, noting many plants appreciate a little boost in humidity once heating season begins. “This can be as simple as grouping plants together, placing a shallow tray of water nearby, or giving the leaves a light mist.”

While swapping out seasonal decor can enhance interiors, storage can be a challenge. Steeves says one way to reduce the number of bulky items destined for storage bins is not to keep extra cushion inserts — simply swap the summer covers for those with a more autumnal palette.

Light changes with the seasons and in the cooler months of fall and winter and changing the light bulbs — Steeves suggests 2,700 kelvin is a good choice — creates a slightly more yellow golden light that gives a space visual warmth and enhances the cosy ambience we’re all looking for to help fend off the cold.

Steeves also notices people tend to entertain more in fall and winter and she suggests adjusting table settings to create a cosy ambience.

“In summer I may use raffia placemats and paper napkins because we’re outside more, but in the fall I’ll switch over to fabric [tablecloths] and cloth napkins and I like to have things like cinnamon sticks on hand to tie up with your fork and knife and napkin,” she says.

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Surrounded by green space and next to North Vancouver’s Kirkstone Park, Trailside at Lynn offers the best of both worlds: a convenient location paired with a vibrant and diverse neighbourhood setting where big trees and grassy fields.

Trailside at Lynn is the culmination of 12 years of planning for Mosaic Homes.

“Trailside at Lynn is the final piece at Lynn, and like any large master-planned community, there have been challenges along the way. However, we believe we have created a true sense of community here,” says Geoff Duyker, senior vice-president of marketing at Mosaic Homes. “In 25 years, Mosaic has only built four master-planned communities. With each community, we can control the urban density and offer a wide variety of homes for everyone, from first-time buyers to downsizers and young families.”

Designed for all stages of life, Trailside at Lynn is a five-storey wood frame building featuring a collection of 61 condos, offering one-, two- and three-bedroom plans, ranging from 540 to 1,300 square feet, all with underground parking, secure bike storage, patios with great views and access to the Lynn Club.

More than a third of the homes have sold, with prices for a one-bedroom starting from the high-$600s, two-bedroom from the high-$800s and three-bedroom from $1.2 million.

“The two-, and three-bedroom homes have been attracting many downsizers and young families who have lived on the North Shore and want to stay in the neighbourhood they love,” says Duyker.

Curated by Stephanie da Silva, vice-president of interior design at Mosaic Homes, each home is comfortably designed for today, with 10-foot ceilings, oversized windows flooding the homes with natural light, contemporary warm wood-grain cabinetry, and SMEG appliances.

“Trailside’s interiors are really an evolution of what we started with Parkside and Towns in our Lynn Community. We drew a lot of inspiration from the beauty of the North Shore — think earthy tones, warm textures, and that natural, grounded feel you get from being outdoors,” says da Silva. “The idea was to create spaces that feel connected to nature but still elevated and refined.

“We’re also excited to be one of the first new communities to feature SMEG’s extensive line of large appliances, complete with induction cooktops,” she explains. “Most people know SMEG for their retro fridges and small appliances, but these are sleek, modern, and fit perfectly with Trailside’s look.”

Interiors reflect a combination of modern design with urban flair, including generous open-plan layouts perfect for entertaining.

“For us, it was about balancing design esthetics and functionality. In the kitchens, you’ll find full-height pantries for storage, big islands for prep space, and warm wood-grain cabinets in light oak and walnut,” says da Silva, adding all homes feature the same kitchen finishes. “We paired those with brushed nickel hardware, which gives a clean, timeless look. It’s a bit like your favourite wool coat or sweater — it’s comfortable, well-made, and only gets better over time.”

Residents moving into Trailside at Lynn have access to the Lynn Club, with nearly 10,000 square feet of interior and exterior amenities, including a 65-foot lap pool, a fully equipped fitness centre, an expansive fireside indoor lounge with a kitchen, a playground and an outdoor dining area.

“Our team had a great deal of fun putting that space together. We brought in pieces that remind us of our favourite memories abroad — like a pair of vintage skis mounted near the fireplace, evoking Nordic retreats, and a solid wood dining table perfect for large gatherings, much like you’d find in a mountain village lodge,” says da Silva. “It’s cosy, welcoming, and truly feels like an extension of home.”

For outdoor enthusiasts, the location is prime. At the top of Lynn Valley is easy access to the Baden Powell Trail, a local favourite and one of the many connections to the world-class network of the North Shore Mountains, with local ski and hiking hills, Grouse Mountain and Mount Seymour just at the bottom of Lynn Valley.

Another selling point for young families is the proximity to Lynn Valley Elementary School and Capilano University, as well as the nearby Lynn Canyon Park, a popular spot for outdoor activities.

Project: Trailside at Lynn

Project address : 2380 Emery Court, North Vancouver

Developer : Mosaic Homes

Architect : RWA Group Architecture

Interior designer : Mosaic Homes

Project size : 61 homes

Number of bedrooms : 1, 2, and 3 bedrooms

Price: One-bedrooms starting from the high-$600s, two-bedrooms from the high-$800s and three-bedrooms from $1.2 million.

Sales centre : 2517 Mountain Highway in Lynn Valley, North Vancouver

Centre hours : Open daily from noon to 6 p.m.

Phone : 604-262-2152

Website : mosaichomes.com

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Decoding Timber Towers is a global competition that drew 44 submissions from six countries, exploring how mass timber can shape new housing solutions. Run by Urbanarium, a Vancouver-based non-profit focused on city-making, the competition awarded $50,000 in prize money.

“At a time when we urgently need low-carbon, livable, and affordable housing, it is vital to share ideas and pursue scalable solutions,” said competition juror Natalie Telewiak, principal at Michael Green Architecture (MGA), a firm known for its mass timber projects.

Telewiak said the competition attracted provocative proposals that challenge regulation, reimagine mass timber at scale, and spark strategies for change.

The winning projects

First place went to Timber Commons by team MT3, which also received part of the DIGITAL Prize for innovation in standardizing housing construction. Their project showed a good understanding of modular and flat pack structural capabilities, said competition juror Mingyuk Chen.

Second place went to KAPLA by Team Softwood, an 18-storey design that combined modular efficiency with prefabricated balconies.

Third place went to Vancouver’s Culture House by team 637427, which tied for the DIGITAL Prize for its on-site prefabrication factory concept.

Honourable mentions included projects from Burnaby, Vancouver and Brooklyn.

A designer’s reflections

Ben Feldman, partner at Toronto’s Moriyama Teshima Architects (MTA), was part of team MT3, and says the recognition in winning first place affirmed years of work with mass timber at MTA.

“Our firm has prioritized mass timber solutions for almost a decade now, and we were incredibly excited to apply that expertise to affordable housing in this competition,” he said.

He credited the younger designers behind their winning entry.

“It’s very important to me to acknowledge the three younger designers who led the charge: Luis Quezada, Jillian Weinberger and Jaewon Kim. The intelligence and effort they put toward this was incredible.”

Taking part in this competition has really validated their belief that mass timber is a perfect tool to address the affordable housing crisis, Feldman explained.

“We will keep advancing mass timber design across our portfolio, but now I think we will approach the affordable housing sector with a new confidence and excitement,” he said. “This is a place where we can create real, positive change, and for Moriyama Teshima Architects that is always the goal at the heart of our work.”

Mass timber’s potential and hurdles

Mass timber is often discussed as a sustainable alternative to concrete and steel, but uptake has been slow, said Travis Hanks, principal of Haeccity Studio Architecture, an Urbanarium board member, and co-chair of these awards.

It’s still seen as more of a bespoke product, not a go-to everyday solution and they would like to see this change.

“The industry is still small,” he said. “So there’s a little bit of a challenge right now, in that the demand is small, and the different people producing it is relatively small, which keeps prices high.”

Early government-backed projects could help stabilize costs and expand production, creating a more competitive market over time, Hanks said.

Usable ideas for cities

Four sites were chosen for this competition, which were all transit-oriented areas and reflect current housing legislation in British Columbia.

Hanks said one of the main things they hope to get out of this competition is real, concrete ideas that can be taken to different municipalities and levels of government, and allow them to say: “Look at this.” Here are the potential roadblocks that have been identified, whether they’re code or zoning or policy, and let’s look at ways to address these to make this work better.

In identifying design innovations and regulatory challenges, Decoding Timber Towers aims to turn conceptual projects into feasible housing solutions that respond to affordability and climate needs.

They had a lot of really good entries this year, and it’s a competition that demands much more than just a beautiful design, said Hanks. Participants need to show carbon calculations and detail that can be quite tedious. They have to show how their designs can really work in a practical sense.

“It was a lot to ask, and it was really interesting to see how much work people really put into it,” said Hanks. “The winning entries just have a really layered approach.”

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When interior designer Karin Bohn, of House of Bohn, takes on a renovation, her projects tend to be bold and practical. A recent mud room makeover in Vancouver’s Point Grey neighbourhood proved no exception. What began as a cramped backdoor closet has been transformed into a 225-square-foot utility hub that doubles as a laundry, dog wash, powder room and drinks station.

Bohn set out to maximize utility and functionality in this space, to make it truly multipurpose.

Double washers and dryers and a magnificent dog wash station

The owners of this home have a couple of large dogs, and plan to expand their family, so were eager to streamline the daily juggle of laundry, pets and storage, says Bohn. Her solution was to enlarge the space, creating room for double washers and dryers — four appliances in total.

Integrated details add to the practicality: an under-counter drinks fridge for the adjacent theatre room, a pullout drawer with steel dishes for feeding the dogs, and full-height shoe storage for about 50 pairs.

“Just really integrated, clever storage,” says Bohn.

Bold colour and vintage charm

Though functionality drove the floor plan, Bohn pushed the design with colour.

Going for bold and playful, they decided on a custom forest green colour for all the cabinetry, with the same deep forest green on the walls, the crown moulding and millwork casings.

“Green is really the prominent colour in the space, and then that’s accented with black and white,” she says.

The flooring features black and white tile, while the backsplash has a little bit of an irregular edge.

“I love that, because it has much more of a handcrafted esthetic,” she says.

For durability and high functionality, they went with black quartz for the counters. Quartz is stain-proof, which makes it great for laundry rooms, says Bohn.

“You see gold in the lighting and gold hardware, gold plumbing fixtures. So the laundry sink faucet and the doggy showers. They’re all gold fixtures,” she says.

Lighting from Soho Home adds another layer.

“It definitely has a nod to a vintage esthetic, and that is something that we pulled in throughout the home. That’s really consistent in other spaces as well,” she says.

The home was originally built in the 1920s, so Bohn sourced vintage art for the mud room. “Even though this was a full renovation, we still wanted to speak to the character of the home.”

A floral print with a weathered frame has some “nicks and stuff” on it, which is part of its charm.

Beyond Netflix fame

Bohn, known to many from her Netflix series Restaurants on the Edge, will share more of her story as a keynote speaker at IDS Vancouver , which is happening Sept. 25 to 28.

She’ll be sharing her journey, from launching House of Bohn in 2009 to leading one of Canada’s most recognized design studios and appearing on Netflix. Bohn’s projects span New York to China, and IDS, she’ll speak on authenticity, storytelling, and purpose as shaping her firm’s bold, hospitality-inspired style and global success.

Bohn says she’s had a lot of outward success along the way, but applause and praise don’t always result in a feeling of purpose. These days, she really tries to take on work that’s firmly in line with her values.

“In interior design, our work has a lot to do with esthetics, but really aligning ourselves with our clients is more important.”

Charitable work, and finding ways to align it with the clients she’s assisting, has become a new and exciting part of her practice, says Bohn: “These aren’t just transactional relationships. We’re building relationships that are beyond the work.”

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At home in the sky

Stunning penthouse condos are not uncommon in Vancouver, but how many come with a glass elevator that whisks you up three floors to your private glass-bottomed swimming pool that floats above the living room below?

“At twilight the ripple of the water in the pool casts a sparkly, rippley effect on the walls. It’s really cool,” says Will McKitka who, with partner Kevin Hardy, of Sotheby’s International Realty, are the realtors for the listing.

The best of the rest

Of the three penthouses atop the 43-storey tower, McKitka says it has the best views, spanning north, south and west. “The views are panoramic of everything from the North Shore mountains, Burrard Inlet, sweeping around to Lost Lagoon, Stanley Park and south to the Gulf Islands, UBC and English Bay.”

The posh penthouse was custom designed and curated by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who also designed Japan’s Suntory Museum of Art and the Japan National Stadium, built for Tokyo’s 2020 Summer Olympics.

Glass, steel, stone and suede

Feeling energetic? Skip the elevator and jog up the bleached white oak stairs of the steel and glass staircase, which connects all three floors. Wide-plank white oak flooring with ultra-matte finish covers all living areas and bedrooms. Soaring 20-foot ceilings with oversized skylight cap the wide-open living area.

The primary bedroom is encased in soft suede premium wallpaper by Phillip Jeffries. Unique pendant lighting, hand-blown by local artists at design studio Bocci, casts a warm glow over the room.

The ensuite features custom vanities with state-of-the-art integrated mirror television and polished stone countertop extensions that fold into troughs. Opt for the drop-in tub with steam shower or, for al fresco bathing, sink into the Japanese soaker tub on the terrace.

What’s Cooking in the Kitchen

Polished quartzite countertops, called “Laguna Bay”, were quarried in Brazil. The kitchen’s island is illuminated with handcrafted pendant lighting designed by boutique Studio D’Armes in Quebec.

High-end appliances include a 36-inch Miele electric 5-zone cooktop with touch controls and auto heat-up; 36-inch Miele fully integrated fridge; full-height Miele wine fridge, and, for white and sparkling, a 24-inch sub-zero under-counter wine fridge. If that’s not enough room, you can purchase four more glassed wine lockers on the concierge level, temperature controlled for red and white, of course.

The building also features a communal pool, gym and a dedicated listening room to immerse yourself in your favourite music or podcast. The lobby is staffed by 24/7 concierge and security. Park your rides in two side-by-side private double garages with EV hookups.

Once ensconced on the other side of your overheight honeycomb core travertine door, gaze through large panel windows with minimal frames for those uninterrupted views.

In the Neighbourhood

This hideaway in the sky is within walking distance of Denman and Robson Streets, but it’s Alberni that is the Rodeo Drive of Vancouver. “Alberni is known for being the shopping destination,” says Hardy. “The most expensive stores in Vancouver are on Alberni.”

He says everything from the dramatic views, unique amenities, and walkable neighbourhood make for a highly coveted living space. “This [penthouse] is a trophy showpiece to Vancouver, there’s no doubt about it.”

Location:  1568 Alberni Street PH1, Vancouver

Listed for: $16,900,000

Year built: 2023

Type: Three bedrooms, four full and one partial bathroom, penthouse

Size: 4,346 sq ft. The main floor spans 2,028 sq ft, the upper floor 1,682 sq ft, capped by the top floor at 636 sq ft for a total of 4,346 sq ft of living space. The main floor terrace is 401 sq ft, the upper floor terrace is 486 sq ft and the top floor terrace is 1,396 sq ft (2,283 sq ft of outdoor space)

Realtors: Will McKitka, Kevin Hardy, Sotheby’s International Realty

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Before she passed away in 2020 at the age of 91, Kathleen Cooper had lived her whole life on her family’s Abbotsford dairy farm. In fact, following her retirement as an educator, she continued to manage the historic farm, supported by her loyal workers who were as close as family. Even her 100 milking cows, each of whom she named personally, were like family. So too were her faithful German shepherds, who trotted alongside her quad as she motored around her fields and up mountain trails where she would sit and admire her bright red barn and peaceful pastures.

Now, starting this fall, Kathleen’s beloved farmland will be home to many more families in a new community developed by Polygon Homes and Morningstar Homes, called Cooper Meadows .

“We knew that honouring the legacy of Miss Kathleen Cooper and the history of her dairy farm was important to the family and the surrounding neighbourhood,” says Goldie Alam, senior vice-president, marketing, at Polygon Realty Ltd.

“As a result, we included details such as Cooper Hill Park and streets named after Miss Cooper’s beloved cows.”

The development’s first phase, East Ridge, is a collection of three- and four-bedroom, 1,500-1,800 square foot modern, farmhouse-inspired townhomes featuring pitched roofs, decorative shutters, a mix of shingle and lap siding, and select stone details. Private decks, patios or fenced yards are primed for outdoor activities and entertaining.

The main floors and primary bedrooms are capped by overheight ceilings, while durable wood-like laminate flooring covers the main and lower levels. Plush carpeting blankets the bedrooms, stairways and closets, while plenty of storage space is spread among the three floors’ closets.

Open-concept kitchens feature stainless steel appliances and are decked out in modern two-toned cabinetry and soft-close drawers with matte black hardware. Engineered stone countertops and full-height ceramic tile backsplash are set off by an expansive kitchen island with built-in storage for casual dining and food prep. The undermount stainless steel sink is accented with a single-lever matte black faucet as well as pullout vegetable spray for convenient prep and clean. There are also rollout recycling bins under the kitchen sink for easy organizing of compost and recyclables.

The openness of the kitchen into the living room particularly appealed to one new buyer, who’s transitioning out of a rental into his first new home.

“I plan to throw on the Canucks game and watch it while I’m cooking,” he says. In fact, the entire space “felt like a nice open concept that flowed well out into the backyard. It didn’t feel like I was cramped like a lot of (townhomes) that are long and skinny.”

He’s also looking forward to the primary bedroom’s ensuite, which features a spa-inspired shower, integrated bench seating and rain shower head with wand.

Secondary bathrooms include soaker tubs with porcelain double sinks, engineered stone countertops and sleek pot lights, dual-flush toilets and custom flat-panel cabinetry with decorative matte black pulls. The main floor powder room has porcelain tile flooring and, in most homes, a floating cabinet.

Overheight double-car garages accommodate side-by-side parking with plenty of extra room to store bikes, tools or sports gear. A heat pump system infuses the entire home with a comfy temperature year-round. As for colour schemes, buyers can choose from either a ‘forest’ palette with light grey cabinets and lighter coloured wood or ‘meadow’ with white cabinets and darker wood.

All homes are wired for technology, including high-speed internet, hardwired smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors, as well as flood detectors around the washer and dryer. As a Polygon Telus Residential Smart Community, homes include keyless entry, smart home automation, and a three-year Telus SmartHome security monitoring package.

For the ultimate in entertaining and activity, the 10,000 sq. ft. residents-only Cooper Club, constructed in red brick in tribute to Kathleen’s bright red barn, features an outdoor pool, hot tub, and lounge with fire pit. Inside the multi-purpose clubhouse there’s a fitness studio and fireside lounge where residents can play board games, curl up with a good book, socialize with friends, host birthday parties or club meetings. There’s even a dog wash station to rinse down Rover after a romp around the many nearby parks and pathways.

Those clubhouse amenities were a big draw for the new buyer. In fact, the whole property “felt like a modern living opportunity in Abbotsford that you don’t see all the time,” he says. “It’s like a fresh take on living in Abbotsford.”

Alam, who notes the development is just a five-minute drive to schools, shops, services and restaurants in downtown Abbotsford, says clubhouse activities and events help “foster a community spirit where neighbours become friends. From yoga classes and parent and tot playtimes to wine and cheese events and book club discussions, the clubhouse usually becomes the heart of these new communities.”

East Ridge at Cooper Meadows

Project address: 3025 McMillan Road, Abbotsford

Developers: Polygon

Architect: Formwerks Architectural

Interior design: Polygon

Project size: 191 woodframe townhomes

Residence size: 1,500 to 1,800 sq. ft., 3 and 4 bedrooms

Price: Starting at $779,900

Contact: 604-607-7801

Website: polyhomes.com/community/east-ridge/

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So you’ve decided to renovate a kitchen or ensuite bathroom or do a complete remodel of the common living space in your home. Where to start? Perusing design magazines and scrolling through social media posts is fun and offers a plethora of ideas and design visions to transform your home. But before getting caught in dreams of marble-topped counters and appliance garages, there are a few things to consider before launching into a major renovation.

Step one is to establish a budget which will determine exactly what can and cannot be achieved.

“Make sure you know what your capacity to spend is,” advises Kevin Hatch, owner of Twin Lions Contracting, HAVAN’s 2025 Residential Renovator of the Year award-winner.

And make sure you’re transparent about that number with your contractor, Hatch adds. “So many times people will come to us and want to keep their budget close to their chest because they’re afraid the contractor will spend all their money. The reality is we can’t adequately give them advice if we don’t know what their want is to spend.”

The next step is to determine if the homeowners’ wish list aligns with their budget. For that to happen there needs to be a conceptual plan either from a designer or architect for a builder to assess. To create an accurate estimate for the builder, the contractor needs specifics.

“The more information the people have; the more accurate the estimate can be,” says Jim Smith, owner of Smithwood Builders, a 2025 HAVAN multi-award winner. “[Having] the idea of doing an addition, I say ‘how many square feet is it?’ If I have to guess at a lot of stuff, it’s not a very accurate number.”

Assembling a team of a designer or architect along with a builder right from the start is key.

“People will often go to a designer and get all designed up and we’ll price it and it’s way out of their budget,” Hatch says. “Or they don’t get a proper design, and they get a contractor to put some anecdotal pricing together and they don’t get exactly what they want.”

Interviewing a few contractors and designers will help homeowners decide who is the best fit for them and their project. Hatch suggests finding the contractor first because as typically it’s the largest part of the renovation where the most money will be spent. He adds they often can connect homeowners with designers. “We can pair them up with a designer that works really well for a project of their type and also respect the budget,” he adds.

Doing some research on their own will help homeowners understand the cost of materials and finishes and help them make decisions as the project progresses and keep it on schedule. Although not all design details are confirmed before construction starts — like a bathroom accent tile — a client’s indecisiveness can slow things down because ordering is involved and the time on that can affect the budget. You might not know what accent tile you want to use in the shower niche, but you do need to decide in a timely manner as the project moves ahead. “Time is cost,” explains Smith. “It’s also little things to consider— [like] temporary fencing. We’re doing a project where we need to fence off a property, so people aren’t walking into the job site. That fence rental costs — for every extra month of rental it goes up.”

And given that, as Hatch says, costs have risen significantly on everything construction related in the past four years, every way to save helps stretch the budget.

It’s also recommended that people find an alternate place to live during the renovation and to plan this well in advance of the construction start. While it may seem like a way to save money, Hatch says it can end up costing more because having to work around residents can mean “phasing” the project. That requires trades returning multiple times to finish their work instead of once. He uses the example of drywallers needing 10 days to complete the project versus having to return to do different rooms and the days possibly doubling. He notes that the noise can have an impact on the clients.

“While the money may be a wash to save the mental energy may be a win to move out,” he says.

Before committing to a contract, it’s advised that you get recent references on projects similar to what you’re wanting to do. “There are some contractors who just rely on the same three people to give them references year over year over year,” Hatch says.

A final caveat: communication is crucial, Smith says. “Keep the whole team apprised of everything. The more you have as a team talking all the time the better off you’ll be.”

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What does it mean to work well? Is it about productivity, paycheques, or purpose? A new exhibition opening Sept. 18 at 828 East Hastings in Strathcona asks this question of exhibitors and visitors alike.

Titled Is This Working? This show focuses less on the grind and more on the gaps — the pauses, the unexpected moments and the creative ways we measure value.

This exhibition runs for a week and is the brainchild of three longtime contributors to Vancouver’s design and culture scene: Laura Melling, Renske Werner and Jody Phillips. Together they’ve assembled a multidisciplinary lineup that covers design, art, music, performance and wellness. The result is an off-site counterpoint to IDS Vancouver .

Curators with lived experience

For Phillips, who formerly ran IDS Vancouver and now works in arts and culture with the Naut’sa mawt Resources Group, this project has personal resonance.

She has certainly reached moments in her demanding career when she realized “this isn’t working.” Her energy felt depleted rather than renewed and a reset was needed.

That reset came through a shift toward community, arts and culture. She discovered real fulfilment working alongside Coast Salish communities to build an Indigenous art collection and lending program.

Bringing that spirit of collaboration into Is This Working? has been essential, says Phillips.

A warehouse becomes a playground

The show takes place in a soaring warehouse owned by Low Tide Properties in Vancouver’s Strathcona neighbourhood. Recently renovated, it now offers a blank slate with vaulted ceilings, ripe for reinvention, says Phillips.

In this space, Is This Working? introduces a series of pods and activations. Expect a central coworking installation, long-table meals, workshops and an opening night party with proceeds supporting the Eastside Neighbourhood House.

“It just felt tone-deaf not to do that,” Phillips said.

An installation of light and care

Among the standout contributions to this exhibit is Soft Threshold , a joint installation by artists Minahil Bukhari and Mustaali Raj. Together they reimagine the contemporary workspace not as a site of relentless productivity but as what they describe as “a responsive ecosystem.”

Drawing inspiration from philosopher Gernot Böhme’s writings on atmosphere, the pair use dappled light as both metaphor and material. The softened glow and transient shadows act as quiet prompts to slow down, to breathe, and to relate more attentively to the space and those within it. In their vision, light becomes an ethical encounter, transforming the workplace into a site of care rather than control.

Bukhari, a Pakistani-Canadian artist whose work grapples with displacement and loss, often through what she calls “political minimalism,” brings an emotional and textural depth.

Raj, an award-winning designer and visual artist, brings a global lens shaped by his “third culture kid” upbringing. “I am a circle, living in a square, drawing triangles,” he explains. His practice reinterprets traditional motifs in contemporary forms, always with an eye to social good and community building.

Beyond productivity

The exhibition’s title nods to Dolly Parton’s line: “Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”

That sentiment runs throughout the show, whether in architecture firms rethinking space, artists weaving personal histories into material form, or illustrators layering narratives into murals. Some works will take the prompt literally. Others will approach it obliquely, exploring themes of time, value, and care.

For Phillips, a Dutch Design Week project she saw some years ago remains a touchstone for her — a room filled with shredded paper, a clock running backwards, and a giant pencil scribbling nonsense across the floor.

“It struck a chord with me. It was anxiety-inducing, but it also made me think deeply about our obsession with productivity,” she said.

A different kind of party

Phillips admits she’s wary of the glossy, highbrow openings that design shows can sometimes default to. This one will be different, she says.

Tickets are $20, with half the proceeds going directly to the neighbourhood house next door.

“This is a community effort. Nobody’s here to make money. We’re here to reflect, to gather, to ask the question together,” says Phillips.

In a city where the cost of living often dictates the pace of life, Is This Working? offers a rare invitation to pause. Whether you arrive as a designer, an artist, or simply someone wondering about your own work-life balance, the hope is that you’ll leave not with answers, but with better questions.

Exhibition info:

Sept. 18 to 24, 2025

828 East Hastings Street, Strathcona, Vancouver, BC

The exhibition is free, and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with additional events and activations throughout

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