Organic Gardening News

Home improvement goes beyond renovating rooms and livening up landscapes, it’s also about making those spaces work better for everyday living. This year, the annual BC Home + Garden Show , happening at the Vancouver Convention Centre from March 12 to 15, takes things further than upgrading physical spaces, offering the tools and inspiration you need to sharpen your skills so you can bring your home to life. Now, you can renovate your kitchen and learn how to make the most of it, too.

You can upgrade your culinary skills with a visit to the Cooking Stage, presented by Flavour Network, where some of the city’s top chefs and culinary artisans share practical tips through seminars and live cooking demonstrations. Among them is Charlie Holiday, founder and facilitator of The Wild Knead, who will present a No Stress Sourdough workshop on March 14 at 2:30 p.m.

Holiday has found comfort in cooking since she could first hold a wooden spoon. Her early years were spent perched on the counter watching her mother and grandmother cook, and as she grew older, she found her own rhythm in the kitchen.

A former leadership coach, Holiday discovered her calling after experimenting with sourdough at home, eventually turning that passion into a full-time career. Today, she offers home-baked goods through The Wild Knead , sold at four Lower Mainland retail locations. She also runs “Wild Ways,” homestead-based cooking classes that include her signature No Stress Sourdough workshop as well as the art of pickling.

“It doesn’t have to be complicated,” Holiday shares of the common misconceptions around baking sourdough bread. “Sourdough doesn’t respond well to control, it responds to rhythm, attention and relationships. I teach people to trade perfection for trust, both in their starter and themselves.”

For Holiday, sourdough is about more than baking bread. “It’s bringing families back to the table. It’s bringing people to the kitchen, slowing down.” On her top tips for sourdough success, Holiday adds, “It’s less about flour ratios and more about how you show up: patience, letting go of control, being willing to mess up, staying calm, using intuition and trust. Those skills in the kitchen carry over to life.”

That philosophy is at the heart of how Holiday approaches her workshops. She says part of what makes her job so rewarding is watching people realize they’re capable of more than they expected. “There’s nothing like seeing people light up,” she says. That sense of possibility, paired with the joy of sharing food, is what she hopes visitors take away from her presentation. “I love to share not only the joy of sourdough, but the joy of discovering what you’re capable of, without the stress and panic, and bringing these old-world techniques and skills to people,” she says. And, she adds with a laugh, hearing people say her bread is the best they’ve ever tried is always a highlight, too.

Other Cooking Stage presenters share a similar sentiment, connecting cooking skills with everyday life. Presenting together on March 12 at 3 p.m., Carissa Kasper of Seed & Nourish and Harris Sakalis, executive chef at Fairmont Waterfront, demonstrate a garden-to-table approach to cooking. Kasper grows fresh herbs and vegetables in the rooftop garden of the Fairmont Waterfront, and Chef Sakalis turns those garden-fresh ingredients into seasonal, sustainable dishes. Together, they bring their garden-to-table approach to the Cooking Stage, showing how homegrown produce can inspire simple, flavourful cooking.

Also appearing on March 15 at 11 a.m. are Lora Mouammer and Bushra Elias of Everything Za’atar , showcasing their Syrian-influenced spice blends and how you can incorporate them into everyday cooking at home. And Chef Bruno Feldeisen, a judge on CBC’s The Great Canadian Baking Show, presents live cooking demonstrations on multiple days throughout the event (March 12 at 6 p.m., March 13 at 12 p.m., and March 14 at 11 a.m.), where he’ll cook sweet and savoury dishes before your eyes, using locally-sourced and seasonal ingredients.

The BC Home + Garden Show 2026 runs from March 12 to 15 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Find the Main Stage and Cooking Stage schedule, a rundown of features and workshops, plus show hours and tickets at bchomeandgardenshow.com

Related

• Spark your imagination at the BC Home + Garden Show
• Life is messy — but Kortney Wilson says your home doesn’t have to be

The world of interior design is creative, exciting and challenging and sometimes it takes experiencing a different occupation to recognize that a career designing the spaces we all live and work in is within reach.

In this Q&A four interior designers share their journeys and the moments when they realized it was time to pursue a career that felt like a better fit.

At a glance

Laura Grist: founder Laura Grist Interior Design Inc.

Previous career: Human resources

Studied interior design at: The Art Institute of Vancouver

Years in interior design: 20

What attracted you to interior design?

You didn’t get a lot of people in interior design when I was young; it just wasn’t a big thing. I remember watching a commercial about going to The Art Institute and learning about interior design and thought ‘That’s what I wanted to do. What’s the matter with me?’ So probably within a week I signed up and went back to school full time when I was 40. It was one of those things I’d always known really deep inside me that I wanted to do. But life takes you in a lot of directions.

What was challenging about the career switch?

I remember going back to school and not realizing how little I knew about computers [compared to] back when I was working with a computer — things had changed a lot, and it was really challenging. These were new words; it was like a language I had never heard before. So, I found one of the girls in the class who was very smart and she had a really good design sense. I said to her, ‘I’d like you to be my partner in everything.’ She literally walked me through what [the instructor] said.

Which skills from your previous career did you carry into interior design?

The best thing I carried over — and this has been something I’ve always thought was the mark of my firm in comparison to other firms — is that I treat everyone as professionals. I bring my human resources skills to [staff] in the office. My longest running employee is 15 years now. My next longest is 12, and the next one is eight.

I don’t think you could find that in this industry anywhere where someone signs on to start work with you and no one’s ever left.

They’re amazing and I couldn’t ask for better people to be in my life. They give such good energy, they’re excited and we laugh a lot and that’s important to me too. And at 62, I don’t see myself stopping what I’m doing.

What do you enjoy most about being an interior designer?

I love to be able to take a space people just cannot imagine being different and coming in and giving them something they didn’t even know they needed. It’s like a gift because you get to walk in and see people’s reactions and see how thankful they are that we’ve taken into consideration how they live, how they work, how their family is. Not every interior design is for a magazine but we’re going to make it interesting, thoughtful and make their dreams come true. It’s so rewarding.

Advice for others considering a similar career change?

It’s hard because it is a very competitive field. My advice is don’t turn away any little job that comes your way, any time you can do something on your own, stretch your wings. Don’t be afraid. There’s a solution for everything and don’t be afraid to be creative. Consider salary. The first few years, you’re not going to make the money you make in other jobs because it’s not quite the same, but if you’re considering moving, do it because you love design. Don’t do it because you think you’re going to be on the cover of magazines. It is a job you feel you need to do because that’s your calling.

At a glance

Pam Chilton: founder and principal designer Zimba Building Design and Consulting

Previous career: Building inspector

Studied interior design: BCIT

Years in interior design: 22 years

What attracted you to interior design?

I was always interested in design. I already had a diploma in building technology and was working as a building inspector — the field of building inspection was quite regulatory and there wasn’t much room for creativity. I actually had an epiphany when I was camping alone on Hornby Island, and I’d gone for a walk along the bluffs at Helliwell Park. It was a good place for contemplation, and it just hit me hard: ‘I’m going to go back to school and study design.’ It was a moment of clarity and when those moments come, I pay attention to them.

What was challenging about the career switch?

The most challenging part was taking the leap. I always liken it to jumping over a creek and trying not to get your feet wet and fall in. At some point you just have to make the leap and trust that you’re going to land on the other side with dry feet. Once I made the switch, I would set goals for myself like not missing a mortgage payment and keeping up with bills. Each time one of these goals was achieved it gave me the confidence to continue and to know I was doing the right thing.

Which skills from your previous career did you carry into interior design?

One of the cornerstones of my design firm is that we do all the legwork and dealing with city hall because we have that kind of background with building code and zoning bylaws. We say we speak ‘building permit’ as a second language. Everything we design comes from a practical standpoint because it has a foundation in the building code and a zoning bylaw, so we are never going submit something that isn’t going to work or be approved to be built. When we submit it to city hall it’s not a stab in the dark, we know it’s going to work.

What do you enjoy most about being an interior designer?

I love being able to use my creativity and work out problems that cross between math, science and art. The best thing about my job is when I drive up to a job site and I see something I thought up in my head actually built in real life. It’s so rewarding.

Advice for others considering a similar career change?

Learn all you can before you make the change. Have systems in place to help propel you forward. Find a mentor or an accountability partner you can bounce ideas off of. It’s hard to work in office of one and just talk to the dog all day!

At a glance

Lucy Cockburn: BYU Design, interior designer

Previous career: Marketing

Studied interior design at: Visual College of Art and Design

Years in interior design: 4

What attracted you to interior design?

I have always been interested in interior design; I considered studying it at university but just went a more fine arts direction I think for no better reason than preferring the uni location. The light bulb moment for me was many years later during a conversation with a colleague about what my passion was, and that’s all it took for me to return to that path. Less than a month later I had researched schools and programs in Vancouver and was ready to change things up.

What was challenging about the career switch?

The difference between what people think interior designers do and what we actually do was something I was naive about — the scope of work and depth of responsibility is much broader than I had previously imagined. Also, working in commercial design, I underestimated how many stakeholders would have an input in the design, coming at the project from a different angle with slightly different priorities and constraints to us, and how drastically that can change your concept and how you imagined the end result.

Which skills from your previous career did you carry into interior design?

Although I wish I had got into design sooner, I think marketing experience is incredibly valuable to have in any career. My previous experience has helped me learn how to frame and communicate information in ways that are engaging and clear to different audiences. In interior design, you’re constantly presenting concepts, justifying decisions, aligning multiple stakeholders and being able to present ideas clearly that can move the process along more smoothly.

What do you enjoy most about being an interior designer?

There’s something really cool about taking an idea that came from an inspiration photo, or a detail I have seen in real life, evolving it, drawing it, detailing it and then seeing it become a physical space people will use and live in long after I am gone — that will never get old to me. The creativity and influence of the work is genuinely something I hadn’t experienced before entering this field.

Advice for others considering a similar career change?

If it is something that you have always thought about, I would say go for it, you never know until you try. I am so much happier and more fulfilled in this career than I have been previously. Work is such a huge part of your life, and having work that feels fulfilling really does make a difference to your happiness, your energy and everything around you. It is scary to start from scratch, but I would say in my case it has definitely paid off.

At a glance

Reisa Pollard: Beyond Beige Interior Design, founder and interior designer

Previous career: Librarian

Studied interior design at: BCIT

Years in interior design: 23

What attracted you to interior design?

I have always loved interior design even before I had ever heard the term ‘interior design.’ I saved up my clothing allowance in high school to purchase wallpaper for my room. I redecorated our tiny lake cabin with all sorts of fancy details such as drapery, wallpaper and brass accessories. However, I never considered it as a career until I had done many other jobs. I had always done it as a hobby as my parents were not supportive of it as a profession. Finally, I decided I had to go back to school before it was too late.

What was challenging about the career switch?

The most challenging part was not designing, I was intuitively good at that, but the client management and project management was overwhelming. I remember clients coming into my office saying, ‘you are such a typical artist, your notes are a mess, nothing is detailed, you are just winging it, luckily we love your vision.’

Which skills from your previous career did you carry into interior design?

Who would ever think that being a librarian would benefit interior design, but strangely I have brought over many valuable skills. The first is that the library was one of the first fibre optic buildings so the internet there was fast and effective. I got used to using it to search design details and visuals when designers were still thumbing through magazines. The other thing I have been aware of is that I am a good researcher. Now with technology everything is more available, but not so long ago I would be able to look up the specs, dimensions and details of a product when a peer would be reaching out to a rep and waiting for answers.

What do you enjoy most about being an interior designer?

No day is ever the same, no project is ever the same, no client is ever the same. I will be tested and challenged as long as I do this job. I love creating change that people love. I love that the work we do changes the way people feel in their homes. I’m trusted with their personal space and I get to translate their desires and style into the rooms that they live life in. I love from the depth of my soul, finding beautiful new products. Every day feels like Christmas.

Advice for others considering a similar career change?

Don’t start the way I did! I was so naive and just started my business without any mentor or prior experience. Even the simplest thing was challenging — ‘How do I make an invoice? What taxes do you charge on building materials?’ — everything about running a business was so difficult because I had no reference to standards. Start by working any job in a reputable firm or find a mentor, like me, who can give you so much insight on design practices, business practices. It will make your life so much easier, and you will build a much better foundation for your career.

Related

• A forest-wrapped Lions Bay home is returned to its modernist glory
• How designers translate travel into timeless interiors

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

3346 — 3350 West 10th Ave., Vancouver

Type: Eight-bedroom, six-bathroom fourplex

Size: 2,827 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $3,313,000

Listed for: $2,998,000

Sold for: $2,900,000

Sold on: Nov. 22

Days on market in this listing: 92

Listing agent: Bob Bracken at ReMax Real Estate Services

Buyers agent: Thomas Liaskas at TRG — The Residential Group Realty

The big sell: Possibilities abound with this Kitsilano R1-1 zoned property that consists of a four-suite house as well as a three-bedroom laneway home. According to listing agent Bob Bracken, the current total rental income for both properties is $12,575 per month ($150,900 per year). The main house (at almost 100 years old) comprises three levels with a two-bedroom unit on the top floor that generates $2,100 per month, a larger two bedroom suite on the main floor complete with deck for $3,250 per month, and a one-bedroom unit plus a studio suite on the ground floor that bring in $1,480 and $1,295 per month respectively. The nine-year-old laneway house has a two-level layout that spans over 1,000 square feet and is furnished and fully-equipped and that generates $4,450 per month. The oversized lot covers 6,100 square feet which offers redevelopment opportunities too.

203 — 11901 89A Ave., North Delta

Type: Three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment

Size: 1,243 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $530,000

Listed for: $588,000

Sold for: $555,000

Sold on: Nov. 5

Days on market in this listing: 78

Listing agent: Karim Virani at Virani Real Estate Advisors

Buyers agent: Inder Sekhon PREC at ReMax Performance Realty

The big sell: This three-bedroom ground-floor unit resides in Emerald Court, a six-storey building that was constructed in the early 1970s in North Delta’s historic Annieville district (the location for B.C.’s first commercial salmon cannery back in the 1870s). Fast forward to today, and the location enjoys access to shopping, recreation, dining, and Kwantlen Polytechnic University. This unit has a thoughtfully-designed layout with a centre island and full-sized appliances in the kitchen, insuite laundry, a mix of flooring with both tile and carpet, generous storage space including a walk-in closet, and a patio for outside relaxation and entertaining. There is also a recently-upgraded furnace and hot water tank. The home comes with a parking stall, a monthly maintenance fee of $305.00, and a strata that permits pets and rentals with restrictions.

1 — 3466 Franklin St., Vancouver

Type: Four-bedroom, three-bathroom half duplex

Size: 1,533 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,500,000

Listed for: $1,499,000

Sold for: $1,499,000

Sold on: Nov. 19

Days on market in this listing: 25

Listing agent: Jessica Chen PREC at Oakwyn Realty

Buyers agent: Dave Masson PREC and Austin Adam at Engel & Volkers Vancouver

The big sell: This newly-finished duplex was built by Cheng Properties in Vancouver’s Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood within walking distance to numerous amenities that line Hastings Street. The whole property comprises three units (the third unit is a detached laneway home) but this is a front-unit half duplex and offers four bedrooms including, usefully, one on the main level opposite a full bathroom. There are engineered hardwood floors below high ceilings, stairway lighting, a gas stove, a peninsula with a waterfall countertop and bar seating, surround sound, a smart doorbell as well as a built-in security system, and a heat pump with air conditioning for year-round comfort. French doors open to a private outdoor space with professional landscaping, and there is parking to the rear. The home sold for the full asking price in just over three weeks.

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

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

Related

• Sold (Bought): English garden, new kitchen among the attractions of Ladner house
• Sold (Bought): Mount Pleasant home draws multiple offers

With all the talk about housing affordability out of reach for many British Columbians, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the popularity of modular homes is on the rise. But these new modular homes are nothing like the manufactured homes of yesteryear.

You need only visit Hewing Haus at the BC Home + Garden Show 2026 to see for yourself how truly sophisticated these innovative prefabricated modular homes are.

Today’s housing market is changing fast, and modular homes are meeting that challenge head-on by building homes faster, cheaper, and greener in a controlled environment rather than traditional on-site construction.

A premier builder of custom modular homes in Chilliwack, Hewing Haus specializes in custom prefab modular homes built incorporating cross-laminate timber (CLT) — sustainably harvested and renewable lumber that provides stability, strength and rigidity.

“I have been a builder for more than 22 years, and I was always interested in starting a modular homes company. Since we began in 2018, the demand has kept growing year by year,” says Ken Toews, founder of Hewing Haus. “People come up to us at the home show really interested in learning more about the benefits of modular homes. Today, buyers want them as a recreational cottages, short-term rentals, or as a secondary home on their existing recreational property.”

The benefits are countless, notwithstanding the much shorter build time.

“An average build can take as long as a year or more, whereas a typical modular home takes about six weeks,” says Toews. “Typically, we have been building one-level homes, but we are now building two-level homes. We just completed a 3,600-square-foot, two-level home for a client in Alberta that took three months to complete.”

During the home show, Toews is excited to unveil the Hewing Haus’ newest model, Keats 4, a wider, more luxurious version than last year’s model that attendees can walk through.

In this era of healthy living, modular homes are also transforming the way we think about vacation homes and retreats. Wellness integration is focused on creating environments that promote physical, mental and emotional well-being. Toews says not only are its modular homes airtight, extremely energy efficient and include a heat pump and air conditioning, but the company can also combine wellness features such as saunas, hot tubs and even cold plunges.

“Visitors going through Keats 4 will feel like they are in a luxury hotel room,” says Toews. “It is equipped with a coffee bar and fireplace, as well as an outdoor sauna and outdoor shower we custom-built.”

Prefab is nothing new. Dating back centuries, prefabricated homes surged in popularity in the early 1900s with Sears, Roebuck and Co. selling kit homes from its catalogue. The company sold more than 70,000 homes between 1908 and 1940.

Benefits of prefab are many, including the ability to design, model and prefabricate the structural elements of a project off-site, which significantly reduces on-site production schedules compared to traditional on-site construction with steel or concrete.

“Not only is a prefab more efficient, but it also reduces the carbon footprint because there’s less on-site waste,” says Toews.

Sustainability is in Hewing Haus’ ethos. “By building at our Chilliwack facility, we lessen our carbon footprint, decrease material waste and cause less disruption,” says Toews.

The BC Home + Garden Show 2026 runs from March 12 to 15 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Find the Main Stage and Cooking Stage schedule, a rundown of features and workshops, plus show hours and tickets at bchomeandgardenshow.com

Related

• Spark your imagination at the BC Home + Garden Show
• Life is messy — but Kortney Wilson says your home doesn’t have to be

Spring is the season during which nature revives and strengthens itself — dormant plants begin to grow again and new seedlings sprout from the ground. Whether you’re a novice gardener or a seasoned green thumb, BC Home + Garden Show’s Garden Retail Market has experts on hand to provide you with advice and seeds for your most inspiring garden yet.

Postmedia spoke to Art’s Nursery, retail manager, John Cowie who shared his tips to start you on your way to having the best garden ever, whether you live in a condo with a small patio or a home with a large garden.

When to plant in B.C.’s climate?

Spring in B.C. is the ideal time to start soil preparation, planting and garden design planning.

“I tell customers to start some vegetable seeds indoors by a windowsill before planting them in the garden,” says Cowie. “I’m talking about arugula, spinach, tomatoes, eggplant, peas, lettuce and peppers, which can lead to more fruitful harvests.”

You can plant trees and shrubs in the cool days of early spring. The best plants for our climate include native species such as Douglas fir, Western red cedar, ferns and wildflowers.

Prep your soil for success

“First, it always comes down to having a healthy foundation,” says Cowie. “That means you have to prepare your soil for success.”

Whether you’re growing flowers, herbs or vegetables, a healthy soil is an absolute must. First off, check what type of soil you actually have. Sand, clay, loam? Then, you’ll want to add nutrients in the form of organic matter, which is material that was originally produced by living organisms (like bugs, plants and animals) and has gone through some form of decomposition.

“The secret to a thriving garden is adding organic compost,” says Cowie. “Plants need three main nutrients that are essential to plant functions — nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium — all of which are present in organic compost. The healthier the ecosystem is, the more your plants will thrive. That means bigger and tastier harvests and less maintenance.”

Plan your gardens

Cowie recommends taking the time to design your new garden.

“Don’t try to get it all done in March because a garden can be a year-long commitment,” says Cowie. “However, if you are a snowbird or someone who travels extensively, you might want to focus more on your front yard during fall and winter, and in spring focus on your backyard.”

If you are a newbie, Cowie says: “Walk around your neighbourhood and take photos of gardens you like or go online and bring your ideas to the show and we can help you.”

If you live in a condo, Cowie suggests vertical gardening, which uses vertical space to grow plants, whether by displaying them in hanging baskets, along trellises, or by installing a full-scale living wall.

In the Garden Retail Market, Cowie and his knowledgeable staff can help you select from a wide variety of seeds and plants that match the growing conditions you provide. If your garden spot is sunny, read plant tags for plants that thrive in six or more hours of sunlight per day. Partial sun is four to six hours of sunlight. For shady areas, look for plants that prefer less than two hours of sunlight per day.

The BC Home + Garden Show 2026 runs from March 12 to 15 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Find the Main Stage and Cooking Stage schedule, a rundown of features and workshops, plus show hours and tickets at bchomeandgardenshow.com

Related

• Spark your imagination at the BC Home + Garden Show
• Life is messy — but Kortney Wilson says your home doesn’t have to be

Summit Lake Ski Lodge, located in Nakusp, in the West Kootenay region of southeastern B.C., has served local families for more than sixty years. Built and cared for by volunteers, the lodge is part warming hut, part community hall and part memory bank for generations who learned to ski there.

This small but mighty lodge recently had a renovation focused on preserving the existing building and extending its life rather than replacing or reshaping it.

Instead of chasing a new look, the focus was on durability and long-term use. The team at Town Architecture led this project, finding ways to improve warmth and comfort in walls that were never designed to be insulated, rebuilding roof and deck structures to handle deep snow, and staging the work so the volunteer-run ski hill could remain open throughout construction.

Building on the good

For Jordan Jones, principal at Town Architecture , the value of the lodge was clear from the start.

“You could see the layers of adaptation — how the building had grown over time to meet changing needs. That kind of evolution carries meaning. It felt like something worth building on, not wiping away,” he says.

Since the early 1960s, the lodge has been expanded and altered in stages, each responding to immediate needs using the materials and skills available at the time. Rather than smoothing out those differences, the design team chose to learn from them.

“Once you understand how a place has evolved, it becomes something to work with rather than correct,” says Jones.

An unconventional structure

One of the lodge’s defining features is hidden within its walls. The original building was constructed using stacked lumber instead of standard framing, a practical solution shaped by local timber and hands-on building traditions.

“The stacked-lumber construction is unusual and not something you encounter often today,” says Jones. “Even though it isn’t exposed, understanding how it was built told us a lot about the building’s origins. It reflects a resourceful, hands-on approach shaped by available materials and community effort rather than convention.”

Improving comfort without changing the feel

Rather than altering the interior spaces people know so well, improvements were made from the outside. The work improves warmth and weather protection while leaving the familiar wood-lined interior untouched.

“Upgrading from the exterior allowed us to preserve the wood-lined interior that people closely associate with the lodge experience. That interior has a nostalgic feel for many — it’s part of what makes the place recognizable and inviting,” says Jones.

Working this way also helped keep the lodge in use.

“Working from the outside also helped us maintain usable space inside and kept disruptions to a minimum, which was critical to keeping the ski hill running during the winter,” he says.

Summit Lake Ski Lodge was never sleek or luxurious, and the renewal respects that.

“It helps to understand why people come here in the first place,” says Jones. “They’re not looking for a high-end resort experience — they come for the memories, the family-friendly feel, the location, and the unmistakable Kootenay character. Over-refining the space would have stripped away some of what makes it memorable.”

The result is a lodge that feels warmer and easier to use, without losing its familiar personality.

Built to handle the elements

Snow, moisture, and wildfire risk are part of everyday life in the region, and the renovation responds directly to these realities, says Jones.

“Durability meant choosing materials that could stand up to snow, moisture, and fire risk — but without making the building feel defensive. Metal cladding gave us that resilience, while timber and wood accents were used to bring back warmth and familiarity,” he says.

The final phase of work replaced the aging deck and roof, creating a more sheltered space that sits between indoors and out.

“In mountain settings, these in-between spaces are essential. They offer protection from the elements while still keeping you connected to the landscape. Whether you’re gearing up, catching your breath, or just taking in the view, these thresholds become part of the experience.”

Jones says he hopes the result of this renovation is that people experience a quiet invitation to step inside the lodge, linger a little longer and connect with the place. The more defined entrance was meant to give the building a sense of welcome and presence without shouting for attention, he says:

“We expect the building to age well now that it’s better protected from the elements. But just as important is how it ages emotionally. I hope the improvements make things easier for the people who work and volunteer there, and that it deepens the connection people already have with the place.”

Related

• A forest-wrapped Lions Bay home is returned to its modernist glory
• Can colour therapy help beat winter blues?

When Kortney Wilson last presented at the BC Home + Garden Show , odds are that the consummate house-flipper would have talked about renovations. This year she’ll be sharing tips on how to make your existing space more livable, which is the theme of her new Home Network show Life Is Messy.

“We’ve shifted from these really grand renovations — teardowns, rebuilds, add-ons — to going into houses and taking every item down to a pack of gum out of the house, and asking hard questions about how the family lives,” Wilson says. “It’s a much more humble process and really stripped down to what actually makes a home function. Life is messy, but your home doesn’t have to be.”

Wilson first gained fame as the co-host and lead designer of Masters of Flip, which ran for four seasons. She later co-starred in Making It Home for three seasons.

Born and raised in Ontario, Wilson moved to Nashville at 18 to pursue a career in country music before pivoting into real estate and design. Over the years she and her team have flipped well over 100 homes across the U.S.; today Wilson is also a realtor and entrepreneur with her own design line and real estate group.

In Life Is Messy, Wilson and her co-host Kenny Brain help eight families in the Toronto area rethink how they use their homes — from clutter and layout to daily routines. The series begins airing on Home Network April 9.

“Tidying up is the first step, but there is an art to it. Otherwise, everybody would do it. Having taken these families from A to Z over 10 days — yes, it’s on speed — I really want to empower people.”

Wilson cautions homeowners against getting caught up in trends.

“People forget to address how long they’re going to live in a house. Levelling up looks very different if you’re moving in two years versus staying for 20. Also, people forget the practical stuff — where shoes pile up, where clutter lands, where people actually gather. Those answers should shape the floor plan more than any trend.”

She also emphasizes considering resale value in renovation plans.

“I’ll walk into a renovated house and hear, ‘I don’t cook on an island,’ so they put in a tiny one — and I’ll say, ‘You may have just lost $50,000 when you sell.’ I look at this as both a designer and a realtor. I’ve been a realtor for 15 years in Nashville, and I often see buyers pass on homes because beauty isn’t there, even though practicality is.”

One of the appealing aspects of transforming your space, Wilson says, is that you don’t need to break the bank.

“I lead with my heart on Life Is Messy — motherhood, marriage, working from home. Most people don’t have $200,000 for a renovation, so the question becomes: can they still love their house? And the answer is yes. Last week, I helped a realtor friend who hated her living room. We moved furniture, created a focal point, reduced clutter — and didn’t spend a dime. Reducing clutter is the biggest roadblock. People see it on TV, but they’re not brave enough to do it.”

People hang onto stuff for various reasons, but one of the biggest is emotional attachment. Those three decades of Christmas cards in your closet, including the one from your mortgage broker? It might be time to dump them in the recycling bin.

“Our show addresses the North Star by asking, what are you really after? You’re not spending time with your family. There’s a never-ending pile of clutter. Well then let’s start small. Let’s start with one room or one closet, or one pantry. I am there to inspire. I am a doer.”

Wilson, who last presented at the BC Home + Garden Show in 2017, says she is looking forward to her return.

“I’m so excited. I always say if I wasn’t living in Nashville and moved to Canada, it would be Vancouver.”

She adds that she won’t be limiting her time meeting showgoers after her presentations.

“I love looking at people’s house photos and offering advice if I can.”

Kortney Wilson will be appearing on the Sleep Country Main Stage presented by Home Network and the Vancouver Sun Fri., March 13, at 6 p.m. and Sat., March 14, at 1 p.m.

The BC Home + Garden Show 2026 runs from March 12 to 15 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Find the Main Stage and Cooking Stage schedule, a rundown of features and workshops, plus show hours and tickets at bchomeandgardenshow.com

When it comes to wall decor, the usual go-tos are a new coat of paint, framed art, or wallpaper. But a mural can transform a room as well or better than any of the more obvious solutions.

Calgary-based artist Rachel Lyon has been painting murals for a decade. In that time, she’s seen business from commissioned residential work increase.

“The last three or so years has been increasingly busy,” she said. “Whether that’s because I’m growing my business or gaining a bit more notoriety, I’m not sure. I live in a city that really supports the arts and public art, so I think that helps as well.”

In Vancouver at least, exterior murals have been showcased in the annual Vancouver Mural Festival, which came to a close in 2025 after a nine-year run. A number of local artists and firms, including Natalie Way, Kim Hunter and Studio Muze, accept residential mural commissions.

Lyon finds that some people have to wrap their minds around the idea of a mural over more conventional home decor ideas.

“Sometimes, people are worried that they might change their mind, or outgrow it. Or they’re worried about resale value. But when I bought my house there were three kids-themed murals and we don’t have kids. We just sanded them, primed them, and painted over them. You would never know they were there. It really is just paint.”

Surprisingly, most of her residential work hasn’t been dinosaurs and clouds.

“I’ve done a few kids’ rooms, but I’ve done more powder rooms, guest rooms, living rooms — more adult-themed spaces. That might just be the style of my art. Some of my muralist peers do tons of kids’ rooms, so it’s definitely getting more popular with families.”

Her style tends towards “botanicals and nature elements — plants and flowers — but nothing too out there.”

Usually, her clients have some idea of what they want.

“Some will send over a Pinterest board or they have a colour palette in mind.”

Whether the client comes with their own ideas or not, the mural will be one-of-a-kind.

“Every client I take on gets a custom design. They don’t pick from a preset book of designs. I work with them on their inspiration and what they want, and they see everything mocked up digitally before I even touch the paint, so they have an idea of what they’re getting.”

It takes her about one to two days to paint 100 square feet.

“It depends on the level of detail. If it’s extra detailed, it’s going to take longer. If it’s simpler, it could be done in one day. Every artist is different, but that’s kind of the sweet spot for me.”

Whether on the street, in a lobby or in someone’s house, mural painting is usually done in public. She has got used to people watching her work.

“It was kind of strange at first, but I’ve grown to love it. Most people are so supportive and just genuinely curious. It definitely adds time when you’re painting in busy public places because people want to chat. Sometimes it’s a new business going in and people are curious about what’s happening in their neighbourhood. They just have questions.”

For those on the fence about hiring a muralist for their home, she notes that “It’s different than having a canvas on your wall. It’s something that sparks a feeling — usually joy. That’s why people want murals: something that makes them feel good. And it’s something you get to experience every day.”

For her appearance at the BC Home + Garden Show — her first, though she’s appeared at the Calgary and Edmonton editions — she’ll create a piece for a Vancouver non-profit. Two local artists, Susan Phan and Angel Kao, will help paint the piece, which will be on thin plywood so it’s portable and can be easily applied to a wall.

At the time of this writing, Lyon wasn’t yet sure what the subject will be, though she has some ideas.

“Knowing me, it will be something home-and-garden inspired. Spring’s coming, so probably something florally that gives that ‘we’re over winter’ vibe.”

The BC Home + Garden Show 2026 runs from March 12 to 15 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Find the Main Stage and Cooking Stage schedule, a rundown of features and workshops, plus show hours and tickets at bchomeandgardenshow.com

Whether you’re thinking about revamping your home decor or backyard, or looking for easy DIY upgrades or a little culinary inspiration, there will be something for you at this year’s BC Home + Garden Show .

The event, set to run from March 12 to 15 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West, will feature more than 300 exhibitors showcasing the latest in home improvement, design, and landscaping, including Art’s Nursery Garden Retail Market, and so much more.

“We are excited to bring the show back to Vancouver this year and look forward to stepping into a new location at the Vancouver Convention Centre,” says Marketplace Events show coordinator Madelyne Lemieux. “It will be packed with inspiration and expertise for anyone looking to transform their home and garden.

“One of the main attractions is the Sleep Country Main Stage, presented by Home Network and The Vancouver Sun. This is where attendees can hear directly from industry experts, covering everything from renovations to design trends and smart home solutions.”

Included in the Main Stage lineup is real estate expert, designer and TV host Kortney Wilson from Life Is Messy on Home Network. She will be presenting Designed to Stay, Styled to Sell: Life Is Messy, But Your Home Doesn’t Have to Be.”

Also on the Main Stage are renovation expert and TV host Adam Weir and custom home builder and renovator, My House Design/Build Team’s Graeme Huguet.

Horticulturalist Egan Davis will take to the stage to talk about new and fun gardening trends.

Maybe you are a budding muralist looking to test your creativity on large-scale canvases? If so, you are in luck. For her first time at the show, Calgary-based muralist and illustrator Rachel Lyon delivers Paint with Purpose: a live mural project curated by Lyon.

“I’m bringing two muralist friends of mine, Susan Phan and Angel Kao, to help me out,” says Lyon. “Once the mural is finished, we will donate it to a Vancouver-based charity.”

Lyon is mulling ideas for a bright, colourful botanical composition. Attendees are invited to ask questions while Lyon, along with Phan and Kao, paint for up to six hours a day.

John Cowie, retail manager at Art’s Nursery, will be on hand to motivate any green thumb out there. Whether you are a seasoned gardener, a curious beginner, or simply want to learn more about growing your own vegetable garden, Cowie is there to provide information, tips and advice.

“I get a lot of questions from homeowners wanting to know how to create separation from their neighbours,” says Cowie. “I will give tips for choosing the best trees and shrubs, like deciduous trees that filter light, or small multi-season space trees, like the eastern redbud, stewartia and Japanese maple, that possess gorgeous fall colours.”

Another must-see show attraction is the Cooking Stage. Chefs like Chef Bruno Feldeisen from The Great Canadian Baking Show, as well Carissa Kasper of Seed & Nourish and Harris Sakalis, executive chef at Fairmont Waterfront, will take to the stage to demonstrate culinary techniques, highlight food trends and inspire home cooks.

“Food lovers won’t want to miss the Cooking Stage. This is where things will really heat up, with live demos and seminars from some of Vancouver’s most respected chefs,” says Lemieux. “Expect insider tips, hot dining trends and plenty of inspiration for your next meal — plus a few tasty surprises along the way.”

Attendees can also glean Power Smart solutions to save on home energy costs at the BC Hydro Learning Centre or shop till you drop at The Collective Markets, a curated market showcasing local artisans, and peruse one-of-a-kind pieces of local art at the Art Market (formerly M(ART)ket).

As housing trends shift, the show offers a look at the latest in cost-saving renovation solutions, sustainable home designs and new approaches to multi-functional living spaces.

B.C. prefabricated home builder Hewing Haus will showcase its newest model on the show floor that visitors can explore.

“With the rising cost of living, we’re seeing a big interest in small-scale vacation homes, rental suite conversions and energy-efficient upgrades — our exhibitors and speakers reflect that demand,” says Lemieux.

The BC Home + Garden Show 2026 runs from March 12 to 15 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Find the Main Stage and Cooking Stage schedule, a rundown of features and workshops, plus show hours and tickets at bchomeandgardenshow.com

When it comes to choosing art for their home, many people get it backwards, says artist Donna Giraud.

“Art shouldn’t be the last thing that you choose,” she said. “Art is something you can base your style around.”

A veteran of the Art Market (formerly M(ART)ket) at the BC Home + Garden Show , Giraud is returning to the art show-within-a-show for at least the tenth time.

The market spotlights local artists offering canvases, prints and photography for home decor inspiration. LM Designs, Heart of Fire and Ashes, Theresa Eaton Art, Dana Mooney Art and Mahla Zolghadri will also be in attendance.

Giraud describes her work as abstract and textural.

“People want to see things in art, and a lot of people see landscapes when they look at my work,” she said. “I’m from the Pacific Northwest, and that influence comes out in the shapes and colours.”

In recent years, she has expanded into photography, selling close-up images of details from her paintings. The result is work that is more abstract — and more accessible — with prints available at a lower price point.

Most of her sales come from people who first encounter her work at events like the BC Home + Garden Show.

“They usually just buy them off the wall,” she said. “If they’re not confident, they’ll pick their five favourites and I’ll bring them to their house and we try on the artwork. If that doesn’t work, I’ll do a custom piece.”

Roughly 70 per cent of her buyers live in detached homes and townhouses, though condo dwellers make up a growing share.

“With condos, there are fewer walls,” she said. “In Vancouver there’s lots of glass, lots of windows, and smaller footprints.”

That makes scale especially important.

“You’re kind of beholden to the shape and size of your walls, but even small pieces can be super impactful,” she said. “I have one in my bathroom, and it just makes the room.”

When hanging art, Giraud recommends giving it room to breathe — on both sides, and above and below — and resisting the urge to hang it too high.

If placement feels uncertain, she suggests taping out the dimensions on the wall.

“That gives you a real sense of how the piece will look,” she said. “People often realize they could actually go bigger. Mapping out your walls is a really good trick.”

After a decade of Home Shows, Giraud says she has heard it all, from requests for family portraits to comments like “my five-year-old could paint better than that.”

But the show still delivers moments that make it worthwhile.

“You hear someone say, ‘Holy crap, this piece of art is amazing,’” she said. “And then you get to put it on their wall.”

The BC Home + Garden Show 2026 runs from March 12 to 15 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Find the Main Stage and Cooking Stage schedule, a rundown of features and workshops, plus show hours and tickets at bchomeandgardenshow.com

Work by local makers and artisans is in the spotlight at this year’s BC Home + Garden Show .

Visitors to the show will have a chance to check out handmade jewelry, ceramics, clothing, artisanal food and drink, paper goods, and more, while also meeting the people behind the products — makers like Carol-Lee Campbell.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to have been given the opportunity to showcase my work at the BC Home + Garden Show this year,” said Campbell, who makes stoneware under the name Campbell Original Pottery.

“One of the things I love most about running this small business is getting to meet my fellow community members and customers at markets and events like this.”

Campbell fashions her small-batch, wheel-thrown pottery in her home studio in Walnut Grove, Langley. She says that most of her work is functional while “meant to embody the warmth and simplicity of rock, water, earth.”

Meeting the makers is one of the feature attractions of the market, says Caitlyn Domijan.

“Supporting small businesses and meeting the person that you’re supporting are so invaluable right now,” Domijan said.

Domijan, along with her Collective Markets partners Jessica Hailstone and Meghan Railton, have been curating artisanal markets since 2018. They run about 75 market dates a year, but the upcoming Vancouver Convention Centre appearance marks their first BC Home + Garden Show. The Collective Markets is replacing Got Craft. 

They selected 20 or so vendors from their database based on what they thought would work best at the show, she says.

“There’ll be something for everybody, including kids and dogs. But then there’s also going to be a big base of home decor.”

Along with Campbell, vendors include Salt Spring Island-based Jorge Izaza, who crafts light fixtures from wood; granola maker Flak’d Foods, run by Vancouver nutritionist Samantha Stojkovich; Premium Hot Chocolate Choices, owned by Vancouver husband-and-wife team Bonnie Duncan and Timm Rittberg; and fancycuppa, owned by Surrey-based Kati Kuo. The latter sells specialty grade instant decaf coffee.

For Campbell, direct connection with customers is at the heart of why she continues to show her work in person.

“It’s such a honour when someone spends their hard-earned money on a piece I’ve made with my own hands,” the potter said.

“I love to hear the story of who the item will be gifted to or where they intend to put the piece in their home. And I absolutely adore visiting with my repeat customers who continue to support me and come out to markets to pick up more pieces! It warms my heart and I am just ever so grateful. I really look forward to this show so that I can meet more potential customers and make new friends.”

The BC Home + Garden Show 2026 runs from March 12 to 15 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Find the Main Stage and Cooking Stage schedule, a rundown of features and workshops, plus show hours and tickets at bchomeandgardenshow.com

At BC Hydro’s interactive booth this year, the emphasis will be on energy efficiency.

With weather extremes becoming more common, managing heating systems and electrical usage is top of mind for many British Columbians. The good news is that homeowners and renters aren’t powerless in the face of extreme heat or cold. Small, practical changes — many of them low-cost or no-cost — can significantly reduce energy use without sacrificing comfort or safety.

One thing people can do is stop relying too heavily on thermostats — and setting them higher than necessary.

“Many people use their thermostat quite liberally instead of setting it to the correct temperatures,” BC Hydro spokesperson Susie Rieder said. “If you are sleeping or away from the home, we recommend 16 degrees Celsius as a temperature during the winter. If you’re home or active during the day, we recommend 18 to 21 degrees Celsius.”

Programmable thermostats, now far more affordable than they once were, can take the guesswork out of managing indoor temperatures.

Another frequent issue is wasting heat by warming unused spaces.

“Many people tend to heat their whole home, especially if they have electric baseboards. But really you only need to heat the rooms that you use. If you rarely go into the basement, turning off the heat in the basement and keeping doors closed to retain warmth is something that you can do.”

Simple maintenance can also pay off. Sealing gaps and cracks around windows and doors helps prevent heat loss and keeps warm air inside during cold snaps.

Summer brings its own challenges, particularly during heat waves when air conditioners work overtime. BC Hydro’s advice focuses on keeping heat out of the home in the first place.

“Closing the drapes and blinds so shading your windows can block up to 65 per cent of the heat,” Rieder said. “Shutting doors and windows if the temperature outside is warmer than inside helps keep the cooler air in and the warmer air out.”

Since the early 2000s, BC Hydro has been promoting ENERGY STAR — certified products as part of its Power Smart conservation strategy. To qualify, a product typically must perform in the top 15 to 25 per cent of its category for energy efficiency at the time the specification is set.

An ENERGY STAR — certified window air conditioner is twice as energy efficient as portable units, Rieder said.

Visitors to BC Hydro’s booth at the BC Home + Garden Show can also learn more about the benefits of electric vehicles, electric heat pumps that provide both heating and cooling, and ENERGY STAR — rated windows.

Smaller household choices can also make a difference. For instance, reheating food in a microwave requires less power than using a stovetop or oven.

Beyond day-to-day habits, BC Hydro says some customers may benefit from newer, optional electricity rate structures designed to reflect different lifestyles.

The flat rate offers a single, steady price regardless of how much electricity is used.

“It’s the average between our tier one and tier two levels of pricing. This is great if you use a lot of electricity, like if you have a bigger home that’s electrically heated.”

Time-of-day pricing, meanwhile, rewards flexibility.

“It’s essentially cheaper overnight and more expensive during the evening rush,” Rieder said. “That can be great if you work shift work, or if you’re home during the day and you want to do some laundry during the day.”

Many energy-saving strategies apply equally to older homes, newer builds, condos and detached houses.

“Doing things like taking shorter showers and cooking with smaller appliances can save energy and keep the heat down, especially in hot summer months — using like your slow cooker or your air fryer instead of heating up with an oven.”

Laundry habits also matter. Energy waste happens even before the tumbling.

“You’d be surprised — about 80 per cent of a clothes washer’s energy goes into heating the water,” Rieder said. “Washing in cold and investing in soap that’s great for cold water can save quite a bit.”

For lower-income households, BC Hydro offers free energy-saving kits that include LED light bulbs, weather stripping and high-efficiency shower heads.

“Those small things, especially in condos and apartments, can make a big difference,” Rieder said.

With heat waves and cold snaps placing increasing strain on household budgets, BC Hydro hopes its BC Home + Garden Show booth will help homeowners and renters see how small actions can make a measurable difference.

The BC Home + Garden Show 2026 runs from March 12 to 15 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Find the Main Stage and Cooking Stage schedule, a rundown of features and workshops, plus show hours and tickets at bchomeandgardenshow.com

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

8 Creekstone Pl., Port Moody

Type: Four-bedroom, five-bathroom detached

Size: 4,819 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $2,520,000

Listed for: $2,999,900

Sold for: $3,798,000

Sold on: Dec. 19

Days on market in this listing: 11

Listing agent: Jaden Narduzzi PREC and Jordon Sutton PREC at Angell Hasman & Associates Realty

Buyers agent: Rebecca Permack PREC at Royal LePage Sterling Realty

The big sell: The sale of this four-bedroom detached house in Port Moody’s Heritage Mountain produced competing bids that prompted the final sale figure to achieve almost $800,000 over the listed price. The appeal to purchasers? A bespoke luxury home that was built in 2020 on an exclusive greenbelt lot on a cobblestoned cul-de-sac. The custom-built home was designed with contemporary sophistication in mind with clean lines and attention to detail. It features an open-concept living space enhanced by a seamless indoor/outdoor flow topped off by serene forest vistas, radiant heat, air conditioning, a floating staircase with a glass balustrade, a high-calibre Miele-appointed kitchen, ensuited bedrooms including a lavish primary retreat, a gym, sauna, steam shower, and entertainment lounge. For even more relaxation, there is a putting green, hot tub, and a low-maintenance landscaped garden.

1305 — 4465 Juneau St., Burnaby

Type: Two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment

Size: 878 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $796,000

Listed for: $769,900

Sold for: $749,000

Sold on: Nov. 12

Days on market in this listing: 107

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

Buyers agent: Han Lee PREC at Ocean City Realty

The big sell: Juneau by Amacon is a residential development constructed in the heart of Brentwood in 2020. The 147-unit tower comprises one, two, and three-bedroom homes that enjoy amenities such as a fully-equipped gym, a yoga room, party lounge, and courtyard garden. This particular suite is a corner unit and comes with air conditioning, a south-west-facing aspect, and panoramic city and mountain views. The bright interior has high ceilings, a sleek kitchen with premium appliances, modern bathrooms, and a spacious balcony. Numerous amenities are nearby including a SkyTrain station, The Amazing Brentwood shopping centre, grocery stores, and eateries, as well as highway access. The home comes with a parking stall, storage locker, and a monthly maintenance fee of $700.00. Pets and rentals are permitted with restrictions.

1102 — 590 Nicola St., Vancouver

Type: Two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment

Size: 1,440 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $2,241,000

Listed for: $2,528,000

Sold for: $2,490,000

Sold on: Nov. 5

Days on market in this listing: 123

Listing agent: Leo Zhang PREC at Sincere Real Estate Services and Holly Calderwood PREC at Royal LePage Sussex

Buyers agent: Jessica Smith PREC at ReMax Select Realty

The big sell: A front-row waterfront position is just one of the highlights of the Cascina tower in downtown Vancouver’s upscale Coal Harbour district. Taking full advantage of that is this two-bedroom-plus-den condo that features not only unobstructed panoramic ocean, mountain, and marina vistas but a 615-square-foot wraparound partly-covered terrace garden that, according to the listing agents, is exclusive only to this floor. Furthermore, this has a built-in irrigation system and outdoor access from both bedrooms as well as from the living room. Back inside, there are cherry hardwood floors, two separate eating areas, a gas fireplace, air conditioning, heated tile floors in the bathrooms, and Sub-Zero and Bosch appliances. Cascina offers 24-hour concierge services, a gym, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna/steam room, and amenity rooms. This unit comes with two parking stalls, a storage locker, and a monthly maintenance fee of $1,451.26.

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

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

For more detailed mortgage information, explore our guide to Canada’s lowest national insured and uninsured mortgage rates, updated daily. Related

• Sold (Bought): Mount Pleasant home draws multiple offers
• Sold (Bought): Massive Yaletown condo boasts a layout larger than many detached homes

“My parents gave me the art problem, by the way,” laughs Annaliesse Kelly. For the founder and principal of AK Design , collecting art has never been about matching trends. It’s about choosing what you love and letting the rest fall into place.

It’s the same philosophy that guided a recent loft renovation in Yaletown for clients who didn’t want a cookie-cutter condo. The clients, a professional couple new to the city, were looking to transform their 1,479-square-foot home into something that highlighted their extensive art collection and clean esthetic with hints of mid-century modern and European influence. Despite character features like an exposed brick wall and a glass garage-style window, the unit’s long, narrow layout and early-2000s finishes no longer suited their lifestyle or tastes. So, drawing on her art “problem,” Kelly and her team redesigned the main living spaces to feel more airy, functional and cohesive.

Starting with the kitchen, the team opened up the space by eliminating impractical upper storage, updating lighting and adding light oak cabinetry and gas burners integrated into the countertop. The original design, with dark wood tones and a smaller island, wasn’t functional for their client who loves to cook. The new five-foot island includes built-in shelving and rows of drawers. “There’s a lot more clearly defined storage for specific things where you need them,” says Kelly. And though it might seem counterintuitive, enlarging the island made the room feel more spacious. “By putting in a large island, you show the amount of space you actually have,” she explains.

Still, it’s the island’s green-toned countertop with subtle red veining that stands out most. “They have a beautiful collection of art,” says Kelly. “So [the client] always wanted some coloured stone.” After reviewing several options, the team chose Esmeralda quartzite for its translucent finish and how it plays off the home’s exposed brick. “The rust and the Esmeralda quartzite look so beautiful together because they bring out each other’s colours,” she says.

While the green stone ties into artwork throughout the home, the decision was ultimately personal. “She fell in love with it,” says Kelly. “They have quite a few landscape pieces of art that had some beautiful greens in it, but it was more about her emotional reaction.”

The quartzite also wraps down to the island’s drawer faces, adding weight and presence. “It was a beautiful way to carry it down and give the island some substance,” says Kelly. To balance the richer stone, wood and brick textures, the team opted for epoxy concrete floors. “If it was all Esmeralda, it would be too much,” she adds. The grout-free concrete forms a seamless, neutral base that draws the eye upward. “We wanted a smooth foundation for everything else to shine,” says Kelly.

In the living and dining areas, Kelly’s team carried through that same eye for balance — this time blending cherished furniture with contemporary touches. The dining nook was originally sketched with a banquette before the clients found a set of vintage rosewood chairs. “They bought these chairs, and they’re so gorgeous,” says Kelly. “So we worked around the chairs.”

The team reshaped the space around them, layering in a Lock & Mortice dining table, antique mirror and a ceiling painted in the same green as the quartzite.

Tucked beside the garage-style window, the nook is built for entertaining, sunlight and flexibility. “There’s room to add more pieces and furniture if they want,” says Kelly. “The dining room is really about lack of clutter, giving them that space to grow over time.”

In the adjacent living room, heirloom pieces — an Eames chair, leather sofa and vintage lounge chair — are paired with sheer drapery and Flos suspended pendant lamps. “We brought the sheers in to soften light,” says Kelly. “The sofa, chair and armchair were all pieces that [the clients] had before, so [it was about making] that eclectic vibe fit with the new kitchen.”

Along the brick wall, custom oak millwork conceals the original fireplace while providing storage and a ledge for art. On display is a new piece: a painting by Rowan Paton, acquired by the couple during the renovation. Its green tones echo the kitchen and dining area, but Kelly notes that wasn’t the point: “Art is, more than anything else in your home, about triggering an emotional response.”

When it comes to incorporating art, Kelly says there’s no need to overthink it. “Trust your gut and buy what you want,” she says. “Then it’s easy for it to be cohesive because you have a specific taste.” Even if those tastes evolve over time.

“The things you love are generally always going to work together,” she explains. “Who cares if other people like it?” She gestures to her own collection. “They’re all about how they make you feel. They don’t match. One’s very traditional, one’s modern. But they go together because they are me.”

Interior design: AK Design

Contractor: Woodvalley Projects Inc.

Vancouver industrial designer Annaka Hoelk, of Annaka Hoelk Studio , has clarity on what she wants to do — make products people want to have around them. Her work is contemporary, architectural and grounded in an understanding of how people actually live with objects.

Starting small, thinking big

Graduating from Emily Carr University in 2023, Hoelk says she always knew she wanted to have her own company designing furniture and home goods and decided to give it a go while she was young.

“There’s a great quote from Jim Carrey that goes something like ‘you can fail at something you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love’,” she says.

Her earliest work focused on larger furniture pieces, but the realities of starting a small business quickly shaped her direction. She shifted her focus to smaller home goods, finding them as creatively fulfilling as larger work, and as a small business, easier to produce.

“I would describe my work as a contemporary and efficient take on classic goods,” says Hoelk. “I like to work with simple, architectural shapes, referencing modernist design history, while reimagining the basic building blocks of everyday objects.”

Her first product, the Nook vase, launched in October last year and sells through her website, Provide Home and Walrus Home. At first glance, people might not realise it’s a flower vase, but it achieves the function of a vase far better than your typical big box retailer vase does, she says.

“It’s designed to hold flowers upright, help the user make a dynamic composition, create visual interest with its frosted material, and most importantly, celebrate and frame the flower.”

The Nook vase asks people to slow down, notice proportion, light and placement, and to interact rather than simply fill it, says Hoelk.

Creativity in her blood

For Hoelk, design is a continuation of her upbringing:

“I come from a very creative and entrepreneurial family. My grandparents were an architect and interior designer, they founded Burgers Architecture . My mum is artist Bobbie Burgers, my sister went into fashion and just founded her brand Leny, out of London.”

That environment made a creative career feel not only possible, but necessary. “It didn’t really occur to me that I could be fulfilled by a non-creative pursuit.”

Industrial design, specifically, appealed to both her temperament and her thinking, she says. Knowing herself to have a “very structured brain,” and be something of an A-type personality.

“I liked the scale of industrial design. Architecture felt too large and abstract, and is actually 90 per cent about bylaws and building codes,” she says. “I like that products and furniture are things people interact at a very human scale, they have a direct correlation to the body.”

The constraints and opportunities of being based in Vancouver

There are some very cool design companies based in Vancouver, but it’s a small industry overall, she says. Distance from global design centres can make visibility harder, which pushed her toward self-production and self-marketing early on.

“I love this city and I truly believe we have the ability to become a relevant design hub if we foster this industry,” says Hoelk. “We already have a lot of the building blocks: a well-regarded design school creating new talent, key companies that have become internationally recognized, a city people want to live in with a unique blend of outdoor and city influences.”

This passion for both design and Vancouver took form last year through Obj: Obj, a group exhibition Hoelk co-curated with designer and artist Nolan Talbot-Kelly.

“We presented a cross-section of the city’s contemporary furniture, lighting and objects, unified under the curatorial question of how an idea becomes a final design,” she says.

Designers paired finished works with the objects or concepts that inspired them, revealing process as much as product. A chair inspired by a dried squid, for example, a vase by a sake bottle.

“The Vancouver design scene was hungry for something like this. The exhibition returns this year from Sept. 25 to 27 and will be open to the public at no cost.”

Looking ahead

Hoelk is candid about the challenges of pricing, manufacturing and scale, but she frames them as creative constraints rather than barriers. She is preparing to launch two new products this spring and has collaborations underway, including one with local brand Homecoming Candles .

“I definitely want Annaka Hoelk Studio to grow into the type of brand that feels directed but also dynamic,” says Hoelk. “Collaborations and cross-pollination with other creatives are the type of projects that keep things new and most importantly, fun.”

Related

• Can colour therapy help beat winter blues?
• Vintage finds, modern lives and why pre-loved pieces feel right at home

Thinking of opening up your home for short-term rental during the FIFA World Cup 2026? Here’s what to consider before you do.

With one of the biggest sporting events coming to the city , Vancouver is sure to see a surge of visitors in June. Balance that with the shortage of accommodations available, and there seems to be an obvious opportunity for homeowners. Many Vancouverites are considering skipping town during the event, freeing up their homes for income-earning opportunities, but are the pitfalls worth the potential payoff?

If you’ve never rented out your home before, the World Cup definitely presents a tempting opportunity, but rookie mistakes can cost you. As a first-time host, here’s what you’ll want to consider before listing your home for short-term rental during this global event.

Rules and regulations: What you need to know before you list

Unfortunately in Vancouver, short-term rentals are no longer as easy as click to list. Instead, a time-consuming, two-tiered approach has been enforced. Hosts must now comply with both City of Vancouver bylaws, and B.C.’s provincial short-term rental legislation, which now includes an annual registration with the B.C. Short-Term Rental Registry — yes, even if you only plan to list once.

There are also Vancouver-specific limitations on what can be legally listed. The space for rent must be your principal residence — the one where you live, pay bills and receive mail. Homeowners and tenants (with the landlord’s permission) may rent out an entire home or a room in the principal residence for stays for less than 90 consecutive days at a time, but vacant investment properties, secondary suites and laneway homes are not allowed to be rented out on a short-term basis, unless the host lives in that unit. Strata residents must also have approval from their strata.

Licensing costs and considerations

Licensing is required, but it comes at a cost. A City of Vancouver short-term rental business licence is required, which includes a $77 one-time application fee, plus a pro-rated annual fee of $1,108 — a fee which was recently increased to support the operating costs of the City’s short-term rental program. Additional revenues above program costs contributes to the City’s general operating budget to help balance the budget and fund City services that benefit businesses.

If you’re thinking of skirting these tight laws, you may want to think again. In 2025, around 150 violation tickets were issued for not holding a proper licence in Vancouver, and 271 licences were suspended due to non-compliance. Operating without a valid licence or renting a space that isn’t your principal residence can result in city fines of up to $1,000 (per offense) and can also result in the listing being removed from online platforms. Continued non-compliance may result in the matter being referred to the City Prosecutor. Monetary penalties under the provincial legislation can be significantly higher, with fines of up to $500 to $10,000 per day, depending on the rule broken.

While the combined City and provincial licensing fees can add up to roughly $1,200, the potential earnings during the World Cup could far outweigh the costs. Premium downtown rentals are currently averaging around $1,000 per night, meaning even a few nights booked could cover your fees and then some. Setting up your listing may take some effort, but for first-time hosts, the payoff could make it well worth your time.

A step-by-step guide for first-time hosting

If you’re still interested in hosting short-term rentals in your home, here’s a step-by-step guide on what you need to do. First, check to make sure you meet all of the eligibility requirements: If you’re the homeowner, make sure the space you’re looking to rent out is in your primary residence, and if you’re a long-term tenant, ensure you have a signed letter from your landlord to confirm their approval. Review this list to ensure you meet all safety and compliance standards. Then, apply online for your rental licence, and pay the required fees.

If you reside outside of the City of Vancouver, check websites for other Metro Vancouver municipalities for each area’s eligibility and licensing requirements.

Once those steps are complete, be sure to also register provincially as a host . A fee of $100 per year for a short-term rental in which the host lives, and $450 per year if the host doesn’t reside in the space, such as a secondary suite or laneway home, will be applied for approval. Once you’re ready to list, be sure to include your licence numbers in the listing, and post a paper copy in the rental unit. While it’s not mandatory, you may also want to consider securing adequate business insurance for your property.

Is there time to list a short-term rental for World Cup 2026?

Listing your property during the World Cup is still possible, but you’ll need to move fast. Start the application process at least four to eight weeks before you want your listing live, and aim to have everything ready by early May 2026. With B.C. Place and downtown hot spots expecting a flood of fans, getting your property listed by then is your best shot at turning the event into a profitable hosting opportunity.

When Lorne Segal was developing the 12-storey Kingswood residential tower in the heart of South Granville 25 years ago, he never imagined his parents, billionaire businessman and philanthropist Joe and his wife Rosalie, would ultimately call one of the best of the building’s 18 units, the West Estate , home. Having sold their five-bedroom, 12-bathroom, 22,000-square-foot Point Grey house for $42 million in 2021, the couple wanted luxury on a smaller scale, but not condo-small.

“My parents were certain they would never live in a typical highrise,” says Segal, president of Kingswood Properties Ltd. “What they valued most about the Kingswood was that it was conceived not as a conventional condominium, but as a limited-edition residential work — closer in spirit to a private estate than to typical multi-family housing. It preserved the essence of their former home: privacy, dignity and beauty, but in a more manageable form.”

Derek Grech, founder of West Vancouver realtors The Partners and listing agent for the unit, says, “As they were aging, (the Segals) were looking for something that was lock-up-and-go and had an elevator. They bought it for around $5 million and spent almost the same amount renovating the entire 4,100 square feet, from the sinks to the chandeliers. The building itself is such a beautiful structure — every trade that was involved in building the Kingswood has used it as a portfolio highlight on how to properly build a building in the city.”

While studying law at Oxford, Segal says he was influenced by England’s traditional architecture and later by then Prince Charles’ book A Vision of Britain, which, he says, “articulated principles I found myself instinctively agreeing with — human scale, proportion, craftsmanship, and a belief that buildings should age gracefully and enrich daily life.”

Years after completing the Kingswood, he met Prince Charles in Vancouver, who was flattered that Segal had read his book and that it had influenced the building. Segal, in turn, sent the Prince his own book about the building, called The Kingswood, which prompted an invitation to dine with the Prince at Buckingham Palace, where they talked “about architecture and the responsibility of the built environment,” says Segal. “While the Kingswood was never ‘endorsed’ (by King Charles) in a formal sense, it was profoundly meaningful to see the ideas that shaped it recognized in such a personal way.”

What’s inside

Occupying one of only two main-floor units, Joe and Rosalie, who lived in the Kingswood for a relatively short period before Joe died in 2022 and Rosalie a year later, had the option of entering the home through intricately carved gates and past a 24-hour concierge in the lobby, or through their private, three-car lower-level garage.

The elegant main living area is awash in natural light thanks to tinted curved windows that stretch up to the 18- foot high ceiling — the largest curved glass job in North America at the time. A black Italian marble fireplace mantel, designed by local stone specialists Marble Art, warms the bright, expansive room. The antique European chandelier was purchased in 2015 for US$135,000. In fact, all the unit’s light fixtures are custom-made from Italy.

In the dining room, a hand-painted ceiling and wall treatment in metallic background depicts fruit trees and floral vines, designed by decorative art specialists at Gorman Studios in Vancouver to resemble silk crépon. Double doors open from the dining room onto a 5,500-square-foot outdoor patio and green space filled with flowering trees and shrubbery, ideal for outdoor entertaining and gardening.

“The garden was central to their daily life,” says Segal. “From the moment one entered the residence, the view opened to a private, expansive garden roughly the size of a city lot. Wherever they sat — living room, dining area, or kitchen — they were visually connected to greenery. It became the emotional centre of the home.”

A library/sitting room that could also double as an office or den features custom-designed, built-in cabinetry by North Vancouver’s Ernest Collins Architect, which pays homage to legendary furniture designer Chippendale. The Georgian-style oval medallions in the panels are made from rare woods, including ebony.

The kitchen features granite countertops and appliances by Wolf, including the microwave oven and a six-burner stove with griddle. The 48-inch wide side-by-side refrigerator-freezer and wine cooler were made by Sub-Zero, as was a 150-200 bottle wine cooler in the basement. The high-end steel dishwasher is by Swedish company ASKO Appliances. Cabinetry comes courtesy of V6B design group in Vancouver, and the herringbone floor pattern is made of solid oak parquet.

A separate restaurant-style chef’s prep kitchen with commercial walk-in fridge and freezer in the basement “allowed for catered events to occur discreetly without intruding on the main living spaces,” says Segal. However, he says, by the time his parents moved in, entertaining was no longer to the extent it was when they hosted larger functions for fundraising and other social events from their earlier years.

The renovations, which spanned two years, also reconfigured the original four-bedroom layout into three bedrooms to create a larger primary suite. “Finishes were refined, details sharpened, and materials upgraded, but always in keeping with the original architectural language of the building,” says Segal.

The primary bedroom features two separate dressing rooms and en suites with 24-karat gold-plated fixtures by Phylrich in California, as well as a custom-etched sink design with double glass and gold leaf underlay. A wall covering with a metallic silver background and hand-painted trees with flowers was designed by Gorman Studios. Shower walls are made of marble and glass tiles with gold leaf backing. Mirror artwork on the suite’s two bathrooms features the ancient decorative art of reverse glass painting called eglomise, designed by Gorman Studios.

Carpeting throughout the home is designed and custom-made of 50/50 wool and silk, with the exception of the primary bedroom’s wall-to-wall, which is 25/75 wool and silk.

The bronze-accented staircase leads to an upper balcony with gold-plated baluster and railings custom-designed by Ernest Collins Architect. The private elevator, whose doors feature chinoiserie, the European imitation of Chinese artistry, a combination of traditional and contemporary Chinese and Japanese design lacquer work, also by Gorman Studios, connects the two floors as well as the garage.

During renovations, Grech says, the Segals added “several Tesla generating panels in the garage, so if the block lost power their unit would still be self-sufficient.”

Segal says that when he first conceived the Kingswood, even though he never thought his parents would someday call it home, he did have people like them in mind. “People who cared deeply about privacy, proportion, craftsmanship and permanence, and who were unwilling to compromise on those values. Over the years, many others chose the Kingswood for precisely those reasons. But when my parents ultimately chose it as their final home — decades after the idea first took shape — it carried a meaning that was entirely personal. It wasn’t about validation; it was about seeing the Kingswood through the eyes of the most discerning people I knew. In that moment, it felt like a long and demanding journey had come full circle.”

In the neighbourhood

“It’s a quiet South Granville neighbourhood with a bit of liveliness to it,” says Grech, with coffee shops, banks and grocery stores in nearby Granville Street and Kitsilano. “Across the street is the Vancouver Lawn Tennis & Badminton Club. Some people like the fact that Vancouver General Hospital is close, and the airport is close.”

And while there are many schools nearby, Grech says, “I don’t think it (would appeal to) a family with young children, they would want a (bigger) home, unless it was a family from New York or L.A. used to living in condos. The people we’ve shown it to have been 60-year-old couples downsizing from their bigger houses. People who want to sell their house in Shaughnessy but still feel like they’re living in Shaughnessy but with an easier lock-up-and-go approach.”

Location: 1b — 1596 W. 14th Avenue, Vancouver

Listed for: $9,800,000

Year built: 2001

Type: Three bedrooms, six bathrooms

Size: 4,181 sq ft townhouse

Realtor: Listed by Derek Grech, The Partners Real Estate

Related

• Property Watch: Village living in Anmore is just a train ride from Vancouver
• Property Watch: Sprawling Langley property comes with lake ownership and a coach house

In a world where we are seeing more anxiety and loneliness, a small gift of flowers really lifts spirits and can brighten someone’s day. With Valentine’s Day just a week away now, it is a golden opportunity to share a little love and thoughtfulness within our circle of family, friends and even acquaintances.

Flowers, either as cut bouquets or potted plants, bring colour, fragrance and the promise of the season to come. There are so many options from which to choose right now that your biggest challenge will be finding the one that will resonate most with those closest to you.

Over the past few years, we have seen a shift in folks looking to add more colour and vibrance to their gardens, and it’s understandable why. Colour is uplifting, energetic and positive, so why not incorporate this trend into your Valentine’s gift? Cut tulips are the No. 1 cut flower in Canada and are especially popular this time of year. They come in an array of colours, from pink to orange and white to purple. When mixed with fragrant hyacinths, iris and daffodils, they are hard to beat as a symbol of spring and their riot of colour will surely generate a smile.  

We are fortunate to have a number of B.C. growers producing world-class cut flowers, both for our local markets and for export. Roses, gerberas, orchid stems, lisianthus, snapdragons, chrysanthemums, oriental and Asiatic lilies, alstroemeria, tulips, daffodils, iris, stocks and more are all produced in the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley and on Vancouver Island. Should your Valentine appreciate shopping local, it will be easy to gift them with something grown nearby.  

Is your Valentine’s happy place their garden? The selection of growing gifts, which gardeners love to receive, is truly amazing right now, and it’s incredibly diverse.  

Spring bulbs usually top the list of favourites because of the sense of promise they bring. I love mixed pots of daffodils, tulips, iris, and hyacinths: They are the essence of spring.

Cool outdoor flowering plants are prized as well, to be enjoyed on the patio for long periods. Primula bowls, with all their vibrant new colours, are fun and the yellow varieties will also add a welcome perfume.

Miniature roses are typically bred for indoor enjoyment, but as temperatures warm up, they are quite at home on a sunny porch or in a garden bed all summer long. They come in a wide range of colours and are probably the least expensive roses you can buy to enjoy this time of year.  

Many camellias are already in bloom in our gardens. They have spectacular flowers over a long blooming period and will thrive in the garden for many years.  

Pussy willows have really jumped in popularity, especially because of the new pink Japanese variety, salix gracilistyla, Mt. Aso. They can be enjoyed in your garden every year if they are root pruned to keep them a reasonable size, plus they come in grafted tree forms for something a little different. They are also one of the world’s best pollinator plants once the catkins are finished and the blooms open.  

There are many other winter flowers that bloom early to mid-February, but perhaps one of the most interesting is the Chinese flowering apricot, prunus mume, with its rich red, fragrant flowers. The nicest feature is that they will bloom each year at Valentine’s in your garden.  

Many of our best memories are triggered by fragrance, so consider creating a lovely new memory for them with a highly perfumed plant. Larger pots of narcissus, like the Bridal Crown, can fill your home with a beautiful aroma. Outdoors, fragrant Chinese witch hazels are still in flower for a unique winter-flowering gift.  

For those who love the coziness of their own homes, make it even more lush for them with the addition of a new houseplant. Indoor flowering plants are nice to enjoy over several weeks or even longer. The beautiful, tropical, anthuriums are available in a range of colours, and are among the longest to bloom.

Orchids, especially the phalaenopsis or Butterfly orchids, have become so popular because they are elegant, easy to care for, last for months and are usually available in a range of pot sizes. Ease up on the watering but mist the leaves often for their ideal care. Elegant Peace lilies, or spathiphyllums, with their rich green foliage, have new varieties which rebloom more frequently. They are quite stunning when combined in larger containers along with other durable tropical plants like philodendrons Birkin, White Wizard, and Pink Princess. Black Raven ZZ, or zamioculcas zamifolia plants, and unique hoyas are among the more treasured.

Independent research reveals that a gift of flowers resonates with people in many different ways. It’s the kind of present anyone would appreciate receiving, perhaps more than you can imagine, and Valentine’s is a wonderful opportunity to lift those spirits and brighten someone’s day. Think about which attribute they would appreciate the most, be it colour, fragrance, the vivacity of spring or the comfort of home, and the gift you give will show how much you really care.  

Related

• Brian Minter: How to add vibrance to your indoor garden
• Brian Minter: Planning to start plants from seeds this year? Here are some tips

Byron Tokarchuk and Anja Henche weren’t planning to buy a house. But then they saw it. “We made the mistake of coming here,” Tokarchuk jokes.

It was 2018, and the property in question — a boxy, cliffside structure perched on slim columns and wrapped in coastal forest — had popped up in a Lions Bay real estate listing.

Designed by architect Peter Cardew in 1980, the 2,800-square-foot home hadn’t been on the market in decades. It was Cardew’s first residential project and was inspired by Richard Meier’s Douglas House, a modernist home in Harbor Springs, Mich., famed for its geometric profile and steep setting.

The two were smitten. “It’s not very often you find this kind of house on the North Shore. Usually they’re pretty cookie-cutter,” says interior designer Henche, who describes feeling emotional on her first visit.

“It just felt like an exceptionally good place,” adds Tokarchuk, principal of West Vancouver’s TOK Design Studio.

The structure’s steel bones were in solid shape, but the envelope was failing, with rotting wood, disintegrating caulking and windows flexing in the wind.

Interior spaces were cramped and dated, and the whole place was layered in white carpet. “Everything was of a different time,” Tokarchuk recalls.

The home’s views also weren’t as visible as they could be from the inside, and the main-floor deck wasn’t usable — almost criminal for a home with unimpeded ocean frontage.

Post-purchase, the couple thought about expanding the home’s footprint. But a contractor’s quote brought them back to reality, and they decided to focus on quality instead, Tokarchuk says.

“We decided we’d really like to spend money and time on the quality and the way things are put together, instead of spreading ourselves too thin,” he says.

One of their best investments was rebuilding the view wall. Replacing a scattering of smaller windows, a curtain-wall glazing system and massive sliding doors now run nearly the full length of the main floor, allowing half the facade to open.

“In the summertime, in the morning, you’re throwing the entire wall open,” Tokarchuk says. “We hear the birds. The swallows are flying through.”

Inside, Tokarchuk and Henche opened up spaces and prioritized sightlines. The kitchen, once a closed-off galley, now opens to the view. Outfitted with Miele appliances and Bulthaup cabinetry, the space centres around a long island and table customized to fit the narrow footprint.

Quartzite with bold veining carries over the backsplash and counters. “The greys and rusts are a reflection of what’s out there,” Henche says. “The water, the rocks, the forest.”

Upstairs, all spaces face oceanward, even the primary bath. A walk-in glass shower now offers nearly 140 degrees of view, and the bathroom mirror reflects sky and water. Geometric porcelain tile adds texture without distracting from the vista.

An open mezzanine over the interior stairs became Henche’s home office, a vantage point Tokarchuk calls “one of the best spots in the house,” (with the caveat that he rarely gets the seat).

The couple also spent time updating the home’s mechanical systems and functional backbone, adding radiant flooring and storage throughout. On the lower level, they carved out space for a laundry room, two bedrooms, a shared bath and much-needed storage.

Exterior shading helps manage heat and light without detracting from glassy drama. “By controlling it outside the window wall, you don’t get the crazy thermal gain,” says Tokarchuk. “Yet you’re still enjoying the view.”

Below the home’s lower level, a small room drops down, housing a cedar-lined Finnish sauna with its own deck. Shaded in summer and protected in winter, it feels tucked away and elemental. “It’s a pretty magical space down there,” Tokarchuk says.

Despite its character, the home manages to feels comfortably calm and down to earth. Its main floor sits level with the street, avoiding the steep, switchback driveways common to Lions Bay. A covered bridge leads from a carport into the front entry.

“You essentially have a bridge from the parking area across a gap to the front door. Then when you enter the front door, you cross another bridge to the view,” Tokarchuk says. “That was intriguing to me.”

Inside, windows draw the eye to views of Howe Sound, Gambier Island and Sunshine Coast mountains. Light pours in so generously that the couple rarely turn on lights during the day.

Outside, eagles alight in the trees. Humpbacks feed offshore. “You’re very connected to nature here,” says Tokarchuk, noting that while it’s a short drive from West Vancouver, North Vancouver and downtown, “you really feel like you’re away.”

Tokarchuk and Henche moved into the renovated home in 2024. But today they’re looking ahead to their next project: renovating another oceanfront home in Pender Harbour. And they’ve put their Lions Bay labour of love on the market , hoping someone else will feel the same pull.

Related

• Design-build brings gentle density to Burnaby’s Capitol Hill, in a stylish package
• Kaslo architect reimagines 1945 family cabin for his parents to use year-round

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

5164 Central Ave., Ladner

Type: Three-bedroom, two-bathroom detached

Size: 1,709 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,376,600

Listed for: $1,329,900

Sold for: $1,300,000

Sold on: Oct. 21

Days on market in this listing: Eight

Listing agent: Aileen Noguer PREC at ReMax Westcoast

Buyers agent: Renee Gomes and Jennifer West PREC at Macdonald Realty

The big sell: This updated three-bedroom house was built in 1971 in Ladner’s Hawthorne district on a sizable lot that boasts a 74-foot frontage separated from the road by high privacy hedging. It offers plenty of flexible storage options with a 12-by-10-foot finished workshop with electricity, as well as a double garage. There are gleaming hardwood floors inside the home, a newly-renovated galley-style kitchen with flat-panelled white cabinets, modern countertops, and stainless-steel appliances, a wood-burning fireplace and bay window in the living room, and barn doors that separate the dining area from the kitchen. All three bedrooms are found upstairs served by a family bathroom, as well as a 19-foot-long games room that lends itself to multiple uses. The south-facing rear garden contains a patio and a large deck with views across the well-tended English-style garden.

1170 Kendal Pl., North Vancouver

Type: Four-bedroom, three-bathroom detached

Size: 3,338 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $2,539,000

Listed for: $2,498,800

Sold for: $2,350,000

Sold on: Nov. 4

Days on market in this listing: 67

Listing agent: Brian Rybchinsky PREC at Virani Real Estate Advisors

Buyers agent: Colin Thornton PREC at Royal LePage Elite West

The big sell: A cul-de-sac location is one of the highlights of this four-bedroom family home in North Vancouver’s Edgemont subdivision. There are a number of schools nearby including its catchment schools of Cleveland Elementary and Handsworth Secondary, as well as parks and the amenities that comprise Edgemont Village. Built in 1968 and renovated in 2007, the two-level layout features the principal reception rooms on the upper floor alongside two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and an additional couple of bedrooms on the lower floor next to a recreation room, laundry, storage, and an attached double garage. There are hardwood floors that flow through the open-concept living area that takes in entertaining spaces in the form of both a family room and a living room, three fireplaces, and a 1,000-square-foot sundeck with views across the partly-treed rear garden.

108 — 2288 Pine St., Vancouver

Type: Three-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse

Size: 1,569 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,508,000

Listed for: $1,650,000

Sold for: $1,552,500

Sold on: Nov. 12

Days on market in this listing: 178

Listing agent: Eric Wu PREC at Oakwyn Realty

Buyers agent: Adam Chahl PREC at Oakwyn Realty

The big sell: This three-bedroom townhome went through some price iterations before hitting the sweet spot and landing a buyer back in November. It forms part of The Fairview, an 11-storey concrete building located at the corner of West 6th Avenue and Pine Street just across from the Arbutus Greenway and close to the shops, cafés and galleries of South Granville, as well as Kitsilano and Granville Island attractions. This two-level end-unit home has a private street entrance, 11-foot-high ceilings on the main floor, and expansive west-facing windows that fill the home with natural light. With a floor plan of almost 1,600 square feet, there are generous-sized rooms including a 16-foot-long primary bedroom, a den/study, and a laundry room. The unit comes with two underground parking stalls, a storage locker, and a monthly maintenance fee of $820.25. Residents can enjoy an indoor swimming pool, exercise centre, and hot tub.

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

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

Related

• Sold (Bought): Massive Yaletown condo boasts a layout larger than many detached homes
• Sold (Bought): West Van condo fetches close to $3M after award-winning reno