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Home decor and heirlooms: Walking the line between curated and cluttered can be tricky
Most people want a home that reflects their personality, interests and family history but using collections, inherited furniture and travel souvenirs as decor in a way that feels intentional rather than cluttered is often the challenge.
Interior designers say the solution isn’t to hide these objects, rather it’s to edit collections, group special objects and, when appropriate, juxtapose them with modern elements.
Lori Steeves, founder and creative director of North Vancouver-based Simply Home Decorating says walking the line between curated and cluttered can be tricky.
“My biggest strategy successfully integrating personal items is to contain and group them rather than scattering them throughout the home,” says Steeves.
For smaller items she often opts to place them in shadow box frames to create a wall display, gather them on a tray, or group them in a cabinet where glass doors make them visible and also keep them dust free.
Grouping tchotchkes, curios and keepsakes also make one perceive the collection as one object instead of multiple items.
“That’s a great way to contain visual clutter,” says Steeves. “I encourage people to edit their belongings and their collections because sometimes it can be distilled down to just one really great item or a collection of three great items.”
Carla Bond-Fisher, founder and creative director of Kelowna-based Sticks + Stones Design Group , says the instinct is often to display everything at once because it all has meaning.
“That’s where spaces can start to feel heavy. If you don’t curate intentionally, the space can feel accidental rather than thoughtful,” she says, noting scale matters.
“If everything is small, the room feels busy. Balancing a large heirloom piece with negative space and a few intentional accents makes the space feel refined,” adds Bond-Fisher.
“Edit first. Choose the pieces that resonate most and give them room to breathe. Negative space is just as important as what you place in a room. It allows the eye to rest and gives meaningful pieces the attention they deserve,” she says.
Bond-Fisher also loves the impact of juxtaposition.
“A contemporary sofa paired with a vintage chair. An antique vessel styled on a very clean console. A traditional chandelier above a minimal dining table. Mixing eras thoughtfully creates depth and prevents a space from feeling overly traditional or like it came straight from a catalogue,” she says.
The foundational decor in a space is all-important, says Bond-Fisher noting if larger elements are clean and timeless, it creates a calm canvas.
“From there, layer in one or two meaningful pieces. Perhaps an antique sideboard or a significant artwork. Then support those pieces with smaller accents that don’t compete,” she says.
Steeves often encounters people who have inherited furniture and are grappling with how to present it in their space.
“Keeping a whole set of dining furniture — table, often rickety chairs and a sideboard — may not be the best way to honour a memory,” she says. “If you keep the whole set it can look like a museum or an old house from another era. Again, it’s about distilling it down to what’s most important,” she says, adding in most cases keeping the table makes most sense. Pairing a heritage table with contemporary chairs combines old with new and brings the whole space up to date .
“It’s all about keeping the one thing that’s the best of the lot to evoke that memory or remind yourself of where it came from and not be too literal about it. If grandma left me her dining set, she didn’t necessarily mean that I was going to have to take this into every home that I ever live in for the rest of my life,” says Steeves.
Bond Fisher says one of the biggest mistakes people make is treating every surface like a museum shelf.
“When every horizontal space is filled, nothing feels special. The eye needs negative space. Personal pieces deserve breathing room. They should feel intentional, not accidental. Keep what tells your story now,” she says.
Steeves says displaying personal items in a secondary space is also an option.
These may include family photos, collections and souvenirs bought on vacation.
“People can amass collections over time that often don’t form a cohesive grouping — or buy a souvenir like a ceramic pot on a European vacation. It can be difficult because these things may have a totally different esthetic or character to the rest of your home,” she says.
In these cases she encourages people to move these possessions into more personal spaces like hallways to bedrooms or gather them on a tray in a space outside the living room and dining room.
Steeves says there are so many decorative items in homes that are haphazard or unconsidered.
“We could have things that were a gift from a relative that you never resonated with but feel obligated to [display]. It’s really important to look at your space with a fresh eye now and then and think: what can I remove from here? What isn’t serving me or representing me anymore? What maybe drains my energy,” she says.
Sometimes people keep expensive decorative items although they regret the purchase.
“Because of your investment you feel like you have to hang on to it. But it’s really the opposite of what you should do. Anything that has guilt around it has no place in your home,” she says.
Steeves suggests taking a photo of a cluttered space is helpful.
“It disembodies it and you see it in a new way. Stand back, take a wide photo and look at it later with a critical eye,” she says.
She also cautions against the picture-perfect homes seen on social media sites.
“I just find there’s such a proliferation of AI generated perfect spaces that have no personality. Don’t strive to replicate these soulless, boring, impersonal spaces that you see online. What makes a space unique is incorporating your own quirks and items and things that represent you,” she says.
Over the years Steeves has incorporated many heritage items into homes such as pianos, used colours sparked by vacation memories as the colour palette for a complete design or integrated hobbies such as quilting or photography as meaningful art throughout the home.
One unusual injection of personality was inspired by a couple who had a boat and loved fishing.
“In the powder room in their home I suggested that we choose this outlandish fish wallpaper as a tongue in cheek reference to something that they really enjoy. At first, they were a little hesitant because it is a little over the top, but ultimately, they love it and they say everybody who comes into the house uses the powder room at some point and talks about the wallpaper. It’s a real conversation starter,” she says.
“Don’t be afraid to inject your personality. You should do what really works for your home, your space, your personality and family,” says Steeves.
Bond-Fisher believes we’re entering an era of slower, more thoughtful design. “People are craving homes that feel like them. Less algorithm, more authenticity.”
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Sold (Bought): Competing offers push sale price of Kitsilano house over asking
Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.
1747 Balaclava St., VancouverType: Five-bedroom, four-bathroom detached
Size: 3,082 square feet
B.C. Assessment: $3,142,000
Listed for: $3,998,000
Sold for: $4,240,000
Sold on: Jan. 16
Days on market in this listing: Eight
Listing agent: Karley Rice PREC at Macdonald Realty
Buyers agent: Shannon Vrlak PREC at WESTSIDE Tom Gradecak Realty
The big sell: According to listing agent Karley Rice, four offers were received for this Kitsilano Craftsman-style house that pushed the final sale price well into the $4-million bracket. What was on offer is a location just off Point Grey Road on a landscaped lot, together with numerous updates that blended with the property’s 1912 origins. Wood floors, overheight and coffered ceilings, crown mouldings, bay windows, a wood-burning fireplace, and stained-glass windows with bespoke shutters all check the character box, while a chef’s kitchen with superior appliances, spa-like ensuite bathrooms, custom panelling, skylights, and accent walls in designer paint colours showcase modern touches. The principal living area is on the main floor with four bedrooms upstairs, and the lower level has two separate entrances, a family room, fifth bedroom, workshop area, mud room, laundry and storage.
97 — 3880 Westminster Hwy., RichmondType: Three-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse
Size: 1,801 square feet
B.C. Assessment: $1,185,000
Listed for: $1,269,000
Sold for: $1,272,000
Sold on: Jan. 23
Days on market in this listing: Six
Listing agent: Jessica Chen PREC and Jason Ng at Oakwyn Realty
Buyers agent: Howard Hu PREC at eXp Realty
The big sell: Richmond’s Terra Nova subdivision is home to Mayflower, a 157-unit townhouse complex that was built in 1997 in the city’s northwest corner near No. 1 Road. The three-level homes feature integrated side-by-side double garages, and access to a range of amenities including an outdoor swimming pool and hot tub, an exercise centre, a lounge/party room, and a playground. This particular home has high ceilings and an open-concept layout on the main floor, two spacious balconies, and a number of upgrades with a remodelled kitchen complete with island and a full appliance package, updated lighting, new carpets and hardwood floors. Additional big-ticket items provide peace of mind with a new roof, hot water tank, and a garage motor all installed within the past three years. A flexible lower-level recreation room could be used as a home office, gym, or fourth bedroom. The unit’s monthly maintenance fee is $459.02, and rentals are permitted with restrictions.
2822 Victoria Dr., VancouverType: Six-bedroom, five-bathroom multiplex
Size: 3,215 square feet
B.C. Assessment: $1,872,000
Listed for: $1,549,000
Sold for: $1,550,000
Sold on: Jan. 27
Days on market in this listing: 11
Listing agent: Bob Bracken at ReMax Real Estate Services
Buyers agent: Justin Deng PREC at Sutton Centre Realty
The big sell: This five-suite income-generating property resides on Vancouver’s Victoria Drive just one block to John Hendry Park and the Trout Lake Community Centre as well as the amenities throughout Commercial Drive. Built in 1910, the home features licensed self-contained suites with updated kitchens, bathrooms, and electricals, and there are balconies to the front and rear. The top and ground floors have two one-bedroom units each while the main floor has a two-bedroom suite, plus there are separate laundry and utility rooms. The backyard contains a single carport and there are two open parking spaces. According to listing agent Bob Bracken, the current rental revenue is $6,050 per month but there is potential for more. The property sold just over the asking price in 11 days with five offers.
These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.
Realtors — send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com
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Brian Minter: Add these B.C. gardening sales and events to your spring calendar
Here in B.C., we are fortunate to have so many garden clubs and specialty plant associations to inspire our gardening communities.
In addition to contributing to the greening of our towns and cities, many raise funds for specific community projects, and some even provide scholarships and bursaries to students pursuing careers in horticulture at our local universities and colleges.
To generate income for these projects, most of the garden associations hold community plant sales, co-ordinate private garden tours and/or hold special events which are both educational and entertaining. You will often find specialty plants that are very hard to source and add something unique to your own garden, and you will certainly find other like-minded gardeners from your community to connect with.
The following is a list of just some of the many garden events planned this spring. Many are cash only, so please come prepared, and tours or shows may require advance ticket purchases. For full details on everything that is happening at your local event (some have raffles, bake sales and entertainment, too), please visit each club’s website or Facebook page. Thank you for supporting our amazing horticultural associations.
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival When: March 27 to April 17
Where: Venues throughout Vancouver
More info: vcbf.ca
When: April 18, 2-4p.m., Demo 12:30 p.m. (tickets required)
Where: St. Mark’s Church, 12953 20th Ave., Surrey
More info: cwafac.weebly.com/events
When: April 18, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Qualicum Beach Curling Club, 644 Memorial Avenue, Qualicum Beach
More info: marsrhodos.ca
When: April 18, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Country Club Centre, 3200 North Island Highway, Nanaimo
More info: nanaimogladiolusanddahliasociety.ca
When: April 25, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Where: Yarrow Community Centre, 4670 Community St., Yarrow
More info: Facebook: Yarrow Volunteer Society
When: April 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Si’em Lelum Gym Parking Lot, 5574 River Road, Duncan
More info: cowichanvalleygardenclub.com
When: April 25, 10 a.m. to noon
Where: 3806 37th Avenue, at Highbury Street, Vancouver
More info: jemccomb@gmail.com
When: April 25, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Gibsons Royal Canadian Legion, 747 Gibsons Way, Gibsons
More info: gibsonsgardenclub.ca
When: April 25, 9 a.m.-noon
Where: Trinity United Church, 2211 Prairie Ave., Port Coquitlam
More info: Facebook: PoCo Garden Club
When: May 2, 9:30am to 2pm
Where: Cooke’s Presbyterian Church, 45825 Wellington Ave., Chilliwack
More info: chilliwackgardenclub.com
When: May 2 and May 30 11am to 3pm
Where: Darts Hill Garden Park 1633 170th Street, Surrey
More info: dartshill.ca
When: May 2, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: 1655 Winslow Ave., Coquitlam
More info: dogwoodgardenclub.weebly.com
When: May 2, 9 a.m.
Where: Guisachan Heritage Park, 1060 Cameron Ave., Kelowna
More info: kelownagardenclub.ca
When: May 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Golden Ears Cheesecrafters, 22270 128 Ave., Maple Ridge
More info: mrgardenclub@wix.com
When: May 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Nanaimo North Town Centre, 4750 Rutherford Rd., Nanaimo
More info: nanaimohort.org
When: May 2, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Grace Community Church, 14618 110 Avenue, Surrey
More info: Facebook: North Surrey Horticultural Society
When: May 2, 9 a.m. to noon
Where: Paulik Park, 7620 Heather St., Richmond
More info: richmondgardenclub.ca
When: May 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: 7405 Royal Oak Ave., Burnaby
More info: southburnabygardenclub.ca
When: May 3, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Deer Lake Park Festival Lawn, 6450 Deer Lake Ave., Burnaby
More info: burnaby.ca
When: May 3, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: K’ómoks First Nation Hall, 3310 Comox Road, Comox
More info: nirsrhodos.ca
When: May 9, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: IPE Fairgrounds, 3315 Pleasant Valley Rd. (where the Saturday Market is held), Armstrong
More info: armstronggardenclub.com
When: May 9, 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Bowen Island Legion, 1265 Scarborough Rd., Bowen Island
More info: bowenislandgardenclub.ca
When: May 9, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (or until sold out!)
Where: Campbell River Community Centre, 401- 11th Ave., Campbell River
More info: campbellrivergardenclub.com
When: May 9, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Heritage House, 100 Lorne Street (In Riverside Park), Kamloops
More info: kamloopsgardenclub.com
When: May 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: St. Clements Church Parking Lot 3400 Institute Rd., North Vancouver
More Info: lynnvalleygardenclub.org
When: May 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: St. Thomas More Collegiate, 7450 12th Ave., Burnaby
More info: newwesthortsociety.org
When: May 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Pitt Meadows Community Church Hall, 12119 Harris Rd. (at Ford), Pitt Meadows
More info: pittmeadowsgardenclub.ca
When: May 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Evergreen Centre, 6660 Sooke Rd., Sooke
More info: sookegardenclub.ca
When: May 9, 9 a.m. to noon
Where: St. Mark’s Anglican Church, 12953 20th Ave., Surrey
More info: southsurreygardenclub.ca
When: May 9, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Where: Home Hardware Building Centre, 4601 27th St., Vernon
More info: vernongardenclub.ca
When: May 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Gleneagles Community Center, 6262 Marine Dr., West Vancouver
More info: westvangardenclub.com
When: May 17 and May 18, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: UNBC Parking Lot A and DDBGS Compound, Prince George
More info: ddbotgarden.bc.ca
When: May 29, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Ocean Park Community Hall, 1577 128 St., Surrey
More info: white-rock-garden-club.ca
When: June 6, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: 46181 Hope River Rd. (at Williams Rd.), Chilliwack
More info: gwynnevaughanpark.ca
When: June 6 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and June 7, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Brentwood Bay Nursery, 1395 Benvenuto Ave., Victoria
More info: vcss.info
When: June 13, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and June 14, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Floral Hall VanDusen Botanical Gardens, 37th and Oak St., Vancouver
More info: desertplantsocietyofvancouver.com
When: June 24, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Sunken Gardens, 100 Market Place, Prince Rupert
More info: princerupertgardenclub@gmail.com
Categories: Organic Gardening
Designer Jonathan Adler brings colourful home decor, DIYs to Canada
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Jonathan Adler’s latest collaboration is, in a word, “bashert.”
The American designer and author points to the Yiddish term for ‘meant to be’ as the perfect descriptor for his new collaboration with the craft store Michaels .
“I started out my career as a potter. I am a craft person. That is what I do. Crafts are in my blood. I make things,” Adler explains. “And Michaels, of course, is the mecca of making.”
Speaking from sunny Palm Beach, Fla. — “don’t hate me,” Adler joked of his warm-weather destination in contrast to the current cold of Canada — Adler said it has been his longtime dream to collaborate with the crafting giant.
“If I didn’t know me, and I was just like a young me and I saw this, I would run, not walk, to my nearest Michaels,” he said. “And it would exceed expectations, because there’s just so much great stuff. From already-made decor such as pillows and games and outdoor stuff, and then also just incredible craft kits that you can do yourself.
“It kind of runs the gamut.”
The goods range from grab-and-go colourful decor to do-it-yourself projects such as paintable pots, “groovy” needlepoint kits and diamond art to games — the latter of which Adler points to as being among his favourite from the collection.
“There’s a really cool piece of art that says love, that is really nifty,” he said of the launch, which goes online and in stores March 17. “And there are some games that I kind of desperately need, and a poker set in acrylic that I like desperately, desperately need.”
While Adler’s main collection pieces can be found at specialty retailers across Canada including Holt Renfrew and Atkinson’s of Vancouver, opening up an avenue of affordability for more shoppers was also a draw to the partnership.
“I really want to be able to make my stuff accessible and to bring my esthetic to a more accessible price point,” he says. “Younger people, I hope, will freak out and be able to afford all my stuff, because it’s really cool.”
Wearing a striped T-shirt set against Adler’s surroundings of teal walls, palm fronds and more than a few colourful art pieces hanging on the wall within view, the assemblage of colour and print was perfectly in keeping with a designer whose brand has become known for a mastery of, and playfulness with, both colour and print.
“I call it modern American glamour,” he said of his design esthetic. “Modern because it’s new and fresh. And, I hope American, because my esthetic was sort of rooted in the optimism of America. And glamour, I think, is the most important and most difficult to define element of what I do, because glamour, to me, is about being memorable, being confident and having swagger.”
Colour can be intimidating to introduce into a living space. Anyone who has tried to do so can probably attest to that fact. But it doesn’t have to be the case, according to Adler.
‘I have a little bit of a philosophy about colour, which is, I usually just use white on the walls. I usually just have white walls, neutral colours, and I use colour in small doses — accent cushions, decorative accessories,” he advises. “You don’t need to overdose, but judiciously applied colour can be a fantastic antidepressant.”
Adler points to the colour blue as his favourite hue to work with.
“Blue is just sort of a miracle colour,” Adler says. “As much as I love all colours, there’s something about blue that is most extraordinary. Perhaps it’s because it’s the colour of the sky, perhaps because it’s the colour of the sea, but blue, in all its hues, works perfectly and often goes well with everything.”
On the topic of sea and sky, the conversation briefly turned to Vancouver, a city Adler says he’s visited before — and loved.
“I went probably 10 years ago, and it was a complete revelation,” Adler says of the Canadian city. “It’s so beautiful and spectacular.
“I was blown away,” he added, noting that he’ll next be visiting Montreal for a design event hosted by the Jewish Federation of Montreal.
As the conversation drifted between style and design, crafts and collaboration, Adler acknowledged that, amid a challenging global climate, it can be helpful for people to lean into crafting and other creative outlets as a form of release. The designer harbours a “missionary zeal to spread the word of the power of making things,” he says.
“There’s a lot to be concerned about in the world right now, but there always is, there always has been,” Adler said. “But there’s nothing quite like the power of just sort of tuning out and making something.
“I truly believe it’s what humans are put on earth to do, and is the best antidote to doomscrolling.”
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The Home Front: Interior designer Taylor Reiko is one to watch
If interior designer Taylor Reiko could go back in time and give her teenage self a piece of advice, it would be this: It’s possible your dream job doesn’t actually exist yet, or the path to it isn’t clear. So take a deep breath, pursue what you love, and everything will work out.
Reiko is one of eight contestants selected for season 3 of Renovation Resort with judges Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler, which premieres April 5 on Home Network. The series follows four teams from across North America as they transform a neglected lakeside property in the Kawarthas into a dream vacation destination, competing for a $100,000 grand prize. Reiko was paired with builder Mehrdad Amini for the competition.
For a designer whose work is usually shaped through careful collaboration and a deep understanding of how clients live, the experience was quite a test, says Reiko.
That tension between speed and soul is part of what makes Reiko such an interesting fit for television. She is not a designer interested in spectacle for its own sake. What matters to her is how a space feels when someone walks into it.
Even in a short-term rental, where the future occupants are unknown, she was thinking beyond finishes and furniture. Reiko says she was aware that the people using this vacation property would be coming from all walks of life, with different experiences and needs.
“I asked myself, how do I want to make them feel? How do I want to feel when I’m on vacation?”
How a room makes you feelThere is something instantly appealing about Reiko’s approach to interiors. It is thoughtful without being stiff, design-forward and warm.
Openness is central to her design philosophy.
“I’ve never wanted to put myself in a box,” she says.
Reiko seems drawn to the emotional dimension of design. The subtle but powerful way rooms can change how people connect, relax and stay awhile.
Before interior design, Reiko studied sociology and worked in event planning and hospitality. At one restaurant, she noticed how the setting affected the way people behaved.
Patrons would wait for hours to sit in a particular space within the restaurant, she says. It was an area with a gallery wall that somehow felt elevated and especially appealed to diners celebrating a special occasion: “People wanted to stay there longer.”
Good design is not just visual. It alters experience. It can make people linger, settle in and feel taken care of, says Reiko.
The path less travelledReiko says she’s always been a creative person, but growing up, this wasn’t always considered something to celebrate.
She did what many young adults do and followed the approved path: university, with the hope of finding a good profession, even if it was not where her passion lay.
After travelling to Japan and reflecting more deeply on design, culture and architecture, she enrolled in night school at BCIT to study interior design.
“Like every other designer in school, I started an Instagram account and added ‘designer’ after my name”, she says. Taylor Reiko became Taylor Reiko Design .
COVID changed everything, says Reiko. Because everyone was working from home, people started asking her to design home offices for them. She designed five offices in quick succession.
Reiko’s is a modern design story, one built almost entirely through social media.
She is candid about the awkwardness that often comes before progress. Setting up a tripod in public, posting your work, backing your instincts before you feel fully ready.
“I wasn’t afraid to lean into embarrassment,” she said.
Leading with what lights you upAsking yourself what you really want out of life is so important, says Reiko.
That search for honesty seems to have shaped her work. Her design projects feel personal and welcoming even when the setting is a lakeside competition property created under pressure.
For viewers tuning in to Renovation Resort, Reiko is one to watch.
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Big White condo scam 'stuff of nightmares,' says B.C. judge who dismissed victims' lawsuit
A Kelowna couple who were waiting for their purchase of a Big White condo to close learned on the day that the sale was supposed to complete that it wasn’t going to happen.
“We really didn’t think anything was wrong until the closing date,” said Anne Marie Kirby after losing a lawsuit in B.C. Supreme Court to recoup the couple’s losses. “Our lawyer asked us, ‘Why am I not getting the closing documents?’”
In a case the judge called “the stuff of nightmares,” the lawyer for Kirby and her husband, Russell Kirby, had been dealing not with the owners, Luke and Kim McNally, who live in South Africa, but with unidentified fraudsters, who had passed themselves off as the McNallys, said Anne Marie.
Both the Kirbys and the McNallys sued Kelowna realtor Gary Turner and the brokerage Royal LePage Kelowna, seeking damages.
But after a nine-day trial, Justice Elin Sigurdson ruled Turner, who represented the fraudsters, believing they were the McNallys, didn’t owe either couple a duty of care because he wasn’t representing them.
But she did say their case “merits considerable sympathy.”
She wrote that the “intrusion and trickery” committed by the fraudsters was an invasion of privacy, an attempt at significant theft, and caused harms ranging from inconvenience to lost time and expenses, as well as “lost opportunity cost” in the value of the property.
She called it a “psychological disruption” that was “extremely distressing.”
“We’re just glad it’s over, it’s been five years,” said Anne Marie Kirby.
And they realized the ordeal could have been a lot worse. The deal for the $600,000 condo at the popular Interior ski resort fortunately fell through after the fraud was detected, but the Kirbys were left with a loss of about $75,000. That included fees for conveyance, legal and other fees, as well as the loss of the equity they would have gained had they purchased the unit, the judgment said.
The fraudsters vanished and they don’t know and likely will never know who they are, the couple said.
They sued Turner and Royal LePage Kelowna, alleging they were negligent for not properly identifying his clients and were seeking $75,000 in damages, they said. The McNallys were claiming their own undisclosed damages.
But Sigurdson concluded that at the time that the realtor defendants “took the steps they were responsible to take, at the time they were required to take them.”
The defendants therefore did not breach the standard of care expected of them, and they were not liable for negligent representation, she wrote.
The plaintiffs alleged Turner and others involved should have been found not credible, saying they were “evasive and dishonest” and their evidence was affected by their self-interest.
Turner and Royal LePage Kelowna disagreed, saying any allegations of dishonesty by Turner aren’t supported by evidence, according to the judgment.
Turner had asked for and had never received the ID documents from the fraudsters he had requested, but instead the fraudsters, who had broken into the McNallys’ email, had sent fake South African passports for the McNallys, according to the ruling.
It was never determined how they obtained the McNallys’ personal information, Sigurdson wrote.
She said she couldn’t conclude on the facts that the defendants should be liable because of negligent representation and dismissed the lawsuit.
“The McNallys and the Kirbys did nothing wrong,” she said. “They were unknowing victims of email impersonators who aimed to profit or cause mischief or both.”
But, she added: “I must assess the facts of this case on the basis of the standards in place at the time, and not on what I wish or believe should have taken place.”
“The judgment speaks for itself in the complete exoneration of the agent and the brokerage,” Turner’s lawyer, Kelly Murray, said in an email.
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Switching Gears: Remake your garage for more than a car
If sports gear, kids’ toys, and holiday decorations are slowly swallowing up your house, creeping into your home office or taking over your craft room, there’s extra space you may not have considered: your garage. Who said it was the sole domain of a car, anyway?
A garage is an extension of your home and, with the right design and organization, can be repurposed as an office, gym, hobby room, yoga studio, man cave/she shed, playroom or, yes, a place to store your stuff, but neatly.
Where to startThere are plenty of professional organizers and storage designers who will take up the challenge for you. They’ll usually start by asking about your situation, your garage hopes and dreams, then they’ll come to your house, assess the space, take measurements, and sketch out some options using design software.
Next, floor. Material of choice is polyaspartic coating for its durability, low odour, low maintenance, stain-, heat- and fade-resistance, as well as fast drying — usually 24 to 48 hours.
The alternative, epoxy, doesn’t hold up as well. “After you drive on it, you’ll usually notice the flooring start to peel in spots around where the tires sit,” says Cristy Phillips, chief operations officer of Clever Quarters in Port Coquitlam. “Polyaspartic was built for the changing environment in a garage, so it’s a lot more flexible; you won’t see any cracking. It’s also chemical-resistant, poreless, food-safe, easy to clean, and it looks beautiful. It feels more like an indoor space versus outdoor.”
Maya Ushikubo of Port Coquitlam’s Garage Living , says of their own brand, “Our Floortex polyaspartic floor coating has a 15-year warranty and comes in 15 flake colours, as well as custom colours. It’s the highest grade, industrial strength coating that is UV stable, in comparison to epoxy.”
Phillips says if you plan to use your revamped garage as an office, she’ll ask about the equipment you’ll be using, your height, whether you’re left- or right-handed, in order to tailor a design.
“If the client is left-handed and needs to take notes during their work, we’ll install drawers on the left-hand side for easy access, but also to create that blank space to give them an extra work zone to put a notebook,” she says.
She recalls her garage squad’s work for a couple whose job required lots of counter space. Her designers sourced a unique piece of hardware that pulls out from a desk to extend the work station but can also be pushed flush with the depth of the desk when not in use, allowing more floor space.
“There are even fold-out tables, pullout desks or tilt-down desks [that fit] into a wall unit that has additional storage and other capacities,” she says.
Garage Living’s crew will also quiz you about your plans. “We always ask, ‘What’s your biggest challenge with your garage right now, and how do you use your garage?’,” says Ushikubo. “These two questions help our design consultants visualize the space for a full custom garage makeover. Then it comes down to slat wall panel and custom cabinet configurations, overhead racks, TV mounting, with space to install a sink, hose, fridge, freezer box, wine cooler, etc.”
She says the company has tackled garage makeovers as diverse as offices, social gathering space, gyms, cold storage and doggie daycares.
Storage solvesPhillips herself has a narrow, one-car garage, so she focused on the vertical space when she redesigned it for better storage. She had slat walls installed to tilt the family’s four bikes on, then added cabinets to house soccer balls and softball equipment, as well as an overhead storage rack to tuck away seasonal decor. Her husband’s workbench and tools take up the back part of the garage. “A narrow garage is often deeper, so designing on the back wall gives you more room at the front.”
She says Clever Quarters mounts cabinetry six inches off the ground for easy sweeping and mopping, “and getting those spiders, cobwebs and creepy-crawlies out from underneath.”
Joseph Neely, president of The Indoor Outdoor Guy Renovations Inc. , together with Vancouver Sheds , a division of Indoor Outdoor that builds or repurposes garages, studios and sheds, says, “Some people build a wall down the middle of the garage, perpendicular to the garage door, get rack shelving for storage, and then have a door at the other end to access the area they’ve set up as a gym, home office, hobby room, or man cave.” (He notes that, if you’re building a garage or shed from the ground up, there’s a permitting process required which the company can help with.)
Heat and lightOnce your space has been assessed, the flooring finished, slat walls installed to hang your gear, cabinets fitted to store your stuff, or drawers to file your work, you’ll need to think about heating and lighting for the space’s specific use.
“If the garage has been built correctly, it will be insulated and drywalled so an electric baseboard will provide the heat,” says Neely.
He recommends changing out the garage door for a newer model that comes with an R rating suitable for the space and a double seal to keep out the cold.
As for light, Neely says the more natural light the better. “If you’re using your garage for potting, a workshop, or office, we recommend as much natural light as possible, so three windows are ideal, and a French or sliding glass door to let in lots of light and fresh air.”
Phillips says Clever Quarters incorporates lighting into the cabinetry, usually an ambient glow for mood. “In a workspace, like a work bench, we’ll do maybe 4,000 [Kelvin] temperature track lighting underneath the cabinet shining down on the work surface. For an office, we would probably warm up the temperature to 3,000. Most garage lighting is decorative and less task, so we would do back lighting to illuminate open shelves where someone might be storing prized possessions.”
Music room or garage bandWhether you’re aspiring to be the 21st century Mozart or the new Nirvana, designing your space as a music room or for a garage band will come with some sound considerations.
“Everyone’s got the right to the peaceful enjoyment of their premises, so you want to make sure that your enjoyment isn’t inhibiting somebody else’s,” says Neely.
“If you’re putting in good exterior grade doors and windows, which is what we use, that’s going to cut the sound down by about 50 per cent,” as will sound-absorbing insulation, says Neely. “There’s also higher-grade drywall for soundproofing. But if you want to jam with the amps on full, you should really look at an actual wall assembly that reduces sound. We’re happy to design that into a new garage build.”
Man cave/She shedThe stereotypical “man cave” with couch, wall-mounted TV, and beer fridge may not have gone the way of the Neanderthals, but the “she shed” has gained in popularity. “Usually (women) use them for office space, bookshelves, to store workout gear, sometimes (arts and crafts), or just as a hangout,” says Phillips, who would then design with those specifications in mind. “Over COVID, I think men lost their man cave and it became the family cave.”
When designing a mud room for cleaner flow from cave to dwelling, she says, “We’d build shoe storage, storage for jackets, maybe hooks, slat walls for growing families so you can adapt as your needs change. Maybe today it’s a small bike but in a few years, it’ll be an adult-sized bike. The ability to move hooks without drilling any additional holes in the wall is very beneficial.”
Regardless of how you transform your garage, Phillips says you should keep open about the possibility that it will go back to housing your ride.
“People often say they’re never going to park a car in their garage again, but if it’s not your forever home, the next buyer may want to. If we designed it to never park a car, it’s not beneficial to the resale of your home.”
Until then, park yourself, paint a picture, do some work, crank the tunes and enjoy your extra space.
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Property Watch: Arthur Erickson-designed home hits the market
When Dr. Paul and Mrs. Josephine Hwang commissioned Arthur Erickson in 1980 to design them a home that would, according to the Vancouver Heritage Foundation , “nestle in private gardens and incorporate both Western and Eastern influences”, the renowned Canadian architect turned for inspiration to the traditional houses of Soochow (known today as Suzhou) in southeastern China’s Jiangsu Province, which were built around the city’s canals, bridges and classical gardens.
Two houses were typically positioned in opposite directions with a common back wall, featuring corridors of rooms and second-storey balconies that overlooked a collection of courtyards, decks and some form of water. The interiors were designed to flow seamlessly into exterior gardens and water features, such as ponds or waterfalls, to create a sense of peace and tranquillity.
The project suited Erickson just fine, since his signature style of designing his structures to integrate gently into the natural environment followed the same philosophy. Two years later, he had created a home, which came to be known as the Hwang House , with floor-to-ceiling windows that immersed his clients into an expanse of greenery, trees and water, including a waterfall designed by a feng shui master. A bridge spanning a large koi pond planted with lilies and bulrushes and swirling with a dozen koi fish completes the sanctuary.
“In a lot of Vancouver homes, 10,000 square feet are not fully usable, but in this property you can use the entire 10,500 square feet,” says listing agent Daniel Tan of Angell Hasman & Associates Realty. “The courtyard features a sitting area for entertaining and barbecues” and the garden was redesigned in 2014 by Donna Begg of Perennial Design landscapers to include a mix of shrubbery and flowering plants.
That same year, a new bridge and perimeter cedar fence were installed, as were new front and back gates, two rebuilt waterfalls and new garden lighting.
The living room is encased in tall windows with a curved cantilevered skylit extension that gives the sensation of floating above the pond, again recalling the blending of interior and exterior elements of those original Soochow houses. “The reflections in the water, along with the skylights and the floor-to-ceiling glass, create a beautiful play of light throughout the home during the day,” says Tan.
What’s insideIn 2011, the owners at the time installed new custom-made closets, bookcases and cabinetry in the main floor TV room. They also redesigned the basement bathroom to include a walk-in shower. That year they completed a partial kitchen renovation and installed new Miele appliances as well as custom cabinetry.
In 2013, the carpets in the family, living and formal dining room were replaced with high-quality wool carpet and new underlay at a cost of about $30,000, says Tan.
The 22 Douglas fir posts and beams throughout the home, a familiar Erickson motif that evokes Indigenous buildings of the West Coast, were replaced in 2014 and reinforced with interior steel. The two main floor fireplaces were converted to gas in 2014.
Upstairs, which is air-conditioned, a walkway is illuminated by a collection of continuous skylights that runs the length of the house (all the skylights and windows were replaced in 2014) beneath a pitched roof. “When I show the home during the day, most of the time I don’t have to turn on the lights because of the massive windows and skylights throughout the whole house that fill it with natural lighting,” says Tan.
The four bedrooms each feature their own skylit private deck with sliding wood screens. “The screens have many holes in them, which allows the natural light to come in but also allows you to close them for privacy,” says Tan. “You can slide them left or right for whichever view you prefer,” which is especially lovely when the cherry trees are in full blossom.
Tan says the primary bathroom, also with a skylight, feels like a five-star hotel, with soaker tub, walk-in shower, bidet and, as with all the upstairs bathrooms, heated towel racks. The three upstairs bathrooms were totally gutted and rebuilt with high-end and custom-built cabinetry in 2014.
On the lower level, one room was originally designed as a children’s playroom, but is now being used as an office and could easily be converted to a gym or library. For the oenophile, a glass-enclosed wine cellar holds more than 200 bottles.
In a city known for modern luxury homes, this Arthur Erickson residence stands apart because of its architectural significance, says Tan. “It’s a timeless piece of Vancouver design where nature, light and architecture come together. When you look at most Vancouver homes in this price range, they often have the same designers, same builders, so they can look very generic.”
He says the ideal buyer for the Hwang House is someone who appreciates unique architectural design, “who understands that this isn’t just a house but a collectible piece of Vancouver architecture. It is a rare opportunity to own a residence designed by Arthur Erickson, one of Canada’s most celebrated architects. Homes like this aren’t just properties, they are pieces of Vancouver’s architectural history.”
In the neighbourhoodThere are numerous nearby schools in this Marpole neighbourhood. There are also plenty of playgrounds and parks, including a dog park, within walking distance. Queen Elizabeth Park is a 10-minute drive away, while VanDusen Botanical Garden is just five minutes away.
As for public transportation, Tan says, “The bus stop is at 57th and Hudson Street, which is like a front door pickup.”
He says the property has easy access to downtown over the Oak or Cambie Street bridges, and the airport is a 10-minute drive away. Langara Golf Course is a seven-minute drive, and Point Grey Golf & Country Club eight minutes.
The home sits between the many shops, services and restaurants of either Granville Street in one direction or Oak Street in the other, with the new Oakridge Park redevelopment just five minutes away.
Location: 1299 W. 57th Avenue, Vancouver
Listed for: $5,998,000
Year built: 1982
Type: Four bedrooms, five bathrooms
Size: 4,573 square feet
Realtor: Listed by Daniel Tan, Angell & Hasman Associates
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KitchenAid's new Spearmint mixer looks fresh as can be
Fresh, in every sense. KitchenAid has announced its colour of the year for 2026 to be Spearmint, a minty green with blue undertones, offering a style pick-me-up, no matter your kitchen design. The brand has released this colour on one of their more iconic appliances, the Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer.
Adding to the bold colour choice is an unexpected texture, which they’re calling Sand. The whole concept is meant to evoke a spearmint leaf, in both look and feel.
This new colour and textured finish feel like a definite design moment for 2026 and reflect the move toward personality plus kitchens.
After years of safe neutrals, soft whites and endless grey, many of us are ready for something that feels lighter and more alive. That does not necessarily mean painting the cabinets coral, although that goes with Spearmint, or tiling the backsplash in red. Accessories are a great place to take risks. Worst case, you can put them in a cupboard.
While noticeable, Spearmint is not loud or splashy. It’s crisp, fresh and calming.
“Spearmint is incredibly versatile, and it uplifts everything it touches, so it can work well in any space to add energy and freshness. It can harmonize with an already bright space or bring a fresh pop of colour to a darker kitchen,” says Chad Ries, global brand marketing director at KitchenAid small appliances.
This versatility matters. In a light-filled kitchen, Spearmint feels crisp and airy. In a darker room, particularly during the winter months, it feels calm and meditative.
“Spearmint is a mood booster and can offer a fresh outlook and moment of lightness, even in the darker months. We hope that this revitalizing colour helps makers be more present in the moment and in the kitchen,” says Ries.
An easy way into colourIf you’re colour-shy, a statement appliance is one of the easiest places to start. It’s less expensive than painted millwork, less permanent than tile and much more fun than a throw pillow. You can live with it, move it, style it and see how much colour you are actually comfortable with.
A statement appliance is a great way to explore different colour combinations and integrate a pop of colour into your kitchen without having to go too far out of your comfort zone, says Ries.
Surprisingly, Spearmint seems to go with almost everything. It’s not so pastel that it demands a retro kitchen, and not so sharp that it only suits sleek modern spaces.
“Thanks to its blend of blues and greens, Spearmint can either stand out as a statement or seamlessly blend into its surroundings. It pairs just as well with dark or light woods and works beautifully in both cool and warm spaces,” says Ries.
Spearmint sits happily beside walnut cabinetry, creamy painted cupboards, marble counters or brushed steel. It also plays well with the broader shift back toward layered kitchens that feel lived in and personal, not overly polished, he says.
A surprisingly soft finishIn design, texture is often what stops a colour from feeling one-note. This mixer’s sand finish makes the Spearmint colour feel slightly softer and more grounded.
“For Spearmint, we wanted to get the finish just right and we explored everything from glossy, matte, satin, and textured. Ultimately, we looked to mint leaves for inspiration and wanted to tap into the soft, subtle texture you only notice when you touch them. The Sand finish softens Spearmint’s brightness and gently diffuses the light, resulting in a shade that feels both grounding and energizing,” he says.
Does this tactile finish mean it’s harder to care for?
No, says Ries. It has gone through KitchenAid’s standard materials testing.
“Based on initial feedback and responses, the sand finish does appear to hide fingerprints well,” he says.
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Brian Minter: How gardening tools have changed to meet today's needs
The nature of gardening today has changed dramatically as have the demographics of the folks who participate. Based on various garden statistics, the Boomer generation now makes up less that 10 per cent of the gardening community, while Gens X, Y and Z are the vast majority.
The size of today’s gardens has also diminished as so many of our younger generations live in apartments, condos and townhouses, where outdoor space is limited. A few years ago, it was estimated that 54 per cent of gardening was done in containers. I expect that number has increased over the past few years. Even the traditional in-ground garden patches have given way to raised beds and narrow strips along fence lines.
Our changing climate, with more and longer periods of extreme heat, is a reality and the growing adoption of regenerative gardening is creating a new approach to our gardening practices as well.
The one issue we seldom talk about, but one which is at the heart of everything we do in our gardens, is the tools we use. I had the opportunity to speak with Ashley Towers of Hornwood Agencies, which distributes garden tools to the horticultural retail sector, and he pointed out that the tools we use in the garden today are significantly different from past models. He said that with so much container gardening, there is little or no need for traditional tools, and that with smaller outdoor spaces, there is also little room for traditional garden storage sheds.
In addition, he pointed out that in an aging Boomer generation, more lightweight garden tools are in demand. For instance, traditional D-handled forks and shovels are now available in smaller, lighter, but equally efficient sizes, and are well suited to raised beds and containers.
According to Towers, hand tools are far more appropriate for today’s gardens and demographics and are much easier to store. When I asked him if there was a new favourite tool, he said the Japanese Hori Hori knife was the winner. It’s a traditional Japanese garden tool that has become a favourite for gardeners around the world. The curved stainless-steel blade is a combination knife and narrow trowel so the tip can be used as a shovel, making it ideal for weeding and digging in many types of soil. The blade is marked with measurements which is perfect for transplanting. One side of the blade is smooth while the other side is serrated so it’s practical for both cutting and edging.
I was also able to speak with Trudy Hurley, assistant manager of the Lee Valley Tools Vancouver store. Lee Valley, founded in Ottawa in 1978 and now with 20 stores across Canada, is innovative and supplies tools and equipment for many disciplines including gardening. Hurley was well aware of the demographic change in gardening and the shift from ground beds to containers.
Lee Valley has a full line of lightweight spades, forks, rakes, bulb planters and other practical tools for both traditional gardens and raised beds and containers. Hurley said they have been monitoring changing garden trends for some time and, in fact, have developed their own line of more appropriate tools, including rakes, forks, spades and hoes, which are about half the size of traditional tools and are very easy to use, especially for older folks. Hurley said these mid-length tools are well priced, in the $45-50 range, and have become increasingly popular. They are just the right size for container work, whether you need to turn over all the soil, or just work in some compost.
Many gardeners today have physical challenges to navigate, which can make garden preparation especially daunting. Hurley mentioned that Lee Valley offers a good range of ergonomic hand tools, making it much easier to manage many garden chores. Many of these tools have uniquely shaped circular or curved handles, allowing them to be held sideways. They are also light weight, making them easier to use. This is an enormous help to folks with arthritis and other debilitating health issues.
Hurley also mentioned that watering is becoming an issue, involving dragging hoses, possibly several times a day, during hot weather. With water use also of greater concern, she said drip watering systems have also become more popular. These systems use far less water and put the moisture directly where it’s needed most- right at the root zone.
The heavy, hard lifting of garden soil preparation can truly be made a great deal easier with today’s smaller and more efficient garden tools. I have been using them for many years, for greater efficiency and a lighter workload. A smaller, D-handled shovel is one of the most practical garden tools I have ever used, and I highly recommend it.
Thanks to the changing garden environment, it’s nice to know these tools are available in many garden and hardware stores and great places like Lee Valley Tools.
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Overhaul for the long haul: West Van home transformed into light-filled modern space
Every now and then, a family needs a fresh start. For the owners of an aging Craftsman home in West Vancouver, the moment came after a decade in their space. And they’d reached a point where they needed to buy something more modern and move — or renovate.
They had no qualms about the location, a cedar-lined plot tucked away from neighbouring views and overlooking the ocean to UBC, Stanley Park and beyond.
“The clients love that piece of property. It’s really fantastic,” says Brad Ingram, design manager of North Vancouver’s Synthesis Design . “So they decided they didn’t want to give up that site.” Once committed to renovating, they got Synthesis onboard.
In addition to a fresher, modern esthetic, they wanted to make the 7,000-square-foot home more viable long-term, integrating features for aging in place, such as a central elevator.
“Redesigning the upper floor, main floor and basement to allow for an elevator, and then also redesigning the staircase so that we could fit it all in, was a big challenge,” says Ingram.
With the couple’s two daughters still living at home — one in high school and one in university — the renovation also needed to support a household that wasn’t in a hurry to disperse. This is a scenario that the project design team, Ingram and Synthesis senior designer Julie Lepper, say they’re seeing more and more.
“Clients are telling us that they want their kids to stay home longer, whereas for many years it was, ‘OK, you’re 18, out you go to the world,’” says Lepper.
Altogether, the changes amounted to a full overhaul. “It was basically a full gut,” says Ingram.
One of the home’s biggest upgrades was also the most visible: removing walls and rethinking the main floor to create a kitchen that could function as the hub of the home.
To maximize working space and keep the open-plan space uncluttered, a bank of oak cabinetry houses storage and disguises appliances along the back wall, including a Sub-Zero freezer and fridges.
“They like to cook all together, so, there was a lot of thinking about how multiple people could be in the kitchen at once and not be on top of each other,” says Lepper.
A 10-by-20-foot L-shaped counter wraps around a long central island, creating what feels like miles of surface for cooking, prepping and cleaning as a crew. A four-foot galley sink with two faucets, a second sink, double ovens and double dishwashers complete the setup.
Seating is just as plentiful. Between counter stools and a counter-height table with seating, the kitchen could easily host a large gathering on its own. But a 15-foot-wide sliding glass wall opens to make the kitchen feel part of the backyard. “When that opens up, it’s almost like you’re sitting outside,” Lepper says.
This flow carries through to a new outdoor living room, which wraps a pre-existing pool in an L-configuration. An overhang provides cover, allowing the space to function year-round, with an exterior fireplace, heaters and automated blinds that drop down to shade or hold warmth, while sofas, chairs, a pizza oven, barbecue and TV create a “resort feel,” says Ingram.
Also resort-like is a custom cedar sauna, around a corner under an existing overhang, paired with a cabana-style bathroom for changing and showering.
This isn’t the only sauna on the property, though: it has a private, spa-inspired counterpart in the primary ensuite upstairs, alongside a roomy steam shower.
“We throw around ‘spa-like bathrooms’ all the time, whether [we’re talking about] a 600-square-foot house or mega mansion, but this was very well-considered,” says Lepper. “On a wet, cold, typical Vancouver day, to be able to hop into your steam shower then have a quick sauna is truly luxury.”
The second floor was reconfigured to give all four bedrooms a private ensuite — allowing each family member autonomy within the shared space. A former bathroom and hallway became a light-filled home office enclosed in glass. “It was meant for the homeowner,” Ingram says, “but apparently the kids love that room so much.”
More skylights, over the staircase, bring daylight deeper into the interior, while a glass balustrade edged in black metal creates a graphic focal point.
“That was a bit of a happy accident,” Lepper says of the detailing. “It turned out much better than I had imagined.”
While the renovation gave the home a more modern profile, the team retained portions of the original exterior cladding, combined a new standing-seam metal roof and cedar shingles that nod to its Craftsman roots.
“We blended a little bit of the original architecture with a lot of modern elements,” Ingram says.
For Ingram and Lepper, the project was an example of what can happen when architecture and interiors unfold in tandem.
“It was really a lovely collaboration between interior design and architecture,” Lepper says. “There isn’t that disconnect you sometimes get. We could just walk downstairs and work it through together.”
Project design: Synthesis Design
Project construction: Kennedy Construction
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Sold (Bought): With 7 bedrooms and 8 loos, British Properties estate not shy on size
Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.
360 Southborough Dr., West VancouverType: Seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom detached
Size: 7,720 square feet
B.C. Assessment: $5,894,000
Listed for: $7,288,000
Sold for: $7,000,000
Sold on: Dec. 1
Days on market in this listing: 45
Listing agent: Kris Lazaruk PREC at Bellevue Realty Group and D.J. Denner PREC at Angell Hasman & Associates Realty
Buyers agent: Davis Kosowan at Oakwyn Realty
The big sell: With seven bedrooms and more than 7,700 square feet of internal living space, this spacious estate is not shy on size. Add to the mix a prestigious British Properties location and the result is a $7-million sale tag. Luxury finishes abound in the newly-built residence from the grand living area with soaring ceilings, clerestory windows, and a dramatic stone fireplace, a gourmet kitchen with Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, an oversized island with waterfall countertops, and a concealed spice kitchen, to the 20-foot-square family room that flows out to a patio with glass balustrade siding, and a beautifully-crafted swimming pool and hot tub. Upstairs, the elegant primary suite includes a terrace and sumptuous ensuite, while further bedrooms also boast private decks. Additional highlights include media and recreation rooms, smart home automation, and landscaped grounds through the 0.43-acre lot.
107 — 3503 Gislason Ave., CoquitlamType: Three-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse
Size: 1,588 square feet
B.C. Assessment: $1,135,000
Listed for: $1,169,000
Sold for: $1,100,000
Sold on: December 20
Days on market in this listing: 30
Listing agent: Sonny Mann at Oakwyn Realty Encore
Buyers agent: Carolyn Pogue PREC at Royal LePage Sterling Realty
The big sell: Burke Place is a boutique collection of 16 townhouses that were built in 2021 in Northeast Coquitlam’s Burke Mountain by Mortise Group of Companies. This particular home enjoys a three-bedroom layout with 10-foot-high ceilings, wide-plank floors, expansive windows, a floating linear electric fireplace in the living room with adjacent display shelving, and a well-designed kitchen with quartz surfaces, a gas stove, and an island with breakfast bar seating for four. The icing on the cake is a private rooftop retreat in excess of 600 square feet complete with a hot tub from which to soak in the panoramic old growth forest and valley vistas. Modern comforts also include a heat pump, forced air heating, a tankless on-demand hot water system, and a side-by-side garage with epoxy flooring and extra storage. The home’s monthly maintenance fee is $409.62.
2214 — 2216 West 14th Ave., VancouverType: Eight-bedroom, four-bathroom detached
Size: 3,702 square feet
B.C. Assessment: $3,069,000
Listed for: $3,218,000
Sold for: $3,180,000
Sold on: Nov. 27
Days on market in this listing: 64
Listing agent: Bob Bracken at ReMax Real Estate Services
Buyers agent: Fred Choy PREC at ReMax Real Estate Services
The big sell: One of the intriguing factors of this side-by-side Kitsilano duplex is that it offers plenty of opportunity for revenue collection depending on the buyers’ requirements. In total, it comprises four identically-sized (925 square feet) two-bedroom suites, and an oversized 50-by-125-foot lot. The suites have separate entrances and the ground-floor units have walkout capability to the fully-fenced rear yard. They all feature open-plan living, dining and kitchen areas, quality finishings, gas fireplaces, decks or patios, and private or shared laundry. At the time of selling, three of the suites were tenanted and rented furnished, and one was owner occupied. In total, the gross income equates to $12,800 per month ($153,600 per year). The landscaped garden is a feature of the property with exotic trees, shrubs and mature palms, and there is a two-car garage alongside two open stalls.
These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.
Realtors — send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com
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Rosie Daykin makes the case for personal style over passing trends
Do you ever find yourself balking at the colours in your home? If so, you’re in good company. Even Rosie Daykin, a harbinger of great taste as a longtime interior designer, writer of four stylish books and former owner of Butter Baked Goods on Vancouver’s west side, admits to wrestling for years with the uber-contemporary palate she originally plumped for her nearby 1950s’ rancher.
“We moved in 2007 and made everything grey-white, which was appropriate for the age of the house,” she says, as we sit in her open-plan kitchen, hugged by the waft of homemade fruit cake in her oven. “It was really reflective of that one-level setup, but within several years, it was just a fight for me. It felt soulless.”
While running the bakery and writing cookbooks left her with little time, today more freedom has allowed her to enter her most personal design era. Sparked by her creation of a produce-centric backyard — The Side Gardener , published last year, showcases her abundant raised beds and chickens — Daykin explains she needed a “cohesive indoor-outdoor feeling, so it started to be weird that I have this lovely frothy cottage garden and then come inside to this sterile, stainless-steel space …”
Frequent travels to England also played a significant role in her home’s refresh. Daykin fell for the country’s effortless mixing of old and new, often unearthed during stays in such hotels as Heckfield Place and the Newt.
“I wondered why I was only having that when I’m on vacation and not living like it every day,” she says. “There were esthetics that resonated with me.”
These touches included warming the atmosphere of her home through patterned wallpaper, such as the U.K.’s Robert Kime Dog Rose and Farrow & Ball’ s myriad green hues, including its Cromarty light green-grey.
“It can be transformative and it’s one of the easiest — and often the most inexpensive — thing to do to your home,” Daykin says. “And if you’re energetic, you can do it yourself, of course.”
Another tip to making colours pop — all part of what she calls her “exercise in layering” — is to add more texture by installing boards to some walls to resemble panelling.
She swapped plain electric blinds (“cold and impersonal; it felt like a lockdown”) on the living room windows with bold printed linen drapes called Wild Thing from Lewis & Wood, which brought in more joyous pinks and reds petals — and even monkeys. (“There’s something about the action of pulling them together that just feels great,” she says. “It’s like an extra quilt on the bed in winter.”)
Other effortless ways to add different hues, Daykin continues, include bringing in rugs (jute patchworked ones from Etsy now partly cover her travertine floor), as well as simply moving around any paintings and art you may have to other parts of your home.
When it comes to the planning stage, she suggests ripping pages out of magazines that appeal. “Often there’s a connecting thread,” she says, adding that it’s also important to think about which places “you’ve been in that make you feel good.”
Overall, she had no time for fads. “It’s all about representing yourself authentically and not trying to fit in from a trend standpoint. Besides, if you create a space that’s truly reflective of your personal taste, it will connect with people and they will feel comfortable.”
So now how does she feel when she crosses her threshold into this loveliness of layers? “Like I’m finally at home,” she concludes.
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How designers are embracing historic design features in contemporary homes
Smart tech and trends are everywhere in contemporary homes, but a closer look shows many features — like farmhouse sinks, herringbone patterns and Shaker cabinetry — have surprisingly old roots and have been around for generations. While some of these ideas have remained largely unchanged over the decades, others have had a design tweak to give them a modern look.
One of the most historic design features seen in modern homes is herringbone pattern, often used for flooring and eye-catching backsplashes.
The herringbone pattern, so named for its resemblance to a fish skeleton, dates back to ancient Roman times when stone and brick was laid in the zigzag pattern to build roads. Later it became a popular option in French chateaux and luxury European homes.
Melissa Hardwick, founder of Vancouver-based Melissa Hardwick Design, believes herringbone has survived for centuries because it isn’t just a pattern, it’s a form of visual movement.
“Unlike straight-set layouts, which feel static, herringbone creates rhythm and direction, so the surface feels alive,” she says, adding that while modern manufacturing has made herringbone more accessible, including engineered wood and mesh-mounted tiles, the appeal of the pattern hasn’t changed.
Hardwick notes people are drawn to the herringbone pattern because it immediately suggests craftsmanship.
“Even when produced using contemporary methods, the pattern still reads as something that was carefully assembled rather than simply installed. It adds richness without being ornate, which allows it to feel appropriate in both traditional and modern spaces,” she says.
Lisa Hansen, principal at Area3 Design in Richmond, B.C. agrees herringbone-patterned floors are a luxury and reminiscent of European detail.
“Not every flooring installer is capable of this application. This detail takes true craftsmanship — and definitely increases not only the product cost, but specifically the labour cost,” says Hansen, adding it’s not a typical detail in multi-family projects and because of the price barrier is more often seen in custom homes.
Nevertheless, in BMG’s Holden Row development in South Surrey, Hansen chose to use a herringbone floor design along with several other features with lengthy design histories.
“At Area3, we love when design feels familiar in the best way. With Holden Row we embraced the idea that some of the most timeless spaces come from revisiting what’s already proven itself over time — and giving it a fresh point of view,” she says.
“Elements like herringbone hardwood floors and the farmhouse apron sink aren’t new, and that’s exactly why we love them. The herringbone pattern adds texture and movement without feeling fussy, while the apron sink — originally designed for hardworking kitchens — still makes sense today as a practical, welcoming centrepiece where life naturally happens,” she adds. Hansen says layered with rich cabinetry, warm metals and old-world tile details, these classic features make a home feel current, comfortable and lived-in.
The Shaker cabinetry in the Holden Row condo development includes a design tweak to reflect the modern farmhouse style.
The distinctive five-piece Shaker-style cabinet doors comprising two stiles (vertical lengths of wood that define the side of the door) and two rails (horizontal pieces of wood that fit across the top and bottom of the door), plus the recessed centre panel date back to the 18th century and the Shaker community with its values steeped in simplicity.
Hansen says the Shaker-style cabinet door lends itself to multiple esthetics which create its mass appeal. For the Holden Row interior design, she specified a ‘skinny Shaker’ profile to add a modern twist to the overall design.
Another form of millwork with historic roots is wainscotting. While the panelling was originally used in medieval Europe to insulate cold stone walls, nowadays its role is primarily decorative.
Wainscotting brings a sense of order, sophistication and permanence to a space, says Hardwick.
“I often describe millwork as what makes a room feel ‘settled.’ It anchors a space in a way paint and furnishings alone cannot,” she says, adding that while classical proportions once dictated how wainscotting was used, modern homes allow for more flexibility.
“I still work with proportion and balance, but I respond to ceiling heights, natural light and how the room is lived in. Sometimes taller panelling or deeper trim gives a contemporary room the visual weight it needs to feel complete,” she says.
There’s also a misconception that millwork feels overly formal, says Hardwick.
“When it’s done with restraint — clean profiles and thoughtful scale — it actually elevates a space while making it feel calmer and more resolved,” she says adding she is particularly drawn to early 20th-century millwork — Arts and Crafts and Edwardian influences — where quality, proportion and longevity were central to the design.
While the first claw foot tubs date back to the 18th century, they became increasingly popular when David Buick, before he founded the Buick Motor Company, developed a process to bond porcelain enamel to cast iron to produce white tubs, the porcelain enamelling method that is still used to manufacture cast iron baths today.
While Hardwick has a claw foot tub in her own home, she admits to being more fond of a shower but says there’s no denying the ambience a claw foot tub creates.
She believes the age and character of a home matters when choosing a claw foot.
“In older houses, they often feel completely natural, as though they’ve always belonged. In more contemporary homes, that contrast can be very intentional — the tension between old and new creates dynamic, layered spaces that feel more personal and interesting,” she says.
She says claw foot tubs also require enough room to be enjoyed and that when the space is available, they create a sense of spa-like luxury that few built-in tubs can match.
Some of the other features with long histories include Dutch doors, butler’s pantries — sometimes serving as inspiration for modern, smaller homes’ coffee stations — laundry chutes, dumb waiters and even traditional drop leaf tables where a “leaf” is sometimes attached to a kitchen island in smaller condos and folded out to create a dining table or extra work surface.
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Property Watch: Oak Bay heritage home sprung from farmland to coveted neighbourhood
In 1912, oceanfront property in Oak Bay, Victoria, was not out of reach for at least one schoolteacher’s salary. Following the municipality’s incorporation in 1906, expanded streetcar service was making it faster and easier to access downtown Victoria. And the pre-First World War building boom was turning fields and farmland into what would become an upscale, sought-after neighbourhood.
Eager to get in on the action, Edward Hamilton-Smith, a high school teacher from Scotland via Pennsylvania, took a calculated risk and snapped up six waterfront lots on an acre and a half in the Willows Beach area of Oak Bay for the grand sum of $6,900. He then commissioned architect L.W. Hargreaves to design a one-and-a-half storey, 4,163 square-foot, wood-framed Craftsman-style house on what was then called Beachway Avenue.
Hargreaves designed several Victoria buildings of note, including the Scott Building on Johnson Street, the Yen Wo Society Building on Government Street, and what is now the Hotel Rialto on Douglas Street.
For an additional $4,000, N. Benneck & Sons were contracted to build the home with features such as a side-gabled roof with smaller gabled extensions and a front dormer with a balcony above a large front porch that wraps around the ocean side of the house.
The property has since been subdivided and the home, now known as the Edward Hamilton-Smith House (or Manor), has lost much of its ocean view (although you can still glimpse it from the upper deck and primary bedroom), but it’s been meticulously preserved and cared for. It’s one of only two houses on what’s now called Cavendish Avenue that have retained their original finishes and exterior detailing: cladding of narrow siding on the main floor and shingle cladding on the second floor and basement levels; wide trim boards and heavy brackets supporting bargeboards; upper balcony above the front door with beams, brackets and porch railings; wraparound porch on the north and east facades with Classical columns and four shingle and clad columns.
What’s insideThe interior of the designated heritage home maintains many of the original finishes, fireplaces and floor plan, with the exception of the kitchen and bathrooms, which the current owners upgraded in 2010, along with the ductwork, heating and electrical system.
“They hired John Graham, an architect and member of the Oak Bay Heritage Foundation, who sourced original, reclaimed materials for the bathroom fixtures,” says listing agent Lee Chambers of Victoria-based Pemberton Holmes Ltd. “They also renovated the entire basement in 2014, when they added the back deck.”
Three wood-burning fireplaces, including a large brick- and fir-framed one in the dining area off the kitchen, were converted to gas during the 2010 renovation. Original fir flooring spans the main and upper storeys of the home, while the kitchen is laid with stone and ceramic tile. From the entryway, French doors lead into a formal living room with a brick-encased fireplace. A separate office, den, bedroom and full bathroom complete the main floor. Period windows and lighting, as well as some authentic brass doorknobs and push-button light switches, remain intact from over 100 years ago.
The freshly painted kitchen features plenty of windows, an oversized, six-burner Viking gas range, a Sub-Zero fridge, an additional beverage fridge in an island with added drawers for storage and double-thick granite countertops.
The open staircase with preserved woodwork leads to the upper floor, which features two bedrooms, including the primary bedroom, a library, study, and bathroom with double sinks, a soaker tub, and full-body shower with multiple jets. “The interlacing tiles in the upstairs bathroom have an iridescent quality that’s quite hypnotizing,” says Chambers. He adds that the two stained glass windows in the main floor and upper floor bathrooms were brought from the current owners’ previous home, which they framed and hung over the windows for a touch of colour.
The fully finished basement features a family room, a laundry room, full bathroom and two more bedrooms, which could be used as flex space for a games room or gym, along with tons of storage cabinetry.
Double doors lead off the kitchen onto a back patio and down the stairs into an expansive lawn filled with mature trees, perennial shrubbery and tall cedar hedge for privacy. “It’s as easy care as it can be, but if someone wanted a veggie garden, they could (certainly add one),” says Chambers.
He says that when he shows the home, “The word ‘family’ is always used, whether it’s a young family or a multi-generational family that needs a lot of space. Consistently, people come through and are surprised by the spaciousness of it.”
He says that, although there are technically six bedrooms, other rooms currently used as study, den and flex room could be converted to bedrooms, bringing the total to nine bedrooms for a large family.
“It’s a classic; 114 years old but in ‘loved’ condition,” says Chambers of the historic home. “The current owners walked a fine line, keeping all the best character features, while updating everything that’s important to today’s homeowner.”
No doubt Edward Hamilton-Smith would give his legacy an A+.
In the neighbourhoodThe home is the second-to-last house on a street that ends at Willow’s Beach — 75 adult steps away, says Cavendish — with views of Mt. Baker and nearby islands. “The Oak Bay neighbourhood is consistently voted among the most livable in Canada. The tree-lined streets are walkable and rideable. It’s near some of the best public and private schools in B.C., and only 10 minutes from the University of Victoria.”
He notes also that it’s a few kilometres to the Oak Bay Marina, the Greater Victoria Yacht Club, Uplands Golf Course, the Royal Victoria Golf Course, Oak Bay Village, Estevan Village, a rec centre, and hospital.
“A comparable neighbourhood on the mainland would be West Point Grey, Kerrisdale, and Kits beach, as far as the activity and desirability of being in proximity to a beach.”
Location: 2753 Cavendish Avenue, Oak Bay
Listed for: $3,475,000
Year built: 1912
Type: Six bedrooms, three bathrooms
Size: 4,163 square feet
Realtor: Listed by Lee Chambers, Pemberton Holmes Ltd.
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From custom stair runner to Bauhaus-inspired rug collection
If there is one thing Chantel and Ryan Ness of Supermarket Studio and Andrea Ewanchyna of Andrea Jae Studio have in common, it’s the belief that collaboration makes design stronger. Both studios are rooted in craft and process. Both are attentive to material, structure and the lived experience of a space, and both approach design as a dialogue rather than a solo act.
This mindset is what brought them together to design a custom stair runner for a residential project. Ewanchyna conceived a runner that would become the visual anchor of the home.
“We collaborated with Supermarket Studio to make it happen,” she says.
The stair runner design drew from Bauhaus textiles and architectural lines, resulting in a bold geometric pattern that honoured structure.
“That project was really rooted in design for purpose rather than design for esthetics, which is how Bauhaus came into the mix because ‘form follows function’ is their M.O.,” says Ewanchyna.
As Ewanchyna and Supermarket Studio refined the design, they realized it resonated beyond the client’s home. “We’d have random strangers coming up to us asking where they could purchase that rug,” says Ewanchyna.
Supermarket Studio received similar inquiries after posting progress images. The response led to the creation of the Loom x Andrea Jae Studio capsule collection.
The Loom collectionAt the heart of the collection is a shared respect for textile history.
“Andrea and I were thinking a lot about weaving as a female-led tradition. Heritage and tradition have been carried forward through knowledge, repetition and making,” says Chantel Ness.
The influence of Bauhaus textile artist Anni Albers was intentional.
“We were inspired by Anni Albers’ idea of textiles as a dialogue between maker and material, which encouraged us to work with restraint and rhythm rather than decoration,” says Ness.
Bauhaus was a German design movement focused on function, geometry and the union of art and craft. In the Loom collection, Ewanchyna and Ness reflect that ethos by prioritizing structure and material over ornament, using disciplined geometry and the loom’s warp as a starting point to create purposeful, tactile rugs.
Colour, personality and comfortThe Loom collection features three distinct colourways, says Ness.
“‘Espresso’ is intentionally neutral and easy to live with, ‘Coast’ is a bit more fun, and ‘Plum’ nods to the colour-drenching trend happening in interiors right now. It was really about seeing how far the same design could stretch just through colour,” she says.
Developing those palettes required experimentation, says Ewanchyna. Supermarket Studio have hundreds of colours in their studio to select from.
What you think might work doesn’t necessarily translate, so the colour pompoms Supermarket Studio uses have become critical to the design process, says Ewanchyna. Their studio also helps with decisions on pile height, density and yarn spin so the rugs feel as good as they look.
West Coast modern estheticThe Loom collection reflects a West Coast modern sensibility, says Ewanchyna.
“In terms of design, West Coast modern means framing views of the natural world around us, whether that is through a vista in a window or creating a mood through layering of materials. There are lichens out there in our rainforest in these tones that we can tend to forget about,” she says.
Ultimately, she says, it’s about how these rugs make a space feel: “I want people to feel underfoot comfort! That’s the whole point of an area rug, isn’t it?! I also want them to feel like it’s a piece of art, but on the floor. I want them to know that each one of these rugs is handmade and therefore one of a kind.”
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Terrain draws on Squamish landscape with mountain modern homes
Sam Curleigh and his wife, Samantha Croll, spent eight months looking for “the perfect family-size townhome” to accommodate their growing family and two large dogs.
“We visited several projects, but there was always something missing,” says Curleigh. “When we visited Terrain, it ticked off all our boxes.”
Croll, who is pregnant with the couple’s second child, agreed. “We love the spacious yard and the location, which backs onto the longest trail system in Squamish. We really did our research, and we are excited to move into a three-bedroom townhome with great views of the Tantalis Mountain range this October.”
Located at the confluence of the mountains and the sea, Polygon Homes’ Terrain has been carefully integrated into the hillside in the Garibaldi Springs neighbourhood, creating a subtle transition between urban and rural landscapes.
As one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada, Squamish’s reputation as a world-class tourist destination has made this town a desirable place to live, work and play. Known as the “outdoor recreational capital of Canada,” many people from across the Lower Mainland are moving here for the outdoor lifestyle.
“Squamish is a very desirable location in the Lower Mainland, and we are seeing this area appeal to a wide range of buyers. Terrain itself is adjacent to over 90 acres of parkland with views of the breathtaking surroundings and just steps from Squamish’s extensive trail network, so it’s highly attractive to outdoor lovers and adventurers,” says Goldie Alam, senior vice-president of marketing at Polygon Homes, adding that during its opening day on Jan. 31, 2026, Polygon sold 22 homes.
Since Terrain’s opening, the response has been overwhelmingly positive — everyone from downsizers to young couples who are expanding their families and needing more space.
“We also saw a lot of parents coming with their kids and grandchildren to provide both emotional and financial support to assist the next generation of their families as they enter or move up in the market,” says Alam. “One of our floor plans features a secondary suite and some families are buying this type of home to have multiple generations living together.”
Overlooking the Squamish Valley, within Polygon’s master planned community of Garibaldi Springs, Terrain is a collection of 127 three and four-bedroom contemporary townhomes, ranging from 1,480 to 2,232 square feet. Each home comes with large decks or patios, fenced-in backyards, and side-by-side oversized garages that are insulated and heated with EV rough-ins and plenty of storage for outdoor toys. When complete, Garibaldi Springs will comprise 314 townhomes.
Designed by Ekistics, the homes’ architecture blends well with the mountain setting with sharply pitched roof lines, black-framed windows and vertical siding.
“The homes on the higher elevation have better views of the mountains, but each home has some kind of view,” says Alam.
Curated by Polygon Interior Design, each townhome is comfortably designed for today, with over-height ceilings, expansive windows flooding the homes with natural light, contemporary cabinetry with matte black steel hardware, and a Samsung appliance package including an induction cooktop with oven, and in some plans integrated refrigerators and dishwashers.
Spacious, these larger homes’ interiors reflect a blend of modern design and urban flair, with generous open-plan layouts perfect for entertaining family and friends.
Alam went on to say that the three-bedroom homes have been selling extremely well.
“The smaller townhomes have been very popular with first-time homebuyers. … They are obviously at a lower price point, starting at just over a million,” she says. “Upstairs, there are little den areas adjacent to the kitchen. Some buyers are creating coffee bars, while others have made them into little play areas or dens.”
Another big draw for young families is Terrain’s proximity to a great school system and daycares, as well as the community’s three-acre Hub Park, with ponds that connect to the existing trail system.
Project: Terrain
Project address: 41159 Garibaldi Springs Way, Squamish
Developer: Polygon Terrain Homes Ltd.
Architect: Ekistics
Interior designer: Polygon Interior Design
Project size: 127 homes
Number of bedrooms: Three and four bedrooms wood-framed townhomes
Price: Starting from $1,068,000
Sales centre: 41159 Garibaldi Springs Way, Squamish
Centre hours: Open daily from noon to 5 p.m. (closed Fridays)
Phone: 604.757.5550
Website: polyhomes.com/community/terrain/
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Brian Minter: Are you a spring garden gambler? Tips to stack the odds in your favour
Are you a garden gambler? Good gamblers usually win more than they lose, but in the garden we all take a gamble. Unforeseen bad weather, insects, disease and lack of time or attention are all risks we face every year, but good garden gamblers aren’t just lucky, they stack the odds in their favour.
As a new season begins, let’s play the odds to our advantage. First, we need to get to know Mother Nature a little better. She loves to fool us with some very nice weather early on. Sunny March days when the temperature bumps up to 15-18°C is a garden motivator like nothing else. Gardeners almost feel a little tardy in getting some early varieties going. We tend to think it’s going to be an early spring so we should take advantage of the weather and start planting.
Unfortunately, clear sunny days are followed by cold frosty nights and, with no cloud protection, white frost can appear in the early mornings, damaging some of those optimistic plantings.
We can mitigate some of the cold by using raised beds and Remay coverings to keep the soil and plants warmer, but we need to question our rationale. Every day now the sun in our Northern Hemisphere gives us about one minute more daylight, and as the sun’s angle gets higher, a little more warmth as well.
A good gambler would look at this and say, “Why not wait a little longer to do my early planting?” The bragging rights of having the earliest lettuce, spinach or peas don’t outweigh the benefits of planting a later crop with less risk and better production.
Soil preparation is another example of logic vs. luck. Heavy, wet soils are the No. 1 reason plants don’t thrive and are your biggest risk for failure. On the other hand, well-prepared soils increase your chances of success more than you can imagine. Your plants will take off more quickly, grow more vigorously, resist disease more effectively, and mature into beautiful specimens.
The practice of regenerative gardening means less digging, rototilling and, overall, less soil disturbance. To establish a “no-till” garden, seasonal additions of organic matter like mushroom compost or other more fibrous material will keep your soils more open and looser. When you’ve got the texture just right, all you need to do is rake it out and you’re ready to go.
Seeds or transplants? Which are better for you? As a rule of thumb, planting larger seeds later is a good decision. For instance, peas, beans and broad beans germinate easily and are inexpensive to grow, but they still should not be direct seeded outdoors until all danger of frost has passed and the soil has reached a consistent night temperature of 10°C.
Smaller seeds, like onions, lettuce and brassicas, are best pre-started in plug trays or small packs, and the new plantable pots. It often takes growers a month or more to produce a saleable young transplant, and when you consider the time factor, I would gamble on the pre-started plants for my garden. You are almost guaranteed success and have saved four to six weeks of time and maintenance.
Once you set plants out in your garden, you are arranging a buffet for a whole host of slugs, insects, rodents, rabbits, and yes, even our garden friendly birds.
It’s important to remember, early in the season, there is little else for wildlife to eat, and your garden is their best bet. Later in the season, as grass, weeds, leaves, and many native perennial plants begin to grow, wildlife has lots of alternatives, but meantime, be prepared.
If you’re a novice gambler, you will just leave them there and hope for the best. Garden wise gamblers will not take that chance. Setting out pet-safe slug baits and deterrents and covering your young plants with Remay or row cover materials dramatically increases your odds of a favourable outcome.
Another success factor here is observation. You need to be out there daily to check not only the condition of your plants, but also to look for signs of any small intruders. Nibbled leaves, slug slime trails, and aphid droppings are all evidence a good garden detective will quickly pick up on and remedy as quickly as possible.
Early in the season, plants grow quite slowly. When we get consistently warmer day and night temperatures, plants can grow two or three times more quickly so your chances of success are far greater.
I’ve learned a great deal from many seasoned gardeners. These are folks who have a passion for gardening and love to share their experiences and expertise. They seem to have one thing in common which is a strong preference for certain plant varieties and they are quite resistant to change. I’m always encouraging them to try newer, more exciting introductions, but with limited success! Their reluctance comes from experience and their own positive results with the varieties they grow. They are less willing to gamble on new plants when they have seen continued success with favourites they know and trust.
When folks share their gardening success stories, I always ask them which varieties worked the best and honestly, sometimes they forget. Keeping an ongoing garden journal for timely notes, best varieties, care, and feeding tips you’ve learned and had success with along the way takes away a lot of uncertainty out of planting year after year.
As I said, gardening is a gamble, but a good one. It teaches us so much about soils, nutrients, timing for planting and plant care, and watching weather patterns. It also makes us very aware that we need to focus on our plants and protect them as well as enjoy them.
Nature loves to play with us and at times throw a punch or two, but she is also the best teacher, if we learn to observe, listen, and learn. The more we do that, the less gardening remains a gamble and becomes more of a safe bet.
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How designers are using AI to reimagine living spaces
Architects and interior designers have long enlisted tools to help them analyze design concepts and communicate their ideas. Visualizing something that doesn’t already exist — then illustrating it in a way for others to understand — is the essence of the profession.
Before digital tools became mainstream, renderers would sit down with architectural plans and hand-sketch and paint illustrations. These works were used in marketing materials, client approvals and more. Then, software like AutoCAD entered the scene, speeding up the process and shifting the skill set from hand drawing to graphic design.
Today, the profession is evolving once again with architects and designers leveraging the power of AI for renderings and real time mock-ups. Bao-Nghi Nhan, partner and director of architecture at Vancouver’s McKinley Studios, whose team has already integrated a number of AI tools into its processes, believes that accepting and embracing the technology will put firms ahead of the competition. “Early adopters will likely be in demand,” she says.
In creating the client-facing renderings for a waterfront Chesterman Beach home in Tofino, which at press time was under construction, McKinley Studios used AI tools for concepts, to accentuate fine details in renderings, and for client presentations.
During the early exploration phase of the firm’s prefabricated Commonplace homes project, McKinley used AI scripts to mock up a variety of design options, and to analyze how the homes would potentially sit on different land sites. “We were able to site test and review multiple options in a [much shorter] time period,” says Nhan. Once the renderings were finalized, the team also used AI to refine the visuals. Nhan credits AI for streamlining internal processes at the beginning of the project, improving client communication, and boosting client buy-in in the early design phases.
AI tools can be impressively speedy and create sleek outputs, but Nhan says they can’t replace human ideation and intuition; designers and architects need to maintain their role as curators and thinkers to avoid generic results. “All tools, whether they be 3D modelling, drafting, BIM or AI tools should be used with intention, and grounded by the author’s conceptual framework,” she says.
Like McKinley Studios, Jamie Banfield Design has also integrated AI software into their design workflow for interior and architectural design. They use AI image-generation tools Midjourney, DALL·E, and Stable Diffusion to brainstorm concepts, develop mood boards, and explore different design directions. “This allows us to quickly explore the form and function of a space, helping to avoid expensive on-site errors or late-stage changes of direction before committing to detailed modelling,” says Banfield.
When it comes to reviewing, co-ordinating, and editing design PDFs, and communicating across consultants, trades, and permitting authorities, Banfield draws on AI design collaboration tool Bluebeam Revu. “AI helps us pressure-test ideas,” he explains, enabling his team to make better-informed decisions. “[This elevates] the quality of our work and strengthens collaboration.”
So are design professionals concerned about AI’s impact on the job market? Banfield believes the AI evolution will change designers’ roles — but could actually make their work even more interesting. He sees video communication, avatars, and AI-assisted visualization replacing the need for hand-sketching and streamlining communication. “[With AI] information can be shared more clearly and consistently across teams and time zones, reducing bias, misinterpretation, and reliance on static drawings alone.”
Designers will then have bandwidth to focus more on higher level strategy. “This shift allows designers to sit more confidently in the problem-solving and strategic seat, guiding outcomes rather than simply producing documents.”
But Banfield says he’s not worried AI will replace the need for human designers and architects. “AI doesn’t replace authorship, judgment, or responsibility, it amplifies them. When used thoughtfully, these tools allow us to design more responsibly, communicate more clearly, and spend more time on the parts of our work that truly matter: understanding people, responding to context, and shaping meaningful spaces.”
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Sold (Bought): Renovated Gibsons cottage showcases modern comforts
Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.
535 Gower Point Rd., GibsonsType: Two-bedroom, two-bathroom detached
Size: 1,173 square feet
B.C. Assessment: $843,000
Listed for: $1,388,000
Sold for: $1,360,000
Sold on: Nov. 28
Days on market in this listing: 21
Listing agent: Leslee Cooper at ReMax Select Properties
Buyers agent: Melissa Grant at ReMax City Realty
The big sell: With a name that conjures up sweetness and charm, Magnolia Cottage is a two-bedroom one-level cottage that oozes appeal and modern comforts thanks to a comprehensive renovation. The front door opens to a skylit hallway with exposed beams and engineered hardwood floors. There are new vinyl windows, Hardie board siding and fresh exterior paintwork, remote control window coverings, black Riobel fixtures, a linear gas fireplace with a wooden mantel, Shaker-style cabinets, quartz countertops, and integrated stainless-steel appliances including a wine fridge. Outside, the updates continue with Duradek front and back decks, a covered pergola with overhead heaters, a gas firepit, and enough space for long-table dinners with family and friends. The property is situated in Lower Gibsons with shops, restaurants, the public market, marina and sandy beaches all within walking distance, plus it receives Gibsons’ Aquifer water.
2 — 365 East 33rd Ave., VancouverType: Three-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse
Size: 1,323 square feet
B.C. Assessment: $1,453,000
Listed for: $1,399,000
Sold for: $1,399,000
Sold on: Dec. 12
Days on market in this listing: 44
Listing agent: Jessica Chen PREC at Oakwyn Realty
Buyers agent: Lara Davis PREC at Oakwyn Realty Northwest
The big sell: This two-level townhome forms part of Ello, a 12-unit boutique development designed by Vandwell Developments in east Vancouver’s Riley Park neighbourhood close to the amenities that line Main Street. The recently-completed home has stylish touches throughout with a Dekton backsplash, Silestone countertops, brushed gunmetal plumbing fixtures, wide-plank engineered floors, designer lighting, large-format matte textured tiles, and white oak millwork accents. All three bedrooms are on the upper floor alongside walk-in closets, two bathrooms, and laundry. The main floor has been thoughtfully configured with dimensions that cover more than 600 square feet with a kitchen island, ample counter and storage space, designated dining and living room areas, and oversized Westeck sliding glass doors that open to a private patio complete with outdoor fireplace.
412 — 1216 Homer St., VancouverType: Zero-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment
Size: 469 square feet
B.C. Assessment: $453,000
Listed for: $550,000
Sold for: $510,000
Sold on: Nov. 24
Days on market in this listing: 109
Listing agent: Nickola Dawn and Clarence Lowe PREC at Dexter Realty
Buyers agent: Adam Chahl PREC at Oakwyn Realty
The big sell: Yaletown’s Murchies Building at the corner of Homer and Davie streets was originally built in 1912 as a warehouse for the Murchie’s Tea and Coffee company before being converted into 59 loft-style residences in the late 1990s. On the fourth floor of the building is this studio with nine-foot-high ceilings, exposed concrete beams and brickwork, reclaimed fir floors, and a noteworthy Suquet stone fireplace. A custom built-in Murphy bed optimizes space while a sleek kitchen showcases quartz waterfall counters and stainless-steel appliances, and the bathroom is resplendent with elegant tiling and extra storage. The unit comes with a large external storage locker and a monthly maintenance fee of $293.20. The six-storey heritage building offers a common rooftop patio with panoramic city views for residents .
These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.
Realtors — send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com
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