14 April 2011

Understanding energy efficiency – A house is a system

A house is made up of components that work together to form an integrated system.

13 April 2011

12 Great Ideas for Organization in the Kitchen

There's a term in French cooking called "mise en place" that translates literally as "putting in place." The Culinary Institute of America has defined it as "everything in place" and it refers to…

12 April 2011

How to choose summer kitchen amenities

Now that the weather is getting nicer, all ideas of outdoor leisure home activities come flooding back to your mind. From playing out in the yard with the kids, to enjoying neighbors over for a…

11 April 2011

What, exactly, IS composite decking?

Composite decking, not unlike laminate flooring, has evolved greatly since it became a mainstream building material. Once considered something of an also-ran by early detractors, and compared…

9 April 2011

Plan of the Week – “Single-level, bi-generational”

7 April 2011

EnerGuide Rating for New Homes

There are a number of different construction standards for low energy and/or green homes in Canada. Depending on the region of Canada you are in, you may be familiar with one or more of the following…

6 April 2011

Decor: High-style, low maintenance indoor gardens

If you are tired of the traditional approach to indoor plants, you may want to draw on the inspiration of Shane Powers. He developed a new selection of beautiful and self-sufficient planters which…

5 April 2011

Setting up your digital entertainment centre

Digital entertainment is now commonplace in homes and digital equipment choices abound. Whether you choose a specific room for digital entertainment or incorporate it into the great room or family…

4 April 2011

Designs for living: Cheerful laundry rooms

Colorful, comfortable spaces make doing the laundry much more fun!

3 April 2011

Bunk room blast – a great kid space

Thanks to Twitter and Facebook, I sometimes have too much exposure to great ideas. Effective use of space is always a challenge so when I came across this blog post from August Fields it was a given…

2 April 2011

Plan of the Week – “Dual Master Suites”

31 March 2011

Energy Efficient New Homes – Grants and Incentives

Currently, although Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) does not offer incentives to new home buyers or new home builders, NRCan manages the EnerGuide Rating System, ENERGY STAR® for New Homes, and…