May 20, 2015

Firing up the backyard Page 3

May 2015 2015

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GVHBA honours the best in residential construction

By Kerry Vital

Naikoon Contracting’s Midori Uchi was the winner of several awards.

Photo by Naikoon Contracting

The team at Naikoon Contracting took home seven awards.

Photo by Martin Knowles Photo/Media

On April 25, the Greater Van- fordable Housing Choices, and the for Best New Kitchen: $100,000 and couver Home Builders’ Association Grand Ovation Award for Renova- Over. honoured the best in the residen- tor of the Year: Large Volume. They This year saw a new category added also won awards for Best to the awards: the Excellence in Techtial construction indusKitchen Renovation: Un- nological Innovation in Residential try at the annual Ovation der $50,000, Best Addition Construction award. Graytek SoluAwards, which recognize Renovation, Best Exte- tions Ltd. was this year’s winner, for excellence in the design and rior Renovation and Best The Mayfair, with associates Teragon construction of new singleTow n h o u s e / R ow h o m e Developments & Construction Inc. and multi-family homes, as Community: Less than well as the renovation of ex“The addition of the category for 1,500 Square Feet. isting homes across Metro Excellence in Technological InnovaThe Grand Ovation tion in Residential Construction is an Vancouver.

Award for Residential Ren- indicator the brand reflects leading“The Ovation brand is Bob de Wit ovator of the Year: Small a symbol consumers can edge industry standards,” de Wit says.

Volume was awarded to trust and should look for “Recognizing advancements ensures when building or renovating their Tavan Developments Inc., while the the awards are relevant and meanhome,” says GVHBA CEO Bob de Grand Ovation Award for Single- ingful to all members’ businesses and Family Home Builder of the Year Wit. homeowners.”

The gala awards ceremony was was taken home by Paramax Homes “ more page.2 presided over by Shaw’s Fiona Ltd. Paramax also received the award Forbes, and took place at the Marriott Pinnacle Hotel in downtown Vancouver.

The top winner at last month’s event was Naikoon Contracting Ltd., who took home seven awards.

Among them was the Grand Ovation Award for Custom Home Builder of the Year and the award for Excellence in Innovation and Sustainability in New Residential Construction.

They also took home awards for Best Renovation: $800,000 and Over, Best Custom Home: Under $750,000, My House Design/Build Team was the winner of six awards.

Photo by Martin Knowles Photo/Media Best Single-Family Detached Home: Less than 2,000 Square Feet, Best Special Feature: New or Renovated, and the FortisBC Award for Excellence in Energy Efficiency in New Residential Construction. Naikoon’s associate Twenty One Two Designs Inc. took home the award for Best Interior Design Custom Residence: New or Renovated.

Other big winners included My Silver Lining, a project by My House Design/Build Team Ltd., won the House Design/Build Team Ltd. with Ovation Award for Best Addition Renovation. six awards, including BC Housing’s Photo by My House Design/Build Team Award for Excellence in Creating AfCoast has the Brands you Want, and the Expertise you Need!

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“ from page.1 The Mayfair also won awards for Best Renovated Room, Best Outdoor Living Space, and the coveted People’s Choice Award, which was voted on by members of the public.

Sarah Gallop Design Inc., an award winner in years past, took home the award for Best Kitchen Renovation: $50,000 to $99,999, and Beyond Beige Interior Design was awarded the trophies for Best Kitchen and Greatroom Renovation, Best Bathroom Renovation: $35,000 and Over and Best Townhouse/Condominium Renovation: $200,000 and Over.

North Vancouver’s Shakespeare Homes and Renovations, with associate Sensitive Design, received awards for Best Kitchen Renovation: $100,000 and Over and Best Renovation: $500,000 to $799,999.

Other award winners included reVISION Custom Home Renovations Inc., Kenorah Design/Build Ltd., Sasen Renovations and Reid Developments Ltd. This year saw a record number of entries for the various categories.

“Award entries up 77 per cent over last year reflect the healthy growth and professional work in the residential construction industry across Metro Vancouver,” says de Wit. Black Press Group was pleased to participate in the awards as a Media Sponsor. For a full list of winners, visit www.ovationawards.ca

The Mayfair, by Teragon Developments and Graytek Solutions, won the award for Excellence in Technological Innovation in Residential Construction.

Photo by Teragon Developments and Construction

Sarah Gallop Design took home the award for Best Kitchen Renovation: $50,000 to $99,999.

Paramax Homes was the recipient of the Grand Ovation Award for Single-Family Home Builder of the Year .

Photo by Paramax Homes

The award for Best Kitchen and Greatroom Renovation was given to Beyond Beige Interior Interior Design. Photo by Beyond Beige Interior Design

Photo by Sarah Gallop Design

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When choosing a fire pit, it’s important to consider what you plan to use it for and how much maintenance you’re willing to do. Photos supplied by Dreamcast Design and Production

Firing up the backyard

By Kerry Vital Outdoor spaces are becoming nearly as important as indoor spaces when it comes to relaxing in your home.

Whether it’s warm or there’s a chill in the air, you can spend more time outside with family and friends when you install a backyard fire pit.

When you think fire pit, you might think of a campfire reminiscent of family camping trips as a child. But outdoor fire features have come a long way in recent years.

“We’re seeing a trend towards the minimalist look,” says Catherine Traschenko of Dreamcast Design and Pro-

duction. “Concrete is getting quite popular due to that influence.”

Sleek and modern backyards are complemented by an equally sleek fire bowl. Other options include the traditional fire pits, and square or rectangular fire tables.

C oncrete comes in a range of colours, from the classic grey to a white, taupe or charcoal shade.

“When you’re choosing a colour you need to consider

how much maintenance you want to do,” says Traschenko.

“With a light colour or a dark colour, you will need to clean it more often because it shows more dirt. A midtone is best.”

Other popular materials for outdoor fire pits include stone, brick and old-fashioned copper and other metals.

Fire pits can be fuelled by natural gas, propane, wood or a clean-burning gel.

A fireplace professional will be able to advise what the best

option is for your space.

“It’s important to ensure you have enough clearance to the ceiling and to the nearby walls,” says Traschenko. “Every fire pit will have regulations on clearances, and it should be CSA-approved.”

It’s also important to keep anything flammable such as foliage away from the fire pit.

A stone or brick surround is a great and safe option, especially in drier climates. Builtin seating will keep people from getting too close to the fire pit.

If you’re looking for a natural gas fire pit, you will have to keep where the hook-up is in mind. If the hook-up isn’t right beside where you plan to put the fire pit, you might need to take a hose into account, Traschenko points out.

“You also need to keep in mind what you plan to use it for,” she says. “Do you want to eat at it, or just use it for warmth?”

If you plan to use it for warmth, choose a fire pit that is lower to the ground.

“Heat rises,” Traschenko says. “The lower the fire pit, the warmer you will feel.”

Maintenance is an important consideration for anything that stays outdoors.

“At the start of the season, vacuum out any debris from the burner area, and make sure there are no leaves clogging it up,” says Traschenko.

“Wipe the fire pit and remove anything that’s inside it.”

Keeping your fire pit covered when it’s not in use prevents dirt, leaves and other debris from getting inside it and forcing you to clean it more often, so Traschenko always suggests that custom-

ers refrain from leaving it open to the elements.

The days are getting longer and warm summer nights will soon be here, so now is the perfect time to look into that fire pit!

B4 -- Wednesday, May 20, 2015 -- THE NEWS - www.mapleridgenews.com

Beyond the garage door

By Kerry Vital

When you consider starting your spring cleaning, you’re likely imagining tidying up the kitchen or organizing the linen closet.

But when was the last time you considered organizing your garage? “This is the year of the garage!” says Ron Helferty of Tailored Living featuring

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PremierGarage. “A lot of people have no room in their garage for their car; it’s more of an afterthought.”

Helferty points out that the garage is often one of the largest rooms in the house, but also the most under-utilized.

“Today, 90 per cent of single-family homes built have a garage,” he says. “In addition, 82 per cent of new homes built have two-car or larger garages.

The two-car garage has become standard, and many new homes are being built with three- or four-car garages.”

The garage often becomes the place where you put the things you don’t use every day, or things that you don’t want to keep in your home such as sports equipment, tools, cleaning supplies and seasonal items such as Christmas or Halloween decor. That doesn’t mean the space needs to be a disorganized mess.

“A well-organized and furnished garage can draw the envy and attention of neighbours,” says Helferty. “It’s the only room in the house the entire neighbourhood sees.”

Like the other spaces in the home, you should look at what you have before starting to organize the garage.

“Take out what you have, and decide what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of,” Helferty suggests.

“When you have determined what to keep, divide that pile into sections such as holiday, sports, car maintenance, house maintenance, etc.”

Organizing a garage goes beyond installing a tool bench and a shelf. There are many options available, including racks, shelving, bins and cabinetry.

“Your needs will change over the years, so your goal is to have a versatile garage organization and storage system,” says Helferty.

Cabinetry is a great option for storing seasonal clothes and other items that you don’t use very often, but that you want to keep clean. Helferty also notes that custom cabinetry is great for storing cleaning products or tools that you want to keep accessible but not right out in the open.

Even the ceiling of your garage can be utilized.

“Overhead storage is where you keep things like holiday decorations or snow equipment during the the summer time,” Helferty says. “Secured to the ceiling of your garage, this handy storage solution keeps off-season items out of your way when you don’t need them so that you regain valuable floor and wall space.”

Like most home renovations, getting the assistance of a professional is never a bad idea. They can also suggest new ways to store your belongings that you may not have thought of before, and ensure your space is as well-organized and tailored to your lifestyle as it can be.

“As consumers spend more time in the home, they are turning their garages into extensions of their houses - with more sophisticated storage, furniture and appliances designed to make garages both more efficient and more attractive,” Helferty says. “There’s so much you can do with a garage.”

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www.mapleridgenews.com - THE NEWS -- Wednesday, May 20, 2015 -- B5

When you’re looking to decorate your open plan home, look for coordinating colours and consistent furniture.

Photos supplied by Concept to Design Inc.

Designing for an open-plan home

By Kerry Vital

For many buyers, an open-plan home is tops on their list when it comes time to purchase. However, it’s not just new buyers who can take advantage of that kind of open lifestyle.

Having sight lines that span the entire house makes for easier entertaining, better supervision of younger family members, and a lot more natural light throughout the home.

However, how can you decorate that open-plan home?

“We want the furniture and decorative items to be consistent with each other as the whole space is visible and considered as one,” says Carolyn Lino Stewart, principal at Concept to Design Inc. “In a closed space, you may be able to change colours, themes, etc. for each room.”

For summer, Lino Stewart says to think light, fresh and bright.

“Mix pops of bright colours, such as turquoise, bright pink, etc., in with layers of white in different patterns, textures and furniture pieces,” she says.

Continuing one paint colour or accent colour through the open rooms is a good place to start when it comes to decorating your open-plan home, but it’s not the only thing that homeowners should consider.

“ more next page.10

Having an open plan home comes with its own challenges when it comes to design.

Photos supplied by by Concept to Design Inc.

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Open-plan solutions‌ “ from page.9

Another way to make the space cohesive includes anchoring the room with a large central seating area, and ensuring the flooring is consistent across the entire space.

Lino Stewart has some other suggestions for words to think about when looking at decorating your home. “Consistency in style, scale/proportion, balance of detailed/wow items and more subtle pieces, plus colour flow,� says Lino Stewart. “Lifestyle and room functioning should be a big consideration. Open spaces allow people in the household to be in the same room, doing different things. For example, a seating area with a TV might be next to a small desk with a computer, with a kid’s play area, all open to a kitchen where the one who is meal-prepping can still be part of the room.�

When you’re living in an open-plan space, it’s especially important to keep clutter under control. “Plan for proper storage, ideally multi-purpose pieces,� says Lino Stewart, giving the example of a bench that can pull double-duty as toy storage, or a desk with a table top that can lift to hide supplies. “With our busy lifestyles, people multi-task, and want rooms they can comfortably do that in.�

If you are looking to create a bit of separation in your open-plan home, consider screens or hanging fabrics that can be moved around and placed to offer a bit of privacy for certain spaces. Folding doors can serve a similar purpose.

Shelving or low storage cabinets can also serve to delineate a workspace from the living area or kitchen, and allows for more storage to keep your clutter off the floor. Spaces can also be separated by the impactful use of furniture. The placement of a couch, table or chair can easily give you the sense of different rooms, even in an open-plan layout.

If you’re looking to include a bit of separation in your open plan home, try placing furniture strategically, using folding screens or doors, or installing shelving or low storage cabinets.

All photos supplied by Concept to Design Inc.

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www.mapleridgenews.com - THE NEWS -- Wednesday, May 20, 2015 -- B7

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cracking. “This makes it a costeffective choice when you consider the time and labour that it takes to remove and replace an existing surface such as a driveway,” he says, adding that it is also ideal for wet West Coast weather. “Not only is it safer, it also does not attract moss or go green, so it’s easier to maintain and looks great year-round,” he says.

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Made of 100-per-cent recycled rubber, the paving is slip-resistant and impact-absorbing. It has a variety of applications, from splash parks and playgrounds to driveways, patios, pool decks and walkways. “From a safety perspective, it really is the best product for pool areas because of its non-slip surface,” notes Lavigne. “It also feels great to walk on.”

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