Taking the
inside
“(Young buyers) are on very stable ground. They didn’t get hurt. They are who we should be paying attention to.” Bob Rennie talks to New Local
out ›› p10
Home about the Metro Vancouver real estate market. ›› p1,11 Read what he has to say . . .
June 4, 2009
Real estate market is changing, says condo king Marketer Bob Rennie says builders must change, too TRICIA LESLIE Vancouver’s real estate market is changing, and developers need to pay attention. This is the message Bob Rennie passed along at the Urban Design Institute’s annual general meeting recently. Saturday, en route to Los Angeles, Rennie expanded on his keynote speech. The local housing market may be rebounding from its recent decline, but it will not be the same market as before the slump, Rennie said. “The buying habits of all demographics have changed forever.” Developers need to realize the old market is never coming back, and that the investor and luxury markets are gone, the wellknown real estate marketer – who many call the condo king – said. With interest rates, home prices and monthly mortgage payments all dropping, the numbers look favourable for a recovery, Rennie said. “It’s not if, it’s when,” he said. While the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation recently downgraded its forecast for new home construction, sales and prices, the B.C. Real Estate Association says housing market conditions are improving more rapidly than expected in the province, with balanced markets emerging in Vancouver, Victoria and the Fraser Valley. The CMHC reports that average housing CONTINUED ON P.11
More people are planning to stay at home rather than vacation. In this issue, New Local Homelooks at how you can make the most of your outdoor spaces this summer. Above, Culinary Ink chef/ owner Donnie Ungaro prepares to grill on a Vancouver patio. Rob Newell photo
Home is hot this summer Entertaining and eating in are popular, so a Vancouver chef shares some of his secrets KOLBY SOLINSKY One of the questions that arises after settling into your new home is, “So, what
now?” More often than not, this problem can be solved with an effective means of entertainment – for yourself, your family, or party guests – that gives you a fuller appreciation for your home’s amenities. New housing developments have adopted trends that highlight these amenities, including decks, patios and pools or kitchens, living rooms, and wine cellars. In the dead of summer, many of us use any excuse we can to enjoy our backyards.
And what would satisfy that summer lovin’ better than a good meal? Nothing, according to Donnie Ungaro, chef/owner of Culinary Ink, who has made a living off this philosophy. At Culinary Ink, Ungaro serves as a personal chef and in-home caterer who provides a number of options for his clients, including making dinner for a party CONTINUED ON P.2
2 • New Local Home | June 4, 2009
Enjoy the summer outside – at home.
Take a ‘staycation’ instead Summer’s here and the weather is getting warmer daily. But this year, according to several reports and surveys, a lot of people are opting for a ‘staycation,’ rather than planning a trip abroad. Many are choosing to entertain at home, and enjoy their own backyards. Those who don’t have the luxury of a large yard or deck will often have shared amenities available, such as fire pits, rooftop courtyards and communal barbecues. A recent Weber Canadian GrillWatch survey shows that Canadians are planning to stay close to home for their holidays, and eat out less. Reasons given to take a home-based vacation include saving money (45 per cent) and the high cost of gas (31 per cent). With more staycations being planned, many homeowners are using their backyards more than ever, which means barbecues, hot tubs, gazebos and patio furniture have become focal points, and areas where family and friends can gather. Hot sellers, according to www.insideoutpatio.ca, include outdoor wicker sofa lounging sets, porch swings, umbrellas, gazebos, and smaller, ‘bistro-style’ tables and chairs for smaller spaces. Another option for a staycation is becoming a ‘tourist in your own town.’ Even locally, there are deals to take advantage of. In North Vancouver, a CAP2010 pass recently became available to B.C. residents, which allows unlimited access to the Capilano Suspension Bridge until Dec. 31, 2010. The pass costs $20.10, saving users 30 per cent off the regular adult rate. “We recognize that more B.C. residents will be staying closer to home this summer and are pleased to offer them this pass to experience the park yearround,” said Nancy Stibbard, president and owner of the bridge, in a release. Several staycation ideas are offered online, in news stories, and in magazines, but the most common tips for a successful staycation include: ■ schedule start and end dates ■ decide what you want to do ahead of time ■ unplug the TV and computer and plan fun activities ■ see what is offered for free in your surrounding community ■ invite people over ■ do something you normally can’t enjoy, like finally reading a new book editor@newlocalhome.com
Live well. Eat in. Or out... Rooftop patios in Vancouver, like this one at a Townline project on Beatty Street, are becoming a common feature in new developments throughout Greater Vancouver. Reports say that more people plan to stick close to home and make use of amenities like these this summer.
Off the front: “I wouldn’t doubt that in a couple more weeks I’ll be doing dinners on (customers’) patios.” CONTINUED FROM P.1
or preparing a week’s worth of meals for a family. Clients can also choose from an interactive experience, where Ungaro mingles with dinner guests, or a discrete service, where he “hides” in the kitchen until the food is ready. All-in-all, Culinary Ink is well-equipped to serve those of us who love our food, love our homes, and want to enjoy both together. He even has a service for guys on a first date who are trying to impress that ‘lucky lady.’ “We make it together once, and you can taste it and know what it’s supposed to be like, and I leave all the moulds, plates, food, instructions and a recipe,” he says. “The guy can look like a rock star chef without knowing a lot.” Like Greater Vancouver’s new home devel-
opers, Ungaro’s business is stretching across is appropriate for what you should be looking the region and throughout all kinds of homes. for in a new home in Metro Vancouver: “Fresh, “It’s been actually about a 50-50 split belocal, approachable.” tween houses and condos,” he says, of where The chef has combined his love of food and his business travels take entertaining and his affinity him. “I’ve been out as far as for tattoos to come up with Delta.” “The trend lately has been a personal touch to catering Culinary Ink’s office is and a clever title (that plays eating more at home.” located downtown, where on “Culinary, Inc.”). luxury dining service is all the rage. It’s similar to how people approach their “I’m in Yaletown, so it’s obviously one of tastes for homes, really. On food, he says to the most affluent sections downtown,” he says. keep it simple and effective. “My biggest pet “But it’s kind of spreading out to the urban peeve is pretentious fine dining,” he says. “I use areas.” layman’s terms when I’m describing a dish.” Our region is so diverse, it can often be As far as his business style, that too is aptough to keep up with local trends and fashion. plicable to personalizing a new home. For example, downtown clients have the “It’s more doing what you know and what’s advantage of rooftop city living and panoramic around you,” he says. skyscrapers, whereas homes in Delta and On Culinary Ink’s sharply designed website, Surrey have larger tables and a neighboureach click of the refresh button brings with it a hood backdrop. Ungaro says either way, any new quote about food by somebody famous. new home can be perfectly supplemented with Perhaps the simplest, most effective one is, properly cooked, homemade meals. “One of the very nicest things about life is the “The trend lately has been eating more at way we must regularly stop whatever it is we home; you find a lot of the fine dining restauare doing and devote our attention to eating,” rants reinventing themselves a bit,” Ungaro by Luciano Pavarotti. Can you think of any says. “Most of the clients I’ve been going to better advice for when you’re lounging around since the weather’s picked up, and I wouldn’t your new patio this summer? doubt that in a couple more weeks I’ll be doing Visit Culinary Ink at www.culinaryink.com. dinners on their patios.” Ungaro will also be appearing on an upcoming Not surprisingly, Ungaro’s company motto edition of Lunch Television on CityTV.
Editor: Tricia Leslie • 604-575-5346 • editor@newlocalhome.com Advertising Sales - Black Press National Sales • Adrian Saunders • 604-575-5812 • adrians@blackpress.ca Online Advertising • Nicole Hutchinson • 604-575-5826 • nhutchinson@blackpress.ca Circulation/Business Development: Steve McIvor • 604-575-5822 • smcivor@blackpress.ca Designer: Brad Smith • bsmith@blackpress.ca New Local Home is published once a week by Black Press Group Ltd. (Suite 309 - 5460 152 Street, Surrey, B.C. V3S 5J9) 350,000 copies are distributed free across Metro Vancouver. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited.
New Local Home | June 4, 2009 • 3
4 • New Local Home | June 4, 2009
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New Local Home | June 4, 2009 • 5
Links: a stylish, chic alternative
Links, a new Mosaic Homes community in Port Coquitlam, features rowhomes built with colonial, East Coast-inspired cedar shake shingles. Above, a Links residence kitchen showcases the natural light in the room. Below, a window seat in a bedroom offers a view of the yard and garden. Rob Newell photos
Charming community offers more Mosaic Homes’ new community, Links, offers trendy rowhomes with an East Coast flair You see them everywhere on the East Coast. feel on the inside, with living spaces designed Here on the Weft Coast, they’re popping up for comfort and convenience. With the scenic more and more throughout Metro Vancouver. golf course and mountains as a backdrop, Rowhomes are a stylish urban alternative there are also two village greens, which allow that many new home buyers nearly every home to front onto are choosing over the more green space. traditional single-family home, “Living in More than 100 out of Links’ townhome, condominium or 137 homes have been sold and the rowhomes is highrise. neighbourhood is really coming one of the most Known for its signature together, Camp says. neighbourly ways rowhomes, Mosaic Homes is “Living in rowhomes is one of currently selling new residenc- of living, and the most neighbourly ways of lives in its Links development in we really try to ing, and we really try to celebrate Port Coquitlam. that,” Camp says. “You drop by, Links rowhomes are new in celebrate that.” and you see tons of kids playing that they capture the classic together outside.” East Coast rowhome vibe, as they’re sided But what really sets Links residences apart with cedar shake shingles. is the attention to detail and the forethought Mosaic’s Andrea Camp says while brick put into the planning of each and every home. is still a popular rowhome feature, the cedar From the doorbell to closet spaces to roofshingles bring a warmth and an East Coast lines, from window placement and sightlines flair to the homes. to the wood-cased windows, the tailoring “This is our first colonial interpretation of speaks for itself, Camp says. rowhomes with shingles. We’ve been wanting There will be a design tour at Links on June to do this style for years,” Camp says. “People 6, and Camp says that’s when Mosaic reprelike the shingles just as much, or more than, sentatives will walk people through why the the brick.” development was designed the way it is, and And the location of Links – overlooking why each decision was made. Port Coquitlam’s Carnoustie Golf Course with “Then (people) start to really understand breathtaking mountain views – was the perwhat truly makes these homes unique.” fect site for the new, stylish look, Camp says. Wide-open two-, three- and four-bedroom The homes combine an old world, colonial charm outside, with a modern, contemporary CONTINUED ON P.8
6 • New Local Home | June 4, 2009
Live in harmony with nature
Living rooms and bedrooms showcase the natural light and views in a Meadows at Verigin’s Ridge townhome. The Wallmark Homes community is already an established neighbourhood.
Sunrise, sunset: get both at the Meadows Stunning views of Mount Baker. Wooded parkland with meandering streams, nature trails for hiking and walking, and biking opportunities in your backyard. This is the reality for those who choose to live at the Meadows at Verigin’s Ridge, a new Wallmark Homes townhome development in Maple Ridge. Downtown Maple Ridge and all its amenities are just minutes away, and elementary and high schools are within walking distance. West Coast Express stations are also nearby. They offer carless transportation to Vancouver, with a travelling time of 45 minutes. “It’s an absolutely beautiful place,” says Meadows sales manager Gina Halinda. “You get the morning and the evening light, so that means awesome sunCONTINUED ON P.8
New Local Home | June 4, 2009 • 7
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8 • New Local Home | June 4, 2009
Homes designed with careful detail Views and village greens offered at Links CONTINUED FROM P.5
floorplans let light and fresh air flow easily through the home. Carefully planned niches throughout the home are designed to highlight art, and pre-wired TV recesses make it easy to move in and feel at home right away. Oversized bay windows, gourmet kitchens, vaulted ceilings in master suites and deep soaker tubs are among the inside features, while outside, features include recessed entryways graced with shingled arches, large rear decks and a private, on-site amenity building. Schools, services and shops are minutes away, as is the West Coast Express, and pedestrian pathways lead the way around common parks and gardens, and to the surrounding community as well. The starting price for Village Green homes at Links is $364,900; golf course homes start at $449,900. Find out more at www.liveatlinks.com or at www.mosaichomes.com.
Links homes come with such advantages as pre-wired TV recesses and niches designed to display art.
Rob Newell photo
Meadows close to nature, town CONTINUED FROM P.6
Kitchens at the Meadows at Verigin’s Ridge in Maple Ridge feature open design and glass-tiled backsplashes, among other highlights. Only nine of the 71 townhomes remain. The Wallmark Homes community is surrounded by nature and all the amenities of Maple Ridge.
sets and incredible sunrises.” Couple that with the already astounding views of Mount Baker, and it’s easy to see why buying a home at the Meadows can be an effortless decision. Featuring West Coast craftsman-style architecture, open floor plans, hardwood floors and oversized windows, only nine homes remain out of the 71-unit development. But that in itself is a plus, Halinda says, since the families that have already moved in are starting to shape the community. “It really is an established neighbourhood,” she says. She notes that none of the homes have been bought by investors; that means there are no renters, only people who have bought homes specifically to live in them. “Your kid can get to know the kid down the road, and he won’t move away in six months.” The remaining residences are all located on a green belt within the community, designed with numerous windows to take in the view. Three-bedroom, three-bathroom with patio homes start from $317,900. Brad Cowden, marketing manager for Wallmark Homes, says the neighbourhood is a safe, private community, with “nature at your doorstep.” “You can find a home you like and move in right away,” he says. Popular recreation sites such as Golden Ears Park, the Albion Sports Complex and Planet Ice are close to the new neighbourhood, and transportation is set to improve in the area as well. Visit www.meadowsatveriginsridge.ca or call 604-476-9852 for more information. The sales centre is located at 11282 Cottonwood Drive (at 232nd Street), Maple Ridge.
New Local Home | June 4, 2009 • 9
Swift Canada’s Ramesh Suri says bringing the kitchen outside is popular with many clients. The Richmond-based barbecue manufacturer creates designs for local living. Rob Newell photo
Summertime, and the grilling’s easy Outdoor living is in and many are moving the kitchen outside during the sunny months KOLBY SOLINSKY There’s something about summer that makes us flock outside. Like mosquitoes to a lamp, we know the inevitable sunburn is not good for us. Yet, we just can’t stay away. And even though it’s barely June, the sunny weather has indeed brought the season of guitars and tiki bars upon us. The food tastes better when it’s cooked on a backyard barbecue, and there’s nothing like sitting outside with a few close friends as the sun goes down. Because many of us have that snowbird attitude, recent new home developments have obliged us by building more decks,
patios and porches. Current styles allow you to build your own backyard oasis right here in Greater Vancouver instead of migrating south to Arizona or Southern California. “Outdoor living is coming on huge here,” says Gord Schlechtleiner at Fireplaces Unlimited. “Downtown, we’re putting more and more gas deck fireplaces outside, and sometimes no fireplaces on the indoors.” Fireplaces Unlimited, stationed in Burnaby and Surrey, is a residential retail fireplace company that has been selling to developers, builders, architects, and homebuyers in Greater Vancouver for over 30 years. When you’re cruising through new developments, many of the outdoor features that catch your eye are due to their work. Fireplaces Unlimited also markets barbecues, which are another Canadian staple during our short summers. A new GrillWatch Survey estimates that of CONTINUED ON P.14
10 • New Local Home | June 4, 2009
Taking the
inside out “Good design will maximize a small space, and make it function for you.” – Kelly Deck BY KOLBY SOLINSKY
Kelly Deck, host of HGTV’s Take It Outside, tells readers how they can take interior design principles outside, as outdoor entertaining is growing in popularity. She also shows homeowners how to make the most of small spaces, wherever they live. People are “taking their life outside,” says the TV personality, who is also owner of Kelly Deck Design.
During her three seasons as host of HGTV’s Take It Outside, Kelly Deck used her design savvy to create an “outdoor oasis” for anyone looking to take their favourite parts of the home’s interior to the outside. Greater Vancouver was, and still is, her canvas. It’s no surprise either, because everywhere you look around our cities there are new home developments flaunting the region’s geographical diversity. From Surrey’s colonial townhomes to downtown Vancouver’s cosmopolitan rooftops, we’ve got it covered. Currently, she owns Kelly Deck Design in Gastown’s ‘wedge’ building, which she started in 2007 after relaunching and renaming her store, Simple Design Group. Her personal body of work has included everything that new home buyers tend to focus on – from art and interior design to food and kitchens, nothing has been left out. In her column for a national daily, entitled The West Coast Way, she adds to her already stocky resume, and portrays the best of Vancouver’s home design to the national scene. She truly is a valuable export, and her advice resonates well for those looking to buy in any one of Greater Vancouver’s bustling home developments. Deck has been extremely busy of late, designing everything from downtown penthouses to oceanside hideaways. This hasn’t changed since her early entrepreneurial days at Simple Design Group. “My little design company got so busy, and just right after that I was asked to do this show,” she says. “I auditioned for it and ended up getting it.” “The whole premise is taking interior
design principles outside, and really the idea of extending the home into the outdoors,” she says of her time with Take It Outside. This extension is applicable even in small spaces, which was the main idea of her show and her business. “That’s kind of my philosophy for design in general,” she says. “Good design will maximize a small space, and make it function for you.” The most popular rooms people want are kitchens and living rooms, she says, and most often it is items found in those spaces that make the best transition. “Those are the rooms that people spend the most time in, so people want to take that outside,” she says. Deck says that people often love to have a type of “great room” that incorporates all of the things you want out of your new home, especially from the kitchen and living room. The key really is creating a space that you can relax in, but also enjoy – especially with company. “The trend towards outdoor entertainment is big,” she says. “A lot of great outdoor furniture is being manufactured, particularly for outdoor lounges.” For too many, the backyard is thought of as a hassle that is only affordable by those with more money, time and space. However, that trend is changing. “People are starting to see it as not as much of a luxury, and a little more mandatory – sort of like another room in their house,” she says. To go with this trend, outdoor spaces – including patios, decks and lawns – are moving away from the traditional backyard
Deck on decks
CONTINUED ON P.12
HGTV’s Kelly Deck says people like to extend their kitchen into the outdoors and entertain outside. Above, patios at Emaar’s Wills Creek in Surrey bring the kitchen outside. Below, a backyard at Polygon Homes’ Cardinal Pointe in Delta is ready for outdoor entertainment.
New Local Home | June 4, , 2009 • 11
“(Young buyers) are who we should be paying attention to’ CONTINUED FROM P.1
prices in Metro Vancouver are expected to decline about 13 per cent this year, from $593,767 in 2008 to $516,000 this year, then another 2.3 per cent decrease to $504,000 in 2010. The BCREA forecast calls for the average price of a home in B.C. to decline eight per cent to $420,600 this year, as opposed to the 13 per cent originally predicted. Forecasts can be problematic because of generalizations, Rennie said, but noted it is key for developers to focus on first-time and lower-income buyers in a way they never have before. “(Young buyers) are on very stable ground. They didn’t get hurt (by the housing market slump). They are who we should be paying attention to.� He said it is time for builders to “get back to basics� and for the industry to “reinvent ourselves.� A basic, affordable model needs to be developed to address the firsttime home buyer, Rennie said, and builders need to start that process now. “What will tomorrow’s starter condo look like?� he asked.
And despite the prevalent belief that Vancouver has an oversupply of condominiums, Rennie is predicting a shortage of affordable units in the downtown core. Many developers put projects on hold before buyers started pulling out of the market, but there is continuing demand among entrylevel buyers, so construction needs to pick up – or else that shortage is imminent, Rennie said. “The developer ran further than the buyer, so now there’s no new supply of condominiums in downtown Vancouver – there’s less than 780 condos under 10 years old for sale – so where is that supply going to come from?� Rennie said. “By the end of 2010 into the beginning of 2011, there will be a shortage. We’re a bit of a boom or bust city, but the market could go off-balance again – the other way.� Large fluctuations in the market are not needed, Rennie said, so the industry needs to focus on the first-time buyer and on starting construction on new projects, especially in Vancouver. “A real estate market like Vancouver with really low inventory will balance out more quickly.�
Who won $15,000 for their home? See next issue
Bob Rennie, leader of Rennie Marketing Systems, says the real estate market has changed forever, and its up to developers to change with it.
Did you enter the contest? Throughout the month of May, New Local Home readers had the chance to enter to win $15,000 in prizes from Visions Electronics, the Brick, and Save-On-Foods. Those kind of winnings can go a long way toward setting up your home, whether you’re looking for a new leather sofa, a flatscreen TV or enough groceries to entertain friends and family. Contest participants filled out forms that were available in each issue (as well as a printable online version) and simply, dropped them off at the showhomes of the builders featured in each edition. Spending that much money, guilt-free, can be liberating. Especially during an economic crunch, when savings mean so much more. Check out the next New Local Home June 11 to find out who will take home $15,000, and how they plan to spend it.
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12 • New Local Home | June 4, 2009
It’s easy to Take It Outside at Vesta Properties’ Milner Heights, above, where great rooms offer easy entry onto the back deck. Below is one of the patios created by Kelly Deck Design, after she and her team used their design skills to make it a welcoming living space.
Outdoor space is becoming ‘mandatory’ CONTINUED FROM P.10
perceptions of acre lots and yard work. “People are less worried about having a big backyard and are more concerned about having an outdoor living space,” she says. “If they have a backyard, they’re thinking about it differently. They don’t want to mow the lawn either. They’re taking their life outside.” While it may not go so far as to give a ‘greener side’ to global warming, it certainly does make one pine for summer and hot weather. Deck’s philosophy has become extremely applicable to Greater Vancouver’s residential landscape, especially in new townhomes and condos that are very stylish but also more condensed.
Deck on decks
CONTINUED ON P.13
New Local Home | June 4, 2009 • 13
‘Great comfortable seating is always really important’ CONTINUED FROM P.12
“The most popular spaces are small condo decks and rooftop gardens, as well, for those with a little more money,” she says. “Rooftop decks are on the go right now, those are kind of exciting. For outdoor kitchens, as well, there are so many great appliances available, such as big barbecues or outdoor fridges.” Developers all around Greater Vancouver have been honouring these wishes lately, which makes Deck’s advice and knowledge even more useful. She’s seen plenty of examples where consumers’ outdoor needs have been met, either through private or public means. “There’s some great developers that have done amazing communal decks for their tenants,” she says. “The big communal decks are way more functional too, I think, because people can use them to have parties and get to know their neighbours.” So what is her advice to you, the homeowner? “In patio spaces, great comfortable seating is always really important,” she says. “I also like architectural plants – plants that have really strong form and low maintenance.” For small spaces, Deck says time and time again that the key is low maintenance and simplicity that’s appealing to you. One look at Kelly Deck Design’s website and it’s clear she has turned her theory into a success. Her photo galleries provide a slew of images of her exquisite projects in Coal Harbour, Yaletown and Kitsilano, to name a few, as well as “before-and-after” shots of her projects from Take It Outside. Each provides a recipe for what home buyers can do to transform their new home. “On patio decks, keep them really “People are simple,” she says. “For planters, they less worried should all be the same about planter, same size, same having a big plant.” Deck also urges hobackyard meowners to keep the and are more visual lines simple and concerned consistent, and furnishabout having ings should be proportional to the space. an outdoor “You don’t do overliving space.” size chairs on a small patio,” she says. It certainly appears that Deck’s material has a profound place in West Coast home design, especially in the downtown core, where style often takes precedence over space. However, new developments have shown that an outdoor living space is of paramount importance for new home buyers and, to that end, we should continue to see things move in an ‘inside out’ fashion.
Deck on decks
■ Kelly Deck Design is located on 324 – 309 West Cordova Street in Vancouver. Re-runs of Take It Outside continue on HGTV.
Above, a backyard put together by Kelly Deck Design. Rooftop decks are trendy right now, Deck says. Below left, a rooftop deck at Adera’s Brownstones in South Surrey shows off local mountain views. Deck also says comfortable seating is a must on the patio. Below, a backyard at Foxridge (Qualico) Homes’ Vista’s West in Surrey features stylish and comfy outdoor furniture.
14 • New Local Home | June 4, 2009
Chill, grill and fill up on barbecue faves
Outdoor lifestyles are being celebrated throughout Metro Vancouver this summer – and that means barbecues will be busy. Grill your favourite dish and enjoy. CONTINUED FROM P.9
those choosing to stay close to home for their annual holiday this year, 36 per cent plan to use their outdoor grill more than in the past, while 23 per cent say they will purchase a new grill. Recently, the trend has been entirely towards outdoor living spaces, and Schlechtleiner has seen this transformation as a positive. “It’s been huge,” he says again of the downtown market. “I’ve probably got 40 jobs [there].” Schlechtleiner moved the company’s main offices to Burnaby recently to take advantage of the downtown population, where people tend to have small decks but even bigger aspirations. Past projects in Vancouver have included condos in and around UBC and the Olympic Village. “Logistically right now, it’s way better off being right here [Burnaby],” he says. “When you’re living in an 800 or 1,000 sq. ft. apartment, you have a deck that doesn’t get used,” he says. Still, that hasn’t stopped people from moving it outside. “Every house you see built nowadays, they’re making an outdoor living room,” he says. “Although, a little cover here isn’t a bad thing. In California and Arizona it’s different. Out here it’s a little too damp.” Fireplaces Unlimited’s gallery literally invokes a midsummer night’s dream, with large fireplaces and grills positioned on the patios and decks of several new housing developments that transport your mind from your office chair to your front porch. He says to keep an eye on electric fireplaces and electric barbecues – two emerging trends in his business. “They’ve just kind of dominated the multi-family industry,” he says of the fireplaces. “Although gas still dominates single-family.” And the barbecues? “They haven’t taken off yet, but they’re going to for condo living,” he says. “New electric barbecues are fantastic now – they cook
fantastic, they don’t smoke up your deck and you don’t have to worry about fires.” It appears barbecues and fireplaces are emerging at the right time, coinciding almost perfectly with the new styles of condo and town home developments. “I think a lot of people do spend more time at home instead of going out as much right now,” he says. “The newer generation don’t want a lot of work. Before, everybody wanted to have a house, but now they want a condo or an apartment.” Not surprisingly, our entertainment trends are supporting several local innovators in the barbecue industry. According to Ramesh Suri of Swift Canada, people’s outdoor fondness is well-documented. Swift Canada, based in Richmond, manufactures barbecues with special designs to meet Greater Vancouver’s spur of interest in outdoor living. “Outdoor kitchens are a next generation thing,” he says. Swift is currently supplying downtown developments and penthouses that feature rooftop patios and balconies. Unlike most barbecues, Swift’s products don’t have a cold spot, Suri says, and they are the only manufacturer in North America that can make custom designs on metal backsplashes. “We’ve been getting a lot of calls from the New York area,” he says, highlighting Swift’s quick growth in the expanding outdoor goods industry. “What we are doing, it’s unlike anything else out there.” While sales have yet to pick up for the new company, Suri is confident they will this summer. It also certainly doesn’t hurt Swift Canada to know it business is manufacturing a popular product from a local facility. It seems as though our taste for outdoor living has brought the best developments out of the housing industry and backyard products alike. And while September is still far away, it appears there are plenty of options to postpone its arrival.
New Local Home | June 4, 2009 • 15 (1)
Squamish
(2)
North Shore
(6) Port Moody
(4)
(7-8)
(5)
Vancouver
(9)
Coquitlam
(15) (12) Port Coquitlam (11) (10) (13) (14) (17) (16)
Burnaby
(3)
(33)
Maple Ridge
Pitt Meadows
New Westminster
(34)
(32) Fort Langley (31)
(18)
(20) (21) Richmond (19)
(39)
(35)
(30)
(29)
Surrey North Delta
(40)
(42)
(37) (38)
(45)
(36)
(46) (47) (48)
(27) (40) (24) (26) (22) (26)(23)
South Delta
(28)
(43) Langley
(44)
Cloverdale
South Surrey
White Rock
On Tour Squamish (1)Skye-Soleil-Acqua Presentation Centre, 121 Lonsdale, North Van. 604-904-2240, 604-616-1215
(2)Furry Creek-Ocean Crest 415- Furry Creek Dr. 604-315-0172
Vancouver (3)Carrington Oak Street & 45th Ave. 604-266-6500
(4)Pacific UBC Westbrook Village. 604-221-8878
(5)Aura 5437 Willow Street & West 38th Ave. 604-264-6477
Port Coquitlam
(32)Turnstone
Surrey
(16)Links
14-19490 Fraser Way, Pitt Meadows
(41)Augusta at Provinceton
2418 Avon Place, Port Coquitlam. 604-460-9907
New Westminster
18199 70th Ave, 778-571-1088
Port Moody (17)Heritage Woods 300 Panorama Place, Port Moody
Richmond (18)Alexandra Gate
7445 Scott Road. 604-590-5483
16327 60th Ave. 778-574-1380
(20)Prado
(37)Radiance at Sundance
(47)Tate
No.3 Road & Lansdowne. 604-276-8180
8385 Delsom Way. 604-581-8144
18983-72A Avenue, Surrey
(21)Hennessy Green
(38)Cardinal Pointe
(48)Vista’s west
9800 Odlin. 604-303-6840
10605 Delsom Crescent, Delta
6093 - 164 Street, Surrey. 778-571-1389
(23)Glenmore at Morgan Heights
Langley
(49)Panorama Hills 15038 - 59 Avenue, Surrey. 604-543-9302
(39)Bedford Landing 23015 Billy Brown Road. 604-888-2176
(40)Seasons & Prelude at Milner Heights 208th St & 72nd Ave. 604-539-9484
161A St. & 24th Ave. 604-542-8863
(24)The Brownstones Morgan Heights. 604-538-9897
(25)Wills Creek 160th & 32nd Ave. 604-542-6200
(26)Nuvo
Coquitlam
15454 - 32 Avenue, South Surrey. 778-294-1201
(10)Levo
(27)Morgan Heights
1170 Pinetree Way & Northern Ave. 604-464-5856
26th Ave & 164th Street. 604-531-1111, 604-420-4200
(11)The Foothills
(28)Ocean Park
Burke Mountain. 604-944-3188
2026-128th Street. 604-538-2345
Victoria Drive, Coquitlam. 604-696-1502
Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows
(13)Whitetail Lane
(29)Falcon Hill
1357 Purcell Drive. 604-552-3003
23719 Kanaka Way. 604-466-5723
(14) Belmont
(30)Crest at Silver Ridge
1456 Avondale Street. 604-461-7113
22850 Foreman Drive. 604-466-9278
(15) Burke Mountain Heights
(31)Solo
3398 Don Moore Drive, Coquitlam. 778-285-6299
11749 223rd Street. 604-467-0800
Map page June4.indd 1
(45)The Highlands at Sullivan Ridge
7180 No.3 Road-Bennett. 604-270-8305
160th & 24th Ave. 604-542-8995
(12)Tatton
70th & 180th Street. 604-818-3702
(46)The Estates at Vistas West
Burnaby
9222 UniverCity Crescent. 604-298-1182
Ewen Ave & Furness St., Queensborough. 604-520-9890
(44)Woods at Provinceton
(36)Trend
(22)Highland Park
(9)Altaire
(35)Red Boat
2729-158th Street. 604-541-4246
(19)Centro
1111 E 27th Street. 604-988-8489
1960 Beta Ave. 604-205-7228
Renaissance Square @ Quayside Drive. 604-515-9112
(43)Kaleden
60A Ave & 146th Street. 604-538-2125
South Surrey-White Rock
(8)Brentwood Gate-The Varley
(34)Q at Westminster Quay
8678 156 Street. 604-591-1121
Delta
(6)Branches on the North Shore
Wilson & Beresford. 604-456-0688
McBride Ave. 604-523-0733
(42)Springfield Village
Cambie-Garden City. 604-279-8866
North Shore
(7)Jewel
(33)Victoria Hill
Langley home is part of Vesta Properties’ master-planned community, Milner Heights.
6/2/09 11:43:55 AM
16 • New Local Home | June 4, 2009
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