Design Your Home Summer 2016

Free

Summer 2016

Western Manitoba

A SIMPLE. RELIABLE.

SMART HOME. Small Kitchen Design Tips

Backyard Retreat

Western Manitoba Design Your Home magazine is a Brandon, MB based company created to promote and feature all the great trades in our local area. With the limited amount of media in Brandon and area, this magazine will assist you and your company with great exposure.

Design Your Home magazine will help local companies feature their business and the special work they do.

Design Your Home magazine will focus on the home and proper ty. Each issue you may see ar ticles on Home and Building, Real Estate, Design and Decorating, Landscaping, and a special featured Home and Business.

Why feature in Design Your Home:

• Local Home Magazine • 15,000 Magazines published each issue • Published 4x per year: Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring • Timeless, often kept and referred to again and again • We have articles that feature tips and advice from home owners and experts Contact us at: Email: dyh@designyourhome.ca Phone: (204) 573-3790 View Us at: Website: www.designyourhome.ca Images Above: Top, Bottom - Budget Blinds

Middle - Kara Matthews - Sterling Images Cover Image: Budget Blinds

Contents

12

Rolling Spokes

18

In Every Issue

4 . . . . . . . . Letter from Editor 5 . . . . . . . . Feature: The Woods 10 . . . . . . . Feature Home: Contractors Corner Flip It Part 2 12 . . . . . . . Feature Business: Rolling Spokes 30. . . . . . . Did You Know

Home Improvements

8 . . . . . . . . Backyard Retreat 14 . . . . . . . Small Kitchen Design Tips 26 . . . . . . . Improve Your Home's Value

My Idiah! - Car Hacks!

20

Firm Foundation

Lifestyle 16 . . . . . . . Technology on Wheels 18 . . . . . . . My IDIAH: Car Hacks 28. . . . . . . Wine Advice: Wine Popsicles

Design & Decorative 20. . . . . . . On A Firm Foundation 24 . . . . . . . A Simple. Reliable. Smart Home.

Disclaimer Reasonable care is taken to ensure that Design Your Home Magazine ar ticles and other information on the web site are up-to-date and accurate as possible, as of the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by Design Your Home magazine for any errors or omissions contained herein. Fur thermore, responsibility for any losses, damages or distress resulting from adherence to any information made available through Design Your Home magazine or website is not the responsibility of Design Your Home magazine. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Design Your Home magazine.

All interior and exterior home improvements/repairs should be consulted by a professional, prior to the star t of the project.

Adver tisements and the content, including photos, of adver tisements published within Design Your Home magazine are solely by the adver tiser. Design Your Home magazine does not accept responsibility for opinions expressed in adver tisements for copyright issues with regards to photo, adver tising, copy and adver tisement, nor shall they find liable thereby.

Design and Layout by: www.reaxiongraphics.com

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 3

Letter from the Editor

“Tiny House” Living

W

e are fans of the shows on tiny homes and tiny living, but I never thought I would come close to living like that myself. As we embark on the journey of building our new home, we decided to move into a tiny home to live in, in the meantime.

I don’t mean 200 sq feet by any means, but going from over 1400 sq feet to 604 sq feet can be quite the shock to the system...or should I say family!

Before we moved into our “tiny house” we prepped it the best way we could, to accommodate our family of 3. The kitchen was newer and pretty standard, so I truly lucked out there! Storage was my biggest concern before we moved, so I really went through our belongings and packed only what I felt we truly needed. Storage was minimal. There was a small shallow closet in the bathroom.

I loaded it up with storage containers to hold everything we use to have in all of our bathrooms! Again, only bringing the necessities! You can truly evaluate all the junk or extra items you have on hand when you are downsizing. We

4 | Design Your Home | summer

are lucky and are putting everything away in storage until we move into the new home, but I feel I will be evaluating everything a bit differently when I unpack!

Furniture choice was a big decision for this house as well.

No bringing the oversized sectional or dining room suite!

We narrowed it down to smaller pieces, even storing away our bedroom suite for furniture from a spare bedroom.

As our family prepares to move in, we are excited for this new experience, though somewhat glad it is not long term.

I am happy that we will be living here during the warmer months, as we can enjoy our new large, shaded yard!

Jaime-Lynn Dyck Design Your Home

Feature: The Woods

Apartments Front

By Wanda Kurchaba Photos Submitted

Apartments Rear

M

ost often when people think about investing in residential proper ty or advancing from renting to ownership, one of the first things that comes to mind is to begin searching for a star ter home.

While this is cer tainly a popular option, the marketplace is shifting to offer alternative investment oppor tunities that may also be appealing to home buyers.

Currently, there’s a unique development project underway in Brandon called The Woods, which is going to expand the oppor tunities for those seeking investments in residential proper ty and provide home buyers with some new and exciting options.

The Woods has been in the planning stages for a number of years and now the project is ver y close to

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 5

Town Homes Front

Town Homes Back

breaking ground with construction expected to begin sometime this summer.

single family residence. It’s a way to get people on the proper ty ladder quicker,” said Hardy.

The proper ty, just off of 18th Street on Willowcrest Avenue at the south end of the city, will consist of town house and apar tment-style condominiums. Brad Hardy, sales representative for Royal LePage Mar tin-Liber ty Realty, said this project will to some degree shift buying habits of those looking to invest in proper ty.

The new development will consist of 18 condominium town houses that will all have a double garage and ground level entry with options behind the garage for additional living space such as another bedroom, a family room or an in-law suite.

“I think what we’re going to see more of in our marketplace is where people are stepping in to the market differently than what’s traditionally been done in the past. It’s no longer going to be - I’m going to buy a house, fix it up, sell it, buy another. It’s going to be I’m going to buy an apar tment style condo, then I’m going to buy a town house, then I’ll likely buy my first

6 | Design Your Home | summer

The style of the building is influenced by designs usually seen on the West Coast, which is providing home buyers with something a little different from what currently exists in the city. With prices star ting at just $299,000, Sandy Donald, also a sales representative for Royal LePage Mar tin-Liber ty Realty said there’s been a lot of interest and excitement about the project because of the quality, the price and the look and feel of the proper ty.

“Brandon is growing and there’s a hunger out there for something a little different. People have cer tainly been interested in the uniqueness of the project. It’s ideal for those who want a low maintenance lifestyle, but still want to own proper ty and want their investment to grow. We’ve had inquiries and have signed reservation agreements with people from all walks of life - professionals, retirees, first-time home buyers and everyone in between. With so many options and the features available The Woods appeals to variety of potential buyers,” said Donald.

“This type of proper ty will appeal to people who want ownership and are in a position to be owners, but who may be having a harder time getting into first time homes because of the high average selling prices of single family dwellings in the city, especially when it comes to new construction,” said Hardy.

Phase one of construction will be the completion of the town houses; the second phase consists of a four-level building with 44 condominium apar tment-style units.

What makes these apar tments unique is that there are seven different floor plans to choose from and the largest units are over 1350 square feet, which is much larger than most apar tments.

“This isn’t a cookie cutter apar tment where every apar tment is the same. We have multiple options with lots of flexibility, even in the finish. Homeowners can upgrade to quar tz counter tops or hardwood flooring if they wish.

Both the town houses and apar tments can really be personalized in the way that the Brandon marketplace really likes,” said Donald.

Other features include vaulted ceilings, open concept living, wrap-around or covered decks, 13 foot ceilings in the penthouse suites and an affordable price as the entry level units range from $215 - 230,000.

It is anticipated that the town houses will be available for occupancy later this fall or ear ly in 2017. For more information on how to reser ve a unit, visit: www.liveatthewoods.ca.

In addition, each of the four buildings will have underground parking and the plans incorporate an all inclusive recreation facility, which includes a pool, exercise area and a central park for residents to use and enjoy.

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DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 7

Backyard Retreat

Y

ou can create a stressfree outdoor space that is comfor table, convenient and low-maintenance. It's easier than you may think.

Follow these steps: Set the Stage Star t with a focal point, such as a patio. Look for the ideal location in your backyard to build one. It could be under shade trees, by the fence or closer to the house.

Hiring a local company to prep the area and pour the pad is ideal. Work with them on choosing the right size of pad for your patio. Keep in mind what you want to put on it, a patio set, fire pit and lawn chairs, or an outdoor living room set. Make sure your pad is large enough to accommodate your furniture.

A good idea is to map out the area with rope and set the stage to get a feel for the size. As it is a more permanent piece in your backyard, make sure you are happy with its placement and size. Now the stage is set.

8 | Design Your Home | summer

Shrubs and Greenery A beautiful way to enhance your new patio is to surround par ts of it with greenery and shrubs. Choose plants that are low maintenance and that will enhance the living space with little or no effor t. Make sure you pay attention to the mature size of the shrub and plant accordingly. Also pay attention to the aroma of the plant. You may not want something smelling too strong around the patio, opt for plants with lighter to no scents as you will be close to them. Stay away from poisonous plants . As you will be spending time in this space, so will your pets and children.

Don’t forget to enhance your patio with beautiful planters.

Don’t just plant your shrubs/greenery around the patio, but include some in planters throughout.

Sounds of the Summer Having your home setup with wifi is not only beneficial for getting your emails; use your network for listening to music throughout your home, including outside. Use a Bluetooth speaker and connect it to your phone or tablet to listen to any genre of music or podcast you wish, while enjoying your outdoor retreat.

Entertain in Your Hot Tub Make your backyard one of the most comfor table and relaxing places in your home with the addition of some alfresco enter tainment. Need to unwind? Try a therapeutic spa with a wave lounger that will massage your body in a wavelike motion from head to toe.

Driveways Garage Pads Foundations

Effortless Awnings Motorized retractable awnings provide an elegant solution for enhancing backyard enjoyment and offer a number of benefits. In addition to coming in a wide variety of sizes and colours, awnings can make any deck or patio cooler and more comfor table while increasing a home's energy efficiency. Awnings provide a protected outdoor living space that's comfor table and affordable. The awnings can reduce the temperature of decks or patios by up to 20 degrees, protect from harmful UV rays and expand your outdoor living area, all at the push of a button.

Now you can enjoy the stress-free, easy-care style of a beautiful patio, the relaxing jets of a soothing spa, the sun protection and ease of a motorized awning. DYH

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DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 9

Feature Home

By Wanda Kurchaba "After Photos" by Country Lane Landscapes

Before

Part 2 - Flip It:

Ready to List!

A

s I flip through home design magazine’s (especially this one!), the stories that I look for first are the ones that have before and after pictures. To me, it’s inspiring to see pink bathroom fixtures replaced with modern white ones or beautiful tile flooring taking the place of the psychedelic 70’s carpet.

the house and doing a complete and comprehensive renovation.

Well, they’ve continued to work on the project house and it’s now ready for re-sale and for us to get a glimpse of the stunning transformation.

“What we discovered early on is that it was a solid, well built home, so

Before

Single room renovations are amazing, but seeing the before and after on an entire house, especially one that many considered a tear down, is even more impressive.

In the Spring Issue of Design Your Home Magazine we met with Geoff Gregoire, owner of Contractor’s Corner.

He described how a bungalow on 9th Street was actually adver tised as just a lot for sale, but that his company bought the proper ty and began the process of gutting

10 | Design Your Home | summer

• Roofing • Siding • Concrete

• Cladding • Fences • Decks

408 Park Ave. E Bdn, MB  www.allseasonexteriors.ca contactus@allseasonexteriors.ca

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• Eavestrough • Fascia & Soffit

we had lots to work with. It will be great for a young family that is looking for a good, solid home in a ver y good price range,” said Geoff.

highlights (provided by Elite Stone) and finished with a rich vinyl siding.

The 970 square foot, open-concept house at 834-9th Street has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a fullsized basement. It was untouched in terms of upgrades and maintenance for a number of years. Water damage from a hole in the roof meant an extensive demolition on the inside of the house with even some rafter and stud replacement.

“We also added a doorglass blind inser t with a decorative window to a standard front door to dress it up a bit, to give the home more curb appeal and to allow for even more natural light,” said Geoff.

“It’s basically a brand new home. We put in new windows and doors, soffit, fascia, shingles, siding and replaced everything on the interior - all new drywall, insulation, flooring and so on. There’s barely a hint of anything from the original house, aside from the structure itself,” Geoff said.

With easy to-care-for, sleek and modern cabinets from Norcraft Cabinetry, granite-like 180fx Formica laminate countertops (Dolce Macchiato 3478) and new lighting/ fixtures, all highlighted by a lovely taupe colour, the renovated home has a warm and pleasant, modern feel to it.

“Gray’s have been really popular in the past few years so we decided to switch it up. We gravitated a bit more towards a taupe or brown palette, although we cer tainly tied the two colours together with the colour in the flooring,” said Geoff.

The Solo Click Plank flooring that was installed in the main living area has a cozy and comfortable feel to. It’s a new product from Floored that is easy to install (tongue and groove application), is 100 per cent waterproof, comes in four different colours and is part of the company’s luxury vinyl collection. Brindle was the colour of choice for this project.

“It is great for basements and pretty much any room in the house because it’s not made of wood. If it gets wet, you can take it out, let it dry and put it back in,” said Geoff.

Other features that add appeal, as well as value to the home include fully tiled bathrooms (tub and shower surround, as well as on the floor) and a unique sun tunnel.

The Velux Sun Tunnel provides a soft glow of natural light throughout the kitchen area and is one of the hottest new products on the market that can add a bit of flare to many different areas of the home.

Moving to the outside of the proper ty, the exterior was finished in compatible colour palette to the interior with a contemporar y, smooth stucco finish, brick

Before

The company also tackled the full basement with a complete renovation.

It has a large bedroom, three-piece bathroom, utility room and spacious recreation room, which can be arranged in a number of different ways to meet the needs of a growing family.

If you’re interested in more information on this home or to arrange a viewing of this proper ty, call 204-727-3799. *The majority of the products used in the renovation of this home, can be seen at Contractor’s Corner in their design centre gallery at 408 Park Avenue East.

In Stock Solutions for All Your Home Renovation Needs.

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DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 11

Feature Business:

Rolling Spokes - Ist in Home Health Care Products

By David McConkey

Y

ou might be surprised to learn that Western Canada’s second largest showroom for home health care products is right here in Brandon. Yes, Rolling Spokes at 215 - Sixth St. Here you will find a complete range of home medical equipment and services. And you will meet the owners: Vern Byers and Les Wedderburn.

There’s an interesting story of how Vern and Les came to own the business. It was 2005. Rolling Spokes, which had been established 20 years earlier, was up for sale. Independently, both Vern and Les were looking to get into something new. They had diverse skills from previous occupations, including sales, the railway, and farming. The existing owner saw a potential par tnership and introduced Vern and Les to each other. After meeting, Vern and Les decided to buy the business together. They have been delighted with the result.

12 | Design Your Home | summer

“It has been a very rewarding business,” Les says. “At the end of the day, we feel pretty good.”

Over the years, Rolling Spokes has been at 12th and Rosser and also on First Street. In 2012, Vern and Les purchased the former auto dealership at Sixth and Princess. The building has a spacious 4,000 sq. ft. showroom as well a 6000 sq. ft. warehouse. The downtown location is excellent for visibility, access, and parking.

What will you see at Rolling Spokes? Well, just about everything that aids and enhances daily living: like walkers,

canes and crutches, clothing, kitchen and bathroom safety products, lift chairs, power chairs, scooters, wheelchairs, lift beds, ramps, stair lifts, and elevators.

“There’s no end to the products,” Les says. “If there’s a need, there’s a remedy.”

Vern and Les are ready to Chair lifts meet with you and discuss your requirements, either at their store or in your own home. Or meet with you in a personal care home; in a commercial or institutional location; or even – if you are interested in something like a scooter – out on the sidewalk.They will work with you and your family, with a health care professional like your occupational therapist, and with your insurance like Blue Cross, NIHB, MPI, Veterans Affairs as well as other 3rd party payers.

Vern and Les have the products, they have many practical suggestions, they do set-up and installation, and they provide on-going service. Need something for only a shor t time? No problem: they will provide it to you on a rental basis.

Rolling Spokes serves Brandon and area, going as far nor th as Swan River and to the border with the U.S. and with Saskatchewan. Les and Vern have specific weekly visits to all communities in the catchment area. As well, Steve services Brandon on a daily basis. There is also a branch location in Winnipeg that specializes in adaptive clothing call Ashley’s Adaptive Apparel.

Store hours are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. But Vern smiles when he says that they are at work “usually earlier, and always later” than their set times. You can make an appointment to see them in the evening or on a weekend.

(You can contact them by phone: 204-571-1260; toll tree: 877-655-0346; or email: rolspoke@mymts.net.) And check out their website at rollingspokes.com.

Vern and Les have lots of ideas if you are buying a place, building a new home, or renovating an older house.

Sometimes only small changes are recommended. Other times, more substantial renovations – like a walk-in bathtub, ramp, or stair lift – are required to transform a limiting space into an accessible one.

Eliminating a few steps, for example, or adding a few inches to a doorway, hall, or bathroom can accommodate a wheelchair.

Look for a bathroom with a low bathtub and a high toilet (instead of the other way around). Another tip for a new or renovated home: incorporate sturdy material that could be used later to suppor t the addition of a grab bar or hand rail.

Over the past few years, Vern and Les have seen a great shift in thinking in society and among the people they meet.

Community spaces are becoming more inviting and accessible, including residences, institutional settings, and streets and sidewalks. Everyone Adaptive Clothing is encouraged to live more fully, actively, and independently. Today’s goal: help people gracefully “age in place.”

In the past, people were more reluctant to get assistive devices. Vern remembers when he heard, “I’m not using that, people will think I’m old.”

Now – especially with the baby boomers – there is a more confident attitude. Folks want to take charge of their lives.

They want to take advantage of available products and services. Les repor ts hearing more people say, “If I need that, I’m going to have it.”

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DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 13

I

f you have a small kitchen to design, then the problem of designing a great kitchen boils down to just what you can fit and where. There are many different cabinet designs and surface patterns that can help you provide your small kitchen design with a sense of space.

To create the small but efficient kitchen design, you need to work on three major areas of small kitchen design: storage, lighting, and appliances.

Small kitchens may seem to be a very difficult design challenge, but they can also be functional, beautiful and efficient. Even with a small budget and building restrictions, you can find that there are many options open to you to transform your kitchen into something more ideal for your needs.

To create a more spacious look for your small kitchen design the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) recommends designing more unique storage solutions, mixing natural and ambient lighting, taking advantage of more space saving appliances, and adding personalized touches.

A small kitchen design requires creativity in coming up with storage solutions. Some ideas to try include: • Putting an island in the center of the kitchen that can provide freestanding storage that is also convenient from any spot in the kitchen.

• Using a galley kitchen design in which the cabinets and appliances line up on either side of a corridor can work out very well for a small kitchen space.

14 | Design Your Home | summer

Small Kitchen Design Tips • Today's appliance manufacturers have come up with more compact space-saving appliances, that make small kitchen design easier, such as refrigerators that are 24 inches deep instead of 30 inches deep, as well as appliances that can be hung underneath cabinets like microwaves.

• Another small kitchen design trick, is to create an eating area in the kitchen that includes using a drop table or a small sized round table with two small chairs that can be tucked into a corner. Or a built-in counter along the wall with chairs to provide an eating nook.

• Another interesting challenge in small kitchen design is creating an illusion of space with under cabinet lighting. With the proper type of lighting the kitchen can be made to appear larger and more pleasing.

• The use of light coloured cabinets with glass door inserts.

• Installing deeper counters that can accommodate more appliances and increase work space.

• Flooring tiles can be placed on a diagonal, and in a galley style kitchen hardwood flooring can be run the length of the kitchen.

• For storage you can hang up pots and pans. This is a perfect way to free up cabinet space, and they add a cer tain charm and character to your small kitchen design. The insides of cabinet doors can be used to hang up everything from utensils, oven mitts, and other miscellaneous items. Pantry storage with units that go all the way to the ceiling with the upper cabinets to provide more space for seldom used items while making the lower cabinets more accessible with rollout shelves, lazy susans, and tilt-out bins.

• Install a large kitchen sink, since larger sinks are considered to be more practical than small sinks when it comes to cleaning pots and pans.

Remember most kitchens are small. When you are researching kitchens, you naturally notice that the kitchens featured are large and so you might think your small kitchen in inadequate. But good small kitchen design means being able to create space and incorporating ample storage facilities that will give you and your family that perfect kitchen. DYH

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204.717.9200 DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 15

Technology on Wheels

By Ken Jaworski, Marketing Director Forman Auto Centre

W

hen you’re designing a new home, redesigning an older home, or even doing simple renovations, your vehicle can be a major factor – just ask anyone who’s ever tried to cram 2000 square feet of flooring into an SUV. While the shape and size of vehicles haven’t changed much in recent years, a lot of great advancements have been made in usability and space utilization. Compact and subcompact cars have developed new seating strategies that allow maximum cargo space, such as the Honda Fit, which has unique fold-up or fold-down rear seating that allows you to transpor t tall items such as plants and paintings.

Vehicle buying has also become a ver y tech-savvy exper ience in our connected age – New models from all manufacturers feature a long list of convenience and safety features far beyond power windows.

Speaking of those, do you remember when air conditioning and cruise control were considered luxury items? When the only “space age” technology in your new vehicle was a cassette deck or keyless entry?

Those days are long gone.

Modern vehicles contain an elaborate digital system of sensors, controls, cameras and entertainment interfaces.

16 | Design Your Home | summer

Things like GPS navigation and Bluetooth, once considered extravagant, have become common. Companies like Samsung, Apple and Microsoft have developed systems specifically for the auto industry, ensuring that the latest vehicles are compatible with their phones, tablets and even watches.

Perhaps the biggest advancements being made are those relating to autonomy. A few years ago, the thought of a self-driving vehicle was preposterous. But as we speak, all of the major car companies are developing systems to create just that, and signs point to self-driving vehicles being only a few years away.

Cars are already parking themselves, warning you if your bumper is getting too close to that garbage can, and change lanes for you automatically when you activate your turn signal.

Backing out of the driveway feels a lot less risky when your backup camera lets you see a wide-angle shot of your path.

Enter tainment systems have also become much more elaborate, with Bluetooth and other wireless technologies ensuring drivers can stay connected safely while driving.

In-vehicle wi-fi is already rolling out in new models, as well as other GPS tools that can allow a driver to actively view upcoming traffic snares with satellite imaging.

When purchasing a new vehicle, be sure to take your time – ask lots of questions. Rearrange the seats and see how easily they fold up or down; test the Bluetooth system for compatibility with your phone. There can be pressure when buying a new vehicle and you may feel rushed - but a good salesperson will take the time to help you find exactly what you need in a vehicle!

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Written and Photos By

By Jaime-Lynn Dyck

I

The Easy Way!

t’s that time of year when we are thinking about our vehicles.

Taking the time to clean them inside and out after letting them collect dir t and crumbs for the majority of the colder months!

I’ve researched some car care tips that hopefully can help you out, when keeping your vehicle organized and clean!

I’ll star t with one of my favourite tricks I found; use a small sponge paint brush to clean your air vents. This was

18 | Design Your Home | summer

Car Cleaning...

super quick and easy and I recommend just keeping it in your glove box for the next time you want to use it.

They are inexpensive and I just picked mine up from the Dollar Store.

Bring life back to your windshield wipers by putting rubbing alcohol on them.

Dampen a rag with some rubbing alcohol and just run that along the rubber on your blades. It will help with smudgy windows from your blades. No need to by fancy cloths to clean your car. Using old cotton socks or t-shir ts will work amazing, are free and a great way to reuse old clothes Another tip I would have never thought of, is washing your fabric floor mats in

your washing machine! I shook off all the larger par ticles first and banged out a bit of the dust and then I just washed them on the gentle cycle in the washing machine. After they were washed, I laid them on the driveway in the sun to dry. I was very impressed by how easy this was and how great they looked! I’ll definitely be doing this again! *try this at your own discretion Do you have loose change hanging around your vehicle?

This tipped I learned from my mother-in-law. Use an old gum container to keep all your change together and keep it in an extra cup holder. It will be easy to find next time you need change for the meter or that cup of coffee in the morning!

I love this idea! From the Dollar Store, buy a food storage container and use it for a quick and easy garbage that won’t spill over in your car.

2016

LONG LIFE

It is always a great idea to keep a “clean up” bag together for those messes that happen while you are on the road. No matter is you have a friend, children or pets in your vehicle, you are bound to have an accident or mess at some point. Some great items to keep on hand in your car is a roll of paper towel, wet ones, antibacterial cleaner, an empty plastic bag, sponge a n d a roll of toilet paper.

I hope these tips help you keep your car looking its best this summer! Follow us on Pinterest for more ideas.

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DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 19

On a Firm Foundation

W

By David McConkey

hen I last met with Stewar t and Jaime-Lynn Dyck, they were all ready to star t building their new home. Everything was set. They had their house up for sale, they had purchased a proper ty, and they had finalized their new house design. Unfor tunately, it didn’t quite work out as planned . . .

20 | Design Your Home | summer

A temporary dip in the Brandon real estate market stalled their sale, so they put their plans on hold. Oh, well; they are philosophical. “We are doing everything we wanted to do,” Stewar t says, “but a year later.”

And they ended up putting that year’s delay to good use. While initially disappointing, that time for reflection turned out to have real value. “It was nice to have that year,” Jaime-Lynn says, “to build stronger relationships with builders, tweak the design, and ponder the whole house.”

During that year they walked over their proper ty – a twoacre lot just outside of the city. They also staked where the house could be located, looked again at the drawings, made measurements again of their existing house, and imagined how everything would fit together.

• Wheel loaders, dozers, skid steers • Trucking and hauling • G rading and compacting, lot preparation, hauling, topsoil, gravel, sand and rocks sales and service

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For the excavation and preparation of the proper ty for construction, Stewar t and Jaime-Lynn turned to Chris Griffin at Alternative Landscaping.

Chris was able to size up the proper ty and assess the best place to site the house. “There was concern with underground streams around the proper ty and with Chris’s help and knowledge of

rt O

We offer proposals per job or hourly rates for operator and equipment for:

For selling their existing home, they decided to re-list with Brian Baker at Royal LePage Mar tin-Liber ty Realty in Brandon. Stewar t repor ts that Brian used his experience and contacts to find great perspective buyers; he “brought the right people to our house.”

After successfully finding 5 BAKER Brian-2 2016-03-01 12:05 PM a buyer, Brian continued to assist them with the move.

Brian offered one of his Brian Baker Realty Service Specialist/Partner complementar y Cargo (204) 721-0928 Trailers to move their Call or Text www.BrandonRealEstate.biz belongings. This made the transition from one home to the next, go smoothly.

Su ppo

Stewar t and Jaime-Lynn are still delighted with the home design. Stewar t describes their blueprints as “very meticulous.” Good plans are especially useful as Stewar t and Jaime-Lynn are carrying out their original intention of being their own general contractor. “Having detailed plans with great images gives you a real perspective of your home before you even break ground.” Stewar t adds.

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DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 21

Page

landscaping we were able to find a location on the proper ty that was high and dr y,” Stewar t explains.

This saved them time and money.

Stewar t and Jaime-Lynn enlisted Powell Concrete Construction to form, pump and finish their concrete basement. Powell is best known in town for years of commercial work, but has been branching out to do more in the residential field. “Powel brings years of experience and was able to offer their insights and contacts to help,” Jaime-Lynn explains.

“Powell took the lead and was able to communicate to the other trades when to star t their projects.”

Stewar t and Jaime-Lynn decided to use Insulated Concrete Foundation (ICF) for their foundation walls. ICF is a system of formwork for reinforced concrete usually made with a rigid thermal insulation that stays in place as a permanent interior and exterior substrate for walls. The forms are interlocking modular units that are dry-stacked (without mor tar) and filled with concrete. The units lock together somewhat like children’s blocks and create a form for the structural walls or floors of a building. ICF gives you savings on heating and cooling costs To heat their future house, Stewar t and Jaime-Lynn chose radiant heat (an in-floor water system). They asked Bryan

at Nor th Hill Plumbing & Heating to install it.The basement will have radiant tubing that snakes through the concrete slab. The entire basement floor becomes a giant radiant panel that heats everyone and everything in the space.

Walking in bare feet or lying on the floor is pure warmth.

“There are many pros when it comes to radiant heating,” Jaime-Lynn says. “It's nearly silent, it's clean, it's comfor table, there are no ducts to clean, it's efficient and requires minimal maintenance.” This system sends heated water from a central boiler to piping underneath the floor. It’s warmth from the feet up. Another benefit is the ability to zone your house. With a small amount of effor t and some additional expense, you can have groups of rooms on their own zone. This allows you to have different zones

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22 | Design Your Home | summer

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at different temperatures at different times. If you only use a few rooms in your home, you just can heat those rooms in that zone.

For the framing of the house, Stewar t and Jaime-Lynn contracted with Geoff Gregoire at Con-Cor Homes, which is a division of Contractor’s Corner. Known originally as “Westman’s Counter top Shop,” Contractor’s Corner has greatly expanded over the years. The Con-Cor Homes division constructs new houses, ready-to-move homes, and condo developments.

Con-Cor Homes will be in the next stage of the build . . .

Stewar t and Jaime-Lynn are happy to repor t that – so far – there have been no mistakes or surprises. They suggest three keys to success: take your time, do your research, and talk to as many people as possible. Even if they are not eventually selected for the job, Stewar t points out, people “like to share, they want to make sure you are doing it right.”

The best overall guideline: ask around to find firms that have a good reputation. Also look for those who can communicate well both with you and with the other contractor s in your team. In shor t, Stewar t says, “hire experience.”

Stewar t and Jaime-Lynn point out that there can be par ticular issues when building a new home. For one thing, they recommend dealing with a mor tgage specialist.

Financing the building of a new home can be trickier than financing the buying of an already-constructed home.

They had decided beforehand they would only star t building their new house after they had sold their existing house.

(Remember : they delayed their plans until their house sale was completed.) That meant making arrangements for where to live during the construction and also where to store the extra stuff. But that kind of orderly pre-planning is wor th it, Jaime-Lynn advises. Impor tantly, she says, it can “avoid marital stress.”

Speaking of marital stress, I recall our conversation from a year ago. I asked back then: What is most impor tant when you design and build your own home? Jaime-Lynn laughed and replied, “Go in with a good relationship with your spouse!”

So, I can’t help but ask: Are things going OK now? Stewar t and Jaime-Lynn both chuckle at the same time and nod affirmatively.

Great! Good to know that everything is being built on a firm foundation.

• Renovations • Furnace & A/C Installalations • New Construction • Gas Fitting Bryan Freiheit

(204) 720-3710 - northhil@mymts.net Brandon, MB

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 23

Introducing

A SIMPLE. RELIABLE. SMART HOME.

I

magine coming home after a long day at work to find your home warmly lit.

or through the Smar t Home application on your smar t

The shades have been drawn and the temperature is perfect, just how you like it. Your home has prepared itself for you so you can immediately star t enjoying a relaxing evening. All you have to do is arrive.

The system is programmed to recognize your smar t device

Home automation technology allows you to control things like lighting, temperature, window coverings and other home functions all with the touch of a button. This technology is a luxury and until recently, it has not been a luxury the average home owner could afford.

cial lighting par t of the Smar t Home system and having

“Budget Blinds and Lutron have made home automation affordable and easy to use,” said Sue Swarbrick, owner of Budget Blinds of Southwest Manitoba for the past fi ve years. “In the past, many homeowners felt home automation for window coverings was out of their reach, but now it is truly an affordable option.”

Lutron’s Smar t Home is a simple home automation system that allows you to control and schedule your window coverings, lighting and thermostat all through the touch of a button. You can control it with a remote or wall control,

24 | Design Your Home | summer

device. If you have an iPhone, you can control the system with voice commands. Just ask your friend, Siri to draw the window shades or turn dim the lights. as you approach your home and it will set your preferred home ambience before you even walk through the door.

“Budget Blinds works with both the natural andar tifi automated window coverings will make you never want to live without them,” said Swarbrick. “You can set your window coverings to your time zone so they will rise and lower according to the daylight hours. People use this system to set their shades to come up at a cer tain time in the morning and use the natural light to wake them instead of an obtrusive alarm.”

Having smar t shades can also enhance your home’s security.

You can set them to rise and lower at appropriate times when you are on vacation, making it appear as though someone is at home.

Or, operate them from any par t of the world at any time you wish.

THE FUTURE IS HERE! The Lutron cellular and roller shades are cordless, making them safe for children and pets.

They’re made from sustainable materials and are very energy effi cient. The shades are operated by a battery that lasts up to fi ve years and is nearly soundless. You will barely hear that your window coverings are moving.

Automated shades will be set to move at the same speed so all of your window coverings lower or rise evenly and rest at the same level.

“These features are so luxurious to have in your home. I compare it to having a smar t phone. We didn’t have smar t phones years ago and didn’t know what we were missing, but now that we have them and use them so much we see how the technology benefi ts our daily lives and we can’t imagine going back to not having them. Also, just ponder for a moment our vehicles… fully automated. Most of us wouldn’t want to go back to window cranks and running around all 4 doors to lock them. We even request WiFi as a standard feature. Home automation is the same thing.

It’s not something you think you need at fi rst but once you have it life at home feels so pleasant and you’ll be so grateful you did it.” adds Swarbrick.

The Lutron technology leads the industry. Not only was the company the fi rst to invent the light dimmer in the late 1950s, they have invested hundreds of lighting control devices and systems and have led innovations in window

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shade technology using wireless and wired systems to control both daylight and electric light.

“People love this technology. It is so accessible, convenient, easy to use and can really add value to your home life,” shared Swarbrick. The Future is Here!

For more information on the Budget Blinds and Lutron Smar t Home integrated home automation system, contact Budget Blinds of Southwest Manitoba at 204 727-4766 or by visiting www.budgetblinds.com/southwestmanitoba.

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*Applies to selected Lutron® window treatments by Budget Blinds®. Some restrictions may apply. Ask for details. Not valid with any other offers, discounts, or coupons. Valid for a limited time only. Offer good at initial time of estimate only. At participating franchises only. ©2016 Budget Blinds, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Budget Blinds is a trademark of Budget Blinds, LLC. and a Home Franchise Concepts Brand. Each franchise independently owned and operated. Franchise opportunities available. ©2016 Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 25

Improve Your Home's Value

A

re you thinking about renovating and improving your home? Before you

star t spending, you should know a few things, so you don’t end up wasting any money.

There are many home improvement programs; people expect the quality they've grown accustomed to seeing.

That is one of the reasons many tend to expect their

26 | Design Your Home | summer

next house to be as nice as the homes on these shows.

Improving your life style is a good investment; it can increase your home’s value. Some improvements can be, improving your master bedroom, media rooms and create outdoor rooms.

Maintenance is the number one improvement you should be doing in your home. Buyers just naturally expect everything to be up to date, and as a result not keeping up with maintenance and appearance of your home can actually decrease the value. Be sure to have your home up to date, this includes fixtures, bathrooms, kitchens and flooring. These call all show the age of your home and some are easy fixes.

Flooring not only wears over time, but can also date your home. If you are thinking you are going to sell your home soon, make sure you update any flooring with rips/tears, stains or any outdated rooms. You don’t want to turn a buyer off when they see that they have to make more updates to the home after they purchase it.

It’s a good idea to do some of the cosmetics touch ups yourself, if you can of course. Jobs like painting and stripping wallpaper is something you might be able to do.

And it can improve the look of your home.

But be careful of improvements if you plan to sell within 2 to 5 years. If your house is improved beyond the entire neighborhood that surrounds you, it’s possible that the value of your home won’t be recognized when you are ready to sell.

And lastly you should keep track of your home’s value. The best way to do so would be to look at homes that are on sale that are similar to yours. That way you can compare with the value of your home. If you find out that a house down the street from you sold for $400 000 with an outdoor room and a new kitchen, then you can get an idea about your own home. About the improvements you should look into.

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DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 27

Wine Advice: Wine Popsicles

The Perfect

Summer Treat

I

have many childhood memories but when it comes to summer, especially ice-cold treats, Popsicles are foremost in my mind.

Refreshing, delicious and pleasantly cool, Popsicle's, although increasingly hard to find, having been largely replaced by gooey chocolatey concoctions and confections, have remained a favorite warm weather treat but now, for me,Wine Popsicles have claimed their number one spot. Childhood favorite and adult treat combined.

Popsicles may be made from white, rose and red wine. If you are looking for a tar t, mouth-watering treat look to acidic white wines. Sauvignon Blanc is a natural choice, it's herbaceous, grassy and its vegetal flavours scream summer. Other white wines with high acidity are Vinho

28 | Design Your Home | summer

Verde from Por tugal ,Chablis from France, Pinot Grigio from Italy, Riesling from Germany and various white wines from cool-climate growing areas.

Once a wine is selected, pair the flavours in the wine with various fruits and other additives in the Popsicle blend.

Blend green apple and stone fruits to Riesling, peach and pear to Pinot Grigio and Gewurztraminer, known for flavours of lychee and ripe peach, is complimented by this fruit. Wines made from grapes grown in warm climates,such as California or Australian Chardonnay, are best blended with tropical fruit such as papaya,mango, starfruit and pineapple.

Hop onto the rosé train if you want to be trendy. The selection of rosé wines is mind-boggling when compared to the number of wines available a few shor t years ago.

Many Rosé's boast flavours of watermelon and red berries, making such fruits a natural and delicious choice.

For red wine, as with white wine and rosé wine, pair dominant flavours in wine with complimentary fruit flavours.

Blend Chianti with red berries and oranges, flavours found in Chianti. Gamay, Grenache, Pinot Noir and Barbera have flavours of red fruits (raspberry, strawberry, pomegranate) and blue berries. For full-bodied wines, the likes of Merlot, Malbec, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere posses darker fruit flavours and as such are enhanced by the addition of blackberry, plum, prune and fig.

Popsicles aren't limited to the addition of fruit alone.

Other additives add flavour and interest. Herbs and spices are used to compliment and intensify fruit.

Gelati is often used as a palate cleanser, served between courses. Break with tradition and serve a delicious wine Popsicle in its place. Popsicles also make a refreshing desser t. The perfect summer treat. For adults only.

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A Google search will provide any different recipes. The following is one.

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White Sangria Popsicle - 1 cup (250 ml) white wine - 3 Tbsp (45 ml) Grand Marnier or substitute orange liqueur - 2/3 cup (160 ml) peach juice or substitute pineapple, apple - 1/4 cup (60 ml) club soda - 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice - 1 1/3 cups (330 ml) of mixed fruit (for example: peach, apricot, pineapple) Combine white wine, liqueur, juice, club soda, lime juice and blend together.

Combine fruit and divide it between molds.

Pour wine mixture over fruit, add sticks, freeze for 6 hours Enjoy!

Kate Wagner Zeke, Sommelier(ISG) Certified Specialist of Wine, Certified Wine Educator(SWE) wineadviser@wcgwave.ca

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www.elkhornresort.mb.ca DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 29

Do You Know?

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Send your answers to contest@designyourhome.ca, or fill out on our contest page at designyourhome.ca and be entered to win the prize below. All correct answers will be entered into a draw, a winner will be drawn August 21, 2016. One entry per email. See the answers from our last contest at designyourhome.ca.

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Distributing 15,000 Copies each quarter to over 80 communities in Western Manitoba.

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Amanda Sneddon Photography

Magazine

Design Your Home magazine has articles about the house, cottage, apartment or condo living, from the interior to the exterior.

Contact us at: Email: dyh@designyourhome.ca Phone: (204) 573-3790 View Us at: Website: www.designyourhome.ca 32 | Design Your Home | summer