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MARCH 2016
DARE
DREAM
to
A LANGLEY HOME FULFILLS
EVERYTHING ON ONE COUPLE’S
BUCKET LIST
SEASON YEAR | WESTCOAST HOMES & DESIGN
SPECIAL 22-PAGE PULLOUT GUIDE to the BC HOME + GARDEN SHOW
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“
Design impacts
everybody every day.
Everything you touch and
everything you look at.
Niels Bendtsen
INTRA CORP
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An intimate collection of 58 design-led homes set
in a prime location in Vancouver’s storied West End,
the first project by the Inform + Intracorp partnership
GROSVENOR
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The Jervis: elevated living by design
Now Selling
From $1 Million
rethinks the way homes are designed and built.
TheJervis.com
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Prices and sizes are approximate. E&OE.
Sales and Marketing by Intracorp Realty Ltd.
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Visit the Nordic collection in our showroom today.
www.INspirationFurniture.ca
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1275 WEST 6th AVE.
VANCOUVER, B.C. V6H 1A6
T: 604 730 1275
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SEASON
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Sandy’s Furniture
Family Owned and Operated Since 1976
PIUMA An extreme softness that you can
sense at first glance. When you look at the
headboard of the Piuma bed it’s easy to
imagine two pillows side by side offering an
absolute comfort. A refined profile distinguished
by an original detail: the ruche. The bed of your
dreams, a place to keep dreaming.
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AURA chAIR blends
craftsmanship and modernity. The innovative design
is hallmarked by gracefully
contoured wooden feet that
support a generous, comfortable seat.
ASTRA The asymmetrical design
of the lampshade makes this lamp
unique from all perspectives. The
lampshade is made of superimposed
opal glass layers, with etched and
blown-glass finishes.
MONDRIAN Stylistic precision and
simple shapes are the hallmarks of this
extremely versatile collection. Available
in a wide choice of finishes including
Afara wood from Africa.
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1335 United Boulevard, Coquitlam • 604.520.0800
www.sandysfurniture.ca/natuzzi-italia
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INSID
59
18
14 IN THE NEWS
Jordans Home opens a new
flagship store in Richmond.
17 ON THE VINE
THE wines of Italy take centre
stage at the Vancouver
International Wine Festival.
18 ACCESSORIES
35
YOUR GUIDE
the BC Home + Garden Show
FROM glassware to fanciful
stoppers, we’ve got a gaggle
of gadgets for wine lovers
21 TIPS FOR TIPPLERS
SOMMELIER Sebastien Le Goff
tells oenophiles how to collect
and store wine.
22 FOOD FRONT
JANE Mundy offers helpful
pointers on cooking with wine.
57 MORTGAGE MATTERS
Statistics don’t always tell you
what your home is really worth
59 BEAUTIFUL BATHROOMS
THE latest fixtures can help you
turn your bathroom into a spalike retreat
62 TIPS FOR TIPPLERS
The Residences at Lynn Valley
take full advantage of their
natural setting
67 TRAVEL WEST
FIND a Hawaiian island that
best fits your travel personality.
74 LOTTERY HOME
A look inside one of the grand
prizes in the B.C. Children’s
Hospital Choices Lottery
35 WHAT’S ON AT THE SHOW
Highlights of the BC Home + Garden
Show kick off our 22-page show
guide.
8
ON THE COVER I PAGE 52
A HOME-RUN HOME
PHOTO: JXX
INT ERI ORS
VANCOUVER COQUITLAM VICTORIA KELOWNA VISIT JORDANS.CA
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861 Richards Street | Vancouver BC | V6B 3B4
604.681.0104 | [email protected]
resourcefurniture.com
Vancouver | New York | Los Angeles | San Francisco | Calgary | Toronto | Montreal | Mexico City
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BOSADEV.COM
SEASON YEAR | WESTCOAST HOMES & DESIGN 11
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FROM DOWNTOWN
We also take a peek inside the Langley home of wine lovers
Rachel and Norbert Diesing, which includes a charming wine
cellar with countertops reclaimed from old warehouses and
flooring made with polished river stones. The Diesing home is
an intriguing blend of Rachel’s bold design ideas and Norbert’s
high-tech expertise.
SPACIOUS 1, 2 AND 3
BEDROOM HOMES
INCLUDING TOWNHOMES
This issue is packed with inspiring stories and images. We
hope you enjoy reading it
and we welcome your
thoughts and feedback
at homes&design@
sunprovince.com.
LUXURY ON THE
RISE IN LYNN VALLEY
Are you a budding oenophile? You’ll probably want to attend
one of the many events at the Vancouver International Wine
Festival, which kicks off Feb. 20 with a spotlight on the whites
and reds of Italy. In this issue, wine columnist John Schreiner
offers a primer on Italian wines and Cactus Club sommelier
Sebastien Le Goff has some advice for novice collectors.
If you’re planning a Hawaiian getaway, check out our practical
guide to choosing the island that best suits your travel personality. Will it be Maui or Oahu, the Big Island or the Garden
Isle? Our editor and travel writer Joanne Blain reveals the best
match for each and every type of vacationer.
INTRODUCING A MASTER
PLANNED SIGNATURE COMMUNITY
BY NAT BOSA
Anyone on the hunt for action-packed indoor events will feel
right at home in Vancouver over the coming weeks. The BC
Home + Garden Show opens on Feb. 17 and promises a sneak
peek at the latest home and garden trends. From the roster of
experts at the show, we talk to colour guru Amanda Forrest,
who wows us with her bold new palette, and garden columnist
Steve Whysall, who looks at outstanding examples of romantic
gardens in this year’s Vancouver Sun Gardeners’ School.
NOW PREVIEWING
YOUR INSPIRATION AWAITS
KITCHENS, BATHROOMS & FINE CABINETRY
WESTCOAST HOMES & DESIGN IS
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IN THE NEWS
By CLAUDIA KWAN
JORDANS HOME OPENS
FLAGSHIP STORE IN RICHMOND
jordans.ca
Serving as a sister store to Jordans Interiors, Jordans Home is billed
as more casual, more accessible price-wise and more fun. After
testing out the concept at locations in Victoria and Coquitlam, the
company has set up a 22,000-square-foot flagship location in Richmond’s furniture hub at Bridgeport Road and Sweden Way.
The plan is to have a solid foundation of core furniture pieces,
augmented by a wide array of on-trend accessories. Shoppers
are welcome to play on foosball, air hockey and pool tables in the
store. Jordans also plans to draw in people with monthly events like
home-decorating seminars and cooking lessons.
SCAN
Ad#01223086
BEANBAG FURNITURE MAKER
YOGIBO PLANS MORE B.C. STORES
yogibo.ca, yogibo.com
Yogibo Canada CEO Joe Dagony has big plans for the beanbag
retailer for 2016, including three new locations in B.C. (two in Metro
Vancouver and one elsewhere in the province). He is also considering
whether to set up shop in Toronto.
“Demand has been contagious,” he says. “When, for instance, a
customer purchases a Yogibo in Kelowna, we instantly see a ripple
effect of more and more orders in the surrounding areas, once
they’ve let their friends and family try it.”
Dagony says the foam beads inside Yogibo products resist compression better than the ones in traditional beanbags and are lighter.
They can be rinsed off in case of a spill and replaced as needed over
time.
The machine-washable fabric coverings are stretchy and can be
molded in a variety of body-supporting shapes, including a chair,
lounger, couch and mattress. It really only makes sense once you
plop down in one, which the company heartily encourages at its
current Coquitlam Centre location.
14
BAO BEI OWNER EMBARKS ON
SECOND RESTAURANT IN
VANCOUVER’S CHINATOWN
Tannis Ling is keeping the wraps tight on her new venture, Kissa
Tanto — so much so that it didn’t a website at the time of writing.
While the new restaurant is just a couple of blocks away from her
award-winning Bao Bei, at Kissa Tanto the cuisine will be a blend
of Japanese and Italian,
rather than the Shanghainese-French dishes
that first put Ling and
her team on the radar
of Vancouver foodies.
Barkeeps will pour ’50sand ’60s-era cocktails,
wine and sake. Kissa
Tanto’s space at 263
East Pender will seat
about 75 and is expected to open sometime
this spring.
ON THE VINE
By JOHN SCHREINER
THE ITALIANS ARE COMING
This year’s Vancouver International Wine Festival
puts a spotlight on reds and whites from Italy
In the 1970s, what could have been the
world’s last row of Pignolo grape vines was
found in the vineyard of an abbey in Friuli in
northern Italy. A red variety, it was rescued
from extinction and now grows on about 100
acres.
Barbera, a red grape, is also grown in California but the best Berbera wines are from Italy.
Jancis Robinson’s book, Wine Grapes, says:
“Legend has it that Barbera was introduced to
Piemonte by the Lombardians in the seventh
century A.D.”
It is a familiar story in Italy. Centuries of wine
growing have nurtured at least 2,000 varieties found infrequently, if at all, either in Italy
or elsewhere. This is why Italian wines have
novel and distinctive flavours.
Lambrusca or Lambrusco, which means wild
grape, is the name for a family of varietals.
Some are turned into fizzy wines, some into
full-bodied dry or semi-sweet wines.
To consumers, however, the varietal names
are often downright baffling in a world dominated by French varietals such as Cabernet,
Merlot and Chardonnay.
At the Vancouver International Wine Festival,
which runs from Feb. 20 to 28, 60 Italian
wineries will set out to educate the consumers
about “autochthonous” grapes. That’s an
unpronounceable term with a Greek root for
indigenous grapes.
For Italy’s 150th anniversary in 2011, the
Italian enologists association produced two
wines, a red and a white, blended exclusively
with autochthonous grapes. While samples
are unlikely to be poured at the festival, the
wines being offered will highlight the unique
flavours of Italian varietals. Some examples:
16
Malvasia Nera Lunga is a rare dark-skinned
grape grown almost exclusively in a tiny area
of Asti. The wines appear to have Muscat
flavours.
Montepulciano is a Tuscan grape that yields
powerful and complex reds.
Negroamaro is one of the most important
grapes in Puglia (southern Italy). Two Puglia
wineries at the festival, Luccarelli and
Tomaresca, will pour full-bodied reds made
with this grape.
Nebbiolo is the highly regarded variety for
Barolo and many other leading Italian wines.
Robinson writes that the Nebbiolo was first
mentioned in a viticultural document in 1266.
Nero d’Avola is a major red in Sicily and
elsewhere in the south of Italy. It is often made
into varietals but is also blended effectively
with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. The
grape takes its name from the Sicilian city of
Avola.
Primitivo is actually an old Croatian grape
called Tribidrag. The growers in Puglia had
the good sense to rename it. Some believe this
grape became Zinfandel in California. That’s
questionable, although the wines are similar.
Prosecco is the best-known name on this
list because sparkling wines made with the
variety are hugely popular.
Sangiovese, the grape of Chianti, is one of
the few Italian varietals grown successfully
outside of Italy.
Trebbiano, a white, also grows outside of
Italy. Taste and compare the Trebbiano from
the Okanagan’s Hester Creek, which is also
at the festival.
Verdicchio, from northern and central
Italy, and Vermentino, grown in Sardinia,
are among the fragrant Italian whites at the
festival.
John Schreiner is author of John Schreiner’s
Okanagan Wine Tour Guide and other books
on wine. [email protected]
ACCESSORIES
STOP GAP
EASY ELEGANCE
Inspired the Chinese zodiac, these cork
stoppers are playful, unique and practical.
Pop multiple bottles without worrying about
having to polish them off. $15, imm-living.com
Welcome to Alessi’s Glass Family,
designed for everyday sipping to
make sure the attention is on the
wine instead of the stemware. $40
for four pieces, vanspecial.com
WINE ON WHEELS
Love wine? Love biking? Then you’re going
to love this handmade leather bicycle wine
rack by Oopsmark, perfect for taking your
wine on the go. $48, oopsmark.ca
BREATHE
This wine breather by Menu is
two-fold magic. Lock the bottle
over the breather to aerate and
decant your wine, or flip the
breather upside-down to serve
it from the bottle. Either way,
your wine has 10 times more
oxygen. $99, informshop.com
GAME, SET, MATCH
Feel like a true sommelier with this
four-piece Zwilling set that includes
a foil cutter, corkscrew, decanter
and drop ring. $129, cookculture.
com
TOOLS YOU WINE
LOVERS CAN USE
RACK IT UP
FROM COOLERS TO CORKSCREWS
TO CARRIERS, HERE ARE A FEW GADGETS
OENOPHILES WILL APPRECIATE
Designed for function and aesthetics, this
Alessi bottle holder makes a statement on any
counter or wall. Easily connect the modules to
create minimal, eye-catching structures. $84,
informshop.com
By ALEEZA KHAN
SCANDINAVIAN SLEEK
It took 20 prototypes to perfect the
“raining” aeration pouring process
of this carafe by Danish brand
Menu. Crafted from mouth-blown
glass and stainless steel, it’s a thing
of beauty. $79, vanspecial.com
STURDY STEMS
FRENCH CHARM
This isn’t your average corkscrew. By Forge
Laguoile, its award-winning design was created
by sommeliers and handmade from marbled
horn by artisans in the French village of
Laguoile. $280, atkinsonsofvancouver.com
18
STAY COOL
Camping? Picnic? Taking your
favourite bottle to a restaurant?
This Skybar wine traveller is
stylish, streamlined and keeps
your pre-chilled wine cool as a
cucumber. $24.99, thebay.com
Originally designed for Finnair in
1968 to endure air turbulence, these
Iittala glasses are inspired by the
melting ice of Lapland. $65 for two
pieces, vanspecial.com
WINE ADVICE
CLEARLY CHIC
By JOANNE SASVARI
Ditch the high-tech gadgets
and get back to basics with
this classic and simple West
Elm decanter. Personalize
it and add some cool with
a monogrammed wood
stopper.$19 to $39,
westelm.com
EXPERT ADVICE
FOR YOUR
HOME CELLAR
Cactus Club sommelier Sebastien Le Goff
offers his top tips for wine lovers
ONE STOP SHOP
Perfect for any wine enthusiast or
entertainer, the One Wine System
from Skybar chills, pours and preserves
(for up to 10 days) your wine, all in one
device. $699.99, thebay.com
Sebastien Le Goff says wine needs to be stored at the right temperature.
PUT A CORK IN IT
This sleek Dutch design by Vino is a two-inone tool. When you’re not using it as a cork
stopper, flip it over and it’s a bottle holder.
$19.95, litchfieldtheshop.com
SUN
PASSPORT PROMO
Vancouver has become one of the world’s
great wine-loving cities, and for that we can
thank a handful of passionate tastemakers.
Among them is Sebastien Le Goff, who has
directed wine programs at such prestigious
Vancouver restaurants as Uva Wine Bar and
Cibo Trattoria, CinCin Ristorante, Lumiere
and Feenie’s. Now, as service director and
sommelier for Cactus Restaurants Ltd., which
just opened its first Ontario location in downtown Toronto, he is bringing an appreciation
for fine wine to a whole new audience right
across Canada.
We checked in with Le Goff for some advice
on how best to buy, store and enjoy wine at
home. Here’s what he had to say.
I’m starting to collect wine. What should
I buy?
“I would say buy less expensive wine at the
beginning, but more of it,” says Le Goff. “Then
you can have a bottle with dinner, but you can
have five more bottles in the cellar and see
how they develop over time. So you can see
the difference between driving to the liquor
store to pick up a bottle and taking one out of
the cellar.”
There are lots of interesting options in the $20
to $35 range, he says, and Spain and Portugal
especially offer good choices at a reasonable
20
price point. Just remember to put a sticker on
each bottle with the date you bought it and
how much you paid, so you can keep track of
what you have.
humidity controlled,” he says. “Stop buying
wine, save the money and buy a fridge.”
Another great option for cellaring is sparkling
wine, such as B.C.’s Blue Mountain Brut.
“The colour really darkens. It becomes dark
gold and it develops that nuttiness and that
real fresh bread aroma of older champagne,
almost toasted walnut or hazelnut,” he says. “I
love that experience.”
A decanter. “I have a problem with decanters,”
Le Goff says with a laugh, noting that you can
pick up a perfectly functional and attractive
decanter for under $20. “I have lots at home. I
love decanters because it’s way easier to pour
out of a decanter. It’s very elegant. And it’s
better for the wine. Also, it looks so beautiful
on the table.”
What’s your advice for storing wine?
Few of us have the space and money to build
a proper wine cellar. If you have a huge collection, you can store it at a facility such as Wine
Vault or 13c Wine Storage. If your collection is
smaller, though, Le Goff’s solution is a simple
one: A wine fridge that holds at least 100
bottles.
“I moved to Canada in 1999 and I had 100
bottles in my cellar before I purchased a
wine fridge and it was the best decision I
ever made,” Le Goff says. Back then, he lived
in Toronto, where the summers were so hot
and humid, his wine actually started to cook
in his apartment. Buying a fridge saved his
collection.
What is your must-have wine gadget?
Is there a gadget that’s not worth the
money?
A wine aerator. “I have one of those and I’ve
used it twice.”
What kind of wine glasses do I really need?
“I stick to two at home: One for Pinot Noir
and Chardonnay, and one that is taller and
narrower for Cabernet Sauvignon, and I use
that for everything else,” Le Goff says.
And that includes bubbles. “I’m not a big fan of
Champagne flutes for myself. It’s too narrow,”
Le Goff says. “So I like to drink Champagne or
sparkling wine out of a wine glass like they do
in the Champagne houses in France.”
“That’s the only way to store wine in our
climate to make sure that it’s temperature and
FOOD FRONT
By JANE MUNDY
SAUSAGE AND SAFFRON RISOTTO
(COURTESY RUFFINO WINERY)
The medium-bodied wine with mineral and herbal aromas compliments the sausage.
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup (60 mL) butter
2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 cups (450 grams) arborio rice
A TOAST TO COOKING WITH WINE
8 ounces (250 g) pork sausage, casings
removed and broken into pieces
Red and white can both add depth and character to a dish,
but be sure to follow a few simple rules
1 cup (250 mL) Ruffino Lumina Pinot
Grigio
8 cups (2 L) chicken stock
If the upcoming Vancouver International
Wine Festival inspires you to try cooking with
wine, be aware that there are a few rules.
Never use cooking wine — there’s a reason
it’s next to wine vinegar in the grocery store.
But cooking only with a top-quality wine is
one rule that can be broken. I don’t know
about you, but I’m not about to pour a Chateau
Margaux into a casserole.
Wine and food professionals say you should
cook with a wine that is drinkable. So what
constitutes drinkable? Besides personal taste,
a lot has to do with the dish.
If wine is the focus, say in coq au vin or boeuf
bourguignon, opt for a good-quality red. You
might well ask why it matters if you’re braising
the dish for hours. While complex notes will
fly into the ether with the alcohol, the essential character of the wine — dry or lush, fruity
or full-bodied — will remain.
While alcohol cooks off quickly, acids in the
wine don’t. Steer away from tart wines and
go for ones with well-balanced, smoother
notes. If your reduction tastes acidic, add a
little sugar.
And less is better when it comes to cooking
with wine. Adding a lot of wine to a dish can
result in a sauce suitable for use as paint
stripper.
CinCin Ristorante + Bar. “Slow cooking for
about three hours will result in an aromatic
combination of flavours. And to bring out
more of the natural fruit flavours, marinate
the ribs overnight, strain the wine and reduce
by half before cooking.”
sweetbreads (if anyone’s still eating them). I
love Marsala whipped into zabaglione, and it’s
also excellent in vegetarian dishes. If a sweet
wine or Cognac is to be used unheated in
dessert, for example, choose a better-quality
wine.
According to the editors of Cook’s Illustrated
magazine, Merlot makes a balanced sauce
with an overcooked, jam-like flavour, Cabernet Sauvignon produces an astringent, woody
bite that bullies other ingredients out of the
way and Beaujolais makes wimpy sauces.
They conclude that fruity, medium-bodied
wines with little oak influence are the best
cooking candidates, and Cotes du Rhone is
“stellar.”
LEFTOVER WINE
WHITE WINE
There’s only one rule to remember when
cooking with dry white wine: Reduce by at
least half. Richardson prefers to cook fish with
vermouth or Sauvignon Blanc, and something
with mineral notes rather than oak. You can
cook with a sweeter white, but only if you
want a sweet taste in the finished dish.
At CinCin, Richardson has the luxury of
adhering to the rule, “what grows together,
goes together.” Wherever possible, he chooses wine from the same region as the main
ingredient in the dish, such as Barolo with
braised short ribs.
RED WINE
FORTIFIED WINE
“Cooking short ribs at home, I would go for
something juicy, like a $12 or $15 bottle of
Merlot,” says chef Andrew Richardson of
Sherry, port and Marsala enhance many dishes. Sherry is great in stews and pairs well with
game, and port is perfect with kidneys and
1/2 cup (125 mL) grated Parmesan,
plus more for garnish
1 tsp (5 mL) saffron threads, toasted
for a few seconds and crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
“At CinCin, I might use wine opened by the
sommelier last night, or something the wine
rep brought by,” said Richardson. “An open
bottle is typically drinkable for a few days
and cookable for about two weeks.” Even if
leftover good wine is slightly oxidized, it is still
great for cooking.
Remove the sausage and wine and set
aside. In the same pan, add rice and
toast slightly. Add the wine and stir until
reduced by half.
Bring the chicken stock to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Pour into rice mixture,
a little at a time, until rice takes on the
creamy texture of risotto. Just before it is
completely cooked, stir in the Parmesan,
sausage, saffron, and salt and pepper to
taste. Top with parmesan and serve.
New Home
Program
Try experimenting by using Chardonnay with
pork or Sauternes with salmon. And root vegetables braised with Riesling are a gourmet
meal on their own.
QUICK AND EASY WINE SAUCE
Make your next project stand out from
the crowd and receive incentives when
building an ENERGY STAR® new home or
when installing high-efficiency natural
gas appliances.
Cooking with wine isn’t only a slow, simmering
process. If you are deglazing the pan — picking
up the caramelized onion and juicy steak bits
or pan drippings — using a splash of cheaper
wine is fine. Whisk in a handful of herbs, a little
butter or cream and voila!
MARINADE AND VINAIGRETTE
Mix wine with vinegar as a marinade and meat
tenderizer for thin but tough cuts. An acidic
reduction is great as a vinaigrette — use in
equal proportion to oil in a salad dressing.
Heat butter and olive oil in a large
saucepan over medium heat and add the
onions. Stir until softened. Add sausage
pieces and wine and reduce by half.
Incentives up to
2,000
$
Before breaking ground, contact us first
at fortisbc.com/energystarhome.
We’re working together to help B.C. save energy.
FortisBC uses the FortisBC name and logo under license from Fortis Inc. (15-046.9 11/2015)
22
FEATURED PROPERTY
An unconventional
DREAM
HOME
THE DIESING HOUSE IN SOUTH LANGLEY
IS A CREATIVE REALIZATION OF ONE
COUPLE’S BUCKET LIST
24 SEASON YEAR | WESTCOAST HOMES & DESIGN
By LESLIE PETERSON
“WE WOULD CLIP
OUT PICTURES IN
MAGAZINES TO COME
UP WITH A PLACE THAT
WOULD UTILIZE SPACES
EFFECTIVELY AND
REALIZE OUR
DESIGN DREAMS. “
Rachel Diesing
T
o approach, one drives through two
sets of stone pillars, then through decorative wrought-iron
gates and up the paving-stone driveway to the house. It’s a
magnificent piece of architecture, with gables and arched
windows, steep-pitched roofs and flickering gas lanterns
framing the front porch.
The culmination of years of planning, representing a bucket
list of considerable heft, this south Langley house shows
that dreams can become reality.
Located in an elegant enclave in the Campbell Valley neighborhood, it is anything but formulaic, with little twists and
idiosyncrasies, a blend of antique and modern, of artistry
and high tech. As owner Rachel Diesing puts it: “We didn’t
want to do what everyone else was doing; we tried to mix it
up a bit, to throw a little extra in, unique things like a secret
room, which isn’t secret any more since we’re so excited
about it we’ve told everyone.”
This newcomer to High Point Equestrian Estates is even
more intriguing inside than out. At 8,000 square feet on two
forested acres, it was completed last June after 18 months
of design and construction.
There are indoor and outdoor dog runs for the family’s two
dachshunds, Peach and Mario, as well as an elevator giving
access to all three floors. The home has an Old World wine
cellar and both ground-level and underground garages. The
interior design is outside the box, a creative mix of textures
and fabrics with unconventional colour combinations.
Custom home builder Scott Foster, owner of Wescraft
Properties, worked with the Diesings through design and
construction, a collaboration that proved highly successful
— both builder and owners are delighted with the final
product. “I enjoy being creative,” Scott explains, “and every
now and then you work with a customer who will really let
you go with it.”
The house has many charms: beautiful millwork, six
bedrooms, six bathrooms, a grand entranceway leading
into a dramatic black-and-white dining room on one side,
then a great room with a spectacular peakhead window,
wood-panelled cathedral ceiling and stone fireplace. Down
the hall lies the stylish black, white and yellow master
bedroom with a fireplace and opulent en suite.
Eclipse doors open the main living area to an inviting covered outdoor living space with a bar, fireplace and kitchen,
complete with gas range and wood-burning pizza oven.
It’s designed for quiet contemplation or dining al fresco,
overlooking a pool, waterfalls and a lily pond, with lush
forest as a backdrop.
COVER PAGE: The great room of the Diesing house in Langley features an eclectic blend of patterns and colours. PREVIOUS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
The foyer leads the way to the great room; a black-and-white colour scheme and chandelier highlight the dining room; a teenage boy’s bedroom has a London
theme; a den’s subdued colour scheme is punched up with orange curtains and rug; in the kitchen, dark wood floors contrast with the white cabinets.
26
DI
SP N
LA EW
OP Y S
E N UI
! TE
A funky wine room with a brick wall and a river-stone floor houses the Diesings’ wine collection.
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Sparkling chandeliers and large mirrors show
off Diesing’s inspired approach to decor. In her
teenage son’s bedroom, a wall-sized mural of
a downtown London street steals the scene,
complete with a double-decker bus.
This dream home is also a smart house, a
winning combination of Rachel’s creative flair
and husband Norbert’s high-tech expertise.
Every aspect of the home — from lighting to
speakers, televisions, temperature control and
outdoor watering — is centrally controlled.
In addition to a well-equipped fitness room,
rec room with pool table and home theatre,
the lower level includes a funky little wine
room that, despite its size, has all the charm of
a professional cellar.
“We’re mini-connoisseurs and we live in the
middle of wine country,” Rachel says. The
cellar-like space with its Vintage Chateau
1929 sign holds a couple of hundred wine
bottles. Adding to its cave-like feel are a brick
wall, stucco ceiling, fir beams, wine racks and
countertops reclaimed from old warehouses.
A stained barrel and lanterns contribute to
the charm, as does the floor of polished river
stones.
“For us, this home was the realization of a
dream,” Rachel explains. “We had all sorts of
ideas we had accumulated on a bucket list.
We would clip out pictures in magazines to
come up with a place that would utilize spaces
effectively and realize our design dreams. And
despite its size and large spaces, it doesn’t feel
at all cold. It’s like a hug.” •
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ART SCENE
Caught the Sun in Flight by Blu Smith,
acrylic on canvas, 42 by 80 inches.
By ELIZABETH GODLEY
Aspell’s work, on view at the Richmond Art
Gallery to April 3, is replete with floating figures, African and West Coast masks, Egyptian
motifs and many other cultural and art-historical references. Some of his later paintings
depict x-ray imagery and human-machine
interaction. Despite his intense colour palette, an introspective, mystical and at times
ominous overtone pervades much of his work.
KURBATOFF GALLERY
Blu Smith’s powerful abstract paintings begin
with a charcoal drawing on paper. “This exploration period may last for days or weeks until I
feel I have developed these designs enough to
begin working on canvas,” says Smith.
Initially, the artist experimented with various
forms and styles including Pop Art before he
chose to move away from a representational
style. This move into abstraction opened the
doors to true expression and honesty in his
art-making, he believes.
Smith’s influences range from the abstract
expressionism of Jackson Pollack to some early pioneers of Canadian abstract art, including
B.C. artists Jack Shadbolt and Gordon Smith.
The exhibition runs to March 10.
RICHMOND ART GALLERY +
WEST VANCOUVER MUSEUM
Peter Aspell (1918-2004) was among a group
of artists who gained early recognition in postwar Vancouver. Aspell departed from the
nature-based abstraction practised by many
of his contemporaries to focus on symbolism,
mythology and figuration, thereby making a
unique contribution to the art of this region.
A complementary exhibition, Peter Aspell:
Saints, Sinner, Mystics and Madness, will be
on view at the West Vancouver Museum to
March 26.
Richmond Art Gallery
7700 Minoru Gate, Richmond, 604-247-8300
richmondartgallery.org
West Vancouver Museum
680 17th St., West Vancouver, 604-925-7295
westvancouvermuseum.ca
BLU SMITH
FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 10
2435 Granville St., 604-736-5444
kurbatoffgallery.com
LANGLEY CENTENNIAL MUSEUM
Judith Meeting Holofernes, diptych in mosaic, 78 inches by 96 inches.
IL MUSEO, ITALIAN CULTURAL CENTRE
ALLEGORY
IN ART
The story of the Jewish heroine
Judith is the latest in a series of
mosaic installations by Lilian Broca
Glittering with tiny coloured and metallic tiles, seven large hand-pieced mosaic
panels by Vancouver artist Lilian Broca depict the story of Judith, the Jewish
heroine who slew Holofernes and freed her people. The mosaics, each more than
70 inches tall and 48 inches wide, will be on view until March 31.
Heroine of A Thousand Pieces follows Broca’s two previous mosaic series. The first
depicted Lilith, who legend says was Adam’s first wife, while the second told the
story of Queen Esther, the heroine of Purim. The latest panels tell the Apocryphal
story of a young woman, Judith, who uses her feminine wiles to free her people. It’s
a tale that Broca believes will speak to contemporary feminists as well as biblical
scholars.
3075 Slocan St., 604-430-3337
Italianculturalcentre.ca/events/museum
30
Richard Tetrault’s graphic depictions of
ravens will be among the works on view in
an exhibit exploring the world of hand-made
prints — including woodblocks, monotypes
and stone lithography — by artists from
around the Lower Mainland.
The show, titled Process/Expression: Prints/
Impressions, looks at the different ways in
which artists use print media to express themselves. Informative videos and educational
panels will help visitors understand how these
works of art were created.
The show runs through Feb. 28.
9135 King St., Fort Langley, 604-532-3536
museum.tol.ca
“Snakes and Ladders”, acrylic on canvas, 45” x 72”, 2016
Kurbatoff Gallery
Contemporary Canadian Art
2435 Granville St., Vancouver
Exhibitions on-line:
KURBATOFFGALLERY.COM
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AT THE SHOW
By SHAWN CONNER
ECO PAVING
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MAKING YOU FEEL
RIGHT AT HOME
FROM FANCY DOGHOUSES TO BURGERS AND BEER,
THIS YEAR’S BC HOME + GARDEN SHOW IS DESIGNED
TO ENTERTAIN AND ENLIGHTEN
PREVIOUS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A tabletop montage by Amanda Forrest; a bookshelf from a Kendall Ansell design; a home designed by Jamie Banfield; the show’s gardening
displays are always a hit. THIS PAGE: An airy home created by designer Jamie Banfield.
Cooking demonstrations are among the mainstays of the BC Home + Garden Show. But this
year, organizers have added a twist.
“We’ve often pitted chefs against each other,”
said show manager Tyson Kidd. “But we
thought, why not take a brewmaster out of
his element, put him in front of a barbecue and
say, ‘You’re going to have to create a burger
that’s going to be the ultimate match with your
favourite beer.’ ”
Battle of the Brewmasters, which pairs local
chefs and brewmasters, is a competition on
opening night of the five-day event.
Each year, the massive show brings together
some of the most trusted, innovative and
recognized names in home and outdoor
renovation, design, lifestyle and decor.
Other highlights this year include a Westcoast Smart Home. Trinity Post and Panel,
based out of 100 Mile House, will build the
800-square-foot, energy-efficient post-andbeam home. Framing for a new home usually
takes at least two weeks; Trinity homes can be
framed in a matter of days.
36
Each year, the Home + Garden Show features
loads of TV personalities, from HGTV celebs
like House of Bryan host Bryan Baeumler, who
returns to the BC Hydro Main Stage, as well as
up-and-coming names in the industry.
An example of the latter is landscape designer
Carson Arthur, host of the new HGTV series
Home to Win.
“He’s not a very well-known name yet,” Kidd
said. “But, just like Mike Holmes and Brian
Baeumler became really well-known household names for HGTV enthusiasts, I feel like
Carson is going to be the next along those
lines for his talents in terms of landscape and
outdoor-space design. He’s the next big thing.”
Joining Baeumler and Arthur on the main
stage are design and colour expert Amanda
Forrest, interior designer Jamie Banfield and
renovation expert Dean Mitchell.
In Vancouver, ways to maximize small spaces
are always in demand. Local interior designer
Kendall Ansell’s demo, The Balanced Home,
will show homeowners how to balance different furniture pieces in smaller spaces.
Also new this year is the Ultimate Upcycle
Challenge: Planted. Local celebrities will
repurpose a piece of furniture from a Habitat
for Humanity ReStore into a planter. Cedar
Rim Nursery in Langley will contribute the
living component.
HOME SHOW MARKETPLACE
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1 OF 8
“We don’t expect all our designers and influencers to have green thumbs,” Kidd said.
The planters will be on display at the show in
a silent auction, with proceeds going back to
Habitat for Humanity.
Also up for auction: sexy doghouses. For
Barkitecture, five local designers will glamorize canine digs. Proceeds from the auction will
go to the BC SPCA.
THE 2016 BC HOME + GARDEN SHOW TAKES
PLACE AT BC PLACE STADIUM, FEB. 17 TO 21.
VISIT BCHOMEANDGARDENSHOW.COM
FOR TICKET INFO.
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AT THE SHOW
By CHRISTINA SYMONS
COLOUR HER
CONFIDENT
DESIGN PRO AMANDA FORREST
ISN’T AFRAID OF BOLD HUESAND
ENCOURAGES HOMEOWNERS
TO BE JUST AS FEARLESS
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8 OF 8
COLOUR HER CONFIDENT
Design pro Amanda Forrest isn’t afraid of bold hues
and encourages homeowners to be just as fearless
THOMSON INDUSTRIES
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If the thought of adding colour to your home
is daunting, you’re not alone. Even colour
keeners understand those paint palettes can
be paralyzing. That’s where Amanda Forrest
comes in.
As a design expert and television personality,
Forrest takes colour seriously, but she knows
how to have fun with it, flirting with colour in
ways that are doable and reversible.
Forrest shares her colour secrets at BC Home
+ Garden Show, and here are a few of her
favourite tips.
First, go for it! Pack a punch on a small scale
by painting an accent wall in a bold colour.
“It’s okay to go bold and go for a burnt orange
or an apple green or a navy blue,” Forrest
notes. “It’s only paint and it will give you
maximum impact in any space, large or small.
So go for the gusto and think really vibrant,
happy colours.”
Next, think beyond the obvious. Paint a
piece of furniture, a vintage piece or a flea
market find in an unexpected colour.
“Painting something hot pink, canary yellow
or even mauve for that matter will be very
impactful and allow you to easily create a oneof-a-kind piece for your house that nobody
has,” says Forrest. “It’s high drama and high
impact.”
Finally, create happy surprises. Apply colour
in unexpected places such as a closet, inside
your dresser drawers or on the back wall of
a hutch.
“So when you open the closet door every
day to put your coat away, maybe it’s a bright
green colour,” explains Forrest. “It provides a
really happy feeling and it’s going to make that
everyday task just a little bit more exciting.”
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“IT’S ONLY PAINT
AND IT WILL GIVE
YOU MAXIMUM
IMPACT IN ANY
SPACE, LARGE OR
SMALL. SO GO FOR
THE GUSTO AND
THINK REALLY
VIBRANT, HAPPY
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Established in 1996
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[email protected] | 778-990-8669
AT THE SHOW
By CLAUDIA KWAN
DENISE WILD,
sewing expert
Denise Wild says sewing projects are all about
creating something with personal meaning.
MARKELLA MILDENBERGER,
wallpaper surface designer
Markella Mildenberger of The Red Palette
is on a mission to clear up misconceptions
around wallpaper. The first order of business
revolves around the commitment factor.
DESIGNING
WOMEN
Take your creative inspiration from
these three BC Home + Garden Show
speakers
KENDALL ANSELL,
interior designer
Kendall Ansell has teamed up with a home inspector to talk about
the foundation of a good renovation — making sure that any plumbing, electrical, HVAC or structural issues are taken into account
when revamping a home.
Failing to insulate a lofted space in an attic, for instance, can have
consequences for the comfort of a home and the size of power bills,
and even result in wasted space.
“What I always say is we have to work on the bones of a project
before we add on the ‘pretty’ parts,” she says with a laugh. “Just
starting to rip apart walls without a plan isn’t a good idea because it
can snowball really fast.”
Ansell adds it’s important for people to take the time to think about
the daily details of their lives in order to help guide the process of
choosing what elements to include in their homes. She believes
doing so in advance can prevent costly mistakes.
“People have heard all of these horror stories
about how hard it is to put on and take off
wallpaper, but that isn’t the case any more —
modern wallpaper doesn’t use the same type
of glue as the old stuff.”
In fact, new papers use pre-pasted backings
that are much simpler to apply. Mildenberger
says there are even repositionable wallpapers
that can be easily changed, perhaps to coincide with the seasons, or even transported
from one residence to another during a move.
Her custom designs can range from prints of
dachshunds to tin tile recreations, depending
on what effect a client wants to achieve. They
can add visual interest to feature walls or a significant textural dimension, or even be framed
as works of art. In her talk, she will share a
wallpaper removal solution she swears by,
involving fabric softener.
“It’s not just something that people have
bought from a store — it involves fabrics
which may evoke certain memories, connections to others or even a special moment from
a vacation,” she explains. “It’s also a way to
incorporate warmth and colour and texture
in a home.”
However, Wild cautions against jumping in
over your head — starting with a project too
complex for a beginner often leads people to
abandon altogether. She recommends trying a
no- or low-sew project, borrowing a machine
or taking a class, and then ramping up.
In addition to her talk about fabric trends at
the show, Wild has a feature booth where she
and her team will guide people through some
hands-on sewing projects. She says people
seem to be really gravitating toward making
something from start to finish as a means of
coping with the hectic pace of modern-day
life.
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AT THE SHOW
By SHAWN CONNER
LOCAL CABINET WHISPERERS
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PREVIOUS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The main living space in a Furry Creek home designed by Jamie Banfield; part of a Vancouver home’s kitchen; the designer himself.
THIS PAGE: The clean-lined kitchen in a Vancouver home designed by Banfield.
RISING DESIGN STAR COMBINES
STYLE WITH ENERGY SAVINGS
Jamie Banfield’s compact house mixes recycled materials with new technology
At this year’s BC Home + Garden Show, one of
the highlights is sure to be a home designed by
Jamie Banfield. The BC Hydro Power in Style
home focuses on making a small space both
stylish and energy efficient.
The Vancouver-based designer describes the
600-square-foot home as “a Chicago-style
loft-inspired space, very open-concept.” The
state-of-the-art design mixes new technology
with previously used items.
In the former category, Kohler’s Moxie showerhead is a Bluetooth-enabled fixture that can
be programmed to play music.
“When you hear a certain song, you know
to get out of the shower,” Banfield says. “So
you’re conserving water instead of being in
there forever.”
Kitchen space is compacted down to six or
eight square feet, while still having all of the
main amenities and storage.
“We’re trying to show how you don’t have to
have this 1,000-square-foot kitchen for it to
be functional,” says Banfield, who brings a
passion for textures and sustainable design to
his work. The BC Hydro-sponsored home will
also feature locally sourced and/or pre-used
pieces.
“When we show consumers a pallet, they
say: ‘We don’t want that in our house,’ ” says
Banfield. “But if we show them how we took
this pallet and made it into a table, we get to
showcase the product at the end. We sell
them on the product first, then implement it.”
The National Kitchen and Bath Association
recently named Banfield one of the industry’s
“top 30 under 30” in North America. You can
see more of his projects at jamiebanfield.com.
www.comfortsource.ca
50
INByTHE
GARDEN
STEVE WHYSALL
The BCLNA recognizes a high standard of workmanship in the landscape
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ROMANCE
IN BLOOM
Gardens that evoke feelings of love are highlighted
at this year’s Vancouver Sun Gardeners’ School
Thank-you to our sponsors!
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Art’s Nursery & Garden Centre
Burnco
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O’Krane Residence / landscape2000.ca
52
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at landscapebc.com
You could argue that all gardens are fundamentally romantic by nature, and that
love and romance have been essential
elements of pretty much every beautiful
garden from time immemorial.
It is certainly true, however, that some
gardens are more “romantic” than others,
in the sense that they are more able to
evoke strong feelings of love. That’s partly because of their exceptional beauty
but also because of their powerful use of
seductive fragrances, soothing textures,
secluded spaces and sensitive manipulation of light and shade.
At this year’s Vancouver Sun Gardeners’
School at the BC Home + Garden Show,
which runs from Feb. 17 to 21 at BC Place
stadium, I will take a closer look at outstanding examples of romantic gardens.
I will show some stunning photographs and
tell stories about some of the world’s best
“love gardens” — some internationally famous,
others less well known, but blissful places
nevertheless for sparking the flames of love.
One of my favourite romantic garden images
is of the garden built for the French beauty
products company L’Occitane at last year’s
Chelsea Flower Show.
In a sheltered, grassy spot in the centre of the
garden, a small blue café-style table and chairs
were artfully placed between a sprinkling of
red poppies and wild flowers in the dappled
shade of the silvery leaves of a cluster of olive
trees. The setting suggested, in a sophisticated and understated way, that this would be a
perfect location for lovers to meet.
Ninfa, an old garden full of roses and gentle,
rippling streams located an hour outside
Rome, is often described as the world’s most
romantic garden.
What gives it much of its seductive charm is
the fact that old-fashioned roses have been
planted to tumble freely over the crumbing
stone ruins of Ninfa, a town that was attacked
and decimated in the 12th century and left
abandoned for centuries.
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In my talk, I will mention Sissinghurst, a
garden in England that was built by Vita Sackville-West and her husband, Harold Nicolson,
in the 1930s and was the setting for various
love affairs and romantic trysts.
The same was true of Villa Cimbrone in Ravello on the Amalfi coast in Italy, where Ernest
Beckett (Lord Grimthorpe) restored and
enhanced an existing hilltop garden to create
one of the world’s most romantic settings.
Its beauty drew aristocrats, artists and writers from all over Europe, including as Richard
Wagner, Virginia Woolf and D.H. Lawrence. In
its heyday, it was a hotbed of illicit passion and
romantic intrigue, a love garden with poetic
names such as the Terrace of Infinity and the
Avenue of Immensity.
In a quiet corner of Herefordshire, England,
Sir Roy Strong and his wife, Julia Trevelyan
Oman, built one of Britain’s loveliest gardens,
The Laskett, in the tiny village of Much Birch,
near Ross-on-Wye.
COVER: In France’s Loire Valley, the gardens at Chatonniere
combine the heady fragrances of rose and lavender with
sage and salvia. THIS PAGE: Sissinghurst, the garden of Vita
Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson.
54
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The L’Occitane garden at last year’s Chelsea Flower Show; the white urn in The Laskett garden in Herefordshire; a blue door surrounded by ivy and lavender in a
garden in France’s Berry region.
One of the most touching sights in the natural
and semi-wild orchard garden is a white urn
containing Ms. Oman’s ashes (she died of
cancer in 2003).
Engraved on the urn in the orchard garden are
words lifted from Christina Rossetti’s poem,
Remember: “If you should forget me for a while
and afterwards remember, do not grieve.”
Another couple who built a beautiful love nest
in a garden was English composer William
Walton and his Argentinean wife, Susana.
In the 1950s, they bought a five-acre property on the island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples
and over the next few decades, with the help
of esteemed English designer Russell Page,
created an exotic tropical paradise they called
La Mortella (place of the myrtles).
These are just a few of the gardens I will be
featuring in my talk at the Gardeners’ School.
I will also find time to mention several other
exceptionally romantic gardens, from Powis
Castle in Wales, one of Britain’s most lyrical
and poetic gardens, to Chatonniere, a remarkable private garden in the Loire Valley that is
drenched in rose fragrance and has a lovely
heart-shaped parterre at its centre along
with a fairytale chateau surrounded by lavish
borders of lavender, salvia and sage.
Napoleon and Josephine honeymooned and
entertained many romantic soirees.
For a garden to qualify as romantic, it must
arouse feelings of love and lift visitors into
a blissful state of wonder, enchantment and
appreciation.
What I am hoping you will take away from this
talk is a feeling that love and romance are an
integral part of great garden-making.
All of the gardens I will be featuring have
this quality, from the ethereal belvedere
at Serre de la Madone on the Cote d’Azur
with its inscription, roughly translated from
French as “my heart beats quickly every time
I come here to meet my love” to the exquisite
baroque garden of Isola Bella in the dreamy
setting of Lake Maggiore, a place where
For more information about The Vancouver
Sun Gardeners’ School and the BC Home +
Garden Show, go to bchomeandgardenshow.
com.
Steve Whysall is The Vancouver Sun garden
columnist. [email protected]
WATSON GLOVE
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REAL
ESTATE
By MICHAEL BERNARD
WHAT IS YOUR HOME
REALLY WORTH?
Methods used by the industry to evaluate
house prices often fail to tell the whole story
FOTOLIA
When considering what their home is worth
these days, Metro Vancouver homeowners
would be wise to heed the phrase Mark Twain
made popular in the 19th century: “There
are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and
statistics.”
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The world of real-estate statistics, especially
in these volatile times, can be a complex and
confusing area where amateurs should tread
with care.
Cameron Muir, chief economist for the B.C.
Real Estate Association, notes there are three
main types of real-estate evaluations used by
the industry: the average price, the median
price and the House Price Index.
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The average-price method has its shortcomings because a few higher-valued home sales
in an area tend to skew prices upwards. “For
example, in Metro Vancouver, say the average
price is $850,000,” he says. “The fact is, 70 per
cent of homes will actually be sold for below
that number.”
A median price reflects a point where 50 per
cent of homes sell at a higher price and 50
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per cent below it — again, it’s of limited value,
Muir says.
The most useful gauge for consumers buying
or selling is the House Price Index, which tries
to measure price trends of a “typical home”
in a specific neighbourhood with a certain
number of bedrooms and other attributes.
But any one of these evaluations doesn’t do
the job by itself, he says. “There is no perfect
pricing measure, making it very hard for you to
get a representative number for your home.”
Jon Bennest of the Vancouver research
firm Urban Analytics says he notices how
real-estate statistics are misapplied in articles
considering the affordability of Vancouver
real estate. Commentators often calculate the
costs of servicing a mortgage as a measure,
“but people have the equity to buy these
homes based on their wealth and net worth
rather than on what they earn.”
It’s not just prices that consumers should
approach with caution. Developer Michael
Geller notes that there is a world of damned
statistics surrounding square footage. With
no one standard of measurement, square
footage can vary significantly from condo
development to development.
Depending on whether you measure from the
interior mid-point or the absolute exterior of
a wall, you end up with a total plus or minus
50 to 80 square feet. At current construction
costs, that can mean a difference of $50,000
to $80,0 0 0 on the purchase price of a
1,000-square-foot home.
A developer is obliged only to disclose the
measurement method used, a question buyers should always ask before signing on the
dotted line, he said.
All of this, the experts say, makes it important
for those in the market to consult with a local
realtor before buying or selling a home.
“If you are looking to buy and sell in this volatile market, you are better to have a realtor
who works in the neighbourhood to give you
information about what is happening here and
now,” says veteran westside realtor Colette
Gerber.
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PREVIOUS PAGE: Aquabrass Turks free-standing bathtub. THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP LEFT: Aquabrass Cura Aquademy showerhead; American Standard DVX toilet with
electronic bidet seat; Percy faucet and handles by American Standard.
A bathroom designed by Corey Klassen, who likes to mix contemporary and traditional design elements.
W
hether you favour a shower over a bath or vice versa, there’s
nothing quite like luxuriating in a blissfully good soak. It’s a moment when “me
time” is writ large.
So, beyond extra-fluffy towels and Jo Malone candles, just how is 2016
shaping up in the bath and shower department?
By LUCY HYSLOP
For the experts we consulted, technology is a major player when it comes to
elevating their spa-like feel. Take the obvious relaxing qualities of water, add
in beneficial steam along with chromotherapy (the use of coloured lights), as
well as sound and aroma therapies, and the mood is set.
“It’s all about rejuvenating, detoxifying and relieving stress and tension,”
says Hilda Zeinali, design specialist with Vancouver’s Cantu Bathrooms and
Hardware. “It really is like a spa retreat.”
60
A prime example of that trend, she says, is Aquabrass’ Cura Aquademy,
with its rainhead and 16 colours to help you unwind at the end of the day
or invigorate you at the start. Many manufacturers now offer minimalistic digital controls, she adds, so one touch screen controls everything.
Corey Klassen, a certified bathroom designer and principal of his
eponymous boutique residential design firm in Vancouver, agrees. The
winner in the medium bathroom category at the National Kitchen &
Bath Association’s B.C. chapter 2015 design competition also notes
other technological advancements, including American Standard’s DXV
portfolio. The line features multi-function “smart” toilets, which double
as bidets and have seat lids that open when you walk past.
As for the tub itself, longtime favourites such as Victorian-style clawfoots and roll-tops are still spa-like winners for the designers. Klassen
enjoys the nods to American-style Art Deco including the geometry
and intricate detail in the designs, such as Roll Rim Slipper made by
Cheviot, which along with white is available in a wide range of colours
such as Aztek Brick. With people enjoying a return to soaking in the
tub, he sees a resurgence in ones with elevated ends that allow you to
rest your head.
Mixing old and new in your bathroom works well to his mind. For example, why not add in Moroccan or artisanal tiles, or go for repurposed
salvaged materials or natural stone? “Once the creativity is allowed
to flow, there are no rules any more, so it’s about mixing materials,”
Klassen says. “So, for example, you could have a wood grain with a
marble, which is not traditional at all.” Zeinali sees that cross-pollination
between older and more modern styles showcased in many homes.
She suggests checking out Percy faucets and handles (within American
Standard’s DXV range). “Many houses try to maintain some of the
traditional aspects of the home, but you want to modernize the fixtures
without being too modern.”
So, no matter what style of home you have, a spa-like bath or shower
room is easy to achieve. “It’s about editing down your materials,”
Klassen advises. “Let the materials shine so they are not just a part of
the functional aspect but part of the over-all design.” •
SHOW SUITE
Inspired By Nature
THE RESIDENCES AT LYNN VALLEY TAKE THEIR CUE FROM
THE MOUNTAINS AND FORESTS ON THEIR DOORSTEP
By CLAUDIA KWAN
I
f you had to sum up the design philosophy
for The Residences at Lynn Valley, it would be
“embracing the outdoors.” The North Shore
mountains form a stunning backdrop for
the site, adjacent to the Lynn Valley Centre
shopping mall in North Vancouver.
“The inspiration was definitely the location
and the natural surroundings — we used natural materials and brought in the outdoors,”
says Cristina Oberti, the interior designer for
the project. “It’s very West Coast design with
a modern, luxurious feel.”
62
The kitchen space reads as an open V-area
immediately inside the front door. Along the
right, there is a wall of full-height cabinetry,
which houses two wall ovens, a concealed
refrigerator and plenty of pantry storage.
Turning left takes you into the kitchen proper,
where you’ll find the remainder of the appliances and more storage along another wall
and in the kitchen island. The quartz countertop flows down the side of the island in a
waterfall effect, thanks to two slabs precisely
cut to fit together perfectly.
Wood tones, marble and quartz abound; the
threshold at the front entry into the show suite
is actually a slab of quartz, as it will be in all of
the homes.
The dining area is placed off to one side,
visually separating it without interrupting
traffic flow. The central living space continues
directly on to a sliding door and expansive
deck for ready access to the outdoors.
Oberti say most of the buyers will likely be
people downsizing from single-family homes
in the surrounding neighbourhood. That made
storage and use of space a high priority in the
suites, which range in size from one to three
bedrooms plus den. (There are also a number
of townhomes in the development.)
Oberti has included a number of thoughtful
little touches in the show suite. A niche in the
shower provides a handy place to stash soap
and other essentials, while built-in medicine
cabinets provide both open and closed storage.
She says purchasers may in theory be downsizing, but what they’re really doing is upgrading
their lifestyles.
“These large-format tiles, wall-hung vanities,
all-new everything — it’s a low-maintenance
lifestyle,” she points out. “When they want to,
they can lock off and leave, and they still get
the outdoors as their backyard because of this
great proximity to Grouse Mountain.”
The mountains were also a key component of
the exterior design, according to Chris Dikeakos of Chris Dikeakos Architects.
“We quickly gravitated to the idea of a
‘mountain village’ type set up, to make sure
neighbourhood concerns about building
heights and view corridors were alleviated,”
he says. “There are open spaces which will
be great public gathering points, public art
installations and just a lot of activation on the
pedestrian level.”
Here once again the emphasis is on the organic, with stone, heavy timber and shake siding.
Sizeable decks will allow residents to enjoy the
outdoors, while the pronounced peaks on the
roofs echo the lines of the mountains externally and allow for cathedral ceilings inside.
The two buildings in Phase I of the Bosa Development project are expected to be complete
at the end of 2017, with the four in phase II
scheduled to be finished a year after that. The
new project will be an impetus to refurbish the
nearby mall, also owned by Bosa.
The team behind The Residences at Lynn
Valley is hoping the homage to the outdoors,
the thoughtful attention to detail inside and
the proximity to neighbourhood amenities
will prove to be an irresistible combination
for buyers.
Grosvenor Ambleside has already surpassed
sales projections, with 39 of 57 homes and
one penthouse in phase 1 already sold. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2017 with
98 residences that average 2,000 square feet
each, with up to three bedrooms, family rooms
and dens.
The starting point, Cheng explains, was to
build a community of waterfront homes for
people moving from large places who have
expectations of scaled-down but spacious
residences with plenty of storage and private
garages.
Target buyers, according to Grosvenor senior
vice-president and general manager Mike
Ward, were empty nesters who were neighbourhood residents, so it was no surprise to
learn that 80 to 90 per cent of buyers currently
live in the district. “Over-all, the average buyer
is strongly local,” Ward says.
Interiors designed by Mitchell Freedland show
elegance in design and attention to detail.
Materials, fixtures and furnishings range from
marble-slab and quartz-tile floors in master
ensuites, to natural limestone wall and floor
tiles and wide-plank engineered oak flooring.
Snaidero kitchen and bedroom cabinets have
been custom-configured, while professional-grade kitchen appliances include a Wolf
gas cooktop, convection oven and microwave,
Sub-Zero integrated refrigerator and a Miele
dishwasher and washer/dryer. Also part of the
package is a fully integrated communications
system.
Among other exceptional amenities are a
24-hour concierge team, fitness centre and
yoga space, residents’ lounge, secure underground parking and bicycle storage.
“THE INSPIRATION WAS DEFINITELY THE LOCATION
AND THE NATURAL SURROUNDINGS — WE USED
NATURAL MATERIALS AND BROUGHT IN THE
OUTDOORS.” CRISTINA OBERTI, interior designer
Grosvenor’s reputation in Vancouver has
been well established for more than 60 years
and the company’s vision for Grosvenor
Ambleside, designed to meet LEED Gold
standards, reflects its commitment to building
sustainable luxury residences around the
world.
The presentation centre is located at 1340
Marine Dr., West Vancouver. Call 604-9221380 or email [email protected]
to book a private appointment. •
COVER PAGE: The main living space takes full advantage of
the mountain views. PREVIOUS PAGE: Bathrooms feature
marble slab floors, while integrated appliances create a
seamless kitchen. THIS PAGE: Soft colours keep the focus
on the outdoors.
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IF YOU’RE A NEWBIE TO THE ISLANDS,
HERE’S A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO PICKING THE ONE
THAT BEST SUITS YOUR TRAVEL PERSONALITY
HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY/DANA EDMUNDS
Never been to Hawaii but eager to get leid? Then you’ve got
a few decisions to make before you pack your swimsuit and
sunscreen. Will it be Maui or Oahu, the Big Island or the Garden Isle? And what about the two less well-known islands,
Lanai and Molokai? If you’re unsure which island is the best
fit for you, don’t worry. We’re here to help.
OAHU
If nightlife, shopping and culture are high on your vacation
agenda, Oahu might just be the island for you. It’s home to
the state capital, Honolulu, which is also the biggest city in
the island chain. In the city’s Waikiki area, there’s no shortage
of restaurants, bars and entertainment venues to fill your
dance card. Honolulu is also home to the excellent Honolulu
Museum of Art and the Ala Moana Center, the largest openair shopping mall in the world. But there’s more to Oahu than
just Honolulu — its less-hectic north shore is a world-class
surfing mecca.
Recommended hotels: The Modern in Honolulu and Turtle
Bay Resort on the north shore.
KAUAI
Nicknamed the Garden Isle for its lush landscapes, Kauai is
about the same size as Oahu but has less than seven per cent
of its population. Much of its inland areas and west coast
are protected as state parks, which will appeal to nature
lovers. Most visitors head to the Poipu area on the south
shore or Princeville in the north, but Waimea (home to the
spectacular Waimea canyon) also has its charms. Be sure to
book a catamaran trip to see the stunning Napali coast, the
setting for Jurassic Park.
Recommended hotels: The Ko’a Kea Hotel and Resort in
Poipu and the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort and Villas on
the north shore.
MAUI
There’s a little bit of everything in Maui, which is why it
appeals to many travellers. Stay in Wailea or on Kaanapali
Beach if you’re looking for high-end hotels, golf courses
and immaculate beaches. If you want to get a little bit off
the beaten path, head inland to tour an organic farm or ride
horseback with the paniolos (Hawaiian cowboys) on a ranch.
If you have the time, the scenic winding road to the town of
Hana on the east coast is definitely worth doing.
Recommended hotels:The Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea and
the Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa on Kaanapali Beach.
THE BIG ISLAND
Hawaii Island, better known as the Big Island, is more laidback than Oahu or Maui, but there’s lots to do there. If seeing
an active volcano is on your bucket list, this is where you
want to be. Kilauea, in the southeast corner of the island, has
been erupting continuously since 1983 in Hawaii Volcanoes
National Park. The island’s west side is home to resorts and
white-sand beaches, and inland you can tour a coffee plantation and a vanilla farm. If you get the chance, take a guided
snorkeling trip to see manta rays snacking on plankton.
Recommended hotels:The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on
the west coast and Volcano House on the east coast.
HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY/TOR JOHNSON
COVER PAGE: Kayaking off the coast of Kauai. PREVIOUS PAGE, CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP LEFT: Hiking in the rainforest on the Big Island; the ruddy coastline
of Kauai; the winding road to Hana on Maui. THIS PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: A
white sand beach on the Big Island; getting ready to snorkel on Lanai.
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LANAI
Tiny Lanai, just a short ferry ride from Maui, is often overlooked by tourists. But if you’re looking for a resort-oriented
retreat away from the madding crowd, this might be the spot
for you. The whole island was once a pineapple plantation,
but it now boasts two Four Seasons resorts — one on the
water with a superb bay for snorkeling and one inland by two
golf courses (it’s closed for renovations until later this year).
There’s also a tiny “downtown” area with art galleries, shops
and cafés, as well as the modest but comfortable Hotel Lanai,
which has an excellent restaurant.
Recommended hotels: The Four Seasons Resort Lanai
on the south coast and the Hotel Lanai in the centre of the
island.
MOLOKAI
If you really want to escape your fellow travellers in Hawaii,
you can do just that on Molokai. The island doesn’t offer
a lot to woo tourists — it has just one modest hotel and a
handful of restaurants. It does boast one of the most unusual
activities on all the islands, a mule ride down a steep cliff to
a historic leper colony at Kalaupapa, which still has a few
inhabitants. If you’re looking for a slow pace and beaches
you can more or less have to yourself, you might consider
Molokai.
JOANNE BLAIN
Recommended hotels: Look for a condo to rent.
JOANNE BLAIN
70
PREVIOUS PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: The spectacular Napali
Coast on Kauai; nightlife in Honolulu in Oahu; a mule ride in
Molokai. THIS PAGE: A quaint shop in central Lanai.
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The 7,998-square-foot, three-storey home, located on a
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a corner lot, the home looks out on horse trails to the north
and the nearby U.S. border to the south.
Inside, a high-ceilinged entryway greets visitors. To the left
is a dining area, to the right a sitting room with one of two gas
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74
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A 280-square-foot master bedroom is also on the main floor.
The en suite bathroom has heated floors, a soaker tub and
walk-in shower with Grohe heads and jets.
Home cooks will love the kitchen, with its high-end Miele
appliances that include a six-burner gas stove and espresso
maker, as well as a large pantry. One of the kitchen’s most
notable features is a granite-surfaced tiered island. The area
under the higher tier is open, providing a perfect nook for a
pet. Additional main-floor features include an office with a
vaulted ceiling and a powder room.
The upper level has another master bedroom with en suite
as well as two smaller bedrooms. Both master bedrooms are
connected to spacious walk-in closets.
High-tech features of the home include touch sensor faucets
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76
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The basement is set up for entertaining, with
a large recreation room featuring a bar with a
wine cooler, dishwasher and sink, and a wine
room with padded leather walls. The theatre
doors are suede-covered. There is a separate
suite complete with kitchenette as well as an
exercise room and a bathroom with a sauna.
An outdoor hot tub is accessible from the
basement.
During the warmer months, guests will want
to spend time out on the 646-square-foot
deck, with its custom-made barbecue station.
But why wait? You can spend time outdoors
year-round next to the deck’s gas fireplace.
An outdoor fountain in the driveway greets
visitors, while a 25-foot parking pad offers
plenty of car space. The home also comes
with a 960-square-foot garage with a vaulted
ceiling.
Designed by Raymond Bonter, with interiors
by Sunrae Design, and constructed by Builtek
Development, the Langley home is one of the
most spectacular yet in the annual lottery.
It’s part of a $2.6-million grand prize package
that includes $120,000 in furnishings, accessories and a 2016 BMW 320i xdrive sedan.
Other prize-home packages in the lottery are
in Vancouver, Crescent Beach, Courtenay,
Osoyoos and Burnaby. •
A COLLECTION OF 49 REFINED
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES
Westpointe’s elegant 3–5 bedroom homes ranging from 2,599 – 3,540 sq.ft.
feature timeless craftsman architecture and rich, refined interiors for a
sophisticated atmosphere ideal for entertaining, relaxing or everyday family living.
Located in the heart of South Surrey’s beautiful Ocean Park neighbourhood,
Westpointe offers a unique opportunity to live in an established community,
just steps from the shores of the Pacific. Experience true West Coast living.
PREVIOUS PAGE: The two-tiered island in the expansive
kitchen provides a cosy spot for a dog; ensuite bathrooms
provide lots of storage. THIS PAGE: The downstairs entertaining space features a wine wall and a bar, as well as a
pool table and games area.
78
The grand prize home is located at 19929 3rd
Avenue, Langley, BC, and is open 11 a.m. to
5 p.m. daily. Tickets for the B.C. Children’s
Hospital Choices Lottery are available at the
prize homes and at the hospital, London Drugs,
Overwaitea Foods, Price Smart Foods, Cooper’s
Foods, Urban Fare and through the lottery
website, bcchildren.com, or by calling 604692-2333 or 1-888-887-8771.
PRESENTATION CENTRE + DISPLAY HOME
1551-130 ST, SURREY, BC
OPEN DAILY 12-5 PM (CLOSED FRIDAYS)
WESTPOINTELIVING.COM
604.833.9193
THIS IS NOT AN OFFERING FOR SALE. E.&O.E.
SALES AND
MARKETING BY
MARKET PLACE DIRECTORY
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Ad #01223091
mv design
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inspiration
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WR Mattress
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Innovative
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Colony
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URBAN DEVELOPMENT
By ANNE McMULLIN
HELP AT LAST FOR THE METRO
VANCOUVER RENTAL MARKET
New programs encourage the construction of rental units and help tenants assess their quality
Rental vacancy rates in Metro Vancouver
dropped to 0.8 last year while average rent
prices spiked. This is a concern. The regional
economy relies on the rental housing market
to attract and retain a diverse work force and
the rental demand is growing.
The creation of new rental housing can
be challenging due to high land prices and
construction costs, as well as neighborhood
opposition to densification. Local governments and the development industry are
working together to overcome these challenges and to increase the much-needed supply of
rental housing.
The city of Vancouver, which has the highest
proportion of renters of all Metro Vancouver
municipalities, enacted the Short Term
Incentives for Rental Housing (STIR) program
in 2009. The program, which has since evolved
into the Rental 100 Program, offers developers incentives for building 100-per-cent rental
buildings.
The city waives development-cost levies,
reduces parking requirements and minimum
unit sizes, and grants bonus density to make
rental construction as viable for developers
as building market condominiums. New apartments constructed under the Rental 100
Program cannot be converted into condos
and sold separately. The program secures the
82
rental units for 60 years or the life of the building, thereby ensuring long-term rental supply.
The first project that was completed under
this program is The Standard by BlueSky
Developments at 1142 Granville St. The
building consists of 106 rental units as well
as lounge and gym on the ninth floor. Several
other projects are newly completed or under
construction.
Rental housing also comes in the form of
secondary suites and laneway homes. It is
anticipated that these will continue to add
to the rental supply this year, particularly in
the districts of North and West Vancouver,
which recently created policies to encourage
laneway home construction.
In 2015, 834 rental units were added to the
market throughout Metro Vancouver even
as vacancy rates dropped. That is the largest
increase in decades, and hopefully this is a
good indication of what is to come for the
rental market.
The challenges of finding a place to rent are
amplified when vacancy rates drop as low as
they are now. Reasonably priced units are
snatched up quickly, which puts pressure on
rental seekers to act fast.
Popular tools for finding a rental home include
Craigslist, Rentseeker.ca and Kijiji. These sites
allow browsers to filter by price and location
to narrow their search results. What is missing
is any sort of quality check, rating system
or reviews. To address this, LandlordBC
recently launched a certified rental building
program to allow B.C. residents to rent with
confidence.
The certified rental program requires properties to meet 50 mandatory standards of
practice and to be reviewed by a third-party
auditor. Once certified, the properties appear
on the certified rental building database,
which is accessible to the public. This database
gives potential renters the assurance that the
building will be safe and clean, and perhaps of
equal importance, that it will have properly
functioning elevators.
BOSA
Ad#01218039
As rental rates increase, so too does renter
angst. Thankfully, we now have well-established programs to incentivize rental construction as well as new programs for quality
control. As long as rental supply can keep up
with demand, Metro Vancouver will continue
to be an attractive place for renters.
Anne McMullin is president and CEO of
the Urban Development Institute.
As a partner in community building, the Urban
Development Institute is committed to working
with communities and governments to create and
achieve the vision of balanced, well-planned
and sustainable communities.
MORTGAGE MATTERS
By KEVIN LUTZ
Buying or building your own home?
Find out about your rights, obligations
and information that can help you
make a more informed purchasing
decision.
THE IMPORTANCE OF
A HEALTHY DOWN PAYMENT
Visit the B.C. government’s
Homeowner Protection Office (HPO)
website for free consumer information.
The more money you can put down, the more you’ll save over the course of your mortgage
From a low-down-payment mortgage to using
your Registered Retirement Savings Plan
(RRSP) as a source of funds, buying a home has
never been easier.
The down payment is that portion of the purchase price you furnish yourself. The balance
is obtained from a financial institution in the
form of a mortgage. The amount of the down
payment (which represents your financial
stake, or the equity, in your new home) should
be determined well before you start house
hunting.
as much as 20 per cent or more of the selling
price, others pay as little as five per cent. You
might also need a larger down payment to
bring the mortgage down to an amount for
which you qualify.
While your decision will be based largely on
the resources you have, you should realize
that the more money you put down at purchase time, the more you’ll save in interest
over time and the less your house will cost in
the long run.
A down payment of 20 per cent versus a
minimum of five per cent will save you more
than $39,104 in interest costs over the life of
your mortgage. These savings increase dramatically when rates increase. I have also not
factored in the cost of mortgage insurance — a
requirement when you do not have a down
payment of 20 per cent.
Although you can now clearly see the
long-term savings that can be realized by
maximizing your down payment, don’t leave
yourself short.
DOWN PAYMENT %
DOWN PAYMENT $
MORTGAGE AMOUNT
TOTAL INTEREST PAID
5%
$17,500
$332,500
$247,650 0
10%
$35,000
$315,000
$234,615
$13,035
20%
$70,000
$280,000
$208,546
$39,104
Saving for the down payment is often the most
difficult part of the home-buying process,
particularly for first-time buyers. How much
should you realistically expect to put down?
The answer to that question is different for
everyone. While some purchasers put down
Still need convincing? Consider this example
using a purchase price of $350,000, a 25-year
amortization and an interest rate of five per
cent. Keep in mind that I am not using today’s
historically low interest rates in my calculation, for this reason: If it takes you 25 years
to pay off your mortgage, then your average
interest rate will be higher than it is today.
TOTAL INTEREST SAVED
0
When estimating the amount you have
available for your down payment, begin
by calculating the total of all your savings
including deposits, RRSPs (for first-time
home buyers), gifts from family members and
perhaps assets such as a vehicle that you could
sell. Then estimate your closing costs and
extras — which in some cases could be as high
as five per cent of your purchase price — and
add that to your cushion to cover unexpected
expenses. Subtract both of these amounts
from your savings.
The remainder represents the amount you
have available for a down payment. If you
feel the amount is insufficient, then consider
delaying your purchase and using that time to
build up your down payment — and, as always,
seek a mortgage specialist’s advice.
Kevin Lutz is RBC Regional Sales Manager,
Residential Mortgages
@RBCKevinLutz
Consumer Protection
for Homebuyers
Services
• New Homes Registry – find out if any home registered
with the HPO:
• can be legally offered for sale
• has a policy of home warranty insurance
• is built by a Licensed Residential Builder or an owner builder
• Registry of Licensed Residential Builders
Resources
• Residential Construction Performance Guide –
know when to file a home warranty insurance claim
• Buying a Home in British Columbia Guide
• Guide to Home Warranty Insurance in British Columbia
www.hpo.bc.ca
Toll-free: 1-800-407-7757
Email: [email protected]
@HPO_BC
• Maintenance Matters bulletins and videos
• Subscribe to consumer protection publications
Now, finding a Mortgage Broker
has never been so easy!
HOT PROPERTY
Look for a Mortgage Broker displaying the mark of membership.
Your best mortgage advice comes from a mortgage broker.
Suite 101-1765 West 8th Avenue Vancouver, BC V6J 5C6 • 604-408-9989 • [email protected]
FI
A R A R E CO L L E C T I O N
O F WAT E R F R O N T H O M E S
A limited collection of townhome and apartment residences has come to the North
Vancouver waterfront, alongside magnificent Cates Park and near charming Deep Cove.
PRICED FROM $618,000
3919 DOLLARTON HIGHWAY
NORTH VANCOUVER
OPEN NOON TO 5PM DAILY
(EXCEPT FRIDAY)
TELEPHONE 604.929.5746
NA
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ES

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