Experience Full-Service Home Selling Without the High Fees: A Look at Home.ca

 Selling a home traditionally incurs significant costs. Sellers often pay up to 2.5% of their home's sale price in commission fees to the listing agent, plus another 2.5% to the buyer’s agent, totaling at least 5% of the home's value.  Additionally, the selling process can be lengthy and complicated, often

Help your home help you

 It’s not often thought about, but the effect that your home can have on your mood and mental wellbeing is significant. Things that you have to deal with at home can carry into your everyday life, preventing you from being relaxed and happy throughout the day. Not only that but

Travel back to the 70s with a retro revamp

 Take a blast from the past with some not-so-subtle nods to the 1970s. Incorporate iconic vibrant colour palettes, inviting textures and décor with groovy silhouettes into your home using tips from Sharon Grech, the colour and design expert for Benjamin Moore. Bold pops of colour. This decade was all about bright

Be smart and safety conscious when planting trees

 The spring season is one of the best times to begin planting trees. But remember to be mindful of potential hazards in your path. Here are some tips from Hydro One on how to remain safe among trees and power lines: 1. If you are planting a seedling at home,

2018 colour and design trends

 Your home is a treasured place for living, relaxing and hosting guests. Give it new energy with these trending looks. Lovely lavenders. Move over, millennial pink — this soft shade of violet is the “it colour” this year. Lavenders and lilacs are an evolution of the popular pink, and lend an

3 tips for designing your dream kitchen island

 From bold patterns to stand-out pieces, the kitchen is getting a lot of attention from designers this year. Whether you are planning a reno or new build, these tips may inspire you to create the perfect trendy kitchen island you've always wanted. Make it the focal point A kitchen island

How To Kitten Proof Your Home

 Looking for a special someone in your life? Bringing your first cat into your home is one of the most exciting experiences, as long as you’re ready for it! Surprisingly, there is a lot that people do not know about adopting the little guys. As obvious as it may seem,

5 Ways to Reduce Your Home’s Waste

 In recent years, we’ve seen a significant societal shift toward improving the quality of our Earth—and the quality of life of everyone living on it—by reducing our carbon footprints and making environmentally-responsible decisions on a daily basis. Individuals, families, and companies are increasingly choosing to “go green" for the sake

Top 5 ways to turn your bathroom into a spa-like retreat

 Today's busy lifestyles leave many of us craving a quick recharge. And there's no place like home to relax and unwind, so why not create a spa-like sanctuary where you can do just that? Here are some top tips on how to make it amazing. Start with what's behind the

Top 10 ways to revive your dated house

 Our homes are where memories are made, our retreat from the world. However, daily living, growing families, and time can leave your home looking less than its best. Fortunately, there's plenty you can do to breathe new life into a well-loved space. These top DIY projects will ensure your home

Renovate with fire safety in mind

 By Scott McGillivray The best time to improve the fire safety of your home is during its construction or when renovating. I'm a big believer in building fire protection directly into the structure of a home. After all, active fire measures, such as smoke detectors, combined with built-in or passive

10 energy saving winter hacks

 The holiday season can be full of cheer, but it can also be expensive. Heating costs at this time can eat up a large portion of your energy bill. Follow these winter hacks from Hydro One so you can keep heating costs down: 1. Keep the cold out by sealing

Fendor’s History of Innovation

 In Mike Nichols’ classic film The Graduate, Dustin Hoffman’s Benjamin is memorably told by a businessman that a single product will define the future: plastics. According to Greg Westwell however, the future has long been in aluminum. Westwell is the owner of Fendor, a company that installs windows, doors, and

Cloudy with a Chance of Design

 It is a bit overcast in Miami today, perfect day to mooch about in the Design District. I popped by for a cappuccino with my friend and designer extraordinaire at Tui Lifestyle. I absolutely love Tui’s take on furnishings… Miami modern chic meets warm inviting home. I could spend endless

John’s Reno Tips: Home Reno Dos and Don’ts

 Are you looking to renovate your home this year? Often, when you don't have much in the way of experience, renovations can be more of a nuisance than anything. Some of the biggest problems typically arise from the smallest of details. The demolition and remodelling of an area in your

This Will Floor You

 “Hi, I’m Shelley Alexanian”… ha ha. Some of you may recognize me from TV as the Alexanian Carpet and Flooring spokesperson. Contrary to popular belief, I am not in fact more than five feet tall. I am a mother of three, proud wife, and I enjoy a healthy style of

Ending Homelessness Through Housing First Initiatives

 Up to 15 per cent of the homeless population in Canada is struggling with mental illness. Could giving them a permanent home be a way off the streets and into a healthier life? In this interview, Evidence Network's podcast editor Mélanie Meloche-Holubowski speaks with Dr. Jino Distasio, Director of the Institute of Urban Studies

Celebrating Style For The Working Mom

 Photo by Valerie Keeler Photography.    Whether she leaves her home for an office or not, every mom works. The challenge is stepping out in a functionally chic outfit. Finding a balance between fashionable and functional is possible if you have the right pieces to ensure success. 1 THE JACKET

Putting children’s health and resiliency on the national agenda

 By Chris Harper Last year, at a camp in southern New Brunswick, I met Evan. Before turning eight, he had bounced from foster home to foster home. He was sent to camp without a bathing suit or sufficient lunch. Regardless, Evan smiled constantly, excelled in school and had a striking sense of compassion.

A Corporate Stay is a Cozy Stay

 Whether you're travelling for business or for pleasure, homesickness is out of the picture with Corporate Stays. With multiple options in every major Canadian city, as well as locations in NYC, Miami, Mexico, Europe and South America, a Corporate Stay’s executive apartment provides you and your family with a comfortable, luxuriously furnished and

Response to Refugee Crisis Must Include Expanding Refugee Healthcare

 The haunting image of Alan Kurdi’s lifeless body lying face down on a Turkish beach, and the subsequent revelation of the Kurdi family’s intention to seek asylum in Canada, have prompted many Canadians to ask what we can do as a country to help Syrian refugees. So far, our search

Portable grills for BIG outdoor fun!

 If you are looking for the perfect on-the-go grill for camping, tailgating or taking to the beach or on a picnic, then look no further! The 2015 Weber Canadian GrillWatch Survey reveals that Canadians are heavy outdoor grillers with over 40% grilling away from home. With that in mind, Weber-Stephen,

Putting kitchen costs on the chopping block

 Save your kiss for the cook and not for bidding your money goodbye. Staying within budget is one of the most challenging parts of home improvement. Keeping costs in line, while not compromising dream renovation plans, sometimes seems impossible, especially when it comes to the kitchen. Luckily, there are ways

In Defence of Parliament

 As I watch the frenzied, over-the-top media coverage of the supposed Senate scandal, I'm reminded of the famous Will Rogers adage. “All I know is just what I read in the papers, and that's an alibi for my ignorance.” Lost in this mass media morass is balance and proportionality. There

Doors Open Ontario Hits Ottawa

 The word ‘heritage’ has been a regular part of my vocabulary since the age of five. I grew up in Markham Heritage Estates, a neighbourhood in Markham, Ontario, dedicated to preserving heritage houses. I call an 1871 Gothic Revival farmhouse ‘home,’ even though my friends say it resembles more of