Empty walls have their place in a home, and while a crisp, clean esthetic is always a classic choice, sometimes you just want to spruce up your space – or at least a portion of it. The much-loved gallery wall is one of the most tried and true DIY designer trends in the book to do just that! There’s no one way to do it right. Some prefer a fine-tuned, perfectly measured grouping of similar fr ...

You don’t have to navigate your next move alone.     Happy New Year!   You’re no stranger to how rewarding an investment in real estate can be. But, you also know just how many factors there are to consider before buying or sell ...

Though holiday décor can extend from the lights that line your roof to the candles on your dining room table, the Christmas tree is the centerpiece of your entire aesthetic—and often anchors the majority of your holiday events. Finding the right size and type for your home requires some planning ahead, though: Take the following three considerations into account before you start scouting spru ...

You may have fewer people viewing your home during the fall and winter months, but that doesn’t necessarily mean fewer offers. Compared to selling a home in the spring when there are more homes on the market, selling during the final months of the year can often be a successful endeavour. With careful planning and a few helpful tips you can showcase your home  and find time to enjoy the seas ...

  Look at your clothes for color inspiration Not sure which paint hue will make you happiest? Go through your wardrobe. If you wear mostly neutrals, opt for tan or gray. If you go for cooler hues, like blues and greens, stick with those. If you have a lot of warmer shades, try red or orange.   Get samples Once you've found hues you like, buy sample pots to test at home. P ...

 How to Start an Herb Garden Indoors It’s easy to grow a windowsill herb garden. Begin with purchased plants, plants you’ve dug from your garden or packets of seeds. While you’ll save money by sowing herb seeds, your herbs will be ready to harvest earlier if you start with seedlings.  If you dig herbs already growing in your garden to create your indoor herb garden, be sure no unwanted ...

Budget You should buy the best rug you can afford, even it means living with bare floors while you save up your pennies. Look for good quality natural materials such as wool and silk. A high-quality wool rug will wear well and even look better over time, says Kurtz. "Wool has the capacity to develop its own patina through exposure to light and air and feet walking on it. It's like having ...

  For the creatives among us, wandering the aisles at IKEA ignites a torrent of DIY ideas: The store's bookcases beg to be reimagined as bar carts; white desks can be elevated with new midcentury-modern legs; and a coat of paint would work wonders to transform a dresser. The "after" images always look impressive, but if you're not the handiest among us, they can also seem a tad out of ...

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has implemented new underwriting criteria (eligibility requirements) to apply for homeowner transactional and portfolio mortgage insurance. Introduced earlier this summer, these new adjustments from CMHC come as a precaution while the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact consumers in the real estate market and many other aspects of day-t ...

HOME IMPROVEMENT   Electrical wiring is your home’s nervous system, and while it may seem simple (either it works or it doesn’t), it is a complex network that requires special skill to manage. Here are some do’s and don’ts when hiring an electrician: DO check if your project requires permits. An expert will have specialized knowledge and experience in securing permits and approvals that ...