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This home is designed for entertaining -- even the bathroom has been the scene of at-home spa parties

Open House

Ready for a party

This home is designed for entertaining -- even the bathroom has been the scene of at-home spa parties


THE ARCHITOURIST

Granola-moderne

A once-modest, one-storey worker's cottage in Hamilton — now part hippie and part high-modern — shines with an artistic flair that's been busting out all over "the Hammer" in recent years


RENOVATION AND DECOR

Down time, redefined

Once the mad scramble of the holidays is over, the tendency is to take a breather, but it's a great time for small projects. Globe Real Estate columnists Elizabeth Rand-Watkinson, Kelly Deck, Candice Olson and Mike Holmes have a few suggestions...


Terrence Belford

The High Life

A rental crunch on the horizon

The downturn in the condo market may have a huge impact on renters


The angled fireplace wall posed a challenge, but the off-centre mirror creates a showcase area for fresh blooms.

Sarah's House

Working with a back-split's pros and cons

Above-average ceiling heights and quirky angles throw an added challenge into living room design

Home Turf

Carolyn Ireland

Is this buyer's market your golden opportunity?

In her new blog, Carolyn Ireland explores the ups and downs of the real estate market


The West Coast Way

Kelly Deck

Put out the welcome mat

Guest rooms shouldn't be an afterthought. There are simple steps you can take to turn a space into a home away from home for your visitors. For starters, don't put up photos of yourself


NEW DIGS

Greening a multifamily mansion

Derek Raymaker

A massive old house on High Park Blvd. is transformed into an environmentally-friendly four-plex


The Perfect House

When wealth and lack of restraint converge

In Britain, a last gasp of our decade's Gilded Age in architecture; a doghouse to be built for a wealthy woman's cherished pair of Great Danes. The pricetag: about $475,000. John Bentley Mays puts it in context.

 
 
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News 

UK retail vacancies forecast to climb up to 15%

More than one in seven retail sites to be unoccupied by the end of this year, Experian forecasts

Feel their pain: New York's luxury property market hurting

From Manhattan to the Hamptons, high-end housing prices are falling

Property Report: Shopping for bargains of a different kind

Shakeout at malls and plazas could lead to buying opportunities for well-capitalized retailers, observers say

Vancouver sales slump started in May

Housing market braces for correction, not crash

House prices will fall an estimated 3 per cent this year, Royal LePage says in new forecast

U.S. construction spending falls less than expected

4.2 per cent fall in housing construction was partially offset by a surprisingly strong rise in nonresidential activity

UK house prices fall record 16.2%

December drop takes prices to lowest level in four years

U.S. home prices drop 18 per cent

October's decline is sharpest on record; prices are likely to fall further

Financial crisis hits home in Hamptons

Tony getaway spot for Wall Street's elite is awash in unsold vacation homes

Existing home sales drop 12%

November marks second consecutive month of declines as prices slide 10 per cent


Home of the Week 

This is the country home of the Gardiner family

HOME OF THE WEEK: A high-society hangout in the country

The Gardiners expanded what began as an 'old fishing cabin' to showcase their extensive art and ceramics collections


Mike Holmes: Make it Right 

Mike Holmes

MIKE HOLMES: Homeowners in search of cold comfort

With so much to choose from, materials have to be judged on their merits


Design and Decor 

In the open space, top, residents can do what they need to do, yet visual unity is maintained. In the living area, furniture is comfortable but not huge.

The West Coast Way: Open plans present creative challenges

A light palette and delicate accents give this modest townhouse space elegance and functionality

ARCHITECTURE: A glint from under Gehry's shadow

Charles Pachter's home just around the corner from the acclaimed new Art Gallery of Ontario, has gotten its own rave reviews

DIVINE DESIGN: After the blaze, a new home

Fire and smoke damage cleared away, replaced by a subtle blend of urban and rustic

The West Coast Way: A dining room that sets the stage

Choosing dining chairs is where many people go wrong. They opt for wooden chairs that aren't comfortable. It's true that they won't stain, but there are worse things in this world than stains.

The West Coast Way: Decorating that won't break the bank

Interior design is all about limitations — financial, structural, electrical — and designing a home on a budget means knowing where to splash out and where to rein in.

INTERIORS: It's hip to be square

Forget the curves. The lines in this house are straight, crisp and clean. From one room to the next, the linearity of this architecturally driven interior becomes as clear as crystal — that is, of the Michael Lee-Chin variety.


Tips & Tricks 

The High Life: What condo purchasers need to watch for

Buying a new condo is not like buying a house or even a resale condo. Unless you are prepared, the cost of closing the deal will make your knees tremble.

HOMEFRONT CLEANUPS: Out with the old

"Now that there are going to be charges for garbage pickup by the city, our business could increase. We had one call that was a whole garage packed full of green bags of garbage." -- Tom Dickson of Just Junk

THE FIX: Putting the pool into storage for the winter season

It's important to fine tune the chemistry by monitoring and adjusting the pH level before cutting all the lines

RECYCLING: Renovator adds flair by reusing materials

A $15,000 marble fireplace mantle for $1,500; a $100,000 kitchen for $40,000 — deals like that stretch a building budget a long way

BOARDERS: Your house, their temporary digs

Homeowners who rent out rooms to students often get more out of the experience than just extra money. "The students I have had have tremendous respect for others and are very gracious and generous." -- Homeowner Sheryl Cobban


Renovations 

Jessica Lax and Jeremy Bell at the construction site of their new home.

RENOVATION DIARY: How green is green enough?

As construction gets started on his new home, Jeremy Bell reflects on his environmental commitments. Building smarter means giving up some niceties.

WEST COAST STYLE: A heritage home pays its way

What started out as a search for a modest apartment turned into the purchase of a 10-bedroom Edwardian mansion for Candace Cooperrider and Ted Gornall. 20 years later, their bed-and-breakfast is still going strong.

INFILL HOMES: Bringing the neighbours along for the ride

Building a house that's strikingly different from the others on the block means always having to explain yourself

HOUSE PROUD: A home with art in its bones

A couple fall head over heels for a rundown bungalow, learning of its cultural significance only later on

THE ARCHITOURIST: A desig