Just as you drink pure water, isn't it vital to ensure the air you breathe is also clean? It's common for people to spend up to 75 percent of their time in their homes, and the sources of air pollution in a home can be many.

The variation in chemicals and pollutants can produce a range of negative effects in your home, so take a 2 minute read to find out the best ways to reduce indoor air pollution!

1. Ventilation

Open your windows! Creating circulation is so essential. The recent emphasis on energy conservation has caused homes to be constructed in an air-tight, sealed way; this traps pollutants right in your home.

Ventilation can help remove the pollution, and lung function can be improved by ventilation because it reduces the harmful effects of indoor air pollution.

2. Use Organic, Natural Cleaning Products

For people with issues with their respiratory tract or lungs, like asthma, all-natural cleaning products — especially ones you make yourself — provide one of the best defenses for your health.

Try to replace toxic or chemical-based cleaning products with natural, organic alternatives. You'll find these options at many stores, or you can make these amazing DIY cleaning recipes. Also, the classic combo of vinegar and baking soda works great on drains!

3. Invest in Natural Scents

We all want our homes to smell fresh and clean, but before you grab that fragrant aerosol spray can, think twice!

Instead, use essential oils with a diffuser. Lavender, lemongrass, and tea-tree or orange-blossom oil all work great and don't contain any air-polluting chemicals. You can also dilute oils in distilled water and use them with a spray bottle for a chemical-free home or office spray.

Everyone has advice about the real estate market, but not all of that unsolicited information is true. So when it comes time to list your home, you’ll need to separate fact from fiction.

Below I’ve identified the top three real estate myths — and debunked them so you can hop on the fast track to selling your property.

I need to redo my kitchen and bathroom before selling.

Truth: While kitchens and bathrooms can increase the value of a home, you won’t get a large return on investment if you do a major renovation just before selling.

Minor renovations, on the other hand, may help you sell your home for a higher price. New countertops or new appliances may be just the kind of bait you need to reel in a buyer. Check out comparable listings in your neighborhood, and see what work you need to do to compete in the market.

My home’s exterior isn’t as important as the interior.

Truth: Home buyers often make snap judgments based simply on a home’s exterior, so curb appeal is actually very important.

The good news is that it doesn’t cost a bundle to improve your home’s exterior. Start by cutting the grass, trimming the hedges and clearing away any clutter. Then, for less than $50, you could put up new house numbers, paint the front door, plant some flowers or install a new, more stylish porch light.

Home shoppers can ignore paint colors they don’t like.

Truth: Moving is a lot of work, and while many home buyers realize they could take on the task of painting walls, they simply don’t want to.

That’s why one of the most important things you can do to update your home is apply a fresh coat of neutral paint. Neutral colors also help a property stand out in online photographs, which is where most potential buyers will get their first impression of your property.

Hiring a professional to paint the interior of a 2,000-square-foot house will cost anywhere from $2,000 and up, depending on labor costs in your region. You could buy the paint and do the job yourself for $200 to $500. Either way, if a fresh coat of paint helps your home stand out in a crowded market, it’s probably a worthwhile investment. Get in touch with us if you are thinking of selling and want more advice! We can also connect you with our team of professional tradespeople!

Temporary modular housing can be constructed more quickly than permanent housing and provide immediate relief to hundreds of people looking for homes. This initiative is not only significant in addressing the needs of Vancouverites, but also creates an opportunity to celebrate the future of diverse neighbourhoods. Read on to find out more!

What are Modular Homes?

A modular home is a home that has been built indoors – basically, inside a home-building factory. Once complete, the modules (or components of these homes) are transported by truck to their new location and assembled by highly qualified tradesmen onto the already poured foundation.

Why Modular Homes?

This cuts builder waste since it allows for bulk materials to be ordered for the pods’ exact dimensions. 

Also, manufactured homes overall typically sell at a lower price point than traditional single-family homes due to their reduced construction costs — currently a major issue restricting home builder activity. Even though lumber futures came down from an all-time high in May, they remain inflated compared to historical norms.

Where are they going up?

This summer, 98 new living units will be completed on 1580 Vernon Drive, as a part of a 10-year, 1000 unit initiative by the provincial government that began in 2018. Currently, there are 660 temporary units and 350 permanent units, and with this finishing, more than 750 temporary modular homes are now available for residents.

Finding the right art for your space is hard, but hanging art correctly can be even more difficult. In fact, hanging artwork incorrectly at the wrong height is the #1 most common interior design mistake! Read on to find out 3 foolproof tips for hanging art!

Hang single artwork pieces at eye level

I find it’s best to hang single artwork at eye level, and 60 inches from center to the floor is the magic number.

If you’re hanging your art above furniture, it can be 4-6 inches above the piece, and if the art is going above a sofa or console, the piece should be approximately 2/3 width of the furniture. As a general rule of thumb, always consider the scale of your space when hanging art.

I usually prefer to use larger artwork and frames rather than smaller in projects. It’s much more simple to fill in spaces when you have less space to fill!

Treat two pieces as one

When hanging two art pieces, treat them as one and still hang them 60 inches from the floor to the center of the grouping.

This rule also applies to groups of three and four. Make sure they are spaced only a few inches apart, so they look together and not disconnected.

Hang Gallery Walls with cohesive spacing

When designing a grid gallery wall, I use prints and photos with a similar theme and consistent frames. They could be black and white photos, botanicals, sketches, etc.

I go with completely different pieces in mixed frames for an eclectic look. I usually hang large and medium pieces 2-3 inches apart, and smaller pieces 1.5-2.5 inches apart.

Make things easier on your end by tracing the frames on a piece of paper and using painters tape to create a layout on the wall before you have to put holes in the wall.

We hope that everyone is staying safe in this Vancouver heatwave! The worst is behind us, but we thought we’d advise on some tips for you and your homes to stay cool. There are also 10 cooling centres around the city you can duck into for a respite. Want to know more? Scroll down!

Symptoms of heat-related illness and heat exhaustion

Watch for the following symptoms as signs of heat-related illness and heat exhaustion:

• Extreme thirst

• Dizziness

• Confusion

• Weakness

• Fainting

• Rapid breathing and heartbeat

• Nausea and vomiting

If you see someone suffering from too much heat, call 9-1-1 and help them cool off by applying water to their face and neck until emergency services arrive. You can also call 8-1-1 to speak to a nurse. Interpretation services are available on these phone numbers.

Tips to keep cool

• Stay out of the sun as much as possible

• Plan ahead for where you can spend time in a cool or air-conditioned place, and seek shade when outside

• Wear a wide-brimmed hat, lightweight, loose-fitting clothing, and sunscreen

• Avoid strenuous activity and exercise

• Drink plenty of cool fluids such as water before you feel thirsty

• Fill up your water bottle at one of our drinking fountains, including temporary fountains that are set up during the summer months

Cool down your pulse points

Pulse points are areas of your body where you can feel your pulse through your skin because blood vessels are positioned close to the surface. Applying ice or a cold cloth to these points can help cool you down from the inside out. Pulse points include the following areas:

• Neck

• Wrists

• Insides of elbows and knees

• Tops of your feet

• Insides of your ankles

• Inner thighs

• Just in front of your ears

If you’re looking for a way to enlarge your home without shelling out for a full-scale addition, converting your garage into a living space or home office typically adds about 600 square feet (assuming it’s a two-car garage) of extra room! Read on below for all the details about this cool renovation!

Cost

Because a garage already has a foundation, walls, and a roof, using the existing structure typically costs around half of what you’d spend for an all-new addition. Different needs and features will affect the cost, so take that into account. Quality conversions may cost more, but consider that it’ll add a comfortable 600 more square feet of room!

Tasks Involved

A garage conversion is not necessarily a job to tackle on the cheap, yet it entirely depends on your needs! For example, a quality conversion may take 4-6 weeks and include:

• Raising the floor height to allow for insulation over the concrete slab,

• Fully insulating walls and ceiling,

• Providing heating and cooling for the space, either by tying into the house’s main system or adding an independent one, such as a ductless mini-split system,

• An electrical service upgrade to accommodate the larger load,

• Opening up the partition wall between your house and the garage to create an open floor plan,

• Replacing garage doors with fully insulated stud walls, and

• Adding windows and doors.

But at the end of it, you’ll receive a whole new part of the house that is built with quality in mind!

What’s the Downside?

Converting your garage to living space means giving up your indoor, weather-protected parking spaces. Sounds obvious enough, but parking outside can raise bigger problems than just needing more frequent car washes.

Exposure to the elements can lead to premature aging of your vehicles, and when it snows in the winter parking outside may complicate having your driveway plowed after snowstorms.

In addition, you may be losing storage space for landscape tools, lawn mowers, and snow blowers.

Is it worth it for you? Comment down below for your tips on converting a garage!

It’s Wednesday! Summer time means spending more time outside, and where better to do it from the comfort of your own home? Take the time outside during these sunny days to relax and have fun in the sun! Read on below for the top 3 must have patio items and furniture!

Seating

If we had to limit ourselves to just 3 items to have at a patio, the number one most essential feature of a friendly porch or patio is SEATING. If you don’t have a place to sit and rest, the chances you will want to stay for any prolonged period of time is zero. Using multiple sofas in a block creates the feel of an entire outdoor room and would be a great place to entertain.  Even if space is limited, smaller conversation areas with single chairs is still an option!

Shade

In the summer months, even in cooler climates like here in Vancouver, the direct sun of midday can be overwhelming and unpleasant! Therefore, the patio or porch should have some source of shade. Creating a shady spot on your patio can be as easy as installing sun umbrellas or even sun shades. Of course if you want a more permanent solution, a pergola, awning for roof structure is another idea!

Sound

If your home is located in an urban or even suburban area, you may hear a lot of background noise when using your patio. A great way to cancel out the sounds of neighbors and traffic is with a sound feature. Installing outdoor speakers allows you to pipe any sounds or music you want into your backyard. Speakers can be installed into the ground or mounted on your home, fence, or pergola, or they can be even completely disguised!

It’s the middle of the week! I hope that your start to June has been awesome so far, check out my new block post for the latest events happening this week! Which ones do you want to go to? If you want to hear more about these, read on!

Vancouver Children’s Festival

Reimagine fun at the 2021 Vancouver International Children’s Festival with an extraordinary online line-up of world-class theatre, music, dance and storytelling created specifically for children. The reimagined 2021 Festival will offer a mix of Live Online and Pre-recorded Online performances with an extra 7 days of extended show viewing. Watch a show online from the comfort of home from May 31 to June 13 with Pay-What-You-Can pricing.

Imagine Van Gogh

The immersive exhibition Imagine Van Gogh is a unique tour through the captivating works of Vincent Van Gogh. There are over 200 versions of his art pieces featured at the event, all of which are displayed on massive screens of varying shapes and sizes to create an experience unlike any other. The event is on now through August 29th at the Vancouver Convention Centre!

Darts Hill Garden Park

Darts Hill Garden Park is a 22.5 acre property located at 1633-170th Street in South Surrey just a 10-minute drive from White Rock. It’s a beautiful spot with paths winding through densely vegetated forested-style gardens. Darts Hill is open to the public only at designated times and dates. This includes open houses and special plant sale days. Have a stroll through the park at your leisure!

It’s the middle of the week! I hope that your start to June has been awesome so far, check out my new block post for the latest events happening this week! Which ones do you want to go to? If you want to hear more about these, read on!

Vancouver Children’s Festival

Reimagine fun at the 2021 Vancouver International Children’s Festival with an extraordinary online line-up of world-class theatre, music, dance and storytelling created specifically for children. The reimagined 2021 Festival will offer a mix of Live Online and Pre-recorded Online performances with an extra 7 days of extended show viewing. Watch a show online from the comfort of home from May 31 to June 13 with Pay-What-You-Can pricing.

Imagine Van Gogh

The immersive exhibition Imagine Van Gogh is a unique tour through the captivating works of Vincent Van Gogh. There are over 200 versions of his art pieces featured at the event, all of which are displayed on massive screens of varying shapes and sizes to create an experience unlike any other. The event is on now through August 29th at the Vancouver Convention Centre!

Darts Hill Garden Park

Darts Hill Garden Park is a 22.5 acre property located at 1633-170th Street in South Surrey just a 10-minute drive from White Rock. It’s a beautiful spot with paths winding through densely vegetated forested-style gardens. Darts Hill is open to the public only at designated times and dates. This includes open houses and special plant sale days. Have a stroll through the park at your leisure!

Pandemic restrictions are now loosened and indoor dining is back! I wanted to write about some restaurants that really wowed me, and I can’t wait to go back to these places next. What are your favourite restaurants here in Vancouver? If you want to hear more about this one, read on!

Le Crocodile Restaurant

This local restaurant is definitely not cheap but is a must go if you enjoy steak and high end food. Their service is impeccable and the staff are all professional and friendly without being in your face. Their food is also phenomenal, and the last time I’ve been they exceeded my expectations, so give them a try!

Blue Water cafe

This striking cafe contains a dining room that provides active views of the “East meets West” kitchen and Raw Bar. The sweeping main bar leads out to the heated patio and the private dining rooms, which hold their deep and diverse wine collection. If you want fresh seafood and a japanese fusion menu, definitely make an effort to try them out.

Lupo

Last but not least, Lupo is a restaurant situated between Yaletown and the heart of Vancouver’s entertainment district, and if you love homemade italian then this is a must stop. They offer modern Italian cooking in a relaxed atmosphere, and the place does not skimp on quality ingredients. Service is stellar and the ambience is so uniquely cute, like a little house.