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Informative, vibrant and inspiring, Okanagan Home magazine showcases the most innovative products and services of Okanagan home designers, builders, renovators, landscapers and decorators.
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Okanagan HOME SUMMER 2011
FEATURES
14 Lakeshore Living in the Okanagan
18 Staging and Designing Tips
24 Southwind at Sarsons
36 South Bay Landing
40 Royal Treatment
46 Furnishings Make the Home
52 Outside With Flair
60 Cypress Point at Black Mountain Golf Course
66 Wood Lake Villas
68 Nelson Homes
72 The Pool Life
78 Destination Homes
82 Life at Gallagher’s Canyon
86 The Rise
90 Crystal Heights
94 Gallagher Lake Village Park
COLUMNS
8 Okanagan Real Estate Review
9 Denis on Design
10 Risk
11 Giving Back
12 Legal
13 Environment
I N S I D ESUMMER 2011
PROFILES
32 Pure Granite Rocks!
34 Phantom Screens–BC Interior
51 Kelowna Klosets
63 The Roofing Store
64 Flooring Canada
71 Milgard Windows
77 Culligan Water
96 Aluminum F/X
97 Fanny’s Furniture
COVER: Courtesy of Valley Pool and Spa
Issue 20, Summer 2011
ISSN [email protected]
Publisher:Raymond F. Oelrich [email protected]
Senior Editor:Keri-Lynn Oelrich [email protected]
Art Director:Tyson Henderson [email protected]
DesignerJennifer Banister [email protected]
Director of AdministrationTegan Cochrane [email protected]
Advertising ExecutiveRaymond F. Oelrich [email protected]
Contributors:Denis Apchin, Chad Brezynskie, Ross Freake, Hans Frederick, Andrew Gaucher, Don Gerein, Cynthia Johnstone, Deanna Merrick, Shelly Maurer, Cheryl Miller, Richard Montgomery, Jordan Oelrich, Keri-Lynn Oelrich, Raymond Oelrich, Lisa M. Robinson
Okanagan Home MagazineSuite 153 #105-3957 Lakeshore RoadKelowna, BC, Canada V1W 1V3www.Okanagan-Home.comFax: 250-764-1312Email: [email protected]: Raymond F. Oelrich
Okanagan HOME Magazine makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes; however, it cannot be held responsible for any con-sequences arising from errors or omissions to story, ad or photo content. The contents of this publica-tion may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including distribution by any electronic method, including email, website or other distribution with-out the written consent of the publisher. Upon publication, Okanagan HOME Magazine acquires Canadian Serial Rights and copyright to all content included in this issue.
4
Page 40 Photo by Shawn Talbot
Page 86Photo courtesy of The RisePage 86
Retraction: On page 29 of the Spring issue we inadvertently used a photo in the Claymasters story that belonged to Leonard Trump from Clay Interiors. Sorry for the confusion.
F R O M T H E P U B L I S H E R S
All of us buy, rent, lease or occupy real estate in this world. All of us! Everyone on Earth lives in some sort of home; whether it is a single family, multifamily or
other type, we all have one. For most, it is a combination of bedrooms, bathrooms and ‘living rooms’, which make up the home we live in. Some are large and grand, others smaller and simple, yet we all have a home. For the less fortunate their ‘home’ may be a spot under a bridge with no roof over-head, but even among the homeless, some parcels are more valuable and desirable than others.
I spent some time in Africa a decade ago and marvelled at how peaceful a family felt, living in a small shack, in a shantytown of similar shacks, all with earthen floors. These homes were 20 ft. square, or about 400 square feet, a little smaller than the average two car garage in Kelowna, holding entire families in one room. Most had many children playing in the ‘yard’ as the mother hung up laundry to dry overhead. I would say on average they made less than $50 a month, considered a good wage in that part of the world. The average family in that coun-try has nine members living in a one-room home.
Most did not ‘own’ the home or land, we truly never do, despite what the records show. We just occupy it, in a way controlling the use and title, but in the end some-one else will live there 100 or 1,000 years from now anyway, and we won’t even know their name.
Even the prisoner in jail occupies space; ‘For the place I stay, with part of my life I pay,’ but he or she too occupies space on Earth.
The point is, enjoy your space, inside or out, owned or rented; it is your home, so make it the best one pos-sible to enjoy for as long as you live there.
Like some of our clients, I too sell ‘real estate space’, but in a publication, to the advertisers that support us.
The magazine you are holding cost us on average one dollar each to print and distribute. This issue marks the first time we printed 100,000 copies, and our total cost is over $100,000, so since you got it for free, please support those that supported us. Call them, visit their stores, models or showrooms, tell them how much you like their products, buy something, and help jump-start the Kelowna economy. Embrace your home, improve it, enhance it, and make it special, no matter who holds the title.
One last point needs to be mentioned. Sometimes we inadvertently use the wrong photos in a story. It hap-pens and the last issue had one client’s photo used in another client’s story. I apologize to both. The retrac-
tion on page 4 verifies the photo, the rightful owner and my of-ficial apology, even though I did not insert it. But as publisher I am responsible.
Ironically we also had one (now former) client submit an ad of someone else’s work, knowing full well they themselves did not do the work. They DID take the photo, which somehow made it OK to send to us for insertion, pretending it was their work. When I heard of this I asked the client, and at first they denied it, but finally admitted it was not their work, so I banned them from any further publication. I will do this with anyone that is dishonest about rep-resenting their work in their ad. To this end, now all client’s ads and photos will be veri-fied, to the best of our ability, to assure our
readers the advertiser’s work is fairly represented in print, and it is their own.
Okanagan HOME Summer 20116
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F I N A L P H A S E N O W S E L L I N G
BUMPING ALONG THE BOTTOMBY DON GEREIN
come through theof 2011 and the re-
ugh less than spec-icate that a changestrate what is hap-ventory levels, unit n median prices.
At the end of the fi rst quarter there were 1,524 homes for sale compared with 1,567 in the fi rst quarter of last year (-2.7%). The inventory of apartment strata numbered 945 compared to1,091 last year (-13%). Townhouses had 493 units compared to 449 last year (+9.8%). Over all, this year’s 3,583 residential units were lessthan last year’s fi rst quarter inventory by 4%.
The number of units sold was down for thequarter from the same period last year. There were 404 single family homes sold in the quarter compared to 453 in the same period last year (-10.8%). There were 147 apart-ment strata sales in the time period compared to 174 last year (-15%). Fewer town homes sold as well with 106 this quarter compared to 130 (-18%). It is clear that even though selectionhas been good and rates have been stable, the buyer is waiting for
the right moment to pounce on a deal. This quarter, $292 million has been spent on residential real estate compared to $348 mil-
lion in the fi rst quarter of 2010. The money in this market seems to watching this event from the bleachers waiting for a signal to get in to the game. Markets turn when the rate of change either becomes extreme and unsustainable or slows to nothing. Examination of the median prices shows the median house price this quar-ter has dropped from $432,000 to $424,000 (-1.85%). The strata apartment has dropped from $233,750 to $232,000 (-0.64%). The town home median has dropped from $320,000 to $316,000 (-1.35%). All of these rates of change are almost negligible and are approaching zero. The largeadjustments and bumps have already happened. For example, if one waited from March of 2010 until now to purchase an apartment condo they would have saved less than $2,000 while payingrent for one more year! Our market lacks some
of the fundamentals driving the newsworthy Vancouver market so our buyers lack the same sense of urgency that exists in the urban environment. The urgency will appear when the change in median price goes positive. When will that happen? It’s gettingcloser and closer and when it does we will no longer be “bumping along the bottom.” (www.macrealtykelowna.com).
DESIGN PROCESSBY DENIS APCHIN
am often asked what the home design pro-cess is and when the designer should get nvolved. No two home design projects
are the same, but the fundamental process ed in designing your home will follow a
al format.ally, even before the lot is purchased, you
should schedule a design consultation meeting.An exceptional design emerges from the naturalsetting and special characteristics of a lot and anexperienced designer can identify the potentialand limitations of a building site. By examiningthe orientation of the sun, driveway approach,views, soil conditions, site services, and uniquesite-specifi c features, a designer can assess the compatibility of the lot and your design prefer-ences. Also, consulting a designer before you purchase a lot will ensure that you are aware of regulatory set-backs, building restrictions, and other limiting factors before theyimpede the design of your home. In addition, a design consultation meeting may alter your ideas
of what your home will look like. Collect images that capture thestyles that appeal to you, but allow the designer to offer original ideas.Flexibility during the preliminary design stages will ensure that your home does not become another reproduction. Rather than
imitating a pre-existing design, let your lot infl uence the designsolutions.
It is important to create a list of the rooms that you require and to identify their primary func-tions, as well as to outline your current lifestyle,family demands, foreseeable future transitions, budgetary limits, and investment goals. With this information, your designer will be able to implement your specifi c requirements and tailor your design. Only after the facility programming has been
established, bubble and fl ow diagrams can be created to identify space relationships. Follow-ing these are concept drawings and scaled pre-liminary designs, which will eventually evolve into a 3-D model. At this point the design re-mains fl uid and can be adjusted to suit. Once the preliminary design is approved, the
necessary consultants, such as geotechnical andstructural engineers, will assist in the develop-
ment of the design until a permit set of drawings are completed. The fi nal stage of the design process is to create the completeworking drawings, wherein refi ned details like window and door schedules, millwork elevations, electrical and lighting plans, and stair and railing details etc. are included. There is no cost or obligation to have an initial consultation with a designer. I encourage you to involve a designer in your project as early as possible to ensure the realization of its poten-tial. (www.apchin.com)
R I S K WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE . . . HELP! BY SHELLY MAURER, SR. MANAGER INSURANCE OPERATIONS FOR VALLEY FIRST INSURANCE
Water damage has actually taken over fire as the number one cause for insurance claims. So – how can you protect yourself and
your home? The most important tip is for you and your entire family to know where the main water shut-off valve is located and how to shut off household water supplies in the event of a sudden pipe or hose break. Check it annually to make sure it is operational.
Inside Your Home:Water leaks can happen anywhere but occur
most frequently in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms.
Hot Water Heater – Most water heaters last 10 to 15 years. Check yours for leaks and corro-sion. Rust is a sign of imminent tank failure. Hot water heaters should be installed on the lowest level of the home and always located next to a floor drain. If installed above or adjacent to fin-ished spaces, they should be placed inside a drain pan which is piped to the floor drain.
Washing Machine – Inspect hoses regularly for wetness around
hose ends and signs of bulging, cracking or fraying. Replace the hose if a problem is found or every three to five years as part of
a regular maintenance. Steel braided hoses have a longer lifespan than other types. Leaving the water on when not in use places the washing ma-chine hoses and valves under constant pressure.
Dishwasher/Refrigerator – Periodically check under dishwashers and refrigerators (ice/water dispenser models) to see if the hose con-nection to the water supply line is secure and not leaking. Check for evidence of leaks. Look for discolored, warped, or soft flooring materials or water damage to nearby cabinets.
Sink – Re-caulk around sinks paying attention to slow-draining pipes. This may indicate a par-tially blocked drain. Check the under-sink pipes for signs of leaks.
Showers and Bathtubs – Discoloration or soft areas around floors and walls near showers or bathtubs may be your first indication of a leak.
Check caulking at joints where the walls meet the floor or new sealant. If the shower walls or floor are tiled, a leak may develop if there are cracks or missing areas of grout. Never leave the house with dishwashers, washers or dryers still operating. Many hom-eowners have returned from holidays to find their washer hoses have burst, flooding their home (www.valleyfirst.com).
Okanagan HOME Summer 201110
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A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE HAS A SAFE AND AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE BY CHERYL MILLER
The description of a safe place to live can be dramatically different for ev-eryone. For instance a safe place for women
and children leaving an abusive relationship may be the Kelowna Women’s Shelter; for a sexu-ally exploited youth it may be NOW Canada; for individuals experiencing homelessness perhaps Inn from the Cold.
According to Wikipedia, the term “afford-able housing” is used to describe dwelling units whose total housing costs are deemed “afford-able” to those that have a median income.
A commonly accepted guideline for housing affordability is a housing cost that does not ex-ceed 30% of a household’s gross income.
Habitat for Humanity and Society of Hope are a couple of organizations addressing the need for affordable housing in our community.
Unfortunately, not everyone has a median income, for some affordable might be The Kelowna Gospel Mission.
There are several organizations in our community that offer
people a safe, affordable place to live and in order to succeed they rely on help from their community.
One way of contributing to organizations that work towards successfully securing safe, decent and affordable housing for people is through The Central Okanagan Foundation.
We can facilitate gifts for donors to any regis-tered charity. We establish endowment funds for legacy giving, memorial funds to pay tribute to a loved one, designated funds to benefit a specific charity and donor advised funds for those who want to be more involved! We can offer you ad-vice on your contribution.
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GET IT IN WRITING BY RICHARD MONTGOMERY, LAWYER
Contracts of Purchase and Sale for real estate must be in writing. As lawyers, we unfortunately often see the contract after subjects are re-
moved or very close to the closing day.
Many “terms” are discussed between the par-ties or just assumed to apply, but never reduced to a written contractual term.
These include such “terms” as the requirement for the seller to leave the property reasonably clean and free of trash, or the confirmation from the seller that the buyer may indeed put a pool in that backyard.
What’s even more concerning is that some-times the contract does not even set out important things like whether or not the price includes HST, is subject to HST or is HST exempt. Omissions such as these are the most com-mon sources of disagreement and the remedy isn’t a simple one. If the parties cannot resolve the issue, they must walk away from the deal or complete the deal one way or the other.
This is often followed by a law suit.
The legal rule is well established: if the term isn’t written into the contract, you cannot rely on it. So, the solution is just as simple: if it is impor-tant to you, ensure that it is in the contract.
The same legal rule applies to changes. If something in the original contract is going to change, it must be in writing.
For example, if the purchaser has a home in-spection and asks the seller to fix certain minor issues, then if you don’t add this to the contract, you may not be able to enforce this against the seller if the seller does not make the fixes.
While most people are honest, it is amazing how many times a verbal discussion is not remembered by both parties the same way.
My rule of thumb – “a verbal agreement isn’t worth the paper it is written on.”
THE GREENEST, MOST COST EFFECTIVE HEATING & COOLING SOLUTION BY CHAD BREZYNSKIE
With the fluctuating cost of fossil fuels and a revitalized focus of the environment, it’s no wonder the home and business owners
are increasingly turning to geothermal technol-ogy as the solution for their heating and cool-ing needs. Regardless of the weather conditions, how sunny it is or if the wind is blowing – geo-thermal energy is ready to be used, 365 days a year! So let’s review the numbers and environ-mental advantages.
Return on InvestmentThe energy cost savings of geothermal heat
pumps can often pay back the purchaser’s initial investment in as few as five years. A home or business owner’s return on investment could be anywhere from 15-25 percent. Compare that with the increasingly popular solar energy alternative at 13 percent. Those who do their homework will quickly see that geothermal is a wise investment.
Cost-EffectiveGeothermal technology can dramatically reduce annual costs
for heating, cooling and hot water by as much as 75 percent
compared with ordinary furnaces and air conditioners. And who doesn’t want to save money these days?
Eco-friendlyGeothermal energy doesn’t generate pollu-
tion and doesn’t contribute to the greenhouse ef-fect. Some of the geothermal heat pumps on the market today are the environmental equivalent of planting 750 trees or removing two cars from the road. That’s significant incentive for envi-ronmentally-conscious home and business own-ers concerned about harmful greenhouse gases, having access to clean air and minimizing their ecological footprint.
Energy EfficientGeothermal systems have always been touted
for their energy efficiency and over time the technology has evolved to make them even more so. Some of the heat pumps on the market to-day have an energy efficiency rating of nearly 500 percent. For every dollar of electrical energy
these pumps use, they generate almost five dollars of energy out-put to heat and cool a home or business.
ReliableGeothermal systems are among the most reliable energy sourc-
es available on the market today. When installed correctly, they can provide home and business owners with years of comfort.
OkanaganPhoto courtesy of Campion Boats by Shaun Talbot
BY ROSS FREAKE
The Okanagan is defined by its lake; the long, silver sliver draws residents and tourists who marvel at its beauty and its moods, at the sun glinting off the
water and storms that whip the water into foamy froth.
While few of the people star-ing at the lake — whether from a park, their dock, through floor-to-ceiling windows or opened Nana doors — know Navaho chants, they know the feeling: “Beauty behind me, beauty before me, beauty above me, beauty below me, beauty all around me. ”
Kelowna Valley Insurance (www.kvins.ca) cover keeps your beautiful things protected. A boutique insurance broker, they have access to major international insurers, and can provide coverage for unique property and liability exposures.
“We even have four different boat insurers available so no hull value or speed will be turned down,” says Don Shidelka, branch manager. And then there’s the lake itself.
“There’s beauty in front of you that changes,” said Jane Hoff-man, a Realtor who has a home on the lake. “It gives back to you in some respects. People buy it (lakefront property) because
it gives them a calming feeling; they gravitate to it to be in touch with nature because that lake is moving, and, like glass, reflecting. It’s like living on acreage — a huge acreage of water — but you don’t have to look after it. You wake up and go to bed with that
water and various moods it gives you throughout the day.”
Many of Hoffman’s cli-ents are Albertans who once camped or RVed on the lake and now, having gained some affluence because of the oil boom, want to buy there. “They use it now and when they retire, they’ll live there full time. A lot of peo-ple who bought five years or 10 years ago and are retiring
are upgrading their houses or tearing down and building their final home on the lake.”
Some of those people call Denis Apchin president of Apchin Design Corp. (www.apchin.com). Some of the award-winning designer’s favourite homes are on the lake, including one he lived in for three years before the client was ready to move from To-ronto.
“Most of my waterfront clients build vacation homes looking for a resort style living experience. They put in tennis courts, put-ting greens vanishing-edge pools, and spas. They enjoy being
Photo courtesy of Campion Boats
Photo courtesy of Campion Boats
connected to the lake not only for all the water sports but also for touring the valley by boat. They like to go to Naramata and Pent-icton, to visit wineries”.
Some clients Apchin designed for have built elaborate outdoor kitchens and BBQ centers because they wanted to spend as much time as possible outdoors, watching the lake, feeling the breeze, and being in nature.
Goddard Design’s intention is to “create a harmonious rela-tionship between the natural sur-roundings and the experience of be-ing in the house,” says Norman Goddard, owner. “Creating sec-ondary views and spaces to balance and augment the primary view, lay-ering circulation to create anticipation of the lake view, balancing different quali-ties of light, detailing exterior covered areas to provide a visual link to the surroundings all while respecting the subtle nature of the landscape–these are important in our work,” he says. And then there’s the water itself.
Grayson Syryda gets clients up and down those cliffs. The owner of Silverspan Trams (www.silverspantrams.com) re-
places long, winding stairs with hillside elevators that allow easy access to the lake.
“Flat land on the lakeshore is disappearing, so people are going to steeper incline stuff and they’re looking to us for a solution.”
Syryda’s mentor, engineer Wayne Danforth, put in the first tram in 2002 when he was asked by a client if he knew how his wife,
who had mobility issues, could get up and down the stairs.
After Syryda graduated with a civil engineering di-ploma from Okanagan Col-lege, the Fort. St. John native went to work with Danforth, and shortly after bought the company.
“It’s mainly an Okanagan-only kind of thing: they’re expensive, they’re lavish, but they’re not strictly for the wealthy because we have cli-ents who strongly debated the benefits of our product before finally deciding it was the ap-
propriate decision. It doesn’t make sense to put in stairs when you can get a lift.”
Syryda said most of the trams are installed in summer homes, “but you wouldn’t know that by the size of the properties. They have things I can never dream of having. It’s a different kind of
living; it must be a nice kind of living.”Brenda Richardson saves Lakeshore clients valuable time so
they can enjoy the lake and their vacation. “There are some pretty grand homes out there that aren’t even people’s primary residenc-es,” said Richardson, co-owner of Synergy Landscape Design. (www.synergylandscape.com). “Those have a lot of charm and beauty and are, I imagine, peaceful places to live.
“Typically, people who own those homes tend to do them up to live outdoors; it’s where they spend their time. There are more living rooms, if you will, out in the gar-den: fire-pit area, fireplace area, a place where they go down close to the lake. I’ve even seen some of them where they bring beds and sleep on the dock. They have kitchens along the waterfront. These are some unique homes and some have not been easy to do. They’re 300 feet up the cliff.”
David Jurome of MacDonald Realty (www.davidjurome.com) has been a Realtor in Kelowna for over 30 years. He grew up on the lake and learned first-hand the benefits of an active waterfront lifestyle.
“There’s always something to do on the lake. Most lakeshore property owners and their families are into boating, sailing, fish-ing and water sports in general,” Jurome says. “And when you’re not using it you enjoy the beautiful views and ambience of living next to the water. The lake offers a very desirable lifestyle and it’s the defining part of the Okanagan.”
The long-time Realtor said many people who buy on the lake are prepared to pay a premium for lakeshore property as they
value the lifestyle. They also see it as an excellent in-vestment. “The supply of lakefront property is limited and as the valley popu-lation continues to grow in the fu-ture, demand will always be strong and this will put
pressure on property value to rise. If you’re a long-term thinker, you know the demand factors will always be there and this makes lakeshore property a good investment.”
Whether it’s a home, condo or recreational lakeshore property, it’s a great spot to invest. Market conditions have softened in the past couple of years and now there are some excellent opportuni-ties to buy on the water.
Staging Designing Tip
san
dPhoto by Decorating Den
BY LISA M. ROBINSON
“A house is not a home unless it contains food and fi re for the mind, as well as the body.” – Benjamin Franklin
Showing a home can be likened to having an interview with a prospective buyer. First impressions can mean everything, and the customer is always right. There-fore, preparation is key.
The seller must be careful not to distract the buyer with clutter or unnecessary items. Cleaning, organizing, and storing unused items will make it easier for a viewer to see the home. Yard clean-up, repairs and minor renovations can also give a viewer a good fi rst impression. You can either do the work yourself, or hire a professional home stager to come in and fi x it up.
As you approach your driveway, are there unsightly weeds, broken branches, or gar-bage lying around? Do you get the impression that the place is well looked after? Try picturing how it will look to someone driving by or coming to look.
Mow lawns, trim hedges, remove weeds from along the driveway and walkways. Fresh-en up fl ower beds, spread fl ower pots around and up to the entryway to add colour. You can always take these with you when you move. If you are working and don’t have time, then hire a landscaper to keep up the lawn, or create something simple that will appeal to a potential buyer. Does the house need new siding or painting? Even washing the siding will improve the home’s appearance. Clean out and repair gutters. Make sure the front door is clean or newly painted, door bells and door knobs are repaired, and windows are cleaned, inside and out.
Since the entryway is like the eye of the home as the viewer walks in, make sure coats are hung up, shoes are neatly stored, fl oors cleaned, and walls are washed or freshly paint-ed. Light candles with the smell of fresh baked pumpkin pie or banana bread to welcome
visitors. Having your fl oors professionally cleaned can make the viewer see that you care for your home, and get rid of unwanted stains and odours.
Throughout your home, repair anything that is broken, or get rid of it. Replace light bulbs or outdated lighting fi xtures. Clean, repair or replace counter tops. Paint, clean or fi x cupboards or replace them. If you are thinking of renovating, the kitchen and bathrooms will add the highest resale value to your home, according to experts. Clean, repair, or replace old worn out furniture. Some furniture outlets actually rent furniture for a nominal fee. This might be a good idea if you were planning on getting rid of your old furniture anyway. Spruce up bedrooms and bathrooms with new bedspreads and towels. Clean off dressers and counter tops. Fresh cut fl owers in a nice vase can add a special touch to a room. But there’s more to it than that.
Photo by Center Stage
Photo by Hunter Douglas
Center Stage Decorating - Home staging is “the art of mak-ing a house feel like a home,” says Tammy Cunningham, owner of Center Stage Interior Decorating (www.centerstagebc.com). “Better than that, it can make a home look bigger, brighter, clean-er and more inviting if we didn’t have pets or kids or ‘real life’ getting in the way.”
She says light coloured furniture and beautiful art and acces-sories, as well as everything having a place, are things that profession-als can help with. “We depersonal-ize each space so there are no per-sonal photographs and no personal clutter. Home stagers show off the home’s poten-
tial,” she explains. “Furniture is placed how the builder intended it, not to suit your own personal lifestyle. My favourite saying . . . ‘the way you live in your home is NOT the way you sell it!’”
Turtle Island Gallery - (www.turtleislandgallery.com), located in the heart of the cultural district in Kelowna, has been doing business for 15 years now, specializing in authentic beautiful northwest coast Aboriginal art.
Owned by Georgette Johnson, the gallery features some of Canada’s foremost Native art: original paintings, limited edition prints, ceremonial masks, totem poles, stone and wood carvings . . . a feast for the senses—your’s and prospective buyers as well. Whether your style is contempo-rary or more tra-ditional, Johnson will have some-thing to compli-ment your home . . . and captivate your heart.
Your home or room does not have to have a Native theme to it to display these gorgeous works of art. Bright colours and curved lines can fit any decor, and are conversation pieces.
Decorating Den Interiors - From the design concept to com-pletion, a professional interior decorator can “save you valuable time and money,” says Arlene Marshinew of Decorating Den In-teriors (www.decoratingden.com). She has a few tips for helping you work with the decorator you choose:
Do your homework! What are your colour preferences? Styles? Basic priorities? Look through design magazines. What catches your eye? Start a notebook or file of ideas you like best!
Give some seri-ous thought to your budget. Having some sort of guide-line in place will save you valuable time. Think hard about your func-tional needs as well as your decorating desires for your rooms. Think about your functional needs as well as your decorating desires for your rooms. Working with a professional decorator should be a totally enjoyable process with a beautiful end result!
Olive Tree Designs - “It is rewarding to express ourselves, a feeling, or something as simple as a thought through design,” says Carley Sawka, Olive Tree Designs (www.olivetreeinteri-ordesigns.com). “A professionally staged home increases ap-peal to potential buyers and involves more than just a trip to your
local hardware store. While staging will improve the look of your home, it is not only decorating but marketing a product. Staged homes often will appraise at a higher value and spend less time on the market than those that were not staged,” she says.
“It addresses the psycho-logical barriers to home buy-ing and a skilled designer can create scenery that appeals to the senses. Designed decor does not need to be expensive to make an impact, especially if you focus on accents. Stag-
ing is an art of creating atmo-spheres that fosters the power of first impressions. It goes beyond de- cluttering and cleaning to ‘staging’ a space for potential buy-ers to visualize themselves living there.”
Blinds by Design Nine - “Hunter Douglas is the leader in the window fashion industry,” tells Shirley Burton of Blinds by De-sign Nine (www.blindsbydesignnine.com). “Blinds are functional for light control, privacy and energy efficiency, and offer aesthet-ic benefits visually and acoustically.” Great for staging. Hunter Douglas window coverings range from hard surface woods and aluminums to soft
Sheer fabrics, silhouettes, lu-minettes, roman shades, duettes hon-eycomb and screen shades control the UV rays and main-tain a view at the same time.
“Custom-made draperies are the latest edition,” she says.
“The latest colour and texture collection of fabrics make a fash-ion statement for today’s coverings while being an integral part of the home and add much value.” Blinds by Design Nine is a Dealer Select, Showcase, Centurion and Alustra dealer of Hunter Douglas window fashions, and Burton says she is able to assist the homeowner to make the best choice for the best value for window coverings for their home.
Dorothy’s Fine Art - Art is a lovely way to get a home ready for sale, or even just for you.
“If you love the Okanagan landscapes,” says Dorothy Tinning of Dorothy’s Fine Art (www.dorothytinning.com), “and enjoy the scents, colours, textures and peacefulness and spiritual depth of our valley, then maybe an original paining or limited edition gi-clee on canvas is a consideration when decorating your home.”
And Tinning would know. “As an artist, I like to represent natural space and colour at the same time. It is also important to create perspective that creates illu-sions of depth on a flat surface.
“A great painting gives pleasure to the viewer, allows one to imagine and enjoy memories or associations regarding life at its best.”
Tinning goes on, “Maybe it was the last time you stood on one of the hills of grasslands and sage, or paddled the lake, or pic-nicked in the grasslands.
“Choosing art is a very personal endeavour and I always like to assist clients in making sure that one of my paintings really works in the space they have chosen.”
Grabs your attention, right? The obvious fi rst ques-
tion is, move on to what? Well we started our initial
planning of Southwind at Sarsons
(www.southwindatsarsons.com) way back in the
last decade; in 2003 to be exact. The initial phase
was occupied in 2007, and our second phase was
wrapped up in 2009. So, why move on you might
ask – well the market changed, and we are left with
some remaining homes. We want to start the fi nal
phase of Southwind, or one of our other projects,
like McKinley Landing, but before we feel comfort-
able to do that, we want to get a bunch of excited
homeowners into our last
remaining homes in the
second phase
of Southwind.
WE WANT YOU TO MOVE IN. SO WE CAN MOVE ON . . .
public beach access on Okanagan Lake, and a 10-minute walk from shopping and dining amenities. Southwind is ideally located for those who want the convenience or amenities and ‘lock and leave’ lifestyle, without being in a busy downtown environment.
With one bedroom plus den from 846 square feet to lake view, and three bedroom penthouses as large as 2,263 sq.ft. the range of homes available is tremendous. These same homes have been the recipient of over 15 Tommie Awards – an award that is provided for excellence in a number of areas, presented by the Canadian Home Builder’s Association.
BY ANDREW GAUCHER
The good news is that there remains a great selection of homes available in the second phase for homeowners to choose from. Even better news is that these remain-ing homes have been re-priced to sell out in 2011, with
savings on some suites over 50% from their initial 2008 launch pricing.
Southwind is located in the exclusive Lower Mission neigh-borhood in Kelowna, British Columbia. A five-minute walk from
There is a reason why these homes have been recognized for excellence. Beginning with a location rich in history, great onsite amenities including an ozone pool and hot tub, gym and medita-tion gardens, no details were missed. High-end construction in-cludes a two-, five- and 10-year warranty, geothermal heating and cooling included in your strata fees, premium finishes such as concrete topping on all floors, rough-sewn timbers used as exte-
rior accentuation, and solid one-inch granite counters in all suites that ensures homeowners longevity and durability in their new residence.
From the Forest (www.fromtheforest.ca), a Kelowna-based company specializing in reclaimed wood products and specialty glass materials, provided all the beautiful 10mm glass shower doors, and gorgeous mirrors throughout the Southwinds at Sar-
sons project. Beyond superb quality materials, From the Forest provides the finest in installation craftsmanship for stunning projects like Southwinds.
The project features kitchen and bath cabinetry by Century Lane Kitch-ens of Kelowna (www.centurylane.net). Three finishes are offered on maple with two stain colours and an antique white lacquered product. A contemporary feel was created utiliz-ing such details as 3” wide door rails, a simple flush crown molding and a framed panel detail on the backs and sides of the islands. All components manufactured in the Kelowna factory are machined on state of the art CNC machinery with finished staining and lacquering being performed on an au-tomated flat spray line with a heated curing process.
“The result is a strong, sturdy cabi-net with an extremely consistent and beautifully finished final product,” says Century Lane’s Ward Quering.
Neway Landscape did the Gold Tommie award-winning landscape. They did patio paving stones, deco-
rative retaining walls, landscape lighting and water features. To walk past it and have a peak shows it to look very well put to-gether.
Sawchuk Developments Co. Ltd. (www.sawchukdevelop-ments.com) was brought in at the very outset of Southwind at Sarsons to work with the team that Green Projects had assembled for the project. By remaining present at each of the design phase meetings, they were able to provide continuous dialogue and feedback on design costs, constructability issues, timelines for construction and current market conditions.
So, with all of this luxury that was designed for a 2007 market, but at 2011 prices you might be asking yourself, “wouldn’t the
product speak for itself, why are the edgy marketing slogans nec-essary?” The reason we have chosen the marketing slogans we have is that we are endeavoring on a ‘Sell the Truth’ campaign. In this particular case, we are excited to move on to our next project, but won’t until we have fi nished selling our homes in the second phase of Southwind.
Apparently selling the truth is working, as beginning this cam-paign with 32 homes, we are proud to announce that we are just now doing a public launch with only 27 remaining. Five happy homeowners are proud to have received great homes at great pric-es in the past two weeks. So, please come by and see how you can move in, so we can move on.
H O M EPURE GRANITE ROCKS!BY ROSS FREAKE
Clark Omand had skyscraper views while working as an investment banker in London, New York and Toronto, but he prefers the vision from his first-floor office in Vernon.
He thinks it rocks.Omand owns Pure Gran-
ite Rocks! (www.puregran-iterocks.com), the 2009 Ver-non employer of the year, which has worked on some of the best bathrooms and kitchens in B.C.
While granite and quartz rock for a lot of people, the fastest grow-ing part of Omand’s busi-ness is as engineered stone, such as eco and Glass2, which are high-performing “Green” products made of recycled material.
“We’re on the cutting edge of that right now. We’re setting up a new showroom in our manufacturing facility to showcase them.”
After Omand, who earned his MBA in New York City, was transferred to Toronto, he knew it was time to move on and started looking for a small business. Luckily, because he loves the Okanagan, he heard about one in Vernon, and bought it five years ago.
“I took a small, low-tech granite company, which employed
seven people to the most high-tech countertop fabricator in the Okanagan Valley, currently running at 23 employees.”
While most of the work is done by computerized machinery, old-fashioned, hands-on artisans do the finishing touches. The ar-tistic melding of new and old techniques soon caught the eye of award-winning Okanagan builders.
“In 2008, we installed countertops into six projects that won Tommies. In 2010, we worked with two kitchens that picked up Tommies and in 2009, in addition to the Tommies, we had two projects that went on to win province-wide recognition in the form of CHBA Georgies, including one that took “Best Kitchen in BC over $100k.”
That kitchen is in a house built by Woodstyle Homes of Vernon, which has also won 15 Tommies. Owner Dono-van Imbeau picks Pure Gran-ite Rocks! because of the customer service and product
selection.“They go out of their way to make sure it works out. Clark
is always working to make the company better, but it’s also his personality: you can tell he’s a passionate guy who enjoys what he’s doing.”
While Omand likes winning award-winning proj-ects, he’s also happy helping someone pick out a vanity for a bathroom reno.
Okanagan HOME Summer 201132
Huntington Developments
Woodstyle Homes
O U T D O O R L I V I N GPHANTOM SCREENS – B.C. INTERIORBY LISA M. ROBINSON
Allow yourself the benefit of living in your outdoor re-treat without the hassle of insects or solar glare. Since 1992, Phantom Screens (www.phantomscreens.com) has provided retractable screening solutions to its
customers and is now a supplier of motorized Executive Screens for use on decks and patios, as well as for use in large window ap-plications for sun and heat control. Ron Somers, vice president of sales and marketing at Phantom Screens, says, “We have always
placed high value on Phantom’s ability to give our customers premium quality customizable retractable screen solutions that perfectly fit their home and lifestyle.”
The people of the Okanagan Valley are fortunate to have Levon Symonds as their authorized distributor, having 13 years experi-ence with Phantom Screens. He helps customers in their research and purchase of their own motorized screens. “In the Okanagan, it is quite common for people to want the large motorized Ex-ecutive Screens to enclose their decks and patios to protect from sun and insects, Symond says. “Wind and sun sensors combined with timers make it easy to leave the screens unattended while you play out on the lake or work, and come home afterward to a shaded, bug-free environment where you can enjoy your BBQ and relax.” Although charcoal and grey are the most common colours chosen, there are many other colours available as well.
“With the many different types of architecture in the Okana-gan, motorized Executive Screens can be planned for and placed in new buildings, or major remodels using a recessed implemen-tation. This means that the mechanisms and side tracks of the screens are completely hidden without affecting the architectural aesthetics of the building. When you are not using the screens, they can be retracted into the housing without disrupting the view,” Symonds says.
Okanagan HOME Summer 201134
yaac
gintascathv
When a client wants Phantom retractable screens, but does not want to disrupt the existing building structure, the screens can be surface mounted in a protective housing that is carefully matched to the architecture of the building. When not in use, they are completely retracted into the housing out of view and harm’s way. Symonds says, “Executive Screens can be integrated into ev-ery type of architectural style, including wood, brick, stucco, natural stone and concrete.”
These screens are able to cover a single opening up to 25 feet wide and 16 feet high, and as small an open-ing as 27 inches in width with heights depending on the particular application. There are many different levels of sun control and openness factors to choose from for any particular setting or situation.
They are easy to maintain and store, they reduce solar heat gain and energy consumption, and give the clients extra privacy while not compromising the use of natural daylight, ventilation,
or views of the surrounding area. Phantom retractable screen solutions have a limited lifetime
warranty and are known for their after-sales support. While the majority of screening requests are residential, they have also
completed commercial projects in the Kelowna area such as the Predator Ridge Golf Resort, Honda car dealership, and Schell Dental Ceramics.
Ron Somers tells cus-tomers: “We don’t just sell screens, instead, we help our clients merge indoor and outdoor spaces, enhancing and promoting the exterior living experience while blending the home and landscape around it. We have always placed high value on Phantom’s abil-ity to give our customers
premium quality, customizable retractable screen solutions that perfectly fit their home and lifestyle.” With such dedication to quality and service, Phantom Screens is a first choice solution to your screening needs.
Okanagan HOME Summer 2011 35
BY ROSS FREAKE
In
up from Penticton and breaks around my house; you can see the storm frontcoming up. We have a whole variety of birds and fi sh; it’s a naturalist’s dream living here. It’s quite a beautiful development. I think Tom would be pleased. It’s a very special place.” The waterfront community—with aprivate sandy beach, lakeside salt-water pool and hot tub, clubhouse with a gym and games rooms—is a gated neighbourhood close to schools, shops and restaurants. Every house has boat moorage and shares in the beauty of the lush landscape and lake side setting.
The 30 homes in South Bay Landing were custom built by Kelowna-based Rykon Developments, which also built Manteo Resort in Kelownaand the Sonoma Pines subdivision in West Kelowna.
Koeda Hardwood Floors (www.koedawood.com) is the local business that did amazing fl ooring at South Bay Landing. Koeda combines expert workmanship with the fi nest products and customer satisfaction as its guid-ing principle. “We handcraft and custom make wide plank hardwood fl oors using environmentally friendly European hard wax oil as the fi nish. Koeda is much like a chef with no specifi c menu, creating your signature dish,” says Phil Taneda, of the company.
“We spend time with the client to fi nd out exactly what they want using their input and imagination and working with them to make it all come together. The company is known for having a personal feel and creates asample fi rst adding texture, distressing, hand scraping and even acid etch-ing the wood to create wonderful unique one-of-a-kind fl oors for each cus-tomer.”
South Bay Landing enchanted the Realtors originally hired to market it; Jane Hoffman and Kristy Huber of Coldwell Banker Jane Hoffman Group (www.janehoffman.com), worked alongside the developer, Adrian Block,and were drawn into the magical subdivision when it was still raw land.
“I loved that property,” Jane says. “It was unbelievable to mar-ket; it was such a beautiful property. Through the whole process, I kept saying to myself, ‘I should have a place here,’ but I didn’twant to stand in the way of other people because there was sucha high demand. Every day I went to that property, it re-inforcedwhat an amazing lakeshore site it was. But when one of my cli-ents decided not to proceed, I thought, ‘this is my opportunity.’”
While Kristy fell under South Bay’s spell as well, she was ap-prehensive about buying because she thought most buyers would be retired, or looking for a vacation home.
“I wasn’t sure that I, with a young family, would fi t in. Therewas some hesitation, but it’s in a great neighbourhood with ac-cess to Anne McClymont Elementary and I quickly found out other young families were identifying with the proximity to ame-nities and I thought this would be a good investment. It’s easycare; you just lock up and go.”
As for the owners at South Bay, Kristy comments:“Some owners live here year around and other come and go throughout the year. It’s an ideal summer-vacation
spot without the maintenance.”One of the designers in the project was Felix Westerkamp from
Bauhaus Designs (www.bauhausdesigns.com) who designed adozen of these fi ne homes.
While Jane lives on the lake, Kristy’s house is just steps away. “It would be lovely to see that water, but you can walk 50 feet and sit on the beach.” Says Kristy, “We have the use of all the ameni-ties and access to the beach and waterfront.”
When you step inside each of these homes, you are reminded that each is custom built and unique. Jane Hoffman Group is cur-rently marketing 4 homes in South Bay Landing ranging in price from $1,799,000 to $2,595,000 and each will attract a differenttype of buyer.
Truly setting South Bay Landing apart from other gated com-munities, is the state-of-the-art wharf that offers boat moorage for each home. “It’s a special thing to be able to walk out of your front door and step onto your boat for an evening cruise down the lake” says Kristy. “Very few lakeside communities offer thisconvenience - it’s what makes South Bay so desirable.”
Okanagan HOME Summer 201140RoyalTreatmentB y R a y m o n d o e l r i c h
P h o t o g r a p h e d b y S h a w n T a l b o t
“For a man’s house
Okanagan HOME Summer 2011 41
- Sir Edward Coke
Many men make their home a castle, but how many
build two castles side by side 30 years apart? Not
many, but one unique couple did just that. They
bought not one, but two fine view lots on Mount
Royal, built their first home in 1983, the second, on the adjoining lot
just last year. Both homes were built by owner Ron Bartz, the former
owner of Glenmore Millwork, located at the base of Knox Mountain.
Ron was so impressed with the area he bought two lots, side by side and
saved one to build on later. Both homes were designed by Denis Apchin
(www.Apchin.com) nearly three decades apart.
- Sir Edward Coke
is his castle”
Okanagan HOME Summer 201142
the second lot all this time. Then during Christmas 2008 Ron ap-proached me to design their new house on their adjoining lot. I was very honoured and grateful for the opportunity to design their second home.”
“Denis designed my first home 28 years ago and I am very happy with his designs,” owner Ron Bartz agreed.
“The first house was a unique design for its time however it has become somewhat dated by the use of materials of the time,” Denis added.
“The new design has a Prairie influence with large functional overhangs and is more timeless in design. There was a challeng-
“Ron and Evelyn owned Glenmore Millwork in 1980 when they supplied the windows and interior doors for the first house I designed and built in Kelowna” Denis said as we talked over coffee about his four-decade career in home design and building in Kelowna.
“Glenmore Millwork (www.glenmoremillwork.ca) continued to supply numerous houses for me in the coming years. I assume Ron and Evelyn liked my plans that were coming across their desk so when it came time for them to build their own house in 1983 they hired me to design their house. Ron originally bought two lots side by side in the Mount Royal subdivision and held
Okanagan HOME Summer 2011 43
ing cross slope on the curved corner lot so the decision was to make the driveway approach from the lowest point of the lot and set the main floor elevation so a second garage could be built under a suspended concrete slab of the main garage,” Denis ex-plained as he showed me the photos of the second home, pointing out various features of the second home. He pointed out the upper and lower garage can park seven vehicles inside without looking out of place in the neighbourhood.
The new home features 18 rooms with several bedrooms and six bathrooms in a total of 5,200 sq. feet.
DF Robinson Construction was the contractor that built the lat-
ter home with Ron. “I believe in having hands-on approach as a contractor, so that
I can ensure quality craftsmanship to the home owner’s specifica-tions every step of the way,” said builder Duncan Robinson.
“From the site excavation to the construction of the 16’ tall back concrete walls, the finished product is well worth the challenge posed by the ideal siting of this home. Strong relationships and communication with the home owners, architect and sub-trades were the key for this project to become the home it is today,” Duncan confirmed.
“Yes, the house has a traditional feel with modern convenience
Okanagan HOME Summer 2011
and melds in with the architecture of the neighbourhood,” Ron added.
The home has a self-cleaning, energy efficient glass wine cel-lar, granite counters, state-of the art kitchen with warming ovens, cooling drawers, high efficiency stove and oven and fridge.
“It was our pleasure to have the opportunity to work with Ron and Evelyn in contributing all the granite work in their
dream home” Gerry said about their home. Stone Quest Granite (www.StoneQuestGranite.com) is proud to stock the largest selec-tion of some of the most premium quality granite in the Okanagan. “Evelyn and her designers were very hands on with deciding what granite to go with as well as the lay-out of it. They were here at our shop so often that we joked about offering them part time em-ployment”.
“We realize that there is much more to granite and engineered stone than people may know, and our knowledgeable staff tries to make every customer as educated as possible so that in the end they are happy and comfortable with the decision they have made. We
are sincerely happy that Ron and Evelyn are pleased with the end result.” The Bartz agreed, “The work they did was just fantastic and we love the kitchen.”
The cabinetry and millwork were done by Okanagan Classic Cabinets and Millwork (www.OkanaganClassicCabinet.blogspot.com) owned by Don Banman and Son-in-Law Matt Leveck.
44
Okanagan HOME Summer 2011 45
“We considered it a privi-lege when the Bartz’s asked them to do some unique cabinetry in their new home,” Don said. “We feel we brought a wealth of ex-perience into the equation in the production and instal-lation of the Bartz job. “It was an awesome responsi-bility to bring the dreams and desires of the Bartz’s into functionality and af-fordability. The reward for us is when the job is com-plete as planned,” says Don, “because we produce and finish our own product we are very able to build what’s needed. We wish the Bartz’s many years of enjoyment in their new home.” This home has a very unique look to it on the exte-rior. Scooby’s Masonry did all of the masonry work on the home which contributed to that look. Their company was established in 2003. Chad Ivan, the owner of the company was born and raised in Kelowna. He learned the trade from his grandfather and uncle who were masons in Kelowna so masonry is in his blood. He spe-cializes in high end projects with natural stones being the major-
ity of their work, which also includes any masonry need: cultured stone, brick, glass block and concrete blocks. “We did all of the interior and exterior rock work at the Bartz residence. The rock was a K2 stone product called Ocean Mist Ledge stone. We laid it with a tight fit joint in a horizontal manner,” said Chad.
Both Bartz’ residences enhance the neighbourhood of Mount Royal and will always be a ‘castle fit for a king AND queen’ for decades to come.
HomeHHHHBY DEANNA MERRICK
Step inside a tiny cottage nestled in an orchard or
a majestic lakefront estate and take in your sur-
roundings. Regardless of size, a homeowner’s
selection of furniture says a lot about them and
their lifestyle.
Furnishings and accessories are put together to cre-
ate a room’s character, which in turn gives you a glimpse
into the character of those who live there. Are they laid
back, artistic, active or formal? Do they love to congre-
gate in a big kitchen or settle in on sumptuous leath-
er chairs in front of a roaring fi re? Is theirs a home
designed for entertaining? y y
Pebblecreek Custom Design Furniture - “Once you choose thefurniture pieces to build your room, the furnishings and accesso-ries are what pull it together,” says Jennifer Seib of PebblecreekCustom Design Furniture (www.pebblecreekdesign.com). “Alongwith our 100% BC-made furniture, Pebblecreek carries a variety of home décor and accessories that make your house feel like home. From lighting and mirrors to artwork and décor, we have
an array of items that will comple-ment almost anyhome.”
“We were able to furnish our beau-tiful home over-looking the lake with solid-woodfurnishings that evoke the quality and craftsmanship
of a by-gone era,but are defi nitely in keeping with the times,” says Carmen Sch-neider. “Jennifer helped me fi nd lovely decorative pieces to fi n-ish it all off, blending effortlessly what we already had with items from Pebblecreek to create an environment that truly welcomesall who enter our home.”
Bones & Stones Decor - is Kelowna’s most unique home de-cor store. From the moment you step in to our store, you’ll feellike you stepped back in time.
Your eyes will be fi lled with wonder as you browse our incred-ible selection of minerals, fossils, fi ne art from local artists and you will also love our selection of unique jewellery.
Bones & Stones Decor (www.bonesandstonesdecor.com) is agem in the heart of Kelowna. For home and offi ce decor and exqui-site personal trea-sures, you willfi nd fi ne art, natu-ral jewelery and museum qualityfossils and min-erals. We carry a selection for the novice to the ex-pert collector. Our home decor products are real conversation pieces. Looking for that WOW piece? It can be found at Bones & Stones Decor.
New shipment of crystals and minerals has arrived! Kelowna’sfi nest crystals, minerals, and fossils are now on display at Bones& Stones Decor Ltd.
Advantage Blinds -Since window coverings were invented, theyhave played an integral role in controlling the environments in our homes. They are an investment that needs to be functional andalso fashionable. With all the different design styles and tastes it is important to choose a window covering that matches the dé-cor. “When dealing with contemporary designs, it is favorable to choose a product that will maintain clean lines and an open feel,”says Colin Hsu of Advantage Blinds (www.advantageblinds.ca). “Screen shadesare a very popu-lar contemporarychoice because of their excellent func-tionality and sleekappearance. Withtraditional designs,textured fabric se-lections are com-monly seen becausethey have the abilityto soften a space and make it feel cozier.“Just remember that while design is number one on the priority list, the proper window covering should alsoprovide privacy, control heat and glare and provide views when needed. Window coverings not only determine how you see the world, but how the world sees you.”
In Style Home Décor -Mona Mueller at In Style Home Decor & Furnishings (www.instylehomedecor.ca) says, “We pride our-selves in carrying a wide variety of reasonably priced solid woodfurniture to enhance your living space.From contemporary solid maple made in B.C., rustic beetle kill pine made locally, to rustic pine, alligator juniper and equi-pale imported from Mexico, In Style has a little something for every home. “Whether renovating or redecorating, from end
tables to mag-nifi cent live edge dining table up to 3” thick, we carry a wide variety of unique furniture pieces that compli-ment most decorat-ing styles. We can alsoprovide an ex-tensive varietyof accessories to
enhance your home, yard and outdoor living space such as in-door and outdoor pottery, lighting, copper sinks and table tops, forged iron mirrors, metal yard art, weather-proof canvas art andtalavera. In Style Home Decor & Furnishings is your interiordesigner’s best kept secret.”
Marshall’s Home Furnishings - James Marshall, proprietor of Marshall’s Home Furnishings (www.mar-shallshomefurnishings.com), says today’s look is an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional designs. Marshall’s Home Furnishings has hundreds of designsthat work well individually or mixed with other pieces. In place of the traditional matching seven-piece-bed-room-suite, for example, today’s bedrooms might in-clude a fabric headboard and a media unit with drawers in place of a dresser. Living rooms can be pulled to-gether with a variety of couches, chairs and accessoriesof varied colours, textures and sizes.
Colours are an important backdrop for any furnish-ings. Hot wall colours include blue, browns, gray or gray-blue and taupe, to name a few. Furnishings, too, are full of colour. Look for couches and chairs in vi-brant colours like orange, purple, yellow, red and green.A solid colour sofa will come to life with bright toss pillows.
Marshall’s offers their on-site designers to work with clients to achieve the look they want. Almost every-thing can be customized, allowing you to dress up or down anything from a chair to an entire room. You can even mix and match different woods.
“Regardless of the size of the home or the individualbudget, you can freshen up a room. Coffee tables, occa-sional tables, fresh paint and a few new accessories can accomplish that with ease,” says Marshall.
KELOWNA KLOSETSBY LISA M. ROBINSON
Whether in the plan-ning stages for build-ing, or just renovat-ing, Kelowna Klosets
(www.kelownaklosets.com) will help you organize your home or business. Bedrooms, pantries, offi ces, storage rooms and garages are just some of their specialties.
For total home organization, Kelow-na Klosets works directly with the cus-tomer. They will either come to your home for an estimate, or work from your blue prints to create storage spacesthat fi t your lifestyle and needs. Craig and Linda Jaffray, owners of Kelowna Klosets, handle the sales, design andinstallation, and oversee all companyoperations from Vernon to Osoyoos.
Craig Jaffray says that with thelarge degree of variation in quality of melamine furniture board on the mar-ket, “We have made a choice to use only the best board available for qual-
ity and strength, as well as extremely low emissions, and fromcompanies that have sustainable forestry practises. As well weonly use seventy-fi ve inch melamine board as it is stronger and
looks better.”A wide range of fi nishes, colours,
hardware, and accessories are availableto customize closets and storage areasto suit tastes and budgets. Some ideas for customers are fold-down ironingboards, slide out mirrors, belt and tieracks, and wine and spice racks. Jaffrayconfi dently says they guarantee their products for as long as the customer owns them.
Kelowna Klosets “specialize in total home organization, with a variety of wood and wire fi nishes to suit any life-style and budget. We’ve been organiz-ing the Okanagan for over 10 years, and have the experience and expertise to han-dle almost any project. Our installers are very experienced and professional, andour fi nishing practices are above and be-yond industry standards. Our installers also have the ability to do on site modi-fi cations and customization that most
other companies can’t do.”
LivinggggBY CYNTHIA JOHNSTONE
Sun Country Furniture - Carol Dodge, the founder andpresident of Sun Country Furniture (www.suncountryfurniture.com), has been traveling around the globe for the last 16 yearsin the search of the most skilled craftsman and artisans to se-cure the highest quality and most compelling outdoor furnishings available.
Often called the“furniture hunter of Canada”, Dodge has un-earthed treasures from throughout Asia her entire career. “Most of the world’s best furni-ture manufactures are in China, Vietnam, Indo-nesia and other parts of that continent,” explains Dodge.
“I am thrilled with this year’s collection of teak,cast aluminum and out-door rattan features some extraordinary items in-cluding some pieces that are eco-friendly, perfect for a green outdoor living experience,” she adds.
“Most outdoor furniture stores buy their inventory through a middleman which adds to the expense of an item, however,
thanks to long-standing relationships with overseas manufactur-ers of some of the best patio furniture manufacturers, we can buy top-quality furniture factory direct from the source, resulting in substantial savings to consumers.”
The benefi ts to the consumer of Dodge’s around-the-world shopping treks are ac-cess to new, cutting-edge products, one-of-a-kind-items and the best furniture, decorativeitems and artefacts, at affordable prices. Their collection for 2011 fea-tures the latest SunbrellaFabrics.
“Outdoor furnishings extend the living spaceof a home to the back-yard add a fi re pit new for this year and you have created ambiancewell into the evening,”explains Dodge.
“We like to think of ourselves as complete
‘backyard outfi tters’ and we are confi dent that we can make a patio or backyard as beautiful and well-appointed as the inside of a home and be the envy of the neighbourhood.”
Valley Pools - The sound of spilling water vanishing over theedge . . . a glassy refl ection of the sky overhead. The drama of up-lit trees and a fl oating patio, steaks on the custom-built grill, and friends and family gathered around the sunken fi re pit. “Our custom water creations go well beyond ‘a swimming pool.’ In fact, they’re outdoor destinations,” says Gene Brown of ValleyPool and Spa (www.valleypoolandspa.com).
Good design and construction are not limited to high-end pools. There is a vast se-lection of poolsto choose fromand fi t most bud-gets. Pools comein various shapesand sizes as well as fi nishes. Con-crete, fi breglass or vinyls are the mostpopular choices inthe marketplacetoday.
Design for the pool and yard is equally important as the homedesign itself. “Do the sightlines fl ow from the house...across theyard...from an upstairs window?” asks Brown. These minute considerations are important when choosing a water vessel. “Wetry to bring the indoors out to the yard by pulling materials used inside such as tile, stone and colors. This helps the fl ow of thehome.” Is the style of the house being brought to the pool?
Van-Kel Irrigation - The Okanagan is all about the outdoor liv-ing experience. Van-Kel (www.vankel.ca) is all about providing you with the tools to create that experience. From concept to com-pletion Van-Kel can help. From a simple landscape enhancement,to a total property overhaul with irrigation, timer, pond, waterfall, drainage system and complete mood enhancing lighting package, look no further. Van-Kel is your one-stop wholesale for every-thing you may need. Van-Kel Irrigation is the Okanagan’s oldest
and most trustedprovider of irri-gation, landscap-ing and outdoor lighting solu-tions. With over 40 years servingBritish Colum-bia, Van-Kel hasearned the repu-tation of provid-ing the industry’s premier service
and expertise.If you have “the vision” of what you want but don’t have time
to create it yourself, rest assured that Van-Kel’s extensive rela-tionships with the Okanagan’s leading designers and contractors can jump to the task, creating your dream yard in the most effec-tive and economical manner. Please drop by our brand new store to meet our team. You won’t be disappointed.
Timberhaven - Founded by Scott Ross in 2002, Timber-haven (www.timberhaven.ca) is headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Building homes since 1989 Scott established his style after building a one million dollar spec home to showcase his passionand vision for post and beam style construction.
Timberhaven Homes has a successful history of designingand constructing post and beam style construction, each proj-ect is promotingan architecturethat evolves out of combining the relationship be-tween the site,the building andthe needs of theclients, deliveringa one of a kind product every time. Our style ishands on, on site,maintaining quality control on each project, focused on providingexclusivity to the client and their building site, never building the same house twice.
“We’re seeing more and more outdoor kitchen areas,” Ross says. “More outdoor living areas.”
StoneMakers North - There’s nothing like lounging in the yard and hearing the trickle of a waterfall or hosting a barbecue on a new decorative patio.
Now available in the Okanagan Valley, StoneMakers North(www.stonemakersnorth.com) designs and builds hardscapesfrom concrete to emulate any style of natural stone.
Invented and tested in the United States, the process signifi es a sea change in choices for the hard elements in a landscaping
plan. “This is abrand new optionfor people who want a uniqueand creative out-door feature that looks just likereal stonework,” says StoneMak-ers North presi-dent Mark Ilott.“There’s more fl exibility in the
design phase and anything the customer can imagine can usually be built in a few days.”
StoneMakers North already has projects dotting the landscape around Kelowna — a retaining wall here, a water feature there — and the concept is catching on fast.
Wicker Land Patio
www.WickerLand.ca
Okanaganag ’s Largest Patio Furniture Selectiongs
2573 Hwy 97 North (One Block North of Costco on Hwy. 97) (250) 862-2011
All Weather Resin Wicker, Cast Aluminum, Wrought Iron and Recycled Plastic
Wicker Land - Bring comfort, style and everlasting beauty to your outdoor space. Casual Living at Its Best!
The popular new line and items these days are our New Wrought Iron collections with natural stone top tables and matching fi re table. Fire table are increasing in popularity due to the fact thatthey allow us to spend more time outdoors, especially on a chillyKelowna summer evening. OW Lee, the premium luxury namein casual furni-ture and acces-sories. Beauti-ful handcraftedwrought iron andaluminum pa-tio furniture in-cluding dining,Deep Seating,Fire Tables.
Create an out-door living spacethat is as comfort-able as your living room. At Wicker Land (www.wickerland.ca) we allow you topick and choose pieces, frame colors and fabrics to suite your personal style. We have hundreds of indoor/outdoor materials that are UV and fade resistant (5 Year No Fade Warranty), you can leave the cushions out all spring, summer, fall and even hose them off to clean them.
TRL Landscapes - According to Tim Roth, owner of TRLLandscapes, his company creates remarkable landscapes withminimal impact on the environment.
By creating a unique underground reservoir system that collectsrainwater from the roof and eaves of homes it is easily one of the most brilliant water conservation ideas yet. The water is storedunderground and is then tapped back into the homeowner’s irriga-
tion system. Thisunique method is what separatesTRL from therest. From usingnatural rock for retaining walls and stairs, to us-ing rainwater for irrigation, they take advantageof every naturalresource. Hav-ing your backyard
torn up for the installation is frightening for some people, but TRL insures that everything will look back to normal once theyare done. “Although we are a small company with over 1.5 mil-lion gallons of water saved last year alone, it has a huge impact on our community.” says Roth. TRL Landscapes is ‘Saving theOkanagan one raindrop at a time’”
Martin Lofts - In an era where developers squeeze every last unit into a project maximizing density in hopes of big profi ts, theconcept of outdoor living space has gone by the way side.
Tim and Ted Olenczuk, developers of Kelowna’s multi award winning Martin Lofts (www.martinlofts.ca) saw a need for amore euro approach to condo living. They sacrifi ced density toincorporate splendidly large, engineered patios for their loft units.With outdoor spac-es as large as 900sq. ft. a loft owner can have the lock and leave lifestyleof condo living,an amazing down-town location and through a set of patio doors awaits an outdoor oasis like no other in this price range.
Built to handle a full size hot tub, a couple large citrus trees, the most elaborate patio furniture and your Okanagan pre-requisite sun loungers this perfectly private patio was made to entertain.
The remaining fi ve loft suites with new 2011 pricing, can have you relaxing on the patio of your ultra chic downtown loft for under $500,000. For more info contact the luxury sales profes-sionals at Vantage West Realty.
Rafter 4K Contracting Ltd. - (www.rafter4k.com) will helpyou realize your backyard visions by offering the ultimate in in-novative, unique, green, products and quality customer serviceand satisfaction. The Okanagan contracting company has been operating for 20 years under Norm Kneller’s direction. Rafter 4K understands everyone’s needs are different and will take the time to listen to your ideas and help design a fun, relaxing, functional
space. Along with l a n d s c a p i n g , decks, pergolas and staircases,some of the newer sought after fea-tures that will help transform your back yard creation or reno-vation into that perfect oasis are; outdoor kitchens,
cabana bar/en-tertainment areas, a pool change house or storage building, fi re pits and water features. Norm reminds people “create the perfect setting with some well placed privacy fencing or some custom designed furniture to put your personal signature on it”. What-ever your desire, Rafter 4K is here to listen and get you relaxingeconomically in your own backyard. Contact us today for a free expert consultation!
Valley Canvas & Awning - Combinefuctional elegance with decorative ap-peal to enhance the architecture of any home. They are the perfect addition to any residence and protect interior drapes and furnishings from fading. They can be used to extend your living space over pool and patios. Awnings conserve en-ergy by shading windows and reducingindoor temperatures. Because awnings prevent the sun’s heat from entering your home, they can reduce air condi-tioning costs by as much as 25 per cent.“Our deck awnings use an engineeringconcept called ‘lateral arms’ which re-tract and extend over your living space as and when you need the shade,” according to the Valley Canvas web site (www.valleycanvas.com). “Whennot in use they retract out of the way to create unobtrusive convenient shading.”
These lateral arms are the most popu-lar style of retractable awning for decks and large outdoor spaces. They me-chanically draw the fabric off a rotating drum, keeping the fabric nice and tightall the way.
Top Quality Flooring at Factory Direct Prices
H A R D W O O D N A T U R A L S T O N E
T I L E L A M I N A T E
C A R P E T V I N Y L C O R K
G L A S S
2720 HWY 97 - Across from Jacobsens - 250.868.8501 www.tileandstonekelowna.com
Tile and Stone Factory Direct Flooring (www.tileand-stonekelowna.com) has given new meaning to the words “Factory Direct”. Boasting the largest selection of cash and carry inventory of tile and stone fl ooring in the Okanagan, we now also specialize in all the most current styles of fl oor-ing. When you visit our new 11,000 sq. ft showroom andoutlet centre you will fi nd carpet, vinyl, cork, hardwoods and laminates.
And to add to the strong structure of signature lines is our talented staff of educated fl ooring consultants who will teachyou what you need to know about “fl ooring” your home.
“The current economic climate is certainly making cus-tomers more wary of how they spend there hard earned dollars” says Shane Brown, manager. “We certainly re-spect and appreciate that the decision to buy fl oors merits trust and respect, and we certainly want our clients leaving
Prices start at $448,800 for a fully fi nished four-bedroom 2,474square foot home, including central air, double car garage, stone fi replace, granite and hardwood. The craftsmanship is second-to-none.
“For me it was the price, peaceful location and quality of the home,” says Corey O’Neil, Rohit’s representative in Kelowna
living at Cypress Point himself.
Cypress Point homesare proudly offeredby the award winning “Builder of the Year” Rohit Group of Compa-nies that draws on more than 25 years of expe-rience to ensure your complete satisfaction.Rohit Communities ex-panded into British Co-lumbia just two years ago from Edmontonand has already pickedup numerous Tommie
Awards. The company is known for superior craftsmanship and innovative design.
If you have not been to the show homes, it’s worth your whileto check them out. Beautifully crafted, elegant fi nishings and stunning views . . . imagine yourself home.
Welcoming and elegant, the development’s attached homes boast spacious living with luxury fi nishings, soaring 9 and 10foot ceilings and large outdoor living spaces. The open concept makes the homes airy and spacious.
Private outdoor entertaining is the signature element of all homes with each residence specifi cally designed to maximizeoutdoor living with generous walkouts, pa-tios and decks.
Spectacular pan-oramic views showcasethe forest, Lake Okana-gan, ponds, and theBlack Mountain Golf Course. On the exterior,Cypress Point homesare steeped in excep-tional architecture and craftsmanship with rich earth elements includ-ing stone and timber accents.
There are nine re-maining distinct homeplans that are intelligently confi gured with master bedrooms onthe main fl oor, large pantries, and if you want it there are planswith offi ce space, HD movie theatres, and large recreation rooms for pool tables and more.
THE ROOFING STORE . . . EVERYTHING YOU NEED UNDER ONE . . . ROOF!
BY KERI-LYNN OELRICH
The Roofi ng Store (www.roofi ngstore.ca) opened upits newest branch in Kelow-na in the summer of 2010.
The roofi ng material displays show off the amazing variety of roofi ng product choices you can select for your home.Whether you are re-roofi ng an existing home, or building your dream home,there is something for everyone.
You will be amazed at how much better curb appeal, looks, and style can be created by choosing a triple layer shingle instead of the typical thinner shingles used by builders today. For only a little bit more you can createoutstanding curb appeal. Executiveclass homes can have concrete tiles or wood shakes installed onthem to create the desired architecture.
“But with today’s fi re restrictions and cedar shake’s fi re haz-ards, one should not use wood shakes anymore in our region,”
says Ken Lillejord, president and CEO of All Weather Products– The Roofi ng Store. “But Luxury Look Ultimate texture shingles such as CertainTeed’s Landmark TL or Presidential TL Ultimate,
you can have Class A fi re rated roof-ing shingles, along with the ultimate of roofi ng thickness and texture. The bo-nus you receive is that the roofi ng can stand up to punishing winds and storms signifi cantly better than typical ‘build-er’s grade’ economy class thin shingles.What a great choice.”
Another featured item of The Roof-ing Store is its custom sheet metal shop. They can shear and break many types of sheet metal, and they specialize incustom-made fl ashings made to order. All Weather Products also manufactur-ers its own metal roofi ng profi les. Ev-ery order is custom-cut specifi c to the lengths you require for each home, cab-in, or commercial building. Our Snap ‘n Lock panels are easy to install, they
have hidden fasteners, and are cut to the exact length you require. It’s just that easy! The Roofi ng Store is a one-stop shop for allyour roofi ng needs. Great selection, fabulous showroom, good advice and great value!
FLOORING CANADABY ROSS FREAKE
Perry Hildebrandt still has the thread and needle he used when his dad taught him to hand-sew carpet when hewas 10.
And he still uses theadvice his father gave him on how to treat people, and how to run a successful company.
“Dad told me a long time ago, ‘love people and use things,’ and I try to do that,” said the owner of Kelowna’s Flooring Canada, a merchandising and buying co-op with 500 stores in North America. “A guy has to follow his gut and have a sense of what is the right thingto do.”
While the mechanics of hisbusiness is selling and install-ing fl ooring, Hildebrandt sells something more important
— peace of mind. “When you buy from me, if there’s a problem, whether an installation problem or a product problem, you phone one number.”
While many people harped on the economic downturn, Hildeb-randt used it to examine his values and business.
“The recession has been a huge eye-opener and helped me cen-tre and think about the company. We’re a medium to high-end com-pany and we have to charge for what we’re doing and we’re notapologizing for it.“I did a tally on the sales staff and the average is 25 years in the business, and, as a result, people are getting good ad-vice. I don’t have to worry aboutmistakes; we make them, but that’sthe way it is.”
Because of experience mistakes are few and when he or an em-ployee makes a mistake, they fi x it and learn from it because account-ability is high on Hildebrandt’s list
When he got tired of being a travelling salesman, Hildebrandt accepted the invitation from a client to take over his company,
which he sold three years later, andbought the Kelowna store in 1994,with a partner, who he bought out three years later. “He still works at the store and is my go-to guy for advice.”
Most businesses talk about cus-tomer service, but Hildebrandt backs it with superb warranties in-cluding Confi dence Plus, which en-sures if within 60 days after installa-tion of his best products, customerschanges their minds, he will replaceit and pay for labour, no questions asked. “We do a lot insurance workand when they need something,they need it done quickly and thecontractor involved in the claim needs us to show up on time and doa proper job.”
He takes that kind of attentionand accountability with every cus-tomer, no matter how small. “I have
customers who are surprised when we show up on the days we said we would. Our customers come to us because of the care they get from experienced people.”
of values. “The other day a supplier shipped me wrong tile. It wasn’t their fault; it was here a day or two. I should have openedthe box when it fi rst got here. He screwed up, but I’m still the one ac-countable.
“We have a process, and guess who put the process in place and guess who is not following it? I hada heart to heart with my staff, andtold them there’s something I wantto change about myself and that’sto be accountable to my own pro-cess.”
Hildebrandt hadn’t planned to bea businessman with a philosophicattitude; he was going to be a law-yer, but after a year at college, de-cided to check other options. Whilehe was mulling over those options,his dad suggested he work as a car-pet installer.
“I was an installer for 3 1/2 hours and the installers came back to theoffi ce said we don’t want him any-more. I hit the walls a few times and we had to repaint the room.
“Dad said. ‘after lunch put the samples in the car, you’re a salesman,’ and I never stopped.”
YOUR OWN OASISBY ROSS FREAKE
Deanna Stone grew up in Alberta, but spent her sum-mers in B.C., and dreamed of owning lakefront prop-erty.
Stone now lives in Kelowna and has achieved her childhood dream of owning a house on the lake, one she shares with her Alberta family.
While Wood Lake Villas, a 20-townhome complex on WoodLake outside Kelowna was built by an Alberta developer for Albertan vacationers, Stone lives there year-round. Her family — parents, sis-ters and their family — arrives on the May long weekend and staysuntil the September long weekend.
“We were looking for something on a lake and Okanagan Lake is much too expensive,” said Stone, a lawyer at Pushor Mitchell inKelowna. “Wood Lake is a nice ski lake and that was what we were looking for.”
Stone and her family were im-pressed by the location, the development, the beach, the lake — re-garded by many as the best water-sports lake in the Okanagan — and the two-storey townhomes.
“The quality of the fi nishings was the big thing. We have a Sub-zero fridge and a Wolf range, which I thinkOprah Winfrey has. All the fi nishings were amazing, all high qual-ity, even the fans and blinds in the bedrooms. The guest bedrooms are full size, so whenmy family comes out for two months, they aren’t cramped.
“The dock was another big thing. We have our own slip andprivate beach. Compared to Okanagan Lake property, it was three-quarters to half the price.”
Each unit in the gated community has a grade-level entranceat the front and a large patio at the rear, a double garage withone stall deep enough for a ski boat. The 2,000 square foot unitsalso includes nine-foot ceilings on the main fl oor, gas feature fi re-place, three bedrooms and three designer bathrooms.
There has been liberal use of granite, tile and hardwood on countertops and fl oors, maple cabinets, wrought and maple banis-ters and a steam shower. External fi nishings include hardy siding
and natural stone accents and concrete slate roof.Ben Duckworth, project manager for builder Scuka Enterpris-
es, was impressed with the dock, and the high-end development in general.
“There’s a lot of detailed tile work, especially in the master ensuites with river-rock pebble tile fl oors and mosaic tile pieces. The exterior fi nishes are also high end: they have tile roofs and stone work on the front facade of each unit.
“The ground prep was also unique. It was technically engi-neered because of the ground conditions on the beach. Every-
thing was over-dug and we put down geo-grid, a plastic mesh laid on the dirt, and we brought in rip-rap base.”
The appeal of Wood Lake Villas isn’t restricted to the hot, summer days and the worship of sun, sandand water. While Stone’s fam-ily spends most of the summer at Wood Lake — for the boating, thegolfi ng and the wineries — they also come during the winter for aweek of skiing. Silver Star is 45 minutes away while Big White and Crystal Mountain are an hour’s
drive.Even though the com-
munity is new — it was built in 2008 — Stonesaid the sense of neigh-bourhood is already de-veloping, helped by thefact that some people from Alberta, who own most of the homes, knew each other before buy-ing. “During the day, thekids will be playing onbeach, and families are out in the driveway chat-ting. Everyone is happy
to be there.”Chris Cameron and his family are always happy to be there
— fi ve weeks in the summer and weekends in winter. Eventually,he’ll be there full time.
“We used to have a condo next door,” said the Calgary accoun-tant who has been coming to the Okanagan for 20 years. “Wood Lake Villas is a beautiful place to live; the backyard is like your own oasis with shrubs, fl owers and trees and a view of the hill-side. We water-ski, golf, bicycle, walk, barbecue and now we can play tennis with the new tennis courts within sight.
“It’s a great place to raise a family and/or vacation. There aretons of facilities and lots to do. We will eventually retire here.”
Tom Styles has been coming to the Okanagan since he was a
teen and with his wife, Marisa,and their three children for 10years. He and his family havestayed at the big resorts onOkanagan Lake and evenowned at the Outback in Ver-non, but sold to move intoWood Lake Villas. He alsoloves the fact that he gets two lakes for the price of onebecause Wood Lake is con-nected to Kalamalka by canal.When he has the time and in-clination, he can hop into his boat and cruise all the way toVernon.
“Wood Lake is a much better lake for water sports.” said the Calgary Realtor.“We prefer it over Okanagan Lake hands down because it’s much calmer and not nearlyas busy. We can put our boat out in the spring and leave it there; there’s no other placeyou can do that when you’re sharing boat slips.
“Another reason I like it there: we’re closeto the airport and I can zip away if I had to. We have the best of both worlds: it’s quiet and peaceful, yet close to restaurants andshopping in Kelowna. We’re in a small com-plex where we not dealing with a lot of own-ers; it’s like a small community.”
That was Eric Proppe’s and Walter Zuk’sintention when they developed Wood LakeVillas.
“Mr. Zuk and a group of us owned it for 25-30 years, but it wasn’t until the land was fully serviced that it became apparent it wasan ideal situation for a multi-residential de-velopment,” said the Calgary architect, who designed the complex.
“We chose not to develop to full density,but to consider the privacy and the quality of lifestyle for the purchasers and tenants. Wetried to give them the same feeling as theywould in a single-family home or cottage.
We tried to do low maintenance, but hav-ing said that, we did high-end fi nishing interms of the quality.”
Quality is what drew the Gerry Fraser Group (www.gerryfraser.com) to take onthe job of marketing the 20 townhomes, of which 14 have sold.
“It’s the best waterfront value in the
Okanagan for quality and price,” said Fraser, who hasbeen selling real estate in the Okanagan since 1993.“There were selling in the$3-$3.50 a square foot range when most waterfronts were well above that and not nec-essarily offering as good a quality. Price plus qualityequals value.” Fraser said the development is convenient for Albertans because the airport is only fi ve minutesaway. Most families arriveat the beginning of July and the husband will go back toAlberta to work.
“At 5 p.m. on Fridaywhen the WestJet fl ight comes over Wood Lake,the wife hops in the car andby the time she gets to air-port, he’s standing at the curb. Five minutes later, they’re back at the lake.”
Ó Ó ÓÓ Ó Ó Ó
Ó
BY KERI-LYNN OELRICH
A Better Way to Build
From its humble beginning as a lumber yard in Lloyd-minster, Alberta Nelson Lumber Company has evolved over the past 6o years to meet the needs of Western Ca-nadians. Founded by brothers Ray and Austin Nelson in
1949, Nelson Lumber started out as a small lumberyard and retail store. Realizing that there was a large demand for more than just lumber and good advice, Austin moved to Edmonton in 1953 and established a second location at the site where it currently sits to-day. Eventually Nelson Lumber expanded to three other locations as well in Bonnyville, Slave Lake and Grande Prairie.
Nelson Homes (www.nelson-homes.com) divisions can of-fer you a myriad of home plans to choose from. Plans include floors, walls and roof trusses, among other components, and are all manufactured at Nelson facilities across the province. Their talented designers and manufacturing staff, as well as superior quality products, ensure your home is designed and built right.
With over 60 years of home building experience, Nelson Homes has emerged as a leader in the housing industry. They have deliv-ered over 40,000 homes to families in Canada, the USA, and have exported house packages as far away as Asia and Europe. They provide a complete home buying service, beginning with fabu-lous home designs and sensible floor plans, to the manufacturing of the home components and the delivery of a complete panelized home package.
Their housing solutions range from starter homes to exquisite executive styles. They also build cottages, retirement homes, and multi-unit dwellings, such as duplexes, adult living complexes and special care homes for seniors. Their product line-up includes the famous Nelson panelized home package, plus a line of modu-lar homes and ready-to-move homes. You can even have a home theatre if you so desire!
They invite you to browse through their collection of home
NELSON
H O M EOkanagan HOME Summer 201168
plans, keeping in mind that their talented designers can cus-tomize any plan to suit your needs. When you build a Nelson Home you can count on their commitment to quality, crafts-manship and integrity. You can be assured that your new home will be a home to be proud of.
The Nelson Panelized System is a complete framing sys-tem. Built with top-grade Canadian kiln-dried lumber, the components are factory built using state-of-the-art technol-ogy. This allows you to be your own builder!
Manufacturing in factories keeps roof trusses, wall panels and stairs out of the elements of nature, thus resulting in less warping, twisting, shrinkage and swelling. It will provide straighter walls and fewer problems with nail pops and ceil-ing and corner cracks.
The cost savings are substantial: less labour to put up a structure equals as much as 60% less framing time. Nel-son Homes offers a guaranteed price up front so there are no surprises and no costly overruns. Reduced materials wasted results in economic and
environmental benefits for the buyer. As with other types of building, there are strict building standards and codes to adhere to, along with thorough inspections along every stage of de-velopment. This leads to a safely con-structed home, as well as less stress for owners.
With foundation work being com-pleted before the package arrives, you can move in sooner and pay less inter-est. All framing components are included including: floor system, roof trusses, wall panels complete with framed openings for windows and doors, sheathing, roof finish and shingles. Also included is siding, soffit and fas-cia, windows and doors, insulation, drywall and accessories, baseboard, casing, closet shelving, inte-rior doors and hardware, etc.
There are hundreds of options and plans to choose from!
“We just love our Nelson Home that we had built 15 years ago. The quality was top notch. Even our building inspector
69Okanagan HOME Summer 2011
HOMES
commented on the quality of your product as being above any standards set in our area. The Nelson representative at that time was more than help-ful in every way. Even when the lumber prices went down, the savings were passed on to us, even though we had al-ready ordered our home.
“The construction of the home was quick and efficient, the contractor was excellent, and even during construction, suggested small changes that helped with the overall final product. If we were to build again we would definitely be calling Nelson Homes.” ~ Mick & Katherine Berisoff
Nelson Homes are sold by Authorized Nelson Homes representatives who are lo-cated throughout North Amer-ica. They also deliver homes internationally.
Okanagan HOME Summer 201170
The Nelson Package System is the best way to get the
home of your dreams, on time and on budget.
Since 1949 Nelson has been building dreams
for people just like you.
A BETTER WAY TO BUILD
Brian Wess (250)[email protected] Dealer View plans at: www.nelson-homes.com
MILGARD WINDOWS AND DOORS
Milgard Windows & Doors, (www.milgard.com) a Masco company based in Tacoma, Wash., of-fers a full line of wood, aluminum, vinyl and fi-berglass windows and patio doors for builders,
dealers and homeowners. When you’re looking to buy or replace doors
and windows, you can’t go wrong with Milgard Windows and Doors. Our determination to be the industry’s best extends to everything we do. So when you want doors and windows that last, we’re the only place you need to look. Here’s why.
Nobody pays more attention to materials than Milgard. Where many other window companies don’t have control over the entire process, we do. We temper our own glass, we make our own in-sulated glass units, and we produce our own vinyl and fiberglass. This gives us the ultimate control over quality. Take Milgard fiberglass doors and fiberglass win-dows, for example. Their base material, fiberglass, is nothing new. It’s been floating boats and adding strength to ladders for years. But until recently, the complex profiles required for window de-signs have been impossible to successfully attain with fiberglass. Milgard’s R&D team faced this challenge and engineered a fi-berglass window and door system that’s virtually impervious to
water, cold, heat, insects, salt air and ultraviolet rays. The end result: efficient windows and doors that maintain their beauty in every season, in any climate. With Milgard, you get to enjoy all the benefits of windows without any of the inefficiencies.
You will reduce your energy use and spending while making your home more comfortable year round. Plus, you can be confi-
dent that you’ve made a great investment. Ac-cording to Remodeling magazine, the return on investment for replacement windows is 99.2%. Equally important, Milgard’s high performance windows will make your home more saleable in the future.
In the same way you assume that all houses have windows, tomorrow’s buyer will assume that all windows are energy efficient.
Milgard vinyl doors and vinyl windows have won Builder magazine’s Best Quality in the Nation Award six out of the last ten years and
their National Most Used Vinyl Window Award four times. We were also named Number One in the West the last four years.
We’ve also won both Professional Remodeler magazine’s and Professional Builder magazine’s “Most Preferred Vinyl Win-dow” Awards three times. What these awards mean to us is that we are doing things right. What they mean to you is that you’re getting windows you can count on.
LifeThe Pool
BY HANS FREDERICK
If you want to swim in the Okanagan you have several choices: the ‘big pool’ that stretches forever along the shore on both sides of the lake, various public pools, your neighbours’ pool or your own pool. Whether you splash and frolic in the warm
waters of the pool, relax on your fl oating lounger, or just sit on the side and sip iced tea, who doesn’t love a pool?
“This is the life,” my 8-year-old says, inside his infl atable dol-phin. His sunglasses refl ect the bright Okanagan sun as he splashes around, taking care not to go into the deep end or out of my reach.
I sat back in the lounger and looked out over our yard, dramati-cally transformed from the traditional ‘grass and fence’ cluster that dominates our neighbourhood into the ‘center of kid’s activities’ for a six block radius. It is amazing how many new friends you sud-denly make when you have a pool!
My husband settled into the adjoining chair and heaved a sigh of relief, thankful a week of hard work was behind him and he could relax and watch the setting sun while he let the day’s stress unwind.
As he closed his eyes ‘just for a moment’ as he was fond of say-ing I thought back on the day we both decided to invest in our own pool. It seemed like such a daunting task and decision, but in reality it was easier than we imagined and went smoothly from start to fi nish.
By the time my ice cubes had melted and it was time to dry off the kids my husband was fast asleep.
I covered him with the only dry towel left and slipped into the kitchen, thankful we had a place to unwind and entertain all at the same time, in our own house, without having to go to the public pools in town, a hotel or someone else’s. There is nothing like hav-ing your own pool; once you have had one you want one forever.
We are blessed in the Okanagan with a variety of pool companies that cater to every type of home and every budget, from the basic to the unbelievable so kick back, grab a cold one and take the ‘pool tour’ with us. Enjoy!f
Photos by Valley Pools and Spa
Valley Pool and Spa - The sound of spilling water vanishing over the edge . . . a glassy reflection of the sky overhead. The drama of up-lit trees and a floating patio, steaks on the custom-built grill, and friends and family gathered around the sunken fire pit. “Our custom water creations go well beyond ‘a swimming pool.’ In fact, they’re outdoor destinations,” says Gene Brown of Valley Pool and Spa (www.valleypoolandspa.com).
Good design and construction are not limited to high-end pools. There is a vast selection of pools to choose from and they fit most budgets. Pools come in various shapes and sizes as well as fin-ishes. Concrete, fibreglass or vinyls are the most popular choices in the marketplace today.
Design for the pool and yard is equally important as the home design itself. “Do the sightlines flow from the house . . . across the yard . . . from an upstairs window?” asks Gene Brown. These minute considerations are important when choosing a water ves-sel. “We try to bring the indoors out to the yard by pulling ma-terials used inside such as tile, stone and colours. This helps the flow of the home.” Is the style of the house being brought to the pool?
Pools can offer many different design and architectural features as well. Infinity pools, in which the edge of the pool disappears
into the horizon, are beautiful especially for homes with views. A perimeter overflow pool displays stunning reflections that are like a work of art both day and night. Add a fire bowl to the pool wall and you have created a warm ambiance second to none!
The Okanagan climate is ideal for a back yard pool, and a sig-nificant percentage of homes in the region boast in-ground pools. With today’s advancements, pools have become an important part of the landscaping of a home, a focal point of beauty.
Practical applications have been developed through the use of automation. A pool can be monitored off-site. If something goes amiss with the pool, the dealer will be alerted and will take action immediately. Chemical injection systems have been developed to be monitored from your iPhone, if so needed.
Or, maybe you just want to raise the temperature of your pool with your iPhone!
Construction of a new pool will take three to six months. You don’t have to wait until spring to have a pool installed; many clients install their pools in late fall or winter to be ready in time for the warm weather. Pools can range in price from $45,000 to well over $200,000.
With a little careful planning, you can have your back yard turned into a home resort!
valley pool and spa: the sound of spilling water vanishing over the edge . . . a glassy reflection of the sky overhead.
Interior Pool and Spa - James Robertson of Interior Pool and Spa (www.interiorpoolandspa.com) sells and services several types of in-ground pools. He says a vinyl liner pool is the most popular choice in the Okanagan, and a well tended pool will last up to 15 years before replacing the liner.
There are numerous patterns to achieve the perfect look for your back yard.
Salt water pools have also become very popu-lar in recent years, and it is usually easy to con-vert your existing pool to salt water starting at $1,500.00
Automatic pool cov-ers are amongst the new advancements in technology.
Not only do they provide protection for children and animals, but they are also very heat-efficient, Robertson says.
Also offering a wide range of spas, we are proud to carry two of the highest quality hot tub brands.
H20 Spas is a Canadian company which produces qual-ity products with passion and comfort in mind. South Pa-cific Spas offers smaller, more affordable hot tubs perfect for apartments and condos.
Rafter 4K Contracting Ltd. - Rafter 4K Contracting Ltd. (www.rafter4k.com), has been helping families realize backyard visions in the Okanagan for 20 years and plans to continue offer-ing the ultimate in innovative, unique, green, products and quality customer service and satisfaction. The company has matured into a general contracting company that will not only build your swim-ming pool, but will help design and manage your entire back yard
creation or renovation; a pool change house, ca-bana/entertainment area, outdoor kitchen, fire pit, to name a few possibili-ties. According to owner Norm Kneller, the most common request he hears when sitting down with a prospective pool client is the desire for easy main-
tenance and safety. Many of our pools incorporate features such as; in-floor self cleaning systems, salt water or UV sanitizers, and solid power covers. Norm says, “power covers are the least expensive insurance you can buy, and they cut operating costs by decreasing water and heat loss and keeping the pool clean”. Some of the other hot items this season are; LED light shows, deck jet water features, hidden equipment bunkers, as well as in-pool benches, bar stools and diving rocks. Whatever your desire, Rafter 4K is there to listen and get you relaxing!
CULLIGAN OKANAGAN WATER SERVICEBY JORDAN OELRICH
Seventy-five years–that’s how long Culligan (www.okculligan.ca) has been providing the purest and
best tasting water available to their customers.
Culligan water provides their services in 100 countries with over 800 certified dealers around the world; they offer residential, com-mercial and industrial equipment.
Culligan is building a great repu-tation for not only their phenomenal product but for their great customer service. They have pioneered the water treatment business and hold many patents on their equipment, something few water companies have gotten to. Culligan Kelowna is the only bottled water company in the valley that processes water to meet NSF standards, thus guaran-teeing quality of their water through
mandated diligence and third-party testing and inspection. Culligan dealers are supported by a team of engineers and
product specialists as well as ongoing training and certifications. The Culligan Kelowna staff has a com-bined industry experience of over 50 years and hold several certifications.
They provide a free water analysis and treatment recommendations and carry the best warranties in the indus-try. Culligan provides a complete line of water treatment equipment includ-ing water softeners, iron and sulphur filters, reverse osmosis drinking water systems, de-chlorination, ultra-violet bacterial protection as well as bottled water and bottled water delivery.
“The Culligan Kelowna team of water professionals is here to service all your water needs and provide so-lutions for all your water concerns,” says Culligan Kelowna’s sale manager Ken Powell.
With all of the bottled wa-ter companies out there today, are you going to be choosing Culligan for your next sip?
Destination Homes has a vision beyond the present state of our economy.
Destination Homes (www.homesbydestination.com) president, Don Erdely, is approaching the future with opti-
mism and a plan. “Rather than put the brakes on in a sluggish economy,” says
Erdely, “we want to give the consumer what they really need—affordable new homes. That’s why we’ve selected four of our most popular mid-sized home plans and competitively priced them in order to meet the current eco-nomic climate. We understand budgets are tight and we want to make owning a new home a realistic option for people.”
Whether they are building an entry level home or an executive home, Des-tination Homes is committed to providing the level of sophistication and high standards buyers have come to expect from one of the Okanagan’s premier home builders.
“Just because we’ve lowered our prices during these tough economic times, doesn’t mean we’ve lowered our standards,” Erdely explains. “I’ve been in the home building industry in the Okanagan for more than 25 years, and I know how important it is to use quality products and reputable tradesmen in new home construction. Our family takes great pride in building a home for your family.”
So, can family and business mix? According to one customer, the way Des-tination Homes runs its family business is worth recommendation.
“Don walked us through the process and went to great lengths to ensure he could build the house we wanted for a price we could afford before he made any promises,” says Keith & Karen Quesnelle. “Whether we were dealing with Amanda in the offi ce or Travis in the fi eld, we felt like we were with people who truly cared. The house came in on budget and we absolutely love our beautiful new home!”
According to Erdely, having happy clients is paramount to surviving in a sluggish economy. “Much of our new home construction and renovations come from a client base that’s drawn largely from referrals and previous cli-ents,” he says. “We want people to be excited with their new homes and tell as many of their friends as possible. Nothing is better than a referral from a satisfi ed customer.” In addition to keeping clients happy, the team at Desti-nation Homes strives to fi nd other ways for new home purchasers to save their hard earned money. For example, Destination can arrange for the building lot to be purchased directly from the developer and then Destination Homes is commissioned to construct the home. With this method there is no property transfer tax on the home construction, only on the purchase price of the build-ing lot. This translates into thousands of dollars in savings.
“Although you hear a lot of people say they would never build again after having built a custom home,” say clients Heather and Greg Burgess, “our experience has left us saying just the opposite. We are more than happy with our fi nished product and would encourage anybody to deal with Destination Homes for a stress-free, enjoyable building experience!”
D
accommodate these specially priced homes. Using a$165,000 lot as an example, Destination Homes canprovide any of these four plans to a purchaser for un-der $480,000 including the lot and HST. The level-en-try plan can be purchased with the lot and HST in the
low $400’s.Finding the right
home plan is im-portant, but so is fi nding the right location. If a cli-ent doesn’t already have a home site selected, Erdely and his team sug-gest building in
Lake Country at The Lakes. This prestigious fam-ily development straddles a natural plateau above the shores of Wood Lake and Okanagan Lake and is re-nowned for its stunning lake and valley views. Cover-ing more than 300 acres, it enjoys all the advantagesof a rural setting, yet it’s only minutes away from theurban amenities that people depend on. Lake Country
In a time when budgets are tight and people are try-ing to do more with less, choices become paramount.In order to provide as many options as possible, Des-tination Homes has, for a limited time, lowered the price on four of their most popular mid-sized homeplans. Three of these c o m p e t i t i v e l y -priced plans arequality built, walk-out ranchers with a minimum of two bedrooms on themain fl oor, two full baths and largecovered decks. Fin-ished living spacesrange from 1,345 to 1,643 square feet. The fourth cus-tom plan is an attractive, grade-level entry or walk-uphome, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and two covered decks. All the homes offer attached double garages. House prices range between $221,000 and $275,000, not including the building lot and HST. Destination Homes has several lots available that will
offers all school levels including French immersion, while UBCO is just a short distance away. For the citylovers, both Kelowna and Vernon Centre are within a15-minute drive. This puts schools, health services andmajor business centers within a short commute from the development. As for life at The Lakes, there arenumerous things to do for thewhole family. There is hik-ing, biking and walking trailsthroughout the community, as well as scenic viewpoints,picnic areas, a pond, a wa-terfall and boardwalk. Greenspaces, parks and undisturbedtreed areas weave through-out the neighbourhood. Cur-rently, there are 15 home sites available, all with views, ranging from the low $150’s to the $190’s for the premium lake view building lots.
“When all phases of this project are complete,there’ll be about 1,250 families at The Lakes, Erdely explains. “This is a fabulous master-planned commu-nity that has a great mix of single family homes as
well as some commercial outlets. I encourage people to come up to The Lakes and take a look around.
In this market, it’s hard to fi nd prime Okanagan real estate that has this much to offer at a price that fam-ilies can afford.” In fact, Erdely is so committed to the development, Destination Homes is constructing
their new show home at TheLakes.
“I think choosing to build our show home now supports our belief that the only way to get through these tough times is to push forward and make things happen. There’sno point encouraging othersto build if we’re not willing
to break ground ourselves.”Destination Homes has the ability to innovate very
quickly, which I think is a real strength of the compa-ny, says Erdely. The show home, slated for completion in May, will feature Destination’s latest innovation,created to take the stress and hassle out of selecting features and options for your new home. They’ve done
SHOW HOME
250.707.1752 www.HomesByDes na on.com
Life at B Y R O S S F R E A K E
Chris Robinson has designed almost 2,000 homes in his 32-year career, but he distinctly remembers a house he did at 3997 Parkland Dr. in Gallagher’s Canyon.
And he designed 95 per cent of the 500-plus houses in the village built around a renowned golf course.
He said the design process works better if the owners are in-volved; the more involvement, the better the design. “People tell me their objectives and we come up with solutions that are cre-
ative, with good use of space and structurally sound,” said the owner of Robinson Design (www.robinsondesign.ca), who also designs for Jenish House Design, which sells plans all over the world, including China and Japan.
“They often say there is something about a plan that just doesn’t work for them, so together we fi nd a solution that fi ts their life-style. We probably spent more time on this house than most.
“This client was an engineer that had very specifi c ideas, with
The four-bedroom, four-bathroom rancher also has two fi re-places, a den, family room, games/media area, and 12-foot ceil-ings where quality and craftsmanship shine through.
Lisa Howard had the job of adding elegance to that quality and the craftsmanship. “It is a warm old-world, style with a Tuscan infl uence and rustic cream travertine fl oors run through most of the living spaces,” said the interior designer who operates By De-sign Ltd.
“We designed simple, but added elegant drapery panels in lux-urious fabrics to frame the garden views. The den is the ultimate man room, with a rich, cherry desk, fl oor-to-ceiling library shelv-ing and a discreet, built-in mini bar,” said Howard, who was the principal interior designer for Gallagher’s Canyon homes for 12 years, and is now also a certifi ed sustainable building adviser.
“The kitchen features antiqued chalked cabinets and a unique
amazing attention to detail.”The house is quite high tech. It has a sub fl oor and all the wires
were run under the fl oor, which is unusual for a house. High tech today is low-tech tomorrow, but he provided for future technol-ogy and has allowed this house to remain high tech.”
Realtor Gerry Fraser (www.gerryfraser.com) shares that feel-ing. “This house is at the very top of the pyramid in terms of technological advancements. This home offers: geothermal, in-fl oor heating, wine cellar, gourmet kitchen, workshop, luxury spa ensuite, two patios, power awnings and a boiling rock-water feature.”
“What struck me was the overwhelming quality and atten-tion to detail. It stands out in a community of excellence. It’s elegant, yet warm and bright, and, I know this sounds schlocky, but it’s cozy.”
CUSTOMDESIGNSTOCKPLANSPLANBOOK
250-861-6612201 - 1561 SUTHERLAND AVE.
KELOWNA, BC V1Y 5Y7www.robinsondesign.ca
range canopy and stone backsplash, and the expansive ceiling heights allowed us to add more details, such as the coffered ceil-ing in the living room.”
The amenities don’t end at the door because there are a wide variety of features in the village centre: indoor swimming pool, swirlpool, fitness centre, sports courts, billiards, games and club rooms, craft and meeting rooms, library/lounge, gardens, ve-randahs, fountains and patios. And there is, of course, golf: an 18-hole course, a nine-hole course, and a double-ended driving range. Nature also did its part by adding the spectacular canyon that gave the community and golf course their names, miles of hiking trails, Mission Creek and great views from everywhere.
Those things keep Fraser living there. He came for a job, but stayed for the community. “I’m a Prairie boy and what I find so remarkable is the sense of community. Gallagher’s is the Okan-
agan’s friendliest hometown. You go out for walks and everyone wants to stop and talk.
“There are lots of community functions, and special functions to welcome newcomers. It’s an exciting and interesting place to meet people from all over North America and the world. People from all walks of life, including Canadians who served as ambas-sadors and trade commissioners, live there.”
“We sold the first lots out of a trailer parked on the driving range. I’ve worked and lived there since Day one,” said Fraser, who was chosen as the best salesman in new home construction by the Canadian Home Builders Association.
Fraser, who estimates he sold, or re-sold 250 houses in the vil-lage now runs his own realty group out of Macdonald Realty in the Mission, but he still sells houses at Gallagher’s, including the gem at 3997 Parkland Drive.
RISE ABOVE THE RESTBY HANS FREDERICK
Buyers move to golf course developments for differ-ent reasons. Homeowners that come to The Rise (www.therise.ca) are no different but they all have one thing in common-they LOVE the view. Golf-
ers often want to live ON the course, not just near the course, and they have plenty to choose from at The Rise in Vernon. Where else can you combine an amazing Fred Couples Sig-nature Golf Course with a world-class winery?
“The Vista Lago Villas are perfectly situated in The Rise where residents will enjoy the sweeping vistas of the valley and Okanagan Lake,” says Jacob Kuiken, general manager for Trico Homes Vernon. These 12 semi-detached villas feature granite countertops in the kitchens, designer selected finishings, soaring 10’ ceilings and all levels are fully de-veloped.”
Many buyers choose living on a golf course for the view, the proximity to nature and some for the quiet solitude that mountain living brings and of course, the golf. This corner of the world has some of the most amazing attributes that makes living in the Okanagan truly special in many ways.
“We presently have three new homes started in various stages of development and four villa units by Trico Homes Vernon. There is a lot of activity on site. Prospective buyers are returning to the sales centre. We have only 11 lots available for sale at this time ranging from $165,000 for a city lot up to $799,000 for our 1.8 acre “Wolf’s Lair” lot” according to Leona Snider, president of Okanagan Hills Development.
“As construction is moving towards more sustainable practices and green building methods, we are seeing an ex-plosion in the demand for natural finishes crafted from old traditional and non-toxic materials,” says Gerry Monty of Claymasters Kelowna (www.claymasters.ca).
“As a part of the shift in the building industry towards awareness of how we as humans are affected by the materi-als used in our houses, Claymasters Kelowna takes responsi-bility to educate about the non-toxic alternatives to the more commonly used finishes in today’s construction. That was our approach at The Rise,” he continues.
“Trico Homes’ project at The Rise and Vista Lago is a great addition for Vernon” remarked Ken Smith, owner of
Okanagan Glass, a proud supplier to this project (www.okanaganglass.ca).
“It will show case the design and building ca-pability of one of the North Okanagan’s premier builders. Vista Largo as well as Sierra Gardon and their custom homes on Turtle Mountain have helped draw people to Vernon because homes owners know that they are getting finished prod-uct that they can be proud of”.
Ken continued, “Okanagan Glass is proud to be a team member of Trico Homes and to be part of winning combination”.
Trico Homes (www.tricohomesbc.com) was recognized in 2008 as one of Canada’s “50 Best Managed Companies” for the 6th consecutive
year is proud to build at The Rise. Aligned in their respective visions they have come together
to create and build a strong vibrant community. Trico has begunbuilding 12 units located on Cordon.
The professionally landscaped outdoor living spaces with decks create the perfect setting for entertaining. The Tuscan-themed ar-chitecture with tile roofi ng, stone details and acrylic stucco is inkeeping with the vision of the area which boasts a Fred CouplesSignature Golf Course, winery and vineyards.
These units starting at $399,900 are at the best value for prod-uct at The Rise”.
Come for the view, the golf, the winery or the collection of great homes and neighbours, but you owe it to yourself to takein the view from The Rise. When you live here you truly do ‘rise above the rest’.
Okanagan HOME Summer 2011
It’s Clear
90
Okanagan HOME Summer 2011 91
BY ROSS FREAKE
Crystal Heights (www.crystalheightsliving.ca) invites buyers to come check them out.
“It’s a huge opportunity for people who would like to move out of a condo or other rentals into their own
home,” said Crystal Heights’ sales co-coordinator, George Wil-son. “We have great development incentives. Crystal Heights is children and pet friendly and people can enjoy recreational op-portunities from their door.
“The thing that grabs people the most is the quality of the homes and the develop-ment,” said Wilson, who has been in the construction busi-ness for more than 40 years. “Quality is a buzz word ev-eryone uses, but it’s built-in at Crystal Heights.”
The family-ori-ented community of 104 semi-detached homes is perched atop a Lake Country
hillside looking down on vineyards and wineries, Okanagan and Wood lakes.
“We’re away from the hustle and bustle of the city and close enough to the cultural events: five minutes from three lakes, 10 minutes from the airport, 12 minutes from UBCO; 20 minutes from the centre of Kelowna; an hour from Silver Star and Big White.” There are eight floor plans — from two bedrooms and a den, to three bedroom with a walkout basement — that maximize livability and usable space, something for every type of discrimi-nating and discerning buyer and range in price from $309,000 to $454,000.
“Three show homes are open, each with a different floor plan. They’re standard. “The fin-ish you see is what you get”. There are minimal options; we’re not big on saying it’s $300,000 and by the time the smoke clears, it’s $400,000.”
The homes, which are complete with
Okanagan HOME Summer 201192
active outdoor lifestyle. When residents come back from a hike, a mountain-bike ride or a day at the beach, they can kick back and relax because their home is wired for entertainment. There are Shaw Cable jacks in living rooms, family rooms and all bedrooms
and dens for television and high-speed Internet. The wall above the fireplace is pre-wired with cable, pow-er and component cable conduit for easy installation of flat screen TVs.Crystal Heights is being developed and built by two prominent B.C. developers — The Citimark Group and West-ern Construction. “They’re professionals, have built thousands of units and un-derstand and respect the buyers’ needs. Because the
developer is also the builder, if you have issues, you’re dealing directly with the person who signed the warranty. When you visit the show home, you will experience the quality and the care given by the developer.”
Make Crystal Heights at The Lakes your home for your future.
landscaping and fences, were designed specifically for the Oka-nagan: large, open layouts, bright, outdoor spaces and fenced yards. Standard finishes include natural gas, forced air including air conditioning, all stainless steel appliances, gas ranges, micro-wave, dishwasher, full thick-ness granite countertops in the kitchen and powder room.
The quiet family neigh-bourhood fits into the master-planned community of The Lakes, which will eventually have 1,200 homes.“Master planned communities are be-coming more and more popu-lar,” Wilson said. “They offer security of design compliance, well laid-out roads, lighting, and pride of neighbourhood.”
And since it was designed as a community, schools, shop-ping and transit are moments away. Even though modern amenities are close, so is nature — Over 60 per cent of Crystal Heights will be left as green space — and recreational possibilities abound. Whether it is water skiing, swimming, mountain biking, skiing, golfing, Crystal Heights is the perfect base for a year round
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Limited releaseof move-in ready3 bedroom, 2.5 bathOpal homes priced from
* Net HST only. Limited time offer only. Ask a sales representative for full details.
Grand Opening Special:We pay the HST and include at no extra cost a washer & dryer, alarm system & built-in vacuum!*
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33KELOWNA
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UBC &AIRPORT
97
Full information atwww.crystalheightsliving.ca
GRAND
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ON NOW
BY KERI-LYNN OELRICH
Lifestyle. Nature. Freedom.
If their tag line is any indication–lifestyle, nature, free-dom–this 100-home development fits in with Okanagan living quite well.
Located in the heart of wine country, Gallagher Lake Village Park (www.gallagherlakevillagepark.com) is just minutes away from Penticton to the north and Oliver and Osoyoos to the south.
The South Central Okanagan development has available recreation at Gallagher Lake, Skaha Lake, Osoyoos Lake and Lake Okanagan. Shopping is close by in Penticton and
Oliver, with big name stores like Wal-Mart and Rona. There are six
18-hole golf courses within a 30 min-
ute drive, as well as over 50 local vineyards and wineries.Sounds like a great place to live, right? Well, there’s more.These single family homes range in price from $149,500 to
$209,500. “The bottom line is that most people are looking for a warm,
safe place they can call home and not break the bank in the first place,” says Jim Gardner, the entrepreneur behind South Okanagan Modular Homes, the builder for this project. His wife, Susanne is his partner and assists with interior design.
“Some of our clients are downsizing from the mega homes and want a simpler lifestyle,” Jim explains. “They like the safety and comfort of living in a community that is close enough to all the amenities but away from the hustle and bustle of larger centres.”
Other customers are first-time buyers, and their homes provide a way for people to get into their first homes, and usually pay less per month than they would renting.
The big differences from the homes here and other homes is that they are easy on the pocket book and the speed of delivery. With six floor plans ranging in square footage from 972 to 1,480, there is plenty to choose from. Initial design to delivery is 10 to
l i f e s t y l eOkanagan HOME Summer 201194
Gallagher Lake Village Park
12 weeks!Every unit enjoys: use of an outdoor recreational community
garden, recreational vehicle and boat storage, walking trails, local water, sewer and fire protection and Green Car share program initiatives. The Green Car share program is not the only thing green at Gallagher Lake Village Park.
Modular homes are, by their very nature, Green. The design
and construction of the homes save energy and natural resources, as well as protect the environment. A Green home such as this uses less water as well, creates less waste and promotes the well-being of homeowners. As the homes are factory built, any chance of weather-related damage (in particular mold damage from wet lumber) is eliminated.
Now you can have it all!
Okanagan HOME Summer 2011 95
Now you can have it all!
The home...the savings...the lifestlye
Live in the heart of wine country minutes away from
Penticton, Oliver and Osoyoos. Activities like fishing,
golfing, hiking, and fine dining are right at your fingertips.
Call Matt or Karen today day at 1.888.498.6588
or visit www.gallagherlakevillagepark.com to find
out more about the options and attractive price points.
ALUMINUM FXBY LISA M. ROBINSON
With current home design trends focusing on the use of wood to accent home exteriors, home-owners may inadver-tently forget that sof-
fits and fascia can highlight a home’s appearance. Until now, wood has been the preferred product to create a warm accent on many homes. Alu-minum F/X (www.aluminumfx.com) can now supply you or your contractor with Powder Coated Woodgrain Alu-minum Tongue and Groove Soffit and Fascia products.
Brothers and partners, Peter and Bruce Middleton, saw a need for a lower cost, reduced maintenance and more environmentally friendly soffit and fascia product that was still able to provide the homeowner with the desirable aesthetic benefits of natural wood. Hence, Aluminum F/X!
“We have perfected an aluminum version of tongue and groove soffit and fascia that replicates the look and feel of several different types of wood. The finishes are a woodgrain powder
coating with proven durability that has been tested and devel-oped the world over,” Peter says. In comparison to solid wood, Aluminum F/X products are priced competitively, are easier to install with virtually no waste, and come already powder coated in your selected colour, eliminating the need for either paint or
stain. “The available colours are those that are commonly used on exterior features in new home construction and renovations, and one has to look twice to believe it is not real wood. They have a warm and textured appearance, are virtually maintenance free, as well as bird, pest and fire resis-tant.” The Aluminum FX line can also be suitable for interior appli-cations. Peter continues to further the product and searches for new applications.
Ted Olenczuk from Hi-Lite Ex-teriors highly recommends Alumi-
num F/X products and the Middleton brothers. He says, “In my dealings with them, I have experienced great quality and service. They have very good workmanship and products.”
Experience the warmth, beauty and texture of real wood with Aluminum F/X.
BBY DEANNA MERRICK
Over 27 years ago, Ed and Bonnie Huber purchased Auntie Fanny’s Giftware in downtown Vernon. When a shift in the giftware market occurred in 1992, neces-
sity dictated that they changed their product focus to furniture. That small gift shop in Vernon has grown to become one of the Okanagan’s top quality manufactur-ers of home furniture and kitchen cabinets. In their quest to offer only the best to their clients, Fanny’s Furniture (www.fannysfurniture.com) has been creating their own lines since 1998. This is a family business and as Ed Huber points out, it involves family decisions.
“In the beginning we were buying our furniture from manufacturers in Vancouver. The quality was always a problem for us. I was always on the phone complain-ing about the delivery times and quality until one day in 1998, one of my suppliers said to me I should think about building my own furniture because I was so fussy. That night, Bonnie and I talked it over and two months later
we were building our own furniture. We called our manufactur-ing plant ‘Huber’s Furniture.’” he explains.
The company’s factory in Vernon makes solid wood furniture in oak, maple or pine. Their creations include furnishings for the dining room, bedroom, entertainment units, coffee and end ta-bles, desks and more. They have a choice of fi ve stains in maple, nine stains in oak and nine in pine. In all, they offer about 350 products in their custom furnishing line. In addition, Fanny’s Fur-niture features sofas and chairs made in Calgary by Birchwood, and their mattresses are made in Vancouver by Restwell.
“What really makes us stand out in the crowd is the fact that we are the only furniture store in Western Canada that sells both
furniture and kitchen cabinets in the same factory. Our cabinet division is called Kekuli Bay Cabinetry,” Huber explains.
The secret to their success lays in their family approach and the combination of each of their own strengths. Prior to starting up the business, Ed had eighteen years experi-ence in retail, as a manager at Safeway. Bonnie had the fi nancial background, via 15 years as an accounts man-ager at ScotiaBank. To complete the picture, son Ed Jr. took over the operation of the factory. He had a lengthy history operating a company that was manufacturing window and door frames.
“Another key to our success is that we are not afraid of the ‘RC’ factor – resistance to change. Plus, when an opportunity comes along like getting into kitchen cabinet manufacturing we jumped on that train. Now cabinets are a full fi fty per cent of our business. Like they say, ‘the harder we work, the luckier we get,’” says Huber.
There are several prevalent trends when it comes to home furnishings and cabinets, according to Huber. He describes the current trend as ‘less is more.’
“What I see is that customers are buying less small
pieces and buying larger pieces that make a statement, like one large mirror instead of four or fi ve smaller pieces for a feature wall.”
Previously, Oak was the wood of choice for the majority of people who were purchasing furniture. Now, though, many hom-eowners are choosing maple for their kitchen cabinets, and that trend is following through to the selection of wood for their furnishings.
Until about fi ve years ago, light colored oak with raised panel doors were very much in style. Today, dark stained ma-ple with fl at panel doors in the ‘shaker’ style is the most popu-lar choice. This trend holds true in both furniture and cabinets. The Shaker and Modern lines are now the best sellers in Fan-ny’s Furniture.
Like any major purchase, cost and quality are key when buyers are making a selection. Fanny’s Furniture has a number of cost-savings they pass on to their clients. Most important is the fact that they do manufacture their own products, so there are no mark ups for wholesale and retail outlets in their Kelowna store. In addition, they have man-aged to fi nd a silver lining in the economic slowdown of the past
couple of years.“Our prices on maple furniture have dropped by 25 per cent
due to the recession,” Huber notes. “Maple is the main wood used in kitchen cabinets and there has been a dramatic reduction in new house construction. This has resulted in an over supply of Maple wood on the market. We don’t know how long this reduc-
tion will last, but as long as we are buying wood at a lower price we’ll pass on all the savings to our customers.”
With 40 people at their Ver-non factory and fi ve at their re-tail store in Kelowna, business is brisk. They also sell to about 25 other furniture outlets, many in Alberta. Sales in 2010 were up 15 per cent over 2009 and in 2011 so far, they are up 30 per cent over last year. As Huber puts it, succinctly, “The reces-sion is over for us.”
In their business, satisfi ed cli-ents results in repeat business.
Fanny’s Furniture reports that up to 75 per cent of their customers have purchased from them before. Huber sums it up.
“We have been in business so long, we’re seeing the next gen-eration of customers. Their parents have been our clients, and they’re after the same quality.”
Canyon Desert Golf Course Villasfrom the low $300,000’s
Register today at www.OwnCanyonDesert.com Or Call Susan at 1.877.798.3498 | [email protected]
Visit the Canyon Desert Golf Villas Sales Centre:Visit our Sales Centre Today! 37041–71st St., Oliver, BC
Oliver
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Nk’Mip CanyonDesert Golf
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350 Ave
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Set along the lush fairways of the Nk’Mip Canyon Desert Golf Resort in Oliver – the wine capital of Canada – the Canyon Desert Golf Villas offer a limited selection of desert-inspired homes that are as sensible as they are stylish. Designed to celebrate the active lifestyle, this latest Bellstar community combines the best of golf resort and residential living under the warmth of the Southern Okanagan sun.
Two & Three Bedroom Villas Starting in the low $300,000s
with NO HST & PTT
The developer reserves the right to make modifications and changes to building design, specefications, features, floorplans and pricing. E&OE.
