…central, yet secluded Cressey Development Group wants you to have a new home in a South Surrey neighbourhood that is central to transportation, parks and other amenities in a quiet, peaceful community. Summerfield features three-bedroom character homes in a community that is gathering a lot of interest ›› p.5
Epic Homes’ Highland Vistas offers new, single-family homes in Maple Ridge ›› p.8
October 29, 2009
Victorian: reinventing the past Victorian style
architecture
New homes take from the best of a frilly, ornamental era MAGGIE CALLOWAY Queen Victoria reigned from 1819 to 1901 but the stamp she made on the middle class can still be felt today. The Victoria style of architecture runs the gamut from over-the-top embellishments such as turrets and gingerbread decoration on the exterior, to what we would today consider stifling interior decoration of heavy drapes and chesterfields. Every room was totally drowning in material to prevent the presumably delicate Victorians from being carried away by the sight of a table or chair leg. In Britain, and in certain cities on the East Coast of North America, row houses built in the Victorian style were constructed “Victorian to house the labourers flooding into the cities details to work in the factories. were very At the time, these important to houses, mostly made of my clients as stone and stretching for miles, were considered they loved suitable only for the the era.” working class. Those of you who are fans of the British soap opera Coronation Street will be familiar with this style. Times change and these row houses, taken over by young professionals and modernized internally, are valued for their traditional style and location, which is usually close to the centres of towns and cities. One of the attributes of the Victorian home, which is still highly valued today, is the evidence of very intricate stained-glass windows. British architect Sir John Soane introduced stained glass into domestic use with the idea of using the colour in the glass to catch the sun as it passed over the home. Along with the windows, light fixtures became extremely ornate and also frequentCONTINUED ON P.2
Blue Ocean Construction principle Mike Merakian at a client’s home – a new take on Victorian design – in New Westminster. Rob Newell photo
B.C. housing rebounding Market heading for record highs, according to report B.C.’s housing market is rebounding strongly and heading for record highs, according to a recent Central 1 Credit Union report. Propelled by low mortgage rates and economic recovery, the forecast predicts that housing sales and prices will set new records in 2010. “Low mortgage “The monthly rates are a powerful sales stimulus, sales price when combined will set a new and with an improving high before economy, housing markets take the end of off,” Central 1 chief this year, economist Helmut regaining the Pastrick says in a entire amount release. “The strong lost during market momentum the recession.” coming out of the recession will carry into 2010, driving unit sales and prices to new highs.” Following a 25 per cent sales plunge in 2008, housing sales will rise 10 per cent in 2009 and climb to 30 per cent higher in 2010, the report states. It also forecasts that the annual median price for a residential property in B.C. will increase to record-highs of $391,000 in 2010 and $415,000 in 2011 (for the entire province). “The monthly sales price will set a new high before the end of this year, regaining the entire amount lost during the recession,” states the release. Central 1 notes that the sales upturn is stronger in British Columbia’s metropolitan areas (Vancouver, Victoria) and less so in resource-dependent economies (Kootenays, northern B.C.). For the full report or for more information, visit www.cucbc.com.