Covet Spring 2015

modern living with a prairie twist

A CORAL-INFUSED PALETTE DOCKS AT ASSINIBOINE LANDING

+ BENJAMIN MOORE 2015 TRENDS: PERFECT PAINT PICKS

+ WONDERFUL

WELLINGTON: LOOK INSIDE A MODERN NEW BUILD AND A REVAMPED ‘80S CONDO

QUIZ: WHAT’S YOUR SIGNATURE LOOK?

modern living with a pr airie t wist

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2014-12-05 11:28 AM 2014-12-05 11:28 AM

6 CONTRIBUTORS The great friends and talents we have met along the way who have given of themselves to make Covet.

7 EDITOR’S PAGE

Out and About — Local businesses we would love you to know about.

8 MARION STREET EATERY Comfort food for the soul.

10 G IS FOR GLASSES Winnipeg’s hip new spectacle shop.

12 WE LOVE Items we have spotted here or there that we think you will love too.

Style defined — A design lesson.

A period, style, or piece explained.

Spring is when life’s alive in everything. ~ Christina Rossetti

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LOFT LIVING Loft lifestyle through the ages.

A peek inside Manitoba homes and cottages completed by local design talent or design-savvy homeowners.

COLLECTIONS — Admittedly, we like stuff.

Here we showcase people and their stuff, and their knowledge of their stuff.

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CURATING A GALLERY WALL

ABODE

FROM NORTH END TO NEW YORK A couple moves down in size and up in style.

38 WELLINGTON WORTH THE WAIT Set backs and false starts for this project prove that good things come to those who wait.

46 SPRINGTIME PALETTE A pretty living room makeover in picturesque Assiniboine Landing.

11 12 WE LOVE Items we have spotted here or there that we think you will love too.

Get Crafty— We can get into good craft projects, and love the satisfaction creating something brings.

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TO DROOP OR NOT TO DROOP How do you prefer your tulips?

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! d e v o m We’ve : t a n e p now o aminmoore-mb.ca nj | be d r a v le u o b d el 2 5 -5 s cu r fi

Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more information about our grand opening!

p: 204.487.3666

ta b l e o f co n t e n ts

SPRING 2015 Sonny Abesamis

Bahia Taylor Editor in Chief Co-founder Leigh McKenzie Creative Director Co-founder Barbara Chabai Copy Editor

PROfile — Allow us to introduce you to the great, local design talent available in Winnipeg for you to tap into.

LIVING WELL — Reviews, ideas, a little form and a little function.

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STYLE SURVEY Take our fun quiz to determine your design style.

Darren Grunerud Managing Editor

ARTHUR LIFFMANN, ENVY PAINT AND DESIGN LTD.

Jim Taylor Props Coordinator

TIPS O’ THE TRADES — Expert advice. You didn’t solicit it but we’re giving it to you anyway.

Graphic Design Hinge Design www.hingedesign.ca Styling Envy Paint and Design www.benjaminmoore-mb.ca Owned and Published by: Covet Magazine For inquiries, please contact us at info@covetmagazine.ca 1811 Assiniboine Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3J 0A5 www.covetmagazine.ca info@covetmagazine.ca Cover Photography - Rachael King Johnson While every effort has been made to ensure that advertisements and articles appear correctly, Covet Magazine cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the contents of this publication. All material is intended for informational purposes only. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of its publisher or editor.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part prohibited without written permission from the publisher.

Typeset in Chronicle Roman and Whitney

18 MOVIN' ON UP

COVET TALKS — Yup, we’re chatterboxes... and you’re gonna love who we chat up.

20 RAMSIN KHACHI, KHACHI DESIGN GROUP, PRINCIPAL

INSIDE OUT —Harwood Builders take us from client meeting to concept to completion.

22 UPDATING A 1950S HOME

24 SNAKE CHARMERS Local potters Lynne Mulvihill and Jenn McCurry get their hands dirty turning an old art form new again .

CHOW — Food, glorious food and everything to go with it.

54 EGGS Egg lovers, rejoice!

62 68 THREE QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE INVESTING IN THE LATEST HOME TREND Hear what four local designers have to say on the matter.

PRAIRIE PALLETTE — A glimpse into the Winnipeg art community or profile of a great local artist.

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JOHANNA BRIERELY– Goldsmith

74 OVER AND ABOVE Follow contractor Jayson Nickol of Over and Above Construction, as he and his family he build their way through new digs.

Dig — Get outside and get gardening.

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PLAN FOR IT

78 BIRD CALL

80 WHERE TO FIND

82 DESIGN DILEMMA

Printed in Canada Publications Mail Agreement No. 42575014 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to info@covetmagazine.ca

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CONTRIBUTORS

y l e v i s u l c x E Exclusiveolnye for y r e v E for Everyone

110B LOWSON CRES. 110B LOWSON CRES. 110B LOWSON CRES. WINNIPEG, MANITOBA R3P 2H8 WINNIPEG, MANITOBA R3P 2H8 WINNIPEG, MANITOBA R3P 2H8 PH: 204.487.3767 FAX: 204.487.3717 PH: 204.487.3767 FAX: 204.487.3717 PH: FLATLANdERSFLOORING.COM 204.487.3767 FAX: 204.487.3717 FLATLANdERSFLOORING.COM FLATLANdERSFLOORING.COM

TOM BIMA ticoswinehouse.com RYAN BOWMAN @ryanjbowman SAMANTHA BRAUN ecotones@mts.net BARB CHABAI bccreativehouse.com MARISA CURATOLO marisacuratolo.com G IS FOR GLASSES gisforglasses.com STEVE GALLAGHER gallaghergroup.ca DARREN GRUNERUD Man-About-Town GENEVIÈVE JOYAL harwoodbuilders.com BRIAN JOHNSON gooddogphotography.ca ARTHUR LIFFMANN envypaintanddesign.com STEPHANIE MIDDAGH artfulowl.ca MICHAEL ROBERTS dualityphot.com CAROL STANDIL carolstandil.wordpress.com JIM TAYLOR Go-to Guy KASSIA WOLOSHYN envypaintanddesign.com

e d i to r ' s pag e Spring has sprung!

Wait, what?

If you're anything like us, you were caught off guard by how quickly the white stuff vanished this year. As Canadians, we know we're supposed to enjoy winter as much as the other three seasons, but by mid-February we're on the countdown to rubber boots and lighter jackets. "Bring on this early spring" is our attitude – we deserve it.

Spring is when we like to take a minute to re-evaluate what's going on in our house, to donate and dust, to paint and purge. In this issue we share a style survey that will help you define what your decorating identity is. Are you a contemporary curator? Do your spaces scream bohemian chic? Take the quiz (page 62) to find out.

"Out with the old and in with the new." Trends are a bit like trying out a different hairstyle, introducing a few new pieces is an easy way to spice things up and add a bit of fun without overhauling the entire home. Take some advice from our panel of pros (page 68) for what to embrace and what to pass by.

Each spring marks a new year for Covet and this year we find ourselves turning 4! Where has the time gone? We want to thank you for joining us on this journey, and hope that you continue to find inspiration in the pages of Covet.

Covet is free, and if you'd like to receive a copy visit covetmagazine.ca to subscribe. You can view a digital version of this issue there, too. See you soon!

UPCOMING EVENTS Winnipeg Comedy Festival Surely, 2015 will be a great vintage for the Winnipeg Comedy Festival – cheeky, with subtle notes of whimsy and wit, and a bold, sometimes bawdy finish. They’ve scoured the cellars and toured some of the industry’s most innovative regions, all to bring together another top-rated roster of comics whose talent will be on display at this year’s celebration of whine and cheese. April 6th to 12th at a variety of Winnipeg venues. Complete details and tickets at www.winnipegcomedyfestival.com or by calling 204.284.9477.

From the Steppes to the Prairies Over the past 125 years, Ukrainian culture has become woven into the very fabric of Canadian society; for fifty years, Winnipeg’s own Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble has captured the imagination of audiences throughout the world. Join them for From the Steppes to the Prairies: Celebrating 125 Years of Ukrainians in Canada as they celebrate their culture and history. May 14th at the Centennial Concert Hall. Complete details and tickets at www.rusalka.mb.ca or by calling 204.949.3999

Teddy Bears' Picnic It’s time for your teddy bear’s annual visit to the doctor at the 29th annual Teddy Bears' Picnic. The popular event, which last year attracted over 30,000 teddy bears and their excellent caregivers, runs 9am to 5pm, rain or shine.

Loaded with lots of fun activities, the free event supports the Children’s Hospital Research Foundation of Manitoba.

May 24th at Assiniboine Park. Complete details at www. goodbear.mb.ca/events/teddy-bears-picnic.

Doors Open Winnipeg Heritage Winnipeg presents the 12th annual Doors Open Winnipeg this spring. The event is a unique opportunity to explore some of Winnipeg’s most fascinating buildings, many of which are normally not open to the public (like the ever-popular Vaughan Street Jail, a tour favourite). If you love history and appreciate unique architecture, come discover the secrets held within some of Winnipeg’s most impressive walls. May 30th and 31st at venues throughout Winnipeg. Complete details, including locations, at www.doorsopenwinnipeg.ca .

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out and about

MARION STREET EATERY text BARBARA CHABAI | photography MARION STREET EATERY FIND IT: Inside the Marion Hotel, 393 Marion Street 204-233-2843 Sundays 7:00am-2:00pm (Breakfast Only), Mondays and Tuesdays 11:00am-8:00pm, Wednesdays and Thursdays 7:00am-8:00pm, Fridays and Saturdays 7:00am-9:00pm www.marionstreeteatery.com HISTORY: The Marion Street Eatery celebrated its first birthday on February 10, but what a year it’s been – landing a spot on Free Press critic Marion Warhaft’s best of 2014 list and securing a place in Winnipeg foodies’ hearts. The brainspark of Laneil Smith and Melissa Hryb, who manage the front of the house and the kitchen respectively, the Eatery’s concept is “good food made simple” but it can be easily reversed to “simple food made good.”

It’s all the flavour and tender care with a little less fuss.

THE SPACE: Smith and Hryb offer a cozy, approachable setting that is warm and hospitable. “We want everyone who walks through these doors to relate to the space in one way or another,” says Smith.

I n fact, the first thing guests see when entering from the hotel entrance is the large oak dining room table that comfortably seats 10 – a find from the depths of the hotel basement. Chairs were scavenged from local antique stores, giving each quaint table a mismatched and yet altogether compatible feel. The homey furnishings are combined with clean, modern lines, rounded out by deep grey leathertufted banquettes, wrought iron lighting, crisp white walls,

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chocolate-coloured wood trim and contemporary art by Winnipeg’s Kristina Dimitrova.

“Our unique decor absolutely ties in to our menu as we carry the same concept throughout our foods – relatable homestyle favourites with a modern twist,” says Smith. “We love our space. We are proud to show it off and most important, we love to feed people in it.”

MENU: Marion Street Eatery’s version of comfort food truly feeds the soul. Favourites include the sinfully good mac and cheese, the satisfyingly rich onion soup, the stacked grilled Cuban sandwich, and a better-than-mom’s version of stuffed meatloaf. If loving really good food is wrong, Marion Street Eatery doesn’t want to be right. As Chef Melissa’s favourite quote from Julia Child displayed above the bar says: “People who love to eat are always the best people.”

WINNIPEG: Homegrown pride marks every inch of the Eatery, even spilling outdoors onto the seasonal patio furnished by Wicker World. Back inside, local photography abounds, including a collage of Manitoba-inspired images by photographer Garry Budyk.

Before opening, Smith and Hryb scoured local treasure haunts like Old House Revival and Antiques and Funk to find one-of-a-kind pieces of interest. Once word got out, people began spontaneously donating items of personal history.

“One generous man delivered a family heirloom in an antique chair that belonged to his grandmother. Another great friend of ours gifted the colourful rooster that sits so delicately on the beer fridge,” Smith says. “It was offered to us as a good luck charm.”

Looks like it worked.

LOFT LIVING text ARTHUR LIFFMANN

You’d be hard-pressed to find another style more enigmatic than the humble loft. While simple in concept, they have over the past half-century segued from an inexpensive alternative type of living space to a driving force in interior design, home furnishings, real estate development and urban renewal. In the process, the approach to loft living has become as multifaceted as the iron-framed factory windows that inspired many of the original spaces that spawned a design trend that impacts the way many of us live today.

Essentially, lofts are spaces that are created out of buildings designed for industrial use. Originally conceived as a combination of commercial and residential use, many of today’s lofts are still true to their roots; mixed-use spaces with living areas partly partitioned off from spaces that serve as studios, offices or retail storefronts. These lofts made their debut in the early 19th century in Paris, where artists and musicians seeking spaces where they could live and work cheaply first noticed the potential of old warehouses and other commercial spaces. With large open spaces, high ceilings, and plenty of natural light spilling in through massive windows, they made excellent spaces in which to set up studios. The lack of neighbours were an added bonus for those who often worked throughout the night.

Over time, the notion of carving these types of spaces out of older industrial buildings began to catch on in other large European cities, where the costs of studio spaces in congested urban areas were often prohibitive. By the end of World War II, lofts had crossed over to North America. Unsurprisingly, the United States ‘loft movement’ first took root in New York; ironically, it was inspired by the same needs as those in Paris a century earlier. Abstract Expressionism began

to emerge in America’s art scene, and artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning began needing larger spaces in which to create the grand canvases of their new works. Ceiling height and natural light became imperative for artists to not only create their work, but for showing it as well.

Ask any expert in urban renewal what happened next and they’ll tell you; areas like SoHo and Tribeca, loaded with vacant cast iron industrial buildings renting out spaces for $100 a month slowly started attracting artists, who set up studios and illegal living spaces. Eventually, galleries began to open in the main floor commercial spaces to show their works.

Wealthy art collectors with developed senses of aesthetic would attend these shows and begin visiting the studios of their favourite new artists. Upon seeing the high ceilings, massive banks of open windows, raw concrete and timeworn wood floors in these raw industrial spaces, they fell in love with the style and began to buy the apartments. Artists would move on to the next building, and the process would repeat itself over and over again, gentrifying entire areas of New York City.

Today, lofts and the loft lifestyle are highly sought-after by modern-day bohemians, and the transformation of former manufacturing zones of mediumto-large cities is now a familiar pattern.

But who wants to live in one, big room? You might be surprised. Firstly, while a true loft is a warehouse or other commercial building that has been converted to residential space, today’s

loft options include new construction featuring the elements that have come to define loft spaces — high ceilings, exposed pipes, and ductwork, and wood or concrete floors. Additionally, many of these ‘soft lofts’ have walls or partitions to define separate ‘rooms’ within the unit.

For those seeking an urban way of life, they are an appealing option that crosses generational and economic strata — young people, young professionals, artists, empty-nesters are all attracted to the style AND lifestyle loft living affords.

But while Winnipeg’s Exchange District abounds with many loft options and countless buildings ripe for conversion, living the loft lifestyle isn’t limited to those living in an urban core. The key to bringing loft style into your home is to introduce industrial edge and finishes to your space: think burnished metals like iron, oiled bronze, brushed gold and galvanized tin. Exposed brick — whether an entire wall, or simply uncovering a chimney — adds instant warmth and patina. The effect of all those huge windows found in most lofts can be replicated by replacing interior doors with glass-panelled ones that stretch the full height to the ceiling, allowing light to flow from room to room and blurring the lines between delineated areas. Concrete, whether used in polished floors and countertops or rougher applications on fireplace surrounds, injects an instant edge to spaces. In the end, the mix of raw industrial and softer furnishings – whether urban or suburban – is all you need to live up to these lofty lifestyles.

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out and about

G IS FOR GLASSES text and photography G is for Glasses FIND IT: 3-1176 Taylor Ave 204-452-7737 / 204-GLASSES Tuesday - Saturday www.gisforglasses.com

In the shop you will find anything from various faux taxidermy pieces, a vintage ocular anatomy poster from the 1930s, bowling paraphernalia and a Volkswagen Beetle hood. Jessie and Bonni’s favourite piece is the piano they rescued and painted orange, G is for Glasses’ signature colour.

HISTORY: One summer night at the cottage, two cousins and a bottle of Chardonnay began throwing around the idea of opening up an optical shop together, and that is how the concept of G is for Glasses was born. Jessie Fillmore is an optometrist who has been practicing in Winnipeg since 2009, and Bonni O’Hara has extensive experience in retail management and an eye for design, so it really was the perfect fit for this pair to make their dream a reality. G is for Glasses started to take shape in the fall of 2013 and opened its doors on June 24, 2014.

MENU: G is for Glasses is a full-scope, modern optometric clinic with Jessie being the resident optometrist. She performs comprehensive eye exams on patients of all ages, manages ocular disease and fits contact lenses. As for frames, Bonni and Jessie have method to their madness of why they chose the brands they carry: since G is for Glasses is an independent, local and family-run shop, all their frame brands represent those values. MOSCOT is one of their staples, a 100-year-old, fifth generation family run company out of New York City. Another favourite is Andy Wolf, an Austrian company with an eclectic flair, which is still handmade in their homeland.

THE SPACE: The design goal for G is for Glasses was pretty simple: keep it fun, welcoming, comfortable, and to leave patients and customers with the desire to come back just to hang out. The black-and-white marble and granite floor serves as a compass to the shop, guiding you towards the optician bar, the frames or the exam area. The clean look of the white pine board walls was to be reminiscent of the cottage, and the use of reclaimed wood to evoke the idea of history and making something old new again. The decor is basically “anything goes.”

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WINNIPEG: The River Heights location was important to Jessie and Bonni who both reside in Crescentwood, it helps transfer the “feels like home” vibe they were after. The local support received while opening up G is for Glasses was integral in its actualization, and the pair whole heartedly agree they couldn’t imagine being able to do this anywhere else.

co l l ect i o n s

CURATING A GALLERY WALL Hanging art in a domestic space is a daunting task to many. Maybe the apprehension stems from the thought of hammering nails into pristine plaster or simply an inability to know which pieces should go where. There are a few simple strategies to confidently hang art in your home.

Large pieces require large walls. A natural spot for larger pieces is above a fireplace, couch or dining room wall.

When considering an over couch hang make sure that the piece is behind glass. An original work on canvas is too delicate should someone on the couch brush the work. I made the mistake of hanging a large piece on canvas above the couch and every time we had guests I rushed to sit on the spot by the painting so that no one would touch it. When considering a piece above a sideboard or mantle be sure to hang it low enough so

that someone seated can enjoy the piece. I often lean large pieces on top of the mantle.

If your collection consists of smaller pieces don’t be scared to group them.

These grouping are called “salon style,� which historically was intended to show the complexity and depth of a collection.

This type of grouping does not have to be symmetrical. I do, however, like the frames to be in a limited palette, a maximum of three different colours.

One way to make sure you get the right look before hammering is to cut paper the size and shape of the work and tape it to the wall. Rearrange it until you get the right look. Pieces in circular frames and square frames can be mixed together. Leave the papers in place when you go to hammer your nails to make sure you have the proper placement of hardware.

Once all your art is hung, it is important to rotate it every so often.

Rotating art keeps it fresh to the viewer and also gives the work a break from a draft or light in your house. This is especially important for watercolour paintings and oil paintings.

Our collections specialist Stephanie Middagh has spent the past 12 years being inspired by museum collections while working as a curator for various museums and galleries. Concurrent to her curatorial work, she took this inspiration to her sessional positions at the University of Manitoba where she continues to teach Introduction to Art and the History of Textiles.

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w e lov e

Tile Style

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2

3 4 On trend for 2015 are tiles big on style and big in stature! Dimensions ranging from 18" by 20" are becoming increasingly common with some tiles stretching up to 16” by 48”. These ground breaking sizes coupled with strides

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in pattern, impressions, raised motifs and water-jet intarsia are allowing tile to transcend the boundaries of the kitchen and bathroom. We are simply smitten with the groundbreaking Studio Moderne collection of ceramic tile and

stone created for Walker Zanger by noted interior designer Michael Berman.

1. Paramount, 15 x 15; 2. Fretwork, 18 x 20; 3. Marquis Octagon and Rectangle, 4½x5 and 7¼x 8; 4. Imperial, 10 x10

Interior or exterior renovations, over and above your expectations.

Over & Above Custom Homes can help with your next renovation project.

overandaboveconstruction.com

Call us for your free estimate

204.999.5351

get crafty

The sweeping bow of the tulip may be one of its most alluring charms, but it can present a challenge to some flower arrangers. Drooping comes naturally to the tulip and can be part of its simple beauty, even tulips in the garden are weighed down by their full blossoms. And besides bending to gravity, tulips tend to lean toward sunlight, adding to the droop.

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to d ro o p : If you’re a fan of the graceful arc naturally inherent in the tulip then the best vessel to show off this characteristic is a fluted, wide mouthed vase. Lay the stems in au naturel and let the tulips fall where they may!

o r n ot to d ro o p : First, only buy the freshest tulips, with brightgreen leaves and crisp stems that squeak when touched. Create your arrangement and bundle with floral wire or a rubber band and stand in a sufficiently tall vase that supports the stems at least two-thirds of the way up. If you have a wide mouthed vase you’d like to use then arrange your tulips in a straight-walled vessel that will fit inside the preferred vase. Tuck the working vase inside the decorative one and no one will be the wiser.. .our two-lips are sealed!

whites pace. grid . repetition. alignment. you notice de s i gn eve ry wh e re . we do too.

Hinge is a strategic branding and interactive design agency. We are passionate about culture, and how we can create conversations between our clients and their target audiences. We believe that style reflects who you are and what you do; and in today’s competitive marketplace, having a distinct style is an advantage that will help you stand apart from the crowd. A meaningful style is a powerful way to define your purpose, represent your values and effectively communicate your brand to customers. Design thinking is crucial when approaching and solving business problems in a culture full of change. We’re honest, approachable, down to earth and would like to help.

hingedesig n.c a | 2 0 4 .9 9 7 .8 8 5 7

p ro f i l e

ARTHUR LIFFMANN

PROfile is a chance to meet and get to know a local Winnipeg talent.

Covet has partnered with CDECA (Canadian Decorators' Association) to bring you the inside scoop on one of their members from the Central Prairie Chapter. To learn more about CDECA or for a list of CDECA decorators in your area, visit them at www.cdeca.com.

Arthur Liffmann is a decorator and home staging professional, and a design associate at Envy Paint & Design. Highly regarded by clients for both his sense of style and sense of humour, he is known for his eye for colour and comfortable mix of design periods.

With a diverse background in real estate, retail marketing and special events, he has an instinctual ability for setting a stage, with eyes equally trained on both the big picture and smallest detail. While decorating is his true passion, he possesses a fluent design vocabulary that lends itself to re-imagining and designing beautiful spaces in various styles.

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Arthur is a certified Benjamin Moore colour specialist, and a contributing writer and stylist for Covet Magazine, where he regularly uses his voice to highlight beautiful decorating and design.

surprisingly well as neutrals - lots of greens, but also hits of purple and navy.

There are also some really great deep grey/ browns that can add a shot of the rustic/ industrial trend to any space.

WHICH DESIGNERS OR DECORATORS DO YOU MOST ADMIRE AND HOW HAVE THEY IMPACTED YOUR STYLE?

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMPELLING TRENDS YOU’RE SEEING IN FURNITURE DESIGN HIS YEAR?

That’s like asking someone to choose their favourite child, but here’s a short list. I’m equally drawn to the the clean lines and classic foundations of Coco Chanel and Mies van der Rohe, and the brash humour and crazy joy of Jonathan Adler and Iris Apfel. While each represent diverse styles and periods, they share a common sense of discipline and confidence, and their work feels as current today as when they first created it - things all designers aspire to in their work.

I’m really excited to see the return of some more classic silhouettes and details in soft furnishings – chesterfields, woodsided sofas, and wing chairs, to name a few. Scaling up the size or deconstructing the frame is still big, but there’s definitely a return to slim legs and tightly tailored upholstery out there as well. For someone like me who likes to mix it up a bit, it’s nice to see.

WORKING IN THE DESIGN FIELD, YOU MUST HAVE AMASSED QUITE A COLLECTION OF GREAT STUFF OVER THE YEARS. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS IN YOUR OWN HOME THAT YOU JUST COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT? You ain’t whistling Dixie – but this really only became a problem when there was no room in the closets for my clothes because they were jammed full of textiles, crystal and vintage light fixtures. Over the last few years, I’ve managed to let go of most of those treasures and simplify my space. There are a few things, though, that I couldn’t imagine giving up: my collection of antique Jezzine cutlery from Lebanon, some vintage enameled cast iron cookware, and an old Eiffel-based coffee table that I once picked up on Kijiji for $20 (it has since been used in countless home stagings). Surrounding yourself only with things you love and respond to is more important than having a huge amount of possessions.

WHAT COLOURS ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO INCORPORATING INTO YOUR DESIGN PALETTE THIS YEAR? It seems like everyone’s been flirting with the great Return To Colour for the past few years, but we’re now noticing a trend towards greyish colours that work

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION PEOPLE MAY HAVE ABOUT WORKING WITH A DESIGN PROFESSIONAL? Within our profession, there are a variety of roles – home stagers, architects, interior decorators, interior designers, landscape architects – each of whom bring their own varied skill sets to the table. Each design professional has their own background and education, and approaches each project with particular talents and perspectives. Very often, the most successful projects are the result of a client working with a professional – or team of professionals – whose overall skill set, talents and creative vision for the project are the driving force behind their partnership.

WHERE ARE YOU FAVOURITE PLACES TO SOURCE PRODUCTS? I’m big a big fan of mixing it up and creating some good design tension, and many of my favourite interiors feature luxurious designer pieces paired with vintage finds. I’ve developed a bit of a reputation for scoring some great items online, whether on Kijiji and Craigslist (there’s a treasure trove of goodies on there if you can see past old upholstery or brass finishes, and are prepared to get your hands dirty), or on the other end of the online spectrum firstdibs. com is an amazing source for authentic vintage furnishings and quirky designer

accessories. Best of all, though, is repurposing an unrecognized gem from a client's home and giving it a new reason to be appreciated.

WHAT ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS COMMON TO THE INTERIORS YOU DESIGN? I think a sense of scale plays a big role.

Many of the projects I work on are revamps of existing interiors, and playing with scale can create balance and focus in areas that were previously lacking it. Likewise, relating to the existing architecture and design is integral to creating good flow and cohesiveness in a space; creating vignettes in different areas of a home that carry a common thread – be it a colour, pattern or finish – can subtly influence how people respond to a space.

WHAT’S THE NEXT TREND IN DESIGN YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO SEE? I’d love to see less of a concern for making every space showstopping. The trend towards making all rooms an over-the-top ‘wow’ has detracted from the essence of what good design and decorating is about.

While there may be fun in exclusivity and lavish excess, good design and decorating is always accessible, beautiful and achievable with any budget.

COCO CHANEL IS FAMOUS FOR SAYING, “BEFORE YOU WALK OUT OF THE DOOR EVERYDAY, TAKE ONE THING OFF.” DO YOU HAVE A COMPARABLE CREDO WHEN IT COMES TO HOME DECOR? I have two. First, think of your space as a film, and each of its design elements - the flooring, counters, backsplash, lighting, furnishings, all of it – as the actors.

To create an award-winning picture, remember that you need a balanced cast playing leading and supporting roles. If everyone’s fighting to play the lead, you’ve got a hot mess. And secondly, what I’ve learned as a pet owner: if you love black furniture, don’t get a white dog.

To connect with Arthur you can reach him at Envy Paint and Design Ltd via telephone at 204.487.3666 or email at Arthur@envypaintanddesign.com.

+ DESIGN SERVICES + BELOVED BRANDS + NEWLY DISCOVERD TREASURES 444 Academy Road t: 204.487.1151 | bluehillsdesign.ca

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tips o' the trades

MOVIN' ON UP

Steve Gallagher from The Gallagher Group shares his expertise about preparing your house to put on the market.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ROOM IN THE HOUSE? The kitchen is definitely the most important room in the house.

An updated and beautifully designed kitchen is a major selling feature for any home. Conversely, an outdated kitchen that needs TLC can be a deal breaker for many home buyers. When we are showing a home, we spend about half of our time in the kitchen area with prospective buyers.

WHICH AREAS SHOULD I INVEST IN, AND WHICH SHOULD I LEAVE AS IS? Kitchens and bathrooms are usually the areas we recommend spending the most time and money on. Those are rooms that, in my experience, are important to potential buyers. I always advise people to be cautious if they are renovating their home solely to increase its saleability. You want to ensure that the money you are spending on updates and renovations is going to add enough value to your home to make it worthwhile.

IS INVESTING IN MINOR TOUCH-UPS SUCH AS PAINT A GOOD INVESTMENT? Absolutely, without a doubt, yes! A fresh coat of paint just brightens up a house and makes it so much more appealing to buyers. I have a young family so I know how the walls of a house really take a beating. From sticky hands, to scuff marks, to the dents created by lively games of mini stick hockey our walls bear the brunt of it. Paint is a great, low cost way to rejuvenate your home.

SHOULD I KEEP MY PERSONAL BELONGINGS IN PLACE OR START PACKING? There are definitely some things that should go and some that can stay. We provide a preparation consultation on all of our listings. We walk through the home, room-by-room and give recommendations on what should stay and what should go. A big no-no when you are trying to sell your home is to have all of your family and personal pictures up all over the house. Potential buyers are better able to picture themselves living in a home if they are not inundated with pictures of the current owners.

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN A REAL ESTATE AGENT? There are a lot of qualities you should look for in choosing your agent. Buying or selling a home is the biggest transaction of your life and you should feel confident in who you choose.

The agent you choose should ideally have experience selling homes in your community and you should feel that the lines of communication are wide open when interacting with your agent. I think one of the most important factors is testimonials

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from past clients, a good agent has these and can provide them for you when asked. Looking at my own business, 80% of that is from repeat clients and referrals from past clients. Ask your friends and family for their recommendations. Anyone can tell you they will do a great job but will their past clients back up what they say?

HOW DO I KNOW HOW MUCH TO ASK? Pricing, along with preparation, is the most important aspect of selling a home. We study the current market trends, recent comparable sales and use our years of experience to properly price the home.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A REAL ESTATE AGENT AS OPPOSED TO SELLING PRIVATELY? One benefit of using an agent over selling privately is the multiple listing service and the wide market your home will have access to. The majority of the public are using an agent when they are looking for a home, these agents are cooperating with other agents to bring buyers and sellers together. With exposure to all types of buyers, this cooperating system gives the sellers the best chance to get top dollar with minimal stress. Your agent is not just advertising your home, they are negotiating the sale, ensuring all the paperwork is properly completed, liaising with banks, mortgage brokers and home inspectors to make sure that your purchase goes smoothly.

One really important factor to consider is that an agent is also acting as an objective and unbiased party. I have had clients who fell in love with a home and would have purchased it, had I not stepped in to remind them that it fell short of several criteria I knew were important to them. Emotions are high when you are selling or purchasing a home and it is invaluable to have an objective agent to make sure you don’t make a mistake.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SELL? Historically, the best time to sell is in the spring time. Having said that, markets are constantly changing and timing is critical.

Try to consult with your agent months before you plan on putting your home on the market.

SHOULD I HIRE A PROFESSIONAL STAGER OR DO IT MYSELF? I think it is worth it to hire a professional. We always include staging/preparation consultations with our listings. It is always best to have a fresh set of eyes giving you honest advice on how to best prepare your home. The money spent on staging is minimal compared to the value added to your home.

cov e t ta l ks

RAMSIN KHACHI Covet caught up with nationally recognized design / build contractor, popular industry expert and television personality Ramsin Khachi when he rolled through Winnipeg for the 2015 Kitchen Bath and Revovation Show.

Known for his timeless, elegant and uniquely customized spaces, Khachi ensures that inventiveness, sensibility and sophistication are the foundation to his design philosophy. A definite leader in his field, Ramsin has an unparalleled integrity for quality and knowledge of construction that has made him an asset to the design and construction communities. He frequently lectures at public forums and to professional organizations and is one of the leading Design Experts on CTV’s popular daytime talk show “The Marilyn Denis Show.” He writes for various media publications and can often be seen in the LUXURY LIVING section of the prestigious National Post newspaper.

DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THE FIELD OF DESIGN? WHAT WAS YOUR DREAM JOB AS A CHILD? No, I can’t say I did. I was, however, very inquisitive as to how things worked. I would be more interested on taking toys apart to see how they worked rather than play with them. Looking back at my teenage years, it’s easy to link certain characteristics to what I love as a career now. I can’t say that I had a dream job in mind.

I do know I wanted to be very successful but had no idea what the definition success was.

BEING SURROUNDED BY INSPIRING DESIGN DAILY, HOW DO YOU DECIDE THE DESIGN DIRECTION FOR YOUR OWN HOME? That is definitely a tough one. I have a hard time creating a space for myself. I almost have to create a fictional client in my own place to keep focused. I still can’t tell you what my dream home would be. Last month I would have said a very minimalist contemporary loft, however, after visiting a friend last week in their place I remembered my love for a beautifully restored Century home.

YOUR CAREER HAS GIVEN YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE DESIGN IN MANY DIFFERENT MEDIA. HOW HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES INFLUENCED THE DESIGNER YOU ARE TODAY? I have been very fortunate to be involved in many unique and interesting projects with some of the most amazing clientele. I have definitely grown as a designer and have honed skills that I didn’t even know I possessed. I am more particular about details than I ever was and I think the best answer would be that “I am humble enough to know that I’m not better than anyone and now wise enough to know I am different from the rest.”

BALANCING YOUR MEDIA COMMITMENTS AND YOUR DESIGN BUSINESS, WHAT IS YOUR TYPICAL DAY LIKE? My days are scheduled from start to finish. They are busy and generally full days. I have to ask specifically to have my calendar cleared for a day so that I can simply be me and deal with regular things like hanging out with the team in the office or taking off and having lunch with my kids. Otherwise, it’s an organized chaos everyday that I simply love.

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WHEN DO YOU SPLURGE AND WHEN/WHERE DO YOU SAVE? I splurge on going out with my kids. I splurge on vacations with my kids, I splurge on simply everything I do with my kids.

They’re great kids with amazing values and they appreciate their father to no end and I just love that. I save on the clothes I buy. I love shopping for clothes and finding beautiful things for a great bargain.

COULD YOU GIVE US THREE RULES OR THINGS WE SHOULD KNOW BEFORE HIRING A DESIGN PROFESSIONAL? 1: Look very carefully at their portfolio and make sure you love their work.

2: Pay careful attention to how they listen to you. Are they hearing your needs and understanding your fears? Do they have solutions to address both? 3: Listen to your gut feeling. If it feels at all wrong; it is. So, move on.

WHAT IS SOME GREAT DESIGN ADVICE YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN? I was good friends with the late Ray Staples and I just loved her no-nonsense attitude. One of my favorite Ray quotes is, “I’m not one of those people who says there are 10 rules for doing so and so, screw it! Forget rules. Jump in and have fun.” This quote pretty much sums up my feelings. I don’t like to conform to the norm, I want to break the moulds and create the new.

WHAT TRENDS DO YOU PREDICT FOR 2015? For 2015, I predict the trend to be “not to be trendy.” Look inside and realize what you love. Create a space that fits who you are, one that functions for you. Make it a space you love to be in and then make it beautiful – for you!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE SINGLE ROOM TO TACKLE, GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO RIP IT OUT AND START FROM THE STUDS? The bathroom for sure but the kitchen is a close second.

WHAT ARE YOU TIRED OF SEEING? The same old stuff, whether it’s tiles, hardwood, cabinetry or counter surfaces. There are so many beautiful things in this world but unfortunately not enough people have the love and passion or the time to go out and find them. I spend a lot of my time travelling to get inspiration and to attend industry trade shows where I find some of the newest and most beautiful products.

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GallagherGroup.ca 942 St. Mary’s Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba

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inside out

Harwood Design Builders’ mission is to fulfill clients’ residential construction and renovation dreams with unparalleled quality and workmanship. They promise the highest level of professionalism and build trust through commitment, fulfillment and integrity. Geneviève Joyal is a big part of the team with her creativity and love for design.

Clients praise Gen’s ability to coordinate styles, textures, colors and finishes and her keen eye keeps her designs unique and fresh. Read on to see how working with Gen and the Harwood Team begins with a wish list, grows into conceptual drawings and is realised by the expert team!

w i s h l i st

Our client's 1950s two storey home has less than 600 square feet on the main floor. The hallway was dark and the rooms were very cramped since the staircase was located right in the middle.

Natural light was limited due to the layout and the finishes throughout were generally outdated. To achieve an open concept was top priority. Ideally, the walls surrounding the staircase would be replaced with something less restricted. They like clean lines but also the warmth of natural materials.

Detailed 3D renderings help clients visualize their project from the tiles on the floor and paint on the walls to lighting, cabinets and more. This visually important service is part of the package when working with Harwood Design Builders.

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o u tco m e Once the majority of the walls were removed, daylight flooded in. Additionally, the strategic reflected ceiling plan provides general, task (under cabinet) and pendant lighting for a layered effect. A consistent laminate flooring throughout visually expands the small footprint. Alder stained cabinets paired with dark granite add depth and a sense of luxury while the pale grey textured marble backsplash offers a sharp contrast. The revamped staircase is a superb counterpoint that completes the desired transitional aesthetic. It features 3/8� powder coated steel plate stringers, uninterrupted glass walls and minimalist stainless hardware. The result is dramatic.

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1. Beaulieu flooring 2. Bianco wood backsplash tile 3. Steel grey granite 4. Grohe faucet 5. Hettich agiro pull 6. Kichler everly pendant For more information on where to find any of these items contact Geneviève Joyal from Harwood Design Builders at 204.338.3151.

mm od i tih i sits t o edren r nl ilvi ivni g n gww t ha ap rpa r iariirei et w tw

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COVET CARAVAN ‌ n a rc i ss e

SNAKE CHARMERS Springtime means mating season in the snake pits of Narcisse Photography by BRIAN JOHNSON Written by BARBARA CHABAI

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Photo Credit: Deer + Almond

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COVET CARAVAN … n a rc i ss e

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Courtship rituals in the animal kingdom are not so different from human mating habits.

Take, for instance, the red-sided garter snakes that converge on the Narcisse Snake Dens in Manitoba’s Interlake Region each spring. It’s practically a serpentine version of ladies’ night, with legions of sssingleand-ready-to-mingle snakes slithering distances of up to 20 kilometres for a chance at romance.

Depending on the timing of the spring thaw, the garter snakes usually become active in late April, emerging from subterranean winter dens hidden among

a network of tiny fissures and crevasses in the limestone bedrock. The males are first to surface from hibernation with lovin’ on their minds, eagerly waiting for the larger, voluptuous females to appear. As they do, the females release a pheromone signalling that they’re ready to mate so that when potential suitors pick up the sweet scent, it’s on. Cue Barry White.

One female snake can be literally swarmed by dozens, even up to 100, males, each attempting to woo her with some seductive chin-rubbing before coiling into one massive, writhing knot of a “mating ball.” This unique

phenomenon is fascinating to watch, a process repeating again and again during the two to three frenzied weeks of hissing hedonism.

To edge out the competition, some sneaky male snakes will resort to faking their sex. One such slippery customer will emit a teensy bit of the female pheromone to trick fellow males into rubbing against him to increase his body temperature. This will engage the female in mating more quickly because this coldblooded fellow already feels warm. In essence, he uses the other guys to make himself look good – it’s like the snake version of The Bachelorette.

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Once the female has mated, she will spew out another pheromone, this time a repellant that is a turn-off for male snakes. Interestingly, she can store the sperm of several different males until she is good and ready to produce fertilized eggs. She will then vacation in nearby wetlands for the summer, not only to have her baby daddies’ offspring, but to dine on the marsh’s juicy minnows and toads until she is ready to return to her cozy den at Narcisse in September.

Fattening up for the winter also gives her a chance to check out bigger and better males to mate with – giving her a whole new dating pool to consider.

The Narcisse Snake Dens are 130 kilometres, or about a 90-minute drive, from the city limits. From Winnipeg, take Highway #7 north to Teulon, turn west on Highway #17 and continue northwest through Inwood to Narcisse. Watch for road signs leading you to the dens, located only six kilometres past the town of Narcisse in the RM of Armstrong.

There are four active dens at Narcisse, each connected by a three-kilometre, self-guiding interpretive trail and observation platforms. The best time to take in the world’s largest collection of red-sided garter snakes is in the latter part of April through the first three weeks of May. Peak mating activity tends to be around Mother’s Day, coincidentally.

Narcisse Snake Dens: http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/ wildlife/spmon/narsnakes/

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abode

FROM NORT H END TO NEW YORK Creating visual interest helps to avoid predictability amidst a cohesive design design and interior development by KARA MARANTZ INTERIOR DESIGN AND OVER AND ABOVE CUSTOM HOMES photography MICHAEL ROBERTS text by BARBARA CHABAI

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The glamourous new kitchen highlights the stunning mix of Fifth Avenue sparkle and Tribeca loft living found throughout this rejuvenated Wellington Crescent highrise condominium.

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Last fall, Elaine and Neil Swirsky waved goodbye to their family home in the north end of Winnipeg and said hello to living in a Manhattan-style condominium on Wellington Crescent.

“After 30 years, I think that we were ready for something new. For us, downsizing to a condo was a chance to make a fresh start,” Elaine recalls. “The more we started thinking about renovating, the more we thought that a contemporary, New York loft is the look we wanted. Our main focus was creating an open, airy space that would be practical for everyday living, yet suitable for entertaining our family and friends.”

The Swirskys worked closely with interior designers Kara Marantz and Lindsay Simpson, who encouraged their clients to bring their dreams and ideas to the table. Together, they utilized Houzz.com, which hosts over five million photos of kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and other living areas, to better define the design direction for the 1,630-square foot condo.

“I find that Houzz really helps clients narrow down their ideas and in turn, that helps us, the designers, better understand their style and figure out the best way to achieve what they’re going for in the space,” says Kara Marantz. “Elaine was able to save and share different idea books with me and out of our discussions about the photos she liked evolved a New York loft feel – cool, modern and functional.”

A restrained palette of whites, browns and greiges feels crisp and layered, thanks to a complex mix of textures, grains, polished metals and lighting sources. Right: In the dining area, the traditional curved silhouettes of the upholstered chairs and a pair of drum fixtures beautifully balance the modern lines of the wood and glass dining table.

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Built in the late 1980s, the oak-heavy condo initially had too many confining walls and dark corners and gasped for a breath of fresh air. Marantz and Simpson enlisted contractor Jayson Nickol of Over and Above Custom Homes to open up the space.

“Originally, things were much too closed in so we knew we wanted to make the kitchen, dining room and living room into one large open space,” Marantz recalls. “As Jayson began taking out the adjoining walls and a wall in the front entrance, we inadvertently discovered the building’s mechanical chase inside a post that could not be removed.”

The solution was to cover the immovable column with an iodine brick veneer with a patina finish. “It created a striking visual feature,” she says. “We loved the colour and in the end, it became one of our favourite parts of the kitchen/dining room break.”

To make a multifunctional living space, Marantz and Simpson designed a built-in credenza unit that can double as a server when entertaining. On the opposite side is an openended, versatile den that transforms into a home office, a guest bedroom to accommodate sleepovers with the grandkids or additional storage depending on the homeowners’ needs.

Easily adapted for work, entertaining or guest quarters, the cozy den is a model of flexible space, thanks to the smart built-ins and oversize door openings.

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Like the distinctly urban brick column off of the kitchen, several noteworthy elements are featured throughout the condo to create visual interest while maintaining a purposeful fluidity.

“It is important to create a flow so that everything comes together cohesively but yet, there’s still interest,” Marantz says, adding that cohesiveness does not necessarily come from matching. “We used the same materials for the millwork – a combination of white lacquer casing and wood veneer product – but we changed the finishes, the countertop selections and tiles and used different colours for the bathrooms than we did in the kitchen. That helps create interest and a ‘wow’ factor everywhere you look.”

Among those stunning effects is the clever feature wall in the wellappointed master bedroom. Drawing out a grid pattern, the designers worked with their carpenter to apply moulding to the wall before painting it a luxuriously dark charcoal. Hanging pendant lamps by Jonathan Adler add sparkle to each side of the bed, complemented by deliberately-spaced pot lights gleaming from the bulkhead above.

In fact, artful illumination appears to be the key factor to the beauty of this light-filled space, starting at the front entrance. A contemporary sliding glass “barn door” accesses the laundry room and once the light inside is switched on, a softened radiance emanates

“ Even though we’ve moved to a smaller living space, we have all the room we need to do exactly what we were doing before.” ~ The Homeowners

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abode

The principal suite features grand proportions and detailed millwork; deeper tones in both the bedroom and bathroom finishes create higher contrast, lending a sense of luxury.

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from behind the door. In the living room, Marantz framed the massive windows with dramatic charcoal trim to draw the eye in and showcase the outside view.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, contractor Nickol introduced the design team to a supplier who specializes in custom fabricated lighting and was able to bring in certified half-inch recessed LED pot lights. “Normally with a pot light, you need 4.5 to 6 inches of space above the ceiling to fit it in. These required no more than the thickness of the drywall, otherwise, we would have had to strap the ceiling down six inches to get pot lights in,” he explains.

The Swirskys are now basking in the results of the renovation and appear delighted that condo living has not cramped their style.

“Kara and Lindsay listened to our priorities, understood our tastes and made sure that every single aspect of the design fit perfectly. They focussed on what we wanted and guided us through the process,” Elaine says. “We love the open feel and how everything flows so well together. Even though we’ve moved to a smaller living space, we have all the room we need to do exactly what we were doing before.”

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WELLINGTON WORTH THE WAIT Winnipeg couples' forever home exceeds expectations design by CONCEPT BUILDERS | photography MICHAEL ROBERTS | text RYAN BOWMAN

This page: The crescent shape of the cottage mimics the shape of the bay.

The 122 stairs down to the water keep you in shape during the summer!

Opposite: An expansive deck atop the boathouse provides a perfect waterside area for entertaining, sunbathing and taking in the spectacular Soaring ceilings, huge windows and a spectacular staircase views of Clearwater Bay come together to define a modern masterpiece recently completed on one of Winnipeg’s most desirable streets.

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It may have taken two years, a false start and dozens of abandoned drawings, but Dean Ateah and Monica White’s masterpiece was well worth the wait.

With four bedrooms, five bathrooms and more than 5,000 square feet of luxurious living space spread out over three levels, the home may just be the crowning jewel of the build-and-design duo’s portfolio.

“The place is nowhere near the original plan,” says Ateah, one half of Winnipeg’s Concept Builders. “But the finished product is better than either we or the homeowners could have ever imagined. We managed to stick to their vision and add our own touches to make something pretty amazing.”

That vision goes back to 2013, when the homeowners bought a treed lot on Wellington Crescent knowing it would be the future site of their forever home.

“They wanted something sleek and modern, but warm and inviting,” recalls White. “They wanted functionality, good sightlines, high ceilings, warm lighting.”

By the time Ateah and White were finished with the project, they had all of that and more.

In addition to the uber-modern great room featuring 19-foot ceilings, oversized windows and a healthy dose of mocha-coloured pine accents,

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the home’s highlights include the custom-made front door, a large and ultra-functional kitchen, a fully-equipped home gym and a sprawling three-level deck out back.

The home’s literal centrepiece is a four-foot by 12-foot staircase separating the great room from the kitchen.

Featuring a contemporary mix of brick and wood, the staircase is flanked on either side by a wall of glass, offering a fishbowl feel that brings the entire main floor together.

While the staircase is far and away the defining feature of the house, it cost Ateah some sleepless nights; originally designed to accommodate a wraparound fireplace, the staircase drawings underwent at least five different variations.

“It was extremely difficult coming up with a plan that accommodated everything from openness to separation to the type of look we were trying to achieve – and to do it all on budget,” he says. “There were so many times I would stand in front of that wall and look at it and wonder what to do.

The gourmet kitchen features millwork with rich wood grains contrasting crisp white glossy cabinetry, and seating options at both the island and around the large table allow the cook to mingle with guests; a second round dining area offers a more intimate space to dine; an oversize glass shower and luxurious soaker tub offer an indulgent space to relax in the principal bathroom; a corner window in the guest room adds architectural interest

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“ The place is nowhere near the original plan, but the finished product is better than either we or the homeowners could have ever imagined.

We managed to stick to their vision and add our own touches to make something pretty amazing.� ~ Dean Ateah, Concept Builders

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“In the end, we got rid of the fireplace but kept the brick and added the glass, and the result is one of the nicest features in the whole house.”

While the staircase was part of the plan from day one, Ateah and White were tasked with incorporating another of the home’s focal points on the fly. “(The homeowners) were actually at the Winnipeg airport one day and they sent me a picture of the ceiling and they asked, ‘Can we do something like this in our great room?’” recalls Ateah, pointing out the wavy wooden fixture hanging from the ceiling. “Originally, it didn’t fit in to the budget. But after a lot of back and forth communication, and by saving in a few other areas, we were able to make it work.”

While Ateah and White admit that other builders may have been able to complete the job faster, their hands-on approach and penchant for perfectionism ensured things were done right the first time.

A custom entrance door and whimsical light fixture handmade in Australia greet guests in the foyer; strong architectural punctuation marks, such as the staircase, fireplace and undulating ceiling panels define the great room

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“The beauty of working with me and Dean is that we’re at the site every single day and involved in every aspect of the decision making,” White says. “We discussed everything as a group and made sure everybody was on board before moving forward.”

The result, Ateah says, is client satisfaction.

“I asked (the homeowner) just the other day how it felt living here, and they said it hadn’t sunken in yet that this was their house,” Ateah says. “It’s a great feeling to create something that unique and have the clients love it.”

Glamourous tile and a vessel sink that mimics a block of ice keep the vibe cool in the main floor powder room; upstairs, the large main family bathroom features full walls clad in a mix of tiles

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SPRINGTIME PA L E T T E A Shaker-style living room gets a colourful shake up. design by ENVY PAINT AND DESIGN photography RACHAEL KING JOHNSON text by BARBARA CHABAI

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The large two tiered rustic coffee table is perfectly within reach of all seating spots. The afternoon sun beams in and hits the coffee table so gloriously that the family dog is now known to nap on the table!

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The late, great interior designer Billy Baldwin once said, “When you arrange your living room furniture, think less of symmetry and more of comfort.”

In the case of this beautiful Assiniboine Landing home, the Shakerstyle living room was so symmetrical that it was overtly masculine.

The homeowner asked designer Bahia Taylor of Envy Paint & Design to create a softer, feminine balance without making the men of the household feel uncomfortable.

“After five years of living with the original décor, the homeowner had grown tired of everything being very square and very brown.

Above: Without a television, the living room furniture is arranged so that every seat enjoys the stunning stone fireplace. The placement is extremely conducive to conversation during large gatherings and boasts amazing natural light and river views; Left: Rustic and sturdy wood side tables are a matched set to the coffee table and are generous enough in size to host pretty crackled blue fretwork lamps and family mementos yet still offer real estate for drinks, snacks or reading materials. Opposite top: Crackled and distressed glaze keeps the fretwork lamps from being too precious for the heavy tables in the room. A lovely blend of pretty meets rustic keeps the room casual and refined simultaneously; middle: the custom bench in front of the fireplace, designed

by Taylor, is supported by three open square raw steel legs hand welded locally and then upholstered in a diamond-pattern, coral fabric and treated to nail head trim. The raw steel adds rustic charm and references the rolling cart between the side chairs; Opposite right: Pattern play is a specialty of the designer.

Embroidered neutral linen pillows play beautifully with textured coral solids adorned with chunky button closures and an over-sized beige and coral damask and full bloomed grey floral; all set against the botanical drapes. The mix of nine different upholstery and pillow fabrics is interesting but remains subtle.

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“ At first look, juicy coral is fresh and synonymous with summer. But don't let that fool you, it's an incredibly relatable colour!

Pairing it with beige and deep sophisticated grays lends it the versatility to transition easily into fall and winter decorating.� ~ Bahia Taylor, Envy Paint and Design

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She wanted to bring some life and some colour into the space,�

Taylor recalls.

Redesigning the living room started with replacing the heavy wood window treatments with light-filtering silhouette shades.

Drapery panels from the Sarah Richardson fabric collection by Kravet featuring a clean white background and a sophisticated print in coral, aqua blue and grey, became the colour palette that served as a jumping off point for the remainder of the furnishings and accents.

A cream-coloured wool area rug was chosen to anchor the 17 foot-by-12 foot room, adding texture and warmth without The brick fireplace is a lovely display spot with both an open pass through niche to the kitchen as well as a mantle. A lovely collection of gray blown glass vases mixed with white and wood ceramics are perfect vehicles to add seasonal life to the room. For springtime, miniature white blossoms with pussy willows; Opposite: A custom area carpet is bound with a coordinating coral twill border. Wool was chosen for its durability and wonderful stain resistance. The texture adds visual interest and anchors the entire room while the neutral and light colour selection keeps the room from feeling too heavy.

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abode distracting from the rich grain of the oak hardwood flooring. Given that the active family has a large dog, and frequently entertains in their home, the choice of wool broadloom was significant as it not only gives the desired aesthetic effect but is very easy to maintain. Once the rug was cut to the specified size, custom binding in deep coral was selected to match the drapery.

As for the furniture, Taylor found pieces that were suitable and stylish while still complementing the Shaker “square bones” of the home.

“The bulky sectional that they had in the living room was quite masculine and the accent chairs were okay for perching on but weren’t conducive to entertaining and conversing in,” Taylor says. “Instead, we brought in two Kravet sofas, covering the body with fabric and then a contrasting fabric to add some detail in the piping. The effect is striking.”

Between the two opposite-facing couches is a rustic, oversized coffee table that looks like architectural salvage (it’s not) – a focal point and guaranteed conversation starter. A pair of matching side tables are conveniently placed within arm’s reach of the sofas, each solid table topped with a ceramic lamp boasting a distinct blue crackled patina.

A custom-designed fireplace bench, wrapped in coral, stands squarely on three iron legs, each welded in a contemporary yet basic box-like design. A wheeled cart brings an appealing sense of whimsy to the room, its rustic wood and iron detail referencing the legs on the aforementioned bench.

For those wanting to relax, read or reflect in front of a crackling fire, there are two weighty armchairs, which Taylor describes as “chunky and yet, graceful in their shape.” Both neutral beige chairs feature a stunning wood frame that echoes the home’s craftsmanship, especially its delicate millwork and trim around the windows.

“Although the room feels very spring-like because of the fresh elements of coral and blue throughout, the more masculine lines of the architectural details and the heavier pieces of furniture will ensure that it transitions easily into every season.”

Top: The side chairs feature wood detailing that coordinates with the room’s millwork and floors. The wood silhouette is a strong detail which gives the chairs enough substance for the large room while the graceful lines of the chairs are a feminine counterpoint. A rustic steel framed rolling cart is versatile and lends a little tension between the two chairs; Middle: Fresh vibrant blooms in blue ceramic urns signal springtime. "I absolutely love the combination of corals and blues.

No colour combo does more for each other than one selected from opposite positions on the colour wheel,” says Taylor; Bottom: Rustic and distressed planks make up the coffee and side tables. The worn wood brings warmth to the space. The pieces feel casual and relaxed due in part to the time worn composition but non-precious surfaces also mean a relaxed hostess!

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GE T T H I S LO O K 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

1. Uttermost / Rosignano / 29925 / available at Envy Paint and Design 2. Kravet / Babson sofa / S822 available at Envy Paint and Design 3. Kravet / 32924.1216 available at Envy Paint and Design 4. Kravet / 32964 available at Envy Paint and Design 5. Kravet / 31512 available at Envy Paint and Design beige sofa fabric 6. Kravet / Sarah Richardson / Errington / Bloom 912 available at Envy Paint and Design floral fabric 7. Uttermost / Stratford / 24251 available at Envy Paint and Design coffee table 8. Benjamin Moore / Natural Linen / CC-92 available at Envy Paint and Design dollop

c h ow

Eggs

recipes and food styling MARISA CURATOLO photography BRIAN JOHNSON

We love eggs, and with good reason: often said to be the perfect protein, they are quick cooking, economical and delicious to boot! Symbolically, eggs embody the essence of life, birth and new beginnings, springtime and of course, Easter. From simply boiled, fried or scrambled, to deviled, souffled, folded and meringued, eggs are staples in our kitchens. Debut these egg-citing recipes for a lovely brunch gathering or family meal... they are impressive crowd pleasers and a sure fire way to NOT lay an egg!

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CLASSIC QUICHE LORRAINE One 8- inch, store-bought, unbaked tart shell Filling: 3 eggs 1 cup whipping cream ¼ cup milk 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon salt 8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled 1 cup Swiss cheese or Gruyere Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the unbaked tart shell on the baking plate.

In large bowl, beat eggs, cream and milk together.

Add mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Sprinkle cheese and bacon in the bottom of the tart.

Slowly pour egg mixture into shell. Bake until centre is set and the top is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool slightly. The quiche can be made in advance and reheated in a 250°F oven for 7 minutes.

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This hearty and comforting skillet with beef, black beans and potatoes is perfect for game day or those evenings when you just need breakfast for dinner! recipe on page 80

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HOW TO BOIL AN EGG

This is an easy method that produces perfect, cooked eggs each time. The type of centre you desire is determined by the cooking time.

• Place eggs in a small sauce pan of cold water: cover eggs by an inch of water.

• Bring water to a rolling boil.

• As soon as the water comes to a boil turn off the heat and remove the pan from heat. Cover the pan.

DO YOU WANT SOFT-BOILED OR HARD-BOILED EGGS?

Leave eggs in the covered pan and set your timer for the desired amount of time for the right style.

See the times below: • For runny soft-boiled eggs (barely set whites): 3 minutes • For slightly runny soft-boiled eggs: 4 minutes • For custardy yet firm soft-boiled eggs: 6 minutes • For firm yet still creamy hard-boiled eggs: 10 minutes • For very firm hard-boiled eggs: 15 minutes • To perl your eggs. Remove eggs from water with a slotted spoon. Place eggs in a bowl of ice water.

Tap the cooked eggs gently peel and eat!

Eggs keep in the fridge for up to three days.

PERFECTLY POACHED

Boil your water, adding a tablespoon of vinegar. Meanwhile, crack your eggs into a small cup so they're ready to go when the water reaches the right temperature. Eggs poach quickly, so you have to move fast.

When the water reaches a boil, reduce it to a gentle simmer. Dip the bowl with the egg into the water, and let the water cook the egg for a moment before you let it drop into the water. This will help prevent any wispy whites. Drop in more eggs in the same way, and try to keep track of the order they went in. The first egg in should be the first egg out.

Gently keep the water moving with a spoon while the eggs cook. Take the eggs out after three minutes for soft poached, or let them cook to five minutes for a more solid yolk. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain as much of the water as possible. Place the cooked egg on a paper towel to dry slightly before serving.

Marisa Curatolo is a Paris-trained chef, food stylist and culinary instructor. She inspires cooks with her simple, easy recipes that are beautifully presented.

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Bacon and egg cups are so simple to make yet look like mini masterpieces! Betcha can't eat just one?

BACON AND EGG CUPS

FRIED EGG SANDWICH

6 slices white bread, crusts removed 6 eggs 6 slices proscuitto ¼ cup freshly grated Asiago cheese Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4 slices country bread 2 tbsp unsalted butter 4 tomato slices ½ cup shredded white cheddar 2 eggs 1 tbsp water Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 6 large muffin cups. Press a slice of bread into each muffin cup. Brush bread with butter.

In a medium skillet, cook proscuitto over medium, until almost crisp, 2 minutes. Lay 1 proscuitto slice in each bread cup and crack an egg over each. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until egg whites are just set, 20 to 25 minutes. Run a small knife around cups to loosen toasts. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

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Toast bread and spread with butter. Top one bread slice with tomatoes and sprinkle with cheese.

Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add remaining butter and melt. Crack eggs into skillet. Add water to pan, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 1 minute. Uncover and season with salt and pepper. Place eggs on tomato bread half and top with toasted bread slice. Serves 2.

Homemade spelt crackers with a hint of dill deliver a savoury, satisfying crunch, and pair beautifully with our Herb Cheese Spread.

Plain cardstock, wooden stamps, kitchen twine and a few quiet moments are all you need to put that personal touch on all your holiday packages and parcels. Simple jars filled with bulk candy and adorned hand Thick and delicious toasted bread iswith theaperfect stamped gift tag make a lovely and welcome gift.

vessel for cheese, tomato and fried eggs.

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EGGS IN PURGATORY 2 cups quick tomato sauce (recipe on page 80) 4 eggs ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper Fresh bread, to serve Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 4 medium size ramekins. Spoon in 1/2 cup tomato sauce. Crack 1 egg into each dish. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover ramekins with foil and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until eggs are cooked but centres are soft. Serve with fresh bread. Serves 4.

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A classic Italian dinner that only requires some leftover sauce and a few eggs – a simple quick-cook recipe for when the cupboard is bare. Caution: make this once and you probably won't wait until necessity forces you to make it for dinner again, you'll make sure to always have the ingredients on hand!

pa i r i n g s

Take one of thses home for a toast this spring.

YALI MERLOT ROSE 2013 CHILE

One reviewer sums up Yali’s Rose as follows: “This is the kind of wine I’d buy by the case load when friends were coming round for lunch in the garden.” This light rose from the marshlands of Chile is loaded with fruity goodness, with a palate of cherry and strawberries complimented with hints of watermelon.

Serve with pasta, salads and fish, or enjoy as a tasty sipper on its own.

URBAN RIESLING 2012 MOSEL

Straight from a thirdgeneration family winery on the slate-rich slopes of the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region of Germany comes this light and lively riesling. The pale straw colour alludes to a pleasant acidity that comes with pear and green apple notes, complimented by touches of honey and minerals that cross the palate. A great pairing for lights meals, this wine also features a lighter alcohol content (9.5%).

PRIMITIVO SALENTO PEPE NEGRO 2011 ITALY

A well-balanced dry red that brings a lot to the table... preferably a table laden with big slabs of beef or bold Italian recipes. With its stunning ruby red colour, its as beautiful to look at as it is to drink. Loaded with a big, bold and smooth mouthfeel, this fruity red is kissed with notes of blueberry and mocha.

The Winehouse, located in Kenaston Common, puts together Covet's pairings.

Their attention to detail and genuine interest will exceed your expectations. Pop in to try something special.

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st y l e s u rv e y

Covet checks in to find out what your personal style is? Do your rooms read contemporary chic? Do you mix it up with transitional taste?

Take this quiz to help discover your decorating identity.

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02

Which chair would you curl up in to relax with a great read?

A

Taking decorating too seriously – no fun and whimsy.

B

ass – market everything or furniture M purchased in suites and sets.

C D

B

Which of these makes your design skin crawl?

Lack of character and patina.

Lots of clutter and tchotchkes.

04

A

Which wallpaper makes your powder room pop?

C D

03

Pick a pillow to toss on a neutral sofa?

A

05

B

spring

D

B

C

D

Which Covet room would make it on your favourite spaces list?

A

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C

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B

C

D

06

You are repainting your front door blue, which shade is for you?

A

07

Which combo is for your eating area?

B A

C

08

D

Which is the headboard design of your dreams?

B

C B

A

D C

09

D

If you could put in hard wood flooring today, you would choose?

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+ + + +

Which piece would you place above your mantle?

A

A

B

C C

B

D

D Answers on the next page. modern living with a pr airie t wist

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What's your style?

If you answered mostly As...

If you answered mostly Bs...

m o d e r n co u n t ry

bohemian chic

Characteristically casual and cozy, Modern Country style mixes the standard classic elements of traditional country style with modern touches for a classic look that’s anything but expected.

You adore your handcrafted furniture, vintage accessories and classic blue-and-white color palettes but you eschew fussy and frilly and choose cleaner lines, large scale interpretations of classic small prints (think an overscale cabbage rose or a city toile) and iron work sans scrolls for an up-to-date spin that reflects your taste. You are at ease with plaids and tweeds, ticking stripes and button tufting. Light to medium wood tones are where it’s at for you and you love oiled finish hardwoods with extra wide boards, painted wood furniture and tumbled marble. You swoon over harvest tables, monogrammed napkins and bead board but temper them with rustic lighting and metal side pieces with an industrial edge for an uncomplicated approach. Local haunts for you are Pineridge Hollow, Faveri’s, The Old House Revival Company and Noble Savage.

Your free-spirited and eclectic style combines a plethora of pattern, colour and texture with deep and red wood tones and globally inspired accessories. Chances are, Morocco calls you often because they want their lanterns, poufs and pillows back! You are probably a collector at heart and are comfortable surrounded by paintings, pillows and figurines.

Layered, random and busy Bohemian Chic style is loose on design rules which is perfect for your vagabond preferences.

Gypset Style is your interiors reference book, naturally. You delight in paisley, floral and suzani. Jewel tones, scatter rugs, tapestry, pottery, brass, copper and bronze are all in your wheelhouse and you know that the only thing that works with pattern is another pattern. Design decisions from your past likely include a collection of tribal masks, patterned maxi skirts, macramé and incense. Local retailers you should visit are Ten Thousand Villages, Pier 1 Imports, Bombay and Company and Anthropology.

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If you answered mostly Cs...

industrial flair

As a vintage industrial junkie, worn wood and metal make your heart skip a beat. Rough surfaces and materials in the form of exposed brick, raw steel, bare concrete and deconstructed pieces are common place in your favourite spaces. While rough elements create an industrial atmosphere, you tend to feature them with classic and timeless selections in the form of upholstered furnishings. The juxtaposition of a comfortable and softly upholstered sofa and lush area rug mixed with rustic finishes and exposed structural elements make up your design daydreams. You likely love old buildings in any fashion from warehouses to churches and barns and are fascinated by items that bare their mechanics like pulley-inspired lighting, wheeled cart coffee tables and gears and cogs as art installations.

This year your design shopping lists might include marquee letters and vintage signs, galvanized buckets, worn leather pieces, hide rugs, Edison bulb lighting and architectural salvage.

We bet you can tick off a few line items by visiting Wicker World, Envy Paint & Design and Salvage Supermarket.

If you answered mostly Ds...

ms. or mr. modern

You are hip and happening and now, on top of technology, gadgetry, and the latest finishes and fabrics. Your interiors showcase space rather than personal belongings and you focus on strategic dashes of colour, geometric and graphic shapes and surfaces that are sleek and cool. Neutrals, black, and white make up your design backbone. The palette is often punched up and accented with bright and bold colours by way of accents, throw pillows and art. Negative space on walls or between pieces of furniture is as considered as the areas filled with objects. For you, less is definitely more. Smooth, clean, geometric shapes, plenty of polish and piles of frosted or clear glass are main-stays for you. In your design past there likely was glass block, neon, black leather furniture and plenty of unframed mirror. You consistently choose basic, bare and structural over ruffles, fringe and ornate carvings.

Bare or light smooth wood with little graining, slim clean lines, smooth fabrics and concealed storage with little to no visible clutter keep you in a calm and relaxed state of mind. Shopping success happens for you at local haunts like Design Manitoba, M-Concept and hutK.

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prairie pa l e t t e

Manitoba has a plethora of both emerging and established artists. In each issue, Prairie Palette will introduce you to some of the talented locals who share Manitoba with us, and demystify some of the intricacies of art and the art scene in Manitoba. This issue we are excited to introduce Johanna Brierley to you.

Johanna Brierley’s lifelong fascination with jewellery can be traced back to a childhood spent rummaging through her grandmother’s jewellery chest. From an early age, she developed an enthusiasm for found objects and a curiosity about the various ways in which an object worn on a body will interact with the body itself. Whether she is discovering shiny, unusual shapes of glass and stone along the beach or scouring antique markets for objects with a unique past, Johanna’s work is informed by her passion for collecting and her eye for the exceptional and the unexpected.

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Johanna graduated from the University of Manitoba with a degree in English. She then spent three years studying for a Diploma of Jewellery Arts at George Brown College in Toronto, where she graduated at the top of her class.

Since launching her business in 2007, Johanna Brierley Jewellery Design is becoming more and more recognized

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for unique and timeless pieces of jewellery inspired by lucky stones. For generations, Johanna's family has been collecting lucky stones with natural holes because hole stones are believed to be symbols of good luck. As a child, Johanna made numerous jewellery pieces incorporating lucky stones only to discover that over time, the real stones would crack and break. It wasn't until studying Jewellery that Johanna was able to solve her dilemma of the breaking lucky stones.

By learning the processes of holding and lost wax casting, Johanna turned her lucky stones into silver and gold giving the natural shapes strength and durability. Johanna mold and cast her first lucky stone, a stone with a hole in the shape of a heart she named Lucky in Love, in 2000. Johanna now works with an assistant at her home-studio and hopes to share the luck she has found through her pieces of jewellery. www.johannabrierley.com

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AGES 2 TO 6 PRESCHOOL ART FOR 6 SCHOOL AGE ART 6-1

nching point Using art histor y as our lau tful Owl for a studio practice the Ar making fun. inspires creativity and art art Ho ot hoot, love artfulowl.ca T: 204.487.2012 create@artfulowl.ca 16-1700 Corydon Winnipeg, Manitoba R3N 0K5

BUILDING DREAMS INTO YOUR HOME RA LL FO

CA ATE M I T S E FREE AY! TOD

Trust. Workmanship. Excellence. Integrity.

HOME SCENE RENOVATIONS SPECIALIZES IN: Basement Development

Interior Painting

Kitchen & Bath Remodelling

Flooring

Interior Renovations

Interior Design

204.291.9091 www.homescene.ca

ask a designer

THREE QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE INVESTING IN THE LATEST HOME TREND

by CAROL STANDIL

The brown trend is over; the gray trend is here – that is, unless the gray trend is already giving way to earthier tones again. The colour of the year is a soft, fresh green – or an earthy red, depending on where you look. How does that fit with the gray trend? And is my chevron rug in or out? Ack! How is a gal (or guy) supposed to keep up with today’s myriad home design trends?

We have clearly come a long way from the days when our design choices were limited to harvest gold or avocado.

Today’s trends range from hippy-bohemian to modern farmhouse, and almost everything in between.

This gives us many options for expressing our personal style at home but it also makes it easy to fall prey to “shiny object” syndrome, leaving us with a mishmash of furniture and finishes that never look or feel quite right together.

Here are three questions to ask yourself when considering whether to love a trend or leave it alone: Does it reflect my personal style? The best defence against making bad investments in trends is to understand your personal style. This means knowing the look you love as well as how you really prefer to live. Admiring a sleek, minimalist room in a magazine is very different from living with it.

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Does it work with my home’s complexion? You know how you don’t like to wear certain items of clothing because they don’t suit your colouring, don’t work on your body type, or they just aren’t “you”? A similar concept applies to your home. Its complexion is comprised of things such as its existing fixed elements, its architectural style, the amount of light it gets, and even the size and layout of its rooms. Not everything is going to suit it.

Is it going to feel like yesterday and today are colliding?

Be careful when mixing old and new – especially with fixed elements. Adding a trendy modern backsplash or countertop to your honey oak kitchen won’t make it any less dated. In fact, it may just draw more attention to the difference between old and new. If you are updating rather than renovating, opt for something classic or slightly more current that doesn’t look out of place with the remaining older elements.

Carol Standil is a certified interior decorator and colour specialist in Winnipeg with a passion for helping people surround themselves with good colour. She blogs about colour and design at carolstandil. wordpress.com. You can reach her at carol.standil@live.ca.

We asked designers: “What trends are inspiring you in 2015?”

b l i ss i n t e r i o r s Corray Classen I have to admit that I am not a fan of design trends as they come and go so quickly.

My focus in every design is to work closely with my clients to create spaces that express their personality by including details that resonate with them.

One thing I can say about trends is that they usually come full circle. As in fashion, what was once old will become new again at some point.

If I had to choose an inspiring design trend for 2015, it would be just that, incorporating the old with the new. Upcycled or heirloom furniture, vintage light fixtures, wall coverings and materials such as reclaimed wood instantly add warmth, texture and personality when combined with modern finishes.

Ph: 204.998.9444 info@bliss-interiors.ca www.bliss-interiors.ca

m a x i m u m i m pact p lu s Angie Kendel My favorite trend is “old is new.” We see evidence of the “well aged” trend everywhere – from barn board flooring to weathered décor and furniture pieces. This look has become more pronounced than last year and we will see more beautiful options popping up in 2015!

Wallpaper is another trend that is surprising me with its abundance of style, color and patterns! I can’t wait to see how this trend emerges over the next few years.

Whatever you choose to freshen up your space, have fun, pick what you love and blend it with what you have for a style all your own! When you walk into the space and LOVE how you feel, that’s how you KNOW it’s right for you.

Ph: 204.791.3869 www.maximumimpactplus.com

ca r l a b r e n a n d e s i g n s Carla Brenan I always look at my client’s current space and try to incorporate a few new trends to bring it into the present. Some trends for 2015 that are inspiring me are: • Brass and warm metals: Brass, copper and gold are the new finishes for lighting, hardware and accessories. It’s not the lacquered brass of the 1980s. It’s more worn and unpolished.

Incorporate a brushed brass mirror or a table lamp.

• Wallpaper: Wallpaper is still strong. Look for bold patterns with saturated hues. Use it on an accent wall, wrap a whole powder room, or for high impact try it on a kitchen wall.

• Modern Farmhouse Style: Bring this style into your home by using black & white, reclaimed wood, and mid-century modern furniture.

Ph: 204.990.5854 carlabrenan@gmail.com www.carlabrenandesigns.com

ca ro l sta n d i l co lo u r & d e s i g n Carol Standil I love that colour is still going strong. I’m especially excited about palettes of mixed greens. Benjamin Moore’s 2015 colour palette features some incredible combinations of soft greens, blue greens and yellow greens that I find very inspiring right now.

I also love that we’re seeing more pattern mixing. When you get the balance right, it is such a great way to make a space feel relaxed and inviting.

I don’t follow trends to the letter, but I love the way they constantly provide new ways of seeing things. My job is to help my clients navigate a sea of tempting trends to create a look that feels current, suits their home and reflects their personal tastes.

Ph: 204.226.1533 www.carolstandil.wordpress.com carol.standil@live.ca

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b e n m o o r e a dv e rto r i a l

Guilford Green (HC-166) is Benjamin Moore’s 2015 Colour of the Year. A neutral colour that’s a natural. A silvery green that works with, well, everything. No worries. No second thoughts. Just a brush, dipped in a can, whooshed on a wall, and a whole lot of happily ever after.

-Ellen O’Neill Creative Director, Benjamin Moore

Walls: Guilford Green, HC-166 in Regal Select Matte finish; Trim: Chantilly Lace, OC-65 in Advance Satin finish

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duit qui ent

w h i c h pa i n t i s t h e r i g h t pa i n t fo r yo u ?

Benjamin Moore

The most advanced way to bring colour to life, Aura® uses proprietary Colour Lock™ technology to create discernibly richer, truer colour.

A super-premium bath paint in a desirable matte finish designed to stand up in humid environments.

MD

Our greenest product, Benjamin Moore Natura™ has zero VOCs*, zero emissions** and offers beautiful and durable results.

Select the ideal Benjamin Moore product for your space.

Benjamin Moore

Une peinture de qualité optimale pour la salle de bains offerte dans un attrayant fini mat et conçue pour résister aux environnements humides.

MD

La façon la plus avantgardiste de donner vie à la couleur, AuraMD procure une couleur nettement plus riche et plus vraie grâce à la technologie exclusive Colorafixe MD .

MC

Notre produit le plus

écologique, la peinture Sélectionnez le produit Benjamin Moore Natura BenjaminneMoore dégage aucunqui COV*, aucune émission** et offre de convient parfaitement résultats durables. à votresuperbes espace.

MC

* Zero VOC according to EPA Method 24 ** No VOC emissions detected according to CDPH/EHLB Standard Method V1.1, 2010 * Aucun COV selon la méthode 24 de l’EPA. ** Aucune émission de COV détectée selon la méthode normalisée V1.1, 2010 du CDPH/ EHLB.

The perfect introduction to premium paint, ben® offers easy application and great touch-up characteristics.

MD

Une introduction parfaite à la peinture de qualité supérieure, benMD offre une application facile et d’excellentes propriétés de retouche.

An innovative waterborne alkyd that delivers the application and performance properties of conventional oil paints in a low-VOC formula.

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Une peinture alkyde novatrice à base d’eau qui offre les propriétés d’application et de performance des peintures conventionnelles à base d’huile dans une formule à faible teneur en COV.

A trusted premium brand that delivers consistent and dependable performance and is washable in a wide variety of colours and finishes.

MD

Une marque de première qualité digne de confiance qui offre une performance constante et fiable, et qui est lavable dans un vaste éventail de couleurs et de finis.

modern living with a pr airie t wist

The most way to br to life, Au proprieta Lock™ tec to create d richer, tru

71

La façon gardiste d à la coule procure u nettemen et plus vr technolog Colorafix

BOLDER COLOR AND CONFIDENT CHOICES ARE RIGHT ON TREND FOR 2015. COLOUR LAYERING IS SO EASY, SEE HOW YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO LIVE WITHOUT IT.

Halo OC-46 Californie rustique

Old Claret 2083-30 Arôme de bordeaux

Radicchio CC-32 Radicchio

Silver Fox 2108-50 Renard argenté

Seahorse 2028-70 Cheval de mer

Guilford Green HC-116 Aquarelle

Maid of the Mist CC-728 Brume du Niagara

Timothy Straw 2149-40 Paillasson

High Park CC-620 Herbes des prés

Split Pea 2146-30 Pois cassé

Jack Pine CC-660 Vert de siam

Inside of Tipp-in 10.75 x 8 01 5

01 5

Patriotic White 2135-70 Blanc patriotique

Harbour Fog 2062-70 Brouillard maritime

Chantilly Lace OC-65 Dentelle délicate

Blue Hydrangea 2062-60 Hydrangée bleue

Oxford Gray 2128-40 Gris Oxford

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Blue Danube 2062-30 Danube bleu

Universal Black 2118-10 Noir universel

Pink Damask OC-72 Nuage blanc

Soft Sand 2106-60 Sable soyeux

Portland Gray 2109-60 Gris Portland

Cinnamon Slate 2113-40 Ardoise cannelle

Caponata AF-650 Caponata

Old Claret 20 Arôme de bor

Radicchio CC Radicchio

AUDITION YOUR COLOURS There’s no better way to find the one you love. That’s why all of our 3,500 Benjamin Moore colours are available in pint samples. Visit your local Benjamin Moore store and take yours home today.

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ov e r a n d a b ov e

ov e r b oa r d

At What Point Do You Stop Going Overboard?

In the last issue of Covet, we told you about the renovation being undertaken by the Nickol family. With some combination of courage and foolishness, the Nickols decided to embark on a major new renovation project to a property they bought in September, despite having a three-year-old with a second child on the way.

Fast-forward to the present, and the ever-busy Jayson Nickol, principle of Over & Above Custom Homes and Renovations, is bringing his family’s dream home ever nearer to move-in status.

His family, who now number four (a son arrived in December), must be nearly overcome with excitement, after months of bunking with Stacey’s parents.

The project, after months of weekend and evening work, is now entering the “lock-up” stage; shingles and windows are going in at time of writing, which allows for the separation of in- and out-of-doors – a separation the plumbing and electrical crews need to do their part of the job.

As with any major renovation, particularly one on a 100-yearold house, there have been unforeseen surprises. Jayson wanted to keep the “bones” of the old house while adding to it (to the tune of 700 square feet), but it seemed like the further he went into the demolition process, the more problems he found. While stressing that the end product will be well worth

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all the problem-solving, Jayson does admit that “It probably would have been a lot easier to just tear it down” and start from scratch. One particular doozy of a problem presented itself when they removed the siding from the front of the house: it seemed that around 25 years ago, the house’s foundation had been re-poured … three inches too small for the framing! Extra load-bearing support had to be added.

Running a major renovation project for his own family has presented some unique problems, too. Jayson is always researching the latest techniques and materials in construction, and had to consciously reign himself in from doing too much.

“The whole front of the house is insulated to R55 … at what point do you stop going overboard?” he asks (rhetorically, we hope, because we don’t have an answer). Budgets are tough, too: “When you start adding stone and a lot of other custom things, it can really get away on you,” Jayson laments.

The (early!) arrival of spring has changed the dynamics at the house. There is a new sense of excitement and urgency. Spring is not without its own set of problems, however. “It’s nice not to have to wear so many layers of clothing while I work on it,” Jayson says, “but now there’s so much mud everywhere!” We’re going to assume that he’s not suggesting that he’d rather have the cold weather!

b r u s h st ro k e s

Meet Your Local Benjamin Moore Retailer w e st e r n pa i n t 521 Hargrave Street

A funny thing happens when your family owns and operates a business for over 100 years – your customers’ families trust you by name generation after generation.

“We have had customers tell us, ‘My grandfather came here, my father came here and I’ve been told to come here and nowhere else,’” says Western Paint’s Jennifer SchimnowskiFredrickson, who runs the historic Exchange District location along with her father, Paul Schimnowski. “So it’s really their families, not just ours, who are carrying on the tradition.”

Western Paint started as a paint store back in 1908 and eventually started distributing wallpaper across Canada. As time passed, it expanded operations to serve all decorating needs, adding window coverings, flooring, colour matching and custom finishing.

Today, Western Paint offers eco-friendly, low VOC paints from top suppliers like Benjamin Moore, as well as premium blinds, modern flooring options, the latest in wallcovering options and hardware in a wide array of finishes, materials and design combinations.

U n m atc h e d e x p e rt i s e : Everyone working at Western Paint has been with the company 10 years or longer; in fact, the paint department staff have nearly 150 years of combined experience.

That means no matter the staff member you meet, you are

speaking with an expert who can provide information and advice about any painting project.

W h y c u sto m e r s k e e p co m i n g b ac k : Friendly service is what wins them so many positive reviews. “We love when customers walk through our door and spend 15-20 minutes discussing their project with us,” Jennifer says, adding that no matter the painting question or dilemma, they’ve heard it before – and have the solution. “Even if they didn’t originally buy the product from us, when they turn to us for advice, we’ll do our best to help them out.”

B e t yo u d i d n ’ t k n ow : Western Paint has its own 25-footby-12-foot spray paint booth on the premises. “We can spray all your old furniture,” Jennifer explains, adding that they’ve even been able to accommodate unusual painting requests, from an 18-foot garage door to a boat!

W h at a B e n ja m i n M o o r e r e ta i l e r h a s ov e r t h e b i g b ox sto r e s : Quite simply, it’s the expertise. “When you need a plumber, you don’t go to a big-box hardware store, hope you buy the right materials and then try to figure out how to do it yourself. Likewise, when you want the best quality paint and want to ensure the work is done correctly and efficiently, you should come see the experts at the paint store.”

dig

PLAN FOR IT text and designs SAMANTHA BRAUN One of the biggest challenges I see in client's gardens is putting plants where they’re happy… and the two biggest variables driving how happy a plant is are light and water.

These plans (one for belting hot full sun, and one for shade) will give you an idea how layering, spacing and fitting the

shade plan

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plants that play nicely together can result in some lovely curb appeal; you put ‘em in… and you leave them alone. Yes, you read that right; no more incessant digging up of the stray specimens and moving them around. Prep the bed, pop in the plants and sit on the step with a glass of wine. Done.

sun plan

dig

BIRD CALL Nothing signals SPRING like flocks of winged little brown jobbies (yeah, that’s an official ornithological term!) chirping away in the bushes outside the back door. What? You don’t have any bushes? Say it ain’t so. Ok, so when you have a brand new house, in a brand new subdivision, there’s a severe shortage of bushes and trees and the only birds showing up are the floaty kind. I know it’s tempting to go wandering off to the local garden centre proclaiming “I need bushes, but not the kind with all the yellow flowers, or that kind that have the spiky things on them and I don’t like leaves.” You laugh, but you know it happens, or I wouldn’t be writing it! I really can’t help you on that last one unless you’re truly one with the cedar gods or have a hankering for a spruce grove, both of which are great for wintering birds.

We can get a better plan than random bushes picked from a shot of a flower on a card dangling from a broken branch. Here’s the deal: there are bushes (aka shrubs) and there are ecologicallyredeeming bushes. Here’s a few beautifully-bombproof habitat stars for our zone 3 world:

when you ’ re looking at your shrub varieties , flip that pretty card over and check out the sizes , light requirements and if it ’ s thirsty . not all spirea are created equal .

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BIRD-FRIENDLY BUSHES Potentilla (assorted varieties)

• Loads of bee-friendly flowers all summer.

• Roughly ball shaped ranging from 3’ to 5’.

• Classic in dry areas with grasses and other prairie plantings.

Arctic Willow (Salix arctica) • 5’-7’ graceful silvery bird-perching branches.

• Truly gorgeous around ponds, rain gardens and • contemporary hedging.

Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) • 2’-4’ masses with tubular yellow flowers for hummingbirds and butterflies.

• Slowly spreading tall groundcover that’s just lovely in shady areas or along existing treelines.

High Bush Cranberry

(Viburnum trilobum var. americanum) • 12’ branching, open canopy loaded with berries after flowering in June, and bright red leaves in fall.

• Beautiful backdrop to perennial beds, or as a low canopy tree in future (or existing) woodlands.

Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) • 8’-12’ of rounded red-stemmed awesomeness. White flowers in spring, firey red leaves in the fall and winter berries for birds.

• Robust go-to for softening the edges of buildings, framing views and winter interest almost anywhere.

Samantha Braun is a landscape ecologist and designer with over 15 years experience in the horticultural industry. Her company, Ecotones, specializes in creating Habitat in Harmony with Design.

We sell wine from all over the world.

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We provide excellent customer service.

Come visit us.

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110 -1600 Columbia Drive (Kenaston Commons) 204 275 6660 | www.thewinehousewinnipeg.com Mondays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tuesdays to Saturdays 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sundays from 12 noon to 6 p.m.

modern living with a pr airie t wist

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w h e r e to f i n d If you liked what you saw, check out our digital version at www.covetmagazine.ca for links to the product and talent featured in this issue. In addition, we are happy to help you source one of your “gotta haves” from within our pages. Simply visit us on Facebook at Covet Mag where you can post your query, and one of our team will reach out with the information... while you’re there, be sure to “like” us too!

Designers in this issue:

Thank you for taking the time to get this far!

If you enjoyed our Spring 2015 issue of Covet perhaps you might give your patronage to our advertisers. Their support has allowed us to create what you have enjoyed.

Artful Owl Benjamin Moore & Co. Ltd.

J and M Window and Door Co. Ridgecrest Orthodontics

From North End to New York Designers: Kara Marantz Interior Design with Over and Above Custom Homes Kara: 204.471.5088 Jayson: 204.999.5351 overandaboveconstruction.com

Blue Hills Design

Manitoba Hydro

Ecotones

Over and Above Custom Homes

Wellington Worth the Wait Concept Builders Designers: Dean Ateah and Monica White 204.782.4803 www.conceptbuildersltd.com

Flatlanders Flooring

Springtime Palette Envy Paint and Design Ltd. Designer: Bahia Taylor 204.487.3666 www.envypaintanddesign.com

BREAKFAST SKILLET (continued from page 54) ½ pound lean ground beef 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon coarse salt 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 8 baby potatoes, precooked 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup cherry tomatoes ¾ cup quick tomato sauce 6 eggs ½ cup shredded old cheddar

Envy Paint and Design Ltd. Expedia Travel

The Winehouse Urban Theory Interior Design

For Space Sake Gallagher Group Hinge Design Harwood Custom Builders Home Scene Renovations

Add potatoes, beans and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add beef and tomato sauce and simmer for 3 minutes longer. Crack eggs over mixture. Reduce heat to low and cover pan. Cook until eggs are slightly set, about 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and serve directly from pan. Serves 6.

QUICK TOMATO SAUCE (continued from page 58) ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, whole 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained, juice reserved ½ teaspoon salt Dash freshly ground pepper

Heat large skillet or cast iron pan over medium – high heat, add ground beef, garlic, thyme, cayenne pepper and salt.Cook until browned; drain fat and set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook gently until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, breaking up with spoon and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Discard garlic and season with salt and pepper. Makes 1 ½ cups.

In same skillet, add olive oil and onions. Cook until slightly soft, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The sauce can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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design dilemma

No green thumbs? Not sure what to plant where and when to plant it? Drop us a line at info@covetmagazine.ca and our resident garden guru will tackle some of your most puzzling garden queries and dig up some sage advice for your design dilemmas.

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Colour Lock technology matters.

TM

With it’s incredible scrub and fade resistance, no paint is more enduring or endearing.

Only Benjamin Moore offers Colour Lock Technology, for truer, richer colours that are extremely fade resistant and washable. And with a Benjamin Moore store in your neighbourhood, it’s incredibly convenient too.

Visit benjaminmoore.ca.

© 2015 Benjamin Moore & Co., limited. Aura, Benjamin Moore and the triangle “M” are registered trademarks, and Colour Lock is a trademark of Benjamin Moore & Co., Limited.

Anderson Flooring Centre Inc. 1845 Portage Avenue Winnipeg MB R3J 0G7 (204) 888-6590

Janzen’s Paint &

Decorating Ltd. Retailer Name 243 Main Street Retailer Address Steinbach 1 MB R5G 1Y9 (204) 326-8387 Retailer Address 2 Envy Paint & Design 25-5 Scurfield Blvd Phone Number Janzen’s Paint & Decorating Ltd. Winnnipeg MB R3Y 1G3 Website (204) 487-3666 600 Centennial Street Winkler MB R6W 4A4 (204) 325-8387

Jim’s Home Improvements Inc. 5 - 2795 Pembina Hwy Winnipeg MB R3T 2H5 (204) 275-1378

Portage Avenue Paints 1110 Portage Avenue Winnipeg MB R3G 0S7 (204) 788-0303

New Era Paint 211 Saskatchewan Ave E Portage La Prairie MB R1N 0L7 (204) 239-1411

Western Paint 521 Hargrave Street Winnipeg MB R3A 0Y1 (204) 942-7271