Dyh winter 2013

Free

Winter 2013

Western Manitoba

First Anniversary Edition

12Giveaway

Celebrate with a

Day

Contest

Western Manitoba Design Your Home magazine is a Brandon, MB based company created to promote and feature all the great trades in our local area. With the limited amount of media in Brandon and area, this magazine will assist you and your company with great exposure.

Design Your Home magazine will help local companies feature their business and the special work they do.

Design Your Home magazine will focus on the home and proper ty. Each issue you may see ar ticles on Home and Building, Real Estate, Design and Decorating, Landscaping, and a special featured Home and Business.

Why feature in Design Your Home: • Local Home Magazine • 15,000 Magazines published each issue • Published 4x per year: Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring • Estimated 3 readers per issue, equals to 45,000 points of exposure • Timeless, often kept and referred to again and again • Located in very high traffic areas • Delivered to a target audience • We have articles that feature tips and advice from home owners and experts Images: Kara Matthews, Sterling Images

2 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

Contents

24

Feature Business

16

22

Feature Home

Design & Decorative

In Every Issue

Home Improvements

4 . . . . . L etter from Editor 5 . . . . . Words from our Readers 16 . . . . Featured Home- Keller Developments 22. . . . My IDIAH- Chalk Paint 24 . . . . Featured Business- Keystone Centre 30. . . . Safety- Tips for a Safe Holiday Season 32. . . . Did You Know - 12 Days Giveaway

6 . . . . . W hat to look for in Selecting Kitchen Flooring 14 . . . . Create a Green Baby Nursery

Design & Decorative

Lifestyle 8 . . . . . Christmas Parties 28. . . . Wine advice- Affordable Wines for the Holiday

10 . . . . 7 Must haves in a New Home

Disclaimer Reasonable care is taken to ensure that Design Your Home Magazine ar ticles and other information on the web site are up-to-date and accurate as possible, as of the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by Design Your Home magazine for any errors or omissions contained herein. Fur thermore, responsibility for any losses, damages or distress resulting from adherence to any information made available through Design Your Home magazine or website is not the responsibility of Design Your Home magazine. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Design Your Home magazine.

All interior and exterior home improvements/repairs should be consulted by a professional, prior to the star t of the project.

Adver tisements and the content, including photos, of adver tisements published within Design Your Home magazine are solely by the adver tiser. Design Your Home magazine does not accept responsibility for opinions expressed in adver tisements for copyright issues with regards to photo, adver tising, copy and adver tisement, nor shall they find liable thereby.

Design and Layout by:

www.reaxiongraphics.com

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 3

Letter from the Editor Happy Anniversary Design Your Home magazine!

W

hat a great year we had, bringing Design Your Home to Western Manitoba.

We star ted with a simple concept; bring informational ar ticles and great local businesses to help make your house a home. Our goal is to use local talent to bring you our FREE publication, in order to help with your house, cottage, apar tment or condo needs. We had expanded that concept with introducing a “Featured Business� ar ticle that would put focus on a business that had invested time or money to improve their image. We also introduced a Lifestyle section that gave us the ability to share great wine tips, pet care, local activity, and safety advice.

Where Are We a Year Later?

About the Magazine

Thank You

Design Your Home magazine was created and designed

by Jaime-Lynn Dyck and myself. Each issue we showcase ar ticles about the home, from the interior to the exterior.

We hoped to help you find local ideas, products and companies that will help you make your living space your home! We have brought together a team of local individuals and businesses to bring you this magazine.

Jaime-Lynn Dyck, Marketing and Sales Manager, Scott Kasprick of Reaxion Graphics, Leech Printing and many other local freelance writers and photographers.

Thank you to ever yone that suppor ts Design Your Home magazine and for your continued suppor t. We could not have made it this far without all of you!!!

4 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

Since we launch in September 2012, Design Your Home has produced over 63,000 copies, been delivered to over 50,000 homes and displayed over 13,000 magazines across Western Manitoba. Design Your Home has also been active on the social networks like Twitter (design_ yourhome), Facebook and Pintrest.

What Next?

Design Your Home is excited about the upcoming collaborations with Leech Printing. They will be able to take us to the next chapter, producing a high quality magazine.

A special thanks to Colleen White, for helping me produce correct, consistent, and accurate ar ticles. You made my job so much easier.

Stewart Dyck Publishing Editor, Design Your Home

Can you please post

Words

the answers to your “Do You Know?”

from our Readers

contests?

“Can you name all of these house hold items?”

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

A: Pot and Lid, B: Scissors, C: Tooth Brush, D: Candle, E: Band-aids, F: Phone, G: Strainer, H: Tea Pot Can you tell us where in Manitoba, you would find these statues?!

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

A: Dauphin - the beaver, B: Melita - Banana, C: Boissevain -Tommy the tur tle, D: Austin -Case steam engine, E: Gladstone -Happy Rock, F: Erickson - Viking Ship, G: Onanole - Elk, H: Minnedosa -Canvasback Duck What page would you find these images?

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

A: Page 12, B: Facebook, C: Page 17, D: Page 7, E: Page 31, F: Page 22, G: Page 27, H: Page 35

We at Design Your Home magazine welcome letters, emails, and discussions from our readers. Receiving your feedback on ar ticles or ideas on how to make our magazine better will always be welcomed.

So please: • Email us at designyourhome@mymts.net, • Visit us on our website designyourhome.ca, or • Like us on Facebook at design your home magazine Please make sure to include your name, address and telephone number so with your approval we can consider your feedback for publication

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 5

What to Look For in Selecting Kitchen Flooring

M

any homeowners tend to make the mistake of not giving enough thought to flooring options.

The right flooring can make a big difference in a kitchen. For instance flooring with light or neutral tones creates an impression of light and space. Stronger colors might work in a small kitchen, but not in a larger one.

Single & Multi Family Homes

The kitchen flooring is the foundation which your kitchen literally rests. By failing to give more consideration to your flooring options and selecting the wrong flooring will insure that an otherwise outstanding kitchen will look only average, and become dated sooner.

When selecting kitchen flooring, it is a good idea to select something that has elements of beauty and durability.

Kitchen flooring can accent the counters, cabinets, and appliances. It must also be able to stand up to everyday wear, such as spills and heavy foot traffic.

When it comes to choosing materials for your kitchen flooring be sure to take into consideration both your budget and lifestyle. The choice of kitchen flooring material can be quite broad. Among the choices are vinyl in sheet or tiles, ceramic tile, wood floors and laminate materials.

6 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

2404 Park Avenue, Brandon, MB R7B 0S3 Phone: 204.728.2235 - www.jandg.ca

How do you decide the best one for your kitchen flooring?

You need to do your own research and get the best advice you can from professional contractors and kitchen designers.

Popular Flooring Options: For durable and more costeffective flooring materials then look into vinyl or ceramic tiles. ·Vinyl is durable, inexpensive and available in sheets or tiles, in smooth or knobby. It is the most popular choice when it comes to kitchen fl ooring, and is available in a large selection of styles, colors and patterns. Vinyl kitchen fl ooring is generally popular all over the country. ·Laminate kitchen fl ooring is also popular across the country as well. This is a newer product that has grown out of the countertop business.

It is created by laminating a photograph of wood grain, stone, or other surfaces, directly when it comes to Kitchen Flooring. Are you looking for to the fl ooring material. It has the advantage of a quick the beauty and durability of traver tine or the warmth of installation time and is very durable. hardwoods? By making the correct decision now you can ·Ceramic tile is beautiful and sturdy, and is the ideal material guarantee that a quality kitchen floor will keep its beauty to clean up spills. Ceramic floor is about as maintenance and last a lifetime. free as it gets.

When designing your ideal kitchen remember that light · Hardwood kitchen fl ooring lasts much longer than many or neutral tones emphasize the impression of light and options; however it does need to undergo refi nishing from time space, just as darker shades can create feelings of warmth to time. It is available in a wide variety of colors and grains and and intimacy. A floor’s finish can even effect perceptions of size and space. A high gloss finish can contribute to the it can be installed in strips, planks, or parquet squares. perception of spaciousness. A more subdued or a matte When selecting materials for kitchen flooring, you must finish can make a space look smaller. consider materials that are both beautiful and durable.

Kitchen flooring can be used to accent the counters, Ultimately the best way to make the decision on kitchen cabinets, and appliances. However kitchen flooring must flooring material to look though samples from warehouse be able to take everyday wear and tear such as spills and wholesale industries and showrooms in your area. Feel the heavy traffic. It’s impor tant to select the right material materials they have and see the quality they offer. -DYH

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 7

Christmas Parties C

hristmas par ties are something that most people look forward

to all year long because they are a joyful gathering of friends, family, great food, and shared memories.

8 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

There are lots of things that probably go into your Christmas par ties such as preparing food, having a good music selection, sending out beautiful invitations, creating or buying Christmas table arrangements, or preparing your home for overnight guests. The great thing is that you can make your home look very festive without spending a lot of time or money on it, so that you can spend more time visiting with your guests and catching up with many people that you may not have spent much time with since your par ty last year.

Christmas crackers, cookies, and some simple foods will make feeding your guests quite simple. If you want to have more filling foods, you might want to consider having the

par ty catered or purchasing pre-cooked foods so that you do not have to worry about cooking great food for you and all of your guests to eat at your par ty.

If you really want to have homemade food at your Christmas par ty, you may want to have some friends or family members come over and help you prepare the food and make a tradition out of that as well. Or, you can always make your Christmas par ty potlucks so that you have a different selection of foods to offer your guests every year and simply say that you’ll provide the Christmas crackers, cookies, and one prepared dish every year but you want help feeding the masses! Most people love potlucks, so you’ll find that most of your guests will be quite receptive to this idea.

If you are busy preparing food, the table arrangements, decorations and you just can’t seem to get your home cleaned, think about employing your kids or a neighbor to help you get things tidied up quickly. Just one extra pair of hands can help you get the job done in a lot less time. Or, create a checklist for yourself that will help you get a few things done each day before your Christmas par ty so that you do not have stress about cleaning the day of your par ty.

If you want Christmas table decorations as well as other decorations to make for your par ty, the Internet and craft stores offer many great ideas for Christmas crafts that will make your home look even more festive.

Just hanging strands of garland on your door frames

is a simple and inexpensive way to make your home look great for your Christmas par ties, so don’t think you have to spend a ton of money to make your home look great. A great Christmas par ty table decoration is to simply buy a pre-decorated wreath to place on the table and then find a great scented candle to put in the middle of it. If you have a large table you might think about placing more than one on the table.

Christmas par ties should be a lot of fun, so don’t let yourself get stressed out as you plan for the par ty in your home. Some of the best Christmas par ties are that way because of great planning and because the hostess isn’t afraid to be thrifty and even ask for help. Christmas is about bringing family and friends together to have fun, not to stress you out! So focus on enjoying friends, family, and fun at your next Christmas par ty! -DYH

Join our Family for these Holiday Events • • • • •

Festival of Poinsettias Christmas Greening Workshops Neighbourhood Farmers’ Market Star-Light Shopping on Thursday and Friday Evenings Holiday Specials throughout the Season

Come Home for Christmas...

Christmas Spectacular

1329 Rosser avenue east Brandon, Manitoba - Phone: (204) 727-5884 - www.greenspotbrandon.com DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 9

7 Must Haves in a New Home A wish list for a new home can be quite lengthy and detailed. After you have found the right neighbourhood for you and your family, here are some “must haves” we have found to be quite popular with home owners today.

2. Lighting 1. Mudroom/Large Entrance Mudrooms don’t have to be a “room”, but can be a wider hallway (minimum of 5’) or a large entrance.

Things to look for in a functional mudroom/entrance • Plenty of lighting • Place to sit • Ample storage • Easy to clean floors and walls Having enough space to suit your family in the entrance is essential. Determine your needs; do you have a large family, need storage for the kids/spor ts equipment, enter tain a lot, or have visiting family.

10 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

Lighting for your home is both functional and aesthetic.

There are several types of lighting to consider in and around your home.

General lighting, like your pot lights, sconces and bedroom/bathroom fixtures Task lighting focuses on a work area; good for kitchens, home offices, workshops, and living/family rooms Accent lighting highlights areas or objects of interest in your home Don’t forget to install dimmer switches in places like family/living rooms and bedrooms. Any room you may want softer, dimmer lighting.

Statement fixtures in the front entrance, dining room or master bedroom are also a must!

3. Walk in Closet Walk in closets can eliminate the need for large dressers in the master bedroom, giving you more space. Closet organizers can be installed so you utilize all the space to suit your needs. They aren’t just to hang your clothes; you can have shelving units, drawers, tie/belt hangers and shoe storage to name a few. Create your own closet organizer from your local hardware store or hire a professional to design and install to save yourself a few headaches.

4. En-Suite Bathroom No more sharing a bathroom with kids and company… need I say more!

Keep in mind if you would prefer a 3 or 4 piece bathroom when building or looking for a new home.

Some homeowners must have a bathtub in their ensuite, while others are fine with just a shower. If you want a spa feel, look for a soaker tub with jets and separate shower. Not all showers are equal either!

A basic corner shower may be a little tight for your liking, look at larger rectangular showers or even custom install showers with steam.

• Kitchen Cabinets / Countertops • Renovations • Retail Sales w w w. c o n t r a c t o r s c o r n e r. c a

You can always change out the fi xtures and shower heads in your bathroom to change the look without breaking the bank.

701 4th Street 204-727-3799 DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 11

5. Double Attached Garage Living in the extreme climates, we would prefer to park our vehicles in a garage to make mornings a little easier. A standard double car garage is 20’ x20’ for 2 cars. If you own something larger like a truck or SUV, you will definitely want your garage to be a minimum 24’ x 24’. Garages are also a great place for a workbench, storage for tools, holiday decorations,

spor ting equipment and bicycles. Don’t forget about installing shelves, hooks and organizers to help make your belongings less cluttered.

Other items to look into too is lighting, windows (natural lighting), entrances to house or yard, floor drains and having it heated. Make sure your garage suits your needs and lifestyle!

6. Main Floor Laundry This is becoming more common in new home builds. Having laundry on the same floor you spend most of your time (family room, bedroom), can be a great convenience. Cer tain measures will need to be made to the floor to make sure your washer and dryer function properly and quietly on your main floor. If possible make this room as large as you can. Most laundry rooms only hold the washer, dryer and a small cupboard but you need space to iron, sor t and fold laundry. This is where the extra room will come in handy or you’ll have piles of dir ty clothes in the hallway on laundry day.

12 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

When making your “must have” list for your new home, always look at your lifestyle and consider the needs of you and your family. -DYH 7. Storage I could be wrong, but I don’t think you could ever have too much storage! Linen closets are a must 

to hold all your extra linens, pillows and even extra cleaners on the top shelf. Everyone needs a pantry…possibly two! A corner panty in your kitchen offers a lot of space for dry foods, large counter top appliances and more. If you don’t have enough room in your kitchen pantry, housing

                 

♦

♦  ♦                              







    

            

      

        

 

one in the basement is a great place for extra bulk items, multiples and canning.

Creating proper

storage in your home can make rooms feel less cluttered and your life a little easier. If you live in a smaller home, look for storage built into furniture pieces as well, to serve double duty or just to hide away stuff when company comes over!

435 Rosser Ave Unit I, Brandon, MB 204-729-9083

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 13

Create a Green Baby Nursery

I

n our attempt to rever t back to a Green lifestyle, it’s only fitting to use Green principles when designing a baby’s room. After all, a newborn will spend an average of 17 hours a day in their nursery, and it should be an environment filtered from toxins.

14 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

Here are some of the key points to consider when setting up a Green baby nursery.

Paint: Use one of the new water-based, low-volatile organic compound paints and take your friends or family up on their request to help. If you’re pregnant, you shouldn’t be doing the painting.

Try and complete the paint job at least a month before baby arrives to give it time to cure.

Toys: Most toys are made of plastic, which is a major contributor to indoor air pollution. Try to purchase natural cloth or wood toys wherever possible.

Flooring:

Cleaning:

Carpets are nice and soft for babies to crawl on, but they can harbor toxic material and bacteria. VOC’s can be found in the fibers, backing and glue as well as any stain resistant treatments that may have been applied. If you must go that route, choose an all-natural, biodegradable carpet made from wool fibers and no toxic adhesives. A better choice is a solid floor such as linoleum, cork or wood. Use natural fiber throw rugs with a non slip backing.

Use 100 percent biodegradable nontoxic cleaning products.

Crib: Choose real wood with natural finishes since the press wood versions can emit formaldehyde. The bedding should be an organic untreated material made from cotton or wool.

Window Coverings: Aluminum mini-blinds or wooden shutters are easy to keep clean and do a great job of adjusting the light levels.

Make sure any loose cords are tired up or severed.

Airflow: Make cer tain there is adequate ventilation in the nursery that allows for fresh air, but no drafts. An Air filter is also very effective, but use one that has both a HEPA filter and activated military carbon cloth. Change your furnace filters every three months to reduce dust and pollen.

Here are just a few tips that can help make your nursery a little greener! -DYH

Specializing in Handmade Children’s Items • Stretchy Wraps • Tutus • Doll Essentials

Proud Supplier for J&g Homes • • • • Find us on Facebook at “Jaid Creations” Email at JaidCreations@hotmail.com Find us on Etsy

Lumber Drywall Insulation Flooring

• • • •

2404 Park Ave. Bdn, MB, R7B 0S3 Toll Free: 1-877-660-5550 Phone: (204) 728-1855

Windows Doors Lighting Siding

• Paint • Kitchen’s • Tub/Showers

Mon.-Fri. 7:30am-6:00pm Sat. 9:00am-5:00pm www.rona.ca

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 15

Feature Home - Early Stage of Home Building

By Crispin Butterfield, Urban Theory Interior Design Photos by Sandy Black

V

enturing from the family farm into a career of banking and sales might seem like a somewhat unlikely and possibly diffi cult transition to most. But for Evan Keller, the decision to get out of farming and into the financial world helped pave the way for what has become an entirely new development altogether : the business of custom home building.

For Keller, who now owns and operates Keller Developments, the switch into general contracting and home construction began in early 2010. What star ted off as a few flip proper ties and smaller multi-residential

16 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

complexes has turned into a full-fledge custom home building corporation; a corporation Keller is quick to point out has been built upon the solid par tnerships between numerous key players in the development of his organization. Keller credits Darren Giilck, of Royal Le Page Realty here in Brandon, as one of his earliest attributes.

“I’ve known Darren for over 10 years”, Keller explains one afternoon on site at one of his current custom builds.

“He invested a lot of time with me, looking at flip houses and different proper ty possibilities in the early years. In 2010 we invested in a duplex together, and from there we bought a 4-plex”, says Keller. Fast forward to 2013, and the days of smaller revenue and flip homes are gone, making way for large-scale custom home developments and proper ty management. Still a par t of Keller’s impressive organization, Giilck has par tnered with him on 3 recently

“Kemnay,

Just A Stone’s Throw Away from Brandon”

finished homes in the exclusive Brookwood area, including several other rural proper ties, and continues to be an ongoing presence as Keller seeks out and is contracted for new builds.

Onsite at a semi- completed new home, Keller walks through the impressive build and describes the process of how this par ticular project came to fruition. “We broke ground in early June, and initially we didn’t already have Recognizing the importance of networking within the a buyer for the home”. Something he notes has been a industry from his banking days, Keller notes most of the 50/50 split thus far between beginning a new build with group of trades people he originally partnered with have or without owners signed on to complete the project, he worked with him consecutively on each new build, and have did however have a potential buyer in mind. “The plans stayed on with him throughout. With a team of 9 presently had already been drawn up obviously, but once the new comprised of 2 journeymen, and several 3rd and 4th level owners came into the picture, they were still able to make fi nishers, “we really have an excellent pool of contractors some personal changes and add a few details as well”. and subs to pull from”, says Keller. From Kitchen Gallery on At 1,640 square feet, the home stands tall and proud 9th, Budget Blinds, and Able Eavestroughing here in Brandon, along Highway 1A in Kemnay - just a stone’s throw “all of the companies we’ve paired with are instrumental in away from Brandon, making the location of the proper ty making the selection process with our home owners less perfect for those with a penchant for countr y living with stressful and more enjoyable”. city amenities.

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 17

• • • • 323 Park Avenue East, Brandon, MB

Custom Home Construction Investment Properties General Contracting Property Management

204-721-2010

Custom Homes 54, 56, 58 Lakeview

New 9th St. Condos

13th St. Duplex Build

Queens Crescent 4 Plex

OUR WORK Preferred Installer of:

(204) 725-2294 - Brandon, MB

got giilck?

Darren Giilck

Real Estate Advisor darrengiilck@royallepage.ca www.gotgiilck.ca - 204-724-5180

Home Construction

World Leader in Fiber Cement Siding and Backerboard www.jameshardie.com

What catches one’s eye immediately from the highway are the high roof lines, and equally high and linear windows along the front facade of the house.

“Because we designed the roof line of the garage to match the rest of the house, Covered Deck you really get a sense of just how much extra space there is”, Keller explains as he tours the spacious garage. Perfect not only for several vehicles, but for a few recreational vehicles, boat, or even a small utility tractor to help manage the surrounding land, the garage has also been designed with the ability of adding an upper loft or mezzanine in the future, should the owners decide to put one in.

As the tour continues through the rest of the house, it’s apparent the design of the home is open-concept in nature, but affords the homeowners’ privacy and separation of the bedrooms and master suite, as well as a cozy family room downstairs, by way of a unique angled and centralized staircase. “What we wanted to do with the design was create something different, something you don’t typically see in most homes. So we angled the position of the stairs at the front entry, so as you come into the house you don’t see down directly into the family room as you do with most bi-levels, and you don’t see directly up into the living room as well”. This detail alone allows for a few interesting pockets of space within the wall studs, which will be creatively put to good use as built-in feature niches.

A built-in bookshelf within a wall of the home office is another example of the little details Keller likes to implement in his builds.”It’s a creative way to maximize floor space - most offices require shelving and display space, so we’ve been able to design that right into the

20 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

Open Concept

Large Rec Room wall, rather than have the owner add furniture or shelving after the fact”.

Within the 5 bedroom home, the main floor consists of 2 bedrooms plus the master suite, each boasting adequate and roomy square footage. “Our bedrooms aren’t usually less than 120 square feet”, says Keller, adding the size allows for maximum comfor t and use. “There’s nothing worse than touring a custom home and getting a sense that they gave all the floor space to the main areas of the home, and skimped on the bedroom sizes”.

At the back of the house, and off of the main living area is the master suite; not overly large in size, but roomy enough to accommodate full sized bedroom furniture if needed, and perfect enough to still feel cozy and comfor table.

The tall windows allow streams of beautiful south-facing sunlight to pour in, making the location for the master suite an obvious shoe-in. As Keller points out some of the other features of the room: a spacious walk-in closet, cleverly positioned light switches wired for beside where the bed is to go, and pre-wired connection points for the savvy automated blinds (planned for throughout the house

by Budget Blinds), one can’t help but notice that some of the suite’s overall square footage has gone to the enviable

master ensuite. Boasting a soaker tub, custom designed shower, double vanity, and room to spare, Keller has hit a home run with this ensuite. “Clients want a space they can retreat to at the end of the day. We found that a lot of our buyers wanted an ensuite that felt more like a spa than just another bathroom, so we’ve given this ensuite some additional square footage to help encompass that”.

Another unique feature of the detail put into the design of the home can be found in a smaller, sometimes often forgotten area off of the kitchen. The pantry to the kitchen has been connected to the mudroom off of the garage in a ‘pass-through’ concept, making bringing groceries and various items into the home easier and more efficient.

“This is something our draftsperson has added”, Keller explains, “I really think it’s a feature we will use in the future, space permitting, that will easily become one of our custom standards”.

With the completion of the home slated for early in the new year, one can see that even in the framing and wiring stages, the build has the bones and detail of a future dream home. And at this level of quality and attention to detail invested, Keller explains it’s not only the finishes and materials that make his homes a cut above the rest. “It’s our commitment to a cer tain level of customer service and follow through that ultimately allows us to offer a fullscale service to our clients”. Referring back to his banking days, Keller touches on what he believes to be the key to Keller Developments’ success in only a few shor t years. “I feel money is attached to emotions, and building a custom home can be a very emotional process for some people.

We really focus on the customer service end of the whole project, walking buyers through and assisting them right from the very star t. Being a somewhat smaller and more personalized company, we are able to deal with issues and clients hands on and as they happen”.

Knowing all too well the impor tance of fostering a great client-builder relationship, Keller also explains one final par ting piece of success: “What I am trying to do is build an experience, a personal and very hands on involvement with the owners. If you take care of not only the big details, but the smaller ones as well, you can foster the kind of trust and relationship people will come back to when they build their next home”.

Renovating or Building?

We Can Coordinate Trades for Your Renovation

Building a New Home?

Bring in your house plans and our designers will inspire you & simplify the design process

including plumber, painters, drywallers/tapers & flooring suppliers

Over 20 Years’ Experience

Num 35 on Ninth Street, Brandon Tel: (204) 571-6888 Monday – Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm Saturday 10:00am – 2:00pm Evening Appointments Welcome

www.kitchengallery9.ca

Free In-Home Consultation

Blinds Shutters Draperies Roller Shades Window Film Rugs and Accessories 635 10th Street, Brandon

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 21

By Jaime-Lynn Dyck

C

'LEPO 4EMRX

halk paint has always been something I wanted to try. But did you know you can make your own chalk paint in any colour too! It is simple, and works just as good as the store bought product.

22 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

Before

After

Chalk Paint Recipe (medium sized project) 1 cup of latex paint 2 tbsp. non sanded grout Stir together until they are mixed completely and paint! I preferred to apply 2 coats of paint, making sure each coat dries completely. Slate your new chalk board by running chalk over it (on its side) and covering the whole board. Clean off and now it’s ready to use!

After

Before

Slating Your New Board

Some fun things to paint with chalk paint: • trays • table tops • wall • doors

Note: I tested both store bought (black) and home made (blue) chalk paint and was happy with both!

Friends FUR Life Day Care Inc.

• piece of plywood to make your own chalk board • cupboard doors (inside or outside) • cupboard panels in the kitchen or work station • sealer lids • play structure Chalk boards are not only great for kids, but perfect for making lists, writing notes or messages and labelling jars.

FeATuRInG • Doggie Day Care • Dog Grooming • Lynn White’s Dog Training

• Riplees Ranch • Unique Merchandise

941 - 26th Street, Brandon, MB R7B 2B7

Phone: (204) 728-0900 Email: ffldc@mymts.net DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 23

Feature Business

By Kyla Henderson

Photos by Sandy Black

Facelift

If you’ve been to the Keystone Centre lately, chances are it’s looking shiny and new. That’s thanks to $3.3 million from the city, provincial and federal governments for some muchneeded upkeep and, in some cases, a complete facelift for many areas of the aging complex.

24 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

Amphitheater

K

eystone Centre general manager Neil Thomson said the funding has gone a long way in sprucing up a facility that is the region’s major destination for enter tainment, spor ts, agricultural and other events. There have been renovations to the main concourse, the main concourse bathrooms, the Westman Communications Group Place arena, the Convention Hall, the UCT Pavilion, the Exhibit Hall, City Square and the Amphitheatre. The renovations were extensive in some areas and cosmetic in others, Thomson said, making many areas of the Keystone Centre again available to produce revenue. Construction took place from the fall of 2012 and wrapped up in the summer.

A number of areas look bigger and are brighter, thanks to Jamieson Judd Electrical, which not only completed these current changes but previously put in the lighting in the Westman Communications Group Place arena, as well as many upgrades throughout the Keystone Centre.

“The renovations were fairly extensive. There was a substantial amount of structural upgrades required to complete some of the upgrades. A new sprinkler system had to be installed. BDR Service, over the years, was able to bring the facility more protection and prevention with annual maintenance and new sprinkler systems.

A stark change in the facility is in the washrooms in the main concourse area. Thomson said the men’s and

The improvement most noticeable to those attending an event at the Keystone Centre might be the new, bright tiling in the main foyer. Don Cullen Masonry was able to deliver this new look. “We’ve had a lot of people ask us if we made the hallway bigger,” said Thomson. “It’s the first thing people see and it really jumps out at you. The hallway was so dark before and now the tiles are a beige/grey colour and they really pops out. We also put new lighting in the hallway, so that combined with the tiles really makes the space look bigger.”

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 25

Upgraded kitchen caters groups 12 to 2,500

Updated Pioneer Lounge

Addition Stalls Added

women’s washrooms were flipped and the women got 15 new stalls, which will likely shor ten the line-up at the washroom during events. The men’s washroom got a few new urinals, but Thomson said the changes were mainly cosmetic, with new flooring and a fresh coat of paint.

“The women’s washroom was way under capacity. That was an area that really needed to be addressed,” Thomson said.

Westman Communications Group Place is now better suited for an intimate concer t setting, thanks to changes in lighting and the addition of cur tains, as well as a new stage.

“All the investments we have made in this facility will allow us to have more concer ts, more events,” Thomson said.

“More of an investment is more success for us.”

The Amphitheatre, before the investment, was virtually an unusable space. Once used for livestock sales, the leaky roof

26 | Design Your Home | Winter

Updated Urinals

and dated interior left the room empty. Thomson said the Amphitheatre is once again an asset for the Keystone Centre, with a new roof, new carpeting, new seating and paint.

“The Amphitheatre now can host a smaller concer t venue, a lecture, large meetings, and for plays,” Thomson said.

Another room that benefitted from some major changes was the Convention Hall, where new flooring was installed, as well as a dividing wall, to separate the Convention Hall into multiple rooms for different events. Another frequently used room to get a facelift was the UCT pavilion with new flooring and paint.

“A lot of the renovations were building maintenance.

The building is 40 years old and is just like your house, it does require regular maintenance,” Thomson said. “We know we are making a good investment. All the event’s the

Protection.

Prevention.

Performance.

Automatic Sprinkler Fire Protection Systems Fire Alarm Systems Sales & Service u Verifications, Inspections & Testing u New Installations & Alterations u Maintenance & Repairs u 24/7 Emergency Service u u

Brandon 204.727.1197 Winnipeg 204.586.8227 www.bdrservices.ca

Unit D - 381 Park Avenue East, Brandon 11 Yard Street, Winnipeg

Jamieson-Judd limited J.J. electric limited Touchless Sensor Faucet Keystone Centre has, really adds to our economy and also improves the cultural component – we have a top-end junior hockey team play out of here, events, and concer ts.

It really adds to the lifestyle we live here.”

So next time you visit the Keystone Centre, expect to be pleasantly surprised by the new look and feel of the facility.

Culle n o n D

electrical Contractors

Proud to be part of the renovations and maintenance over the past years

Masonry & Tile

For all your residential & commercial needs.

Free Estimates.

Competitive rates.

“We lay’em to please.”

Phone: (204) 727-1168 Cell: (204) 725-6845

761 - 24th Street Brandon, MB R7B 1Y4

102 Industrial Drive Brandon mB r7a 7s5

Phone: (204) 728-5843 Phone: (204) 728-1246 DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 27

Wine Advice

Affordable Wines for the Holidays

F

all has arrived, the time

One, often stress-inducing, question that comes up during

of year jam-packed with

select the best wine for each and every occasion, I have

the holidays is “What wine should I serve?� To help you

and

browsed thru the liquor stores, selecting good quality,

social events all leading up to the

lot, all priced at less than $15.00 per bottle. These wor thy

grand celebrations of Christmas

sipping or pairing.

and New Years. A busy and costly

Perhaps the most popular of events is the wine and cheese

time of year.

pairing with a wide variety of cheese is not. The best pairing

entertaining, par ties

28 | Design Your Home | Winter

wallet-friendly wines. Gems that cost very little but offer a wines - white, red, rose and sparkling - are terrific for

reception. Pairing wine with one particular cheese is easy,

wines are off-dry (slightly-sweet) and high in acid. Try the ever-popular slightly sweet, and spritzy Jacobs Creek Moscato ($12.99) or the soft and fragrant Trivento Amado Sur, a blend of Torrontes, Viognier and Chardonnay, priced

Wine Pick

at $14.95. If you prefer dry, tart wine, the Santa Rita 120 Sauvignon Blanc at $12.99 is good value. Pairing with red wine? Masi Bonacosta Valpolicella ($14.99) from Italy or Beso de Vino Old Vine Garnacha ($11.95) from Spain are both excellent choices.

Tapas have become trendy and popular. The Spanish red wines, El Petit Bonhomme ($13.99), or the more robust El Bonhomme ($14.57), pair beautifully with Spanish food.

If pairing with raw seafood, zesty, citrus-laden white wines like Santa Julia’s Pinot Grigio ($11.00), and Aveleda Fonte’s Vinho Verde, priced at $10.99, are fun, bright and crisp.

When selecting wine for a Traditional Christmas dinner pick up some Fetzer Gewurztraminer at $13.99, or the charming Chateau Ste. Michelle Harvest Select Sweet Riesling ($14.99.)These are also wonderful wines to accompany Chinese, Korean, sushi or Thai food.

Fetzer Shaly Loam Gewurztraminer This white wine is an extremely versatile pairing wine. Low in alcohol and slightly sweet, this classic Gewurztraminer features lychee, roses, tropical fruit and exotic spices. Price: $13.99

Sparkling wine is unbelievably versatile and, in addition, impar ts a sense of celebration to every occasion. A terrifi c way to begin an evening and an wonderful wine to top off the evening. Segura Viudas produces white and rose brut Cava, priced at $14.49. Easy and likeable rose’s such as Jacobs Creek Cool Harvest Shiraz Rose ($13.59), Chateau Mas Neuf Rhone Paradox Rose ($13.99) or Sutter Home White Zinfandel ($8.99) are amazingly versatile as well.

And fi nally, what about dessert? Sweet desserts, fruit and some, often very distinct, cheese, for example aged blue cheese, should be paired with the sweet, decadent and rich, Samos Vin Doux Muscat. A worthy wine and an absolute steal at $13.55.

Cheers!

Kate Wagner Zeke Sommelier(ISG) Certified Specialist of Wine, Certified Wine Educator(SWE) wineadviser@wcgwave.ca

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 29

Tips For a Safe Holiday Season

B

efore crawling up on the roof to string the Christmas lights, you need to know that every year hospital emergency rooms treat hundreds of people for injuries such as falls, cuts and shocks related to holiday lights, decorations and Christmas trees.

When setting up a tree at home place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Be sure to place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.

In addition candles star t hundreds of fires over the holiday season. Always keep burning candles within sight and always put out lit candles before leaving a room or going to bed.

Indoors and outdoor lights should be CSA tested and have fused plugs.

Picking the tree: When purchasing an ar tificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant." Although this label does not mean the tree won't catch fire, it indicates the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.

When purchasing a live tree check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and do not break when bent between your fingers. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground the tree should not lose many needles.

30 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

Lights:

If your lights have any of the following, they should not be used; loose connections, broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires. Always replace burned-out bulbs promptly with the same wattage bulbs.

Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord and make sure the extension cord is rated for the intended use.

Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could receive a shock.

Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been cer tified for outdoor use.

Stay away from power or feeder lines leading from utility poles into older homes.

Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other fi rm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use only insulated staples or run strings of lights through hooks (available at hardware stores) to hold strings in place. Turn off all holiday lights when you go to bed or leave the house, they could short out and start a fi re.

child swallowing or inhaling small pieces. Also avoid using decorations that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.

Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass "angel hair." Follow container directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with ar tificial snow sprays.

Fireplaces:

Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters.

When removing outdoor holiday lights, never pull or tug on lights.

Use care with "fire salts," which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten. Keep them away from children and pets.

Decorations:

Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to decorate a tree, never use lighted candles.

Choose tinsel or ar tificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals.

In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep small removable par ts out of the reach of children to avoid the

Have a safe and happy holiday season.

Merry Christmas from our house to yours.

Bill White has been associated with work place safety committees for 25 years in the government and the private sectors

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 31

Enter to Win EVERYDAY

From December 12 - 23 - 8am to 8pm - Details Page 34

Dec

12

Dec

13

Dec

14

• Massage Therapy • Reflexology • BodyTalk Marie Aristoteles • Caley Brown • Naomi Hinton • Kelli Mowat 204-728-2828 • 761 18th St., Brandon • www.avelle.ca

Friends FUR Life Day Care Inc. Featuring:

• Doggie Day Care • Dog Grooming • Lynn White’s Dog Training • Riplees Ranch • Unique Merchandise 941 - 26th Street, Brandon, MB R7B 2B7

• Festival of Poinsettias • Christmas Greening Workshop • Neighbourhood Farmers’ Market • Star-Light Shopping on Thursday and Friday Evenings • Holiday Specials throughout the Season

2 Full Days of Daycare Plus Nail Trim

How To Enter: Go to our website and fill out the submission form on the contest page.

Phone: (204) 728-0900 www.designyourhome.ca/contest

Email: ffldc@mymts.net

Come Home for Christmas...

Christmas Spectacular

1329 Rosser ave. east, Brandon, MB Phone: (204) 727-5884 - www.greenspotbrandon.com

32 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

2 Gift Certificates - One for ‘60 Minutes Hot Stone Massage’ ($85 value), and the other for ‘60 Minutes Reflexology’ ($45 value).

How To Enter: Go to our Facebook page and share our post https://www.facebook.com/ designyourhomemagazine

$100 Gift Card How To Enter: Go to our Twitter page and retweet our post @design_yourhome

12

Day

y a w a e v i G

Shaw Area Rug, Holiday Collection, Quantity of 2 Rugs for $120 How To Enter: Go to our Facebook page and share our post, tell us about your favourite Christmas gift. https://www.facebook.com/ designyourhomemagazine

in

Enter to W

Free In-Home ConsultatIon

Blinds Shutters Draperies Roller Shades Window Film Rugs and Accessories

635 10th street, Brandon

1 FREE 8ft *Standard Finish Kitchen Countertop

Kitchen Cabinets / Countertops Home Renovations Retail Sales

How To Enter: Go to our website and find the Christmas ball, then fill out the submission form on the contest page. www.designyourhome.ca/contest

701 4th Street, Brandon, MB Phone: 204-727-3799 www.contractorscorner.ca

$100 Gift Card How To Enter: Go to our Twitter page and retweet our post @design_yourhome

Serving Brandon and Area Since 1932

Kullberg’s Furniture - Brandon 731 18th St, Brandon, MB (204) 727-5449

www.kullbergs.ca

Kullberg’s Furniture - Virden 346 King Street East, Virden, MB (204) 748-3331

Dec

15

Dec

16

Dec

17

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 33

12

Day

y a w a e Giv in

Enter to W

Contest Rules: No purchase necessary. Must be 18 years of age and older. Limit one entry per person for each daily contest. All daily entries are from 8 am until 8 pm. Winners will be drawn daily.

Sponsored by: Design Your Home magazine.

5

Dec

18

Dec

19

Dec

20

Celebrating Five Years in

Brandon!

Publication Design Web Design / Mobile Websites Print Design & Logos

(204) 573-2250 153 - 8th Street, Bdn reaxiongraphics.com

Body & Spirit Massage Therapy Karen Wotton R M T 204.761.3777 kwotts@mts.net

By Appointment Only

Kara Matthews Photographer

1-204-872-2372 kara@sterlingimages.ca

34 | DESIGN YOUR HOME | WINTER

www.sterlingimages.ca Find me on facebook

1000 Business Cards or Discount on Services - $200 Value How To Enter: Go to our website and find the snowflake, then fill out the submission form on the contest page. www.designyourhome.ca/contest

2 - One Hour Massage Gift certificates. Value $130 How To Enter: Go to our Twitter page and retweet our post @design_yourhome

Lifestyle Session - About an hour. Included in your package is the session fee and a full resolution disc of your images. Value $300.

How To Enter: Facebook: Caption Contest https://www.facebook.com/ designyourhomemagazine

We will provide a ECO Banner. Value $350.00 artwork not included How To Enter: Go to our website and find the snowman, then fill out the submission form on the contest page. www.designyourhome.ca/contest

Dec

Offset Printing | Digital Copying Large Format Banners & Displays Promotional Items Ph. 204.728.3037 | Fax 204.727.3338 www.leechprint.com

601 Braecrest Drive | Brandon, Manitoba | R7C 1B1 Marketing Services | Logos & Branding Graphic Design | Advertising Design Website Design | Social Media Ph. 204.571.4500 | Fax 204.727.2310 www.weareinnovative.ca

21

Specializing in Tutus,

Bamboo Strechy baby wrap from Jaid Creations ($75.00 value), and $100 gift card from Li’l Bit Baby.

How To Enter: Go to our Facebook page and share our post https://www.facebook.com/ designyourhomemagazine

Baby Wraps, and much more...

Dec

Find us on Facebook at “Jaid Creations” Email at JaidCreations@hotmail.com Find us on Etsy

22

Li’l Bit Baby, 601 18th Street, Brandon, MB 204-725-4412 - www.lilbitbaby.ca

$100 off a single blind purchase, and $400 off a full order (from Levolor or Elite) How To Enter: Go to our website and fill out the submission form on the contest page. www.designyourhome.ca/contest

Dec

23

DESIGNYOURHOME.CA | 35

Magazine

Design Your Home magazine has articles about the house, cottage, apartment or condo living, from the interior to the exterior.

Contact us at: Email: designyourhome@mymts.net Phone: (204) 573-3790 View Us at: Website: www.designyourhome.ca