Capital Home Fall 2018

FALL 2018

CapitalHOME HOW VICTORIA LIVES

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HAPPY RENOVATION BLUES: Punches of colour, perfect results

DRAMATIC MAKEOVER Re-invention in Uplands

BEAUTY ON BAINBRIDGE A true labour of love

TRAVEL:

FOOD:

DESIGN:

The Wonders of Southern France

Serving Up Some Soups!

Organizing your home

The Bold and Beautiful Design of Samsung Built In Appliances

Electrolux Appliances The Swedish Taste of Kitchen

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Right in the Centre of History

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Buying or Selling: Lisa Williams* is Your Negotiating Advantage ( 2 5 0 ) 51 4 -1 9 6 6

LI SAWI LLIA M S .C A

* Personal Real Estate Corporation

{ In this issue }

22 p.

64.

SOUPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ON! Eric Akis prepares 4 tasty soups for fall.

DRAMATIC MAKEOVER IN UPLANDS 90.

MAGIC BOXWOOD HEDGES In Southern France, the art is alive.

14. DESIGN Organize your home

20. USING APPS

For home and yard layouts

76. WELLNESS

37

p.

BEAUTY ON BAINBRIDGE ISLAND

Weekend retreat brings personal renovation

40 p.

HAPPY RENOVATION BLUES

80

p.

MEDIEVAL MASTERPIECE

ON THE COVER: Because they are handmade, the backsplash tiles are uneven shades of blue that make them look like ocean waves on the wall of an impressive remodel by interior designer Kelly Moir. Page 40.

PHOTO BY JOSHUA LAWRENCE Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 7

Editor’ss NOTE Editor Check all the boxes | SO YOU WANT TO RENOVATE ...

AS YOU SEE IN OUR ANNUAL RENOVATION EDITION OF CAPITAL HOME, YOUR PROJECT COULD INVOLVE A FEW ROOMS OR THE ENTIRE HOUSE. TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND SOAK IN SOME ADVICE FROM OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN YOUR POSITION. The Canadian Homebuilders’ Association provides an essential checklist before starting any reno.

Check all the boxes. You’ll be glad you did.

O Find a renovator you can trust and are comfortable with. This is crucial to a good renovation experience. You need to check out the renovator thoroughly. Ask lots of questions when you meet. Talk with previous customers. Visit past or current projects. You also need to be confident that the company is financially stable and has a solid history. Many experienced homeowners also comment on the importance comfortable personal fit with the people they hire, that they easy to talk with and responsive.

O Find out what services the renovator offers.

Homeowners often don’t realize that many professional renovation contractors also provide design and planning services. Even if you want to work with a designer or architect of your own choosing, a contractor can add a lot of value to the process.

O Make sure you have a detailed written contract.

“We chose the renovator who had it all written out. We knew what we were in for and didn’t have to lie awake at night worrying what the final costs would be.”

O Know the facts before the work begins. Ask a lot of questions of your renovator or contractor.

What does the work entail? How will it be done and by whom? How will it affect your day-today living? Should you consider moving out during any portion of the construction process?

What if want to make changes? The more you know upfront about the whole process, the less anxious you’ll feel.

O Take an active role throughout the project.

It’s your investment and your home, so you want to follow things closely and know what’s going on at all times. The best results come

from good communication and a good working relationship between you and your renovator.

Ask for and expect regular, if not daily, updates.

Know how to get hold of the renovator if you have questions or concerns. Be prepared to spend time going over drawings, monitoring the progress of your pr oject, and discussing decisions with your renovator.

O Don’t expect a problem-free renovation. The bigger the project, the more likely you will run into the unexpected, such as existing deficiencies hidden in the walls, delays in special orders or bad weather. Be flexible and understand that some things are beyond the renovator’s or your control.

O Plan ahead for your finishes. Typically, homeowners are responsible for choosing cabinets, flooring, tiles, fixtures and the many other finishes that will complete the job. Set aside plenty of time and begin early – in some markets, there may be a significant delay for special orders. And take full advantage of your renovator’s experience to help you find the best options.

O Keep money in reserve for extras. Once the work begins, it is not uncommon for homeowners to want to go an extra step — a better quality tile, brand new appliances and so on.

SO YOU KNOW: Renovating your home also brings a huge economic impact to the capital region. According to the Canadian Homebuilders’ Association, renovation and home repair is a major source of employment in the region, equating to 7,159 jobs in Greater Victoria in 2017 that paid $432 million in wages and increased investment value in the region’s homes by $847 million.

CapitalHOME PETER BAILLIE / ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR PABLO MIRANDA / SALES MANAGER

8 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

DAVE OBEE / PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DARRON KLOSTER / EDITOR GORDON FALLER / JENUS FRIESEN / GRAPHIC DESIGN

Capital Home is published by the Times Colonist, a division of TC Publication Limited Partnership, at 2621 Douglas St., Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8T 4M2.

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Please send comments about Capital to: Dave Obee dobee@timescolonist.com To advertise, phone: 250-380-5328, or email Sales Manager Pablo Miranda at: pmiranda@timescolonist.com.

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Together this dynamic team, offers their clients an in-depth knowledge of Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real estate market and the characteristics of the array of neighbourhoods under consideration. Whatever the needs of their clients... whatever their stage of life or the lifestyle they want to accommodate. Briggs and Stratton offer energy, competence and personal attention. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a winning combination.

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HEIDI STEVENS

The House Therapist is in — with 6 solutions for your home renovation issues

L

udwig Van Beethoven once declared that “Love, and love alone, is capable of giving thee a happier life.”

Come again?

Call us shallow, but we are fairly certain that skim-coating your walls can actually give thee a happier life. Or crown molding: Crown molding makes us pretty happy.

If you can have those things and love, well, that’s real happiness.

A home renovation project, after all, is not the backdrop against which bliss typically blossoms.

Tattered nerves, clashing tastes, blown budgets. It can all go sour pretty quickly. That’s why we’ve called in the House Therapist*, our in-house expert on keeping the peace, even while the literal dust is flying. Happy renovating!

Q: I want to surprise my partner with a perk-up of our vintage (midcentury) living room without spending a ton of money. Ideas?

A: Have custom baseboards made. You may think baseboards will go unnoticed, but they won’t.

Beauty can be found in the details, and having new, clean, painted baseboards adds a crisp, finished, detail to the room. It’s akin to topping off the perfect outfit with just the right shoes.

10 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

Q: There’s no way to expand my galley kitchen without creating the mother of all renovations. What to do?

A: Hire a designer who specializes in space planning. Our kitchen renovation didn’t gain us an ounce of floor space, but it did gain more storage where it mattered; as in a skinny pantry that now holds all the stuff we use every day — cereal, onions, coffee, bourbon ... coffee.

And taller cupboards allowed storage for things like oversize roasters and the bulky Cuisinart. All you need to make this plan work is a folding step stool. (Get one that folds with ease and hangs on a hook.)

Q: Now that the kids are a little older, my husband and I like to enjoy quiet dinners in our backyard.

Is there a way to make it more atmospheric?

A: Build an arbor.

If you specify hefty lumber (use 8-by-8 posts for support, for instance, or opt for pre-milled

porch pillars) and keep the design simple, anyone with reasonable carpentry skills can build it. It’s the construction project that gives the most bang for your buck, hands down.

Q: My husband and I go to the paint store excited to choose new wall colors, but what should be a fun project inevitably turns into a battle over colors. Help!

A: If my husband and I had a dollar for every time we left a paint store tired, depressed and paintless, we’d have enough money to buy separate houses and paint them however the heck we like. Bright

A PULL UP A BEAUTIFUL HIGH-END ITALIAN LEATHER SOFA AND TELL US YOUR HOME RENOVATION DREAMS — YOUR ADVICE AWAITS.

orange? For the DINING ROOM? HAVE YOU LOST ALL FIVE SENSES? Sorry. Keeping the peace. Something that has worked for us is to trade off rooms.

That is, this go round, I choose the color of the bedroom and he gets the dining room. Next time we switch. Remember, it’s only paint. Just like a bad haircut grows back, color can be changed.

Q: The new baby means my house now is without a guest room.

Where will I put the outof-town relatives?

A: A hotel. Oh, wait.

(Why is it so hard to

remember that keeping-the-peace bit?) Any room with reasonable bathroom access and some claim to privacy can accommodate a Murphy bed. Folding beds have gotten pretty high-tech (you can even get expensive ones that lower from the ceiling) and offer real mattresses instead of those flimsy sofa bed things.

Q: I’m sick of the kicked baseboards and dirty interior doors at home. My wife refuses to have our children’s feet removed.

Now what?

A: Both baseboards and interior

doors — especially the latter — look great in black. Glossy black doors are a good accent in either a vintage or more modern interior, focusing eyes on the architecture, whether it’s simple or more detailed. They offer a good hit of visual punctuation and, in a high-gloss finish, also stand up to the abuse that these places get. If you’re determined to stay white, acquaint yourself with Magic Erasers and embrace the zen of scrubbing.

CH

* The House Therapist is a mashup of editors Cindy Dampier and David Syrek and columnist Heidi Stevens.

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 11

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PRACTICE THE 80/20 RULE: 80 PERCENT FULL, 20 PERCENT OPEN SPACE. IF YOU FILL EVERYTHING TO THE BRIM, YOU’LL BE LESS LIKELY TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM.

Tips

SOPHIE MIURA

for healthy, beautiful organization

W

hen it comes to our favorite part of beautifying a home, storage and organization rarely rank high.

And rightly so; we often consider cleaning a chore, brushing it aside as an annoyance or timezapping task to deal with later. But here’s the thing: Science suggests that your messy home is more than just an eyesore. Researchers found that people who live in a cluttered home have higher levels of cortisol, a stress-related hormone. In other words, those strewn dirty clothes could take a serious toll on your health, as well as the look of your home. Convinced that it’s time to tidy up? Follow these timeless storage hacks to update your home — and bid stress bye-bye. >17

14 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

DISPLAY NOSTALGIC ITEMS. TRANSFORM CHILDREN’S BOOKS, TOYS, AND DOLLS INTO WORKS OF ART BY INSTALLING FLOATING SHELVES ON THE WALLS.

ORGANIZING ACRYLIC TRAYS WITH SEPARATE COMPARTMENTS WORK WELL FOR SMALLER ITEMS THAT COULD GET LOST IN THE MIX, LIKE PAPER CLIPS, BATTERIES AND BUSINESS CARDS. INVEST IN MATCHING CANISTERS FOR YOUR REFRIGERATOR AND KITCHEN PANTRY.

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 15

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THE KITCHEN Use paint to unify clutter. If you have open shelving in your kitchen, paint your walls the same color as your pottery. Your dishes and glassware will stand out less, making the shelving look organized.

Invest in matching canisters. Storing all of your dry goods in glass jars or other canisters is a beautiful way to organize your pantry, and it instantly makes your shelves look cleaner. Be sure to stick to one jar style to master the look.

Make use of low storage. Keep your favorite cookbooks or your go-to appliances on a shelf just below your counters, rather than on the benchtop — they’ll be much more pleasing below eye level, but still easily accessible.

THE CLOSET Create a closet code. Follow the organization-obsessed Khloe Kardashian and arrange every item in your closet by color and type.

Invest in one hanger style. Ditch the dry cleaner’s wire hangers and opt for wooden or felt “huggable” hangers, which not only prevent snags and tears, but are also more visually pleasing.

Alter shelves to fit shoes and accessories. > LINEN CLOSETS OFTEN DOUBLE AS STORAGE FOR BATH PRODUCTS, MEDICINES AND EXTRA TOILET PAPER. UTILIZING BINS WILL HELP SEPARATE CATEGORIES AND KEEP SHELVES NEAT. IF YOUR SHOES DON’T FIT NICELY, TRY KEEPING THEM IN THE BOXES TO OPTIMIZE SHELF SPACE. THIS ALSO PROTECTS THEM FROM SCUFF MARKS AND DUST. USE A GOOD SET OF HANGERS AND TOSS THOSE THAT ARE MISMATCHED. YOUR CLOTHES WILL BE PROPERLY CARED FOR, AND YOUR CLOSET WILL LOOK REFINED AND POLISHED.

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 17

THE PLAYROOM Arrange storage bins strategically. Place bookshelves and bins at ground level in playrooms, where they’ll be in little arms’ reach. It’ll encourage children to help tidy as they go, so you don’t have to.

Display nostalgic items. Transform children’s books, toys, and dolls into works of art by installing floating shelves on the walls to showcase them. Be sure to display the covers of your children’s nighttime books, rather than the spines.

Introduce rugs. Looking for a commitment-free way to introduce color and pattern into a kids’ room?

Rugs are a great way to create a play area that’s easy to remove and clean.

THE ENTRYWAY Create a drop station to hold daily items: keys, mail, purse or wallet. Make sure to pick baskets and bins that will adequately hold everything. Placing a bench with a basket by the front door gives guests a subtle hint to take their shoes off when they arrive.

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ORGANIZING THE HOME OFFICE Choose a color theme. Purchase magazine files and desktop accessories in a single color. Having a cohesive shade can alleviate some of the visual dissonance that inevitably comes with a desk full of paperwork, books, and other odds and ends.

Disguise cables with artwork. Framed artwork can be a great way to cover unsightly computer cords in a workspace.

Create a digital filing system. Sometimes hard copies are necessary, but the vast majority of loose paperwork can be kept in digital form on an external hard drive.

Set aside a few hours to scan documents, and recycle the strewn papers when you’re done.

LAUNDRY Place laundry products in bins and a couple of products in labeled jars for an organized, upgraded appearance. Keep a bin for mismatched socks. If you have the wall space, hang a peg rack with baskets and shelving for extra storage. CH

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 19

DESIGN

&

VISUAL VIRTUAL

USING APPS FOR HOME LAYOUTS, INSIDE AND OUT

P

A DEVICE DISPLAYS THE HOUZZ APP. HOUZZ HAS MORE THAN 1.5 ACTIVE HOME PROFESSIONALS ACROSS 65 CATEGORIES TO HELP PEOPLE WITH THEIR HOME PROJECTS.

20 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

lanning out how to arrange furniture in your home — or plants in your garden — used to involve a pencil, graph paper, a measuring tape and a lot of imagination.

The process has gotten easier — and way more streamlined — thanks to a burgeoning selection of home and garden apps.

Furniture companies, interior design firms and even landscapers have been rolling out a new generation of apps and online programs to make the process more foolproof for novices and pros alike, often using virtual and augmented reality technology.

“Design apps are really great for generating ideas, and deciding on materials and sources for do-it-yourself projects,” says architect Margaret Mayfield. “And they’re also very helpful for communicating design ideas to contractors and architects.”

The technology allows you to see what furniture would look like in your home before you buy it, using just the camera on your phone, for example, instead of dealing with the hassle — and back pain — involved in returning, say, an ill-chosen sofa.

And the design apps do not stop at the door. There are landscaping apps to help take the guesswork out of deciding what to plant and where and when.

Among the most popular home apps is Houzz , a free app with 40 million users around the world each month. Features include a huge database of design photos — searchable by style, country or colour,

VIEW IN MY ROOM 3D, AN AUGMENTED REALITY TOOL IN THE HOUZZ APP, LETS PEOPLE PREVIEW MORE THAN ONE MILLION FURNITURE AND DECOR PRODUCTS FROM THE HOUZZ SHOP IN 3D, WITHIN THEIR HOMES, BEFORE THEY BUY.

for example — to create a personalized “idea book.”

The site’s “Visual Match” feature allows visitors to order furniture and other products that are the same or similar to those seen in the magazinetype photos. You can work with a friend by using the “Invite a Collaborator” feature, or, through “Directory,” contact local designers, architects or landscapers.

One of the newest features is “View in My Room 3D,” which invites you look at your room through your phone and then — using augmented reality technology — place a selected piece of furniture there to see what it would look like.

Other indoor design apps include Hutch , Home Design 3D, and Home Design 3D , Rooms, and interior design apps from stores like IKEA and Overstock.com.

For outdoors, Houzz features articles and advice from gardening pros, and a forum where home gardeners can share ideas and suggestions.

Another popular landscaping app is iScape , which helps you visualize your garden, save and share ideas, and buy gardening products.

As with all technology, though, the apps have a learning curve that in some cases is far greater than the old graph paper and pencil method of laying things out. And professionals warn that for major jobs, it’s still best to seek out a pro.

Just don’t be surprised when your landscaper or designer pulls out their phone to consult an app. CH

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 21

A

dramatic makeover in Uplands ‘FEARLESS’ BUILDER SPENDS 18 MONTHS RESTORING 1930’S CHARACTER HOME

TEXT: GRANIA LITWIN

22 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

PHOTOS: DARREN STONE

PHISTICATION THE SOLARIUM WAS COMPLETELY REBUILT IN THE SAME LOCATION AND TO THE SAME DIMENSIONS AS THE PREVIOUS ADDITION. BUILDER HUXLEY SAID IT HAD BEEN POORLY BUILT IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE ENTIRE FOUNDATION AND WALLS WERE REPLACED AND THE ONLY THING KEPT AND REUSED WAS THE STEEL FRAMED ROOF STRUCTURE.

A

few surprises are always to be expected when renovating an old house, and maybe even a bombshell or two when a home is nearing a century old, but in this case restoration revelations were slightly more alarming than usual. Builder Maximilian Huxley discovered extensive rodent damage in this house so during demolition his workers had to wear full body-covering hazmat suits, and later the home was sealed for two days while it was decontaminated and fogged with steam disinfectant.

It all began a couple of years ago when the homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new owners, two Vancouver professionals who are also both musicians, were looking to retire here and discovered a beautifully landscaped, large lot in Uplands on which sat an appealing 1930s character home. > Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 23

GRACIOUS SOPHISTICATION

THE LIVING ROOM’S WALLPAPER AND CURTAINS ARE FROM THE PEACOCK GARDEN PATTERN BY ZOFFANY.

They knew it would require work and were prepared for a major kitchen makeover as well as improvements to bedrooms and bathrooms. But they didn’t anticipate a makeover that would become an 18-month endeavour requiring substantial upgrades to almost every interior space.

Happily — although the cost and time frame inflated to about double — the result is a gracious and sophisticated home that has been completely restored and rebuilt inside, from top to bottom. It also harmonizes perfectly with its surroundings because it looks just the same outside as before, except for minor stucco repairs.

After its massive renovation, the home also looks stylish and chic thanks to the owners’ imaginative interior touches that include European wallpapers and bespoke tile work, unique art pieces and carpets from India and Turkey, as well as numerous antiques and fanciful elements. > 24 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

ENTRANCE WALL SCONCES ARE BY RENEW PERIOD LIGHTING AND DECORATIVE ARTS, THE MIRROR IS FROM MURANO ITALY AND THE ROLL TOP DESK IS FROM THE ANTIQUE WAREHOUSE IN VANCOUVER.

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The home was renovated by Maximilian Huxley Construction and is being featured Sept.

23 on this year’s Art Gallery of Greater Victoria House Tour. The self-guided tour of six homes — ranging from historic and contemporary, to urban, rural and solar powered — takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and tickets are $35, available at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, as well as online at aggv.ca/house-tour, Garden Works, Dig This, Munro’s and Ivy’s bookshops.

“We agreed to put our house on the tour as a favour to our builder Max,” said the owners, who asked not to be identified. They added his workmanship and attention to detail were excellent.

“He was fearless, always willing to try and find ways to solve any problem. He has a great eye and found ways to accommodate all the unusual things we wanted, so that we would have a house that felt elegant and graceful, but also whimsical.

“We wanted to explore some features that would make us smile,” such as the golden cupid lighting fixtures that fly up the staircase and

GRACIOUS SOPHISTICATION

SOAPSTONE AND MARBLE WERE USED FOR KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS AS WELL AS IN THE PANTRY AND LAUNDRY. GORGEOUS PENDANT LIGHTS OVER THE ISLAND ARE FROM VENICE.

romantic-looking elephants that march across some of the walls, in the form of wallpaper and wall sconces. “We know this house is not ordinary and that it required special care and attention. Max was fantastic,” said the owners.

Huxley explained the renovation was challenging because it was an older home and it required extensive custom work to match or simulate elements such as curved doorways, baseboards and leaded glass windows. All of which were painstakingly hand crafted.

There were problems with the foundation and building integrity, but the main concern was rodents. There were scores of them living in the house and as his crew set about tearing out walls or pulling down ceilings, rodents began dropping on them. They also found three nests of squirrels.

“The guys got a little creeped out with them running down their shoulders. The rats were everywhere… in the soffits, crawl space… they had eaten some of the ceiling joists and roof rafters, and some of the wires. That was a big hazard. >30

BOTH OWNERS ARE MUSICIANS AND IN THEIR PIANO ROOM THEY CHOSE FABRICS BY PIERRE FREY. ELEPHANT WALL SCONCES ARE FROM RENEW PERIOD LIGHTING AND DECORATIVE ARTS, AND THE MIRROR IS FROM THE ANTIQUE WAREHOUSE IN VANCOUVER. THE PAINT COLOUR IS EATING ROOM RED, FROM FARROW AND BALL.

MOST OF THE ORIGINAL LEADED WINDOWS AND DOORS WERE RESTORED BY MERCER & SCHAEFER GLASSTUDIOS. OTHERS WERE MADE ON SITE WITH NEW LEADED DETAILING TO SIMULATE ORIGINALS.

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 27

THE SOLARIUM HAS A LARGE CHANDELIER FROM THE OLD HOTEL GEORGIA IN VANCOUVER, AND ENCAUSTIC CLAY FLOOR TILES, WHICH WERE CUSTOM DESIGNED

BY THE HOMEOWNERS ALONG WITH HELP FROM MIRANTI MORENO OF TOORAK TILE AND DESIGN, IN VANCOUVER. THEY WERE MADE BY KJ PATTERSON IN UTAH.

THE SOLARIUM

28 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

GRACIOUS SOPHISTICATION

SOME OF THE ORIGINAL LIGHTS AND MUCH OF THE DOOR HARDWARE WAS SALVAGED, RESTORED AND REINSTALLED. THE OWNERS SPENT MONTHS POURING THROUGH ANTIQUE AND SECOND-HAND STORES AS WELL AS EBAY, TO FIND JUST THE RIGHT LIGHTING AND HARDWARE TO ENHANCE THEIR HOME’S CHARM.

“The previous owner had tried to address the problem, but was not aggressive enough.” He added the previous owner had also created “an amazing garden,” but foliage was growing very close to the house and sprinklers compounded the damage. “We have now dug around the whole house to create a buffer and had the irrigation modified so it is not hitting the house anymore.”

He explained the rodents disappeared when the walls were torn opened, “and then we had the house sealed up for two days and disinfected the whole place.”

Huxley said the 1930’s era home had had two previous renovations, one of which included the addition of a solarium.

“But it had been poorly built and rotting so we ended up pouring a new foundation for that, stripping it right down, and rebuilding it.”

The crew, headed by site supervisor David Walsh, took every part of the house down to the studs, except for one room.

“We didn’t expect the reno to be so dramatic,” said one of the owners. “But we were very lucky we didn’t try to just do a cosmetic or piecemeal renovation, because we discovered things like old knob and tube wiring, which was still live, right next to new wiring.”

Huxley’s crew replaced all the wiring and plumbing and installed new in-floor radiant heating throughout the home’s entire three floors. His crew hand-dug down two feet in the basement to add insulation, heating and plumbing there, and because the ceiling was raised to seven-foot-six, the space now includes a laundry, bathroom and storage.

The project took much longer than expected not only because of all the extra

ALL THE HOME’S PAINT IS BY FARROW AND BALL AND THE WORK WAS EXPERTLY DONE BY BLACK DOG PAINTING.

30 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

>34

TAKE A LOOK

— it’s part of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria House tour this month

CUPID LIGHTS ON THE STAIRCASE ARE FROM RENEW PERIOD LIGHTING AND DECORATIVE ARTS, AND ADD TO THE OWNERS’ SENSE OF WHIMSY AND FUN.

ALMOST ALL THE HOME’S DOORWAYS ARE MADE OF ROUNDED, ARCHED PLASTER, SO THE DRYWALLER HAD TO HAND MAKE ALL THE OPENINGS. ALL THE CROWN MOULDING AND BASEBOARDS ARE ROUNDED, REQUIRING THEM TO BE HAND CRAFTED.

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34 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

work, but also “because it was organic… constantly changing,” said the builder. “We made decisions on the go, and there was a tremendous amount of detail. For instance, we expected to spend two weeks on the baseboards, not two months.

“We also did several mock-ups of different looks and details. We did six different mockups for mantels in two rooms. The project was very challenging but also exciting and the clients were great. They were the reason it went so well.

“It’s not often you do such a lovely house with this much character,” Huxley said enthusiastically. “Every piece of trim had to be custom made or modified so we set up a millwork shop in the two-car garage and produced a lot of things on site. Almost all the home’s doorways are made of rounded, arched plaster, rather than trimmed out with wood, so the drywaller had to hand make all the openings, which was really tricky. And the owners wanted everything rounded so we did that for all the crown moulding and baseboards, too.

“Every owner is like a caretaker in the life cycle of a house like this. The new owners have done all the right things to ensure it has a long life for them and the next people who live there, too.

“It is a unique house and we will never do another like it.” CH

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THE 3,500-SQUARE-FOOT HOME IN OAK BAY NESTLES ON A HALF-ACRE LOT, BUT IT SEEMS MUCH LARGER. THE HOME IS ALMOST INVISIBLE FROM THE ROAD THANKS TO A LARGE “WILDERNESS” BOULEVARD AND MATURE TREES AND PLANTINGS.

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September 14 to November 25, 2018

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Perpetual Projects

ISLAND HOME AN ONGOING LABOUR OF LOVE

TEXT: SANDY DENEAU DUNHAM PHOTOS: STEVE RINGMAN

THE JOHNSONS’ HOME, ON BAINBRIDGE ISLAND’S EAGLE HARBOR, WAS A CABIN WHEN IT WAS BUILT IN 1920.

DURING 20-PLUS YEARS HERE, THEY HAVE BUILT A DOCK, PIER, GARAGE AND MORE, AND REMODELED ALMOST THE ENTIRE HOUSE.

A

t a frequency heard only by the most zealous do-ityourselfers, a down-on-its-luck fixer-upper on Bainbridge Island sent out an insistent SOS, crossing county lines, one formidable body of water and more than 70 years. Other potential rescuers steered clear, but Mark and Wendy Johnson ran right toward the trouble.

They had just achieved that magical, elusive state of completion in their home in Redmond, so, clearly, it was time to move.

The please-help-me home, basically a cabin back in 1920, when it was built, had been significantly remodeled in 1976.

“The place needed a lot of love, and more space,” Mark says. “I smiled at Wendy and said, ‘I’ve got projects again.’” > MARK AND WENDY JOHNSON (WITH CHEVY) ARE THE THIRD OWNERS. THE GATE PROVIDES ENTRY THROUGH AN OLD STONE WALL TO THEIR “SECRET-GARDEN” FRONT YARD.

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 37

THE JOHNSONS’ POOL ROOM HOLDS ONE OF MARK’S PRIZED COLLECTIONS ALONG ITS WALLS: 450 PURPOSEFULLY INAPPROPRIATE SHOT GLASSES FROM THE 1940S-60S. “I GUESS THAT’S ART,” HE SAYS. “THEY’RE ALL POLITICALLY INCORRECT: SEXUAL INNUENDO, POLITICS, NAKED LADIES. I STOPPED COLLECTING BECAUSE I CAN’T FIND THEM ANYMORE.”

38 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

Understatement alert.

The Johnsons bought that home in 1993, so there’s been more than two decades’ worth of projects — so far. “We tore down a lot,” says Mark, who has a degree in architecture, but never practiced (he’s worked in construction and, for the past 20 years, in real estate).

“The first thing we did was build a pier,” he says; it’s 128 feet long, of reclaimed piling and framing material, with a floating dock along Eagle Harbor.) “I did that dock for $15,000, did it mostly myself. I did my whole dock and pier for less than what just the permitting would cost today.”

In 2001, after years of “noodling concepts” and accumulating “the money and guts to pull the trigger,” Mark designed a complete remodel of the house, which included demolishing 65 percent of it. “I added 1,000 square feet, but tore out 1,000 and added on to the second floor,” he says.

In 2009, Mark designed and built a garage, “doing 90 percent of the work myself.”

In the backyard, he built a retaining wall and a deck, created a firepit and laid lots of pavers. In the front, he built a working drawbridge at the entry (“Go away!” it jokes, we think, when drawn) and another bridge midway.

In the living room, screens from the original river-rock fireplace rest in windows looking toward the water. (Mark made the fireplace’s new mantel and vertical supports from a single 600-pound slab of fir — “one of my favorite things I’ve done.”)

Treads for the flared staircase he built are from an on-site fir tree. Salvaged material from the old garage became a new “outhouse”-themed tool shed, and a new SS Minnow boat shed.

Reclaimed bleacher seats turned into shelves in the office.

Light fixtures in the hallway, dining room and laundry originated in an old elementary school. And a hotel phone booth serves as a clever trapdoor landing atop stairs to the basement.

MARK JOHNSON ROUTED THE WOOD FLOORING OF THE ENTRYWAY TO SET PIECES OF GRANITE.

“I don’t use reclaimed material so much for environmental reasons as for reasons of aesthetics, creative reuse and hopefully costs,” Mark says.

Throughout the house, Mark’s collections — phones from the 1940s, car phones and cellphones from the 1980s on up, unusual album covers, “politically incorrect” shot glasses — find places of honor, as do his newest creative projects.

After all that home work, Mark says, “My body wore out, and I switched to art pieces. He fashioned a working doorbell out of a wineglass, two beer bottles and a wine bottle. There are dozens of other interesting projects (maybe more). “My wife has been a good sport about the whimsical nature of the improvements I’ve designed and built over the last 23 years,” Mark says. CH

MARK JOHNSON CREATED THIS HALLWAY PIECE, “B-FLAT,” FROM A PIANO HE’D BOUGHT HIS WIFE, WENDY, SO SHE COULD LEARN TO PLAY. “IT WAS A LOUSY PIANO,” SHE SAYS, BUT IN THE THREE HOURS MARK TOOK TO STRIP IT DOWN, INSPIRATION STRUCK: “OH … ARTWORK,” HE SAYS. (THEY SINCE HAVE ACQUIRED A NEW, BETTER PIANO.)

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 39

Happy Renovation Blues TEXT: ANGELA MANGIACASALE PHOTOS: JOSHUA LAWRENCE

MAKEOVER OF DATED VICTORIA WATERFRONT HOME ADDS PUNCHES OF COLOUR TO A CONTEMPORARY PALETTE.

40 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

JOR FACELIFT DAUGHTER BATHROOM: IN THE DAUGHTER’S BATHROOM, A SHELF BELOW SINK FEATURES UNDERMOUNTED LIGHTS THAT SERVE AS A NIGHT LIGHT. THE MIRROR OVER THE VANITY IS SURROUNDED BY HEXAGONAL IRIDESCENT TEALCOLOURED TILES. THE SHAPE OF THE SMOKY COLOURED LIGHT FIXTURES OVER THE TUB ARE REMINISCENT OF TAGINES TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, ADDING TO THE TURKISH BATH FEEL SHE WANTED TO CREATE IN THE ROOM.

L

ike many renovations, this one began as a plan to update one room. And, like many renovations, it didn’t end there.

“We entertain a lot and we love to cook, so it originally started off as just a kitchen reno,” said the homeowner, a woman in her 60s. “And then, we were so happy with the way the kitchen reno was coming that we looked at the rest of the house – the bathrooms were terribly dated – and we said, ok, we’ll just do add on the bathrooms as well. And, we got the bathrooms done and then …”

A year after they started, a little less than half the 6,000-square-foot Victoria home had undergone a major facelift.

As well as the kitchen revamp, changes were made to the dining room, three bathrooms and living areas upstairs and downstairs. The reno extended to the huge deck that runs the width of the home and connects to kitchen, dining and living rooms via sliding doors. Compressed concrete tiles, about 4-by-1.5 feet, replaced the old wood deck, which was enlarged to increase the overhang and prevent water from lashing at the sliding doors of the lower-level family room. >

MASTER ENSUITE: IN THE MASTER ENSUITE, A FIXTURE WITH PEBBLESHAPED LIGHTS HANGS OVER EGGSHELL-SHAPED BATHTUB, WHICH SITS NEXT TO TWO WINDOWS THAT FRAME THE WATERFRONT VIEW LIKE PAINTINGS. Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 41

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42 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

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Renovation projects often expand beyond their original scope because the freshly updated space makes the rest of the home pale by comparison, said Kelly Moir, the interior designer who worked on this project.

“Then you feel like you only have this one lovely area of your house. So you’re looking for some consistency more than anything else.”

The homeowner and her late husband purchased the house in 1995, which sits on a 1.25-acre waterfront lot. She now shares it with her daughter, who is in her 30s. Originally built in 1948, the house had been renovated and expanded in the late 1980s.

“When we bought it, it was like new, but very much 1980s,” the homeowner said. “We got really, really sick of living in a dated house and we had finally saved up enough money to renovate it.”

The previous owner had more than doubled the width of the main hall to accommodate his wheelchair. It’s an element the current owner loves and decided to keep, resisting the trend of knocking down walls to create huge open spaces. The wide hall gives the home an open airy feeling, almost like being in a museum

or gallery, a perfect setting for the owner’s art collection, most of it by Vancouver Island artists.

When the homeowner and her daughter approached Moir about designing their reno, they knew what they didn’t want. The kitchen isn’t huge – 16-by-14 feet – but the homeowner didn’t want to lose storage by “blowing out” the wall to the dining room.

Instead of removing walls, Moir suggested moving the doors in the kitchen and creating deep archways. She took advantage of extra space in the walls on either side of the archway between the kitchen and dining room to create recessed cupboards. On the dining room side, the cupboards are hidden behind panels painted to match the walls on either side of the archway. When lightly pressed, one cupboard opens to reveal many shallow shelves that provide perfect storage for glassware. On the other, a deeper cupboard serves as linen storage with a wine fridge tucked just below it. On the kitchen side, a rosewood-clad niche serves as a coffee bar.

Like the niche and the archway, the kitchen lower cabinets are rosewood, inspired by their dining room furniture. The women >

KITCHEN BACKSPLASH: BECAUSE THEY ARE HANDMADE, THE BACKSPLASH TILES ARE UNEVEN SHADES OF BLUE THAT MAKE IT LOOK OCEAN WAVES ON THE WALL.

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 43

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had considered grey oak for the kitchen until they saw cabinetmaker Jason Goodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rosewood ofďŹ ce kitchenette. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We both looked at that and said, oh my God, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like our dining table, which we love. Why donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t we do that instead of the grey,â&#x20AC;? the daughter said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to do the uppers and the lowers in rosewood because that would have closed the kitchen in too much,â&#x20AC;? the mother said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The uppers are white, which expands the space.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;And,â&#x20AC;? adds the daughter, â&#x20AC;&#x153;there are no handles because we wanted it to be clean and modern, nothing to interrupt bringing you out to that [water] view.â&#x20AC;?

Goodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work on the reno went on to win a 2016 Gold Care Award for best contemporary kitchen between 200 and 230 square feet.

White quartz covers the countertops and waterfalls over the central island, which features a second sink. The barstools that look to perfectly match the rosewood cupboards are in fact walnut and were purchased from Gabriel Ross in Victoria long before the reno began.

The one dining room wall visible through the archway from the kitchen is painted a deep Aegean blue, a colour the women had seen and loved in the UfďŹ zi art gallery in Florence, Italy. It inspired the choice of tile for the backsplash. They wanted a contemporary kitchen, but not the typical, neutral colour scheme. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The new thing is grey-and-white everything. You look at modern homes and everything is just grey and white. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sick of grey everywhere,â&#x20AC;? the homeowner said. She notes that the home is strategically colourful. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you look at the house, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fairly neutralâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; most walls are a soft white â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all the other things we put in the house that give it the colour.â&#x20AC;?

For the backsplash, the daughter chose handmade tiles, created using kilns that are more than 100 years old by the Seneca Tile company in Ohio. The homeowner noted that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the few elements in the reno >

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MASTER WALKIN CLOSET: THE MASTER WALK-IN CLOSET PROVIDES PLENTY OF STORAGE FOR CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES. QUILTED MAPLE FRAMES THE SHELVING AND COVERS THE FRONT OF THE DRAWERS.

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MAJOR FACELIFT

that was sourced off Vancouver Island. The tiles are subway-style rectangles but in brilliant, uneven shades of blue that make it look ocean waves on the wall.

“Everyone said we were mad” to choose such a bright colour, the daughter said, but they are thrilled with the result.

“We have quite a lot of art,” the homeowner said. ”So we wanted to choose a scheme that was complementary to the artwork we have.

We like colour. We’re not afraid of colour, which kind of blew Kelly’s mind because she’s used to people who are so scared of colour, that everything’s white or grey, very neutral, so neutral they have no personality.”

Moir agreed. “They were fearless when it came to colour. They wanted contemporary [style]. They wanted something unique and they wanted colour and life in their house. And I think they definitely got all that and more.”

All three bathrooms –off the sitting room, downstairs and the master ensuite – feature blue tiles. >

JEWELRY CUPBOARD: THE HOMEOWNER’S ADULT DAUGHTER WORKED WITH THE CARPENTER TO DESIGN

A CUPBOARD FOR HER JEWELRY COLLECTION. EIGHT VERTICAL SLIDING PANELS HOLD HOOKS FOR NECKLACES AND EARRINGS WHILE THREE DRAWERS CONTAIN COMPARTMENTALIZED STORAGE FOR RINGS AND WATCHES.

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 47

MAJOR FACELIFT

MASTER NICHE:

INTERIOR DESIGNER KELLY MOIR USED CAVITIES INSIDE THE WALLS TO TUCK IN STORAGE SPACE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE MASTER ENSUITE INCLUDES A NICHE BY THE TOILET THAT HOLDS TOILET PAPER AND A GARBAGE BIN, AND FEATURES TWO SMALL SHELVES.

The daughter, who spent a lot of time in Turkey as an English teacher, wanted to create her own hammam or Turkish spa. There wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough room to create the steam room typical of a Turkish bath, so she comprised by installing a large shower. Before the reno, the space was very dark and a bulkhead made it feel closed in. The daughter, who is tall like her mother, had to duck to get into the old shower. Now, there is light everywhere, including in the rainfall showerhead which lights us when the water runs.

A shelf below sink features undermounted lights that serve as a night light. The mirror

over the vanity is surrounded by hexagonal iridescent teal-coloured tiles. The smokycoloured light ďŹ xtures over the tub are reminiscent of tagines turned upside down.

The bathroom pièce de rĂŠsistance is a jewellery cabinet in quilted maple. Eight vertical panels slide out to provide hooks for necklaces and earrings. Three large drawers contain compartments to hold rings and watches. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a bit of a jewelry collector,â&#x20AC;? the daughter laughs at her own understatement.

In the motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ensuite, a ďŹ xture with pebble-shaped lights hangs over eggshell>55

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SITTINGROOM BACKWALL: NATURAL LIGHT FLOODS THE SITTING ROOM FROM

SKYLIGHTS AND A FOUR-PANEL WINDOW THAT SHARES THE BACK WALL WITH A LARGE PAINTING BY VICTORIA ARTIST BLU SMITH. TWO BLUE LEATHER EAMES CHAIRS WITH MATCHING OTTOMANS PROVIDE A QUIET PLACE TO READ.

52 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

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SITTINGROOM OFFICE:

BOX SHELVES AND DESKTOPS IN THE OFFICE AREA OF THE SITTING ROOM ARE MADE OF QUILTED MAPLE. WITH ACRYLIC SHEET LEGS, THE DESKS MIMIC THE LOOK OF THE BOND DESK BY DESIGNER JONATHAN ADLER.

shaped bathtub, which sits next to two windows that frame the waterfront view.

One wall at the end of the tub is a piece of art glass back-painted in shades of blue

by Victoria artist Gordon Scott. It was the owner’s way of incorporating local art that wouldn’t be affected by the humidity in the bathroom.

The vanity and storage in the bathroom are faced in an unusual quilted maple that was used in cabinetry throughout the renovation. This maple is named for the quilted pattern of the wood’s grain.

“We fell in love with it because we thought [the grain] looked like the beach after the tide’s gone out, the ripples on the maple like in the sand,” the homeowner said.

The quilted maple in the reno came from one of only two logs like it in North America, said cabinetmaker Jason Good.

“It’s unusual to find a log so consistently quilted and as long as it was.”

The maple was used to elegant effect to frame the walk-in closet, to face the drawer and cupboard fronts, and even to clad a small bathroom niche for the toilet roll, a garbage bin and two small shelves.

In the sitting room office, the maple forms box shelves on the wall and the tops of two desks anchored to a centre table. At the request of the daughter, the desks, with acrylic sheet legs, mimic the Bond desk by designer Jonathan Adler. It’s hard to believe the room was once a dark home to a giant, team-sized hot tub that the previous owner > Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 55

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THE KITCHEN

AFTER: THE VI EW:

KITCHEN TO DINING. A DEEP ARCHWAY CONNECTS THE KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM. IT IS CLAD IN ROSEWOOD AS IS THE COFFEE NICHE TUCKED INTO THE WALL BETWEEN THE TWO ROOMS

THE ISLAND:

LOWER CABINETS IN ROSEWOOD AROUND THE KITCHEN’S PERIMETER AND IN THE ISLAND ARE TOPPED WITH WHITE QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS. THE WHITE UPPER CABINETS, WITH NO HANDLES, KEEP THE SPACE LOOKING AIRY AND CONTEMPORARY.

INTERIOR DESIGNER: KELLY MOIR HELPED THE HOMEOWNER AND HER DAUGHTER TO RENOVATE THE HOME’S 1980S LOOK TO A CONTEMPORARY STYLE THAT IS UNIQUE AND VIBRANT. “THEY WERE FEARLESS WHEN IT CAME TO COLOUR,” SHE SAID. “THEY WANTED COLOUR AND LIFE IN THEIR HOUSE. AND I THINK THEY DEFINITELY GOT ALL THAT AND MORE.”

THE KITCHEN

BEFORE: THE WHITE AND FLORAL MOTIF TILE BACKSPLASH IN THE OLD KITCHEN WAS REPLACED WITH HANDMADE BLUE SUBWAY-STYLE TILES.

used for physical therapy. Natural light floods in through six panels of skylights. Half the back wall contains a four-panel window while the other half is almost filled by a landscape-like abstract painting by Victoria artist Blu Smith. The blue wall behind the desks picks up on shades of blue in the painting and two Eames chairs with matching ottomans are covered in leather that, of course, is blue.

“I find blue to be the most consistently calming colour that you can live with.

Red can get too glaring, it’s too much after a while, but blue just works,” the daughter said.

Both women sa id they love blue. They almost seem surprised when it’s pointed out that both are clothed, head-to-toe, in blue.

“You can call us the blue ladies,” the mother laughs. Then the daughter chimes in: “You should see our cars.” CH

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 57

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MINIMALISM CAN MEAN MORE

THINNING YOUR SPACE CAN BRING MAJOR BENEFITS ON HEALTH AND HAPPINESS

2 WAYS PLANTS CAN BE USED AS A FOCUS IN A MINIMALIST DESIGN

here’s a reason the minimalist trend has been so popular among interior designers and design enthusiasts for so long.

Yes, minimal interiors are aesthetically pleasing, but beyond their good looks, they have major benefits on our health and happiness, too.

(Science has proven that physical clutter can lead to stress and depression, especially in women.)

There is something calming about a strippedback space, which is why former magazine editor and author Natalie Walton wrote “This Is Home,” a book dedicated to the art of simple living.

“For me, simple living is about focusing on what is important in my life at this point in time,” Walton says.

“It’s about quieting the noise of the world and being authentic to my journey and my story.

Right now, it’s about focusing on my family’s needs.”

Walton outlines some of the key reasons we’re seeing a cultural shift toward the “less-is-more” lifestyle, along with some key tips on how to create the streamlined look at home. > Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 59

MAKE YOUR BED AS ENTICING AS POSSIBLE

CREATE A SPACE THAT NURTURES, REVIVES AND RESTORES Through writing this book, Walton discovered we often focus a lot of time and effort and expend many resources on designing and decorating a home at the start of the journey. “However, that is just part of the story,” she says. “We should also make time for enjoying our spaces because they are where we can rest, relax, and restore our bodies. Our homes are where we create lifelong memories and form some of the richest relationships of our lives. So let’s give our bodies the quality sleep they need and make our beds as enticing as possible. Let’s take long and deep baths to ease aches and pains. And linger over long lunches with friends and family.

CONSIDER EVERYTHING THAT COMES IN

MAKE IT MEANINGFUL

After many years working, Walton started to feel “exhausted by stuff.” Walton believes our exposure to products as a society has “increased exponentially with the rise of social media and influencers.” But she questions whether any of it has made us happier. “Are we more content? Or are we just distracted by surface layers?” she queries. The takeaway: Really consider every single piece that comes into your home. If you don’t love it, don’t let it in. Or you could apply the one in, one out rule: For any one item that comes in, one has to go out.

If there’s one thing that will make any home a happier one, it’s meaning. Don’t forget the power of sentimentality and how simple objects of value can add context, tone, and connection to a space. That energy cannot be bought. But how do you develop a sense of style to create a meaningful home? “True style comes from an authentic place,” says Walton.

“It is not created, but rather it evolves. This applies equally to personal style as style at home.”

FOCUS ON WHAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT If you’re really serious about creating a simpler, minimal home (and life), then Walton says you need to get back to basics and focus on “what’s really important in your life.” She adds, “In this way, it’s not a look. It’s not minimalism. Instead, it’s about using values to guide decorating decisions.

60 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

TELL A STORY According to Walton, the story of our home starts when we look around at our surroundings. “There is a reason we choose to live in a city, on the coast, or in the countryside,” she says. “Something draws us to this area. We should honor and celebrate that decision.” Of course, Walton reiterates that this doesn’t mean we have to create a theme in our interiors, rather we can weave

some of the exteriors inside. “Perhaps we take our color palette cues from the surrounding flora and fauna,” she says. “Or choose materials that are in keeping with what we see on a daily basis. In the city, this might be the use of more industrial materials, whereas in coastal areas we might choose bleached timbers or raw stone.”

IDENTIFY THE ‘NONESSENTIALS’ AND PASS THEM ON To create a streamlined, simple environment, you need to identify what the nonessentials are and then pass them on. But how do you develop this eye? “Live in a caravan for 10 days with your family, as I did recently, and you soon have a clear idea of what are nonessentials,” she laughs. “I find the same is true from when you move house or go on any type of vacation. All of a sudden, we realize how little we need.” CH

ADVER DVE DV ER RTO T RIIAL FEATU URE R

CHEF’S CORNER

l a i c e p S s e h c Tou Fall Menu -

RESTAURANT MANAGER/ MELISSA KEARSE

CEDAR PLANK BRIE

CHEF/ JOHN WALLER

BARTENDER/ ERICK CALDER

T

WEST COAST RUSTIC

he harmony between bet front and back of house. From the moment you step into the Marina Restaurant, Restaura you know you’re somewhere different. Every dining experience is like music to your ears ears. Sweeping curves of dark wood and copper lea lead to pristine white linen table table settings and that view view-one of Victoria’s finest oceanfront f vistas, i stretching hi away before you. The view and ambiance are very easy to become accustomed to but so are all the special touches you won’t necessarily see. There is an orchestra of committed staff quietly and diligently preparing every single day to make each dining experience second to none. There is a flow of energy, information and details shared between the front and back of house to ensure

special touches are in everything the Marina Restaurant does.

Welcome to a beautiful symphony of flavours developed with the ultimate dining experience in mind. As most everyone knows, the cuisine is famous at the Marina Restaurant, with menus beautifully designed and prepared by Executive Chef John Waller using the wide array of ingredients available on the West Coast.

Fall is an important season for Chef John Waller when his “West

Coast Rustic” style comes into its own and celebrates the richness of the changing seasons. Chef finds his muse in the kitchen while creating preserves and a vast range of pickles, chutneys and mustards to add sensational special touches to his seasonal entrées.

As a counterpoint to his mastery in the kitchen, he also uses his creativity to personally hand turn pottery to showcase his condiment masterpieces.

>

ORCHESTRATING THE DAY...

10am Back of House (BOH) CHEF SETS THE TONE FOR THE DAY

10:15am BOH TEAM PREP FOR PASTRIES ET ALL

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 61

CHEF’S CORNER Fresh, local, seasonal and innovative has always been John’s credo and it comes through in everything he does from ‘shawarma’ spiced grilled squid and octopus to his coriander and fennel rare albacore tuna. And if you believe the true genius of a kitchen lies in the details, the black olive mustard used to top the grilled ribeye steaks is all you need to know. The Marina Restaurant culinary vision is guided by Chef’s dedication to impeccable menu items and the special touches that bring all of the flavours of autumn to life.

The shift to the fall menu is accented by the incredible backdrop of sky and ocean, the mood and light change with

BLACK OLIVE MUSTARD Balsamic soaked mustard seeds Black olives Italian parsley, oregano Olive oil, garlic, shallots

DRIED APRICOT & FIG CHUTNEY Cinnamon, Sugar, Vinegar, Dried Figs and Dried Apricots

FARMER RELISH Grated ed assorted, vegetables, vege etables, Sugar, Tumeric, Salt vinegar

the seasons, from pink sunsets in summer to the richer notes of fall.

Melissa Kearse, Restaurant Manager, conducts her entire front of house staff by fully briefing them so they have a solid understanding of ingredients, flavours and details. The confidence of fully grasping the kitchen vision allows the servers to provide the ultimate trusted dining experience to every guest. There’s a harmony that exists when the menu and beverage pairings are prepared well in advance. With Mel’s dedication to wine and spirit pairings, guests are better able to have a complete dining experience. You can be assured that your time in the dining room will be relaxed

BREAD & BUTTER CUCUMBERS Sliced English cucumbers, Vinegar/sugar, Mustard seeds Onion, seeds, Onion red peppers

‘SHAWARMA’ SPICED GRILLED HUMBOLDT SQUID & OCTOPUS Grilled kale, crispy Moroccan chickpeas, toasted pistachio, spiced raisin relish salad, hummus, Saffron lemon purée, Moroccan salt.

CEDAR PLANK ROASTED BRIE Black Olive Relish, Chilies, olive oil, fresh rosemary

62 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

11am Front of House (FOH) and BOH LUNCH PRESERVICE RALLY

11:30am FOH GREETING & SEATING

2pm FOH, BOH CLOSE OFF LUNCH SERVICE & BEGIN DINING ROOM MAKE-UP

and guided by the service staff who have mastered all the nuances of expertise and attentiveness. It’s this is sort of service that keeps guests coming back time and time again. The hospitality is so famous here that at regulars not only ask for their favourite view and table le but quite often ask for their preferred server by name. e.

Executive Chef John Waller’s menu design supports the seasonality of local ingredients and usess the abundance of harvest food for that true farm to table concept. The synergy between food concepts and his flawless management of his extensive kitchen Team allows him to easily translate his vision to the front of house staff. His daily commitment to supporting Mel and the serving & bar staff with details on food, flavor and menu further emphasizes the respect the Team has for him. He is a maestro of all the moving pieces that begin every day and the total preparation for his signature culinary executions.

From its amazing setting, wonderful cuisine, extensive wine cellar, and knowledgeable but relaxed service, the Marina Restaurant is a class apart as a dining experience, providing that exquisite feeling that everything is in perfect harmony. MR

P H OTO S :

W

M

4pm FOH MENU & WINE SELECTIONS

A

A AUR R ES T ARI NA

hat says comfort more than homemade Fre Apple Cake? As fall is approaching French and and folks f are settling in for cooler days and harvest m meals l around the table, few things are as nostalgic and comforting as French Apple Cake. The Restaurant is no different as these cozy days have Marina Re us in sear search of autumn classics. Chef Waller uses simple ingredients and bakes love into every apple cake that leaves his kitchen. His wonderful adaptation of the original Doris Greenspan recipe has soon become a favourite with all who have it. A very simple and straightforward approach that relies on quality ingredients and no special techniques but nonetheless produces spectacular results.

He has generously offered to share the recipe in hopes that you too can make the apple cake a family favourite for years to come. Just a few simple steps to have an authentic French apple cake from your very own oven straight to the family dinner table. A perfect special touch to your Thanksgiving dinner this year.

3pm BOH DINNER PREP

l a i c e p S eat Tr

FROM CHEF

NT

DECONSTRUCTED APPLE CAKE

INGREDIENTS: s CUP ALL PURPOSE mOUR s TEASPOON BAKING powder s 0INCH OF SALT s LARGE APPLES PEELED

CORED AND DICED IN INCH pieces. s LARGE EGGS s CUP GRANULATED SUGAR s TABLESPOONS #ALVADOS s TEASPOON PURE VANILLA extract s TABLESPOONS OF BUTTER

melted, and cooled to room temperature, plus extra for greasing pan. s #ONFECTIONER S SUGAR FOR garnishing (optional)

5pm BOH & FOH DINNER PRESERVICE PEP-UP

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with softened butter. Dust with flour.

3. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. In a larger mixing bowl add eggs. Whisk with a hand-whisk until eggs are light and frothy.

5. Add sugar and whisk until just combined.

6. Add brandy and vanilla, and whisk until everything is incorporated and sugar is mostly dissolved.

7. Next pour in about half the flour mixture. Whisk until just incorporated.

8. Add half the melted butter and mix.

9. Repeat with remaining butter and flour.

10. Finally, add apple chunks and fold in gently with a spoon or spatula.

11. Bake for about 55-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs.

12. Let cool, in the pan, on a baking rack.

13. Once cooled, slide a knife around the edges of the cake and invert to remove completely from the pan. Invert again so the cake is top-side up, and dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 63

SUMMERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ISLAND BOUNTY PACKS FLAVOURFUL FALL PUNCH IN FOUR DELICIOUS SOUPS

64 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

Ericc AKISS

I

f you love making and eating soup, late summer-early autumn has to be the best time to simmer a pot. Vancouver Island farm markets are bursting with fresh-picked produce to make them with and you deliciously taste that in every spoonful.

If you agree with that premise, you’ll be pleased to know that I’ve been busy preparing four quite varied soup recipes for you to try.

The process of the making one of them began with roasting seasoned bits of squash, apple, onion and garlic until tender, aromatic and concentrated in flavour. Those ingredients were then simmered in stock, before being pureed into a silky smooth soup with a golden hue. To enhance the soups taste even more, after being ladled into bowls, it was then topped with toasted walnuts and sage leaves that were sliced and fried until crispy. These items work well with squash, adding crunchy and crisp textures to the bowl.

Succotash is a southern-style lima bean and vegetable dish that I like to make at this time of year because I can stock it with such things as locally grown corn, zucchini and peppers. I recently discovered the combination of things needed to make succotash could also be used in a soup and when I made it I logically called it, succotash soup.

When you read the recipe you’ll see that it’s not difficult to make. And when cooked, you end up with a hearty creation that will make a nice lunch or dinner when served with good bread.

Trips away from Victoria inspired two of the soups.

A few weeks ago, I was visiting family in Thunder Bay, Ont., and one day my brother, Richard, and I decided to do a short road trip to the town of Nipigon to have lunch.

We did that at La Luna Café (lalunacafe.net), which, among other things, is known for their home-style soups. The one we tried and liked was baked potato soup, a rib-sticking creation that had chunks of baked potatoes in it, skin and all.

I told my brother that when I got home I would come up with my own recipe for it. I called it “fully loaded” baked potato soup. That’s because I topped bowls of it with bacon bits, grated cheese, sour cream and green onions. Gosh, is it good, not to mention, filling.

My last recipe is my version of a soup I tried many years ago at Bistro Jeanty (bistrojeanty.com) in Yountville, a town in California’s Napa Valley. This Frenchstyle eatery is renowned for a splendid tomato soup they make that’s baked in bowls topped with a dome of puff pastry. When you eat it, you break through the pastry with your spoon, scoop up the soup and some of that pastry, and smile while you enjoy this wickedly good combination. >

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 65

AKIS ROASTED SQUASH AND APPLE SOUP

with Crispy Sage Laves and Walnuts

R

oasting the vegetables and fruit before simmering and whirling them into a soup concentrates their ďŹ&#x201A;avour. The sage and walnuts further bolster the taste of this perfect for late ssummer, early autumn soup.

Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: abo about one hour Makes: four ser servings 4 cups peele peeled and cubed squash, such as butternut or Hubbard ((see Note) 1 large a apple, peeled, cored and cubed medium onion, cubed 1 med 1 to 2 large garlic cloves, halved and sliced 3 1/ 1/2 Tbsp olive oil (divided) salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste a few pinches ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg a 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock 8 large fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced 1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces 1 ((see Note)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large sided baking b sheet with parchment paper. Spread out th the squash, apple, onion and garlic. Drizzle them wi with 2 Tbsp of the oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cinn cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, and toss everything to ccombine. Roast squash mixture 40 minutes, or until tthe squash is tender.

Transfer squash mixture to a soup pot. Pour in the Trans stock and set pot over medium-high heat. Bring soup to a gentle sim simmer, lowering the heat as needed to maintain that simmer ((small bubbles should just break on the surface).

Simmer soup 10 minutes.

Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender; or puree in Return the soup to a simmer. Taste soup a food processor or blender. ble and season with salt and pepper, p as needed.

To serve, pour 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in a small skillet set over medium-high heat.

When oil is hot, add the sage leaves and a cook and stir until they become crispy, about ttwo minutes. i t Lift th the sage outt off the th skillet and set on paper towel. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with some of those crispy sliced sage leaves and walnuts, and serve. >

Note: To toast walnuts, place them in a skillet and set over medium heat. Cook the walnuts a few minutes, swirling the pan from time to time, until lightly toasted.

66 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

Ericâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s options: This soup, once cooled to room temperature, will freeze well. Top it with the sage and walnuts, after thawing and reheating it.

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SUCCOTASH SOUP

T

SUCCOTASH

his eat-with-a-spoon version of succotash sees a mix of locally grown vegetables simmered with lima beans, herbs and spices into a hearty, tasty soup. Any leftover soup, once cooled to room temperature, could be frozen, to later thaw, reheat and enjoy later in the fall.

From Narragansett sohquttahhash, â&#x20AC;&#x153;broken corn kernelsâ&#x20AC;? is a food dish consisting primarily of sweet corn with lima beans or other shell beans.

Other ingredients may be added including tomatoes, green or sweet red peppers, and okra. Combining a grain with a legume provides a dish that is high in all essential amino acids.

It was sometimes cooked in a casserole form, often with a light pie crust on top as in a traditional pot pie. Succotash is a traditional dish of many Thanksgiving celebrations. In some parts of the American South, any mixture of vegetables prepared with lima beans and topped with lard or butter is called succotash. Corn (maize), American beans, tomatoes, and peppers are New World foods.

COMMON NAMES: LIMA BEAN, BUTTER BEAN, SIEVA BEAN, MADAGASCAR BEAN FROM WIKIPEDIA

68 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: about 20 minutes Makes: four servings

Place butter and oil in a medium pot and set over medium, medium-high heat. When butter is melted, add the onion and cook and stir three minutes. Mix in the garlic, zucchini, bell pepper and corn. Season everything with salt and pepper, cayanne and paprika, mix in the sage and thyme, and cook three minutes more, until the vegetables start to soften.

Pour in the stock, add the lima beans, and bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain that simmer (small bubbles should just break on the surface).

Cook the soup 10 minutes, or until vegetable are tender. Taste the soup and season with

more salt and pepper, if needed. Stir in the green onions and enjoy.

Note 1: When you cut the kernels of one, shucked, medium-sized cob of corn, you should end up with the one cup needed for this recipe. Frozen corn kernels will also work.

Note 2: Frozen lima beans are a sold in bags in the frozen-foods section of many supermarkets. If you can ďŹ nd them, one (14 oz./398 mL) can of lima beans, drained well, could be used instead. >

- 2 Tbsp butter - 1 Tbsp olive oil - 1/2 medium onion, diced - 1 large garlic clove, minced - 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch cubes - 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch cubes - 1 cups fresh corn kernels (see Note 1) - salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste - 1/2 tsp dried sage leaves - 1/4 tsp dried thyme - 1 1/3 cup frozen lima beans (see Note 2) - pinch each ground cayenne pepper and paprika - 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 69

AKIS FULLY LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP

T

o make this rib-sticking soup, cubes of warm, baked potatoes are simmered in thickened stock. After ladling it into bowls, you then top the soup like you would a fully loaded baked potato, with bacon bits, sliced green onion, grated cheese and sour cream.

Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: About 105 minutes Makes: four to six servings - 2 very large baking potatoes (about 1 2/3 lbs.)

- 1/4 cup butter - 1 medium onion, finely diced - 1 large garlic clove, minced - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour - 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock - 1/2 tsp dried thyme - 4 to 6 strips bacon, cut into small cubes, fried until crispy, and drained well - salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste - 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, or to taste - sour cream for dolloping, to taste - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400 F. Prick each potato a few times with a fork and set on a baking sheet. Bake potatoes until very tender, about 65 to 75 minutes.

When potatoes are cooked, remove from the oven and set aside for now. Melt the butter in a pot set over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about five minutes. Mix in the flour and thyme and cook two minutes more.

Slowly, stirring constantly, pour in one cup of the stock. Bring to a simmer and then when mixture is very thick, slowly pour in the rest of the stock.

Cut the baked potatoes, skin and all, into 1/2- to

70 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

1-inch cubes and add them to the soup. Return soup to simmer and cook 10 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and let those eating it top theirs, to taste, with the crispy bits of bacon, cheese, sour cream and green onion.

Eric’s options: This soup, once cooled to room temperature, will freeze well. Top it with the bacon, cheese, sour cream and green onion, after thawing and reheating it. >

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Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 71

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP with Puffed Pastery Top

I

t’s a rich soup made with fresh Roma tomatoes elegantly served in bowls topped with flaky puff pastry. You can make the soup a day before needed, because it has to be cold when poured into the bowls.

Right after that cold soup is topped with the pastry, it’s baked, heats up in the oven, and steam rising from it pushes the pastry upward, creating a golden dome of goodness.

Preparation time: 40 minutes Cooking time: About one hour 55 minutes Makes: four servings

- 9 medium, fresh roma (plum) tomatoes, cored (about 700 grams; see Note 1) - 1/2 medium onion, diced - 2 large garlic cloves, halved and sliced - 3 Tbsp olive oil - salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste - 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour - 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock (divided) - 1/2 tsp granulated sugar - 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil - 1 large egg, beaten 1 (10-inch square) piece rolled puff pastry (see Note 2)

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72 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

AKIS Preheat oven 250 2 F. Cut each tomato in half lengthwis lengthwise. Set on a parchment baking sheet, cut-side paper-lined b up. Set tthe onions and garlic on and around the tomatoes.

Drizzle with the olive oil, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes for 75 th minutes. m Set the roasted tomatoes and everyt thing else on the t baking sheet, including the t liquid, in a medium soup pot. Set pot over s medium, medium-high m heat.

Mix in the ďŹ&#x201A;our h and cook and stir two an minutes. min Now mix in 1 cup of the No stock aand bring brin to a simmer.

When mixture thickens, stir in remaining stock and the sugar, return to a simmer, and cook 10 minutes.

Puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender; or puree in a food processor or blender. Taste soup and season with salt and pepper, as needed.

Cool the soup to room temperature, mix in basil and then cover and refrigerate until ready to top with pastry and bake. Soup can be made a day before needed.

To ďŹ nish the soup, preheat oven to 450 F. Set four, 2-cup capacity, 4-inch wide, onion soup bowls on a baking sheet. Pour 1 1/2 cup or so of cold soup into each bowl.

Cut the puff pastry into four, ďŹ ve-inch squares. Brush the rim of each soup bowl with beaten egg. Drape a piece of puff pastry over each bowl and gently press

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it around the edges to help it adhere.

Bake for 20 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and deep golden, and the soup is piping hot.

Note 1: When you core tomatoes, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re cutting out the very top of the stem end and a bit of the white you might ďŹ nd underneath it.

Note 2: I used TenderďŹ&#x201A;ake brand rolled puff pastry in this recipe. A 500-gram box of it contains two individually wrapped, 10-inch square, rolled pieces of puff pastry. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll only need one for this recipe. Keep the other frozen for another use.

Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks, including seven in his Everyone Can Cook series. His columns appear in the Times Colonist twice a week.

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Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 73

74 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

3

BEST RECIPIES.COM

â&#x20AC;&#x153;TO BREAK BREAD WITH SOMEONEâ&#x20AC;? MEANS â&#x20AC;&#x153;TO SHARE A MEALâ&#x20AC;?.

GREAT BREADS FOR SOUPS

B

read is one of the oldest prepared foods. Evidence from 30,000 years ago in Europe revealed starch residue on rocks used for pounding plants. It is possible that during this time, starch extract from the roots of plants, such as cattails and ferns, was

spread on a ďŹ&#x201A;at rock, placed over a ďŹ re and cooked into a primitive form of ďŹ&#x201A;atbread. The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest evidence of bread-making has been found in a 14,500 year old NatuďŹ an site in Jordanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s northeastern desert. Around 10,000 BC, with the dawn of the Neolithic age and the spread of agriculture, grains became the mainstay of making bread. Yeast spores are ubiquitous, including on the surface of cereal grains, so any dough left to rest leavens naturally. WIKIPEDIA

1: Beer Bread 2: Cheese and Herb A quick bread (no kneading required) Focaccia Bread that has the texture, taste and smell of fresh from-the-oven farmhouse bread.

PREP TIME: 00:15 minutes COOK TIME: 01:00 SERVES: 6

CUPS BREAD mOUR TSP BAKING POWDER TSP SALT CAN BEER WATER CUP WHITE BLUE cheese grated STEP 1: 1Mix the ďŹ&#x201A;our, baking powder, salt and beer in a large bowl until well combined.

STEP 2: Pour mixture into a large 12 x 21 cm non-stick or well greased loaf tin, or two 8 x 15 cm tins. Sprinkle the top with grated cheese.

STEP 3: Bake at 200C, large loaf for 50-60 minutes, smaller loaves for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown.

STEP 4: Turn out and cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Beautiful focaccia ready to serve with anything that tickles your fancy - with the convenience of a bread machine!

PREP TIME: 00:30 COOK TIME: 00:20 SERVES: 10

G ,AUCKE #RUSTY BREAD MIX TSP YEAST ML WATER TSP OLIVE OIL TSP DRIED MIXED HERBS SALT CHEDDAR CHEESE GRATED TO TASTE OLIVE OIL TO SERVE

STEP 1: Add ďŹ rst three ingredients to bread pan in the order required for bread machine.

STEP 2: Select pizza or dough setting.

STEP 3: Once ďŹ nished, knead the dough lightly on a ďŹ&#x201A;oured board.

STEP 4: Roll it out on a lightly ďŹ&#x201A;oured board and press into a ďŹ&#x201A;at pan or baking tray.

STEP 5: Make indentations every 5 cm with reverse end of a wooden spoon.

STEP 6: Spray plastic wrap lightly with oil spray, cover dough and place in a warm area and allow to double in size for approximately 30 minutes.

STEP 7: Once doubled in size, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with herbs, salt and cheese.

STEP 8: Bake at 210C for approximately 20 minutes.

NOTES: I usually use a pizza tray (31 cm) which has holes in the bottom - this helps the base to cook nicely.

3: Crusty Bread

Good crusty bread to serve with soup or great the next day for toast.

PREP TIME: 01:00 COOK TIME: 00:30 SERVES: 4

CUPS BAKER S mOUR TSP SALT TSP DRY YEAST TSP OLIVE OIL TBS SEMOLINA CUP LUKEWARM WATER

STEP 1: Place ďŹ&#x201A;our in a large bowl.

STEP 2: Add salt and yeast and mix together.

STEP 3: Add olive oil.

STEP 4: Slowly add lukewarm water to make a ďŹ rm dough. The mixture should come away easily from the sides of the bowl.

STEP 5: Place a lid or plastic wrap over the mixture and place in a warm spot for the mixture to double in size.

STEP 6: Turn dough out onto a ďŹ&#x201A;oured surface and knead for approximately two minutes to expel the air from the dough.

STEP 7: If the dough is sticky, add a little more ďŹ&#x201A;our.

STEP 8: Shape into desired shape, place on a tray lined with baking paper then make two cuts in the top of the bread with scissors.

STEP 9: Spray with water and sprinkle with semolina (or seeds of choice).

STEP 10: Leave the bread to rise again.

STEP 11: Preheat the oven to 185C. STEP 12: Bake bread for approximately 30 minutes until light brown.

STEP 13: Remove from oven and cool on rack.

NOTES: For the ďŹ rst rise, I sometimes place the dough in the car if a itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sunny day or the sink with warm water in it. To make a larger loaf add extra ingredients, this is also suitable for plain ďŹ&#x201A;our, wholemeal ďŹ&#x201A;our or multigrain ďŹ&#x201A;our. I sometimes add olives and grated cheese to the mixture for a savoury loaf.

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 75

DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST

PERSONAL RENOVATION WEEKEND RETREATS ABOUT MAKING LIFESTYLE CHANGES IN YOUR BUSY WORLD

76 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

WELLNESS SS

TEXT: KIM WESTAD T

ANITA VOORSLUYS, CATHERINE ROSCOE BARR AND JESSICA FRAM IN THE FAIRMONT EMPRESS HOTEL SPA SWIMMING POOL.

L

ongtime friends Jodi Baker and Tracey Lamoureux didn’t quite know what to expect when they signed up for a wellness weekend at The Fairmont Empress, but it seemed like a good way to carve out time in their busy lives to spend together.

At a minimum, they thought it would be a beautiful “staycation,” with two nights at The Empress, gourmet meals, yoga and exercise classes and exclusive access to the hotel’s newly renovated pool and spa.

But more than a year later, the two are still making use of and building on lessons they learned at the CATHERINE ROSCOE BARR SPEAKS WITH three-day workshop, from healthier CLIENTS IN THE EMPRESS HOTEL LIBRARY. time management to daily short meditations.

Both women work hard balancing family and career. Baker is a veteran Victoria real estate agent, and Lamoureux is the founder and principal designer at Creative Spaciz Design.

“I was operating at full throttle from the moment I woke up,” says Lamoureux.

“That anxiety followed me all day long until I went to bed that night.”

She wanted something that went further than self-help articles and books to help her find a life reset button.

Another big draw was retreat leader Catherine Roscoe Barr’s emphasis on the science of behavior change. Lamoureux and Baker knew it wasn’t going to be only a weekend of feel good mantras when there were several hours of homework to do in advance. Roscoe Barr sends participants a lengthy list of articles and TED talks about brain neuroplasticity to read and listen to in preparation for the workshop.

Roscoe Barr, 39, has a bachelor of science degree in neuroscience and has practiced mindfulness for more than a decade, before the word and practice became as mainstream as it is today. She applies mindfulness — essentially, being aware of how our thoughts, words and actions make us feel — to how we make choices in our lives, from what we eat to how we sleep and view the world.

“We tend to know what we should be doing to help ourselves, but often we simply don’t do it,” Roscoe Barr says.

That’s the divide that Roscoe Barr aims to narrow in the three days of lectures, discussion, exercise and healthy eating. >

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 77

WELLNESS THE NEXT HOLISTIC WELLNESS RETREAT IS AT THE OAK BAY BEACH HOTEL

One drawback to self-study is not giving yourself enough time to process the information you’ve learned, she said. You read articles and watch informative TED talks, and then you’re on to the next thing.

There’s value in having the time to put what you’ve learned into action, says Roscoe Barr.

She calls it the “power of strategic repetition,” giving the brain time, space and focus to help hardwire new habits and ways of thinking.

“Transformative habits aren’t tricky or grand,” she says. “Their power lies in small changes consistently practiced.”

The three-day retreat provides the focused time to do just that. Indeed, some of the things Lamoureux and Baker took from the weekend were things they knew they should be doing. A weekend of focusing on change helped Baker take the time she needs in the mornings to exercise, meditate and journal.

The change wasn’t huge, but it’s made a big difference in her wellbeing.

Indeed, one of the things Roscoe Barr emphasizes is banishing the “all or nothing” mentality that often stops people from even starting to make change.

“A little bit of good is good! You don’t have to aim for perfection,” she says.

CATHERINE ROSCOE BARR

TOP 10 TIPS

1. Grow your positivity antennae. Keeping a

5. Learn from super concise expert advice, like TED

gratitude journal (and even just making a mental list) trains your brain to scan the world for positives (balancing your brain’s negativity bias) to take in more good.

talks. Here’s my pre-requisite list. Choose a few favorites. youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFKJYBT_ TLvL85f1KrgLrdPzZ3oqoUwU4

2. Consider pleasure versus pain: How you define

by adopting a recovery mindset. How can you work tiny bits of calm, quiet, fun and solitude into every day?

new habits is important. If you focus on how good the new habit makes you feel after the fact, versus the pain of fitting in a new and possibly uncomfortable habit, you’ll be more successful.

3. Practice strategic repetition: Revisit new information and behaviors repeatedly and consistently to help hardwire new habits.

4. Practice mindfulness. It sounds so simple, but really examining how thoughts, words and actions make you feel is a powerful way to transform behavior. If you’re certain something makes you feel bad, you’re less likely to do it.

78 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

Part of Roscoe Barr’s philosophy is not necessarily focusing on banishing the “bad” immediately. It’s about adding on so much positive that the “bad” might be eventually squeezed out. Eating a burger? Be sure to add a couple vegetables to the plate. Grab a fistful of walnuts along with the chocolate chip cookie.

Those seemingly small scale changes add up, says Lamouroux. She’s added what she calls the “little big weave” to her life.

“I weave in a little more movement, a little more hydration, a little more quiet time, a little more journaling, a little more laughter, a little more fresh air and, most importantly, a little more positive thinking into all aspects of my everyday. It works like a charm!”

Another small example: my usual habit when researching and writing a story is to take a short break every 45 minutes or so. I often spend it staring into the open fridge and eating junk food. This time, I walked my 13-year-old dog around the block a couple of times instead.

It was only a little – not a lot – but we both feel the better for it.

Catherine Roscoe Barr’s next holistic wellness retreat will be held at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, Feb. 1 – 3. For more information, please see thelifedelicious.ca

6. Activate your self-healing relaxation response

7. Start an anti-sedentary revolution, especially outdoors (nature offers extra health-boosting benefits). Move your body as often as possible in as many different ways as possible to maintain and improve mobility and flexibility, keep your metabolism revved up and produce feel-good brain chemistry.

8. Create morning and evening rituals. What you do first thing (like hydrating, moving your body, setting intentions and having a good breakfast)

before connecting with the outside world sets you up for the day, and that night’s sleep. Plus taking time to wind down and having a serene, clean, dark bedroom, will help you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling refreshed.

9. Build self trust. Only plan actions you can complete so you feel successful and inspired to continue taking positive action. For example, five minute workouts, adding nutrient-dense foods to whatever you’re eating, thinking of three things you’re grateful for, taking 15 minutes to wind down at the end of the day.

10. Practice mind-body-spirit nutrition. Most of the time, consume foods that nourish your mind and body (nutrient dense, naturally grown), but sometimes consume foods that nourish your spirit (chocolate! pasta!). This way of eating feels totally indulgent and not deprived.

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Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 79

J.B. RABOUAN

M

CASTLES, BREATHTAKING VALLEYS AND CHARMING TOWNS IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE

FROM ITS CONSTRUCTION TO ITS RESTORATION, FROM ITS DESTRUCTION TO ITS REBIRTH, EIGHT CENTURIES OF HISTORY MADE CHÂTEAU DE CASTELNAUD IN PÉRIGORD A PROTAGONIST IN THE MAIN WARS THAT MARKED THE MIDDLE AGES.

CapitalHOME 80 80| |Capital HOMEFALL FALL2018 2018

TRAVEL: South Sout of o France a ce

GRANIA LITWIN G

THE CHÂTEAU HOUSES ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PRIVATE COLLECTIONS OF WEAPONS, AMONG THEM WAR MACHINES, FIREARMS AND HANDHELD WEAPONS. IT’S FOR A GOOD REASON THAT A MUCH MORE PEACEFUL PUBLIC NOW FLOCKS HERE, MAKING IT THE MOST VISITED CHÂTEAU IN SOUTHWEST FRANCE.

O

riginally, we had planned to explore Provence for a week in early June, but my travel-savvy English cousin who knows every inch of la belle France, especially the wine regions, advised it would be overrun by tourists at that time of year.

“Go to the Dordogne Valley instead,” he urged.

“Stay in one of the most beautiful villages of France — a charming, medieval walled town called Domme.”

We checked it out online immediately and decided to go, and luckily, because we were planning about four months ahead, we managed to book one of the last rooms in my cousin’s favourite small hotel.

The L’Esplanade sits at the edge of Th he tthree-star h the tth h hee town’s town rocky outcrop and looks down a spectacular sp pect cttacculla cliff to the valley floor.

It has hass tthe h best location in the village (except perhaps for the home of a (eexc xceept p famous fa amo American director) and the th h views are breathtaking.

We W spent hours lolling on our room’s balcony, as well as the hotel’s terrace, drinking in the exquisite panoramas along with the scent of old roses. The hotel’s fine chef kept us entertained, too, thanks to his creativity with local ingredients. >

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 81

JM LAUGERY

The Dordogne River runs through Aquitaine in southwest France, a region known as the Périgord. It is famous for its cuisine, especially duck and goose dishes such as confits, pâté and foie gras, as well as truffles and walnuts.

The wines are excellent value, too, and include red Bergerac and late harvest sweet white Monbazillac.

Domme, which is often called the Akropolis des Périgord because of its high location above the river, was founded in 1281. A couple of decades later it became a prison for many of the Knights Templar — a record of which can be seen in their interesting graffiti.

This region was also at the centre of the Hundred Years War and was alternately occupied by French and English rulers until the mid-15th century. All this makes it a fascinating town to stroll round, to see the fortifications, stone towers, caves beneath the main

82 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

Grottos of Cougnac, which are smaller than some of the more famous caves, but fascinating nonetheless.

It has two grottos to explore: one, a forest of sparkling stalagmites and stalactites and another with paintings that date back 30,000 years. They are among the oldest yet dated in Europe and show images of ibex, deer, mammoths, horse and wounded human figures, in red ochre and charcoal.

There are 713 motifs officially listed, many just tiny marks and ritual traces, but larger and fascinating works can be seen in a kind of Cro-Magnon art gallery where one can marvel at 26 animal and five human being paintings. The most spectacular are preserved under a rock cornice that has protected the images from water damage over the eons.

We were thrilled with our small tour of just six people, led by a knowledgeable guide who spoke mostly French but was competent in English. He explained the caves were discovered in 1952 beneath a country home’s wine cellar. The owners had hired a dowser to help them find

JB RABOUAN

square where residents hid during times of war, and many gorgeous country homes.

There is also plenty to see and do in the immediate vicinity, from balloon rides at La Roque-Gageac, to canoe trips on the river and visits to wineries, chateaux and exotic gardens such as Les Jardins de Marqueyssac. We rented a small car and our explorations began each day after croissants and jugs of foaming hot milk poured into coffee.

A 15-minute drive took us to the 14th century market town of Sarlat, renowned for its pâté, cheeses, nougat, tapenade, pastries and collectable folding knives.

Often called the best market town in France, its charming medieval centre is being considered as a candidate as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Périgord area is also known for its wealth of prehistoric sites and ancient cave drawings. Just 20 minutes from Domme are the

>

“WHERE WOULD OUR HISTORIC HERITAGE GO IF WE DID NOT CONSTANTLY ENDEAVOUR TO ENSURE ITS LEGACY? AT CASTELNAUD, THE QUESTION DOES NOT ARISE: THE MILITARY ASPECT OF THE CHÂTEAU COUPLES WITH AN IMPRESSIVE PEDAGOGIC ARSENAL. – CHATEAU DE CASTELNAUD

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 83

JM LAUGERY

TRAVEL: South Sout of o France a ce

where exactly to dig a well, and instead he found a huge empty space beneath the house.

A visit to the religious site of Rocamador (known for cheese of the same mee name) nam me ) is another highpoint, and o only nly a on onene hour drive if you stay off arterial artteriaal roads roa oads a ds and follow a scenic routee through thrrough h deep d deeep ep forest valleys to this cliff top We top village. village. W e climbed about 200 steps but is pss bu ut there h is also an elevator that carries es visitors vissitorrs up u to to the Chapel Notre-Dame, with witth its itts black blaack Madonna, and a large basilica.

On another day we visited the Chateau de Chambert, which took us on anotherr gorgeous hour-long journey to the south. h.

It is the largest organic Malbec winery in the region and famous for its award winning blend of 85 per cent Malbec and 15 per cent Merlot. The tastings are generous and free and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to leave with a few bottles, including a tasty Malbec liqueur. >89

VISITORS TO THE CASTLE OF CASTELNAUD ARE OFTEN INVITED TO LIVE THE MIDDLE AGES. COME AND FIRE A TREBUCHET, TRY ON SOME ARMOUR, SEE AND SHOOT SOME WEAPONS AND TRY YOUR HAND AT BLACKSMITHING.

84 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

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Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 85

A JM LAUGERY

WIDE-RANGING TERRACE NOW GIVES A VIEW OVER THE ENTIRE VALLEY, BRINGING HOME THE CASTLEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE.

86 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

BESIDES THE RECONSTITUTED WAR MACHINES LINED UP ALONG THE BASTION, THE WALLS OF THE CHÃ&#x201A;TEAU ENCLOSE A TREASURE: THE MUSEUM OF WAR IN THE MIDDLE AGES, WHICH PRESENTS STAFF WEAPONS, SWORDS, CROSSBOWS AND MORE. IN ADDITION TO ITS FAVOURABLE GEOGRAPHIC POSITION

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 87

88 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

L: South Sout of o France a ce

THE CHATEAU DE CHAMBERT, AN ORGANIC WINERY WHICH OFFERS EXCELLENT TOURS AND TASTINGS WITH VERY KNOWLEDGABLE STAFF .

THE THREE-STAR L’ESPLANADE HOTEL ENTRANCE AND TERRACE. THE CHARMING INN SITS AT THE EDGE OF THE TOWN’S ROCKY OUTCROP AND LOOKS DOWN A SPECTACULAR CLIFF TO THE VALLEY FLOOR.

I

Périgord is a land encrusted with medieval and Renaissance castles and several are within a short driving distance of Domme, with the two most famous being Beynac and Castelnaud. Both offer commanding views of the valley.

Chateau Beynac is a feudal fortress dating from the 12th century and captured at one time by Richard the Lionheart. The history of Castelnaud stretches also back eight centuries, and in addition to its dramatic architecture the castle contains a museum of war of the Middle Ages.

It has a vast selection of weapons and armour — swords, crossbows, and defensive machines of all kinds — and features the well-told story of its restoration and history both in written signage and short videos.

Although the weather was excellent during our visit, it rained a few times and there was low fog a couple of mornings that burned off by noon. Our hotelier, Sophie Bouland, told us not to worry about the drizzle: “My mother used to tell me, a little rain in the morning doesn’t slow the peregrine’s flight,” and she was right. CH

o g u f yo

s 4HERE ARE DIRECT flights from London to the small airport of Bergerac, several days a week. s 4HE VILLAGE OF $OMME is an easy and scenic 90-minute drive from that airport. s 2ENT A SMALL CAR FOR stress-less parking and getting around the tiny villages.

Sarah West

Bill Ethier

Erica Coling

PREC / REALTOR®

Associate Broker

Team Manager (Unlicensed)

propertiesinvictoria.com

s 4HE ROOM (OTEL , %SPLANADE IS open from April through October.

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 89

IN SOUTHERN FRANCE, THE ART IS ALIVE IN IMAGINATIVE BOXWOOD HEDGES

THE GARDENS OF MARQUEYSSAC ARE LISTED AMONG THE REMARKABLE GARDENS OF FRANCE, A DESIGNATION GIVEN BY THE FRENCH MINISTRY OF CULTURE TO CELEBRATE THE COUNTRYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MOST MAGNIFICENT LANDSCAPES. THE SITE HAS ALSO BEEN NAMED A NATIONAL HISTORIC MONUMENT AND WAS PRESENTED WITH THREE STARS BY THE MICHELIN GUIDE.

90 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

PHOTOS: LES JARDINS DE MARQUEYSSAC

TEXT: GRANIA LITWIN

H

igh above the Dordoegne River in the southwest region of France, on a sunsoaked mountain ridge that rises gradually to a dramatic lookout, there is an extraordinary garden that showcases a novel way to create stunning effects with boxwood hedges.

The owner of this avant garden has conjured visual magic by pruning thousands of boxwoods into fabulous shapes and patterns, ranging from what look like flocks of fat, green “sheep,” to a cascade of rectangles that seem to tumble down a broad slope, and a labyrinth of undulating plants that resemble the rhythmic, representational landscapes of Emily Carr.

In another area, flat-topped “tables” of meticulously clipped boxwoods sprout an amusing Lewis Carol-style vision of green lollipops.

The celebrated gardens of Marqueyssac have become a magnet for those who love topiary and garden ingenuity in general, offering dozens of shades of green throughout 22 hectares.

A traditional French garden has few flowers and any blooms that do appear tend to be subtly combined in muted colours.

That’s because the desired effect is monochromatic and restrained rather than a profusion of bright hot hues.

The same is true here where the original terraces, allées and kitchen garden, that surround a small 17th century chateau, were conceived three centuries ago by a student of the great landscape genius, Andre le Notre, who also designed the grounds of Versailles. >

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 91

Sout o

a ce

1

2

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3

150, 000 hand cut boxwoods ~

The chateau is still there, along with some of the original formal plantings, but in the last two decades a new owner has added a cutting edge, contemporary spin to the property, taking it away from its traditional roots and into the realm of magical whimsy.

In addition to the fancifully clipped boxwoods, the property also features glorious views of the valley below and the nearby chateaux of Beynac and Castelnaud. In the evening, visitors who stroll along the escarpment all the way to the belvedere lookout can glance down upon hot air balloons that ghost silently past at eye level, travelling on the warm thermals rising from below. >96

1: MORE THAN SIX KILOMETRES OF WALKS MEANDER THROUGH THE TWO HECTARES OF 150,000 HAND-CUT BOXWOODS, AND THE PATHWAYS ALSO LEAD TO GAZEBOS, ROCK GARDENS, TREE FORTS FOR KIDS, PONDS AND CASCADES. 2: FLAT-TOPPED “TABLES” OF METICULOUSLY CLIPPED BOXWOODS SPROUT AN AMUSING LEWIS CAROL-STYLE VISION OF GREEN LOLLIPOPS. 3: THE FRENCH LOVE TO PLAY WITH FOLIAGE, CONTRASTING SUBTLE ELEMENTS OF SHADOW, LIGHT AND TEXTURE.

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 93

WHAT MAKES LES JARDINES MARQUEYSSA SO DIFFERENT?

T

he typical jardin à la française was traditionally based on symm symmetry, with

rectangular parterres parterr laid out in geometric t i grids id amid fountains,

streams, grottoes and labyrinths.

Grand perspectives highlighted

ornamental embroidery-like patterns and broad sweeps of green lawn symbolized power and success through harmony and order. When boxwoods were used, they were trimmed low to suggest the patterns of a carpet.

A CHAOS OF ARTISTICALLYCREATED TOPIARY SEEMS TO TUMBLE DOWN THE SLOPE.

94 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

Sout o

a ce

THE CHATEAU UNDERWENT A FIVE-YEAR RENOVATION RECENTLY THAT INCLUDED A COMPLETE RESTORATION ITS 700-SQUARE METRE STONE ROOF, WHICH WEIGHS 500 TONS. SOME OF THE ROOMS ARE OPEN FOR VISITORS. THE GARDENS AND PATHWAYS ARE LIT BY THOUSANDS OF CANDLES ON THURSDAY NIGHTS IN THE SUMMER.

Two hectares of boxwood are trimmed twice a year by volunteers.

Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 95

Sout o

a ce

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96 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

IF YOU HAVE THE COURAGE, WALK ALONG THE CLIFF WALLS FOR AN INCREDIBLE VIEW OF THE VALLEY.

A BELVEDERE AT THE END OF BE A LONG A ALLÉE STANDS 130 METRES OVER THE DORDOG DORDOGNE RIVER AND OVERLOOKS IDYLLIC VILLAGES, CASTLES, CHARMING CHATEAUX AND HOT AIR BALLOONS IN THE EVENING. IT OFFERS COMMANDING VIEWS ACROSS PÉRIGORD, A REGION IN THE NORTH AQUITAINE, THROUGH WHICH THE DORDOGNE RIVER WENDS ITS WAY.

The gardens contain six kilometres of pathways, including a tree-lined Grande Allee, a grotto, waterfalls, tree forts, rustic stone huts, rock gardens and a climbing course. And on Thursday evenings, in the summer months, the property is lit by 2,000 candles that make it appear even more magical.

In historical times, French gardens were frequently used for plays, spectacles and musical amusements. This tradition continues at Marqueyssac as visitors can enjoy opera singers on the terrace (along with artisanal ice

creams and light refreshments), as well as floral art exhibitions, jazz musicians and “fairies” performing on stilts for the younger crowd.

But mostly it’s the 150,000 boxwoods, many growing wild along the ridgeline and reaching heights of 10 metres, which draw and inspire visitors.

These versatile evergreen shrubs are typically used in Greater Victoria for hedges or simple topiary, but in the Dordogne one sees just how wild and wonderful they can become with rampant imagination. CH

FOR A LOOK AT EARLY TOPIARY AT THE PENDRAY HOUSE IN DOWNTOWN VICTORIA, SEE YOUTU.BE/NWREABOLZZC?T=287

GO

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A R D EN

s #HECK AHEAD REGARDING ENTERTAINMENT AS IT is subject to change.

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s 4HE GARDENS ARE OPEN DAYS A YEAR and admission is 10 Euros for adults, ямБve for children, and those under age 10 are free.

O GL E M A P S A RI A L

s "E SURE TO WEAR GOOD WALKING SHOES IF YOU PLAN to stroll all the way to the belvedere lookout as it is about a half kilometre walk along the ridge.

C Capital it l HOME FALL 2018 | 97

COMING UP

NEXT ISSUE OF CAPITAL HOME

LUXURY

J

oin us this fall when we will bring you some of the finer things in life with our Luxury Edition. Explore some beautiful homes and personal spaces and pamper yourself with some exotic travel destinations and delicious dining ideas.

Watch for it in early November.

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY ABBOTSFORD CONCRETE 12/ 13

ISLAND BELTONE 74

SELECT MORTGAGE CORP 32/33

ABSTRACT STONE 88

ISLAND OUTLOOK DEVELOPMENTS 54

SOTHEBY’S INTL REALTY/LISA WILLIAMS 6

ATLAS AUDIO 35

ISLAND WINDOW COVERINGS LTD 19

BAYVIEW PLACE 50/ 51

JIM PATTISON SUBARU VICTORIA 79

SOTHEBY’S INTL REALTY / BRIGGS & STRATTON & ASSOCIATES 9

BEAR MOUNTAIN RESORT COMMUNITY 85

LANGHAM COURT THEATRE 84

BELLEWOOD PARK/ABSTRACT DEVELOPMENTS 31

LIDA HOMES INC 34

CAPITAL IRON 36

LUGARO 100

CAPITAL PARK RESIDENCES/CONCERT REAL ESTATE 5

MACDONALD REALTY LTD 89

COASTAL HEAT PUMPS 49

MERIDIAN / WESTHILLS 71

DR. STEPHEN BAKER 25

MOE’S HOME COLLECTION 26

VICTORIA REAL ESTATE GROUP/MILES TAKACS 46

GABLECRAFT HOMES/ ROYAL BAY 21

NEWPORT REALTY/SUSANNA CROFTON 73

VICTORIA REAL ESTATE BOARD 58

GREGGS FURNITURE & UPHOLSTERY 18

OAK BAY MARINE GROUP 45/61/62/63

VICTORIA RESIDENTIAL BUILDERS ASSOC 67

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | RESTORE 72

PROPERTIES IN VICTORIA 89

WINDSOR PLYWOOD WESTSHORE 48

HUDSON PLACE ONE/TOWNLINE PROPERTIES 29

SAGER’S HOME LIVING 3

WESTBAY QUAY 16

INCREDIBLE CLOSETS 4

SCAN DESIGNS 99

WESTCOAST APPLIANCE GALLERY 2

98 | Capital HOME FALL 2018

SOTHEBY’S INTL REALTY 44 THE CONDO GROUP 42 THE UMBRELLATORIUM & CANERY 96 TIGH NA MARA RESORT 69 TRAIL APPLIANCES 56 VAN ISLE WINDOWS 53

COQUITLAM 1400 United Blvd 604.524.3444

LANGLEY 20429 Langley By-Pass 604.530.8248

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RICHMOND 12551 Bridgeport Rd 604.273.2971

NANAIMO 1711 Bowen Rd 250.753.6361

SCANDESIGNSFURNITURE

KELOWNA 1912 Spall Rd 250.860.7603

VICTORIA 661 McCallum Rd 250.475.2233

SCANDESIGNSFURNITURE Capital HOME FALL 2018 | 99

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