Capital Home, Summer 2015

CapitalHOME S U M M E R 2 015

HOW VICTORIA LIVES

Water

Beautiful Outdoor Living

Lakehouse living

The

Outdoor kitchens

Edition

Food for the grill

Capital home | 1

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Capital home | 5

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Independently Owned and Operated

{ In this issue } An exciting preview of

West Coast summer living 14.

Sculptor Richard Young Maple Bay artist turns boulders into beautiful basins.

22.

Lakehouse Living Comfortable country retreat on Langford Lake.

36.

Let’s go outside!

Backyard kitchens deliver unforgettable flavours & experiences.

Nanoose Treasure / page 70

48.

Barbecue Recipes with Eric Akis A collection of mouth-watering recipes for the grill.

60.

West Coast Sanctuary Major renovation breathes new life into seaside home.

70.

Nanoose Treasure Outdoor dream kitchens / page 36

Seaside cottage gets an upscale design makeover.

80.

Flower Power Plants for summer living – bright flowers & easy veggies.

86.

Cannor’s Wildwood More than just a nursery - now a major outdoor living centre.

Barbecue recipes – from farm to grill / page 48

On the cover: Brandon Barré photo brandonbarre.net 2 | Capital home

Helen Chesnut’s magical summer garden / page 80

Capital home | 7

Between blue skies and clear water, beachcombers hunt for colourful rocks and pieces of driftwood along the Victoria waterfront. – Darren Stone, Times Colonist

Capital home David Whitman / director of Advertising JASON SCRIVEN / SALES MANAGER WENDY KALO / ADVERTISING OPERATIONS MANAGER design + PRODUCTION Gordon Faller Jenus Friesen Editorial design + Creative DARRON KLOSTER / EDITOR DAVE OBEE / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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.

Canadian Publications Registration No. 0530646. GST No. 84505 1507 RT0001 Please send comments about Capital to: Editor-in-chief Dave Obee dobee@timescolonist.com To advertise, phone: 250-995-4464, or email Sales Manager Jason Scriven at: jscriven@timescolonist.com.

8 | Capital home

Slice of heaven

W

e live on an island in a rainy part of the world, so water is never far from our minds.

It’s all around us, and it can be a great feature at our homes.

Why? Because water is relaxing; we love to look at it, and we love to listen to it. Water reminds us that we are living in one of the best areas of Canada.

We can see it all year round, and never have to worry about it turning into ice without the help of a refrigerator. We can see water as one of the cycles of life. Clean water is essential to healthy living.

A waterfront home provides an obvious connection to water, but waterfront can be in limited supply. We can also enjoy it from afar, thanks to the stunning views available from so many areas. We can add water features, such as ponds and waterfalls and pools, to our homes.

If that is not enough, we can enjoy water in our parks and on our beaches, more often than not, within easy reach of our homes.

In short, we are blessed with an

abundance of water, and it is a key part of what makes Greater Victoria such a wonderful place to live.

In this edition of Capital Home, we focus on water and the seasons where we all love to live outside.

We take an inside look on some truly beautiful homes — a lakeside gem in Langford and seaside sanctuaries in Nanaimo and Nanoose.

And there is much more about our great outdoors, including delicious barbecue recipes from Erik Akis, who is grilling three kinds of seafood and another three mouthwatering varieties of meat.

Check in with gardening columnist Helen Chesnut on the brightest, most beautiful flowers and easy-pick vegetables and herbs for your deck.

We hope you’ll enjoy this special issue – exploring the wonders of water and our great outdoors – and we hope it inspires you to do more to enjoy the delights that can be found in our little slice of heaven.

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Greater Victorians enjoy seaside living at its finest

HO 2

Some of our favourite places

(Above): A Victoria Harbour Ferry arrives at Fisherman’s Wharf in James Bay, where eclectic and colourful clusters of float homes provide a cheerful welcome to tourists and locals alike.

(Left): Alexandra Finn plays in the pristine white sands along Willows Beach in Oak Bay, considered one of the region’s most popular and accessible beaches. – Darren Stone Photo

10 | Capital home

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Capital home | 11

WATER IS LIFE

A lone kayaker heads off the waterfront with the magnificent Mount Baker looming in the distance. Kayaking is one of the region’s fastest-growing recreational activities.

– Lyle Stafford Photo

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Capital home | 13

Island Stone Sculptor Richard Young

Rock Star 14 | Capital home

Maple Bay artist chisels boulders into beautiful basins DARRON KLOSTER

R

ichard Young likes rocks. Smaller boulders, to be precise. Black ones and blue ones are best, reds are beautiful and anything smeared with streaks of colourful mineral deposits are a bonus.

While most of us never give a second thought to the ubiquitous rocks or consider them as a minor annoyance during a stroll on a beach and or a hike in the woods, Young sees potential.

Call it rock radar.

For Young, it’s always on.

The Maple Bay sculptor cuts, grinds, chips and polishes little boulders into bathroom sinks. Over the last several years, he’s made about 20 of the unique and quite incredible basins, selling them to clients and designers seeking something very different from the basic white and basic shapes of sinks in today’s homes.

“It started as a reno on our house,” Young

says with a smile. “I’m trying to find a sink and there was nothing I liked.”

As often happens with artists, the light-bulb moment came. “I’ll hunt for a rock. I’d done some sculpting. I can do this,” Young says.

The rock radar is humming by now. Nearby beaches and river beds are teeming with potential basins. Heck, his own yard is a treasure trove of little boulders and it’s here he finds his first sink. “I couldn’t lift it out by myself. It was 400 or 500 pounds.”

“It’s become something I quite love doing,” says Young. “I get neighbours calling me to say, ‘Come have a look at this rock I have in my yard.’ ” His company, Huxter, is getting much attention these days as consumers pine for unusual features and sustainable products for their homes.

Rocks are a plentiful resource and the functional-yet-unsual sinks are built to outlast both home and owner. >16

(Left) Richard Young finds his small-boulder treasures on beaches, along rivers and in his own backyard.

– Maeve MAguire Photo (Right) A boulder basin adds a unique focal point to any bathroom.

– PETER JOSHUA LAWRENCE / J.C. SCOTT ECO DESIGN Photo

Capital home | 15

(Left) Huxter is getting much attention these days as consumers pine for unusual features and sustainable products for their homes. – PETER JOSHUA LAWRENCE / J.C. SCOTT ECO DESIGN Photo (Below) “When you work the West Coast pallet of wood, stone and glass, you’ve really got something that’s very desirable,” says Designer J.C. Scott.

Young crafts door and drawer pulls from interesting bits of stone.

– Kirstin Charleton Photography

16 | Capital home

“What Richard does with rocks is truly incredible.” ‑­ J.C. Scott

(above) The main tools of Richard Young’s trade: his hands. – MAEVE MAGUIRE photo

Victoria designer J.C. Scott calls Young’s work “refreshing, fabulous.” Scott’s studio specializes in “100-mile designs,” using locally sourced, non-toxic materials that leave a light carbon footprint. That sink you bought at a big-box store, for example, left quite a trail in its journey from China.

“When you work with what I call the West Coast pallet of wood, stone and glass, then you’ve really got something that’s very desirable,” says Scott. “What Richard does with rocks is truly incredible.”

From his studio – an old, gutted Airstream trailer and tarp-covered outdoor cutting area – Young admits each project is a trial-anderror process.

Since every boulder is different in size, shape and composition, he never knows where it will go until he starts cutting and chipping. A seam in the rock is often a pathway to carving out the basin, but it can also prove to be a weak point.

Colours and mineral deposits appear and the process continues.

Young says he never knows what’s inside the stone and that’s part of the charm and discovery of an artist and his craft.

“It takes time. I never like to work on a rock continuously. I’ll walk away. It’s ongoing work.”

But it’s work Young loves.

“I’m like the artist doing a painting. I want to sell it and do as many in a year as I can. I enjoy the

[anticipation] of who’s going to have it.

“Each rock is like a fresh canvas.”

Young also crafts door and drawer pulls from interesting bits of rock.

Born in Torquay, England, Young, 47, comes by his artistic and design side quite honestly.

His grandfather, Harry Dutfield, founded Axminster Carpets, maker of high-end wool carpets sold around the world. Young’s father, Alan Young, was a full-time potter and adventurist. His mother, Susan Dutfield, raised three children and was an entrepreneur. And sister Sarah Frost founded Sarah Frost Designs in the U.K. >19

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Colours and mineral deposits appear and the process continues. Young says he never knows what’s inside the stone and that’s part of the charm and discovery of an artist and his craft.

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“I get neighbours calling me to say, ‘Come have a look at this rock I have in my yard.’ ”

Colours and mineral deposits appear and the process continues.

Young says he never knows what’s inside the stone and that’s part of the charm and discovery of an artist and his craft.

– Kirstin Charleton Photography

And then there’s Grandma Huxter, a major influence on his life and for whom Young named his company.

Young spent a lot of time with his Grandma Huxter after his parents separated when he was young. Huxter was her maiden name and everyone used to call her Bobby.

“She used to hang out with bikers and could make cigarette smoke come out of her ears,” says Young. She also taught him how to hunt and skin rabbits. “She was fun, gave me a fun childhood.”

Young said he is also inspired by the work of Pablo Picasso and British filmmaker and activist Derek Jarman.

Young has had a colourful career life as an artist, entrepreneur, vineyard worker, window dresser, bartender, retail shop manager and landscaper.

It was rowing that brought Young to Canada.

A silver medallist in rowing at the 2002 Commonweath Games in Manchester, Young was coaching the sport when he met his future wife, Maeve Maguire. They settled in Maple Bay and have three daughters, ages 8, 6 and 4.

“I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without my life partner, Maeve. She gives me the time to be able to work on the sculptures and she inspires me.”

To learn more about Richard Young, his company, and where to find his creations, go to: www.huxterdesign.com CH Darron Kloster is editor of the Times Colonist’s Capital Home magazine.

Capital home | 21

The Langford Lake house renovation won five CARE awards last fall, including gold for best outdoor living space and silvers for best interior, best contemporary kitchen and best master suite in various square footage categories. It also took silver in the renovation category valued between $300,000 and $500,000.

22 | Capital home

Lakehouse Living TEXT BY GRANIA LITWIN

PHOTOS BY TONY PUERZER

Capital home | 23

Once a humble lakeside bungalow

Y

vette and Charles travelled halfway around the world to achieve their retirement vision of a comfortable country retreat, and then totally redesigned and transformed a 60-year-old cottage on the eastern shore of Langford Lake.

>29

In the kitchen, The two colour schemes are stirred up in a delicious-looking slab of white and grey granite that tops the island.

24 | Capital home

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their new home is both rural and romantic, with expansive views across the lake.

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Capital home | 27

Bathroom vanities are made of alder, stained a deep walnut, with marble countertops and Toto Nexus faucets.

The shower is wrapped in white Carrara marble.

Light floods into the living room now, thanks to skylights.

The Valor gas fireplace is surrounded in K2 ledgerstone in autumn gold colour. The stonework on the fireplace and front of the house was done

by DS Masonry.

The floors are naturally finished Santos engineered mahogany.

28 | Capital home

Maple hardwood flooring in the rec room was salvaged from an old gym at St. Michaels University School and refinished to remove the lines.

A post previously stood in the middle of the room, but was replace by an engineered beam.

The result is a warm and welcoming lake house that showcases nature outside and reveals a relaxed lack of pretension inside.

The couple met in Manitoba, where Yvette was born, but lived and worked in northern Canada, Europe and Latin America for many years before falling in love with Victoria’s Langford Lake district, said British-born mining engineer Charles, who prefers to keep their last name private. “Our property here is so beautiful and we have now created a home where we can live entirely on the main floor, although we do have a large rec room and bedroom suite downstairs.”

The couple grew accustomed to country living during several years in Ireland, where their home was a 250-year-old hunting lodge in County Meath, and their new home is both rural and romantic, with expansive views across the lake. The high-bank property soaks up all the afternoon warmth as well as the last rays of the setting sun, and is framed and softened by arching arbutus trees on the waterside, while on the driveway side, it is shaded by a forest of sentrystraight Douglas firs.

Once a humble lakeside bungalow, hand-framed by a European craftsman in the 1950s, their new home has undergone several facelifts, including an addition four decades ago and extensive upgrades 20 years ago. But nothing was as extensive as the current renovation that saw the structure stripped to the studs, inside and out, all the floors and the roof replaced and a large lakeside deck added.

“The original builder hadn’t taken advantage of the stunning lake views, so this became the focus of our redesign, along with the homeowners’ request to make it bright and airy,” said MAC Renovations owner Ed McDonald.

He noted the home presented numerous challenges because the floors weren’t level, the walls jogged in and out, and the house was not square to the foundation, but the biggest problem lay deep underground. After starting work on the upper deck, they learned it had been built on posts that rested on a concrete slab built over a dump.

“We discovered this when we tore off half the roof to create a vaulted ceiling in the living room and

a parallel truss roof extending over the new deck,” said McDonald. “We began cutting into the slab for new footings and found bad ground … tin cans, old plates and other buried stuff.”

He had to come up with a creative solution quickly, and hired a company specializing in helical piers (also called screw piles). Using an augur bit, they drilled down seven metres to bearing soil and inserted slim steel pilings — cylinders about eight centimetres in diameter — which were then cut off at grade and capped. Concrete footings were poured around them and five posts installed on top.

“It was an interesting process that I’d heard about, but never used,” said the builder, and it was ideal because access down the sides of the lake house was limited and the terrain steep. “The machine they used was very small, almost like a Bobcat.”

The two-level Langford Lake home is about 30 metres from the water and the lot slopes steeply, so the owners can walk in on grade at both levels. An inside staircase was poorly positioned, however, right in the middle of the house, so they moved it to the side and also eliminated a >32 Capital home | 29

The owners both appreciate First Nations art, which is part of Yvette’s heritage.

A wheel above the living room window is done in First Nations style and was acquired at the Sooke Fine Arts Show.

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wall separating the kitchen and dining areas, which completely opened up an interior great room.

The eight-month renovation also saw a massive fireplace on each level dismantled – something McDonald said is increasingly common in older houses as people switch to gas. The main-floor fireplace was “a monster” that took up 20 square feet in the centre of the house, and removing it not only saved space but allowed light to flood through.

To lighten the interiors even more, since the property is heavily treed, they enlarged and replaced every window and added skylights.

In the kitchen, the couple drew upon their European experience when choosing highgloss, lacquered Ikea cabinets, and added a chic touch with charcoal grey on one side, camouflaging the wall oven and microwave, and sparkling white on the other. The two colour schemes are stirred up in a deliciouslooking slab of white and grey granite that

The entrance to the home has an expansive driveway and garage and is guarded by massive Douglas fir trees.

tops the island. Designer Jennifer Pacheco said it can be difficult working with off-the-shelf cabinets in a reno, because standard sizes lack flexibility, but she solved that with custom stainless fillers and details.

In the ensuite, she jettisoned an old Jacuzzi that took up masses of space, and created a custom shower wrapped in pale Carrara marble, floored in pebbles. A small vanity was replaced by two handsome 42-inch-high vanities topped with dark brown marble, providing more storage and greater comfort for the tall owners.

All over the house, terracotta floor tiles were torn out and radiant heat now underlies new Brazilian mahogany flooring, coated in clear varnish to highlight the natural colour. The low-maintenance exterior features a metal “shingle” roof and metal-wrapped gutters and fascia, while the tired cedar siding was replaced by crack-resistant, water-shedding acrylic stucco.

The owners are delighted with the renovation, and Charles marvels at the transformation in the living room. “The main difference was creating a cathedral ceiling, as the previous one was barely eight-feet-high, installing big windows and expanding the deck. It had to be replaced anyway, as it was doing a slow dive into the lake,” he said with a chuckle.

Yvette loves her new lakeside home, too. “I am someone who cannot envision changes, but the results are amazing. And it’s much easier to hang pictures here than on stone walls in Ireland.” CH Grania Litwin is well known in Victoria after a 35-year career as a reporter, editor and feature writer at the Times Colonist. A Victoria native with a passion for design and architecture, she has been welcomed into people’s homes for decades. She has also been active in several community boards.

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Concrete gains new ground as a decorative material

This Malay table is a teak root cast in lightweight all-weather cement. Its textural, wind-scoured look makes it a striking piece for a modern pool or patio deck. — Restoration Hardware photo

34 | Capital home

1

he Pantheon. The Panama Canal. The Hoover Dam. When you think of concrete, you might imagine great feats of engineering, or at least highway overpasses and other sturdy, stolid structures.

But concrete has become a stylish medium in the home, thanks to interior designers and artisans.

“Concrete is such an amazing and cheap material. I can get an 80-pound bag from Home Depot and turn it into tables, vases and planters without using power tools,” says designer Ben Oyeda, who offers instructions for several projects at www.homemade-modern.com Oyeda uses Lego blocks to make the moulds for his tables; his pendant fixtures start with plastic bottles.

“Working with concrete has changed the way I see waste,” he says. “Every plastic bottle or box has the potential to be used as a mould for making a concrete object.”

Eric Boyd makes creative countertops by mixing concrete with other materials. Aggregate additions such as recycled glass or semiprecious stones give the concrete a terrazzo look, and he hones the slabs to emphasize their geologic characteristics. He has used shells, mother of pearl, tiger’s eye or bands of copper to create one-of-a-kind slabs for homes and stores.

Danish designer Doreen Westphal uses fine Belgian lace to make patterns and moulds for concrete curtains, vases and tables. There’s a yin-yang tension that emerges from the interplay of the delicate lace motifs and the sturdy concrete. (www.menschmadedesign.com ) Montreal-based CDI International has a collection of midcentury modern-style coffee table and stools with oak legs. (www.allmodern.com ) A concrete game table would

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dining table with a weathered teak base that supports a honed concrete top. It’s a piece that could work indoors or out.

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make a substantial permanent fixture for outdoor entertaining. Add the Laguna fibre-cast concrete fire pit, a sleek coffee table-size piece with glass panels and a contemporary vibe. (www.restorationhardware.com ) If the look of concrete intrigues you,

but you’re not prepared to deal with the material itself, consider wallpaper photoprinted to look like raw concrete slabs. Some even come with graffiti, if you’re after an edgier look. (www.concretewall.no ) – Associated Press

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Capital home | 35

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Outdoor SPACES Capital Iron owners Mike and Eveline Black, with their dog Goldie, on their patio. Home lifestyles are increasingly moving outdoors.

“There is no one solution fitting all when it comes to creating an outdoor space,” says Mike Black.

“It is all part of a movement to make one’s house as great as it can be — to make it a piece of paradise.”

– Darren Stone Photo.

38 | Capital home

Let the fun begin!

PEDRO ARRAIS

O

utdoor spaces are increasingly becoming extensions of the home, with built-in gourmet kitchens, inviting fire pits, water features, all-weather designer furniture — even carpets, chandeliers, works of art and dishwashers.

“People naturally like being outdoors,” says Mike Black, owner of Capital Iron, a local general store established in 1934 specializing in outdoor cooking and furniture. “They like to get out there and enjoy it. More and more, there has been a movement to make it as good as it can be, effectively adding to the square footage of a house.”

Reclaiming space formerly dedicated to grass is not new, but people have become more sophisticated in terms of their outdoor spaces.

What was once seasonal, where people would drag out all their lawn furniture as the weather improved, has become year-round, with integrated designs that mimic indoor living spaces.

“Some homeowners treat the design of outdoor living spaces no different than a kitchen,” says Todd Halaburda, owner of New

West Development, a home-construction company.

“They see them as almost equal in importance.”

Almost all of the custom homes Halaburda builds include outdoor spaces that flow from the main structure, usually off the great room, with either large patio doors or glass panels that fold to let the outside in.

If the area is covered by a permanent roof, he employs 12 x 12 timbers, an overheight ceiling to let in more sunlight and night-time lighting — sometimes using a chandelier for a classic look.

Manufacturers of outdoor furniture have responded to the demand by offering a larger selection and better materials.

“You can now buy outdoor furniture that looks good enough to be put inside the house,” says Black, who started to invest heavily in the outdoor segment of the market about 10 years ago. “The designs are better, the fabrics have anti-fading properties and many are waterproof.”

He adds that along with sofas and armchairs, offerings now include decorative rugs, lamps and even art to embellish outdoor living spaces.

Overhead auxiliary heaters take the chill out of

nights and help extend the season. But more and more, fire pits are growing in popularity, says Black.

Fire pits can range from a simple bowl that evokes memories of a campfire to centerpieces where the flames dance upon the surface of a water feature. While traditionalists may still use wood, it is more common to find fires fuelled by either propane or natural gas.

As in a house, the cooking area is still the hub of an outdoor space. The cooking area ranges from a freestanding wheeled cart to a built-in barbecue with extra burners for pots and ovens.

There are outdoor kitchens for every budget. People can build their kitchens with modular pieces offered by various manufacturers or have their cabinets custom made. A simple kitchen can range from $3,000 and up, according to Black.

He has three recommendations: • Get the best grill you can afford • Give thought to an access door for future service needs • Make provisions for a place to put your trash Grills can range from portable one-burner barbecues to multi-burner gas grills costing $28,000 and everything in between.

Apart from the grill, kitchens can include refrigerators, sinks, and if you have the budget, even dishwashers.

Black says half of his customers install

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Capital home | 39

Outdoor SPACES firepits can take the chill out of our cool west coast evenings

more expensive units are typically run with more powerful compressors.

A fridge with a weak compressor can take up to three hours to cool down every time the door is open. In a party situation, a lesser refrigerator will be unable to keep up with demand and likely serve up warm beer in no time.

After the grill, the most costly part of built-in kitchens is the doors and drawers for the cabinets. The main difference in cost between indoor and outdoor kitchen cabinets is in the materials used to withstand the elements.

Some homeowners have also added sinks with plumbing that ties in to the home’s municipal wastewater lines. Others merely attach a garden hose to the tap when needed and drains can lead to a gray-water holding tank, which then can be used to water plants or poured down the drain in the house. Homeowners are advised to check with the municipality or a reputable builder on feasibility should they choose this route.

“There is no one solution fitting all when it comes to creating an outdoor space,” says Black. “It is all part of a movement to make one’s house as great as it can be — to make it a piece of paradise.” CH Pedro Arrais is a Times Colonist staff writer.

40 | Capital home

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Capital home | 43

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here is no shortage of illuminating options that fuse style with function.

Among fresh alternatives are colourchanging LED lights, rechargeable LED seating cubes and planters — even a wireless vase with programmable remote available in a variety of hues that can be transformed into storage for chilled beverages.

“We’re lighting up from the ground up instead of the ceiling down. So it really helps to layer beautiful light for your space,” says Ulya Jensen, interior designer and design expert for Rona.

Jensen said LED cubes could double as side tables. To add a taste of country chic, place a lamp with a reclaimed base and white shade atop the modern cube.

LED lights can also be housed within a hurricane glass. “That would look so neat as a centrepiece on

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a table,” says Jensen. Homeowners missing the glow of festive lighting can put retro string lights with exposed filament bulbs under an outdoor umbrella or clustered along a fence.

Jensen said there is also a trend toward tabletop fireplaces, from gel fuel versions to coffee table built-ins.

Outdoor kitchens can also illuminate your outside living space, with lighting placed overhead, along countertops and recessed along the ground or under cabinets.

Outdoor lighting can highlight the landscaping, spotlight certain plantings and provide illumination

for paths and for cooking and eating, but it’s also about creating mood and setting atmosphere for your yard and deck.

Whether it’s an acreage or a stamp-sized lot, the backyard has evolved from a spot to grow a few tomatoes to an outdoor room that can rival many interior spaces. Kevin Paetkau, an outdoor designer based in Vancouver, suggests you should approach the space responsibly.

“Think about how you’re going to live in it before you think about how it’s going to look,” he says. “Make sure you have a space that’s livable. CH

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1^ Take your kitchen outside and light it up for a late dinner using spotlights, backlighting and subtle candlelight on the countertops.

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4 Capital home | 47

SEAFOOD SPLENDOUR Pacific Ocean provides bounty for the barbeCue

ERIC AKIS

48 | Capital home

I

love creating recipes for fresh local seafood cooked on a barbecue. Their just-harvested richness and pleasing smoky taste never fails to appeal to readers of my column, never mind my dinner guests.

The only problem is trying to decide what to cook. On Vancouver Island, we are blessed with a bounty of options.

After surveying the seafood case at my preferred grocery store, I could not say no to the salmon, oysters and crab.

Grilled fish burgers are a favourite of mine and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where the salmon fillets are sandwiched after grilling.

Before doing that, I spread the buns with a roasted garlic-flavoured mayonnaise. Along with the fish and fresh and colourful vegetable toppings, it made for a perfect summer burger.

When grilling, you will know the salmon is cooked when the flesh turns opaque, the flakes begin to slightly separate and a white protein starts to seep out between those flakes.

Also, when touched, cooked salmon should feel slightly firm, not hard, a sign you have over-cooked it, and not soft, an indication itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not cooked enough.

With my salmon burgers being a good lunch, I decided to use the oysters in an appetizer one could enjoy before dinner. To make it, I shucked some small oysters, left them on the half shell, set them on a cedar plank and helped them sit level there by nestling them into lemon slices.

Each oyster was then topped with a creamy leek mixture and Parmesan cheese. The plank was set on the barbecue

and the oysters cooked until hot and light golden on top. These delicious oysters are served directly from the plank, a very West Coast way to present them.

With a lunch item and appetizer already cooked on the barbecue, my last recipe is a dinner entrée. It features Dungeness crab halved and cleaned. Most food stores selling live Dungeness crab will do that for you, which makes preparation easier and a perfect fit for my recipe, which sees the crab halves tastily coated, Southern-style, with Cajun spice before being cooked directly on the grill.

When you crack and eat the cooked crab your fingers get coated in spice and some of it tastily ends up in your mouth with the crab meat. If desired, you could also dip the crab in a little melted butter before devouring.

With each seafood recipe you will find a wine paring suggestion by Ame De Paoli, a wine expert from B.C. Wineguys in Oak Bay (bcwineguys.blogspot.ca).

Oysters, topped with creamy leeks, cooked and attractively presented on a cedar plank

- DARREN STONE

SEAFOOD

Cedar Plank Oysters with Creamy Leeks and Parmesan Cooking the oysters on a cedar plank gives them a slightly smoky taste, but doing so in this case is more about the dramatic, West Coast-style presentation. This recipe could be expanded if you are feeding a crowd.

Preparation time: About 30 minutes, plus board soaking time Cooking time: 8 to 10 minutes Makes: Four (three oysters each) appetizer servings 1 cedar plank (see note) 1 tsp olive oil 1/2 cup thinly sliced leek, white and pale green part only 1 small garlic clove, minced • pinch dried tarragon 2 Tbsp white wine 1/3 cup whipping cream • salt and white pepper, to taste 12 (1/4-inch thick) lemon slices 12 small oysters (each about 5 centimetres long), shucked and left on the half-shell 3 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Submerge and soak the cedar plank in cold water for one hour.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add leek and cook until tender, about four minutes. Add garlic and tarragon and cook one minute longer. Pour in the wine and cook and reduce until almost evaporated. Add the cream and simmer until it thickens slightly; season with salt, pepper and remove from heat.

After the board has soaked, remove from the water and pat one side dry. Preheat barbecue to medium-high (about 425 F).

Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer on the dried side of the plank. Set an oyster in the centre of each lemon, pushing down on and nestling it into the lemon and help it sit flat. Divide and spoon the leek mixture on oysters and top with Parmesan cheese.

Set the plank on the grill. Turn the heat underneath oysters to medium-low. Close the lid and cook oysters eight to 10 minutes, or until just cooked through and light golden

on top. Set the plank on a large serving platter and enjoy the oysters.

Note: Untreated cedar cooking planks are sold at stores that sell barbecue supplies, and at some seafood and grocery stores.

I bought the 44-centimetrelong one you see in the photo at Thrifty Foods.

Wine pairing Sparkling wine generally works well with oysters. But with the creamy rich sauce and the wood smoke, I would recommend chardonnay here, as it tends to have good acidity and lemony flavours that match well with oysters. Try the Tinhorn Creek Chardonnay with bright, clean citrus notes and a hint of oak.

Capital home | 49

Grilled Salmon Burgers. Smoky grilled salmon burgers tastily flavoured with a roasted garlic green onion aioli

SEAFOOD Cajun-spiced Barbecued Crab Most food stores that sell live Dungeness crab will kill, halve and clean it for you. Once that’s done, at home, you flavour the crab with Cajun spice and cook it directly on the grill of your barbecue, infusing it with a smoky, spicy taste as it cooks.

Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 8 to 10 minutes Makes: two (whole crab), or four (half crab) servings 3 Tbsp olive oil 2 tsp Cajun spice, or to taste (see Note) 2 large whole, live Dungeness crabs, halved and cleaned • lime slices for garnish • melted butter, to taste, for dipping

EN RR

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Note: Cajun spice is sold in the bottled herb and spice aisle of many grocery stores.

Wine pairing: Try a fruitier, lower-alcohol, good acidity wine. With the natural sweetness of the crab and the heat of the spice, Gewürztraminer is a great match.

Try the Quail’s Gate Gewürztraminer for a little dryer style, or the Thornhaven Gewürztraminer for a much fruitier style.

Grilled Salmon Burgers with Roasted Garlic Mayo and Fixings Smoky salmon sandwiched in buns with fresh, colourful vegetables and a bold mayonnaise strewn with tiny bits of roasted garlic and other

NE

Cajun-spiced Barbecued Crab.

Halved and cleaned Dungeness crab, rubbed with Cajun spiced and smokily cooked directly on the grill

50 | Capital home

fine flavourings.

Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: about 28 to 33 minutes Makes: Four servings For the aioli 4 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced 2 Tbsp olive oil 3/4 cup mayonnaise 2 tsp lemon juice 1/4 tsp paprika 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 2 green onions, thinly sliced Preheat the oven to 325 F. Place the garlic and olive oil in a small baking dish, cover and roast 20 to 25 minutes, or until the garlic is tender. Transfer the garlic and oil to a bowl.

Use the back of a spoon to mash the garlic into small pieces. Cool garlic and oil to room temperature. Now mix in the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate mayo until needed. Can be made a day before needed.

For the salmon burgers

-D

A

Preheat your barbecue to medium heat (about 300 F). Brush the crab with the oil, and then sprinkle and rub all over with the Cajun spice. Set the crab directly on the grill and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Plate the crab, garnish with

lime slices and, if desired, serve with melted butter for dipping.

4 (5-ounce/140 gram) skin on coho or sockeye salmon fillets 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, plus some for the grill • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 4 hamburger buns, split and warmed 4 lettuce leaves 4 to 8 thin tomato slices 4 to 8 thin yellow bell pepper slices 4 to 8 thin slices white or red onion Preheat your barbecue to medium-high. Brush salmon with the olive oil and season with salt

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and pepper.

Lightly oil the surface of grill. Grill the salmon three to four minutes per side, or until just cooked through.

Spread each bottom bun with roasted garlic mayo and then top with lettuce. Set a piece of salmon on each bottom bun. (If desired, carefully pull off the skin from each salmon fillet before doing so). Top the salmon with a spoon of the roasted garlic mayo. Divide and top salmon with tomato, bell pepper and onion. Set on top buns and serve.

Wine pairing: Try a light to medium red that is fruity, yet earthy and savoury with little to no tannin. Classically pinot noir would be the perfect partner here. Try the Arrowleaf Pinot Noir for a lighter fruitier style, or Noble Ridge Pinot Noir for a more earthy and savoury style.

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eakis@timescolonist.com Eric Akis is the author of The Great Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook (Appetite by Random House). His columns appear in the Times Colonist Wednesday and Sunday.

Capital home | 51

MEAT

FROM FARM TO GRILL

Delicious ways to prepare local lamb, pork and chicken ERIC AKIS

F

arm to table is a term used by restaurants to indicate much of the food they serve is sourced locally. With so many great farms on Vancouver Island, home cooks can also deliciously follow this practice.

If you’re a carnivore, that includes you, too.

Go to the South Vancouver Island Direct Farm Marketing website, islandfarmfresh.com, click on products and then meat, and you will see there is no shortage of farms offering raised-with-care meat and poultry. You can buy those items direct from the farm, but you will also find them at your neighbourhood butcher shop, and at some farmer’s markets, corner food stores and grocery stores.

With let’s-get-outside-and-barbecue season upon us, I decided to purchase local lamb, pork and chicken and used them in three inviting recipes.

The first sees tender lamb chops marinated in a curry paste mixture, before being grilled and served with cucumber raita, a cool and tangy yogurt-based sauce that goes lovely with the lamb. The chops used in this recipe were the type cut from the loin, which look like a miniature versions of a beef T-bone steak.

My second recipe also uses loin chops, but this time the meat is pork. After grilling, the chops were topped with balsamic-spiked blueberry sauce, which has a beguiling sweet-and-sour taste and brilliant colour.

To ensure your pork chops stay moist and juicy, the Canadian Pork Producers website, putporkonyourfork.com, says after grilling them a touch of pink in the middle is both safe and desirable.

The truth is Canadians have been over-cooking pork for decades because they worried about trichinosis. But it is no longer considered a health risk and, even if it were, the parasite causing it is destroyed at 137 F, well below pork’s often suggested — and way too high for pork loin chops — cooking temperature of 160 F. My last recipe comes from my latest book, The Great Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook (Appetite by Random House). If you guessed the recipe was for a rotisseriecooked chicken, you’d be right. In this case, it’s tastily flavoured with maple syrup, mustard and spice. If you don’t have a rotisserie, more stores selling barbecues and related supplies should be able to supply you with the motor and spit you will need.

To make each dish even more enjoyable, under each recipe you will find a wine paring suggestion by Ame De Paoli, a wine expert from B.C. Wineguys in Oak Bay (bcwineguys.blogspot.ca).

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Capital home | 53

MEAT >52

Curry-spiced Lamb Chops with Cucumber Raita

Tender lamb chops flavoured with aromatic curry paste, grilled and served with a cool and refreshing yogurt-based sauce called raita.

Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus marinating time Cooking time: 6 to 8 minutes Makes: Four (two chops each) servings For the raita 1/4 English cucumber 1/2 cup thick plain yogurt, such as Greek-style 1 small garlic clove, minced 1/4 tsp ground cumin â&#x20AC;˘ pinch cayenne pepper 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint or cilantro Coarsely grate the cucumber into a sieve. Press on the cucumber and squeeze out as much moisture as you can. Place the cucumber in a bowl; mix in the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate raita until needed.

For the chops 1/4 cup mild or medium Indian-style curry paste (see Note) 1 Tbsp lime juice 2 tsp vegetable oil, plus some for the grill 8 (each about 4 oz.) lamb chops Combine the curry paste, juice and oil in a sided dish.

Add the lamb and turn to coat. Cover and marinate lamb at room temperature 20 minutes.

Preheat your barbecue to medium-high. Lightly oil the grill. Grill the lamb three to four minutes per side, or until the desired doneness is achieved. Serve the lamb with the raita.

Note: Indian-style curry paste is sold in the Asian foods aisle of most supermarkets. I used Patakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brand.

Wine pairing: Lamb tends to be a bit more delicate and leaner than beef, and with the spicy layered flavours, a medium bodied syrah is a great choice here. Its earthy flavours and spiciness with good acidity, smoky, meaty notes and smooth tannin make will compliment and stand up to the flavours of the dish. Try the Moon Curser Syrah, or the Haywire Syrah.

54 | Capital home

Curry-spiced Lamb Chops with Cucumber Raita.

Tender, curry-paste-spiced lamb chops served with a cool and refreshing raita

- DARREN STONE

MEAT Grilled Pork Chops with Blueberry Balsamic Sauce Simply seasoned and grilled pork, given a fruity, sweet- and sour-flavour by topping it with an easy to make, balsamic-spiked blueberry sauce.

Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: About 15 minutes Makes: 4 servings

- DARREN STONE

For the sauce 1/2 cup chicken stock 1/4 cup red wine 1/4 cup apple juice 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey 1 Tbsp cornstarch 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Place the first seven ingredients in a medium-sized pot and whisk to combine. Set over medium to medium-high heat and bring a to simmer.

Simmer and stir the sauce until lightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Mix in the blueberries, salt and pepper. Remove sauce from heat, cover and set aside until needed.

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Capital home | 55

56 | Capital home

MEAT

>55

For the chops 4 (8 to 10 oz.) pork chops 1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil â&#x20AC;˘ salt and freshly ground pepper to taste â&#x20AC;˘ fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish (optional) Preheat your barbecue to medium-high.

Brush the pork with the oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill the chops three to four minutes per side, or until just cooked through.

While the chops cook, bring the sauce back to a simmer.

When cooked, divide the chops among plates, or arrange on a platter. Serve with the sauce and, if desired, garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs.

Beyond the Extraordinary

Wine pairing: This is a tough wine pairing, considering the lean pork and the fruity flavours of the sauce. But given the blueberry/balsamic flavours, zinfandel or syrah would be the right match as their softer tannins, medium weight and fruitiness will stand up to the sauce. Try the Inniskillin Zinfandel, or the Black Hills Syrah.

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Capital home | 57

MEAT

Maple-Mustard Rotisserie Chicken with Coriander and Pepper This recipe is adapted — adjusted in length to work for this article — from one in my latest book, The Great Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook (Appetite by Random House). Globally inspired, this inviting chicken dish features sweet Canadian maple syrup, pungent French mustard and aromatic Indian coriander seeds.

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus marinating time Cooking time: 75 to 90 minutes Makes: 4 servings 2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey 2 Tbsp smooth or whole-grain Dijon mustard 1 tsp finely grated lime zest 1 Tbsp lime juice 1 tsp ground coriander seeds 1 tsp coarsely cracked black peppercorns (see Note) 1⁄2 tsp paprika 1⁄8 tsp cayenne pepper • kitchen twine 1 (3 lb/1.5 kg) whole chicken • salt to taste Make marinade by combining the first eight ingredients in a bowl.

Now truss the chicken, which will prevent it from flopping around on the spit.

Start by cutting a piece of kitchen twine one and half metres

58 | Capital home

long. Set the chicken on a work surface, breast side up. Fold and tuck the wings under the body. Draw the twine around the tail, cross it over, and then take it around the end of each drumstick.

Draw the twine up tightly between the drumsticks and thighs.

Now extend the twine around the outside of each leg and over the wings.

Turn the bird over. Take each end of twine over the folded wings and shoulders of the bird. Pull the twine tightly and tie a knot to secure it in place, and then cut away excess twine.

Set chicken it in a shallow-sided dish. Brush and coat the outside of the chicken with the marinade. Cover the chicken and refrigerate for four hours, brushing the bird with marinade occasionally.

When ready to cook, let the chicken sit at room temperature 30 minutes.

Preheat the barbecue to 400 F. While the barbecue heats, season the chicken with salt, then slide it onto one end of the rotisserie spit and secure it. Place the spit on the barbecue and set a heatproof pan under the chicken to catch the tasty

juices seeping from the bird. Add a little water to the pan so the first drips don’t scorch. Brush the chicken with any leftover marinade.

Turn the rotisserie motor on.

Close the lid on the barbecue and turn off the heat directly under the chicken. Leave the other side of the barbecue between medium and medium-high. Cook the chicken, brushing it occasionally with the pan juices, for 75 to 90 minutes, or until an instantread thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the thigh, not touching the bone, registers 170 F. As the chicken cooks, adjust the flame as needed to maintain a constant temperature of 400 F. Remove the chicken from the spit, set it on a plate, tent it with foil, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving Note: To coarsely crack black peppercorns, use the coarsest setting on your pepper grinder. You can also set the whole pepper- corns on a cutting board, place a heavy skillet over them, and roll it back and forth while applying pressure to crack them. CH

Wine pairing: The spicy, savoury, sweet flavours would work nicely with a wine with similar notes, such as viognier or pinot noir. Try it with the Joie Pinot Noir or Desert Hills Viognier.

eakis@timescolonist.com Eric Akis is the author of The Great Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook (Appetite by Random House). His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.

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Capital home | 59

Renovation breathes new life into seaside property

P

GRANIA LITWIN

anoramic views across Georgia Strait to the Sunshine Coast as well as a dramatic high-

60 | Capital home

bank waterfront give this property, located north of Nanaimo, a wideopen feeling. But that sense of expansion was never evident inside the home itself, which is why the

owners sought the help of Lana McIver, president of the Interior Design Group and winner of armloads of CARE, Georgie, SAM and other national and provincial awards. >64

West Coast

Sanctuary

The entire home was redesigned by the Interior Design Group . the new kitchen features white cabinets, granite counter tops and taupe high-gloss porcelain tile backsplash, with a feature insert of glass tile behind the stove.

Cabinets by Mid Island Cabinets.

Photos by Alec Watson, The Interior Design Group

Capital home | 61

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The deck was enlarged and a glass railing added. Wicker furniture with green cushions overlook a half hectare that slopes down to the sea and a 25-metre drop to the beach.

In the distance is the kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; play structure. And beyond are views of Gibsons, Sechelt and Sunshine coast.

The master ensuite is a serene retreat with free-standing tub.

Capital home | 63

“The rooms inside this home were very small and everything felt closed in and confined, even though it is 4,500 square feet on three levels,” said McIver, who was originally asked to consult only on the kitchen, but realized much more was required to enliven and expand the inner environment of this 1998-built craftsman-style home.

So the project grew like a soufflé and gradually encompassed all three floors.

To transform the main floor from choppy and fragmented into coherent and stylish, she removed a large wall dividing kitchen and living rooms. Eliminating this bearing wall required the installation of a massive beam, and to support it, McIver designed two posts that have become focal points in their own right.

“That’s the genius of Lana,” said owner Sheila Forrest, of the baronial-looking columns that mark the end of her new island,

The staircase used to be blocked off by a wall and thick wooden railings. Now it is an open feature with wrought-iron railings.

incorporating a mini bar at one end, workspace in the middle and china cabinet at the other.

Another eye-popping enhancement came when McIver suggested tearing down a wall next to the spiral staircase, which not only obstructed views but also prevented the stairs from being the centrepiece they should have been. She replaced two-by-twoinch wooden railings and posts with wrought iron, “and it now looks like a floating staircase,” said Sheila, a former respiratory therapist. Taking the wall out also created an appealing alcove for a baby grand piano, with office space tucked back against the wall.

It is a wonderfully spaciousfeeling home now, says husband Dr. David Forrest, an infectious diseases specialist and critical care physician. The couple love its casually elegant, West Coast vibe and were pleased when

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Dr. David Forrest collects wine, scotch and cigars and stores all three in a handsome wine cellar created in some former empty storage spaces.

Capital home | 65

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the project won a 2013 Georgie Award for best kitchen renovation under $100,000, and silver CARE awards for best traditional kitchen; best interior residential; and best custom millwork.

Sheila explained the home was originally lovely. “When we told people we were renovating, they were shocked,” but all the rooms were broken and oddly shaped. There used to be a funny little room that I called my phone booth because it was so tiny. We had a squishy little kitchen with a walk-in closet and a section with a built-in desk and computer.

There was a sort of walkway into another oddly shaped room that the kids used as a playroom.

“The living room was rarely used, and everyone always crammed into the kitchen and dining room.” But by combining the spaces and embracing the angles, they completely opened up the main floor up and gained spectacular ocean views from

every room. “We use the living room a lot more now, and I absolutely love my kitchen, where I have all kinds of space to cook my masterpieces,” she said with a chuckle, adding her specialty is Lebanese food.

The renovation included making the lower level more usable by installing a new beam, removing posts and raising the ceiling to full height. “Again, we opened up some walls and re-defined the space,” said McIver, who created media and games rooms, a sauna, bathroom and another bedroom.

On the top floor, she also reconfigured the space, which features a balcony library overlooking the living room.

The designer solved “noise transmission” problems that used to keep the two children awake by turning three small bedrooms into two. The children’s rooms were enlarged, a single bathroom became two Jack and Jill versions, and a new hallway was created

with a pocket door to contain the sound. “It has made all the difference in the world, plus it gave me a real linen closet, which I didn’t have before,” says Sheila.

Changes to the master bedroom included increasing the size of the dressing room and adding a fireplace, built-in dresser, make-up table and an ironing board. Sheila did a lot of preplanning for the renovation and collected a huge file of pictures, which she sent to the designer.

“It worked so well. When she brought choices for paint or other details, it didn’t really matter which ones I picked because they were all great. Lana has an intuitive sense of what I liked.”

The eight-month renovation made an enormous difference, says David, who sees his home as a sanctuary. “Taking the kitchen wall down seemed to make the space much more liveable and larger, and takes much greater advantage of the views.

“The major challenge for the contractor was removing that load bearing wall and redistributing the weight with a large, heavy beam. That was also one of the more expensive aspects of the renovation infrastructure.

“We heard lots of horrible reno stories, but were delighted with Lana and our contractor, Kevin Wheatcroft. The workmen were there when they said they’d be, and everything was done on time and on schedule, although we ended up doing more.”

David says they plan to do some landscaping in the future, but for now, they want to sit back and enjoy their home. CH

Grania Litwin was a reporter, editor and feature writer at the Times Colonist for 35 years.

With a passion for design and architecture, she continues to write about beautiful homes on Vancouver Island.

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Capital home | 67

Sanctuary ENCORE Backyard TRENDS

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ot tub therapy isn’t just a luxurious way to spend an evening. Studies show there are health benefits. Soaking provides important elements shown to improve physical and emotional health — heat, buoyancy and massage. For the one in three Canadians who have some form of arthritis, hot tubs exercise and relax muscle joints, which may cause pain during simple daily tasks. Hot tubs also help diminish insomnia. Not only does the experience reduce the stress, which often causes sleepless nights. It was suggested that soaking in 103-degree water 90 minutes before bedtime for just 15 minutes is a natural and effective way to induce sleep without the side effects of commercial sleep aids. Even if you do not suffer from one of these ailments, a hot tub is a natural for stress relief, blood pressure, headaches, and the acceleration of the healing process.

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finding the right hot tub for your yard can be a lot of fun.

There is a huge variety of designs available.

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Capital home | 69

Seaside cottage gets an upscale renovation

70 | Capital home

Nanoose Treasure The timberframe construction of the high-pitched ceiling did not allow for alterations to the existing wiring for lighting. therefore, a suspended flexible monorail track was bent to follow the shape of the grand island. The dualcircuit technology allows the separate use of task spot lights, and antique green glass ambient pendants. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; JO-ANN RICHARDS, WORKS PHOTOGRAPHY

Capital home | 71

Seaside Splendour INES HANL

“A

natural extension of the surrounding landscape” is how my client described her vision for the extensive renovation of her vacation home in Nanoose Bay. A large metal gate opens the way down a steep driveway in the golf-course development.

Arriving at the bottom, an antique door salvaged from an East Asian cloister and adorned with striking metal accents, was used for an impressive-yet-understated entrance in the cedar shingle faced facade. To the left, a small waterlily pond attracts and

72 | Capital home

nourishes fish, while two sets of French balconies with waterlily themed metal and glass railings sit above the three carriage style garage doors.

Inside the split-level home, the modest entrance opens up to a substantial, high-ceiling timberframe space with about 50 feet of an uninterrupted stretch of glass doors. Overlooking a secluded bay filled with colourful pebbles, rugged boulders and tumbled driftwood in front of a backdrop of glittering waves, a perfectly positioned islet appears in the distance. The scenery is embraced by the deep emerald

Artist Blacksmith Jake James was commissioned to create the waterlily themed balcony railings. – JAKE JAMES PHOTo.

tones of the West Coast rain forest.

The clients asked me to create intimate spaces to linger, relax, study and communicate within the 1,000-square-foot great room, and to combine a distinctly organic theme with some existing Mediterranean design elements like the wrought iron stair railing.

The generously sized living and dining areas are positioned on opposite ends of the room, grounded by wide planked, hand-chiseled Alder flooring, and anchored by soaring wood burning fireplaces, which are adorned with limestone-coloured

cast stone mantels.

Troweled plaster walls add texture and a distinct flair of old world craftsmanship.

Bridging the space between is a soft grey-green limestone floor, laid out in a bold grid pattern with polished accents. Sinuous transitions to the wood juxtapose with the classically inspired tile layout, while the irregular pools of multi-coloured pebble tile appear to have been swept into the room by last night’s storm. This mosaic of materials provides the perfect foundation for the 19-foot long island that winds from the base of the stairs in the living room across

to the dining area, where it curls into itself and transforms into a comfy eating nook.

Illuminated dragonfly pendants dance above, accompanied by a delicate cast-bronze table fashioned like a tree trunk and solidwood stools. The cozy bench area is the perfect spot to enjoy ocean gazing with a steaming cup of coffee.

The much smaller cleanup island is a worthy companion piece. Shaped like a teardrop, it resolves in a round-end cabinet made from alder, which is topped by a four-inch-thick glass countertop that seems to emit a glow from its icy depth. It acts as a beacon, marking the transition to the dining area, while serving the very mundane task of housing the mechanical controls for the in-floor heating system.

It’s ‘little brother’ can be found in the corner of the large island – the prep sink cabinet with a curved front and a circular, custom-made stainless steel top with integrated sink – inlaid flush into the stone work counters.

Double-layered Black Cosmos granite with white and amber galaxy-like swirls sits atop heavy fir cabinetry, but the thick live-edge maple bar counters are the real stunner. Made

Prep sink cabinet with a curved front, and a circular, custom made stainless steel top with integrated sink, which was inlaid flush into the stone work counters.

– JO-ANN RICHARDS, WORKS PHOTOGRAPHY.

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Capital home | 73

>73 from de-barked natural edge wood, it took five long and highly irregular shaped slices of solid maple to piece together the undulating island counter.

Industrial-style stools from Restoration Hardware complement other raw metal accents like the banding and the nail heads, as well as the commissioned brackets and hinges from artist blacksmith Jake James, which sport whimsical leaf accents honouring the twig-style bronze cabinet handles.

An existing recess in the pantry wall accommodates the cook top with its softly gleaming, textured glass backsplash, the oven, and a handy under-counter fridge drawer unit. The built-in Miele coffee maker and steam oven, as well as the big Subzero fridge, are hidden from view right inside the walk-in pantry.

Cabinetry and countertops from the old kitchen were recycled inside the pantry to create a very useful secondary work area.

Passing through the dining area to climb up the stairs to the loft-style office on top of the low-ceilinged pantry, a sparkling Portuguese chandelier made from delicate bronze branches and amber glass droplets is duplicated in the round driftwood framed mirror. Cognaccoloured leather chairs surround a substantial live-edge wood table, and in the corner, a wicker-hanging chair beckons invitingly.

Across the room in the living area, two curved Roche Bobois leather sofas, a lounge chair and a group of solid-wood stools assemble around the fireplace and the TV. Board games are stored in the nearby built-in millwork, and a few eclectic display cabinets showcase modern and traditional native art and collectibles from travels abroad, and provide plenty of visual interest on the way to the daughter’s bedroom and the powder room.

Halfway up the stairs to the guest quarters, a group of 3D-printed sconces resembling stylized starfish throw intricate shadows on the wall.

A single sea anemone-like

sconce illuminates the access to the master suite. The room’s generous proportions provide space for a snuggle area, complete with zerogravity lounge chairs in front of a contemporary fireplace.

Faced with a solid slab of marble that looks like one of Mother Nature’s abstract watercolour paintings, with fine, multicoloured veining in pinks, blues and yellows swirling over a soft cream background, gas flames snake up from a pebble-filled white porcelain bowl. Artist-cabinetmaker Paul Tellier was commissioned to make a one-of-a-kind dresser and night tables in his signature style – by combining multiple types of wood.

In the master ensuite, an eggshaped tub, sitting on green slate floor tiles, takes centre stage in front of a large picture window with a Zen-infused view of a moss and lichen covered rock.

The subtle glimmer of the matte and iridescent glass mosaic blend, which covers the shower walls, and shoots light sparkles through the otherwise dim room.

Lit from underneath, floating Hisand-Hers vanities sport wavy carved wood fronts. On the soft green glass counters sit proudly chiseled black granite vessel sinks.

Ample use of LED strip lighting around the mirrors brightens the space, while two sets of air-bubblefilled glass ball pendants provide ambient lighting for relaxation.

The toilet is hidden in a separate cubicle – its eccentric shape a response to the fish-shape inspired design of the small hand sink. A cloud-like light fixture made from white silk seems to float under the ceiling, and a wood-room door, inset with a whimsical tree of live fabric featuring a lovely bird motif and laminated between two sheets of glass, provides light-infused privacy.

A walk-in closet is at the end of the bathroom, and is outfitted with space optimizing floor-to-ceiling cabinetry in fir and maple.

Creating such a highly >76

74 | Capital home

Zen moments can be had in this generous egg-shaped freestanding tub. The glass-blend mosaic tile with its iridescent accents plays off the subtle hues of the lichen and moss covered rock outside. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; JO-ANN RICHARDS, WORKS PHOTOGRAPHY.

Capital home | 75

The cozy informal eating area, with a few decorative pillows thrown over the thick maple bench, is the perfect spot for morning coffee. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; JO-ANN RICHARDS, WORKS PHOTOGRAPHY.

personalized and eclectic home was one of the biggest challenges of my professional life. Mixing so many strong-willed materials and organic shapes needs to be done light-handedly and very deliberately, to avoid a cluttered, Hippie-esque effect. Working on an out-of-town project with an out-of-province client, and a construction team I never worked with before, potentially presented 76 | Capital home

additional complications.

But the work experience was a joyous one. Site manager Gary Whibley turned out to be an inventive problem solver with a high level of attention to detail, and was the perfect collaborator.

I only needed to drive up to the site every few weeks, and most of the design presentations with the clients were done online.

While wandering through the

finished home, the overwhelming sensation is that of a very comfortable, calm and tactile environment filled with positive energy, an easy space to move around in meandering pathways, completely in sync with the magnificent landscape beyond the glass. CH

Ines Hanl is the principal of Victoria-based The Sky is the Limit Design. When she is not focusing on her bespoke residential home designs and artistic renovation projects, she enjoys a quiet and inspiring life with her artist and writer husband and their five cats, hanging out in the garden, sewing, making millinery, yoga and dancing flamenco. info@theskyisthelimitdesign.

Living the West Coast Dream Water is critical for life and no one knows it better than those enjoying life on Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beautiful West Coast. Whether next to the Strait of Juan de Fuca or Cowichan Lake, water inspires us from house design to choice of natural materials. Of course on Vancouver Island, all can claim to be living next to the water, a short distance from just about anywhere.

Enjoy these award-winning dream homes by members of the Victoria Residential Builders Association (vrba.ca).

More photos are available at www.careawards.ca

Capital home | 77

The stylized sea anemone sconce was imported from a 3D printing company in Europe. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; JO-ANN RICHARDS, WORKS PHOTOGRAPHY

78 | Capital home

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Capital home | 79

Create a collection of colourful flowers and edible plants arranged around decks, balconies, patios and a gardenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sitting-out areas.

Flower Power Petunia x hybrida Multiflora petunias combine beautifully with other sun-loving flowers like Bacopa and Osteospermum in containers. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Helen Chesnutphoto

80 | Capital home

Easy Plants

Easy Summer Living HELEN CHESNUT

C

hances are this summer will be similar to last year, giving us a long, warm and sunny season for relishing outdoor living.

Collections of colourful flowers and edible plants arranged around decks, balconies, patios and a garden’s sitting-out areas have the power to turn meals, social gatherings and lounging time into occasions of comfort and celebration.

Setting the mood with colour Think about the atmosphere you would like to create in your summer outdoor living area and choose plants accordingly. Shades of blue, white, cream, soft yellow, pink and lavender infuse an area with a sense of calm and restfulness. Bright orange, red and yellow enliven a space.

Containers These can also help establish a mood. Lightweight containers in bright colours are available at most garden centres. For a neutral tone, I favour lightweight terra cotta lookalike planters – available in many pot sizes and in a window box style that suits plants like dwarf marigold and zinnia, small-leaved basil and trailing annual flowers.

Anything that has drainage holes and will hold soil is a possibility, but keep two key issues in mind – save your back by choosing lightweight containers; and tiny is tedious: very small containers are hard to keep adequately watered.

Look for likely items on hand.

While it held together, I used an old wooden wheelbarrow to create a

small, overflowing garden of summer flowers. Hanging baskets add another floral dimension to a space.

Planting mixes Roomy containers and a planting mix with substance make for easycare, long-lasting plantings. For staying power in a mix, I always add bagged, sterilized, all-purpose soil to an all-purpose commercial mix such as Pro Mix BX (basic), at the rate of around one-third soil to two-thirds commercial mix.

I also add a balanced, naturalsource, slow-release fertilizer to my planting mix. This kind of fertilizer releases nutrients over three to four months, and in my experience, eliminates the need to be constantly watering with fertilizer solution through the summer.

Maintenance In hot, dry weather, all but the largest containers will need watering daily. Many of the newer varieties of summer flowers are self-cleaning, but do deadhead those that need it to keep blooms coming along. Should a planting become tatty looking, simply remove it, and if you are inclined, put together a replacement with purchased transplants.

Shade Most summer flowers and edibles require full sun to thrive. In places with light or part shade, fuchsias, begonias, impatiens, coleus, lobelia and nasturtium will grow and bloom well, as will most salad greens – especially leaf lettuces, baby kale and parsley. >83

Capital home | 81

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82 | Capital home

The Plants Step into a garden centre and be dazzled by an astonishing assortment of bedding and container flowers and attractive edibles. The plants I’m suggesting here are ones I’ve found over the years to deliver the longest, most pleasing show with a minimum of care.

Petunia Large-flowered (Grandiflora) petunias are lush and lovely, but halfway through the summer, they need trimming to clear the plants of bare stems and make way for fresh flowering growth, which is why I’ve been switching to the more care-free Multifloras for my patio. These smallerflowered petunias, mostly self-

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cleaning, produce a mass of carefree bloom over a long season.

Multiflora petunias come in plant sizes suitable for bedding and pots and in other forms, like the Wave petunias, for hanging baskets and for spilling over the sides of patio tubs. Multifloras combine beautifully with other sun-lovers and filler flowers like Bacopa and Osteospermum.

Dahlia Dahlias are veritable flower factories through summer and fall, up until a significant frost. Dwarf, bushy dahlias are wonderful for creating a low-flowering hedge alongside a patio or in a long planter. To keep dahlias full of flowers, snip or snap off faded blooms.

Geranium Zonal geraniums (now called Pelargonium) are called zonal because of the distinct rings of colour markings on the sturdy,

ornamental foliage. These flowers have been home garden favourites for generations because of their long, steady flowering season and ease of care.

Though the classic zonal geranium bears bright red flowers, varieties are available also in orange, violet, pink, white and salmon. Still, it’s a single red-flowering geranium in a clay pot on an outdoor table that proclaims a taste of Italy and the flavour of summer.

Snap stems with faded flowers off the plant to keep more blooms coming, and avoid overwatering.

Zinnia Among these easy summer annuals, there is a wide choice in plant heights. Most practical for decks, balconies and patios are bushy dwarf zinnias such as the popular Profusion plants that are undemanding sun lovers – available in a broad range of colours in both single and double-

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flowered forms. These zinnias bloom early and long.

Marigold As with zinnias, these easygrowing annuals for sunny sites give a long season of bloom.

Heights range from tall African marigolds like the metre-tall, fully double Cracherjack down to dwarf French marigolds that grow to around 20 centimetres.

There are varieties at almost every height in between, in sunny shades of yellow through orange and red, and with single, semidouble and double flowers.

Magnificently easy-care, French marigolds in containers and at bed edgings beside sitting-out spaces deliver non-stop, spiritlifting summer colour on tidy, ferny-leaved little bushes.

Food Potted cherry tomatoes and basil, bush cucumbers, compact >84

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Capital home | 83

Dwarf dahlias are veritable flower factories through the summer and fall until frost. They make delightful little flowering hedges.

– Helen Chesnut Photo

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bush zucchini and salad greens are naturals for inclusion in patio gardens. They add interest and soft beauty while they deliver fresh, nutritious food. All but the greens thrive in full summer sun, as do the potted Mediterranean culinary herbs – thyme, sage and rosemary.

For a long and productive season, give bush cucumbers and zucchini plants roomy containers with a width and depth of 45 cm.

Cherry tomatoes on dwarf, patio-size plants are

excellent value, producing large numbers of fruits from July into October. They will grow in fairly small pots, but for extended production, give them containers 25 to 30 cm wide and deep.

Salad greens can struggle in direct, hot summer sun.

Tuck these containers into the shade of larger pots or at corners of an area offering light shade for at least the hottest parts of the day.

Choose leaf lettuce transplants, most of which will re-grow once after being cut.

Or seed a mesclun mix (blend of greens) into containers. The plants are cut at just above ground level and will re-grow for two or three cuttings.

If you are a big salad greens fan, consider having freshly seeded containers in reserve to take the place of plantings that have become tired and unproductive. CH

Helen Chesnut’s column appears weekly in the Times Colonist. Ask her a question: hchesnut@bcsupernet.com

Lycopersicon esculentum (Cherry Tomato) Cherry tomatoes on dwarf, patio-size plants are excellent value, producing large numbers of fruits from July into October. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Helen Photo

Capital home | 85

“It’s extending the home and living outdoors.”

EVOLU 86 | Capital home

WILDWOOD A mainstay nursery expands its outdoor offerings

TIONS G

ord Nickel has seen his Saanich nursery grow significantly over the last 35 years, a growth thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been mirrored by his own evolution from 15 year-old-boy-withgreen-tinged thumb who stocked shelves and arranged plants, to the owner of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s become a destination garden centre.

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Over that time, Nickel’s Cannor Nursery has also evolved, and the changes are now reflected with a new name and focus.

Cannor Nursery is now Wildwood Outdoor Living Centre.

“We are much more than a nursery; we’re the same people, just better and we have so much more to offer,” says Nickel.

The name change reflects the evolution of the two-acre nursery at 4660 Elk Lake Drive in Saanich from a spot to pick up plants, gardening implements and everything needed to keep a garden in check into a centre to help sculpt outdoor space into an extension of the home.

That means areas of the 1.8-acre centre have been devoted to vignettes showing what’s possible in terms of water features, ponds and patios, separate rooms for hot tub options and the latest in outdoor living — kitchens and grills.

Nickel says it’s about following consumers’ lead.

Gord Nickel bought the nursery “They see the outside as an addition to their in 2007 after working at the homes,” says Nickel. “It’s extending the home and centre for 27 years. living outdoors.”

With homeowners now adding kitchens with grills, fridges, prep areas and storage outdoors,

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WILDWOOD Nickel saw the opportunity to put everything in one place and created a one-stop shop.

“I saw the trend to the outdoor living as an extra room in the house and creating more living space and thought a garden centre was the natural place for that,” he says.

It began with the addition of ponds and water features in 1993, which Nickel said led to inquiries about hot tubs and installations. For years, Cannor was contracting out that service.

But after he bought the business in 2007, Nickel partnered with Mike James in 2010 to establish an in-house installation and design service called Wildwood Landscapes and Wildwood Waterscapes Design.

“Now we thought it’s probably time to move past the Cannor Nursery thing and into the outdoor living centre,” he says. As Wildwood already existed, it made sense to stick with that name.

While the official changeover has just happened, Nickel said he’s seen the movement of customer dollars for years.

It has also meant a significant increase in average spending per customer.

“Our average sale for plants and things probably ranged from $45 to $55, and now we see people coming in for a $3,000 to $4,000 starter pond kit,” he says, noting they had just finished a $70,000 design and installation of a complete backyard reno.

“We see a lot more customers spending a lot more money, often between $5,000 to $10,000.”

The gardener has also changed.

The new breed comes in a couple of forms — the young gardener with a small plot who wants to grow vegetables and fruit and garden sustainably, and a slightly more established group that is all about the outdoor living and willing to pay for a space that offers a lot of use with minimal effort.

That’s where the complete package comes in handy, as Wildwood offers initial consults, designs and installation if needed.

“What it’s done is it allows people to work with us from the

beginning. They may have an idea and want to make the backyard great, well we can consult and do the design and they may want to do it themselves or have us do it,” says Nickel.

And often a homeowner will come in with a small germ of an idea that may manifest itself with a small water feature one year and eventually grow into the complete re-inventing of the backyard space.

“It sometime starts with a pond, then a barbecue or patio and then it’s integrated into landscaping,” says Nickel, noting it mirrors the way his business has grown from plants, to water features, and a service component that can tie it all together. CH

... a small gem of an idea that may eventually grow into the completed re-inventing of the backyard.

Capital home | 89

Water Backyard Feature ENCORE ENCORE

WHEN

WATER IS FEATURED

Ponds of any size are living, tranquil gardens

B

ackyard ponds range from the simple to the elaborate and can become a passion for many gardeners.

Technological improvements over the past decade have made it easier and more economical than ever to build one. “The pumps today are much more energy efficient and last a lot longer,” says Randy Stewart of Pondliner.com.

“As for the filtration systems, some can be cleaned with minimal maintenance. You can now maintain your pond wearing dress clothes instead of standing in the pond, pulling out the system and getting dirty.” Larger ponds are more practical and beneficial for fish and plants, but if you have limited space or want an interesting water feature, patio or container ponds are an easy option — and the only limit is your creativity, says botanist Marc Hachadourian. Although patio ponds can look and feel like miniature koi ponds, koi experts strongly suggest goldfish as a better choice. Unlike koi, which grow large and need plenty of oxygen and moving

water to thrive, goldfish and some other smaller fish are hardier and better suited to patio ponds. The International Water Garden Society is a good resource when deciding on varieties of aquatic plants. It recommends miniature water lilies, such as dauben, which has a light blue flower and tolerates shadier conditions. Plants such as water lettuce and water hyacinth float on the surface, control algae and help filter the water. Aquatic grasses, irises and taro are also good choices.

– Associated Press

Online International Water Garden Society iwgs.org Suggested reading Water Gardening in Containers, by Helen Nash and C. Greg Speichert (Sterling, 1999) Quick and Easy Container Water Gardens, by Philip Swindells (Storey Publishing, 1998) Water Features for Small Gardens, by Keith Davitt (Timber Press, 2003)

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Backyard TRENDS

MAKE YOUR WILD FRIENDS FEEL AT HOME WITH SOME OF THESE...

1

accessories Bird song and the buzz of bees â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

both add ambience and tranquility to outdoor private spaces. You can invite birds and pollinators with an array of products from outdoor retailers, environmental entrepreneurs or your own home workbench. Colourful hummingbirds can bring their swift aerial displays if you hang feeders and smaller birds are always looking for a bath and nesting sites in bird houses. Bees are essential to pollination, so plant a succession of spring, summer and fall flowering plants for a continual source of nectar. You can also create simple houses for mason bees. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no shortage of ideas on the Internet or through local garden centres.

2

3

1 Get colourful and creative with homes for birds. You may be surprised who moves in.

2 Bees are pollinators and essential in food production.

3 Hang hummingbird feeders near windows for optimal viewing.

4 92 | Capital home

4 Bird baths come in all shapes, sizes and mediums, including this attractive bowl carved in stone.

Capital home | 93

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GARDEN GADGETS COOL STUFF FOR HOT SUMMER

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For as little as $2 a month for an average home,* designate a portion of the natural gas you use as renewable.

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Vertical Gardening Running out of room? Wall-mounted planters with self-watering reservoirs are perfect for a variety of tropical plantings.

Frames come in a variety of colours as well as bamboo and rustic wood. Find them at Greater Victoria Dig This stores.

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The Poppy Beach wicker collection includes a full array of seating options, including loungers and a lower conversational table, as well as dining sets. www.digthis.com

GADGETS The perfect pour When it comes to watering cans, nothing touches a Haws. Gardening experts agree the English design, patented in 1886 by John Haws, retains a perfect balance for pours whether it’s full or half empty. Find them at Greater Victoria Dig This stores.

Solar sensations Create some magic when the sun goes down with environmentally friendly solar lanterns in several shapes, sizes and colours. Hang them from a tree or set them on tables — and enjoy the garden after dark. www.DigThis.com

Fashionable, functional footwear For the gardener, clogs are essential. Not only do they keep your feet dry, they’re easy to put on and kick off when making trips in and out of the house. And you can buy them just about anywhere.

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GADGETS

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WESTCOAST COUNTRY ESTATE Old West Saanich Road is a meandering country road, that could be taking you on a quiet journey home. Starting down the driveway, one is pleasantly surprised with the promise of peace and tranquillity in the beautiful views across the vallley to the Malahat. Enjoy the country lifestyle in this spacious Westcoast residence of over 4,700sq ft, with the benefit of a legal suite above the barn.This home has views from every room and deck, vaulted ceilings and skylights. A wonderful home to entertain friends and family. The 5.63 acres of fully fenced southwest exposure, with a barn for horses, hay storage and trout filled pond is an exceptional country property. Call for an appointment. $1,598,888

Gorgeous glass Kitras Art Glass is a Canadian glass blowing studio that produces innovative, beautiful and decorative glass objects for the home and garden. You can find these wonderful gazing globes at www.digthis.com

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COMING UP NEXT ISSUE of Capital Home Join us for the next edition of Capital Home magazine this fall. The theme is home renovations and we’ll bring you ideas on how to remodel and spruce up your home and living spaces. Food columnist Eric Akis will share some classic harvest meal recipes while Helen Chesnut will supply her always-timely advice on plants and flowers for the fall. Watch for it in mid-September.

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