niche summer 2012
DESCRIPTION
Niche Summer 2012TRANSCRIPT
NICHE 1
Multiple Awards,Masterful Homes
where you belong
D E S I G N • A R C H I T E C T U R E • D E C O R
S U M M E R 2 0 1 2
PM 4
1835
528
NICHE22 5 0 . 7 6 3 . 7 2 0 9 w w w. b r i d g e s l i v i n g . c o m
Excellence in Community Development
Excellence in Kitchen Design Single Family Detached Home under $500K
Excellence in Master Suite Design Single Family Detached Home $500K - $750
Excellence in Website Design
Plus 7 Silver Finalist Awards includingBuilder of the Year
Community of the Year!
Winner of 4 GoldTommie Awards
Show Homes Open Daily noon - 5pm
1358 Glenview Avenue, Kelowna, BC
Valux_Niche_Feb2012 03/02/12 3:29 PM Page 1
NICHE 3
Tommie multiple Gold Winner for ExcellenceIn Custom Home Building.
34 TOMMIE GOLD & SILVERAWARDS...AND COUNTING!
Tel : 250 .718.8670
www. framecustomhomes.com
Celebrating award-winning custom homes!
NICHE4
inside 11 HOMEFRONT
Kelowna home news.
17 ECO-LIFEElectromotion’s Revolution.
18 SPECIALISTUrban Cabinetry.
42 COMPANYMission Meadows.
46 SPECIALISTPure Granite Rocks.
48 PAPERWORKTitle Insurance.
50 COMMUNITYCanyon Desert Golf Villas.
54 HERITAGEHistoric Guisichan Park.
62 CHBA-CODIRECTORYYour guide to all the members of the Canadian Home Builders Association of the Central Okanagan.
SPECIAL SECTION:
Summer39 PRODUCT
Green lawns.
41 OUTSIDECast-in-place spas.
NICHE 1
Multiple Awards,Masterful Homes
where you belong
D E S I G N • A R C H I T E C T U R E • D E C O R
S U M M E R 2 0 1 2
PM 4
1835
528
Cover:
TheMulti-AwardWinning
Morton ResidenceBuilt and designed by Frame Custom Homes Ltd.
PHOTO by SHAwN TAlbOT
FEATURES DEPARTMENTS
HEIRLOOMHOMEBUILDERSquare Root Contracting
12
FRAMECUSTOMHOMES 26
COLUMNS
5 FROMTHEEDITOR 6 FROMCHBA-CO
President Rob Voros.
7 EXPERTSQuestions for home professionals.
21 HOMETECHHome theatres and more.
34 TRUECOLOURSOutdoor style.
44 GREENPIECENatural solutions.
60 DIGNews and developments.
STYLISH,SUSTAINABLE
CUSTOMHOMESHomescape Building
& Design
36
NICHE 5
Publisher CraigN.Brown
Assoc. Publisher ChytraBrown
Editor DonaSturmanis
AssociateEditorRandZacharias
ArtDirector DonnaSzelest
StaffWriterDorothyBrotherton
Contributors RussBannister AlbertBerkshire RoslyneBuchanan RobertFarr DeannaMerrick GaiaMueller AngelaReid-Nagy RobVoros
Photography ShawnTalbotUnlessspeciallycredited,allphotosweresubmittedortakenbystaff.
Director of Sales RoyKunicky
NicheMagazineispublishedinconjunctionwithCanadianHomeBuildersAssociationoftheCentralOkanagan.
211-1433St.PaulStreetKelowna,BCV1Y2E4P:250.868.2229F:250.868.2278www.nichemedia.ca
NICHE Magazine is published in Kelowna, bC by Niche Media ©2012. All rights reserved.The views expressed in NICHE are those of the respective contributors and not necessarily those of the publisher or staff.
PUblICATIONS MAIl AGREEMENT NO. 41835528. RETURN UNDElIVERAblE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO:211-1433ST.PAULSTREET,KELOWNA,BCV1Y2E4
Printed in Canada.
where you belong
CelebratingSuccessintheSummer
Expertise, innovation and customized service are qualities we should really appreciate in our home industry professionals in 2012 as we head into summer. The Silver and Gold 2011 CHBA-CO Tommie winners
dazzled us with their experience, talent and achievements earlier this year. The exhibitors at the Real Home Show at the end of March in Kelowna showed us that today’s home products and services are designed to make our daily living easier and more appealing, in a choice of offerings and price points for every need and desire.
In this summer issue of Niche, we salute this expertise, innovation and customized service. We feature three multi-award winning homebuilders who share their professional insights as well as photographs of their stunning residential projects. Two new community developments offer ideal locations, amenities and prices. We explore innovations such as a revolutionary home energy saver, a synthetic turf that earns LEED points and must-have home and home theatre gadgets. The master skills and methods that go into creating customized kitchen cupboards and counter tops, the ultimate home spa and the ideal bathroom renovation are revealed. The latest trends in outdoor summer comfort and style are also shared.
The two historic homes of Kelowna’s Guisachan Heritage Park are featured this issue. Between them, they housed colourful pioneers, Scottish nobility, farmers and ranchers. Today, they stand as a testament to the Okanagan’s brief but fascinating legacy.
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association of the Okanagan has a new executive officer, Sherri Paiement, who brings to the job a wealth of experience in communications and mar-keting. With this, a fond farewell is bid to Tammy Jackson who served this position very well for many years. She has moved on to do other things, and will be missed.
We’d like to thank our advertisers for supporting Niche and making it possible for us to publish this home magazine. Please take the time to check out their excellent products and services. You will not be disappointed.
Speaking of Niche, we are celebrating our second successful year as the official publica-tion of CHBA-CO. We continue to endeavour making our magazine the best it can be for you, the homeowner.
DONA STuRMANIS EDITOR N
ERRATALuminescence, 2011 Tommie Gold Home of the Year, on the cover of spring Niche was photographed by Colin Jewall.
In the Valley Pool & Spa feature in spring Niche, the Luminescence photos (p. 33, top two at right and bottom right) were photographed by Colin Jewall. The Brown Residence (p.32, 34) and the Tocher Residence (p. 33) were photographed by Shawn Talbot.
In our spring Niche Tommie gold winner pictorial on p. 9, a photo of Tutt Place by Phillip MacDonald Architect Inc. was mistakenly used instead of Glen Valley Unit 8 by Architecturally Distinct Solutions Inc. as winner of Excellence in Creating Affordable Housing.
NICHE6
frOM ChbA-CO
The “Real” Home Show was held at the Kelowna Curling Club at the end of March. We had the best year in re-cent history with attendance more than double what it was last year. Attendees were keen and motivated on moving forward with home renovations, products, services and home building ideas!
Our membership also saw increased activity this spring as we looked forward to a busy summer.The Canadian Home Builders’ Association of the Central Okanagan represents single and multi-family builders, renovators, land devel-
opers, trades, suppliers, and professional companies involved in the residential construction industry. The strong membership provides the Central Okanagan and area with housing and communities that are professionally planned and built with integrity and quality. Each year, our Tommie awards showcase our members’ continued commitment towards building excellence.
I would like to personally thank our strong, active board of directors who lend their expertise and dedicate their time to ensure the suc-cess of the Association and the residential construction industry. We continue to work with our municipal, provincial and federal bodies on behalf of our industry and our membership. Stay tuned to our website for upcoming industry training, events and information at chbaco.com.
ROB VOROS PRESIDENT, CHBA-CO N
PastProgress, FUTUREFORWARD
Don’t just lock it...
it.
Can You Remotely Manage the Security
of Your Home & Business?
Don’t just lock it...
it.
www.wilsoncustombuilders.ca
mobile: 250-869-7125
Exploring Dreams, Solving Puzzles . . .
NICHE 7
ExPErTS
qUESTIONSforhomePROFESSIONALSq:How does correct screening enhance our Okanagan love affair with the
outdoors?
A:Okanaganites love the outdoors, even to inviting it into our homes.That’s possible with appropriate screening. In choosing the correct screens, you first of all need to figure out what you want to screen off and what your purpose is. There are products for sun screening, wind block, keeping bugs out and allowing air flow, or a combination of all these. Entry doors are usually equipped with our retractable, transparent Phantom door with insect mesh that simply slips out of sight when not in use. You can select screens to add privacy, improve daylight and give solar heat control. An executive screen can be used on a deck area up to 25 feet wide and 16 feet high, or custom-sized. Many Okanagan homeowners use these because
they block up to 90 per cent of UV rays. Clearly, proper screens help us enjoy the Okanagan outdoors while protecting us from the harsher elements of sun, wind and insects. The right screens preserve the look and design of doorways and windows. Appropriate screens make us forget they are even there and allow us to enjoy all the beauty of the outdoors in a protected place.
BY DOROTHY BROTHERTON
Levon SymondS Phantom Screens
2343 Dominion RoadWest Kelowna, BC V1Z 2Y4
250 769-8528
NICHE8
q:How do design elements enable Okanagan homeowners to enjoy this location?
A:With Okanagan prime locations, homeowners want designs to take full advantage of views, energy savings, and the indoor/outdoor life.
Open-air construction is becoming more desired, with entire walls opening up with doors and windows. Okanagan homeowners want homes designed with low plane roof lines and large overhangs to protect from sun; they want energy efficiency to cope with our extreme climate changes; they want wind and air flow that is natural.
The indoor/outdoor lifestyle is becoming more and more important. More people are into entertaining at home rather than going out. People want a home designed so that it is comfortable to spend a lot of time there.
Homes can be positioned to take advantage of views and sunlight. We can determine where sunlight hits at every given time of year, to site the home best for energy efficiency. Homes should be designed to complement the building block they sit on, such as a hillside or a slope. Most remaining building lots in the Okanagan are on steep slopes, and homes should fit into the hillside. The more you can use the land as it is, with less excavation, the more cost savings for the project.
Kim LarSen All Elements: Design, Manage, build
Custom Home BuildersBuilding in Kelowna Since 1986
Residential & CommercialAdditions
Design ServiceAward Winning Builder
P: 250-762-0864 C: 250-862-1351
homeprofessionals
ExPErTS continued from page 7
NICHE 9homeprofessionals.
Canada’s most interactive kitchen & bath showrooms.With hundreds of products, one on one appointments and the latest trends.
Try me, feel me, turn me on...before you take me home.
Kelowna • 250-860-43662288 Hunter Road
Kamloops • 250-374-8721982 Camosun Crescent
Visit Us www.upgradeyourlifestyle.ca
Featuring the NewGrohe EUROCUBEVery Square
Very Cool
Enjoy Grohe's "Cube" Lines.
Available in 3 distinct faucets, tub �ller, tub spouts,
shower arm, shower valves and accessories
....all featuring true square design.
q:What are the product trends that homeowners desire in order to augment the indoor/outdoor lifestyle?
A:Homeowners have great options this year regardless of outdoor space size. Renters too can beautify their homes with great containers that can move with them.
In planters, we see a consumer trend towards statement pieces in materials such as plastic or resin as well as traditional stone and glazed ceramics. Look for large, low, rectangular planters or tall elegant urns with simple clean lines and great textures. Planted with ornamental grasses and colourful flowers, these planters add instant wow factor.
Vibrant pinks and tangerines are hot colours for 2012, with Calibrachoa hybrids such as Superbells Cherry Star® and Superbells Coralberry Punch® as visually striking. Rich browns, warm reds and modern glossy black containers create high impact with these bright annuals.
Watch for ceramics in soft bluish grays with a hint of classical detailing. The fragrant dwarf Bloomerang Lilac® will compliment these timeless pieces all season and can be transplanted into the ground late fall. N
ExPErTS continued from page 7
Jennifer StricKLand bylands Garden Centre
NICHE10
EX TRAORD INARY �W INDOW � FASH I ONS
EX TRAORD INARY �W INDOW � FASH I ONS
RebateManufacturer’s
There’s no substitution for true beauty.Hunter Douglas is your first choice for style and innovation. Don’t settle for anything less than our truly distinctive designs.
From May 1st to August 31st, 2012, ask us how you can receive a Hunter Douglas Manufacturer’s Rebate.
Scan with your smartphone
to view video.
Up to 50% of a home's heating and cooling energyis lost through its windows.
With the ‘honeycomb-within-a-honeycomb’ construction andthree insulating air pockets, Duette® Architella® honeycomb shadesincrease energy efficiency.
Visit a participating dealer from January 1st to April 30th 2012for more information about the Hunter Douglas EnergySmartManufacturer’s Rebate.
EX TRAORD INARY WINDOW FASH I ONS
Duette® Architella® Honeycomb ShadesInside. And out.
Smart. And beautiful.
Manufacturer’sRebate
Hunter DouglasEnergySmart
Scan with asmartphoneto view video.
THE WELL DRESSED WINDOWKelowna, [email protected]
BC BLINDS-IN-MOTIONKamloops, BC250-318-5336www.bcblindsinmotion.ca
EXPRESS YOURSELF INTERIORSKelowna, BC250-764-0445 & [email protected]
KARA COUPLAND INTERIOR DESIGNKamloops, [email protected]
NICHE 11
homeFRONT
The REAL Home Show 2012 ran March 30 until April 1. Organized by CHBA-CO, this show carried on a long tradition of excellence, and with attendance numbers nearly doubling last year, it was
a great success. This is also a good indication that consumers are more interested in projects around the home ranging from minor upgrades to full-on renovations.
Our exhibitors really made the show a success, elevating their displays to levels not seen in previ-ous years! In addition, the FortisBC main stage area was a remarkable display of modern kitchen living and energy-efficiency innovations. This was all made possible by a long list of sponsors and local businesses whom supplied their time and efforts.
The live kitchen area featured cooking demos all weekend by local chefs such as Michael Lyon, Willi Franz, Sandrine Martine, Stuart Klassen and Ricardo Scebbe. With culinary creations such as Butter Chicken and Spaghetti alla Puttanesca, the aromas were fantastic!
CHBA-CO held a raffle for a weekend getaway for two to Las Vegas, Border Plumbing, Heating and Air gave away a $6,000 high-efficiency furnace upgrade package, and Coast Wholesale Appliances held a contest for a $3,500 Electrolux steam clothes washer and dryer. We are looking forward to next year; preparations are already underway for the REAL Home Show 2013! You can expect the same high calibre show but with a twist to take it to the next level!
Thank you to our sponsors: Fortis, Okanagan College, Norelco Cabinet Solutions, Savour Magazine, Designing with Light and Supply, Okanagan Hardwood Flooring, Starwatch Audio Video, Tailored Living, Momentum Interiors, Floform Countertops, Border Plumbing, Heating and Air, Coast Wholesale Appliances, Norelco Cabinet Solutions, Discovery Glass & Aluminum.
~ ROB SIDDON, REAL HOME SHOW CHAIRMAN
CHBA-CO Home Show Doubles Attendance
Okanagan-Shuswap Housing Market Remains Steady
The Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board (OMREB) reported April 2012 sales activity of all MLS® property types were up compared to the same month last year and have improved over the first
four months of 2011, as the housing market remains steady and continues to see modest gains.“Okanagan-Shuswap home sales saw gradual improvement during April,” says Rob Shaw, an
active REALTOR® in the North Zone and OMREB president. “We continue to see up and down fluctuations in each Zone as there are a lot of dynamics in our area - depending on the community, housing type and price point.”
Shaw notes, “In the Central Okanagan, it is encouraging to see a 26% rise in the number of lots sold year-to-date compared to the first four months in 2011. The bump-up indicates that builders and developers are purchasing land in our Board area, and more lots are being listed and added to the inventory.”
Overall sales in the Central Zone for April rose 5.3% to 341 units compared to 324 in April 2011, while sales volumes improved 17.0% at $140.9 million compared to $120.6 million. Total residential sales for April were up 8.1% to 321 units compared to 297 sold last year, and improved 1.9% over 315 in March. Single family home sales (179 units) jumped 11.9% compared to last April (160) - a 7.2% improvement over last month (167 in March). Lot sales year-to-date were up by 26.3% to 48 ($10.4 million) compared to 38 in 2011 ($7.7 million). Inventory for the month rose 2.3% over 2011 (to 4,943 units from 4,834), and the 1,044 new listings added were up 1.4% from the 1,030 last year at this time.
~ OKANAGAN MAINLINE REAL ESTATE BOARD
N
NICHE12
MULTI-TALENTEDBUILDERANDCOMPANY CREATEhigh-enddream
homesANDMORE
fEATUrE
BY DEANNA MERRICK
NICHE 13
MULTI-TALENTEDBUILDERANDCOMPANY CREATEhigh-enddream
homesANDMORE
fEATUrE
NICHE 13
“We want to build heirlooms that become family treasures.”
A truly prolific builder, Michael Twack, owner of Square Root Contracting, has undertaken everything from small renovations to
commanding multi-million dollar dream homes. He has also construct-ed several commercial properties and a well-known award-winning resi-dence at Big White Ski Resort. Combine a holistic approach with a fine attention to detail, and you have Twack’s philosophy of homebuilding.
Twack grew up in the Okanagan, left for a long time, then relocated back to Kelowna a few years ago. His energy and passion are evident from the way he describes his business with great care and pride.
“I’ve been building homes for 32 years. I came back because the market for my type of talent was starting to pick up. Square Root Contracting builds custom homes, spec homes...mostly high-end stuff,” he says. “We work with classic heritage concepts, some beautiful con-temporary homes, and lots of European touches.”
Twack is an ardent follower of architecture, his greatest hobby. You’ll find dozens of internationally-inspired influences in his creations, designed to withstand the tests of time. He is very conscientious of quality as he notes, “That is what my reputation is built on.”
Technically-Challenging, Timeless ResidencesMany of the homes Square Root builds are what Twack calls “com-
plicated,” with a great number of technical challenges that he tackles with relish. During one renovation, the entire home was picked up and re-established on the foundation. As he explains, it can sometimes take a lot more skill to renovate than to build from scratch.
“I like to turn little homes into small treasures,” says Twack. “My team and I have dealt with some older homes, some a hundred years old. It makes things a little more interesting,” he says. “Square Root is a cost-effective company that has been re-using materials in our sites for 30 years, like any green builder.”
Twack has high expectations for Square Root and the projects the company undertakes, which translates into homes that can last hun-dreds of years.
“We want to build heirlooms that become family treasures,” he explains.
And so he has with his own home, built in the French Chateau style with a travertine exterior, limestone floors and concrete window sills. The 6,500 square-foot home invokes a timeless elegance, a sense of quality and fine living. It comes complete with a separate coach house and four-car garage. One of the garage bays opens on both ends,
NICHE14
making it ideal for bringing through a boat. This home hasn’t compromised comfort in the pursuit of elegance.
It is designed with a family in mind, including five bedrooms, a den, an office, a well-stocked media room and family room.
“This house will never wear out. The roof will last 600 years. There is little or no outside maintenance and I expect the house could last 500 years.”
Talented Tradespeople and TransparencyTo build these masterful homes, Twack has carefully cultivated a
group of tradespeople who share his vision and dedication. “At Square Root Contracting, one of the most important things
is our stable of sub-trades. The tradespeople are working directly for me and I work with people who respect harmony and quality. In some cases the speed of technical demand is growing faster than the sub-trades can respond to and that can be a challenge. We train and apprentice our own carpenters and they are very much appreciated.”
Transparency and clarity are top priorities for Square Root. The company employs a chartered accountant, and estimations are handled with great attention to detail so potential clients have as much information as possible when starting a project.
New Moulding and Millwork Business Acquired Twack’s most recent venture transpired when he became an owner
of Kettle Valley Moulding and Millwork. He says the business is a good fit with his home building. The company specialize in floor trims, ceiling trims, window trims, door trims, wall trims and panels. They offer one of B.C.’s most extensive selections of moulding and paneling, ranging from sleekly modern to traditional styles. Kettle Valley Moulding and Millwork also creates distinctive staircases and rails, with both custom and pre-made packages.
The company has one of the valley’s most knowledgeable custom wood teams. Their skilled artisans can create millwork components for any client from wineries to hospitals to unique residential proper-ties. Twack sees Kettle Valley Moulding and Millwork as a natural extension to Square Root Contracting, enabling him to offer his clients even more hands-on expertise.
Award-Winning and AwesomeTwack has won local, provincial and national building awards,
and it is easy to see why. One of Square Root’s recent projects, which took 14 months to complete, is a stunning 9,800 square foot home built into a cliff in Diamond View Estates in West Kelowna. The home was designed locally by Carl Scholl, in a West Coast hybrid style. The vast windows overlook those sumptuous views of Okanagan Lake for which the area is famous. Another example of Square Root handiwork is a beautiful contemporary home built on a ridge overlooking the course of The Harvest Golf Club, vineyards, orchards and the waterfront.
Whether it is a magnificent log home, a cycle shop or a complete renovation of a small home, Michael Twack believes in building his client’s dreams. Mostly, he wants to be remembered simply as a person who is true to his craft.
PHoTos couRTEsy of squARE RooT conTRAcTing
N
NICHE14
NICHE 15
magazines engage consumers like noTHing else.
With augmented reality, 3D images, audio/video capability and much more, magazine advertising has the power to capture attention like never before.
NICHE16
and Renos Presents
250●862●2801
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Packages include: ● AModernorTraditionalLook ● Demolition&Removal ● AllnewPlumbing&Fixtures ● Tub/ShowerTile ● NewSub-floor&LinoorTileFlooring ● LaminateCountertop ● Vanity–exceptBronze ● GlassPivotDoor–Platinum ● Paint&Baseboards
Complete Bathroom renewal paCkages
urbanclassiccabinetry.com
Fixed Price – Complete BronzePackage $5,795 SilverPackage $6,995 GoldPackage $8,995 PlatinumPackage $14,995 (Tub to Shower)
250●862●2801
Some Restrictions May Apply Call for more details and a Free in home consultation
and Renos Presents
pulsegroup.caShowroom at McCurdy Corner in Kelowna
[email protected] www.SYNlawn.ca
Synthetic grass solutions• Putting greens• Front & back yards• Pet & pool areas• High traffic areas
NICHE 17
in this innovation, he pointed out. “It’s been a whirlwind and we are thrilled with the response.”
Zachary and staff toiled for about three years to build prototypes, gather data, get CSA certification and patent the technology.
The invention was inspired by energy-related events in Zachary’s life. The subject of energy costs and the idea of peak demand
surfaced in a breakfast 2008 with the chair of Fortis.Only a week later the substation in Summerland blew, leaving
residents cut off from power on an extremely cold December day.This definitely affected Zachary, who admitted, “I’m a bit of an
energy hog.” His energy charges were going through the roof sup-porting gas and heat, energy-consuming appliances such as a rack of servers, hot tub and in-floor heating. When the power failed, his servers crashed and he couldn’t do a thing so he purchased an efficient heat pump and a back-up generator using natural gas to continue to run his electrical and furnace during outages. Looking at the two systems side-by-side, the idea of melding them evolved. He followed entrepreneurial instincts and designed the prototype when his research revealed it hadn’t been done.
At the January launch of Revolution, McIntosh acknowledged the support from the District, Accelerate Okanagan, government, utilities, and Summerland’s Ian McIntosh and family who served as home test site. A not-for-profit group aimed at helping technology-based organizations start and grow in the Okanagan and supportive from the outset, Accelerate Okanagan recognized ElectroMotion in its top 10 businesses in its Jump:Start:Challenge.
Mayor Janice Perrino indicated Summerland’s “interest in joining the community demonstration project. Besides energy conserva-tion, the potential of decreased utilities costs for residents and the District and reduced greenhouse gas emission, the fact that ElectroMotion is local is exciting. As well as the economic impact of a growing business and creation of jobs locally, it’s an opportunity to showcase Summerland, British Columbia and Canada as a leader in alternative power generation and combined heat/technology sources.”
McIntosh joked that becoming a test home was a no-brainer because energy costs were skyrocketing and his shower was always cold because of sharing a house with his wife and two teenagers. “Now we keep the house warmer, there’s lots of hot water and there’s potential of selling power back to the grid,” he said.
BY ROSLYNE BuCHANAN
ECO-LIfE
ELECTROMOTION’Srevolution
MAYHAVEYOUSINGINGABOUTSAVINGS
N
saving money on utilities strikes a sweet note, whatever song you sing about the environment.Launched in January by Summerland-based ElectroMotion
Energy Corporation, the Revolution is a combined heat and power (CHP) technology that can be used for home, housing develop-ments, offices and more. The Revolution combines hot water heating, space heating, air conditioning and back-up electricity into one unit, making it possible for energy to be shared between the different systems.
As a result, the Revolution increases efficiency, trims energy costs by as much as two-thirds and reduces greenhouse emissions. This is one Revolution in which many of us would like to participate - un-like the revolution in the Beatles’ tune in which the lyrics say, You can count me out.
Electromotion’s Revolution reduces energy demand during key peak periods because it provides on-site power generation, a feature attractive to communities as they face ever-increasing utility costs and challenges in meeting peak demands.
Company president Jai Zachary said, “Within the first six weeks of the unveiling of our Revolution unit, we have had hundreds of people from around the globe express their interest in purchasing a Revolution or investing in ElectroMotion. We are building 100 Revolution units to fulfill the first orders, and are working with the Northwest Territories on a pilot program. We are also installing a second-generation prototype test unit at the Canadian Centre for Housing Technology in Ottawa.”
Government officials, utilities companies, homeowners, build-ers, developers and manufacturers have shown significant interest
The January launch of Revolution in Summerland
PHoTo couRTEsy of ElEcTRoMoTion
PHoTo by RoslynE bucHAnAn
NICHE18
SPECIALIST
PERSONALandPROFESSIONAL:howtoMAKEOVER
AbathroomBY DONA STuRMANIS
bathroom renovation can often be a bewildering situation for a home owner. There are many questions: Exactly what do you
want to change, improve and add? Where do you start? How much does it cost? And finally...are you going to do it yourself, and if not, who do you go to?
NICHE 19specialist
Most people don’t intend transforming their bathrooms into resort-level private spas. usually, their needs are more basic.
“Probably the most frequent question I get is, ‘How can we get more storage in this bathroom?’” says Larry Cresswell, owner of Kelowna’s urban Classic Cabinetry and Design, Inc.. “Sometimes you can’t, but often a little reconfiguration and some creative place-ment of cabinetry can increase the capacity.”
In fact, efficient, custom-designed storage and cabinetry is a spe-cialty of urban Classic in bathrooms and other rooms as well.
Cresswell doesn’t just add storage to bathrooms, but other up-dated features as part of his makeovers.
“A tub to walk-in shower conversion is very popular. People also want heated tile flooring, motion sensing and indirect lighting.”
Cresswell says a must in bathroom upgrading is to add an exhaust fan with a humidity sensor. “It keeps humidity, rot and mould in check,” he says.
urban Classic takes the bewilderment factor out of the bathroom renovation process for clients. Cresswell offers packages in several different configurations and price levels.
“The packages are based around the typical family bathroom or en suite that need repair do to water damage or just updating,” he says. “To save the customer time and effort, we contracted an interior designer to pre-select plumbing fixtures, flooring and tile combinations at four different price levels. At each price tier, you have the choice of a modern or traditional look as well as different color schemes. However, if the package doesn’t suit your bathroom or needs, a fully-customized solution will be provided.”
The urban Classic bathroom renovation packages include sink and faucet, toilet, tub or shower and trim. Based on the price level, either linoleum or tile flooring are offered, as well as vanities and countertops. Optional items are always available.
The higher priced modern-look packages feature Riobel faucets (“beautifully sculpted pieces of hardware”) and shower trim, as well as some very attractive one-piece toilets.
A Hands-On Approach To begin the process, Cresswell visits a client’s home, performs
a thorough inspection to ensure the bathroom is sound, and then
determines which packages are applicable. He then sits down with the home owner to select the right package, including details such as flooring, tile and colours. “Generally, a firm quote can be given on the spot,” he says.
“He’s a friendly guy, very knowledgeable. He worked very closely with my wife and became part of the family,” says Mark Steen, who contracted Cresswell to renovate two bathrooms and a kitchen.
The 3-D modeling design software that urban Class uses exten-sively for kitchen renovations and cabinetry design can be used for a bathroom renovation if required.
One challenge Cresswell encounters during a bathroom renova-tion is mould, and precaution is taken during the process. “If you can see water damage, there is usually mould behind it.”
“The six- to ten-year-old bathrooms have more water damage, rot and mould than the 30-40 year old bathrooms,” says Cresswell. “Our goal is that the next time you renovate your bathroom, it will be because it’s aesthetically out of date, not because of decay.”
Clients really appreciate Cresswell’s personal and professional approach to jobs.
Judy Stringer had two bathrooms made over and a kitchen cre-ated by urban Cabinetry. “Larry’s very easy to work with and has a good sense of humour,” she says. “He was always punctual. I was very pleased.”
“I told him what we wanted,” says Vera Blazek who contracted Cresswell to create cabinets for one of her bathrooms. “He knows how it’s going to look in the end. He comes over and looks, discusses what we need, makes sketches, gives an estimate and goes into detail.”
Blazek previously hired urban Cabinetry to put shelving and a closet system in the garage and a pantry in the kitchen. “He’s the kind of person you can give a key to and leave. Absolutely profes-sional, honest with prompt delivery.”
Blazek is hiring Cresswell and his company to work on a second bathroom. There are clearly reasons why she keeps contracting urban Classic again and again. Why wouldn’t she?
uRBANCLASSICCABINETRY.COM
PHoTos couRTEsy of uRbAn clAssic cAbinETRy
Vera blazek’s bathroom before (above) and after (right)
N
NICHE201-1698 Cary Road, Kelowna, BC
www.starwatchav.com
AUDIO VIDEO
Home AutomationHome TheaterDistributed AudioStructured WiringPhone SystemsCCTV Cameras
Gate SystemsCommercial Systems
Access ControlLighting Control
Satellite SystemsIntercom
250-717-0022
NICHE 21
HomeTheatreHaven:THEBESTOFCOMFORT,SOUNDANDLIGHTBY ROBERT FARR
in addition to having a large screen, dramatic lighting, the best possible sound, and seating for all your friends, a home theatre should be designed to boast all the latest electronic goodies to please your senses. From the moment you step
into a home theatre, you are immediately drawn into the whole movie experience. You want the smell of the freshly buttered popcorn, comfy seating with plenty of space, a large screen, and of course, the ability to pause the movie if you need to get that cold beverage refill. When a home theatre is designed, comfort is king. There is an exact science devel-oped to help maximize comfort for you and your audience: seating, sound, and lighting.
Home theatre seating is a critical element for comfort. D-Box motion control chairs, which perfectly synchronize all on-screen action, bring you right into the movie, creating an unmatched realistic immersive experience. Not only do the chairs provide an unparalleled motion effect, but they add an entirely new dimension to your home theatre. A touch panel control built into the seating chairs makes it easy to control. Without having to get up, you can simply touch the built-in screen to bring to life the motion chairs, but also to turn lights on and off, stop the movie, and even open your motorized theatre screen curtain. Now, if it only served you popcorn, too?
Your home theatre’s success is dependent on the quality of its audio components. They usually include front speakers, centre speak-ers, side surrounds, back surrounds, and subwoofers. These are all acoustically engineered to make the room sound as best as it can be. Strategically aligning these speakers around your audience will make all the difference, especially when the speakers are secretly hidden behind fabric. This creates an even more cinematic experience for your guests as they cannot see where the sound is coming from.
When it comes to lighting your home theatre, it is a good idea to involve a lighting designer. The style of lighting fixtures, bulbs, and positioning can all have dramatic effects. Having enough light for your guests to excuse them-selves or see their snacks will ensure fewer movie distractions and spills. When lighting your home theatre, you want to achieve a balance between what is best for you and what is best for the system.
Your imagination, budget, and the space available are the only limits when it comes to designing and creating your home theatre. With so many options available, you can definitely immerse yourself in a total movie experience without leaving the comfort of your own home.
NICHE22
HOMETHEATRE&GAMING:
coolgadgets
hometech
FlexLEDLampsfromStandardLightingFlexLED lamps begin to demonstrate their savings immediately. They consume up to 84%
less energy than their halogen equivalents and last 20 times longer, requiring fewer replace-ments and consequently reducing maintenance costs by up to 95%. Colour and brightness are identical, making for a seamless transition. FlexLEDs are also dimmable with a regular dimmer switch.
One lED equals 20 regular bulbs
NilesOutdoorWeatherproofLandscapeSpeakersandIn-groundSubwoofer
The new Niles weatherproof GS Garden Speaker and In-Ground Subwoofer deliver supe-rior audio fidelity for all outdoor applications.
The GS4 loudspeaker features a 4” mineral-filled polypropylene woofer for long-lasting performance with rich, deep sound and a 1” Teteron® tweeter with ultra-wide dispersion to maximize the sound quality in outdoor environments.
The Niles GSS10 10” In-Ground Subwoofer is designed to bring deep, rich bass to the outdoors from an enclosure that disappears into the landscaping. Featuring a completely paintable port tube that rises out of the ground to disperse the sound, the GSS10 can remain totally hidden from view while providing the powerful bass of a subwoofer.
LGBlastChillerFridge
Want your favorite bever-age cold and frosty in under five minutes? LG has just launched the arrival of the new Blast Chiller, which claims to do just that!
The Blast Chiller drawer will fit up to two 12 oz cans, or a bottle of wine, which can be dropped down to “ice cold” in about eight minutes. It normally takes about 40 minutes to cool a can of beer or soda to a delicious temperature. LG has certainly reduced the duration of this oh-so-painful period of waiting for a cold drink!
1-800-BUY-HIFI – www.nilesaudio.com©2011 The AVC Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Niles, the Niles logo, Twist & Lock, and Blending High Fidelity and Architecture are registered trademarks of The AVC Group, LLC. MicroThin is a trademark of The AVC Group, LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. We reserve the right to change features, descriptions, and/or specifications at any time without notice. CS0323A
GARDEN SATELLITE LOUDSPEAKER
GS44” Satellite Loudspeaker
Packaged in pairs Stock Number
FG01667
FEATURES
■ Custom designed, UV-resistant acoustic enclosure
■ 4” Mineral-Filled Polypropylene Woofer for long-lasting performance with deep, rich sound
■ 1” Teteron® tweeter with ultra-wide dispersion to maximize the sound quality in an outdoor environment
■ Dual mounting options (included): stake mounted for in-ground use, wall-mount bracket to attach against any flat surface
■ Weatherproof design assures reliable performance outdoors
■ UV-Resistant connection cables with waterproof wire-nuts to ensure trouble free, long-lasting connections
SPECIFICATIONS
■ 1” Wide Dispersion Soft Dome
■ Woofer: 4” Mineral-Filled Polypropylene
■ Recommended Amplifier Power: 10-110 watts
■ Frequency Response: 70Hz to 21kHz +/- 3dB
■ Temperature Extremes: 15° to 160° Fahrenheit (-25° to 70° Celsius)
DIMENSIONS
■ Product Dimensions: 10-3/4” H x 5-1/2” W x 9” D (27.3 cm x 14 cm x 22.9 cm)
■ Product Weight: 4lbs (1.8 kg)
1-800-BUY-HIFI – www.nilesaudio.com©2011 The AVC Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Niles, the Niles logo and Blending High Fidelity and Architecture are registered trademarks of The AVC Group, LLC. MicroThin is a trademark of The AVC Group, LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. We reserve the right to change features, descriptions, and/or specifications at any time without notice. CS0324A
GARDEN SATELLITE LOUDSPEAKER
GSS10Garden In-Ground Subwoofer
Packaged individually Stock Number
FG01668
SPECIFICATIONS
■ Woofer: 10” Mineral-Filled Polypropylene
■ Recommended Amplifier Power: 50-500 watts
■ Frequency Response: 25 Hz to 110 Hz
■ Product Weight: 25 lbs (11.4 kg)
■ Recommended Burial Depth: 16-18” (40-45 cm)
■ Max SPL: 110dB
■ Impedance: 8 ohm nominal, 6 ohm minimum
■ Temperature Extremes: 15F to 160F (-25C to 70C)
Width of approximately 14” (36 cm)
Length of approximately 30” (76 cm).
Depth should bebetween 16 - 18”
(40 – 45 cm)
IN-GROUND INSTALLATION DETAIL
N
PHoTos couRTEsy of sTARwATcH Audio VidEo
NICHE 23
OutdOOr Furniture
1659Cary rD.
1650 CARY RD. • 250.860.2266Kelowna, BC (Off Enterprise Way)[email protected]
Sand FilterS
18” $431 $265
22” $614 $390
27” $699 $485
Salt WaterPuriFierS
FROM$749
Enjoy the best water quality with theleast amount of maintenance
HaYWard 250,000 BtuGaS Heater
$1999REG. $3013
#H
25
01Green
Heat!
Turn your backyard into a personal oasis!Crazy prices!
taBle & 6 CHairS~ Granite top available
in 3 colorMatching sofa,
coffee table, end tables & chaise lounge
available.
was $4,599$1,899
LIMITED TIME OFFERdiamOnd BuBBle SOlar BlanketS
14.6% increased heat over round bubble blankets. Heaviest blanket with 10 year warranty.
12’ round $72 $4895
16’ round $161 $7900
12x24 $186 $9999
14x28 $252 $12999
18x36 $416 $22999
20x40 $549 $24999
SAVE MORE ON
DISCONTINUED PRODUCT
Sale prices end May 30/2011
PAIL
aqua SuPer PuCkS
6 kg.
$3999
Pool Chemicals
PAIL
SHOCk
$3999
SPaS
2 pumps, waterfall,foot jets $3999stARtInG
FROM
$429$899 $299
REG.$709
REG. $1699
starting at
HaYWard POOl PumP
LIMITEDTIMEOFFER
220 Volt
LIMITEDQUANTITIES
up to
50%Off
LIMITEDQUANTITIES
HaYWard POOl rOBOt
POOl autO VaC
NICHE24
FRAMEcustomhomes
BY ALBERT BERKSHIRE
fEATUrE
PHo
To b
y s
HA
wn
TA
lbo
T
NICHE 25
fEATUrE
it’s a quiet conversation. But it’s usually like this with Bill. He’s a soft-spoken person.Bill Frame is standing in my kitchen, leaning against the coun-
tertop on the island. He’s thinking. He didn’t build my home, or renovate it. But on both counts, I wish he had. I know a lot of people in Kelowna who feel the same way. He builds a beautiful home.
But today, he’s not here to talk about building a home. He’s here to talk about building homes. And he’s passionate about it. You can see it in his face.
Bill isn’t one of those guys who is going to sell himself to you. He doesn’t need to do business that way. His work speaks for itself. The pile of Tommie Awards - recognizing excellence in home building in the Okanagan Valley - speak on behalf of his work. And really, it’s not Bill’s style. Even getting him to sit down for an interview is a challenge. He’s too focused on his work. Talking about his work is normally the job of his marketing people, but today, he agreed.
Building custom homes is a labour of love. Bill takes a lot of pride in his work. The finishing in his homes I’ve seen displays it perfectly. There’s an attention to detail with his work that stands out. And his customers see it. They, too, take a lot of pride in their homes.
One of the challenges that Bill faces, as he points out, is that be-cause he has won a number of awards (he’s reluctant to go into detail, but I do know the count is 34 Tommie Gold and Silver awards since 2008), people assume he only builds multi-million dollar homes. It’s not the case. He’ll build just about anything, because it isn’t all about size, or cost; it’s about the quality of design, materials, and work-manship. Does he want to build the 20 million dollar mansion on the lake? Of course…what builder doesn’t want a job like that? But for Bill, he’s primarily focused on the needs of his core customers - those
NICHE 25
NICHE26
many customers who are more concerned with the level of detail - the extras - that they want in their homes push up their value. But he quickly admits, with a broad smile, that those extras can make a beauti-ful new home, very nice and comfortable to live in, to entertain in, and for most of his customers, to celebrate family events. After all, he is building to fit their lifestyle.
After seeing the smile come across his face, I press Bill on the extras. He tells me about the lights that come on and go off when you enter or exit a room, a hallway, or stairwell. In one home, for which he recently won a couple of Tommie Awards, the door from the garage to the house opened automatically when you approached it. Having dragged a lot of bags of groceries from my car into my house over the years, I immediately appreciate (and envy) that as a feature in a home. It seems simple to some, but an incredible addition that his customer brought to him. Bill obliged. That is his job, to give the customer not just what they want, but to exceed their expectations in the process.
It takes a little while, but Bill starts to warm up to the idea of talking about him-self, but still, it’s less about Bill Frame, and mostly about Bill Frame Custom Homes. His passion for home building is obvious. And the intricate details he remembers about his builds is interesting.
He goes on to tell me about the custom recording studio he built in a customer’s home on Tuscany Lane. In a quick aside, he mentions that every home on Tuscany Lane, in Kelowna’s upper Mission, is a Bill Frame Custom Home. But he immediately shifts back to the home. It was an interest-ing challenge. The recording studio needed a nine-inch sub floor for running wires and connectors, but the customer wanted the flooring flush with the rest of the lower level of the house, so they dug down an extra nine inches under the suspended slab garage to accommodate the design. It might seem like a simple thing to most people, and it might be run of the mill to others, but Bill is thrilled with the success of the work. More importantly, the client loves every techni-cal detail of the design as much as he does the finishing detail of the studio. It is his “Man Cave.” But this is Bill. He loves the
framecustomhomes
NICHE 27
challenges of the custom builds, and he encourages participation of the home owners. It’s all part of his hands-on approach.
Before moving on to more questions, I ask him quickly about the end result of the studio. He mentions that it won a Gold Tommie in the category Excellence in Creating a Custom Feature or Room, and then we get back to talking about homes. I’m interviewing him, but he’s guiding the conversation. Still, it’s all interesting, so I don’t interrupt. My questions can wait.
“We have six homes under construction right now between Penticton and Kelowna, and there’s one well underway on Tuscany Lane,” he comments. His stop here was enroute to Penticton, so since he has limited time for me, I take full advantage of the opportunity with rapid-fire questions and note taking.
What I come to learn in more detail about Bill Frame Custom Homes is that it is all Bill Frame. It always has been. His wife Paula is involved with the company, but he’s the face and name. It’s been that way since he started building homes here in 2006. Before Kelowna he was working up north. That’s another interesting story, but that’s not the focus of today. And besides, Bill likes to look forward, not back. Now, in Kelowna, Bill has his dedicated tradespeople who work with him. He has loyal suppliers who he works with on most projects, a great residential designer and interior designer, but he is still very much a one-man show. This has come up a couple of times in the course of the conversation. He’s the customer’s point man. He’s your contact. He’s the driving force behind these amazing homes he has built - and is building. And he likes the role as much as his customers like him in that role.
framecustomhomes
PHo
To b
y s
HA
wn
TA
lbo
T
NICHE28 framecustomhomes
NICHE 29
About a year ago, he met with a couple who had seen his website and in their meeting they explained all the things they liked from different homes he had built, and then told him the key features they wanted to have in their home. Once they talked details, they only had one final question; if they choose Bill Frame Custom Homes, who would they be working with during the building process?” His answer was simply, “Me.” That sealed the deal. That’s what they wanted for customer service - to be working with Bill.
So what’s next for Bill Frame Custom Homes? What’s next for Bill Frame? Building homes that will last for genera-tions. His customers have all been focused on building a home that not only fits their lifestyle, but - and without sounding cliche´ - embodies the Okanagan Lifestyle. Outdoor living spaces matter. For many customers, pools, hot tubs, green space, and low maintenance landscaping are im-portant features. Inside, there is efficiency and convenience. High efficiency heating and cooling systems, electronic controls and security systems, and energy efficient options that make the homeowner’s life
f e a t u r i n g
Closet | Pantry | Home Office | wall beds | Garage
tailoredliving.com/kelowna(250) 452-9575
framecustomhomes
NICHE30
easier, and the monthly bills a little smaller. These are the things that Bill thinks about in the process of home building. But he also knows his customers are educated to these products. They are aware of the importance of quality over quantity. And that’s why they choose him. Or as his company slogan says, they tell him “what they want in a Bill Frame Signature Home.”
Bill’s cell phone rings. He takes a quick call.
“Gotta go!”And with that, he’s off to work. I didn’t
get a chance to ask him about being a hockey dad, or about his wife and business partner, Paula, who puts in time as a cross-ing guard for their kids’ school. I didn’t get a chance to ask him, formally, about their personal lives and how they even came to choose Kelowna as a home. But I get the impression they love it here. He smiles a lot, and that has to be a good sign.
That evening I emailed him a couple of follow up questions, and he responds at 5:30 a.m. That’s his life. He’s up early and on the go.
That’s Bill Frame.
HoME PHoTos couRTEsy of fRAME cusToM HoMEs
464 Adams Road, Kelowna, BC
● See our Stunning new Showroom
● Site finiShed & refiniShed wood flooring
● wide plank, ruStic woodS & cork flooring
● greenguard certified/eco-friendly
● reSidential, commercial & reStoration
● atomic duSt containment SyStemS
250.765.2610www.okanaganhardwoodfloors.com
framecustomhomes
NPH
oTo
by
sH
Aw
n T
Alb
oT
NICHE 31NICHE 1
* Tommie 2011 Home of the Year* Excellence in Kitchen Design Single Family Detached Home $750 - $1M* Excellence in Master Suite Design Single Family Detached Home $500K - $750K* Excellence in Kitchen Design Single Family Detached Home $1.5M - $2M* Excellence in Residential Renovations $75K - $150K* Excellence in Creating an Interior Feature/ Innovation in a Home* Excellence in Master Suite Design Single Family Detached Home $1M – $1.5M* Excellence in Master Suite Design Single Family Detached Home over $3M
truly extraordinary...
...no limits no boundaries
niche-2012-summer-3pgs.indd 1 5/28/2012 3:07:57 PM
NICHE32 NICHE2 home tech
The Morton ResidenceA FUNCTIONAL, WELCOMING FLOOR PLAN BY RAND ZACHARIAS
T he Morton kitchen designed by Hatch Interior Design and implemented by Cucina Del Re Cabinetry and Frame Custom Homes is a truly innovative design achievement, a culmination of the homeowner’s dream for open design,
symmetry, ease of use, practicality and comfort.Ideal for large gatherings, the Morton kitchen sets a standard of functionality and excellence for the traditional L-shaped kitchen. It
features wide aisles and a large centre island designed for easy, convenient work areas and a comfortable space to entertain friends and family.
A bonus to this innovative kitchen are two separate pantries -- a wet bar butler’s pantry and one for canned and dry food storage. Yet, everything is connected and at one’s fingertips, designed for ease whether preparing drinks, snacks or complete meals.
The spacious Morton kitchen opens to both the formal and family dining spaces and is also connected to the home’s outdoor living areas and the featured great room.
CREATING SPACEThis kitchen is outstanding in both functionality and size, but also reveals well-
planned design for practical storage. With its generous footprint, there is plenty of room for the professional appliances designed for use for both the casual cook and the serious chef.
The two pantries and large centre island eliminate unsightly countertop clutter. Their easy-sliding pot drawers, numerous side bars and exquisite display cabinets either showcase handsome serving and cookware, or keep them out of sight, but close at hand.
item listUpper Door Style: Shaker with inside Nova profile | Lower Door Style: Shaker with inside Nova profile (some with beadboard panel) | Wood Type: Paint Grade Maple / Maple (Island) | Lacquer: Benjamin Moore-OPALINE OC-33 | Stain: Omega #100-3694 | Pulls: AMEROCK #BP9365-ORB / #BP54001-ORB / #BP1588-ORB / #BP1589-ORB | Countertop: Hari Stone - Millennium Cream | Backsplash: Star, Butter Crackle / Andy Mosaic, Velvet Gloss Crackle | Flooring: Engineered White Oak, Custom Colour | Faucet: Delta 980T-SSSD-DST | Sink: Elkay ELUH3120R
niche-2012-summer-3pgs.indd 2 5/28/2012 3:08:00 PM
NICHE 33NICHE 3
CARE AND INNOVATION IN THE DETAILS The essential lifetime needs and desires of the homeowners were incorporated with stunning detail into this exquisitely planned
kitchen. Painted white, the solid maple cabinets brighten the kitchen and meet the 10-foot high ceiling with crowned mouldings. The contrasting central island, stained a warm, rich chocolate, has a thick three-inch granite countertop supported by large, custom-ized corbels. A crafted ceiling feature hanging from the ceiling enhances the whole kitchen. Wainscoting finishes the upper side bar cabinets with warming comfort. Crackle-glazed tiles with handmade ceramic tile inserts add finesse to the back splashes and the serving bar.
Other features of the sophisticated state-of-the-art Morton kitchen include deep stainless steel sinks with touch on/off faucets and wire-brushed oak floors featuring heated travertine inlay. Custom appliance panels by Cucina Del Re conceal many appliances blending them with the rest of the cabinets in the kitchen.
Display cabinets illuminate treasured items with LED lighting; spot and work light were provided by Hubbarton Forge Lighting.
THE MORTON HOME SOUND STUDIOThe Morton sound studio is the successful result of careful
planning, detailed research, innovative technology, and a col-laborative team approach.
The owner, who’s career spanned many years developing and running radio stations, offered the design and construc-tion team a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw from. The desk, designed by Hatch Interior Design with consulta-tion by Kelowna Soundscapes and executed by Cucina Del Re Cabinetry along with Frame Custom Homes, was a technologi-cal success. While removable panels, wire raceways, and the integration of equipment required much consideration, the reduction of potential vibrations within the desk was another challenge the team successfully realized.
To carefully balance the need for both sound reflection and absorption, the room shape was designed to resemble a cut diamond and a combination of flooring materials were applied. Additionally, custom perforated wood panels sup-plied locally by Geometrik Manufacturing and installed by Canadian Homewood resulted in acoustic control, allowing sound to pass via tiny perforations through to the insulated wall cavity behind.
trades and suppliersConstruction Frame Custom HomesArchitectural Design Mullins Drafting & DesignInterior Design Hatch Interior DesignCabinetry & Millwork Cucina Del Re CabinetryCountertops Absolut GraniteHardwood Flooring Okanagan Hardwood FlooringCarpet Flooring CanadaAppliances Coast Wholesale AppliancesBacksplash Small’s TileDecorative Lighting Robinson LightingPainters Walrod Painting and DecoratingStudio Sound Consultant Kelowna Soundscapes Interior Doors Everwood WoodworkingExterior Doors/Windows Grand Openings Windows & DoorsMechanical Quality Air Care Heating & Air Conditioning
niche-2012-summer-3pgs.indd 3 5/28/2012 3:08:06 PM
NICHE34
BY GAIA MuELLER
TRUEcoloursSUMMERLIVING:FROMASPIRATIONTOINSPIRATION
NICHE 35NICHE 35
Having recently moved to Kelowna, I understand that the meaning of
summer living has evolved drastically. In Calgary, summer is a daily four-hour occurrence in July and August, that sweet spot of the day between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. when the sun is at its height. Outdoor dinner parties still require jackets and you see as many outdoor swimming pools in Calgary as you see cowboy hats here. Summer living is an aspirational concept in Calgary.
The Okanagan is the place where these aspirations become reality. Here, we need to protect ourselves and our homes from summer’s intensity as much as we need to enjoy its length. Outdoor living here is as much about barbecues, swimming pools, and beaches as it is about uV-protection, outdoor furniture, and nature’s colours.
Sunscreen for your Deck: ArborcoatWith the snow gone from the deck and the sun exposing all, we
face one of our biggest summer anxieties: deck decay. Most of us have the best intentions when it comes to maintaining our decks, but often we take short cuts that can be harmful and expensive.
The best way to both enjoy your deck and save money is to use high-quality coatings that preserve the look and quality of your deck in the long term. Benjamin Moore’s Arborcoat is a revolution-ary new waterborne wood stain which minimizes maintenance and offers superior penetration and uV protection. It has been tested to outperform every alkyd stain on the market so it’s not only a savvy choice from a green perspective, but also from a performance perspective.
Don’t Leave Your Style at the DoorstepA friend once told me summer living was when you moved all
your furniture outside. A more cynical friend claimed it was a term invented by retailers to trick people into buying everything twice,
from dining sets to tableware. I say, Gone are the days when people dragged mismatched yard sale chairs onto a weathered deck and served generic meat on paper plates. Outdoor furniture and enter-taining are both stylish and sexy in the Okanagan, and your patio furniture is likely to be minimalist rather than kitsch, more durable and luxurious than ramshackle and rusty.
The advances in weather-resistant materials have made it un-necessary to compromise outside style, even to the extent that it is sometimes difficult to tell from looking at a piece whether it is meant for inside or outside. Sleek designs such as teardrop-shaped day beds, pod chairs, modular sitting, low tables and boldly-patterned pillows and rugs are the trend today. The best designs in outdoor furniture, as in architecture in general, are both warm and modern.
What Colour is Your Outdoor Room?For the sommelier, summer signals a transition from the comfort-
ing big bold reds of winter to light and aromatic whites. For the rest of us, it means liberation from the confines of our interior spaces. Whether we wish our deck to be a tranquil oasis or a source of inspi-ration and energy will determine our outdoor palette.
Trends for tranquil spaces: use the soft neutrals of the beach and the fiery oranges of the Okanagan sunset. Trends for inspirational spaces: seek bold colour catalysts like dreamy violets and invigorat-
ing greens. Colour both conveys and creates emotion: go online to benjaminmoore.ca or come into the store and let us help you create your outdoor mood.
Whatever your outdoor palette and however large and luxurious your deck, remember that the biggest trend is a responsible one: go green. Advances in paint, stain, and furniture manufacturing have given all of us the choice to buy sustainably. Seek zero and low VOC products to protect both yourself and your environment.
PHoTos couRTEsy of bEnJAMin MooRE (lEfT And fAcing PAgE) And ETHAn AllEn (AboVE)
ROBERT AND GAIA MuELLER ARE THE NEW OWNERS OF BENJAMIN MOORE KELOWNA. GAIA@
BENJAMINMOOREKELOWNA.COM
N
truecolours
NICHE36
SUSTAINABLEcustomhomesWINmultipleawards
BY DONA STuRMANIS
fEATUrE
NICHE 37
fEATUrE
NICHE 37
“In B.C. we do tend to build a unique design, West Coast, distinctly different from other provinces. Therefore, we have to think in a more innovative way since it is more challenging to incorporate the energy efficiency element.”
Eric and Vicki Gerrits are an unassuming, relaxed couple from Summerland who also happen to navigate Homescape Building and Design. Their custom
home building company has won an astounding number of awards locally, pro-vincially and nationally over the years.
In 2011, the recently-constructed Holler Residence received a national SAM award in the category of New Homes – Custom Homes, Single Detached over 4000 square feet; provincial Gold Georgie awards for Best Single Family Detached Home valued over $10 Million, Best New Kitchen over $100,000, Best unique Feature for the Holler wine cellar, and Best New Master Suite. At the regional Tommies, a Gold was received for Excellence in Kitchen Design, Single Family Detached Home over $3 Million.
Another project, the Lang Hodge Residence, received the Gold Tommie Fortis BC Award for Building Energy Efficiency and earned Homescape Built Green BC Builder of the Year.
In addition, Homescape was named Georgie Gold Custom Home Builder of the Year, and Tommie Gold winner of Single Family Home Builder of the Year – Small Volume.
Four times, the Gerrits’ firm has been awarded Gold Georgies as Custom Home Builder of the Year. Three times, they have won the national SAM Award for New Homes -- Custom Homes, Single Detached over 4000 square feet.
“Over the years we’ve won 21 gold Georgies and are number six on the leader board for all companies,” says Vicki.
With all of their projects and awards to date, she also admits Homescape has been going through a change for the last year.
“The last project is the final one on which we will have a big crew,” she says. “Eric and I want to slow down a bit and take projects in which we’re really interested. We want to do things differently. But it’s interesting. We made the mistake of telling people we were slowing down and people around the prov-ince and they thought we were retiring, which is not the case.”
“We were taking on maximum jobs, much of the time outside of home office, and to me became like work,” adds Eric. “I’d prefer to get back to where we were -- hands-on, working personally with the client, producing what we’re proud of. It’s what we enjoy.”
In fact, Vicki and Eric are looking forward to taking a holiday that does not revolve around “building” as she puts it. Much of their travel has also involved their active involvement with the Canadian Homebuilder’s Association, on regional, provincial and national levels.
“We just can’t say enough about the organization,” says Eric. “We joined in 1995. In CHBA, there’s the ability to meet other people in the industry, profes-sionalism and awards programs. It’s a phenomenal organization that’s played a huge part in building our business. We’ve both been very active, on various committees, in provincial president positions over the years.
“It’s taken time and work, volunteerism, but you get out of it what you put in. The pay back is well worth it, all three tiers from the local to the national.
The Holler Residence (right and facing page)
PHoTos of HollER REsidEncE ARE couRTEsy of MATTHEw HollER PHoTogRAPHy
NICHE38
We’ve had the entire organization at our disposal.” The Gerrits and Homescape are known over the years for building modern style, clean-
lined environmentally-friendly homes, most in the higher price range. Let’s just say their clients can afford what they want.
“We look for and like interacting with clients who fit with our system of building,” says Eric. “We’re green builders, fairly conscious of that. It’s something we enjoy, trying to make a house more efficient, also a far more comfortable, healthy home in that environment. Comfort level is an advantage in a new home.”
On Green Building“There is a fine line in the green building category,” says Vicki. “There are very simple
homes that are built for energy efficiency. But people want something more interesting in B.C.. People will not sacrifice a view, window space or back yard, so we have to build the whole package.” In other words, aesthetics are just as important as sustainable living to many home owners in our province.
“In B.C., we do tend to build a unique design, West Coast, distinctly different from other provinces. Therefore, we have to think in a more innovative way since it is more challenging to incorporate the energy efficiency element,” says Eric.
Kudos to Building Colleagues“The people who work and build with us are a large key to our success,” Eric continues.
“We’ve known each other over the years, and they understand what we’re doing.”“We’re lucky to have sub-trades that have been with us forever,” says Vicki. “For example,
on the Holler residence which has unique features, everything is done by local craftsmen and engineers. It says a lot about the people who work and live here in the Okanagan.”
Both the Gerrits say the Okanagan has been fantastic for them.“We’ve been able to build what we like and for really nice people,” says Vicki. Through
CHBA, we have friends all over the country from Victoria to the Maritimes. We’ve learned a lot, shared a lot. The building industry has been kind to us.”
“We’ve been through a few challenges,” says Eric, “but through it all, we keep feeling like we are moving in a forward direction.”
stylishhomeswinawards
N
The lang Hodge ResidencePHoTos by Vicki gERRiTs
NICHE 39
PrODUCT
BY DONA STuRMANIS
N
GREENINALLWAYS:
SYNLawnlooksnatural,saveswater
SUM
MER
A green lawn surrounding a home is very aestheti-cally appealing. The shocking news is that in most
homes across the country, 40-70% of household water consumption is used for outdoor irrigation, much of it just to keep the grass green. This an issue of particular concern in the Okanagan Valley, Canada’s only semi-arid desert, which has the lowest supply of water per person in Canada, yet consumes twice the average, according to Rene Bourgault de Coudray of SYNlawn, manufacturer of artificial lawn.
“From compiled data, the average person in the Okanagan uses 675 litres of water each day,” says de Coudray. “This is more than double what the average Canadian uses, which is 329 litres per day. Clearly the Okanagan average is high and has to be addressed when we have less water available to us than almost anywhere in Canada. With a growing population vulnerable to climate change, our economy and in particular, major industries such as agriculture and tourism depend on the health of our water resources.”
One solution to consider for water-hungry lawns is to replace them with SYNLawn. This natural-looking, man-made lawn will look good year round without maintenance, and requires no irrigation, eliminating up to 50% of water consumption of landscape designs that use natural gas.
Another environmentally-friendly feature of SYNLawn is that it is sustainably produced.
“Simply put, the composition of SYNLawn, instead of being made of a large portion of petroleum-based components typically used in the production of synthetic grass, utilizes soybean oil and recycled materials to further enhance material sustainability,” says de Coudray.
The result is enduring strength and stability.SYNLawn’s technologies help environmentally-conscious builders
and specifiers with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) project certification. using SYNLawn can contribute LEED points in the areas of water-efficient landscaping, recycled content, rapidly renewable material and innovation in design.
Myriad ApplicationsWater-free, natural-looking SYNLawn is ideal for lawns and land-
scapes, but for other purposes as well.Golf:”You can convert an area of your yard into a usable space for
everyone to enjoy for golf or a putting green,” says de Coudray. “Have fun teaching the kids, entertaining guests or brushing up on a short game for yourself.”
Children: SYNLawn is also ideal for a playground for the kids. “No more grass stains and allergies,” says de Coudray. “using a combina-tion of highly resilient nylon fibers in our grass products and dense recycled foam padding underneath, our playground system provides consistent safety protection that is CSA compliant.”
NICHE40
[ AWARD WINNING ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY ]ADVERTISING • ARCHITECTURAL • MARINE • TRAVEL
Pets: Furry friends benefit from this resilient, practical synthetic lawn as well. “The installed system is designed to drain any liquid such as snow melt, rain and urine quickly, leaving pets dry and clean. Typically a good rain fall keeps it clean enough, but you may need to flush with a hose depending on weather and animal traffic.” All the material will take the abuse from a pres-sure washer.
Leisure Spaces: You can also expand or enhance your patio, deck or even roof with SYNLawn. Around the pool, its texturized nylon material ensures a safe slip coefficient. Chlorine or salt water will not stain or discolour SYNLawn.
On top of all this, SYNLawn’s patented tech-nology reduces the impact of sun’s heat, causing rays to lower surface temperatures almost 20% compared with ordinary grass products during the hottest days of the year.
“SYNLawn is earth-friendly, water-friendly and pet-friendly,” says de Coudray. To check out more of SYNLawn’s benefits, visit synlawn.ca.
PHoTos couRTEsy of synlAwn
N
SUM
MER
product
NICHE 41
OUTSIDE
SUM
MER
BY RAND ZACHARIAS
it doesn’t matter what you call it -- a hot tub or a spa...today’s hydrotherapy designs
have come a long way.Some historians claim that certain eras
of humanity saw the benefits of hot water therapy as far back as 7,000 years. With the advent of soft and hard technology, today’s in-home spa has evolved significantly since the days when an Italian family with seven brothers surnamed Jacuzzi created a por-table water pump for an arthritic relative in the 1950s, ultimately selling their systems to hospitals and schools. It was a third generation Jacuzzi, named Roy, who created the popular “inset jet” hot tub in the 1970s whereby the family name became synony-mous around the world with the warm, bubbling comfort of hydrotherapy.
Across Canada and located in the Okanagan Valley, we have Gene Brown, owner of Kelowna’s Valley Pool & Spa, a certified Platinum Member of the Genesis 3 Design Group-an award-winning leader in the industry-and a member of the exclusive Society of Waterscape Designers. Brown specializes in the highly precise “cast-in-place” concrete construction process, meeting exact standards that no other spa creation method can match.
uniquely creative cast-in-place spas, with or without complete or partial perimeter vanishing edges designed to match the architecture of your home and surrounding landscape, are the vanguard of the industry. However, with the availability of controlling chemical balance and water temperature at the touch of your iPhone’s buttons...the water is still fine...you just don’t have to be home to know it-or rectify imbalances. This is the state of water art in today’s market.
“This technology has been available for the past four years,” states Brown. “Equipment manufacturers like Pent Air have been making this type of system
available for our custom cast projects-it’s not yet available in the fibreglass side of the industry.”
For these custom concrete projects, budget is a factor. A ten-fold increase in cost, and more, due to design, material and labour, isn’t unheard of. The installation of such a system may be quite intensive as larger chemical canisters are the key requir-ing less attention and refilling depending on the volume of use, so hands-on maintenance requirements may only occur once or twice a month.
With the advent of convenience, these lifestyle additions to any home require more and more planning. “I look at two things, the environment and a home’s architecture,” says Brown. “It’s a very organic process. How the water reflects and elevations...where does overflow go, are questions needing answers. The Genesis training has definitely played a big part of my education in regards to sensitivity to surroundings, but at the end of the day...it’s still up to the ho-meowner. We can draw rudimentary design
THECREATIVEcast-in-placespa
Customized, Personally Controlled Comfort
ideas up at first meetings with clients within 20 minutes at times.”
Seventy-five percent of cast in place projects are incorporating the vanishing edge feature, but for many, a single side is no longer enough. The entire perimeter or all sides, depending on the shape, are being equipped with the vanishing edge to reflect surrounding views and a home’s lines.
“My job is to educate the customer of op-tions and repercussions,” says Brown. “We draw up renderings for new builds or exist-ing homes, making sure that contractors and homeowners alike are on board, making things flow easier.”
So if you’re tired of cooling your jets and want to relax by getting yourself in some hot water, come on in to Valley Pool and Spa to check out the options. If cast-in-place spas are not your top choice, they carry fibreglass models as well.
VISIT VALLEYPOOLANDSPA.COM.
PHoTo couRTEsy of VAllEy Pool & sPA
N
NICHE42
NEWLOWERMISSIONDEVELOPMENToffersIDEALlocation,
IDEALpriceBY RAND ZACHARIAS
COMPANY
NICHE 43
for so many home owners, “location, location, location” has ever been the most prominent feature of realtors’ pitches. You hear
it, read it and will hear it again, and much of your home’s relevance to your lifestyle is founded on that very premise, but you may want to look at price point and beneficial amenities on top of having the ideal location. You’re going to have it all at the Lower Mission’s com-munity Mission Meadows at Casorso.
Located at the corner of Casorso and Gordon, Mission Meadows is only a few moments stroll from the beach, the Mission Greenway walking/biking path, and the new H2O Adventure & Fitness Centre next to the Capitol News Centre, both of which offer superb recre-ational activities. All amenities are also very close.
Mission Meadows has entered its third of four phases of devel-opment, with lower prices for home buyers, one of the hopes of Kelowna’s city planners.
In 2008, the development offered spacious one-bed-room suites at $249,900. Seventy-five percent of the new units, with the same types of living space (ranging from 767-1359 square feet, with one bedroom, one bedroom with den, two bedroom and two bedroom with den) are being offered starting at the incredibly low offering of $149,900 in 2012.
“The aspect of dropping price points was instrumental in the decision to move forward as we wanted to ensure that we were the most competitive new home project in the Lower Mission,” says Rob Hager, president of sales and marketing, “and we wanted to ensure sales given the current market coupled with the fact that we were just starting construction.”
Buyers of this third phase have the benefit of purchas-ing prime suites bordering on Casorso and Gordon. In
addition, Mission Meadows features a private central clubhouse that includes a fitness centre, lounge, billiard table, full kitchen and multi-purpose area. underground, secure parking spaces and private lockers are also a part of this package located in one of Kelowna’s premier neighbourhoods.
Many of the second and third floor single bedroom units are reported to have sold to local buyers as Mission Meadows has only recently begun to stimulate outside market interest with its new marketing campaign.
A visit to the fully-furnished presentation suite on site will show you how superb location and ample amenities can be combined with very affordable prices...a rarity in today’s new home market.
VISIT MISSIONMEADOWS.CA N
COMPANY
The community recreation room
Rendering of Mission Meadows third phase
NICHE 43
NICHE44
As the local food movement has grown, cities all over B.C. have allowed urban hens and bees. With good management practices,
both are safe and suitable for residential areas. Hens provide an excel-lent source of local protein and fertilizer for the garden, and bees do the pollination work. Vernon is currently the only jurisdiction in the Central Okanagan that allows urban hens.
I know of several people in Kelowna who are already keeping hens and bees with no complaints or harm. I hope to see changes to our local bylaws to legitimize these activities that are so important to local food security, and a great way to reconnect with where our food comes from. If you’re in support, write a letter to Mayor and Council.
Sparkle Your Home with Home-made CleanersThis time of year is when many of us do an annual deep cleaning.
But could you be poisoning your family and pets with your house-hold cleaning products? Most common cleaners sold in Canada contain dangerous chemicals. Sadly, there are no laws that require manufacturers to let us know what’s in their products or what harm they’re causing us. Nothing with a skull and crossbones is used in my home and my housekeeper uses things from my pantry for most jobs; vinegar and water for general cleaning and baking soda for the places that need some extra scrubbing power. The David Suzuki Foundation (davidsuzuki.org) provides ten great tips for making safer product choices, and the Queen of Green blog on the site has easy recipes for creating your own cleaning products at home.
Biking Helps You and the EnvironmentNow is the time to break out the bike, but not just for an evening
or weekend ride. I’m talking about riding to work. I remember when I started biking the 20 kilometre round trip to work from East Kelowna, before I moved downtown. I put it off for so long, thinking it was going to be a huge inconvenience and leave me a sweaty mess. Not so. I felt exhilarated, refreshed and energized when I arrived at work, and the ride home was a great way to work off the stress after a long day.
grEEN PIECE
urbanhensandbees,HOMECLEANERSandwhytolikebikesandCLIMATEACTION
BY ANGELA REID-NAGY
So, get off your butt, stop procrastinat-ing and just do it. You’ll be surprised at how enjoyable it is and wonder why you didn’t start sooner. May 28 to June 3 was Bike to Work Week throughout the Central Okanagan. Take your bike to your neighbourhood bike shop for a tune-up and register a workplace team at biketowork.ca . Starting to ride just one day per week could be enough to get you hooked. Plus, you’ll be healthier and will help contribute to your community’s carbon reduction goals.
Contribute to Climate Action
All local govern-ments in our region have committed to a 33% reduction in emis-sions from 2007 levels by 2020 and transportation is the largest local contributor to climate change. Check your local government web site to learn more about the Community Climate Action Plan in your area. We all need to work together if we’re going to achieve our goals, and we can each do our part by starting with small, easy to manage changes.
ANGELA REID-NAGY IS A FORMER CITY COuNCILOR AND THE CEO OF GREENSTEP SuSTAINABILITY COACHING, A COMPANY THAT
HELPS BuSINESSES, COMMuNITIES AND HOMEOWNERS DEVELOP SuSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES THAT WORK FOR THEM. VISIT
GREENSTEP.CA FOR A LISTING OF SERVICES, AND READ ANGELA’S BLOG AT GREENINTHECITY.CA
N
NICHE 45
KELOWNA LINCOLN SALES
The 2013 Lincoln MKX’s have arr ived.
0% Financingupto months
oac60 0% Lease rateupto months
oac48ENGINE-3.7L Ti-VCT 24-valve aluminum V6- Stainless steel exhaust system with dual oval chrome exhaust tips with rolled edges
- Estimated fuel consumption1 AWD: 12.2L/100km city and 8.8L/100km hwy; (23 mpg city/32hwy); 71.9-litre capacity-6-speed SelectShift Automatic® transmission
EXTERIOR- Power, heated, mirrors with memory, security approach lamps, auto-dimming driver’s side, integrated blind spot mirrors, turn signal indicators and manual fold-away design
-Power liftgate-Rear view camera-Reverse Sensing System
INTERIOR- Leather-trimmed, heated and cooled front seat, 10-way power including lumbar support, and driver’s side memory
-Auto-dimming rearview mirror - Intelligent Access with push-button start (2 remote key fobs)
- MyLincoln Touch™; 8” LCD touch screen in centre stack; media hub with 2 USB ports, SD card reader and audio/video input jacks; and 5-way steering wheel-mounted controls
- Power windows with global open and one-touch-up/-down for driver and front passenger
-Remote Start System- Steering wheel-mounted controls - Dual-zone electronic auto temperature control
SAFETY- AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control™)
-Remote Keyless Entry System- Safety Canopy® System with side-curtain airbags2 for front and rear outboard passengers, and rollover sensor
-SecuriCode™ keyless entry keypad- SecuriLock® Passive Anti-Theft Engine Immobilizer System-Side-intrusion door beams-SOS Post-Crash Alert System™
SIGHT & SOUND- BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) with cross-traffi c alert3
- Panoramic Vista Roof® with dual power sunshades
- THX® II Certifi ed Audio System with AM/fM stereo/single-CD player with MP3 capability, 14 speakers (including 8” subwoofer), 650 watts of power and 13 amplifi er channels
- Voice-activated Navigation System with SD card for map and Points of Interest (POI) storage
s t a n d a r d l u x u r y f e a t u r e s
KELOWNA LINCOLN SALES2540 Enterprise Way, Kelowna | 250.868.2330
(Directly behind Home Depot) DL #7763
IT’S NOT JUST LUXURY. IT’S SMARTER THAN THAT.BCLINCOLN.CA
ELLIGIBLE MEMBERS RECEIVEAN ADDITIONAL $1000 ELLIGIBLE MEMBERS RECEIVE
AN ADDITIONAL $1000
NICHE46
design trends and new product development in the form of new colours from engineered quartz products like Caesarstone and Silestone and re-cycled glass products like his current high performing favorite, GEOS.
With so much demand, efficient production becomes tantamount, but without sacrificing quality. Omand has installed computer numeric control (CNC) saws and routers that can machine CAD-designed countertops in a day. This adoption of digital technology, however, hasn’t removed the human element required to reveal unique edge profiles that are often created with the use of hand tools by highly trained stone artisans.
With attention to all aspects of the process, only the most experienced digital template designer will come to your home, with you present, to create the master design template for your countertops. At this phase, everything is measured digitally, including any curva-ture in dry wall, appliance placement and size, quantified along with every faucet and sink basin. The next stage showcases the magic of the Pure Granite Rocks’ digital system called Slabsmith-their unique system of photographing each of the slabs used in the project. The digital photographs are manipulated until the grain flow of each slab is optimized through seams and sent to clients for their approval prior to cutting.
After the initial digitized cutting of each slab and shaping of the edges by CNC machines, the pieces are then hand-polished using diamond grit pads up to 10,000 grit to produce a mirror-like finish before being sealed using the shop’s new sealer which bears an astonishing 15-year warranty. Each piece is carefully transported and installed to Marble Institute of America standards to create the most beautiful custom countertops for your new home or renovation.
PHoTo by woodsTylE HoMEs PARAdisE kiTcHEns (AboVE) And bERkuM buildERs (lEfT)
VISIT PuREGRANITEROCKS.COM N
SPECIALIST
creatingtheultimateKITCHENcounter
Digital Design, Superior Stone, Quality ServiceBY RAND ZACHARIAS
founded in 2001, Kelowna’s Pure Granite Rocks has seen rapid growth. In 2006,
owner Clark Omand, who had spent 20 years as an investment banker in his previous life, bought the small custom countertop manu-facturer with the intention of transforming it into the world-class fabrication facility it now is. In fact,Pure Granite Rocks saw 11 projects go on to win Silver and Gold Tommie 2011 awards this past February.
The three qualities that have seen his company reach its goals with such speed are the willingness to adopt and invest in the latest technology, the pursuit of the finest quality stone slabs available anywhere in the world, and an absolute commitment to the finest quality customer service, before and after the sale.
In order to maintain his inventory of 600 full-sized slabs (the largest in the Okanagan), Omand searches around the globe for the finest quality materials. From Brazil to Italy, from western Canada to Africa, Omand handpicks the raw materials believed to be best for present market buy-ers. This means staying on top of emerging
NICHE 47
Proud supplier of Silestone Countertops to this spectacular
Timberhaven Homes project
NEW... 15 YEAR
STAINPROOF GRANITE
Proud supplier to ELEVEN different Tommie Award winning homes in 2011
Voted #1 in the Okanagan for Granite Countertops
A+
Call us at 250-558-3773 or Visit our showroom at 4605B – 23rd Street, Vernon BC
Shonna Fox Design
www.puregraniterocks.com
14 carrots© 2012 & Co., Limited. Benjamin Moore and the triangle M symbol are registered trademarks, licensed to Benjamin Moore & Co., Limited. /M5145774CE
12-6957_Window Clings_Transform_CA ENG_Orange.indd 1 4/12/12 3:42 PM
BENJAMIN MOORE
CSP-1110, 14 carrots
Kelownatransform
1768 Spring�eld Road. Kelowna, BC. Tel: 250.763.5333 tf: 1.877.532.5370 - www.benjaminmoorekelowna.com
Find out why Spectrum Cabinet Gallery is uniquely different . . .
Visit us onlinethespectrumcabinetgallery.ca
250.317.4714
offering exceptional value and quality service
NICHE48
PAPErWOrK
Imagine this....You and your spouse are excited that it’s finally closing day on
your new house. You’re in the lawyer’s office getting ready to sign all the papers and finally take possession of the property.
“There seems to be a problem here,” your lawyer says as he frowns at the document in his hand. “The legal description is different on your papers than it was on the seller’s.”
And with those two sentences, the happiest day of your life sud-denly becomes a painful, drawn out process that costs you hours of your time and anxious moments wondering if you’ll ever move into you new house.
It doesn’t have to be like that. If you do your due diligence when choosing a title search company, the process will be smooth, easy and even pleasant.
In the last two articles, we discussed the importance of doing a proper title search when buying property of any kind - and how title insurance can protect you.
This final article in the three-part series lets you know how to choose the title search company that best suits your needs.
Title search companies all perform the same basic function: research the history of a certain property to ensure the title is free and clear for the buyer. They all access the same data from the pro-vincial Land Titles Office.
The difference comes in how they run their business, their atten-tion to detail and how they deliver their findings to the client.
For instance, the Land Title and Survey Authority of British Columbia recently mandated mandatory e-filing by certain dates in
2012. A full service title search company may already be using the most effective technology; while for some
smaller shops, it may mean an investment of capi-tal and training to get up to speed. Therefore,
their search process may take longer. Technology is just one factor though. Let’s look at others....
ReputationA business is only as good as its most unhappy customer.
In today’s connected world, it’s not hard to find out
both the good and bad points of any company you want to do busi-
ness with. You may find
forums or local review sites that will paint a picture of company. It’s never prudent to rely on just one negative review (You just
can’t satisfy some people no matter what you do!). Several reviews can be a strong indication of a customer service problem within the company.
Check out the Better Business Bureau and/or the Chamber of Commerce for feedback as well.
Be sure the person you’re working with inspires confidence, is professional, can explain things in language you understand, and can do the job promptly and efficiently.
ReferralsYour best source of information may be the feedback you get
from people you know who have used the service you require.They’ll let you know right away whether their experience with
any company was good or not. Plus, you may even get a personal introduction to their agent.
Price vs. ValuePrice is always important, but always consider the value you
receive for the price you pay. In the long run, what you remember is the value you received - no matter what you paid.
Title companies are no different than any other type of company. They rely on repeat business and most strive to create a positive experience for the buyer. You’ll remember the experience long after you’ve forgotten how much you paid.
Value is expressed in little things. The quality of the report... the amount of time it takes to receive it... the advice you receive if there are any issues found in the report, or any number of personal touches that make your transaction as smooth and painless as possible.
Fees can vary from company to company. Be sure you under-stand exactly what you’re getting and when you can expect it. More importantly, keep in mind the value you’ll be receiving rather than just the price you’ll pay.
TechnologyWe mentioned technology earlier in this article. As with every-
thing, processes change as technology advances. Does your chosen provider use the most current ways to do a proper title search, or do you picture the agent searching around a dusty archive peering at microfiche going through ancient deeds and titles?
The proper use of available technology saves you time - and tim-ing can be crucial in the case of a complicated closing.
BY RuSS BANISTER
HOWtoCHOOSEatitlesearch
COMPANY
NICHE 49paperwork
Managerial ExperienceBecause there are people are involved in
registering deeds, things can go wrong, even with the latest technology. Your provider should have a proven record of manage-ment and should be familiar with many of the ins and outs of title search. Does the company have experience handling the many little problems that can come up from a title search? Are they connected to other professionals in the same industry (at-torneys, for instance) who can advise them on unfamiliar matters? Do they have a good relationship with people working at the land title office where they can get insight or help with certain searches?
All these things are important and can make for a much smoother process. It’s important to ask these kinds of questions when looking for a title search company you’ll trust enough to use on your next and any future property purchases.
Additional ServicesDoes the company offer title insurance
as well as search services? This is important because if there is ever a dispute over the ownership of the property or the registra-tion of the deed, your interest should be protected. A one-time payment of a reason-able fee could save years of heartache, headache and financial loss. Be sure you can get title insurance when you have the search service performed. It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.
In summary, the process of finding a title search company is just as important as find-ing any other professional service including lawyers and accountants. use a quality pro-vider and your property buying experience can be smooth and trouble free.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOuT TITLE SEARCH, VISIT
CDNHOMES.CA/PAGE_1DP51.PHP?BuYING-ExPERTS.
N
250-863-6576Suite #109-105-3957 Lakeshore Rd. V1W 1V3www.sq-root.com
Square RootCONTRACTING BUILDING YOUR DREAMS
“The only limitation to what one cancreate with wood is imagination.”
Custom Furniture ● Architectural Millwork ● Elite Home Interiors ● CabinetryArtistic designs crafted with an uncompromised commitment to quality
#10 Harris Creek Road, Lumby BC ● 250-547-2579 ● www.guildmasterfurniture.ca
NICHE50
COMMUNITY
NEWOLIVERgolfresortdevelopment TEESOFFforfirstphase
BY RAND ZACHARIAS
NICHE 51
COMMUNITY
on April 20th, Bellstar Developments, the Osoyoos Indian Band Development
Corporation (OIBDC) and GGC Developments proudly introduced the South Okanagan’s next showcase development project, the Canyon Desert Golf Villas at Lake Tuc-El-Nuit. The newly-opened show home launched a special combination golf resort and residential development in the region that boasts Canada’s warmest climate.
Twelve homes of 17 in the first stage of phase one have already been purchased. Construction has already started on Oliver’s newest community, employing handsome Southwest/Tuscany-styled architecture. Completion for this first stage is scheduled near the year’s end.
“Canyon Desert is being created specifi-cally for the active adult lifestyle,” says Curt Jansen, director of real estate sales and marketing for Desert Canyon. “The goal is to create the resort feel for our targeted over-fifty residents, but with all the amenities, including a pool and spa area, coffee shop, restaurant, fitness and activity centre, The future resort inn planned to complement the existing clubhouse will cater not only to residents, but visiting guests, friends and family.”
Each single-level bungalow will feature nine-foot ceilings and two or three bed-rooms with specified upgrades and options to make each home unique to each client. The open design will showcase the concept of indoor/outdoor living throughout the community.
Kitchens feature islands and breakfast bars designed to make the maximum use of space. Solid maple cabinets with glass
Many were in attendance at Canyon Desert Golf Villas’ launch April 20
Desert Canyon’s new show home
NICHE 51
NICHE52
inserts and stainless steel appliances by General Electric are but a few of the offerings available for buyers. To see all of the various decor and design features, upgrade offerings and floor plans, visit owncanyondesert.com.
The concept for the Canyon Desert resort community goes back a few years. Building around the NK’Mip Desert Canyon Golf Course was always a part of the expansion vision for the OIBDC. The partnership with Bellstar is a natu-ral based on the success of their last venture, the internationally-acclaimed Spirit Ridge Resort in Osoyoos. Construction costs have dropped in recent years and a brand new home can be pur-chased with considerable savings in 2012. The timing of the launch estimates the injection of $25 million to the local economy by the comple-tion of phase one.
Revealing the significance of the addition of this new community to the region, some of the recognizable personalities in attendance at the launch were Chief Clarence Louie; the honour-able mayor of Oliver, Ron Hovanes, and of Osoyoos, Stu Wells; and local MLA John Slater along with a large group of visitors, residents and club members welcoming the Canyon Desert project to Oliver.
PHoTos couRTEsy of oibdc
VISIT OWNCANYONDESERT.COM N
Attending dignataries included Chief louie
Teeing off at the launch
community
NICHE 53
Choose the Lifestyle you Deserve
The developer reserves the right to make modifications and changes to building design, specifications, features, floorplans and pricing. Plan sizes are approximate and subject to change. E&OE.
We’re NoW UNder CoNstrUCtioN!
Visit tHe NeW sHoWHoMe!
Beautiful Villa Style Homes With NO HST and NO PTT!
Includes Golf Membership
Please contact your Canyon Desert Sales Manager, Susan Wyatt 1.877.798.3498 [email protected] www.ownCanyondesert.comFollow us on FACEBOOK to see our construction progress www.Facebook.com/CanyonDesert
discover oliver’s newest, and only, master-planned development.Active, comfortable, secure and hassle-free...
Homes thoughtfully designed for indoor/outdoor living, perfectly situated between the 8th and 9th fairways on the Canyon Desert Golf Course.
Own™ | Your Lifestyle – Canyon Desert Golf Villas.
possessions summer 2012
NICHE54
ATALEOFTWOHOMES
ROYALTY,ROUSTABOUTS,RANCHING
ANDA
RESTAURANTBY RAND ZACHARIAS
HERITAGE
Guisachan House today
A paper chase in 1905. “Paddy” Cameron loved horses and was a founding member of the Kelowna Riding Club
PHoTo couRTEsy of kElownA MusEuM
NICHE 55
HERITAGE
NICHE56
Two significant historic homes with fascinating provenance reside in kelowna’s guisachan
Heritage Park. Their origins are a serpentine tale of pioneering beginnings, renowned scottish no-bility with a buckaroo relative, three generations of mixed farmers and a present-day restaurant where culinary offerings are created by a talent-ed chef. The land was first pre-empted in 1861 by Hudson’s bay packer, trader and farmer John Mcdougall. He built a log cabin in which ten sons grew up; the two room dwelling with its dove-tailed corners was large for the time. by 1879, the ranch property, a 480-acre swath, reported the ownership of 180 cattle, 20 hogs and 30 horses.
“Many tales of the wild doings of these McDougalls were told us. A testimony to the truth of some of these was to be seen in the marks of the pistol shots with which the walls and ceilings of the house were riddled,” recorded Lady Aberdeen in the early 1890s. The Aberdeens were the estate’s second owners. The log cabin now serves as a private residence in the park surrounded by serene gardens originally cultivated by Elaine Cameron, wife of Gilbert “Paddy” Cameron, the last private owners of Guisachan House-the city-owned property is a mere 2.4 acres of the original 480. In 1890, Lord and Lady Aberdeen of Scotland fell in love with Canada. He was Sir John Campbell Hilton Gordon, Earl of Aberdeen, who would serve as Canadian Governor-General from 1893 to 1898. His wife Ishbel Hamilton-Gordon, Lady Aberdeen, would establish the Victorian Order of Nurses in 1898
and become first president of the International Council of Women, a post she held until she died in 1939. They particularly enjoyed the temperate Okanagan Valley with so much promise and in 1891 bought 13,000 acres in Coldstream (Coldstream Ranch) and moved there to pioneer fruit farming. The Aberdeens had also purchased the 480 acre McDougall Ranch near the Okanagan Mission the previous year and renamed it Guisachan Ranch. They planted fruit trees here as well.
The Buckaroo Brother Lady Ishbel Aberdeen had a brother often called “Old Coutts” or
“Couttsy.” Her goal “was ever to make Old Coutts a rich man.” He’d ranched near Towner, North Dakota but hard times had befallen his Horse-shoe Ranch; however, he did sell his nearly 1000 acres for $7001 in 1894 nearly double his initial purchase price. Incidentally, since 1957, the North Dakota Aberdeen Angus Breeders Association has remembered Coutts with the Marjoribanks Trophy awarded annually to the prize-winning Angus of the region. In Scotland, Coutts Marjoribanks (pronounced Marchbanks) had attended the exclusive preparatory school of Harrow just west of the family’s get-away Dollis Hills farm estate. He was given 6,000 pounds as startup capital, with a 400 pound annual salary and sent ot America. Mark Zuehlke, author of Scoundrels, Dreamers and Second Sons, claims the capital may have
log cabin built by John McDougall
heritage
NICHE 57
A dollar bill with lord and lady Aberdeen
PHo
To c
ou
RTEs
y o
f k
Elo
wn
A M
usE
uM
been grudgingly proffered by Lord Aberdeen at the behest of his wife, Ishbel-not by Coutts’s father, known for starting the Golden Retriever breed. Coutts accepted the responsibility of overseeing construction of the Aberdeens’ new home at Guisachan, and was accompanied by a “footloose companion” named Eustace Smith. In short order, the Aberdeens’ lawyer, George Jamieson, arrived from England to discover the construction of the home “a disaster” and cheques being issued from an unknown source. Meanwhile, Eustace Smith left after a year and a half. Jamieson claims witness to an “indolent life of shooting, drinking at the local tavern [the Bellevue Hotel] and an extravagant home adorned with gold Japanese wallpaper [uncovered after 80 years by a restoration project], seven chimneys and no insulation.” The final verdict on poor Old Coutts is fairly clear.
He attempted to run the Aberdeens’ affairs in the new West, but by 1894 Coutts was released of his duties. His father died in March of that year-and he came into his inheritance. He married a childhood friend named Margaret Nicholls in 1895, and lived in Scotland for 15 years, only to return with his stepdaughter and wife, purchas-ing the Corona Orchard on Lake Kalamalka and building a “charming” home called Invercraig.
Reports Larry A. Macfarlane in his treatise British Remittance Men as Ranchers: The Case of Coutts Marjoribanks and Edmund Thursby: “...his stepdaughter, Kathleen Myhre, recalled that Coutts ‘had very little money sense’ and ‘a ‘lot’ of leisure time. He had ‘excellent taste and pleasure in beautiful things. His main interest was fishing and shooting.’ She concluded: ‘He was a man of moods and impulses, and I think his upbringing did not fit him very well for life in the world.
Chef Georg Ryder in his restaurant
He was always kind and generous, and my mother was devoted to him.’”
He’s been recorded as a “mudpup extraordinaire,” “a colourful character” and “remittance man,” but Coutts’ later years in Canada, though unprofitable, seem to have been happy ones. He died at his own farm on November 1, 1924 at the age of 64.
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch(es) By 1900, Guisachan Ranch had to be sold. The Aberdeens had
built a jam factory in Vernon and development costs were once more skyrocketing for the Lord and Lady at their other ranch in Coldstream. The factory never made a jar of jam and only saw a spec-tacular community dance and celebration in 1905. The Coldstream Estate Company Limited was created in partnership with Lavington
NICHE58
A single stall garage and storage building from days gone by
Ranch owner James Buchanan; $80,000 in shares were purchased which would pay $85,000 and see the Aberdeens exit as property owners in the Okanagan Valley.
The Aberdeens’ Guisachan summer retreat where “headaches left, the air was fresh and appetites returned” was sold to an ex-sea captain, John Conlin, who sold it to W. C. Cameron in 1903. The pair must have made acquaintance at Edgeley Farm in Saskatchewan as both had managed its 20,000 acres in short order at the turn of the 20th century. From 1903, Guisachan Ranch saw mixed farming. William Cameron worked the ranch until 1910, and his two sons, Gilbert, known as “Paddy” and Alister, split the property until 1964. The ranch witnessed its most prosperous era as orchards matured and locals could purchase fresh milk and meat products at the Camerons’ store. Sheep were raised by Alister, who moved them up and down the Bald Range and Burnt Basin for 30 years. Paddy and his wife Elaine owned the Guisachan House side-Elaine cultivated the surrounding gardens until her passing in 1978. Paddy loved
NICHE 59
horses and created the forerunner of the Kelowna Riding Club...donating clubhouse buildings and fields. He was also the president of the Central Okanagan Historical Society.
Historic Heritage Park is Born In 1964, Aberdeen Holdings bought the property
and guaranteed Paddy and Elaine a life lease which ended with Paddy’s demise in 1984. He was 98 years old. The Okanagan Heritage Society and Okanagan Historical Society took part in the project of realizing the importance of maintaining local history and brought about the creation of Guisachan Heritage Park. By 1987, McDougall House was taken apart piece by piece, and moved to and refurbished in its present location. Guisachan House received a glass-encased veranda with year-round heating and cooling. In 1990, Chef Georg Reider leased the restored home, now restaurant, and has been serving his world-class cuisine for wedding guests, seven-days-a-week walk-in clients and catering corporate dinners for over 20 years. The square Guisachan House bungalow, styled in the fashion of the English 19th-century Indian Colonial design, has endured two minor fires since its restoration and is a highlight for any visitor, local or foreign, desiring an exquisite meal and the opportu-nity to visit one of Kelowna’s oldest heritage proper-ties. Carolyn MacHardy, uBC-O art history professor, is writing a biography of Lady Aberdeen and says that the original Guisachan, “Place of the Firs” in Gaelic, lies in ruins in Inverness, Scotland.
PHoTos (ExcEPT HERiTAgE) by RAnd zAcHARiAs
heritage
PHo
To c
ou
RTEs
y o
f A
bER
dEE
n f
AM
ily
co
llEc
Tio
n
N
Coutts Marjoribanks (seated) and his foreman, “bernie” Kelly on his Horse-Shoe Ranch in North Dakota
NICHE60
digNEWS&DEVELOPMENTS BY DOROTHY BROTHERTON
Distinguished New Members for CHBA-COArtistic Awnings blossom throughout the Okanagan with the season, protecting barbe-cues, shading picnics, fending off weather and looking beautiful as they blend into and accent ex-teriors of homes and businesses. Many will stay in place and span the seasons, able to withstand all sorts of weather. Artistic Awning is among the exciting new companies that recently joined the Canadian Home Builders Association-Central Okanagan. Mike Wessel at Artistic Awnings noted the retractable pa-tio awnings are the most popular, saying, “Most of our clientele are retirement age so they go motorized because of the convenience.”
Also new to CHBA-CO is Kettle Valley Mouldings and Millwork, a wood team that works magic with finishing touches. They produce moulding, stair and stair railing products at the 33,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Kelowna, and also customized wood solutions. The KV team believes mouldings often become the star accessory of rooms, creating visual interest and a together look, besides doing functional work. Think of casings, door stops, decorative moulds, baseboards, columns and pedestals in almost any variety of wood. Think of custom solutions such as cabinets, mantels and wall panels. Step up to luxury with a staircase, curved, circular or straight, as your home’s showpiece. “We make the real thing,” say KV professionals.
Habitat for Humanity, the Kelowna branch, is now a member of CHBA-CO. It’s that amazing non-profit, faith-based group that does theology with hammers. Globally, Habitat has put up more than 500,000 homes in 100 countries, a new one being dedicated every 21 minutes. The goal is to help low-income families build their own homes by providing volunteers, donated materials and no-interest mortgages based on income level. Mortgage payments go into a revolving fund to provide the next home. A home recipient must provide 500 hours of sweat equity. Habitat’s current project is in West Kelowna, with funds being raised now for a home for a family with special needs children.
The Ponds, a development that’s been called “the number one location in Kelowna,” has joined CHBA-CO. Tucked into the Upper Mission’s South Slopes, the master plan calls for 20 per cent of the land to remain natural open space and parks, compared to the traditional five per cent. When they say, “Everything is connected by nature,” they mean it. This 10-year project will have 1,200 homes on completion. The first phase of 38 homes is virtually complete with only two still for sale, and the second phase of 98 has only 10 left. It will all be close to a village centre and school via 22 kilometres of walking trails. Breathtaking views and sustainability are the keys that make The Ponds stand out.
Artistic Awnings make hot summer season more comfortable
NICHE 61dig
N
living at The Ponds is sustainable and welcoming
Bercum Builders is no stranger to Vernon and surrounding com-munities, and recently became a CHBA-CO member. After 30 years serving the north end of the valley, ownership changed on Oct. 1, 2011, but standards and values remain. Bill Crum, previous owner, is still involved in these transition times. Darren Witt is the new owner and point man, and Bercum Builders continues to offer high quality and excellent service. The focus is high-end custom homes, and current projects include a full indoor-outdoor renovation, a lakeside luxury home, and an addition to a medical clinic.
174 IndustrIal Place
PentIcton • 250-492-8646
toll free: 1-888-905-2255
Mon - Fri: 7:30am - 5:30pmSat: 8:30am - 5:00pm • Closed Sunday
www.windsorplywood.com
Proud supporters of the Centre of Excellence at Okanagan College
Design and Installation of Custom Plumbing
and Radiant Heating Systems
Born and Raised in Kelowna. Dedicated to Serving Our Customers for Years to Come.
(250)[email protected]
NICHE62
DIrECTOrY CHBA-CO2012
ArChITECTS
ArchitecturallyDistinctSolutionsInc.Matt Johnston/ grace Pontes 250 448 7801 distinctsolutions.caPhilipMacDonaldArchitectInc.Philip Macdonald 250 764 4157 pma-architect.ca
bUILDErS
AuthenTechHomesLtd.A legacy of designs ltd. brad dziedzic & brandy de bartolo-dziedzic 250-558-8889/ 250-558-8839 legacyofdesigns.comAllElementsDesign-Manage-Buildkim larson 250-486-7679 allelements.caAuthenTechHomesLtd.scott Tyerman, RHP (250) 491-7690 authentechhomes.comBellamyHomesles bellamy (250) 470-2429 bellamyhomes.caBercumBuildersInc.darren witt 250-542-3459 bercumbuilders.comBuiltRiteHomes(ADivisionofRoblynDevelopmentsLtd.)Robert Anderson 250-764-0315 builtritehomes.caBurlandLangdonConstructionLtd.brooke langdon 250 342 5660CaliberHomesMarc chalut (250) 215-0919 caliberdevelopments.comCardanEnterprisesLtd.don dudgeon & lisa dudgeon 250-861-8823 cardan.caChaparralIndustries(86)Inc.John Pushor/Jim Pushor 250-765-2985 chaparralhomes.comChathamHomesdave chatham (250) 764-5387 or 862-1075ChriscanConstructionlen suchocki (250) 712-1324 chriscan.comConstructiveConceptsLtd.darren Evans 250-542-1801 constructiveconceptsCorWestBuildersAndreas Hayer/ bob guy 250-869-4960 corwest.ca
DelSolDevelopmentskelly benedet 250-878-7273 delsoldevelopments.comDestinationHomesdon Erdely & Travis Erdely (250) 707-1752 homesbydestination.comDistinctiveDevelopmentsLtd.Terry Heinrich (250) 491-1171 distinctivedevelopments.comDunamisProjectsTrevor / Evangeline neyedli 250 681 3732 dunamisprojects.comEdgecombeBuilderskevin Edgecombe & don campbell (250) 491-8655 edgecombebuilders.comFawdryHomesglenn fawdry, RHP (250) 862-8630 fawdryhomes.ca/FrameCustomHomesLtd.bill frame 250-718-8670 framecustomhomes.comFreeportIndustriesTodd Venier / chris inkster (250) 707-3950 freeportindustries.caGriffcoHomesIncsimon griffco 250-878-9423 griffcohomes.comHamillCreekTimberHomesInc.fiona daniels (250) 366-4320 hamillcreek.comHandymanConnectionquentin cyre 250 717 5500 kelowna.handymanconnection.comHansumHomes&DevelopmentInc.John Hansum & fran Hansum (250) 764-2324 hansumhomes.comHarmonyHomesMick webb (250) 765-5191 harmonyhomes.netHildebrandtHomesken Hildebrandt (250) 309-4986 okanaganbchomebuilder.comIanPaineConstructionLtd.ian Paine (250) 868-2133ImpactBuilderschad Jones 250-470-2269 impactbuilders.comInspirationHomesLtd.Rod doroshuk 250-542-3111 inspirationhomes.caJaycorHomesInc.Vince Montemurro 250-768-5070
JazelEnterprisesLtd.James zeleznik (250) 768-5799 Jazelhomes.comJohnBachelderConstructionJohn bachelder 250 862 6725 johnbachelderconstruction.comKarmoyBuildersInc.Jody dyrland 250-919-8448 karmoybuilders.comKascadeDevelopmentsscott Renou 250 448 6339KeithDahlenConstructionLtd.-ReBathOkanaganken dahlen (Rebath okanagan www.rebathokanagan.ca) 250-545-1300 keithconstruction.ca KentlandHomesLtd.stephen wells (250) 764-1306 kentlandhomes.comKnight’sGatePropertiesLtd.Richard soneff 250 878 8090MeadowRidgeHomesLtd.Miles & susan krahn (250) 861-3344 meadowridgehomes.comNeilMillerHomesLtd.neil Miller (250) 764-8627 millerhomes.caNesbittOriginalsPaul & Jan nesbitt (250) 762-3337 nesbittoriginals.comOkanaganDreamBuildersLtd.Trent Tinkler 250-808-1788 okanagandreambuilders.comOkanaganGlacierHomesInc.kirk Andersen 778-755-5003 glacierhomes.caOkanaganSunriseConstructionLtd.dale Ahlbaum/nick franz (250) 763-1461 okanagansunrise.comOkanaganSustainHomes/IntotheWoodsFurnitureandCabinetrycarl st. Jean 250-260-8425 oksustainhomes.caP.J.DeVriesConstructionkathy deVries/ Peter deVries 250-545-8742 devriesconstruction.netParsConstructionAmir khajavi (250) 878-0662 Parsconstruction.comPentarHomesLtd.fred Parent (250) 862-9006 pentarhomes.com
RedgwellConstructionLtd.lyle Redgwell 250 549 7405RichbuiltHomesdarren Richmond 250 549 8852 richbuilt.caRLJHomesInc.Ray laPointe 250-862-1968 rljhomes.comRykonConstructionManagementLtd.Randy siemens, kelly lawrie, cMA (250) 712-9664 rykon.caSawyerConstruction&RenovationLtd.keith Jerczynski (250) 212-1234ShorestoneHomesLtddavid Veldhoen (778)477-3455 shorestonehomes.comSierraWestHomes&ConstructionCorp.kevin Adams (250) 767-1993 cell: 878-2207 sierrawesthomes.comSquareRootContracting&ConsultingLtdMike Twack (250) 863-6576 sq-root.comStonebridgeContemporaryOriginalsAlbert Van Ee or John steinhauer 250 766 0393SunstarVenturesLtd.denis bigham & bob buvyer 250-807-2270SunterraCustomHomesLtd.Ranbir nahal 250-503-8220 sunterracustomhomes.comTeamConstructionMgmt.(1981)Ltd.charles cullen (250) 868-8326 teamconstruction.caTimberhavenHomesLtd.scott Ross 250-878-0159 timberhaven.caTricoHomesInc.Jacob kuiken 250-545-9261 tricohomes.comTyeeCustomHomesLtd.carl lauren 1-250-427-0315 tyeecustomhomes.comValuxHomesLtdJoe Rood (250) 317-1332 bridgesliving.comVaritecEnterprisesLtd.don kerr, RHP (250) 769-2375VivarHomes(ADivisionofVivarContractingInc.)d.J. Rasovic 250 808 5555
WebsterConstructionLtd.ken webster (250) 763-6600 thewebstergroup.comWeningerConstruction&DesignLtd.Marlin weninger (250) 765-6898 weningerconstruction.comWilsonandCompanyLtd.James wilson 250-869-7125 wilsoncustombuilders.caWoodstyleHomesLtddonovan imbeau (250) 558-9765 or (250) 558-9765 woodstyle.ca
COMMUNITY DEVELOPErS
AcornCommunitiesLtd.david Pfuetzner greg bird 250 491 0095 acornhomes.comAldebaranEnterprisesInc.John Jacobsen 1-250-306-9355 aldebaranhomes.comCallahanPropertyGroupLtd.bob callahan (250) 717-3000DelSolDevelopmentskelly benedet 250-878-7273 delsoldevelopments.comDilworthQualityHomesInc.greg Asling - general Manager, Al Ryder - building operations Manager (250) 762-9999 dilworthhomes.comGGroupofCompaniesGreenSolutionsgrant gaucher - President / Andrew gaucher - VP developments (250) 712-2449 ggroup.caGallagher’sCanyonConstructionAl bremner (250) 860-9013 gallagherscanyon.comHabitatforHumanityKelownalona Manning 250-762-7303 hfhkelowna.caHybridElevatorInc.lance davidson 250-762-8682 hybridelevator.caL&SContractingLtd.(ADiv.ofLambert&PaulConstructionLtd.)lambert schmalz (250) 860-2331MelcorDevelopmentsLtd.Tobi Mcneil 250-717-8390 melcor.caMissionGroupJonathan friesen, Randy shier, gerald Heinrichs, george summach (250) 448-0016 themissiongroup.ca
NICHE 63
MolenbeekVenturesDevelopmentCorporationwim zuydervelt 250-764-0338 creeksidepark.caOcorpDevelopmentLtd. 250-764-1750 ocorpltd.comPredatorRidgeLimitedPartnership-LandDivisionkelly Monk 250-503-3576 predatorridge.comRohitCommunities-BritishColumbiabobby-Jo weibe 250 341 5745 copperpoint.caScukaEnterprisesLtd.dan scuka (250) 765-0136 scuka.bc.caSopaSquarestacey fenwick 250 762 5818 sopasquare.comStarlandDevelopmentsCompanyLtd.kathleen Mackenzie (250) 717-8228 prospectkelowna.comThePonds-No.21GreatProjectsLtd.daryl graf 250-764-8700 theponds.caTyeeCustomHomesLtd.carl lauren 1-250-427-0315 tyeecustomhomes.comWoodlandHillsOnTheRidge geby wager 250-764-0626 woodlandhillskelowna.com
DESIgN-bUILD
AllElementsDesign-Manage-Buildkim larson 250-486-7679 allelements.caBegrandFastDesignIncnicole begrand fast (250) 448-9818 begrandfastdesign.comBellamyHomesles bellamy (250) 470-2429 bellamyhomes.caCabeteConstructionIncEdmaro cabete 250 448 1902 cabeteconstruction.caChaparralIndustries(86)Inc.John Pushor/Jim Pushor 250-765-2985 chaparralhomes.comDelSolDevelopmentskelly benedet 250-878-7273 delsoldevelopments.com
GriffcoHomesIncsimon griffco 250-878-9423 griffcohomes.comGuildmasterFurnitureLtd.Peter M Ross 250 547 2579 guildmasterfurniture.caHandymanConnectionquentin cyre 250 717 5500 kelowna.handymanconnection.comHarmonyHomesMick webb (250) 765-5191 harmonyhomes.netJohnBachelderConstructionJohn bachelder 250 862 6725 johnbachelderconstruction.comNesbittOriginalsPaul & Jan nesbitt (250) 762-3337 nesbittoriginals.comOkanaganGlacierHomesInc.kirk Andersen 778-755-5003 glacierhomes.caOkanaganSustainHomes/IntotheWoodsFurnitureandCabinetrycarl st. Jean 250-260-8425 oksustainhomes.caPatrickVincentHomesLtd.Patrick Vincent (250) 862-1441 patrickvincenthomes.comStonebridgeContemporaryOriginalsAlbert Van Ee or John steinhauer 250 766 0393TechlectricConstructionCompanyLtd.brad Handel 250 833 4272 techsmart.caWeningerConstruction&DesignLtd.Marlin weninger (250) 765-6898 weningerconstruction.com
ENErgY ADVISOrS
EnergywiseSolutionsdean neveu 778-484-5002 energywisesolutions.ca
ENgINEErINg
Aplin&MartinConsultantsLtd.James kay 250-448-0157 aplinmartin.com
fINANCIAL SErVICES
RBCRoyalBankgary Eisenhut (250) 868-4155 rbc.comValleyFirstkevin smith (250) 860-1670 valleyfirst.com
gOVErNMENT OffICES
BCHousingPeter chau (250) 487-2521 bchousing.orgCanadaMortgageHousingCorporationPaul fabri (250) 712-4334 cmhc.caCityofKelownaMo bayat - director development services (250) 469-8630 kelowna.ca
HomeownerProtectionOfficedoug cox (250) 646-7050 or 1-800-407-7757 hpo.bc.ca
hOME DESIgN DÉCOr SPECIALISTS
BegrandFastDesignIncnicole begrand fast (250) 448-9818 begrandfastdesign.comClayInteriorslen Trump 250-859-3242 clayinteriors.comDannburgInteriorsgary Munt or scott Munt (250) 862-5277 dannburginteriors.comDesigningwithLightSupplyMike bentien / Rob bentien (250) 862-3671 designingwithlight.caMullinsDraftingandDesign,Inc.lee Mullins & lani Hoff 250-717-3415 mullinshomedesigns.caNesbittOriginalsPaul & Jan nesbitt (250) 762-3337 nesbittoriginals.com
SticksandStonesDesignGroupcarla fisher 250 712 9282 sticksandstones.ca
INSUrANCE/ACCOUNTINg
CapriInsuranceServicesLtd.Erika Jarvis (250) 860-2426 capri.caGrantThorntonLLPPaul guerette cA (250) 712-6800 grantThornton.caTheCo-operators,SolveInsuranceSevicesInc.dennis Macleod 250-861-3777 cooperator.caWilsonM.BeckInsurance(Kelowna)Inc.brett innis 250-763-3840 wmbeck.com
LANDSCAPE
AllTheRightCurvesLandscapingJeff Highstead (250) 575-3268 alltherightcurveslandscaping.com
NICHE64
DIrECTOrY CHBA-CO2012
AquaGardensandLandscapeLtd.glenn Mitchell 250-979-2782 aquagardens.caUnitedIrrigation&Landscapingshelley kochler (250) 860-3753 ecolandscaping.ca
MEDIA/MArKETINg
OkanaganValleyNewspaperOkanaganValleyNewspaperGroup,The(TheDailyCourier)Terry Armstrong (250) 470-0721 kelownadailycourier.ca
PrOfESSIONAL SErVICES
Aplin&MartinConsultantsLtd.James kay 250-448-0157 aplinmartin.comBCConcrete&BasementRepairlance Johnson (250) 300-4950 bcconcrete.caCanaterraPropertyPageskaren Thompson 1-250-575-8877 canaterra.com
CarbonCopyDigitalgary Plant 250-860-6928 carboncopydigital.comOkanaganCollegeRandy werger (250) 862-5494 okanagan.bc.caPushorMitchellLLPbrad cronquist 1-250-869-1150 pushormitchell.comROVConsultingRichard Visscher, P.Eng. 250-860-0412 rovconsulting.caStrongRootsFlooringInc.Richard/shannon Johnstone 2508087668 strongroots.caSWAudioandVisualcal Mccarthy 250-868-3333 sw-online.comTechlectricConstructionCompanyLtd.brad Handel 250 833 4272 techsmart.caWinmarKelownastewart walker 1-250-862-3500 winmar.ca
rENOMArK rENOVATOrS
AccentRenovations/YourDreamGarageJeff sininger 250-869-7525 accentrenovations.caAuthenTechHomesLtd.scott Tyerman, RHP (250) 491-7690 authentechhomes.comBellamyHomesles bellamy (250) 470-2429 bellamyhomes.caChriscanConstructionlen suchocki (250) 712-1324 chriscan.comDistinctiveDevelopmentsLtd.Terry Heinrich (250) 491-1171 distinctivedevelopments.comDunamisProjectsTrevor / Evangeline neyedli 250 681 3732 dunamisprojects.comEdgecombeBuilderskevin Edgecombe & don campbell (250) 491-8655 edgecombebuilders.com
GordTurnerRenovationsLtd.gord Turner (250) 469-9379 gordturner.com/HamletPropertyServicesPaul day 250 215 5355HandymanConnectionquentin cyre 250 717 5500 kelowna.handymanconnection.comHarmonyHomesMick webb (250) 765-5191 harmonyhomes.netHildebrandtHomesken Hildebrandt (250) 309-4986 okanaganbchomebuilder.comJohnBachelderConstructionJohn bachelder 250 862 6725 johnbachelderconstruction.comKeithDahlenConstructionLtd.-ReBathOkanaganken dahlen (Rebath okanagan www.rebathokanagan.ca) 250-545-1300 keithconstruction.ca OkanaganGlacierHomesInc.kirk Andersen 778-755-5003 glacierhomes.ca
UKTrades(0775766BCLtd.)Ron brewer 250 862 1574 uktrades.caWilsonandCompanyLtd.James wilson 250-869-7125 wilsoncustombuilders.ca
rENOVATOrS
ConstructiveConceptsLtd.darren Evans 250-542-1801 constructiveconceptsOkanaganDreamBuildersLtd.Trent Tinkler 250-808-1788 okanagandreambuilders.comSawyerConstruction&RenovationLtd.keith Jerczynski (250) 212-1234SquareRootContracting&ConsultingLtdMike Twack (250) 863-6576 sq-root.comVivarHomes(ADivisionofVivarContractingInc.)d.J. Rasovic 250 808 5555
N
The interactive digital publication for iPad and iPhone.
Why Join CHBA-CO?•Foster change within government
•Connect with builders and their suppliers
•Be part of the “Tommie” experiencewhere you belong
ExclUsIVE OffEr to new members from the official publication of the canadian Home
Builders, NIcHE Magazine.
Join today and receive an ad in NICHE equivalent to the value of your
annual membership.
Call 250-861-3988 todayCanadian Home Builders Association
of the Central Okanagan
“You belong with us”
For details and a live demo, call
250-862-6722
NICHE 65
OVER 50 BRANDS • OVER 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS • MASSIVE LIVE SHOWROOM
SUPPLIErSAcuTrussIndustriesLtd.barry schick & Rob Voros 250-860-6667 acutruss.comAllWeatherWindowsscott dore (250) 860-5666 allweatherwindows.comAquassureAccessibleBathsshari Mcdowell (250) 868-1220 aquassure.comArtisticAwningCo.Ltd.Mike wessel 250-861-3855 artisticawning.comBigSteelBoxTroy doell 250-763-9660 bigsteelbox.comBoltSecuritySystemsgary gylytiuk 250-861-1001 boltsecurity.netBurncoRockProducts(BC)Ltd.dave Tesarski & dean biglow 250-769-7865 burnco.com
CancaddReproductionsandEngineeringSupliesLtd.Jim shedden 250 860 3425 cancadd.caCentraWindowsIncMichael lane 250-765-4402 centra.caCoastWholesaleAppliancesInc.Rob siddon (250) 765-2421 coastappliances.comColonialCountertopsLtd.Adam cathcart 250-765-3004 colonialcountertops.comCompetitionGlassLtd.curtis Ankerstein 250-860-7155 compglass.comCreativeDoorServicesdon McEachern 250 491 2012 creativedoor.comCulturedStonekim kotowsky 250-864-8110 culturedstone.com
DesigningwithLightSupplyMike bentien / Rob bentien (250) 862-3671 designingwithlight.caDuPontBuildingInnovationsRyan foster 250-575-2545 construction.tyvek.caEnviroChoiceSewageTreatmentSolutionsgeorge devlin (250) 765-8265 - 1-866-765-8265 envirochoice.caEurolineWindowsInc.isbrand funk/ Paul klyne (250) 448-8484 or (250) 718-7771 euroline-windows.comFloformCountertopsken Hilsenteger (250) 860-5333 floform.comGienowWindows&Doorsdave Richert (250) 868-9006 or 1-800-367-9520 gienow.comGlassCanadaInc.debra dotschkat 250-454-9923 glasscanada.net
GuildmasterFurnitureLtd.Peter M Ross 250 547 2579 guildmasterfurniture.caHomeHardwareBuildingCentreMike irvine (250) 868-9040 homehardware.caHybridElevatorInc.lance davidson 250-762-8682 hybridelevator.caIkoIndustriesLtd.Mike Peryk -sales Representative 250-212-7742 iko.comK2Stone(Kelowna)Inc.darren kroeker 1-866-323-3035 k2stone.caKaycanLtd.sandra woodcock (250) 258-8528 kaycan.comKekuliBayCabinetrybonnie Huber 250 558 5112 kekulibaycabinetry.com
KelownaReadyMixHarvey beselt (250) 762-2211 kelownareadymix.ca/KettleValleyMoulding+MillworkIncTammy Jackson 250-801-4096 kvmoulding.comMaraLumberlou gauthier 250-765-2963 maralumber.caMoenInc.Ryan wright 250-469-4960 moen.caNetworxWindowsandDoorsRyan Vandelft 250 860 0960 networx-excellence.comNorelcoCabinetsPeter Raja - owner/general Manager 250-765-2121 norelcocabinets.caOKBuildersSupplyLtd.Jerry baron (250) 763-3622 okbuilders.ca
NICHE66
DIrECTOrY CHBA-CO2012
OkanaganHardwoodFlooringCo.Ltd.steve Everitt (250) 765-2610 okanaganhardwoodfloors.comParagonSurfacingLtd.Interiorchris Mccutcheon 250 861 8988 paragonsurfacing.comParkPlaceGarageofKelownalaurence waidmann (250) 681-4349 parkplacegarage.netPhantomScreenslevon symonds 250-762-7592 phantomscreens.comPlastiFabsean Mcbeth 604-526-2771 plastifab.comPureGraniteRocksclark omand 250-558-3773 puregraniterocks.comRobinsonLightingCentrelarry lundgren (250) 860-9626 rlrbc.comRonaHome&Gardenchris Robertson 250-979-3089 rona.caSolarCentreStoresInc.craig McJannet 250-762-5587 solarcentre.caSteel-CraftDoorProductsLtd.Henry Howe 250-765-4765 steel-craft.caStrongRootsFlooringInc.Richard/shannon Johnstone 250-808-7668 strongroots.caSundeckCentreshayla smeunier 250-766-7320 sundeckcentre.comTelusken Perka 604 432 4847 telus.com/bicsTheBrick(CommercialSalesDivision)Tom st. george, Harinder lalli (250) 765-2291 thebrick.comTheCATRentalStoregraham Hoffman 250-860-3510 catrents.caTrailAppliancesTerry Volden (250) 862-3838 trailappliances.comWest2eastCabinetryken Veach 250-451-0860 west2eastcabinetry.com
WestwoodFineCabinetryInc.kelly kennedy - business development Manager (250) 860-3900 westwoodfinecabinetrry.comWolseleyKitchen&BathClassicsHayley Mepham & norm schwab 250-860-4366 wolseleyinc.ca
TrADE CONTrACTOrS
AccentRenovations/YourDreamGarageJeff sininger 250-869-7525 accentrenovations.caAcePlumbing&Heatingbrian walter 250-861-6696 aceplumbing.bzBathFitterian gorst 250-860-8678 bathfitter.comBCConcrete&BasementRepairlance Johnson (250) 300-4950 bcconcrete.caBoltSecuritySystemsgary gylytiuk 250-861-1001 boltsecurity.netCertaProPaintersJason McMurray (250) 868-5126 certapro.comCompetitionGlassLtd.curtis Ankerstein 250-860-7155 compglass.comCrystalClassicExteriorsInc.dan Poznikoff 250-861-5988 crystalclassic.caDiscoveryGlass&AluminumInc.gary Alton 778-753-5966 discoveryglass.caFloformCountertopsken Hilsenteger (250) 860-5333 floform.comFourSeasonsInsulationLtd.Roger Prato 250-861-3626 fourseasonsinsulation.comGeoTilityGeothermalInstallationsCorp.Rick nelson 1-250-762-5776 geotility.caGlassCanadaInc.debra dotschkat 250-454-9923 glasscanada.net/GuildmasterFurnitureLtd.Peter M Ross 250 547 2579 guildmasterfurniture.ca
Hi-TestExteriorsLtd.Jason gagnon-owner 1-250-808-8859KeithDahlenConstructionLtd.-ReBathOkanaganken dahlen (Rebath okanagan www.rebathokanagan.ca) 250-545-1300 keithconstruction.ca KekuliBayCabinetrybonnie Huber 250 558 5112 kekulibaycabinetry.comKilo-WompElectricLtd.keith wemp (250) 861-3939LoneyPlumbingInc.Richard loney 250-470-0108LynxBrandFenceProductsJohn denney 250 765 1468 lynxfence.comMadgeContractingLtd.chris Romano 250-765-1180 madgeroofing.comNicholsonEnterprisesbob nicholson 250-212-1758NorelcoCabinetsPeter Raja - owner/general Manager 250-765-2121 norelcocabinets.caOkanaganSolarLtd.Rob Monteith 250 801 9662 okanagansolar.caPatrickVincentHomesLtd.Patrick Vincent (250) 862-1441 patrickvincenthomes.comSawyerConstruction&RenovationLtd.keith Jerczynski (250) 212-1234SquareRootContracting&ConsultingLtdMike Twack (250) 863-6576 sq-root.comStarwatchAudioVideoPeter Tischler 1-250-717-0022 http://www.starwatchav.com.StrongRootsFlooringInc.Richard/shannon Johnstone 2508087668 strongroots.caSundeckCentreshayla smeunier 250-766-7320 sundeckcentre.comTechlectricConstructionCompanyLtd.brad Handel 250 833 4272 techsmart.ca
VivarHomes(ADivisionofVivarContractingInc.)d.J. Rasovic 250 808 5555
UTILITY COMPANIES
FortisBCbrent Hunt/ kim Jones 250 868 4522 / 250 717 0808 ortisbc.comShawCablesystemsGPTim walsh (250) 712-2345 shaw.caTelusken Perka 604 432 4847 telus.com/bics
WArrANTY COMPANIES
NationalHomeWarrantyProgramsgord Houston 1-604-575-3536 nationalhomewarranty.comPacificHomeWarrantyInsuranceServicesInc.Josh cudmore 1 604 574 4776 pacificwarranty.comTravelersGuaranteeCompanyofCanadaMarvin friesen - kelowna kerry nagy - Vancouver 1-800-555-9431 travelersguarantee.com N
NICHE 67
Product Shown: Executive™ Motorized Retractable Screens
Experience outdoor living with Phantom’s retractable screens!
www.phantomscreens.com
Phantom’s screens retract completely out of sight, enhancing your outdoor lifestyle by providing insect and solar protection without blocking your views.
Call 1-888-PHANTOM today!
Outdoor Living. Okanagan Style.
May 2012 Kelowna Full Page Ad.indd 1 12-05-03 12:05 PM
NICHE68
12-097_Niche_8.375x10.75-PRESS.indd 1 Monday12-05-07 3:54 PM