Whether you love them or hate them, elevators are a necessary part of condo living. As buildings get taller, elevator manufacturers have been forced to innovate to keep up with modern-day needs. In 1857, Otis Elevator invented the first passenger elevator in a five-storey building in New York City. This innovation ultimately paved the way for the rise – literally – of skyscrapers across the world and changed the face of urban landscapes forever. Despite the fact that elevators... [read more]

Municipal water systems are required to test and monitor drinking water supplies to ensure safe and good-tasting water. But what happens once that water has been piped into towns, neighbourhoods, and homes? Older homes may still have service lines made of lead going into the home, which can cause lead to leach into the water. The local water supplier should be able to confirm the presence of lead service lines for homeowners. Older fixtures that contain lead, or lead that was used on pipe... [read more]

I have always wondered about the layout of the interiors of those homes. They are surely built to be functional. There was no luxury in those times such as designing a house just to accommodate a large table or a flat screen TV. Every room and every hallway was built for function. And it made sense. Heat rises, so the kitchen was actually the family room of the house, the place where the family gathered for eating, games and conversation. The scullery was the room at the back of the house... [read more]

If your goal is sell your home faster, renovations can help move the needle. Buyers are attracted to a space that feels new and modern, so even small upgrades can go a long way – especially if it’s been decades since the last home upgrade. If you plan to put your house on the market, consider making these small but impactful updates before you list. FRESH PAINT A fresh coat of paint, both inside and outside the home, can brighten up the space and make it feel new... [read more]

There’s no better time to refresh your home than the fall. Every season, there are always new answers to the question: what’s in right now? Industry experts and tastemakers have gone out to gather trends from all over the world in order to forecast what colours will be popular in people’s homes and what furniture the masses will be scooping up. If you want to change up your home but have no idea where to start, look to this year’s trends for inspiration and while... [read more]