December 3, 2009 …looking a lot like Christmas ›› inside TRICIA LESLIE Twinkling lights glitter brightly from their vantage points amid garlands, wreaths, rib- bons and figurines. Candles are lit to enhance the seasonal displays that catch your eye throughout the home, from windowsills and fireplace mantles to the chandelier over the dining room table. Your favourite Christmas carols play soſtly in the background, and the smells coming from the kitchen indicate there’s some sea- sonal baking on the way – likely a hot batch of shortbread cookies, fresh out of the oven. It’s beginning to look at lot like Christmas throughout Metro Vancouver, and as the big day nears, many homeowners are getting ready for the holiday season by ‘dressing up’ their homes for the holidays. Homebuyers who have just purchased a new home may find they have more – or less – space with which to bring the holidays inside. Perhaps the colours of the traditional decora- tions don’t match the new house, or maybe only some will work. at’s where Brenda Wilkes and Donni Saunders like to lend a helping hand. e two local women are longtime friends who have histories in retail and interior de- sign, and during the holidays, they pair up to make homes look their best and brightest for the festive season. “Each home invites a different look, but it’s really about the homeowner and who they are, and making this feel like their home,” says Wilkes. Come home for the holidays Making your digs festive , fun and welcoming can be easy Donni Saunders (left) and Brenda Wilkes create warm and welcoming homes for the holidays, like this Maple Ridge house. It’s the first Christmas for the owners at this residence and they wanted to make it special. Rob Newell photo SEE NEXT PAGE Your chandelier can become a decorative display for the season’s festivities. Rob Newell photo e cost of home ownership in Canada became more expensive for the first time since the spring of 2008 across all hous- ing segments, according to the latest RBC Economics report. “Home affordability deteriorated in all provinces and major markets in Canada due to a slight rise in key mortgage rates and appreciation in property values,” says RBC senior economist Robert Hogue. “Despite this increase in home owner- ship costs, affordability measures have still shown improvement from a year ago.” e RBC Housing Affordability measure captures the proportion of pre-tax house- hold income needed to service the costs of owning a home. During the third quarter of 2009, that measure rose at the national level for all housing types (the higher the measure, the more expensive it is to afford a home). e report found that demand in the housing market has outgrown supply since the rebound started last winter, leading to a much more competitive market and widespread increases in home value across many parts of the country. In B.C., home ownership costs rose during the third quarter, following five con- secutive declines, according to the report. Vancouver continues to be the most expensive place to buy a house, with a detached bungalow taking up an average of 66.8 per cent of pre-tax income. Ontario is second, at 48.6 per cent, followed by Ot- tawa’s 39.2 per cent. “e housing market still faces obstacles, as mortgages have become more difficult to handle for many Canadians amid chal- lenging labour conditions. is is likely to persist until the economic recovery is well established and job creation is sustained next year,” says Hogue. www.rbc.com/economics Cost of home ownership on the rise: RBC “Despite this increase in home ownership costs, affordability measures have still shown improvement from a year ago.”
Transcript
December 3, 2009
…looking a lot like Christmas ›› inside
TRICIA LESLIE
Twinkling lights glitter brightly from their vantage points amid garlands, wreaths, rib-bons and figurines.
Candles are lit to enhance the seasonal displays that catch your eye throughout the home, from windowsills and fireplace mantles to the chandelier over the dining room table.
Your favourite Christmas carols play softly in the background, and the smells coming from the kitchen indicate there’s some sea-sonal baking on the way – likely a hot batch of shortbread cookies, fresh out of the oven.
It’s beginning to look at lot like Christmas throughout Metro Vancouver, and as the big day nears, many homeowners are getting ready for the holiday season by ‘dressing up’ their homes for the holidays.
Homebuyers who have just purchased a new home may find they have more – or less – space with which to bring the holidays inside. Perhaps the colours of the traditional decora-tions don’t match the new house, or maybe only some will work.
That’s where Brenda Wilkes and Donni Saunders like to lend a helping hand.
The two local women are longtime friends who have histories in retail and interior de-sign, and during the holidays, they pair up to make homes look their best and brightest for the festive season.
“Each home invites a different look, but it’s really about the homeowner and who they are, and making this feel like their home,” says Wilkes.
Come home for the holidaysMaking your digs festive, fun and welcoming can be easy
Donni Saunders (left) and Brenda Wilkes create warm and welcoming homes for the holidays, like this Maple Ridge house. It’s the first Christmas for the owners at this residence and they wanted to make it special. Rob Newell photo
SEE NEXT PAGE
Your chandelier can become a decorative display for the season’s festivities. Rob Newell photo
The cost of home ownership in Canada became more expensive for the first time since the spring of 2008 across all hous-ing segments, according to the latest RBC Economics report.
“Home affordability deteriorated in all provinces and major markets in Canada due to a slight rise in key mortgage rates and appreciation in property values,” says RBC senior economist Robert Hogue.
“Despite this increase in home owner-ship costs, affordability measures have still shown improvement from a year ago.”
The RBC Housing Affordability measure captures the proportion of pre-tax house-hold income needed to service the costs of
owning a home.During the third
quarter of 2009, that measure rose at the national level for all housing types (the higher the measure, the more expensive it is to afford a home).
The report found that demand in the housing market has outgrown supply since the rebound started last winter, leading to a much more competitive
market and widespread increases in home value across many parts of the country.
In B.C., home ownership costs rose during the third quarter, following five con-secutive declines, according to the report.
Vancouver continues to be the most expensive place to buy a house, with a detached bungalow taking up an average of 66.8 per cent of pre-tax income. Ontario is second, at 48.6 per cent, followed by Ot-tawa’s 39.2 per cent.
“The housing market still faces obstacles, as mortgages have become more difficult to handle for many Canadians amid chal-lenging labour conditions. This is likely to persist until the economic recovery is well established and job creation is sustained next year,” says Hogue.
www.rbc.com/economics
Cost of home ownership on the rise: RBC
“Despite this increase in home ownership costs, affordability measures have still shown improvement from a year ago.”
2 • New Local Home | December 3, 2009 New Local Home | December 3, 2009 • 3
88th Ave.to H
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“It’s about personalizing the home – some people have sentimental pieces they’ll want to use, for example.”
While Wilkes and Saunders can provide a whole new look, theme or colour scheme – from black Christmas trees to creating a ‘Whoville’ Dr. Seuss look – they usually work with what each homeowner has, first.
One challenge everyone faces with the first Christmas in their new home is how to best decorate it with some of the builder features that are common in new residences, such as recessed alcoves, built-in millwork, art niches, overheight ceilings and double-level staircases, say the designers. They help homeowners use the new features to their best advantage.
The pair can work within any budget and can help homeowners avoid being overwhelmed by the decorations shopping experience, when there’s too much to choose from and too little time.
“Our goal is to make something extraordinary out of something ordinary,” Saunders says. “It depends on the homeowner, the home, and the story they want to bring to life ... you can deco-rate an entire home around a sentimental piece.”
Plus, Wilkes adds, having a welcoming décor adds to the celebratory feeling when entertain-ing family and friends during the holidays.
“We’re setting the stage and creating an atmo-sphere ... our goal is to make it the most com-fortable and invigorating experience possible.”
The designers have already decked the halls
at Lorraine Manyk and Ron Kothlow’s home in Maple Ridge, for the couple’s first Christmas in the house.
Because of the 20-foot ceilings in the great room, a nine-foot tree shimmers with lights and decorations, while the double-level staircase features strategically placed wreaths and two hanging ornaments strung up at different levels, in a theme repeated throughout the house.
Cranberries, Santa figurines, a nutcracker sol-dier, jesters and red cardinal birds are mixed in among the candles, evergreen boughs, ribbons and mistletoe.
Chandeliers – indoors and out – are decorated to reflect the season. From outside the front door to inside the foyer, from the fireplaces and windowsills to the guest bathroom, the home glitters and glows in a warm, welcoming fashion that is not overdone, yet not underdone.
It’s perfect.And the homeowners couldn’t agree more.“I love it. It’s fabulous. They have the vision,
and they worked with what we already had,” Manyk says of her home. “It’s absolutely amaz-ing.”
Kothlow agrees.“I come downstairs and have to pinch myself
... they’ve done a great job,” he says.
Features like recessed niches can help you decorate. Rob Newell photo
A nutcracker soldier is flanked by scented candles. Rob Newell photo
Don’t forget the reindeer on Christmas Eve. Rob Newell photo
Off the front: ‘We’re setting the stage ... creating an atmosphere’ FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Lorraine Manyk and Ron Kothlow’s home is aglow with seasonal warmth and festive flair, thanks to two local decorators. Rob Newell photo
4 • New Local Home | December 3, 2009
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