Ash the Expert: Landscape Architecture
Urban Retreats: The Next Trend In Health & Wellness My husband and I recently travelled to Italy. We both fell in love with the people, and the natural beauty of the landscape. When we got home, we wanted to apply some key “life changes”, inspired while interacting with Italian culture. Specifically, we would slow down, relax, and enjoy life in “the moment”. And with this in mind, I knew right away that when Paul Brydges suggested...
The Pride & Joy of Classic Cars
Who doesn’t like the chance to go and admire beautiful gleaming cars of all makes, models and ages? One great place is Orangeville’s “Blues Cruise” at their annual Blues and Jazz Festival. The whole of Broadway is closed off on a Friday night to make the space to display and admire those classic cars, to start the weekend off with the lively music scene! The Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival is held in historic downtown...
Simply. Beautiful.
What could be better than being able to live, and entertain, creating beautiful memories in a custom- designed home? Well, how about adding a custom- designed backyard to add to those beautiful memories! Our clever couple had the foresight to contract the services of a talented landscape designer, who in turn was just as clever to have Dave Cadieux and his team from D&D Pools execute on a stunning centrepiece of a complete...
5 Tips to Refresh Your Home in the New Year
(Family Features) Each new year gives you the chance to reset and start new routines. When you’re considering new approaches to healthy living – whether eliminating or adding habits to improve your daily life – beginning with your home is an optimal choice. Your living environment has a strong influence on your life, and it’s worth evaluating how you can make updates that create a positive space for you and all that the new year will...
FEATURED HOME: A Forever Home
Moving from your home is one of life’s most significant events, and it can prove to be a stressful and emotional undertaking. Embarking on a new adventure in a new home can be exciting and scary all at once. It can spark inspiration for new possibilities, while at the same time make us wistful and sentimental as we say goodbye to the place where many fond memories were created. When John and Judy Rietkerk began their latest new home...
TRAVEL FEATURE: The Daintree Rainforest, Australia
Paradise & Peril In Australia’s Ancient Daintree Rainforest In my quest to discover unique wilderness habitats, upon visiting Australia’s biologically alluring Daintree rainforest I am fascinated with its unusual foliage and terrifying creatures. Located in Queensland, north of Cairns, this narrow belt of land, about 1200 km in size, is mostly inaccessible as it’s hemmed in by the steep Great Dividing Ridge to the west and blue...
FEATURED ARTIST: Karen Dodds Rodd
Walking Art What does one always look for when it comes to our clothes, accessories, hairstyles, and everything else we have or convey in our every day lives? We search for uniqueness and individuality. We crave something colourful, bright, exciting, something which is inviting and creates a vibe that is ours, and ours alone. Sure, we can pop into a big box store and come out with something nice but it doesn’t compare to the...
FEATURED RESTAURANT: Top Hat Tea Room
A Place in Time It’s not often I get to spend time with a lovely family, one who’s roots tie-in closely with my own. Having said that, spend just a short time with this mother, daughter, and son business-owner trio, and you’ll feel like an old friend, and you’ll definitely be treated like family. The Top Hat Tea Room, located in beautiful downtown Orangeville, is like walking into a space where time stands still. Comfort food is...
MILESTONES: Part III Leaving the “Nest”
Moving out of your parent’s home for the first time is a HUGE milestone for everyone. You flew the nest! Buying your first home is even more significant in my opinion. All those years of hard work, and little wins have finally materialized into a massive milestone. A place you can really call your own. There are no rental agreements or damage deposits. You can renovate and decorate however you want. You can bring home a dog, or as...
Tried & True: The Timeless Craft of Furniture Making
Choosing the right piece of furniture for your home is hard. Not only do you want a visually appealing piece that suits your existing decor, but you also want something that is well-made and durable so it’ll withstand all that life brings, especially if you have children. I may or may not have known a child that used the arm of a recliner as a “diving board” – repeatedly. That child may or may not have been me. Implications of my past...
![LAYERS [Lairs] IN TIME: Going to the Poor House – Wellington County Museum](https://greatlivingspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Wellington-County-Museum-feature-image.jpg)
LAYERS [Lairs] IN TIME: Going to the Poor House – Wellington County Museum
“You’re driving me to the poor house”! How many times have we, as parents, said this to our kids when yet another demand is made? Now you really can! In this case, you will be driving them to the Wellington County Museum in Fergus! Now a designated National Historic Site, the building became the Museum and Archives in 1974 and was presented the 2013 Business Beautification Award by the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce for its...
The Perfect Fit…Epoxy Resin Tables & You!
We all have those family stories. That one thing that happened once upon a time, that some member of your family just will not let go of – in my house, it’s the legend of the table, handmade by my father and then sold by my mother in a garage sale. As all of this went down before my birth, I cannot say for certain what the quality of the table actually was, but if it had been anything like the series of coffee and end tables being...
Happy Motoring This Winter
We instinctively transform ourselves when summer turns into winter. We trade in our t-shirts and Bermuda shorts for parkas and heavy jeans and we might switch from a diet of fruit salad to that of beef stew. It makes sense that your automobile be given the same consideration. It is wise to have an expert check out and troubleshoot your vehicle prior to the onslaught of winter. Not only are experienced, reputable auto specialists able...
Abbeyfield Caledon – for Community Living
Almost twenty years ago, a group of Caledon residents watched as elders in their community left to spend their life elsewhere as no support systems were available to assist them with the increasing limitations of growing older. Especially troubling was the departure of a couple in their nineties who remained very involved in the Caledon East community, who moved to Ottawa because their home was too difficult for them to cope with. In...
Maintaining the Quality of Our Precious Water
As Canadians, some of us might not take our water resources as seriously as we should. After all, water seems to be everywhere in the great white north, (there are over 250,000 lakes in Ontario, alone). We have learned, however, that accessible water fit for consumption is a precious commodity and maintaining proper residential and commercial water quality as our population grows is critical. Fortunately, water quality technology is...
ASK THE EXPERT: Landscape Architect
Phased Landscape Construction – Planning Your Backyard Oasis The single biggest mistake people make when planning their outdoor space is NOT HAVING A PLAN! Even if you are unable to afford to complete the entire project right away, having a plan for phased landscape construction will ensure that, in the end, you have a cohesive backyard retreat that checks all the boxes for a desirable outdoor living space. A three-year plan is...
ASK THE EXPERT: Health
Nattokinase Nattokinase is an enzyme extracted and purified from a Japanese food called Natto. It is made by fermentation, using the bacteria Bacillus natto which is added to boiled soybeans. The bacteria produce the enzyme nattokinase to digest the substrate (soybeans), which is specific to this bacterial species. Cultures of Bacillus subtilis (the Japanese name for natto) were popular long before the introduction of antibiotics and...
ASK THE EXPERT: Beauty
Get Your Beauty On! Let’s have a conversation about beauty. I am happy for the opportunity to give my opinion on this subjective topic and for those who know me, you know that I do love to give my opinion (I am grinning while writing this). The reality is that I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t have a personal and professional view on what beauty is. After all, I am in the industry of making clients feel beautiful. Here is what I...
Create a Unique Personality for Your Home’s Entrance
First impressions matter – especially your home’s entrance. No wonder we invest such love and planning into our garage doors. Fortunately, when garage doors are a local family business, like All Mont Garage Doors in Orangeville, you can count on a long-standing commitment to workmanship and taste. Leading a 36-year tradition, All Mont Garage Doors, owned by Frank Eichhorn, Marco Eichhorn and Brenda Holmes, is known for diverse...
FEATURE HOME: Aqorpions Villa
Situated in Dorcas Bay, near Tobermory Ontario, where crystal blue waters meet the rugged Lake Huron shoreline, is a vacation home unlike anything else in the area. The Aqorpions Villa is a luxury retreat and vacation home with unforgettable views of the Lake, and interior finishes that could compare to any of the finest residences in Muskoka. The name “Aqorpions” itself, is a true reflection of the unique nature of this property. It...
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