We have been busy over the past months considering the direction of the magazine. In our journey to determine the appropriate focus for the publication, we were lead to the following questions: who is our reader and how do they want to spend their limited free time?

The answers to these questions are simple. Our reader is you – the home owner, renter, buyer and builder; the home chef, decorator, shopper, and saver; the realist and the dreamer.

Our readers want to spend their free time focusing on the things that matter most. We have made Okanagan HOME a magazine you can call your own – a voice speaking directly to each and every one of you.

Our quest is to fill this publication with substance that gives you value – substance you can ponder when personalizing your own rooms, which will be the setting for priceless memories with family and friends. This holiday season and beyond, we want to give you inspiration – inspiration to bring the heart and soul of who you are to your home.

We hope you will have as much enjoyment seeing our vision take form, as we will have putting it together. To our readers, this issue of Okanagan HOME is for you.

Best Wishes in the New Year,

P.S. We would love to hear from you! Please send us your thoughts to info@okanaganhome. com.
Or Mail To:

Okanagan HOME Magazine
Box 153, 105-3957 Lakeshore Road
Kelowna, BC
V1W 1V3

When Scott Ross met with his clients to plan and design this 5000 square foot, contemporary, custom built beauty, the challenge was to blend the home with the steep hillside. This would minimize elevation change, therefore decreasing the use of stairs, while capturing as much of the lake view as possible. Using an experienced team of draftsmen and tradesmen, they formulated a plan to integrate the back of the home into the hillside Ross says the design philosophy in building this masterpiece was to keep the home clean, sleek, and sophisticated, yet simple. When you combine that with the interior designing ability of Shonna Fox, you have a well put together residence with a very pleasing interior.

The house features a built-in audio system, media room, and wine room. The hallway leading to the media room serves a dual purpose – a glass wall at the end of the corridor showcases the wine room’s display of vintages. The home also includes a study, four bathrooms, and three bedrooms plus one guest casita – perfect privacy for guests! There is a three car garage, a backyard that blends with part of the first floor roof, and an infinity pool.

The view from the infinity pool gives you the feeling its waters merge with the lake.  Perched on the edge of the cliff at the front of the home, the pool is the biggest the lot and design would allow, offering the best scenery available.

The design and lines of the living room make their own statement.  The 19 foot ceilings give a bright, spacious feeling to the interior, while the ceiling fan circulates large volumes of air to help the home remain ventilated and climatized. It must be made known that this is no ordinary ceiling fan – it is actually called a Big Ass Fan! While being a very large fan, it is also highly efficient and extremely quiet. The Sepele site engineered and finished hardwood floors complete the smooth and stylish feeling of the interior.

Suppliers  (For web addresses for these businesses, visit our Resources page)
All Glass Railings/Frameless Showers/Mirrors | Discovery Glass
Builder | Timberhaven Homes
Front Entry Walnut Pivot Door | Plexus Doors
Garage Door | JP Garage Doors Ltd
Hardwood/Carpet/Tile | Ploutos Enterprises
High Velocity Heating | Centralaire Ltd
Indoor/Outdoor Stonework | Thor Masonry
Interior Designer | Shonna Fox Design
Interior Painting | Davison Painting
Silestone Kitchen Countertops | Pure Granite Rocks!

It brings together two impressive B.C. developers; the Citimark Group and Western Construction. Together they have designed, built and marketed this beautiful new community in Lake Country. Both companies specialize in wood frame, residential construction. Their homes are known for being well designed, well built, and for their locations in premier, family friendly neighborhoods.

Crystal Heights is the first development in the Okanagan by Citimark and Western. It consists of well conceived design, attention to detail, quality construction and professional marketing and after sale service.

People are already starting to fall in love with this community and when you go there, you’ll know why. As you come into the community you see well spaced two and three-storey homes with West Coast inspired craftsman architecture. One thing that stands out is that these semi-detached homes have only one neighbour and natural light on three sides.

When you step inside you’ll appreciate the light filled rooms and free flowing floor plans. This really is a place you can call home. At Crystal Heights you have your choice of modern or traditional colour schemes with durable interior finishing.

The gourmet kitchens come with Whirlpool stainless steel appliances, modern cabinets with stainless steel finish pulls, granite counter tops, under mount kitchen lighting as well as ceiling pot and pendant lighting. The double stainless steel sink and spacious kitchen island make this a cook’s dream kitchen. Outside of every kitchen lies a balcony, porch or patio for outdoor dining. Every home comes with high efficiency, central forced heating and air conditioning. Throw in the essentials like built-in wire shelving in the closets and pantries and handy storage in the garage, and you have plenty of space to enjoy.

There are laminate floors throughout and cut loop carpet on the upper floor, stairs and bedrooms. For those cooler nights, you can snuggle up in front of the cozy (and efficient) living room fireplace with designer surround.

Let’s not forget the bathrooms.  Each home has a minimum of two full bathrooms and a powder room on the main level. Larger plans offer three and a half baths. All master bedrooms have a private ensuite with modern square sinks, full width vanity mirrors and distinctive floor and wall tiles. After a hard day you can relax in the soaker tub in the main bathroom.

Once you’re all relaxed, watch a show. There are cable jacks in the living room, family room, den and all bedrooms for television and high speed internet. The wall above the fireplace is prewired with cable, power and component cable conduit for easy installation of a flat screen TV.

Every home at Crystal Heights is safe and secure. Each home comes with a 2-5-10 home warranty by Travelers. All windows are vinyl and double-glazed. Smoke detectors are hardwired and the homes have been pre-wired for the alarm system of your choice.

Leaving home may be hard, but when you do the beauty of the Okanagan awaits you.

When you live at Crystal Heights you are literally minutes away from everything. Winfield centre is a quick five-minute drive where you can find all your everyday shops and services. There are several beach access points to both lakes within a 10-minute drive. You may feel removed from the hustle and bustle here, yet a mere 20 minutes from your door is downtown Kelowna, rich with shopping, restaurants, theatres, live music, art galleries and more. For outdoor lovers, Crystal Heights provides the best of all worlds. Pick your activity and enjoy it here. Depending on the season you can swim, water ski, ride your bike or hike along the several trails in the area. Let’s not forget golf, snow skiing and snowboarding either. This area is well known for people being able to golf in the morning and ski in the afternoon.

Crystal Heights also has nearby schools and bus transportation. It’s the perfect place for families, retirees, students, you name it; Crystal Heights is destined to be a place everyone  can call home.  When you live at Crystal Heights you are literally minutes away from everything. [ By Darcy Nybo]

Suppliers  (See our Resources page for contact information)
Footings/Foundation/Structural Framing | Gibson Framing
Geotechnical Engineering |  Levelton Consultants Ltd.
Shower Doors/Mirrors |  The Shower Door Guy

This living room embraces texture and colour in the furnishing.  The gloss of the deep hardwood floors is softened by the comforting use of velvet upholstery. Deep cushions rest on clean lines of custom furniture – a look that is both polished and welcoming.  Clear, clean-lined tables keep stuffiness at bay.

You can choose the design element that speaks directly to you and use it as a style marker when making your own decisions. The bold use of colour on display, from the creamy whites of the wainscoting to the stylized pumpkin shades of the ottoman playing in contrast to the teal velvets on the side chairs, is a directional statement.  When it comes to making an update, consider the show-stopping simplicity of the Bocci chandelier, a modern counterpoint to the classic details of the space.

Find your inspiration and run with it – it is easier than you may think. Many of the room details are sourced directly from Okanagan retailers including the florals, rugs and artwork.  Custom pieces can be found through Kelowna-based designers with expert eyes and large portfolios of work throughout the Okanagan.

Decorative concrete is chosen by home owners looking for a durable product that is made by hand, usually by a local team of artisans who work on site. Concrete lends itself well to a modern vision and forward thinking design.  The product is so malleable; imagination can be brought to life.

When choosing a local concrete manufacturer a home owner should be looking for a company that understands the benefits of decorative concrete in the home.  A correct pour and polish reduces the porosity of concrete making it easy to clean. A sealant is applied to keep the concrete surface from staining.  Concrete lends itself to kitchen and bathroom countertops and basins, custom furniture and endless applications in custom outdoor settings from pool decks to fireplaces.

In the case of countertops this process leaves a remarkably smooth, soft feel to the finished surface.   A contractor should be able to guarantee against cracking in the finished product. When it comes to chip repair ask your contractor to record the mix design and materials in your countertop.  With this information the contractor can reproduce your chosen finish for a barely noticeable repair.

Concrete is an exceptional product for outdoor furniture says Cindy Manchur co-owner of MODE Concrete in Kelowna, “You can have something that lasts and can be unique to you as the owner.”

Manchur designs furniture at MODE including a sinuous chaise lounge that can be finished in any concrete colour available.  “Concrete is incredible versatile.  If you have a vision of how you would like to use it, it can very often be created.”

Some of the new trends in concrete include grinding to expose rocks, recycled glass and stones in the surface.  Vertical application and cladding for fireplaces and walls is being requested more often.  Customers can also provide their own additives to surfaces including stone, shells, mementos and coins.

“Concrete gives the owner the opportunity to create something lasting that reflects their point of view,” explains Manchur. “With product improvements in the past few years many concerns about concrete have been eliminated.”

New methods of concrete production mean concrete is stronger and resists shrinkage.  New sealers have made concrete more stain resistant including food safe and UV resistance.

Those characteristics make concrete an excellent choice for outdoor kitchens.  With so many possibilities for a backyard, the winter months are when home owners should start considering outdoor kitchen design explains Manchur. “The design process is important with concrete. You want to get your visions and the drawings in place so there is time to decide on the entire plan, from fire bowls to grill accessories.”

Ductless heat pumps (DHPs) are wall mounted and well suited to homes with electric baseboard heating where ductwork does not exist. There can be multiple units in a home (or business) that service different zones or areas. They also eliminate energy losses through duct work, which is typically 15 to 20 percent.

The investment in a heat pump can be recovered though energy savings. A heat pump supplies about two times more heat than energy used. At optimum temperatures, a ductless heat pump can produce up to 4kW of heat for every 1kW of electricity inputted. While having a back-up heating system is recommended, newer heat pumps can still produce heat (at a reduced capacity) when temperatures drop lower than -20C°.

The upfront costs can also be offset by incentives from FortisBC PowerSense or LiveSmart BC.  PowerSense provides rebates of $300 – $1000 for qualified air source heat pump (ASHP) products that have been installed by a qualified contractor in new homes. For existing homes, LiveSmart BC provides rebates of up $1500, when your home is upgraded under the direction of a certified energy auditor. Alternatively, PowerSense provides loans of up to $6,500 per home.

For maximum efficiency, be sure to have your heat pump sized and installed by a qualified contractor. There is a list of qualified contractors on FortisBC PowerSense web site. Annual servicing will also keep your unit running at maximum efficiency.

For more information about ASHP, incentives and qualified contractors, visit fortisbc.com/heatpump. 

Open your world to possibilities with new window treatments and blinds, says Tyler Waterfield of Budget Blinds in Kelowna. It’s easier than ripping up your floors, and cheaper than knocking down a wall. Moreover, with nearly limitless options, you can find something that fits your budget and your taste, he says.

“It can literally change the room,” says Waterfield, who owns the Budget Blinds franchise. “Over years and years and years of having the same blind, it becomes stagnant. Styles do change.”

Blinds are versatile and effective. A top-down blind, for example, can add light and open your views while retaining privacy. Whereas a solar shade can help keep your house warm in winter, and cool in summer.

“You can really make an impact on your house,” he says. “Not only by looks, but also by insulation. New window coverings can help save you money on heating costs.”

Waterfield’s new favourite products are custom wood shutters, or California-style shutters.

They “really, really add to the value of the home,” he says. “You could walk into a house in 25 years, and they would still look new. That’s really why they’ve been so popular in California, because they can stand up to the intense heat.”

The shutters open like a door with a tilt bar and have larger 3-½ inch slats for increased visibility. He calls them “window furniture, furniture for your windows.”

The custom products add class, elegance and curb appeal, says Waterfield.

Donna M. Kerr, general manager of Kelowna’s NeedBlinds.ca, says that her favourite product is a woven wood drapery. The blinds are on vertical tracks and can draw left or right. They’re made from durable, environmentally friendly bamboo or wood fibre.

They’re becoming more popular with designers because they can filter light and open views at the same time.

“It’s an updated, natural look,” says Kerr. “It’s elegant, and it’s a problem solver for people who want to use woven woods on their windows. A lot of people like woven woods that look like Roman shades, and then when they have a patio door, they can’t really put a roller shade on a patio door. So this is pretty good solution for them.”

However, before you get too excited about swapping the old curtains for a modern look, you should consult the experts. Kerr suggests looking at your windows and measuring the depth of the casings. Don’t try to mount a two-inch faux wood blind inside a 1-½ inch window casing, she says.

“It cheapens the look of the blind if they don’t fit,” she says. “They look lost. When you’ve got a deep window casing, try and get an appropriate blind or shutter to fill that opening.”

Both Kerr and Waterfield will visit your home to help you through the process, measure your windows and install the products you choose. And what choices.

Hunter-Douglas is the largest manufacturer in Canada, and gives you about 40 different options, Kerr says. Waterfield says even if you’re not in the market for a major renovation, you can find something to update the look of your house.

“There are so many different styles of window coverings that we can work around their style and budget,” he says.

The latest renovation of the meeting space is on the third floor of the historical building.  Planning for the renovation started in 2006.  Multiple years are too long a time horizon for home owners planning a reno, but good planning saves time and money says Eldorado GM, Brad Sieben, “You need to think about what makes a space approachable and comfortable. People notice the results.”

New elements include a stairwell detailed with contrasting inlaid cork flooring.  The stairwell landing includes a pair of bathrooms that are an excellent expression of the history of the Eldorado, without being too on the nose.  The bathrooms include the latest in green technology, with lighting that responds to occupants. The tiling, round mirrors and beveled glass transoms exude class.

While neither the bathroom nor the stairwell is the focus of the larger renovation, the attention to detail, well-chosen styling and design show that both elements are vital to setting the stage for the main rooms.  The Eldorado has adhered to the idea that when entertaining guests their experience takes place in every area.

The main room renovation at the Eldorado creates a corporate meeting space that has businesses vying for bookings.  It is the near-residential details that make the space so welcoming. The high windows are set into deep frames. The curtains and fabric in the space are weighted and chosen to match the scale.  The inset border cork flooring maintains visual interest.  The exterior terrace with bar service takes advantage of the view of the marina.

It all adds up to a brilliant party space.  The Eldorado is hosting a series of New Years parties this year and Sieben says the flow of the new renovation is a key design principle. “We will have people upstairs, downstairs and for multiple sittings. In a hotel our size it is important that each public space functions well.”

The holidays and entertaining are great motivators to freshen up a space. The Eldorado is a great example to follow, or you can buy tickets to the hotel’s black and white party and ring in the New Year with the hard work already done.