For millions of homeowners, it’s an all-too-familiar scene: Your kitchen is so outdated, it could easily pass for a spread in a 1970s IKEA catalog. To boot, the counters are scratched, the cupboard doors are hanging by a thread and the appliances are fast becoming antiques. It’s time for a change – and a new [...]

With the cooler weather, we’re indoors more than ever.

No more musty, moldy underworld. Transform your basement into a livable, breathable space. People with environmental sensitivities, allergies and asthma are often taught to shun basements as dark, dank places laden with triggers such as mold and chemical fumes. And that stereotype can hold true. But the basement also presents much needed extra space. So [...]

They’re creepy and allergenic. But you can minimize the mites.

It’s a humid summer day. You descend the basement stairs and that damp, dusky smell hits you. Or you look under the kitchen sink and see a dark stain near a dripping pipe. Perhaps you peel back a piece of carpet in a damp area and spot the discoloration. These are all tell-tale signs of [...]

If you or your child have asthma or allergies you have probably already been trying to reduce your exposure to chemicals in your home. It turns out that you may be doing yourselves more of a favour than you know. A study recently published in the American Journal of Pediatrics, shows that chemicals that we [...]

Molds are microscopic fungi that grow all around us, both indoors and out. Inside, mold thrives in humid areas like the shower or the basement. Outside, you’ll find it growing in shady areas where there is dampness or where vegetation is decomposing. Mold reproduces by sending out tiny spores that float through the air, looking [...]

How you live makes a difference. Autos Let’s start with your vehicle. If you’re driving an SUV, it burns one-half to two-thirds more fuel than a regular car. As for cars, newer models can vary con­siderably on environmental and energy efficiency, so compare both fuel effi­ciency and emission controls before buying or leasing. Technology can [...]

Andrea Kantelberg’s interior design studio is pure white. White walls, white table, white chairs. The headquarters of Kantelberg Design is more like a canvass than an office, a space where Canada’s doyenne of green design can create in the high style meets healthy design aesthetic for which she’s now known. Kantelberg has made a name [...]

Benjamin Moore’s Aura paint line www.benjaminmoore.ca Why? Zero-VOC paint and tint line; interior and exterior paints. Boomerang Recycled Paint www.boomerangpaint.com Why? Recycled paint that’s low-VOC. Easy on the environment, made in Canada. Mythic Non-Toxic Paint www.mythicpaint.com Why? Great paint: no-VOCs; lovely colours; a company proud of its certifications. Farrow and Ball Clay Paint www.farrow-ball.com Why? A [...]