Homes Website – Winnipeg Free Press

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Spa-like amenities await in the elegant, beautifully finished ensuite.

Luxury and livability

Todd Lewys 6 minute read Saturday, Apr. 18, 2026

There are times when, for some subtle reason, a home just catches your eye.

A two-storey home at 111 Valley Brook Rd. in Bridgwater Trails is one of those abodes.

The instant you look at it, it has a crisp, razor-sharp profile that makes you want to peek inside.

There’s a reason for that, says Lisa Lawrence of Century 21 Bachman & Associates.

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Pragmatic plots

Colleen Zacharias 8 minute read Saturday, Apr. 11, 2026

Our climate is changing rapidly, and our garden plans need to adapt accordingly.

“We need a planting design that functions as a resilient, self-sustaining ecosystem suited to our climate,” says Nik Friesen-Hughes, landscape designer and owner of Dogwood Landscape Design Build. “We’re already seeing warmer temperatures overall in winter and summer and a longer growing season. In a climate such as Winnipeg’s, plants must handle extreme cold, heavy spring moisture and drought. So, we want to design a garden that’s resilient to all these things.”

Managing landscape water efficiently is a good starting point.

“Resilient landscapes don’t just use less water, they manage the water where it is,” says Friesen-Hughes. What if you could charge up your soil profile in spring with the extra moisture in the snow to help plants withstand hot, dry conditions that occur later on?

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Saturday, Apr. 11, 2026

Nik Friesen-Hughes photo
Looking for an echinacea you count on? Magnus coneflower keeps coming back if you plant it in lean soil.

Perennials in the zone

Colleen Zacharias 6 minute read Preview

Perennials in the zone

Colleen Zacharias 6 minute read Saturday, Apr. 18, 2026

The reputation of Manitoba’s cold climate precedes us into nearly every major North American plant-breeding company. You could almost say, if a plant survives winter in Winnipeg, it will survive anywhere.

Dummen Orange is a leading global breeder and propagator of ornamental flowers and plants. It has been in operation in North America for 26 years. The company’s True North Perennials program differentiates Dummen Orange from other breeders on our continent, many of whom test their plants in places where winter temperatures do not exceed -34.4 C — in other words, Zone 4.

Hence, many new plant introductions are classified as hardy to Zone 4 because they have not been tested in our Zone 3B climate. Vanstone Nurseries in Portage la Prairie is a key regional testing ground for the True North Perennials program, which is focused on our zone.

“This has become a very big deal,” says Duayne Friesen, Winnipeg-based sales representative for Ball Seed Company, a major North American supplier of seed and young plants to commercial greenhouses. “There is significant demand, especially in Canada and the northern United States, for plant varieties that are guaranteed cold-hardy.”

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Saturday, Apr. 18, 2026

Gaillardia SpinTop Orange Halo Improved is an exceptional new perennial from the True North Perennials collection. It looks equally good in landscapes or containers.

Esprit de vie

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Preview

Esprit de vie

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Saturday, Apr. 11, 2026

If there’s one thing families prize above all else when they’re looking to buy a new home, it’s affordability.

It’s easy to see why.

With the cost of a new entry-level home running between $500,000 and $600,000, home-buying budgets, suffice it to say, are being stretched to their outermost limits.

If possible, families desperately want to find a new residence that costs significantly less, as they need the extra money to put food on the table and clothe their kids.

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Saturday, Apr. 11, 2026

TODD LEWYS / FREE PRESS
Only two units are left in Esprit Condominiums, with both coming in at under $400,000.

Move-in-ready marvel

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Preview

Move-in-ready marvel

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Saturday, Apr. 11, 2026

Over the years, many neighbourhoods emerged with great fanfare, creating real anticipation among prospective homebuyers.

Those neighbourhoods include (in no particular order) the Bridgwater, Sage Creek and Ridgewood West — among others.

Then, there are some neighbourhoods that — for some reason — fly under the radar. One of those neighbourhoods is Van Hull Estates, located just west of another popular area, River Park South in South St. Vital.

Tucked away off St. Mary’s Road just north of the Perimeter Highway, it’s a quiet, well-treed enclave that runs back toward some of the most picturesque stretches of the Red River.

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Saturday, Apr. 11, 2026

TODD LEWYS / FREE PRESS
The 2.945-sq.-ft. home’s striking exterior serves as a preview for its fabulously fashionable and functional interior.

Get emergency heat with one simple wiring change

Marc LaBossiere 7 minute read Preview

Get emergency heat with one simple wiring change

Marc LaBossiere 7 minute read Saturday, Apr. 11, 2026

From this past autumn into the dead of winter, our household dealt with an unfortunate bout of HVAC issues.

In the fall, the heat pump’s blower fan failed, resulting in sole reliance on the air handler (furnace) to heat the house. Moreover, the blower fan caused a surge on the heat pump’s circuit board. As such, both the blower fan’s motor and the control board needed to be replaced.

At some point during the coldest spell of winter, the air handler’s control board also suffered a catastrophic failure. Luckily, this issue was rectified within a week, and the house once again had heat. It wasn’t until recently that I received an ETA on the heat pump’s control board, even though the blower-fan motor had arrived several weeks prior. No matter, the heat pump “fix” was scheduled with my HVAC guy. However, there was a lingering programming issue that had always presented complications, dependent solely upon the outdoor temperature when the heat pump was not operational — the temperature lockout.

For those who aren’t familiar with electric heat pumps, the units are essentially air conditioners with a dual purpose — they provide heating in the cold months, and cooling during the warmer times of they year. Our Canadian climate, however, usually necessitates a “backup” heating system for times when the heat pump cannot efficiently or effectively heat the house properly. For instance, in Manitoba, my heat pump can effectively warm the house when the outside temperature remains above -15 C. Below this temperature, the heat pump struggles, even though the system will begin to call upon the heating coils in the air handler (the electric furnace). And even though this is the proper function, the heat pump’s efficiency begins to drop off greatly as the outdoor temperature dips below -15 C.

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Saturday, Apr. 11, 2026

Marc LaBossiere / Free Press
The three-tonne heat pump is installed in an area that avoids snow drifting in the winter.

Mastering the drywall ‘frame’ game

Marc LaBossiere 5 minute read Preview

Mastering the drywall ‘frame’ game

Marc LaBossiere 5 minute read Saturday, Apr. 18, 2026

When the term “framing” is used in the context of interior construction, the first connotation is that of structural support and layout.

However, framing for just about any project can lead to frustration if the process is not well-planned from the get-go. While minor shifts and changes are often necessary to facilitate implementation of subsequent tasks, insufficient planning that overlooks all the requirements of a project can result in the need for drastic measures later on.

Interior framing can be quite monotonous, despite its necessity. In addition to helping sidestep small glitches, incorporating a strategic approach serves a very important purpose. As an example, framing the back wall of a basement bathroom to accommodate a vanity may seem straightforward enough — studs positioned atop a base at 16-inches on centre with a cap plate, then secured to the adjacent walls and ceiling joists above.

However, by first verifying the intended location of the ABS rough plumbing, the studs can be shifted slightly to better accommodate the process, rather than having to chop through a newly erected stud that may be inconveniently located for the plumbing feed.

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Saturday, Apr. 18, 2026

MARC LABOSSIERE / FREE PRESS
The decorative stringers are offset to better cater to the floor plan of the rec-room, and laundry entrance.

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Efficient elegance

Todd Lewys 6 minute read Preview

Efficient elegance

Todd Lewys 6 minute read Saturday, Apr. 18, 2026

For some reason, many families looking for a new dwelling believe a home must be over 2,000 sq. ft. for it to possess the flexibility and livability they need to live life to the max.

That isn’t necessarily the case if a home is efficiently planned, says Rob Hutchison, the sales representative for A&S Homes’ new show home at 297 Granite Grove Rd. in Prairie Pointe.

“If a home is well-designed, you don’t need over 2,000 sq. ft. for it to meet the needs of a large family,” he says. “This home, the Florence, is a good example of that. Our design team took the base model, which is 1,869 sq. ft. and added 41 sq. ft. It’s a subtle tweak, but it really paid off. It made the home so much more family-friendly.”

As it turns out, several spaces were impacted in a very positive way by taking the home’s square footage up to 1,910 sq. ft.

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Saturday, Apr. 18, 2026

TODD LEWYS / FREE PRESS
The efficiently designed Florence model proves a home need not be over 2,000 sq. ft. in size to offer the functionality families require.

Revamped floor plan boosts Transcona two-storey’s livability

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Preview

Revamped floor plan boosts Transcona two-storey’s livability

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Saturday, Apr. 4, 2026

One of the most important aspects of new-home design is very subtle, yet extremely important.

That aspect? Never being satisfied that a tried-and-true design is too good to be modified. In other words, there’s no room for complacency in designing new homes.

That’s because, as a builder, you can be assured other builders won’t be resting on their laurels in the pursuit of becoming the best in the industry. With that in mind, Kensington Homes’ design team took a hard look at one of their most popular designs, the Oceanview.

It didn’t take long to figure out how it could be improved, says Lilita Klavins, new-home sales representative for Kensington’s new show home at 408 Desrosiers Dr. in Transcona’s Canterbury Crossing.

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Saturday, Apr. 4, 2026

SUPPLIED
The 1,610-sq.-ft. Oceanview lives much larger than its listed square footage and offers families a wonderful blend of style and functionality.

Regina watercolour artist brings nature-inspired designs to home décor

Colleen Zacharias 6 minute read Preview

Regina watercolour artist brings nature-inspired designs to home décor

Colleen Zacharias 6 minute read Saturday, Apr. 4, 2026

Inspired by her garden and the textures, patterns and colours found in nature, Michelle Austin’s designs bring the outdoors inside your home.

Austin is a Regina watercolour artist and surface pattern designer. She creates original hand-painted works of art for wallpaper, fabric and home textiles.

Her exclusive watercolour designs for wallpaper are available through West Coast Walls, based in British Columbia and Australia. Now, Austin’s garden-themed art has led to an exciting new partnership with a New York-based textile company which manufactures and distributes fabric across North America.

From walls to cushions, bedding, curtains, quilts, table decorations and other décor accents, Austin’s subdued colour palettes enhance home interiors with botanical elegance.

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Saturday, Apr. 4, 2026

Photos by Michelle Austin
Michelle Austin photo Escape to the English countryside with this beautiful wallpaper design from an original hand-painted watercolour by Michelle Austin.

Stately East Fort Garry two-storey still stuns a decade on

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Preview

Stately East Fort Garry two-storey still stuns a decade on

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Saturday, Apr. 4, 2026

Entertaining the idea of building a new luxury home in one of Winnipeg’s newer neighbourhoods is a romantic pursuit. After all, you’re getting a brand-new home from top to bottom.

That being the case, it’s unlikely you’d get hit by any major repair bills for anywhere from five to 10 years (cross your fingers!).

Not only that, but the home delivered to you will be custom-tailored to your needs and tastes.

Unfortunately, there are some downsides associated with building new.

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Saturday, Apr. 4, 2026

SUPPLIED
The stately, like-new 2,500-sq.-ft., two-storey home sits on a well-treed 60-by-120-foot lot in a prime location in East Fort Garry.

A kitchen island unto itself

Marc LaBossiere 5 minute read Preview

A kitchen island unto itself

Marc LaBossiere 5 minute read Saturday, Apr. 4, 2026

While working at a job site for weeks at a time, it has been my experience that conversations with homeowners eventually lead to the prospect of other impending projects.

In this case, fortunately, this led to early preparations for a secondary revamp, hastening the installation process. While prepping a feature-wall fireplace location with the necessary electrical circuits, a new kitchen circuit was also introduced for an upcoming island upgrade. Once the cabinets arrived weeks later, the new circuit was ready to be implemented.

A kitchen island is nothing more than a layout of specified lower cabinets, with decorative panels to conceal the reverse sides of functioning cupboards. As such, the general depth of an island can range anywhere from 26 inches to considerably deeper, provided the kitchen offers the required space.

At a recent kitchen island upgrade, the space boasted more than enough usable area for a larger island. The existing island set-up seemed puny in comparison to the proposed design, which entails a longer island by the standard depth of cabinets with a countertop overhang of an additional 12 inches, rendering the rectangular top at 74-by-39 inches.

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Saturday, Apr. 4, 2026

MARC LABOSSIERE / FREE PRESS
A new bar fridge facing the dining room is incorporated into the island design.

Well cared-for, updated Crestview two-storey great fit for young family

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Preview

Well cared-for, updated Crestview two-storey great fit for young family

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Saturday, Mar. 28, 2026

These days, a starter home can range in price from $300,000 to $400,000, depending on its condition and location.

And as many a young family has discovered, starter dwellings run the gamut from those needing a ton of work to those requiring little to no updating — and everything in between.

In most cases, houses listing for around $300,000 may need many upgrades, inflating the actual cost of the home to somewhere between $325,000 and $350,000 depending on what needs to be done.

If you’re handy, this may not be a daunting task. However, if you’re not so adept at home repair and refurbishment, the cost of required work — and possibly taking out a purchase-plus-improvements mortgage to cover up to $50,000 in renovation costs — may be untenable for many young couples looking to buy.

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Saturday, Mar. 28, 2026

The spotless 1,100-sq.-ft. attached two-storey home has much to offer a young family and has undergone a host of key updates.

North River Heights infill home’s exceptional livability comes down to deft design details

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Preview

North River Heights infill home’s exceptional livability comes down to deft design details

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Saturday, Mar. 28, 2026

There are two types of infill home builds.

The first is one done quickly to maximize profit. That being the case, its build quality, floor plan and finishing standards often leave much to desire. Then there’s the second type: a home built with care and commitment to quality throughout.

Two new infill homes on Lindsay Street in River Heights North fall decidedly into the second category, says Val Miller of Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate.

“This home is a step above everything else,” she says of the 1,668-sq.-ft., two-storey show home, which stands next door to its mirror image at 182 Lindsay St., which is also now for sale. “That’s because a lot of effort was put in to getting every detail right. Everything about this home is well thought out. The builder was very meticulous and detail-oriented.”

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Saturday, Mar. 28, 2026

Offering over 2,700 sq. ft. of deftly designed living space, Casa Mia Living’s show home oozes style and quality.

‘Before’ and ‘after’ images highlight true transformation

Marc LaBossiere 5 minute read Preview

‘Before’ and ‘after’ images highlight true transformation

Marc LaBossiere 5 minute read Saturday, Mar. 28, 2026

On occasion, while rifling through my photo catalogue on my iPhone, I stumble across a forgotten “before” image taken at a job site. And when that photo underscores how spectacularly a transformative reno project has improved the homeowners’ abode, I can’t help but write a before-and-after column to showcase the upgrade.

Looking back on the project, it was a series of complementary decisions that led to the vast improvement.

During my first visit to the job site, it was clear the old wooden stairs that lead to the back door of the house had become dilapidated, and even unsafe in certain areas. As such, the homeowners wanted my impressions on how best to revitalize the rear access structure.

Thoughts had been entertained regarding the viability of transforming the back stairs into a covered porch area, primarily to ease the process of entering the house during the winter months.

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Saturday, Mar. 28, 2026

Marc LaBossiere / Winnipeg Free Press
Old dilapidated stairs to the home’s back-door entry (left) evolved into a four-season covered porch fit for entertaining guests (right).

Family-friendly two-storey has small footprint, loads of functionality

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Preview

Family-friendly two-storey has small footprint, loads of functionality

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Saturday, Mar. 21, 2026

Over the past few years, builders have been constructing two-storey homes on smaller lots to make dwellings more affordable for prospective buyers.

It goes without saying that building a residence on a narrower lot is a challenging task.

That’s because the utmost precision is required to come up with a home that feels spacious and welcoming. Every detail of its design must be considered to maximize functionality and livability.

Broadview Homes’ 2026 Spring Parade of Homes show home at 168 Ruth Crossing is a shining example of a well-considered house design, says Lisa Castro of Coldwell Banker Preferred Real Estate.

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Saturday, Mar. 21, 2026

April 20, 2026

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