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Okanagan
6
HOME Summer/Fall 2010
INSIDE
SUMMER/FALL 2010
Features
74
Green Water
The Ultimate in Recycling: City of Kelowna
16
Waking Up in Paradise
34
Home Theatres
76 46
Waterfront
86
Greystokes Millwork Ltd.
66
Crystal Heights
88
Sunridge Landscapes Ltd.
78
Bridges at Glenview
90
Paragon Surfacing Ltd.
94
Ca Solare
92
S2 Innovative Products Group
110
Nootka Island
98
Kekuli Bay Cabinetry
103
Fink Machine
COLUMNS
10
Okanagan Real Estate Review 104
12
Denis On Design
14 Environment
106
Ten Design
From the Forest
PROFILES
28
Tubelo Granite
30
Modern by Marshall’s
32 Marshall’s Home Furnishings
42
Koeda Flooring
44
Bones & Stones
54
Norelco Cabinets
58
Real GolfWEST
64
Jamana Evergreen Hedge
71
Okanagan Business Review
72 Sunshine Pools and Spas
Issue 17, Summer/Fall 2010
ISSN 1913-0759
www.Okanagan-Home.com
roelrich@shaw.ca
Publisher:
Raymond F. Oelrich
Senior Editor:
Keri-Lynn Turney
Art Director:
Tyson Henderson
Administrative Assistant:
Kathi Smith
Advertising Executives
Raymond F. Oelrich, Arlene Paulsen
Contributors:
Ross Freake, Mike Freeman, Deanna Merrick, Summer Bracey, Lisa M. Robinson,
Barry Milner, Don Gerein, Denis Apchin,
John Rousseau, Michael Coburn, Keri-Lynn
Turney, Raymond Oelrich
Okanagan Home Magazine
Kelowna, BC, Canada
www.Okanagan-Home.com
Photo by Kelowna Custom Theatres
Cover: Waterfront taken by Colin Jewell
Photo Studios Inc.
Telephone: 250-864-8382
Email: roelrich@shaw.ca
President: Raymond F. Oelrich
No part of this publication may be copied
or reprinted without the written consent
of the publisher.
Publications Mail Agreement
# 41908512
Each issue of Okanagan HOME
is now printed with pollution-free
soy based ink.
Photo by Norelco Cabinets
Okanagan
8
I
HST Winners?
f there is a silver lining in the HST debacle it may be for the home improvement
industry, specifically those companies
offering home dining/entertaining options, products and services. Here is my reasoning: when GST/HST is charged on most
meals eaten away from home but not on the
food bought to cook at home, it rewards those that cook their own
meals, and penalizes those that eat out more often.
With this as a backdrop of logic, it stands to reason more people will opt to stay at home, entertain, cook their own meals and
save the Hated Sales Tax (HST) over the course of time. That
bodes well for those companies that benefit from home-cooked
meals, including appliance manufacturers, distributors and dealers, kitchen companies of all kinds, and even some entertainment
groups that offer alternatives to a night on the town. The new
“out” may well be “in.”
Having grown up in the 50s and 60s, I fondly remember my
family having block parties where all of the neighbours came
over for huge B-B-Q gatherings. Each family took turns every
weekend inviting the rest of the neighbourhood over for music,
dancing and sharing heaping quantities of food and beverage.
The parents gathered in the house, yard and patio while the kids
played wherever we weren’t under foot. Everyone took pride in
their homes, lawns and furnishings, regardless of how much it
may have cost. Think how nice it would be in the Okanagan if
that tradition was reborn again and entire generations of stay-athome entertainers cooked, served their own meals and yes, did
their own dishes!
The HST will benefit some industries and stagger others. It is
a natural fact of life. I am just glad our magazine features those
that should benefit and our readers are left with choices in those
products and services that make the Okanagan a grand place to
call home.
S
Consume or Conserve?
omeone might say that apathy is the biggest problem in
this country, and another might answer, “Who cares?”
How ironic, since apathy truly is the biggest hurdle we
face on many fronts. It is evident everywhere, but especially in our consumption of resources.
In a world where nearly one third of the planet’s population
has little or no clean, fresh water to drink, we spill ours from
every tap without thinking twice. On a hot breezy mid-day in
late June I drove past a former, vacant orchard on Hart Road that
had elevated sprinklers, pounding out what must be thousands of
gallons a day, most of it evaporating before it hit the ground. Just
below there was a golf course doing the same thing. Don’t people
realize the best time to water is early or late in the day, with no
wind or better yet at night when the moisture can soak into the
ground, not evaporate or be carried away by the hot wind? Do
they not know, or not care? Which is worse, ignorance of a prob-
Okanagan
lem or ignoring that problem once you know better?
It’s not just water. We waste an amazing amount of gas, oil,
electricity and other energy, which is the topic in several articles
and columns this issue. Cars sit idling while running their air
conditionings, home thermostats hover at 70 degrees during the
summer and 74 or more during the winter, with no regard to the
cost of that energy consumed. If the prices tripled for all natural
resources would we cut back? Perhaps. In some parts of the world
the cost of water alone consumes as much as 30% of a family’s
income! In Kelowna water is absurdly inexpensive, which partially explains why we use so much of it without regard to cost.
According to one major European energy provider our local electrical rates are so low it does not pay to convert to solar energy as
they have in Europe, where the rates are significantly higher.
We are living in this world on the assumption we have an endless supply of energy, which is true if we capitalized on what
Earth provided in solar and wind energy, but no, we shun those
logical choices for the quick fix of oil, gas and other fossil fuels,
which cannot be replenished and have a finite lifespan.
Hopefully the world and especially North America will learn
from the Gulf oil spill and unless logic prevails here in BC we
could have the same disaster come crashing onto our shores. A
spill that size would kill our birds, fish and plants if the pipeline
from the oil sands in Alberta to the BC North Coast is built and
tankers ply our rocky coast with their deadly cargo. Our own ferry boat operators cannot even pay attention to a route they know
well without hitting the shore and sinking a craft, so what makes
us think occasional visiting mega-tankers running that same
rocky-strewn labyrinth of channels won’t make such a mistake,
like the Exxon Valdez did. And all in the name of supplying more
oil to a world that consumes it at an ever-increasing pace. Oh,
sorry, was that anti-BC or anti-Alberta or even anti-Canadian to
take that stance? Perhaps, but do we really want to pledge the BC
Coast in a high-stakes poker game with oil in the pot as our only
prize? The US government has already issued stern warnings to
Canada to not plan to export the oil sands into the US, especially
when as a country we rank dead last in greenhouse gas emission
reduction of all G8 countries and our “leadership” in this country
does not seem to listen.
The world’s consumers use more oil now than any other time
in history according to CNN, ignoring the plentiful optional
choices and some day it will be too late to make the transition.
Europe know this, but until the price of electricity rises enough
in Canada to make alternative choices viable they will sit on the
sidelines, ignored by the majority of builders, developers and
governments.
Speaking of excess, it was recently reported that our city has
no fewer than 209 people (employed by Kelowna taxpayers no
less), that earn at least $75,000 dollars a year or more, with the
highest salary for the city manager who earns in the neighbourhood of $250,000 a year. To compare, the President of the United
States earns a salary of $400,000 US a year. For a city this size, do
we really need over 200 people earning that much money?
Do we really need a new $80,000 logo (that looks remarkably like the old one) that a 5th grade elementary class project
could have created in local contest for free? Excess prevails ev-
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erywhere, but when the city leaders are first to drink from the
tax-payer’s city well, what example does that show for the rest
of us? Shame on them, and shame on us for letting them stay in
power us without demanding change. The provincial government
is no better, but we can always add another tax to support all of
these salaries right? Drink long, drink first, drink often. Excess
and apathy, a dangerous combination for all.
Yes, we live in a world of excess, and on some days I think
Kelowna, BC is the capital. Until the city, provincial and federal governments, as well as consumers, builders and developers change their way of thinking, Canada will fall further behind
the rest of the world in finding and rewarding alternative energy
solutions. We applaud those that have made some changes and
many of them are published in these pages and we will continue
to do so. In this issue you will find numerous stories that identify
the company as contributing to energy efficiency or renewable
energy. Please support these companies as much as possible in
making buying decisions.
Which is worse, not knowing or not caring? Since homes are
the largest consumer of energy for most families, let’s start there,
whether it is saving water, oil, gas or electricity, we can all make
a change any day we choose.
Hopefully these articles will bring builders, consumers and
even city planners to realize we all have choices we can make. It
may cost us more now, but as the old saying goes ‘Pay me now,
or pay me later.” The energy toll gate extracts its toll from us all,
and we are all in that line approaching the booth.
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W
Ok a n a g a n R e a l E s tat e R e v i e w
to pay mortgages.
Our real estate market has performed well and as expected over
the
past year. Sales of units increased and average prices increased
By Don Gerein
as well. Inventory was on its way down until this May. At this point
riting articles on in time, inventory has increased in spite of the increased number of
the market used units sold this year to date. This is due to the fact that pent-up sellers
to be relatively now like the prices enough to test the market with their properties.
easy. It was a mat- There is also the annual Spring and Summer trend in the Okanagan
ter of analysis of past data, draw- when people think it is a good time to list their property in case a
ing conclusions based on trends, tourist might like it enough to buy it. This raises inventory levels sigand creating an article that would nificantly. Close examination reveals that these types of listings are
remain relevant for a reasonable priced too aggressively and will come off the market by the end of
September without the desired result. There exists in the Okanagan a
length of time.
The challenge now is to analyze large proportion of people that own two properties as a hangover from
the market reaction to the speed and the previous market cycle. Some of the inventory is second propersurprise related to change and the ties or investment homes which are going to end up on the market
magnitude of that reaction. This is sooner or later. In this mix are a large number of condominium apartments. This is the sector that produced the
most new supply and sales have remained
S.F.R. STATS SECOND QUARTER SOURCE: OMREB 2008
2009
2010
fairly flat in this area as the sector is overUnits sold to July 31/10
1277
1149
1036
supplied. It is obvious that developers are
not rushing to build this type of commod$516,500
$486,000
$450,000
Av. Sell Price of July 31/10
ity to have it sit in inventory. This supply
1833
1686
1952
Listing Inventory as of July 31/10
will be absorbed but it will take four or
five quarters to moderate.
I am often asked about statistics recompounded by the speed at which news travels around the world garding that elusive Alberta buyer. It is obvious that they have not
due to the Internet. The consumer has certainly been blindsided on been as noticeable a force as in past years. In the last cycle, they
many levels recently. It does not matter whether it’s HST, the down- were purchasing primarily second properties in the form of condograding of Greece, or disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. All have the miniums, houses or recreational properties. It was their intent to use
same effect. Because of events beyond anyone’s control, indecision them personally and often prior to relocating here. These were luxury
and lack of direction paralyze the consumer as they exercise an over- purchases made with discretionary money or borrowed money, beabundance of caution. In short, the consumer responds by staying fore the world changed. While buyers from Alberta have not totally
deserted us they are fewer in number. We also face competition from
home. Real money responds by seeking a safe haven.
distress sales in the deserts of Arizona and Southern California.
Such are the potholes in the road to recovery.
According to people I speak to in the oil patch, revenues and exTo put things in perspective, the crisis-torn economy of Greece,
which frightened the financial world in May, is smaller than that of pectations have improved in the last year. Positive indicators in this
Ontario. Europe’s money is being spent on bailing out five (so far) sector are boosting confidence and we should see the return of Altroubled governments instead of buying our products. However, only berta dollars in to our market next year.
While putting current events into perspective let’s remember that
4% of Canadian exports go to mainland Europe and Greece is only
2.5% of Europe’s GDP. Furthermore, Canada is being recognized we get our news mainly from American sources which endeavor to
as a safe haven. Our monetary and fiscal policy suggest the making place an extremely negative spin on events abroad to divert attention
of a reserve currency writes BNP Paribas SA in a recent Bloomberg from their own serious economic problems at home. Also remember
report which goes on to say that real money (foreign investors) will how fortunate we are to be where we are right now. The Chinese use
buy Canadian securities and become more heavily invested here. Our two brush strokes to write the word “crisis.” One brush stroke stands
dollar has stayed in the mid 90’s through all the recent upheaval. for danger, the other stands for opportunity. In a crisis be aware of
Investors know that government net debt as a percentage of GDP is the dangers but also be open to recognize the opportunities.
forecast at 27% in Canada, 80% in US, and 140% in Japan. We have
a new commodity to sell and it is security and safety. Money flows
C o n ta c t
towards stability and, conversely, away from instability.
To add to the good news, we are in a positive economic cycle
Don Gerein, Broker and President
and BC’s net debt at 15% is far lower (way less than half) than that
Macdonald Realty Kelowna
of Ontario or Quebec. BC is forecasting real growth for 2011. This
Phone: 250-860-4300 macanswer@shawbiz.ca
stability equates to jobs, which equates to pay cheques with which
Let’s Put Things Into
Perspective
W
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H
DENIS ON DESIGN
DENIS ON DESIGN
Our Environmental Responsibility
By Denis Apchin
H
ey folks do
you remember what it
was like to
get out of your comfort
zone and try something
new for the first time? Remember your first kiss? ,
Car payment?, Mortgage? How about that
first diaper change???
These life changing initiations were all awkward
at first and perhaps even
a little bit scary but we
got through them didn’t
we?
Stepping out of our comfort zone helps us grow
our confidence and expand our knowledge. It is
an essential part of man’s
inherent nature to evolve;
without that ability to push ourselves for ever greater comfort and
success we would be stuck back in the Stone Age.
Take for example the changes we have made with our own human
shelters which were initially just a simple structure or a natural feature that provided protection against bad weather and the odd predator. The first shelters made by human beings were made from readily
available materials like animal hides, stones, earth and wood. While
we still tend to use materials available to us in regional areas they
are now more refined and mass produced to be made affordable for
the masses.
By striving for ever greater comfort over the centuries we have
made many advancements in the design and construction practices
of our shelters. The distinctive architectural styles of homes that
have evolved around the world were influenced largely by their local
climate, materials available, construction knowledge, and cultural
values of the given area. However, through the industrial revolution
the exploitation of raw materials and polluting our environment with
the processing and transporting of these materials has caused a new
global issue which will dramatically influence the style of architecture of the future.
Sustainability has become a part of our everyday language in recent years. The concept as it is generally understood comprises of
three areas of equal importance. They are: Economic development,
which promotes a lasting, viable basis for employment and prosperity, while protecting our economic resources against exploitation;
Social development, which demands decisions, and developments
which benefit all members of the community; and Ecological devel-
opment, which aims to protect the natural environment and conserve
it for future generations.
Sustainability is here to stay; it is not a trend or fad that will disappear into obscurity with 8 tracks and cassette players. It is our responsibility to do what we can to help our environment. Remember what it was like when recycling was first introduced? It was
awkward at first but in time we adapted to the new ritual as easily
as changing diapers.
We are only at our infancy of sustainable housing. The future
will bring us dwellings that are completely self sufficient creating
their own energy and able to process waste. Structures will be built
completely from recycled products and organic materials creating
a zero carbon foot print.
How soon this happens is largely up to you. I encourage you to push
your comfort zone when it is time to build your next home and go
out on a limb by implementing the newest technologies and design
practices possible. The rewards will not only save you money in the
long run but think of how satisfying it will be to know you did your
part to make our environment a safer place for future generations.
C o n ta c t
APCHIN DESIGN
www.apchin.com
Okanagan
SUMMERLAND SKY
L
By Denis Apchin
ife should be lived in balance. That’s the idea behind Summerland Sky. Balance within the person, yes, but also in balance with the
Earth. A number of sustainable technologies are being incorporated into the design
of lot 9 at Summerland Sky, and will be carried
through in the actual build. From wall building to heating and cooling, it is all carefully designed to be in balance with the Earth.
The more common sustainable technologies
being used include both passive and active solar
heating. Passive solar design uses the natural movement of heat and
air to maintain comfortable temperatures, operating with little or no
mechanical assistance. Active solar systems use mechanical devices
such as pumps and fans to move heat from collectors to storage or
from storage to use. In the case of Lot 9 the entire roof will house
solar blankets that will pre-heat the water for the pool and domestic
hot water tanks.
Other sustainable technologies will also include geothermal heating and cooling, rain water harvesting, soy based expanded spray
foam insulation and triple glazed Low E Squared glass.
However the more uncommon and most interesting sustainable
technology to be incorporated at lot 9 is using rammed earth to construct most of the exterior and retaining walls. Rammed earth is a
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technique used in the building of walls using the raw materials of
earth, chalk, lime and gravel. It is an ancient building method that has
seen a revival in recent years as people seek more sustainable building materials and natural building methods. Rammed earth walls are
simple to construct, incombustible, thermally
massive, very strong and hardwearing.
Soil is a widely available, low cost and sustainable resource, and harvesting it for use in
construction has minimal environmental impact. Because rammed earth structures use locally available materials, they typically have
low embodied energy and generate very little
waste. The soils used are typically sub soils low
in clay, between 5% and 15% typically with the
topsoil retained for agricultural use. Ideally, the soil removed from
the excavation can be used, further reducing cost and energy used for
transportation.
To me the best part of using rammed earth walls is that finished
product is so unique and attractive all by itself. It also eliminates
unnecessary material, transportation, and labour to cover it with traditional finishes like stucco, wood or stone.
Contact
SUMMERLAND SKY
www.summerlandsky.com www.apchin.com
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Not To Be Outgrown
By Ross Freake and
Photographed by Shawn Talbot
If they ever wake up in a bad mood, all
Lynn and Alex have to do is look out their
10-foot, floor-to-ceiling bedroom windows
and get ready for an endorphin rush.
As quickly as their visual cortex can
assimilate the information hitting their eyes,
their mood will be as high as their mindblowing house is above the valley floor.
From their second-floor bedroom, they
look out over Kelowna’s downtown, the
bridge, West Kelowna, Mount Boucherie,
and when they wipe the sleep from their
eyes, they might be able to see Ogopogo
sunning himself near Rattlesnake Island.
(The couple agreed to let Okanagan Home
do a feature on their home if they could
remain anonymous.)
The view is stunning, but so is the
house, which was created in full-colour 3D
by designer Denis Apchin to fit the lot in
their Dilworth neighbourhood long before
shovel hit dirt.
“I don’t think we had much of an idea,
but Denis did and we liked his idea,” Lynn
said. “He designed this house for this lot.
We weren’t sure how it would look, but, as
turns out, it’s unique.”
Most of their neighbours have a walkout basement, but the couple wanted easy
access from the main floor to the yard, pool
and hot tub for their three daughters and
golden retriever. To preserve sightlines,
all the pool necessities are in a bunker beneath the pool deck, and
the yard is clean, sparse and elegant enough to make a Zen master
meditate on the spot.
“Instead of manipulating the lot to suit the house, we manipulated
the house to suit the grade of the lot and maximized the view,” said
Apchin. “The whole west side is all glass. It works out very well.”
The 5,900-square-foot house has three floors, five bedrooms, six
bathrooms and a contemporary look. Although it stands out subtly,
Apchin had to rein in his imagination because the materials and look
had to fit Dilworth design guidelines.
“The house has four-foot overhangs for shading the sun,” Apchin
said. “We cantilevered the roof out even further over the reversed
tapered columns, so we could get a larger overhang. It’s not crazy
different from the rest of the neighbourhood, it fits in, but we tried to
use our materials in unique ways, put a little spin on it. Form follows
function and because of the large overhangs on the lake side, we did
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it on the foyer.”
That 16-foot foyer is stone and glass, matter and light combined.
A 500-pound, 10-foot-high, four-foot wide Brazilian Mahogany door
opens into an oval entrance leading to nine, curved dark-wood steps
going down to the great room, and nine up to the bedrooms.
“The curved walls of the hallway share the same radius point as the
stairs, helping streamline the traffic flow,” Apchin said. “Traditionally,
hallways are like a maze and zig-zag to accommodate rectangular
rooms. As a result of finding a solution to streamline traffic, the form
of the stairs and curved hallways is not only open and expansive,
but unique. The stairs are the focal point of the house for traffic flow
and aesthetically they are pleasing to the eye, appearing almost like
a sculpture.”
The couple remembers standing in the dirt trying to visualize the
word picture Apchin was drawing of their house. “We were sort of,
well, I guess so,” Lynn recalls.
Fortunately, Apchin had the technology to show them their
house, spin it around, walk them down hallways, into bedrooms and
through walls. “The house is exactly how the model looked,” she
said, remembering how popping windows in and out in the 3D CAD
program helped her decide on elements of the house.
“We were thinking of putting a window in the laundry room, but
because it’s split, (looking at it from outside), the window would
have been down here,” she said, reaching down to knees. “With that
technology, you could put it in, take a look, and take it out.”
The couple was outgrowing their old house, from which they
could only get a fleeting glimpse of the lake. “We thought it would
Okanagan
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20
Okanagan
KELOWNA KLOSETS
$0/46-5"5*0/t%&4*(/t*/45"--"5*0/
800%8*3&4)&-7*/(4:45&.4'03
DMPTFUTtQBOUSJFTtIPNFPòöDFTtHBSBHFT
'3&&&45*."5&4
22
Okanagan
be nice to have a beautiful view, so we bought the lot for the view,”
she said.
“We used to drive our jeep to the back of the lot and look at the
view. We just kept driving up and staring at the lot,” Alex said. “The
girls got tired of looking at the dirt.”
While they wanted a house that matched the view, it had to be a
family home with enough room for their three kids, a large dog and
lots of relatives, and boy cousins.
“It has some unique features, yet it’s still a family house,” Lynn
said. The family room, which we didn’t have in our last house, is nice
and cozy. We threw a fireplace in there at the last minute. We’ll hang
in there quite a bit.”
They stand in silent wonder at the view through the floor-to-ceiling
dining-room windows, then at their daughters sitting at the 16-foot
long kitchen island. “This area here will get a lot of wear,” Alex said.
“It’s a bigger version of what we had in our other house, but with
this view.”
While Dilworth usually designs and builds all the houses on the
mountain, it encouraged some owners to get their own designer. The
couple made an exhaustive search for the person who could turn their
dream into reality. They interviewed architects, drove around Wilden
and Dilworth, around the lake in a boat, looked at websites, but they
decided on Apchin mostly through intuition.
When the house started to take form, they visited every day, often
five times a day. “I’d drop the kids at school, come by the house on
the way from work,” he said. “The project manager joked — maybe
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it wasn’t a joke — that there are 18,000 decisions to make when
you’re building a custom home. Every day, you had to make some
decisions. It was work until all that stuff had been decided; then it
was stand back and watch them finish.”
They were effusive in their praise of the people who helped them
create their dream home, starting with Apchin and Dilworth Homes
project manager Steve Hansen and the workers who overcame
challenges they had never encountered before. “We ran into some
marvelous creative trades, the guys who put in the doors and millwork
from Everwood, neat guys, the landscapers, the tile guy.”
And the nameless engineer who made sure the beams can handle
the weight of wood, stone and glass. “Two beams run all the way
though the house; you can see them exposed in the kitchen a bit,”
Alex said. They’re holding up the stuff that engineering wise they
hadn’t considered before, but Denis swore it could be done. The
overhangs had to go through wind testing. I think there is an engineer
who said ‘put in a bigger beam, bigger, bigger; OK, it’s 100 times
past what I think is a problem, so I’ll sign off on it.”
Putting in a 500-pound, 10-foot door is not something Everwood
Custom Woodworking encounters every day, and the homeowners
watched them, with trepidation, wrestle with it. “It went in on April
1,” Alex recalled with a chuckle, “but the guys from Everwood
phoned and said, ‘look, I don’t think you can move in because you
don’t have a front door.’
“You had it two days ago doing a dry fit, what are you talking
about?”
“It fell out of the truck.”
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C o n t ac t
“Nice try. Liar, liar.”
Even the sisterly tiff they expected over who would get the
bedroom with the view didn’t happen. “We thought the oldest would
be angling for here,” he said, surveying the view he sees from the
master bedroom. “The middle one really wanted this room, but the
oldest one took the one with a bathroom and the six year old was just
happy to have a bedroom. For the first little while, they missed each
other (the two youngest who had shared a bedroom) and you’d come
in and find one on the floor sleeping beside the bed.”
Maybe it was the view and she just wanted to make sure she woke
up in a good mood, just like mom and dad.
Apchin Design Corp
www.apchin.com
Everwood
www.everwooddesign.com
Quality Air Care
www.qualityaircare.ca
Dilworth Homes
www.dilworthhomes.com
Fun Water Pools
www.funwaterpools.com
Rona
www.rona.ca
Allied Electrical
allied-electric@shaw.ca
Ashley’s Framing
ashleyconstruction@telus.net
Miwen
miwencontracting@shaw.ca
Creative Roots Landscaping
www.creativerootslandscaping.com
Kelowna Klosets
kelownaklosets@telus.net
Rutland Glass
www.rutlandglass.com
JUST RELEASED!
$199,900
28
Okanagan
KITCHENS
Thank goodness! The days of designing granite countertops by cutting out a cardboard template are behind us. Or at least they are at
Tubello Stoneworks, where the process of granite manufacturing has
been updated with the latest digital technology. By embracing and
sign drawn “hard copy” by hand. The CAD drawing is faster, cleaner,
and more importantly, it shows the customer how their kitchen will
look with the new stone in place, in colour and in a two-dimensional
view. “Our software allows clients to see exactly what the finished
product will look like, including any seams. As a result, the customer
gives us final approval prior to cutting their projects,” explains Lori
Patterson, the company’s Office Manager and PR rep.
From the design table, the CAD files are uploaded into a Computer
investing in industrial science, the
business has opened a vault of stonecutting options.
One part of the method is called
Computer Aided Drafting, or CAD,
for short. This designing software
allows Tubello to input the exact dimensions of the available space and
then configure an attractive countertop to precisely suit that space. What
is unique about CAD is that it has limitless possibilities. If the design needs to be altered, or even changed
completely, the lines can be moved with the click of a mouse, rather
than the modification troubles inherited by having the prototype de-
Numerical Controlled (CNC)
water-jet cutter. This powerful
machine-tool uses, as you might
have guessed, an extremely high
pressure stream of water to cut the
stone. Water-jet is used in many
industries for cutting perfect edges and intricate profiles in hard
materials. The computer technology makes the water-jet follow
the exact cutting path dictated by
the CAD file. This modern method is not only much faster, it is incredibly accurate, leaves a smooth finish and is virtually error-proof.
Having CAD and CNC technology allows Tubello to readily en-
TUBELLO STONEWORKS
Quality Craftsmanship Since 1970
By Michael Freeman
Okanagan
courage customer feedback on how the slabs will be cut for their
kitchen. But the kitchen isn’t the only place in the home that looks
spectacular with sophisticated stonework. Bathrooms, patios and recrooms are just a few other places Tubello Stoneworks can enhance.
Bring your ideas to their
Kelowna showroom and
speak to an expert.
Tubello manufactures
over a dozen kitchens a
week and services commercial projects as well; a
seemingly daunting workload, but their modern processes enable them to manufacture a larger quantity
of higher quality products.
They may be riding a
wave of contemporary
technology, but brothers Rob and Tom Tubello, the principals of the
company, stress the importance of down-home friendly service. Started as a tile shop in Regina over 40 years ago, the family owned and
operated Stoneworks business has steadily grown its client base with
courteous, professional service, and eventually opened their second
office here in Kelowna. Although they cater to a wide array of consumers, Tubello can call on four decades of experience to answer any
questions. Their staff members are well versed in customer service
and product knowledge; there isn’t much that they haven’t seen be-
29
fore. “Our company owes much of its success to its strong employee
base, as several key people have been with us for over 15 years,”
relays Patterson.
Currently, they have an impressive inventory of 500 slabs in stock
that are digitally pictured and
managed in their database, providing a multitude of choices
for the most discerning buyers.
In addition to granite, Tubello
also carries a complete line of
marble and quartz products.
Stone—one of the hardest
natural materials known to
man, and one of civilization’s
first home-building blocks.
These pieces of the earth’s
surface conjure up feelings of
awesome strength; of impenetrable durability. Of hand-built walls and of flat-cut surfaces polished
to a gleam. At Tubello Stoneworks, the art of manufacturing and
custom-cutting granite for your home and kitchen has been taken to a
new level. Come into their showroom and see for yourself.
C o n ta c t
TUBELLO STONEWORKS
www.tubello.net
Quality Craftmanship Since 1970
Come visit our showroom to discuss a
volume discount.
Q
Specializing in Granite and
Quartz Countertops
103-2714 Hwy 97 N
Kelowna BC
V1X 4J7
Phone: 250-860-4280
1-888-400-4280
Email: info@tubello.net
ww
www.tubello.net
30
Okanagan
FURNISHINGS
Modern by Marshall’s
Modern Reflections
By Lisa M. Robinson
W
hether you are looking for a complete or partial
change to your living decor, or you are just starting
fresh, Modern by Marshall’s gives you that crisp,
clean edge to your home living experience.
Walking through Modern’s doors, you will be surprised that you
are not bombarded by the high-pressure sales you normally expect
from a retail outlet. You will also be surprised by the casual, everyday,
street attire the Modern staff are wearing. Within their fun, invigorating environment, you will find
you are wowed and inspired
by their products, people,
and atmosphere. The staff at
either Marshall’s stores, are
not just out to sell you a product, they are there to help you
create your home, a mirror of
who you are.
Owner, James Marshall,
started with a vision. In 1994,
he was working in the furniture retail business when he
realized he enjoyed seeing the smiles on customer’s faces. He wanted
to become more involved, so in 1997, he opened his own store. Three
years ago, he saw the need for a store such as Marshall’s Home Furnishings, catering to the needs of people looking for the more traditional styles of furniture and home products, with quality, personal
service, and reasonable prices. Approximately six months ago, Marshall opened his new store and vision, Modern by Marshall’s.
The idea of his new store was to fulfill the need for the new and
trendy. Contemporary, Modern, New – words that help describe the
style of the store and its products. “Generally speaking, the furniture is clean, fresh, different, low profile, and sleek,” Marshall says.
“Young urban professionals tend to gravitate towards the cleaner look
of modern or contemporary
styles. That is not to say they
don’t appreciate the more traditional or transitional styles
in our other store. Many
times, we combine sales from
both stores to help our clients
get the look they desire. Our
client base is very diverse,
from young urban, to mature
families, to young families,
and the everyday professional. People are looking for
Okanagan
something that helps
them define what
their own personalities are, at any age.”
Whatever it is
you’re looking for,
Marshall assures us
that “you will find
Sales Manager, Barton, and Sales Person, Kayla, ready to
meet you with enthusiasm and a helpfulness that is unique.”
Most of the furnishings at Modern by Marshall’s can be customized to suit your colour
and fabric tastes, making it a very personal experience. And when
your prized merchandise is delivered to your home, delivery staff,
Trevor and Justin, will ensure that it is carefully placed and assembled
wherever you like it.
You will find only the best products with Marshall’s, as four or five
times a year, they attend furniture shows around North America looking for fresh, new, exciting, and innovative home furnishings. This
August in Las Vegas, James Marshall and GM, Len Krueger, will be
attending the World Market Center looking for furniture and products
on the cutting edge. Countries from all over the world will be there to
show off the best of the best. Modern by Marshall’s offers top brands,
31
“such as Mobital, Calligaris, Left Bank Art, Van
Gogh designs, and many,
many more.” They carry
furniture for all areas of
your home, and accessories to match, such as
“rugs, clocks, sculptures
and one of the largest
collections of unique
wall art for any room.”
James Marshall takes
great care and pride in
making customers happy. While the price of
the products remains modest, Marshall refuses to sacrifice the quality
of the furniture to accommodate a much lower price. With Modern by
Marshall’s, you get what you pay for, and more. Marshall involves
himself in every aspect to ensure quality and customer satisfaction. In
fact, you may attend the store just to find him unloading furniture in
the back with the forklift.
You will be Modernly impressed!
C o n ta c t
Modern BY MARSHALL’S
www.modernbymarshalls.com
volume discount.
32
Okanagan
Furnishings
Marshall’s Home Furnishings
The Comfort of Traditional
By Lisa M. Robinson
Y
our furniture and your home tend to define who you are.
Therefore, Marshall’s Home Furnishings is a first-stop
shop on your road to identity.
Marshall’s Home Furnishings’ 16,000 square-foot
store was started about three years ago by James Marshall, and carries the best of Lexington, Paladin, Elite Leather, Thomasville, Broyhill, Lane, Elran, Stylus and Decor Rest. The merchandise gracing the
isles of Marshall’s Home Furnishings could be described as elegant,
warm and colourful. With a vast variety of options to choose from in
the store or from their catalogues, you are sure to find the exact match
for your personal tastes.
Asked if Marshall’s would be expanding outside of the Kelowna
area, James Marshall answered, “We currently have no plans to expand beyond our home base. We believe because we put our name
on the store, we feel we would be better suited to give our customers
more personal service by staying and living within the community
with which we do business, until such time our children decide to
become involved.” As for the kids carrying on the family business,
James says, “There’s a big family to bring up the rear in the future.
Four kids in all – and all boys to boot.” Marshall’s Home Furnishings
will be around for generations to come!
In fact, when you enter the store, it’s like coming home. Marshall
says the atmosphere in the store is relaxed to the point of casual
clothing being a prerequisite for working there. One day, his General
Manager, Len Krueger, tried wearing a tie to work. Marshall says, “I
threatened to cut Lenny’s tie off one day, it was so ugly.”
Marshall speaks very highly of all his store team. Of Krueger, Marshall says, “Len Krueger joined the Marshall team two years ago as
the GM. He brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge.
Hiring Len was the best thing I ever did. We think the same and really
enjoy working with each other. I can’t think of a better person that I
would want to work with in this business.” As for the rest of his staff,
Marshall says, “I think of them as a true extension of my own family. We love Kelowna and we love doing business in Kelowna. Our
Okanagan
33
combined furniture management experience tops 50 years. We think
we know a thing or two about what our customers want.”
Offering a wide range and variety of traditional and transitional
furniture and furnishings for your entire home from top to bottom,
Marshall’s Home Furnishings is the place to be. If you’re having trouble deciding what would suit your lifestyle, budget, and home, Marshall’s has the service for you. Their website boasts: “We believe that
you deserve the very best interior design expertise available for no
additional cost to make sense of the many divergent styles we have on
display. If you would like one of our design consultants to visit your
home to assist you, simply call and book an in-home consultation.
We at Marshall’s Home Furnishings can help with space planning,
colour and style selection to create the look you want and the comfort
you need at a price that’s right for you!” Marshall says that this initial
consultation is free up to two to three hours, if need be, for any serious
shopper. Marshall says, “No job is too big or too small. We love helping people realize their dreams. Our place of business is our home for
the day, and we want everyone who comes into the store to be treated
the way we would greet you in our own personal homes.”
Visit Marshall’s Home Furnishings in person, or visit them online,
to get a full view of what they have to offer. Also check out their sister
store, Modern by Marshall, for sleek, contemporary merchandise.
C o n ta c t
Marshall’s Home Furnishings
www.marshallshomefurnishings.com
volume discount.
34
Okanagan
Photo by Andre’s AudioTronic
Homemade Popcorn, Front Row Seat
R
By Deanna Merrick and Keri-Lynn Turney
emember when it took months for a new movie to be released on
VHS for rental? Or when you had to tape a TV show, one episode at a time, and set up again every week while the series ran?
It wasn’t that long ago, but today’s new films and TV shows are
often accessible at a moment’s notice. Technological advancement has raced
forward and today, stunning home theaters are available to anyone who wants
their entertainment front row centre, right in their own home.
An entire industry has been built around the home theatre. We spoke to
some of the area’s leading experts and learned that the meaning of ‘home
theatre’ has broadened, offering a variety of at-home entertainment centres,
including some found in the great outdoors!
Andre’s Audiotronic has been serving up the latest in audio and visual equipment to Okanagan residents for 30 years. Their reputation for knowledgeable
staff, fair prices and high level of after-sales support and communication are
key elements in their long-standing success.
During the past 15 years, home theatres have become increasingly popular,
and individual requirements are as varied as the people who are buying these
state-of-the-art systems. The process of designing a custom home theatre
starts with the client. In a preliminary meeting, an in-depth evaluation of your
expectations is done and the activities you want to be able to do are identified.
Home theatres are commonly used for movies, gaming, virtual concerts or
just regular TV viewing.
Justin Hamilton is Andre’s go-to expert on home theatres. After the initial
consultation with a customer, his job begins in earnest.
“Our customer service philosophy is to listen to our customers; hear what
they want for their home and then provide an exciting and cost-effective plan
36
Okanagan
for each of our clients. There are so many ways to personalize
your home theatre, and we want our customers to be completely
satisfied,” says Hamilton.
Components in a home system are also varied; they can include
five to seven speakers, depending on the size of a room; an amplifier; DVD player; large screen TV or a front projector with a very
large screen. They very latest in technology includes a 55- to 65inch 3-D home theatre, using a large screen LED or Plasma TV.
Room calibration and on-site adjustments and testing ensure the
best possible results.
“We want to evoke an experience that captures the same
wonder and excitement as a movie theatre, as well as being a
fun place for family and friends to enjoy good times together,”
Hamilton explains.
At Andre’s Audiotronic, their selection is outstanding. In home
theatres they use name brands like Sony, Panasonic, Samsung,
LG, Bose, Denon, Yamaha, Control4 and Speakercraft. They select these companies because of their commitment to research
and development, and they will always be found on the cutting
edge of the latest technology.
When building a new home, builders often insulate and
double drywall the theatre walls for sound proofing. They
can also use a sound dampening material if the homeowner is
looking for extreme quiet. Often, a home theatre is built under the suspended slab of a garage. As heating can affect
the performance of a home theatre, it is important to have a
temperature controlled room with a fresh air intake and an
Okanagan
37
exhaust system.
Their business is growing; they have locations in Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, Castlegar, Cranbrook, and Kamloops and will soon open a new store in Prince George.
Andy Hoxha has been in the industry since 1993 starting on the North Shore of Vancouver and creating his own
company, In Tune Sound & Security in 1998 before moving it to the Okanagan in 2000. He says home theatres
have evolved since then, as instead of putting them in the
family/living room, more and more clients are dedicating
whole rooms to the at-home theatre experience.
“The builders have also seen a need or request for planning and making the space available in a home for a theatre. I find in the Okanagan with tourism, vacation rentals
are also offering dedicated theatre rooms for their guests,”
he adds.
But his work is much more than installing a theatre. He
does lighting, seating, décor, sound proofing and sound
conditioning. As well, these dedicated rooms are often
multi-purpose: golf simulators, bars, poker tables—you
name it, Hoxha can do it.
“System Integration has been a very large part of our
business in the last decade,” he says. “Known as automation, local control of your theatre room has not stopped
there. Touch-screens, hand-held or wall mounted, tablets,
laptops, and cellular phones have been the major all-in-one
control for theatre’s, lighting, security, HVAC, pool/spa, irrigation, CCTV and multi-room audio,” he explains.
“With an increasing amount of summer homes and vacation rentals in the Okanagan and the owners living in other
provinces even in other countries, the call for remote access to their home systems are increased quickly.”
And just about everything can be automated. Hoxha says
you could be sitting on the beach and turn up your A/C, get
the hot tub ready, open or close the blinds . . .
“These control systems are endless in what they can do
for the end user. I commonly tell our clients, ‘you name it,
we can do it, the possibilities are endless.’”
Ryan Dockrill of Kelowna Custom Theaters is seeing
the same kinds of things.
Kelowna Realtor Gary Athans is no stranger to
upscale homes in the Kelowna area. He is intimately familiar
with new homes, older homes and renovated homes and he summarizes it best:
“The majority of upscale homes have a home
theatre. They include everything from bars to
popcorn makers. One client had a complete minitheatre themed from the 1950’s. A home theatre
is great in the winter and total entertainment for
the family and get-togethers. And of course, it
should be located somewhere near the wine cellar!” he says.
38
Okanagan
O
Photo by Kelowna Custom Home Theaters
Okanagan
39
“Our clients like having one central system that they can access drawings, acoustical studies . . . and the list goes on. They work
their whole house - HVAC, security system, security cameras, with your architect and interior designer and general and subweather, lighting, music,
contractors to make sure
blinds, gates, fireplaces
everything fits just right.
etc.” he explains. “Keeps
All this attention to dethe wall clean and makes
tail, coupled with close
everything easy to operteam work gives the cliate.” He goes on to say,
ent what Dockrill calls
“Everything we do is
“an outstanding final
making people’s homes
product.”
look non-cluttered by
Kelowna
Custom
not having equipment
Theaters performs an
everywhere and we
analysis of sight lines
make their life simpler,”
and acoustics to “ensure
says Dockrill.
great sound and picture
Kelowna Custom Thequality at every seat,”
aters tailors your theatre
promises Dockrill, addto your lifestyle. The
ing that they design a
sophistication required
consolidated control systo do this does not come
tem, enabling the client
out of a “theater in a
to dim the lights, close
box” system. After a Photo by Kelowna Custom Home Theaters
the shades and even start
visit to your home, their
the movie with a push of
engineers and designers
a button.
create comprehensive installation documents. Such documents
But the process has to start somewhere.
include important aspects of the installation like electrician’s
“Our process for custom theater design begins with the interwiring diagrams, audio/video/control block diagrams, CAD facing of the client with our team,” he says.
40
Okanagan
The staff works with the customer to gather the information required to understand the direction you wish to go,
and your style, according to your home’s interior, your budget, or your wish list. During this first meeting, they discuss
ideas with you, familiarize you with the latest in audio/video
and whole-home automation systems, discuss accent lighting
and seating options, and go over acoustic reinforcement and
warchitectural elements.
“It is not about large quantity of theaters each year,
we make sure we do the job right and with excellence,”
he says.
Once retained, Kelowna Custom Theaters presents a proposal, refines ideas, gathers sample materials and begins the
visual diagrams. Once a preliminary budget is created, they get
to work creating your in-home theatre dream.
But forms and diagrams aside, all the companies seem to
agree: simplicity is where it’s at.
“While technical ability is great, some people don’t understand all the details on what and how their system goes together,” explains Robb Farr of Starwatch Audio Video.
“We like to simplify it down to basic wants and needs to keep
the project easy to talk about without our clients’ eyes glazing
over and not being a part of the conversation.”
Whether a client chooses a straight theatre room or a lifestyle
room where the room might have something like a pool table
or a bar, they usually add automation of some sort. It might be
great features like “automation to simplify, music to bathe in
Okanagan
and lighting to set the mood,” Farr says.
“Our job is technical side, your job is to enjoy.” He says
that they always add their own “custom spin” on any project
they are doing.
“We like to do a lot of décor in our theatres, budget permitting,
so we can theme your room to be from a night at the movies, to
the Bridge of the USS Enterprise and you are the captain.”
While a higher quality video and audio experience in a home
theatre is part of the experience, one thing remains the same no
matter where you watch a movie: “People do love popcorn in all
theatres!” says Farr.
Wayne Derkach of Home Link Automation & Theatre Installations has another great point about home theatres: “It also brings
families together, having a place of their own to go watch what
they want, when they want.” He adds, “No traffic, no line-ups, no
rude people . . . just pure entertainment.”
But what about the cost of entertainment in the comfort of your
own home?
“Every system we do is budget-based. Some people think that
a home theatre or music in every room is for the rich and famous,” Derkach says, “but we can design a system that meets
everyone’s budget to bring the reality of having an entertainment
system home.”
He says the home automation part of the business can be a
tough sell, as people don’t realize what it can really do for them.
“Think of how convenient it is to open your car door and the
interior light comes on,” Derkach suggests.
$0/4536$5*0/
QUALITY WORKMANSHIP... ON TIME - ON BUDGET - IN WRITING
info@percyschuurmanconstruction.com
percyschuurmanconstruction.com
250-490-5591
41
“Why not have your house automated so that when you open
your front door the interior lights come on or use a driveway sensor so you never come home to a dark house.”
But there are times you want the dark . . . in your
home theatre.
“We refer to it as everyday easy . . . the TV turns on, the DVD
player starts, lights dim and the movie starts,” says Derkach.
Don’t forget the butter on the popcorn!
C o n tact
Andre’s AudioTronic
www.andresaudiotronic.com
In Tune Sound & Security
www.in-tune.ca
Kelowna Custom Theaters
ww.kelownacustomtheaters.com
Starwatch Audio Video
www.starwatchav.com
Home Link Automation & Theatre Installations
www.homelinkdesign.net
42
Okanagan
Floor Covering
Koeda Flooring…the Wonder of Wood
By Deanna Merrick
Koeda Flooring is a local business whose expertise has reached
beyond the Canadian borders all the way to the 2006 Olympics in
Turin, Italy. That success reflects the winning combination of expert
workmanship, the finest products and customer satisfaction as guiding principles.
Phil Taneda is well versed in today’s trends in wood floors.
“We are seeing a trend toward greys and whites, as well as wire
brushing to add texture and an aged timeless feel,”
Taneda says. “But of course we work more like a
chef with no specific menu, creating for you your
signature dish.” At Koeda Flooring, they spend
time to find out exactly what the client wants, using
their input and imagination, and working with them
to make it happen.
Koeda flooring has been in business for five
years, and Kerry Baran has over 20 years of wood
manufacturing experience. The company is known
for having a very personal feel.
“We recognize that clients are making what can
be a very difficult and multifaceted decision so
we work hard to make it more enjoyable and give
them a floor they are involved in creating,” Phil
explains.
Key elements when selecting a wood floor in-
clude performance, lifestyle and personal taste. Koeda staff work
closely to educate clients on the technical aspects of wood and clients select a color that will work well with the overall finished product. Taneda and Baran have excellent relationships with a number of
mills, wholesalers and product suppliers. They are able to keep prices
considerably lower than most retail and wholesale stores, while at the
same time, delivering high quality and unique products.
Creating wood floors begins with choosing the raw material. Koeda
purchases based on quality and grade, and is careful to check that the
moisture content is between six and eight per cent. They then mill the
wood, utilizing high quality German tooling to
ensure a proper fit. The stain is carefully applied
by hand and is followed by a top coat finish. In
this, they use a German hardwax oil consisting
of vegetable oils and carnuba wax. This mixture
has a similar hardness to a site-applied polyurethane, but is completely environmentally
friendly.
Maintenance of wood floors is quite simple.
A light vacuuming or dusting and the occasional
floor mop with a cleaner designed for a hard wax
oil finish are all that is usually required. Taneda
points out the importance of proper care.
“Recognizing that you are living on a natural
product that can be harmed if standing water is
left on it, or heavy furniture is dragged across it,
will help it keep looking beautiful for years,” he
Okanagan
said. “With proper care, a wood floor can last forever.”
The eco-friendly finish on Koeda’s wood floors has the ability to
bind itself, which allows it to be repaired without the difficult and
messy process of sanding down to bare wood and starting over, as is
the case with most plastic finishes on the market today.
Koeda Flooring works with many partners on projects both in the
Okanagan and further afield. They work closely with Jorin Wolf Interior Design on many projects, because they appreciate the vision and
integrity she brings to a project. They have also partnered with design
teams in Aspen, Colorado; architects in Vancouver and design companies in Calgary. Locally, they work with San Marc Homes, Dilworth
Homes, Fawdry Homes, Heirloom Homes, Rykon Construction and
Westville Homes, Douglas Lake Homes…just to name a few!
While Koeda Flooring specializes in floors, they also create base-
43
boards, fir trim casing and crown mouldings. Taneda sums up Koeda
Flooring’s work ethic and approach to business.
“We are a local company; we produce our product locally using the
local work force. We believe strongly in the importance of being environmentally conscious and for that reason, we became one of the first
of a very few companies in North America to use environmentally
friendly finishes on our product,” says Taneda.
C o n ta c t
KOEDA FLOORING
www.koedawood.com
DOUGLAS LAKE CUSTOM HOMES
www.dlch.com
volume discount.
44
Okanagan
DECOR
Bones & Stones Decor Ltd.
The New Thought in Decor
By Lisa M. Robinson
T
here is something new in Kelowna, and it
brings with it a historical flavour. Sandy
McKay, owner of Bones & Stones Decor
Ltd., has recently opened her doors
for business to those interested in creating a
unique decor with a paleontological feel.
Carrying the slogan, Nature’s Design, McKay
collects pieces of natural history from all over
the world. Fossils, rocks, and art from
places such as Indonesia, North
and South Africa, England,
Germany, Russia, Canada, and
the USA grace the shelves and
walls of McKay’s store. While
there are a wide variety of exotic pieces,
she has personally collected some herself.
McKay’s enthusiasm and knowledge for collecting rocks, minerals, and fossils grew over the years,
eventually becoming much more than just a hobby. She and her
family planned their trips around rock hounding and collecting the
unusual. Sandy says of her family outings, “Wherever there was a
place to rock hound, we were there.” She and her husband now own
and operate Greencrest Explorations with three operating mines for
gold, jade, and blue quartz. With over 20 years of experience excavating for fossils, emeralds, sapphires, and other precious stones, all
the way from Newfoundland to British Columbia, Bones & Stones is
their first retail outlet. They also own Greencrest Excavating Inc. and
Okanagan Contractor Services Ltd.
McKay says that her inspiration for opening her unique store came
from the encouragement of her friends and family. “I am a decorator
at heart, and have placed various pieces in my home. I always got
the ‘Wow! Where did you get that?’ or ‘That is so cool. Can you get
me one?’ It took two years of collecting just the right pieces
for the store. I’m very pleased to share these with the public,” she says.Bones & Stones Decor carries prehistoric
fossils of fish, ammonites, orthoceras, petrified
wood, and a variety of art with
the same theme. In case
you are wondering, ammonites and orthoceras
are extinct cephalopods
which are characterized
by a prominent head
and arms or tentacles,
much like a squid. Ammonites (meaning “horn
of Ammon) have a flat
spiral shell, reminiscent
of a snail shell, whereas orthoceras (meaning “straight
horn”) are characterized by a
long, straight, tapering shell. The fossils from these ancient animals
furnish your home with an earth-grounding ambiance.
Asked if all of the fossil displays in McKay’s store are genuine,
she answers, “Some of the fossils are replicas, like the large, reddish
trilobites and the trilobite bowls. We have a few superb replicas to offer our customers a more affordable solution to unique decor. A trilobite group piece we have, for instance, one would never find a group
Okanagan
of trilobites so nicely grouped and in such immaculate condition for
even a fraction of the cost for an actual grouping. So our replicas give
customers the next best thing.”
Bones & Stones Decor carries rock types from Amazonite to
Zoisite, from all around the world. Two of their fountains are made
from the semi-precious stone, Australian Boulder Opal. McKay says,
“Opal is most famous for its play of colour, a display of rainbow-like
45
hues that change with the lighting or angle of observation.” A very
royal addition to a home.
McKay is constantly on the lookout for artwork to compliment the
other items in her store. Her favourite piece is a metal-art fish – one
artist’s rendering of a fish that would have lived 50 million years ago.
In recounting how Sandy found this particular piece, she says, “During one of our many buying trips, I yelled to my husband, “Turn left!
Quick!” Before the words ‘What for?’ came out, he saw what I wanted.” Sandy had found the unusual fish art. She says, “I just love that
piece. For me, it encompasses what the store is all about.”
She feels that professional designers, architects, and custom home
builders will benefit from her unique home decor products. “There
are so many ways in which to incorporate these unique pieces into
their design.” And if there is something extremely unique and unusual
that is not in the store, Bones & Stones Decor is able to order items
from “small to a full-scale dinosaur! If a customer would like a 10’ x
10’ fish fossil for above their fireplace, I can happily help them with
that.” Bones & Stones is currently in the process of creating a website. However, if a particular piece interests you, McKay can email
you images. If you are able to come into the store, you will have that
immediate feeling of stepping back into a prehistoric time that we can
only dream about.
C o n ta c t
BONES & STONES DECOR LTD.
www.BonesAndStonesDecor.com
volume discount.
46
Okanagan
Waterfront Luxury, The
Dream Continues
R
By Ross Freake
ob Chetner walks back in time every time he steps onto
the beach at The Waterfront.
He sees the same view today that he did 33 years ago
when he first came to West Kelowna: the lake, vineyards,
and mountains, and, depending on the weather, a snow-capped
Little White, or a long line of clouds, like baby quail following their
mother, moving up and down the lake, while hawks, and eagles and
osprey, float upon the wind.
He can still hear Kumbaya at the Green Bay
Bible camp, and further left, although he can’t see
it though the weeping willow trees, the now funky
Green Bay with its million-dollar houses, and
mobile homes, with float planes and ultra lights
on the beach; to his right is West Bay Beach and
Boucherie Beach, where he spent his first summer
when he was 13. He hasn’t missed a summer in the
Okanagan since.
When he turns around, he sees the realization
of a dream — a hot tub and salt-water pool, a
huge, manicured lawn in the middle of 20 semidetached townhouses, each with four bedrooms,
two with en suites, nana-doors that fold back
and open up the wall to an outdoor kitchen under a huge overhang,
protection from sun and rain.
The main entrance to each townhome at The Waterfront is through
an eight-foot oak door that opens into a 35-foot, two-sided glass
tower containing the staircase and looks out to vineyards, lake, and
mountains, depending on perspective. The grass courtyard has been
raised, allowing residents to see over the pool and hot tub onto the
lake and the anchored dock and the mountains on the other side.
Chetner developed the upscale, award-winning, three-storey condo
with boyhood friends Ron Baron and Paulo Trasolini, who is also his
partner in Trasolini Chetner Construction.
“I would come up to Kelowna every summer and as I grew older,
fell more and more in love with it and always
dreamed of building and developing. It was more
of a dream than anything else, but as we got older,
it became apparent we could pursue the dream we
had always talked about.”
This is third time lucky for Chetner and his
partners, since they also pursued what became
The Cove and Barona Beach.
“Then, this opportunity happened. Our initial
vision was to create something — a legacy for
our family and ourselves,” said Chetner, who has
a home in The Waterfront. “It was created more
out of passion than profit. It had to make financial
48
Okanagan
sense, but our drive was to create something
we wanted to be part of. We envisioned the
ideal place to vacation in the Okanagan, and it
morphed into what it is. We were designing it
when the market was on the increase and there
was excitement about recreational waterfront
property — homes became large, fancy, dynamic
and more spectacular.”
When the global economy collapsed and the
Okanagan housing market with it, the partners
wondered whether they would have been smarter
to have built 80-100 condos on the 12-acre
property below Boucherie Road.
“We decided to stay the course and we’re happy
we did; now we have this phenomenal project and
people who are in it are loving it. We wanted to
build a community that everyone could feel part
of, a community as opposed to a family home.”
Okanagan
49
50
Okanagan
Judges from the Canadian Home Builders Association were also
wowed by The Waterfront: it won four national awards — excellence
in new home design and construction; distinctive community
development; innovative technology and construction techniques;
outstanding marketing and sales activities — and an Okanagan Award
for Excellence in Creating the Best New Resort Development.
Chetner admits the townhomes are pricey and people who can live
there could probably afford a single-family house on the lake, but
argues that while it would be a nice house, it wouldn’t be unique or
special, and wouldn’t be connected to a vibrant community of likeminded people.
“I built myself a home with a lot of nice neighbours. It’s a magical
place. My kids are six and eight and they can’t wait to go up there,
and that’s the sentiment of all the owners and their kids. It’s mostly
all families — the kids range in age from one to early 20s — and
you can see the friendships starting to form. We have people from
Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, the three major areas we have
drawn from.
“We have our home filled with friends and family all summer long
and that’s how we like it. We want to share it and enjoy it with. To
come there and enjoy it year-round is a real treat. We’re fortunate and
grateful and lucky to have this opportunity. They’re not cheap places,
but it’s worth it.”
Danny Popescu thinks so, too. He and his wife used to come to the
Okanagan for summer vacation and wanted a vacation home here.
“We looked for a good two to three years for real estate, but nothing
caught our eye as much as this project,” said the West Vancouver
financial planner. “It has everything you can ask for, and has that
low-density, community feel. You have the privacy of your own
home, but with the benefit of having friends there. My wife spends
all summer there, so it’s nice to have people around. Really, there’s
no other project like it. It’s turnkey, and you can spend as much or as
little time as you like there.”
And when owners aren’t using their townhouses, they can rent
them — through an approved rental agent, or privately.
Sandy and Tim Yates of Calgary found the town house has plenty of
room for four adults and two kids. “I love it. I love the contemporary
design,” said Sandy, a retired designer and Realtor. “It’s beautiful, all
high end. It’s very internally focused. We have two grandkids — a
two and a four year old — and they love to play on the grass. The
pool is secure and you don’t have to watch them every minute.”
The Yates found the unit on the VBRO website. “It looks pretty
dramatic on the Net and it’s just as nice as it looks (on the computer
screen). It’s a good rental property; they’ve set it up so there are bunk
beds, maximizing the space. It’s very nice.”
The Yates were on the patio reading, enjoying the peace and quiet
while everyone else in their group was out and about. “This is the
best appointed patio I’ve ever been on: the fridge, the fireplace, the
barbecue; it’s very nice,” said Tim, a semi-retired psychiatrist and
psychotherapist.”
“Those nana-doors are fabulous, it’s great in this climate,” Sandy
added. “The inside opens to the outside. It’s a great design. You can
see its quality for sure: the glass railings cost mega bucks, and the
Sub-Zero fridge costs 10 grand.”
The world-travelling Yates enjoy wine and while in Kelowna last
year did major wine-tasting trips to Oliver and the Naramata Bench,
“and Quail’s Gate is one of the best,” Tim said.
“And we’re going to Quail’s Gate today for lunch,” Sandy said with
Okanagan
“Together with Bob and
his team at Shoreline, we
created the best new dock
on the lake here at
the Waterfront”.
- Rob Chetner
#5 760 Highpointe Drive,
Kelowna
Stunning Okanagan contemporary
architecture designed to enhance lifestyle and entertaining with panoramic
lake, city and valley views from every level day or night. 6,110 sf, 4
bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, triple garage
w/car lift, large pool house with studio above, 1.66 acre site in exclusive Highpointe. Estates. $4,998,000
MLS® 10005729
#45 760 Highpointe Drive
Kelowna
Tuscan inspired, timeless designed
residence. Located in exclusive
Highpointe Estates on a 0.37 acre
cul-de-sac site with unobstructed
panoramic views of the lake, city
and valley. 7,413 sq ft, 6 bedrooms,
7.5 bathrooms, infinity edge pool
with swim up bar, triple garage
and more. $4,950,000
MLS® 10005964
604 Peridot Place,
Kelowna
Olde World Tuscan designed
residence with unobstructed panoramic lake and vineyard views
and located in a private cul-desac in the Upper Mission. 5,852
sf, 6 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms,
culinary kitchen, master bedroom
suite with spa ensuite, in-ground
pool and more. $1,995,000
MLS® 10011485
Cell: 250-864-9140
Tel: 250-764-9147
Toll Free: 866-764-9147
tim@seatoskyokanagan.ca
Professionalism you can trust
51
52
Okanagan
a laugh, anticipating
sitting in the restaurant
overlooking
the
vineyard and the lake.
The Quail’s Gate
vineyard is just up the
road and the visible
from many units. But
soon, a vineyard will
be part of the development. Residents will drive past eight acres of
vineyard as they leave the hectic world behind and slide into the
peace and tranquility of The Waterfront.
Even the Realtor* manning The Waterfront show home, which just
sold, enjoys the beauty and the serenity of development. “This is as
high-quality anywhere I’ve ever worked,” said Norm Bolitho, who
has sold real estate in Hawaii, Mexico, the Turks and Caicos Islands,
and the Muskoka area of Ontario. Bolitho came from Calgary to help
sell The Cove in West Kelowna, and the Outback in Vernon, but the
lure of the Okanagan keeps him here. “It’s a pretty awesome area.
There’s nothing like it in Canada.”
While it has been joked that someone retiring in Saskatchewan
will buy a house in the Okanagan, Chetner doubts they will ever find
another place like The Waterfront.
“I don’t think there will be another development like it on this lake
ever, based on what’s happened with the economy, land values and
the scarcity of this type of property, and that makes us even more
special,” Chetner said from Vancouver, wishing he were in West
Kelowna. “It’s a rare community.”
Chetner doesn’t have the free time that he did as a child, but in
the summer, he makes the commute from Vancouver to the sun-andmoon kissed lake just about every weekend.
“Every morning, I take the kayak out and it’s me and the water.
I can’t get enough of it. There’s something magical about being up
there; it’s peaceful, it’s tranquil. It’s a slice of heaven that will only
continue to get better.”
While he’s toiling during the week in Vancouver, his kids are in the
Okanagan, loving it, just like he did as a child — and still does. The
dream, just like the view, continues.
* Approximately 30% of the sales to date have involved cooperating
brokers. Co-operating brokers earn 1.5%.
C o n ta c t
Trasolini Chetner
www.traschet.com
Everwood
www.everwooddesign.com
Shoreline
www.shorelinepiledriving.com
Lynx Brand Fence
www.lynxfence.com
Coast Wholesale Appliances
www.coastappliances.com
54
Okanagan
Okanagan
55
DECOR
Norelco Cabinets
Kelowna’s Latest Social Scene…The Kitchen
By Deanna Merrick
A
t Norelco Cabinets, they like to call the kitchen the “Heart of the
Home.” With all of the functions it serves, the kitchen has earned its
rank as one of the most important rooms in a house.
Kitchens are getting larger as they become the centre of activity
for entertainment, creating gourmet meals, to doing homework and socializing.
Entire families gather there so good traffic flow is essential. Separate work stations, serving areas and creative storage are also key. As kitchens are now the
focal point of many great room designs, more importance is being put on the look
of the kitchen and how it blends with the rest of the home.
Derek Ruf, design manager at Norelco, says the first step to new cabinetry and
kitchens is to choose a style or theme, then select appliances. Next, clients need to
determine how much space they want to dedicate to the kitchen.
The selection for doors is huge. Norelco carries over 20 door styles in their
standard selection, and many more custom styles are available. The current favorite is the Maple Shaker door with a dark stain. Trends also include a traditional
painted door with a chalked finish, and for the younger generation a more modern
and sleek contemporary look.
Norelco Cabinets have nine of their own kitchen design sales staff, and they
will also work with interior designers. Their projects range from individual homes
to a large percentage of the multifamily buildings in Kelowna. They average an
impressive 2,000 kitchens per year between their two plants.
Ruf says it is a real benefit to be able to work directly with Norelco Cabinets,
who is the actual cabinetry manufacturer, when planning a new kitchen.
“Most manufacturers will only sell through a dealer network, which makes
it very difficult for the consumer to get the same service as they would dealing
directly with a local manufacturer. The quality of workmanship can be monitored
at every level and the local manufacturers keep the prices very competitive,” Ruf
explains.
The entire process usually takes about four to six weeks. Costs vary significantly as clients select the various components for their kitchen and cabinets.
“By taking a very simple contemporary melamine design to a very detailed
French Colonial design, the same layout could change from $5,000 to $20,000 in
cabinetry alone, not to mention plumbing, lighting and flooring,” says Ruf. “All
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Okanagan
Okanagan
Bercum Builders
57
these items combine to create a specific theme and all will significantly change the cost, depending on the theme and details chosen.”
Norelco Cabinets has been in business since 1972, which is an
impressive feat unto itself. Ruf believes the key to their success has
been diversification, as the company can handle any size or type of
job. They also have a custom plant, Cucina Del Re Cabinetry, that is
able to design and build any feature or style of cabinetry.
When you plan and design a new kitchen, there are literally hundreds of accessory ideas to consider. Norelco offers storage solutions
that include pull-outs for easy access; garbage and recycling containers; spice racks; utensil storage; lazy susans; slide-out cutting boards
and pop up shelves, just to name a few. They also feature a variety of
finishing details to add character to client’s designs, such as intricate
moldings, decorative cabinet feet, hand-carved corbels, glass doors
and specialty knobs.
Ultimately, it is Norelco Cabinet’s ability to offer clients the entire
package that works so well for customers. They offer knowledgeable
sales and design staff, the latest 3D technology to design cabinetry,
price it and send the information directly to “Computer Numerically
Controlled” equipment to build exactly what was designed. Professional installers and nearly 60 people in the manufacturing plants
provide the best possible source of quality, custom cabinetry.
C o n ta c t
Norelco Cabinets
www.norelcocabinets.ca
Okanagan
58
Paradise in the Short Grass
Story and Photos by Raymond F. Oelrich
I
stood over a five-foot putt, with everything on the line. I did not flinch or waver
and calmly pulled the putt four inches left, below the hole.
“Figures, I could have done THAT on the golf course,” I reasoned, not on my
own putting green, but then again, that is exactly why I had a synthetic green
professionally installed by Real GolfWEST.
I was remarkably impressed with the company’s owner, Scott Smockum, when I
watched him install the green. He carefully, meticulously rolled golf balls, one after
another, until he had just the right break he wanted. When I would have called it “good
enough” he called it “when I am done it is good enough” and he was right.
In a world that only rewards the exceptional, good isn’t good enough. I kept thinking
of that quote I had recently heard as I sat on the edge of the grass and admired his
work.
For a week Scott and his fine, capable staff, Todd and Paul, showed up every day as
they contoured and shaped a partially neglected side yard into a Picasso of synthetic
turf, complete with putting surface, long and short rough for chipping and even edge-
Photo by Troy Hill Photography
Okanagan
60
W
ithin hours of the release of last month’s
Spring/Summer issue of Okanagan
HOME magazine I received a call from
a client in Penticton – I was not even
aware the article was released. The client had some
ideas in her head about what she was looking for but I
thought it be best if I come down to take a look at her
yard and incorporate her ideas along with my vision.
Within a week of the first phone call we had devised
some sketches and renderings for the optimal size, shape
and location of her soon-to-be practice facility. What I
didn’t know was that the client wanted this project to
be completed during June 19th -22nd as it was to be the
ultimate surprise Father’s Day present, and their family was going camping during these dates. To us, this
meant rain or shine, this 1,000 sq.ft. project, complete
with bunker and putting green, was to be 100% completed in four days!
I was fully confident we would complete this project,
even though we would be missing the 2010 US OPEN
at Pebble Beach – an event we were all looking forward
to watching as Pebble Beach had just installed our premium EZ-Tee® driving range turf specifically for the
open.
With literally an hour to spare (I kept in touch with the
client via text on her drive home), we completed this
project, and her husband was pleasantly surprised at
the transformation that had taken place over the weekend, all without his knowledge. He called me later that
night to express his gratitude and he was just beside
himself. I only wish I was there to see his reaction!
The story doesn’t end there – as I handed the client a
CD with over 50 pictures of the transformation that
had been underway, she immediately posted them on
facebook. One week later I received a call to design and
build another surprise putting green – this time we had
three days for a surprise anniversary present! What
lucky husband - Scott Smockum
framing wood chips, far exceeded my lofty expectations.
“We got a call the day Okanagan HOME hit the newsstands last
issue,” Smockum offered as he removed an inch off the top, “and
the lady wanted to surprise her husband and get him a putting green
for Father’s day, so we installed it while he was out of town.” Scott
beamed as he described the husband’s reaction. “He was floored
and could not believe we got that installed in just a few days.”
“A world that only rewards the exceptional,” I mumbled as
Smockum reached for his rake and I sat sipping my coffee, trying
to simply stay out of his way. We started talking about golf and
soon about favourite courses, club design, how to hit a high fade
and other matters critical to a golfer’s sanity.
I asked him if he ever played Tower Ranch, one of my all-time
favourite courses, and I was stunned to learn he shaped and seeded
every green on that course! “Tobiano too, up in Kamloops, and
about 20 other courses around the world,” he said nonchalantly,
as if everyone shapes and designs world-class courses for a living.
“While in Thailand, I was even fortunate enough to redesign
Asia’s number 1 rated golf course, where Tiger Woods won the
Johnny Walker Classic,” he said. “Gave it all up when I started this
business,” he whispered as he laid on the ground to eye-ball the
grade from top to bottom of the green.
“The business has competition, but only until people really look
at what we offer and what we do to make these as close to a work
of art as we possibly can.”
I watched as he shaped the gravel around the soon-to-be hole and
he asked me, “Roll that ball from the top of the green to this hole
location and see if that is the amount of break you want, or do you
want even more?” I dutifully rolled the ball and told him, “Give me
some more, I can get flat greens at Michaelbrook, I want some real
challenge here from all angles.”
“Your course, we will do whatever you want,” Smockum replied,
carving out a bit more gravel until the ball broke hard from the side,
just as the tougher holes do, and that is just what I wanted.
Fast-forward one week and Smockum is done and cleaning up
his tools while I hit putts from all over the green. “It is larger than
most of them, and some real challenge with our ‘secret ingredient’
laid down,” he said, and he was right. I had watched him put on the
Okanagan
“The business has competition, but only
until people really LOOK at what we offer
and what we do to make these as close to a
work of art as we possibly can”.
- Scott Smockum
61
Okanagan
Photo by Troy Hill Photography
ART & NATURE
in Perfect Harmony
Q
62
UA
T
LI
Y
•
E • EXPERTISE
RIENC
E
P
EX
• Design
• Rockwalls
• Patio areas
• Irrigation
• Paving stones
• Lighting
SPECIALIZING IN CUSTOM BUILT,
NATURAL LOOKING WATERFALLS,
STREAMS & PONDS
DIRECT:
“We guarantee
all that we touch
…Naturally.”
250.575.4646 • OFFICE: 250.979.2782
Okanagan
final touches that no one else offers and it did make a huge difference
in the reaction of the ball.
He went on to explain how their patented ceramic infill helped
the green maintain its true speed long after competitor’s greens have
dried up and gotten as fast as a parking lot. I had witnessed him
applying this last application and was truly impressed.
“We want these to last forever,” he said. I agreed. “It does not need
to last forever, just long enough for my youngest son Ben to graduate
from college,” I winked, nodding to my 17-month-old son who was
already hitting balls as he trotted around the green.
Virtually every day since it was installed our family has been out
to the green, sometimes for several hours a day. Having a homebased business, my wife and I love to take a breather and sit by the
course and watch the kids putt while we sip our morning coffee.
“I am amazed how much these kids love playing here, not just for
golf but playing badminton, kicking a soccer ball, turning cartwheels
or just laying on the grass and telling stories,” my wife commented
as the kids took turns trying to sink a six-foot putt.
“Thank you for putting this in for us, we truly love it,” she said.
The kids nodded as they kept sinking putts their father routinely had
missed a few minutes before.
After everyone went into the house I putted for a couple more
minutes and realized how much this was mental therapy for a
businessman; a place where one can come and relax, hit a few putts
and take a break from the hectic business world we all live in.
“Peace, quiet and relaxation, all cut to the same length,” I
thought to myself as I finally mastered the five-footer that had
63
eluded me previously.
Few investments I have ever made in home improvement have ever
looked so nice so quickly and made such an amazing transition to my
home as this putting green has for our family. It has become a jewel in
our yard, which we will use nearly every day of the year.
“Good simply isn’t good enough” is right. This was exceptional and
Smockum and his company should be congratulated for what they
have created and can do for others as well.
For more information about Real GolfWEST and for a consultation,
see contact information below.
C o n t a ct
REAL GOLFWEST
www.realgolfwest.com
Okanagan
64
OUTDOORS
Filling The Holes
An Easy Alternative
By Raymond Oelrich
M
ost homes in the Okanagan have one common trait;
the
homeowners
look into someone
else’s yard and the
neighbors look into your’s. Some
yards are SO close to a neighbor’s
house you could water YOUR lawn
and their lawn with one sprinkler.
A quick look around the Okanagan proves the ‘hedge of choice’
is cedar and some of them are the
color of fudge, dying from their
constant thirst of water, and lots of it.
The simple solution is a Jamana Evergreen Hedge of simulated
cedar, thin synthetic strips interwoven INTO a chain link fence, so
carefully woven it looks like a true hedge, but is only the width of
the fence.
One special advantage of this ‘mini-hedge’ is it eliminates the spiders, rats and mice that thrive in most hedges. We know of one hedge
that was recently removed and more than a hundred mice and rats left
running when they removed the cedars.
SUPPLIER OF COUNTERTOPS TO
SIX DIFFERENT GOLD AND SILVER AWARD WINNING HOMES
www.puregraniterocks.com
Jamana Evergreen Hedge is permanent hedging filler ‘strips’ that
are simple and easy to install and actually quite fun for the homeowner and family to install, easily accomplished in a couple of hour’s time
in most cases.
The strips are available in various lengths (or heights once installed
into the fence) with most of them 4’
to 6’ high. They never need watering, crucial in this arid Okanagan
climate, and don’t fade or change
color and are maintanence free.
One huge advantage is the privacy they provide, especially for
those homes where the neighbors
take more than a casual interest in
your daily life.
The strips simply slide into the
wire fence, one at a time and within a few minutes the yard takes on a
totally different look as these photos show.
For more information about having a Jamana Evergreen Hedge for
your yard contact Bennett at the contact information below.
C o n ta c t
JAMANA EVERGREEN HEDGE
jamana-evergreen@hotmail.com
Okanagan
65
volume discount.
I
I
Okanagan
Crystal Heights in the Lakes
A True Neighbourhood
By Keri-Lynn Turney
In
an
age
where
we
can
communicate
via
computers and hand-held devices, Crystal Heights
is bringing back the neighbourhood.
semi-detached
homes
within
a
With its 104
master
planned
community, one is reminded of days of old: back
when everyone knew their neighbours, there were
block parties, and the Smith kids played with the
Robinson kids down the street all day.
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Okanagan
A
69
family-oriented community is just what
many are after in these hectic days. Throw
in three lakes within five minutes
of the development, and you have
a setting any active family would
love. It “projects a true neighbourhood,” says George Wilson, sales
coordinator for the project.
Ten houses were initially released
July of this summer, and Phase 2 is
projected to begin February, 2011.
But don’t worry about construction
steps from your door.
“One tremendous feature of the
development is after Phase 2 occupancy, all construction on future
phases will be accessed from the
North side of the site and no construction traffic will be permitted
through occupied phases,” explains
Wilson.
Out of the eight floor plans available, from two bedrooms and a
den, to four bedroom walk-outs,
there is something for every type
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Okanagan
of home buyer.
“One of the plans has a master bedroom on the main floor
which would appeal to many including ‘lock and go’ owners,”
says Wilson.
These homes, which will come complete with landscaping,
were designed specifically for the Okanagan: large, open layouts, bright outdoor spaces and fenced yards make the homes
welcoming and functional.
The builders, Citimark/Western Construction have a history
of thousands of similar units,
satisfying the local market with
price and quality.
“Experience permits the developer to be creative without
necessarily increasing pricing”,
explains Wilson.
For the home buyer this means
prices starting in the low $300’s.
But it’s the community feel,
with your own privacy too of
course, that really sticks out.
“Master planned communities
are becoming more and more
popular,” Wilson says. “They
offer security of design compliance, well laid-out roads, lighting, etc., and pride of neighbourhood.”
C o n ta c t
CRYSTAL HEIGHTS
www.itsclearuphere.ca
72
Okanagan
Outdoor Living
Sunshine Pools and Spas
Backyard Paradise
By Lisa M. Robinson
T
he Okanagan is not just a place to live, it’s a lifestyle.
That lifestyle includes enjoying the Okanagan’s sunshine,
warmth, and water. But when life is too fast-paced for the
time or energy to head off to the lake, Sunshine Pools and
Spas has the ability to create a water paradise in your own backyard.
With over 20 years to its name, Sunshine Pools and Spas have
helped bring this lifestyle of the Okanagan to people’s homes, over
and over again. President, Ken Reid, assures us that their goal for
their clients is, “Relaxing Made Easy. We want every one of our customers to have a worry-free pool or hot tub that looks beautiful and
runs perfectly, so they can simply relax and enjoy it. We want our
customers to know us as the people they trust and rely upon to make
them proud of their backyard paradise.”
From start to finish, and beyond, Sunshine Pools and Spas makes
creating and owning a pool a pleasant, worthwhile experience.
Whether a pool is being added to an existing property, or you are
in the planning process of building a new home, they can help you
determine the perfect location, size, and shape to fit your needs. With
online tools and expert staff on hand, the customer is presented with
the best pool education and service possible.
Going on vacation or don’t have the time to maintain a pool? Don’t
worry. Sunshine Pools and Spas “will look after the water care, maintenance, and service for as long as the owner would like.”
From Peachland to Vernon, Sunshine Pools and Spas will help improve your lifestyle. You can have as much, or as little, involvement
in building and maintaining your pool as you wish. Once you have
made the decision to utilize their full expertise, they will be your primary contact throughout the entire process, making it easier for you
to carry on your normal life while waiting for your piece of paradise
to be completed.
Only wanting the best for their customers, Sunshine Pools and Spas
are Kelowna’s exclusive authorized dealers for Hayward Pool Products, and BioGuard products. With these two companies on board, you
will have the best in pool accessories for heating, lighting, and pumps
– just to name a few, along with safe, efficient chemistry to protect
your pool and family. Reid outlines the interest Sunshine Pools and
Spas take in their customers: “Upon completion, when most builders
are gone, we fill and balance the pool with BioGuard products, set up
and program Hayward controls, provide four weeks of maintenance
at no charge, provide pool school onsite, and have customers come
into the store for instruction in water care products. We also provide
discounts for purchases the first swim season, and offer free first winterizing.” With this kind of commitment, you know that you’re not
into your investment alone. And neither is Reid.
He has a team of professionals organized to complete your project.
Reid says of John Nybo of VP Construction: “John heads up our Con-
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struction Division – managing our pool building projects. He oversees the jobs, does hands-on work as required, and is the customer
contact from start to finish of the project, in charge of ensuring the
customers are thrilled with the finished product.”
And of Sean Colluney of VP Service, Reid says: “Sean heads up
our Service Division – managing our Service and Maintenance departments, overseeing all the work done in those areas, which can
be up to 40 different onsite calls per day, and is responsible for complete client satisfaction.” With a team as good as Reid’s, you cannot
go wrong in creating your dream pool with the ease and comfort of
knowing your venture is in capable hands.
All of Sunshine Pools and Spas work and products are guaranteed.
“We offer full manufacturer warranty on all pool components (varies from 1 to 25 years, depending on the item). We offer a 5-year
workmanship warranty on the construction process. For products that
Hayward guarantees for one year through other dealers, they warranty for 3 years when purchased from Sunshine, as we are their sole
authorized dealer in Kelowna.”
Sunshine Pools and Spas have won many Awards of Excellence,
and boast numerous testimonials for their accomplishments. Please
see their website at to view these, along with the photo gallery and
links to Hayward Pool Products and BioGuard.
C o n ta c t
SUNSHINE POOLS AND SPAS
www.sunshinepools.ca
volume discount.
74
Okanagan
Green
Green Water
Using Water Responsibly
By Barry Milner
I
f it’s brown - flush it down, if it’s yellow – let it mellow.” Anyone what has visited friends on an acreage supplied by a well or
cistern has chuckled at this poetic piece of logic. This rhyme is a
classic example of what sustainability is all about. Without due
care and precautions, these home owners could potentially run out
of water and make their dwellings uninhabitable. This is unlikely to happen
as the limit of this resource is painfully
obvious to those living there and measures are taken to ensure a continuous
and sustainable supply. This is called
living within your means, a concept that
has become beyond the comprehension
of the most of us caught up in the plastic world of credit, consumption and
waste.
Now for us city dwellers, it is a totally different experience. I turn on the
tap and water flows 24/7. If I chose to
use this ready supply of treated water
for whatever reason, so be it! Just be
prepared to pay a meager sum of money
at the end of the month – no problem! I
have even read a local letter to the editor that states that water is free; we just
pay for the delivery. This writer goes
on to state that it is all a conspiracy by
government to suggest that we actually
have limits to the supply of surface and
ground water. I wonder what colour the
sky is in his little world? Anyway, unlike our rural friends it is very difficult
to clearly measure the limits of our municipal water system at a macro level.
And hence the denial continues.
So what can we do as regular citizens
to make sure our municipal water systems are viable and sustainable into the
future? One option that deserves consideration is greywater systems. Simply
put, a greywater system recovers and
treats spent wash water from the bath,
showers and laundry and uses it for the
toilets. Nearly 40% of the treated potable water that is supplied to your home is
consumed by the toilet so this application means a significant reduction in residential water consumption.
I am proud to say that I have a greywater system in my house and
to make it even more gratifying - I own a Canadian made product
– BRAK. Now that isn’t to say that my choice to add greywater to
our home construction wasn’t without issue. Unfortunately, my first
plumber went out of his way to discourage me from the idea of using a greywater system with justification like, “It won’t make you
any money.” Then to add insult to injury he decided to charge me
three times the cost for the installation – no doubt for my own good.
It makes me wonder how many times people are persuaded not to
use these new environmentally sustainable technologies because the
contractor is incapable of working outside of the box. Needless to
say, I promptly instructed our project manager to source out another
plumber for the whole job. The good
news is that I have a greywater system
and I love it!
Blair Gautschi, one of the owners of
BRAK Systems is a resident of West
Kelowna. I had contacted Blair after
doing my research on greywater systems not knowing that he was one of the
principals of the Montreal based manufacturer. It sure was great to have such
a knowledgeable resource in our own
community.
So I asked Blair about the development of BRAC systems and the movement to embrace water conservation.
“In 2005 I met fellow karting enthusiast Dennis Yasar and after visiting his Montreal warehouse to view a
prototype of his greywater concept, it
started to sink in how huge a potential
there was behind this process,” he explained. “My plumbing knowledge was
put to work and the first evolution of the
BRAC System was brought up to code
and put on the market.
After many years of promoting the
concept of grey water recovery to
somewhat resistant municipalities, a
major break-through in the technology’s acceptance happened when it
was included on the Built Green and
L.E.E.D. (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design) checklists as
a significant component to the goal of
water conservation in the built environment. Another indicator to add credibility to the technology’s growth is the
fact that pre-plumbing a new home for
grey water systems (referred to as “purple pipe”) will be a part of the new BC
Green Building Code. Much like the City of Vancouver has implemented a requirement to pre-plumb new homes for future solar installations it is all about building homes that are capable of adapting to a
changing world.
But BRAC isn’t happy with just mastering the grey water market.
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75
“Our next product due for certification this summer is a blackwater
(sewer/septic) treatment system using SBR technology. The blackwater treatment system will produce recreational quality water from
blackwater that can be used (and reused) for things such as car washing, laundry and toilet flushing,” he says.
Like many of the new environmentally sustainable technologies,
greywater systems will eventually become the norm and we will all
think back in disgust about a time when we used such a valuable resource so irresponsibly.
C o n ta c t
BARRY MILNER
bmilner@geotility.ca
volume discount.
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Okanagan
GREEN
The Ultimate in Recycling
By Summer Bracey
A
lthough the business may not be glamorous, the results
sustain some of Kelowna’s most iconic features. The City
of Kelowna’s Wastewater Treatment Facility, located on
Raymer Avenue, cleans the water we drain or flush so it
can replenish our beautiful Okanagan Lake, creates the aptly-named
Ogogrow (nutrient-rich compost) and helps to heat Okanagan College, facilitating the growth and expansion of young minds.
The cycle begins when you flush your toilet, take a shower, drain
your dishwater or wash your car. Water and waste travels through
the City of Kelowna’s 475 km of underground sewer pipes on its
way to the Wastewater Treatment Facility. Upon arrival, screens, grit
removers and primary clarifiers remove solids from the wastewater. Sludge is pumped to the fermenters and organic material, to the
dewatering facility.
Getting the bioreactor treatment
Water then travels to the bioreactor where microscopic bacteria eat
most of the remaining organic matter. Full and happy, the bacterial
cells float to the secondary clarifier, sink to the bottom of the tank,
travel back to the bioreactors, where they are plumped and pumped
to the dewatering facility. The cleaner water flows through an exten-
sive filtration system and is disinfected by Ultra Violet light. The UV
lights are strong enough to warrant an emergency shut-off device,
triggered when water levels get too low. If your eyes were exposed
to the lights, they would be damaged within seconds; your skin in
minutes – just imagine what it does to those stubborn unwanted bacteria cells. The resulting newly cleaned water is then pumped out into
Okanagan Lake through a pipe, venting more than one km off the
shore and 65 m deep.
Wastewater heat recovery
In a new relationship with neighbouring Okanagan College, some
of the reclaimed water is pumped off to the school, acting as part of its
heating system. This preheat, generated by the natural decomposition
process, is captured and used as a sustainable way to heat surrounding
buildings, including the new Centre for Learning, saving energy and
money. After the water cycles through the campus, it is routed back to
the Wastewater Treatment Facility and returned to Okanagan Lake.
Beneficial biosolids
At the dewatering facility, solids that were pumped from the fer-
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77
menters and sci-fi sounding bioreactor are further processed to
become a nutrient-rich sludge used as the base for Ogogrow compost
material. Biosolids contain essential plant nutrients and organic materials that replenish soil and retain moisture.
At the Regional Compost Facility, the biosolids are mixed with
wood waste and water to create the perfect composting environment.
The resulting mixture is then piled on top of an aerated floor that
forces air through the piles, promoting decomposition. The piles heat
up and exceed 55 C for at least 21 days. This amount of heat ensures
that any remaining pathogens are wiped out, making the material safe
for humans to handle.
Safe, nutrient rich compost
Decomposing and further composting continues for an additional
four months. As the compost matures, it gets darker and takes on an
earthy smell. Excess wood waste is removed and testing is conducted for pathogens, nutrient value, moisture, PH and metals content.
Test results are submitted to the Ministry of Environment for final
approval and must meet all the requirements of the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency and the Organic Matter Recycling Regulation
before it can be used.
The approved dark, rich looking Ogogrow product is then sold and
distributed in bulk to local retail outlets, landscapers, orchardists and
nurseries for purchase and use by customers throughout the Central
Okanagan.
Giving recycling a new meaning
From start to finish, Kelowna’s wastewater cleaning process attempts to be less wasteful, utilizing many steps along the way for
other beneficial outcomes. The resulting water replenishes Okanagan
Lake, heat produced is captured and used at Okanagan College and
the biosolids are used to nourish local yards. It’s a dirty job, but the
Wastewater Treatment Facility produces so many environmental benefits that, in the end, it comes out smelling like a rose.
C o n ta c t
City of Kelowna
www.kelowna.ca
volume discount.
78
Okanagan
Building The New Old House
B
By Ross Freake
ridges at Glenview Pond hasn’t even been completely
built yet, but it has won the Academy Award of Okanagan
construction.
The 34-lot development, with the first 12-home phase
complete, beat out big developments to win the gold Tommie for
community of the year. It also won silver for townhouse development
of the year, best detached home over 3,000 square feet, and best
detached home under 2,000 square feet.
While he expected to win some silver hardware, Jim Andrews
was pleasantry surprised to hear the name of his company — Valux
Homes — called at the Tommie gala awards ceremony, so he and
partner Joe Rood had to concoct an impromptu speech on their way
up to accept the award.
“The first phase was the smaller phase and to win community
of year was pretty darn good,” said Andrews, still thrilled and
proud months after winning the Canadian Home Builders
Association award.
“There were developments that were strong that had won gold in
other categories, so we thought we probably wouldn’t be winning
the gold, but when they announced our name, we were pleased and
very proud.”
The first phase of the development in the Cerise Drive and
Glenview Avenue area has a variety of single-family homes: twounit town homes, carriage-style town homes with legal suites, and a
fully detached home.
“All the homes fit together design-wise,” said Andrews, president
of Valux, the company he formed to create the development. “But
they are all different.”
In this fast-paced world, many people want a simpler life; a rural,
away-from-it-all feeling, but still close to everything they need;
an oasis in the heart of the city. That’s Bridges at Glenview Pond.
You can have downtown living while tucked away from the noise
and traffic. Residents can walk downtown, to City Park, Parkinson
Recreation Centre, Kelowna Golf and Country Club, and five malls
— Orchard Park, Orchard Plaza, Capri, Spall and Towne Centre —
are within a five-minute drive.
“For people who want to bike or walk, we’re down in the flats, but
we’re up against Knox Mountain. If you want to go for a hard bike
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Okanagan
ride, it’s up the road and up the trails; bike up as hard as
you want, get tired and coast home,” said Andrews, who
has been known to do just that.
Bridges is less about size and more about space, comfort
and simplicity. It’s a sanctuary; Homes are small, yet
spacious; simple, yet gracious; private, yet neighbourly. It
balances a contemporary lifestyle with nature.
Andrews and Rood had already designed and built 150
homes, winning 24 local and provincial housing awards,
including Tommie Builder of the Year, before devoting all
their time to Bridges at Glenview Pond.
Before starting the development, Andrews, a former
cabinet and furniture maker — with a knack for design,
scale and visualizing in 3D and colour — spent a lot of
time pondering and researching how he would design the
neighbourhood that would become the best of the best. He
went to builder shows and design symposiums here and
the U.S., talked to a lot of people and read books to study
the current trends. He chose a heritage style.
“We took the approach that we would build nice-looking
houses that are all different, but with a heritage theme, with
colour,” said Andrews, a former president of the Kelowna
chapter of the Canadian Home Builders Association.
“It’s good to have houses blend into hillsides, but when
you’re on the flats or in a bowl, it’s nice to have it a little
more cheerful.”
While some builders go a little retro with 1980s and
1990s plans, add a gable or two and call it heritage, Valux
wanted more authenticity — grandma’s house with a
modern interior.
“The heritage aspect creates a feeling of belonging
that stems from that connection to the past, and stability.
We could have gone modern, but I don’t think the
development fits that as well as a heritage feeling. As well
as providing a connection to the past, heritage homes are
meant to last. Victorian and Craftsman homes of the late
1800s and early 1900s provide continuity of character and
a sense of wellbeing. The homes we create are variations
of these classic styles, blending the emotional comforts of
the past with the conveniences and efficiencies of today.
We’re building the new, old house; yesterday’s character
for today’s home.”
Andrews shares the sentiments expressed by Phillip
Moffitt, founder of the Life Balance Institute: “A house is
a home when it shelters the body and comforts the soul.”
That’s the goal at Bridges when the partners design a
custom home to fit the desires, needs and wants of each
buyer. Certainly, it’s more challenging and time consuming
than simply offering customers a few plans — as many
developments do — but Valux even goes a few steps
further to ensure it gets the right design for each resident.
“When someone comes in, we show them the
development, we show them what we can do with the plans
we have and then do a lifestyle interview to find out what
they looking for. We discuss what they like, what kind of
exposure they like, and what size rooms.”
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81
82
Okanagan
And after collecting all that information, Valux takes one more giant
step. “We almost always go to the home they’re living in, to see what
they like about it and sometimes, more importantly, what they don’t
like. We then present lots of ideas on how things could be different
and how they can get the best value for what they’re spending. For
one person, a soaker tub is a high priority, for someone else not. So
why have it in every house? Some people want a formal dining room,
others want great rooms and open concepts. Everyone is different. It
costs a lot of money to build houses, land is expensive,” so Valux,
with its custom-design approach, endeavours to save its client as
much as possible through design and specifications. And since these
are heritage and not monster houses, homes are built to maximize
space by cutting down on hallways, creating larger rooms.
Valux has started the second phase of Brides at Glenview Pond and
two show homes were scheduled to be finished in August. One is a
three bedroom with a full, unfinished basement. The other, an empty
nester, has the master bedroom on the main floor with the basement
developed for auxiliary living. “One area you’re living in, but you
have these other spaces that are functional when you have guests, or
have older kids or parents living with you.”
In one show home, the laundry room connects through a walk-in
closet to the en suite and the master bedroom. “It works well in the
morning; you can get up, have your shower and sneak out the laundry
room without disturbing your partner. At the same time, the laundry
room is in such a good location, you can get do the laundry and put
it away really quickly.”
But just as houses are connected to and balanced with nature, the
Opportunity Awaits You
This gorgeous South Western home was originally designed by renowned designer
Denis Apchin 16 years ago and built in what has become the highly desirable
Eldorado Estates neighbourhood in the Lower Mission. This unique 4,000 square
foot home is positioned on a very private half acre lot surrounded by old growth
forest and features beautiful mature landscaping and an in-ground concrete swimming pool.
The complete interior was recently updated by the Berard Design Group. The level
of artistry and craftsmanship will exceed the expectations of the most discriminating buyer.
Location, location, location! This home is conveniently situated only minutes away
from retail outlets, recreational facilities, golf courses, marinas and within short
walking distance to local schools, shopping, restaurants and beaches.
This is a rare opportunity to own a master designed, fully refurbished, private estate
in one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in the Okanagan offered at $2,650,000
MLS®10000677.
To arrange a private viewing of this residence, please contact Tim Down at Sea to
Sky Premier Properties.
Tim Down
Sea to Sky Premier Properties
Cell: 250-864-9140
Tel: 250-764-9147
Toll Free: 866-764-9147
Fax: 250-764-9143
web: www.seatoskyokanagan.ca
e-mail: tim@seatoskyokanagan.ca
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Okanagan
indoors and outdoors also flow into each other. While indoor-outdoor
living is popular in the Okanagan, Andrews thinks Valux has refined
the concept at Bridges, artfully merging the two. Most developments
have two small side yards that are basically a no-man’s land, “but
Valux combined then so that one side is usable and one side is given
to your neighbour to use. You’re right up to the neighbour’s house
including the exterior wall of the house, which doesn’t have any
windows.
The siding contractor played their part too. Wilderness Custom
Exteriors Ltd, a preferred James Hardie plank installer, does full
exterior renos and new construction siding projects in the Okanagan.
It takes a group to build a community.
While it is a community, privacy is essential. Andrews says, “We
create private, outdoor living space that are nicely connected to the
inside of the homes. We cut into the house a little to create extra
space, extra privacy, extra cover with fireplaces and outdoor kitchens;
we even have TVs out there.
“The public backyard space faces our private park and green
space, but we have these side yards that are completely private. If
you want to go out in your underwear and read the paper, you don’t
have to worry about the neighbour, or if you’re barbecuing, you
won’t have your friend, John, from down the street yelling, ‘put one
on for me.’”
In addition to the private courtyards, and the green space backing
onto Brandt’s Creek, Bridges will also have a park up the middle.
“We’re creating two ponds with a creek. There will be a walking
path and bridges crossing the creek. It creates that sense of space
between the houses, but will give a really nice place for people to
walk or de-stress after getting home. There will be lots of waterfalls
and sounds of running water. It will be nice place to live.”
Andrews is looking forward to the day when all the homes in
Bridges at Glenview Pond are built, so he can then experience the
neighbourhood as a resident rather than the builder.
“I will live there. I’ll buy the last lot and build the last house.”
C o n ta c t
BRIDGES AT GLENVIEW
www.bridgesliving.com
Discovery Glass
www.discoveryglass.ca
Springfield P&D
www.benjaminmoore.ca
Gienow Windows
www.gienow.com
Wilderness Custom Exterior Ltd.
www.wildernesscustomexteriors.com
a home to nurture your soul
PHASE II… NOW SELLING
Bridges at Glenview Pond Phase II is a unique
neighbourhood of 34 heritage style single family
homes. Homes that are custom designed to
match your family’s needs, desires and lifestyle.
The backdrop for your home is a private park with a creek,
2 ponds, bridges and lush landscaping. It’s the perfect
setting for a morning jog, an afternoon walk or an evening
stroll. The lots have been designed to offer homeowners
both privacy and the ability to create unique outdoor
spaces to enjoy.
Tucked into the existing Old Glenmore neighbourhood,
Bridges at Glenmore Pond is within easy walking to the
lake, cultural district and downtown. For the active, Knox
Mountain and the Rails with Trails offer both biking and
hiking trails without the need to load up the car, just head
out from home!
Glenview Avenue at Cerise Drive
HILLCREST
GORDON
CLEM
ENT
GLENMORE
HIGH
CER
ISE
PRESENTATION CENTRE OPEN
Noon - 5:00pm (closed Friday)
BERNARD
HARVEY
97
250.763.7209
www.bridgesliving.com
86
Okanagan
INSIDE
Greystokes millwork ltd.
The Wonders of Wood
By Deanna Merrick
G
reystokes Millwork has called the Okanagan Home for
over 21 years, and it soon becomes evident that their approach to both their client satisfaction and their work itself is the secret to their success.
On their comprehensive web site, they explain their philosophy:
“We believe your home is much more than concrete and wood. At
Greystokes we feel that the heart of any home begins in the kitchen…
We have built our reputation on quality workmanship, attention to detail, but most of all we have succeeded in making happy customers. Whether it’s your idea or our
idea we will take you from start
to finish!”
Sue Welch of Greystokes reflects back on the company’s
humble beginnings when, in
1989, Lee Welch began building
cabinets in his garage.
“We’ve grown from a twoman operation in a garage, to
13 employees and a fully automated shop,” she says. “We’ve
combined the best material and
most advanced technology with woodworking and experienced
craftspeople.
Greystokes ensures that the spaces are planned to make the most
of any homeowner’s lifestyle, work habits, personal taste and budget.
Their specialty involves the entire process from conception to completion. Being a millwork shop, they often handle the woodwork in the
entire interior of a home from entry doors to cabinetry. Currently, 90
per cent of their business is residential and about 10 per cent is commercial. Welch says Greystokes does anywhere from 50 to 80 jobs a
year depending upon their size. She sites one large project currently
underway, a $7 million build, where Greystokes has manufactured
entry doors in Walnut, wood cabinets and even walnut furniture.
“We work in a broad range of
homes, so we’ve dealt in house
packages ranging from $10,000
to $300,000,” Sue explains.
Greystokes specializes in more
than kitchens and baths. They are
often commissioned to design
mudrooms, laundry rooms, wine
cellars, bars, media rooms, home
offices, closets and custom furniture. They also excel at custom
pantry and entry doors, solid surface counter tops, laminate counter tops, decorative hardware and
even decorative glass.
Okanagan
Being a custom cabinet shop, they work with an extensive variety of wood species and a multitude of door styles. They are capable of customizing any stain or paint colour to achieve exactly the
right result. Welch says trends in the Okanagan are starting to reflect the individual taste of the home
owner.
“The Okanagan is an interesting place for trends. As the
area grows, I believe people
are letting go of basic resale
designs, and leaning much
more toward their personal
tastes,” she reflects.
Greystokes
Millworks
works with a variety of people on their projects. They’ll
collaborate with designers,
contractors and directly with
retail customers. One very satisfied partner is Rod Doroshuk, President and General Manager of Inspiration Homes. He has expressed
his satisfaction with Greystokes on the company’s web site.
“I have had the Greystokes Team exclusively design and construct all of our cabinetry and millwork for over five years for all
of our award winning homes. The open lines of communication
with Lee and his staff have simplified an otherwise difficult task in
designing unique and exceptional products. I am proud to say that,
87
with Greystokes as our associate company, we won a Gold Award
for Best Kitchen at the 2008 Tommie Okanagan Housing Awards,”
Doroshuk writes.
Sue says the company is evolving toward the use of greener products, although there are still some challenges.
“As we slowly push toward
greener products, the content
of the products we use are
changing. We are ready and
set up for greener products,”
she says, adding that the cost
of making a commitment to
go green is still somewhat
expensive.
Wood is a natural, living
and breathing product. The
finish on cabinetry helps protect wood from the environment but it still needs to be
kept clean and moisturized. A proper maintenance program, as outlined on Greystoke’s web site, will ensure that wood products have
a long life.
C o n ta c t
Greystokes millwork ltd.
www.greystokesmillwork.com
volume discount.
88
Okanagan
PROFILE
Sunridge landscapes
Landscaping Your Life
By By Lisa M. Robinson
A
fter a long, hard day at work, do you desire peace, serenity, comfort? Would you like the security of walking
out your back
door into your
own private park to sip on
a glass of wine, or cradle
a cup of warm, aromatic
coffee in your hands? Or
maybe you want to draw
customers to your business
with the help of an eyecatching, landscaped exterior. If you do, then Aaron
and Andrea Lester at Sunridge Landscapes Ltd. are
the people to contact.
Within one to three meetings, over approximately
two weeks depending on
the scope of the project,
you will have worked with
Aaron and Andrea to design a plan on paper creating the dream you
desire, “complete with pictures and plant material samples.” Imagine
coming home everyday to your own private retreat that you helped
create. Or walking outside your busy office into a natural setting to
enjoy the fresh air and relax your mind, perhaps even being able to
listen to your own waterfall.
Initial consultation with
Sunridge Landscapes Ltd. is
free to anyone within about a
45 minute radius of Aaron and
Andrea’s home in Oliver. After
that, there would be a nominal fee to travel outside of the
area for consultation. Kelowna
residents may pay $125 for
this initial personal one-on-one
service which will give you an
overall vision for your planned
landscaping area. Aaron and
Andrea have completed projects “in the South Okanagan, in
Osoyoos, and all the way north
up to Vernon.”
During the planning process,
budget is the keyword. Sunridge Landscapes Ltd. has the
experience to work within your
budget range so that you can
build something aesthetically
pleasing, which is also affordable to you. Since “landscaping
in general can be so different
from project to project,” Aaron
and Andrea work with the client
to customize a scene that will
fit their needs. Smaller projects
can be designed for a modest
$5,000, and range all the way
up to $100,000 for larger more
involved projects, and of course
anywhere in between. With
their creativity and flexibility,
Sunridge Landscapes Ltd. will
not disappoint.
Sunridge Landscapes Ltd. landscaping plans include “all the materials and labour to complete the project.” Their work does come
complete with a one-year warranty, however, will not include any
maintenance. They provide a wide range of service, from intricate
rock work, waterfalls and ponds, to underground sprinkler systems
they supply and install themselves. Asked if they would also install
children’s playgrounds, they said, “We have installed some small play
structures for residential clients, including a children’s tree house, but
no public playgrounds as of yet.”
Aaron and Andrea were asked to describe their business in a
Okanagan
couple of sentences.
Their answer: “We are
a full-service landscape
design and build company. Customers will
find that we are a professional and detail-minded
company that combines
the beauty of nature and
the artistry of man, while
increasing the value of
their property.”
And that is one of the
reasons customers come
to Sunridge Landscapes
Ltd. Increasing the value
of your home is an investment for your future. When people come
to look at your home, first impressions will be everything, and in today’s market, first impressions could make all the difference.
Sunridge Landscapes Ltd. will transform your existing property
from ordinary or plain, to something absolutely remarkable. Customized landscaping breathes life into the exterior of a home, and speaks
of its occupants and their values. Using natural stone, they build
boulder retaining walls that will add depth to your home exterior surroundings, or use feature boulders to create character, and flagstone
89
patios and fire pits to
entertain friends by.
So, if you have
made the decision to
create beautiful surroundings for yourself, and increase the
value of your home
or business, Sunridge
Landscapes Ltd. has
vowed in their Code
of Ethics to serve
you with “integrity,
knowledge and creative ability.” And
how far in advance
do you need to book
your project before starting work?
“Ideally three - four weeks notice is enough time in the busy
season (April - July), and only one - two weeks from August
- November.” Happy planning!
C o n ta c t
SUNRIDGE LANDSCAPES
www.sunridgelandscapes.ca
volume discount.
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Okanagan
INSIDE
Beauty – Surface Deep
By Lisa M. Robinson
B
eauty sometimes really is only surface deep, especially
when it comes to countertops. Paragon Surfacing Ltd. is
a leader in supplying and installing quality kitchen and
bathroom countertops, and commercial solid surfaces.
They specialize in the fabrication and installation of Silestone®, DuPont™, Green Eco Friendly, and Corian® countertop surfaces.
Corian® is very popular in both residential and commercial applications. Its versatility, quality and design make it desirable in all
kinds of settings: hospitals; doctors’ offices; food service industry;
bathroom counters and showers; kitchens counters; desks and tables;
retail and entertainment industries; and the marine industry – including “on cruise ships, ferries, luxury yachts, naval vessels, houseboats,
sailboats, powerboats and other forms of water transport,” states Paragon Surfacing’s web site. Its durable, non-porous surface provides
an easily cleaned, sterile surface.
The sky’s the limit with Corian®. It can be fashioned, formed, or
sculpted into all kinds of shapes and designs to create furniture, art,
placards, designed walls, and more. According to Paragon’s website,
“Corian® is the material of choice for architects and designers around
the world. Corian® makes undulating curves, waves, and free-form
organic patterns possible.” Corian® comes in a wide variety of
colours and designs. With Corian®, “Your environment will be as
distinctive and expressive as you want it to be.”
If you’re looking for something a little bit different, very stylish
and durable, with a touch of earth, try Silestone®. Made from “specialized natural stone material consisting of 90 per cent natural quartz
with resin binders,” “Silestone® has the sophisticated elegance and
timeless beauty of stone. The natural quartz in Silestone® delivers a
distinctive depth, brilliant clarity, glimmering radiance and cool, solid
feel unique to natural stones.”
Silestone®’s heat, scratch and stain resistant surface is also built
to be easily cleaned to maintain sterility: “Microban® antimicrobial
protection is infused into 100% of Silestone® natural quartz countertops to help prevent the growth of stain causing bacteria.” Therefore,
Silestone® provides that little bit extra peace of mind in taking care
of your family. And with 48-plus colours, you will be sure to find a
shade and design to match your tastes.
If going green is your thing, you might want to look at Paragon’s
line of recycled materials. On their website, look for the heading,
“Green Eco Friendly Surfaces.” ECO™ by Consentino is “new, durable and environmentally friendly ... made of 75% recycled content
composed of post-industrial or post-consumer materials.” And for a
beautifully unique surface with remarkable designs and colours, try
Vetrazzo® Recycled Glass Surfaces. “With Vetrazzo® Surfaces you
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can express both your style and your respect for the earth without
compromise. Vetrazzo® is 85% glass, and all the glass used is recycled.” With Paragon Surfacing Ltd., there is something
for everyone.
Throughout the Shuswap, Okanagan, and beyond, Paragon Surfacing Ltd. will service your
countertop and surfacing
needs. Chris McCutcheon,
one of three principle owners, moved his family to
Kelowna three years ago
“specifically to operate the
Okanagan division.” McCutcheon says, “I worked
for Paragon Surfacing in
Richmond in 2000, then
headed to Nelson to complete my Fine Woodworking Diploma at
Selkirk College in Nelson. After school and several years later, we
started Paragon Interior in Kelowna in 2007.”
Chris McCutcheon says that his business partners, Vince Woodlock
and Dave Hocking, own and operate Paragon Surfacing in Richmond.
Paragon’s website sums up the company’s birth: “Paragon Surfacing
was established in 1989. The two journeyman cabinet makers recognised a demand for quality surfacing products and set out to create a
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one of a kind business. Complete customer focus is present in every
facet of their business and is what separates Paragon Surfacing from
other countertop companies
in the Vancouver Lower
Mainland & BC Interior.”
Besides visiting one of
their stores for a view of
the variety of products,
you can ask that one of
their design consultants
visit your home. Paragon
says, “You may also fax or
email us your drawings for
a quotation. Make a quick
sketch of your counters,
including dimensions, on a
piece of paper, take a digital photo of the drawing
and email us.”
With excellent customer care, service and a lengthy warranty, you
can’t go wrong with Paragon!
C o n ta c t
www.paragonsurfacing.com
volume discount.
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Okanagan
Green Products
S2 Innovative Products Group Ltd.
LED – The New Bulb on the Block
By By Lisa M. Robinson
G
oing green and being environmentally friendly means
much more than recycling paper, cans, and milk jugs.
It also has to do with how we utilize our industrial energies and natural resources to create power, and use
power, in our homes and businesses.
Just as a small seed can be planted and watered to eventually become a very large tree, so can the click of a switch or the change of
a light bulb in the privacy of your own home, mean a change in the
entire global picture.
Over 30 years of combined experience in the lighting and marketing industry means that Suzanne M. Wood – president, and Shea
Hewitt – vice president, both of S2 Innovative Products Group Ltd.
(S2iPG), have the ability to understand how one seemingly small
change in our daily behaviour can affect an entire scene. Together,
they bring environmentally friendly lighting solutions to your home
and business, one bulb at a time.
According to S2iPG’s website, the new LED lights last 50,000
hours over the traditional 1,000 hours for an incandescent bulb, or
6,000 hours for the compact fluorescent bulbs, which means fewer
trips up and down the ladder, and fewer drives to the hardware store.
It also means fewer products disposed of in our landfills. With LED
lights, there are no harmful gasses emitted into the atmosphere, no
mercury used as with fluorescent lights, and very little heat produced
from the bulb, saving on air conditioning bills.
The website also says, “The use of LED lighting results in lower power usage and energy costs” – this means that the less energy
used, the less environmental usage in creating power, and this equals
sustainability and conservation of the environment. Wood sums up
the “green” benefits of their products this way: “It is the more energy
efficient and environmentally friendly alternative, a better quality of
light, and longer lasting.”
Wood assures prospective clients of the versatility of their products: “We have a complete LED product line to replace incandescent,
halogen, high pressure and metal halide products. Most conventional
lighting can be replaced by LED.” As well as carrying a comprehensive designer series of LED lights for dining and other specialty areas
in your home, they also carry a wide-ranging “commercial line for
industrial applications such as hi-bays, wall packs, low bays, for parking garage lights and warehouse, etc.”
If you are concerned about your new LED light bulbs fitting regular
light fixtures, a problem that has often been encountered with compact fluorescent bulbs, there is no need to worry in the majority of
cases. Wood assures us that “Most LED lamps are designed to fit
the common fixture; however, there may be some specialty fixtures
that won’t house the LED lamp.” As far as replacing fluorescent tube
lights in shops or other large areas, Wood says that they have a “one
for one replacement ... the only thing that needs to be done is to bypass the transformer, the rest of the fixture remains the same.”
Compared to the quality of other light sources, LED lighting is very
much like natural daylight, meaning that, “Working in an environment with quality LED lights, it is very easy on the eyes – no flicker
or hum like the other technology in the industry,” she says
“LED lights are now offered in neutral, warm, and cool colour
temperatures with a high CRI (colour rendering index), which is
the qualifier to provide the best quality of light for the application.
Did you ever wonder when you purchase clothes or furniture from
the store and thought it was one colour, then got it home and it is a
completely different colour? ... Some conventional lights can be very
Okanagan
yellow,” she explains.
S2 Innovative Products Group Ltd. has had some large commercial
projects in their portfolio. These include Gold’s Gym in London, ON;
Stuart Park, Kelowna; and Simon Fraser
University, just to name a few.
Though the head office for S2iPG is in
Kelowna, they have reps throughout Canada in the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba,
Alberta, and British Columbia to service
your needs, with some opportunities outside of North America. There are also a
few local stores carrying their products,
such as Pine Lighting – a retail store, or
some wholesale stores, such as Gescan,
Wesco, and HD Supply Litemor.
S2iPG’s concern and care for the environment and their clients is reflected in
their Mission Statement: “S2 Innovative
Products Group Ltd. is committed to distributing high quality, innovative, energy
efficient products to those organizations and individuals who wish
to join in our mission to contribute to the long term sustainability of
our planet. We will be recognized as Canada’s leading distributor of
energy efficient LED lighting solutions which will satisfy the needs
of our customers both socially and economically.”
With this kind of dedication, clients and potential clients can rest assured that their needs will be met while also
93
taking care of our planet.
“Customers trust that we have taken the time to gain the knowledge by working closely with the manufacturing experts. It is only
now that consumers have started to be interested in switching technology and they
have comfort in our insight with the years
of experience,” says Wood. “We pride ourselves in customer service and have built a
reputation for reliable, quality solutions for
all types of conventional lights.”
With some countries, such as Australia,
banning the incandescent bulb, there is a
need for new alternatives to lighting and
power usage. This is only one way to address climate change and protect our environment, but a positive way that can easily
and affordably begin at home.
Speaking of affordability, FortisBC and
BC Hydro have agreed to offer a rebate
on LED lamps purchased from S2iPG.
So go green with S2iPG, and keep our earth green with the new
bulb on the block.
C o n ta c t
S2 INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS GROUP LTD.
www.s2iPG.com
2011
PROSPERA PLACE
February 25 –27, 2011
Tommy Smythe
Sarah Richardson’s aptly dubbed “design sidekick” in
Sarah’s House 3 on HGTV, is coming to Kelowna. We are proud to
introduce Tommy as our ‘Celebrity Designer’. Tommy is who you
want on your team to help juggle the daily chaos that comes with
renovations.
Kelowna’s favourite home show is not only the FIRST major
consumer home show of the year, it is the most focussed –
on building and renovation, and on design and decor.
For exhibit information call 1.800.316.7366
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Okanagan
A little bit of Italy
I
By Lisa Robinson
f you are looking to buy a home with the feeling of
Tuscany, then Ca’Solare home building project is for
you. Surrounded by green and flowering orchards, lush
vineyards and a breathtaking view of the lake, this “Home
Under the Sun” is like an Italian vacation at home.
Andrew Gaucher, the operations manager of G Group
Developments in Kelowna, says that the “project is not yet
complete, but is scheduled to launch late summer or early fall.” The
31 exclusive suite project’s main demographics are expected to be
those between the ages of 40 to 65 who are semi-retired or middleaged professionals. Andrew says that with its “quiet neighbourhoods,
exclusive lake views, and quality homes,” it is a perfect opportunity
“for homeowners living in Kelowna’s Mission to downsize without
giving up the features of the Upper Mission.”
Andrew emphasizes that with the incredible amount of interest
having been expressed over the project, anyone interested in
purchasing one of these unique setting homes, needs to register (see
Okanagan
web address at end of story). When you register, you will receive
updates on the project ensuring that you don’t miss out on such a rare
opportunity. When Andrew was asked what G Group stands for, he
answered, “G Group is our family development company. G Group
Developments and Sawchuk Developments are co-developers and
builders for this project. Both of these companies have hundreds of
homes built and sold behind them, and have been in business in the
Okanagan for several decades.” With credentials such as these, you
can have the confidence you need to invest in your future this way.
Ca’Solare was inspired by the vision to create a setting which
would get the best out of the Okanagan. With the combination of
orchards, vineyards, and an unobstructed view of Okanagan Lake,
the background for Ca’Solare is truly unique. Andrew says, “The
purpose of these homes is to provide an exclusive enclave of quality
residences which are truly irreplaceable in Kelowna.”
All the residences are attached. However, Andrew assures
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prospective customers that each home is private, with the structure
being built from concrete, and the shared walls between the homes
being double-party-wall insulated, as well as screening between the
balconies. All of the homes are one-story units comprised of one,
two, or three bedrooms, plus dens, with a few variations.
Within the same building on the first level, a workout and spa area
is planned behind the housing. Andrew says of such facilities, “This
is a private amenity, only for use by residents, and will be maintained
through their strata homeowner fees.” This will add to the appeal of
the housing development by bringing the convenience of physical
activity and health right to your own backyard.
Speaking of strata, there will be some standard rules that apply.
Pets are allowed, however, there will be some size and quantity
restrictions. But don’t worry about where to take your pet as “the
project is surrounded by luscious landscaping and pedestrian walking
trails,” making a day out with your four-legged friend convenient
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and enjoyable.
If you like to walk and it’s the right weather for a stroll, then you
can make your way down from your home into the Lower Mission.
It’s about a 10-minute, or a two- to three-km trip, and you will arrive
at the local grocery and retail stores. Sit down for a cup of coffee, or
savour a tasty ice-cream cone before the walk home.
Whether you’re a full-timer in Kelowna and plan on living in your
Italian “villa” all year round, or you are a traveler who leaves for
extended periods of time, with no maintenance other than what’s
inside your home you can rest assured that you are able to “lock
and leave” without worry. With homes at Ca’Solare, there will be
no reservations about the security of your home. If for extra security
you do choose to rent out your unit while you are away, no problem.
The only requirement is that the rental is on a monthly basis,
and no shorter.
And finally, Ca’Solare’s distinctive location is one of the key
reasons it is set apart from other building developments. This
Italian-style gem is nestled deep into the Mission hillside, not only
overlooking orchards, vineyards and the great Okanagan Lake, but
the view sweeps around looking out from downtown Kelowna, across
to the Westside, and south towards Penticton. With this in mind, you
will be enjoying year-round beauty and scenery.
A standard two-, five-, and 10-year warranty comes with each
home, adding extra confidence in your new dwelling. You will not be
disappointed by the quality and friendly service provided.
C o n ta c t
G Group
www.ggroup.ca
Okanagan
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Okanagan
98
Everything but the Kitchen Sink
E
By Ross Freake
d Huber figured as long as he was taking the heat he might
as well get into the kitchen.
Kekuli Bay Cabinetry, a division of Huber’s Heritage
Furniture, was selling wholesale, but when Huber was
blamed for someone else’s poor customer service, he got mad.
“I was walking down the street in Vernon one day and this guy
called me and said, ‘I just received your kitchen unit a few months
ago and it’s really nice, but your customer service really stinks.’
“I went, ‘What?” Huber said as he put down his coffee cup and
leaned both his arms on the countertop of his new Kelowna store —
Kekuli Bay Cabinetry Kitchen Design and Sales.
“Man, was I upset. That pushed me over the edge. I said to Ed
Junior, if we were going to take the heat, we’re going to go direct.”
Huber came out of retirement to run the Kelowna store, which
is inside Fanny’s Furniture on Baron Road. “We are the only store
with this concept that I know of: kitchen cabinets and furniture under one roof built by the same factory. This is unique.”
Not only is that concept unique, but the way Huber started Kekuli
Bay Cabinetry, and his other businesses is also singular.
It all started because he was worried about his wife, Bonnie. She
had a stressful bank job and the then Safeway manager was always
Kekuli Bay
Okanagan
Cabinetry
looking for a business she could run. “For years, I said, ‘If you
worked half as hard for us as you work for the damn bank, we’d
be millionaires.’
“One night, we went to movie, but got there early, so we went
across the street to this new store, Auntie Fanny’s Giftware. “Bonnie says to the owner, ‘this store wouldn’t be for sale, would it?’
The guy says, ‘listen, honey, everything is for sale,’” Huber recalls
with booming laughter.
“Two months later, we owned that store. That was Oct.10, 1984.
I remember the date because it was my wife’s birthday.”
A year later, they opened a store in Kelowna, and soon after,
started franchising when his cousin’s wife wanted to know how she
could get a store like Fanny’s Giftware in Regina.
Soon there were 10 stores, but during those boom times, people
often wanted to buy the furniture Huber had his displays on. “I
found it really annoying.”
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But in 1991, the bottom fell out of the giftware business and he
remembered the annoying people who wanted to pay $2,000 for furniture instead of $20 for giftware.
“As an experiment, I opened a store three doors from Fanny’s Giftware in Regina and called it Fanny’s Oak Furniture. The first month, I
did more business by myself than the three in the gift store, with a lot
less work. Right then, we made the decision to turn Fanny’s Giftware
into Fanny’s Furniture.”
But he was unhappy with the furniture he ordered and was constantly complaining to suppliers about the quality. “One day, my main
supplier said, ‘Ed, I’m getting tired of you. Why don’t you build the
furniture yourself and then you can see what kind of problems we
have.’ I couldn’t stop thinking about that.
“That night, I said to Bonnie, ‘why don’t we go into the furniture
building business? She thought I was insane, but the next day I saw a
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Okanagan
story on the national news about a furniture-manufacturing plant in
Salmon Arm going bankrupt.”
Five weeks after installing all new equipment in the Salmon Arm
plant, the first piece of Huber Heritage Furniture came off the line
— a bedroom dresser. Within
a year, the company had outgrown the plant and after the
lease expired, bought a bigger building in Vernon on
three acres.
Ed Junior ran the plant and
the 40-50 people it employs.
Business was booming. Life
was good. Huber was content. Until four years ago
when he had a party at his
home in Kekuli Bay on Kalamalka Lake.
“One of my son’s buddies
was a kitchen sales person,
and he was complaining
about the poor service from
kitchen manufacturers. He
said to Ed Junior, ‘how come
you guys don’t get into kitchen cabinets?’ Ed said we’re too busy.
But it stuck in my mind.”
Huber did some research and found out he only needed a few
pieces of extra equipment and that most cabinet manufacturers,
something that still amazes him, don’t make their doors. “And we
make our own doors. So I thought, ‘we have to get into the kitchenmanufacturing business.’”
Ed Junior’s friend, the
kitchen salesman came
to Kekuli Bay, bringing
his contact list with him.
“Overnight we had some
orders. Now, we’re doing
millions of dollars a year
in kitchen cabinets.”
Huber’s Heritage Furniture has a reputation for
quality products and topnotch customer service,
and almost as soon as
Huber set up a store and
showroom in his factory,
a big Lower Mainland developer hired Kekuli Bay
to put cabinets in all his
new houses. Kekuli Bay
also provides all the cabinetry for a big Calgary developer.
“We did a lot of work, high-end stuff, at the Outback in Vernon.
Houses start at a million. With condos, there are 300-400 homes up
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101
there, and we did 50 per cent of the kitchens. That was a feather in
our cap. And we did a 50-unit condo on Silver Star, and we have the
Phase II contract.”
Business was booming. Life was good. Huber was retired — until
he walked down a Vernon street and met a man who was unhappy
about a cabinet door.
In September, Kekuli Bay Cabinetry Kitchen and Design opened
its Kelowna store and in January, Huber un-retired himself to run the
busy store.
Huber attributes some of Kekuli Bay’s success to Ron Syrnyk,
manager of the Kelowna division, designer and master of computer
software that allows him to show customers what their kitchen will
look like before the cabinets are delivered.
“We were very fortunate to get Ron,” Huber said. “He has some
solid contacts.”
One contact was Allie Paulsen, who bought a Kekuli Bay kitchen because Syrnyk had helped put in a previous kitchen when he
worked elsewhere.
“I’m totally satisfied with Kekuli Bay. I love my kitchen, love
Ron,” said Paulsen.
“Kekuli Bay offers a larger selection of products than is standard.
It doesn’t have to be custom made, which I found really beneficial
because I was able to make my kitchen individual. It was tailored, so
I do have unique corners and things.”
Doug McNish was as impressed with Syrnyk and Kekuli Bay as
Paulsen. “I’m dealing with him because he’s a precise kitchen guy.
He went above and beyond selling me a kitchen. His service was
ELEGANCE & INNOVATION GUIDED BY
EXPERIENCE & PASSION!
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102
Okanagan
so good, it was incredible,” said
McNish who saw a few kitchens
and installers in his 31 years as
a Realtor.
“Ron dropped in seven or
eight times to re-measure, to
make sure everything is right, I
think he is the best there is; the
best kitchen guy in the valley.”
Syrnyk is as passionate about
kitchens as some people are
about the food they cook there.
The former building maintenance company owner switched
professions 25 years ago when
he helped put a custom-built
kitchen into his new home.
“I fell in love with the process
and immediately got involved
with a cabinet manufacturer as a dealer rep. I have worked in design
and sales, on the factory floor, owned two dealerships, and have been
a sales manager for a large Western Canadian manufacturer.
“I live by the philosophy that I want to lead the pack. I’m always
finding new stuff so when people talk to me and then talk to the competition, he hasn’t heard about the products I’m offering them. My
focus is to live on the leading edge.”
That’s the place Huber has been since he and Bonnie walked
across a Vernon street to look
at giftware almost 27 years ago.
He’s happy to be in the kitchen
store joking with customers.
“We’re just starting to emerge
as a stand-alone company. We
have some big pokers in the fire.
It’s not just kitchen cabinets. We
do vanities for bathrooms; we
do millwork. We’re doing East
Side Mario’s in Vernon. We did
counters at Predator Ridge, and a
couple of other golf courses; we
did some schools.
“We can do a complete kitchen
minus the appliances. “We make
everything, except the kitchen
sink,” said Huber as he let out
another booming laugh.
And it’s all done with service that’s as hot as any kitchen.
C o n ta c t
KEKULI BAY
kekulibaycabinetry.com
FINK MACHINE
www.finkmachine.com
O
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Okanagan
PROFILE
Ten Design: Tile Every Nook
Custom Hard Surface Craftsman
By John Rousseau
When it comes to giving a home contour and personality, hard surfaces like natural stone, ceramic tile and concrete are always up to
the task. Ten Design proprietors John and Karen Rousseau, based in
Summerland, specialize in custom hard surface design and installation. We are so blessed in this building climate to be able to work with
mediums of such high quality: they never give off gas, offer bombproof durability, and when properly matched with adjacent finishing
work, stylistically last forever. The epitome of this for our firm is the
unveiling of our new line of stone portraits. We take a customer’s
favourite landscape, like the view from their patio, break it into a few
lines and have the sections represented by marble and slate. They
are all handmade and no two are the same. These portraits can be
installed inside or out, on foyer floors or shower walls, set into fireplaces or behind kitchen ranges, where most people like to get carried
away. We’re really looking forward to breaking into the commercial
market with this product, some business signs, water features and
even public art projects. However the heart of our business is the installation of custom
showers. There is a lot of marginal tile work out there and one place
there shouldn’t be is in a wet area. All of our showers have proper
concrete bases, the latest in waterproofing technology coupled with
un-degradable substrates, all in the pursuit of a leak-free environment. People spend a lot of time in the bathroom; it has to be done
Okanagan
right. One of our customers complained the one problem with her
shower is the fact she has to get out... eventually. The use of concrete as a countertop medium has been steadily gaining popularity in the finishing community. Seeing this trend and always loving something new to do with mud, we have incorporated
concrete furniture into our portfolio. Mixing mediums like wood, tile,
concrete and aluminum is really fulfilling. People are often surprised
105
at how beautiful concrete used in a
living room or kitchen setting can
be. With all the finishing options
that are available in the form of
stains, dyes and aggregates, concrete is becoming a real player in
the countertop arena and fits in nicely with both modern and classical
design philosophy.
At Ten Design, we believe that
a brilliant idea is only 5% of its
potential. Without proper design,
medium selection and quality
craftsmanship that idea will never
be fully realized. With our inherent
need for updating and incorporating
new products paired with immovable industry traditions, you can bet
your application will be right the
first time. So weather it’s a one-ofa-kind stone portrait, a custom spa shower or a stylish place to set
your wine glass, let Ten Design help make your home stand alone. C o n ta c t
TEN DESIGN
www.tendesign.ca
Timber frame professionals
Japanese precision meets BC timber frame
volume discount.
Thompson Shuswap Okanagan
Daizen Joinery Ltd.
250 679 2750
dai@daizen.com
www.daizen.com
Daizen Joinery
STONE + CERAMIC TILE

CUSTOM BUILT SHOWERS
CONCRETE FURNITURE + COUNTER TOPS

STONE PORTRAITS
250.494.0128 w w w.tendesign.ca
106
Okanagan
Profile
From the ForesT
Something Old, Something New
By Raymond Oelrich
the most stable product that can be bought. Home owners spend a lot
of money in building their homes and should get something that will
pass the test of time. It’s always cheaper to do it right the first time.
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something
blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe
- Victorian Wedding Custom
OH: What made you decide to go into the milling reclaim business in 2000?
E
ach item in this poem represents a good-luck token for the
bride. If she carries all of them on her wedding day, her
marriage will be happy. This same tradition can apply to
a home. Excepting the silver sixpence, From the Forest,
who manufactures a variety of products from custom closets to topless glass railings, can fill that need. We will feature more about this
company in future issues, but for now here is a quick overview in a
discussion with Fred and Brenda Everett.
OH: Can you comment on your “green friendly approach”? How
important is this to your clients?
FTF: Taking lumber from
old buildings is not just good
for the environment it is also
FTF: I guess the thing that got me into the milling of the old lumber was from my parents. They had an antique business and watching
an old run down piece of furniture get restored back to the beautiful
piece it once was.
OH: How can custom closets enhance your clients’ lives? What
kind of options are available?
FTF: A custom closet can simplify the home owner’s life to
where everything has a place. The options are only limited to the
budget. We suggest think ahead. As the square foot cost of a home
increases it becomes more
important to use every inch.
OH: What are the latest
trends in organizing?
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107
FTF: We find that our customer is looking for convenience, hidden drawers and a creative mind.
OH: What is the allure of a topless glass railing?
FTF: Glass has become a big feature in homes today, as the beauty of our country is breath-taking and should be unobstructed.
OH: Which is the project you are most proud of and why?
FTF: The project that sticks out in my mind is where we had
the opportunity to supply a homeowner with the best quality quarter
sawn timber available and this carried though the entire home. Home
Quest is one of the top builders in the Okanagan. We are happy to
say that our timbers, knee braces, soffit, showers doors, topless railings, mirrors, closet organizers, faux beams were selected for this
home. Some of the wood in this project came from Burnaby Heights
High School, built in 1940.
OH: How is your blog working for you? Why is it important to
your company to do this? Great new website!
FTF: We are very happy to have our blog to show case our products and the builders that we service. This will be a great marketing
tool for all involved.
C o n ta c t
FROM THE FOREST
www.fromtheforest.ca
volume discount.
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Okanagan
PROFILE
TESORO ARCA
By Lisa M. Robinson
I
f you desire to live in the Okanagan playing on Okanagan Lake
in your speed boat, traveling on vacation in your RV, or taking
your snowmobiles up to the Monashees, AND have the room to
safely store all these high-priced toys, then Tesoro Arca townhomes are for you.
Tesoro Arca townhomes (when loosely translated from Spanish
means the treasure chest) are a multi-phase project on Kelowna’s
Westside which broke ground
in November 2007 with their
first show suite opening May
1, 2008. With the combined
efforts and experience of Dan
Dupuis, a Licensed Realtor of
21 years currently with Royal
LePage, and James Zeleznik
of Jazel Homes, a general
contractor with 21 years experience, there is no doubt
that the quality of the homes
is second to none. As project
manager of DU-ZE Developments Inc, Zeleznik, along
with sales manager, Dupuis,
are “looking for people who
want to live a carefree lifestyle, who have or want to get toys and
enjoy all that Kelowna and area has to offer.” The vision started when
they realized a need: they saw “the lack of storage for people’s high
ticket items such as boats and RV’s,” and wanted to fill the gap.
With their 50’ length and 14’ high ceilings, each heated garage has
enormous storage potential. But that’s not all – there is a 30 amp RV
plug, a sani-dump, hot and cold hose bib, and a drain. Then there
is the convenience of an elevator to take you and your groceries or
friends from the garage to any floor you desire.
And if the large storage area isn’t enough to entice you, then its
preferences and lifestyle.
Ken and Marty Manly love their Tesoro Arca home and especially
recommend it to snowbirds who enjoy the Okanagan atmosphere. “It
is the only place in Kelowna that met our needs perfectly,” Ken says.
He and Marty chose their home in the development stage and were
able to tailor it to their needs. They chose to purchase a larger threebedroom unit which gave them the ability to have two garages. Ken
says, “Our coach is in one garage, and our shop and hobbies are in the
other, with very comfortable living above.”
The options for size range anywhere from one to three bedrooms,
“Nouveau Chic” style should.
With each unit’s vaulted ceilings, upstairs loft, engineered
hardwood floors, granite
countertops, and ceramic tile
floors, you can be sure to
live in extravagance. Warm
yourself by your natural gas
fireplace after returning home
from a cold day on one of the
local ski hills, or equip your
pre-wired deck with a hot
tub to soak in after a long,
hard day at work. And in the
summer, entertain friends and
family by hooking your BBQ
up to the natural gas outlet,
also on your deck.
Each unit also comes complete with stacker washer and dryer, and
four stainless steel appliances. The high efficiency furnace and central
air help you maintain comfort in any season.
Luxury follows you to the large master ensuite with a custom
tile shower and soaker tub. Earth tones create calm throughout the
home. If you are thinking of a more customized approach, Dupuis
says there is the opportunity to pick your own colours and finishings,
and bring other upgrades to your unit by purchasing before or during
the building stage. No matter what, there is a townhome to meet your
Okanagan
making it possible to accommodate families, empty nesters, snowbirds, retirees, or those who would prefer to play over working in
the yard. There is very low outdoor maintenance as large turning and
parking areas eat up the immediate green space.
Pets are also welcome here. The only policy for Tesoro Arca is
“Live and let live.” And though green space in the townhome’s immediate radius is limited, Dupuis says of the development, “There are
going to be walking trails connecting all the buildings, and connecting to a nature walk to the lake, much like the Mission Creek Parkway. We will also have a park at the bottom of the property bordering
the creek.” So there are no worries about where you could walk your
dog, or how far you would have to go to enjoy the outdoors.
Ron and Fern Rowe are also happy customers. They testify: “We
like Tesoro Arca for several reasons: great garages for parking our
motorhome and cars; great floor plan and construction; proximity to
shopping; and the elevator for bringing up groceries and when loading the motorhome for a trip. We have found Jazel Group good to deal
with and they look after any concerns promptly. The view of the lake
and the mountains add a little extra touch.”
The proximity to amenities is another plus for the Tesoro Arca
townhomes. Dupuis assures that the homes are “walking distance
(within 1 km) of all the new box stores and malls in West Kelowna,
two blocks to the golf course, six minutes to the boat launch, 10 minutes to downtown Kelowna, and five minutes to the Coquihalla Connector.” You are living in the heart of West Kelowna, a beautiful, fully
supplied community, unique to itself.
Tesoro Arca has warranty options of two, five, or 10 years to
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choose from. However, with the quality and care of workmanship,
homeowners can rest assured that they are receiving the best product
on the market.
While current units are going fast, deposits are now being taken on
the next phase of the project which will see the building of seven to
10 units by the end of this summer, possibly sooner.
C o n ta c t
TESORO ARCA
www.townhomesfortoys.com
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Okanagan
110
A Short Hop To Paradise
Story and Photos by Jordan Oelrich
and Ray Redmond
W
elcome to Nootka Island, my name is Tim,” said the
owner of
the lodge as
we stepped
off the plane.
The huge English Mastiff that was walking along
the dock couldn’t help but
catch my eye as I was trying to be polite. We had
just settled in the room and
got unpacked in time for an
early dinner.
Over our first meal I got
to know the owners more
and was happy to learn
Tim and his wife, Sandy
(her maiden name was Rea)
both grew up in Kelowna
and graduated from KSS,
the same high school I had
just graduated from in June.
He explained they started Nootka Island Lodge in 1983 and their
son Matt and daughter Katie both work at the lodge. It was nice to
meet up with Kelowna natives and see a family business that takes
such good care of their clients and I could clearly see they all took
pride in the lodge.
When we were informed there would be an evening of fishing from
5:30 until dark that night, we
picked up the pace. None of
us had ever eaten that fast in
our life!
We went down to the
docks, hopped into the boat
we were assigned to, and
were greeted by our guide,
Dave. With anticipation we
worked the inside of the
boundary on the west shoreline with no luck. We got
wind of some guys that were
doing well on the other side,
so over we headed there
to join in on the action. An
hour of trolling herring rigs
and other lures, and we were
surprised by our first fish,
ripping the line out of the
downrigger clip. “Fish on!” said Dave, and we decided my friend
Ray would have the first fish. After a few good runs, we finally got
him to the boat, an 18-pound chrome slab of a Chinook.
R
As I lay in bed that night,
totally exhausted, I rolled
through the thoughts of the
day and our trip from Kelowna to Gold River. Both my
friend on this trip, Ray Redmond and I work at Trout Waters fishing shop in Kelowna
and we jumped at the chance
to come sample the big fish of
the sea. We were also tempted
by the summer steelhead of
the Gold River on the way.
We fished for an hour or so,
lost one large fish that broke
off, then packed up, got our
licenses and stamps, and
headed for the plane in the
little town of Gold River. We
were greeted by the pilot and
waited for all the other guys
to show up, both of us eagerly
anticipating the 15-minute
flight to the lodge.
As the sound of the ocean
lulled me to sleep I gave
thanks for the time off work, a
safe trip for all, my friends on
the trip and the salmon sure to
come.
The next morning rolled
around very quickly, and
Okanagan
111
the 4:55 AM wake-up call
startled me. We had another
extremely quick meal, and
hit the water again. After a
few hours of me nearly falling asleep, our first fish of the
day tore the line off the clip,
and peeled line as fast as we
could get the rod out of the
holder. That was what I considered a real wake-up call! A
few good runs under the boat
and he was in the net, and
what seemed to have been the
same 18-pound chrome ghost
as the day before, was now
in the boat on the end of my
line. Another very similar fish
for me and four fish that spat
the hook before Ray could
get them to the boat and we
were in for lunch.
Most of the other guys did
quite well, and when they decided to nap, Ray and I had
to feed the addiction a little
more, hiking up to the lodge’s
reservoir for the small Cutthroat trout that were said
to live in that small piece of
water. The dinner call rolled
around quick and we were
112
back on the ocean again for
the late fish. A very slow evening yielded only one fish for
Ray, a gem of a small Sockeye destined that was said
to be very rare in that area
in this time of year and later
made a fine meal for all. Late
night shut-eye and another
early morning rise and we
were back at it.
The reports from the area
had been very weak that
morning, and we didn’t have
much to say against it. That
morning Ray said a prayer
to Capt. Cook who had inhabited that shoreline many
centuries ago. His prayer
was shortly answered when
a small, feisty 8-lb Chinook
was fooled by the size 5
Tomic plug pulled on the left
downrigger at 28 feet. The
lunch chat was a little less
lively, everyone hoping to
get into some better fish in
the evening, or at least a fish.
This evening showed nothing, except for that the fish
were a little smarter than us.
No fish, but it proved to be
Okanagan
one of the best nights there, as
Dave, Ray and I shared good
stories, and he even showed us
a few tricks that he uses for winter Steelhead on the Cowichan
river. We couldn’t believe the
fact we got skunked that night,
but went to bed hopeful for the
next morning. I almost enjoyed
the one last “knock, knock” on
my door at 4:55 AM the next
morning, knowing how much I
would miss this place.
It was very foggy so we decided not to try too far off shore
for the first bit, but if it cleared
up we would go have a try at the
halibut and ling cod that were
known for that area. Once the
fog cleared up we found open,
calm oceans as well as a warmer breeze and better skies. The
only thing we couldn’t find were
the fish. A few minutes into jigging we had bites, and Dave was
very enthusiastic as he rigged up
the harpoon, hoping for a halibut. “Lock and load!!!” were
the words that accompanied his
smile that morning. The fish
we brought up was not what
we hoped, and the 15-20 pound
Okanagan
Skate was released into the water.
The next few teaser fish were all Dog
sharks, very pesty little guys. Soon
11:15 AM rolled around that day and
we knew our time was over at Nootka
Island, and we headed in for one last
lunch and our float plane ride back to
Gold River.
Ray and I couldn’t believe how well
we were treated on this trip, and we
couldn’t have asked for any anything
more from the staff at the lodge, or from our guide Dave. The one
last burst of excitement was the aggressive landing in the floatplane
on the way back to Gold River. It was a bittersweet feeling leaving
that place, knowing it was over. Both Ray and I each had a girlfriend
113
waiting for us back home, work at Trout Waters to catch up on and our friend Nick’s 40th
birthday party the following night. The trip
back to Kelowna was shorter knowing we had
a cooler full of fresh Chinooks. We knew our
good luck had carried on with us, putting us
on the 7:30 PM ferry as the third last car. We
will always treasure our time at Nootka Island
and how much we will miss those five days,
but we will never forget Nootka Sound.
C o n ta c t
NOOTKA ISLAND
www.nootkaisland.com