I always keep an eye out for books about interior decorating but my prize finds are those published pre 1950. I love reading the advice given to home owners. The social history contained in the pages of such books is so interesting and the decorating tips that are given to the reader often ring as true today as they did back then. “Queen of Home” was written by Emma C. … Continue reading Queen of Home – Opinionated Advice from 1895
You know that spring is around the corner when the City of Edmonton Planning Department unveils its seminars designed specifically for owners of old houses. Known as the ‘This Old Edmonton House’ seminars, these sessions cover almost every aspect of owning an old house. This includes talks on windows and doors, mechanical systems, roofs and exteriors, foundations, and plastering walls. I will be doing two … Continue reading This Old Edmonton House Seminars 2014
Last weekend I was in Calgary doing a talk on the topic of historic preservation along with four other speakers. I like participating in these events mostly because I get to meet kindred spirits. Many of us who love old houses can feel isolated in this “new-is-better” world that we live in so I always enjoy talking to attendees after the talk. I have met … Continue reading Old House Ranges
If you own an older house and will be in Calgary on Saturday, February 22nd, you may be interested in a free seminar that will be taking place at the Cliff Bungalow Mission Community Association at 2201 Cliff Street S.W. Organized by Halyna Skala Tartaryn of Sotheby Real Estate, the session promises to be worthwhile for anyone who has a heritage home and is considering … Continue reading Seminar for Heritage-Home Owners
I have written a couple of posts recently about how the new lightbulbs affect our antique light fixtures but there’s another aspect that you might not have thought about – how the light bulbs affect the colour in your home’s environment. If you, like many people, are still using incandescent light bulbs, the colour of your walls, whether paint or wallpaper, is given a warm … Continue reading Change your Lightbulbs before Painting Your Walls this Spring
Johanne Yakula 