Well Balanced Designs is pleased to be attending the BC Home and Garden show this year.
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If you’re contemplating building a new home or renovating an older one, or just looking to spruce up your place for spring and summer, 2018, this show is a must attend. This is where Canada’s finest gather to deliver all you need to get you home in top shape.
 
From DIY projects, to home building and everything in between, this annual event, downtown Vancouver, is an exciting place to be. The show runs February 21st to February 25th, 2018. You can find us in Booth #2231

​Local Designers and Local Designs:
 
Last year we were honored to be featured on the Marc & Mandy Show. Designer Jamie Banfield took viewers on a tour of one of our newly built homes. Jamie Banfield will be displaying his talent in a few ways this coming weekend. The BC Hydro Power Smart Home, which highlights how to focus on energy efficiency in your home, is designed by Jamie Banfield Designs.There are so many options related to technology these days allowing energy efficiency and style to easily co-exist. Make sure to stop by this exhibit and learn more about saving on cost AND being an Energy Star®.
 
You’ll also find Jamie Banfield Designs sharing options for livening up your outdoor spacee. We recently built an incredible outdoor deck for a client, as  outdoor living is an important feature for them. And why not, Vancouver summer's can be incredible! Take a look our recent project by clicking here. Then see what inspiration you find from our project and the Jamie Banfield team at the Home Show, to get you motivated to up your entertaining game this summer!

​Curb Appeal
 
With “more than 3,000 square feet of innovative garden spaces’ at the show this year, you won’t be hard-pressed to find all you need to create that dream outdoor space.  We understand the importance of greenery! From landscaping that adds to curb appeal, to the use of plants and live gardens inside your home, greenery of all sorts is an important design element.
 
Some of us at Well Balanced Designs are keen to learn more about Steel Garden Systems who will be at the show. Ok, partly because they make gardening less labor-intensive but partly because of the combination of unique designs and practical construction. These custom built, raised steel garden beds have all the good looks without some of the drawbacks of wooden beds like rot or discoloration. They discourage bugs and weed growth and are easy to move. Coupled with the numerous colors that are available and the fact that they can be built to your specifications, these are worth checking out while you can. 

​Custom Options
 
Another thing we are excited to see at the show this weekend has to do with being a lane home builder. We get a bit excited by innovative designs for small spaces.  Space-saver beds and wall beds are a great solution for lane home living. Or for any other space you want to give double duty to. Instant Bedrooms Manufacturing , in an industry leader in Murphy Wall bed production. A space saver bed allows a 2nd bedroom to be an office or spare room until it’s needed for a guest. And if you haven’t taken a look at innovations in space-saver beds for a number of years, you don’t want to miss this! Instant Bedrooms Manufacturing has been in business as long as we have been (35 years), making them a great resource for functional space saving tips.  

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​Try Something Unique to The BC Home & Garden Show
 
And if the endless amount of design and décor ideas for your home and garden aren’t enough, try something else:  As the official automotive sponsor of the BC Home & Garden Show, Toyota will be onsite offering test drives and adding a fun touch to a show that is all about life at home.  So, go ahead and see if you want to bring something new home to add to your new garage.
 
There’s also a Help Desk if you have questions you need answered about a project you’re working on. But you know you can come see us for that kind of stuff too, right? After 35 years in business, we have some answers about design build projects!
 
Let us know if you enjoyed these recommendations and what inspirations you may have found that we didn’t include. We look forward to seeing you at this weekend-long adventure so be sure to stop by our booth and say hello!

Laneway housing is a novel solution to Vancouver’s real estate crunch, letting homeowners build these structures and use them – or rent them out to tenants. Vancouver zoning allows these structures to be built in special single-family zones only. We have always suspected it will only be a matter of time before population pressures see  even more laneway housing sprouting up in even more neighborhoods. 

There are currently proposals at Vancouver city hall, that will allow for this if passed.  

We have been part of this trend, building and designing laneway house for our clients throughout the Vancouver area, for many years. Click here to get specific details on what`s required before you can start to build a laneway home in the City of Vancouver. We have broken this down into simple, easy-to-follow steps so you can get started understanding the building process.