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Gone are the days where wine was stored in a cold room under your stairs. Today’s Toronto wine cellars are elaborate creations that have more in common with French vintners than they do with the cantinas of yesteryear. Although you can certainly have a wine fridge in your kitchen or even a walk-in, dedicated wine fridge, nothing compares to an entire room given over to the careful storage of your favorite vintages.
 
There are a number of outfitters who will help you to custom design your wine cellar – whether you want to turn an existing room into a wine cave or build a new one from scratch, there are many options open to you.
 
Aside from getting the proper shelving in place, the single most important aspect of a wine cellar is temperature. You need to have a fail-safe and sophisticated mechanism for keeping your wines at the optimal temperature so that remain properly preserved. It is imperative to have a good temperature regulation system, a way of sealing your cellar and a back-up generator to keep the system from failing in case of a power failure.
 
Some people go all out when creating a wine cellar and actually build it out of stone or brick to mimic actual cellars found in Europe. Others work with what they have and simply paint the needed detailing onto the walls. Some of the more modern wine cellars are not found in basements, but are actually part of the home’s overall design and are used as showpieces in the kitchen or dining room. These tend to be clear glass cases with the wine bottles arranged in a fetching display.
 
Regardless of the kind of wine cellar you choose to build in your home, it will certainly add value to your residence while bringing you pleasure for years to come.

Home theatres have gained in popularity and are now an integral part of many Toronto homes. These super-cool spaces provide the perfect entertainment experience by recreating an authentic theatre setting but in the comfort of your home. Some home theatres go so far as to have the soundproofed walls and tiered seating found at your local multiplex. Some really ambitious designs even include concession stands and old-fashioned popcorn makers.
 
If you want to create your very own Toronto home theatre, then you need the basics – a good projection system, the right speaker set-up, and good A/V components. Let’s take a look at what’s involved.
 
To Project or Stream?
Naturally, the first thing you might think of when it comes to a home theatre is a good projector to project the image as is done in a real theatre. Although this is a superb option, it is not the only one. A good projector will need a good screen and work best in a dedicated room where you can control the external lighting. If you are in an open space, then a projector might not be the best options – although there are projectors now available that have a higher brightness level. If you don’t have a separate room for your home theatre then you might consider a big screen television – many of which are now rivalling and surpassing what can be delivered through projection.
 
Speakers
Once you have locked-down whether you want to project or invest in a big-screen television, next up on the list is your speaker setup. The usual configuration for theatre-like sound is 5.1 – this refers to having five speakers installed at strategic spots to deliver surround-sound with the one referring to a subwoofer to fill in the lower-end of the sound spectrum.
 
A/V Receiver
Now, whether you are planning on solely watching movies or if you are also planning on watching cable or other streaming services, will determine the kind of A/V receiver you will want. If you have a projector, then you will need to hook-up to either a DVD player, Roku, Apple TV or cable box in order to get a signal to project. However, if you have a smart TV, then your input is basically assuring that your TV as a connection to the internet so that it can catch whatever streaming service you subscribe to. However, if you are old school and still own DVDs, then hooking up your DVD or BluRay player is still a great option.
 
The Room
Once you have the audio/visual elements in place, it’s time to think about the rest of your room. It helps to have some sort of acoustic taming so that external noise is muffled. It is also good to have control over lighting so that you get optimum viewing. When it comes to seating – you might be limited if you are working with an existing room, however, if you are lucky enough to be building a room from scratch, then the possibilities are endless. Seating choices come in a great number of styles and choices so you should take your time when choosing.
 
Finally, the overall look and feel of your home theatre will largely depend on your own sensibilities. You can have an ultra modern design, a traditional look and something in-between. Whatever you decide, you can rest assured that it will get plenty of use.

Man-caves are a popular feature in many Toronto homes. A place that the man in a family can call his own. A place he can escape to and listen to music, watch sports or even play games. Creating a man-cave in your home doesn’t have to be expensive and elaborate – with just a little imagination and some elbow grease you can create a truly memorable experience that is tailored for the man (or men) in your home.
 
Theme
The first thing to do when creating a man-cave is to choose a favorite theme – whether it is music, a particular sport, movies or some other interest, having a theme will help you to narrow down your decorating style and ideas.
 
Colours/Textures
Next decide on favorite colours – does the man who will be using the man-cave like muted, sombre colours or does he prefer brighter hues? Getting his favorite colours right will go a long way towards helping pull the whole look together. If you can create a swatch board with the different wall colours, fabric textures and other elements that you plan to incorporate into the design, it will make it easier for you to visualize how all of the elements you want will look together.
 
Personalization
The best man-caves in Toronto feature some kind of personalization. If you can add something coveted – for instance frame a signed concert poster of a favorite artist or the pictures taken on a particularly memorable holiday. Include memorabilia from cherished hobbies or pastimes, etc… The personal touch will really add to the cachet of any such room.
 
Gadgets
Most men are into gadgets and/or electronics. Including all of those items that will make his man-cave a real escape will definitely please the intended owner of the room.
 
In the end, get your man involved so that he is aware of what’s going into the design and can tell you just what he would like to have in his personal space – after all, he’s the one who will be using it!

If you have a new build Toronto home, then chances are your basement hasn’t yet been finished. Although the cost of buying a new home might push the thought of finishing your basement down the road for a few years, there are some very good reasons for investing in your basement. Not only will a finished lower level add to the overall value of your home, but it will also provide you with additionally living space to enjoy. There are also financial considerations to potential finishing your basement. Let’s take a look at some of the pros below.
 
Extra living space
Chances are if you have purchased a new Toronto home, then you have a young family or you are thinking of starting one. Families typically need space – especially in our day and age. Having a finished basement where your children can play is a big advantage. It will save your principal level from constantly being messy and will give your kids a space of their own where they can run around and play to their hearts’ content. As they age a recreation room in your basement will provide teenagers with their own space to disappear into with their friends so that they can slowly start to establish their own independence.
 
Overall home value
Another very big consideration when it comes to finishing your Toronto basement is the overall value that it will add to your home. Depending on the size of your basement and the location of your home, it can add anywhere between $17-$40 per square foot – which comes out to a nice tidy sum.
 
Financial gains
Lastly, you can finish your basement to include an extra living space that you can rent out to help pay down your mortgage even faster – not something to pass up with today’s pricey housing market. Done right, your lower level can bring in enough to cover most of your mortgage, if not all of it.
 
Regardless of your motivation to invest in your lower level, the benefits are clear and it is definitely something that is recommended if you want to make the most of your home.

Last week we covered minimalist living, this week we want to talk about Asian-inspired living spaces for your Toronto home. Whether you are looking to create a Zen retreat from top-to-bottom or just one room to soothe your yearning for a more balanced state-of-mind, here are some good tips for setting up the perfect Asian-influenced interior.
 
Balance
The first thing to know is that “Asian” is a catch-all phrase for Eastern infused decorating styles and includes everything from Chinese to Indian elements. However, all of these styles have one thing in common: balance. The concept of balance is one that permeates all design, but especially so in Asian design where more formal constructs underpin interior décor. Balance can be created by the proper use of colour, form and texture. If you don’t get the balance of your space correct, your Asian setting will not succeed.
 
Backdrop
Choosing the right backdrop for your room is another very important element of your Asian design. As much of Asian design is based on nature, backdrops often take on the colours and textures of the outdoors or incorporate natural elements including tree and flower patterns, colours and impressions. Japanese paper screens, Indian lattice work or Korean colour-emphasis, choosing one predominant element around which to build the rest of your design is your best bet.
 
Lighting
Sculptural lighting is another mainstay of Asian design. Using lighting is one of the easiest ways to create a to create a soft, calming ambiance in your home. Regardless of whether you have an installation of paper lanterns, a row of candles or more structured, formal light fixtures, this can be a very simple way of getting that Eastern-living look.
 
Minimalism
Minimalism is another staple of oriental décor. Sleek lines, muted but rich colours and an overall theme that pulls the space together are imperative to any successful Asian-themed interior.
 
Greenery
Lastly, don’t forget to include plants and greenery in your design! Having a lovely little Bonsai, some decorative bamboo or some other structured plant in your room will enhance the decor immensely.

Living simply might be a concept hard to grasp in our modern age. With houses increasing in size even as our families shrink in number, consumer goods proliferating our media and calls to buy, buy, buy hitting our senses at every turn, we can certainly be forgiven for thinking that the only way to live is by consuming – this is just not true. There is a great Swedish proverb that states, “He who buys what he doesn’t need, steals from himself.” What in fact you “steal” from yourself is peace-of-mind, financial security and your sense of well-being.
 
Living simply takes practice and self-discipline. Although seemingly easy to do, it actually requires mindfulness and a commitment to only buying what you truly need and to letting go of attachments to objects. Basing your happiness on your own accomplishments and inner peace instead of relying on things to make you smile.
 
The first thing to decluttering and simplifying your life is to sort through your belongings and to get rid of what you haven’t used in over a year. If you haven’t worn it, used it or even remembered that you have it, then you really don’t need – no matter what you believe. Keep only those items that are useful to own and for which you do have a practical use. Discard any old objects. If you have items of sentimental value, it is okay to hang on to them – as long as they are not taking up too much space and cluttering up your life.
 
Here are some other ways to simplify your life:
 
Pay off your debt
Sell off what you don’t really need
Give-away old clothing that you don’t wear anymore
Organize what you have
 
Benefits of simplifying your life:
 
More free time
Less feelings of stress due to attachment to objects
More space
More money
Less cleaning to do
Decrease your eco-footprint
 
Although a simplified lifestyle isn’t for everyone, regardless of who you are, even the smallest change to your lifestyle will produce great results.