Build Bath & Shower

Take Your Shoes Off Minka , or traditional Japanese houses , are characterized by tatami mat flooring , sliding doors, and wooden engawa verandas. Another aspect that persists even in Western-style homes in Japan is the genkan , an entrance hall where people remove footwear . The flooring for the house proper is raised a little off the ground to prevent dampness from entering and to keep the living area from flooding in the case of heavy rain. The lower level is known as the tataki , and was traditionally made of packed earth, although concrete is common today. After removal, shoes are put in the getabako —a cabinet that derives its name from geta, or wooden clogs, that Japanese people once commonly wore. A genkan entrance hall with a getabako (left) for shoes and a tataki (foreground). Heavy rain can damage roofs, so outside the entrance, amadoi gutters carry rainfall off the eaves and down the decorative kusaridoi , or “rain chain.” Rainwater travels along the gutter and down ...

A baby shower is a great time for soon-to-be parents to receive the gifts they need to help them get ready for parenthood. Here's our list of top ten baby gifts worth giving new parents. Baby libraryA shelf full of classic children's books is a gift sure to win any parent's heart. Some favorites are Goodnight Moon , Runaway Bunny , and Guess How Much I Love You? .If you love the idea of giving books, consider making it the theme of the shower: Have everyone bring their favorite with a note to the baby tucked inside . Be sure to mix some baby- friendly board books in with the traditional hardcover variety — that way newborns will be able to truly appreciate the sound and the taste of your gift. Baby sling or carrierOne of the easiest ways for a new parent to tote a baby around is in a sling or front carrier. Babies love the warmth and feeling of being snuggled up close to Mom or Dad, and the ingeniously simple design leaves a parent's hands free to do housework or...

As featured in the May 6th issue of Maclean’s Photo courtesy of Kohler.ca Text by Bryan Baeumler Edited by Chris Daniels When it comes to renovation, bathrooms have traditionally played a supporting role to other rooms in the home. As we witness the evolution of bathroom design in creating personal mini -havens, this is beginning to change. Homeowners are opening their minds, and their wallets, to the idea of opulent bathroom renovations . The consensus is that whether modest or luxurious, the most private space in our home has acquired an important respite and importance all of its own. Renovation Essentials An average cost for a bathroom remodel in my experience ranges between $10,000 and $15,000 for a basic redesign and in the range of $40,000 and up for a more specialized design. Expenses can vary immensely, but often times they should directly correlate with the number of years the homeowner plans to spend in the home. If you’re looking at completing a bathroom renovation in a h...