All family room spaces become progressively more cozy as you step away from the central kitchen, pantry and storage functions. The master bedroom is located at the main floor, and allows a direct access to the hot tub and the pool. The other bedrooms capture a impressive views to the lake.

The landscape around the house was designed to express a flowing spatial experience.

This project received the following awards:

• Most Outstanding Custom Home, 5000 sq.ft. and over, Ontario Home Builders Association Awards of Distinction, 2010
• Ottawa Citizen People’s Choice Award, Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association (GOHBA), 2009

This award-winning home in Cannon Beach, Oregon takes advantage of excellent ocean views and southern solar exposure. The client’s goal was for a home that would last for multiple generations and capture their love of materials and forms found in nature. Designed to generate as much energy as it consumes on an annual basis, the home is pursuing the goal of being a “net-zero-energy” residence. The environmentally responsive design promotes a healthy indoor environment, saves energy with an ultra energy-efficient envelope, and utilized recycled and salvaged materials in its construction.

And when you finally finish decorating and while placing the last scented candle on the table a terrible thought comes to your mind: what if something happens to this candle and your house sets on fire? That’s a scary thought.

In order to protect your home, the best solution, apart from taking care that nothing could go wrong, is to insure it, and the first step is to find a company and request a home insurance quote. In my opinion everyone should get a home insurance, because you never know what can go wrong. It may not be your fault, or it could be a natural disaster, but if your house is insured you can at least get your money back and start again. I know it doesn’t sound too good to start over, but at least you’ll have the money to do it.

Any destination you might have for your dream house, just follow some simple rules:

• In a world invaded with modernism, a simple wooden house with a simple paint, colored door and windows and curtains in tone with the wood of the house would calm everyone.
• Your house and garden would be more relaxing with a lot of green. Just combine the paved areas with the grass and plants.
• The color harmony is the key. The floors, the ceramic or wooden flower pots, the garden furniture and the pillows are all great in ground tones.
• In a small space you can place a table and two chairs where you can drink your coffee in the morning or just sit and relax.
• You can place most of the flowers in pots because they are easier to maintain.

The spa menu is very interesting. Here are some of the exclusive services it offers:

• Seabourn 24 Karat Gold Facial
• Elemis Skin IQ for Men Facial
• Thai Herbal Poultice Massage
• Thai Massage
• Elemis Aroma Stone Therapy
• Couples Massage and Bathing Ritual
• Swedish Massage
• Ionithermie Cellulite Reduction Program
• Fire and Ice Manicure and Pedicure

The list above represents probably 10% of the services they offer in the spa.

The itineraries aboard of Sojourn are numerous and vary, as price, location and length. You can choose to take a vacation in Canada & New England, Europe, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Northern Europe, South & Central America or more general like Transatlantic Crossings, World Cruises or Grand Voyages. The length varies from 6 to 26+ days.

So, any plans for the summer?