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06Jul
Our Top 6 Outdoor Entertaining Tips
Design & Decor
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29Jun
Celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday at Home
Design & Decor

Canada Day is always a spectacular and impressive display of our pride for our Canadian heritage. This year, with 150 years of history, culture, arts, and more, the celebration will be larger than ever. Join in on the festivities, and celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday at home with some of these creative ideas.

Backyard Pool Party

With Canada’s birthday celebrations landing in July, the weather is hot, and the sun is out. Keep your friends and family cool by throwing a backyard pool party! Regardless of whether you have an in ground pool or just a few above ground wading pools, keeping cool on July 1st is a fun and unique way to celebrate. Decorate the backyard using red and white balloons, Canadian flags and red and white lanterns.To create a balloon arch, follow this step by step tutorial. Fill the pool with red and white inflatables and enjoy an afternoon of partying and keeping cool.

Barbecue

Enjoy the Canadian summer and host a backyard Barbecue party. Invite your friends and family over by sending themed invitations from HubPages.com or create your own design. Decorate the backyard using a red and white theme, and serve red and white side dishes with your burgers and sausages. For recipe inspiration, Chatelaine Magazine has a list of Canadian recipes perfect for a backyard BBQ.

Mini “Amazing Race Canada”

Test your friends’ and family’s Canadian knowledge and organize a mini “Amazing Race Canada” in your backyard. Include your neighbours and collaborate so the challenges can be at different locations. Life of Bliss has some ideas for challenges and you can use your imagination to give them a Canadian theme.

Backyard Movie Night

A unique and relaxed Canada Day celebration involves blankets and pillows. Throw a backyard movie nigh, and invite your friends and family over. Follow these simple steps to make the night an unforgettable experience for everyone:

  • 1. Start with your movie screen: Depending on the number of people you are inviting to your celebration, your screen size may vary. Follow this easy step by step tutorial on creating a portable outdoor screen.
  • 2. Determine how to show the movie: If you have a projector of your own, this step is simple, however, if you do not, you may have to borrow or rent one. Some libraries allow rentals, and there are some independent companies that allow daily rentals at a rate of 40-50 dollars per day. If your budget does not allow a rental cost, consider creating a homemade projector like this one.
  • 3. Choose your seating: The type of seating you use can vary, depending on the age of your audience. Blankets and pillows are a cozy way to enjoy a movie with friends and younger children or you can use camping chairs for your older guests.
  • 4. Set up a snack bar: No movie is complete without popcorn! Set up a snack bar where your guests can serve themselves. For Canadian inspired snacks, The Food Network has a list of 40 recipes for red and white desserts to serve. For easy clean up and to add more colour to the party, use red and white paper plates and cups.

With vibrant colours, flashing lights, and games, carnivals are a fun and exciting experience for people of all ages. This year, to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday, gather your friends and family, and host a backyard carnival. Planning a mini carnival is easy if you use ideas from Pinterest like homemade games, snacks to serve, and decorations to use. To end the event with a special added touch, strategically place decorative lighting throughout the backyard like these hula hoop chandeliers and have an end-of-the-night light show. Distribute sparklers to everyone and celebrate Canada’s 150th in the magical glow.

Ultimately, celebrating Canada’s 150th is easy and can be fun for everyone, without even leaving your home. So enjoy the festivities on July 1st and plan an event that your friends and family will remember. For more ideas on celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday, visit the Falconcrest Homes’ Blog.

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22Jun
Construction Update: Pebble Creek and Summervale
Summervale in Bowmanville

The popularity for townhomes and semi detached units in the Greater Toronto Area has accelerated the number of housing developments Falconcrest Homes is working on. Here is a construction update on two of our latest communities: Pebble Creek and Summervale.

Pebble Creek

Located in the charming community of Woodbridge, Ontario, Pebble Creek is a new housing plan in the earliest stages of development. The site is currently fully serviced, and the construction of homes has not begun. Upon completion, the community will feature 59 townhomes and 4 semi-detached units in a naturally forested area. Each unit will be finished with heritage style stone and brick exteriors, and a luxurious interior finish. The new community will also feature a park that will be exclusive to its residents, and the naturally forested location will create a quiet, shaded escape from the busy, everyday city life.

Summervale

Summervale is a new development that will feature elegant homes in the community of Bowmanville, Ontario, just east of Toronto. Construction on these homes started on May 1st, and the plans are well underway for the development of the land. The site will feature 43 townhomes, semi and detached homes, each with elegant exterior finishes and meticulously planned architectural designs. Located very close to schools, walking trails, parks, and shopping, the community will be a family friendly neighbourhood. For commuting, the location is ideal, as it is near highway 2 and the 401, making access to the city effortless. This development is currently in phase I, and Phase II is tentatively planned for early 2018.

Regardless of whether you are a first time home buyer, or are searching for a new oasis to call your own, these two communities are only some of the examples of the many communities Falconcrest Homes is proud to provide to the housing market. For more information on Pebble Creek and Summervale, visit the Falconcrest Homes website.

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09Jun
Financial Advice for New Homeowners
Home Improvement

Purchasing a new home is a pivotal moment in your life and it opens up new opportunities for you and your family. Before moving in, consider the importance of financial plans, and how to handle any debts associated with purchasing a new home. Here is some financial advice for new homeowners.

Create An Effective Budget

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11Aug
5 things to consider before choosing a mortgage
Savvy Buyer

Buying a new home is an exciting and wonderful time. But once the process starts, future homeowners quickly find out that a lot of hard work and planning must come first before the highly anticipated move-in date: saving for the downpayment, the exhausting process of finding the perfect home, and obtaining the best mortgage to fit your financial situation. Unfortunately, in the rush to move into their perfect new home, some future homeowners neglect to investigate the best options for a mortgage and instead take the first one that comes along. A mortgage, however, is a long-term commitment and should be entered into carefully. Otherwise, a homeowner could end up with the wrong loan and potential financial problems. Here are five things to consider before choosing a mortgage.

Obtain a Copy of Your Current Credit Report

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05Aug
9 Reasons to Choose a New Build Home vs. Resale
Savvy Buyer
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24Jul
First Time home buyers: 5 tips to help you save for a down payment
Savvy Buyer

Deciding to buy your first home is an exciting and fun time. But saving for your first downpayment, which is a one-time cash payment you provide at the closing and is typically 20 percent of the home’s cost, can be challenging and intimidating. However, with a little financial homework, time, and commitment the process of saving for your down payment will go smoothly. Below are five tips to help first-time home buyers save for a down payment.

1.Determine What You Can Afford and Plan a Budget for Saving for Your Down Payment

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13May
4 secrets to a luxurious bathroom look
Design & Decor

A luxurious bathroom, whether it is a master, guest or powder room, is a tremendous asset and welcome pleasure to a home.  And, bathrooms are a great place to splurge on extra special features because they are a relatively small space in a home, which minimizes the material costs to upgrade. However, choosing where to spend and where to save in order to create a gorgeous, luxurious bathroom can be a challenge. Check out these four secrets for a luxurious bathroom look that will add value to your home and give you a wonderful place to begin and end your day for years to come: tile, mirrored walls, smoky glass, and five-star accents.

Create a Modern and Luxurious Bathroom with Floor to Ceiling Tile

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02May
Colour Coordination Tips from Top Designers
Design & Decor

The colors you choose for the interior of your house will set the mood and spirit in your home. And, coordinating the colors in your home will make you feel comfortable and create a sense of peace and harmony.   Applying good color flow throughout your home is an excellent way to achieve balance and connection from one space to another.  Choosing the perfect colors for you home is also an important decision.  One common suggestion for choosing your color palette is to use the colors from a favorite object in your home: a painting, the couch, or a piece of pottery.   Then, when choosing coordinating colors throughout your home, it can be helpful in to visit your local paint store or search online expert advice.  Below are several colour coordination tips from top Canadian designers Sarah Richardson, Jane Lockhart, and Debbie Travis.

Sarah Richardson

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27Apr
Upgrades for your new home that pay on Resale
Home Improvement

Building a new house gives homeowners a chance to create a home that reflects their unique style, specific needs, and true personality.  But, owners must be careful that the choices they make will pay on the resale, when the time comes to sell.  When choosing options for a new home, stay neutral, particularly when it comes to the higher end items such as countertops, cabinetry, and flooring. Personalize easily modified things like wall paint colors and cabinet hardware. Several upgrades for a new home that consistently pay on resale include the kitchen area, high-end flooring, lots of closet and storage space, quality windows and manufactured stone veneer or brick for the exterior.

Kitchen Upgrades

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