Brutalism Evolves | Stark and unadorned, Brutalist architecture is a touchstone of postmodernism. And although the style has detractors, it’s getting a lot of attention from modern audiences.

Social-media apps like Instagram have united Brutalism fans, and accounts posting photos of landmarks in the style have tens of thousands of followers. Books on the subject abound as well, from the exhaustive Atlas of Brutalist Architecture, which made The New York Times list of best art books in 2018, to art historian Chris van Uffelen’s Massive, Expressive, Sculptural: Brutalism Now and Then.

Truly Eppich | mong jaw-dropping properties, every so often, one defies categorization as a residential home, making the leap to “landmark” instead. Case in point: Eppich House II. With its dazzling expanse of glass walls and revolutionary cascading steel-beam frame, this architectural wonder appears like a mirage high up on a West Vancouver hillside, nestled between mountain and sea, yet invisible from the road. Water elements add to its mystical quality — a shimmering koi pond, fed by a redirected creek, and an infinity-edge poolthat blends into the landscape.

Lighting and shelter are often intertwined, as they evoke the warmth and familiarity of home — the porch light as a welcoming beacon or, perhaps, seen from the street through the windows, a glow hinting at the lively gathering inside.

Evocative as it is, lighting design has been garnering more appreciation recently. “While lighting will always be an essential product in both residential and commercial applications, it’s morphing into a powerhouse category of its own,” says Karen Kang, national director of the Interior Design Show (IDS), which showcases innovative new products and design concepts in Canada and beyond. “Canadian creatives, such as Matthew McCormick, Anony and Guillaume Sasseville, are making a significant impact on the world stage where they’re presenting lighting, not just as a necessary form but [also] re-imagining it with technology, provenance and design that push the boundaries of innovation.”

According to a report released today by Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Eastern Canada’s major metropolitan areas led the nation in top-tier real estate performance in 2018, as Western Canadian markets buckled under pressure from local stressors ranging from taxation and regulatory interventions in Vancouver, to strained economic conditions in Calgary. Buoyed by population gains and steady economies, sales over $1 million in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) strengthened over the course of 2018, while Montreal’s luxury real estate market posted new records. Vancouver and Calgary’s top-tier real estate markets retreated further into buyers’ market territory, as excess supply overtook consumer demand. Across the country, markets continued to face headwinds of rising interest rates and tightened mortgage guidelines.

Toronto's Safest Neighbourhoods | Frequently called one of the world’s most livable cities, Toronto ranks high on lists of the most desirable cities for many reasons. Not only is it one of the most walkable cities in Canada, it’s also one of the safest, despite having a population of 2.7 million people (with 5.9 million residing in the Greater Toronto Area, or GTA). If you’re looking for a new neighbourhood to discover, for a visit or for a forever home, your personal safety and the safety of your loved ones is a high priority. These areas have been ranked as some of the most secure neighbourhoods in Toronto, making them a great place to start looking when deciding where to reside.

New & Notable Luxury Properties for Sale | January 2019 : From a sprawling rural estate in Australia to a historic castle in Belgium, these are this month’s four featured notable properties for sale.

7 Tips to Warm up your Home in the Winter | Imagine, if you will, the perfect winter home. What does it look like? Is it a classic colonial with a foot of snow on the roof and smoke spiralling from the chimney? Perhaps the interior is crisp and bright, with sunshine streaming through the windows, blankets to warm cold toes, and a hot drink steaming on the stove. - Sotheby’s International Realty Canada

Photographer and multidisciplinary artist David Drebin on the transitory nature of home. When we speak on the phone, David Drebin is at home, sort of. It is early July and the New York–based photographer and multidisciplinary artist is spending the summer in Toronto, where he was born and raised. But, he stresses, he is not here for R&R, taking it easy or chilling. “I don’t really relax and unwind, or take a break, because I love what I do,” he says. He’s working on post-production in Canada. Then he hits the road again.

It happens every time I wind my way up the magical driveway to Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa, in Cambridge, Ontario. I experience equal parts excitement and relief. Or a physical reaction that is the opposite of an adrenaline rush. That, and the anticipation I’m about to enjoy a food experience that rivals those I’ve had in gastro-centres in Paris, London, Rome, Burgundy and San Sebastián.

Minimalism, functionality, comfort: these are the tenets of Scandinavian design. A trend that continues to grow in popularity, this movement of pared-back warmth and tasteful natural details calls to homeowners the world over, and manages to evoke reserved beauty without becoming stodgy. Whether it’s storage that doubles as décor or rooms that mirror soothing galleries, the best of Nordic design invites your eye to rest and consider.

Pantone®, the global authority on all things color, has named a new Color of the Year for 2019: PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral. On the surface, its lively effervescence evokes both lighthearted playfulness and bold self-expression. But it’s worth diving a little deeper to really appreciate this rich, thought-provoking shade.

With the holidays just around the corner, the winter season welcomes a wide array of dinners, parties, and events. Whether starting a new tradition or continuing one long established, it’s likely you’ll be opening your home to friends and family at this time of year. And with careful planning and thoughtful styling, yours will be a party to remember.

One of the reasons the Hollywood set loves filming in Vancouver — aka Hollywood North — is because this Canadian city is blessed with bountiful natural beauty. Lovely movie-set locales aside, however, a slew of other factors ranks Vancouver right up there among the best places in North America to live in, as well as to visit.

The power of a sculpture on the viewer is markedly different than that of wall art. While paintings, photographs and tapestries tell a story or, in the case of non-representational art, which conveys a mood, three-dimensional works are often seen as having special attributes that elicit, arguably, more powerful responses.

When it comes to selling that all-important investment, your home, there are many factors to consider. In addition to freshening up the paint — a must before you list — here’s what savvy real-estate brokers across Canada recommend.

Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again, the much-anticipated survey taking over more than half of the Whitney Museum of American Art in November, will be the first retrospective of Warhol's work in New York for 30 years. During this time the world has changed drastically, explains Jessica Beck, curator at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, who has contributed to the catalogue. “The dialogue around contemporary art has expanded and the perspective on Warhol’s work and life has also grown to include new sides of his practice: early advertising commissions, films, photography, television and publishing.”

Toronto Real Estate Board President Garry Bhaura announced year-over-year increases in home sales and average sale prices reported through TREB's MLS® System in October 2018. Greater Toronto Area REALTORS® reported 7,492 sales through TREB's MLS® System in October 2018 – a six per cent increase compared to October 2017. On a preliminary seasonally adjusted basis, sales were down by one per cent compared to September 2018.

A new report released today by Mustel Group and Sotheby’s International Realty Canada reveals the impact of rising housing costs on young families across the country’s major metropolitan real estate markets, highlighting the significant contrast between the home ownership aspirations and realities of this demographic.

In the Greater Toronto Area (Durham, Halton, Peel, Toronto and York), market confidence and top-tier sales activity renewed in the first half of 2018 as consumer psychology recovered from the April 2017 introduction of the Ontario Fair Housing Plan, particularly within the City of Toronto. Given unprecedented gains in the region’s $1 million-plus sales volume from 2015 to 2017, with surges of 56% in 2015 over 2014, 65% in 2016 over 2015, and 41% in the first half of 2017 over the first half of 2016, year-over-year comparisons of 2018 to 2017 sales activity mask the region’s market resilience. On the surface, $1 million-plus residential real estate sales fell 46% year-over-year in the first half of 2018, while sales over $4 million fell 51%. However, 2018 sales volume trended in line with 2015’s pre-surge levels: GTA $1 million-plus real estate sales in the first half of 2018 increased 25% from the number of units sold in the first half of 2015, while sales over $4 million were up 72%.

Over the years, Canadian architects and designers have crafted a wide range of attractive and architecturally significant residences across the country. Now, they are finally beginning to get the recognition they deserve. From Moshe Safdie’s treasured Habitat 67 to Morton Katz’s Le Corbusier–inspired designs, here are six homes by Canada’s top architects and designers.