At first glance, it looks like a futuristic boat. Then the entry door jumps out at you. Are we in front of a building? Wow, did you see that giant spider in the foreground? Where are we!

We are in Bilbao, Spain. And we’re in front of a Guggenheim museum. Do we have to specify that it’s dedicated to contemporary art? Like the four other Solomon Guggenheim foundation museums, with the most well-known being the one in New York.

Upon seeing the photo, the more conservative ones among you will say “It’s just twisted metal.” Those who swear by innovation will exclaim “Now that’s true creation!” And they’ll add “Because it’s contemporary art, the average person turns their nose up at it.”

Don’t be fooled! A million tourists pass through the museum doors each year. The building itself attracts just as many tourists, if not more, than the works of are found inside. It’s very popular. The Guggenheim Bilbao is one of the most admired contemporary buildings in the world, by architecture critics and the average person alike.

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According to a survey conducted on behalf of CIBC Bank at the beginning of March, 50% of Canadians would opt for a fixed mortgage rate today, compared to 39% last year.

At 32%, the popularity of variable rate mortgages has not changed. However, the percentage of people who are undecided has dropped considerably, from 30% last year to 18% this year. Conclusion: most Canadians who were undecided last year opted for a fixed rate given the stability of the interest rate.

Final result: just 6% of Canadians believe that mortgage rates will decrease over the next year, while 86% believe that they won’t change. If they do change, they will go up.

This is good news in the eyes of the CIBC, because it means that many owners took into account a potential increase in interest rates in their mortgage planning, which is a sign of caution.[……]

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Us Via Capitale bloggers search the world for unusual buildings. Yet we have a building in our own backyard that causes tourists to look twice when they come across it. We see it because it’s been part of the landscape for almost half a century: Habitat 67.

Take a look at it and you will quickly include it in the category of unusual buildings, because it really is! The architecture of cubes piled haphazardly on top of each other borders on the grotesque, somewhat like the works of Gaudi in Barcelona.

If you find the word grotesque irritating, you should know that none other than Victor Hugo once declared: “As a means of contrast with the sublime, the grotesque is, in our view, the richest source that nature can offer.”

Built as part of Expo 67, of which one of the themes was housing, Habitat 67 is a product of the era’s obsession with building vertically to respond to the growing urban density. It’s kind of a futuristic solution to coming needs.

The pavilion has been visited by thousands of people from around world. After it was used by the federal government, the complex was converted into condos in the 1980s.[……]

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The first picture that comes to mind is the Moroccan pouf. Stars, colours, leather—Moroccan poufs add an exotic touch to your decor.

A bit of history.

According to the Grand Robert, the word pouf first appeared in 1458. The word is an onomatopoeia that evokes a fall. The modern definition of pouf is “A large firm cushion used as a low seat or footstool” (Canadian Oxford Dictionary). The ones with legs are generally called ottomans or footstools. The definition dating from 1829 might be more appropriate for today: “A large, low stool, generally cylindrical, and covered with thick upholstery.”[……]

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Despite the extraordinary and sustained prestige this building garners, there is no envy in this prestige, as the building is considered to be one of the ugliest in England. In fact, it often finds itself in the top three.

It’s up to you whether or not you like it. And don’t be offended if we take the liberty of confirming that, although it’s not ugly, it has a long way to go to match the beauty of Versailles or the Prague Royal Palace.[……]

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If they had to do it all over again, baby boomers would invest more in real estate. If they had a second chance at planning their retirement, 35% would invest in real estate, 31% would opt for guaranteed investment certificates and 20% would choose cash.[……]

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Feel like freshening up your decor now that spring is here? Changing the colour of a wall can do miracles. Virtual paint makes it child’s play to imagine the effect of a colour on a wall, furniture or an accessory. We had a look at a few sites for you that offer a virtual paint service: CIL, Sico and Benjamin Moore.

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