A nearly century-old church in one of Vancouver’s most desirable neighbourhoods is up for sale. Built in 1927, the West Point Grey Presbyterian Church sits on three residential-zoned lots in the heart of the West Point Grey neighbourhood, between Jericho Beach and Pacific Spirit Regional Park. The property, located at 4397 West 12th Ave., is being advertised as a large multiplex development opportunity. (Colliers Canada) The church building was expanded in 1940 to its current footprint of approximately 10,000 square feet over two floors, comprised of a 200-person sanctuary, multiple pre-school halls, offices, kitchens and a lounge, according to Colliers Canada. The real estate firm is pitching the property, located at 4397 West 12th Ave., as a large multiplex development opportunity. With an asking price of $10 million for all three lots, current zoning would allow for three single-family homes, a multiplex development with up to 12 units, a heritage restoration of the existing structure, or some combination of the three. “The property represents a rare opportunity to acquire a large multiplex development site located in the sought-after West Point Grey neighbourhood,” the listing advertises. The interior of the West Point Grey Presbyterian Church. (Colliers Canada) The West Point Grey Presbyterian Church’s congregation was amalgamated with the Kerrisdale Presbyterian Church following a final ceremony last month. The church property sits across from the historic Vancouver Firehall No. 19, three blocks south of the Point Grey Village shopping area on West 10th Avenue.

A gold watch worn by John Jacob Astor IV, a member of the wealthy Astor family and the richest man aboard the Titanic, sold for a record-breaking £1.175 million (US$1.485 million) at auction on Saturday.

The timepiece sold for ten times its expected auction price of between £100,000 and £150,000.

Its high selling point has set a “new world record for Titanic memorabilia,” Andrew Aldridge, the managing director of auction house Henry Aldridge and Son, told CNN on Sunday.

Astor was one of around 1,500 people who died when the Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, after hitting an iceberg. His pregnant wife, Madeleine, survived.

The watch was among a number of notable items on offer at Henry Aldridge and Son in Wiltshire, England, on Saturday, including the valise that held the violin famously played by the band leader as the ship sank, and a pocketbook that documents the Titanic’s scheduled voyages.

The valise was sold for £360,000, while the violin itself was sold for £1.1 million (nearly $1.7 million at the time) via the same auction house in 2013. It was, until Astor’s pocket watch claimed the title, the highest-selling item from the Titanic.

“These prices for these unique pieces of history reflect not only their importance but also the ongoing interest into the Titanic story and the memory of her passengers and crew,” Aldridge told CNN.

The watch was among the personal effects found with Astor’s body after the Titanic sank, according to the auction house. He also had gold cufflinks, a diamond ring, money and a pocketbook on him, among other items.

After the recovery of Astor’s body, those possessions were sent to his son, Vincent Astor, who completely restored the watch so that it worked.

In 1935, Vincent gave the watch as a christening gift to the infant son of William Dobbyn IV, John Jacob Astor’s executive secretary, according to the auction house.

Aldridge told CNN that the Dobbyn family kept the item until the late 1990s, when it went to auction.

An unnamed collector in the United States bought the watch at that time. Since then, it has been displayed in several museums.

“So, you know, over the course of its time, quite literally millions of people have viewed it, which is fabulous,” Aldridge said.

Some people love to wash their car, and for others, it’s their most hated chore. It’s a necessity for car owners, so no matter where you fall on the love-hate spectrum, you want a car wash that’s going to give your car a deep clean that lasts. Automatic car washes are at almost any gas…

  When you take your car to the car wash, there are multiple add-ons available, and one common choice is spray-on wax. It may seem like it doesn’t make a difference, but there are some important benefits. And these benefits go beyond how shiny your will car looks. What Are the Benefits of Waxing Your…

Even when you are lucky enough to start with an empty room, it can be overwhelming to design an interior that you can enjoy for years to come. Following some basic interior design principles, you can transform your space into a relaxing room you will be comfortable and happy with. Decide what your focal point will be and build out from there.  For best results, keep proportion and scale in mind as you decorate as well as these tips!

 Deciding on Your Focal Point
Do you have a magnificent bay window with an incredible view?  Is there an ornate mantle that is the reason you fell in love with your home? Or is there something you absolutely MUST HAVE in the room? Situate your furniture around your chosen focal point to create balance and equilibrium. If your room does not already have an existing focal point, create one with oversized art or add an accent point like a free-standing fireplace, they come in a variety of sizes and styles. Symmetrically balance the room evenly so that both sides mirror one another.  This will help your chosen focal point stand out all the more! Use matching accent tables to flank your sofa or use different pieces of furniture to create a copacetic visual impact, like two similar armchairs to balance a sofa.
Repetition for Rhythm
Rhythm creates a flow and helps direct the eye to the differing visual elements in your room. Just as the notes of a favorite song repeat to create the rhythm, repetition in decor will create a rhythm throughout a home. Establish visual interests with a rhythm throughout your space by placing similar colours or patterns at intervals and repeat in artwork, cushions or area rugs.

Perfect Proportion and Suitable Scaling
Who doesn’t love a large, overstuffed chair? But if your room is on the smaller size it may look out of place and make your room seem even smaller than it is. Keep proportion in perspective. Proportion is the ratio between a piece of furniture and the size of a room. Scale is the size of a piece of furniture in relation to the other pieces of furniture in the room. A super large chair will overpower an apartment of loft size sofa or loveseat and create a sense of unbalance in the room.

Have your room humming harmoniously
Creating harmony will enhance how much you will continue to love your finished. Pull the room with a subdued colour palette for a pleasing, harmonious vibe.   together for a pleasing, harmonious look with a subdued color palette. You can also use a single colour for elements that vary in size and shape. Check out our blog on Doing White on White Right! for more tips!

What is the focal point in your room?  What is your best tip to find harmony and balance through your home?