Vancouver Island Living The Small GardensPeople Are Holding Onto Across Nanaimo and Vancouver Island, more people are creating small outdoor spaces that feel calming, useful, and deeply personal — places that bring beauty, routine, and connection back into everyday life. It often begins with something simple. Fresh basil growing beside the kitchen door. Herbs clipped […]
Posts and updates from Gillette & Associates
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Why Conversation Pits Are Returning to Modern Luxury Homes
DESIGN • CULTURE • LIFESTYLE The Return of the Conversation Pit Why sunken living rooms are making a comeback in a world craving warmth, intimacy, entertaining, and human connection once again. There was a time when homes were designed not just to impress people — but to gather them. Long before oversized kitchen islands, minimalist […]
Nanaimo Real Estate Market Update: Why It’s Getting More Selective
If You Only Add 3 Plants to Your Home, Make Them These
The Psychology of Plants at Home Three Simple Additions That Change How a Space Feels Plants do more than fill a corner. They change how a space is experienced—visually, mentally, and even behaviorally. Not in an obvious way, but in small shifts that add up over time. There’s a reason for that. Humans naturally respond […]
Single Family Homes — April 2026
Nanaimo Single Family Market — April 2026 | Gillette & Associates Nanaimo Market Intelligence Single Family Homes — April 2026 Active listings, pending sales, and recent closings analyzed. Real MLS data, real insights. Data: VIREB MLS as of April 14, 2026 | Single Family Detached Only Months of Inventory 5.0 Balanced Market Active Listings 396 […]
10 Simple Ways to Give Your Home a Fresh Start This Spring
The Spring Home Reset 10 surprisingly satisfying ways to refresh your home this season Spring cleaning has a reputation for being a bit of a chore. But instead of thinking of it as scrubbing every corner of the house, think of it as a seasonal reset for your home. After months of winter routines, spring […]
The last 60 days in Nanaimo tell a clear story:
Gillette & Associates Market Trends Jan 2 – Mar 2, 2026 Nanaimo Market Report — Single Family (60-Day Snapshot) A data-driven look at Nanaimo single-family homes using our 60-day window, plus BC and Canada context to explain the “why behind the numbers.” 1) Nanaimo — Single Family Homes Nanaimo is moving — but selectively. The […]
Nanaimo Real Estate Market Analysis: What the Last 90 Days Reveal Heading Into 2026
Home Design in 2025 and What’s Shaping 2026.
Home Design in 2025, and What’s Shaping 2026 In 2025, interior design moved away from a single dominant aesthetic and toward something more layered, expressive, and personal. Rather than chasing trends, designers began focusing on homes as places of story, identity, and emotional depth. Leading voices across the industry — from editors at Architectural Digest […]
Before You React to your BC Assessment. Read This!
Our Take on BC Assessments in Nanaimo It happens every January like clockwork. The blue BC Assessment notices start hitting mailboxes from Hammond Bay to Chase River, and our phones at Gillette & Associates start ringing with the same questions: “Did my house value really jump that much?” “Why does this number look lower than […]
Vancouver Island Winter Activities: Cozy Micro-Adventures Close to Home
Vancouver Island Winter Activities: Cozy Micro-Adventures Close to Home Winter is full of simple Vancouver Island winter activities that don’t require traveling far from home — small moments that make the season feel special. Whether it’s the mist rolling off the ocean, the smell of cedar after a fresh rain, or the rhythm of waves […]
Cozy Holiday Hosting — The Effortless Trend Everyone Loves
Cozy holiday hosting is becoming the effortless trend everyone loves this season, replacing stressful dinners with warm, relaxed gatherings that feel inviting and fun. Why This Hosting Trend Is Taking Over People are shifting toward get-togethers that feel authentic instead of perfectly staged — and this relaxed style makes that possible. Guests want warmth, conversation, […]