With all this sun and the start of some Spring-like weather, it’s only right to be thinking about all the patios you’ll be visiting this Spring. Here are our recommendations for some local restaurants in Edmonton that have great patio vibes:

Craft Beer Market

Might we say this place is a must see? This fresh space on Rice Howard Way has a rooftop patio fixed with all the things you need to have a good time. Their light, airy space is a major hit with ping pong tables, murals, and the Cocktail Camper. While they’re known for their beer, they have a great selection of wine, cocktails, spirits, and more! 

Odd Company

Nestled in the Oliver Exchange building, Odd Company knows how to put together a good evening. Their cozy street patio (which has been open through the winter, believe it or not!) is decorated with ambient string lighting, picnic tables, and music. They live up to their promise of “good cheer, better beer” with small batch brews to offer something new every time you visit. 

Fairmont Hotel MacDonald

The Confederation Patio at the Fairmont Hotel MacDonald is a perfectly chic place to enjoy an afternoon tea, cocktails, or food from their exclusive outdoor menu. With large umbrellas to protect you from the sun on their open patio, you can enjoy a front-row seat facing the river valley and the views that go with it. 

Dogpatch

Tucked away in Riverdale, Dogpatch is the new neighbourhood watering hole with picnic table style patio seating. Their made from scratch bistro eats, hand-crafted drinks, and easy-going atmosphere is everything you need to enjoy a dining experience with friends near Edmonton’s river valley. While you’re there, we recommend checking out Bread and Butter bakery in the same building for some scrumptious pastries!

MKT

As a fan favourite on Whyte Ave, MKT is situated right in the middle of the neighbourhood’s entertainment hub. Their food is locally sourced, they have over 100 different types of beer available, and they’ve got a fantastic fenced patio with heaters, TVs and an outdoor bar. This is a great place to catch an Oiler’s game or share a plate of their giant nachos!

Biera

Located in Ritchie Market’s Bottle Room, Biera is an award winning restaurant known for their creative small plates and delicious culinary experiences. Join them on their covered patio this season and then swing by the market for speciality foods, beer, and gifts! 

Let us know if you try out any of these fabulous patio spots in Edmonton! Maybe we’ll even see you out there!!

Earlier this week, we discussed what was happening with Single Family Homes in Edmonton, but we didn’t want you to miss out on the condo market too.

The condo market is proving to be interesting as well, with prices and demand shifting positively for the first time in years.

As of April 1, 2022, this is the what the numbers were showing:

Of the available, active condos – the price points are shocking, with almost ALL the available inventory priced at under 300k!

Since January 1, 2022 there have been 1474 total condos sold, so when comparing those against the available properties we find we have a fairly balanced level of supply for the demand:

If you are in the market to buy or sell an Edmonton Condo this year – reach out!

What Is REALLY Going On!

Real Estate is a hot topic these days, more so than ever. Every day we are inundated with articles on it be about mortgage rate increases, multiple offers, future predictions, you name it – we have heard about it!

Data is often the best indicator of “what is really going on” We have taken some time to break down the overall Edmonton market over January – March 2022 to show you what we have seen and experienced over the past 3 months. Stay tuned for more updates, as while we are multiple offers in many situations, this is not across the board and is primarily targeted to select sections of Edmonton. Some neighbourhoods are starting to see some minor and more significant shifts.

Edmonton Data as of March 31, 2022:

What is more interesting is how it breaks down in terms of prices. Of the 1575 homes for sale, the number of homes that showed available at each price point reflected the following:

How does this compare in regards to what has sold in the month of March 2022?

The data does indicate that we are seeing significant movement in the price ranges of $300,000 – $500,000. Southwest Edmonton is one of the more popular areas and newer builds (2010 or newer). What this data doesn’t show though is what parts of the city these homes have sold in which would factor into individual buying/selling strategies.

Sellers: What this does tell us is that for many sellers it is an extremely great time to sell – overall we have not seen an increase in the market to this level since 2007 and 2014 respectively. That being said, we are not in the BC or Ontario market and we are seeing fluctuations in the market based on types of homes, condition of the properties and location.

Buyers: Depending on your budget, location and what you are looking for may result in a more competitive landscape. Working with a team of professionals like our team at TruHome is important. We understand the nuances of how to craft a compelling offer, whether we are in multiple situations or not.

Connect with our Edmonton Real Estate team today to discuss how we can assist you with your Edmonton home buying or selling goals.

*Data collected Mach 31, 2022 via the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton MLS® System Data

Edmonton’s Ice District has been underway for quite some time—but we are finally nearing its completion! If you haven’t been downtown in a while, you should plan to visit our beautiful new Ice District (and all the fun areas around it) come summertime, because there will be a lot of new things to see, do and eat when it is all completed.

Here is what you can expect to find in Edmonton’s Ice District over the next few months!

Upcoming in 2022

The Banquet

Even though there are going to be several incredible places to visit in the Ice District, we are most excited for The Banquet to open up.

We already know that this restaurant, bar and entertainment establishment is going to be a staple in Summer 2022. The Banquet will have a rooftop bar, a bowling alley, incredible food, tasty drinks, a pool hall, arcade games and more. The better question may have been: what does this bar not have?

The Banquet even has a rewards system—for every dollar spent, they will give you 15 points. Once you get up to 1500 points, you get $5 Banquet Bucks! You will want to keep coming back.

Canadian Icehouse

A spinoff of the iconic Canadian Brewhouse, the Canadian Icehouse will be located directly underneath The Banquet, on the main floor. This flagship location will feature a patio with fireplaces & outdoor games overlooking the plaza, as well as sub-zero vodka tasting in a room made entirely of blocks of ice & snow. How cool!

More details about this restaurant are TBD, but we know we at TruHome will be one of the first tables seated once it opens up.

Open & Ready for Visits!

Archetype

Looking for a new place to get your sweat on? Archetype might be the perfect fit.

Archetype combines the science of high performance with an invested team of expert trainers and a comprehensive health and fitness offering in one exceptional facility. Archetype is more than a gym—it’s an elevated fitness experience for those seeking the rewards of a high-performance lifestyle.

This facility runs on a membership basis, but you get a lot for your monthly fee. Such as: cardio, strength and performance areas, daily group classes, pool, hot tub, steam room, regeneration lab, meditation pods and more. You have to check it out for yourself!

Bob & Doug McKenzie Statue

We thought we would throw this fun (and free!) experience here. When visiting the Ice District, you need to stop by this iconic statue to really complete your downtown experience.

If you haven’t heard of Bob & Doug McKenzie, they are Canadian culture icons who starred on Second City TV (SSTV)—a show that filmed several of its seasons right here in Edmonton.

You can find this statue at the South entrance of the Ice District—you won’t miss it!

Grand Villa Casino

The Grand Villa Casino offers 60,000 square feet of exceptional gaming, dining, and entertainment in the heart of ICE District. You can enjoy an array of dining and entertainment options including Match Eatery & Public House, Atlas Steak + Fish and quick serve options such as Starbucks.

This one stop shop is a must see when visiting the Ice District—even if you just stop in to see it for yourself!

Alchemy Bar

Located on the fifth floor of the JW Marriott hotel (which we will talk about next!), Alchemy features an intimate indoor cocktail bar and lounge, as well as a large heated patio overlooking Rogers Place.

This stunning cocktail bar serves up handcrafted libations and next-level bar snacks! A few members of our team are regulars here absolutely loved it.

JW Marriott Hotel

Looking for a staycation? The JW Marriott in Edmonton is the place to be!

This contemporary, chic hotel gives guests so much to do without even leaving the area. It is connected to Rogers Place and is just steps away from the Citadel Theatre, The Royal Alberta Museum, the Art Gallery of Alberta, City Hall/Churchill Square, and the Edmonton Convention Centre. The JW Marriott is also home to two restaurants, Alchemy (noted above) and a spa, so you will never want to leave!

GURU Kitchen + Bar

With a successful location already located in West Edmonton, it only made sense to open up a second location in Edmonton’s downtown core.

Located at the main level of Edmonton Tower, GURU Kitchen + Bar operates for lunch and dinner serving as an Indian cuisine all day dining venue. This is some of the best Indian cuisine you’ll find downtown!

Delux Burger Bar

Do you like burgers? Of course you do! Delux Burger Bar has some of the city’s best burgers in a chic setting that you are sure to love. And what’s more—they have a large array of drinks for you to keep the night going after finishing your delicious meal.

Let us suggest getting a side of french fries with their chipotle mayonnaise dip. It is simply the best!

–

We hope this sparked some interest in visiting Edmonton’s new Ice District! There are so many things to do in the new neighbourhood that we couldn’t cover everything in this article, so we recommend you schedule some time in Summer 2022 to visit it yourself.

So you have made the decision to put your Edmonton home on the market—congratulations! The right real estate agent should be able to advise on which home improvements will benefit the sale of your home the most, but to start, here are our 10 suggestions for how to increase the value of your home!

Paint your walls & ceilings

The average price for a can of paint is $50, making this the cheapest way to transform your home with a quick turn-around time. Consider investing in a popular neutral colour to give your home a fresh, updated look. While you have the brushes out, consider adding a complimentary accent colour to make a large space feel more inviting. Sticking with neutral, inoffensive colours (we suggest avoiding neon green) will appeal to more buyers once your home hits the market. 

Upgrade your appliances

Depending what your home improvement budget looks like, you may want to consider upgrading your appliances. Many buyers appreciate the value of clean, functioning appliances, but this doesn’t mean you have to blow your budget to upgrade. 

Appliance upgrades are a considerable investment so we always recommend consulting your trusted real estate agent before you commit to upgrading your appliances. It is also important to consider what type of buyer you are planning to target when you list your home – new appliances for first-time home buyers may seal the deal, but buyers who are looking to renovate for their dream kitchen may overlook existing appliances.

Remove clutter

If you have lived in your home for quite a few years, or you caught the online shopping bug during the pandemic, chances are you have collected a few extra things. Even though it is easy to fill up every nook and cranny of your home with decor or furniture, it can be unappealing to prospective buyers who aren’t as familiar with your belongings as you are. If you don’t want to part with what you have, consider renting a storage unit or ask your loved ones if they can hold on to some stuff for you until your home sells!

Stage your home

Similar to the above, home buyers want to view homes that they can picture themselves living in. Neutralizing colour schemes, decluttering, removing seasonal decoration, and displaying inconspicuous decor is a great way to stage your home with what you have. Watch some YouTube videos for cost-efficient inspiration, or consider bringing in a professional home stager to help you out (we know a few fabulous home staging companies in Edmonton if you need a reference!).

Modify your curb appeal

When you list your home, you’ll want prospective buyers to drive up to your home and immediately be impressed—even before they step through the front door. Enhancing curb appeal can be tough in Edmonton winters, we know! Do your best to keep your sidewalks and driveways shovelled, turn on exterior lights, and ensure there is parking available in front of your home if possible. 

During snow-free seasons, keep your lawn maintained, remove dead shrubbery, and make sure any underground sprinklers are turned off during showing times.

Upgrade your lighting

Over the years we have found that people are always surprised at how much of a difference new light fixtures can make.  Lighting goes a long way — a modern chandelier, a discreet wall sconce, or an elegant floor lamp can give your space a real ‘glow up’ (haha, get it?). If you’re looking for something budget-friendly, check out Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore or Facebook Marketplace!

Replace door knobs, cabinet hardware and switch plates 

While this may seem superfluous, high-touch areas often draw a buyer’s gaze so updating these everyday items is a great way to add a bit of pizazz. Research trending styles, like brass or matte black, and find something that fits the style of your home. To take it one step further, consider matching your cabinet hardware to the style you chose for doorknobs. It can be very appealing to prospective buyers to see consistency while walking through your home. As for switch plates, replace any cracked or stained plates with new ones—these are super cheap! 

Remove your popcorn ceiling

Textured stipple ceilings, commonly known as popcorn ceilings, were a popular trend in the 1940s-1980s. Not only does a textured ceiling hold on to dust, mold, and unpleasant odours, it also makes a space look outdated. If you have the time and tools, removing a popcorn ceiling can be accomplished with a ceiling scraper, a spray bottle, protective sheets, and a ladder – but there’s no harm in hiring a professional to remove the texture and finish the ceiling with a skim coat and a fresh coat of paint! 

If you choose to remove your textured ceiling, make sure you test for asbestos or have proof that your home is asbestos free! Disrupting the ceiling like that can disturb any latent asbestos.

Do a deep clean

This one may seem obvious, but deep cleaning your home is the #1 way to get to prospective buyers’ hearts. When you have people viewing your home, there is nothing more appealing than walking into a dust-free, clutter-free, nice smelling home. Take a duster to your baseboards and door trim, steam clean your carpets, wash your walls, and clean out any cabinets with stains or clutter. You will be impressed with how much it makes a difference. 

If cleaning isn‘t something that you are good at (or want to do) there are plenty of low-cost cleaning services in Edmonton. 

We at TruHome are enthusiastic to help you get the best price for your home, always. If you are looking into putting your house on the market and finding your next place to call home, we would love to meet with you! Connect with us to get started—we can’t wait to meet you.

Love day is on its way! We love celebrating love – whether it be with our partners, our kids, our families, or our clients! 

Here’s what we recommend to do for Valentine’s day in Edmonton!

For you and your partner

Order the Valentines Charcuterie, Flowers, and Sparkling Wine Bundle from Meuwly’s

If you decide to order from Meuwly’s this Valentine’s Day, it’s a one stop shop. You’ll get a beautiful flower arrangement by Cory Christopher, a Meuwly’s D.I.Y charcuterie kit and a bottle of sparkling rose! To make your order, click here. Take your bundle home and enjoy!

Sit back and relax while getting a couples massage

A couples massage therapy session is a great treat for a couple on any occasion, but especially Valentine’s Day! This treatment takes place in a room lit with candles and very soothing music while two therapists work in a coordinated way so that you and your partner are able to stay in tune with each other. Integrated Therapies is a great spot to book a couples massage—book here!

Learn how to make bagels with Get Cooking

There is nothing more romantic than cooking or baking with your partner. So why not learn how to make bagels together? This Valentine’s day weekend you can indulge your love for bagels by learning to make your own, together with Get Cooking’s bread baking expert Larry Harris. Get your $50 tickets to this virtual class here.

For you and your friends

Make some Galentine’s Day cocktails with Chef’s Table Living

At home cocktail making is a win-win—you learn a new skill, and you get to try tasty new drinks! Chef’s Table Living offers at home beverage kits that would be a perfect activity with friends at home. Choose from a wine tasting kit, Spanish old fashioned cocktail kit, Blue Plate Diner caesar cocktail kit or a Uyu Yong cocktail kit! Click here to order.

Grab the girls and get afternoon tea with Brew+Bloom!

Enjoy three tiers of savory and sweet treats on 3-tiered cake stands and indulge in a selection of the finest loose-leaf teas served with their famous mini tartines and hand-decorated Valentine’s Day sugar cookies. Brew+Bloom’s tables will be set with fresh floral centerpieces, pink teacups, and pink sequin tablecloth—a perfect way to celebrate with friends! Get your tickets.

Take some unique photos at Sid’s Selfie World

Did you know Edmonton had a selfie museum? We recently learned about it, too! Located in the Heart of Edmonton’s Vibrant Old Strathcona area, you and your friends will have fun in this 2000 square foot facility dedicated to the Selfie. Click here to learn more about Sid’s Selfie World!

Have a fun night under the stars at the University of Alberta’s Botanical Garden

Put on your warm woolies and head to the Garden for some laid-back Valentine’s Day! Take part in classic Canadian outdoor activities or try your hand at something new—the Botanical Garden has a lot to offer. During Valentine’s Day this year, you can even book ice carving lessons! Learn more and get your tickets here.

For you and the kids

Visit the Silver Skate Festival

This winter, the Silver Skate Festival is offering an abundance of DIY winter-friendly experiences and challenges that are as diverse as the people who call our Northern community home. Explore the river valley, go for a skate, make a snow angel or visit a winter patio. Winter is magical, and it is even better on Valentine’s Day. It’s free—so just head on over to Hawrelak Park to celebrate!

Buy some non-alcoholic drinks from Above Average Drinks

Treat yourself to some of Above Average Drinks’ alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks while your kids can also sip on something tasty! A first of its kind, Above Average Drinks is now offering a non-alcoholic version of their well sought after cocktails. You can pick up those cocktails directly from Biera itself! Order them here.

Grab an at-home Fondue Kit from Biera

If you are already picking up your Above Average Drinks from Biera, why not also pick up an at-home Fondue Kit, too? Each year, Biera comes up with a unique way to celebrate Valentine’s Day from home—and this year’s fondue kit looks incredible. Take a look for yourself!

Go tubing at the Sunridge

If you look back on your childhood, it is likely that you have fond memories going tubing. Make this Valentine’s Day extra special for you and the kiddos when you take them to Sunridge for tubing! With a dedicated tubing lift (so you don’t have to walk up the hill), three groomed chutes down one of our main hills, and special tubes provided by us, you won’t find a better activity for your family. Learn more and book.

For YOU!

Who says you can’t spend the day celebrating yourself? Treat yo’ self to some of the following things!

Embrace your natural beauty and head to Thrive Beauty Co.

At Thrive Beauty Co., you will be pampered just like you deserve. At this modern studio, you can get eyelash lift and tints, eyebrow tinting or microblading, and a large variety of medical grade skincare regimens. Take a look at Thrive Beauty Co.’s site to see if anything is up your alley.

Treat yourself to some Destination Doughnuts

There is nothing like picking up a treat from your favourite bakery and taking it home to enjoy it alone, on the couch, while watching your favourite TV show. Located on 124th Street, Destination Doughnuts is home to some of the most unique donut flavours you can imagine. What’s more—they are even offering Hearts & Hugs donuts for Valentine’s Day.

Get some cat cuddles at the Wee Book Inn

There is something soothing about walking around a bookstore for hours and reading the backs of books until you find something you want to read. And what makes it even better (and a bit more distracting) is when there is a cat asking for scratches! At the Wee Book Inn, you will have exactly that experience. Sounds like a perfect Valentine’s Day to us!

Whatever you get up to this Valentine’s Day, we hope you have a fulfilling day, celebrating in ways that make you feel loved. From the TruHome family to yours, we wish you a very happy Valentine’s Day!

Condo living has many perks —  added security, built-in maintenance, a sense of community. However, if you live in a condo, chances are your bathroom doesn’t have any windows. 

We have seen this time and time again and have even experienced it ourselves—how can we make our windowless bathrooms brighter, livelier and more inviting? Our TruHome team has tried many things to spruce up windowless bathrooms, so here are our tips! 

Bring in vibrant colours

Even though white paint is the obvious choice, using it as your bathroom wall colour may not necessarily brighten up your space. In fact, it may end up making your bathroom feel a bit like a hospital. Instead, opt for a rich colour— green, terracotta, blue… anything in your favourite shade. Don’t be scared of painting your room too dark—someone on the TruHome team recently painted their windowless bathroom walls a dark green…and it looks fantastic!

If you are not up to painting your bathroom, consider bringing in a colourful shower curtain, bath mat, wall shelf accessories or framed wall photos.

Add some plants

Plants bring warmth, life, and positivity to any room, especially ones without windows. If you have a green thumb and like to have plants that thrive in humid rooms, opt for real plants! Otherwise, we have found that fake plants do just as well, if not better, in a windowless bathroom. Find high quality fake plants are easy to clean, easy to move around, and easy to find in Edmonton! To add some extra oomph, try hanging your fake plant in a macrame hanger from your ceiling!

If you are not a fan of fake plants, there are other options! Dried eucalyptus looks great in a vase, or hanging from your shower head (it also turns your shower into a refreshing, spa-like experience!!). Additionally, snake plants are a lovely low-light plant, however you will want to bring them out of your bathroom and place them in the sun once in a while to ensure they stay happy! Small potted cacti are another great option. 

Replace your lighting fixtures

While it may be hard to visualize, replacing your light fixtures can have the quickest, most impactful change to your windowless bathroom. With many Edmonton condo buildings being built in the 1980s-2000s, oftentimes we notice that the bathroom lighting has never been updated. 

Replace your fixtures with something more modern that filters through most of the light from the bulb. A fixture with three or more bulbs is a bonus! Changing your lighting also gives you the opportunity to adjust the vibes you’re going for. A warm, yellow bulb will be more cozy, but white bulbs give off better lighting.  At the end of the day, it is your bathroom and you choose the light bulb tint that fits your vibe most!

Hang more mirrors

While your bathroom may already have a large vanity mirror, there is always room for more! Thinking about choosing small wall-hanging mirrors with unique frames, or mirror-finished objects for an extra pop of shine. Extra mirrors in a small, windowless space reflect more light and give the appearance of a brighter, more spacious room.

Add an essential oil air freshener/diffuser

There is so much more to a room than the way it looks—the way it smells can also completely transform it. There are many ways to bring in a fresh, inviting scent to your windowless bathroom, but our favourite is to place an essential oil air freshener. It is easy to find, low maintenance and it is also nice decor to look at! Go find your favourite scent and see how it transforms your bathroom.

Double down on decor

Windows take up significant space in most rooms, so since you have more wall space in your windowless bathroom, fill it with decor! Think about adding floating shelves, gallery walls (with mirrors and pictures), macrame, and anything else you can think of to bring more dimension into your room. Reminder: make sure that everything you bring in can withstand a high-humidity environment.

Keep it clutter-free

This may seem like an obvious one, but keeping any room, especially a windowless bathroom, clutter-free will transform your space the fastest. A clutter-free bathroom makes the room feel bigger and more inviting. With no natural light available to brighten up the bathroom, the darkness can make the room feel too full if there is too much clutter!

We hope this helped you on your windowless bathroom journey! If you have any other ideas on how to brighten and liven up your windowless bathroom, we would love to hear it!! Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook @yourtruhome

Asbestos. It’s a daunting word—especially when you learn that you may have it in your home. We all know that asbestos isn’t “good”, but what exactly does it mean for you if your home has it? As part of our Home Inspection Series, we’re diving into what exactly asbestos is, how you can test for it, and what it means for your home if the test comes back positive.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring, fibrous silicate material that has six types—all of which can be released into the atmosphere by abrasion or disruption. Asbestos is a highly-effective and inexpensive fireproof material that was used in home construction from the early 1940s through the late 1980s.

Is asbestos harmful?

The short answer is yes and no. Asbestos does have the potential to be harmful and cause a variety of long-term respiratory conditions if inhaled, but that doesn’t mean you should be worried if it is present in your home. The only time when asbestos can be harmful is if it is disturbed, becomes airborne, and is inhaled.

Note that asbestos isn’t easily disturbed and there is no reason to be worried if you learn that your home does indeed have asbestos in the drywall, floors or ceiling!

When should I test for asbestos?

Though it is not a part of the typical home inspection, it is still part of your due diligence. If your home was built before 1990, there is a high chance that asbestos may be present in your Edmonton home. But don’t fret yet! Just because your home may have asbestos doesn’t even mean you need to test for it—like mentioned above, it is only ever harmful when it gets disturbed and becomes airborne (like during a renovation or demolition).

You can test for asbestos at any time. This can happen years after owning your home or even before purchasing! If you are looking to test before purchasing, your realtor will negotiate with the seller to get special permission before closing. Because asbestos can be expensive to get removed, some buyers may walk away from purchasing a home if they were looking to do major renovations.

Who do I call to get asbestos testing?

Many of our clients have been through asbestos testing and used Edmonton-based companies to get it tested safely and quickly. Here are list of reliable asbestos testing companies our clients have used:

• Asbestos and Mold Removal Edmonton
• RH Services Inc.
• Environmental Monitoring Solutions
• Edmonton Asbestos Removal Pros
• Safety Coordination Services

The process of testing for asbestos

Though there are DIY testing kits that can be purchased online and sent to the lab for testing, we suggest that asbestos testing be done by a professional, always. Not only is it safer (which should be reason in itself), but it is often a faster turnaround for results.

On-site sampling prices vary from around $250 to $750, depending on the size of the home and the amount of areas sampled. And if you want to take it a step further and monitor the air in your home, that can cost you an additional $1000, approximately.

If asbestos is found in your home, there may be an additional cost to get it removed. In the spirit of transparency, it doesn’t tend to be cheap. Found on the Canadian Hazmat Environmental website, a 2,200 square foot home starts at about $9,000 for asbestos removal. It goes without saying that it can be a large expense and should be taken seriously! 

Because of the large cost of asbestos removal, it can be important to do testing before you purchase a home, especially if you plan to give your new home a facelift. It can save you money in the long run, and will give you peace of mind with your big purchase.

If you are in the market to purchase a fix’r up’r but want to learn more about asbestos, feel free to send us a message to get started. We are more than happy to set up a call, discuss your home buying plans and start your search with you.

The home-buying process is a great adventure, but furnishing your space is a whole other opportunity for fun. Though it can be an opportunity to be creative, it can also be time consuming and frustrating when trying to find furniture that meets your aesthetic and your budget.

What’s more, mid-century modern furniture and decor is back. And unless your grandparents have an attic full of beautiful, untouched, legitimate 1930s-1960s furniture, there is only one way to get your hands on mid century pieces… by thrifting it. Take a peak below for our suggestions of where to thrift vintage furniture in Edmonton! 

Roam Vintage Home

Price range: $$

Roam Vintage Home is an Edmonton-based vintage curator offering affordable, quality, vintage housewares and furniture. With a focus on large furniture like bedroom sets, seating and wall decor, you are sure to find unique pieces for your home. Roam Vintage Home’s business runs completely through Instagram, so it is a good idea to set notifications for posts and stories so that you don’t miss out on your perfect teak piece.

Roam Vintage Home is more than just a vintage reseller—the owner often shares their home renovations on their Instagram stories so feel free to ask questions if you see something you love or want to know more about.

Alexander & Rose

Price range: $

One of our favourite vintage sellers, Alexander & Rose sells mid-Century, antique pieces that oftentimes have some quirkiness to them. Unique to the rest of the businesses we will feature in this article, Alexander & Rose gets most of its stock through estate management!

The owner & curator, Zach, left the hospitality industry to work at his mom’s Estate Management company and became exposed to all the amazing collections through their clients. Now, he spends his days treasure seeking, buying and curating classic elements to sell directly through Alexander & Rose’s Instagram and at markets!

Thrift Sister

Price range: $

Just like the name sounds, Thrift Sister is run by two thrifty sisters who have an eye for thrifted items. Though a lot of their stock is vintage clothing (which you should totally check out), they often carry dinnerware, artwork and teak decor and accessories that will amp your bookcase up a notch.

Thrift Sister doesn’t have a storefront or a website (yet), however they often do pop-ups around the city. Give them a follow on Instagram to see their upcoming schedule!

Dom Deco

Price range: $$$

Dom Deco is a mid-Century modern dream. Located at 8213 56 Street and open by appointment only (for the time being), you will find high-end refinished furniture, cameras, books, barware, glassware and home decor.

What makes Dom Deco different are two things. First, if you have something on your wishlist, you can contact them with photos and dimensions and they will be on the lookout for your perfect match. Secondly, Dom Deco refinishes and repairs antique furniture, too! Their pricing is transparent and listed on their website.

Find Edmonton

Price range: $

Find is a social enterprise with two goals: providing essential furnishings free of charge to individuals and families who are moving out of homelessness, and supplying low-cost, quality furniture and housewares for sale to the public. Isn’t that cool?

You can shop Find through its online website or by going in person to its storefront. We definitely recommend giving Find a follow on Instagram because they have daily posts to their stories to introduce some of their newest stock!

Mission Thrift Store

Price range: $

Hope Mission is a volunteer-driven, non-denominational Christian organization that currently operates more than 50 thrift stores across Canada.

Though you are not likely to find a lot of big furniture items at the Mission Thrift Store, you will definitely be able to buy a lot of home decor and kitchen items there.

Consign Design Furniture & Decor

Price range: $$$

Long time local couple behind Consign Design, Lynne and John, are extremely passionate about design, fashion, furniture, and local business. Thus the birth of Consign Design, an Edmonton-based furniture and decor hub. Consign Design provides previously loved furniture and decor for Edmontonians who are conscious buyers who want one-of-a-kid pieces that are sustainable and cool!

What’s more—you can consign items of your own through them, to. All you need to do is send them a message to get started! If your item is a good fit for their inventory, Consign Design will sell on your behalf.

Lightly Loved

Price range: $$

Though Lightly Loved is based out of Stony Plain, the ~45 minute commute to pick up your items is always worth the drive. With a focus on bigger antique furniture items like bookshelves, lighting, dressers, tables and chairs, you will likely be able to furnish your entire home in a jiffy. 

You can shop Lightly Loved directly through their Instagram posts, or you can use the hashtag #shoplightlyloved to see which items are still available, since items tend to sell quickly! 

Bex Vintage

Price range: $$$

Bex Vintage sources unique vintage and mid Century home furnishings within Calgary and throughout Alberta. The company refinishes vintage furniture & decor to give them a second life another 50 years. 

Unlike any of the other companies featured in this article, Bex Vintage sells rugs in addition to other larger furniture items! Vintage rugs are often so hard to find, so be sure to keep an eye out for Bex Vintage’s beautiful retro, persian and imperial-style rugs.

More Than A Fad

Price range: $

We like More Than A Fad so much that we are featuring them for a second time! More Than A Fad is a thrift store in Edmonton raising funds for women in addiction recovery at Adeara Recovery Centre. As a women-owned business ourselves, we love More Than A Fad’s mission and enjoy supporting them.

You can thrift a variety of items from this store, but the Southside location is its biggest store that carries a lot of larger furniture items such as dressers, couches, mirrors, wall decor and filing cabinets. The items are not always Mid Century, but a fixer-upper piece can be fun to transform yourself!

Aside from furniture, More Than A Fad sells a lot of clothing—sometimes they even have a “fill your bag for $25” deal!

Brassy Beehive

Price range: $$$

Brassy Beehive sells Mid Century Modern & Vintage items in Edmonton. You can find high quality furniture, lighting, houseware, art, decor, toys, jewelry and more directly through their website or Instagram!

You can truly find anything you are looking for through Brassy Beehive. Though at the top of our pricing scale, the pieces this company sells are one-of-a-kind and will last a lifetime.

Facebook Marketplace

Price range: Open

The holy grail of secondhand shopping—Facebook Marketplace. We don’t even have to link it because we already know you all have a Facebook account!

The beauty of Facebook Marketplace is the algorithm. If you search “antique dresser” once, you will continue to see new posts of items with similar descriptions each day. Additionally, the algorithm easily learns what kind of products you would be likely to be interested in, and it even shows “Today’s Picks”—a curated selection of new items each day that you can shop through.