Skändia Design and Remodeling is a design/build firm that works throughout the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area. Established by Paul Olson in 1993, Skändia has enjoyed 11 years of making friends while remodeling their homes. Although the name “Skändia” implies a distinctive Scandinavian style, the truth be told, Skändia Design works on projects of every style and description. Paul Olson says, “By choosing... more

“Cabinetry is the core essence of design,” says Julie DeJardin, kitchen designer and owner of DeJardin Designs of Portland, OR. As the sole support of countertops, backsplash, appliances, and dishes, the functionality and finish of these basic boxes determine whether a remodel is successful. Today’s trend is a wood-clad kitchen, where major appliances are sheathed in wood, creating an unbroken expanse of color and grain. Cherry is still popular, but staining or painting it dark brown is gaining... more

“There was a day when people were afraid to put an unusual countertop in their kitchen,” says Julie DeJardin, owner of DeJardin Designs. “But now it’s common to use wood, soapstone, granite, marble, or limestone.” Mixed countertop with stainless steel and granite. Watch for: Engineered stone products made out of quartz, granite particulates, and resin. Unlike the natural flaws in granite and marble, these slabs... more

“Architecture is rigid, our lives are not,” says Paul Scardina, owner of Paolo Design Group of Portland, OR. For the past decade, Scardina has been creating custom islands for loft owners in the Pearl District and in the city’s old-style homes. Photo courtesy of Paolo Design Group “Space needs to be fluid, like our lives,” he adds, noting that space is getting smaller and more expensive simultaneously. “There... more

The bungalow is perhaps the most common house style in Portland’s pre-World War II neighborhoods. The first American- style bungalows were built in and around Pasadena, CA about 1900. Portland saw its first bungalows constructed five years later. It quickly became a national style (indeed the national style) peaking in the decade 1905 to 1915. This period was a boom era for Portland, following close on the... more

Second in a two-part series. Part One: Baths Aging-in-place kitchen designs promote self-sufficiency and safety for seniors. Planning a kitchen remodel? Before you get started, ask yourself, “How can traffic flow be improved?” This is your opportunity to change how the space is used and also to increase safety. According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, top kitchen accidents include burns, scalds, and falls. Today’s... more

The bad news is that indoor radon threatens the health of many Portland-area residents. Any home — old, new, with or without a basement or crawlspace — may harbor dangerous concentrations of radon. The good news is that testing for radon is simple and inexpensive and reducing indoor radon to safer concentrations is affordable. Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, can concentrate inside buildings. ... more

Long before we were born, magnificent forests covered much of the Pacific Northwest, along with other plant communities, including prairies, coastal plains, and peat bogs. But since it’s virtually impossible to restore the original forest or bog in a garden, is it really important to add native plants, especially when you have a passion for non-natives? Well, yes and no. It depends… Fringecup Maidenhair Native... more