If you are attracted to the idea of vegetable or herb gardening, a raised bed is a great way to start. This is a great project to get the kids involved. They can choose the herbs, vegetables, or even strawberries to have a garden of their own. Your family can choose a theme such as a pizza or taco garden: planting tomatoes, basil, tomatillas, peppers, cilantro, onions, and more. With this design the bed is easy to break-down and move, no parts to lose, and is perfect for a temporary location. ... more

When you want to buy a five-gallon bucket or one can of paint you want to buy a bucket or a can of paint. You don’t want to get in the wrong line behind a trailer of rotting yard debris; you don’t want to maneuver around multi-ton garbage trucks. After producing and selling recycled latex paint from its Oregon City garbage transfer station for 13 years, MetroPaint has moved to its own Swan Island facility.... more

It’s All About You There, you can finally admit it, and go about spending upwards of $10,000 on a bathroom overhaul. Manufacturers such as Kohler, American Standard, Moen, and Delta want you to believe that every minute you spend on your morning ablutions should occur in a palatial, spa-like setting where beauty is mirrored at every turn and no one is yelling outside the door, “Are you almost done?” In... more

If you’re converting the attic of a four-square or creating an entertainment space in the basement of a bungalow, you already know that installing a kitchen or bath with conventional plumbing can be costly, and digging up the floor to make drainage connections can be a real mess. Here’s something you may not know: Regardless of the type of home you’re renovating, above-floor plumbing (macerating technology), gives... more

Imagine yourself at a vintage car show, admiring a 1957 Corvette convertible. The proud owner of the car says three words: “It’s all original.” That statement creates the desire to have that car — and it works the same way if you’re buying an older home, explains Diane Ingalls, a realtor with the Meadows Group. Continuing the analogy, she says: “If that same car were to have a Buick grill and a hood ornament... more

A building so ugly, neighbors avoided walking past it. A building so dark and run-down the executive director’s manicurist said, “Well, I’d be afraid to go in there.” When Sherry Burbach became executive director of the Community Energy Project (CEP) in September 2004, she covered her eyes to avoid seeing the cracked and pitted dirty gray stucco facade as she walked inside. Built as a garage at 422... more

Japanese design and culture have longed played a role in the shaping of American domestic architecture. In Portland, this influence is most often seen in early 20th century styles such as Prairie, Bungalow/Craftsman, and American Four-Square. The history of Japanese settlement in Oregon goes back almost as far as that of Europeans in Oregon. The first Japanese settler in Multnomah County ... more

It is easier than ever to find building products considered “green,” or environmentally friendly, which are also attractive and affordable. When choosing such products you can determine if a material is green by reviewing Material Safety Data Sheets for the absence of dangerous chemicals, consulting a knowledgeable designer, or by asking the salespeople at green building material retail outlets. In addition, look for third-party certifications, such as “Green Seal” on paint and cleaning products... more