Have you ever noticed how the sound of running water gets your attention? I have a water feature in my front yard that you can hear from the street and I’ve noticed how people walking by actually stop and say, “Do you hear that?” It is so soothing and inviting. When I bought my house it had a huge pond in the front, complete with a waterfall — except for the fact that it didn’t work nor was it likely to in the near future. We spent years trying to get it working and no matter what we did,... more

Several times a month we have customers through the shop with a common frustration. Somewhere in their old home they have a new door or doors with modern hardware. They want to replace the modern hardware with something keeping with the age of the home, but have found that old hardware seems to be incompatible with the newer door. We hear the same lament from owners of newer houses that are trying to add some “old world” character to their home. Left; mortise lock, above; tube latch and square... more

One of Portland’s most successful restorations in the past decade has been the Signal Gas Station in the St. Johns neighborhood. About nine years ago, developer Rob Phillips, owner of Renovation Properties, had been searching for an antique gas station to restore. A classic car enthusiast as well as historic building contractor, Phillips wanted to create a completely authentic backdrop to showcase his and other’s antique automobiles. When a many-times remodeled St. Johns florist shop came on... more

For this how-to we are using limited installation guidelines and photos for a Laurelhurst Fan. If installing a Laurelhurst Fan, a more custom installation brochure comes with the fan. We would like to thank the owners of the Laurelhurst Fan Company for providing this information. This basic overview should work with many wall mounted exhaust fans. Every fan has its own characteristics so check with the installation guide that came with your fan before attempting any installation. Safety Precautions There... more