Painting colors in your period home’s interior should be an exciting adventure. After all, the reason we paint our living spaces is to create an atmosphere that feels comfortable, relaxing, and results in an environment that says something about us. If we didn’t, we could simply paint our homes institutional white and be happy. Choosing colors that are personal to us is challenging enough, but the challenge takes on greater significance when we are dealing with a period home. This is just a... more

I have been recently revisiting the “Green Plumbing” theme, and found that the term “green” has many different definitions. The most important is finding that definition for the homeowner. Is conserving water your concern? Saving energy? Are you looking to reclaim rainwater? Maybe the term “green plumbing” has more to do with how you water your lawn and gardens. Maybe the homeowner wants to pack all of these concerns together. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Flavorful foods, fantastic flowers, and fertile soil are yours for the making this fall. And you don’t have to do all of the work. Nature is ready to help you grow a great garden that’s safe for people, pets, and wildlife. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Photos by Jack Bookwalter Downtown Portland has a wealth of beautiful terra cotta commercial buildings, most dating from the first three decades of the 20th century. A number of factors came together in this period to produce this abundance of terra cotta in our city. First of all, the invention of the elevator and steel framing allowed buildings to be built much higher than had ever been possible before. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Most gardeners I know have an area in their garden that makes them want to pull their hair out. But of all the questions I get, the one I hear the most is “What do I do with all this shade?” This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

A set of construction drawings does not simply show room layouts, dimensions, etc. It documents decisions made by you and your architect. It communicates the big decisions such as which walls get demolished, the shape of the addition, and the location of doors and windows. It also can convey smaller decisions like cabinet hardware, trim profile, and light fixture selections. All of these decisions are necessary for the builder to complete the construction, but not all of these decisions need to be... more

If you’re looking at building green, the options can be confusing. In the Northwest alone, there are multiple green building programs for new homes, green rating systems for new homes and remodels, energy efficiency standards, and beneficial new technologies and equipment to consider. Earth Advantage Institute's display house featuring products and building materials. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Greek Revival was the dominant house style in America from 1820 until some time after the Civil War (1861-1865). Elements of Greek Revival design, however, persisted through the Victorian era and into the 20th century. Because the young state of Oregon was sparsely settled in the mid-19th century, comparatively few Greek Revival houses were constructed here. Yet surprisingly many have survived intact to the present day, most notably in the smaller towns and rural areas of the state. This is just... more