Shrinking polar ice caps, rising sea levels, ever-riskier oil and gas extraction — how, as responsible home dwellers and builders can we respond to these problems? Certainly we reclaim and recycle materials and strive to meet green building standards like LEED to make careful materials choices for our homes. But what can we do to ensure that our living spaces are embedded in sustainable patterns of community life? And how, as we emerge from recession, can we also sustain ourselves and our local... more

One of my biggest pet peeves is when professional designers use “Modern” and “Contemporary” interchangeably. In fact; they are two completely different design styles. Modern: 1935 to 1985 It is commonly believed that Modernism grew as a reaction to the “lavish stylistic excesses of the Victorian Era and Edwardian Art Nouveau” periods. This is the movement of “form follows function” and the house as “a machine for living in.” This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Like a wise frog once said, “It isn’t easy being green …” But it’s getting easier. As more and more homeowners demand safer, higher quality, and renewably produced or sourced products in their homes, manufacturers will develop and offer them. Just like we’re seeing more alternate energy vehicles on the road, so too will we see more household furnishings and cabinetry built with no-added-formaldehyde plywood and FSC-certified or reclaimed wood. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

If you’ve ever noticed two louvered vents stacked on the exterior of an old house, they were probably vents to a California cooler. These nifty architectural details are often associated with Craftsman Bungalow kitchens, but actually were quite common in kitchens of many different architectural styles built mostly between the early 1900s and the 1930s. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

I’ve been thinking about scented plants and how to incorporate them into your garden. Maybe you don’t even have a garden and perhaps only room for a pot? You could have a scented garden in a pot. What a great idea! Lavender This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

The inside of your home may not be as healthy as you think. Recent facts suggest that we as a population, especially children, are sicker today than ever before, with more instances of asthma, leukemia and autism. These statistics are even higher among low-income families. Although other factors including diet and exercise contribute to these problems, consumers need to be more aware of the materials and products they have in their homes. The following ten home features can influence the health of... more

In case you have not noticed, there is a race going on in the toilet industry. Over 20 years ago the low flush (1.6 gallons) toilet became the standard and low flush also became synonymous with poor performance. Every toilet needed a plunger to help it along because the manufacturers didn’t know how to make them work without the 3.5 gallons of water they were used to working with. About 10 years ago Toto, a Japanese company, began selling toilets that outperformed all the other low flush toilets.... more

On July 1, 2010 it became more convenient to turn in leftover oil and latex house paint. A network of permanent collection sites was established by PaintCare, the non-profit formed by the American Coatings Association, an industry group representing paint and coatings manufacturers, raw materials suppliers, distributors, and technical professionals. The sites are open to both do-it-yourself and professional painters. There is no charge to turn in paint covered by the program. This is just a preview...Read... more