This year is the 10th anniversary of Build It Green! The tour sparks the imagination, provides resources, and presents green remodeling ideas. Ever since the first event in 2002, approximately 1000 do-it-yourselfers, contractors, students, homeowners, and renters buy tickets every September for the tour. Build It Green! is presented each year by the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. This year’s tour will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2011, from 11 am to 5 pm. Twenty-two... more

One of my favorite things to do at the end of a long day is to relax in a long hot shower. As one who, as a child, was taught the environmental benefits of a “military shower,” the occasional long hot shower is a luxury to me. Unfortunately the long shower sometimes becomes an opportunity to notice just how badly my shower needs to be redone. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Nothing compares to the natural warmth and beauty of wood cabinets, floors, and trim in the home. But over time, dirt build-up, wear and tear, and age-discolored finishes make wood look flat and lifeless. It used to be that once woodwork in the home reached the point where it looked terrible, the options were limited to stripping, sanding, and refinishing, or completely removing and replacing with new. Neither solution is very attractive to anyone mindful of the expense and environmental impact.... more

Yoga helps put my mind and body in tune with my world and balances my life equilibrium. Organized rooms and spaces provide me with a sense of balance, too. What disrupts your equilibrium? Could it be restoring a historic home, remodeling an outdated kitchen, or replacing your carpet with hardwood floors? This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Homeowners Joe and Jane Dvorak had just completed a major renovation of their Portland period home, and while enjoying their “new” home began to think about how to make sure it stayed in great condition even if the unexpected occurred. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

I recently had a customer come into the northeast Hollywood district A-Boy store, sit down at my desk and tell me about his recent remodel and his brand-new high-resolution 240Hz, plasma flat screen TV in his basement. The client then started to tell me about his leaky water heater. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

On average 25% to 50% of energy used in a home goes right out the window — literally. In most homes, windows provide the biggest openings between indoor and outdoor air, and they provide the biggest opportunity for valuable energy to escape. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

In most kitchens, it seems that everything behind the first row in the pantry gets lost and falls into a black hole, never to be found again. Are you always looking for those items you know are there but cannot seem to find? If you want to use your mixer, you have to get on your hands and knees to unbury it. There has to be a better way. There is! This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →