Portlanders love their old homes. Features like original moldings, millwork, built-ins, coved ceilings, covered porches, leaded glass windows, and hardwood floors are irresistible to many homeowners, who will go to great lengths and expense to preserve and restore them. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

A staircase can reveal a lot about a house’s personal history – particularly its age. We’ve all seen those outdated oak staircases, or the staircase hemmed in by half-walls. A dated staircase can be a turn-off for a would-be homebuyer, or seem too costly a project for a homeowner. This may be why homeowners tend to overlook the staircase when doing home improvements. However, if a staircase is a prominent feature in the home it is well worth considering an update. This is just a preview...Read... more

Tucked away on a quiet side street in a peaceful neighborhood in north Portland is a small business on an oversized lot. It boasts one really big garden. A design studio. And a nursery. There’s also a client base that travels up the west coast to buy plants and order custom woodwork. This enterprise is called Bamboo Craftsman, and the company has grown its reputation largely through word-of-mouth, charming designs, and the owner’s business savvy. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

When Ian Fleming said, “beauty is a question of millimeters,” he wasn’t talking about bathroom remodels. But when it comes to the small bathrooms typical of most homes, beauty and function is sometimes a question of millimeters. So when you renovate, you want to be mindful of the details. If you get them right, you can transform a cramped bathroom into an appealing, high-functioning, and spacious part of your home without adding a single foot to the existing room dimensions. This is just a... more

Everyone has had to deal with a transition at some point in his or her home. I’m not talking about a transition to a new job or from young age to older. I’m talking about flooring transitions that adjoin different types of floor coverings. You know, the big strip of wood that constantly trips people as they walk from the kitchen to the dining room. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

If you’re a parent or a parent-to-be, it’s inevitable that at some point you’ll want to enjoy a glass of pinot with friends in a living room cleared of LEGOs and My Little Ponies. Balancing the needs of children and adults is challenging throughout parenthood, and making changes to your house to accommodate a growing family is no exception. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Wow! That’s what all of us long to hear and feel about our decor, be our home small or grand or somewhere in between. And the good news is that goal is easily accomplished. All it takes is putting aside our fear of color (especially in the Pacific Northwest, where taupe passes for a jewel tone) and the knowledge that little things loom large. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Once upon a time the kitchen was a room only for servants. In fact in many homes, the kitchen was not even part of the main house. With the rise of the middle class, the kitchen moved into the home, but was still reserved for the servant, now called the “little woman.” Jumping a few decades and the ERA: When “the little woman” went to work and both mom and dad started sharing in the kitchen duties, the new kitchen appeared. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →