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 →

In the fall, what home cook doesn’t feel a yen to bake? With the cooling weather, we’re eager to fire up the oven, smell the spice of pies, and bite into still-warm cookies. While baking offers the sensory delights of kneading dough and browning crusts, working in an efficient, functional, and attractive kitchen is the real icing on the cake. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Think back on some memorable moments in your home from the past 10 or so years. Chances are many of them have been in your kitchen. In mine, I’ve not only cooked, eaten, and entertained, I have made my first candles, had pivotal conversations with my daughter, and watched our border collie pup delight in her first Thanksgiving turkey (“Look, Ma, I can reach the counter!”). This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

There is a broad spectrum of appropriate trim colors for historic homes, but white is one of the most common and difficult to select. Finding the right white to paint the interior trim of your home can be a daunting task. Instead of making the choice easy, there is a staggering palette of whites available that cause confusion and indecision and make it difficult to choose the right shade. After all, what is historic “white”? A bit of knowledge concerning the history of white paint and trends... more

When it comes to favored architectural styles for old Portland homes, the Cape Cod doesn’t have the cachet of its Craftsman cousin. However, homebuyers Carolyn and Bret Winkler weren’t put off by the unassuming exterior or unappealing kitchen of the 1947 northeast Cape Cod. “We liked the space, the neighborhood, and above all, the price… we were prepared to look past the lack of obvious curb appeal,” Bret says. “We also saw past the ugly-duckling kitchen — literally, it had duck... more