Old house lovers in Portland, OR might be surprised to learn that many of the city’s most charming early 20th century homes are actually built of concrete. Houses built of concrete block often masquerade as stone, while houses built of continuous-pour concrete are often mistaken for stucco. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

People who love the charm and character of old Portland homes don’t have to deal with high heating bills and drafty bedrooms forever. Many energy efficient upgrades can make a tremendous change in your comfort, safety, and utility cost. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

A custom-designed daybed makes room for sewing and crafts by day and rolls out to provide a queen-size bed by night. The above photo shows the bed closed The under-sized entry into the attic space was moved and incorporated as a cabinet door (far left) into the entertainment center, which now commits the room to a new statement and purpose. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

This issue’s musings ponders how to be sure a contractor’s competitive bid is fair, accurate, and complete. Not only is comparing apples to apples important, getting to the apple core is equally essential. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

When you own a vintage home, you know what you love about it. It’s the ornate woodwork, ornamental trim, pocket doors, moldings, high ceilings, and vintage fixtures. You also know what you don’t love about it: those small closets, creaky pipes, and poor insulation. But those are mere annoyances, and, like the character quirks of your favorite elderly aunt, they only endear the house to you more. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

I drive around a lot. Needless to say, I find myself looking at a lot of yards while I am out and about. And there it is: the ever present lawn. I know, I know; your neighbor has it, their neighbor has it. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Wet basements are the bane of many homes, especially older ones. Moisture in a basement can breed ruinous mold and mildew, impart a musty odor to storage items, and render valuable square footage unusable. This is just a preview...Read the rest... Read More →

Have you ever noticed how the sound of running water gets your attention? I have a water feature in my front yard that you can hear from the street and I’ve noticed how people walking by actually stop and say, “Do you hear that?” It is so soothing and inviting. When I bought my house it had a huge pond in the front, complete with a waterfall — except for the fact that it didn’t work nor was it likely to in the near future. We spent years trying to get it working and no matter what we did,... more