Recent Articles
Outdoor Offices: 5 Essential Elements For Enjoyment & Success
Last week, Steffani Cameron talked about the 21st century shift that has shown more and more of us who work from home, with a few examples of stylish home offices set outdoors, or in outbuildings. And even before that, Anabelle Bernard Fournier wrote about her own experience … Read More
Difficult Gardening Conditions and What To Do About Them
Not everyone has a nice level yard with great soil, ample water and sun for a lush flowerbed. If you consider that all plants we grow in our yards originally came from the wild, then you will realize you can find plants for your difficult conditions. Too much shade Don’t … Read More
Bored by your Boards? Upcycling Skate & Snowboards
Snowboards and skateboards are built to withstand abuse from a pretty tough demographic, namely teenagers and extreme-sport enthusiasts. Like everything these days, the technology behind these high-performance board sports is worlds away from where it began just a few decades … Read More
Modern Office Sheds for Today’s Work-at-Home World
The new world order has more people working for themselves, or at least working from home, than ever before. I know, because I'm one of them. When the Olympics hit Vancouver in 2010, anyone working downtown was encouraged by the government to consider telecommuting. My office … Read More
The Great Pieces of Furniture in Art
So, many readers of this blog may not know that I actually hold a graduate degree in literature. I've always had a keen interest for books, but also for art and, more recently, for movies. As I write my posts for this blog, I often start thinking about important pieces of furniture … Read More
Doors and Color: What Emotion Does Yours Evoke?
As it has been established here for many years, I really love doors. There's just something about them that I've always found to be incredibly artful. I love the beveled design and patterning in doors. And I love that they include various materials all in one place to define … Read More
Upcyling and Recycling Ideas For Home Decor
'Stylish' and 'Expensive' often go hand in hand. But, that's certainly not true all the time. The key currency in good design is in the potential of what's around at the time. That's why in the 21st century, homeowners and designers are beginning to make up their own rules about … Read More
Vertical Growing for Small Garden Spaces
Every yard can have a garden, even the smallest balcony, deck, entryway or patio. One way to have as many plants as you can fit in your space is to grow UP. If you want ornamentals or food or both, it can be done with a little planning and imagination. The basic vertical support … Read More
How a 2,000-Year-Old Village Outlasted a Killer 8.0 Earthquake
On May 12th, 2008, a devastating 8.0 earthquake in Wenchuan County laid waste to China’s Sichuan Province, leaving more than 87,000 people missing or dead. With shocks felt more than 1,100 miles away in Beijing, between 5 million and 11 million people were left homeless, … Read More
Sunday Dishes and Old Church Pews: A Story
I grew up in a very conservative Southern Baptist household. My grandmother was the one who ruled the roost when it came to our spiritual enlightenment. She was the church-goer who made it to every baptism, revival and church supper. My grandfather presented his faith in quite … Read More
Trends
The Great Pieces of Furniture in Art
So, many readers of this blog may not know that I actually hold a graduate degree in literature. I've always had a keen interest for books, but also for art and, more recently, for movies. As I write my posts for this blog, I often start thinking about important pieces of furniture … Read More
Upcyling and Recycling Ideas For Home Decor
'Stylish' and 'Expensive' often go hand in hand. But, that's certainly not true all the time. The key currency in good design is in the potential of what's around at the time. That's why in the 21st century, homeowners and designers are beginning to make up their own rules about … Read More
How a 2,000-Year-Old Village Outlasted a Killer 8.0 Earthquake
On May 12th, 2008, a devastating 8.0 earthquake in Wenchuan County laid waste to China’s Sichuan Province, leaving more than 87,000 people missing or dead. With shocks felt more than 1,100 miles away in Beijing, between 5 million and 11 million people were left homeless, … Read More
How To
Bedroom Makeovers for $500 or Less
Bedrooms are where we dream, wake to face the day, retreat when the world’s beat us up a bit, and where we heal when we’re sick or injured. It’s an important place that people often tend to neglect. Instead, it's a place we sleep, and a door we have to close before visitors … Read More
Garden Design for Small Spaces
By now, most people in the northern hemisphere are digging in their yards to make their environments beautiful for summer. Garden design is challenging whether you have an acre or a few hundred square feet, but smaller spaces seem to be especially so. It's easy to get intimidated … Read More
From Martha’s Kitchen: Layout & Design Tips
In a dream parallel universe, I would’ve actually interviewed Martha Stewart for this piece, but instead I’ve mined the Internets for the queen of domesticity’s best advice on how to maximize your kitchen’s design potential. Over the years, Martha Stewart estimates … Read More
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