Every once in a while, a garden captures our hearts. Visitors want to linger, spirits are lifted, imaginations awaken. The smallest of gardens can make an enormous impact. What is that extra ingredient that transforms an ordinary landscape into an extraordinary one? Gardens … read more

A walk through Lisa and Glenn Eastep’s garden makes it clear that creative minds are at work here — from the clipped gables and rolled-edge roof of the cottage-style home they designed to the inviting, arched entry gate and the foliage colors that … read more

The arrival of an AARP invitation in the mail can be a trigger that sends a person off like the proverbial dog looking for its forever home. It may come as a shock —”What?! I’m nowhere near old enough for retirement!” — but … read more

In the real estate market, springtime is go time. It’s the busiest time of the year for home sales, and with this year’s stable economy and low unemployment rate, the spring of 2018 has the potential to be especially active. Every market is … read more

Stepping into the foyer of Brian and Holly Jacobsen’s home and looking into the great room, one is struck by the amazing light flooding through the massive expanse of windows that face the water. White millwork and a well-chosen monochromatic color scheme of … read more

Trends in home design for 2018 run the gamut from simple and strong to stunning and dramatic. Just like in fashion trends, there are always hot new colors and styles — and it’s tempting to feel like you need to revitalize your home … read more

A recent survey found that the average Americans are stockpiling 23 unnecessary items in their home and 57 percent keep things for sentimental reasons. A third of Americans also procrastinate throwing out items they no longer need. The study of 2,000 people, commissioned … read more

To row single-handedly from Poulsbo to Seattle in a small rowboat requires propelling some 16 nautical miles through a major transportation waterway teeming with ferries, Alaska-bound cruise ships, container vessels and recreational boaters. It also demands navigation of the Ballard Locks, two gates … read more

The fat, fleshy leaves of succulents evoke dry summer heat. Sometimes blushed with rosy hues that hint of a California sunset, their closely held forms murmur memories of desert light. During the sodden, short days of Pacific Northwest winters, a tabletop planter of … read more