This home grew from humble beginnings. The lady of the manor says her husband is a man of vision who has infinite energy from his excitement about life. They began their marriage in a tiny, 750-square-foot home in Puyallup, with the garage serving as the man’s office. Their first son was brought home to this […]
Suzanne O'Clair
Gardening in Poulsbo, Suzanne O'Clair is a freelance writer and columnist for Kitsap Week Magazine. She was an ASID interior designer for many years in Denver. She holds a master's degree in applied communication. Semi-retired, she owns and operates O Stars Above and delights in creating beaded and embroidered jewelry.
Holidays in the ‘Hood
Alderbrook Resort & Spa is a gem of hospitality set on the south shore of Hood Canal right here in our neighborhood. Special occasions or simple afternoons on the canal remind us of the splendor of our ‘hood. Once you discover Alderbrook, you — like your neighbors in the know — will look for opportunities […]
A Northwest Tiki Getaway
Wendy and Carl Tonge were locked down, isolated and staring into an evergreen forest in March 2020 on their tiny side porch. They sat in two reed chairs under a sign from Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Bar that says Trader Sam’s, reminiscing about another favorite tiki bar they visit whenever on Kauai. Clearly, they were not […]
McCabe By Design — Function Has Its Own Beauty
A meeting with Molly McCabe is an encounter with a force of nature tucked into an energetic woman, dressed in jeans and comfy shoes and trailed by Miss Mara, her English spaniel. The clarity of her thought is like the renewal of a cold dive into a mountain pond. It knocks out the cluttering nonsense […]
Setting the Stage for Life
Tiffany Gilmore and her son, Gracin, a 19-year-old, lived in northern and then southern California before returning to the Northwest. She trained in production design in the storytelling industry of films and worked on student projects. Her specific job was “dressing the stage.” What an education that proved to be in building this home. Before […]
The Garden Conservancy Open Day Tours
It could be argued that in the Pacific Northwest, gardening-mania far surpasses baseball as the favorite sport. With the help of April showers, June gardens are primped, pruned and ready for ohs! and ahs! as garden tour season begins. Knowledgeable gardeners anticipate The Garden Conservancy Open Days, which grants unprecedented access to private gardens. Open […]
Rejuvenating the Past
Joanne Peterson and her bernedoodle, Winne, stand in the welcoming front door of her Nantucket-style cottage: a simple, snug home with a shingled exterior built to withstand weather coming in off the inlet. Memories of quintessential waterside cottages flood in when stepping into her living room. Natural materials and an understated architecture with a classic […]
An Illuminated Lifestyle
Depending on where a person falls in the generational lineup, the idea of an automated home may be as reasonable as apps are to the millennials or as startling as the concept was in 1962, when first introduced to the boomers on the black-and-white animated show “Meet the Jetsons.” Technology has crept into homes and […]
A Sparkling View Inspires a Clear Vision
Even though Julia and Dennis Carpenter took on all aspects of the interior architecture and design, they loved the building process. Yes, there were a multitude of details and ongoing decisions, but they had skills and time. Stepping into the Carpenters’ home demands a moment. There are no words in the face of the intimate […]

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