We are fortunate to have been in a strong building economy for the last year, and it appears that it will continue for some time. The downside for consumers is the availability of quality contractors and tradespeople. The economic downturn wreaked havoc on many small local trades and contractors, forcing many out of business or […]
Featured
Featured Articles from the West Sound. These are the highlighted articles from WestSound Magazine.
Posted inThe Outdoors
Interesting Winter Bird Flocks
Pine siskins, American goldfinches and common redpolls are cousins, members of the large finch family. During the winter months, they frequently flock together in the search for food. Flocks of pine siskins can grow into the hundreds at this time. You have to look at them carefully if you want to find a species other […]
Posted inHome
Designing a Forever Home
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 that one little invitation turns the idea of aging into a personal […]
Posted inAt Home
Warming Winter Curry
There are as many different kinds of curries as there are cooks who prepare them. Once the basic sauce is prepared, nearly any combination of vegetables can be combined, meat added if desired, and a nutritious and delicious meal can be on the table in less than a half hour. Curry, which has become a […]
Posted inAt Home
8 Tips for Maximizing Garage Storage
Most people are pressed for garage space, regardless of the size of their house, from DIYers overwhelmed with tools to moms searching for places to store holiday decorations. Toter, a leading manufacturer of carts, cans and containers for use in a wide range of home and work waste management and storage solutions, is offering the […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Ephemeral Flowers for Seasonal Color
Editor’s note: This excerpt was adapted from “The Colorful Dry Garden,” used by permission of Sasquatch Books. The word ephemeral defines anything that lives for just a short time. It’s often used to define annual flowering plants, which grow from seed, mature, flower and set new seed within a single growing season. Annual wildflowers are […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
Do Chocolate and Wine Truly Make a Great Match?
When January arrives, some people are clearing out their pantry and eradicating the last of the Christmas cookies and sweet treats, but others are already looking ahead to the next holiday that wouldn’t be what it is without chocolate: Valentine’s Day. Out of all the holidays, Valentine’s Day is the one near and dear to […]
Posted inAt Home
Top Trends for the 2018 Housing Market
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 defined by its trends, and while each year is different, identifying these […]
Posted inHome
A Home Full of Light and Life
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 soft grays and blues offer a sense of cleanliness, peacefulness and serenity. […]