During the last few years, Gig Harbor has grown from a relatively quiet little town to a shopping and dining destination — it’s almost hard to recognize the former sleepy fishing village, even from a decade ago. As the dining scene has exploded with choices — and some restaurants have come and gone — several […]
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Posted inAt Home, Blog
Make Your Winter Party POP
As your winter schedule is sure to be packed with gatherings that bring family and friends closer, have plenty of treats that are gentle on the waist and wallet. Sweet, spicy, salty or with an Asian twist — any way you pop it — popcorn is a satisfying snack suitable for every chilly weather occasion. […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
A Steep Slope Is Turned Into a Garden Paradise
When Rudell and Jay Hegnes moved into their Gig Harbor home in 2004, they faced a steep bank across their backyard and soggy clay soil that wouldn’t drain. Most homeowners would have considered the hill an obstacle in their landscaping plans. “We knew the steep bank could be an asset by adding top soil and […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
A Boost of Winter Color and Fragrance
After taking down the Christmas lights and all the bling is gone, January looks cold, dark and gray. Depressing. Does it have to be this way? Not if you plant a garden that looks good even during the coldest days of the year. Winter is a time to celebrate a quiet place, when the garden […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
A Garden for Tea
Tea time will stop business in some cultures; it can also conjure up images of romantic and floriferous parties or bring warm relaxation to a cold winter day. Tea… Is it a ritual, an herb or a beverage? Technically, tea is the plant Camellia sinensis. Varieties of true tea plants are not cultivated in many […]
Posted inFeatured, Home
Hiring a Professional Designer Can Be Money Well Spent
Despite the downturn in the national and local economy, remodeling of existing homes is on the rise. This is due, in part, to the fact that the average age of homes in our area is well over 30 years old, coupled with the trend that homeowners are shifting their focus from “trading up” to new […]
Posted inFeatured, Home
Knickknacks — The Little Treasures
“They should be outlawed,” said Pat Barber, a longtime volunteer at Faith in Action Thrift Shop. “First, a ceramic dolphin, then two, then friends were gifting me dolphins and it became a dusting nightmare.” The Belfair thrift shop is one of my project locations. Subject being knickknacks. Nothing like a knickknack. Everyone has them — […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Renovating a Collector’s Garden
This isn’t about the design of a new garden; this is all about an existing one. As the garden ever changes, much can be said about how it grows and develops character. Then there are the spaces that do not age gracefully; the overhaul of a garden is a different approach than the construction approach […]
Posted inHome
Mad About Mudrooms
Picture your kitchen counter. Is it a dumping ground for mail, backpacks, briefcases, coupons and family messages that usually get lost in the shuffle? Do you yearn for a serene, organized location to store frequently used items, house grubby shoes and to act as a go-between for your home and the outside world? The solution […]