Among the current trends in remodeling and new-home construction are supercharged laundry rooms. Gone are the days when this room was overtly utilitarian, used for the sole purpose of housing the clothes washer and dryer. Today’s laundry rooms are multitasking zones that help the homeowner stay on top of chores such as pet grooming, garden […]
craftsmanship
Posted inAround West Sound
Joe Gates Construction — Remodelers with a flair for making the impossible, probable!
For more than a decade, WestSound Magazine has been featuring some of the best local home and garden professionals who can help your dream project — or just take some maintenance to-do work off your hands. Now, we’re adding one more dimension, launching a new series that will occasionally spotlight local home builders and designers. […]
Posted inHome
Grandma’s House — Part of a New Beginning
A few years ago, Deb Ross decided it was time to begin a new chapter in her life. Her husband had died, leaving her with a home on acreage that she lovingly dubs “the farmhouse.” That home was filled with memories of a long and happy marriage but now the children were grown, establishing lives […]
Posted inAt Home
‘Shedding’ Light on a New Trend in Building
As a kid in the 1970s, I remember all my neighbors having those cheesy, metal sheds with a barn-style roof in the backyard. Yes, one of those where they kept all the Christmas stuff, the lawnmower — you name it. They were patently unattractive, rusted and dented easily, and the doors didn’t close. They were […]
Posted inPeople & Places
The Art and Science of Phoenix Design South’s Etched Glass
Around Belfair, it’s still called Hippie Hill Community. Some old friends and the price of the land drew glass artist Randy Calm and his wife, Cathy, from Chicago to Hippie Hill nearly 47 years ago. Then, there were 13 homesteading families and no electricity. The couple lived in a teepee while hand-building their house with […]
Posted inHome
The Garden and Home of Joanne and Chuck Little
The heart of this story started 33 years ago with a young couple who fell in love with the expansive water and Olympic Mountain views from a 2-acre property on Bainbridge Island. Chuck and Joanne Little turned it from a summer home into a rental while they remained on the other side of the Sound. […]
Posted inHome
Kitchens Galore
With elements like Wi-Fi-connected appliances, intelligent food devices and new cooking methods, the kitchen has a lot of potential in the tech world. Even with all of the technology, a new kitchen still has to take into account the finishes and materials that will stay on trend for years to come. An Artisan Redesign Accommodates […]
Posted inHome
Art in Residence
When it comes to interior design, Diana Bennett Wirtz Kingsley wrote the book. Really. An artist and holder of a master’s degree in interior design, Kingsley authored “Hand Drafting for Interior Design” during her years of teaching at the Art Institute of Seattle. The book is a popular text in a hundred colleges across the […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Where Does Art Go?
Disposing of art is a sensitive subject. Having too much “stuff” can be quite a dilemma — but having too much art, unwanted art or art that doesn’t fit the décor is really a dilemma, because just the word “art” connotes a certain reverence. The “Got Stuff” article in the last issue did not include […]