My time in the garden is often solitary, but as I focus on a task, my head is filled with whispers. The conversation comes, unbidden — triggered by a sound, a scent or a flower. The garden is where I reconnect with people dear to me and sometimes long gone. Whenever I see the grapes […]
décor
Posted inPeople & Places
On the Lookout for the ‘Wow Factor’ at The Garden Room
Brightly colored Adirondack chairs placed on the sidewalk outside raise the curiosity and beckon passersby to step inside The Garden Room, a seasonal home-décor shop nestled in Gig Harbor’s “Uptown” shopping village. Window displays and inside vignettes offer breathtaking possibilities for dressing one’s home in the latest florals, accessories and trinkets. Displays are constantly in […]
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 inAt Home
Extend Your Living Space with an Outdoor Kitchen
Outdoor spaces can offer a lot of extra living space in the warmer months of the year in the Pacific Northwest. Outdoor kitchens, from simple to spectacular, give you a new way to entertain and enjoy your home. It is important to think about how you cook and entertain, so you can refine your wants […]
Posted inThe Home
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 inAt Home
One Thing You May Forget to Do with Your Programmable Thermostat
Programmable thermostats are designed to help manage energy use, but most of the U.S. households with these controls do not choose to program their thermostats, according to a bulletin by the Information courtesy Energy Information Administration. Based on information collected through EIA’s Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) for 2015, only 12 percent of the nation’s 118 million […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
Canal Cookout an Adventure Outside the (Culinary) Box
Named by Forbes Traveler magazine one of the “prettiest towns” in America, Union appeals to summer vacationers and visitors alike. The breathtaking views, natural beauty, slow pace and recreational activities more than compensate for the off-the-beaten-path destination. But Lisa Leggett sees more than small-town charm. “There’s this certain style — I call it canal style,” […]
Posted inThe Garden
A True Cottage Garden ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’
High school sweethearts Marion and Steve Ekberg were born and raised in the Tacoma area, spending childhoods in the woods of Minter Creek and Fox Island. In 1972, they were house hunting, looking for a place to call home and raise a family, when they discovered an old house on about 2 acres on a […]
Posted inThe Home
Creative Tablescape Competition Winners 2017
This year, WestSound Magazine magazine received an abundance of creative tablescapes. The choices were all wonderful — but our tablescape judges, Linna Lawrence and Tami Blacknall, made the difficult decisions! Thank you to all who took the time to submit their tablescapes. And thank you to our judges for their time and expertise. Congratulations to […]