After years of dreaming and planning, you’re ready to remodel your house into the home of your dreams. Before you take the plunge, keep these four important mistakes far away from your project. 1. Not fully researching your remodeler By skipping this step, … read more

When Kathy and Bill Cole bought their Seabeck home more than a decade ago, they knew they would need to remodel sooner rather than later. Built in the 1980s, the home still sported the signature look of the era — shag carpeting, lots … read more

When I was asked to be part of the West Sound Home & Garden’s blog, I was honored and grateful for the opportunity. I’d like to make my contribution a bit less broad-spectrum, and a lot more personal. So I’m going to open … read more

Size, price and features are at the top of the selection criteria when choosing new appliances. However, unlike cooking equipment, refrigerators, dishwashers and clothes washers have two more selection criteria to consider: energy and water efficiency. Size matters. It is important to size … read more

Be it utilitarian or a gastronomic palace, there is one thing that all kitchens have in common — appliances. With the increasingly wide variety of sizes, features and finishes, choosing the right appliances for you and your home can be overwhelming. This first … read more

What a difference a few years make! If I had written this blog back in 2011, I would have been emphasizing the wonderfully low interest rates that made home buying affordable and ignoring the amount of homes that were available. Today, the interest … read more

Updating, renovating or simply frustrated by boredom — pondering plants and garden spaces is something all gardeners do at some point. Gardens grow and change and need editing now and then. Like with many projects, when looking at gardens too long, it is … read more

In this complex and information-laden world, there is a multiplicity of resources that inform color and design directions. More than ever before, it is important to be aware of future trends as consumers are seeking distinctive styling and considerable substance. Most importantly, colors … read more

Conclusion without examining intent is arrogant at best. Color, more than any other design element, is complicated with many diverse variables. Form, space, line and texture may be considerations, but color is generally one’s initial focus, the elephant in the room. Making blanket … read more