Some houses are best observed in motion. Take, for instance, the home of Sean and Shelley Murphy in Gig Harbor. Sean, a dentist, and Shelley, a former English and Spanish teacher, have four children ranging in age from 5 to 12, so a certain amount of frenetic activity is expected on a daily basis. Then […]
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Making an Entrance
For years now, the garage has occupied a predominant place in American home design. Many homeowners don’t even use their front doors, opting instead to drive into the garage and enter the house from there or use a side door, bypassing the formal entryway altogether. Consequently, many homeowners miss not only a chance to make […]
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Is Yellow Mellow?
Scary might describe the color yellow, but most would prefer the term “happy.” This happy-face hue may be kitchen-friendly, but otherwise the color is like wild bees mixed with bulls in a rodeo chute. The color we are talking about is primary yellow, basic yellow, kind of something between lemon and daffodils. It didn’t take […]
Posted inPeople & Places
American Heritage
By their hundredth year, houses, like humans, have a story to tell. However, while all old-timers have a personal perspective on the past, few have been touched by the history of a nation. On a rise overlooking Bainbridge Island’s magical Manzanita Bay, one such architectural time capsule brings the American experience home to Kitsap County. […]
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Patricia Peat’s Magical Creations — A Miniature Wonderland
The home and garden of creative artist Patricia Peat is a magically enthralling retreat. She is not only known as an artistic gardener but also for her miniatures, her jewelry and her stained glass creations. In addition, she volunteers at the Kitsap County Historical Society, where for more than a decade she’s been creating storefront […]
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Living Christmas Trees
Rooflines outlined with fairy lights, porches festooned with pine and cedar garlands, and holly bushes brightly displaying their red winter berries remind us the holidays are fast approaching. Nothing says “Christmas” like a beautiful pine or fir tree, laden with shiny glass balls, lights and family mementos, welcoming family and friends for the most festive […]
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Remodel a Home, Discover Your Passion
This is the house that Hope built. It perches on a hillside overlooking Henderson Bay in Gig Harbor, set back from the road by six carefully manicured acres, with sweeping views that encompass all the way from Steilacoom to the south, past McNeil Island and the Longbranch Peninsula to the north, with Mt. Rainier floating […]
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Architectural Adventure
On the third of July, the neighbors came, drawn like small boys to a skyrocket. Louis W. and Claudia Alves were long since accustomed to the town’s fascination with their Havn Court home, still under construction. At the local café, talk of their creation was as hot as the coffee. Alves, who spent every day […]
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Light Therapy — Ideas to Brighten up Your Home
It’s a familiar feeling. The bright light of summer gives way to fall, and the light fades until winter arrives and leaves the landscape perpetually shaded. For residents of the Pacific Northwest, the ensuing gray skies can cause everything from the blahs to full-blown cases of winter depression. How to lighten up? Look for the […]