If you dream of homeownership, having your mortgage application denied can be devastating. If this does happen to you, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. In 2020, 13 percent of all purchase mortgage applications — a total of nearly 650,000 — … read more

During the design process, I am often asked how to ensure the lowest construction cost of a project. Whether the owner has set a maximum construction cost budget or not, it’s necessary during the preliminary design stages of the project to develop a … read more

Moving with kids can be stressful for all parties involved. While you’re coping with your own stress, trying to find a rental for the whole family, your kids may be worried about leaving their home or attending a new school. Before moving, you … read more

For Stan and Jane Rein, the joining of their lives five years ago led to a second momentous union: that of the duplex Jane had called home for the previous seven years. The two-unit building at Bainbridge Island’s Yeomalt Point sat at the … read more

When Carolyn Thompson worked in an office nearly a decade ago, doing data entry day after day was tedious. She yearned for something different — and found inspiration in a magazine article about two women who grew flowers in England. This inspired Thompson. … read more

Never thought I’d use the words “over the top.” It had been ages since I was at the Silverdale Goodwill, the one across from Costco. Months prior, I noticed a lack of vintage decorative enamelware pots and pans, so I was taken aback … read more

Barbara and Graham Wilson of Poulsbo took their dismal, barren property and transformed it into a garden paradise. After moving to their current home eight years ago, the Wilsons came to a realization. Their property “was in bad shape,” Graham Wilson asserts. Barbara … read more

If the prices of your favorite ingredients have you dreading the next trip to the grocery store, finding ways to stretch your budget can help you feel better at the checkout counter. One such way: turning to versatile ingredients that help make every … read more

Kate Larsson became a professional artist just two years after retiring from her career as a marketing executive for Xerox Corp. Supporting herself as an artist for the past 24 years, she has a lot to say about being successful in the art … read more