Sisters Amy and Katie Carson of Bitters Co. have worked closely with craftspeople for over three decades to develop their unique homewares collection. Beyond a direct-to-customer and wholesale business, Bitters Co. is a design and product development studio with a deep appreciation for “traditional craft, use of sustainable materials,…
The primary goal of this Mount Vernon kitchen remodel was to take the original closed-kitchen layout and turn it into an updated, stylish, and functional open-layout space where the homeowner could host guests and feel connected to the rest of the house. The new design removed the L-shaped dividing wall, opening the floor plan to enhance the…
In the heart of the Yakima Valley, nestled near rolling orchard fields and whispering trees, stood an old farmhouse steeped in history. With its rustic charm, it was a relic of a bygone era, but within its walls lay the potential for transformation. Join us on a captivating journey as we chronicle this remarkable before and after renovation and the process…
We transformed a drab, outdated outdoor space into a stylish, inviting patio perfect for relaxation, entertainment, and sun-soaking. By creating distinct zones, we maximized functionality and made optimal use of the expansive area. Comfortable seating areas, a dining…
This A-frame perched on the bank of the Skagit River seamlessly merges vintage aesthetics with contemporary comforts, thanks to a renovation completed in 2023 that has breathed new life into…
Local interior designer Patty Koskovich and her husband began building their Anacortes home with a view of the Guemes Channel in 2017. After two years of careful construction, their Coastal Aging in Place home was completed, perfectly planned for comfortable living— now and for years to come. “I call it… my seaside sanctuary,” says Koskovich, who researched and designed the initial plans for the build herself. She knows…
HKP Architects is pleased to announce the completion of an addition and renovation for a residence in La Conner, Washington. The owners of this architecturally designed existing house purchased…
Seamless, sassy, and may we say a little sexy! That was the look our clients were going for and I must say… we nailed it! What once was a blah, beige, and boring bathroom is now a gorgeous, chic retreat in their newly remodeled primary suite. When we presented the homeowners with the 3D renderings, they couldn’t believe their eyes. From a one-of-a-kind…
Maiben Fixtures and Furnishings
Tanna by Design
Amy Popelka of Tac Tile Company
Remodeling from a Realtor’s Perspective
Home Buyer Tips
Faith Ulate
KP Metalworks
Remodel
Home Upgrades by Room
For years, the Gulit family dreamed of owning a cabin in nearby Glacier – A retreat for short weekend getaways close to home and close to nature. After touring many cabins and even putting in a few offers, they knew they had found THE ONE with this sweet little 840-square-foot saltbox house built in 1978.
Purchasing a home in Bellingham or the surrounding counties has been tricky this past year. With inventory low, prices high, and selling time fast, you’ve got to be quick on your feet, make snap decisions, and have a vision! This home was charming…with the exception of the kitchen, but my clients were able to see past it. The sellers had chosen to leave it in its ‘70s era knowing the new owners would want to…
Tac Tile Company was started in 2015 as a way to make a mark on my community through art and tile. I create unique handmade tiles…
The spring 2021 “One Room Challenge” is a supportive and enthusiastic event held twice a year, with Better Homes & Gardens as the official media partner. It is not a competition; rather, it’s a celebration of creative and inspiring ideas.
Remodel
Pinecone Inc.
Creating the Perfect Home Gym
This project was all about layering neutrals in a soft, subtle, and sculptural way.
Updating an Old-Fashioned Kitchen
A new Buddhist temple lies nestled among the trees at the south end of Whidbey Island, at a dharma center called Yeshe Long.
Modern meets rustic and vintage meets industrial in this farmhouse remodel.
An out-of-date bathroom gets transformed into an elegant and airy en suite.
This UW sorority gets a modern makeover, bringing contemporary and traditional styles together to create the perfect space for on-the-go college students.
Jennifer Ryan talks the benefits of installing a dedicated built-in dog wash station in your home—as shown in this recent bathroom remodel.
Interior designer Jennifer Ryan provides readers with a guide to creating beautiful and functional outdoor spaces in the Pacific Northwest.
Samantha Kent, a researcher for SleepHelp.org, tells all about the relationship between sleep and interior design.
Designer and certified aging-in-place specialist, Susie Landsem, intersects both design and utility to help aging homeowners make their homes more accessible.
Jennifer Ryan brings new style with this geometric Bellingham bathroom remodel. See the end results of the makeover with Katheryn Moran Photography.
My client’s husband had recently passed away, and her daughter contacted me as a means to brighten her mother’s mood. The client and her husband had been dreaming of remodeling their home and just never thought the time was right. So when her family contacted me and…
This beautiful Farmhouse Kitchen remodel was designed by Jennifer Ryan. See the end results of the makeover with Katheryn Moran Photography.
The RE Store in Bellingham shows us how to upcycle old pallets and turn them into a raised garden bed, garden shed, or shelves.
Kelly DuByne of Distinctive Interior Designs showcases a kitchen remodel in Lake Stevens. Cabinets from Architectual Cabinet brighten and warm the room.
Jennifer Ryan took on the challenge of a home remodel to open up the kitchen, dining room, and living room, so a view of the lake could be enjoyed.
The Saratoga Inn on Whidbey Island makes a delightful getaway this winter. In the remodel, owner Jim Pensiero gave the inn a refreshing, comfortable look.
Interior designer Tanna Edler answers her most frequently asked questions about home design including inspirations and tips and tricks.
Jennifer Ryan transformed this garage into an Archie comic book themed game room for two teens, complete with disco ball and foosball table.
Doing a partial kitchen remodel can be a tricky puzzle, especially while trying to combine existing aspects with new features that just don’t seem to go together.
Approximately 40 years ago, this bathroom and closet off the master bedroom was a luxury. After much love, it was in desperate need of a makeover. Updating the fixtures and bringing the “look” to the current century was my clients’ first request. Next, they wanted to brighten the space and gain more room without changing the footprint. Last, they wanted a farmhouse feel with clean contemporary lines. Since…
What may have been best described as a collective mess before our design update is now an “organized oasis.” The enhancements in this project have increased the functionality by doubling paper-related storage, adding private storage and providing an appealing place to display family favorites. Along with the added advantages of the enlarged custom desk, the lighting is now also the appropriate scale for the room and provides proper illumination to work all day if needed. Prior to the…
So, you’ve decided you want to build a water feature in your back yard That’s a wonderful idea. A pond draws hummingbirds, songbirds, and butterflies. The trickling sound…
If first impressions are everything, then a waiting room is crucial to a patient’s experience. A waiting room sets the tone for what comes next, be it a massage or a root canal. At the same time, patients ideally wait in a waiting room for only a few…
Today, I have many clients confused when trying to explain their “design style,” not wanting to commit to just one, fearing they might end with the wrong result. Combining hints of contemporary with a nod of tradition is a popular request. And, then, there are those few flea markets finds and grandmas heirlooms that often find their way into the final concept. In design, rules were meant…
Private Gardens Design Susan Harrison, owner of Private Gardens Design, is no stranger to awards. She won our own Best of the Northwest for…
Western’s Carver Gym Renovation a Sight to See for Fans After undergoing an extensive and much-needed renovation costing $70 million and spanning two years, Sam…
Ferndale Landmark It’s hard to believe the clock tower building that looms over Main Street in Ferndale was once a 1920s craftsman home. Today the structure is a sprawling, multi-story sight to behold. Each exterior wall is coated in a different siding material,…
Arrive by land, sea or air to your estate; a private 66-acre compound on 1,575 ft. of pristine waterfront. A 12,000 square foot manse, carefully composed for graceful and comfortable gatherings.
RE Store’s Revision Division We love to recycle here in the Pacific Northwest. We’ll divide, compost, and reuse until just about everything gets another home or is made functional again. And while recycling might seem more mundane than stylish, Matt Vaughn and David Spangler at the RE Store’s Revision Division, would beg to differ. Vaughn and Spangler use almost entirely recycled materials to create beautiful,…
If you think the compacted-soil, rock-hewn, lifeless plot of land on your property could never support a garden, we have a story for you. More than 100 volunteers recently transformed the empty gravel lot across from the Bellingham Food Bank into a garden in a massive project that included installing a six-foot wood and wire mesh deer fence, 32 raised beds, and a market stand to sell…
Bath Renovation Antique wood and a sliding barn door in a bathroom? Say it isn’t so! Yes, that is exactly what we incorporated in this recent remodel and the trend has exploded. The juxtaposition of materials and finishes in homes today is exhilarating. As a designer and interior enthusiast, I am enjoying the risks my clients are willing to take while throwing ancient rules out…
Lake Samish Row House This distinctive home on the shores of Lake Samish was built in 2010 with rowers in mind. We want to say its curvy roof and contemporary, minimalist design evokes the smooth, effortless air of a rowing team in sync. But like the sport itself, looks can be deceiving. Bellingham Bay Builders and the Cirrus Design Group, with the owner’s direction, put substantial effort into the interior’s open,…
Kitchen Remodel Helps Ease a Drab Winter’s Chill This home, a one-time 1930s beach cabin, got so cold in winter that its owner would routinely flee to Mexico for three months. But after six years of annual escapes, it was time to put down year-round roots. And a foundation. This renovated kitchen was the final flourish to an extended whole-house remodel that included installing a foundation and weatherizing with plenty of insulation, so much that it…
Animal Prints Rev Up a Room It might be safe to say that while keeping the color palette tame on this project, we…
This home, located on 12th Street overlooking stunning Bellingham Bay, was past due for a kitchen remodel. I had worked with this client on previous projects in her home and was thrilled to have the opportunity to design her kitchen. By giving her tons of cabinet,…
Heidi Skievaski and Kryssie Maybay of Sublime Garden Designs transformed a two-acre property that was essentially a blank canvas, a hillside with a few junipers and rhododendron and a sea of lawn, into a…
In a nutshell, this home is nestled on two acres overlooking a pond with stunning landscaping. For this design, I wanted to bring all the elements of the outdoors inside. I did this by using soft robin egg blue on the walls to mirror the sky, along with wood elements found in nature. By building with textures and fabrics these three rooms are all different yet build on one another. The end result is…
Good things do come in small packages! Bringing back the bright was our design goal for this tiny ranch home. Every square…
Though you probably haven’t convened your family members to hold a climate change summit in your living room, sometimes it can feel inordinately challenging to agree upon and make sustainable decisions at home. Ask anyone who has recently shopped for furnishings, upgraded appliances, or planned a build or remodel. World leaders seem to face similar challenges in agreeing upon how to go about making…
Over the years I have done hundreds of color consults. The basis of all my home designs — whether hanging art, furnishing a room, or doing a remodel — starts, and essentially ends, with color. Most people love color, but they are often overwhelmed by all the possibilities, and thus choose to do nothing. And then they are forever unhappy with their white walls. Let’s get out of that…
As far as remodels are concerned, you might think that the most dramatic transformations are also the most expensive and the most complicated. The waterfront Beach Drive Remodel on Camano Island, executed by principal architect Dan Nelson of Designs Northwest Architects, proves these misconceptions wrong. The resulting transformation was so complete that neighbors believed it to be a newly constructed home, yet the remodel was cost effective and, at times, surprisingly simple….
For this remodel, my clients wanted to revamp an old shed. Fifty feet from the house, this outbuilding is the perfect place to create a space to entertain friends, have sleep-overs, watch movies, play games, have snacks, make music,…
Remodeling an Era If you are like me, you’ve driven around an older neighborhood at some point in your life, admiring homes with a certain style – long, low profiles…
Find a corner, spruce it up Perhaps you need a spot for yoga, or a place to sit and read in the sun. Maybe you like to knit by the fire or watch the rain as you write in your journal. Whatever your interests, if you feel the need for a little corner of your own, we have some ideas. Dormer…
One of the features that makes our area so charming is in the way in which we preserve and restore…
Homeowners Delight Green and Michael Newlight hired Craig Burling, owner and general contractor of CB Premier Construction, to build an addition onto the master suite of their creative Chuckanut Drive house. The 850 square…
Our master bath remodel had been a long time coming. It started in my head when we bought our 1920s Tudor in Bellingham 13 years ago. The unfinished attic had been remodeled in the 80s, and the bath was added then—good space, but the…
The effect of faux tile finishes once depended on how light fell, how the sun or kitchen lights caught the pattern in the floor,…
As the leaves fall and the cold air starts to blow, we find ourselves enjoying intimate moments in our homes once again. Now is the time to bring the outdoors in through décor. This project incorporates native items that resulted in a nature-inspired interior design plan. The ability to…
In my recent project, I assembled an eclectic collection of furniture, which is neatly placed in a symmetrical living area layout….
“Your home is whimsical, cozy, cottage, industrial with raw, organic elements, quirky focals and current styling. Am I close?” This was my first question after the initial consultation at my client’s rambler home in Snohomish. She has a flair for the eclectic, as well as many hand-me-downs that are absolutely gorgeous. After…
Q & A on the Tiny Tack House Bellingham Alive: What is your background and interest in building a tiny house? Malissa Tack: The Tiny Tack House was our first adventure building anything of this size. Both Christopher and myself had only constructed a few projects, back in our high school shop classes. So to us this was a large scale undertaking that we were both excited to…
He’s a little bit country and she is a little bit rock ‘n roll, and the combination is something I call “organic modernism.” We combined the homeowners’ mementos, industrial pieces and warm textures to create a collection of oddities that satisfies their rustic-inspired living, giving them the luxurious lodge look they desired. The family I worked with had a large, multi-purpose space that had no purpose at all. An [off] white sofa — which they rescued during college…
Give your home its own unique look, inspired by today’s design trends.
