Bringing a Mount Vernon Home …

Bringing a Mount Vernon Home Into the 21st Century | True Bearing Built

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 kitchen and living spaces. To achieve this, a 20-foot beam was installed, supported by new posts and footings….

A Farmhouse Renovation That …

A Farmhouse Renovation That Manages to Be Both Rustic and Modern | TANNA BY DESIGN

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…

Outdoor Patio Refresh | TANNA …

Outdoor Patio Refresh | TANNA BY DESIGN

We transformed a drab, outdated outdoor space into a stylish, inviting patio perfect for relaxation, entertainment, and sun-soaking.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 section, and a sunbathing spot were strategically placed to enhance usability and flow. We updated…

A Riverside Retreat With …

A Riverside Retreat With Contemporary Comforts

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…

Anacortes Coastal Aging in …

Anacortes Coastal Aging in Place | Patty Koskovich of Koskovich Design Group

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…

HKP Architects: The Skagit …

HKP Architects: The Skagit Bay Residence Renovation

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…

One Room Challenge: A …

One Room Challenge: A Spacious Update- Bathroom Remodel from Tanna by Design

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 vanity (designed by moi!) to the slab porcelain tile up the walls, this primary bathroom is…

Custom Is Key

Maiben Fixtures and Furnishings

The Makings of a Multi-…

The Makings of a Multi-Functional Home Gym

Tanna by Design

Creating a One-of-a-Kind …

Creating a One-of-a-Kind Fireplace

Amy Popelka of Tac Tile Company

Moving Isn’t Always the …

Moving Isn’t Always the Answer

Remodeling from a Realtor’s Perspective

15 Insider Tips a Home Buyer …

15 Insider Tips a Home Buyer Should Know

Home Buyer Tips

Remodeling Reality

Faith Ulate

Making Magic with Metal

KP Metalworks

Raising the Bar for Rentals

Remodel

Level Up

Home Upgrades by Room

An Airbnb Escape in Glacier

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.

Let There Be Light

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…

Remodel on Deception Pass

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 that are intended to inspire and reflect the beauty of nature that surrounds us. With each custom project, I meld…

One Room Challenge: Outdated …

One Room Challenge: Outdated to Oasis

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.

A Room of One’s Own…to …

A Room of One’s Own…to Share With Guests

Remodel

New Mount Vernon Design …

New Mount Vernon Design Center Honors Sustainability and Creativity

Pinecone Inc.

Dream Workout Room

Creating the Perfect Home Gym

First Hill Condo Remodel

This project was all about layering neutrals in a soft, subtle, and sculptural way.

Anything Is Possible 

Updating an Old-Fashioned Kitchen

Building With Precision: …

Building With Precision: Yeshe Long Temple

A new Buddhist temple lies nestled among the trees at the south end of Whidbey Island, at a dharma center called Yeshe Long.

Modern Ranch on the Farm

Modern meets rustic and vintage meets industrial in this farmhouse remodel.

Dream En Suite

An out-of-date bathroom gets transformed into an elegant and airy en suite.

A Formal Sorority …

A Formal Sorority Transformation

This UW sorority gets a modern makeover, bringing contemporary and traditional styles together to create the perfect space for on-the-go college students.

The Benefits of Having a Dog …

The Benefits of Having a Dog Wash Station in Your Home

Jennifer Ryan talks the benefits of installing a dedicated built-in dog wash station in your home—as shown in this recent bathroom remodel.

Inside Out

Interior designer Jennifer Ryan provides readers with a guide to creating beautiful and functional outdoor spaces in the Pacific Northwest.

Is Your Room Keeping You up …

Is Your Room Keeping You up at Night?

Samantha Kent, a researcher for SleepHelp.org, tells all about the relationship between sleep and interior design.

The Art of Aging in Place

Designer and certified aging-in-place specialist, Susie Landsem, intersects both design and utility to help aging homeowners make their homes more accessible.

Geometric Tiles Add Pop to …

Geometric Tiles Add Pop to Condo Bathroom Revival

Jennifer Ryan brings new style with this geometric Bellingham bathroom remodel. See the end results of the makeover with Katheryn Moran Photography.

Remodel Brightens Kitchen, …

Remodel Brightens Kitchen, Spirits

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 asked if I could take on this special project and handle every detail of the kitchen redo so their…

Farmhouse Kitchen

This beautiful Farmhouse Kitchen remodel was designed by Jennifer Ryan. See the end results of the makeover with Katheryn Moran Photography.

Pallets Repurposed

The RE Store in Bellingham shows us how to upcycle old pallets and turn them into a raised garden bed, garden shed, or shelves.

A Kitchen with a View

Kelly DuByne of Distinctive Interior Designs showcases a kitchen remodel in Lake Stevens. Cabinets from Architectual Cabinet brighten and warm the room.

Home with a Better View

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.

Whidbey Island’s …

Whidbey Island’s Unpretentious Getaway

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.

Inspired By Roots

Interior designer Tanna Edler answers her most frequently asked questions about home design including inspirations and tips and tricks.

Transforming a Garage Into a …

Transforming a Garage Into a Game Room

Jennifer Ryan transformed this garage into an Archie comic book themed game room for two teens, complete with disco ball and foosball table.

A Fresh New Island

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.

Finding Elbow Room In a …

Finding Elbow Room In a Bathroom Overhaul

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…

A Home Office Remodel

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…

So, You Want a Pond?

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…

Waiting in Style

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 minutes…

What’s My Style?

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…

A Picture-Perfect Refuge

Private Gardens Design Susan Harrison, owner of Private Gardens Design, is no stranger to awards. She won our own Best of the Northwest for Best Landscape Designer in 2015 and took home…

Back at Home

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 Carver Gym at Western Washington University will re-open its doors — just in time for fall sports. Your first chance to watch a Western team play in the new gym will be on September 19, when Western women’s volleyball hosts NCAA Div. II rival Simon Fraser University. Events are open to the public, and feature…

From Craftsman To Clock Tower

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….

Birch Bay Waterfront Estate

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.

One-of-a-Kind Design

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, one-of-a-kind pieces, bringing our region’s recycling ethos right to your front…

A Garden from Scratch

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…

Rustic & Reclaimed

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…

Gem on the Water

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…

Freezing Cabin

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…

Cheetah-Chic Living

Animal Prints Rev Up a Room It might be safe to say that while keeping the color palette tame on this project, we got wild with the style. Prior…

Little Old, Little New

This home, located on 12th Street overlooking stunning Bellingham Bay, was past due for a kitchen remodel. I had worked with…

Snohomish Backyard Retreat

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 backyard retreat with several gardens and distinct areas for entertaining. The property’s former owner was an architect who designed and built the home, which features intriguing shapes and angles. The home offers sweeping views of the entire landscape, with large floor-to-ceiling windows…

Warm Comfort

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…

Mid-Century Makeover

Good things do come in small packages! Bringing back the bright was our design goal for this tiny ranch home. Every square foot was important; therefore, scale and proportion played a huge role in this little space. A refreshing paint palette, additional windows, and new cabinets with open shelving proved that minor changes can provide substantial results. It doesn’t take a lot of construction to freshen up a small space….

Small Changes that Make a Big …

Small Changes that Make a Big Difference

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 more sustainable decisions. As 2015 came to an end, representatives from…

Color Theory

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…

Beach Drive Remodel

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…

This Old Shed

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, and exercise. My clients wanted to…

Ramble On

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 with minimal exterior decor. You were probably touring an established neighborhood where ramblers were the predominate style. Their simplicity is captivating and infused with potential. Therefore I am thrilled when given the…

Creating Sanctuary Space

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 Window A dormer,…

Bringing it Back: The …

Bringing it Back: The Recycled Remodel

One of the features that makes our area so charming is in the way in which we preserve and restore houses and buildings from our past. With the RE Store, Skagit Salvage and antique stores galore, it’s not difficult to find…

A Delight-ful Remodel

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 foot addition included a bedroom, bathroom and closets, all with electric radiant heat. “The house is 41 years old and we thought the master bath was dated, Delight said. “Also, we wanted more closet space to make the house fit with contemporary expectations for a house…

A Master Bath Worth Waiting …

A Master Bath Worth Waiting For

Our master bath remodel had been a long time coming. It started in my head when we bought our 1920s Tudor…

Fabulous Faux

The effect of faux tile finishes once depended on how light fell, how the sun or kitchen lights caught the pattern in the floor, how the tile felt underfoot or how it looked behind the sink. Decades ago, faux was just another word for fake, ersatz, as something that was meant to reach for an effect, but failed in the process. In the ’60s and ’70s, decorators played up the shortcomings in realism, and preferred tile that was…

Remodel: Bring the Outdoors In

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…

Casual Contempo

In my recent project, I assembled an eclectic collection of furniture, which is neatly placed in a symmetrical living area layout. In this aesthetic, casual contemporary embraces stylish comfort. The arrangement of this living space makes it…

Vintage Industrial Redo

“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 meeting with her, it was clear that she wanted to incorporate those into the design as…

Tiny Tack House

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…

Farming Inspired Design

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…

Design Trends – …

Design Trends – Colorful, Cultural & Clever

Give your home its own unique look, inspired by today’s design trends.

A Retro Cabin that Stands the Test of Time | Arch House