Like a plastic bag

PD 6455 MAINI miss plastic bags. They’re banned in Portland. I miss the way they got caught in little whirlwinds on dirty city streets to drift upward from the gutter, spiraling toward a cloudless blue sky with a great soundtrack and . . . oh, wait; that was a scene from American Beauty.

What is salvage?

thumbnailI have a friend who can fix just about anything. His wife once famously said, “He is especially good at changing filters.” I laughed for two days. I suspect he’s good for more than that, but changing filters is a really big deal.

Rubber soul

tiresI have used old tires in a couple places around my house. First of all, my roof tiles are from old tires. That’s cool. And then I have my old tire bumper. As in “rubber baby buggy bumper.” I like that my tire use is so diverse. 

Mariel Hemingway in Portland

Mariel 4 077Mariel Hemingway and green building go together like . . . OK, maybe the connection isn’t immediately obvious.  But to the actress, a longtime proponent of yoga, natural foods and holistic living, it feels to be a natural extension.

Interior dialogue

EyeballchairThis week, millions of people are posting pictures of their kids with backpacks and first day of school clothes. It’s such a kick to see those eager young faces and their carefully chosen outfits that will one day serve as objects of extreme mortification, then amusement, then nostalgia and finally, inspiration for revivals. I wish I had a similar record of transformation of my kids’ rooms.

Recipe for style

2012OctNov RecipeForStyle 01The mix of natural stone and dark wood gives this kitchen a “kind of Northwest, organic, modern lodge look,” says Tammy Lefever, president of Interior Motives.

Rug rave

2012OctNov RugRave 01Handwoven, antique, overdyed — the beauty of rugs lies in the varied techniques that transform your floor into art.

A new season

2012OctNov Homeward PumpkinPatchRevel in autumn tones, cozy lighting, lush textiles and forward furniture.

An ode to white

dpphotoproof nancy 2 2011-187-2I understand and appreciate white in clothes: a crisp white shirt, or a white tee, or white linen pants. And the cool thing about white clothes is you can bleach them when they get dirty and they brighten right up. Most of the time. But I don’t get white walls.

Getting to home base

HancockExt-FrontA friend of mine lives a beautiful life. She’s full of love, generous in spirit, and constantly bubbling with creativity. She fell in love — again — and now follows the currents of her heart between North America, Europe and Africa. She has a residence on each of those three continents but at times feels she has no home.