Each of the five homes on the Street of Dreams tour includes an accessory dwelling unit or ADU. That’s fancy pants talk for the extra living space formerly known as mother-in-law apartment, guesthouse, studio or nanny quarters.

Over the weekend, my husband and I got the guest room ready. We cleared the clutter. All the surfaces needed dusting. We put crisp, clean, sheets on the bed. I considered buying flowers for the bedside table but worried our guest might think that was a bit over the top. And I wanted to make a favorable impression.

Buildings have power. As a kid, I believed they set the stage for all human thought and behavior. The fab ‘50s ranch house I grew up in, with its light blond wood cabinetry and boomerang pattern kitchen counters, seemed the perfect backdrop for my casual, noisy, thoroughly modern family life.  But then I’d go off … Read more

Each year, Mike Landfair and his wife Bev sit down on their wedding anniversary and write down goals for the next few years. This year marks 19 years, and Mike will propose remodeling their two bathrooms. Here are his picks for local suppliers and designers.

There’s no reason to wait for the water to turn stiff before making your home more energy efficient.Neil Kelly is part of an innovative program to help homeowners pursue energy retrofits for their home. The Energize SE Portland Project is a collaborative effort between Neil Kelly Home Performance and Umpqua Bank with the help of Energy Trust of Oregon cash incentives.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) launched a competition to design a dreamy house for Babs. A jury selected five finalists and the public has until August 1, 2011 to vote for the winner.

“Female Force: Martha Stewart” is the latest comic book release from Bluewater Productions.