Tie a bunch of helium balloons to a house until it lifts up and floats away. The idea was whimsical in the Pixar animated movie Up. But is it possible in real life?
A National Geographic team decided to find out. They hooked hundreds of colorful weather balloons to a brick house weighing a ton. They even included a grumpy old man. (Actually, he appears to be a perfectly nice youngish man.) The result? Up, up and away.
It’s true in the best of homes: One day you wake up and realize it’s time to spruce things up. Maybe fix the steps or replace some dated furniture. Definitely ditch the wallpaper. That’s what we’ve done here at Oregon Home: taken stock of what’s working and what’s not and made some changes.
A human hand appears to sink into a solid brick wall. Giant people seem to scramble up a tall building faster than you can say Spiderman. Another building looks as if it is transforming, ala a click-and-turn toy, into an entirely different structure. “Projected light media” doesn’t quite capture the wow-factor of this relatively new … Read more
balloonhouse flies blah.
Psst, have you considered a makeover?
Never mind your wardrobe, although Spice Girls concert T-shirts make fine window rags, we’re talking home here. Some brainiacs at Harvard University report that annual remodeling expenditures will likely increase at an inflation-adjusted 3.5 percent in coming years. That may not sound like ground-breaking news until you consider that since its peak in 2007 the remodeling industry was on a double digit decline.
Celebrate the season with new colors, bold designs, fun furniture, getting organized and a few guilty pleasures.
All the home’s a stage. Set it for drama.
Pigeon Toe is stepping out.
The menu is set. The table looks lush. All this dinner party needs is the right soundtrack. Niel DePonte, music director and conductor of Oregon Ballet Theatre, offers a playful playlist for a spring dinner party.
Mikhael Romain is a Portland-based writer and photostylist. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including Better Homes & Gardens, California Home + Design, Real Living Australia and Sunset, among others. When she’s not scouting her next story, you can find her exploring flea markets, teaching yoga or traveling.
