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Use a Salvaged Tub to Turn Your Backyard Into a Soothing Oasis" alt="Use a Salvaged Tub to Turn Your Backyard Into a Soothing Oasis" />

By Annie Thornton When a lilac tree died in Sloan Schang's yard in Portland, Ore., last summer, it left behind a blank corner. It also provided him with an opportunity. A secluded backyard spa appealed to Schang, a writer and creative director, but the $6,000 bill required for the necessary electrical work and a new hot ... Continue Reading »

Prairie House (Style Spotlight)" alt="Prairie House (Style Spotlight)" />

By Bud Dietrich, AIA As the 19th century waned and the 20th century was dawning, a group of architects and designers in the Upper Midwest banded together to form the Prairie School. An entirely new approach to domestic design, the Prairie School featured a new language. Rooms made of four walls and small holes for ... Continue Reading »

Kit House (Style Spotlight)" alt="Kit House (Style Spotlight)" />

By Bud Dietrich, AIA Kit houses were America's first mass-produced, prefab homes, sold by Sears, Montgomery Ward, Gordon Van Tine, Aladdin and a few others. The materials for these homes, ordered straight from a catalog, were delivered to the building site by rail and truck. Remarkably, all of the parts, from lumber ... Continue Reading »

Hurricane-Proof Your Home With These Tips" alt="Hurricane-Proof Your Home With These Tips" />

By Bud Dietrich It seems as if hurricane season is starting earlier and staying later than when I was young. While it was almost unheard of to use the letter "s" to name a hurricane back then, it may just be the new normal now. Whatever the cause, it seems that as we renovate our older homes or build new ones, ... Continue Reading »

Victorian Home (Style Spotlight)" alt="Victorian Home (Style Spotlight)" />

By Vanessa Brunner For most people, the term "Victorian architecture" defines a diverse but singular style. The reality is that this term encompasses several architectural house styles, all of which were used during the mid to late 19th century. The name, of course, comes from the reigning British queen at the ... Continue Reading »