Whenever I work with clients, the area they inevitably assume doesn't need attention is the one I automatically go for--bookshelves. The truth is that bookshelves aren't a top priority if the rest of your space is cluttered or disorganized. I mean, you put your books on the shelves and you're done, and who are they hurting if they aren't perfect, nobody. But equally as true is that books belong to that class of belongings that, ...

Wheels are hypothetically advantageous in many scenarios. For the purposes of this article, we shall focus on the ways they're potentially beneficial in homes. Whether in small spaces or large, wheeled carts offer the unparalleled asset of being moved about easily. In the kitchen, they can be used to provide mobility in both the cooking or serving process, moving about with you in the kitchen as you please, or being wheeled out to the dining room. They ...

I have a thing for complimenting strangers. It's one of the things I really enjoy in life, and also one of the many lessons passed on to me from my mom, who is the true master of stranger compliments (although she takes it one step further by referring back to the stranger days later. "Oh my gosh," she'll say, as if in a dream. "Eric's coat was just so great." And when you say, "Mom, ...

In honor of my forthcoming one year Seattle residi-versary, I present you with 14 observations about this place in my humble opinion: Things about Seattle that make me nuts 1. People do not go here at green lights? It's very strange, and I'm not quite sure what these people were all taught in driver's training, but evidently not that green means put your foot on the frickin' peddle before I have a coronary for the ...

I can't quite recall how I stumbled on Sarah Von Bargen's blog Yes and Yes, only that I'm glad I did. In a (virtual) sphere where homogeneity seems to run amok, Von Bargen manages to publish a lifestyle blog that feels undeniably original: a true story series features first-hand accounts of some strange and intriguing circumstances, a monthly "network of nice" connects people seeking certain information or services with those able to offer them, and on. I'm so pleased ...