Comments (6)

By candace kramer, January 17, 2012 11:02 am

Hi all! Happy New Year!

I’m getting back into the swing of things finally and today, I have a fabulous garage make-over to share with you - all the way from Bordeaux! (You all know how I have a thing for garage projects!)

This tiny 441 sq. ft. space was designed by the ingenious team at FABRE/deMARIEN.

Check this out before shot…dull, dingy and dark.

Pretty fantastic right? To check out the project in its entirety and read more about the process please go here.

Comments (3)

By candace kramer, October 12, 2011 5:36 pm

Hello friends! I’m back! Summer was busy, busy and my time spent with family and friends was top priority! Now that Fall has come and everyone is getting settled back into their schedules, I have found time to work on my blog once more. As I mentioned in a past post, my son and I worked on rejuvenating the garden of my rental home and we were also in the process of building a storage shed. Both projects turned out brilliantly and here are some of the pics to show our fabulous results!

First up, the garden. It was so long neglected, full of weeds and completely overgrown but we brought it back to life!

And yes, that is my “new old shed” back there! Cute right?

Even though our summer was extremely mild, Peter managed to pick a ripe tomato from the vine before heading back to school!

Okay, now for my shed! As you know, I researched sheds online, in stores and just about everywhere! I wanted just the right design. Simple, funky and constructed using some of the salvaged materials from the garage remodel (soon to be granny flat) I’m working on.

Finally, I found a shed builder – Justin Marical – that had great ideas and would build to my specs. Check out his great company here. He was very open to using my salvaged materials and helped me design a 12 ft long and 3 ft deep, lean-to style shed that fit perfectly with the scale of the backyard garden.

This old window was from the main house which I had replaced with a new vinyl double hung.

Peter washed down the old door from the garage, which is now the front door to my shed.

The shed threshold was created with bricks that we found on site. Peter did a fantastic job laying these in.

The beautiful red stained cedar siding was left over from an old condo project I worked on! This siding is usually very expensive but I got a great deal on it and Justin was drooling! ha ha! I added an old flower box that had previously been installed on the main house and the lovely trellis was installed by my very talented Russian carpenter – Eli! He has done some gorgeous work on my beach house too. Even the roof was done with left over composite material. Isn’t it cute!? I’m so happy with the result and it felt good to use materials that most likely would have ended up in a landfill.

What projects did you complete over the summer?

Comments (0)

By candace kramer, August 10, 2011 2:20 pm

It’s been an active summer for me with lots of time spent digging in the dirt! I love it! With my garage remodel in the works at my rental home, it was time to tackle the overgrown, under appreciated back garden! At one time, it was a lush thatch of earth full of raspberries and fig trees with ample space for growing fresh garden veggies. Unfortunately, my renters – even with their good intentions – failed to care for it and mother nature took over. The result – a tangled, weedy, thorny mess!  SO…I called in my hardworking and willing son, Peter, who is currently home from college. We toiled away in the sun, happily pulling weeding, trimming shrubs and planting new vegetables and herbs. Two of my favorites – sorrel with its lemony goodness and watercress, with a peppery bite that is fabulous on a BLT!

It’s looking SO much better! Thank you Peter!

As you can imagine, with all this gardening going on, I’ve acquired quite a few gardening books and have been hanging out at the local nurseries. Some of my favorites – Cornell Farms and of course, Portland Nursery. Oh, and if you happen to be out near Hood River, you must stop by Good News Gardening – a fabulous gardening center with a lovely Garden Cafe! It’s such a delight to visit these places and come home full of inspiration!

What’s going on in your summer garden?

Comments (3)

By candace kramer, July 22, 2011 4:57 pm

Hello! Hope your week has been going well! Right now, I’ve got sheds on the brain. You see, after much thought we have decided to renovate the detached garage of our rental home. Inspired by the many garage remodels that I have seen recently, I’ve taken the leap and started my own! Don’t worry, I will be documenting and sharing the process with you too! Turning this rather dilapidated garage into a fabulous living space will be quite the adventure but now that the picture is becoming clearer, I believe a shed will be in order.  A quaint little outbuilding with character, style and of course, functionality.

Thankfully, sheds have come a long way. They are not longer the forgotten shack in the corner of the property where you keep the lawn mower and rake. These days sheds have taken on a new importance and aesthetic, often mirroring the style and architecture  of the home. Some use them as a retreat, an office space or dining room. Check out these magical little sheds I’ve come across…via Houzz…

traditional landscape design by other metros general contractor Jo-Anne Peck

traditional patio design by seattle landscape architect Lisa Port, APLD

modern landscape design by sllasf.com

eclectic exterior design by san francisco general contractor BMF CONSTRUCTION

traditional patio design by seattle architect Bosworth Hoedemaker

{images via}

Comments (0)

By candace kramer, May 17, 2011 3:23 pm

As many of you know Aging in Place is a big focus of my work (see definition below) and having this knowledge truly helps my clients make their lifestyle one that will last!

Aging in place refers to living where you have lived for years, typically not in a health care environment, using products, services, and conveniences which allow you to remain home as circumstances change.

This Saturday, the local remodeling firm, Neil Kelly will be hosting a wonderful event:

The “Home for a Lifetime” Fair…

Click below to download the flyer for more info:

Home for a Lifetime Poster

Should be a fantastic, informative and inspiring day!

For more information about Aging in Place go here.