Seattle Homes & Lifestyles Blog

Gift Guide: Design Books

If you can’t give a Bertoia, give a book! We believe in a house that is full of them, so here is a list of the new and interesting design titles out for 2009:

Hue, More is More: Tony Duquette

The Private World of Yves St. Laurent & Pierre Bergé, David Hicks: A Life of Design

Glamorous Rooms, Suzanne Kasler: Inspired Interiors

 Kid Made Modern, Restoring a House in the City

Miller’s 20th Century Design, Furniture in History

Add comment December 21st, 2009

Bath of the Year Due Today!

Turn in your Bath of the Year submission to us today for a chance to win a spot in the magazine!

If you’ve got a home that’s stylish and full of personality, take some photos, grab a stamp (or log into your e-mail), and you could wind up in the pages of Seattle Homes & Lifestyles!

To enter any of our 2009 contests, follow the instructions below.



Bath of the Year

Due March 16, 2009

The winner of the 2009 Bath of the Year contest will be published in the July/August 2009 issue of Seattle Homes & Lifestyles. Homeowners must be available for interviews and a photo shoot in March, April or May 2009.


Click HERE for detailed submission instructions.

Kitchen of the Year

Due May 15, 2009

The winner of the 2009 Kitchen of the Year contest will be published in the September 2009 issue of Seattle Homes & Lifestyles. Homeowners must be available for interviews and a photo shoot in May, June or July 2009.


Click HERE for detailed submission instructions.

Home of the Year

Due July 15, 2009

The winner of the 2009 Home of the Year contest will be published in the November 2009 issue of Seattle Homes & Lifestyles. Homeowners must be available for interviews and a photo shoot in July, August or September 2009.
Click HERE for detailed submission instructions.

Add comment March 16th, 2009

Travel Scents by Archipelago

Like most people this year, we are forgoing the big vacations and taking small day trips instead. But when that yearning for the smell of exotic beaches and palatial museums has us in its grips, a simple substitution from Archipelago Botanicals saves us from blowing our budget. Natural soy candles in scents such as Versailles, Havana, Côtes du Rhône and Dubai transport us around the world without the layovers. — Courtney Sanks

4 by 6 pillar candles in Mediterranean, Stonehenge, Positano and Paramour, $30 each, Archipelago Botanicals. 

Add comment February 23rd, 2009

Seattle Home Show 65th Anniversary

Find out how to get your dream home at the Seattle Home Show. The nation’s largest and oldest consumer home product exhibition celebrates its 65th anniversary February 14–22 at Qwest Field Event Center. Browse more than 600 product displays and see what’s new in building materials and green living. On Idea Street, visit model homes for examples of inspiring design and landscaping. And attend daily "Meet the Experts" seminars for advice from the pros.

Add comment February 18th, 2009

SH&L Contests

While we’re on the topic of contests, kitchens and baths, it’s never too early to start thinking about Seattle Homes & Lifestyles’ contests of the year. When you’re remodeling or designing your bathroom, kitchen or entire home, make sure to take lots of snapshots and notes and then enter our contests. 

Here are the deadlines for the coming year (stay tuned for rules and guidelines):
Bath of the Year: March 16, 2009
Kitchen of the Year: May 15, 2009
Home of the Year: July 15, 2009

And here are this year’s gorgeous winners:
Bath of the Year, 2008
Kitchen of the Year, 2008
Home of the Year, 2008: look in the upcoming November issue to see which home we chose!

Add comment October 10th, 2008

A Green Home

In Northwest, current and prospective homeowners are demanding green elements in their homes more and more. Seattleites Kathleen O’Brien and Kathleen Smith focus on this demand in a new book, titled The Northwest Green Home Primer (Timber Press, Inc., 2008, $24.95)—designed for anyone “building, remodeling, or buying green.”

The authors believe there are many reasons why homeowners should look to green homes for contributing to a more sustainable future: notably, that Pacific Northwest home construction and remodeling can contribute to using up valuable resources and creating waste that can’t be assimilated.

As Washington State moves to embrace more policies that encourage greener building—some say we’re the leaders in the nation—this book comes at the perfect time to help readers gain a better understanding of just how to go green.

Here are some tips, straight from the Primer: 

For Those Looking to Build, Remodel, or Buy Green Exteriors:

1. "Choosing the right building site means finding one that takes advantage of natural energy sources, promotes a healthy habitat, and helps to conserve water.
2. When considering your new home’s location, think about its layout—anything from the home’s size, how many levels it has, and what kind of landscaping needs to be done. Optimal placement of the house not only affects the home, but the surrounding environment.
3. Site preparation: When buying or remodeling, think about how carefully you will be able to monitor your home’s construction.
4. Consider preserving the site’s original landscape instead of creating an entirely new one.
5. Durable materials (especially those used in parts of the house that are exposed to the weather) contribute to a home’s longevity."

For Those Looking to Build, Remodel or Buy Green—Interiors:

1. "Interior surfaces—walls, ceilings, and floors—and their finishes affect air quality and your own health. Consider each surface’s finish, both how it is produced and how it needs to be maintained.
2. Saving space, such as by using built-in shelves, helps to lower the overall square footage of your home.
3. Save energy by using lighter, more reflective colors that bounce light around the room, thus reducing the need for more artificial light.
4. Use recycled materials and new green materials such as bamboo and cork for interior surfaces or home accents.
5. Exercise restraint when using wood in the home. To protect trees from over harvesting, consider wood in smaller amounts, such as using it for cabinet faces rather than interior shelves." —Kait Heacock

Add comment July 22nd, 2008