Houseboat living looks pretty romantic, but it’s not for the faint of heart. First, you have to get your land legs used to the water’s movement. It’s not unusual for the lights (and people) to sway during dinner parties. Second, living on a dock often means long treks in Oregon’s winter weather between the car and home. As one homeowner puts it, “You better like wearing your raincoat and Wellies.”
Landscape designer Shannon Lester, 39, has spent the past two decades creating landscapes around Oregon. She started in city planning and wetland restoration, and then spent eight years running a landscape design firm with her husband, Andrew, 41.
Oregon is known as a leader in sustainability, and cities around the world are looking to rainy Portland for stormwater management. The city’s elaborate bioswale systems typically take the form of curbside gardens throughout the city and function as an alternative to sewers, capturing rainwater runoff in a sloped drainage course. The course is filled with rock and soil beds, which are planted with vegetation.
WaterWatch protects Oregon’s rivers.
Whether you’re remodeling or building new, the endless choices for materials and fixtures can be overwhelming. Regardless of whether you’re springing for a new master retreat or sprucing up the family bath, the question is how to create a bathroom that will still look fresh years from now.
The tug of the open road is never stronger than in the summer, when Oregon’s sparkling waters and volcanic mountains demand exploration. For some Oregonians, there’s no better way to explore the state’s bounty than with a vintage trailer in tow.Here’s a look at rescued and customized iconic beauties with high adventure on the agenda.
Syndi Henry Beavers tells the story of going wine tasting with her dad, Scott Henry. After the tour, her dad handed his credit card to the young man behind the counter to buy wine. The man glanced at the name on it and said, “Did you know there’s a trellis system named for Scott Henry?” “Almost immediately, the light went on,” Beavers says. “He [the cashier] was so excited that Scott Henry was standing in front of him, he pulled a book off the shelves and showed my dad the well-thumbed page marked with the Henry trellis system.” In 1972, Henry planted grapes on his family homestead in the Umpqua Valley near Roseburg—the start of Henry Estate Winery, one of Oregon’s oldest. Educated at Oregon State University as an engineer, Henry’s background proved helpful in the early years, when the vineyards produced a crowded bunch of grapes that were prone…
Kitchen design is no longer limited to the clunky appliances and narrow footprints of yesteryear. Today, the kitchen is at the center of home life, and serves many functions—whether that’s cooking Sunday supper, entertaining friends, or spreading out the kids’ latest homework assignments. Here, two Oregon homeowners invest in convenience and style to make their kitchens the efficient—and attractive—centerpieces of their homes. Bold and Sustainable in Ashland Every morning, the Zeve family likes to eat a big breakfast together— usually managed by mom, Deneice Covert Zeve. But on a recent Friday, the family’s two pre-teen daughters took over and whipped up a batch of waffles before heading to school. Zeve, a former attorney, had hoped for just such an outcome when she designed the kitchen six years ago. “I wanted it to be a communal family space,” she says. In 2007, when she and husband, Lincoln, set out to build…
Repurposed shipping containers make for neat outdoor structures.
