Remodeling House

ALNWICK CASTLE. (pronounced ANN-ICK)
Construction began in 1096, was purchased by the current family, the Percy's in 1309 and later honored as the Duke and Duchesses' of Northumberland, it's region.
Many films including the Harry Potter series have filmed here.
                     

Her Grace, the Duchess of Northumberland and family moved to the castle upon the unexpected death of her husband's brother. The once proud gardens were long since abandoned and derelict. This one-woman force possessed a dream; revive and re-create the gardens beyond all expectations.  Within 13 years the Duchess has displayed a steel reserve, rebounded a suffering local economy, her design collaborations included unimaginable forethought for children, the elderly, handicapped and the "down-trodden".............all typically excluded from garden visiting, a national past time in England.

Notice children and the elderly interacting.
All funding was from private and public fund raising efforts plus a nice stipend from her reluctant but supportive husband. The Duchess does not earn a penny from this legacy.

Visual beauty is an equal component

Her "safely dangerous" poison garden. A collection of plants that kill and cure. Carefully monitored and guarded, children in particular learn about the dangers of drug abuse and the miracle of drugs.

This extraordinary woman could merit several posts, her story is amazing. for additional information go here.



Presenter number 2

Renown Interior Designer Michael S. Smith. of Southern California

You may recall his recent commission, The White House and found your interest peaked.

An approachable demeanor with a self-deprecating sense of humor brought him down to earth despite being the designer "to the stars".

Bedroom with hand painted mural in the tradition of Msr. Zuber.
I was stunned to learn that his first commission was from the first female head of a film studio and he was twenty three years old!
How does that happen?!

Some of his shared thoughts;

-Prefers his rooms to develop a "layered" look; mirrors on tapestry, sea grass over orientals...
-Disdains wall to wall carpeting
-Bigger is NOT better in regards to home building (YES!!)
-Major influence is Albert Hadley
-Define the architecture and spirit of the house, let that be your guideline


Presenter number 3
Slightly eccentric garden designer extraordinare  Ryan Gainey of Atlanta

Designs landscapes with great depth and in the English tradition of "rooms" versus expansive lawns. His mentor was the late Rosemary Verey.

Structure is a key design component; stone, wood and boxwood are his primary components.

A glimpse of his rear garden in Decatur, Georgia. Notice the neatly clipped climbing ivy framing the greenhouse windows. Seemingly strong willed he admits that his clients must..........
"understand the force of HIS nature."  Visit him here.

The lovely Lizzy, a friend and amazing jewelry craftswoman. Displaying at the venue, Lizzy's jewelry transports me to a time of elegance but with a contemporary edge. Visit her here.

All pieces are utilizing "found" objects but it's the assemblage that takes her art to an inspiring level.



The favorites in my personal collection are from Lizzy and they are the bits that spark liveliest conversation

Tundra SwanFebruary 22, 2010We have had such a mild, precipitation winter this year that I have been extremely concerned as to what this will mean to our local farmers and home gardeners. Despite getting little more than a light flurry with no accumulation between November 2009 and January 2010, February gave a bit of home with now the second of two snow storms consisting of good accumulation.

I am sure I am not the only woodworker that feels this way, but I feel like I don’t get enough shop time.  Actually I don’t get enough consistent shop time.  I will go through phases where I will be out there most every night for a week or so and then guess what happens life gets in the way again and I have a slump. 

My wife and I started a project together that I mentioned in a previous blog.  This was a momentous occasion for me finally something that I am interested in that we can share together. 

I mean I have a BUNCH of hobbies to many sometimes and some I just can’t afford right now.  I have been a pilot since I was 16 years old, I fly stunt kites, remote control airplane and play guitar among a few other hobbies. 

However woodworking has started becoming more of a passion than just a hobby.  I am finding myself wanting to learn more about the artistry of working wood and learning all the techniques both old and new. 

So for her to express an interest in learning this hobby I couldn’t have been happier, but unfortunately life tends to get in the way of hobbies and we have yet to be able to finish this project.  I am looking forward to completing it with her she is very close and as I mentioned in the previous blog she is doing a great job.  I hope this is a start to a shared addiction hobby for the two of us. 

It will totally be easier to convince her we need more tools if she wants to use them as well.

Keep your eyes peeled and hopefully sometime this week we can finish out the project and get it posted.

Have a Great Day!

Little Is In!
It’s no secret that 2009 was a horrible year for home builders. In fact, 2009 was the worst year that builder’s have seen in Ocean Shores since 2004 with only 44 new spec homes sold, according to the NWMLS. That number it seems is already on an upswing in 2010. One major sign that changes are coming is with the number of “presales,” which is the sale of a new spec home before construction has even begun. As of February 17th, three new presales have gone pending on the NWMLS website. That’s more presales already in the first month and a half of 2010 than we saw in all of 2009!
What’s most exciting about these new sales is the size of these new homes. They are tiny! The average number of square feet in these little beach cabins is 768 square feet. The average size of a home sold in Ocean Shores last year was 1415 square feet. The average price per square foot for this new construction is $143.43.
Most buyers of a brand new little beach cabin are second home buyers looking to own their cute getaway at the beach. We’re actually seeing some people buy them to live in fulltime now too!
Prices are definitely more affordable now for getaway buyers looking for a little cabin at the beach and there’s a wide variety of makes and models from 672 square feet on up. The entry level model starts at $105,900 and is offered by Pacific Coast Construction Group Inc.
Small houses (and particular, small houses at the beach!) are attracting many homebuyers seeking a great location, the convenience of having their own place without the hassle of a hotel room, the value of new construction and the affordability these homes offer. These are great short term and long term real estate investments as well.
Buyers don’t have time wait!
If you factor in the looming deadlines to get those federal tax credits, buyers must be UNDER CONTRACT BY APRIL 30th and CLOSE BY JUNE 30th. Throw in the impending interest rate hikes, which should hit early this summer and there are plenty of incentives for buyers to act now.
Here are 10 reasons why Little Beach Cabins might be better than big ones...
1. Less Expensive to Purchase: Smaller houses are generally cheaper to buy than larger ones of similar construction and location unless something is really wrong...
2. Lower Property Taxes.
3. Cheaper to Heat in the wintertime: I guess I could say spring and fall around here too..
4. Less Expensive to Maintain: Replacing a roof on a little cabin is going to be a lot cheaper than a big house.
5. Easier to Clean: Again, less square footage to clean.
6. Less Space for Clutter.
7. Cheaper to Furnish.
8. Smaller Environmental Footprint: Less materials used in the process means lower energy consumption...
9. I’ve sold over 22% of all the brand new little beach cabins in Ocean Shores since 2008 and I work with more little cabin builders than anyone out here... So if you’re going to buy one, there’s a good chance you’ll end up working with me!
10. Because they’re cute and little is in.

If you want more information regarding these little cute little beach cabins, give me a call or send me an email. Thanks!

Jeff Daniel
New Homes Specialist
Residential Construction Certified
Vacation Home Specialist
Associate Broker/Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
360.581.9020
jeffgdaniel@hotmail.com

Change is part of every gardener's life. At the moment many of us are dealing with changing climate issues that are changing the way we garden. This year may prove to be more change for us than we originally planned. If all goes according to plan I will be setting up 2 home gardens in 2 very different growing zones. I don't want to say a lot until I am sure but rest assure I will be posting