“This style of party is very approachable for guests,” says floral and event designer McKenzie Powell. “All of your finger foods are presented on platters so guests can help themselves as needed.” Toulouse white platter ($79.95), Marin white large oval pl

!–paging_filter–pShop where the pros shop and spruce up your digs with sample sale items purchased from a href=”https://www.seattledesigncenter.com/eventsAndCalendar/upcomingEventsPage…” target=”_blank”Seattle Design Center showrooms/a on Saturday, February 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Expect deals on designer furniture, lighting, accessories and carpets from Andonian Rugs, Baker Knapp Tubbs, Designer Furniture Galleries, J. Garner Home, Leflar, MI…

Pulling up to Sam and Katie Barloons’ woodsy Broadview abode, it’s hard to ignore the presence of “The Brain.” The looming concrete-and-steel cube—built in 2002 by Olson Kundig Architects as a neighboring workspace for the home’s former owner, a filmmaker—is an icon among architecture and design devotees. But veer to the right, down the verdant,…

For bookshelves, fireplace mantels or any other sturdy surface where row after row of books might stand, opt for two hefty, sparkly and very on-trend hunks of rock to keep them all stylishly in line. At Pioneer Square’s family-owned Agate Designs, the 31-year-old treasure trove of gems, minerals, fossils and a few (slightly squirm-inducing) framed…

!–paging_filter–pBefore its recent remodel, the main entry point from the detached garage of this North Capitol Hill colonial was the kitchen. Common enough in most homes, but less than ideal for a geared-up, storage-poor family with a 1-year-old, and a dilemma that interior designer Brian Paquette sought to remedy. brimg src=”/sites/default/files/newfiles/0314_innerspace2.jpg” style=”float: left; margin: 10px;”…

!–paging_filter–pNot exactly a wordsmith? It’s literally child’s play to make your feeling’s known this Valentine’s Day. Just incorporate a set ofnbsp;strongLove Blocks /strong($22), comprising four decorative wooden alphabet blocks expressing love in several languages, from a href=”http://clickdesignthatfits.com“Click! Design That Fits/a (emWest Seattle, 4540 California Ave. SW; 206.328.9252; a href=”http://www.clickdesignthatfits.com“clickdesignthatfits.com/a/em) into your romantic arrangement.nbsp;/ppnbsp;/p  

!–paging_filter–pAnbsp;whole weekend awaits, and I suggest you spend at least some of it at the strongNorthwest Flower Garden Sho/strongw, which folds up its tent on Sunday. (For show location, hours and ticket info, visit: a href=”http://www.gardenshow.com“gardenshow.com./a)/ppTo get the biggest bang for your show buck, it pays to have a plan. Say, doing a display garden…

Yesterday, while much of the city was distracted by a bit of Super Bowl celebrating, the Northwest Flower Garden Show kicked off its annual celebration of all things flora at the Washington State Convention Center (Downtown, 7th Ave. Pike St.; 206.694.5030). The theme for this year’s competition gardens is “Art in Bloom,” and you’ll find 23 artful…

!–paging_filter–pFrom February 5 to 9, explore a gazillion yard ideas—and gorge on the promise of spring—at the Northwest Garden and Flower Show at the Washington State Convention Center. a href=”http://www.gardenshow.com” target=”_blank”gardenshow.com/a/p  

!–paging_filter–pAs Seattle’s Super Bowl mania goes into hyper-drive, we’re all looking for ways to show off our Hawks’ Pride./ppa href=”http://glassybaby.com“Glassybabynbsp;/ahas a classy way to signal your allegiance with two new votives wearing that Seahawks’ brilliant blue and green. (Better still, a portion of these sales benefit the Seahawks Women’s Association.)/ppSnagging a Glassybabynbsp;strongSpirit of 12/strong or…

!–paging_filter–p style=”font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;”If you want to take your general remodel noodling to the next level, head to the Seattle Design Center’s grand opening of thenbsp;strong Neil Kelly showroom/strongnbsp;(Georgetown, 5959 Corson Ave. S, Suite B; 206.343.2822;nbsp;a href=”http://neilkelly.com“neilkelly.com/a) this Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m./pp style=”font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;”span style=”font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;”Bring your photos, plans and…

!–paging_filter–pFor those planning a minor home fix or a full-scale makeover, a can’t-miss, one-stop resource is the annual a href=”http://www.phinneycenter.org/homefair/” target=”_blank”Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA) Home Design Remodel Fair/a./ppThis Sunday (1/26), 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., you can meet, greet and quiz all manner of local home talent inside the Phinney Center Blue Building (Phinney Ridge,…

!–paging_filter–pThere’s no one style of ski house, although they tend toward crisp chalets and sturdy log cabins. The only real requirements for a true shredder’s retreat are that it is near enough to a resort to make catching the first run of the day no big expedition and that it is equipped with a cozy…