Lifestyle
Floating in Luxury on Portage Bay
This contemporary Portage Bay houseboat features top-notch design and killer views
Peter Erickson knows houseboats. Founder of Northwest property development firm The Urban Fund, he has been a part of Lake Union’s historic houseboat community for more than 40 years, living with his wife and raising their two kids on a 1,400-square-foot property in Eastlake, as well as designing nine other Lake Union houseboats. In 2013,…
An Urban Oasis in Phinney Ridge
Seattle landscaper Scot Eckley creates a unique outdoor living space for a Phinney Ridge couple
After Jay and Katharine Petersen, an electrical engineer and a marketing consultant, respectively, finished building their contemporary-modern home on Phinney Ridge in 2013, they wanted to tackle the surrounding mismatched patches of yard—including a sloping, lumpy lawn. The couple brought in Seattle-based landscape designer Scot Eckley to help transform the hodgepodge into a reason to…
Queen Anne’s Pottery Princess
Mandy Shoger of Foxtail Pottery creates gorgeous clay dinnerware in Queen Anne
For potter Mandy Shoger, home is where the hollowware is. “Incorporating something handmade into your daily routine is so special,” says Shoger, who uses stoneware clay from Washington and Oregon and hand-throws custom dinnerware in her Queen Anne studio. “I think we’ve lost that in America: using products at home created by your own community.”…
Where to Shop for a Home Renovation Project
Interior designer Emily Lauderback reveals a few of her go-to shops
Seattle native Emily Lauderback, founder of interior design and remodeling firm Color in Space, started her company with a mission to bring design know-how, tools and proper color palettes to her clients. Lauderback says color is the thread that connects everything in a space. “And because colors are light reflected back to us, they have…
This Architectural Beauty Is Not Your Ordinary Vacation Home
Cascade Mountain home mixes green design with scenic backdrop
When Bill Broadhead and Julie McCoy found a piece of land just an hour and a half east of the city on Lake Cle Elum, they weren’t in the market for a mountain retreat. Broadhead was looking for a spot to build a snowmobile storage shed. But the site, in the Cascade Mountains near Roslyn,…
6 Instagram Photos that Show why PNW Terrain is Ideal for Runners
There's a great big beautiful world out there. Lace up your sneaks and get outside
Forget the treadmill. Running outdoors in the Pacific Northwest–among the mountains, beaches and forested paths–is an experience for all the senses. There are ample trails and paths accentuated by rugged terrain and sweeping views where the adventurous set can push their limits year-round (three cheers for the PNW’s temperate climate) and enjoy all…
Canada By Rail: An Unforgettable Road Trip
Soak up the scenery, breathe in the mountain air and maybe spot a grizzly
We’ve been traveling east all day, the late afternoon sun is golden, the sky deep blue. I’m standing on an open-air deck watching the range-country scenery outside of Kamloops, British Columbia, roll by. It’s dry cattle country—a surprising shift from the dense greenery west of the Cascades. Suddenly, someone shouts “sheep,” and we scan the…
Three Vacation Rentals for a Luxurious Home Away From Home
The expanding universe of home vacation rentals opens up gorgeous opportunities for Seattleites
1. Glass House Near La ConnerService: Boutique Homes (boutique-homes.com)Style: Architect-designed modern cabin Rate: Starts at $300/night Accommodations: 2 bedrooms and sleeping loft (can sleep 5); 1 bathroomPet friendly: No Minimum stay: 2 nights October–March; 3 nights April–SeptemberGood base for: Small-town exploring, farm hopping, kayaking and cycling. Additional features: The cabin walls are glass panels hung…
4 Local Hikes for Beginners
This roundup of hikes ranges from easy to moderate, so you can stop the research and get outside
We’re used to being humbled by the nearby snow-capped peaks and glistening blue waters, lush forests and beautiful blooms. There are myriad ways to explore the outdoors in the Northwest, but if you’re a beginner, embarking on a day-long hike can be incredibly intimidating. What do you wear? Do you need to bring food? What…
A Medieval Weekend on the Kitsap Peninsula
Port Gamble celebrates the 33rd annual June Faire
Where: Port Gamble, the tiny, historic town at the tip of the Kitsap Peninsula. Why: For the June Faire (6/6–6/7, $10 for a weekend pass; junefaire.com). What: This medieval festival celebrates its 33rd year with creative anachronisms and costumes galore amid stunning views of Puget Sound. Demonstrations include sword fighting, archery and thrown weapons, plus traditional…
What’s Wrong With This House: Island Edition!
This waterfront Camano Island property has been on the market for 472 days. Why?
Each month, we crawl through real estate listings on various websites searching for homes–in all sorts of price points and locations–that for some reason, just haven’t found the right person or family to call their own. Sad. But why haven’t these seemingly lovely dwellings sold? A few months ago we featured this one (which shockingly…
The Top Home Shops in and Around Seattle
Where to find great goods for every room in the house
BallardYou’ll find everything for a contemporary home at 8-year-old Camelion Design (5330 Ballard Ave. NW; 206.783.7125; cameliondesign.com). Owner Nicole Vandermeulen has a knack for displays, creating inspiring vignettes easy to visualize in your own home, and she and her crack team offer design services to make them a reality. A colorful spring store rejuvenation has…
Instagram Inspiration: Our Weekly Top 5
These Instagram shots scream "get out and enjoy the sun this weekend!"
Instagram Inspiration is a new column on Seattlemag.com that explores our favorite Instagram themes each week. This week’s theme is all about spring: a garden full of blooming flowers, spring cleaning, or giving your home a bright update. We hope these spring-y shots inspire you to tackle that next project, whether it is sprucing up…
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