A friend who is in Israel for a wedding sent me this picture. I love how something so simple - umbrellas - become something wonderfully beautiful when used en masse and in an inventive way. These colorful umbrellas reminded me of a picture I took earlier this summer of a recently renovated apartment building on Eastlake. Each apartment front door is a painted vivid accent color. Together, the doors create a colorful, dynamic and wonderfully unexpected and happy facade for wha

Last November, I went Portland to give a talk the weekend after the Presidential election. My top three highlights were: Visiting Boxwood Gardens , a nursery in the Willamette Valley that specialize in what else -- boxwoods! As I walked around, I imagined I was in England. Avoiding the anarchists who were smashing cars a few blocks from the hotel where I was staying. An amazing mocha complete with cat foam art.

I have mentioned before that I am always intrigued when things aren't as they appear. It took this picture in Eastern Washington last summer.  Check back soon and learn why this caught my attention.

It's a lawn -- and a driveway! Â The lawn is grown through a plastic grid that stabilizes the soil and prevents rutting. Â It's the perfect solution for this home outside of Washington DC that I toured last fall. Â The owner keeps his "weekend" cars in this secondary garage and only accesses them occasionally.

In December, Devin and I took trip to Key West, Florida. We wanted to get away from Seattle, hopefully to find the sun and enjoy a little break before welcoming baby number 2. During our stay, we often walked throughout Old Town and enjoyed it’s eclectic mix of over 3,000 wooden buildings from the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s. Almost every home had a white picket fence. I really appreciated how even common elements – like fence pickets – are a chance for thoughtful design.

Last month Scot and our in-house landscape designer Mike attended the 2015 Association of Professional Landscape Designers’ International Conference in Washington DC. The title for the assemblage of like-minded designers, “A Monumental Conference”, was fitting for the surrounding scenery dotted with famous landmarks. As a guest speaker at the 3-day conference, Scot presented his approach to designing small outdoor spaces in Seattle, showing that within the grandeur of these

We recently capped-off a family vacation to Colorado by visiting the D enver Botanical Garden with a specific goal of seeing the temporary “Horses” installation by Deborah Butterfield . It was amazing. In all, there are nine horses situated throughout the gardens. Though it looks like they are sculpted from driftwood, they are actually made from pieces of cast bronze and painted to look like driftwood.

I had a fabulous trip to NYC with my wife, Devin, and had time to walk the new High Line project. These are some of my favorite details. Quick Info About the High Line Park The High Line was originally constructed in the 1930s, to lift dangerous freight trains off Manhattan's streets. Section 1 of the High Line is open as a public park. Â When all sections are complete, the High Line will be a mile-and-a-half-long elevated park, running through the West Side neighborhoods of