So I've been following this <a href="https://biophilicflair.com/regenerative-design-training-programs-for-architects/">regenerative design</a> stuff on Instagram for a while now – you know how the algorithm works, you start with houseplant content and somehow end…
The morning sun was hitting the raised garden bed I built for my wife at just the right angle when I noticed something that made me stop and really pay…
I was standing in my friend Maya's kitchen last Tuesday having one of those "oh shit, that's brilliant" moments. She'd been complaining about this space for months – the previous…
When I was a kid, my grandmother always said some houses just felt "friendly" while others felt cold, no matter how nice they looked. I didn't understand what she meant…
Last week, my eight-year-old granddaughter came with me to the medical complex where my wife has her physical therapy appointments. Standing in that lobby – all shiny surfaces and harsh…
When you walk into any building – whether it's a doctor's office, a business, or even our church – the first space you encounter sets the tone for everything that…
I never thought I'd be growing mushrooms in my basement at age seventy-two, but here we are. Started about two years ago when our daughter sent me an article about…
When my wife and I first moved into this house back in '87, the previous owners had installed one of those big security floodlights on the garage. The thing could…
So I've been thinking a lot lately about this whole obsession we have with trying to recreate jungle vibes everywhere we live, regardless of whether it makes any sense. It…
There are many factors to consider when evaluating whether or not a restoration project will be successful. My experience living in an inferior dwelling has led to a heightened awareness…
Last week, I found myself reading about something called regenerative air preheaters after running into a problem with the greenhouse I built for my wife three years ago. The heating…
Living in a pre-war building has taught me a lot about what lasts and what doesn’t. My studio might be tiny and dark, but the bones of this 1920s building…
Okay, so there’s this thing that happens when you walk into certain spaces where your body just goes “oh, thank god” and relaxes in a way you didn’t even realize…
You know what I’ve learned after thirty-eight years in the same house? There’s a big difference between contractors who just fix things and craftsmen who understand what they’re working with.…
About six months ago, I was helping my neighbor Marcus install a new garbage disposal in his condo kitchen. This was a gorgeous space – he’d spent more on those…