Natural Home Magazine

Our Review

I've slowed down my devotion to gathering ideas in magazines as the work on the house begins to gather steam.

However.

Two of our friends who are architects have taken a very "green" approach to their bungalow restoration. At first (and in my ignorance), I wondered if "green" meant "expensive", "hard to get materials", etc. Because I really admire the concepts of "salvage", "reuse", "health" and "minimal impact and less consumerism."

When I picked up the January/February Issue of Natural Home, I was pleasantly surprised.

I liked the article about adding pretty (and smart) shutters to the interior of a home for cold winter nights...they go under the window treatment and help increase the R-ratings for insulating any window against the cold. This technique has been used in other countries for centuries.

And the use of ventilation and healthy air is already an obsession of mine.

Getting rid of clutter by thinking about things we own and the spaces we put them in a new way was refreshing. "Try this project" appeals to the "use it, don't just throw it away!" girl in me.

Finally, designing the structure of a house around its usability is something that I really like. There is so much wasted space in today's new construction...I really don't understand it.

So, I enjoyed the magazine. If you get a chance to flip through it, and want validation for your salvage instincts AND your love of great design ....you may find it just as inspirational.

Someday, someday, we will have progressed far enough to reach this point in the house...front door as the boundary between the cares of the world and reclaiming our peace and energy. I really look forward to that day.