I wanted to share a home remodeling project that has been a labor of love for my husband and me. We’ve been remodeling our 1893 farmhouse in Southeast Portland since the day we moved in in fall 2005. I’m happy to report that our major projects are finally complete.

Recently, a neighbor confessed that she used to refer to our home as The Clampetts’ House, straight out of “The Beverly
Hillbillies.” (I always called it Our Little Haunted House.) After looking at our “before” and “after” photos, you’ll see why. I believe that your readers who are embarking on a daunting remodeling journey will see our before-and-after photos and have faith that their remodels will come together in due time. It has taken us five years, but my husband and I are finally proud to call this house our home.

—AMANDA SHEBIEL, VIA E-MAIL

Hat’s off—or rather helmets on—to Sarah Gilbert and Jonathan Hanson (“Ahead of the Curve: Carfree Living,” Green Living
2009)! They’ve made a gallant and courageous step for their family that seriously underscores green living. Gilbert had one
piece of advice I really held onto: I liked her comment about being out and about on the bike, seeing people and stopping to do things that she wouldn’t do if she were driving a car.

I walk often and it does do wonders for a glum mood. Thank you!

—EDWIN B. HESSE, VIA E-MAIL

I was passing through Portland recently and I picked up a copy of Green Living. I really enjoyed reading it, especially the
section on the artists who make things out of materials that most people would consider trash (“The Upcyclers”).

I also love the sizes of the houses you feature. Home magazines tend to feature behemoths, but the houses you show are well-designed and realistically sized. They give me something to aspire to rather than make me feel as if it’s out of my reach to remodel my own home, which is how a lot of home magazines leave me feeling!

—RACHEL SANDSTROM, VIA E-MAIL

My husband and I have just finished the remodeling of our 1915 hunting lodge located in Maplewood. We have honed river rock, granite, copper and butcher-block countertops, plus an interior barn door with turn-of-the-century hand-forged hardware. A two-inch-thick cedar shake roof is on the house, which also has a classic Great Room.

We are avid fans of Oregon Home and know this would be a cover story! How can we be in your next issue?

—TERYN BONIME, PORTLAND

Editor S.D. says: "Hunting lodge? Copper countertops? Let me just say, ‘Wow, wow and wow!’ I’m always looking for great projects to feature. Please take a few digital shots of key focal points (three or four will do) and email them to me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . If I see something that I’ve yet to show my readers, I’ll give you a call and schedule a walk-through, during which Oregon Home art director Barbara Osborne will take another 80 or so shots. After that, we’ll work up a mock layout to see whether the package has legs!"