Street of Dreams: It’s been a good summer for Street of Dreams builder Todd Lockie, owner of Lockie Homes of Snohomish. Not only did his elegant craftsman-style Copper Falls home achieve an independently certified 4-star Built Green rating, it also won eight Street of Dreams awards announced last week.
In a contest judged exclusively by 2,000 real estate agents, Copper Falls won the coveted best of show award, (not a tie as previously announced in Home &Garden), along with an award for best kitchen and a best value award (which was a tie with the Tamarack home).
In the contest voted on by building and design professionals, Copper Falls won best master suite.
In a contest judged by tourgoers, also known as the people’s choice awards, Copper Falls won best landscaping, interior design and furnishings, architectural design and most creative Make-A-Wish Foundation room.
Lockie had worked on past Street of Dreams homes before as a finish carpenter, but this was his first as a primary builder. Being in the annual tour of luxury homes had been a dream of Lockie’s ever since he first started his company in 1998.
Sitting pretty: At large formal events with multiple tables, place cards are really the only graceful way to help guests find their seats. Even at small dinners, a strategic seating plan can make or break spirited conversation (how about the Obama backer next to the Giuliani fan, or a Nats nut next to an ardent Yankee supporter?)
Consider a cheerful innovation: a place card fitted with a plastic water tube to hold a single orchid or Gerbera daisy. Blumebud comes with a wallpaper-like print on one side and a solid color — turquoise, pink, purple, orange, green, red or black — on the other. At the end of a fete, the host can give them to guests, says company co-founder Whitney Swindells of Portland, Ore.
Blumebuds cost $9 per six-pack, $7.65 per pack for 24 or more six-packs. To order, call 888-582-1094 or visit www.blumebox.com.
Getting organized: Labeling is essential when reorganizing any space. For best results, store items in clear containers and label the container, not the shelf where items are stored. That way if the container moves, your organizational system moves with it. Get creative when finding additional storage space. The ceiling is a particularly great place for additional storage in a garage or basement. It allows belongings to be tucked away but not so out of sight that you forget what you have.
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