Category Archives: On Building

Doors, portals, passages and gates of Sweden

Posted on August 20, 2016 by annamadeit

I’m sure that somewhere, photographic essays – yes, probably entire books, have been assembled on doors and their similes. After all, for being such a simple, utilitarian building element, they are ascribed huge symbolic importance; hope, opening, opportunity, passage, transition from … Continue reading →

Posted in On Building, Scandinavia | Tagged Östergötland, doors, entryways, functionalist, gates, history, medieval, passages, portals, Sweden, Västergötland | 17 Comments

The seven year wait…

Posted on September 16, 2015 by annamadeit

So far, this week has been a pretty normal week for me, but it contains a GIGANTIC mile stone for my friend and co-worker Gina. After the upcoming weekend, she and her husband will be at the end of a process … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool building materials, Nice People, On Building | Tagged Accurate Dorwin, agate river, Columbia River Gorge, DIY, Faswall, green building materials, Passive House, SIP panels, sun room | 10 Comments

The irk of Opportunity Wasted

Posted on March 25, 2014 by annamadeit

Okay, so I’m going to try real hard not to be mean, but seeing backward-ass decisions realized just really rub me the wrong way. Seeing squandered opportunity and fizzled potential is just so depressing… This past fall, I noticed a … Continue reading →

Posted in On Building, On Design | Tagged bad design, box store materials, Building, missed opportunity, pedestrian choices, solar power, squandered potential | 22 Comments

The beauty of clean, Green E-board – put the leftovers on your roses!

Posted on May 25, 2013 by annamadeit

Did you know that we here in the U.S. throw out 221.7 million tons of garbage – every DAY!!! A whopping 20% of that comes from the building and construction industry! So not surprisingly, when I find a product or … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool building materials, Environment, On Building | Tagged construction, drywall, Green, Green E-board, Greenewall, magnesium oxide, Materials, non-toxic, silica | 2 Comments

Nifty bathroom solution – 1

Posted on May 15, 2013 by annamadeit

I recently had the great joy and opportunity to help a wonderful couple renovate one of their bathrooms. Their new house was from 1898, and last time anyone had done anything to the bathroom was in the 80’s – at … Continue reading →

Posted in On Building, On Design | Tagged bathroom, flip-up, mirror, reduce clutter, renovation, school desk, tile, vanity, window | 3 Comments

Nifty Kitchen Solution – 1

Posted on January 4, 2013 by annamadeit

Sometimes you walk into a prospective project, and within seconds, you see the solution – just like that! In this particular little house, it was the kitchen that was of most concern. Built in the 1940’s, the L-shaped kitchen was … Continue reading →

Posted in On Building, On Design | Tagged Creative Solutions, Kitchen design, Small Spaces | 1 Comment

Magic and Mysticism in Scandinavian Vernacular Architecture – on Folklore, Superstition and on How the Gods Really Were in the Details…

Posted on December 30, 2012 by annamadeit

The urge to decorate is as old as mankind. Since time immemorial, adornments have served as status indicators, cultural and national insignia, as well as tribal trademarks. Heraldic badges and coats of arms mark political and familial affiliations, and entire … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, On Building, Scandinavia | Tagged Architecture, Building, carvings, folklore, magic, mysticism, ornament, Scandinavian, superstition, symbol, Traditional, vernacular | 12 Comments

Celebration of the times before the big disconnect – how the old masters selected wood

Posted on October 11, 2012 by annamadeit

I spent my childhood summers on a farm in a rather desolate part of northern Sweden. At one point, much later in life, we were looking into moving a small grain storage barn on the property. It was situated a … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool building materials, Culture, On Building, Scandinavia | Tagged Building, history, lumber, Materials, Nature, Swedish, timber, Traditional, Trees, wood | 5 Comments

From shou-sugi-ban to acetylated wood – a clean, green future in wood preservation

Posted on August 13, 2012 by annamadeit

Tar kiln or “tjärdal” from Öland, Sweden. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia. Since humans began using wood, the material has always been subject to more or less successful methods of wood preservation. Alexander the Great is said to have soaked wood … Continue reading →

Posted in Color, Cool building materials, Culture, Environment, Green Living, On Building | Tagged acetylated wood, cool building materials, environment, green building materials, Green Technology, Japanese, lumber industry, modern, pesticides, Scandinavian, shou-sugi-ban, Traditional, wood preservation | 27 Comments

Active Minds Build Passive Houses!

Posted on December 31, 2011 by annamadeit

While still living in Sweden, I heard about these incredibly energy efficient “Passive Houses”. On average, their annual energy consumption is about 90% LESS than a normal, drafty, comparatively poorly built abode. This is, of course, a staggering slap in … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Green Living, On Building, On Design | Tagged carbon dioxide emissions, Cleveland, collective responsibilities, energy efficiency, energy information administration, energy performance, houses around the world, Passive House, rain garden, storm water, thermal bridge, wall construction | 1 Comment