As a gallery owner, Bradley Vite knows that sometimes you find art and sometimes art finds you. In 1997, this penchant for serendipity brought Vite more than unique paintings and s...
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Life + Spaces magazine takes you inside the home of Interior Designer Carols Brademas, owner of Interiors, Etc. in Mishawaka, IN, and shares her thoughts on the subject of interior...
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Area family strives to leave small footprint in their neighborhood.
Heather Reser is passionate about the environment. Whether it is recycling, animal rights, or green building, s...
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Up until a few years ago, terms like wind turbines, clerestory windows, or LEED® certification were known mostly to architects, builders, and those focused on transforming buildin...
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It started as a small In-Spa-Ration.
Then it became a bigger In-Spa-Ration.
Now it is a really big Caribbean Dream.
Dennis and Joyce Dudycha know a thing or two about relaxing. T...
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When the priests of St. Joseph Catholic Church stand at the entrances on Sunday mornings before each Mass greeting people, they are literally welcoming the approximate 750 families...
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One of the most frequent questions I am asked is “Which is better in a landscaped bed? Mulch or stone?” As a long time gardener I have experimented with many different gardeni...
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1. On mantels, buffets, or over mirrors, use a garland of artificial greenery for the base, and tuck in clippings of several varieties of live greenery (from your outdoor shrubs a...
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You know how it feels when you treat yourself to the luxury suite at a really nice hotel? That’s the same experience homeowners Adam Clingan and Melissa Tipton enjoy everyd...
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More than 2,000 years ago, a man set wheels in motion that in the late 20th century inspired Thomas Gordon Smith to build a house.
The man of old was a Roman architect by the name...
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It was the week after the Colts won the Super Bowl. The boiler, which provided heat in our 30-year-old house, had been performing about as well as Rex Grossman during several day...
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Kurt and Kristy Kruggel have created the ultimate “staycation” right in their own backyard. Just last fall they completed a major patio remodel project, which includes a seven-...
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A house wraps its arms around you and over time becomes a home. Through the long lens of 33 years, Jeff and Jamie Helman reflect on their life together and the home they built in 1...
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Interior Designer: Richard Samuels Owner of Interiors by Design
Biography: I have been designing residential and commercial interiors for more that 25 years. I am an Allied Membe...
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Anyone who has ever thought about remodeling a kitchen or bathroom, or maybe adding on a whole new room edition, has probably stared fear and anxiety right in the face. Doubts ab...
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By June 15, Heather Reser hopes to have the keys to her new green home. The project, which started in November, 2008, has been challenging and rewarding to Reser in ways she hadn...
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Some homeowners, when they build, give their contractor a huge amount of leeway once the architectural plans are finalized. On the opposite end of the scale are other homeowners, u...
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He wanted the feel of the outdoors. She wanted to have a brighter area in the house, away from the sun. A four-season porch by Peacock & Company made both of them happy. Jim ...
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Each home is stunning and unique, yet functional and built with today’s savvy homeowner in mind.
The Elkhart County Builders Association and the Home Builders Association of St...
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Backpacks. Coats and boots. Sports equipment. This is the stuff of life. It accumulates at your back door, if you’re a busy family with children. But for Kriste...
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Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!
Tim and Meg Shelly recite that old saying with a wry grin and a laugh. And why not. They had only one room left to ...
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Countertops have gone crazy.
In the old days, say about 20 years ago, you just had lots of laminate to choose from. Sure, it was dependable and affordable.
But now, s...
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Friends gave them three weeks. Three weeks tops, then they’d either have strangled each other or abandoned the trip.
Joe and Joyce Kulesia laughed about it then ...
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When you think about “green”—the movement encouraging the world to become more environmentally friendly—which generation comes to mind? X? Y?
...
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If there is one theme surrounding the green home building project Heather Reser took on it would be “light.” Just ask what her favorite overall thing is about t...
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Local Genealogist Offers Advice
Within the first five minutes of arriving in Sopron, Hungary, Gary Gabrich felt his ancestors calling to him. A retired architect and third-gene...
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Think about people you see on a daily basis – neighbors, friends, co-workers – how much do you really know about them? Who’s the best cook? Which on...
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Traci Clark’s kitchen is fabulous. From smooth granite counter tops, to crème colored maple cabinets, to the wrought iron detail sprinkled throughout, it looks...
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You might not realize it, but music is everywhere in our lives. Think about jingles you hear on radio and television commercials, or music you download onto your Mp3 player...
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Do you ever find yourself exhausted after a long day? Think about all you accomplish – from work, to cooking, cleaning, parenting, working out, and maybe grabbing a f...
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Why should I want to put a geothermal system in my home?
Geothermal systems have been named “the most energy-efficient and environmentally sensitive system you can install...
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Most of us know exactly how our dream home would look. We know where it would be built and how many bedrooms it would have. We’ve imagined the theme for each ro...
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If you’ve ever explored the possibility of remodeling your home or building an addition, you know even the thought of it can be exhausting. Figuring out how to take t...
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Creating a unique, inviting and personal space is about more than just selecting paint colors and flooring. We went inside the Sweet Water showroom this issue to explore this ide...
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For most people, a recession signals a time to cut expenses and save. For Adlai Schrock, it was a time to utilize his natural carpentry skills which led to building a business.
...
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Sometimes bad things happen to good people. Fire destroys homes and businesses. Pipes burst, soaking water into floors, walls and furniture. Most of us will never have to g...
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Ten years ago I was invited to do a river cruise in France, and as a Francophile, what could be more appealing? It was the beginning of a new travel phase in my twenty-year caree...
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FUNCTIONALLY EXQUISITE
“Functionally Exquisite!” These are the words Kevin Yoder, of K.W. Yoder Construction uses to describe the Diamond Lake dream home of long-tim...
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Our favorites from the St. Joseph Valley Panorama of Homes & Builders Showcase and Elkhart County Parade of Homes Plus
There’s something about walking throu...
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When we build or remodel a home, a lot of thought goes into architectural plans and interior design. We want to maximize the space while retaining a stylish, yet functional atmos...
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Being a leader isn’t easy. True leaders possess specific traits that set them apart from everyone else – knowing how to diplomatically juggle, manage and delega...
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It’s the last thing you feel at night before you snuggle under the covers and the first surface your toes touch in the morning when you get out of bed. It can make or...
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Winds of urban change are blowing through our area – change in the way homeowners are living as well as the communities they inhabit. Yes, subdivisions chock-full of spacio...
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Do you ever feel like your garage can’t possibly hold any more stuff? Alongside your vehicles, you’ve stashed bicycles, tools, a lawnmower, the snow blower, mot...
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ZOOLIGHTS, LINCOLN PARK ZOO
If you’ve never visited Lincoln Park Zoo, the largest free zoo and one of the oldest in the United States, Winter is the ideal time to be, well...
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SELAH DAY SPA
301 West University Drive
Mishawaka, IN 46545
574.315.4000
www.thespaselah.com
Along the beaten path where Granger and Mishawaka mesh into a holiday sh...
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A WORLDWIDE CONNECTION
My grandparents were very adventurous. My memories of these two Boston gadabouts are from photographs of them traveling on camels in the desert of Egyp...
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Life+Spaces Editor travels to Europe to find family and history
On a day of dark clouds and pouring rain, 5,000 miles from home, in the parking lot, of all places, a McDonald&r...
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COMMUNITY EVENTS
March 4
First Fridays @ 5: Chicago Style
Lubeznik Center for the Arts
Michigan City, IN
Admission: Free
Tour the “100 Views of Chicago” exhi...
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John James Audubon is the quintessential artist of wildlife. His pursuit and passion of American birds and animals was a lifelong adventure and one that places him in homes, inst...
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SALSA’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT
When you walk through the door at Salsa’s, the aromas and atmosphere make you feel as if you’ve stepped into a Mexican cantina. Fro...
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Are you bored with your space but not looking to remodel just yet?
Are you looking to update a room without buying all new furniture?
Consider the power of paint—it can...
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It was all we could do to get through a snowy January before bitter Old Man Winter ushered in the first week of February with another huge storm. If you’ve got cabin fever,...
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‘Tis the season for outdoor projects! If you’re thinking about creating an outdoor living space or perhaps adding on to what you already have, we asked Thomas Lovisa ...
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IN SPITE OF THE DOWN ECONOMY, LOCAL BUSINESSES SURVIVE AND THRIVE.
Photos by Bruce Veclotch, Photography by Bruce
The Michiana area was clearly hit hard by the n...
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Condition of any item plays a major role in the enjoyment and the value of the object. And one of the best ways to protect a work of art is with museum-quality framing comm...
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...”ARCHITECTS ARE TOO EXPENSIVE”...
Building a custom home is one of the largest investments a person will ever make in their entire life.
There are very few ...
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Photos by David Hubler
Imagine living in a house considered art. A home that sits beside a peaceful pond, surrounded by fresh wildflowers, secluded at the end of a cul-de-sac...
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Normandy Clos: The Legacy Lives On
In the 1930s, Dr. F.W. Carter “had a mind to build a house.” But he didn’t. Build just a house, that is. Rather, he...
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KEY ELEMENTS
There are some key elements to creating a great outdoor living space. Here are some that we recommend including in your plan!
Before & Afters
You ...
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An interview with local dentist George Mighion, DDS
A Picture of Your Health
The eyes may be the window to the soul, but it is the mouth that gives a true picture of...
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The kitchen has now become the place where we not only merely prepare and consume food, but a place to interact with family and friends while preparing a meal or simply ...
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According to the National League of Cities, Oak, Pine, Maple, and Cedar are among the most popular street names in the United States – and with good reason! ...
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Annuals
We are fortunate to live in Michiana where the changing seasons allow us to experience this Rite-of-Spring! And this year promises to be exceptional (are...
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Liz and Mike LaFortune break out in big grins when they remember how it felt to give away their snow blower and snow shovels before moving into a three-bedroom corner apartment a...
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We all yearn for a simpler life, but at French Lick Resort you actually get it.
You can put the cell phone in your suitcase and leave the laptop back at the office. Pi...
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There, I said it, the “S” word. I promised myself I wouldn’t lean on that word in this discussion. Nearly everyone is talking about being “sustainable,&rd...
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I love the excitement I feel when invited to an outdoor event. I grew up in the Midwest, playing in fields and running through forests. Nature has always been my p...
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I love the excitement I feel when invited to an outdoor event. I grew up in the Midwest, playing in fields and running through forests. Nature has always been my playground...
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How the Owners of Giannetto’s Neighborhood Italian have Applied Eight Winning Traits in Golf to Enhance Business and Personal Lives
In a 2009 article in the New York Time...
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Scott Ford is like a Doctor of Internal Medicine – a physician trained to prevent, diagnose and treat a patient. The only difference is that his patient is a city – t...
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It started as a hobby but now, some 30 years later, is a driving force in Gregg Wegenke’s life. Most evenings and weekends, this South Bend resident can be found in, under ...
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I admit, the mudroom may not be the most glamorous topic for an architect to discuss in Life + Spaces. But while this unsung hero of the home is often overlooked and undervalued,...
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The elegant yet cosmopolitan Café Navarre, located in the old American Trust building in downtown South Bend, didn’t start out so elegant or cosmopolitan.
Kurt Jan...
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Remodeling. For some, the word conjures up the 1986 movie The Money Pit starring Tom Hanks, in which a seemingly endless barrage of well intended yet ill-fated makeovers result i...
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Chad and Julie Massey are the very definition of the “sandwich generation.” They have two children ages 10 and 13 and are taking care of Julie’s aging parents.
...
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Photography by Steve Toepp/Midwest Photographics
Ronda Spaulding considers herself more of a gardener than an artist. But the 10-acre spot she has created for her family south ...
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Photography by Steve Toepp/Midwest Photographics
Ronda Spaulding considers herself more of a gardener than an artist. But the 10-acre spot she has created for her family south ...
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The winter of 2012-2013 had golfers out on the course until just before the holidays – and we don’t mean Thanksgiving! Fortunately, that doesn’t leave too many ...
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It’s not easy making a large home feel warm and comfortable. Ever been in a castle or a mansion where drafts are commonplace and the furniture is dwarfed by the space? Jay ...
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