Katie Marks

Katie Marks

Katie Marks is a California-based author who loves finding cool life hacks, sharing them with friends, and diving headlong into craft projects. If there is a garden somewhere, you can probably find her outside playing in it. She also enjoys cooking, reading, and being a full-time nerd. Don’t be fooled by her profile picture: She is a person, not a vegetable, who has written an incredible amount of insightful articles for Networx.com.

Among her written works, Katie has written about Earthships, which are highly sustainable buildings created entirely from recycled and natural materials, typically integrated together in a seamless whole (see her article “Extreme Earthships in Extreme Places” for more details: https://www.networx.com/article/extreme-earthships-in-extreme-places). She has also written about dressing up a home with wainscoting, in which she recommends adventuring into using unusual materials such lincrusta, hemp, sewn paper, fiber, and mosaics, if you are wanting to achieve a more unique look than that of wood paneling.
(https://www.networx.com/article/dress-up-with-wainscoting).

For those wanting recommendations for the best paint colors for the exterior of their home, I’d suggest checking out Katie’s article entitled “Go Bold With Exterior Color” (https://www.networx.com/article/go-bold-with-exterior-color), where she provides images and slideshows of homes that take advantage of the more saturated parts of the color wheel. This article provides exciting ideas for color schemes for those who have too big of a personality to settle for painting the exterior of their home in a dull grey or beige hue.


Katie also gives simple day-to-day tips for activities such as storing food properly (https://www.networx.com/article/store-food-right) and starting gardens (https://www.networx.com/article/gardeners-start-your-seedlings), where you can really see her passion for gardening shine through her writing.

See more of Katie’s articles below for more life hacks, home improvement tips and gardening how-tos!

Photo: Katie Murphy/Hometalk

DIY Fall Decor Inspiration

Posted by Katie Marks | Sep 04, 2013

Around these parts, the weather is just starting to turn to fall, which is my favorite season. There's something crisp and fresh in the air that totally invigorates me, and I've been...

Photo: kconnors/morguefile.com

How Much do Cleaners Charge for Flood Cleanup?

Posted by Katie Marks | Sep 04, 2013

If your home has just been caught in flooding, our condolences. We know it's heartbreaking to face the damage left behind by a major storm, and you're probably dreading the process...

Photo: jeltovski/morguefile.com

New York's New Trash Bins Sure are Eyecatching!

Posted by Katie Marks | Sep 04, 2013

Municipal garbage cans placed along streets and in parks to reduce littering (and hopefully encourage people to recycle) are often quite ugly. It's as though the city was so focused...

Photo: Pedro J. Perez/morguefile.com

Should You Replace or Restore Old Windows?

Posted by Katie Marks | Sep 03, 2013

Historic homes tend to have gorgeous windows. It's kind of a trademark. Multipaned windows are a classic feature of many architectural styles, and some may have stained glass accents...

Who says your kitchen needs to be indoors?  Photo: Media Director, Landscape Design Advisor/Flickr.com

Stone Counters are Where It's At

Posted by Katie Marks | Sep 03, 2013

Stone counters have never really gone out of style. They have a certain class, look, and grace that's hard to hate, and high-end homes have often boasted marble and other stone on their...

Photo: Laura Crowhurst/Flickr.com

What are My Professional Odor Removal Options?

Posted by Katie Marks | Sep 02, 2013

So you've got a smell. Maybe it's intense mold or a big bloodstain. Even if you have no idea where it came from, but you definitely want it gone. We feel for you; bad smells are not...

Photo: imelenchon/morguefile.com

Bringing Medicinal Gardening to Urban Landscapes

Posted by Katie Marks | Sep 02, 2013

Humans have been using plants in medicine for hundreds of thousands of years, and they've been cultivating them almost as long to ensure a steady supply for their needs. While the practice...

Photo: inkogutto/morguefile.com

What a Bunch of Wind: Turbines and Property Vaues

Posted by Katie Marks | Aug 29, 2013

You're probably heard the claim: wind turbines hurt property values! Whether people are protesting the construction of turbines or they're worried about buying in an area where turbines...

Photo: Clarita/morguefile.com

Help, My Lights are Flickering!

Posted by Katie Marks | Aug 28, 2013

When the lights are flickering in your house, a number of possible reasons might be causing the problem. If you start to notice lights behaving unreliably, get the situation taken...

Photo: Seeman/morguefile.com

Prepare for the Bay Bridge Closure!

Posted by Katie Marks | Aug 28, 2013

Way back in 1989, I was a wee Northern California child, but I still remember the day I was knocked off the porch railing (while reading Nancy Drew) by the force of the Loma Prieta...