Arsenal were listless and uninspired for 90 minutes as the attacking prowess of Liverpool hammered the Gunners for four. Craig Burley lambastes Arsenal's display against Liverpool in his player ratings. Mark Ogden recaps Arsenal's dreadful performance at Liverpool and provides an update on Philippe Coutinho's transfer saga. Aaron Ramsey gives a candid, and dejected, account of Arsenal's showing vs. Liverpool, and their need for vast improvement.

LIVERPOOL, England -- Three quick thoughts from Anfield as Liverpool beat Arsenal 4-0 in the Premier League on Sunday.

1. Liverpool blow away sorry Arsenal

For the second time this week, Liverpool's attacking unit made extremely light work of a vulnerable opponent. Liverpool quite simply proved they are everything Arsenal are not. This was an inspired, attacking and resilient performance from Jurgen Klopp's side, similar to their manhandling of Hoffenheim on Wednesday. The way they attack with speed is something to behold, and their hunger to add to the scoreline will lead to further results like this over the course of the season.

Liverpool head into the international break unbeaten, having juggled well with their schedule of European and domestic football.

For Arsenal, well, they should already be pondering the decision to hand manager Arsene Wenger a two-year contract extension. Without the late show against Leicester City to open the Premier League season, the Gunners would be without a win after three games.

Results like this one are far too common, and the lethargic nature of Arsenal's performance should raise alarm bells about the players' commitment to a sorry cause.

There were four different goal-scorers for Liverpool -- Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and second-half substitute Daniel Sturridge -- and there could, and probably should, have been many more.

Anfield is not a place Arsenal having enjoyed visiting recently. They last won here in September 2012 and have conceded 17 goals since that last win.

Arsenal came into the affair fresher after Liverpool's midweek routing of Hoffenheim, but it did not show at all.

Liverpool were having joy out wide, exploiting the gaps in Arsenal's back three. Ten minutes in, Petr Cech denied Salah brilliantly from close range following Emre Can's cross.

Their next chance, again, came from a wide position, but this time Arsenal were made to pay. Joe Gomez, starting ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, accurately crossed for Firmino, who headed past Cech to put the hosts into the lead.

The domination continued as Arsenal were torn apart when Liverpool made it 2-0 from a simple counter-attack. A pass from Firmino to Mane saw the Senegalese winger square up Aaron Ramsey inside the penalty before curling a low shot into the far corner.

The reality is that Arsenal were fortunate to be heading into the half-time break just two goals down.

When Liverpool made it 3-0, only then did it truly reflect this limp Arsenal display. After clearing a Gunners corner, all Salah had to do was beat Hector Bellerin to the ball, sprint freely towards goal from deep within his own half and then keep his composure to beat Cech.

The fourth was just as simple and had the intensity of a training session, even though there were 13 minutes left to play. Liverpool easily worked possession out from the back before Salah turned provider and crossed for the sub Sturridge to nod it home.

2. Karius shaky as Liverpool record another shutout

Hours before the teamsheets for the match were released, speculation was rife about Klopp's decision to "rest" Simon Mignolet in favour of Loris Karius. There wasn't even a place on the bench for the Belgian, with Danny Ward taking a place on the substitutes' bench as Liverpool's backup goalkeeper.

The explanation from the Liverpool manager was questionable, given the international break follows and Mignolet serves as deputy to Thibaut Courtois for Belgium.

The sudden installation of Karius brought extra attention and scrutiny on his performance. Even during his warm-up, the television's spidercam, used at Anfield for the first time, fixated heavily on the German's movements.

Karius was relatively untroubled, as Arsenal failed to record a single shot on target. His distribution -- which is said to be one of his strengths -- however, was causing plenty of restlessness among the home crowd. In the first half, he was guilty of dawdling with the ball at his feet, but escaped despite Danny Welbeck's best efforts in charging him down. A similar incident occurred again, only for Karius to catch another break. He could have been on back pages for his errors on another day.

His uncertainty did little to put faith within Liverpool's defence, which has come under intense criticism this season. The defenders in red, however, were rarely threatened on Sunday, and what they had to do, they did well. Critics aside, it's back-to-back clean sheets in the league for Liverpool now. If they do bring in an elite centre-half, as Klopp so desires, then there's no limit to how devastating Liverpool can be this season.

3. Wenger gets it wrong at Anfield again

Wenger returned to the scene of his very own crime after he left Alexis Sanchez out of his starting XI at Anfield for the 3-1 defeat back in March, only to bring on the Chilean at half-time and watch him pull Arsenal back into contention in a matter of moments.

He, again, left out one significant player out of his XI in the form of Alexandre Lacazette. As Sanchez returned from an abdominal strain, Lacazette, who has scored twice since his summer arrival from Lyon, made way, leaving the travelling Arsenal supporters inside Anfield astonished for the second consecutive time.

There was only one real chance for Lacazette's replacement, Welbeck, in a quiet first half from an Arsenal attacking perspective. Questions needed to be asked at the break why Arsenal managed just one real opportunity against a shaky defence. Perhaps a world-class striker who costs north of 50 million would have helped though?

Lacazette and Olivier Giroud did appear after the hour mark, but the damage was done, and it was far too little far too late.

Some of the travelling support started to head for the exits after Salah's goal, while a section of those that stayed voiced their displeasure towards the Arsenal manager. Both decisions were entirely understandable.

Glenn is ESPN FC's Liverpool correspondent. You can follow him on Twitter: @GlennPrice94.

Read the original:
Liverpool make extremely light work of vulnerable Arsenal in 4-0 demolition - ESPN FC (blog)

The SECs once-famed championship cathedral is coming down.

If there were any questions about whether or not Mercedes-Benz Stadium would be ready to go for college football in Week 1, those have pretty much been answered.

That should be evidenced by the fact that the Georgia Dome in Atlanta was being prepared for demolition on Monday.

And thats a sad sentence to read for anyone who loves SEC football. The Georgia Dome has housed the SEC Championship Game since 1994, as well as the Peach Bowl since it first opened in 1992.

The Georgia Dome also has been home to the NFLs Atlanta Falcons and the Georgia State Panthers.

Officials are expecting a million or so people to walk through the doors of Mercedes-Benz Stadium over the next two months, according to a report from WSB-TV in Atlanta.

The Georgia Dome was once the largest covered stadium in the world. Now, it will soon be nonexistent.

Insert sad face emoji.

Cody McClure is an SEC Football Writer for Saturday Down South. He lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he also hosts a sports radio show. Cody previously worked for Athlon Sports and The Oak Ridger.

Read more:
LOOK: Old Georgia Dome set for demolition as young, hip Mercedes-Benz Stadium opens - Saturday Down South

Published: 08/27/17 07:24 pm EDT.

Updated: 08/27/17 07:25 pm EDT.

LIMBURG, Germany (WTHR) - It took two tries to take down all the pillars of a bridge set for demolition in Germany.

The well-traveled bridge was built in the 1960s as part of Germanys Autobahn, but officials said it was no longer able to cope with the strain of heavy traffic.

So demolition experts were taking it down.

Sunday, they started to demolish the last six pillars.

They used 176 pounds of dynamite, and the first four pillars went down on the first try.

But scattered rock fragments from the first blasts were said to have damaged the other detonators.

That forced the team to make some repairs and have a second go at the explosion.

The second time was the charm, and the last two pillars tumbled down with big bangs and a cloud of dust.

See more here:
WATCH: German bridge comes down in planned demolition - WTHR

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI Once a sports and entertainment mecca, demolition of the now dilapidated Silverdome in Oakland County will start next month. After a few snags and weeks worth of environmental remediation, the Adamo Group will begin bringing the stadium down in sections and expects to just about finished by January, according to an Oakland Press report.

For more, go to the Oakland Press.

(For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Rochester Patch, click here to find your local Michigan Patch. Also, follow us on Facebook, and if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

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Originally published August 28, 2017.

Read more from the original source:
Silverdome Demolition To Start In September - Patch.com

The German midfielder has fired a shot across the bows of all fellow title chasers after an easy dismantling of the Gunners

Emre Can has sent out a warning to Liverpool's Premier League title rivals, claiming that The Reds' 4-0 demolition of Arsenal is 'just the start' for the Anfield club.

Jurgen Klopp's side struggled to a 3-3 draw in their opening league clash with Watford but have won every match since, with their latest victory over the Gunners one of the greatest performances fans have seen from the club in recent times.

Reds to beat City & O2.5 goals 4/1

Sitting second in the table heading into the international break, Can believes he and his team-matescan't play much better, but has promised consistent hard work in order to maintain Liverpool's seemingly free-scoring current form.

It was a big, big performance, Can told reporters after the match. Everyone did great I don't think you can play much better.

Don't forget that it was Arsenal we were playing when was the last time Liverpool won 4-0 against Arsenal? It was just great.

It gives us confidence going into the international break and everyone's happy, but we have to keep working. Out performance was good but we need to keep it up. It's just the start.

Plaudits were mainly directed at the goal-scoring front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, but Can himself, alongside Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum, all played key roles in pinning Arsenal back with their high-tempo pressing.

Can realises that intensity may not be possible every match depending on fitness levels, but admits it's what manager Klopp expects from his starting XI every time they take to the field.

He expects that from his midfield players, the Germany international went on, Of course I can't do it every time but I'm trying to do it more often than last year. It's working well so far.

I think you could see on Wednesday [vs Hoffenheim] that we played at a high tempo then again here [today]. Everybody feels food, in good shape and that's very important.

Whether Liverpool will be able to keep up with Klopp's demands for the entirety of the season remains a topic of hot debate, but the potential arrival of Thomas Lemar from Monaco will add additional options for the demanding coach.

Article continues below

Meanwhile, the Anfield outfit have also reached an agreement to sign RB Leipzig Naby Keita, though the Guinean midfielder will not join up with Liverpool until the 2018-19 season.

Read more from the original source:
Arsenal demolition 'just the start' for Liverpool, says Can - Goal.com

Story highlights

"Wow - Now experts are calling #Harvey a once in 500 year flood! We have an all out effort going, and going well!" Trump tweeted Sunday morning. In another tweet, the President remarked that there has been "great coordination between agencies at all levels of government."

"Continuing rains and flash floods are being dealt with. Thousands rescued," he added.

Trump's tweets -- ebullient, often punctuated with exclamation marks, sent in his characteristically rapid-fire manner -- showcased publicly his engagement in the devastating storm. But they left out the fact that Texas could be battered with rain and see dangerous flooding for days, and that the storm's devastation will be felt for weeks -- or perhaps years.

Both the National Weather Service and the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Sunday underscored just how unpredictable the storm has been and what a long tail it will have.

"This event is unprecedented & all impacts are unknown & beyond anything experienced," the National Weather Service tweeted Sunday. "Follow orders from officials to ensure safety."

Brock Long, the FEMA administrator, described Harvey as a "landmark" disaster event. "We're setting up and gearing up for the next couple of years," Long told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday.

Harvey made landfall on Friday as a Category 4 hurricane. An immeasurable number of businesses and homes have been damaged or destroyed. In Houston alone, more than 5,500 people are in shelters, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Monday morning, a number that he expects to rise "exponentially." More than 2,000 people have been rescued there, Turner said, and the water is continuing to rise.

"The word catastrophic does not appropriately describe what we're facing," Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat who represents much of Houston, told CNN. "We just don't know when it's going to end."

With the full damage wrought by Harvey still not known -- and unlikely to be known for some time -- and this being one of the first significant domestic crises the Trump White House has been met with, the President's response has been closely watched. It offered little detail as to what federal assistance could be provided to help Texas and Louisiana respond to the hurricane, nor did it acknowledge that there could be significant loss of life.

Asked whether or not the President's praise Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had been delivered prematurely, Tom Bossert, Trump's homeland security adviser, told CBS that "it's not premature if you do it the right way."

Bossert also detailed the President's involvement with the storm off Twitter -- which included but was not limited to a two-hour long meeting with the Vice President, the entire Cabinet and members of the President's leadership team. Bossert said that Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have "both called me in the last 12 hours probably a dozen times each."

Trump's White House is also trying to avoid the narrative that President George W. Bush faced when Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast in 2005, killing more than 1,800 people. Bush was criticized for a slow, bungled federal response as well as his praise of then-FEMA director Michael Brown.

On Friday, before Harvey made landfall, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican, reminded Trump to heed Katrina's lessons.

"Keep on top of hurricane Harvey dont mke (sic) same mistake Pres Bush made w Katrina," Grassley tweeted.

On Saturday, Trump responded: "Got your message loud and clear. We have fantastic people on the ground, got there long before #Harvey. So far, so good!"

As the remnants of Hurricane Harvey continued to batter Texas on Sunday, the White House announced that the President would travel to Texas on Tuesday.

The White House has yet to say where Trump will travel, but the Federal Aviation Administration advised Monday morning that flight restrictions will be in place in Austin and Corpus Christi, Texas on Tuesday due to a VIP movement. The White House stressed that Trump would visit areas where his presence would not overly strain the resources of emergency responders.

Excerpt from:
Trump strikes positive tone on Harvey before damage known - CNN International

Its important to make every minute count in meetings at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference, according to Stephen Passero, a municipal councillor from Fort Erie who attended the annual gathering in Ottawa earlier this month.

Held in Ottawa, the three-day gathering of politicians is held in a different city in Ontario each time. In 2015, AMO was held in Niagara Falls at Scotiabank Convention Centre.

It brings together thousands of municipal leaders, as well as provincial politicians and staff. Passero said because formal and scheduled meetings can be brief and to the point, its critical to focus on issues and projects that are fresh rather than pushing for action on matters that have been on Fort Eries radar for many years without much support or interest from the province.

At a certain point, you have to realize a government is not going to change its position a year and a half before an election, said Passero, who is serving his second term.

Whether its a spontaneous discussion at a restaurant or a planned sitdown with a provincial cabinet minister and their staff on the agenda for the day, Passero said there is value in both.

Its always a great opportunity to advance projects, put in a key word or two, and just raise issues to a higher profile with them, said Passero.

There were specific projects discussed at the AMO conference, such as the Canadian Motor Speedway and the Millers Creek Marina Project, two developments that have been touted in Fort Erie as potential economic drivers for all of Niagara but have not seen shovels in the ground after many years of ups and downs.

Passero said these projects were mentioned, but he feels conversations about water, wastewater and other infrastructure needs were the most valuable, also saying that most towns and cities likely had similar discussions.

Were not unique in the issues that were facing, said Passero, also saying that the representatives who travelled to AMO from Fort Erie were able to come to the table with solutions and concerns about getting policies changed at the province and that they werent just looking for a handout.

Also attending were Mayor Wayne Redekop, chief administrative officer Tom Kuchyt and Ward 6 Coun. Chris Knutt, representing Fort Eries Stevensville area.

Knutt said talks with the Ministry of Natural Resources on how the town could find a way to clean up Waverly Beach were had, as well as possible ways to alleviate Fort Eries already-expensive and ongoing battle with the emerald ash borer. He said he learned about a provincial fund that will provide for the planting of 50 million trees by 2025, and to date, has assisted more than 4,000 landowners.

Were going to investigate to see if Fort Erie could qualify for it, said Knutt.

Fort Erie has budgeted $579,000 in 2017 to combat the invasive insect that has infested more than 15,000 trees, 80 per cent of them on private property.

Another point of interest at AMO for Knutt was what he discovered about the City of Barrie and its workflow system that allows developers and property owners to track their applications for permits and inspections online, allowing them to see how far along they are in the approval process.

I was really intrigued by technologies some of the other municipalities have, said Knutt.

See the original post:
AMO conference of value to Fort Erie councillors - Times of Fort Erie

An abandoned yacht is discovered in Tokyo Bay.A sudden eruption of steam causes a partial collapse in the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line tunnels.Something is seen in the mist.

As Tokyo adapts to the impossible truth that something massive is coming ashore, soldiers, scientists, politicians and civilians alike struggle to discover just what it is theyre facing. And more importantly, if it can be stopped

Shin Godzilla is phenomenal, pretty much from the opening scene to the last. Directors Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi balance the colossal destruction caused by their biggest star with a surprising, and nuanced, human cast.

Front and centre in that teamis Rando Yoguchi (Hiroki Hasegawa), a young cabinet secretary whos the first person to realise theyre dealing with a monster. Put in charge of a task force of brilliant outsiders, hes ordered to find a solution to the Godzillaproblem at any cost. Hes aided -and sometimes hindered by characters like Hideki Askaska, an aide to the Prime Minister (played by Yutaka Takenouchi and Kayoko Anne Patterson). Meanwhile, Kayoko (Satomi Ishihara) is a special envoy for the US President and a woman with political ambitions all her own.

There are three keys to the success of Shin Godzilla and that cast is one. Hasegawa is a serious, intense lead whose fundamental idealism and belief in Japanese national character drives the movie along. His character Rando is focused to the point of humourlessness but hes never unlikable. Its the sort of role Jimmy Stewart or Denzel Washington would have played in a different time and Hasegawa excels at it. Hes not alone, with every cast member turning in good work. Mansai Nomura, who plays Godzilla via motion capture, is especially great. This version of the king of monsters, his skin glowing with nuclear fire, is nightmarish precisely because of the clear intelligence Nomura brings to it.

That leads to the second key to the movie: its realism. Strange as that sounds for a film where Japanese armed forces battle a hyper evolving nuclear skyscraper, its true. Godzillas biology, the human responses to it and the sheer scale of the problem are all given their due and all work perfectly. This plays, to Western audiences, like a grounded, modern response to an impossible disaster. It also plays, at several points, like an extended episode of The West Wing. Rando and his colleagues fierce, dogged determination and idealism is inspiring and hard won and theres the same sense of good people doing their best in impossible jobs. The closing act, cutting between the frantic efforts to perfect an anti-Godzilla weapon and desperate politicking to stop a nuclear weapon again being fired at Japan, really brings this to the fore.

The film also expertly ties itself to modern Japanese culture. Where the original was clearly influenced by the Hiroshima and Nagasaki attacks in World War II, this film draws from closer to the present. The 2011 earthquake and the Fukushima disaster are both clear influences on the movie. The contrast between the bureaucratic senior politicians and Randos hard-charging team of misfits is also a contrast between the response that natural disasters all too often have and the responses we want. But even then the film picks no easy targets. There are moments of heroism and self-awareness among the older generation too, and the ending, for Rando and Godzilla, is pleasingly morally ambiguous again, giving the film far more weight than youd expect.

Godzilla may be the perfect organism. This may be the perfect Godzilla movie to date. Epic in scale and ambition, its an intensely confident, gripping and often beautifully shot monster movie with multiple messages. Listen to them all.

INFORelease: 4 December 2017From:Manga EntertainmentFormat:DVD &Blu-rayPrice (RRP):17.99 (DVD), 19.99 (Blu-ray)Age Rating:12

Visit link:
Shin Godzilla REVIEW - MyM magazine (blog)

Frugal ideas to remodel the kitchen

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A kitchen makeover can add sparkle to a home and enhance its appeal to prospective buyers. The job doesnt have to cost thousands of dollars.

A kitchen remodel can be done on any budget, says Jaclyn Pardini Hartzell, a spokeswoman for Lowes. Conduct research ahead of time, find your inspirations, and know which projects you can complete yourself and which ones youll leave for an expert.

While there are limits to what can be done frugally, many home-remodeling experts say moderately handy homeowners with just a little cash to spend can make a big difference in their kitchen.

If the work looks good, youre adding equity to your home which you might tap for bigger projects later on, says Erin Davis, owner and lead designer for Mosaik Design & Remodeling in Portland, Oregon.

Here are eight kitchen remodeling projects that cost $500 or less.

Spruce up your walls

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If your kitchen feels old, theres no better low-cost remedy than a coat of paint.

One of my design teachers once told me that a gallon of paint is worth $500 (in terms of) the value it brings to a space, Davis says. Not only does it instantly change the feel of a space, but if you do it yourself, it will cost virtually nothing.

And, for about $100, you might add molding to the area where your cabinets meet the ceiling.

If youre handy with a table saw, it would only take you an afternoon to add a chunky piece of crown molding to the tops of your upper cabinets, says Atlanta-based DIY blogger Kelly Marzka, who runs the website View Along The Way. This is an easy way to make inexpensive cabinetry feel like custom pieces.

Freshen up cabinets

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New cabinets can be expensive, but adding or replacing the hardware on existing ones is among the easiest, most cost-effective ways to revamp a kitchen.

Hardware is like jewelry for your cabinets, says Davis, ofMosaik Design & Remodeling. Youll be surprised at how different your cabinetry looks with updated hardware.

Another, more involved option is to paint the cabinets, which will make them look new without replacing them.

Even laminate cabinets can be painted, if you use a good primer.

Supplies should run less than $100. But before you paint, its important to prep. Remove the doors from the cabinets, cover the hardware or remove it, and be sure to sand away old paint.

Float a new look for the sink

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Elena Elisseeva/Shutterstock.com

You dont have to be a plumber to give your kitchen sink a makeover, but you do have to be somewhat handy, says Jamie Gold, a certified kitchen designer in San Diego and the author of New Kitchen Ideas That Work.

You can replace the faucet on your sink rather easily in about an hour. But the costs can vary dramatically.

Depending on the quality and features of the faucet, you could spend anywhere between $150 and $500, Gold says.

A more dramatic option, and one that requires a little more muscle, is to replace the whole sink. That will take a few hoursandshould run you between $250 and $500.

Want to replace everything in your kitchen, including the kitchen sink?A home equity line of credit might help.

Update the lighting

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Hero Images/Getty Images

If youve ever thought your kitchen might look better in a different light, you may be on to something.

It is amazing what a great light fixture can do to a room, Davis says. Just swapping out new fixtures in the existing locations is the most affordable way to go. Another good idea is to add recessed can lights to a kitchen to improve the general lighting.

Most homeowners can change out fixtures pretty quickly on their own with some basic instruction.

But adding high-quality recessed lighting might get a little tricky for a novice. Hiring an electrician to do the job should run about $150 to $200, which includes materials and labor.

If you dont feel comfortable doing anything electrical yourself, Davis says its possible to hire a good electrician for up to $95 an hour.

Renew counters and floors

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The Focus Mantra/Getty Images

New counters and floors will probably test your kitchen remodel budget and your handiwork. If youre up for it, either of these changes can have a dramatic impact on your kitchens appearance.

Vinyl flooring can look great and costs only about $2 a square foot.

When it comes to countertops, you have even more budget options. Granite tile can give you a granite look without the price of a granite slab, says Gold, who adds that you can tile over existing tile if you rough up the underlying surface with a sander.

Similarly, you can install laminate countertops on top of existing counters. Hardware stores sell countertops for as little as $45 per section.

Considering new granite counters? Look into a home equity loan, which might offer a solid source of funds.

Buy (almost) new appliances

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kazoka/Shutterstock.com

Replacing kitchen appliances may exceed yourbudget. But if youre willing to accept minor imperfections, it is possible to pick up a new appliance for less than $500.

You can update appliances by going to a scratch-and-dent store where they sell new appliances at a steep discount due to minor cosmetic flaws, Gold says.

You might have a hard time seeing the flaws, and youre still getting a new product.

Still, unless youre buyinga new refrigerator, you may have to hire someone to install the new appliance, which could add a few hundred dollars to the project.

Westend61/Getty Images

The wall space behind your sink can offer a surprising amount of design potential.

One of the easiest ways to spruce up a kitchen is to change the backsplash, says Christine Tse, an interior designer in New York. This small change will instantly change your kitchen from drab to fab.

Coming from New York, Tse says shes fond of subway tiles, which can run about $350 for 12 square feet. If you want something high-end like white Carrara marble, you should plan on spending about $450. But if you want to keep costs down, you can hunt around for options in the $200 range.

You dont have to be a tile expert to put in a backsplash. A lot of hardware stores run free weekend classes.

Want to do more extensive home renovations? Check out todays best home equity rates.

Install more storage

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Astronaut Images/Getty Images

If youre running out ofstorage space in the kitchen, the room probably isnt aesthetically pleasing either.

Clear the clutter by moving cookbooks and other clutter off of the countertops and adding some floating shelves to the walls, says Dorothy Myers, an interior designer and real estate agent at Long & Foster in Washington, D.C.

You can pick up thick floating wood or glass shelves for about $40 each, Myers says. Thinner, less expensive shelves can be had for as little as $5 apiece.

A moderately handy homeowner should be able to do the project in a few hours.

Just make sure that you anchor the shelves to studs to ensure that the shelves can hold some weight, if your wall is drywall, Myers says.

Read more here:
8 great kitchen remodeling ideas for under $500 - Bankrate.com

A 60-pound stuffed beaver isnt your usual living room dcor.

But for outdoorsman Daron Smith, it fits.

His 3,700-square-foot home southwest of Beaver Lake, Nebraska, is a blend of his lifelong passion for the outdoors and his fondness for mementos from his familys past.

I really love the rustic feel of my place with the barn wood and, obviously, the animals Ive acquired over the years, Smith says. And I love the history thats reflected in the dcor.

The hunter and fisherman made the outdoors his first priority upon purchasing the eight-acre property in 2000. He replaced a barn, put in a pond and brought in a half-million pounds of rock, including boulders, to give the landscape a northern Minnesota look and feel.

He planted wildflowers in the woods behind his home and created another acre of wildlife habitat to the west, clearing a lot of trees in the process.

My career should have been in landscaping and habitatmanagement, says the 52-year-old former owner of Better Business Equipment Co., as he gazes out on the jewel of his work, a 100-by-80-foot pond.

He has since expanded the original parcel to 50 acres and added a nearby 160-acre farm, which hes turning into a mix of crops and more wildlife habitat.

Turkey, coyote, raccoon, possum and all kinds of birds are familiar visitors to his home.

Im close enough to get to Omaha, he says, but I feel like Im in the middle of the wilderness.

His focus turned inside after selling the family business in 2015. As with many home remodels, it started small.

He wanted to redo a three-season porch that had paper-thin windows and a leaky roof and walls. But he also liked the idea of opening up the area to the kitchen. Soon, the kitchen was down to its studs.

Three weeks near completion of the four-month project, he remodeled the main-floor bath.

I just decided to go whole hog, Smith explains.

He provided 30 percent of the ideas, and gave Libby Pantzlaff of Creative Interiors by Libby credit for the other 70. Mike Sassen of Advance Design and Construction also had creative input.

Smith wanted to feel like he was sitting outside, so he sought a rustic feel in the hearth room, with barn wood walls, slate flooring and a great view of the pond and woods.

Along the way the project took on an historic bent, something he hadnt originally planned.

A wall and backsplash in his new kitchen feature reclaimed Egyptian pavers used in the 1920s to build the Lincoln Highway, which snaked down Dodge Street on its way from New York to San Francisco. Smith and Pantzlaff spent a day reclaiming them from a brick pile at A&R Salvage and Recycling Inc.

The marble counters are done in what Pantzlaff jokingly calls a mossy oak pattern, because it reminds her of camouflage.

I think its just got character, Smith says.

The frames around the windows in the hearth room and kitchen feature old-growth oak from a western Nebraska barn. Smith estimates the wood could be nearly 200 years old.

In the hearth room, a wall made from reclaimed wood from nearby Murray, Nebraska, has become home to many family heirlooms. Smith points out a log chain and skillet that traveled from Illinois to Kansas in a covered wagon.

I had a pile of this stuff, and I said, Libby, make it look good.

The only time Smith balked, then relented, was when Pantzlaff suggested using reclaimed corrugated metal from a barn for the hearth room ceiling. Now hes glad he went along with the idea.

As an homage to what Smith calls the hunting that runs in his blood, racks from two deer and a 600-pound elk adorn another wall in the hearth room. A spot over the new coat closet is reserved for one of the bobcats that frequents his farm.

The beaver is homegrown, too. It lived in the creek behind his house. When it began killing off many of the smaller trees on the property, Smith trapped it and had it mounted.

It has definitely become a conversation piece with Smiths guests.

Most of them are pretty shocked, Smith says. Who has a beaver?

Originally posted here:
A rustic redo: Family's past brings unique look to outdoorsman's retreat southwest of Beaver Lake - Omaha World-Herald