A rendering of the Hilton Hotel Santa Monica Restaurant

Renovating a large hotel isnt an easy project, especially during a pandemic. Still, Andrea DeRosa and Ashley Manhan, founders of Avenue Interior Design have managed a full-scale renovation of the Hilton DoubleTree Santa Monica in Los Angeles converting the property to Hiltons West Coast flagship. Like everything else during these times, this project has taken far longer than initially planned for. Construction began in late 2018 and the property is almost ready to open.

The building was erected in 1990 and last underwent renovations in 2009. So it was more than time for Avenue Interior Designs full-scale renovation which consisted of 289 guest rooms and suites, public spaces including the lobby, porte-cochre, reception, ballrooms, meeting space, pre-function space, restaurant and bar, outdoor dining terrace, as well as the fitness center and pool deck.

For more than a decade, Los Angeles-based Avenue Interior Design has been designing boutique hospitality venues both domestically and abroad. Theyve made a name for themselves in the hospitality industry with their involvement in the design of the SLS Beverly Hills, La Serena Villas in Palm Springs, and the Ramble Hotel in Denver amongst others.

Andrea DeRosa and Ashley Manhan

The design of the Hilton Santa Monica was inspired by the history of California itself. Southern California has long been a source of inspiration for artists, musicians, innovators, and filmmakers dating as far back as a century during the golden era of the 1920s. The 1930s saw the popularity of custom homes rise along the Gold Coast as LA pioneer architects Wallace Neff and Paul Williams were commissioned to build some of the most iconic estates of that period. The 1960s bohemian culture that rose to popularity in places like Malibu, Venice Beach, and Topanga Canyon, produced and fostered iconic musicians like The Beach Boys and The Doors, and Neil Young, DeRosa and Manhan tell me. Fast forward to the present day when this same landscape is becoming the breeding ground for innovation on another level technology and the rise of the now renowned, Silicon Beach.

Renovating a hotel of the Hilton Santa Monicas scale is a tremendous undertaking even during less chaotic times. But the team at Avenue Interior Design managed to pull it off. However, one serendipitous factor was that the hotel was already closed for renovations during the shutdown. Better yet, the property had an inherently open floor plan so the public areas were already able to accommodate social distancing. While the local government is likely to mandate social distancing for quite a bit longer, accommodating this will likely be a part of hospitality design for an indeterminate period, at least in California.

Lobby lounges, meeting spaces, restaurants, and other public areas within hotels are inherently comprised of communal spaces emphasizing shared experiences, the designers explain. This pandemic has required all of us designers, owners, operators, and guests alike to redefine our experiences within, as well as our expectations for, these communal spaces.

Contemporary sconces are just one major hotel design trend

Cleanliness and easy sanitization has become a major factor in design. The team at Avenue Interior Design not only had to reevaluate the layout of these spaces but also the type of furniture and materials used.

A room with a view at the Santa Monica Hilton

Cleanliness has always been of paramount importance within the hospitality industry, but the dialogue surrounding the maintenance and durability materials and finishes for these spaces is certainly top of mind. We are using more vinyl for upholstered seating, glass and stone tops on tables, and staying cognizant of vertical surface finishes in heavy communal areas knowing disinfecting procedures can wreak havoc on finer finishes and materials, they explain.

The Southern California restaurant industry has been greatly challenged due to the ever-changing landscape of the pandemic. Various authorities and agencies have ordered multiple shutdowns and strict requirements for reopening including changes in social distancing and capacity guidelines. As of February 19, 2021, indoor dining is still forbidden. This has forced the restaurant industry to create layouts that can be pivoted at a moments notice.

A rendering of flexible space at the Hilton Santa Monica

One way Avenue Interior Design addressed this issue was by utilizing modular components of freestanding two-top and four-top tables for maximum flexibility in the event the restaurants must comply with distancing guidelines or reduced group size requirements. However, DeRosa and Manhan take this design challenge in stride. Mixing in various seating styles allows for an infusion of personality and visual interest while maximizing occupancy. An additional consideration for how interior and outdoor spaces connect is also top of mind. Now more than ever plans must be in place for spaces to expand to capture any usable real estate.

The pandemic has undoubtedly changed hospitality design for the long term. As a result, DeRosa and Manhan anticipate several permanent modifications to design interior and experiences within these spaces. For one, wed welcome more automated, touch-free, or motion-activated features especially when it comes to plumbing fixtures and lighting. Not only is it convenient and clean, but its also sustainable, they tell me.

The future is (almost) now.

They also see hotels integrating home office features into rooms. A quiet space, a functioning scanner and printer, reliable Internet, and comfortable chairs instantly became the most coveted home essentials. Once we get the green light to travel freely, we suspect were going to see a surge in travelers looking for hospitality venues catering to those of us seeking a work-cation and in turn capitalizing on the work-from-anywhere mentality so many of us have embraced during 2020.

The Hilton Santa Monica anticipates a grand opening in spring 2021.

Read more:
How Avenue Interior Design Renovated The Hilton Santa Monica Hotel In The Middle Of The Pandemic - Forbes

Nick and Taylor Thurmond found a post-it note on their mailbox last April with an offer to buy their Lower Greenville home in Dallas. That little piece of paper served to keep a family business afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

It planted a seed for how a business with a rich Dallas legacy could outrun a health crisis thats gobbled up many other companies.

The family business, now called Nitsche, is known as an event construction company with a rich Dallas legacy. Founded by German immigrant Ernst Nitsche, it began as a flower store around 1887, according to family members. The family initially sold flowers grown on their Dallas farm under the name Nitsches Flower Store, the first flower shop to be counted in the Dallas census, according to family.

The company shifted direction in the 1970s when Virgil Thurmond, Nicks father, changed it from a retail flower shop to an events and trade show business, renaming it Nitsche Convention Florist. Since then, the familys main work came from building sets and outdoor designs for events like the State Fair of Texas and traveling across the country for other similar large-scale events.

When COVID-19 sent the events business into hibernation, the Thurmonds had to figure out other ways to make money.

It was 100 to zero income in February, said Nick Thurmond, part of the fifth generation of family members to be involved in the business. He co-owns it with his father. Taylor, Nicks wife, also works for the family business.

Fortunately, the family had a background in construction. And they had a lead: the post-it note.

Nick and Taylor had been renovating their own homes for a number of years, making small-scale improvements. While living in their first Dallas home a duplex they owned while renting out the other half they decided to buy the home next door when it went on the market.

Three or four months after the renovation, they found that note on their mailbox. The Thurmonds realized they could channel the companys existing construction know-how into homebuilding.

In June, they bought a two-unit duplex on Vickery Boulevard in Lower Greenville under the companys name. The Thurmonds had the skills necessary to completely reimagine the 1950s build so they set out to convert it into a single-family home with four bedrooms and three bathrooms.

The Thurmonds say they hate the term flipping houses because it evokes the idea of slapping on new countertops, adding paint and calling it a day. Instead, when they renovate, they gut an entire house, reassessing everything from the plumbing to the layout to the exterior appearance.

They worked with Amy Sack from Compass Real Estate to find and acquire the properties. On Dec. 30, they closed a sale of the Vickery Boulevard house with Sacks help. Nick and Taylor said it was their first sizable paycheck since February.

When your side hustle becomes your main hustle overnight is how Taylor explains the choice they faced.

Nitsche has since acquired a second property where the Thurmonds will be building from the ground up. Nick and Taylor own a few properties of their own, separate from the family business, and are building their own custom home as well.

As for the future of the company, the couple said theyre uncertain how this year will play out. And theyre okay with that.

The company has already survived one pandemic the infamous 1918 Spanish flu that infected 500 million people. In a 1970 article in The Dallas Morning News, Nicks grandfather Robert Thurmond was quoted as saying the family flower store peaked during that pandemic.

Nick expects homebuilding to become a permanent part of the 134-year-old family business.

It was kind of a natural and welcome shift that will continue regardless of what happens, he said.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly cited Richard Thurmond in a 1970 article, the correct name is Robert Thurmond. The article now reflects the change.

Originally posted here:
This Dallas family business went from building floral displays at big events to fixing up homes - The Dallas Morning News

The Cheyenne River Youth Projects Wo Otuhan Wi, or Moon of Giving Away Presents, finally came to an end this past Friday, Jan. 15. Over the last several weeks, the nonprofit youth organizations small staff just 10 people sorted, wrapped, and safely delivered thousands of gifts through curbside distributions, bringing Santa Claus to more than 265 families on the remote Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation.

Christmas 2020 is officially done, said Julie Garreau, CRYPs executive director. We delivered gifts for hundreds of children here on Cheyenne River, making sure that each one received four gifts from his or her unique Dear Santa letter, as well as warm winter clothing. And due to the pandemic, we did it without any long-term or community volunteers for the first time in our 32-year history.

Im humbled and honored to work with such a remarkable, committed group of people here at CRYP, she continued. They faced hard work, long hours, delays, and deeply challenging circumstances, yet they never wavered in their determination to bring holiday joy to our community.

Delivering that joy to Cheyenne River families was more important than ever in 2020. Not only are parents and caregivers dealing with lost income, quarantines, and sickness, their children are suffering from the loss of school, recreational and cultural activities, and gatherings with loved ones.

Our kids have lost so much since the pandemic erupted last March, said Dawn E. LeBeau, CRYPs deputy director. They couldnt lose us too, and we knew they definitely couldnt lose Santa Claus. We had to find a way to save Christmas.

That effort began early in the fall. The youth project created a new Family Services system that would allow families to submit their applications and their childrens Dear Santa letters entirely online. Next, its tech team came up with a plan to make those letters available to donors through the website.

We knew that employees at many of our partner organizations were working remotely, LeBeau explained. They wouldnt be able to distribute physical letters in their traditional work spaces, so we gave them a user-friendly online option for letters, as well as an Amazon wish list.

Not only could donors adopt letters from CRYPs online letter store, they also could shop online and ship the packages directly to Eagle Butte. As a result, many families gifts arrived at CRYP through couriers and the U.S. Postal Service this year.

CRYP did welcome its annual toy truck from Friends of Lakota Youth in St. Louis, as well as the annual toy truck from Colorado, which brought gifts from Fairview High School in Boulder and Lennar Custom Homes in the Denver metro area.

Other supporters included the American Indian College Fund; International Dream Achievers at Haven Middle School in Evanston, Illinois; a Leeds School of Business student group at CU-Boulder; Partnership with Native Americans; Pascack Valley High School in Hillsdale, New Jersey; Patterson Earnhart Real Bird & Wilson LLP in Louisville, Colorado, and Washington, D.C.; the Rapid City Woodworkers Association; the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, the Spirit of Sovereignty Foundation, and Square.

The need is so great everywhere right now, words cannot express how deeply grateful we are that you chose us, Garreau said. Thanks to you, nearly 900 children experienced the magic of dreams coming true this year.

Read this article:
Cheyenne River Youth Project serves 265+ families in 2020 Toy Drive - Drgnews

Now that BC Assessment is done analyzingeveryone's homes for 2021, we decided to find outwhere themost expensive homes residein B.C.s northern capital.

Most of the top 10most valuable residential property homes in Prince George are located inCollege Heights,then a few pop-up placeslike Hart Highway,Red Rock and Chief Lake Road.

Some of the homes are lakefront properties that have docks and some are expansive rural acreages, while a few others boast spectacular square footage right in town.

A few of the homes are properties with long driveways that you can't see from the road but thanks to Google, we can get an idea of what they look like.

In Prince George, all 10 properties are valued at $17,893,000.

In 2020, all top 10 properties in Prince George were valued at $15,702,000, a difference of more than $2 million.

Northern B.C. did see a moderate increase in property values this year with the average valueof a home in Prince George, specifically,increasing by seven per cent.

The highest-valued property in northern B.C. is an acreage in Dawson Creek valued at $4.4 million followed by a lakeside house in Fort. St. John valued at $2.6 million.

The report reflects market value as of July 1, 2020, according to BC Assessment's website.

With that said, here are 10 very nice homes:

Built in 2012, this custom two-story house has four bedrooms and four baths, sitting on 3.62 acres.

In 2020, it was worth $2,187,000.

Built in 2002, this one-story house has four bedrooms and five baths.

In 2020, it was worth $2,128,000.

Built in 2010, this two-story custom home has four bedrooms and six bathrooms.

In 2020, it was worth $1,740,000.

Built in 2009, this custom two-story house has six bedrooms, five baths and sits on 1.81 acres.

In 2020, it was worth $1,787,000.

Built in 1998, this one-story custom house has three bedrooms and five bathrooms.

In 2020, it was worth $1,441,000.

Built in 2011, this two-story house has six bedrooms and six baths.

In 2020, it was worth $1,436,000.

This two-story semi-custom home built in 2006 has four bedrooms and three baths and sits on 29.4 acres.

In 2020, it was worth $1,486,000.

Built in 2014, this 1.5 story house has six bedrooms and six baths and sits on 92.44 acres.

In 2020, it was worth $1,431,000.

Built in 2001, this two-story house has eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms.

In 2020, it was worth $1,295,000.

Built in 2008, this two-story house has four bedrooms and four bathrooms.

In 2020, it was worth $1,241,000.

Original post:
Here are the 10 priciest houses in Prince George in 2021 - PrinceGeorgeMatters.com

AVENTURA, Fla., Jan. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Pea Architecture & Engineering Corporation (PAE https://paecorporation.com/) announced that founder and President Manuel Pea would be traveling to Dubai to help facilitate a series of major upcoming project developments for the company. PAE is a boutique architectural firm known for designs that exemplify both excellence and elegance in their style and execution.Led by the young but ambitious designer, PAE plans to introduce the company's architectural vision of simple luxury paired with energy efficient utility to the thriving architectural wonderland of Dubai.

"Beauty and luxury, merged with simplicity and functionality that's a signature design aesthetic for us," said Pea. "But what exactly does that mean? Well, it can a mean a lot of different approaches and theories. But some of our clients express a desire to live as nearly off-the-grid as they can, or they wish to lower their energy and carbon footprints in other significant ways. And sometimes they're hesitant to ask for these designs because there's a lingering notion out there that energy-efficient can't be beautiful. And that's just not true. Art and design are absolutely linked; beauty can be part of any design. An architect's job is to first envision the completed project whether it's an addition, a brand-new home, or an entire office complex and then find a way to get to the end goal in a way that incorporates both the client's desires, and a sense of artistic style. Dubai is a great place to see this in action all the time because the city is very welcoming to new architectural design approaches."

PAE: Completed Projects

PAE has already finished multiple successful projects in the Florida region, including a medical office in Miramar; commercial warehouse renovations, condominiums, and a car wash in North Miami; Oxford Courts in North Miami; Plaza Maria Condominium in Miami; and landscaping and residential homes in Miami Beach. Some other featured projects include:

For more information on upcoming company events, or future plans related to the latest design projects, follow PAE on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube.

About Pea Architecture & Engineering Corporation (PAE)

PeaArchitecture & Engineering Corporation is a team of highly experienced and talented professionals who are dedicated to providing excellence in both design and planning services for construction development projects across the globe. Working with a wide range of successful businesses and entrepreneurs, PAE specializes in providing landscape, single-family, multi-family, and custom homes, as well as commercial, industrial, and mixed-use developments. Combining simplicity and luxury, PAE creates personal spaces that are challenging yet engaging; with color, texture, and light as proportions that come together to express the heart of each project's vision. Learn more at: http://www.PAECorporation.com.

Media Contact: Manuel PeaPresidentOffice 305-749-2512Toll-free 1(877)-797-2326[emailprotected]

SOURCE Pea Architecture and Engineering Corp.

Link:
Pea Architecture & Engineering Corporation Announces Lead Architect, Developer, and Visionary, Manuel Pea, Traveling to Dubai for Major Project...

Grand Central Park, a community of Johnson Development Corp. in Conroe, opened a new section planned for 148 homes near the upcoming Lake House amenity complex.

The expansion in the Central Village area comes as home sales in Grand Central Park rose by 93 percent in 2020 to 205. The sales were up from 106 in 2019 and the highest since opening in 2016, according to the developer.

RELATED:Houston leads nation in sales of new homes

The new section, where houses are already under construction, will offer homes from the $250,000s by Coventry Homes, Drees Custom Homes, Highland Homes, Perry Homes, Trendmaker Homes and Westin Homes. Sizes range from 1,500 square feet to 3,800 square feet.

The Lake House will have a resort-style pool, fitness room, yoga and event lawn, playground and pavilion for events and resident gatherings. The opening, originally planned in 2020, is set for this spring. Marcel Boulevard, a lifestyle development with boutique retailers, restaurants and executive office space is on track to open this year.

The 2,046-acre Grand Central Park is near Interstate 45 North and South Loop 336, five miles north of The Woodlands.

Continued here:
Conroe's Grand Central Park opens new section on heels of record year - Houston Chronicle

A Million Dollar View without the Price Tag!! This immaculate 4bed 3bath custom Montana home sits in the middle of almost 130 acres for ultimate privacy, with multiple outbuildings and boasts some of the best views in the valley. The home features large bedrooms, including a master ensuite on the main floor with a large soaking tub, 3 bathrooms, a main floor office and laundry room, family rooms on both floors and an over-sized deep tuck under garage. The open floor plan showcases the large upgraded kitchen, walk in pantry, dining area and sizeable living room with vaulted ceilings. You never have to miss a Mission Mountain sunrise from the large living room windows and mountain facing deck or a jaw dropping sunset from the West facing covered patio. No lack of views or privacy here!! This property is already subdivided into three parcels and offers a very nice pivot, 30hp pump, outbuildings, corrals, chute, alley and tub if desired. The pond features some of the best waterfowl and wildlife viewing, fishing, as well as all the irrigation you could need. Outbuildings included are a 30x40 shop with power and wood stove for heat, 24x30 lean-to and 24x48 equipment shed. This home is centrally located in the middle of many recreational opportunites, yet in the country with a ton of privacy! Only 6 miles from Ronan, 11 miles from Flathead Lake and 6 miles to the Flathead River, just to mention a few places. Make this property your dream hobby farm/ranch, horse property, dog training facility, private oasis, or live in the beautiful custom house and lease or sell the other pieces. The opportunities are endless here!! This home is also listed with 130 acres, please see MLS# 22100257

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Original post:
2 of the Most Expensive Homes for Sale in the Missoula Area - Statesville Record & Landmark

A new series of online videos will be taking a tiny home on a 16-city Canadian tour in a project that will spread the wordabout the scaled-down housing option and end with a giveaway of the custom-built unit.

Kenton Zerbin, an Edmontonian who teaches tiny house workshops, isthe producer of The Tiny House Master Planproject, which is getting help fromateam of NAIT students as well as from business sponsorships.

The premise of the series?Build a tiny home that doubles as a mobile entertainment centreand then take it on the road.

Edmonton will be the tour's first stop.

Entering the giveaway is as simple as filling out a form on the website and subscribing to the project's YouTubechannel.

"I love the idea of providing a moral uplift for people in these times," Zerbin said in an interview with CBC's Radio Active on Monday.

Radio Active8:10A tiny home you could win

The planned mobile unit includes a pop-up stage, sound system and FM transmitter that could be used for a drive-in movie theatre or other entertainment.

"In the iterations of the design, it very quickly became apparent that we got to make more than just a state-of-the-art house, we got to use it for this community cause," Zerbin said.

"So people could come to have a concert event that could literally pop up anywhere."

Plans are being made so people can attend from their car in line, to ensure adherence toany possible COVID-19 restrictions.

Zerbin has been teaching about sustainable living for about eight years and saidhe has seen interest grow.

Edmonton, he said, is one of the most tiny house-friendly cities in Canada.In 2019, city council approved zoning bylaw changes aimed at allowing for further development of tiny homes.

Zerbin had intended to take his work to the United States this year but COVID-19 put a halt to those plans.

He started teaching online and then got into videography, which he realized was a great way to reach a lot of people.

"That's the story [that] led up to the show," he said. "Because it was like, 'Well, how do I reach people for free and still teach them and excite them?'"

Zerbin submitted the proposed project as an internship option for NAIT.

"When that kind of popped-up on the list that was my absolute first one," said Amanda Keys, a NAITstudent pursuing a bachelor of technology management. She is working as the project'sgeneral manager and hopes to one day own a tiny house of her own.

Besides managing the capstone project, Keys also helps seek out companies for sponsorship. So far, the project has met about 50 per cent of its funding goals.

"It's been really interesting because it's a lot more involved," Keys said. "When you think about, 'Oh yeah, you just build the house on the little trailer. It's so easy.'

"It's a lot more complicated."

The tiny house is still in the design phase but Zerbin hopes to get the show on the road by April 9.

"Unless things get really seriously locked down, I think we're going to be OK," he said.

More:
Small house, big plans: Made-in-Edmonton project will take tiny home on tour then give it away - CBC.ca

In Utahs Wasatch Mountains, home to the greatest snow on earth, in a town with a single stop sign, lies a hidden gem. Only a scenic highway leads to some of the most spectacular outdoor recreation in North America. During the winter months, 500+ inches of fresh powder falls quietly to uncrowded peaks. The summer reveals a high alpine lake, beaches, trails, and wildlife habitat. This is your Sanctuary.

Sanctuary is for those who crave crisp mornings over white-glove service who are not just lovers of the outdoors, but who are unconditional lovers of the environment who crave outdoor experiences over possessions.

We consider ourselves cultivators of high-altitude fun, explains Tim Charlwood, owner of Sanctuary Utah. We believe in authentic escapism.

An Olympic-caliber Nordic ski track, a heli-skiing ranch, and over 500 acres of pristine Utah terrain are right out the back door. Sanctuary sweats every detail of the experience because its owners are more than just guests, they are members of a like-minded family. Sanctuary offers a community of 13 new-build custom homes with a Beach House by the lakeside designed by James Carroll. Each Sanctuary home sits on 40+ acres with full or fractional monthly ownership options. Different floor plans are available, each with 6,500 square feet of liveable areas plus up to 4,000 square feet of outside living space, with six king master suites. Prices start at $4,995,000.

The homes at Sanctuary are part of a 527-acre residential community that has stunning views to the south over a lake, to Snowbasin ski resort and Powder Mountain ski resort to the north. Sanctuarys private access trails lead to a preserved wildlife habitat, surrounded by 12,000 acres of open space for a full mountain-to-lake experience. They use geothermal energy, and their interiors are designed by multidimensional artist Michaelle Peters, known for her work on the Stein Eriksen Lodge, as well as award-winning luxury properties throughout Deer Valley and Park City since 1997. The Vachery was recently completed and is the first showcase home offering fractional monthly ownership that is now sold out. New homes will be offered with full ownership.

To find out more about Sanctuary and the many properties that are available visit Utah Home Sweet Home now or call 801-810-4475.

This story contains sponsored content.

More:
Exclusive Utah housing community offers access to both heli-skiing and fishing - ABC 4

A Million Dollar View without the Price Tag!! This immaculate 4bed 3bath custom Montana home sits in the middle of almost 130 acres for ultimate privacy, with multiple outbuildings and boasts some of the best views in the valley. The home features large bedrooms, including a master ensuite on the main floor with a large soaking tub, 3 bathrooms, a main floor office and laundry room, family rooms on both floors and an over-sized deep tuck under garage. The open floor plan showcases the large upgraded kitchen, walk in pantry, dining area and sizeable living room with vaulted ceilings. You never have to miss a Mission Mountain sunrise from the large living room windows and mountain facing deck or a jaw dropping sunset from the West facing covered patio. No lack of views or privacy here!! This property is already subdivided into three parcels and offers a very nice pivot, 30hp pump, outbuildings, corrals, chute, alley and tub if desired. The pond features some of the best waterfowl and wildlife viewing, fishing, as well as all the irrigation you could need. Outbuildings included are a 30x40 shop with power and wood stove for heat, 24x30 lean-to and 24x48 equipment shed. This home is centrally located in the middle of many recreational opportunites, yet in the country with a ton of privacy! Only 6 miles from Ronan, 11 miles from Flathead Lake and 6 miles to the Flathead River, just to mention a few places. Make this property your dream hobby farm/ranch, horse property, dog training facility, private oasis, or live in the beautiful custom house and lease or sell the other pieces. The opportunities are endless here!! This home is also listed with 130 acres, please see MLS# 22100257

View Listing

Read more from the original source:
Homes Recently Listed in the Missoula Area | Home and Garden - The Missoulian