PLANO, TX At Home is rolling out the Grace Mitchell Collection in a partnership that builds off earlier initiatives but with this one representing a new milestone as it undertakes building an exclusive brand that will develop over time.

The collaboration that At Home has established with interior designer Mitchell is already vast, at 400 items, and meant to last, as the two parties refine their work together across categories from furniture to home decor to lighting to textiles to tabletop.

Mitchell, who in addition to doing her A Storied Style blog, has been featured in several HGTV shows including One of a Kind and Design at Your Door, is working in collaboration with a retailer for the first time.

Chad Stauffer, At Home chief merchandising officer, said the company has been pleased to craft a collection with high-end style at sharp values. Style and value will be critical in the ongoing collaboration that At Home and Mitchell will cultivate and extend. Mitchells classics with a twist styling approach provides a flexibility in development but also a grounding in practicality and practice. In the case of the initial collection, Mitchell based product development on what she experienced in renovating her 100-year-old home in Fort Worth, TX, as well as products she commonly turns to in her everyday doings.

When Grace set out to build this collection, she focused on the kinds of pieces she loves to use when decorating a room, but often has a hard time finding in stores, Stauffer said. With this collection our customer can get the kind of high-end decorator touches shes always dreamed of but at the amazing prices shes come to expect from At Home.

In approaching the collection, Mitchell said she wanted to translate traditional designs for todays consumer.

As far as the process, I came to the table with ideas of some items I wanted to create, whether they were vintage items I wanted to do a fresh take on, or products I wished I could find in stores and never could, she said. From there, we ordered samples and tweaked them as needed. Maybe the color, maybe the style, maybe the size.

Mitchell said that consumers who have been spending more time home are increasingly inclined to freshen interiors theyve been living with for what seems like too long. Although many, in an era when home decorating information and expertise is abundantly available, have at least some confidence in their ability to switch up the looks of their home, consumers dont necessarily want to just jump on the current trend. Many consumers appreciate a connection to tradition even if they dont feel altogether bound to it. Mitchell said she recognizes that such consumers want to connect the then and now, but with the added notion that they are telling a tale about who they are personally and, very often, about their families.

The message I get from people is: My whole home design is around the idea of a story, she said. I really was thinking about whoever loves home and wants to make their home feel special and unique.

As it launched in all 219 At Home stores, Stauffer pointed out that the collaboration with Mitchell emerged, at its inception, from a commonality of approach.

About a year ago, we sat down with Grace for the first time after being introduced by a mutual friend, he said. We have been incredibly focused on bringing our customer the best new home trends at the best prices, and when we met with Grace, it just clicked. Grace is all about storytelling through her designs and thats something Im incredibly passionate about: How do we use the 50,000 SKUs in our store not only to deliver great value but to help our customer build a home that tells their familys story?

Stauffer and Mitchell agreed that the collection isnt about a specific target group within the larger At Home customer base. Rather, it has been designed so that just about any shopper entering an At Home store could find something or some things attractive within the collection at an affordable pricepoint, such as a decorative clock at $12.99 or a tufted upholstered bench for $99.99.

One of the most fun parts of shopping at At Home is we really do have all dcor styles under one roof, Stauffer said. Our customer is creative and passionate about home dcor and were focused on bringing her the best of every style at an incredible value. We have set out a plan to find and partner with the best collaborators in each of the styles our customers love, and we are excited to partner with Grace on an assortment that we know will inspire and delight our traditional dcor customer.

This isnt the first collaborative collection launched by At Home even if its the first one intended to develop as an exclusive brand. Stauffer said the retailer builds design partnerships based on consistent terms. What was true in the past was true with the Mitchell collaboration even if it will be more expansive.

First off, we have a rule at At Home that we seek out partnerships with people we genuinely like, he said. That was easy with Grace. We are thrilled to be embarking on a collaboration with a partner we admire and respect as much as her. Secondly, shes Fort Worth born and raised. Were a Texas-based brand and that connection for our first full brand collaboration just made sense. And lastly, her design aesthetic is classic and timeless. Weve seen a lot of farmhouse collaborations in the market over the past few years. We thought our customer would love to see something different. Theres a lot of beauty in what Grace does: Its rooted in classic shapes but it has Graces amazing twist.

The effort At Home and Mitchell put into developing the collection effectively marks the retailers initiation into building exclusive brands.

This is really the first time weve pulled together such an extensive and long-term collaboration, Stauffer said. Given our unique model and 100,000 square-foot store, we think this is the sort of immersive shopping experience our customer could only really find at At Home. The response has already been incredible, and were excited to have several more collaborations in the pipeline.

The launch of the Mitchell collection not only represents a new phase in At Homes evolution but also as a new approach to providing shoppers with something fresh and potentially exciting.

Its been a hard year for everyone, Stauffer said. Were all spending more time at home, more time with family, and I think customers are going to want their homes to feel happy. Graces optimism and happiness are truly authentic, and it comes through in everything she touches.

Read more:
At Home Builds Mitchell Collection As Exclusive Brand - HomeWorld Business

How does a fashion professional transfer her design skills to her home? You just need to peek into the colourful abode of shoe designer Jacqueline to see its clearly second nature to some. From gallery walls decorated with a mix of witty prints, floral oil paintings and whimsical one-offs to open shelving crammed with collections of pottery, glassware and ceramics, shes an interiors natural.

Id say Im a very visual person, and always have been, says Jacqueline. I actually originally wanted to be a fine artist specialising in painting or work in ceramics, but when I was at art college I panicked, and when I discovered a degree in shoe designit seemed perfect for me. My artsy background probably explains so much you see in the house. Also, the more you do design, the better you get at developing ideas.

If you want to renovate and create a space as colourful and personal as Jacqueline's, we have ideas and helpful advice on what to do and where to start in our feature on house renovation. For more completed projects, head to our hub page.

The flower- and plant-filled kitchen looks out onto the garden, and Jacqueline has put her favourite armchair in the sunniest of spots. I spent so much time of maternity leave sitting right there, feeding Martha, she says. Kitchen and larder unit, British Standard, painted in Hague Blue and Indian Yellow, Farrow & Ball. Ligne Roset Serpentine lights, Heals. Bar stools, Olive & Fox. Armchair, Ebay. Wall-mounted planters, West Elm. Wall light, Graham & Green. Artwork, Etsy. Brackets, Oak Store Direct. Metal wall sconces, Dowsing & Reynolds

(Image credit: Jemma Watts)

The owners Jacqueline Benson (@tinyandthehouse), a shoe designer, husband Joe Mercer, a planning engineer, their daughter, Martha, and cat, TinyThe property A three-bed Edwardian end-of-terrace in Finsbury Park, north LondonProject cost 156,000

But the house didnt start as a blank canvas just awaiting a few pretty tweaks. In fact, the couples first viewings of the house were far from auspicious. With an overgrown garden, cluttered hallways and boarded up back windows, as well as about 100 tanks of various reptiles and spiders in the house, it was such a wreck that mortgage companies were turning down everyone else who looked to buy it.

Jacqueline picks up pieces wherever she travels to bring character to her home, and her collection of plants add mood-lifting greenery to the space Restored French antique woodburner, Stove Hunters. Art print, Pure Evil Gallery

(Image credit: Jemma Watts)

Our builder actually said it was the worst house he had ever seen, says Jacqueline. It took four men four days and five large skips to remove all the rubbish. They even had to take off part of the roof to get it out of the loft! And we realised that the floor above the kitchen area was about to collapse as they had so much stuff in there.

For a similar table, try the Ralph, Made. For similar chairs, try Garden Trading

(Image credit: Jemma Watts)

Looking beyond the dilapidated state of the property to its potential as the sunny family home its since become, the house was still appealing. Jacqueline says it was the spacious proportion of the rooms and the location, in a well-connected area of London, that sold it to them. From the point of exchanging contracts onwards, the project began, and work started straight away. Everything, including heating, electrics and plumbing, had to be replaced. Builders knocked down walls to create the new open-plan space at the back, and put in two new bathrooms as well as a new kitchen. Everywhere needed re-plastering and painting.

When I put up a gallery wall, I start with a large piece or a few large favourite pieces and build around it, says Jacqueline. It doesnt have to be in the centre or symmetrical, but its a good place to begin. I keep the smaller pieces to place in between gaps. This artwork is a mix of paintings and prints from galleries around the UK, including Arbon Interiors and Of Special Interest. Orange sofa, Habitat. Lamp and base, Les Couilles du Chien

(Image credit: Jemma Watts)

Luckily the renovations to the house didnt need planning permission, so the builders could proceed quickly. But as the previous owners had ripped out nearly all of the original features other than the cast-iron railings on the staircase and the wooden floorboards underneath the worn carpets the couple also had to find salvaged items to put back the period character of the house. We didnt use architects, says Jacqueline. I drew up the plans and then directed the builders. Because the house was in such a bad state, it was way beyond DIY, so we couldnt do any of the work ourselves.

I often frame things like postcards, birthday cards or anything that has sentimental value or would look good, says Jacqueline. I do love a mix. And I love to contrast colours and styles of frames for interest. SCP Oscar bed and mustard throw, Heals. Bedding, The White Company. Side tables, West Elm. Various artworks by Alana Eakin, Margot in Margate and Juniqe Art. Vase, In The Garden

(Image credit: Jemma Watts)

To save on extra rent, the couple stayed separately with relatives for three months while the heaviest work was done. We then moved back in to just a bedroom, a bathroom and a spare room, which we used as a kitchen and a store room, adds Jacqueline. Amazingly, we were bang on schedule and even though we did go a bit over budget, our builders were so hardworking. They finished exactly when they said they would.

Jacqueline isnt into the typical nursery furniture sets for baby rooms so sourced a vintage chest of drawers and wardrobe for the nursery. They were much cheaper and I think they look beautiful and add character,' she says. Walls painted in Setting Plaster, Farrow & Ball. Jimmy Cricket x Fleur Harris Woodland Teal wallpaper, Bobo Kids. Cot, Ebay. Brand Numero 74 canopy, Smallable. Prints, Easy Vintage, Max Made Me Do it and Creative Studio Caro

(Image credit: Jemma Watts)

While there werent many ways to cut costs on the build, Jacqueline budgeted by picking the best they could afford in key areas. The concrete kitchen tops, solid wood kitchen and the Heals lights that hang over their kitchen island were all big ticket items, for instance, but the couple found good value in other areas like the tiles theyve used in the bedroom fireplaces, and the fact that so much of the furniture was bought at auction or on Ebay.

The couple have fashioned a smart and stylish storage unit by using a mid-century sideboard as a basin unit. The colours in the bathroom are inspired by the paintings of L.S. Lowry, who is one of my favourites, says Jacqueline. Sideboard, Mustard Vintage. Floor tiles, Smink Things. Metro tiles, Tons of Tiles. Burlington bath, UK Bathrooms. For a similar mirror, try Perch & Parrow. Wall lights, Garden Trading

(Image credit: Jemma Watts)

Now theyve been in for a couple of years, do they have any other plans for more refurbishments? We almost sold it last year before Martha was born because I have such itchy feet to do another project, Jacqueline laughs. But luckily we stopped ourselves! Well probably stay here for a few years now. In fact, we could extend and create a fourth bedroom and also turn the loft into a fifth bedroom but lets see what happens over the next few years.

The exterior of the Edwardian house is elegant with double bay windows

(Image credit: Jemma Watts)

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Real home: this Renovated Edwardian home is full of colour and personality - Real Homes

A lot of beloved TV shows really need to remain firmly in the past. But there's an exception to that rule: the universally adored British makeover show, Changing Rooms.

BBC's Changing Rooms graced our screens from 1996 until 2003 and though its run was limited, its memory lives on in our minds. After the best part of two decades away, the iconic show is returning to our screens on Channel 4 and will be helmed by the ultra funky designer from the original show Laurence Llewelyn Bowen, alongside presenter Davina McCall.

For those who aren't familiar with this legendary British show, allow me to change your life. A DIY home improvement programme, designers would "transform" and I use that term loosely a member of the public's home. Some of the designs were really and truly out there, and garnered some very dramatic (sometimes painful-to-watch) reactions. And frankly, you couldn't look away from the catastrophic television you were watching.

Take Linda Barker's teapot disaster back in 2000. The designer decided to build a floating shelf unit to house an extensive collection of antique teapots the pride and joy of the owner of the flat. Well, you can probably guess where this is going. After positioning the teapots on the new floating shelves and adding a row of rather heavy books the designer and her team went home. The following morning, they returned to the flat to see an almighty mess all of the teapots were broken into smithereens and strewn across the floor. The shelves had buckled under the weight of the books, destroying the entire collection of teapots. Handy Andy, the show's handiman, walked through the broken mess of teapot pieces and yelled "Jesus Christ" in disappointment. 20 years later, journalist Amelia Tait recently revisited the devastating moment and interviewed Clodagh, the woman whose teapots were destroyed. Time, it would appear, does not always heal.

Keeping the same format as the original show, each episode will see two sets of homeowners in the same neighbourhood renovate each other's homes to whatever design they fancy. Anything goes and I really do mean anything. In the good ol' days, the finished renovations looked pretty, err, out there. We're talking trees suspended upside-down from ceilings, a floor-to-ceiling zebra print room (including zebra print painted ceiling, walls, and a zebra bedspread), and inflatable plastic chairs (which were having a bit of a moment back then).

"Theres no room for beige in our homes and, just as it was in the '90s, Changing Rooms is once more the homestyle antidote to Britains blues (and greys and taupes, and even Magnolia)," said Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen in a statement. "Its taken quite a lot of coaxing to get me under the Changing Rooms banner once more, but nothing like as much coaxing as its going to take for me to squeeze those leather trousers back on."

Naturally people on Twitter (myself included) couldn't contain their enthusiasm for the return of this exceptional show.

Changing Rooms is coming back and I can sincerely say I cannot wait. Will it top the DIRE redecorations of the past? Sad that Linda Barker isnt joining. Maybe she doesnt want to risk shattering thousands of worth of valuables again.

Abby Dorani (@Doranisaur) October 9, 2020

Beyond ecstatic that Changing Rooms is coming back

Ashley JD (@AshleyJD88) October 9, 2020

Only good news this year DAVINA MCCALL TO FRONT CHANGING ROOMS REBOOT ON CHANNEL 4

Olivia Alabaster (@OliviaAlabaster) October 9, 2020

THIS IS THE NEWS WE NEEDED

(also please release all the vintage changing rooms episodes to get us through lockdown 2.0) https://t.co/suRorGLTOP

Chloe Donohue (@Chloe_Dono) October 9, 2020

At present there's no confirmed air date. But for now, we can just revel in the excitement that Changing Rooms is back!

Read the original post:
This Iconic British '90s Home Makeover Show Is Making A Comeback And Twitter Is Wild For It! - Mashable India

The year 2020 has been both destructive and transformative. A roiling pandemic has isolated and divided us. The killings of a seemingly never-ending list of Black Americanskilled out in broad daylight or even sleeping in their own homeshave once more brought a reckoning over racism and racial justice into the forefront of the American consciousness. The toll it's taken has come in devastating ripples, first in human lives, then on our collective livelihoodthe blow it's dealt to commerce and art has been a cruel one-two punch. As night falls earlier and longer, and a contentious election looms, it can all feel sodark.

And yet, we've seen lightresilience and intergenerational collaboration in the name of fighting the good fight. (Or as the late Rep. John Lewis would have said, "Getting into good trouble.") If the moral arc of history bends towards justice, these are the people applying the pressure. We've seen grocers and delivery people and mail carriers become frontline workers; doctors and caregivers and scientists become our guiding stars. We've seen entrepreneurs and artists innovate to survive. (See: the latest offerings of a pared-down but no less creative Fashion Month.) There is still, amid our confusion and anxiety, joy.

Like all of us, musician and artist Solange Knowles has been trying to make sense of these strange and conflicting times. So we invited her to do so here, in her very own Harper's BAZAAR digital cover. She styled herself from a hand-selected roster of all-independent, majority-BIPOC designers; she tapped friend and collaborator Naima Green to help photograph her in isolation; and for her cover story, she shares a series of powerful personal essays and poems that lay bare the private challenges and collective pain, the hard-won triumphs, and, yes, the joy that propels us all ever-forward.

Stillness is goodness.

Ghost catch up. There's nowhere to run, and all the voices you've been hushing, soothing, and cooing yell at you like loud children demanding answers.

The ones you've been saying you'd tend to when the time is right tell you there is no other time.

Then your body follows.

And for a minute there, things can get hard.

And every day you make a choice. To honor, listen, and live.

I once drove across the country watching the landscape change as much as my thoughts.

The moving made me feel more at home than I had been feeling in a long while.

I grew up in tour buses watching flashing images out of tiny windows in my bunk, never still enough to memorize names or street signs. Then came the house in Idaho, Houston, back to Los Angeles, New York, New Orleans. Summers in Dakar, Thanksgivings in Jamaica. Movement has been my Holy Ghost.

For a while there was a Big Bang! I was floating and jumping and coasting and cartwheeling and cruising and gleaming, fingers and toes spread wide, palms facing the light, heart beating in cursive. I was jumping in rivers and dancing on tree trunks. It was the most glorious of all my days.

But again, Ghost catch up. And deep, old memories I had stored in hidden parts of myself for decades wouldnt just stay in my shoulders, or ribs, or chest breaths, or blood test anymore. They came out, and they came out swinging.

Most of the work Ive made has been about knowing where youve been to know where you're going. Knowing who youve been to know who you are becoming. Going homedeep home, past homes, mother's home, father's hometo define home. I had answered these questions for myself and that felt good, but I had omitted truths that I just couldnt stand to make a part of my home. They didnt belong in my kitchen, or closets, or even in a shoebox under my bed.

My stillness started with my body. It refused to be, to go. Id look to moss trees asking for answers as if they could talk back to me.

I heard a voice saying you deserve joy. Applause from my loved ones and heroes wasnt gonna do.

Another voice, a critical one, said you got a lot of nerve chasing joy and freedom when you already have so much, but I went for it anyway.

I honored, listened, and lived.

Some days were a real pain in the ass. Some were the most beautiful days of my life. This was a different kind of joy. I didnt need to skip in the sun to feel it. Joy was the sleep I got after releasing secrets from my bones. Joy was telling the truth. Joy was making a song that I didnt care ever saw the light of day. Joy was taking a trip alone, and just sitting and staring at the water and seeing my reflection and thinking to myself, Damn I'm fine. Joy was having nothing on my calendar, and choosing what to do with my time. Joy was having a friend who didnt care how ugly I cried, always inviting and encouraging me to just be, however that looked that day. Joy was discovery. Joy was having someone show me beautiful worlds of their own and trusting in the journey. Joy was letting go of control. Joy was just sitting. Joy was seeing how far I had come and waving at my shadows. Joy was accepting that the work is never done, but that every day is a choice.

Soon I began to feel things that I never felt before. I began to understand who I was becoming outside of all of the many names I had been given and given myself. I began to love differently. See differently. Seek differently. I began to surrender to the work never being done, but finding joy in that there was room for it all.

I cleared my schedule and took time off from everything else to continue this devotion to the work.

And then we all had to confront stillness. To collectively honor, to listen, to survive.

Some days I am on top of mountains. Some days I am weary. Some days I smile and laugh in ways I didnt know I could. Sometimes I grieve all of the loss, looking for pillars or anchors to hold on to. Some days I see so much promise in my future despite the chaos around me because I woke up a Black woman with this spirit in my heart. If I move, I am not running. If I move, it is by choice. I feel good knowing that I surrendered and found answers in my stillness.

When I see these two Harper's BAZAAR covers, I see the duality of me in these moments. I feel a lot of freedom in not having to chose to exist as one.

This past May, I jotted down a little jingle to sing when the going gets rough:

"Doing the work sure ain't pretty, it's like tearing down and rebuilding whole damn cities"

I never sing it, but knowing it exists is enough.

Break a vase, and the love that reassembles the fragments is stronger than that love which took its symmetry for granted when it was whole.

...

This gathering of broken pieces is the care and pain of the Antilles, and if the pieces are disparate, ill-fitting, they contain more pain than their original sculpture, those icons and sacred vessels taken for granted in their ancestral places.

Derek Walcott

There is a lot of allure in the art of mystery. In the seductive power of the unknown. The whisper instead of the yell.

The shadow instead of the figure. The veil never quite lifting. But I am ready to be seen. My silhouette is not enough.

My body is not just a vessel, it is truth. It is living, breathing, alive and well. What will you do with her?

I've been hanging my clothes on clotheslines, wondering if they will tell me their secrets. If I can air out their demons. If the water from the ends of hemlines can give breath to the grass it arrives on. Making a ritual of hand washing my silks in cold water. I watched a movie about this very thing. How you shouldn't leave your sheets out overnight because spirits might jump into 'em and now u sleeping with a ghost who doesn't even belong to you.

I was raised by a beauty salon.

My mother loved me a million different ways. One of the ways my mother loved me was by surrounding me with many a tribe who could care for me; my mom's deliberate choice to make "the shop" my after school care.

All of the women had their own stories to tell. Women from every background, name, and face in Houston, Texas came to transform within the safety of themselves. Boyfriends and husbands waited in their cars or in the front reception, and women ran the show. They talked shit, cackled, shrieked, cried, or read and contemplated quietlythrilled to escape their lives as mothers, sisters, teachers, and healers. Regulars would greet me with a big hug and ask me how school was, to get them a glass of wine from the back, or ask me to show them the latest dances. I took dance classes weekly, but it was in that shot that performance really began. The theater of the shop and I. It was there that my storytelling became more vivid, elaborate, and exaggerated! It was there that my gestures became language. I watched and studied my favorite womenthe way they walked, dressed, moved their nails when they turned pages. They paid attention to me, celebrated me, and always made me feel safe. My dances soon turned into monologues, and soundtracks soon followed. It was there that performance thrived and became alive. It was there. The shop became my theater. I was raised by a beauty salon.

The hardest lessons to learn are the longest to learn

Are the ones that chew you up

Spit you out

Make you crawl

Eat you alive

Grit your teeth

Wrench your guts

And then make you repeat seven times for good luck and riddance.

Showed up to the Jill and Badu battle, red wine in hand

Friends on Zoom

Thinking 'bout the balm that is waking up in this Black woman body and clicking this Black woman's tongue on the roof of this Black woman's mouth

Wouldn't want it any other way.

Showed up to the Babyface joint

Thinking 'bout my mama's warm love and my mama's past pain, and all the ways I took both on, singing each one of those songs on car radios like they were my own stories to tell.

Showed up to the Brandy and Monica battle

Thinking 'bout what it means to sacrifice and devote so much of your life to your gifts and how much appreciation we pay forward to being on the receiving end.

A letter to an unnamed friend:

I have so much more I want to say, but I'll start with: I want to thank u for energetically holding me accountable. You have said nothing, but I feel it following me like a shadow.

This past few months it's been really important to me to go inward and recognize the ways I haven't always shown up as my best or most graceful self. To not point this finger of mine so much at others, but take those same fingers to grip a mirror up to myself.

Reflecting on the ways I could have shown more grace and compassion. Been more thoughtful.

I am thankful to have a friend like you.

Friends who say something and friends who say nothing, but even the thought of their presence makes me feel everything.

Something about your kindness, patience, and love for me makes me want to be a more kind, loving, and patient woman. Thank you. For the growth. For the stretching. For the remaining of the same. For the parts of me that were dormant that have now been awakened. For the joy. For the rain. For giving me seeds I want to water.

We planted the soil

the root and the pain

We lied in the bass of the earth

Went to the center

the core

like a pulp

Veena like a veinI'll never forget locking hands and fingers and nails and the lines in our palms trying to touch all the feelings like show and tell

feel and say

Everything and nothing at all

So many house sounds

Voices speaking through ice machines and faucets and air conditioners

Couches on curbs waiting for hugs

Saying pick me up, don't nobody want me no more.

i cry for our pain

for our protection

for every forgotten moment we feel robbed of in life

for the abuse we endure

for our sickness and loss of health

for the way the trauma kills us when our oppressors and our own men don't

for our healing journeys

for the way we rise for one another when we can't do the lifting on our own

Today

Today, I affirm, will be a beautiful day

I will look for the good in all things

I will look for the love in all corners of time

I will listen to myself and be okay with the discomfort, but never let fear lead me

I will be a loving and patient mom

I will replace feelings of doubt with feelings of love

I will breathe

I've been thinking a lot about the importance of honoring, uplifting, and preserving Black collections.

Like a collection of every Telfar Bag ever made, stored and left untouched.

In 30 years, what will they say about 2020? About us?

What will me granddaughters feel about them?

What does it mean to be a designer right now?

In a world that's barely making it, where the spirit of survival is all around us.

When the ritual of dressing up can literally shift how we see ourselves in the moment, and express beauty which in return makes us project more beauty into the world.

When we are living on survival, why would we reach for that beauty?

When we live in such an uncertain world, how do we reach for that beauty?

Original post:
Solange Knowles Reflects on the Year that Changed Everything - Solange Knowles Fall Digital Cover - HarpersBAZAAR.com

Steve Marcus

Nicole Bloom, left, division president for Richmond American Homes, and Kara Combs, senior department coordinator, pose in a model home in the Tessitura at Cadence community in Henderson Friday, Oct. 2, 2020.

As a teen, Carina Sowinski never considered a career in construction, let alone overseeing the safety program for a $2 billion project.

It wasnt until after she entered college at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater that the idea of working in the construction industry entered her head.

I thought Id end up in insurance, doing risk management, Sowinski said. Working in this industry, its not something I think most girls dream of as they walk past job sites.

About five years into her career, Sowinski is a senior safety engineer for Mortenson Co., one of two lead contractors that built Allegiant Stadium.

Sowinski worked on the stadium project more than two years. Thats after she worked on a new ballpark for the Atlanta Braves and a new arena for the NBAs Milwaukee Bucks.

Sowinski is part of a new generation of women who have entered a construction industry dominated by men.

Nationwide, women make up about 10% of the construction workforce, said Nicole Bloom, an executive with Richmond American Homes and co-chair of the Professional Women in Building of Southern Nevada.

Hopefully, there will be more and more women looking to do it, because its a great industry with a lot of opportunity, said Bloom, who has more than two decades of experience in the industry. It doesnt have to be male dominated.

Each year, Blooms trade group gives scholarships to women for training in the construction field. It handed out $23,000 to 10 recipients this year.

One of the recipients was Kara Combs, who works in Richmond Americans permitting department. If something has to do with permitting, plot plans or invoicing, it probably will find its way to Combs.

Combs, 20, is also working toward an associate degree in business at the College of Southern Nevada.

Combs said she finds her job fast-moving and different all the time. I feel like I learn something new every day.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, just over 1.1 million women were employed in various sectors of the construction industry as of Dec. 31, 2018.

That could be anything from an office job to something in the field that requires a hard hat and safety vest. But most women about 72% were in office or management jobs.

The number has been steadily rising since 2012, when it sat at a little more than 800,000.

Sowinski said she spends about 90% of her day at the job site.

You learn a lot and youre not stuck at an office in a cubicle looking at a screen for 10 hours per day. Youre outdoors a lot, on different sites, talking to people, helping them solve problems. I found it to be a great career path, she said.

Sowinski said shes happy she made an unexpected connection with Mortenson recruiters at a college career fair. If not for that chance meeting, she might not be doing something she loves.

I remember telling them that I didnt know anything about construction, Sowinski said. They said that was fine. Even though it was men recruiting me, they understood that women bring value to the industry. I appreciated that.

Sowinski said one of her favorite moments on the Allegiant Stadium project came when she and about 50 other female workers at the site posed for a group photo in March.

That was during Women in Construction week, a national event put on by the National Association of Women in Construction.

We brought girls from different schools all over Clark County to tour the job site, Sowinski said. These were all young women who had an interest in construction. The Raiders helped put that together, and I found it to be really awesome.

Melissa Jamvold, a designer and project manager for Las Vegas-based Grand Canyon Development Partners, splits her time between the office and the construction site.

Jamvold, who has about two decades of experience in the construction industry, said shes noticed an uptick in the number of women in the field in just the past two or three years.

Twenty years ago, I would have said I didnt think the construction side was a fit for me as a woman with a design background, Jamvold said. But you can really rise through the ranks. Things have changed.

Bloom said there is also a smaller gender pay gap in construction than in some other fields.

Across all industries, women make about 80% of what men make. In construction, its about 95%. I think thats a significant positive driver, she said.

A woman can make a good living in construction, Bloom said. If you look, its also predicted to be one of the strongest industries over the next five years. Theres opportunity.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the industry is expected to add about 750,000 jobs by 2026, making it one of the highest-growth sectors.

Construction managers, cost estimators and plumbers are expected to be in demand for at least the next several years, according to the bureau.

During the past two decades, the opportunities for women in construction have expanded, said Guy Martin, president of Martin-Harris Construction, general contractor for the Las Vegas Convention Center expansion project.

Our industry has become attractive for women who want a higher-paying, more rewarding and more stable lifestyle for themselves and their families, he said.

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Las Vegas women making inroads into the construction industry - Las Vegas Sun

This custom Cape Cod brings East Coast charm to guard-gated Lake Sherwood. Spanning 1.2 acres, the property takes advantage of every square foot with a detached guesthouse, swimming pool, spa and sports court all set among mature trees and manicured lawns with lake, mountain and golf course views as the backdrop. At the center of it all sits a Hamptons-style home full of designer finishes.

The details

Location: 224 W. Stafford Road, Thousand Oaks, 91361

Asking price: $10.75 million

Year built: 1999

Living area: 10,700 square feet, five bedrooms, eight bathrooms

Lot size: 1.2 acres

Features: Landscaped front yard; five-car garage; walnut wood floors; onyx fireplaces; African wood countertops; two-story great room; formal library; wine cellar; gym; billiards room with bar; dramatic owners suite; vegetable garden

About the area: In the 91361 ZIP Code, based on 16 sales, the median price for single-family homes in August was $2.53 million, up 123.7% year over year, according to CoreLogic.

Agents: Jordan Cohen, RE/Max One, (818) 435-5220

To submit a candidate for Home of the Week, send high-resolution color photos via Dropbox.com, permission from the photographer to publish the images and a description of the house to jack.flemming@latimes.com.

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Home of the Week: Chic Hamptons style in Lake Sherwood - Los Angeles Times

A lot of beloved TV shows really need to remain firmly in the past. But there's an exception to that rule: the universally adored British makeover show, Changing Rooms.

BBC's Changing Rooms graced our screens from 1996 until 2003 and though its run was limited, its memory lives on in our minds. After the best part of two decades away, the iconic show is returning to our screens on Channel 4 and will be helmed by the ultra funky designer from the original show Laurence Llewelyn Bowen, alongside presenter Davina McCall.

For those who aren't familiar with this legendary British show, allow me to change your life. A DIY home improvement programme, designers would "transform" and I use that term loosely a member of the public's home. Some of the designs were really and truly out there, and garnered some very dramatic (sometimes painful-to-watch) reactions. And frankly, you couldn't look away from the catastrophic television you were watching.

Take Linda Barker's teapot disaster back in 2000. The designer decided to build a floating shelf unit to house an extensive collection of antique teapots the pride and joy of the owner of the flat. Well, you can probably guess where this is going. After positioning the teapots on the new floating shelves and adding a row of rather heavy books the designer and her team went home. The following morning, they returned to the flat to see an almighty mess all of the teapots were broken into smithereens and strewn across the floor. The shelves had buckled under the weight of the books, destroying the entire collection of teapots. Handy Andy, the show's handiman, walked through the broken mess of teapot pieces and yelled "Jesus Christ" in disappointment. 20 years later, journalist Amelia Tait recently revisited the devastating moment and interviewed Clodagh, the woman whose teapots were destroyed. Time, it would appear, does not always heal.

Keeping the same format as the original show, each episode will see two sets of homeowners in the same neighbourhood renovate each other's homes to whatever design they fancy. Anything goes and I really do mean anything. In the good ol' days, the finished renovations looked pretty, err, out there. We're talking trees suspended upside-down from ceilings, a floor-to-ceiling zebra print room (including zebra print painted ceiling, walls, and a zebra bedspread), and inflatable plastic chairs (which were having a bit of a moment back then).

"Theres no room for beige in our homes and, just as it was in the '90s, Changing Rooms is once more the homestyle antidote to Britains blues (and greys and taupes, and even Magnolia)," said Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen in a statement. "Its taken quite a lot of coaxing to get me under the Changing Rooms banner once more, but nothing like as much coaxing as its going to take for me to squeeze those leather trousers back on."

Naturally people on Twitter (myself included) couldn't contain their enthusiasm for the return of this exceptional show.

At present there's no confirmed air date. But for now, we can just revel in the excitement that Changing Rooms is back!

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This iconic British '90s home makeover show is making a comeback and Twitter is wild for it - Mashable

InYourArea Community

The jackets were made for a spring beach clean however they're proving very useful now that the dark nights of winter are on their way

Submitted to the Thanet Gazette

This autumn, children at Chilton Primary School will be clearly visible in their new bright yellow reflective jackets. The smart new set of safety tops were donated to the school by Millwood Designer Homes, which is building the Bakers Field development in Cliffsend, Kent.

The hi-vis clothing was made by the developers for the beach clean-up at Pegwell Bay on March 25. Year 3 pupils were due to visit the beach to pick up litter as part of The Great British Spring Clean until lockdown stopped the event.

Philip Brown, from Millwood Designer Homes, said:

Year 6 pupils have already used the jackets on a walk to the historic Viking ship site at nearby Pegwell Bay. The childrens visit to the replica boat was to support in-school learning but pupils also carried out a litter pick in the area at the same time.

Deputy head Natalie Barrow said: Hi-vis jackets are an important resource to keep our children safe and to have now a new whole class set is so beneficial.

The developers support the national Walk to School week that runs from October 6 to 10. Chilton continues to operate its own walk to school initiative that has been in operation for several years.

Chilton Primary School in Ramsgate, Kent is part of the Viking Academy Trust with Upton Junior School, Broadstairs, and Ramsgate Arts Primary.

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Ramsgate pupils will be easily seen thanks to new hi-vis vests - In Your Area

PUBLISHED: 10:30 10 October 2020 | UPDATED: 10:46 10 October 2020

Danielle Lett

Lindsey Rendall, left, pictured alongside Helen Wright. The two run Rendall & Wright, a Suffolk-based interior design practice Picture: Nicky West Photography

@Nicky West

From warm hues to chunky textures Lindsey Rendall of Rendall & Wright shares this autumns biggest trends.

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As autumn settles in, its high time to give your home a refresh and switch up your surroundings to help you welcome in the new season.

Sudbury-based interior designer Lindsey Rendall, of Rendall & Wright, shares her top tips to help you nail this years autumn/winter home trends - and explains why this is the year to put a little bit more thought into your homewares.

2020 has seen us all spend far more time in our homes than we ever thought possible whether weve been homeschooling, working, entertaining via Zoom, working out or cooking endless family meals, said Lindsey.

We now expect our interior spaces to provide a multitude of services for us, and deliver more than they ever have before. On this basis, they deserve some TLC. Our homes should be a safe haven to enjoy and take comfort from.

With that in mind, these upcoming months will provide you with ample opportunity to overhaul your interiors and give your surroundings a much-needed revamp.

I love the start of autumn its a time to hunker down and an excuse to enjoy cosy afternoons at home with friends and family.

As with all seasons, our fashions change. We upgrade our wardrobe, invest in a few key seasonal pieces, put away the flip flops and get out our cosy winter attire. Our homes are an extension of this, and they too thoroughly deserve a seasonal spruce up.

So what sort of shades should we all be looking to incorporate into our homes this autumn, to help spruce it up?

Warm terracotta tones are big news for 2020, according to Lindsey. This cosy, natural, sumptuous colour softens the much-loved spring coral that was seen this year, as we move into autumnal burnt amber palettes.

If youre not keen on having one colour dominating your home, terracotta has a number of shades that pair wonderfully with it, including deep olive green, rich caramel, deep charcoal and delicate rose pink. These warm, beautiful colours work effortlessly alongside natural materials so consider using a mixture of finishes within a room to create interest.

In terms of textures, its go big or go home this autumn. As the weather cools and the nights draw in, incorporate heavier textures around the home. Plush velvets, chunky knits and heavy woven linens add depth and richness to any interior scheme.

To be bang on-trend this winter, bring boucl back into your life. This snuggly texture will increase the cosiness factor of any room by 100%. Using these textures as cushions, throws and on occasional pieces of furniture are an inexpensive way of updating your schemes while making it impossible to not snuggle up on the sofa.

If youre someone whos looking to be a bit bolder this autumn, prints are always an option, and there are a number of designs to help you brighten up your home over these coming months with some firm favourites coming back into style time and time again.

Every year Im asked if patterns are fashionable, and this year more than any the answer is yes. Autumn often sees classic, sophisticated country prints such as rich floral designs, faded vintage rose prints, traditional paisleys, tartans and beautiful plaids creeping back into the home, and 2020 is no different. A well-balanced collection of prints and textured weaves provides an interesting feast for the eyes.

With a number of rooms throughout your home, you may be wondering which areas in particular you should focus on this season. Choose areas of the house you spend most of your time in to give your winter transformation. Be brave, embrace change and most importantly, have fun.

Lindseys tips for getting the autumn look without blowing your budget

Sitting pretty

Invest in a statement piece of furniture in a bejewelled tone such as a terracotta, teal or olive green. Depending on your budget, this could be a sofa, armchair or footstool. To complete the look, accessorise with textural cushions and a splash of pattern.

Light up your life

Lighting makes an enormous difference to the ambiance of a room. It creates a mood, enhances textures and highlights architectural features. Overhead lighting can often be harsh and unflattering, so use a variety of light sources to suit the occasion. Introduce table lamps for a warm, cosy glow in the evening - low-level lighting and candles on the table are great for dinner parties while wall lights and floor lights are great to brighten up a dull day. A quick and inexpensive way to update your existing lighting scheme is a change of shades. Introduce pattern and colour confidently, and enjoy the change in ambiance this provides.

Hearth and soul

If you have a fireplace, make it a focal point. Dressing your fireplace transforms your fire from a cold, dark space into a place to congregate. Consider built in-joinery or matching pieces of furniture either side of the fireplace to frame it. Introducing lighting within the joinery or a pair of table lamps on the furniture will add depth to the room, while enhancing the cosy feel. Dress your mantelpiece and draw the eye to the fire with a great mirror or piece of art above. If you have a fireplace no longer in use, a well-chosen large plant can bring life back to the hearth.

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What are the interior trends for Autumn/Winter 2020? - East Anglian Daily Times

Pupils in the hi-vis gifted by Millwood Homes

By Peter Barnett

Be seen and be safe children at Chilton Primary School in Ramsgate have a smart new set of safety tops in time for autumn and winter.

The distinctive bright yellow reflective jackets have been donated to the school by Millwood Designer Homes which is developing its Bakers Field project in Cliffsend.

The branded hi-vis clothing was made by the developers for Chilton earlier in the year when they planned to host a beach clean-up at Pegwell Bay for The Great British Spring Clean Keep Britain Tidy which was due to happen between March 20 and April 13.

Year 3 pupils were going to visit the beach in two groups to pick up any litter along the beach on March 25 but the pandemic lockdown happened before the eco-initiative could take place.

Deputy Head of School Natalie Barrow explained: It was an important community initiative that we were looking forward to but events overtook us.

True to their word Millwood Designer Homes has provided the hi-vis jackets which have boosted our supply and will certainly help keep our boys and girls safe when they are out and about as the mornings and afternoons get darker.

We are extremely grateful for the thoughtful donation of the jackets and they will be very much put to use by all our children aged from four to eleven when going out on local walks and visits.

Hi-vis jackets are an important resource to keep our children safe and to have now a new whole class set is so beneficial. It is such a shame that we were unable to take part in such a worthwhile community project with Millwood Designer Homes in the spring but we sincerely hope that we will be able to do so in the future.

Year 6 pupils have already used the jackets on a walk to the historic Viking Ship site at nearby Pegwell Bay, where Viking brothers Hengist and Horsa are reputed to have landed in AD449. They liked what they saw on the Isle of Thanet so much that they swore allegiance to Vortigern, King of the Britons, and served him as mercenaries.

The childrens visit to the replica historic Viking boat was to support in-school learning; and pupils also carried out their own litter pick clearance in the area at the same time.

The jackets were presented to Chiltons Assistant Head of School Hannah Cheshire, who is also Head of Early Years, by Mark Baker, Senior Site Manager at Millwoods Cliffsend development, Bakers Field.

Philip Brown, Sales and Marketing Director at Millwood Designer Homes, said: We are passionate about giving back to the communities we build in, and we love to support schools that are local to our developments, including Bakers Field in Cliffsend.

We were disappointed that we had to cancel the beach clean-up at Pegwell Bay with Chilton Primary School due to the lockdown, but we hope that the children will be able to make lots of use of the hi-vis jackets.

It is important that children are kept safe on their walk to school, especially as we move into autumn when the evenings get darker earlier.

Millwood Designer Homes supports the national Walk to School week that runs from October 6-10.

Chilton continues to operate its own walk to school initiative that has been in operation for years.

Walk to school benefits include:-

*Being active and getting some exercise in the morning before arriving at school can help set children up for a positive day; improving focus and concentration, and instilling a sense of physical and mental wellbeing.

*Health benefits include helping to develop strong bones and increase muscle strength. Walking gets the heart pumping, which can help improve cognitive function for lessons throughout the school day.

*Walking to school encourages healthy habits for life with a focus on exercise, diet and wellbeing.

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Hi-vis gift for Chilton primary pupils The Isle Of Thanet News - The Isle of Thanet News