Thomas Barwick/Getty Images Woman working in home ofice

With mobile technology, its easy to work in any room of a house. And yet, according to designers and home builders, the home office is becoming one of a homes must-have features.

Dedicated office space might not always be a full room. In fact, it might be a nook with desk space on the landing of a staircase or a corner of a bedroom or family room. But as people do more work away from the office and kids do more work outside of the library, the home office is growing in importance.

That office or desk space is becoming as essential as the family room, said Mollie Carmichael, who leads the consumer research team at John Burns Real Estate Consulting, based in Irvine, Calif. And thats true no matter how large of a home it is, from a small apartment to a large single-family home, she added.

In fact, 77% of people surveyed by John Burns said that any additional rooms not dedicated as bedrooms would be used as an office in their next home the most popular response. (Fifty-six percent said theyd use the extra space as a guest room, 25% said multipurpose room.)

Theres also some evidence that home offices can make a home more attractive to buyers. According to Remodeling Magazines 2014 Cost versus Value report, you can recover an average 48.9% of the cost of a home office remodel at resale, up from 43.6% in 2013 and 42.9% in 2012. A midrange office remodel, as defined by the report, is a $28,000 investment that involves installing custom cabinets that include 20 feet of laminate desktop, a computer workstation and wall cabinet storage, along with rewiring of the room for computer, fax machine, cable and telephone lines.

There are a couple of reasons that people are demanding a dedicated office space.

For one, it gives them a place to collect all the paperwork and miscellaneous stuff they need to run the household, as well as for the work they may be doing from home for their job, said Elissa Morgante, co-principal of Morgante-Wilson Architects, based in Evanston, Ill., in an email. And secondly, it is helpful to have a space that is dedicated to work and not filled with other distractionsplus they have all the things they need within arms reach. I think it helps focus and provides a sense of intention.

If youre one of the growing number of people who regularly work from home, youre more apt to want an office space away from the center of the house, Morgante said. The number of people who work from home on a regular basis (and are not self-employed) grew by 89.8% from 2005 to 2013, to 3.5 million employees, according to data from Global Workplace Analytics, a consulting and research firm that studies work-at-home trends. The most recent statistics show that 2.5% of the workforce works from home at least half of the time, said Kate Lister, president of the organization.

Those who dont regularly work from home may want the office space on the first floor, close to the center of the home, Morgante said. Workspace near the kitchen or great room can make it easier for parents to keep their eyes on kidswhether its the adults or the children who are working at the desk space. With an open office area, kids are also prevented from sequestering themselves in their rooms with laptops, she said.

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This room is the new must-have home feature

With mobile technology, its easy to work in any room of a house. And yet, according to designers and home builders, the home office is becoming one of a homes must-have features.

Dedicated office space might not always be a full room. In fact, it might be a nook with desk space on the landing of a staircase or a corner of a bedroom or family room. But as people do more work away from the office and kids do more work outside of the library, the home office is growing in importance.

That office or desk space is becoming as essential as the family room, said Mollie Carmichael, who leads the consumer research team at John Burns Real Estate Consulting, based in Irvine, Calif. And thats true no matter how large of a home it is, from a small apartment to a large single-family home, she added.

In fact, 77% of people surveyed by John Burns said that any additional rooms not dedicated as bedrooms would be used as an office in their next homethe most popular response. (Fifty-six percent said theyd use the extra space as a guest room, 25% said multipurpose room.)

Home appraisers are returning to dubious practices seen before the financial crisis, as they inflate the values of some properties they assess.

Theres also some evidence that home offices can make a home more attractive to buyers. According to Remodeling Magazines 2014 Cost versus Value report, you can recover an average 48.9% of the cost of a home office remodel at resale, up from 43.6% in 2013 and 42.9% in 2012. A midrange office remodel, as defined by the report, is a $28,000 investment that involves installing custom cabinets that include 20 feet of laminate desktop, a computer workstation and wall cabinet storage, along with rewiring of the room for computer, fax machine, cable and telephone lines.

There are a couple of reasons that people are demanding a dedicated office space.

For one, it gives them a place to collect all the paperwork and miscellaneous stuff they need to run the household, as well as for the work they may be doing from home for their job, said Elissa Morgante, co-principal of Morgante-Wilson Architects, based in Evanston, Ill., in an email. And secondly, it is helpful to have a space that is dedicated to work and not filled with other distractionsplus they have all the things they need within arms reach. I think it helps focus and provides a sense of intention.

If youre one of the growing number of people who regularly work from home, youre more apt to want an office space away from the center of the house, Morgante said. The number of people who work from home on a regular basis (and are not self-employed) grew by 89.8% from 2005 to 2013, to 3.5 million employees, according to data from Global Workplace Analytics, a consulting and research firm that studies work-at-home trends. The most recent statistics show that 2.5% of the workforce works from home at least half of the time, said Kate Lister, president of the organization.

Those who dont regularly work from home may want the office space on the first floor, close to the center of the home, Morgante said. Workspace near the kitchen or great room can make it easier for parents to keep their eyes on kidswhether its the adults or the children who are working at the desk space. With an open office area, kids are also prevented from sequestering themselves in their rooms with laptops, she said.

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Amy Hoak's Home Economics: This room is the new must-have home feature

Entering a new year, the Buffet at Excalibur has a new look.

The redesigned buffet, which closed for remodeling earlier this year, reopened Dec. 23. The dining room seats 610.

Also, a luxury boutique expands at the Bellagio, a cosmetics retailer enters the fold of the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, and a restaurant in Henderson temporarily shutters for remodeling.

Anthony Mair

The Buffet at Excalibur reopened after a remodeling effort that began in the fall.

Menu items will rotate seasonally to highlight fresh produce, according to a news release. The dining room will seat 610.

According to the release, menu highlights include paninis and made-to-order omelets for breakfast; vanilla bean adobo chicken tacos along with tasso ham and tortellini pasta for brunch; and salmon with hibiscus glaze, Cajun crab mac and cheese, lobster polenta and hand-dipped ice cream bars for dinner.

The buffet is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, a spokesperson said. Excalibur is at 3850 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

O'Gara Bissell Photography

The Bellagio announced the expanded Tesorini is open.

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New Year brings new look to the Buffet at Excalibur

Living room furniture choices you can relax with

Welcome to our well-designed living room furniture. We have everything from comfy sofas, coffee tables and stylish TV stands, to bookcases, matching soft furnishings and lamps. Youll find a big choice of styles and colours at prices that are as relaxing as an afternoon nap on one of our chaise longues! However, youll find more than just living room furniture here. If youre on the lookout for new ideas, take a look at our living room ideas. You can take almost all of our living room furniture home today from our stores, and you can buy online too.

We make our living room furniture to help you make your everyday life better. We have a huge range to choose from so that you can create the living room that suits your style, your practical needs - and your budget too. Maybe youre looking for stripey armchairs with machine-washable covers that you can change if you get tired of stripes? Or perhaps a pair of ready made curtains to coordinate with your sofa? And you might be surprised, but we also have a wide range of oak furniture.

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IKEA Living Room Furniture | Living Room Seating & Storage

Megan McSally and her fiance, Joe Marino, had one very important reason for moving into their 4,800-square foot Colonial-style home on an acre in West Friendship the two have a combined seven children.

"It was important for all of the children to have their own space, and there are lots of spaces here," said McSally, a 39-year-old Realtor with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

The Howard County home is within a 10-mile radius of shopping, dining, all the children's schools and their activities. And it wasn't just a matter of having enough space, but the right space for Marino's children (Joey, 13; Lindsay, 11; and Sammy, 8) and McSally's kids (Maddie, 14; Jack, 13; and 10-year-old twins Abigail and Katelin).

McSally, who owns the $877,000 home, began the renovations before she met Marino, a 46-year-old regional sales manager for ProBuild, a national building and construction material supplier. She wanted an open layout that was flowing and designed to accommodate the needs of a family.

On the ground level, there is a mudroom with designated cubbies for each person, a study room off the kitchen, a separate office, a sitting room and adjacent living room, and an expansive family room. The children sit down to dinner and homework at a long trestle table made of reclaimed and lacquered barn wood that seats eight in the kitchen.

Faith Home Remodeling Services Inc. built the new kitchen, which McSally calls her favorite room in the house.

"The copper sink, large range and hearth with hidden spice racks make it a wonderful place to prepare meals," she said. "However, any place that the children gather, whether it be for a quick snack after school [or] an impromptu high school gathering, that is where the true joy is. Our children range in ages from 8 to 14; no matter the age, they all come to the kitchen."

Counters are made of glazed maple while black granite countertops have been textured to look like soapstone. Travertine backsplashes are a warm backdrop for stainless-steel GE Monogram appliances.

Adjacent to the kitchen is the two-story family room, where a massive corner fireplace of stone with an arched hearth makes it a perfect place for family bonding. With a fire roaring, parents and children can watch TV or enjoy the view that backs up to preserved land seen out of the room's Palladian-like windows.

"I have all-new furniture [here] that is traditional and neutral in decor," McSally said.

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In West Friendship, a perfect family space and lots of it

Cheryl Freedman, Houzz Contributor

Theyre the simple pieces that stand the test of time. Never in or out of fashion, the items in this bunch are classically chic and tasteful, and eternally look good (so you wont be forking over money to replace them in two years time). Forget passing interior fads and fly-by-night trends; here are the oldies but goodies every living room needs.

Plantation shutters. These elegant window dressings have become the perfect solution for metropolitan homeowners who dont want sheer curtains but arent keen on passersby snooping, either. Here their crisp, clean lines and white color add to the rooms bright, breezy feel. The other plus, of course, is undeniable curb appeal.

How to plan a just-right living room layout

Moroccan pouf. Its that age-old problem: where to prop your feet when youre relaxing on the sofa? The obvious solution is a Moroccan leather pouf. Simple and compact, these versatile little seats work surprisingly well in a variety of settings, not just souk-style rooms. Here a pair of brown leather poufs adds impact next to a plain corner sofa, complementing the sophisticated design scheme brilliantly.

Tripod floor lamp. The architectural lines of the tripod floor lamp have made it a living room staple in recent years, and it looks set to stick around. As well as adding atmospheric pools of light, these cool pieces make a statement in their own right. Place one at either end of a sofa, as here, for oomph. If you dont fancy neutral lampshades like the ones here, swap them for colorful ones to energize your scheme.

Chesterfield sofa. Its an ongoing favorite in fashionable bars and boutique hotels, and no wonder. With their clean lines and comfort, button-backed chesterfield sofas are truly timeless, and look as good in a modern warehouse apartment as in a grand country abode. The classic version comes in tan leather, but for a sumptuous update, I love the raspberry-pink and pewter-colored velvet numbers here.

Retro sideboard. It might not feel as key as a coffee table or sofa, but a stylish vintage sideboard transforms the look of a living room (and keeps clutter at bay, too). Here a midcentury number adds a quirky retro attitude and provides a handy surface for showing off precious ornaments and pictures. For a timeless look, stick to warm woods, such as teak or rosewood.

Leather club armchair. Fancy the private members club look? Then opt for a classic, deep-seated leather armchair like this one; the more battered, the better. Buy secondhand for extra lived-in character, or source a vintage-look piece about town (feather-filled cushions offer an added slouch factor). Prettify it with a floral cushion, then sit back and relax with a cuppa (or glass of port).

Decorative over-the-mantel mirror. Its the oldest interiors trick in the book. A striking over-the-mantel mirror gives even a supersnug living room a sense of space and light. However, dont settle for just any old mirror. For old-school elegance, go for a Shabby Chicstyle French-looking piece with an ornate white plaster or gilt wooden frame. If you can afford to, get an original vintage mirror, complete with authentically aged silvering. If not, consider reproductions they work a similar magic for less cash.

Originally posted here:
Living Room Features That Never Go Out Of Style

Although hes best known for his 90s musicwho doesnt remember Ice, Ice, Baby?pop-music icon Vanilla Ice is also a successful real-estate entrepreneur and a remodeling expert with more than 15 years of hands-on home-improvement experience. Rob Van Winkle, Ices given name, first began remodeling with his own 15,000-sq.-ft. mansion in Miami Beach. That led to nearly two decades of real estate investments and renovations to flip houses for profit.

Last fall, a DIY Network reality show called The Vanilla Ice Project followed Van Winkle and his crew of contractors as they renovated a 7,000-sq.-ft. Palm Beach mansion. In each episode, Van Winkle pounded nails, tiled shower walls and called the shots in a room-by-room renovation that featured the latest in modern home features and technology. Sister network HGTV recently aired an encore presentation of the first season, and the second season of The Vanilla Ice Project will debut on the DIY Network in October 2011.

Reality shows may be notoriously low on reality, but during a recent chat with

Tell us about your first home remodeling project. My first renovation was my home of 11 years, a 15,000-sq.-ft., 12-bedroom bachelor pad on Star Island in Miami with purple and green rooms and red walls. I was young and inexperienced in home decoration and renovation when I first moved in. It felt like I was living in a huge nightclub. I hated it. Its true that colors can make you feel uncomfortable, so I completely changed it to earth tones, and made it into a home that felt like a home. After finishing the renovation of this first home, I decided to sell it, which resulted in a very profitable return on my investment. It was at that moment I realized I enjoyed the process of buying low, renovating within a budget by doing the work on my own, and then selling high.

How did you learn about interior design? I started by reading design magazines and books and going to seminars. I learned how not to make the design so personal but to appeal to the demographics of the people who would buy the house. I had so much fun doing it that it consumed me. I like the gratification of it, sitting back, crossing my arms and looking at it, thinking, Wow, I did that! Its a proud moment.

Did you learn the nuts and bolts of remodeling? I can get in there and swing the hammer! I got a lot of hands-on experience by hiring a guy and being over his shoulder the whole time, learning from him and asking him questions.

What was the hardest thing to learn how to do? Plumbing, like sweating lines, was very difficult in the beginning.

What has surprised you about the remodeling business and been difficult to deal with? Not much now! Throughout the past 15 years, I ran into the hurdles I had to, but now I know the processes so nothing can surprise me. I dont really buy homes that are older [and have problems], but I have had a few condos where they hired unlicensed electricians. You see it right away when they open the wallsbut Ive got master electricians to come in and fix that. For TV, we create a bit of drama, but theres really no job thats going to shock me.

What aspect did you find you had a natural talent for? I like the decorative side. I hired many [female designers] and learned from them about designearth-tone colors, travertine tiles, toilets. You would never even think that there are so many toilet designs! You have to have some sort of direction to make the overall picture come together, not just a bunch of sweaty guys. They know how to build and construct but you have to give them a direction, which is what I do.

What are your favorite design elements, especially in kitchens and baths? I like to use new materials and modern, high-tech features in homes. I get a thrill by finding a really different Jacuzzi tub, for example, or even figuring out how to design for small spaces. I get excited about hidden fridges and dishwashers, soft-close, pneumatic cabinet drawers and doors, high-tech lazy susans, and undermount sinks in the bath because they are easy to clean. Little stuff like that, I love it.

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The Ice Man Buildeth

A recent engine room fire aboard one of its cruise ships is expected to reduce earnings for the fourth quarter of 2014 and first quarter of 2015 earnings by about 5 cents a share in each period, Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said this week.

The estimated financial impact on earnings excludes insurance proceeds, Norwegian said in a news release.

On Dec. 11 the Insignia cruise ship operated by Norwegian's premium cruise brand Oceania Cruises experienced a fire in its engine room while docked in St. Lucia during a 10-day cruise.

The incident resulted in the cancellation of the remainder of the cruise that had departed San Juan, Puerto Rico on Dec. 7.

The 684-passenger Insignia was taken out of service and Norwegian said it expects repairs to take about nine weeks.

Cruises cancelled because of the repairs include a 24-day voyage scheduled to depart Miami on Dec. 17 and the first three legs of the ship's Around the World in 180 Days cruise, set to leave Miami on Jan. 10.

A modified world cruise will now sail on March 22, departing from Singapore, Norwegian said.

"We understand how disappointing this news must be to our valued guests and we extend our sincere appreciation for their cooperation and understanding," said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian president and CEO.

Despite the expected earnings hit, Norwegian said it's reiterating its prior full-year 2014 adjusted earnings per-share guidance of $2.28 to $2.32, which had excluded results of its acquisition of Oceania's former parent Prestige Cruises International, Inc. which closed in the fourth quarter. It also excluded the financial impacts from the engine fire incident.

Norwegian is the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises and together the three brands operate 21 ships that visit more than 430 destinations worldwide.

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Norwegian estimates impact of Insignia cruise ship fire

The stunning 1920s mansion located near Chicago proved an important component of the 1990 family comedy blockbuster which catapulted child actor Macaulay Culkin briefly to mega-stardom Many scenes in the movie were filmed in the three-storey house including those featuring the kitchen, the main staircase, basement and most of the first floor landing In 2012 the property changed hands with the buyers getting something of a bargain after the sellers agreed to take $1.58 million nearly $1 million less than their original asking price Home Alone fans will remember the colonial-style building as the home of the McCallisters, and of course, the battlefield where young Kevin took on those bumbling burglars

By David Mccormack for MailOnline

Published: 23:47 EST, 23 December 2014 | Updated: 11:55 EST, 24 December 2014

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The house featured in the classic Christmas movie Home Alone will be looking radically different this holiday season after a dramatic makeover.

The stunning 1920s mansion, which is located on Chicago's North Shore, provided an important component of the 1990 family comedy blockbuster which catapulted child actor Macaulay Culkin briefly to mega-stardom.

Many scenes in the movie were filmed in the three-storey house including those featuring the kitchen, the main staircase, basement and most of the first floor landing.

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Mansion featured in Home Alone looks radically different after remodeling

Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., chairs, stools and sofas) and sleeping (e.g., beds). Furniture is also used to hold objects at a convenient height for work (as horizontal surfaces above the ground, such as tables and desks), or to store things (e.g., cupboards and shelves). Furniture can be a product of design and is considered a form of decorative art. In addition to furniture's functional role, it can serve a symbolic or religious purpose. It can be made from many materials, including metal, plastic, and wood. Furniture can be made using a variety of woodworking joints which often reflect the local culture.

Archeological research shows that Neolithic people used stone to build cupboards, dressers, beds, shelves and seats. Ancient furniture from the 8th-century BC includes tables and serving stands. The furniture of the Middle Ages was usually heavy, oak, and ornamented. Furniture design expanded during the Italian Renaissance of the fourteenth and fifteenth century. The seventeenth century, in both Southern and Northern Europe, was characterized by opulent, often gilded Baroque designs. The nineteenth century is usually defined by revival styles. The first three-quarters of the twentieth century are often seen as the march towards Modernism. One unique outgrowth of post-modern furniture design is a return to natural shapes and textures.[1]

Furniture has been a part of the human experience since the development of non-nomadic cultures. Evidence of furniture survives from the Neolithic Period and later in antiquity in the form of paintings, such as the wall Murals discovered at Pompeii; sculpture, and examples have been excavated in Egypt and found in tombs in Ghiordes, in modern-day Turkey.

A range of unique stone furniture has been excavated in Skara Brae, a Neolithic village located in Orkney. The site dates from 31002500 BC and due to a shortage of wood in Orkney, the people of Skara Brae were forced to build with stone, a readily available material that could be worked easily and turned into items for use within the household. Each house shows a high degree of sophistication and was equipped with an extensive assortment of stone furniture, ranging from cupboards, dressers and beds to shelves, stone seats, and limpet tanks. The stone dresser was regarded as the most important as it symbolically faces the entrance in each house and is therefore the first item seen when entering, perhaps displaying symbolic objects, including decorative artwork such as several Neolithic Carved Stone Balls also found at the site.

Ancient furniture has been excavated from the 8th-century BC Phrygian tumulus, the Midas Mound, in Gordion, Turkey. Pieces found here include tables and inlaid serving stands. There are also surviving works from the 9th-8th-century BC Assyrian palace of Nimrud. The earliest surviving carpet, the Pazyryk Carpet was discovered in a frozen tomb in Siberia and has been dated between the 6th and 3rd century BC. Recovered Ancient Egyptian furniture includes 3rd millennium BC beds discovered at Tarkhan as place for the deceased, a c. 2550 BC gilded bed and two chairs from the tomb of Queen Hetepheres I, and many examples (boxes, beds, chairs) from c. 1550 to 1200 BC from Thebes. Ancient Greek furniture design beginning in the 2nd millennium BC, including beds and the klismos chair, is preserved not only by extant works, but by images on Greek vases. The 1738 and 1748 excavations of Herculaneum and Pompeii revealed Roman furniture, preserved in the ashes of the 79 A.D. eruption of Vesuvius, to the eighteenth century.

The furniture of the Middle Ages was usually heavy, oak, and ornamented with carved designs. Along with the other arts, the Italian Renaissance of the fourteenth and fifteenth century marked a rebirth in design, often inspired by the Greco-Roman tradition. A similar explosion of design, and renaissance of culture in general, occurred in Northern Europe, starting in the fifteenth century. The seventeenth century, in both Southern and Northern Europe, was characterized by opulent, often gilded Baroque designs that frequently incorporated a profusion of vegetal and scrolling ornament. Starting in the eighteenth century, furniture designs began to develop more rapidly. Although there were some styles that belonged primarily to one nation, such as Palladianism in Great Britain or Louis Quinze in French furniture, others, such as the Rococo and Neoclassicism were perpetuated throughout Western Europe.

The nineteenth century is usually defined by concurrent revival styles, including Gothic, Neoclassicism, Rococo, and the EastHaven Movement. The design reforms of the late century introduced the Aesthetic movement and the Arts and Crafts movement. Art Nouveau was influenced by both of these movements.

This design was in many ways rooted in necessity and emphasizes both form and materials. Early American chairs and tables are often constructed with turned spindles and chair backs often constructed with steaming to bend the wood. Wood choices tend to be deciduous hardwoods with a particular emphasis on the wood of edible or fruit bearing trees such as Cherry or Walnut.

The first three-quarters of the twentieth century are often seen as the march towards Modernism. Art Deco, De Stijl, Bauhaus, Wiener Werksttte, and Vienna Secession designers all worked to some degree within the Modernist idiom. Born from the Bauhaus and Art Deco/Streamline styles came the post WWII "Mid-Century Modern" style using materials developed during the war including laminated plywood, plastics and fiberglass. Prime examples include furniture designed by George Nelson Associates, Charles and Ray Eames, Paul McCobb, Florence Knoll, Harry Bertoia, Eero Saarinen, Harvey Probber, Vladamir Kagan and Danish modern designers including Finn Juhl and Arne Jacobsen. Postmodern design, intersecting the Pop art movement, gained steam in the 1960s and 70s, promoted in the 80s by groups such as the Italy-based Memphis movement. Transitional furniture is intended to fill a place between Traditional and Modern tastes.

Great efforts from individuals, governments, and companies has led to the manufacturing of products with higher sustainability known as Ecodesign. This new line of furniture is based on environmentally friendly design. Its use and popularity are increasing each year.[2]

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Furniture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia