WELLINGTON, Kan. (KSNW) Wellington City Hall now has thermal energy-storing ceiling tiles to help reduce energy use.

These Passive Thermal Energy Storage (PTES) ceiling tiles are similar to how gel packs for cold shipping functions. The tile is composed with a Phase Change Material (PCM) that will absorb heat as it changes from a solid form to liquid. After temperatures in the attic have dropped, the tiles release the stored heat.

This project comes through the Department of Energy and aims to reduce cooling, heating, and electric demand. The goal with these tiles is a 10-20% reduction in use.

Obviously cost of energy actually gets more expensive the more its used. So theres times during the day where the cost of energy gets pretty spendy. And then, at night, the cost of energy is a lot cheaper. So its about normalizing those curves so we can utilize energy and the dollars to make it go a little bit further, said Jason Newberry, the Interim City Manager for the City of Wellington.

The tile installed at City Hall is placed above the existing tile and under the fiberglass insulation throughout the building.

The City is working with Templock and Sumner County to produce over 85,000 square feet to be installed and tested in six public sector buildings.

Having the opportunity to test this tile in so many different commercial applications is a game changer, said Stacy Davis, Executive Director, Sumner County Economic Development Commission. With the anticipated results in energy savings, existing commercial buildings can become more financially viable to operate, with increased comfort and performance.

As a partner, the City feeds back information to show experts how much energy theyre actually using.

The project team will continue to install the tile over the next several months. At the end of the three-year field-testing and validation study, the energy efficiency and demand flexibility performance results will be published.

Wellington is the first site in Kansas to test these ceiling tiles.

See the article here:
City of Wellington testing thermal energy ceiling tiles - KSN-TV

More people are working from home these days, and its changed the game in what buyers want in a floor plan, smart appliances, and the ever-important backyard oasis.

In this segment of CandysDirt.com Open Houses of the Week, weve selected three huge properties that have meet the needs of live, work, and play in a post-pandemic world.

A 1960 Midcentury Modern mansion at 7447 Malabar Lane in North Dallass trendy JanMar Estates has everything for a family that loves to entertain, relax, and use high-tech amenities.

The smart-home technology is perfect for a home office. Upgrades made earlier this year allow residents to control automated systems from their smartphones for Ring security cameras, Weathermatic irrigation, Trane thermostats, landscape lighting, and the Chamberlain garage door.

The 4,519-square-foot home has five bedrooms, four-and-one-half bathrooms, and the most fabulous materials money can buy.

The $2.7 million abode boasts a metal standing-seam roof, a white brick-and stone facade, red oak hardwood floors, a floor-to-ceiling marble fireplace, and a wall of windows.

The eat-in kitchen features Carrara Italian countertops, a Wolf gas cooktop, two convection ovens, Kohler sink features, a sub-zero refrigerator and a Zephyr wine cooler.

The first-floor primary suite has its own fireplace, two walk-in closets and an ensuite bath with an air-jetted tub and thermostatic shower. This spacious suite opens onto the backyard and pool area, stacked with an outdoor kitchen, gas grill, refrigerator, fireplace, and heaters.

Realtor Faisal Halum with Briggs Freeman Sothebys International Realty is hosting an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27.

This Midway Hollow stunner at 3767 LaJoya Drive features brand new construction with custom designer finishes.

Built by Fifer Custom Homes and listed at $2 million, the five-bedroom, four-and-one-half-bath residence has a chefs kitchen with Energy Star appliances, a commercial-grade range, dual dishwashers, and a built-in wine cooler.

The open-concept floor plan covers more than 5,000 square feet. The family room overlooks a wall of sliding glass that opens to a spacious backyard oasis with a covered patio, cooking area, and electric gated fence.

Why would you ever leave home?

The family can gather upstairs in a second living room. The primary suite, secondary bedrooms, and an oversized second laundry room also are upstairs.

Realtor Melanie Martin with Robert Elliott and Associates is hosting an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27.

A recent report from Fixr.com shows that post-pandemic, homeowners are more willing to invest in things like home offices, private space, outdoor amenities, and security. This home at 9412 Moss Haven Drive definitely fits that bill.

Listed at $1.4 million, the massive remodel in Oak Highland Estates has all kinds of good stuff inside, but the real treat is the great outdoors.

Find your zen in the private backyard with lush landscaping, a sparkling pool, hot tub, garden, and RV and boat parking pad. The property is near golf courses, nature trails, and high-end shopping.

But dont forget about whats inside.

There are five bedrooms, three and one-half baths, and an expansive floor plan with a dedicated master wing.

The interior is filled with Carrera marble and porcelain tile finishes. His-and-hers closets, custom cabinetry, and a three-car garage will remind the new owners that theyre living the dream.

Realtor Stephanie Andrews with Fathom Realty is hosting open houses from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, and from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28.

Read more:
It's All About Live, Work, and Play In This Week's Open Houses - CandysDirt.com - Candy's Dirt

SAN DIEGO

Many residents of a downtown hotel the city has ordered closed because it is unsafe have moved to other rental units or into hotels, but a few others said they feel overlooked and are being treated unfairly.

In July, the San Diego City Attorneys Office announced to 72 residents at the C Street Inn, a single-room occupancy hotel, that they must vacate the building because of numerous health and safety violations. Tenants were told they would be provided with $4,720 in rental assistance, but only after they had provided evidence that they had signed a new lease.

Leslie Wolf Branscomb, senior public information officer with the City Attorneys Office, said as of last week 25 people from the SRO had been connected to housing.

Some residents of the hotel had said they fear they will not be able to find a new place to live without money upfront because they live paycheck to paycheck and will not have enough money if a landlord asks for a deposit and rent in advance.

The San Diego Housing Commission also is working with the City Attorneys Office to assist people at the hotel by providing vouchers to stay at another hotel for two months, buying tenants some time while they search for a new permanent home.

Scott Marshall, vice president of communications and government relations for the Housing Commission, said efforts were made to engage with all 86 original residents of the C Street Inn.

That number is higher than the one reported by the City Attorneys Office, in part because the Housing Commission is working with people who who have not been offered the $4,720 from the City Attorneys Office.

Those people include Laura Harvey, 59, and Mark Miner, 56, who said they have been offered hotel vouchers from the Housing Commission, but no assistance from the City Attorneys Office. They lived in rooms in the basement below the hotel, which they said they rented from the hotel owner and landlord, Jack Rafiq.

Harvey said she and her daughter, who lives with her, have decided they want to leave San Diego and move to Northern California.

Laura Harvey sits outside of her old basement apartment below the C Street Inn, where she has lived since 2019.

(Nancee E. Lewis)

This has made us think that maybe a fresh start is a good idea, but I cant do that if I dont have any money, she said. And I will end up homeless. Thats a place I dont want to go back to. Unfortunately, the City Attorneys Office doesnt seem to really care.

Harvey said she had been homeless six years before she moved into the C Street Inn three years ago.

Branscomb confirmed in an email that Harvey is not considered eligible for the financial assistance.

Mark Miner sits on the bed of his basement apartment below the C Street Inn. Tenants of the property have been ordered to vacate by the city because of health and safety concerns with the building.

(Nancee E. Lewis)

The issued notice only provides relocation benefits to tenants who were residing at the C Street Inn when the premises were deemed substandard, she wrote. The rooms in the basement where Laura Harvey and her daughter resided are not located at the C Street Inn property but at an adjacent property, so they are not entitled to relocation benefits.

Harvey and Miner said they paid rent to Rafiq and were employed by him. She did tile work among other jobs and did various labor such as building walls and cleaning mattresses.

Harvey said she originally had moved into an upstairs room at the C Street Inn three years ago, but moved after Rafiq offered her a room in the basement, which at 1,200 square feet was about twice as large, giving her extra space for the nonprofit she was starting, Recycle for Change.

She said she considered herself a tenant of the hotel because she entered from the C Street entrance, has the hotels address on her drivers license and she has the same mailing address as the hotel. When she learned she was not eligible for assistance, she moved back to her old room upstairs, but was told she still was ineligible because she moved in after the offer was made.

Harvey said she spoke about her situation at a City Council meeting, and a staff member from Mayor Todd Glorias office approached her and said he may be able to help. She said she hasnt heard from him in the three weeks since, and the mayors office did not respond to an email from The San Diego Union-Tribune asking about Harveys claim.

Miner said he moved into the hotel in 2011 after spending two years homeless in Seattle. He said Rafiq offered him a room in the basement, where he still lives, and he was hired by Rafiq to do work at the hotel.

My job, as well as my official residence, are going up in smoke, he said.

I do have an offer of two months at a hotel, Miner said. Thats not the issue. The issue is the city committed to writing checks, and then said theres a couple of people were not going to write checks to, and I say thats not fair, because Ive been working body and soul, steaming for bed bugs or taking out a wall, for the last eight years for Jack.

Harvey and Miner said one other person who lived in the basement and worked at the hotel also has been told he is not eligible for financial assistance form the City Attorneys Office.

The basement can be entered through the C Street Inn lobby or through a stairway inside a business arcade on Seventh Avenue. While parts are directly below the hotel, much of the basement is under several other businesses on Seventh Avenue.

Areas of the large basement are cluttered with items from the hotel, including pipes, mattresses and bathtubs. Boxes of Miners books are on a floor outside his room, where he sleeps on a mattress on a buckling floorboard. Despite its ramshackle appearance, Miner said he appreciates the room.

Rafiq, who in early interviews disagreed with the citys allegations about the condition of his building, has moved out of the hotel and could not be contacted for a comment.

On Aug. 8, a superior court judge appointed Chris Neilson of the real estate company Trigild as receiver of the property, giving him exclusive control of the hotel.

Read more:
Some tenants of downtown hotel fear city eviction will lead to homelessness - The San Diego Union-Tribune

For designing duo Janna Coglizer and Megan Shepherd, the Covid lockdown was a defining moment. Stuck at home, these corporate world co-workers and good friends concluded it was time to recalibrate.

Covid was a reset for both of us, Coglizer says. Working from home without the office buzz, Coglizer was left with just her work and the realization that it was the people she worked with who made her professional work life interesting. She thought, This is what I do? Coglizer wanted to do work that she felt more passionate about.

Her longtime friend Shepherd, who worked for the same software technology company as Coglizer, came to a similar conclusion: Life is very short, and how are we spending our time? Does this bring us joy? Shepherds job in the corporate world wasnt doing it for her, either.

Shepherd and Coglizer had been remodeling and designing spaces on the side. Finally, they decided to follow their passion for design and build a business with one mission in mind: Love your home. Thats how their design business Mid-West & Co. was born.

How we spend our time is very important; our homes are very important, says Shepherd, who describes their style as a combination of mid-century modern, Western and Southwestern styles.

Their objective is to incorporate these ideals into all their designs, and that most often starts with a combination kitchen and living space or great room. This trend of kitchens and living areas melding into one vast space without walls, where families cook, entertain and work together, continues to gain in popularity.

The great room is the heart of the home, Shepherd says. It serves as more than just a living room or formal sitting room. Our goal is to create a cozy yet functional space that the entire family can enjoy together.

And thats exactly what Mid-West & Co. is doing.

Jennifer and Nick McKenzie, who have three young children, bought their 1990s Overland Park home just over a year and a half ago. It needed to be not only updated but also transformed into a space where the McKenzies could comfortably live their daily lives and entertain.

Coglizer and Shepherd came in and completely gutted the space, altering the layout to fit the familys needs.

Its a traditional house and they were able to update the space, give it a modern edge, but still have it blend with the rest of the house, Jennifer says.

The light fixtures and hardware, for instance, are trendy yet classic, fitting with other traditional elements in the home.

For the kitchen island, Coglizer and Shepherd designed a half-octagon shape rather than the ubiquitous rectangle, creating additional usable counter space and making it easy to work in the kitchen, keep an eye on kids and socialize all at the same time.

The McKenzies kitchen and great room are a mix of down-home comforts, such as raw wood beams, Windsor spindle dining chairs, glam touches of shiny brass drawer pulls and a gold sunburst mirror above the fireplace.

The built-in bar that sits in between the kitchen and living area is stained a warm brown color, mimicking that of the island but serving as a contrast with the white kitchen cabinets.

The backsplash was created using white and gold tiles, giving the bar area an adult, sophisticated feel even with kids playing nearby.

Although a very beautiful, traditional Leawood home, Kerry and Whitney Coulter didnt feel like their home quite reflected their style, says Shepherd, who grew up with Kerry.

It didnt feel like home to them, Coglizer says.

Coglizer and Shepherd were able to update the space without changing the footprint of the kitchen and great room. They gave it a more modern color scheme by trading out countertops, tile, fixtures and other hardware throughout the space.

Several of our choices in this house were bold and unique but not too dramaticwe wanted to make sure it went well with the rest of the house, Coglizer says, referring to the sage color used for the island and ceiling in the eating nook.

Originally, the cabinets framing the oven hood had glass doors. Coglizer and Shepherd replaced the doors with a custom-made brass mesh grill, which still allows a peek inside yet updates the look with something both unique and traditional.

Handmade and hand-painted white tiles from Spain were chosen for the backsplash.

The tiles arent perfect, and they add a lot of texture, Coglizer says. Theyre very special.

Always looking to add personal touches to their projects, Coglizer and Shepherd surprised the homeowners with a custom oil painting of a Midwest landscape by Brianna George of Studio St. George. George is a childhood friend of Kerry who grew up in Kansas City but now resides in London. Right now its proudly displayed in the kitchen above the range.

One of Whitney Boans favorite things in her Mid-West & Co.-designed great room is her boucle upholstered chair.

Its like a big teddy bear, she says. Every morning I have my coffee there.

Whitney and Brad Boan built their home in Olathe from the ground up. The process was a bit overwhelming, which is why they decided to enlist the help of Coglizer and Shepherd.

We have kids, and [Coglizer and Shepherd] helped us pick out things that they really cant destroy, Whitney says. They even kid-proofed her white Crate and Barrel sofa, which was upholstered in a performance fabric.

Its not as scary as it sounds, Whitney says. Red wine was spilled on it, my daughter got chocolate on it, I have two dogsits all come off.

The Boans were excited about the personal touches that Coglizer and Shepherd sprinkled throughout their large living space, including a small sculpture of a golf ball, a nod to Brads hobby, and books on gardening and flowers, one of Whitneys passions. She owns a floral business called Adorn Floral Design.

Several of the landscapes in the Boan home were done by local artist Katie Mulder of Katie Mulder Creative and framed in vintage frames found by Coglizer and Shepherd on one of their antiquing adventures.

See the rest here:
Great Rooms are a New Trend in Home DesignHere are 3 Local Design Projects with Them - Kansas City magazine

There are so many new businesses popping up that its hard to keep up with. Lets look at a few this week.

A new swimming school coming. One of the more interesting new businesses is Big Blue Swim School, which is coming to the Concord Mills area and to south Charlotte.

Big Blue Swim School, one of the countrys fastest-growing franchises in the $3B learn-to-swim industry, announces plans to open two schools in the second quarter of2023.

Franchise partners Woody Alpern and Gerry Benjamin (Southeast Swim) signed leases at the following addresses:

8591 Concord Mills Blvd., Concord, NC, 28207

7625 Pineville-Matthews Rd., Charlotte, NC 28226 (Carmel Commons shopping mall)

Alpern and Benjamin are also planning a location in the Raleigh area. The Raleigh location will be located at 1041 Beaver Creek Commons Dr., Apex, 27502, in the Beaver Creek Crossing shopping center.

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These are part of Southeast Swims plans to open 36 Big Blue Swim Schools across the southeast. They currently own two schools in Pembroke Pines, Florida and Atlanta, which are currently under construction.

Big Blue Swim School will offers weekly swim lessons for families with children ages three months to 12 years old, making it easy for parents to schedule lessons for kids across multiple age groups simultaneously. In addition, the swim school selects locations that make it easy for parents and caregivers to incorporate swim lessons into their life and schedule. Each location will feature Big Blues stress-free facilities, offering warm 90-degree water, showers and changing rooms, a parent viewing area with complimentary WiFi and its fall-resistant anti-microbial carpet.

Big Blue Swim School allows me to combine my passion for water and my business acumen while also bringing positivity to the community, says Alpern, Big Blue franchise partner. Everything Big Blues team does is at the highest level from the real estate selection to the development of the parent-facing mobile app and we look forward to sharing our love of swimming with residents in Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham.

Alpern is a former CPA and entrepreneur with more than 45 years of scuba diving experience, with much of that time as a professional diving instructor. Benjamin is a lifetime franchisee with decades of experience in the industry, most notably as a material Blockbuster Video franchisee in the southeast.

Were excited to introduce Big Blue to the family-oriented communities in Charlotte and Raleigh, said Chris DeJong, Big Blues founder and president. Swim lessons are important from an early age, and they cant be taught virtually; because of this, were dedicated to offering busy families a convenient and positive experience to teach their children this important skill. In addition to the importance of swim safety, we are passionate about showing kids that they can do anything by unlocking their full potential in the water.

Where did you learn to swim? I learned to swim at the YWCA in Asheville. Im not sure the YWCA is still in business in Asheville. My kids learned to swim during the summer at KidsPlus and went to the John F. McInnis Aquatic Center. Thats the City of Concords pool.

My dad, Wiley, learned to swim in Spring Creek up in Madison County. Mom never learned to swim.

Wiley Bird (that what we called him) said they threw him in the water and it was sink or swim. Im not sure if thats a true story or not. Spring Creek is not too big so I guess if you didnt swim it wouldnt be far to swallow water.

I can swim pretty well but I am afraid of the water. I see kids around all the ponds, lakes and rivers. It scares me. I am glad were getting another option for kids to learn.

Back to the new businesses. The downtown Kannapolis redevelopment continues to go well. We went to the Cannon Ballers game Wednesday and enjoyed the game from the Atrium Health suite with our friends from Cabarrus College of Health Sciences. Kudos to Kannapolis for doing the stadium right.

The Cannon Ballers are doing things right too and it looks like it is going to a success.

Coming in and out of the stadium, I noticed two new businesses.

J. King Guitar Sales & Service is coming to the back of the Swanee Theater building. The company has been in business for since 2019 and specializes in restoration as well as repairs. The store will have new and used guitars also.

One new business is up and running. Its the The Corner Crust Pizza and Brew. I dont much about it. It looks like you can sit inside.

The Corner Crust took the spot vacated by Pizza Hut on Oak Avenue. I hope it smells as good as Pizza Hut did.

Ace Liquidation Center and Video Game World are in this building on Church Street.

Businesses in Concord. Speaking of Pizza Hut, the Cabarrus Avenue location is undergoing a renovation. It looks like the drive-thru, carryout and delivery side of the restaurant is still open.

The building permit describes the work being done: replace registers in dining room, replace fixtures, add can lights in dining room, add misc. receptacles for equip at carry out area. remove/replace existing toilet fixtures for new floor tile installation The estimated cost is $225,000.

Two new businesses are open on Church Street: Ace Liquidation Center and Video Game World. They are beside the vacant lot, which used to be Earls Tire.

Video Game World has five locations. This one appears to have just moved from Branchview to the newly renovated space on Church Street.

Aces business model is interesting: We are a one price store, we restock our bins every Friday and Saturday with over 10K new items Fri $10 - Sat $8 - Mon $6 - Tue $3 - Wed $2 - Thu $1 And Fill a bag on Thursday after 2:00 pm for only $15.

Ill be interested to check this one out. I have no clue what they have.

The Take Five Car Wash and Take Five Oil Change are making progress across from Lowes on Concord Parkway Way.

Construction on new apartments and a storage facility on Concord Parkway seem to constantly disrupt traffic with lane closures.

Construction on Concord Parkway creating yet another traffic job. I was driving back from UNC Charlotte Wednesday afternoon and ran into another traffic jam. It seems the apartment complex and storage facility being built between Rocky River and the Walmart Neighborhood Market create constant disruptions.

Road crews were digging a big hole. The best I can tell they are putting in a turn lane for the apartments. I don't know why they needed such a big hole.

On the other side of Concord Parkway, theres a sign for another Take Five Car Wash coming soon.

If you have a Friday Five, story suggestions or something I can rant about, email mplemmons@independenttribune.com or call or email 704-786-0001.

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Here is the original post:
Friday Five: A learn to swim company and other new businesses - Independent Tribune

Sometimes, I dream that I am trapped in a house. Its the same dream every time. I am standing in the middle of a large, empty, gothic entry way. The floors are so cold, and for some reason I have been lying down, so now I am very cold. There is wind in the entryway, and my hair keeps getting in my mouth and I cant get it out. It isnt a nightmare, though Im a little uncertain why it isnt. I have had much calmer dreams where there is not a ceiling threatening to fall that have felt much worse.

Whats strange about the dream is that I feel peaceful in it. I like the strange hallway with its big stone floors. I like the rounded staircase I have to race up when the floor begins to fall out from underneath me. Dream Kelsey is very calm about all of this. When doors are locked, she doesnt panic.

I have googled dream meaning trapped in house, and dream meaning gothic castle and dream meaning ogival arch so many times that all of the links are purple on the first three pages of search results. It is still unclear what the dream means. In this dream, I am always going through doors with pointed tops. I am always running through arches. The hallways are so long. It is somehow a peaceful dash, unlike any in real life. Maybe all any of this means is that I read The Mysteries of Udolpho and Northanger Abbey at the impressionable age of 20. Maybe it means, as the websites say, that I have something unresolved in my life. Who doesnt!?

But one thing I know for sure that it means is this: I am a sucker for a gothic arch.

Of all my weird home opinions, this is one of the few we have not been over in the almost two years of this column. So when reader Nick sent in a Zillow link to this weeks house, I knew we had to discuss it.

The house Nick found is listed for $3,795,000. Thats way too much money. But, it is located in Los Angeles, where most houses cost too much money. I have been to Los Angeles a few times, so I know that this house is located a little north of Los Feliz, which is where my celebrity crush Kristen Stewart lives, so we are already off to a great start.

It is four bedrooms, four baths, and 4,332 sq/ft. A truly monumental house. It has a giant yard and seems to back up to a very big park. I like that. I like going to the park. Here is the house:

Unfortunately for me, I love gothic doors but do not love the Tudor style of house in general. It feels like a barn to me, and while I do understand that it is not, my heart says barn. This house, however, has many interesting things happening. First, we have a big chimney, which seems very unnecessary in Los Angeles, but is pretty. We also have some chevron brick work, which I love. And the FRONT DOOR is a gothic arch. Gorgeous, to me.

Lets go inside:

That high pitched sound you hear is me shrieking. I love this. I like this inlaid floor that looks like it is grouted with concrete. I have some questions about earthquakes, but maybe if you have enough money to have an almost $4 million house, you dont have to think about that.

I call this kind of staircase prom stairs, because it is the kind of staircase that teenagers stand on for prom so that you can see everyones dresses. Guess what? I love it. And I find this koosh ball-ass light fixture very fun and exciting. Lets keep going.

Okay this is just another angle of the entry place, but we can see that someone actually paid attention to details. Look at how the light switches are brass! Look at this vintage door knob and key lock. Look at how the hinges on the door are big and strong. Look at that window!

My favorite thing about Los Angeles, after the immense amount of very good tacos, is the light. The light in Los Angeles is other-worldly. It is so much more golden than the light everywhere else I have been. The only place with similar lighting is Rome right after it rains. I do not understand what causes this as my understanding of weather is limited to push notifications on my phone, but its so flattering!

Here is the great room: see this fucking light?

Look at that window! It feels almost fake. The perfect wood panelling. The contrasting high-floss tile floor. The piano. This big comfy couch. It feels like a Nancy Meyers movie already and we havent even gotten to the kitchen. Here is another angle:

Since opening this photo, I have spent a long time deciding how many of my morals I would sacrifice in order to have this. There are a few things I dont love about this room, notably the white walls. With high-arched white ceilings, I think this room could benefit from some contrast, but what do I know. I also do not like that the railing on these stairs is a sad little rope. These stairs look glossy. I could tumble right off of them!

See how I have to nitpick? Its because this house is too nice. It has upset me. Rich people are supposed to have bad taste so that I do not become jealous of them.

Here is the kitchen:

Now, is this too gray? Yes. The gray makes my eyes cry. It is staged well, and I like all of these red accents, but imagine how much better the steel and white tile would pop if these cabinets were, say, navy? Or burgundy?

Sadly, I would die for this oven and hood, so the paint is only really a minor issue. Here is the dining room:

At this point I am forced to conclude that the people who lived here did not own any of this stuff and instead it was all brought in by a staging company. I must conclude this because the idea of people being rich and having this good and interesting of taste shakes me all the way to my core, and I do not have time right now for a crisis of self.

All of this furniture is beautiful, but furniture doesnt come with the house. The walls themselves, though, are also beautiful. We have big windows that open. We have great light. We have a really smart linear quality where the white panels draw your eye upward, and the horizontal strips of wallpaper and trim make the ceilings seem monumentally high. Cream does not upset me as a color scheme the way that gray does, so this is fine and can stay.

Through that big door is a stupidly cute sitting porch:

WHAT THE FUCK!!!! Look at these windows. Would they cost one gazillion dollars to replace in the instance that one broke? Absolutely. But in this fantasy we are rich.

This couch is pretty funny to me in that at first I thought it was the same couch from earlier drug into a different room. On closer inspection, though, it is just another green couch. I like the commitment to green couches. Thats fun1

Because I like fun more than sophistication, I am imagining some stained glass pieces hanging in these windows and its so beautiful it makes me want to vomit. Moving on and up the stairs we have a bedroom:

Here we have the first decision I truly disagree with. These black lines all appear to be wood to me. Whoever decided to paint them, I am sure, wanted high contrast, which I understand, but is a sin against my god, so all of this would have to be stripped. How do you strip a ceiling? Seems hard.

I love these little window boxes where we could put plants or a little window seat. Thats cute. I could pile my clothes up over there for three weeks until they were all dirty again instead of ever putting them away.

Though I have to admit that this closet is tempting:

I have never been much of a clothes girly. I would like to become one, and the ideal version of me is a clothes girly who always looks great and has an immaculate closet. I do understand that the way rich people achieve this is by hiring a stylist. But I dont think you would have to hire a stylist if you had this closet. The mirror that mimics the door shape would simply reveal to you what you would look best in, you would pull your shoes from the shelf and be on your way.

Here is a bathroom:

I have surprised myself by liking this. It does not seem like something I would like. I like colors. I do not particularly like subway tile. But I like that it is floor to ceiling, and I like that it is inlaid so perfectly in that door frame. Plus look at this view:

Little smoggy, but wow. It has been so long since we have observed a house this nice. Here is another little sun room:

Imagine working in here, with the birds chirping. I love the built-in bench, and I love the giant plants, and I hate that everything is all white. Its fine. I will fix it when I am given this house as a gift for being so nice and working so hard.

I mean, look at this hallway!!!!

Always, in this column, I am whining about how hallways are boring. I generally hate hallways. They are almost always wasted space, and almost always treated as an afterthought. But the combination of these door frames, the vaulted entry way, the steps up to the hallway, and all these little details (the lights, the brass grates, the shiny floor, the art) really work for me. I would live in the hallway.

Now we have reached the one part of this house that makes me want to scream.

Why, with all this money, with all of the rooms we have seen, would you install a WALLPAPER THAT LOOKS LIKE A BOOKSHELF!!!!!!???? I have a giant bookshelf and I will admit it is difficult to clean. There is almost always dust on a shelf I forgot that only presents itself when I remove a book.

But if you have the money for this house, you dont even have to buy books! You can hire someone to buy the books for you and make them look nice. Hell, I am available to do this! Anyone who reads would be happy to partner with a bookstore and buy you 500 nice books that will make everyone think you are literate and cool. This garbage wallpaper makes me wanna cry. Lets leave it.

See, thats nicer. Another transition space just as lovely as possible. Weve got a nice rug, and an Eames chair knock-off, and a door that we have to go through.

Wow, would you look at this. What a perfect table for me to present a dinner for my friends. Im imagining a bunch of bottles of orange wine and a deep peach sunset and the lights flickering on just as everyone settles in to eat the food pulled off the grill hiding around the corner.

That sounds nice, doesnt it? We deserve it.

This weeks house has been listed for $3.795 million for 51 days. It has a pending offer. If you bought this house, please let me live in it when you go to Europe in the summer. I promise that I am a very good house guest and will take good care of it.

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A $3.7 Million Home I Will Accept Out Of The Goodness Of My Heart - Defector

Cracked but intact, the tile mosaic was saved from the demolition hammer in 2018 when the Arts Centre Melbourne was undergoing major renovations. Now, 20 years after it was first installed alongside 24 others, the mosaic is being reconsidered in a wider historical context, looking at its place in the long and rich history of Melbournes street art and the recurring motif of the grid.

Invaders work references the early video game, Space Invaders (1978). To fully understand the work, consideration needs to be given to the longer history of both computing and aerial warfare, which stretches back to the 19th century, along with the history of Melbourne itself.

Explore Melbournes latest art events, exhibitions and performances here.

Guest curator Lachlan MacDowell said Melbournes gridded streets mirror the grids of Invaders work and Tomohiro Nishikados games.

By placing his art in Melbourne, Invader activated a longer history that draws together Melbournes colonial streetscapes and the pixelated screens of digital culture a reminder, via art and games, of the fused histories of technological experimentation, aerial warfare and frontier violence, he said.

Examining street art from this period, Invader was not the only artist making work inspired by digital culture and the aesthetics of the grid. The exhibition displays photographs of five street artists from this period, which responded to the grid and the rise of digital technology.

They include:

Off The Grid: Invader and Melbourne Street Art in the early 2000s from 14 September 2022 until 15 February 2023 at the City Gallery, Melbourne Town Hall.

Read the rest here:
New exhibition tracks Melbourne street art and the history of Invader - Beat Magazine

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Do Yourself A Favor And Check Out These 38 Cleaning Products - BuzzFeed

From a distance, the exterior of Greenwood Happy Haunts looks like a typical business.

Once inside though, people are met with all things Halloween and fall.

Upon entering, people are greeted by an animatronic werewolf, mannequins of Freddie Krueger and Michael Myers and fall decor. Further inside, the offerings only expand with decor ranging from Halloween beer bottles and glassware, wall art, hanging decor, doll houses, masks and more.

Some items are as small as a toy truck, others are as large as a wooden hearse. Theres even a wooden electric chair with a skeleton that, when activated, flashes lights simulating an execution.

Greenwood Happy Haunts, a year-round Halloween store located at 248 Market Plaza in Old Town Greenwood, will officially open to the public on Saturday. For Cory and Scott Steenbergen, opening the store is the culmination of a love of Halloween and a dream to build something fun for both them and the community.

Its been our dream for several years now to do it, said Scott Steenbergen, one of the owners of the store.

The idea for a year-round Halloween store stems from a lifelong love of the holiday. For years, the couple has gone all out decorating their home for the holiday. They also hosted Halloween parties in a warehouse behind the store featuring animatronics with their friends, and eventually, more and more people asked to come, Scott Steenbergen said.

The state of another business of theirs also factored in. The Steenbergens are the owners of Greenwood Marble & Tile Co., Inc., a business that Cory Steenbergens grandfather started nearly 70 years ago. The tile company currently shares a space with the Halloween store.

In the last few years, many of the companys suppliers have stopped making the products they used. Theyve also faced issues with finding qualified workers and keeping their crews running, they said.

This change came at a time when they started to realize they were ready to slow down and do something different.

We decided we just wanted to do something fun and different and this is what wed love to do, Scott Steenbergen said.

With half of their tile showroom now gone, the Steenbergens decided to use the other half of the building for a Halloween store. It continued to grow and grow over the last three years to the point where they hoped to have the store open this year.

The Steenbergens marble and tile business still exists, although it has a much smaller footprint inside the building now. The goal is to keep the business going for right now before eventually getting out of the marble business, Scott Steenbergen said.

The goal is to get out of our 70-year-old business and enjoy life a little bit and have something down here that has never been here before, he said.

Stores that offer Halloween decor and products are typically only open at certain times of the year. With Happy Haunts, thats not the case, as the plan is for the store to be open year-round.

Its also not like a traditional retail store where there may be five copies of the same item, Cory Steenbergen said.

A vast majority of the items inside the store are handmade or remade by the couple. Sometimes they order things to make the props, but almost everything else is handmade.

Everything from the electric chairs to the guillotines and the hearse that were gonna have in here, thats all handmade by me, Scott Steenbergen said. Im the guy that makes it; I like the science behind it. Theyre all wood other than my buddy that cuts the metal out for me.

He also works on illuminating some of the items and setting up the animatronics, he said.

Cory Steenbergen does all of the etchings, paintings and vinyl signs. The couple also goes to garage stores to get secondhand items to use as props, Scott Steenbergen said.

The goal of Greenwood Happy Haunts is to bring more happiness back into the fall and Halloween season, as its not always looked at as a positive holiday. This is why the store is called Happy Haunts, Cory Steenbergen said.

Were trying to just bring some happiness to people, she said.

Scott Steenbergen has big dreams for the business and hopes it will continue to expand and maybe even become a tourist attraction for Greenwood. In his eyes, it seems children and families do not have many things to do in Johnson County, so hes hoping this business will bring people in, he said.

Im hoping to become a little bit of a tourist thing with all the animatronics and the props and then sell stuff and still be able to keep making stuff, he said.

Another goal is to expand the store to include the entire building, so customers can walk all the way through the building, front-to-back, surrounded by animatronics displays and props for sale, he said.

The couple has been approached by photographers who have asked if they could use the Steenbergens back warehouse as a place for Halloween- and fall-themed photo shoots.

I never would have dreamed someone would ask me about that, but I am open to doing that, Scott Steenbergen said.

The Steenbergens have also considered maybe doing spooky readings where someone comes in and reads ghost stories to whoever is interested. Another idea is to have a place for area ghost hunters to come and share their stories, Cory Steenbergen said.

Cory and Scott Steenbergen are also ghost hunters and are considering having their group, Past, Present, Future Investigations, or PPFI, use the store as a headquarters, Cory Steenbergen said. The group is mainly interested in finding out peoples stories, the history of things and being respectful about it, she said.

Members of the public have already shown a lot of interest in the store. Ever since Cory Steenbergen launched the stores Facebook page launched and people began sharing news about the store in local social media groups, both she and Scott Steenbergen have been surprised by the reactions, they said.

The interest is not only online, but in-person as well. Members of a local corvette club have asked when the store is opening so they can tour it and people walking by have stopped to take a look through the windows. Some people have even taken photos in front of the mannequins placed in the front Windows, the couple said.

We were just really surprised at the support weve had, I mean, between family and friends, of course, but to the community, Cory Steenbergen said. Its been really welcoming and we hope it continues like that.

Scott Steenbergen hopes the public will enjoy. Both he and his wife love a passion for Halloween, and this is their way of sharing this passion.

I just want to put smiles on peoples faces, Cory Steenbergen said.

Scott Steenbergen replied, Yeah, I do too.

IF YOU GO

What: Greenwood Happy Haunts Grand Opening

When: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: 248 Market Plaza, Greenwood

Read more:
Year-round Halloween store Greenwood Happy Haunts opens Saturday - Daily Journal

When a 1920s colonial-style beach house in New Jersey needed a kitchen facelift, its owners called upon New York-based interior designer Nicole Cohen. With a background as a multidisciplinary artist, Cohen approaches design through a visual lens that plays with composition, color, and form in an approachable way.

Here she found inspiration in the original architecture, including stucco walls and arches, choosing to work with the period features rather than against them. That said, The original kitchen was too small and in bad condition, says Cohen, citing the lack of color, nonfunctional floorplan, and dated Formica finishes. It didnt make sense for a young family who wanted to spend a lot of time together in the home.

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Nicole Cohen

Cohen aimed to create a kitchen that would fit the family easilywithout it feeling crowded when cooking or entertaining. Working with the team at Monmouth Custom Builders, the designer embarked on an eight-month renovation that included the kitchen, pool, basement, and porch, all of which combined for a 4,000-square-foot retreat.

In order to make the kitchen the true heart of the home, the team opened up the space into an L-shape that connects the dining room, den, and back porch. Now its filled with color and light.

Take, for example, the star of the show: green Mosaic House floor tiles. The couple let us know that they had a mutual love for the color green, and we wanted to make sure that was featured prominently, says Cohen. I found this tile when I was shopping for other materials for this project, and it felt like it was a perfect fit.

Custom cabinetry by Castle Woodcraft, Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, and a custom terrazzo dining table all combine to make the kitchen feel special, says Cohen. In each of the projects I work on, I always try to create one piece of furniture that can live on in the clients home. With this table, we custom-made the aggregate and shape.

Nicole Cohen

Nicole Cohen

Simply White by Benjamin Moore throughout helps the room feel more open, deVOL Kitchens and mounts by Schoolhouse create glowing layered lighting, and Mosaic House floor tiles add personality. The color makes the room vibrant and exciting, she says. I love how happy the space feels, like the perfect place to eat ripe peaches and homemade pasta.

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A Nondescript Kitchen Is Now Colorful, Connected, and Welcoming Thanks to Designer Nicole Cohen - House Beautiful