Bookshelves are not just for books. Try incorporating interesting accessories, such as picture frames or small collectibles, to break up the groupings. CARLKERRIDGECourtesyphotobyKnottingHillInteriors

While full renovations allow for good measures of imagination and creativity, sometimes seemingly small changes or additions to a space can make a room feel brand new again. This months reader questions and my answers will show you a few inspired ways you can refresh your home.

Question | I own many pieces of art in various sizes. How can I display these pieces in a way that complements the art and the space?

Answer | My first piece of advice is not to stress over art. It is a movable piece of dcor that can be figured out through trial and error. Hanging art at eye-level is a custom taken from art galleries that allows viewers to observe the full piece at once. If a rooms primary purpose will be for sitting, hang select art somewhat lower at a seated eye-level for the same purpose. As a general rule, art should be centered with furniture or architectural elements of the home.

If you do not have large pieces of artwork, try creating a gallery wall of smaller framed artwork. A gallery features identical or similar frames in a grid and works best with art that repeats a theme, such as color-blocking or pictured subjects. A gallery can be a group of fine art, famed photographs, antique art, and objects used together to create an eclectic and eye-catching wall.

Q. | My husband and I want to change our living room by rearranging the furniture. Do you have any space-planning tips?

A. | Proper planning is extremely important in order to ensure overall cohesion of the space. Two critical components of polished interiors are the floor plan and a rooms focal point. The best arrangements provide the right kind of seating where needed, placement that allows you and your guests to easily converse, a table within arms reach of most seats, and a clear sight line to the rooms focal point whether it is a beautiful view, fireplace or the television.

Take proper measurements of the room and furniture. You will want to consider the location of immovable structures of the space such as doors, stairs and electrical sockets, as these will determine where certain pieces can be placed. Walkways need to remain unobstructed to ease traffic flow. With these steps prepped and executed, you can arrange pieces to focus attention toward your desired focal point.

A natural-looking arrangement that equates to comfort and flow is key. My designers and I often try various sketches or other visuals to explore all of the options upfront.

Q. | My family is full of avid readers and we have a lot of books. How can we display our books so they will not be cluttered on a bookshelf?

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On Design | Small renovations can make a big difference

Graffiti, litter, and insufficient lighting and signage on Wellingtons street-connecting walkways are likely to be discouraging their use, researchers say.

A University of Otago, Wellington study of 118 of the Capitals street-connecting walkways found graffiti was commonly visible (51% of walkways), as was litter (58%). Litter involving glass was present on 17% of walkways. On walkways with guttering, most (89%) were overflowing in at least one place with plant debris or living plants.

Lighting was often "insufficient" at walkway entrances, with only 20% having lighting at both entrances. In addition, only 3% of walkways with steps had step edges painted to assist with visibility at night.

Lead author of the study, Associate Professor Nick Wilson, says good urban design, including street connectivity, is important to encourage walking, which in turn helps prevent chronic illness such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

"These conditions account for a large share of health loss for New Zealand, and are major costs for the tax-payer funded health system," Wilson says.

Wellington City Council "could do better" with walkway maintenance and monitoring of the state of walkways, including engaging the public to help identify improvements needed, he says.

"A public monitoring system that enables people to report issues using, for example, free mobile apps, a text or picture message, or a website to report problems, would help Councils manage and respond to issues efficiently. But even the form used in this study could be used by the public."

Some potential improvements to walkways would be fairly low cost, Wilson says.

"Improved signage would be inexpensive, and greater use of motion-sensitive and highly-directional LED lighting would both improve lighting and reduce electricity and maintenance costs."

He suggests central government could play a greater role in funding research on the most cost-effective approaches to walkway improvements throughout New Zealand, and could also work with councils on establishing monitoring systems that the public can easily participate in.

See original here:
Wellington's street-connecting walkways could be better - study

23 July 2014

Wellingtons street-connecting walkways could be better - study

Graffiti, litter, and insufficient lighting and signage on Wellingtons street-connecting walkways are likely to be discouraging their use, researchers say.

A University of Otago, Wellington study of 118 of the Capitals street-connecting walkways found graffiti was commonly visible (51% of walkways), as was litter (58%). Litter involving glass was present on 17% of walkways. On walkways with guttering, most (89%) were overflowing in at least one place with plant debris or living plants.

Lighting was often insufficient at walkway entrances, with only 20% having lighting at both entrances. In addition, only 3% of walkways with steps had step edges painted to assist with visibility at night.

Lead author of the study, Associate Professor Nick Wilson, says good urban design, including street connectivity, is important to encourage walking, which in turn helps prevent chronic illness such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

These conditions account for a large share of health loss for New Zealand, and are major costs for the tax-payer funded health system, Wilson says.

Wellington City Council could do better with walkway maintenance and monitoring of the state of walkways, including engaging the public to help identify improvements needed, he says.

A public monitoring system that enables people to report issues using, for example, free mobile apps, a text or picture message, or a website to report problems, would help Councils manage and respond to issues efficiently. But even the form used in this study could be used by the public.

Some potential improvements to walkways would be fairly low cost, Wilson says.

Excerpt from:
Wellingtons street-connecting walkways could be better

Leesburg Concrete Company, Incorporated (LCCI) delivered a large floorless precast concrete Easi-Set Building to be placed over the rebuilt pump station used by the upscale community, Venetian Falls, in Venice, Florida. The custom 18' x 13 ' x 8' precast concrete building with post tensioned roof was delivered, lifted and lowered over the pump station onto an expanded concrete slab floor in less than 1 day. "The Venetian Falls community did not want to be without well water in excess of one day so our Easi-Set Building offered just the solution they needed," said Brian Stock. "In addition they did not want to disconnect the well intake pipes if it was avoidable. We manufactured the precast building with a cutaway and a custom fit precast panel to adjoin and seal the void once installed to finish the wall. All of it was done with a skip trowel finish and custom paint to match the community's colors."

The pump house building was manufactured with a custom 5' x 5' clear opening galvanized double door roof hatch with a powder coated red oxide finish. The precast roof was painted with a reflective CVM (Ceramic Vacuum Matrix) technology coating which reflects 80% of the sun rays resulting in much cooler interior temperatures.

Leesburg Concrete makes the largest selection of transportable standard and custom precast concrete buildings in the Southeast United States.

Leesburg Concrete Company, Incorporated

Family owned and operated since 1983, Leesburg Concrete Company, Incorporated was first a leading manufacturer of precast concrete steps decks, walkways, landings, and ADA compliant modular precast concrete wheelchair ramps, with steel guard rails, and handrails. They also manufacture Easi-Set Buildings, Easi-Span field assembled large and ultra-large buildings and Easi-Set restrooms, feature a patented post-tensioning system in the roof and floor, architectural precast cladding panels and precast concrete stairs. LCCI also offers a wide array of custom precast product options. "We've never had a job that we couldn't handle," stated Kirk Rouse, Vice President of LCCI. This American, family-owned company demonstrates a philosophy of quality and innovation.

Leesburg Concrete Company, Incorporated is an NPCA Certified Plant, focused on meeting the needs of commercial building construction and renovation projects. Their experienced staff provides turnkey service, and it only takes one call to find the solution to your building needs. For more information visit their website at http://www.leesburgconcrete.com, (800) 882-4177, or KRouse@leesburgconcrete.com.

Easi-Set Buildings

Fabricated as separate wall, roof and floor panels, Easi-Set Buildings, Easi-Span ultra-large buildings and Easi-Set restrooms, feature a patented post-tensioning system in the roof and floor, a turn-down roof that caps the walls, and a step-down floor panel to eliminate the possibility of water migration into the building along the bottom of the wall panels. Easi-Set Buildings are virtually maintenance free, are available in a variety of sizes and finishes, and are fully customizable. They are typically assembled at the plant, delivered to the customer's site and installed on a gravel pad or concrete slab in a matter of hours.

Originally posted here:
Venetian Falls Turns To Leesburg Concrete Company, Inc. For Pump House Solution

Always a good draw on their own, the pairing of Kiss' 40th anniversary tour and Def Leppard's hit-filled Heroes Tour (named for the tour's involvement with the Wounded Warrior Project) filled PNC Music Pavilion with generations of rock fans Saturday night despite rain.

Having both played swelling 20-plus song headlining sets before, the co-headlining format kept each band's set to 14-songs each. While this meant dropping a lot of fan favorites, - no "Strutter," "Beth," "Crazy Crazy Nights," or "100,000 Years" in Kiss' case for instance - having shorter, more concise sets seemed to conserve the overall energy especially in the older band's case.

When I saw the original lineup of Kiss at Charlotte Coliseum in October 2000, two days before drummer Peter Criss quit for good, I felt like I was watching them in slow motion - not the high energy showmen I'd been watching on TV since I was three. I felt a similar detachment when they played Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre with Aerosmith on another co-headlining jaunt in September 2003, but Saturday felt like a return to form. Maybe that's due to the outdoor setting or that I have much better seats now, but maybe it's due to a show that fires quickly (and literally) without filler and doesn't completely drain its aging performers.

Following a set by female-fronted Canadian metal band Kobra and the Lotus (who record for Gene Simmons' label), Def Leppard took the stage morphing its own intro music (The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again") into "Let It Go." It was odd to see the usual headliner relegated to the front portion of the stage. Fans are accustomed to seeing them prowl a two and three tiered stage. Kiss' stage didn't use multi-level walkways either, instead both bands relied on multiple screens and lights and, in Kiss' case, pyro and an impressive moving giant spider light rig.

The appearance of guitarist Vivian Campbell - who is undergoing a new form of chemo therapy to treat Hodgkin's lymphoma as part of a clinical trial in Los Angeles - was the first thing I noticed. Although bald - far from the dark curly mane fans have seen since his Whitesnake days - and wearing sunglasses, the newly married Northern Irishman looked fit and smiled without a hint of illness.

For a band in its fifties, all the members looked incredibly well. Baring his muscular chest through a black vest, guitarist Phil Collen doesn't look a day older than he did in the "Pyromania" videos aside from a few wrinkles. The still babyfaced bassist Rick Savage paid tribute to Tommy Ramone in a cut-up white Ramones' t-shirt. In their bedazzled rock wear he and singer Joe Elliott, who traded a white leather military style jacket for a longer black one (just like Lionel Richie did Thursday), must keep stores like Revolution in business.

Def Leppard plowed through hits "Animal," "Love Bites," "Foolin'," "Let's Get Rocked" and "Hysteria." They pulled out acoustic guitars for "Two Steps Behind" and the massive sing-along "Bringing on the Heartbreak." Its abbreviated set relied heavily on "Hysteria."

"Rocket" was the visual standout with the band performing before screens of tiny televisions (pictured above), but "Armageddon It" held the most thematic weight as statistics about world hunger, HIV, the environment, and cancer, ticked up on a giant screen behind them. The climbing stats pitted the number of overweight people in the world against the number of hungry and the rate at which forests are being pummeled with the time with which the world's oil will run out - all quite interesting stuff. I'm not sure how many in the audience - fists raised, singing along wholeheartedly - were "really getting it," but it was quite a powerful way to present a 25-year-old pop-metal hit.

The only time Elliott's voice faltered was during the encore of "Photograph." The entire band kept the "oohooohs" on the lower end. But after a spot-on show, his struggling with range could be easily forgiven.

After a brisk 30-minute changeover (thank you, crew) which included the introduction of the Wounded Warrior roadies (veterans hired for the tour) and an award presentation to retired Marine Sargent Tim Aldridge (who received a house in Waxhaw), Kiss blew up the stage with deafening fireworks. I was glad the children in the audience, which there were many, wore ear protection. White streamers shot from the sky. At this point while holding my five-year-old, I was clobbered by an adult man who charged three rows from behind to grab for streamers. With my lip stinging, I was left thinking, "Man, it's a streamer."

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Kiss and Def Leppard rock the rain away in Charlotte

The concrete oozed rather than poured out of the mixer truck, almost as if reluctant to cover the ground partly because it won't, entirely.

Laborers shoveled pebbly gobs around to form a new sidewalk at a park-and-ride lot in Waysons Corner, one of two where the State Highway Administration is laying "pervious" concrete this summer as a test of its environmental friendliness.

Porous paving surfaces have been around for decades, but they're expensive and often didn't work well. Interest in such surfaces among governments and developers is on the rebound, though, in response to new state regulations aimed at curbing stormwater pollution from pavement smothering the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

"There has been a resurgence in permeable pavement in the state and across the bay watershed in recent years," said Tom Schueler, head of the Chesapeake Stormwater Network, an organization that trains engineers and others how to deal with runoff.

Stormwater runoff is the fastest-growing type of pollution in the region, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, accounting for one-sixth of all the nitrogen and phosphorus and one-fourth of the sediment fouling the Chesapeake.

Rooftops, roads and other pavement are the conduits, as rainfall washes off their hard surfaces, eroding stream banks and carrying accumulated dirt, oil and other pollutants. The amount of ground covered by pavement and buildings has grown nearly twice as fast as the population, the EPA figures.

Maryland and the other states in the Chesapeake's watershed are under pressure from the EPA to do more to curb polluted runoff.

The pervious concrete being poured in Waysons Corner is a lightly cemented batch of pea gravel with air pockets between the stones intended to let rainfall soak through into the ground rather than run off into storm drains and streams.

Water-absorbing pavement can help mitigate the impact of new development, and it's one of the few ways of curbing runoff in inner-city neighborhoods, where there's little or no open ground.

The use of permeable pavement and pavers has spread gradually in commercial and residential developments, starting in the South, according to Colin Lobo, senior vice president for the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association.

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Porous pavement gets another tryout in Maryland

Thirty-two car tires, a rusty bumper, underwear, an orange cone, bowling balls, shoes and a Cabbage Patch doll that looked more like a Garbage Pail Kid were among the items Cox Media Group Ohio employees and other volunteers pulled from the Great Miami River Friday in downtown Dayton as part of Clean Sweep 2014.

In all, the 64 volunteers removed 5,000 pounds of waste.

Rob Rohr, Cox Media Group Ohios senior vice president and general manager, said conservation, the environment and sustainability are critically important to Cox Enterprises.

He noted that James Cox Kennedy, Coxs chairman, set a goal to send zero waste to landfills in the next seven to 10 years and to become carbon and water neutral in 25 to 30 years.

Cox is a tremendously large company and thats a very aggressive goal, Rohr said. Efforts like this (Clean Sweep) are one step forward to really achieving that.

The Cox employees from Dayton Daily News, WHIO TV and radio and other Cox companies participated in the effort organized by American Rivers and other groups.

The effort was part of a larger river cleanup effort that spans from Indian Lake down to the Ohio River.

The Northern Clean-up event from Indian Lake to Franklin continues Saturday, July 19.

Cox employees throughout the nation Dayton, Atlanta, Charlotte, S.C. and Jacksonville, Fla. included have

collected nearly 16 tons of waste as part of river clean-ups.

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DDN, WHIO, Cox volunteers remove 5,000 pounds of waste from river

Naples, FL (PRWEB) July 16, 2014

Fiddlers Creek announced that the move-in-ready Madison home is now available at Chiasso, a village of 59 single-family residences located within the luxury, master-planned community.

Offered by D.R. Horton, Chiasso is a sanctuary of peace and the pinnacle of luxury living. Intertwined with waterways, the village features five individual floor plans, ranging from 2,583 air-conditioned square feet to 3,522 air-conditioned square feet, most with stunning lake views.

The Madison is a one-story, move-in ready home offering 3,246 air-conditioned square feet. This lakefront residence features three bedrooms, four baths, a den and a two-car garage. The bedrooms are situated in separate corners of the home to ensure privacy and the den is large enough to accommodate an alternate fourth bedroom. The residence also features a large entrance foyer with a coffered ceiling that leads to the formal living room and dining room.

Upgrades in the model home include maple espresso cabinets in the kitchen and baths, plus a mixture of quartz and granite countertops throughout the home. The home also features Santos floor tile laid in a diagonal pattern in all living areas as well the den. Wood floors are included in the master bedroom and antique bronze ceiling fans throughout.

The Madison model features additional upgrades to showcase the level of options currently available in the Chiasso series, including the optional outdoor kitchen and optional pool and spa complete with a salt chlorinator system and an auto fill and overflow system, overlooking a direct view of a tranquil lake. The base price for the Madison is currently $594,990, plus lot premium. The move-in-ready Madison model home is currently available for $709,234.

In addition to the Madison, one other fully-furnished model is currently open for viewing.

The Washington luxury model encompasses 2,788 air-conditioned square feet. This one-story home has three bedrooms, three and a half baths, and a den located just steps off of a spacious great room. There also is a formal dining room, an inviting covered entry and an optional three-car garage. The base price of the Washington is currently $576,990, plus lot premium.

Each residence in the village of Chiasso is built of structurally engineered reinforced concrete block wall construction with high profile concrete roof tiles. Each home also features brick paver driveways, walkways and lanais. Interior design features include a luxury kitchen with granite countertops and 42-inch cabinets with decorative finishes; exquisite baths with designer bath fixtures and granite countertops; ceramic tile flooring; and energy saving features throughout.

Located just off Collier Boulevard between Naples and Marco Island, Fiddlers Creek is an award-winning community that has been selected by the readers of the Naples Daily News and Bonita Daily News as Best Community in the Southwest Florida Readers Choice Awards. The community also received the 2013 CBIA Sand Dollar Award for Community of the Year.

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Fiddlers Creek Offers Move-in-Ready Madison Model by D.R. Horton

More cities throughout the nation are adopting laws targeting homeless people without providing long-term solutions to help them, according to new report that cites El Cajon as an example of a city that treats homelessness like a crime.

The report was created by the Washington, D.C.-based National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, a nonprofit advocacy group that surveyed 187 cities about their policies on homelessness. San Diego and El Cajon were among the cities surveyed.

Tristia Bauman, a senior attorney for the center, said many laws that target the homeless are ineffective and often push people to neighboring cities or recycle them through the criminal justice system and back onto the street.

In El Cajon, almost 52 percent of homeless people dont have access to shelter, but the city restricts or bans sleeping in public, camping in public, begging in public and sleeping in vehicles, according to the report.

El Cajon City Manager Doug Williford did not return phone calls seeking comment Wednesday.

Bauman said being ticketed can create significant setbacks for homeless people, who may have their cars and possessions impounded, making it more difficult to find work and shelter.

A criminal conviction on a record can prevent someone from obtaining a housing subsidy or low-skill, low-paying job, she said. Essentially, they are creating a scenario where they make the problem worse.

San Diego laws cited in the report prohibit sleeping in public places, obstructing public right-of-ways and sleeping in cars.

A police officer who works with homeless people in San Diego said such laws are necessary and can even be used to encourage homeless people to get the help they need.

Sgt. Teresa Clark, with the San Diego Police Departments homeless outreach team, said laws that restrict sleeping outdoors and blocking walkways are needed, but usually are only enforced when people are uncooperative.

See more here:
Report says cities criminalize homeless

STILLWATER, Okla. If youve got a problem at the U.S. Senior Open Championship, odds are Charlie Pierce will know.

As the chief field marshal, hes the man who is in charge of more than a 1,000 volunteers and by default the resident problem-solver at Oak Tree National. This weeks senior championship, which runs through Sunday in Edmond, marks the eighth time hes volunteered at a senior open; hes worked six womens opens; and one PGA Open.

And he does it all for free.

The soon to be 56-year-old Hutchinson, Kan., resident volunteers at an average of two big golf tournaments a year, leading thousands of volunteers a year. As the volunteer who is often among the first to arrive each day at 6 a.m. and the last to leave at about 8 p.m. the U.S. Golf Association even gives him his own golf cart that has his initials on the front when he volunteers.

I dont lose my patience very often, he says.

When people mob a golfer seeking an autograph, he is the one who steps in to help a golfer escape. Hes the one who helped re-arrange walkways after this weeks rainstorm made the existing ones a muddy mess. His people also deal with guests who have imbibed too much alcohol. He oversees the gatekeepers who make sure people stay off the course when golfers are playing.

Every golf course has got something crazy, he said. This golf course its (holes) 10, 11, and 18. Thats where most of the trouble is. They all cross over and they all mix up. So youve got a lot of people going different directions. So youve got to figure out whats the best way for them to go, the most efficient way for them to go.

Pierce, himself, is always on the go.

You getting enough fluids and stuff? Youve been out here three straight days, he queries one volunteer as he speeds by in his golf cart to address the latest problem an allegation about lack of strong volunteer leadership on Hole 16 and a volunteer who gave away all the Powerade to course visitors drinks that were supposed to hydrate other volunteers working in the scorching heat.

Then his radio buzzes. Uh oh. Charlie where is that scooter down at?

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U.S. SENIOR OPEN: Kansas man king of the course