Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

Marysia Rybock of Scavullo Design updates the dining room, above, with a blue Venetian plaster ceiling, resin-and-iron tables and Jonathan Browning's Sputnik-style chandelier. Speech bubbles left add playfulness to the frieze, left.

In this year's San Francisco Decorator Showcase, a chalkboard speech bubble beside one of the many toga-adorned figures in the frieze that wraps around the dining room reads: "If these walls could talk." Indeed, the Classic Revival mansion at 2020 Jackson St. has quite a storied past.

Designed by Julius Krafft, it was built in 1902 by Isaias Hellman, president of Wells Fargo. In the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake and fire, it served as the bank's temporary headquarters. Hellman later gave the 11,500-square-foot residence to his daughter, Clara, upon her marriage to prominent attorney Emanuel Heller. In the decades that followed, it hosted myriad high-profile functions - including the 1945 international conference that led to the creation of the Charter of the United Nations.

In 1991, the Pacific Heights abode took its first turn as a Decorator Showcase, the spring ritual benefiting San Francisco University High School's financial aid program. This weekend, it opened its doors to the public again. Many of the 30 or so participating designers sought to infuse a modern sensibility into the historic dwelling.

With no actual client to design for, Heather Hilliard devised an imaginary one for the master bedroom: "A young couple in their 30s and 40s. ... They want a grand home without the heavy fussiness of their parent's generation."

Citing a quote by French designer Christian Liaigre as her inspiration - "Sometimes the beauty of a space is the empty space" - Hilliard designed a serene environment with a neutral palette: white and cream 16-inch stripes on the wall; a headboard that, by matching the alternating stripes, is almost camouflaged; simple white bed linens; a cream boiled wool felt carpet; and white glass table lamps.

Hilliard also incorporated blue accents - a kidney-shaped royal blue sueded leather sofa; an ivory bench with a navy wave hand-appliqued on the seat; blue wool curtains with a triple-pleated edge - and contemporary art from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. A sculptural white bronze fire screen by John Lile adds a bit of sparkle.

In the dining room, Scavullo Design, led by Marysia Rybock, may have inherited one of the bigger challenges: the aforementioned frieze that depicts a bacchanalia. "While we didn't create clients, we were totally inspired by the characters in the frieze - taking their jovial, hedonistic spirit and creating our interior from that concept," she says.

According to Rybock, a single massive table is no longer compatible with the way most people entertain and dine. So within the existing formal space - which includes paneled walls, Gothic-style built-ins and a coffered ceiling - she and her team introduced a whimsical scheme with five resin-and-iron tables that can be arranged in countless configurations.

Original post:
Pacific Heights mansion to host Decorator Showcase

Ms. Salk is also the author of Rooms for Children: Stylish Spaces for Sleep and Play and Weekend Retreats. She is a contributing editor for 1stdibs.com and iVillage.com. She also regularly produces decorating segments for NBCs Today Show, according to her Web site.

According to the Web site, she grew up in Essex, Mass., and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Vassar College. She then moved to New York, where she helped launch Elle Dcor as its interior design manager, and later became a contributing editor.

In 2003, she joined House and Garden Magazine, where she was special projects editor until its closing.

I wanted to stay in the world of design. I love it, I love the people in it, but I wanted to do it on my own, she said.

Ms. Salk said she thinks social media gives more people a voice and, because of that, she has been able to go out on her own.

Putting this book together included researching all of the designers portfolios. Once she had established the chapter categories, decisions had to be made about what would go into each of those categories.

When you see a great room, you can put it into any of those chapters, said Ms. Salk.

The chapters include color, mix, arrangement, balance, whimsy, accessorizing and rule-breaking.

Ms. Salk said designers have taught her to be fearless, to go for a mix of textures and layers in rooms and to combine layers of visual interest.

I know that a room should delight your eye on different levels. I just learned not to play it too safe, said Ms. Salk. Continued...

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Interior Bliss in New Design Books From Litchifeld County

Business owners James and John Cain hit the historical jackpot as they were renovating an old bank to make way for a brew house in Yardley.

The Cains are leasing the 120-year-old Yardley National Bank building and turning it into the Vault Brewing Co. to open later this year. Throughout the decades, the building has functioned as a variety of banks, the last a Bank of America.

Inside an attic area above one of two vaults, the Cains found thousands of papers belonging to the original bank including the banks articles of association, certificate of organization and oath of directors, all dated Oct. 25, 1889, and other documents up to 1903.

The Yardley Historical Association doesnt have a lot of information about Yardley National Bank, so the find is a real treasure, particularly the papers concerning the formation of the bank and the ornate YNB logo, Susan Taylor, a member of the association, said this week.

Taylor believes the bank opened its doors in 1890, but doesnt know when it closed.

A few weeks ago, James Cain, 24, was scoping out the building for space to install an additional air handler, when he popped open a sealed compartment on the wall. And there they were, dusty and scattered. Some were tied with dated paper bands against the wall, but many more were loose and scattered.

It seems as someone just chucked them in there, James said.

The stacks of papers looked like bills at first, he said. After realizing that they werent bills, he continued to look for other valuables such as bond and stock certificates.

Like anyones initial reaction would have been, I thought, What did I strike? James said.

The find includes documents such as deposit slips, letters from the Treasury Department, a balance sheet of all account holders, checks, a handwritten business letter dealing with corn feed, and even a resignation letter from bank director Jesse E. Harper, who seemed to become a clerk instead.

Link:
Business owners discover a vault to history

Business owners James and John Cain hit the historical jackpot as they were renovating an old bank to make way for a brew house in Yardley.

The Cains are leasing the 120-year-old Yardley National Bank building and turning it into the Vault Brewing Co. to open later this year. Throughout the decades, the building has functioned as a variety of banks, the last a Bank of America.

Inside an attic area above one of two vaults, the Cains found thousands of papers belonging to the original bank including the banks articles of association, certificate of organization and oath of directors, all dated Oct. 25, 1889, and other documents up to 1903.

The Yardley Historical Association doesnt have a lot of information about Yardley National Bank, so the find is a real treasure, particularly the papers concerning the formation of the bank and the ornate YNB logo, Susan Taylor, a member of the association, said this week.

Taylor believes the bank opened its doors in 1890, but doesnt know when it closed.

A few weeks ago, James Cain, 24, was scoping out the building for space to install an additional air handler, when he popped open a sealed compartment on the wall. And there they were, dusty and scattered. Some were tied with dated paper bands against the wall, but many more were loose and scattered.

It seems as someone just chucked them in there, James said.

The stacks of papers looked like bills at first, he said. After realizing that they werent bills, he continued to look for other valuables such as bond and stock certificates.

Like anyones initial reaction would have been, I thought, What did I strike? James said.

The find includes documents such as deposit slips, letters from the Treasury Department, a balance sheet of all account holders, checks, a handwritten business letter dealing with corn feed, and even a resignation letter from bank director Jesse E. Harper, who seemed to become a clerk instead.

Visit link:
Brewers discover bank history

Warren Buffett has famously boasted that he invests mostly in boring industries like paint and carpet. Hardwood flooring, on the other hand, is apparently a roller-coaster thrill ride. Investors who bought Lumber Liquidators (NYSE: LL) last fall are sitting on a double right now, while those who bought just a couple of months prior are only just now breaking even. After a botched software installation and an industrywide International Trade Commission investigation, is business finally getting back to normal at the company?

What went wrongI can't say Lumber Liquidators has the best operations out there. Same-store sales growth over the last five years has only averaged about 2.4%. Off the top of my head, I can think of at least a few retailers that beat that easily. But in the context of its industry, it's really quite impressive. Average growth rates at competitors such as Lowe's (NYSE: LOW) and Home Depot (NYSE: HD) have been -3.5% and -3.1%, respectively.

Unfortunately, business at Lumber Liquidators got knocked off track a few quarters ago when the company installed software from SAP intended to streamline operations and order fulfillment. Instead, complications arose, and orders began piling up as stores struggled to adapt to the new system. While things have mostly been sorted out, the latest 10-K notes that the implementation is not completely finished, and there are still several minor phases that may cause similar complications.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission launched an investigation into whether Chinese hardwood flooring manufacturers were receiving unfair state subsidies, allowing them to charge much lower rates than manufacturers in the U.S. In a preliminary ruling, the Department of Commerce announced it may impose duties on Chinese imports of up to 242.2%, prompting many in the industry to worry about retailers who rely on bargain prices.

However, in October of last year, the Department of Commerce issued its final ruling, imposing countervailing duties of up to 26.73% and antidumping duties of up to 58.84%. Lumber Liquidators subsequently announced that only about 10% of its products would be affected, and the duties on those products would only be about 1.5% and 3.3%, respectively. The company had dodged the bullet.

Flash-forward to todayLumber Liquidators still hasn't fully recovered from the SAP debacle. Days inventory outstanding, a measure of how quickly a company is able to sell its inventory, jumped from 114 days to 144 days in the quarter following the SAP install -- a huge slowdown in business. Lumber Liquidators was forced to offer more favorable payment terms to customers annoyed at the long processing times. It took a few quarters to get everything sorted out and running smoothly again, so DIO has only fallen to a low of 132, but it appears to be trending down.

Similarly, operating margin was cut in half after the SAP install, but it has been steadily climbing back up and is almost back to pre-crisis levels. Assuming the kinks have really been worked out and the new software will start working in Lumber Liquidators' favor, operations efficiency should continue to increase, but given the problems the company has had so far, that's not a completely safe assumption.

Interestingly, sales never really took a hit. As mentioned, competing retailers such as Lowe's and Home Depot have struggled to keep sales afloat, and hardwood flooring manufacturer Armstrong World Industries (NYSE: AWI) has actually seen sales decline by nearly 20% over the last four years, while Lumber Liquidators has grown sales by 65%.

The Foolish bottom lineLumber Liquidators has recovered nicely from its fall. It isn't a particularly cheap stock now, but I believe it will continue to recover and become more attractive. Despite the company's missteps, I stand by the assertion I made a year ago that Lumber Liquidators is one of the best ways to play the trend of home renovation as homeowners try to spruce up their abodes for either potential buyers or a simple change in scenery.

AddLumberLiquidatorsto My Watchlist to stay updated with the company's recovery. Lumber Liquidators isn't the only retailer managing to grow sales, either. Check out The Motley Fool'sfree reporton two companies changing the face of retail. Enjoy and fool on!

See the article here:
This Company Is on a Solid Path to Recovery

SYCAMORE - Kelli Larsen wanted a home for herself and her two sons.

"Being a single parent, I couldn't afford one," the Sycamore woman said. So she filed a request with Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County.

Established in 1998, HFHDC is a nonprofit, Christian-based group that has built 10 simple, affordable houses for people who need help. As part of their agreement, partner families are required to participate in the construction process and to have an income, since they'll have to pay the mortgage on the property once the house is complete.

"Unfortunately, we can't give away free houses," HFHDC board president Jennifer Mescher said.

Unable to find a lot in its price range, Mescher said the group decided to try its first remodeling project, settling on a Sycamore home built in 1890.

"We've completely gutted the house," she said. Remodeling has brought on some special challenges for contractor John Horst not normally encountered when building a house from scratch, she added.

As part of the demolition, Mescher said they've dug out the concrete in the basement floor and are adding furring strips to the walls to make the house more energy efficient. Roofing, electricity and plumbing are also areas to be addressed.

As with all Habitat projects, the current build has benefited from numerous donations from local businesses and from volunteer labor, which includes members of the board, like William Dawson of DeKalb. Community groups also help out, including church and student groups.

The project began Oct. 29 and is scheduled to end in September. Mescher said the volunteers only work on Saturdays, but professionals are allowed to work during the week. Even with volunteer labor, equipment and materials, the whole project is expected to cost about $100,000.

Anyone 16 and older interested in volunteering can do so by contacting Chris Peddle at 815-758-5055 or visiting http://www.hfhdcillinois.org.

The rest is here:
Habitat for Humanity remodeling project

WELLAND, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 1, 2012) - CRS Electronics Inc. ("CRS" or the "Company"), (LED.V - News), a developer and manufacturer of LED lighting, reports that it has released its audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2011 and the related management's discussion and analysis of financial position and results of operations ("MD&A").

Fiscal 2011 was a very challenging year for CRS. While the Company was very pleased to land its first national retail partner, various production issues led to a delayed launch which resulted in lower than budgeted revenues.

Despite these challenges, the Company continues to see significant opportunities for increased sales growth. For Fiscal 2012 the Company will be focusing on increasing revenues by adding additional retail partners and achieving Energy Star certification to support our commercial efforts. Additional work is being undertaken on reducing product costing which is also expected to support these initiatives.

Copies of the audited financial statements and related MD&A can be found on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com.

About CRS

CRS Electronics Inc., a Lighting Facts partner, is a leader in the emerging, rapidly-growing market of high efficiency light-emitting-diode ("LED"), or, solid state lighting ("SSL"). The principal activities of CRS include the development, manufacture and sale, primarily in North America, of indoor lighting such as LED replacement lamps, exterior LED warning lights on school buses, child safety systems for school buses and contract manufacturing of LED circuit boards. CRS plans to be a major supplier of LED lighting solutions for a variety of applications to be developed by CRS on its own and in conjunction with its customers.

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws which can be identified by terminology such as "may", "will", "could", "should", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "estimate", "projects", "predict", "potential", "continue" or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions, including, but not limited in any manner, those disclosed in any other CRS filings, and include availability of sufficient working capital for development and operations, availability of a qualified work force, availability of manufacturing equipment and the ultimate ability execute its business plan on economically favourable terms. While we consider these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to us, they may prove to be incorrect. Actual results may vary from such forward-looking information for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to risks and uncertainties disclosed in other CRS filings at http://www.sedar.com and other unforeseen events or circumstances. Other than as required by law, CRS does not intend, and undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking information to reflect, among other things, new information or future events.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Excerpt from:
CRS Electronics Reports 2011 Financial Results

The Prairie Capital Convention Center could soon add a couple long dashes of color to its indoor atmosphere.

The center staff plans to open bids May 16 for installation of 200 feet of ribbon LEDs. Plans are for 100 feet to go on the north balcony over the arena, and the other 100 feet along the south balcony, said Brian Oaks, general manager of the building.

The concrete areas that front the north and south balconies run about 180 feet, he said, so the light strips will cover a pretty good section of those surfaces, Oaks said.

The center bought the lighting strips, which come in sections and are two feet high, at auction from the arena that formerly housed the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team. Oaks said the cost to buy and truck the lights to Springfield was less than $5,000. He said Monday he believes the installation will cost about $50,000.

The lighting strips, Oaks said, will add a little bit of pizzazz to the arena, but will also provide a display area for sponsors.

We expect this to be a revenue generator, Oaks said. We can also use it to welcome conventions to town.

Theres all different types of potential uses for it, he said.

A new system, with somewhat higher resolution lighting, could cost about $1 million, Oaks said.

Its a really good value, Oaks said of the used lighting.

The equipment brought from Pittsburgh also includes two rectangular LED screens, each 14 by 8 feet. The contract now out for bid is not for installation of those panels, which Oaks said could end up being used in an exterior display probably on the centers parking garage.

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Lighting strips to add 'pizzazz' to convention center

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The first three months of 2012 showed progress for the landscape architecture profession compared to the previous quarter in the areas of hiring, billable hours, and new business inquiries, according to the Business Quarterly survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Some year-to-year data also support the improving trend.

Quarter to quarter, FQ 2012 saw 71.3 percent of firms reporting stable or improved billable hours, and 76.2 percent reported stable or improved inquiries for new work. Of these, 40.6 percent and 53.7 percent, respectively, reported the measures as slightly or significantly higher.

Year to year, more than three-quarters of respondents indicated stable or positive Q1 2012 growth in new business inquiries (76.2 percent), down very slightly from Q1 2011 (76.6 percent). They also reported returned growth in billable hours (71.3 percent), an increase from the 67.9 percent reported in the first quarter of last year.

Employment, too, thawed, with 28.2 percent indicating plans to hire compared to 24.7 percent in the previous quarter. This performance, however, is marginally weaker that the 32.5 recorded in first quarter 2011.

The economic environment continues to challenge the profession, but the trends are headed in the right direction once more, says Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA and executive vice president and CEO of ASLA. Its slow, but its positive.

Compared to the fourth quarter 2011, your first quarter 2012 billable hours were: Significantly higher (more than 10%) 14.2% Slightly higher (5 to 10% higher) 26.4% About the same (plus or minus 5%) 30.7% Slightly lower (5 to 10% lower) 14.5% Significantly lower (more than 10%) 14.2%

Compared to the fourth quarter 2011, your first quarter 2012 inquiries for new work were: Significantly higher (more than 10%) 20.1% Slightly higher (5 to 10% higher) 33.6% About the same (plus or minus 5%) 22.5 Slightly lower (5 to 10% lower) 12.1% Significantly lower (more than 10%) 11.7%

Year to year, compared to the first quarter in 2011, your first quarter 2012 billable hours were: Significantly higher (more than 10%) 17.4% Slightly higher (5 to 10% higher) 28.7% About the same (plus or minus 5%) 20.8% Slightly lower (5 to 10% lower) 16.4% Significantly lower (more than 10%) 16.7%

Year to year, compared to the first quarter in 2011, your first quarter 2012 inquiries for new work were: Significantly higher (more than 10%) 21.5% Slightly higher (5 to 10% higher) 32.3% About the same (plus or minus 5%) 20.5% Slightly lower (5 to 10% lower) 10.4% Significantly lower (more than 10%) 15.2%

Originally posted here:
Positive Momentum Returned for Landscape Architects in First Quarter

RICHMOND, Va., May 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The Amherst County Adult Detention Center recently earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification with the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). Designed by detention specialists Moseley Architects, the 170,000-square foot facility is the sixth facility operated by the Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority. The facility opened in December 2011 and recently received itsLEED Silver certification, making it the Authority's first LEED certified facility.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120117/PH35523LOGO)

The facility houses 380 male and female inmates and features full service laundry and kitchen areas, a medical unit, intake and booking areas, magistrate offices, educational services, as well as administration and support spaces.

Elton Blackstock, the Authority's administrator, stressed the importance of pursuing LEED certification for the project. "Not only do we owe it to the community to make environmentally-responsible decisions, but the operational costs that can be achieved through water and energy savings are impressive."

Blackstock commented that the AcornVac system was chosen as a greener alternative to a traditional plumbing system, but that it is also a practical option for the facility in terms of controlling water costs, conducting maintenance with ease, and helping prevent excessive inmate use. The vacuum plumbing system will reduce wastewater by 70 percent and overall water use by more than 60 percent, which can annually save over 3.5 million gallons of water.

Carrie Henaghan, Moseley Architects' Project Manager, credited the outstanding dedication and efforts of the entire team for the facility's accomplishments. "The owners, building users, architects, and engineers were focused on determining the most energy-efficient options that complied with the facility's security requirements."

Moseley Architects and Hitt Contracting, Inc. worked to incorporate design and construction strategies that were critical to achieving LEED certification. Despite the challenging site, the design team planned to maximize naturally vegetated open space, appropriately manage stormwater, and landscape with native and drought-tolerant plants that would not require irrigation. Additional features included: selecting high-performance mechanical equipment, installing an air barrier, optimizing building insulation, and using energy-efficient lighting to reduce overall energy use by 16 percent; supporting the local economy by using regionally manufactured materials; and diverting 80 percent of construction waste from landfills by sorting and recycling over 2,000 tons of waste.

Blackstock said that both he and the staff are pleased with the results. "Controlling costs on a building that's open 365 days a year is a challenge, but I feel like we made sounds decisions that will quickly pay for themselves."

About Moseley Architects

Moseley Architects is a full service architectural, engineering, planning, and interior design firm with six offices in the Southeast. The firm specializes in public sector facility design and offers clients extensive experience in high performance and sustainable design. To date, the firm has 38 LEED certified projects (ranging from basic to platinum certification) and 49 LEED registered projects.

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Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority's First LEED Facility