Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Q: My husband is building me a special room exclusively for laundry. This may sound crazy, but I always wanted a laundry area that looks like a showplace! I'm planning on nice cabinets, big windows and even a flat-screen TV. With all this going on, I don't want to install a plastic tub for my laundry sink. What's the latest trend in nice laundry sinks? -- Joanne, New York state

A: Laundry rooms are quickly becoming "second kitchens" in many homes. From the new colorful and stylish washer/dryer units to custom granite countertops, the true "laundry room" has arrived!

Included in such rooms are places for folding clothes, air-drying racks and large sinks for soaking delicate clothes. These new-style cast-iron laundry sinks are commonly called "utility sinks" and can be wall-mounted or self-rimming countertop sinks. Either way, they offer a classic design with an integrated back splash and/or apron to help control splashing. Because they are of enameled cast iron, these sinks also resist scratching and staining for years of beauty.

The faucet you choose will also enhance the beauty of your utility sink. Utility faucets are available in many different finishes, and feature ergonomic handles. So your new laundry sink and faucet will not only look nice, but it will feel nice as well. Master plumber Ed Del Grande is the author of "Ed Del Grande's House Call," the host of TV and Internet shows, and a LEED green associate. Visit eddelgrande.com or write eadelg@cs.com. Always consult local contractors and codes.

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Ask the Plumber: Going upscale with a laundry sink

Anthony Toth spends $200,000 converting garage into airliner cabin His hoard of memorabilia has taken 20 years to amass

By Chris Parsons

PUBLISHED: 07:51 EST, 29 March 2012 | UPDATED: 08:06 EST, 29 March 2012

While most people who enjoy flying might draw the line at a souvenir jet or mug, Anthony Toth's obsession has really taken off.

The airline sales director has spent two decades amassing an unmatched collection of memorabilia from Pan Am, which he has converted into a replica cabin at his home in Redondo Beach, California.

Mr Toth has spent $200,000 salvaging Pan Am airliner first class cabin parts for his airline tribute, including working seatbelt signs, oxygen masks and even 18 matching cabin seats.

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Head in the clouds: Mr Toth, 44, has spent $200,000 over 20 years converting his garage into a replica Pan Am first class cabin

Cabin fever: Mr Toth says his favourite part of his replica Pan Am cabin is a staircase from an original airliner

Commitment: Mr Toth has traveled as far as Bangkok in search of the exact parts for his well-researched Pan Am cabin

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Anthony Toth converts California garage into Pan Am airliner cabin

TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Spring is in bloom. So is your home blossoming with the latest spring trends? Whether your home needs a fresh look or youre preparing to move into a new place, there are simple strategies to ensure your home sings spring.

Vintage is making a huge comeback, especially in the form of home accents and old world touches, according to interior designer Priscilla Castellano, owner of Andrea Lauren Elegant Interiors, a design studio and fine home boutique in south Tampa. Were also seeing a return to lighter, neutral tones, including creamy paint colors and buttery shades for window treatments.

Castellano offers a few inexpensive ways to transform your living space for spring 2012:

-- Bring the outside in by adding lilac scented candles and a sheer curtain to add a breezy touch.

-- Soften your bedroom with a lighter-weight comforter or white coverlet.

-- Put away those heavy area rugs, and replace with a light, champagne colored rug.

-- Add a light fabric swag or valance to give your current drapes new life.

Many folks relocate during springtime, which can allow for a dramatic change. Rather than simply transferring the same dcor layout, Castellano recommends displaying favorite items, old or new, in ways that youve never tried before.

Theres nothing like helping my clients rediscover a vintage piece hiding in their attic and restoring it as a centerpiece, said Castellano, whose interior design team provides a 48-hour moving service for clients wishing for a hands-free move, from packing color-coded boxes to quickly transforming your house into a beautifully decorated home.

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Inspiring Interior Design Tips to Help You Move into Spring

UPDATED at 8:42 a.m. Thursday with new details from fire chief

CLAYTON A fire that apparently started in the attic early Thursday morning damaged a historic building of The Wilson School, a private school on DeMun Avenue.

The school, for pre-kindergartenthrough sixth grade,is at 400 DeMun Avenueoff of Wydown Boulevard in Clayton. Students are onspring break this week.

The cause of the three-alarm fire is under investigation. Authorities don't think it's suspicious. There were storms in the area, and a lightning strike is possible, said Clayton Fire Chief Mark Thorp.

About a third of the school sustained water damage, including to its library at the main entrance. The flames were confined to the roof and attic.

Thad Falkner, the head of school who lives next door,was alerted at about 2:20 a.m. Thursday that the smoke alarms were sounding. He was out frontasfirefighters were arriving, and flames and heavy smoke were coming from the roof.

About 60 firefighters helped put out the fire. No one was injured. The fire was under control within about 15 minutes, and it was out within an hour, the chief said.

Falkner added: "We don't know exactly the origin, but the fire spread throughout the attic, which runs above our classsrooom spaces, and they (firefighters) had to do significant work to battle the fire."

The firefighters went into the attic andtore a hole in the roof to ventilate it.

Falkner said students were scheduled to return on Monday but, with fire cleanup,he'll have to decide if that's still on track.

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Private school in Clayton catches fire

B&B Carpet One is celebrating its golden anniversary.

B&B Carpet One owners Bob (left) Mike and Jeff Deiley (seated) have spent a lifetime providing good service. The company is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Photo by Tammy Sakry

While its customers can celebrate with 50 percent off until April 15, the three owners celebrated by looking back.

Although located in Ramsey, the business was started in 1962 by the parents of the current owners, Mike, Bob and Jeff Deiley.

Their grandfather worked as an installer and their father, Bill, started the business as a way to better himself, Mike Deiley said.

The business began in the family garage with the boys lending a hand sorting tiles and organizing the products.

We were born and raised in the business, said Mike Deiley.

In 1963, the business moved from the garage to a storefront in Anoka.

Their father handled installation, while mom Kathy handled sales and design work.

Bob Deiley, who specializes in carpet installation, said he started working with his father at the age of 14 installing carpet.

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Ramsey business celebrates golden anniversary

Residents were given the opportunity Sunday afternoon to see the progress that has been made on the remodeling taking place at the city of Coon Rapids Home for Generations project at 11635 Xavis St. N.W.

Kristin DeGrande (right), city of Coon Rapids neighborhood coordinator, talks with John and Anne Davis about the city's Home for Generations project at 11635 Xavis St. N.W. during the mid-construction open house Sunday.

Contractor Darrell Olson of Legacy Homes Inc., who was hired by the Coon Rapids Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) for the remodeling project, started work in February, following a pre-construction open house.

The mid-construction open house at the home Sunday was to show residents the work that has been done to date.

There have been a lot of changes, said Kristin DeGrande, city of Coon Rapids neighborhood coordinator.

Interior demolition has been completed; the new floor plans for the main level and the basement have been framed; new plumbing, heating and electrical have been roughed in; and the front door and window have been relocated, according to DeGrande.

We are extremely pleased with the progress that has been made and Legacy Homes has been a pleasure to work with, DeGrande said.

The project has been going very smoothly and no problems have been uncovered, she said.

Olson is always open to new ideas and small changes have been made to enhance the project while staying within the $40,000 remodeling budget, DeGrande said.

For example, plans were originally to construct a concrete pathway from the relocated front door, according to DeGrande.

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Mid-construction open house held for Coon Rapids’ Xavis project

Las Vegas - Continuing to lead the industry with the state of the art solid-state lighting technology, WAC Lighting will unveil many new lighting designs at 2012 Lightfair International. WAC will exhibit its line at Booth 1614 in the Las Vegas Convention Center from May 9 through May 11. WAC's LED luminaires offer improved beauty, energy efficiency, sustainability, safety and performance. These efficient lighting solutions reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs while preserving long lasting durability.

WAC will unveil the new Paloma Wall Wash Series, which is designed for asymmetrical, uniform light distribution and varied optical control within a compact design. This sophisticated luminaire, which is available with LED or T5 fluorescent light sources, is ideal for illuminating art on walls or signage within luxury residences, hospitality, retail and institutional applications. The Paloma family received the 2010 Lightfair International Innovation Award in the category of Track, Cable and Rail Systems.

WAC will also introduce Tesla High Output LED Downlights, offered with 2 and 3.5-inch apertures and in a variety of styles and optics. The luminaires are available with spot (15 degree angle), narrow (26 degree angle), and flood (45 degree angle) beam spreads. These sophisticated luminaires can be dimmed to one percent with an electronic low voltage dimmer. Designed with a low profile trim that is constructed of die cast aluminum, the downlights are offered with a replaceable LED module and reflector. Designer finishes include Brushed Nickel, Copper Bronze and White.

Delivering a symmetrical wide angle beam spread and excellent color rendering for a variety of wall wash and other applications, the new LEDme Wash Light is a sophisticated, energy efficient 120-volt track luminaire that is compatible with WAC's L, H, J and J2 tracks and other popular track systems in the industry. The fixture dims down to one percent with an electronic low voltage dimmer. Its optimized thermal management system ensures a much longer life, making it an ideal replacement for outdated T5 fluorescent fixtures. The luminaire is crafted with an extruded aluminum body and an acrylic diffuser lens. Die-cast aluminum adapters are included with a locking knob to secure the fixture firmly to the track. The luminaire is available in black and white designer finishes.

Designed with architectural aesthetics and performance in mind, the new LEDme 120-volt Step and Wall Lights offer a sleek profile and enhanced functionality ideal for safety and style on indoor and outdoor stairs, walls and other pathways. The luminaires are offered in versatile, horizontal and circular scoop designs for a clean, seamless installation without any visible hardware and without the use of transformers or drivers. These luminaires, which are IP-66 rated and UL listed for wet locations, offer a wide beam angle for broad lighting distribution and deliver balanced, consistent lighting free of shadow and glare. Constructed with a cast aluminum body, the LEDme Step and Wall Lights can be dimmed and feature a replaceable LED module. Faceplates are available in white, bronze and brushed nickel designer finishes.

The new Straight Edge(TM) LED Strip Light is designed with a sleek low profile and ideal for retail and residential display applications within cabinets, and satisfying shallow depths. This luminaire uses low power consumption and strong lumen output, and beautifully illuminates small coves, niches, cabinets, shelves and bookcases. The fixture is available in white and its lengths range from 7 1/8 inches to 31 inches.

Integrating high performance and innovative technology in a professional grade low profile lighting solution, WAC Lighting has added the new 2700K Color Temperature version to the InvisiLED Pro Series of LED Tape Lights. The 2700K model offers a warm incandescent-like white light that can be dimmed and installs easily to illuminate fine wood cabinets and granite counter tops, as well as behind crown moldings. Delivering 200 lumens per foot while using just three watts, InvisiLED Pro ensures consistent illumination and color control. Field-cuttable for custom lengths, the versatile LED Tape is available in two-inch sections, as well as one-foot and five-foot sections and can be dimmed with an Electronic Low Voltage (ELV) Dimmer.

WAC Lighting manufactures LED luminaires, as well as many of the LED components including: proprietary owned LED Drivers, Transformers, LED Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Assemblies, LED Modules, LED Reflectors for Optics, LED Connector Accessories, LED Wireless (RF) Dimming Controllers, Heat Sinks and Thermal Management components.

WAC will also offer a variety of other high performance and energy efficient architectural lighting solutions at LightFair.

The WAC Lighting Story WAC Lighting is a leading global manufacturer and innovative designer of lighting for Luxury Residential, Commercial, Hospitality, Institutional, Retail and Architectural applications, specializing in track, recessed, under cabinet, monorail and decorative lighting, with a new sustainable LED collection.

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WAC Lighting to Unveil New LED Lighting Designs at 2012 Lightfair International

High-Performance CR Series is Now Bigger, Better, Faster and Even More Affordable

DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--One year after introducing the revolutionary CR Series LED Troffer, Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE) is expanding the CR Troffer family to address more applications and to eliminate the use of antiquated fluorescent technology in new or retrofit commercial and industrial settings. Cree is also announcing new pricing to drive even faster payback for building contractors, designers and owners.

In my 28 years in the electrical industry, I have never had as much excitement and success with a product line as I have with the Cree CR Series LED Troffers

The CR Series offers payback-friendly pricing and a no-compromise alternative to fluorescent lighting consuming nearly 50 percent less energy than a comparable linear fluorescent and delivering more than twice the lifetime. With an estimated payback of less than one year in a typical new office installation, Cree troffers provide superior performance and greater energy savings over fluorescent options.*

The new troffers now address three times the number of applications, including surface-mount, in-ceiling retrofits and suspended light engine luminaires. The popular CR24 and CR22 Troffers are available to ship directly from stock to accommodate high demand and jump-start end-user payback. Pricing for 0-10V dimming control to five-percent is significantly reduced, which means daylight harvesting has never been more affordable.

In my 28 years in the electrical industry, I have never had as much excitement and success with a product line as I have with the Cree CR Series LED Troffers, said David Fredd, manager lighting business development, Graybar. No other lighting manufacturer offers this level of energy saving performance and color quality Cree CR Series Troffers deliver a combination of performance, pricing and efficacy that is truly untouchable.

The CR Series has expanded three-fold by offering CR24 upgrade kits, a standalone light engine and SMK Series surface mount kits. The CR24 UPKIT provides a quick upgrade solution to replace existing, outdated fluorescent luminaires while leaving the ceiling intact. The light engine, CR-LE, is now available as a standalone luminaire and offers an economical alternative to replacing fluorescent strips in back-of-the-house lighting applications. The entire CR Series of troffers and light engines can now be installed in surface mount applications extending payback beyond T-bar ceilings. All of these solutions are built on the same great performance of the CR Troffer and are now available in the new 3000 Kelvin color temperature for retail and hospitality applications demanding beautiful, warm light.

Cree CR Troffers, CR24 UPKIT and CR-LE products are also now available with an integrated LED battery pack. The 1400 lumen battery pack eliminates the cumbersome task of rewiring a fixture just to change the battery. CR Troffers continue to outperform traditional lighting options and now deliver the widest range of lumen levels (2200, 3100, 4000 and 5000 lumens) for the popular CR24, CR14 and CR-LE products. The CR Series is powered by Cree TrueWhite Technology to deliver an unprecedented combination of 90 CRI and up to 110 lumens per watt.

Cree changed the indoor lighting industry one year ago when we introduced the first affordable LED troffer series, said David Elien, vice president, Cree lighting. The CR Series is now the industrys best-selling LED troffer. With this success, Cree announces major extensions and says thank you by making our CR Series even more affordable to drive faster payback.

The Cree CR Series is made in the United States, sold through Cree lighting sales channels and is currently shipping in volume. For additional information about the Cree CR Series, please visit http://www.CreeLEDLighting.com

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Cree Expands Industry’s Best-Selling CR LED Troffer Family

Judges select four Lithonia Lighting indoor ambient LED luminaires and one American Electric Lighting outdoor LED luminaire for Product Innovation Awards.

ATLANTA - March 29, 2012 - Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE:AYI; "Company"), a market leader in innovative energy-efficient lighting solutions, announced today a total of five indoor and outdoor LED lighting products, including three general ambient lighting products, one linear cove/wall wash and one area lighting product, have been selected to receive 2012 Solid-State Lighting Product Innovation Awards (PIA) from Architectural SSL magazine. The awards, representing a peer-recognized selection of quality LED products, identify and honor the market`s best LED and solid-state luminaires and fixtures.

The innovative and significant new Acuity Brands products selected by PIA include: Lithonia Lighting RTLED Relight indoor ambient LED series, Lithonia Lighting VTLED indoor ambient LED series, Lithonia Lighting STLED indoor ambient LED series, Lithonia Lighting Z Series LED striplight and American Electric Lighting Autobahn outdoor area LED lighting.

"We are truly honored that our innovative LED lighting solutions have been recognized and appreciated by the industry," said Rick Earlywine, Acuity Brands Lighting Senior Vice President, Innovation & Technology. "As the recognized leader in the lighting industry, it is our responsibility to maximize the potential of digital technology - smart luminaires, robust controls and advanced toolsets - to create the best lighting solutions for every indoor and outdoor environment."

About Acuity Brands

Acuity Brands, Inc. is a North American market leader and one of the world`s leading providers of lighting solutions for both indoor and outdoor applications. With fiscal year 2011 net sales of $1.8 billion, Acuity Brands employs approximately 6,000 associates and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with operations throughout North America, and in Europe and Asia. The company`s lighting solutions are sold under various brands, including Lithonia Lighting, Holophane, Peerless, Gotham, Mark Architectural Lighting(TM), Winona Lighting, Healthcare Lighting, Hydrel, American Electric Lighting, Carandini, Antique Street Lamps(TM), Tersen, Sunoptics, Sensor Switch, Lighting Control & Design(TM), Synergy Lighting Controls, Pathway Connectivity(TM), Dark to Light, ROAM, RELOC Wiring Solutions, and Acculamp.

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Contact(s):

Jennifer Manocchio jennifer@sweeneypr.com, 910.772.1688

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Acuity Brands, Inc.: Multiple Acuity Brands LED Lighting Products Receive Prestigious Architectural SSL Product ...

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Paul Bunton, president of BCA Architects, presented the final version of the long-range master plan to the Board of Trustees of the Brea Olinda Unified School District. This master plan, when implemented over the next two decades, establishes the vision for continuing the much-needed improvements of the district's facilities that will allow the teaching staff to carry on the important work of educating students in a 21st Century Learning Environment.

BCA began with the systematic evaluation of all of the existing facilities in Brea Olinda Unified School District. This "conditions assessment" set the stage for BCA's Team of Architects to create a road map that outlines both the short and long-term goals allowing the district to align their available funding with the most critical needs including the replacement of older facilities.

The Brea Olinda School Board voted unanimously in February 2012 to place a $54 million General Obligation Bond measure on the June 5, 2012 ballot. They requested their community approve a $10/$100,000 assessed valuation increase in their property taxes to fund the immediate needs of the Brea Olinda School District.

"BCA Architects has prepared a superb long-range master plan for the Brea Olinda Unified School District," said A.J. Roland, superintendent of Brea Olinda Unified School District. "This master plan will bring our schools into the 21st Century Learning Environment and help create the leaders of tomorrow. We are very pleased with Paul Bunton and BCA Architects' work to collaborate in creating this vision for our district."

The master plan will communicate to the Brea Olinda community how the district intends to wisely invest their tax dollars to improve their facilities over the next 8 years. The full master plan can be viewed on BCA's website at http://www.bcaarchitects.com.

BCA Architects partners with clients in a mission to achieve excellence in design. Since 1989, BCA strives to strengthen communities through projects built whether it's to design, to help define partnerships, to locate financing, to save energy or to present alternate delivery methods. BCA goes above and beyond the task at hand to ensure their clients succeed.

Contact:

Rachel Del Fierro (408) 588-3835 or RachelD@bcaarchitects.com

This press release was issued through eReleases(R). For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

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BCA Architects' Long-Range Master Plan to Bring Brea Olinda Unified School District into a 21st Century Learning ...