Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

To many, RV living doesnt exactly scream "glam." But Cortni Armstrong is changing that perception one ugly RV at a time, with the help of her mom and business partner Patti Armstrong. Theyre the mother-daughter duo behind The Flipping Nomada RV renovation business thats essentially the Chip and Joanna Gianes of RV remodelingand one look at the interiors of their RV renos will make you want to ditch your stationary residence and move in immediately.

The Flipping Nomad was born out of a dark period in Cortnis life: About six years ago, she had to take over her fathers two businesses after he had a stroke. They werent doing well, and there was hardly enough money to pay herself. At the same time, Cortini's lease renewal was coming up on a house she shared with three roommates. She discovered her roommates had made other housing plans that didnt involve her. Left hanging, she turned to a family friend who managed a campground. He said there was a fifth wheel for sale. The owner would finance it, and all she would have to do is pay for the RV. The electricity, internet, and other expenses would be covered if she took a job at the front desk. She agreed and moved in three days later.

I felt borderline homeless, and I was really embarrassed about it, Cortni tells House Beautiful. I was in my mid-20s at the time and a recent college grad, so all of my college friends are in their careers and buying houses and cars, and here I am in this trailer park.

A year into RV living, her perspective shifted. She loved the genuine people she met and how freeing it was to only live in 350 square feet sans clutter. I started falling in love with the lifestyle but wanted a rig that was laid out a little bit different, she says. She obsessively searched for something that was appropriate for a mid-20s bachelorette pad but realized what she wanted didnt exist. So she found a rig with the floor plan she wanted and decided to renovate it herself.

Courtesy of Cortni Armstrong

Courtesy of Cortni Armstrong

I kept coming back to my buying experience and thought maybe other people don't like these interiors too, and there's business to be had here, Cortni says.

At first, Cortni was buying RVs, cleaning them super well, and then selling them. When she combined that with renovating, she did custom renovationseven taking on RVs people had already owned. Her mom joined the business about two and a half years ago when she also decided to move into an RV herself. Together, they buy RVs, renovate them, and sell them out of a shop they own on 66 acres of land in Emmett, Idaho. The shop is big enough to fit three RVs with plenty of room to park other rigs outside. They typically keep their own RVs on the land, too.

Courtesy of Cortni Armstrong

Courtesy of Cortni Armstrong

The duo now focuses exclusively on designing RVs. We figured out that to do customization work it takes us about 50 percent longer than it does to buy it, renovate it, and sell it as is, Cortni says. I know it sounds counterintuitive but in an effort to service more clients, we stopped servicing clients.

Before Cortni and Patti ever buy an RV, they do a field inspection on it that involves getting up on the roof, checking for signs of water damage, the age of the tires, and warning signs for tank cracks. Once it passes that, they take it back to the shop and do a PDI (pre-delivery inspection) where they check the electricAC, outlets, fridgeand fill the tank with water to ensure everything is working properly. When they confirm the structure of the rig is good, they renovate it.

For the interiors, they try to go with popular design schemes. Farmhouse is so hot right now, and everybody wants something that looks like Joanna Gaines did it, Cortni says. I also want every rig to have its own personality, so I switch it up a bit with each one.

Courtesy of Cortni Armstrong

Courtesy of Cortni Armstrong

The rigs they sell are typically furnished with items including couches, love seats, and chairs. In Cortnis experience, most people prefer to bring their own mattress. The detailsthrow pillows, rugs, blankets, table settingsare included on a case-by-case basis. Some clients really enjoy shopping for their own rig and putting their own personal taste on it and other clients are intimidated by it, she says.

Her favorite furniture brand to use is Home Reserve. The Indiana-based company offers modular pieces with storage in the seats. Cortni says multifunctional pieces are essential in such a tiny space. Plus, all of the companys made-in-America pieces have removable and washable fabric, so you can easily clean it or swap out colors.

Being able to flex her creative muscles and reimagine a small space is Cortnis favorite part of the job. Oh, and the demolition phase of course. You go in, rip stuff apart, chuck stuff out the door, and we have music playing, she says.

Courtesy of Cortni Armstrong

Courtesy of Cortni Armstrong

So far, The Flipping Nomad has done about 15 full renos and worked on around 45 RVsincluding partial renos and cleaningsince its inception. The price varies based on the model and staging among other factors, but the minimum budget required is $50,000 for a fifth wheel or $30,000 for a travel trailer.

Theres currently a huge waitlist to snag one of The Flipping Nomads renovated RVs. Their typical clientele is first-time home buyers in their 20s and 30s with a mix of couples and couples with kids. That came as a surprise to Cortni who thought her clients were going to be retirees who have disposable income and have been saving up for the RV lifestyle for years.

The completion time varies for each RV renovation. If you want less of a wait or dont want to go all in on a renovated RV, The Flipping Nomad sells non renovated RVs that you can enjoy as is or renovate yourself. They also offer RV lifestyle and renovation coaching.

Cortni now lives in an RV called the Ultimate Montana, which she teamed up with Keystone RV Company to build. Its similar to a concept car in that it is very impractical, very much a show piece, but we wanted to push the limits on everything and see whats possible, she says. The rig has a freestanding bathtub, three fireplaces, pizza oven, TV projector, and bar.

Courtesy of Cortni Armstrong

Courtesy of Cortni Armstrong

Courtesy of Cortni Armstrong

Courtesy of Cortni Armstrong

Courtesy of Cortni Armstrong

As if The Flipping Nomad's renos weren't stunning enough, Cortni's current RV is sure to make any apartment renter or homeowner envious in some way. Glam RVs are the right-under-our-nose tiny homes we didn't know we needed.

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This Mother-Daughter Duo Turns RVs Into Stunning Tiny Homes - HouseBeautiful.com

idk what this is yet but I had an idea.

Thats how game developer @davemakes started a Twitter thread last January, sharing a GIF of colorful tiles floating through a diagonal game space. Follow Daves thread, though, and youll see how they develop this single idea over the months into a fully fledged rhythm and puzzle game called Mixolumia, available to buy on Itch.io as of last weekend.

The game itself looks extremely fun, pairing a simple and bold art style with immersive music and sound effects, and gameplay that looks to be a cross between Tetris and Puyo-Puyo. Whats really fascinating about the thread, though, is how it offers a look into the often opaque world of game development, tracking Daves work and experiments.

Follow the thread, and you can see how Dave adds new features over time, testing out certain mechanics. One early question is how should the tile-blocks move when they hit another point-on-point? Should they break in half? Should they slide down alternate directions? Or should they zig-zag down the screen to avoid this problem altogether?

As you can see, Dave eventually solves the problem by having the blocks move in the direction they were last pushed. As they note, that makes it easier for players to direct the tiles, adding more depth and strategy to the gameplay in turn.

We wont recap the whole thread here, but click on that first tweet, and you can watch as Dave adds particle effects, previews of where each block will land, a scoring and level system, different gameplay modes, and more. Its fascinating to see the title take shape, and it feels like watching a time-lapse of a painter turning out a fresh landscape.

What starts as a game in simple primary shades gets colorful when new palettes are added:

Then, the musical elements of the game evolve. Dave starts with their own dynamic music effects but collaborates with musician Josie Brechner to build out a more complex soundscape. I particularly love the example track below, named Summer Shower, which features rain noises that build in intensity as you play through a level.

Throughout the games development, Dave takes the title to Tokyo Indies (a monthly gathering for game developers), starts a Patreon to support development, and is eventually able to launch the title as a full game, complete with customizable color palettes and music effects. You can buy Mixolumia right now for Mac and PC for $9 (10 percent off the regular price).

Its amazing to see what happens when you have a single idea in your head and simply... follow through.

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Watch an indie puzzle game get built, tile by tile, in this fascinating Twitter thread - The Verge

#AmericanWindWeek 2020: AWEA recognizes 16 wind champions for clean energy leadership

Welcome to day three of American Wind Week! Dont forget to visit AmericanWindWeek.org for more information, follow #AmericanWindWeek and #WindBuildsTheFuture on social media, and check out AWEAs social press kit.

Today were recognizing our Wind Champions: elected officials whose leadership makes it possible for wind to build a strong economy and clean future through their support for policies that strengthen American wind power. Champions on both sides of the aisle understand how important wind is to the constituents they serve, our economy, and our environment. This year we are recognizing the following elected officials with awards:

Members of Congress

State Governors

Weve chosen this highly selective group of lawmakers to thank and acknowledge for their wind advocacy. By championing legislation that includes higher clean energy standards, support for offshore wind, and support for the production and investment tax credits and more, these elected officials helped ensure wind can build a clean energy future for our country that includes both a thriving economy, and healthy communities.

On to more #AmericanWindWeek highlights!

Originally posted here:
#AmericanWindWeek 2020: AWEA recognizes 16 wind champions for clean energy leadership Into the Wind - Into the Wind - The AWEA Blog

In Civilization 6, there is a new tile improvement from the Sanguine Pact that players can use called the Vampire Castle, but what does it do?

Civilization 6, one of the civilization simulation games has a new tile called the Vampire Castle from the Sanguine Pact. While this may seem a bit silly from the basis of looking at how to conquer the earth as the perfect civilization, there are many strange and secret things about all sorts of societies. The Vampire Castle is a tile improvement that players can use within their own civilizations, but how does it help them build up their settlements to defeat others?

Related:Civilization 6: How to Survive the New Apocalypse Game Mode

The Vampire Castle tiles can be accessed in the Secret Societies game mode. This game mode is a recent addition as of July, which allows players to align themselves with different secret societies and cults. This update is part of the New Frontier Pass and requires either the Rise and Fall or The Gathering Storm expansion pack. Once this is added to the game the player, in this mode, can only join one society. Players should make sure to pick the vampires if Vampire Castles will satiate their sanguinary palates.

Before a player can even start thinking up how they will play as a vampire civilization, they must first meet and take part in the Sanguine Pact, one of four secret societies currently available in the game. This pact is focused on the militarization of civilization and is bloodthirsty. Once the player has accepted this group as a part of their society, they will have to go through some initiations to access Vampire Castles and other upgrades.The first part of taking on the Sanguine Pact is gaining the Vampire Governor who is a main part of the pact and what gives the players access to Governor Titles within the pact. To access Vampire Castles, players will need to get up to the second level of titles within the pact called, Ritual. This title can be accessed as early as the Medieval Era.To gain this title, the player must go through the Initiation title, which requires them to destroy a barbarian camp. Once done this will give them access to Vampire units, and will automatically spawn one at the player's capital. The Ritual title will be received once the player has reached the Medieval Era within the pact. At this point, they will be able to charge their vampire units with constructing a Vampire Castle.Vampire Castles cannot be sat directly next to each other, and each empire can only house two castles. Once built, these castles duplicate their adjacent tiles production and give them to the capital. The vampire unit within is granted a plus-four to their defense strength, and two rounds of fortification once in battle. Later on, if the player progresses through the Indoctrination and Master Plan titles, they will be able to build up to four of these castles.This building is much like any other fort improvement available in the game but has additional purposes that make them much more useful. It gives an economic boost to the player's capital and gives the Vampire units a place to retreat outside of the capital to once they are down to one hit point in the battle. As Vampire units aren't usually killed in battle and can return home to heal, this is extremely useful.

Next:Civilization 6: How to Acquire a Pantheon Belief ( And Which One to Choose)

Civilization 6 is available for PC, Linux, Classic Mac OS, Mac OS, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

How Carrion Does John Carpenter Horror Better Than The Thing

India MacGregor is a writer, illustrator and gamer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She is a Full Sail graduate with her bachelor's degree in Creative Writing for Entertainment. As a connoisseur of high fantasy and post-apocalyptic media, she prides herself on digging up lore.

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Civilization 6: Vampire Castles Guide (What They Are & How They Work) - Screen Rant

The Sims 4 finally got ladders in the base game before the release of the Eco Living expansion pack. These have been very useful for crafty space-saving builders. But the ladders have also made it possible to build a more realistic-looking split level loft.

Builders who have been around for a while will know that this split level trick is not new.

It is the same method used to build the sunken rooms. But its also another crafty way to cheat or get around the tile restriction in the Tiny Living Stuff Pack.

Please do not lecture us on the morals of cheating the restriction, were not here to judge anyone. Were just the sharers of this valuable information. Thats why we say cheat. Some call it cheating, others will call it being resourceful.

We have previously shared a tutorial on how to cheat the tile restriction by using the A-frame roof, but this method is a bit less finicky.

We have given the build in this tutorial a very quick playtest and there was no angry and frustrated stomping from the Sim we used, so there shouldnt be any problems as long as you make sure your flooring is level.

Well upload the house to the gallery in a few days (Origin ID: mspr1nt) partially furnished, so you can grab it play around with it yourself.

By the way, ifyou would like to get a weekly newsletterfeaturing our Sims 4 CC picks along with other Sims-related goodies,sign up to our Sims 4 newsletter over here.

Right, lets get to that tutorial.

Start by placing a square on the lot youre building. Then increase the foundation height to roughly the height of the short walls.

You can go higher if you want. After that, use the terrain tool to increase the terrain height around the foundation so that the bits that stick out are covered up a bit more.

Use the room tool to add your loft level to the foundation and remove the floor. Leave some space for your entryway to the side. Dont worry about getting this 100% perfect, you can still adjust it later.

You can add your roof at this stage or leave it for later. Or add it now it change it later.

There are was to better hide the foundation, but that will require a tutorial on its own. Debug cheats will be your friend here.

You can also add your foundation now. The foundation is one of the more challenging parts of using this build method to cheat the Tiny Living tile restriction quite simply because the options are quite limited if you do not use custom content. Oh for the ability to pain the foundation to match the walls.

Once you have refined the terrain outside your build, you can start adding the finishing touches. Firstly, you will need to level the terrain where you removed the floor inside.

You also need to add some stairs to the entryway. This might take a bit of trial and error, but angular stairs work best.

Fill in the floor of your build by painting the terrain with your floor tile of choice. This wont add to the Tiny Living restrictions.

Add furnishings and use the split level for any rooms (like a bathroom) you want to keep completely private. Pop a ladder and a fence down around the bedroom area for the super loft like feel.

One of the challenges with using this split level method is that it can be quite dark. Using a glass roof in part and adding hanging ceiling lamps makes all the difference though.

Furnishing the lower level of this split-level loft in The Sims 4 can be a bit challenging. Objects will sometimes snap to the grid above it so keep an eye on your placings to avoid angry Sims.

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Sims 4 build tutorial: Split level loft and Tiny Living tile restriction cheat - Extra Time Media

5 min read282 views and 100 shares Posted August 12, 2020

Progressive Playground is the latest area in the city of Lebanon to get a new look via public art. Installation of a mosaic mural at the playground located at 350 N. First St. was completed at the end of July.

The wall now sparkles with beautifully colored tiles, and the mural conveys the message of unity.

The theme of were all in this together reflects the time were in. It not only references the COVID-19 pandemic, but it also alludes to the community and unity, said artist Michaelanne Helms. The design also incorporates a basketball since there are basketball courts at the park.

All photos by Will Trostel.

Although she continues to create more traditional artwork, Helms is also community artist. She said the spark for community art was lit when she took a workshop in the early 2000s with Philadelphia mural artist Isaiah Zagar.

What I like about his style is that he has a way of involving many people in one project. As a community-based artist, I work with groups of people to design and create together, she said.

The concept of community art is that the public art gives voice to concerns, values and aesthetics of the community, explained Sharon Zook, Lebanon Valley Council on the Arts president. Public art exists to serve the public, improve the atmosphere of public space and provide enjoyment, inspiration, and hope for the public who uses the space. As time changes, and the public is no longer served by the art in their space, we see art being removed, and at some point, new voices rising through art. Art reflects life in the community, empowering the voices of those who contribute to the art.

This marks Helms third playground project in Lebanon. Her first collaborative mosaic mural project in Lebanon can be seen at the playground at 6th and Elm streets, and she completed a collaborative mosaic mural in July 2019 at Beautex Park, 129 Van Buren St.

Zook explained that before each public mosaic mural was installed, content was gleaned through survey research. She said themes are gleaned from those responses, and imagery comes from the concepts in the surveys.

For the latest project at Progressive Playground, as with previous mosaic mural projects in Lebanon, Helms collaborated with participants in a two-week summer camp hosted by the council.

Zook said the wall selected for this years mosaic mural was suggested by Jandi Goshert, who grew up at the Progressive Playground.

She mentioned that site to Michaelanne a year ago, so we explored the possibility of placing the mosaic there, Zook said. From time to time, people suggest walls throughout the city, so we keep a mental list identifying walls where people would like to see public art.

Typically, during the first week of camp, the class canvases the neighborhood, gathering research and inviting neighbors to participate in the installation. Because some of the data is collected that week, the design can only be completed during the camp.

That gives everyone including the mayor only a day of turn-around time for approvals so the installation can be completed in a week, she said, Mayor Capello has been very workable and cooperative with giving permission for the project, and handing over the keys literally and figuratively before the design is ready for approval.

Helms added that during the first week, the class, which this year had seven teens, also learns the fundamentals of mosaics. Toward the end of the first week of camp, the design is completed and sent for approval. Meanwhile, the tiles are prepared based on the design being approved because there isnt any time to lose.

Helms said tiles that are shiny and glossy are perfect for outdoor mosaics.

Zook related that they were running out of white tiles, so she visited the local tile graveyard at Weavers Carpet in Tile in Lebanon.

Its a treasure trove of all the misfits, overstock, discontinued, and rejects from decades of being in business, she said. Last year, in a frantic last-minute search calling around the area for blue tile, I hit the jackpot at Weavers.

Zook was able to find array of skin tones for the mosaic.

We wanted a pallet of skin tones so that anyone visiting the mural could identify themselves with one of the clasping hands.

She said the council also accepts tile from local stores getting rid of sample boards or from people who have leftovers in their basement.

The one color tone on the hands came from a couple in Hershey who recently moved to their new home, and their dishes no longer fit the color theme of the new kitchen, Zook said. The brown glazing on the bottom side of their old scratched stoneware plates was the perfect color.

According to Zook, due to COVID-19 precautions, the indoor instruction time this year was reduced, so the class that trained did not create key pieces in the studio prior to the installation. All the technical elements were done right on the wall.

In addition to the seven teens from the class, several volunteers from the Progressive Playground neighborhood helped create the mosaic. Tiles were applied to the wall, and then grout was mixed and applied.

Helms said she used a special formula for the grout that she learned from Zagar. After letting the completed artwork weather for about a week, she returned and applied some of the lettering.

Working with kids and community members is fulfilling to me, Helms said. Designing and creating the art is a collaborative process. It crosses generations, races and economic levels. Everyone can learn from one another and share ideas.

Funding for the mosaic mural was provided by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts through Millersville Universitys South Central PaARTners program and the Foundation for Enhancing Communities.

Do you know a Lebanon County story we should share? Give us advice on what to feature next using the contact form below.

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Lebanon Valley Council on the Arts installs mosaic at Progressive Playground - LebTown

Ochsendorf

ELKINS Elkins native and Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Dr. John Ochsendorf has been appointed to the Davis & Elkins College Board of Trustees.

Welcoming Dr. Ochsendorf to the D&E Board of Trustees is also welcoming him home, said Davis & Elkins College President Chris A. Wood. Raised in Elkins, John has distinguished himself as a scholar and makes all of us in his hometown very proud. As a member of our Board of Trustees, John will bring unique experience and perspective that will enhance the academic offerings of this College. We are honored to welcome him to the Board.

Ochsendorf currently serves as the Class of 1942 Professor of Architecture and Engineering at MIT, where he has taught since 2002. He recently completed a three-year term as the 23rd director of the American Academy in Rome. His work with AAR began when he was awarded the Rome Prize Fellowship in Historic Preservation in 2007-2008 for a project on the study of masonry vaulting. The study resulted in Ochsendorf writing the monograph Guastavino Vaulting: The Art of Structural Tile (Princeton Architectural Press, 2010). The work led to Palaces for the People: Guastavino and Americas Great Public Spaces, a traveling exhibit curated by Ochsendorf and sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

An expert on the mechanics and behavior of masonry structures, Ochsendorf collaborates with art historians, architects and engineers on the study and structural assessment of historic monuments around the world. In 2008, he was named a MacArthur Fellow for his pioneering work using comparative cultural and historical studies to explore pre-industrial engineering traditions.

I really look forward to joining the Board and to working to strengthen the College however possible, Ochsendorf said.

Ochsendorfs ties to D&E date back to his childhood when he grew up near the campus and marveled at its historic architecture. His father, Gene Ochsendorf, previously worked for the D&E Veterans Upward Bound Program and his mother, Nancy Howland, graduated from D&E in 2000 with a degree in psychology. In 2017, Ochsendorf delivered the commencement address to D&Es 108th graduating class and received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree.

Ochsendorf earned his Ph.D. in engineering from Cambridge University in 2002, his Master of Science in engineering from Princeton University in 1998 and his Bachelor of Science in engineering from Cornell University in 1996. He also is a 1992 graduate of Elkins High School.

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Ochsendorf named to D&E Board of Trustees | News, Sports, Jobs - The Inter-Mountain

Eric Eremita is bringing his New York attitude home.

Eric Eremtia is best known from several HGTV shows includingLove It Or List It andBrother Vs Brother,as the stereotypical New York contractor you wouldnt want to fight with, especially when he has power tools in his hands. But, Eremita recently made headlines for being in the fight of his life against COVID-19.

Earlier this year, he spent three weeks in a New York City hospital, two of which he was on a ventilator. While hes incredibly grateful to be alive, he isn't resting on his laurels anytime soon. Between his family, various businesses including a clothing line calledThirteen, and selling a new television show, the reality star couldn't be busier right now.

Moving On

Theres no denying that Eremita was an integral part of two HGTV shows, even saying everyone at the network was like my family.

Still, in 2019 he realized he was ready to move onto something else. The renovations were great. The people were great. But, I thought it was time for my own thing, he tells me.

Eremita decided to create his own reality show, calledHomeboys,which co-stars his apprentice and friend Conrad Layton. He's got savviness and he's younger than I am. So, its me showing him the ropes, which he's very eager to learn.

The show follows the two men as they renovate homes of people who live in various parts of the tri-state area (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut), not far from where the Staten Island native currently resides. While the homeowners love their neighborhoods, they dont necessarily have the same sentiment about their living spaces. The result is more about loving than listing.

While Homeboys hasnt found a home quite yet, Eremita has been in talks with various networks. No matter what happens, he is incredibly proud of this project. Its showing unity and positivity. We're going to do some great renovations and make you laugh. There's no doom and gloom.

Surviving Coronavirus

After all, Eremita and his family survived one of the most doom and gloom scenarios anyone can experience right now. Even after waking up and completing treatment for COVID-19, his doctors didnt have high hopes for a complete recovery. They told me I would have a hard time walking again, but I proved them wrong. And I proved the whole situation wrong. The hospital actually calls me the miracle, he says.

While almost entirely recovered, the deeply religious Eremita is a changed man who has gained a new appreciation for everything he has. Don't sweat the small stuff. That's all I'm going to say. And by that I mean without health, you have nothing. You can get the best doctors in the world, but that can't buy you health. When you go through something as traumatic as that, you appreciate everything around you. You appreciate the leaves on the trees and the dog barking. You appreciate it all.

Eremita feels incredibly fortunate especially because many people havent been as lucky, in particular Broadway star Nick Cordero and his wife, Amanda Kloots. I put a memorial up for her husband because I just felt that I had to. And there are so many people, Tom Hanks, and his family. But forget about celebrities, what about people all around the world that were affected by this?

He is currently trying to organize a fundraiser for families impacted by coronavirus, hoping that other celebrities will get on board with him.

Pandemic Renovation Trends

The contractor also knows the pandemic has changed how so many people feel about the places they live. While health is the most important thing, Eremita acknowledges that everyone is sick of staying home and looking at the same four walls.

Eremita at work.

But when it comes to major renovations, he suggests proceeding with caution. While HGTV has a way of making DIY projects look easy, reality television isn't real life. Eremita cautions homeowners from getting in over their heads. They start ripping down walls, they realize, I need an electrician. I need a plumber. I didn't know there were pipes in the wall. I didn't know there were heavy duty beams sitting above there.

Eremita says its perfectly fine for homeowners to paint, install trim or potentially try their hands at tile work, but he discourages amateurs from attempting any project that could permanently damage their homes or worse. If you dont know anything about electric work, you can really cause fires, shorts, and things of that nature.

Plumbing is another project that can cause major damage when installed improperly. While changing a faucet or showerhead is something many people can do on their own, swapping out a water tank for example requires professional help. Water issues do not go away. So, dont try to attempt plumbing, if you dont know what youre doing, he says.

Another seemingly minor DIY project he discourages is installing wallpaper. Its far more complicated than it looks. Wallpaper is not an easy thing. And the more expensive the wallpaper, the more you really don't want to mess it up.

The Future Of Home Design

While the past years have seen a variety of shifts in terms of style, theres one major trend that Eremita says isnt going away any time soon. The open concept home is here to stay with the formal living room on its way out. He doesnt even have one in his own home. When we said we're going to build our dream home, we didn't want a living room. So the big open concept goes from the kitchen, into the eating area, into the family room and den. Its open from end to end, he says.

Eremita on the job.

He also thinks the formal dining room is next to go. I have a formal dining room myself and I think in the past fifteen years I've eaten in it twice.

But large open kitchens are here to stay. It's the heart of the home. It will always be the heart of the home, he says. Considering most people are spending more time with family these days, its easy to understand why. After all, no one has a better appreciation for his family right now than Eremita does.

Originally posted here:
HGTVs Eric Eremita Talks Surviving COVID, DIY And The Next Big Trends In Home Renovation - Forbes

Got a new Android smartphone, or want suggestions for some new apps to check out? I've got you covered!

Here is a selection of some of the best apps available for Android smartphones.

Must read:This Apple product used to be terrible, but I now highly recommend it

The best, most fully-featured camera app you can get for Android. If you want to be able to tweak a whole bunch of settings before pressing the capture button, this is the app for you. It's the closest you get to having a DSLR to play with while only having to carry your smartphone.

Setting up a new device means entering passwords, and rather than rely in autofill in Google Chrome, I have a separate password manager. I've gone with LastPass because this it is packed with features -- especially security features that allow me to lock down my LastPass account -- and it works on a whole raft of devices.

Everything you needed to know about your Android smartphone's battery, plus a whole lot more! I find the widget particularly useful, and it lives on my home screen.

This is one of those apps where the developer continues to work on the app and add more and more functionality, blasting bugs, and keeping newer versions of Android supported.

Where possible, I like to have two-factor authentication protecting my online accounts, and where hardware 2FA isn't possible, then an authenticator app is a good alternative.

While many password managers have authenticator apps built in, I went for Authy because it means I keep my passwords separate and get an app that works on pretty much any platform you can think of.

I've been using this VPN service for years, and while I've tried others, I keep coming back to it because it's easy to use, no-fuss, just works, and the app is one of the best I've used.

The perfect prescription for shady Wi-Fi connections.

I have become quite the Tile convert over the past year or so.

I don't lose things, but I have been known to misplace things for some time, and to prevent that hassle I now have a Tile in my luggage, laptop bag, wallet, and backpack. I love the fact that I can also use a Tile to find my lost smartphone.

Some people get by for years without ever needing a file manager, while others find themselves needing one from day one. If you happen to be one of those people who need one, this is one that is packed with features, such as support for compressed files and password protection.

On top of being a local file manager, this is also a great cloud storage manager, with support for Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive.

A very reliable way to test network speeds. Again, a service I've been using for years, and while I've tried countless others, this is the one I keep coming back to.

MacroDroid an automation app that allows you to define a trigger to set an action that's carried out as a result of that trigger. You can also narrow down the scope of the triggers using constraints.

For example, I can use the trigger of the password being entered incorrectly and use that to trigger a selfie shot. I can add constraints so that the action wasn't run if certain conditions were met.

The great thing about MacroDroid is that there are lots of triggers and actions to choose, and you can get very creative with specific apps.

Waze is a nice, well-featured in-car navigation app that takes Google Maps to the next level.

I like the simplicity of this app, and find that the way it presents my journey to be nice and easy on the mind. It also works with Android Auto, so it's a great replacement for Google Maps.

Originally posted here:
Top 10 essential Android apps (September 2020 edition) - ZDNet

Because of native emulator assist, its attainable for the primary time to fully develop Android apps utilizing only a Chromebook. Moreover, Google has launched a brand new web-based useful resource for builders utilizing Chromebooks.

To ship app experiences that really enhance folkss lives, builders have to be geared up with the precise instruments, assets, and finest practices, Googles Iein Valdez announced. Thats why were excited to introduce ChromeOS.dev, a devoted useful resource for technical builders, designers, product managers, and enterprise leaders.

ChromeOS.dev is offered in English and Spanish, and Google says that different languages are coming quickly. It options the information, product bulletins, technical documentation, and code samples from well-liked apps. Whether or not youre an online, Android, or Linux developer whos simply getting began or an authorized skilled, youll discover all the data you want on ChromeOS.dev, Valdez mentioned.

To me, nevertheless, the opposite Chrome OS-related developer bulletins are a much bigger deal. These embrace:

Linux Terminal enhancements. The Linux (Beta) on Chrome OS Terminal now offers personalization options like built-in tabs and shortcuts, themes, and a redesigned Settings interface.

Full Android emulator assist. Supported Chromebooks can now run a full model of the Android Emulator for the primary time. This lets builders check apps on any Android model and gadget while not having the precise hardware.

Direct app deployment. That is maybe one of the best cause to develop Android apps on Chrome OS: You possibly can deploy your apps on to Chrome OS. Thats fairly wonderful.

Android Studio Challenge Wizard enhancements. The Main/Element Exercise template in Android Studio has been up to date to offer full assist for bigger screens, together with Chromebooks, tablets, and foldables, a number of layouts for each telephones and larger-screen gadgets, and higher keyboard/mouse scaffolding. (This characteristic debuts in Android Studio four.2 Canary eight.)

Android lint examine enhancements. Google has improved the default checks in Androids lint instrument to assist builders establish and proper frequent coding points that may enhance how apps work on bigger screens with non-resizable and portrait-locked actions. (This characteristic is at the moment out there for testing in Canary channel.)

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Google Makes It Easier to Write Android Apps on Chrome OS - Best gaming pro