Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Open up the pages of any home decor magazine and youll see a seaside dream house: huge windows overlooking the water, airy open layouts, an ocean-inspired palette of blues, greens and neutrals. You can practically feel the salty breezes blowing as you read.

In a perfect world, youd wake up every morning to the sound of the waves and the sun peeking through your pristine white shutters. But in the real world, its not actually all that hard to achieve the same feeling, even if you dont live by the shore.

Lauren McBride, a Connecticut-based blogger who writes about raising her family and creating an effortlessly stylish home, has just launched her first home decor collection, Lauren McBride x QVC. The exclusive line of home accessories includes lamps and lanterns, decorative throws and pillows and accents like baskets and trays, all under $100. While you definitely wont find any seashells or lighthouses in the chic collab, you will find a subtle beach influence throughout the pieces. And its this serene aesthetic that has helped McBride to amass over 270,000 followers on Instagram, where she pulls the curtain back on her cottage by the shore lifestyle.

I live by the water, but not everyone does, McBride tells Yahoo Lifestyle, The whole line has this little bit of a coastal vibe to it, but not too close to where it won't fit into your home.

The palette mostly comprises the whites and neutrals she loves in her own home, and has hints of sea greens and blues. She points to the lamps in the collection, one of which is a vivid cobalt, while the other has a layered wooden base.

That blue lamp is just so gorgeous and makes such a statement. Its so on trend right now. But if its not for you, we have another gorgeous neutral lamp, says McBride.

The lanterns, which come in two finishes, can be used indoors or outdoors, and have flameless candles controlled by remote timers. Theyd look just as at home outside on a wicker patio table as they would inside on a granite mantle. The same with the set of baskets, which could hold beach blankets or firewood, and the marble accent tray.

This is the first collection that I've actually been able to hands-on design, McBride says. That's always been a passion of mine. My mom is an interior designer, so I feel I got that gene from her. Its always been something thats intrigued me.

In fact, her wildly popular lifestyle blog started as a way to show relatives across the country her DIY home decor projects, while she and her husband were newlyweds and living on a tight budget. That foundation is definitely present in this line. I tried to focus on pieces that were frequently switching around in our homes, explains McBride, and can make a big statement without spending a ton of money.

The two styles of throw pillows wool striped and solid designs are also the kind of neutrals that will beautifully complement any home decor style.

The same with the two blankets: the spring knit throw with tassels is a subtle light blue, and the other spring knit throw is neutral with either blues or earth tones woven in as accents. Even though theyre light, theyre also easy to clean.

My kids are 6, 4 and 2, and Im a mom first, she says. I love my house to look pretty and feel welcoming, but I need things to be accessible and functional for them too. Almost everything in the collection can be cleaned in the washing machine, except for the wool pillow, which can be spot cleaned.

I wanted the pieces in this line to be something your family can come in and actually use instead of feeling like you cant touch it, says McBride. My own house is set up this way, and I feel this line is too.

This article was paid for by QVC and created by Yahoo Lifestyle's custom content team. The Yahoo Lifestyle editorial staff did not participate in the creation of this content.

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Lauren McBride's budget-friendly decor secrets earned her Instagram fame and a new home collection on QVC - Yahoo Lifestyle

Twinkle Khanna shared this image. (Image courtesy: twinklerkhanna )

Twinkle Khanna sprinkled a dash of her signature humour on her Twitter profile on Tuesday. The 46-year-old author, in her post, wrote that she wanted to stab her eye with a fork after a three-hour-long session with her daughter, sorry, we mean her "teacher" Nitara (all in good humour, of course). Mrs Funnybones' post came with an unusual analogy between her daughter Nitara and her Wi-Fi connection. "3 hours into day I of virtual learning with my first grader and I want to stab my eye with a fork. It doesn't help that my Wi-Fi connection has the same attention span as my child, which means, they both take a break every five minutes," wrote Twinkle. She added the hashtag #TeachersAreAClassApart.

Check out Twinkle Khanna's post here:

Last week, Twinkle Khanna shared a lovely picture with Nitara and she wrote: "Nothing better than lying down next to each other, engrossed in our own book, but still together. The greed to capture this moment of joy, to preserve it for a stage when memory will invariably be shrouded by the cobwebs of time, was overwhelming. #MeAndMine #loveinthetimeofcorona."

Take a look at the post here:

Twinkle Khanna, a former Bollywood actress, is a celebrated columnist. She has authored three best-selling books. Her first book Mrs Funnybones was a compilation of her columns. Her second book - The Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad was an anthology of short stories, while her third book Pyjamas Are Forgiving was a novel.

Twinkle is also an interior decorator, the owner of The White Window, and a film producer. Her last project as a film producer was the National Award-winning film PadMan, which starred her husband Akshay Kumar in the lead role.

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Here's What Twinkle Khanna Wanted To Do After 3-Hour Session With "Teacher" Nitara - NDTV News

In a letter penned in 1782, the Marquis de Sade claimed that he knew enough about architecture [] to decide if anidea is beautiful or not. Indeed, De Sade constructed at leasttwo complex literary edifices. The torture-sex rituals of 120 Days of Sodom (1785) are convened by a clique of libertines in the Chteau de Silling an inescapable fortress with rooms dedicated to specific activities, such as desecrationof the cross or narration of tales of past debauchery (to be violently re-enacted upon victims). The monastery of Sainte-Marie-des-Bois, imagined for De Sades 1791 novel Justine which, unlike 120 Days of Sodom, was published during the authors lifetime is less infamous than the Chteau but somewhat more cruel. The only means of entry or exit is through a winding underground passage, and the complex is further secured by a series of thorn-encrusted hedges, an additional wall and a moat. Overgrown with vegetation, the structure is indistinct, if not invisible, from the exterior. Everyone inside can hear you scream; those outside perceive a thicket or a bosky hill. Theres a nod tothe notion of the folly that thrill of Enlightenmentgardens but Sainte-Marie-des-Bois is not a private building; it is a communal retreat for libertine monks, who maintain stable-like dorms for the objects of their interests, whom they segregate by gender. Precise order reigns throughout this corporate seraglio. Like the Chteau, Sainte-Marie-des-Bois evinces a fascination on De Sades part with, as architectural historian Anthony Vidler has written, the impossible coincidence between imprisonment and liberty.1 Certainly, it unites De Sade with the utopian social philosopher Charles Fourier, who similarly proposed, as Roland Barthes notes in Sade, Fourier, Loyola (1976), a communitarian lifestyle in which all functions necessary for life, including coitus, are as communal as they are minutely regulated.

Although De Sades interiors precede the technologicaltransformations of the industrial revolution, which transferred the means of manufacture from the home to industrial spaces during the 19th century, they do offer a vision of production that pre-empts the Victorian model. Like the meticulous, fanciful architectural drawings of his contemporary Jean-Jacques Lequeu, which concern themselves with elaborate monuments to classical spirits and genital-shaped grottos sown with smelly flowering plants, De Sade represents spaces so total, so awesome and so expansive that, once we are inside them, there really is no other place to go. In De Sades world, there is nothing but fantasy and ceremony, no way to wake up from the dream and absolutely no privacy not even for the apparently empowered libertine. As for De Sade and Fourier, so for Lequeu: his structures would be impossible to realize in real life but, in the artists projections, currently on view in the exhibition Jean-Jacques Lequeu: Visionary Architect at New Yorks Morgan Library & Museum, bodies are effortlessly conveyed through space,combined, created and destroyed, in a sensuous narrative that seemingly for no reason beyond personal preference partakes synthetically of logics borrowed from the church, the abattoir, the bedroom, the classroom, the theatre, the kitchen and the prison, both past and future.

A different kind of sensuousness took hold in the Victorian era that followed. According to design historian Peter Thornton, the mid-1800s marked:

the age of the crapaud of the toad, the disrespectfulbut apt nickname given by the French to the standard, mid-19th-century, heavily stuffed, deeplybuttoned and elaborately trimmed easy chair. This object, together with its sisters the sofas, confidantes, ottomans, pouffes and so forth, were the subjectof derision [] but such seat-furniture embodiedthe true spirit of the period and was to be seeneverywhere, modified ad infinitum.2

This was a period of seat-furniture, structures designed for sinking, fainting, zoning out, lingering, posing,pining and attending the inevitable: death. Dense massing of decorative objects and upholstery fashionable in Europe and the US between the 1860s and the 1890s added clutter and clashing to rooms duly padded, as if to soften the blow. A craze for drapes and fringing seems to have celebrated the increasingly extreme feminization of the private sphere with symbolic labia: indications of mysterious concealment and delicate sensations to be found only within the vessel of the home.

It was an era of the blossoming of a certain social format:the so-called separate spheres, which had emerged at the beginning of the 19th century, after the revolutions and early stirrings of industrialization. In this organization of society, domestic space pertains to the woman of the house, while the man enters into public in order to work and make known his name. The domestic arena is the site of childrearing, decor, material culture, religion andsentiment, while the public realm is a locus of action, reason, money, politics and history. Alexis de Tocqueville, who travelled to the US from France to observe the relationsbetween men and women there, writes in a chapter on How the Americans Understand the Equality of the Sexes in Democracy in America (1835), that although the women of the United States are confined within the narrow circle of domestic life, and their situation is in some respects one of extreme dependence, I have nowhere seen women occupying a loftier position. If our contemporary conception of privacy was popularized, if not exactly invented, during the 19th century, then it fell to women to groom and nourish this valuable civic substance. They hung it with drapes, planted it with ferns and, in the process, became enclosed and obscured along with it.

The modern object or room, by contrast, seems topartake, at its most strenuous, of an ideology of limitation: form follows function and function itself is exhaustively knowable. Thus, there can be no need for the chicory of rococo, with its folds and undulations, nor the drips, points and bead-like embellishments of the gothic, nor Victorianas endless tufts and patterning. The industrial aesthetic moves indoors. The new woman has dispensed with frills, wears trousers, cuts her hair short, practises photography, smokes. The visibility promoted by modernism is remarkable: surfaces are free of encumbrance and, where not strictly administrative, work is intellectual and creative (since, in theory, much physical labour is done by machines), meaning it can take place, once again, within the home.

This said, the ideology of the separate spheres has proved stubborn, if not invincible; even as we have drifted far beyond a historical moment that can reasonably be termed modern, it remains with us. Perhaps this has something to do with the style of privacy that began to emerge in the 20th century along with the advent of mass media. As architectural historian Beatriz Colomina puts it in her book Privacy and Publicity (1994): Privacy is now what exceeds the eyes. In Colominas reading of modernist design, interior space is often exposed to the exterior in what amounts not to a revelation of the private but, rather, a re-invention of public space on what were apparently private grounds. Modernity, she notes, coincides with the publicity of the private. We need only think of the floor-to-ceiling windows, so prevalent in contemporary architecture, which provide an unobstructed view of a pristinely curated (and pointedly crapaud-free) interior.

Such was the historical trajectory of interior design. Yet, as a spate of current and recent exhibitions attests, there have always been exceptions. A number of 20th-century artists resisted the Victorian doctrine of separate spheres even as they did not fit within the massively influential paradigms proposed by the utopian era of republican revolutions or high modernisms rejection of the purely decorative. These artists perform a sort of ambiguous installation work, designing interiors that are neither solely for aesthetic contemplation nor for autonomous living but that engage moods of monumentality, esoteric ritual and even entombment, just as they give place to ecstatic forms of daily life that cannot be reduced to work or leisure.

Two artists who lived on opposite coasts of the US during two different halves of the 20th century, Florine Stettheimer (18711944) and John Boskovich (19562006), developed a deeply weird decorative grammar that not only escapes the logics of work and privacy entailed by the ideology of the separate spheres, but also managesto differentiate itself from libertinage as well as modernism. Stettheimer, who wrote poetry and painted elaborate encrusted scenes, usually of flowers and wispy figures and fauns, was also an extraordinary decorator, favouring copious quantities of lace and doilies alongside a new translucent material: cellophane. As a mature artist, Stettheimer painted in her apartment, layering the space with various crystalline textiles in the midst of which she displayed her works, along with her collection of George Washington figurines and images. Similarly, Boskovich altered arented Los Angeles house, presumably at significantexpense, to house artworks that were also furnishings. His custom Prada-themed fridge, his use of koan-like excerpts of poems on objects and walls, along with his inclusion of religious iconography as well as medical and industrial items, gave the space, which he termed his Psycho Salon, the quality of a large mausoleum or period room for atime in history that had not yet fully come to pass. The relative obscurity of his practice at the time of his death further contributes to a masonic air of hidden ritual about the place, even as its growing fame in art-world circles contributes to its ongoing public-ness.

In his catalogue essay Playing with the Truth (1988), Jeremy Gilbert-Rolfe sees a narrative of both accessibility and arcane reference in Boskovichs pristine framed juxtapositions of image and text, in which he culls language from such poets as e.e. cummings, John Keats and Octavio Paz and sets it alongside found and altered photographic imagery. Boskovich, according to Gilbert-Rolfe, is at once emphatic about transparency and the idea of its opposite, or presentation and therefore the possibility of what is not present. In his work, one category does not succeed in transforming or overwhelming the other; rather, they open up to each other in a relation not of exclusion but ofaddition.

If there is too much in Boskovich and Stettheimers rooms, it is not because there are too many things. Rather, all the items have been so obsessively placed, fixed, altered, caressed and framed that their esoteric natures, far from being domesticated, have been exactingly preserved intact and are, therefore, liberated to act upon the eyes and emotions of the resident or guest. Stettheimer was, like Boskovich, a connoisseur of the frame and had a number of lace-like frames constructed for her paintings that also matched her frothy custom furniture designs. Walking into her apartment must have been like entering an amusement parks rendition of an ice palace, with the difference being that Stettheimers glittering false ice (lace, cellophane, painted wood) was not intended for public consumption and reflected her highly rarefied personal taste. Her decor pointed toward a monumental elsewhere that, in spite of her adoration for George Washington, was not exactly or uniquely nationalistic, institutional or religious in nature even if it was devotional. Rather she, like Boskovich, seemed to be preparing for a voyage to another plane, an alternate universe or an eternal party in her honour.

Both Stettheimer and Boskovich appeared to aspire to a sort of celebratory translation of surface, an extension of reflection that shone or sparkled or glowed dimly without exactly being mirror-like, which served to externalize acomplex series of moods and affinities that were not merely or purely personal in nature. Like the winding and uneven mosaic encrustations of the artist Niki de Saint PhallesTarot Garden (1998), the surfaces they created were often engaged in plays of light and shade, as much as with material substance itself: Boskovichs remarkable combinations of citric hues with powdery reds and ingenious recessed lighting being a particularly memorable manifestation of this shared tendency. In contemplating these maximalist practices of decor the grammars of darkness and light, the hyper-precise framing, the obsessive strategizing of every surface I am struck by their reliance on qualia, geometric form and what we might term, punning on architectural historian Lisa Heschongs beautifully titled book Thermal Delight in Architecture (1979), photic delight. The resonances with the miniaturized landscapes and figures of amusement parks (which often allegorize fantastical worlds), as well as the sparkling gloom we might associate with chapels and shrines, suggest that we would do well to view these homes less as enclosures than as portals. These rooms indicate possibility: here and now and soon; also, elsewhere.

This article first appeared in frieze issue 210 with the headline The Ecstatic Home

1Anthony Vidler, The Writing of the Walls: Architectural Theory in the Late Enlightenment, 1987, Princeton Architectural Press, p. 105

2 Peter Thornton, Authentic Dcor: The Domestic Interior 16201920, 1984, Crescent Books, New York and Avenel, p. 216

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How Artists Have Transformed Their Homes Into Other Worlds - frieze.com

Cross Plumbing is a plumbing service offering unmatched plumbing service to customers in South Brisbane and Logan City.

Repairing a damaged roof is never a task that should be delayed. By the time that most individuals discover a roof leak, its already done considerable harm to the integrity of the structure. M.A. Cross Plumbing specializes in roofing that keeps homes and businesses dry, along with gutters that aid in preventing damage to basements and foundations.

Roofs can sustain damage from high winds, nearby tree branches, hail, blocked gutters, and a former installation that was performed improperly. When water enters from the roof, it runs down to surrounding surfaces. With a blocked gutter, the water is forced under the eaves. Both situations can result in rotting of roof joists and other structural elements. Theres also the potential for mold growth that can make people ill.

The company also specializes in installing, repairing, and maintaining gutters. Many home and business owners consider a gutter system an unnecessary expense, but gutters perform an important function. When rain falls directly off a structure, it affects the surrounding soil and can result in cracking and heaving that damages basements and foundations. A plumber in Logan can install, repair, and maintain gutter systems, along with providing leaf-free guards that eliminate clogged gutters.

M.A. Cross Plumbing has been an industry leader for over 30 years, providing traditional plumbing services, environmentally-friendly, and sustainable solutions that save time, money and resources. The company responds to emergencies and has maintained exceptional standards of excellence as a member of the Master Plumbers Association of Queensland.

About M.A. Cross Plumbing

Michael Cross is able to assist you with products and solutions that best fit your needs. We are fully qualified trades people and we are here to offer you sustainable solutions while delivering quality workmanship and expert advice. Weve been a member of the Master Plumbers Association for more than 30 years. We were sponsors of the first Sustainable House Brisbane built at Seventeen Mile Rocks in 2007.

Media Contact

Michael Cross

Phone: 427749786

7 Jambi Court

Tanah Merah

QLD

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Press Release: MA Cross Plumbing Creates Customized Roofing and Gutter Solutions - PRWire

National Association of the Remodeling Industry

A homeowners motivation for taking on a remodeling project can vary greatly, but theres one universal rule of thumb: home upgrades should add value, function or both. This step-by-step guide can help ensure you get the maximum return on your investment and make the most of your remodel.

Step 1: Identify reasons for remodeling

Deciding whether to undertake simple aesthetic changes or a full remodel can be difficult. One of the best ways to decide is to figure out why you are remodeling in the first place, whether its to make your new house feel more like home or to update an outdated kitchen.

Step 2: Consider timing

Many variables can impact the timing of your project, including the climate and exact nature of the job. For example, foundation work is easier when the ground is cold during winter. Spring tends to be busy for the construction industry, so you might pay premium rates for labor and materials, but its also the perfect time to get a project done that you can enjoy throughout the summer. Summer months are ideal for indoor projects out of the heat. Also consider factors such as personal or professional obligations, or even an event for which you need the project completed.

Step 3: Set your budget

Every home is unique in structure, age, quality and craftsmanship, which all impact the price of a remodel. Since no one can see through walls before demolition, the quote you receive may not be 100% accurate. However, a qualified remodeling company will be forthcoming about potential challenges. Account for these adjustments by planning for a 10% cushion, just in case.

Step 4: Hire the right team

To help ensure you find the right company for the job, do your research. Referrals from friends and family are one way to find a remodeler. Resources like the National Association of the Remodeling Industry provide unbiased information that can help you find qualified, certified remodelers in your area. With more than 5,000 member companies, the organization represents professional remodelers who adhere to a strict code of ethics. Many hold certifications in remodeling, kitchen and bath design and lead carpentry.

Step 5: Establish a written agreement

Most companies insist on a contract to protect their own interests, but if they dont, you should. In addition to defining the scope of work and budget, a contract ensures all parties are on the same page with expectations about factors like timing, liability in the event of an accident and other practical matters. Contractors also often provide guarantees of workmanship, so find out what they cover for how long and include this information in your work agreement.

Step 6: Understand the plan

Keep the lines of communication open between you, the remodeling contractor and the work crew. Dont be afraid to ask questions. Let them know your familys schedule and circumstances that may affect their work, such as pets. Make sure to specify the best way to reach you and how often you wish to communicate about your project.

Step 7: Complete the project

When the remodel is almost finished, walk through the area and note any adjustments that need made while the contractor is still on site. You should also take another look at the contract and confirm you have signed permits, receipts, change orders, lien waivers, warranties and manufacturers guides at your disposal.

Find more remodeling advice and contractors in your area at remodelingdoneright.com.

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7 steps to help get the most out of a home remodel - Mountain Democrat

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The unprecedented circumstances surrounding COVID-19 are having an effect on not only U.S. companies, but businesses around the world. Many employees are now working from home, manufacturing operations have slowed or stopped entirely and stringent germ-fighting tactics are being implemented.

How dramatic an effect the virus is having on businesses depends somewhat on where companies are located and the type of work involved. While many firms are able to have all employees work remotely without so much as a blip, others especially those that are focused on product manufacturing and social interaction are in flux. Some of the latter companies are feeling the sting already, while others have experienced little impact. Regardless of where they are in the chain, most firms concur that a ripple effect will be felt, though hopefully short term.

Almost everything is affected, notes Jodi Swartz, owner/principal designer, KitchenVisions in Natick, MA. Clients children are home from college or out of school, hampering selection timelines. People are concerned about spending and scaling back or pushing off projects. Manufacturers have little stock. And employees are not showing up, and cutting back on employee hours. Trade shows, awards ceremonies and any event where a crowd is expected are getting canceled.

Its like the Twilight Zone, Swartz continues. The phone has stopped ringing with prospective clients and instead were just answering calls with problems, issues and alarming current events. That is somewhat maddening.

Indeed, many kitchen and bath dealers and designers, as well other industry professionals, are concerned about delays that might result from the worldwide pandemic. While many projects will continue as planned with few delays or problems, the booking of future work is a bigger concern.

Appointments are being cancelled for sales and installations, and home shows and community events are being cancelled, which is affecting leads, offers JT Norman, director of business development, Kitchen Magic, in Nazareth, PA.

I thought I would be able to meet with more clients if everyone was working from home, but that is not the case, adds Richard Barr, senior designer/president, Plumberry Designs, in Florham Park, NJ. Our meetings are being postponed and some projects cancelled for financial reasons.

Jeff Koontz, designer, Chicago Custom Kitchens in Chicago, IL, reports that two of their clients have put their kitchen remodels on hold because of the impact on their ability to earn money.

We have a client who wanted to remodel two bathrooms and owns a travel agency, but because of the virus she has lost customers for the past three weeks canceling trips. The client may now cut out one or both of the bathrooms, adds Greg Ulrich, president/owner, KGT Remodeling, in Naples, FL.

Cathy Norman, owner, Kitchen & Bath Design Center in Fort Collins, CO, also notes that they have had two to three projects put on hold. The impact this is having on the stock market is the issue, she stresses.

I do see a slowdown, not necessarily from the virus itself, but from the stock market, agrees LuAnn Flores, Plumbing Sales Professional Department lead, WDC Kitchen and Bath, in Agoura Hills, CA. People who have planned major remodels or total builds are now waiting to see what the next few months bring.

I also feel that reduced stock portfolios and home equity will have a profound negative impact on our business, remarks Larry Rosen, President, Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens, in Rockville, MD.

But Krista Agapito, director of sales, S&W Kitchens, in Winter Park, FL thinks that while COVID-19 is creating some uncertainty, new clients are still calling in, asking for design and construction services.

SHOWROOM TRAFFIC

It is expected that showroom traffic would slow down, but that hasnt necessarily been the case. Thus far, traffic is still very steady, comments Elise Miller, designer, Curtis Lumber, in Ballston Spa, NY.

My showroom is open, but people meet with me by appointment, and I am finding that more people are making appointments to come in! observes Maria Stapperfenne, manager, Tewksbury Kitchen & Bath, in Whitehouse Station, NJ. Is it because when they come in, there arent throngs of others here? Maybe but my schedule is filling up with people who are willing to take the time to come see me during the day because theyre telecommuting!

Just like with snow storms, I expect that once banks and schools start closing, we will see more traffic in our showroom, adds Courtney Smith, office director, Rogers Kitchens, in Norwich, CT. But, she notes, I suspect it will be more tire kickers than potential jobs.

The slow-down has come for many, however, and very suddenly. Showroom traffic was still good until today, notes Rick Beahm, president, Beahm and Son Ltd., in Evans City, PA, talking about last week. It was down about 60% today.

Beth Siegfried, showroom manager at a plumbing supply house in Akron, OH, reports that traffic late last week was markedly slower than weeks previous. But, she has found the silver lining in the slow down. This dramatic drop-off in traffic for the moment feels like a much needed break in the action to catch up with a backlog of work. Still, she believes its only the beginning.

And while John Lang, owner, Langs Kitchen & Bath, in Newtown, PA has not seen an impact yet, we are expecting a 60-day period of little to no traffic.

THE SUPPLY CHAIN

The concern on the customer side is matched by the consternation on the supplier side. A few supply lines have hit significant bumps, partially due to issues that preceded COVID-19. But, overall, delays have been minimal thus far. For many, preparations for the future are being put into place.

I reached out to my main distributor for panel products for our cabinet shop and asked about availability of our main products, and he said at this time there was plenty in stock and several containers on their way from Europe, assures Beahm.

So far no vendors have closed their doors, so jobs are anticipated to be on schedule, states Agapito. That can easily change, of course, and we are handling things day by day as we receive more information.

Some of our product choices have changed since they were coming from abroad, and some projects are on hold as we await for shipping containers to be cleared to dock and unload, adds Barr. He notes that, while his clients are extremely reasonable and understand the severity of the health crisis, he believes their patience may grow thin the longer the projects are delayed.

Coming off a year of tariff delays, some of these new problems seem just like more of the same, says Siegfried. She notes that they just received the first alert that some of their Italian products never shipped weeks before the national shutdown. Of course, all future shipments are a big question mark.

It is likely that there will be issues as materials stocked in the U.S. run out and cant be replenished due to government restrictions, concurs Rich Doud, A&D sales rep., Vestal Tile Distributors in Vestal, NY.

And, while Erich Russ, president, Stone Harbor Hardware, in Appleton, WI has moderate concern about delays in their supply chain and potential softening demand in the near term related to the virus, I remain confident in the industrys strength, especially when we enter the summer season.

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Most kitchen and bath designers and others note that their businesses will be unaffected short term because of the number of jobs booked and being worked on. Many have full schedules for six months or more, and can continue to work through the slow down. However, keeping employees on the job and healthy is a major concern, both for the company and clients.

We are moving to phone and digital conferences for sales meetings and have met with our employees to reiterate the need to stay home if they feel sick, to keep their work areas clean and to wash their hands frequently, says Kathryn Constantine, v.p., Brown Wood Inc., in Lincolnwood, IL.

We are adding a no hugs or handshake precaution to our practices, reports Agapito. Sanitizing of the showrooms before and after each meeting, and at the beginning and end of each day, is important for us all.

I am working with clients through remote conferencing in addition to an abundance of emails, adds Barr. We have sanitizer at the door for clients who do come into the showroom. We have asked our delivery guys not to enter the showroom and leave all packages at the door.

We have clients with serious medical conditions and compromised immune systems, and we are taking their health concerns seriously, stresses David Bannasch, senior project manager/design consultant, Bearded Builders, in Baltimore, MD. We have attached a message with all outgoing client emails requesting that anyone having signs of a cold or fever reschedule their appointments. Weve also notified our clients that any of our employees who have signs of a cold or fever are required to stay home or work from home as applicable. This includes both office and construction personnel.

Twice a day we wipe down light switches, microwaves, water coolers and other common surfaces, offers Tath Hossfeld, owner, Tath Hossfeld Designs, in Seattle, WA. Will continue to do so till we run out of product.

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Industry Pros Discuss Challenges of COVID-19 on Business - Kitchen and Bath Design News

Once youve sprained an ankle or broken a limb in a minor household accident, you may never look at your home the same way. You probably wont look at your parents home the same way, either. Thankfully, new technology and a few tweaks can make your home safer for everyone.

More than 75 percent of people age 50 and older would prefer to age in place, according to an AARP study. Today aging in place is frequently labeled living in place since the same things that can help your 90-year-old grandmother, such as a video doorbell or a smoke detector that issues text alerts, voice instructions, and an alarm, provide peace of mind to every family member. While technology improves peoples health and safety, making sure it is installed correctly and can be controlled appropriately is essential.

Your home can be designed as not just a place to be, but a place to live a better life, said Tim Costello, CEO of BHI/BDX (Builders Digital Experience) in Austin. The challenge right now with technology is that its in an awkward adolescence. Its available and economical, but everything tends to be a la carte rather than pulled together in a harmonious package.

For many people, that means choosing the types of products that provide the function they want for themselves or their parents. Many can be controlled with a smartphone app or a voice system such as Amazons Echo or Google Nest.

When remodeling a home for aging in place, the most common automation products and systems installed are for safety, security, and temperature control, according to a recent survey by Harvards Joint Center for Housing Studies.

If your parents live in Seattle and you live in Boston, a monitoring system of some sort gives you a comfort factor, said Laurie Orlov, founder of Aging and Health Technology Watch in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Youre not spying on them, but if you get an alert that something has changed in their routine, you can give them a call and check in with them.

Several companies offer systems that alert a monitoring system or a loved one if someone has fallen or theres some other indication of a problem. For example, Caregiver Smart Solutions offers packages of sensors that can be placed in several rooms to detect movement, temperature, and humidity that range in price from $129 to $349. Monthly monitoring fees range from $29 to $49.

I started this system because I was concerned about my father when he was having health problems, said Ryan Herd, CEO of 1 Sound Choice and founder of Caregiver Smart Solutions in Pompton Plains, N.J. I wanted to know if he was eating and moving around and sleeping. The sensors reduce stress for caregivers.

Herd tried to place a camera in his fathers home to keep an eye on him, but his dad, like most people, found it intrusive. When Herd would ask him how he was doing, hed say fine even if he wasnt because he wanted to avoid being a burden to his son.

Our system isnt a camera, because no one wants that, Herd said. Its not trying to change anyones habits, either. Its also not something that requires anyone to wear a device to track them, either, because many people forget to wear them or take them off when theyre needed most, such as when they take a shower.

Herd said older people feel a wearable device with an emergency alert system is a button of death that reminds them of their vulnerability.

Some wearable devices, such as the Apple watch, are more popular.

People like them because they look cool and theyre trendy, but they also have a built-in fall-detection alert system that can be really helpful no matter what age you are, Orlov said. If youre walking your dog in the winter or you live alone, its smart to opt into a system that notifies someone if youve fallen.

If youre remodeling, sensors that detect falls and movement can be built into the flooring, so someone can be alerted if the typical pattern of movement has changed, Costello said.

A variety of relatively inexpensive inactivity monitors, such as an alert if someone doesnt get out of bed, are available with third-party monitoring for as little as $30 to $50 per month, Orlov said.

Other popular tech-safety features are video doorbells and smart lock systems, which allow people to see whos at the front door, decide whether to answer, and remotely unlock it. For older people, this can avoid the need to get up and rush to the door.

My sister and I set up a video doorbell and a key code for the front door on my mothers home, said Paula Kennedy, a Certified Living in Place Professional (CLIPP) and owner of Timeless Kitchen Design in Seattle. We can share video access and remotely control the door ourselves, too.

For older people, a video doorbell and other alarm systems work best if they include multiple cues, Kennedy said. For example, if someone is hard of hearing, its smart to keep an iPad or smartphone nearby that will light up when the doorbell rings.

Voice-activated systems can be great to allow people to live independently and safely for longer because they can control the lights, the temperature, and even call 911 in an emergency without having to get up and walk around, Kennedy said.

Safety at home doesnt always require high-tech devices, Orlov said.

Make sure you have nonskid floors and you get rid of area rugs that you can trip on, she said. Add a safety runner on a highly polished staircase, and add motion-sensing lights everywhere, especially along the stairs. They sell inexpensive battery-operated lights at Home Depot and Lowes, so you dont need to worry about plugs.

Extra under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen can make the space safer for everyone, Kennedy said.

One of the best things someone can do is to invest in light management with remote-controlled blinds that can be used by anyone with mobility issues, Kennedy said. Adding lights that go on automatically in your closet and motion sensor lights under your bed and in your bathroom are smart for everyones safety.

Consistent flooring or extra lighting where the flooring changes can reduce the hazard of falling, Kennedy said.

A worry concerning smart devices is that hackers will be able to open a lock or gain access to private information through voice-controlled or app-controlled systems. Kennedy recommends hiring an expert to install any system to ensure that its adequately protected. Herd suggests asking any manufacturer or installer how they protect your privacy. In addition, he recommends choosing complex passwords.

Before you start purchasing tech devices such as a monitoring system, check to make sure you or your parents have strong enough Wi-Fi to support them, Orlov said.

Next, make sure the systems are set up properly with the right contact information, so theyll call your brother, your daughter, your friend, and then your cousin or whoever you want, Orlov said. I think its best to pay for a subscription service that answers 24/7 to see if youre OK, to send help, and to stay on the phone with you if its needed.

Whether or not you opt for a full monitoring system or just start with a video doorbell and a smart lock, its important to think about your needs or your parents needs now and in the future.

The first thing everyone should do is an assessment of their home environment to make sure its physically safe, Orlov said. Next, you can add technology that will reassure your loved ones that youre OK. Then, if you want to add some bells and whistles that make you feel better, you can.

Michele Lerner can be reached at mvlerner@comcast.net. Subscribe to the Globes free real estate newsletter our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @globehomes.

Originally posted here:
Baby boomers: Tech updates that help people age in place - Boston.com

Market advances will be bolstered by rising

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LEGAL NOTICE

Fictitious Names

Notice Under Fictitious Name Law Pursuant to Section 865.09. Florida Statutes

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Lanza Gallery and Art Supplies located at 23645 W US HWY 27, in the County of Alachua, in the City of High Springs, Florida 32643 intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. Dated at High Springs, Florida, this 24th day of February, 2020.

Tina Corbett

Lanza Gallery Inc.

(Published: Alachua County Today Mar. 19, 2020)

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given under and by virtue of Florida Statue Section 713, the undersigned shall 03-31-20 at 10:00a.m., at the address of his business: 4515 S.W. 29th Ave, Gainesville, Florida, 32608, the following:

SCOOTER VIN# LC2U2A027GC00172

For additional information concerning the above personal property for sale you may contact Billy Hart 352-376-0144

(Published: Alachua County Today - Mar. 19, 2020

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE EIGHTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

IN AND FOR ALACHUA

COUNTY, FLORIDA

Case No: 2019 CA 001971

CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC,

Plaintiff,

vs.

NATHAN N. GAMBLES, JR.; et al.,

Defendants.

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant the Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated March 10, 2020, and entered in Case No. 2019 CA 001971of the Circuit Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit in and for Alachua County, Florida wherein CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC, is the Plaintiff and NATHAN N. GAMBLES, JR.; DARLENE DENSON; LYNN GAMBLES JOHNSON; JUDITH GAMBLES; MALCOLM GAMBLES; GERRALUNDA GAMBLES; MONIQUE DEMPS; UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF JUDITH GAMBLES; UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF MALCOLM GAMBLES; STATE OF FLORIDA; CLERK OF COURT IN AND FOR ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA and FLORIDA CREDIT UNION, are Defendants, J.K. Jess Irby, Esq., the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Alachua County, Florida, will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash http://www.alachua.

realforeclose.com at 11:00 A.M. on May 7, 2020 the following described property set forth in said Final Judgment, to wit:

LOTS EIGHT (8) AND NINE (9) OF WAITS SUBDIVISION, AS RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK B, PAGE 92 BEING A REPLAT OF LOTS TWO (2), THREE (3), FOUR (4), FIVE (5), AND SIX (6) OF BLOCK SIXTEEN (16) OF NEW GAINESVILLE, AS RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK "A", PAGE 65, ALL BEING IN SECTION 4, TOWNSHIP 10 SOUTH, RANGE 20 EAST, AND ALL BEING OF PUBLIC RECORDS OF ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA.

Property Address: 1325 NE 3rd Ave, Gainesville, FL 32641

Any person or entity claiming an interest in the surplus, if any, resulting from the Foreclosure Sale, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens, must file a claim with the Clerk no later than the date that the Clerk reports the funds as unclaimed. If you fail to file a claim, you will not be entitled to any remaining funds.

DATED March 11, 2020

/s/Jason Ruggerio

Jason Ruggerio, Esq.

Florida Bar No. 70501

Lender Legal PLLC

2807 Edgewater Drive

Orlando, Fl 32804

Tel: (407) 730-4644

Fax: (888) 337-3815

Attorney for Plaintiff

Service Emails:

JRuggerio@

lenderlegal.com

EService@

LenderLegal.com

If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Persons with a disability who need any accommodation in order to participate should call Jan Phillips, ADA Coordinator, Alachua County Courthouse, 201 E. University Ave., Gainesville, FL 32601 at (352) 337-6237 within two (2) working days of your receipt of this notice; if you are hearing impaired call (800) 955-8771; if you are voice impaired, call

(800) 955-8770.

(Published: Alachua County Today - Mar 12 & 19, 2020)

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

IN THE COUNTY COURT OF THE EIGHT JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA

CASE NO.: 2019CC004124XXXXXX

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION OF SORRENTO, INC.

Plaintiff,

ESTATE OF RANDALL W. DEBORD, OTHERWISE THE UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST RANDALL W. DEBORD; MELISSA JOHNSON, AS APPOINTED PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE; AND UNKNOWN PARTIES IN POSSESSION,

Defendants. ________________/

NOTICE OF SALE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 45

Notice is given that pursuant to the Amended Default Final Judgment of Foreclosure as to Foreclosure Sale Date Only dated July 25, 2019 in Case No. 2019-CC-004124, of the County Court in and for Alachua County, Florida, in which COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION OF SORRENTO, INC. is the Plaintiff and ESTATE OF RANDALL W. DEBORD, OTHERWISE THE UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST RANDALL W. DEBORD; MELISSA JOHNSON, AS APPOINTED PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE are the Defendants, the Clerk will sell the property at public sale on May 12, 2020, online at 11:00 a.m., according to Fla. Sta. 45.031(10), at http://www.alachua.

realforeclose.com, the following described property set forth in the Order of the Amended Default Final Judgment:

Lot 162, SORRENTO PHASE III, according to the plat thereof, as recorded in Plat Book 26, at Pages 5-7, inclusive, of the Public Records of Alachua County, Florida;

Property Address: 5180 NW 21st Drive, Gainesville, Florida 32605.

Any Person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the lis pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.

/s/ Alan Schwartzseid Alan Schwartzseid, Esquire

Florida Bar No. 57124

Clayton & McCulloh

1065 Maitland Center Commons Blvd.

Maitland, Florida 32751

(407) 875-2655

aschwartzseid@

clayton-mcculloh.com (Primary)

lfalachua@

clayton-mcculloh.com (Secondary)

Attorneys for Plaintiff

If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Persons with a disability who need any accommodation in order to participate should call Jan Phillips, ADA Coordinator, Alachua County Courthouse, 201 E. University Ave., Gainesville, FL 32601 at (352) 337-6237 within two (2) working days of your receipt of this notice; if you are hearing impaired call (800) 955-8771; if you are voice impaired, call

(800) 955-8770.

(Published: Alachua County Today - Mar. 19 & 26, 2020)

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE EIGHTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

IN AND FOR ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA

CIVIL DIVISION

CASE NUMBER: 2020 CA _

212 ACQUISITIONS, LLC, a Florida limited liability company,

Plaintiff,

PENDER NEWKIRK CUST TC 09, LLC;

all others claiming by, through and under PENDER NEWKIRK CUST TC 09, LLC; and ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING AN INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT PROPERTY,

Defendants.

NOTICE OF ACTION

TO :PENDER NEWKIRK CUST TC 09, LLC; all others claiming by, through and under PENDER NEWKIRK CUST TC 09, LLC; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING AN INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT PROPERTY

YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action to Quiet Title to the following real property located in Alachua County, Florida:

A tract of land in Section 4, Township 10 South, Range 19 East, Alachua County, Florida, said tract of land being more particularly described as follows:

Commence at a railroad spike found and accepted as the Southwest corner of the Southeast 1/4 of said Section 4 and run North 0100'00" West, along the West line of the East 1/2 of said Section 4, a distance of 2866.48 feet to a rebar cap (P.L.S. No. 4258) set at the intersection of the West line with the Southerly right-of-way line of a 40 foot Alachua County right-of-way and the Point of Beginning; thence run South 3737'04" East, along said Southerly right-of-way line, a distance of 1112.09 feet to a rebar cap (P.L.S. No. 4258) set to the intersection of said right-of-way line with the East line of the West 1/4 of the East 1/2 of said Section 4; thence run North 0101'55" West, along said East line, a distance of 67.11 feet to an iron pipe found on the Southerly right-of-way line of Interstate Highway No. I-75 (a 300 foot right-of-way); thence run North 3737'04" West, along said Southerly right-of-way line of I-75, a distance of 1112.03 feet to an iron pipe found at the intersection of said Southerly right-of-way line with the aforementioned West line of the East 1/2 of said Section 4; thence run South 0100'00" East, along said West line, a distance of 67.06 feet to the Point of Beginning.

PARCEL ID: 06655-200-001

(the Property)

has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to the Plaintiffs Attorney, Andrew W. Rosin, Esq., 1900 Hillview Street, Sarasota, FL 34239, on or before thirty (30) days after the first date of publication of this Notice, and file the original with the Clerk of this Court either before service on the Plaintiffs attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition.

DATED on this 12th day of March, 2020.

Clerk of the Court

See more here:
Legal Notice Advertising from the week of March 19, 2020 - Alachua County Today

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A* FLOOD WARNING FOR...ROGERS COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA...SOUTHEASTERN OSAGE COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA...CREEK COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA...SOUTHEASTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA...SOUTHEASTERN PAWNEE COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA...TULSA COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA...* UNTIL 730 PM CDT THURSDAY.* AT 737 AM CDT, DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED THAT BETWEEN 2 AND 3 INCHESOF RAIN FELL ACROSS NORTHERN CREEK AND TULSA COUNTIES OVERNIGHT.WHILE SOME SPOTTY SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE POSSIBLE, THE HEAVY RAINSHAVE FOR THE MOST PART ENDED. HOWEVER, FLOODING FROM THESE RAINSWILL LIKELY LINGER FOR MANY HOURS. ONE PARTICULAR AREA HARDEST HITIS IN THE COLLINSVILLE AREA, NEAR HORSEPEN CREEK. THIS CREEK ISFLOODING WEST OF THE CANEY RIVER, WHICH IS ALSO FLOODING.* SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...TULSA... BROKEN ARROW...SAND SPRINGS... CLAREMORE...OWASSO... SAPULPA...JENKS... GLENPOOL...SKIATOOK... CATOOSA...COLLINSVILLE... VERDIGRIS...MANNFORD... DRUMRIGHT...CHELSEA... SPERRY...KELLYVILLE... OOLOGAH...OILTON... DEPEW...THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 44 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 178 AND 235, ANDBETWEEN MILE MARKERS 238 AND 260.IF HEAVY RAINS REDEVELOP OVER THE REGION, AN UPGRADE TO A FLASHFLOOD WARNING MAY BE NECESSARY FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOODDEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.&&

Read the original here:
Where did the term "March Madness" come from? - Tulsa World