Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

A PYTHON measuring five-foot caught hiding on an Australian familys patio was nearly missed - as no-one could spot it.

Professionals from Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers were called to capture the deadly reptile from a family home in Queensland on Monday.

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The stealthy coastal carpet python was hiding in the BBQ area of the patio, in a picture shared by the company on Facebook.

The cluttered communal area featured multiple hiding places for the long snake such as a clothing rack, coffee table and shelving units.

The image was posted with the caption: Lets see if you can spot the snake in the photo. Bonus points if you can guess the species as well.

But several eagle eyed spotters found the snake poking its head out from under the corner of a blue sofa which was nearly hidden to the naked eye.

One Facebook user said: " 'Either I'm blind... Or there ain't no snake... I've been looking for 10 minutes!"

Meanwhile another Brisbane man desperately trying to spot the terrifying animal said: "'Looks like a tail on the floor between the two chairs. Carpet python? Or something under the Coffee table but I can't call on what that might be?"

Sunshine Coast wrote: I think I made that too easy haha. Carpet Python head at the base of the couch! Well done to those who got it!

The coastal carpet python, also known as McDowell's carpet python, is commonly found in new South Wales.

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And although they are non-venomous, their aggressive and unpredictable behaviour can cause serious lacerations and tetanus infections.

On average, the large reptiles reach 2.7 to 3 metres (9-10 feet) in length when they are mature.

But since the pictured snake was only 5ft (1.5 metres) long and appeared to have a small head, it is thought the reptile was a juvenile.

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Terrifying five-foot carpet python found hiding on familys patio but can YOU spot it? - The Sun

Image courtesy of Washington Fine Properties

This week, Maryland Mansions explores Westover, a Washington Fine Properties listing in Bethesda, Maryland,that's on the market for $17.5 million. Even if it were an old shack in the woods, the location would make this a spectacular property. Sitting right on the Potomac River, there are beautiful, sweeping views from most spots on the property. Also, the house isn't a shackit is a fabulous combination of entertaining space and family comfort packed into an elegant brick mansion at 6699 MacArthur Blvd, Bethesda, MD.

The mansion sits on two acres of beautiful river-front property with gated entry, and it is close to, but not in, D.C. The driveway leads to a large motor court, complete with a basketball hoop so that a pick-up game with your friends will never require leaving the comforts of home again. Adjacent to the motor court is a very generous two-car garage, which also houses the utility room and connects to the kitchen through a mudroom entrance. The mudroom also leads to a sizable side patio, which connects to the back patios via stone stairs.

The main entrance features a covered porch area which leads to the foyer through elegant double doors. Once through the vestibule, the foyer is spacious and beautiful, with herringbone pattern hardwood floors and two grand staircases that sweep up either side. The rest of the foyer opens into a large hall the leads to the back patio. The dining room connects to this area on the left, and the living room connects on the right. Beyond the dining room is a kitchen that any chef would adore, featuring built-in cabinets, an oversized island with a sink, a double range with two ovens, and a walk-in pantry. The kitchen connects to a round sunroom that is perfectly sized for a breakfast nook and looks out over the side yard through floor-to-ceiling windows. Beyond the sunroom is a large family room that features a stunning fireplace and walks out on to the upper back patio, which overlooks the pool.

Traveling to the other side of the house, the living room features another fireplace and walks out onto the back patio as well. Beyond the living room is a small wet bar room that leads to a secluded study. The study also walks out to the upper back patio, and it includes a gas fireplace and built-in bookshelves. In addition to these living and entertaining spaces, the main level also includes a walk-in closet, two powder rooms, and two additional staircases, one that leads to the lower level and another that leads to both the lower and upper levels.

The upper level houses most of the home's bedrooms and bathrooms. The main double-staircase from the foyer opens into a hallway and an unassuming library. While not huge, it features lots of built-in shelves and double doors that open onto a small balcony that looks down on the patio, pool, and river beyond. To the right of the library are three of the home's bedrooms, each with an attached, private bathroom and walk-in closet. In addition to these rooms, there is also a sitting room that connects to the secondary staircase and provides attic access. This sitting room is small by the standards of this house, but at over 144 square feet, it is still a fully usable room.

The left side of the upper floor includes another bedroom (again with a private bath and walk-in closet) and the master suite. This suite connects to the main hallway through a private sitting room, includes two separate full baths, and three walk-in closets. The full master bath is larger than most bedrooms (and many D.C. apartments) and it includes a huge tub and separate shower. The bedroom proper has a gas fireplace, a private balcony, and many windows that overlook the side and back of the property. There are also multiple linen closets and a small laundry room on this level (so you don't have to cart your laundry all the way to the basement).

Speaking of the basement, the lowest level of this home is truly more than just a basement. It features a billiards room, a gym with attached half-bath, a rec room with a wet bar and a fireplace, a wine cellar with built-in seating, and an additional room that could be either a den or another suite (with an attached, private full bath and closets, of course). There is also a large laundry room on this level. Most of the rooms walk out onto the covered lower back patio, which includes both built-in fire pit and grill areas and opens onto the large pool area. This patio and pool area looks out over the river and includes staircases on either side to access the other upper patio areas.

At just under 12,000 square feet, this home offers almost everything the discerning homeowner looks for in a mansion, and anything that is missing certainly could be added, given the space available. With subtle sophistication, this home offers space to entertain, space to relax, and space to play.

What do you think of this Maryland mansion? Let us know in the comments!

*Images courtesy of Bright MLS andWashington Fine Properties

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Maryland Mansions: The $17.5M Bethesda Beauty Has Everything You Could Ever Need - Our Community Now at Washington, D.C.

In the Rose Garden

Shes in the rose garden again, staringat her right arm, its pale soft undersidethat never gets the sun, never gets tanned.

Its very strange, she thinks, because the veinsat her wrist are greenish-blue: but the bloodthats blossoming, overblown already,

dropping fat petals on her dress, her shoes,the path with its edging of sharp pointedtiles (weathered is the word shell later hear

and not understand) the blood is brilliantstartling red, much redder than the cloudsof dark pink roses tangled above her

red, and at its heart a splinter, a glimpseof white, bright as the spiny shells that markthe drop from the patio, where her parents

and the others are talking, moving theirmouths and making gestures, though the sounddoesnt reach her the drop from the patio

down to the lawn, and all the way beyond to where she is, in the rose garden, staringat her right arm, its strange new blossoming.

Narratives describing strange, sometimes dreamlike, episodes from a female protagonists childhood dominate the second section of Helen Tookeys four-part collection of poems and prose poems, City of Departures. Some of the subjects are literary heroines or versions of them: here, the pronoun she leaves identification open. Her experience is both individual and representative.

The experience the poem describes self-harm or suicide attempt is dispassionately presented by the third-person narrator. The protagonist is dispassionate, too, curious about the effects of her own action, but observing them from a distance. Theres a fine level of formal and tonal control in the poem, reflecting this stance a stance we might call writerly in its discipline.

The first tercet simply presents the child or young woman noticing the pallor of her right arms underside. And then the narratives rich visual detail emerges: veins, blood that is blossoming already into fat drops, the rose garden itself and its larger setting where, like magnified thorns, there are sharp-pointed tiles edging the path and spiny shells that mark / the drop from the patio. A single sentence gathers energy as it unrolls across the six ensuing stanzas, and its length necessitates a little well-judged repetition. While setting the poem back on its narrative course after some important descriptive digressions, the reappearance of two grammatical subjects, the blood and the drop from the patio, suggest the unstoppable flow of blood and sentence.

Central to the flow of meaning is that splinter of white brightness, located in the blood itself, or, rather, the redness of the blood. We might think of Blakes sick rose, revised so that theres insight rather than corruption at its heart.

The narrative is clear and secretive at the same time: it prompts questions. I wanted to know whether the first line implied that the protagonists self-harming was frequent (shes in the rose garden again) or whether previous excursions to the rose garden would have had a different emphasis. The latter seems more likely, because the bloods blossoming is described, later on, as new. The rose garden as symbolism offers various interpretative possibilities. Then theres the interplay of the different kinds of drop, the blood, dropping like overblown rose-petals, and the drop between the raised patio, where the parents and the others are talking, and the garden. Are these adults quarrelling, discussing their problem child, or simply enjoying a glass of wine? We dont need to know, of course. Its enough that were shown the childs wilting isolation when were told that she can see the adults gestures, and their mouths moving, but not hear what theyre saying. The physical setting, aesthetic, expensive and sharp-edged, skilfully embodies the difficult family story.

In the Rose Garden might be partly about puberty, a terminus for a reluctant departure from childhood into womanhood. Its an interpretation that would fit the collections larger context of loss and dislocation. The title prose poem is here and perhaps makes an interesting comparative text. While not wanting to shoehorn a delicate and elegant poem into the Brexit boot, I couldnt help finding a certain aptness to the UKs current historical moment. Perhaps In the Rose Garden might also be read as a parable about declarations of independence, and their price?

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Poem of the week: In the Rose Garden by Helen Tookey - The Guardian

Whetherthinking of yourself or an aging family member, what will day-to-day life belike 10, 20 years from now?

WillUncle Petes achy knee become a real mobility issue that curtails his abilityto climb the stairs in his home? Do you worry about your elderly mother, wholives alone, climbing in and out of the bathtub? When you are older, do youstill want to live in the home you built?

Theseare some of the many considerations that may go into a decision around agingin placethe concept of equipping homes to allow their inhabitants tosuccessfully manage independently as they age.

Agingin place encompasses everything from lighting to location, and A-1 Builders and AdaptationsDesign Studio has knowledgeable designers helping homeowners make(and implement) those kinds of choices.

DesignManager Maggie Bates and Dave Kangas, a certified aging in place specialist,are part of A-1 Builders design arm, Adaptations Design Studio. They work with homeowners onaging-in-place improvements, which, they say, can be simple, inexpensive fixesall the way up to extensive remodels or new construction with aging-in-placeconcepts at the forefront of the design.

Itsnot exorbitantly cost prohibitive to make simple changes that affect the wayyour space works, says Kangas.

Accordingto Bates, one of the easiest and least-expensive improvements that can be madeis in improved lighting.

Outsidethe home, that means no dark walkways or approaches to the house. Inside, thinktask lighting in the kitchen, garage, laundry or other workspaces, as wellample light for your favorite reading spot and in the bathroomincluding in theshower.

Alot of people dont realize this, but you really should have a light in yourshower, Bates says.

Bathroomsare also an excellent place to add grab barsa simple safety feature that cango a long way toward continued independent living.

Similarly,graspable handrails for both interior and exterior stairs are an inexpensiveimprovement that greatly aid in mobility and confidence. People at any age mayhave trouble with stairs for any number of reasons, Bates says, includingprogressive lenses in glasses that make it more difficult to gauge where thestep is. Adding a railing is a simple, relatively inexpensive addition thatadds safety and peace of mind.

Anotherplace to consider adding an exterior handrail is along an inclined driveway,Kangas notes. It can make taking the garbage out or getting to the mailboxeasier and safer in slick conditions.

Makingfunctional changes to the kitchenone of the most utilitarian rooms in thehousecan be a game changer, and not just for those who are aging, Bates andKangas stress.

Forinstance, putting a microwave at counter height instead of above the stove issafer in the long run for everybody.

Ifyouve got children, or anyone in a wheelchair in the houseor youve just gotsomeone with limited mobilityyou dont want that microwave up at head height,Bates says. An under-cabinet microwave is another option.

Add-insto the cabinetry that make things easier to reach is another place to makechanges. Anyone who has had to reach into the depths of a cupboard canappreciate these improvements. People are familiar with cabinets that roll out,Bates says, but there are also models where the shelving can be pulled downinto reach.

Allthe kitchen gadgetry you see in a very well-designed, high-end house, oftenits also very good for universal design to make that kitchen accessible to alot of people, she says.

And many of these changes, adds Kangas, arent just about aging in place, but also part of the larger concept called universal design. A home that applies universal design concepts works for everyone.

Tome, it just makes sense to make your home as accessible to as many people aspossible, says Kangas.

Universaldesign elements can become a selling point for your home in the future, areoptimal when an elderly friend or relative is visiting, or may even be a godsendwhen something like an unexpected injury or illness makes those accommodationsnecessary.

Forhomeowners already planning a remodel, incorporating universal designprinciples and specific aging-in-place improvements into the home, such as astair lift or zero-threshold shower, are fairly simple to incorporate into theredesign.

Bates sees many couples who come to Adaptations because theyre beginning to think about aging in place. With the luxury of time, homeowners can plan and budget for the major changes.

However,sometimes peoples situations change quickly, and a ramp or an accessiblebathing area are needed right away. A-1 Builders and Adaptations Design Studiocan help in those situations, as well, working with the scope and budget thatmeets the needs of homeowners.

Lookingahead might also mean a change of location.

Ifyoure going to build a housesay its your last houseconsider where itslocated in relationship to shopping, the senior center, or publictransportation if youre not able to drive eventually, says Bates. Locationis so very important to consider.

Itmight also look like adding an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) or suite withinyour home for a caregiver, for use now or in the future. Given a long enoughlead time, these considerations can be met with thoughtful solutions.

Theteam at Adaptations Design Studio can also help homeowners anticipate needsthey may not have even thought about.

Thats part of our job: to think of the things our clients havent considered, to forecast future needs for individual families, says Kangas. Planning for the future with our clients is a meaningful and fun part of our work.

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Aging in Place With the Help of A-1 Builders and Adaptations Design - whatcomtalk.com

CHICAGO, Feb. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Smart Lighting Market by Offering (Hardware: Lights & Luminaires, Lighting Controls; Software, and Services), Communication Technology (Wired and Wireless), Installation Type, End-use Application, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Smart Lighting Marketis estimated to grow from USD 13.4 billion in 2020 and projected to reach USD 30.6 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 18.0%. The major factors driving the growth of the smart lighting market include the advent of integrated lighting control systems, upcoming smart city projects in developing economies, increasing adoption and decreasing cost of LEDs, integration of lighting solutions with smart devices, and growing awareness about energy savings among consumers and governments worldwide.

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"Smart lighting market for services to grow at highest CAGR between 2020 and 2025"

Services play a major role before and after the installation of smart lighting systems. The services segment comprises pre-installation and post-installation services. The market for services is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, mainly driven by the rising adoption of smart lighting solutions and the use of lighting services to reduce energy cost and achieve energy conservation and ecological safety. The growth of the market for services is also ascribed to a high demand for engineering, consulting, and analytical services pertaining to smart lighting among end users.

Europe to hold major larger share of smart lighting market for indoor-end use application during forecast period

Europe held the largest share of the smart lighting market for indoor end-use application in 2019. This large share is attributed to the growing consumer awareness about smart lighting and adoption of energy-efficient products being offered in the smart lighting market. However, the high implementation cost of these solutions is one of the major factors inhibiting the growth of the market in the residential segment.

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APAC to hold largest share of smart lighting market by 2025

The smart lighting market in APAC is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This growth is attributed to rapid infrastructure building activities being undertaken in APAC, mainly in China and India, where smart lighting paves the way for the modernization of infrastructure. The modernization and development of infrastructure such as smart cities across the region, coupled with government policies to support energy-efficient lighting, would also drive the demand for smart street lights, thereby driving the market for smart lighting in this region.

Some of the major players in the smart lighting market are Signify (Philips Lighting) (Netherlands), Legrand S.A. (France), Acuity Brands, Inc. (US), Eaton Corporation (Ireland), General Electric Company (US), and OSRAM Licht (Germany), Lutron Electronics (US), Zumtobel Group (Austria), Honeywell International Inc. (US), Hubbell Incorporated (US), and Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc. (US). Other players operating in the smart lighting market include Dialight PLC (UK), Helvar (Finland), Ideal Industries, Inc. (Cree Lighting) (US), Adesto Technologies (Echelon Corporation) (US), Panasonic (Japan), LightwaveRF PLC (UK), RAB Lighting (US), Synapse Wireless (US), Syska LED (India), Wipro Enterprise Ltd (India), LG Electronics (South Korea), ABB (Switzerland), and Enlighted Inc (a Siemens company) (US).

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Smart Lighting Market Worth $30.6 Billion by 2025 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets - Yahoo Finance

Light therapy is one of the go-to treatments for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of seasonal depression that commonly strikes during the cold, darkish wintry weather months.

Studies suggest that exposure to bright mild from a unique lamp or lightbox can help make up for the sunlight you're not getting obviously when the days are shorter.

These devices are brighter than your common lamp; they must deliver light at 10,000 lux (about 20 instances extra than ordinary indoor lighting), in keeping with the National Institute for Mental Health. Soaking up these synthetic rays for approximately 20 to 60 minutes may help ease signs of SAD.

Considering making an investment in a light field? Here are some you could buy on Amazon that earned five-star critiques from at least half of the shoppers.

READ ALSO:Celebrating Valentine's Day 2020: Playing Videos and a Pizza! Check Out Best Games on Amazon

The therapy lamp can create a mild intensity of 10,000 lux to imitate a sunny day. It uses natural light to keep you in a fantastic mood with three brightness levels and can be adjusted with a touch. This lamp comes in a transportable design to match anywhere.

Get it here.

Compact sufficient to healthy comfortably on a bedside desk or at your desk, Verilux's full-size tool is also customizable, with both excessive and low light depth settings.

Get it here.

This lamp is very useful for every day dose of mild remedy by adjusting the perspective of the stand. Another option: tuck it away so that you can mount the tool on a wall instead.

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It is a bit pricier than other top-quality picks, but this tool ensures 10,000 lux at two feet away, so you don't must sit quite so close to the field to gain its benefits.

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The flexible hinge in this lamp makes angling your mild supply a breeze, even as the thin base means you could easily install the item anywhere.

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A SAD floor lamp is also something to consider, and it's a perfect solution if you don't have any available table space, or if you want to apply the lamp while sitting on a chair. It stands four tall once fully assembled, so you could even do double duty and use it at the same time as you're on a treadmill or a stationary bike.

The flexible hinge in this lamp makes angling your mild supply a breeze, even as the thin base means you could easily install the item anywhere.

Get it here.

This lamp by Carex, a company frequently used in studies trials, has a massive display with masses of floor area. It would not win any display awards, but it's rated 10,000 lux at 14 inches, which means that you get 10,000 lux when you are 14 inches away from the light. This version is positioned at a downward angle.

Get it here.

READ ALSO:Top 5 Best Housewarming Gifts That Cost Less Than Usual on Amazon

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Here Are the 7 Top-Rated Light Therapy Boxes to Ease Short-term Seasonal Depression on Amazon - Tech Times

While sipping suds with friends at one of Athens local breweries, beer fans can know theyre supporting a company thats committed to environmental sustainability.

Terrapin Beer Co. has taken steps to minimize its impact on the environment, referred to as terraprint by the brewery. Some of the practices the brewery implements in its day-to-day work include recycling, composting and a wastewater pre-treatment facility. Through the multiple terraprint projects, people are starting to think differently and our behavior is starting to change, says company president Dustin Watts.

Last year, the Georgia Water Coalition recognized Terrapin in its Clean 13 report, recognizing individuals, businesses, industries, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies whose extraordinary efforts have led to cleaner rivers, stronger communities and a more sustainable future for Georgians. Breweries use more water than most businesses, but Terrapin has reduced its water usage by 20%.

Its also working with Atlanta-based Cherry Street Energychosen in consultation with the UGA Office of Sustainability and Athens-Clarke County Sustainability Officer Andrew Saundersto install solar panels on the roof of its Newton Bridge Road building and solar panel sunshades in the parking lot. In contrast to something like pre-treating wastewater, solar is kind of a sexy thing, Watts says. Its easy to understand what it does.

Once installed, the panels will provide Terrapin with 30% of its total energy. Its solar brewed beer now. Watts says. That means up to 339 tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide wont be released into the atmospherethe equivalent of saving 362 acres of forest or taking 65 cars off the road.

Terrapins solar array will be the largest of any craft brewery in Georgia, as well as the largest of any business in Athens, according to Watts. We want to be bigger than beer, he says. Beer is a huge part of who we are, and beer is great because it brings people together. With this terraprint project, its showing how we are bigger than beer.

And, says Cherry Street founder Michael Chanin, its the first installation in Georgia where a company is buying solar energy directly. Cherry Street was founded to take advantage of a 2015 state law that allowed third-party vendors to sell solar energy, and has installed solar arrays for the cities of Atlanta and Macon. In Terrapins case, Cherry Street is installing solar panels at no charge to Terrapin and selling the power they generate to the company at a rate less than what Georgia Power charges, Chanin says. In the future, Cherry Street will expand the array and add batteries.

Terrapin isnt the only brewery in Athens taking steps to create a greener environment. Creature Comforts has made steps to run on more sustainable business, as well.

According to head brewmaster Adam Beauchamp, Creature Comforts is committed to sustainable practices by complying with all applicable environmental regulations, preventing pollution whenever possible, educating staff and empowering them to contribute to its sustainability program, and to continually improving over time by striving to measure environmental impacts and settings.

Because Creature Comforts is located in two historic buildingsthe old Snow Tire facility downtown and Southern Mill in Boulevardthere was no need to use all-new materials to construct a new building. The design of the brewery itself also has tons of natural light, which cuts down on the usage of indoor lighting. And when they do use lights inside, theyre all LED. Creature Comforts also has an internship through the UGA Office of Sustainability, which brings in students to brainstorm new and better sustainability practices for the company. One of their recent projects was cutting down on the usage of hot water. The company has invested in more energy-efficient equipment, such as a natural gas-burning boiler that burns 1040% less natural gas than a standard boiler.

A typical brewing system may be 80% efficient in terms of how much sugar is able to be extracted from the barley. This system is 95% efficient, Beachamp says. It actually saves about 1,000 pounds of barley for every 85-barrel batch of [flagship IPA] Tropicalia we brew over our old system.

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Terrapin Is Using the Sun to Brew Beer - Flagpole Magazine

Before VSCO X, the companys membership program, users got a certain selection of presets free, and then you could pay for individual series. Now people get 10 free presets, called classic presets, and the rest are included in VSCO X.

Last year I put together a list of all the Film X presets and what kind of subject matter they improve. With this article Ill do the same for the classic presets, because its not immediately obvious what theyre good at, other than, This looks good or This doesnt look good. Ive also created public Google Docs, one for Film X presets and another for classic presets.

All of this information has been collected from the VSCO website over the past couple years.

This preset pack softens or boosts the effects of LED, fluorescent, and mixed lighting scenarios. Ideal for indoor, food, and night photography, use AL1-AL6 to transform artificial light within your image.

Turn to this preset pack to amplify the essence of each person in front of your camera.

Designed for different lighting scenarios, these are six presets crafted to enhance images of city life.

The Landscape Series was designed to re-inject images of natural beauty with life. Each preset is intended for use with specific scenery.

Walk In The Sun is a three-part preset collection designedfor photos taken in strong sunlit conditions and low-angled light.

The Street Style series is perfect for urban environments to capture everything from vibrant accents to muted moments.

With natural tones, subtle color shifts, and slight fading, Analog / Aesthetic is inspired by classic analog film. Well-suited for interiors, portraits and food photography.

Inspired by the aesthetic of early color photography, The Chromatic Collection embodies the bright and bold look of mid-century analog film. Strong primary colors mix with muted neutral tones, perfect for portraits, environments, and stylized editorial.

Essence embellishes golden highlights and deep shadows, harkening back to the gilded age of consumer film stock.

Desaturated and understated, the F Series: Mellow / Fade presets yield elegant results. An all-purpose pack with analogue film qualities, F1, F2, and F3 excel at beautiful skin tones and quiet everyday moments.

An ideal all-purpose pack, Presets H1, H2 and H3 excel in fashion, lifestyle and still object photography. Subtle pink, yellow and purple hues evoke the best memories of summertime.

An ideal all-purpose pack, Polychrome Winter excels in fashion, lifestyle, and still object photography. H4, H5, and H6 are understated and cool, delivering dreamlike hues inspired by the winter season.

The J series (J1-J6) all mute colors by making brighter colors lighter (more of a tint) while making darker colors darker (more of a shade), which basically retains the original contrast.

Based on classic Kodachrome film, the new K Series: Analog Classic pack emulates the bright and poppy look of its analog forefather. These presets are classic, bold, and recommended for a variety of scenarios.

The M Series: Mood: Underexposed pack issues a subtle mood. Slightly faded and underexposed looks define M1, M2, and M3. Exaggerated browns and greens make this pack preferable with nature, still life, and expansive environments.

Tailor-made for bright lights and colors, this N Series works well with photographs shot with the flash or direct sunlight. N1, N2, and N3 have a modern and bold aesthetic.

The Instant + Warm pack emulates the warm, creamy overtones and pop qualities of quintessential instant film and are best suited for images of food, fashion, and everyday life.

An experimental technique in which films are developed in an alternative chemical solution, Cross Processing often creates dramatic color shifts and high contrast. The Alchemy Collection emulates this technique and features rich vibrancies balanced by refined tones, making this pack ideal for lifestyle photography, stylized portraiture, and strong statement images.

The S Series: Bright + Clean pack offers gorgeous results. Flourishing with brightness, S1, S2 and S3 generate splendid skin tones and achieve optimal results when paired with portraits or scenes with lighter backgrounds.

The Low-Contrast V Series is well-suited for scenes of still-life, portraits, and urban settings, expanding your images natural tonal range while simultaneously generating beautiful and gently muted looks.

[VSCO X Review, Bringing Analog Film Presets to Digital Photographers]

[VSCO Acquires Rylo, a Company Founded by Former iPhoto Engineers]

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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo., Feb. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --After getting a "Jump-Start", Violet Gro is officially ready to open its new headquarters in Grand Junction.The company will have its grand opening on Thursday, February 20, 4:00-6:00 p.m. MT, at 2764 Compass Drive, Suite 101.

Violet Gro, an agricultural lighting company, has been actively collaborating with local growers and businesses for the last couple of yearsbut will now take the next step in officially growing its business in Colorado.

As a result of being accepted in 2019 into the Colorado Rural Jump-Start Tax Credit program, a statewide economic development initiative created to attract primary jobs to rural areas to spur diversification, the company will now officially establish its operations in Mesa County with plans to add 4-5 employees to its initial team over the next 12 months.

Through the Jump-Start program, Violet Gro will receive performance-driven tax incentives for bringing its business to the state and making a commitment to job creation, academic engagement, and meaningfully adding to the economic base of rural Colorado.

"We are thrilled to officially welcome the Violet Gro headquarters to Grand Junction.It's another testament to the Grand Valley and our ability to support tech companies like Violet Gro with the infrastructure and workforce they need to be successful," said Robin Brown, Executive Director of the Grand Junction Economic Partnership.

Violet Gro's patented technology enables its highly efficient LED grow lights to provide plants with more light and significantly less heat than traditional lighting.From supplemental to dedicated lighting, Violet Gro has solutions that will grow healthy, vibrant plants while simultaneously reducing energy costs.

"We are excited to be surrounded by the caliber of partners that exist here and can help us continue to advance our lighting solutions and grow our business.This is exactly why we chose Colorado for our new headquarters.We look forward to capturing the opportunities that lie ahead of us, and doing so from right here in the Grand Valley," said Kurt Kucera, President and Global Head of Business Development for Violet Gro.

For more information about the grand opening or Violet Gro's LED grow lights, contact Violet Gro at info@violetgro.comor 970-880-9476.

About Violet GroViolet Gro's LED grow lights combine cutting-edge design with the patented technology to create cost-effective, long-term solutions to indoor growing, providing plants more light with less heat, leading to substantial energy savings.Violet Gro is uniquely capable of incorporating UV light into grow environments to protect against harmful mold, mildew, and pests, as well as drive increases in medical substances produced by plants.For more information, visit http://www.violetgro.comor follow us on Facebook (@violetgro) or Instagram (@violet_gro).

Media Contact for Violet Gro:Jessica Jones, Vice President of Marketing407.433.1104, x1002jjones@violetdefense.com

Related Images

violet-gro-ag-lights.jpg Violet Gro Ag Lights

SOURCE Violet Gro

https://www.violetgro.com

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Violet Gro: Ready to Get Growing in Grand Junction - PRNewswire

Factors that Transform a Workplace into a Happy Place

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It is truly odd how we always find ourselves in a bad mood at work and our productivity keeps decreasing as the week passes by. To be fair, we cant keep blaming our colleagues, clients, or Monday for our rough day; sometimes its the chair we are sitting on, the fluorescent lighting above our computer, or the constant chugging sound of the printer near the desk.

Other than the fact that people spend about 70-80% of their time indoors, almost 9 hours of their day are being spent at work; and studies have indicated that the environmental quality of an office has short and long term effects on the comfort, health, and productivity of the people occupying it. While research on the comfort conditions of workplaces is still relatively minimal, we have put together a list of factors that have proved to be highly influential on the comfort of individuals in workplaces.

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Thermal Comfort

Thermal comfort is perhaps one of the most important and easily defined parameters of the indoor environment. While the human body tries to maintain an average temperature of around 37 C, thermal comfort is based on the adaptation of each individual with respect to various factors, such as geographic location and climate, time of year, gender, race, and age. Thermal comfort is influenced by six factors; four of which could be classified as environmental parameters: air temperature, mean radiant temperature, air relative humidity, and air velocity; and two classified as personal factors: human metabolic rates and insulation through clothing [1].

Acoustic Comfort

The acoustic comfort of interior spaces is the ability to protect occupants from internal and external noise (airborne sounds, noise from adjacent spaces, noise from office equipment and sound of nearby facilities...), and offer an acoustic environment suitable for the function of the workplace; for instance, it is natural to expect a noisy environment in a steel factory, but not the same in an advertising agency. The layout of the space is also significant when it comes to acoustic comfort. As open-plan offices dominate, issues of acoustic comfort and privacy have also been identified as influential on the employees productivity. Three strategies that have been proposed for noise prevention are: absorption of sound using ceiling tile, blocking of sound using workstation panels and workspace layout, and covering up of sound using electronic sound masking techniques [2]. There is also an impact of geometry on acoustic comfort; If the area is square then the acoustic comfort is higher; However, when one has a long and narrow kind of space then the spaces creates a bowling-alley-kind of effect where sound bounces between the two walls creating more noise for the occupants. The use of underfloor heating leads to elimination of carpets, which tend to absorb the sound [3]; the harder the material, the lesser is its capability to absorb noise.

Visual Comfort

If we were to describe it briefly, visual comfort defines lighting conditions and the views from ones workplace. The architectural design of a space has a direct impact on office lighting, and the latter has a direct impact on the well-being and productivity of employees. Densely laid offices, as well as open-plan offices have proved to have a negative effect on the visual comfort of those working in the space, along with the geometry of windows, photometry of surfaces, amount of glazing, reflective material and furniture, etc

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

Two strategies are being implemented in building designs to deal with the IAQ of workplaces. The first one is to increase the ventilation rate, which in turn reduces the percentage of air pollutants [4]; while the second is to reduce the source of pollution within and around the building. Recent studies have stated that increasing outdoor air supply in non-industrial environments improves the air quality and reduces the concentration of air pollutants [5]. The rate of outdoor air supply should be proportional to the pollutants within the building; however, the amount of pollutants inside the building will vary depending on the load and number of individuals occupying the space. Research indicates that workplace discomfort is 30200 percent more frequent in mechanically ventilated buildings [6].The use of natural ventilation has also proved to be beneficial, providing considerable energy savings from air conditioning systems [7]. However, natural ventilation can also be harmful in cities where outdoor air pollution is high.

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)

SBS is a compilation of health problems caused by factors that are often disregarded when it comes to indoor environmental quality. The closure of natural openings, use of construction materials that are not properly tested or certified, furniture, moulds, dust mites, allergens, and office equipment (printer, personal computer, etc...) are all factors that contribute to SBS. Employees with SBS include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headache, cough, wheezing, light sensitivity, gastrointestinal distress and other flu like symptoms[8].

References

[1]: Katafygiotou, M., Serghides, D., 2014. Bioclimatic chart analysis in three climate zones in cyprus. Indoor Built Environ., 1420326X14526909.

[2]: Loewen, L.J., Suedfeld, P., 1992. Cognitive and arousal effects of masking office noise. Environ. Behav. 24 (3), 381395. McNicholl, A., Lewis, J.O., 1994. Daylighting in Buildings. Energy Research Group, University College Dublin for the European Commission Directorate-General for Energy (DGXVII).

[3]: Madsen, Jana, 2014. Acoustics in green buildings: Several green strategies compromise acoustics discover which have the most impact and how to address [Online] http://www.buildings.com/article-details/articleid/ 10095/title/acoustics-in-green-buildings.aspx

[4]: Daisey, J.M., Angell, W.J., Apte, M.G., 2003. Indoor air quality, ventilation and health symptoms in schools: an analysis of existing information. Indoor Air 13 (1), 5364.

[5]: Wargocki, P., Sundell, J., Bischof, W., Brundrett, G., Fanger, P.O., Gyntelberg, F., Hanssen, S.O., Harrison, P., Pickering, A., Seppanen, O., Wouters, P., Seppanen, O., 2002b. Ventilation and health in nonindustrial indoor environments: report from a European multidisciplinary scientific consensus meeting (EUROVEN). Indoor Air 12 (2), 113128.

[6]: USEPA, 2007. The EPA Cost of Illness Handbook. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.

[7]: Brager, G., Borgeson, S., 2010. Comfort Standards and Variation in Exceedance for Mixed-Mode Buildings. Center for the Built Environment.

[8]: Burge, S., Hedge, A., Wilson, S., Bass, J.H., Robertson, A., 1987. Sick building syndrome: a study of 4373 office workers. Ann. Occup. Hyg. 31 (4A), 493504.

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