Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Sun Correspondent

Rembrandt van Rijn is considered one of the greatest visual artists in the world and in the history of art. Dutch artist Jacobina Trump will shed insights on his life and work Jan. 16 at Cafe Evergreen.

A reception with wine and light bites follows the lecture.

Rembrandt came from poverty and died in poverty despite the fact that his paintings are now worth $500 million and more, says Trump. This year marks 350 years since his death and I welcome audiences to commemorate his legacy as we learn how he became the artist he was and consider why were still fascinated by him today.

Jacobina adds that she has additional talks planned: Art and Money on Feb. 6 and The Split Brain on April 9 explores creativity versus science. Both are at Cafe Evergreen.

The talks are meant to bring awareness to the different perspectives people choose to focus on and dedicate their lives to. Combining the extremes within oneself creates a holistic way of looking at the world, she says.

Born in the Netherlands, Trump studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague, Holland, and subsequently became a teacher there. Her professional path includes stage set designer, photographer, art director, and decorative painter. She moved to The United States in 1995 and now lives in Englewood where she serves as facilities manager of the Hermitage Artist Retreat.

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Dutch artist Jacobina Trump to shed insights on the life and work of Rembrandt - yoursun.com

Natural stone countertops and those cobalt blue cabinets you just saw on Pinterest are more than just eye candy. A minor kitchen remodel is in the top 5 most important home improvement projects, according to experts at Millionacres and elsewhere in the industry. But it isn't cheap, with the average cost of a minor kitchen remodel coming in at $22,507. So, if you're planning a remodel this year and questioning what trends have staying power versus ones that'll be outdated in a month -- then I salute you. You're being a smart shopper on an important investment.

Since interiors publications and TV shows give unreliable and often conflicting info, I like to go straight to those who work hands-on for advice on home design and improvement projects. I asked several what they were recommending to clients for 2020, and here's the best of what they said.

Small footprint housing comes with the territory of living in an urban center, and as the kitchen gains status as the center of the home, design experts are asked to help maximize the room's potential without letting it visually dominate the main living area.

"By lining the wall adjacent to a kitchen with base cabinets as well as upper cabinets, people pick up additional storage" is a tip from Suzanne Cook, owner of NYC-based Atmosphere Kitchen & Bath. Cook specializes in high-end yet functional spaces in a city where average apartments are under 900 square feet.

High-end kitchen design and product manufacturer ITALKRAFT sees the kitchen as the focal point of the home. But it's also a workspace, and some components tend to get cluttered or dirty. Thus, Alex Xakoustis, founder of ITALKRAFT, suggests "hiding" the sink with a sliding wood countertop -- that doubles as an eating area when open. He also installs sliding wood paneling that can hide cabinets to create a smoother aesthetic.

As an owner planning to rent or sell, you are likely looking for perceived value instead of the highest-quality, most expensive upgrades available. "Value engineering" is the term Cook uses to explain visual components that seem high-end but are actually affordable.

"While real wood veneers can be quite pricey, laminate manufacturers have come out with unbelievable options that look and feel like real wood without the cost," she says.

Another tip to add the instant hint of high-end: Update your hardware -- starting with the faucet.

Finally, if you have even a hope of charging medium-high rent, Cook contends you must have a dishwasher. And it's not a pricey upgrade, costing $400 to $700 on Home Depot's site to buy new, plus around $200 to install.

Experts agree that the sleek, uniform look is on its way out. A variation of textures and colors is replacing the look where everything's monochrome or perfectly matched.

"We will be seeing more bold, matte colors, such as navy blue, and book-matched wood panels in high gloss," says Xakoustis. "A mix of natural wood with colorful lacquers."

Bookmatching involves having two adjoining surfaces mirror each other so that the finished product resembles an open book.

If you want to introduce a pop of color into the kitchen, HGTV's Laurie March suggests painting just one item: the kitchen island, or maybe the lower half of the cabinets.

"And if you're going to do it, paint it blue," she says. "America's favorite color is blue for the last 5 years."

Both expert color opinions align with the Pantone Color Institute, which named Classic Blue its 2020 Color of the Year.

While wellness is important throughout the home, it makes a lot of sense to focus on it first in the room where food is prepared and eaten.

Many cleaning and home improvement substances contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are carbon-based and can be harmful to the respiratory system and/or central nervous system. Whether you're deep-cleaning, repainting the walls, or refinishing cabinets, insist on low-VOC products. Many companies are now making paints, finishes, sealants, and cleaning products that are low-VOC.

If you're going green in your food waste practices or plastic usage, look at a kitchen remodel as a way to introduce greener elements into that space. Further to the low-VOC directive, Laurie March suggests you can actually get low-VOC flooring and pressed wood products. Also, look into natural stone countertops instead of laminate and glass storage containers instead of plastic.

Quality of light, and specifically natural light, is key to improving mood and energy. If you can't replace walls and doors with windows and glass -- because of either the expense or the home's construction -- add recessed lights and install mirrors and metallics. If you already have windows, make sure the window coverings aren't too dark or heavy.

Whether you're looking to rent out your property, working toward selling it, or just trying to beautify the space you live in, a kitchen remodel can really pay off. And even small updates can make a major difference if you don't have the budget for big ones.

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Kitchen Renovation Trends for 2020 - Motley Fool

Bold is beautiful, and kitchen designers and homeowners agree: Interest in daring kitchen color choices such as avocado green and millennial pink is on the rise. Although white remainsa fan-favorite for most homeownersaccording to the 2020 Houzz Kitchen Trends Report, searches for unique color choices are way up, and shades such as emerald and turquoise are making their rounds in high-end, custom kitchens. Going bold is risky, however, especially if designers integrate the color into countertops and cabinetry: Make a wrong move, and you could be out thousands of dollars and stuck with a bubblegum-colored countertops when you were going fora millennial pink shade.

Remember your grandmothers avocado-green kitchen? It could soon be yours. Or maybe itll be pink, mauve, emerald green or buttercup. Anything but white, because the revolt against the white kitchen has begun.

Last November, the cover of Elle Decor featured a Steven Gambrel-designed kitchen awash in a shiny turquoise even the ceiling gleamed like an iridescent underwater wonderland. On Pinterest between November 2018 and November 2019, searches for dark green cabinets jumped 367 percent, plum kitchens went up 107 percent and pink kitchen walls spiked 121 percent.

For decades now, cabinets have been relegated to white, brown or maybe black, and its been even longer since appliances were allowed to be anything but stainless steel. But the Instagram kitchen invariably a clean backdrop of basic Shaker cabinets, simple subway backsplashes and marble countertops finally has some competition.

Jenny Dina Kirschner, an interior designer in New York, recently painted the cabinets pink for a client in Long Island, giving the room a decidedly 80s vibe somewhere between mauve and millennial pink. The color picked up the pinkish tones in the Calacatta Vagli marble countertop.

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Will Bold Colors Overthrow the All-White Kitchen in 2020? - Professional Builder

Air Fryers have become a trendy option for cooking without using oils or heating up your oven. They are a great way to prepare healthy, delicious recipes easily. Dash by Storebound, a company well known for fine small appliances, has a selection of air fryers to fit all of your kitchen and food prep needs.

At Dash, they believe that the first step to a better life starts with cooking and eating real, wholesome foods. That is why they make products to help customers blend, prep, simmer, saut, and cook to achieve better health.

Dash has two excellent air fryer models. Dash's 10L Compact Air Fryer Oven air fries, bakes, broils, warms and also toasts. Its AirCrisp technology cooks with hot air for tasty and healthier fried food without using too much added oil or fat. The rotating basket automatically turns ingredients to ensure crispy, even results for your food. A baking pan and oven rack is included to cook mini-pizzas, bake pastries, and even broil tasty meat entres. The unit delivers the features of a toaster oven with the power of air frying. The 10L Compact Air Fryer Oven also has a timer and auto-shutoff function to prevent overcooking. And the size is ideal for countertops. The attractive small appliance is a great option for apartment living and dorm rooms, especially when the use of a full kitchen may not be readily available.

The Dash Compact Air Fryer comes in a variety of colors to coordinate with your home decor. You can enjoy your very favorite fried foods without any of the guilt. AirCrisp technology rapidly circulates air to cook ingredients keeping the signature crispy quality of fried foods, while eliminating the need for oil. Air frying reduces added fat by 70-80% without sacrificing flavor. Simply plug in the Dash Compact Air Fryer, set the desired time and temperature, and you're ready to air fry. The neat design of the Dash Compact Air Fryer fits on your countertop while offering an ample 1.2L capacity. The dishwasher safe parts make your Dash Compact Air Fryer especially easy to clean.

Check out just a few of the delightful recipes that you can easily prepare with a Dash's Air Fryer units.

Crispiest Air Fried Potatoes can be made in the 10L Compact Air Fryer Oven using less oil than conventional fried potatoes

Ingredients:

-1 lb red potatoes, chopped

-2 tsps olive oil

-1 tsp garlic powder

-1 tsp Italian seasoning

- tsp salt

Method: Toss red potatoes in olive oil and spices. Place in the Rotating Basket and Air Fry in the Dash 10L Compact Air Fryer at 400F for 20 minutes.

Easy Donuts can be made in the Dash Compact Air Fryer as a tasty, better for you donut treat

Ingredients:

-1 can of biscuit dough

-4 tbsp butter, melted

-1/3 cups granulated sugar

-1/2 tsp cinnamon

-4 tbsp dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp sea or kosher salt

Method: These donuts take only 5 minutes in your air fryer. Combine sugar, cinnamon, brown sugar and salt in a bowl and set aside. Preheat Air Fryer to 320 degrees, Remove the dough from the can but do not flatten and use a 1 inch ring cutter to cut a hole in the center of each biscuit. Arrange three pieces of dough in the basket at a time and air fry for 5 minutes. As each round of donuts comes out, use a pastry brush to paint butter on the entire surface of each donut. Coat each buttered donut in the sugar mix. Shake off excess and serve warm.

Try these and other recipes provided with your Air Fryers and on the Dash web site.

Dash has other products that include their Dash Rapid Cold Brew System, Dash Greek Yogurt Maker, Dash Mini-Maker Grill, Dash Rapid Egg Cooker, Dash Deluxe Ice Cream Maker and many more fine products.

For more information, please visit the company web site at https://www.bydash.com/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Dash

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DASH Air Fryers for Healthier Eating in the New Year with Countertop Convenience - Broadway World

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Countertop Oven Market Trends in China" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This study focuses on China's Countertop Oven market trends. In the two past decades, the market has been growing at a fast pace. The dramatic expansions of the manufacturing capabilities and rising consumer consumptions in China have transformed China's society and economy. China is one of the world's major producers for industrial and consumer products. Far outpacing other economies in the world, China is the world's fastest growing market for the consumptions of goods and services. The Chinese economy maintains a high speed growth which has been stimulated by the consecutive increases of industrial output, imports & exports, consumer consumption and capital investment for over two decades. Rapid consolidation between medium and large players is anticipated since the Chinese government has been encouraging industry consolidation with an effort to regulate the industry and to improve competitiveness in the world market.

Although China has enjoyed the benefits of an expanding market for production and distribution, the industry is suffering from minimal innovation and investment in R&D and new product development. The sector's economies of scale have yet to be achieved. Most domestic manufacturers lack the autonomic intellectual property and financial resources to develop their own brand name products.

This new study focuses on market trends and forecasts with historical data (2008, 2013 and 2018) and long-term forecasts through 2023 and 2028 are presented.

The primary and secondary research is done in China in order to access up-to-date government regulations, market information and industry data. Data were collected from the Chinese government publications, Chinese language newspapers and magazines, industry associations, local governments' industry bureaus, industry publications, and in-house databases.

The author is one of the leading sources for up-to-date market information and research on the fastest-growing Chinese markets. They have published over 2,000 reports focusing on the Chinese markets, industry forecasts and company profiles. The report provides hard-to-find market data and analyses. The publications are intended to help international marketers identify business opportunities and promote their product sales in the Chinese markets.

Key Topics Covered:

I. INTRODUCTION

II. BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

III. COUNTERTOP OVEN MARKET TRENDS

IV. MARKETING STRATEGIES

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/o0o2ig

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China Countertop Oven Market - Demand for Countertop Oven will Continue to Grow at 8% by 2027 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

Curious just how far your dollar goes in Miami?

We've rounded up the latest places for rent via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to get a sense of what to expect when it comes to finding apartment rentals in Miami if you don't want to spend more than $1,700/month on rent.

Read on for the listings. (Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.)

Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions.

Listed at $1,601/month, this one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo is located at 5405 N.W. Seventh St.

In the condo, you can anticipate a deck. The building offers a gym and garage parking. THe property welcomes cats and dogs.

Per Walk Score ratings, the area around this address is moderately walkable, has some bike infrastructure and has a few nearby public transportation options.

(Check out the complete listing here.)

Next, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment located at 898 N.W. 7th Street Road. It's listed for $1,620/month.

In the apartment, you'll see stainless steel appliances, a walk-in closet and quartz countertops. For those with furry friends in tow, this property is pet-friendly.

Per Walk Score ratings, this location is friendly for those on foot, is very bikeable and boasts excellent transit options.

(Take a gander at the complete listing here.)

Here's a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 5311 N.W. Third St. that's going for $1,625/month.

Amenities offered in the building include outdoor space and assigned parking. Animals are not welcome. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee.

Walk Score indicates that the area around this address is moderately walkable, is bikeable and has some transit options.

(See the full listing here.)

Next, check out this 539-square-foot studio apartment that's located at Southwest 10th Street, Miami, FL. It's listed for $1,649/month.

The building has garage parking and secured entry. You can also expect to find a walk-in closet, hardwood flooring and a dishwasher in the apartment. For those with furry friends in tow, this property is pet-friendly.

Walk Score indicates that this location is a "walker's paradise," is quite bikeable and is a haven for transit riders.

(See the complete listing here.)

Located at 237 S.W. 13th St., here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo that's listed for $1,650/month.

In the condo, you can expect a walk-in closet, a balcony and granite countertops. When it comes to building amenities, expect additional storage space and assigned parking. Pets are not welcome. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental.

Per Walk Score ratings, this location has excellent walkability, is quite bikeable and is a haven for transit riders.

(Take a gander at the complete listing here.)

This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Additionally, if youre an agent or a broker, read on for real estate marketing ideas to promote your local listing.

Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.

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Apartments for rent in Miami: What will $1,700 get you? - WPLG Local 10

MSI, leading distributor of premium quartz, natural stone, luxury vinyl tile, and glass surfaces is excited to announce it will be exhibiting at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Las Vegas, NV on January 21st-23rd

ORANGE, Calif. (PRWEB) January 13, 2020

MSI, leading distributor of premium quartz, natural stone, luxury vinyl tile, and glass surfaces is excited to announce it will be exhibiting at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Las Vegas, NV on January 21st - 23rd. The show is the largest in North America that exhibits products dedicated to all aspects of kitchen and bath design, and will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. MSI will present their custom designed booth (number SL3828) where attendees can exhibit several of its most popular product lines such as Q Premium Quartz, Everlife LVT, Arterra Porcelain Pavers.

MSI will also showcase an assortment of new products in their Everlife LVT collection, brand new marble colors, striking waterjet cut mosaics, and backsplash tiles. The show will also be where they will unveil their Top 5 Trends for 2020Modern Farmhouse, Moody Blues, Bold Oasis, Sun-Washed Chic, and Worry-Proof Wonders. From tiles, to countertops to outdoor pavers. Each trend comes with a large assortment of accompanying MSI products.

The modern farmhouse trend features items with dreamy natural wood tones, a black and white color palette, highlighted with brushed brass accents. Bold blue tones such as cerulean, indigo and graphite dominate in the Moody Blues trend, while Sun-Washed chic is all about a warm, soft and light color palette. Worry-Proof Wonders showcases some of MSI's most hardworking materials. From floors, to walls, to countertops these items can take a beating year after year and still look fresh. MSI of course couldn't forget about the outdoors and Bold Oasis covers all of the outdoor trends for the year. Products such as Arterra Porcelain Pavers, ledger panels, decorative tile and granite are weatherproof and turn all outdoor spaces into a modern day oasis.

MSI is also proud to announce its brand new U.S. based quartz slab manufacturing and production facility and visitors will be able to learn more about this state of the art facility at the booth.

MSI Surfaces Founded in 1975, MSI is the leading supplier of premium surfaces in North America. MSI's portfolio of products include flooring, countertops, decorative mosaics, wall tile, and hardscape products. The company offers and extensive selection of quartz, natural stone, porcelain, ceramic, luxury vinyl tile, and glass, among other materials. Headquartered in Orange, California, MSI has a distribution centers across the United States and Canada and maintains over 150 million square feet of inventory, imported from over 37 different countries on six continents. Form more information visit http://www.msisfurfaces.com.

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MSI to Reveal New Products and Top 5 Trends at this Year's Kitchen and Bath Industry Show - Benzinga

What goes around comes around, but never in the same way

It was the dawn of a new millennium and is widely remembered for the so-called Y2K bug many feared would cause havoc in computers and computer systems as they made the transition to Jan. 1, 2000.

It was also the year in which then-unknown British actors Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson were cast in Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston tied the knot, NSYNC released No Strings Attached and the Nokia 3310 was the No. 1 selling cell phone.

In the world of dcor, shabby chic, white kitchen cabinets with black countertops, and chocolate brown dining rooms were all the rage. Karl Lohnes, editor-at-large of Style at Home magazine, walks us through the year 2000s hottest trends and how theyve evolved.

Hint: Everything that goes around comes around but never in the same way and usually in quite an opposite way, he says.

THEN: White cabinetry, dark countertopsNOW: Dark cabinetry, dark countertops

White cabinetry, black granite counters and stainless-steel appliances were the holy trinity of 00s kitchens. Todays trend: dark or black cabinetry with a dark never white countertop. Shaker-style cabinets or cabinets with raised panels were on trend in 2000, while todays cabinets feature flat fronts with no detail.

Today, white cabinets are typically paired with white countertops featuring grey veining and often elements of natural wood. Its a look thats reminiscent of the 1980s, when white cabinet doors with an oak strip across the bottom were on trend.

It was called the European kitchen and its sort of come back with upper white cabinetry usually glossy and bottom cabinets that may be done in a natural oak, says Lohnes.

When stainless-steel appliances were introduced 20 years ago, many wondered if they were merely a trend, but theyve become a classic choice. Stainless steel is still the standard but white certainly outsells everything, says Lohnes.

The trend for 2020 is black stainless steel or graphite/darker grey over the stainless steel so appliances blend into dark kitchens and dont stand out like big boxes wrapped by a cabinetry colour or tone.

THEN: Shabby chicNOW: Farmhouse chic

Shabby chic falls under the country decorating category, which is always the most popular style of decorating. It embodied a very vintage but very feminine look with ruffles on the bottoms of sofas, cabbage patch floral, white slipcovers, and pretty pinks and blues, says Lohnes.

It wasnt as dowdy as the 1980s, which was the Laura Ashley look with a lot of dried flowers and beige mixed in with pastels.

Two decades later, shabby chic has evolved to farmhouse chic, which Lohnes describes as a more masculine version of the trend with lots of wrought iron and copper and grey-toned or driftwood-coloured wood.

Its also slightly more modern, with furniture lines that are cleaner compared to the rounded and curvy lines of shabby chic. Today, there are many versions of country, including cabin, cottage and chalet.

THEN: Chocolate brownNOW: Beige and greige

In the year 2000, chocolate brown was the big buzzword in colour, Lohnes recalls. We were putting beautiful milk chocolate colours on walls, which was new and dramatic yet still warm because it was a brown tone.

A lot of wood stain became more chocolate brown, which evolved into espresso tones, which were almost black but still brown. Chocolate brown was also big in fabrics. People thought a dining room painted in chocolate brown with white trim was avant garde.

Over the past five to 10 years, cool greys became our go-to colours. For 2020, were going to see beige and greige tones come in, says Lohnes. You might choose a dark neutral colour for your walls but its not going to be warm chocolate brown and its not going to be cool grey. Its going to be a mixture of both.

Its warming up the grey and its allowing us to keep some of our grey things like carpets, couches or chairs. The wall colour will still have grey in it, but it will be like a big dollop of brown is going into it. The lightest version of that is beige, which is also returning in 2020.

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Design trends then and now - Toronto Sun

Redlands | $1.7995 MillionAn 1888 Victorian with eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms in two units; a two-bedroom, two-bathroom carriage house; and a one-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage; on a 0.79-acre corner lot

This house, known as Gray Gables, was built in redwood as a private residence. It was later incorporated into the grounds of the Wissahickon Inn, once a stopping place for notables like Gloria Vanderbilt and Eleanor Roosevelt on their way to Palm Springs, 45 miles southeast. (Los Angeles is 66 miles west.) After falling into disrepair and almost being razed, the property was restored, beginning in 2016, as a family complex, with a rebuilt foundation, new mechanicals and antique and period reproduction details. It is in a historic district two miles south of the city center.

Size: 3,600 square feet (in the main house)

Price per square foot: $499

Indoors: A 2,000-square-foot veranda with intricate woodwork based on the original wraps around three sides of the main house. Inside are engineered hardwood floors (as well as sculpted carpet in the first-floor bedroom) and 10-foot ceilings in most rooms.

The living room has eight-foot-high casement windows with bronze bolts and a Victorian reproduction bronze globe chandelier and wall sconces. Down the hall is a dining room with an arched ceiling, acorn chandelier and Dutch door. It opens to an eat-in kitchen with marble-topped bead-board cabinets, a white subway tile backsplash, a cast-iron sink and cast-iron light fixtures. The six-burner gas cooktop and electric convection oven are set in a reproduction antique stove.

The first-floor bedroom suite includes a Victorian chandelier suspended from an 11-foot ceiling and a large closet with custom shelves. The private bathroom, with its open shower, is ADA-compliant.

The original staircase has been stained to match the flooring. Decorated with globe and acorn finials, it is lit by a vintage pendant lamp.

The three upstairs bedrooms include a master suite with cathedral windows offering mountain views and a bathroom with a penny-round-tiled shower, a toilet closet with a bidet and a reproduction Victorian vanity with a double sink and an antique mirror. There is also a guest suite, a bedroom with a gable window, an office with an industrial pendant light and a hall bathroom with a claw-foot tub and an industrial pipe light fixture with Edison bulbs. The second floor contains a laundry room with a gas-dryer hookup, as well.

A second unit of about 1,700 square feet with a private entrance occupies the basement. It has three bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, a living room with French doors that open to a front patio and a kitchen with white Shaker cabinets and granite countertops.

Also on the property are a two-bedroom, two-bathroom carriage house that is approximately 1,100 square feet on two floors and an 800-square-foot cottage with one bedroom and one bathroom.

Outdoor space: Wrought-iron fencing encircles the property and incorporates an electric driveway gate. The grounds are planted with roses, bougainvillea, cypress, lavender bushes and orange, apricot and loquat trees. There are three notable mature specimen trees: a live oak, a pine and a palm. The yard includes statuary and a bocce court.

Taxes: $22,494

Contact: Kristin Staton or David Critchlow, Kristin and David Real Estate Group, Century 21 Lois Lauer, 909-806-0406 or 909-806-0407; kristinanddavid.com

From the front porch and upper floor of this house on Potrero Hill, you can see downtown San Francisco and the bay. Across the road is a park with a baseball field, playground and recreation center. Schools, shops, restaurants, breweries and groceries are in the immediate neighborhood, as are train and bus service to downtown. Routes 101 to the west and 280 to the east facilitate commuting to Silicon Valley.

Size: 1,457 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,232

Indoors: The main level has hardwood floors and shiplap-paneled walls and ceiling. On the right side, as you face the back, is a living room with a bay window and built-in bookshelves, followed by an open dining area. Both rooms (and the rest of the home) have been freshly painted and include new lighting.

Immediately to the left is a guest bedroom. Beyond it are a staircase (a walk-in closet built under the stairs serves as a pantry) and a U-shaped kitchen with grooved cabinets and white-tile countertops and backsplashes. Finally, there is a room leading out to the back that could be used as a study, guest quarters or music room.

The two upstairs bedrooms include a guest room facing front and a master with French doors opening to a private balcony overlooking the backyard. The single bathroom is on the main floor and has wood-paneled walls and cabinets, red-tile floors, a pedestal sink and a claw-foot tub with a shower head.

The lower level includes a garage with parking for one large car or two small ones and a bonus room, reached from outside, that could be used as a studio or yoga room.

Outdoor space: The backyard includes a concrete seating area and a garden with mature lemon and lime trees and a large Norfolk pine. The driveway offers parking for two additional cars, side by side.

Taxes: $22,438 (estimated)

Contact: Claudia Siegel, Compass, 415-816-2811; potrerobeauty.com

This home is in upper Benedict Canyon, in the Beverly Hills Post Office district (with a 90210 ZIP code). The area is a 16-mile drive from downtown Los Angeles and is fringed with nature and its creatures (owls, coyotes and the occasional bobcat). It is two miles below Mulholland Drive and close to a number of hiking trails.

Size: 1,530 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,173

Indoors: Marvin Beck, a local architect, designed the house for himself and his wife. A later owner opened the kitchen to the living room and installed two sets of accordion-fold glass doors in back to dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior. The current owner renovated the master bathroom last year, using slate tile on the walls and a Carrara marble vanity top.

The front door (reached by an exterior flight of stairs) is clad in tongue-and-groove slats that are echoed inside, starting with a floating closet in the foyer that has no visible hardware and opens with a push.

The living room includes a skylight, a wall of built-in drawers and shelves and a fireplace with a combed-basalt surround and hearth. The millwork is echoed in a low partition wall and in the cabinetry in the adjacent kitchen. The golden color is offset by royal blue Viking appliances, patterned glass backsplash tile and honed black granite countertops.

The master is the only room in the house that does not have direct access to the outdoors. It does have book-matched paneled walls and a mirrored closet extending across the entire length.

The guest bedroom has a slatted closet with invisible hardware that runs the length of one wall; it has use of a bathroom with a clerestory window and a walk-in shower faced in the original buttercup-yellow tile. A third bedroom was converted into an open den. Sliding-glass doors in both guest rooms lead to the backyard.

The lower level includes a one-car garage, laundry area and storage.

Outdoor space: The flat, spacious property (unusual in this hilly area) is landscaped with plants that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. A brick patio beyond the folding-glass doors is partially covered by a latticed canopy. Stone-and-gravel paths lead to seating areas in the terraced gardens.

Taxes: $22,438 (estimated)

Contact: Joe Reichling or Boni Bryant, Compass, 323-395-9084; bryantreichling.com

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$1.8 Million Homes in California - The New York Times

House Beautiful: Incredible Kitchens

Calling all countertop, tile, and storage fanatics: Our brand-new special edition magazine, Incredible Kitchens, is finally available on Amazon! Think of it as a must-have guide for decorating the kitchen of your dreams. Or the answer to a no-tears renovation. Or, okay, the best way to spend a Saturday, dog-earing its pages for your future kitchen remodel. You need this thing!

Inside, the issue is packed cover to cover with insanely inspiring kitchen imagerythe sort that you can't find on Instagram or Pinterest. Plus, expert tips: The first half of the issue is basically a guide to picking out everything you could possibly need in your kitchen: tile and countertops, cabinet styles, storage systems, and even the very best appliances for your lifestyle. (Yes, there's plenty of room dedicated to trends and design hacks to boot; we didn't leave anything out of this thing.) That's followed by a showcase of some of the most gorgeous kitchens weve ever seen. The inspiration is endless! Better still, it ships to you in no tie.

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Get the Kitchen of Your Dreams by Picking Up House Beautiful's New Incredible Kitchens Issue - HouseBeautiful.com