Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

A Burns Beach garden by eScape Landscape Architecture, one of the winners of the 2014 LIAWA awards.

WA homeowners are increasingly seeking professional help to boost the value of their 'fifth rooms', according to Landscape Industries Association of Western Australia (LIAWA) executive director Esther Ngang.

Ms Ngang said this year's LIAWA awards, which were announced earlier this month, highlighted the increasing value homeowners were placing on their gardens and their willingness to invest in creating amazing spaces.

"We've noticed it is more and more common for homeowners to obtain professional design drawings and engineering details for the install of an alfresco, a pool and spa, plus all the other mod cons," she said.

"This is an indication that people realise the long-term enjoyment of replicating your fifth room on your favourite holiday resort, so it can be enjoyed year-round."

The awards, jointly presented by LIAWA and Irrigation Australia, recognise the best gardens and commercial projects across the State.

Big winners included Ryan Healy's Newforms Landscape Architecture and Matt Huxtable's Phase3 Landscape Construction, who saw their team work on the Mundaring Weir Project take out three awards. Mr Huxtable's winning streak continued on his joint entry with Josh Byrne & Associates (JBA), winning the overall contractor award for the Josh's House project in Hilton.

JBA also took out the sustainable (residential) category for the project, which well-known environmental scientist and Gardening Australia presenter Byrne devised to showcase sustainable design in action.

"I was thrilled to win the three awards, especially the award for the overall winner in the contractor category," Byrne said. What made it so special was that this project really has been about team work, and sharing our ideas, winning an award like this is great recognition.

"I think what made our project stand out was that it is a clear demonstration of how a range of sustainability measures can be integrated into a home and landscape that is also beautiful and cost-effective.

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WA's best gardens

View from Creech Hill has become iconic image of the Somerset Levels It overlooks the imposing King Alfred's Tower on the Stourhead Estate But the skyline is under threat after plans were submitted for a turbine Locals and the National Trust fear it will tarnish the treasured landscape

By Leon Watson for MailOnline

Published: 12:27 EST, 26 August 2014 | Updated: 20:11 EST, 26 August 2014

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Astunning rural landscape hailed as one of the finest views in England by the National Trust could be ruined by a 242ft high wind turbine.

The outlook from Creech Hill towards the imposing King Alfred's Tower on the Stourhead Estate has become an iconic image of the Somerset Levels.

It features in the book 'England's 100 Best Views' and features Iron Age forts, a Roman temple and ancient woodlands.

Mocked up plans for wind turbine on Gilcombe Farm. Right showing King Alfred's Tower, left is where the turbine could be

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One of National Trust's best views in England faces being 'ruined' by wind turbine

VOL. 129 | NO. 167 | Wednesday, August 27, 2014

A high-end grocery store chain not currently serving the Memphis market has leased the shuttered former Kroger store at 9050 U.S. 64 in Lakeland and should open in the spring, according to a Lakeland official.

As news of a high-end grocery store chain possibly moving into a shuttered former Kroger in Lakeland and former Schnucks in Germantown, Kroger continues ramping up market improvements.

(Daily News/Andrew J. Breig)

The still-unidentified grocery chain, which is also eyeing the old Schnucks store at The Shops of Forest Hill at Poplar Avenue and Forest Hill-Irene Road in Germantown, signed a lease for the former Lakeland Kroger store with owner Garfunkel Development Corp., which is currently making improvements to the site to prepare it for the new grocer, said Jim Atkinson, director of planning and administration for Lakeland.

Right now, (Garfunkel) is preparing the space for the company to come in and do their own thing, said Atkinson, who declined to identify the grocer, citing a confidentiality agreement. We believe it is a home-run tenant. We heard who it was by accident and we cant let that out yet.

Atkinson said an announcement could be made in the fall and developers are expecting an early spring opening date.

Were pushing them to do it is as soon as possible, said Atkinson, referring to the announcement. This is great news for Lakeland.

A real estate source with knowledge of the two sites said the new grocer was Sprouts Farmers Market. Sprouts, along with chains like Trader Joes and Publix, does not currently have a presence in the Memphis market.

Phoenix-based Sprouts replicates the look and feel of an indoor farmers market and specializes in fresh, healthy food. Recently named one of the top five supermarket chains by Consumer Reports, Sprouts employs more than 17,000 team members and operates more than 180 stores in 10 states.

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Changing Landscape

The Hill Country is renowned for its bucolic terrain marked with pastoral fields, wildflowers and wooded pocket canyons cut by spring-fed rivers.

It is this unique geology and the fossils found within the landscape that is the focus of Geological History of the Hill Country, an exhibit that opens today and continues through Sept. 28 at the Kerr Arts & Cultural Center, 228 Earl Garrett St.

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Exhibit focuses on prehistoric bounty of the Hill Country

Land Clearing August, 2014
First day of using a Woods BB720X rotary cutter mounted to a CAT2 Quick Hitch on a Kioti NX6010 to clear land.

By: EricTheOracle

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Land Clearing August, 2014 - Video

Designer Living: Joshua Cain
Designer Living: Joshua Cain Located in the heart of Hollywood, El Cabrillo, the Spanish Revival home of interior designer Joshua Cain once sheltered up-and-coming artists and starlets in the...

By: Phillip Godbold

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Designer Living: Joshua Cain - Video

Good Renovation Advice

Jim from East Brisbane asks:

We are considering selling our home and our real estate agent has suggested the services of an interior designer. I am concerned that the cost of this service might outweigh any potential benefit. What can an interior designer do to help me sell my house?

Jane says:

While you are smart to control your spending on a home that you plan to sell, you may be surprised by the services provided by a professional interior designer as well as how much they can increase the amount you are able to sell your home for and much they can shorten the time before you receive an offer. A Brisbane interior designer will be able to come to your property and give you invaluable advice about what to spend your money on and what to leave alone. The problem when renovating or "tricking up" a house you have lived in for some time is that you know about all the problems it has. The advantage of using an interior design specialist is they will look at your property with fresh eyes. The focus from your interior designer should be to give you ideas that will really refresh your property and give it the wow factor for much less cost than it appears.

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Complete property assessment

By walking through your home and property, an interior designer can create a comprehensive assessment on how your house can be optimised for Brisbane's real estate market. So often we become so accustomed to seeing our home the way it is that we are blind to its potential. An interior designer can help you discover that potential and find ways to inexpensively feature your property's best elements. They will help you see areas that could be better utilized or elements that could be trouble spots for buyers. With a thorough list of suggestions, you will be able to determine which changes are the highest priorities for you and your prospective buyer. Think of this evaluation as the detailed feedback that you will never receive from potential buyers who walk through your home.

Specific room updates

Maybe you have areas of concern in your home that you feel might cause it to sell slowly or for a lower price than you want. An interior designer can help you establish the expectations for your neighbourhood and price range, while ensuring that your home meets those buyer expectations. For example, if you are concerned that your kitchen is out of date, an interior designer can provide suggestions on cabinet resurfacing, fixture updates, or other methods of bringing it into the 2014s. Kitchens and bathrooms are vitally important to home buyers, so you will want to make sure that yours are move-in ready.

Read more from the original source:
Sell your home for more with an interior designer's help

Rosa Parks rides on a Montgomery Area Transit System bus in this undated photo. She was 42, a seamstress, when on Dec. 1, 1955, she defied segregation by refusing to give up her seat to a white man. AP/Montgomery Advertiser

MONTGOMERY, Ala.--Police say copper thieves ransacked the Montgomery, Ala. apartment where Rosa Parks lived in 1955, when she famously refused to give up her seat on a city bus.

Montgomery police are seeking suspects who last weekend ripped and stole copper wiring from Parks' former apartment and six other nearby units, according to the Associated Press.

Police said workers discovered the thefts Monday.

Parks' refusal in 1955 to give her seat on a Montgomery city bus to a white passenger, in defiance of city law, sparked a yearlong bus boycott and became an enduring symbol of the civil rights movement.

CBS affiliate WAKA reports that residents of the Cleveland Court neighborhood where Parks resided will hold a rally next Monday to collect donations in order to offer a reward for information about the incident.

Thad McClammy, an Alabama state representative and resident of the area, told WAKA that the goal is to add to a $1,000 reward currently being offered by Crimestoppers.

"She stood for us 59 years ago, and the least we can do is stand for her," McClammy said.

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Rosa Parks' historic Alabama home targeted by copper thieves

You may be trying to forget about the harsh winter of a few months ago, but you probably remember your high heating bills. Well, nows the time to insulate yourself from a similar fate with next winter not all that far away.

Exterior caulk and insulation can provide a formidable defense against the cold, says Debbie Zimmer, spokesperson for the Paint Quality Institute. By using these products to seal cracks and openings in the home exterior, you can save a small fortune on heating cost, and on the cost of air-conditioning as well.

Caulk and insulation work in two ways to add comfort to a home: first, they stop outside air from seeping in (or literally blowing in on windy days); second, they keep costly heat and air-conditioning from escaping. This one-two punch is a powerful way to knock down home energy bills.

If youre in the mood to fight spiraling energy costs, begin by doing a walk-around inspection of your home exterior.

Keep an eye out for cracks, gaps, or holes especially where different surfaces meet, or where pipes, vents, or wiring penetrate the walls. Also look for areas where your old caulk may have cracked, or pulled away from the surface. Every one of these areas is a potential energy sieve. . .and prime real estate for your caulk or insulation!

If the old caulk is damaged or deficient, remove it with a scraper or sturdy putty knife. In these areas, and in areas that are totally devoid of caulk, clean the adjacent surfaces, sand them smooth, and spot-prime if any bare wood shows. This will help your caulk adhere properly to create a weather-tight seal.

When applying your new caulk, be sure to use a top quality product either a water-based all-acrylic, or siliconized acrylic caulk (similarly named silicone caulks cannot be painted, so theyll be more visible on your home exterior).

With a loaded caulk gun in hand, work your way around your house, filling every gap or seam with a generous bead of caulk (this is not the time to be penny-wise, or youll look foolish when your heating bills arrive).

Immediately after applying the caulk, tool it by running a wet finger over the full length of the bead, using a slight amount of pressure. This will ensure that the caulk fills the entire gap and makes good contact with the adjacent surfaces.

Openings that are too large to caulk typically, spaces more than wide should be filled with a polyurethane foam insulation product. Unlike caulk, which shrinks slightly as it dries, some types of polyurethane foam actually expand after being applied. So, this type of insulation is ideal when filling large openings and cavities.

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Weatherproof your home before the weather turns cold

Defective electrical cabling sold through major hardware stores and fitted in 40,000 homes and businesses nationwide has been recalled due to a risk of fire.

The consumer watchdog said 18 retailers and wholesalers had recalled cables supplied by Infinity Cable Co Pty Ltd after testing found it failed to meet safety standards.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission warned that poor quality coating on the cables may break and cause a fire.

"Testing has found that the cables will degrade prematurely and if the cables are disturbed, the insulation could break and expose live conductors, resulting in possible electric shock or fires," ACCC chairman Rod Sims said.

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The recall affects the Infinity and Olsent cable ranges, which have been sold across Australia since 2010 and are estimated to have been used in about 40,000 homes and businesses.

The cables were sold in Victoria between 2012 and 2013 through Masters, Home Timber and Hardware, Plants Plus, Thrifty-Link Hardware, Mitre 10, Go Electrical and six smaller retailers.

There have not yet been any reports of the cables failing and the ACCC said a taskforce of consumer agencies and building regulators had deemed they did not pose an immediate danger.

But home and business owners who have recently had wiring installed at their property are being urged to contact their builder or a licensed electrical contractor to arrange an inspection. Infinity cabling located in roof spaces, under flooring or close to a heat source will need to be replaced.

Mr Sims said the recall served as a reminder that companies sourcing cheap products from overseas suppliers had a duty to make sure they were safe.

See more here:
ACCC forces recall of electrical cabling sold nationwide and fitted in 40,000 buildings