Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Originally published August 15, 2014 at 12:13 PM | Page modified August 15, 2014 at 9:15 PM

There are many reasons to downsize.

For interior designer Paula Devon Raso it was a bum knee and a Pekingese with a bad back.

So, in 2003 Raso sold her two-story, 1,000-square-foot town house in the 98 Union building in downtown Seattle and took a 750-square-foot one-bedroom, one-floor unit there.

She gutted it and set about doing what interior designers do, carving out space and storage where none seemed possible, disguising ductwork and throwing light into even the deepest passages.

She painted and primped and made it her own; walls the color of a childs blush in the bathroom, the rest of it old gold. There are cherubs on those walls and hanging from the bathroom chandelier, candles glimmering from tall holders set on the floor, antique silver trays, cups and bowls out and about, antique mirrors, etchings, drapes that puddle. Whitewashed oak floors cede to the kitchens honed limestone, substantial marble counters there adding old-world splendor to that compact space.

Outside, Raso turned the narrow wrap deck into a formal hedge garden, bay trees as green exclamation points. Beyond, in front-row views, lie Puget Sound, Alki Point, the Olympic Mountains, Pike Place Market and much of the city. (She has no need of the Great Wheel. Her view is better.)

When Raso finished, she thought her place was just about perfect, European glamour wrapped in a small gift box.

And then it was 2007. Everything shifted.

Once I got the bed in here, that was something, Raso says. And by in here she means the living room.

The rest is here:
Small downtown condo lives luxuriously large

RANDOLPH TWP. Spruce It Up, sponsored by the New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers, will pair participants with a qualified interior designer who can analyze residential or commercial space and help develop a new direction to meet individual needs.

From Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) designers will provide one- or two-hour consultations at a special rate of $150 per hour. Participants will get to designate which of the 24 participating New Jersey Habitat for Humanity affiliates will receive their consultation fee and will write the check directly to that Habitat affiliate.

Spruce It Up offers the chance to pick up some ideas to transform a tired interior, avoid costly mistakes, and get some advice on how to maximize the design potential of your home or office environment.

Spruce It Up is sponsored by the New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and is the perfect program for anyone who has resisted consulting an interior designer because they thought their job was too small, their budget too modest, or that a designers services would be too costly.

For additional information about the program or to request a consultation with an ASID designer in the area, contact the New Jersey Chapter of ASID at 732-787-5981 or e-mail spruceitup@asidnj.org. To read testimonials from past participants, visit http://www.asidnj.org/in-the-news/spruce-it-up.

The New Jersey Chapter of ASID includes almost 700 interior designers, industry partners, educators and studentsall committed to interior design. Its parent organization, the American Society of Interior Designers, is the oldest and largest professional association for interior designers. Its more than 28,000 members engage in a variety of professional programs and activities through a network of 48 chapters throughout the United States and Canada. Interior designers qualify for professional ASID membership through education, advanced technological training and design expertise.

Morris Habitat for Humanity is part of a global, nonprofit housing organization operated on Christian principles by building homes, communities and hope. Morris Habitat is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; advocating for fair and just housing policies; and providing training and access to resources to help families improve their living conditions. Habitat for Humanity was founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should live in dignity and safety, and that decent shelter in decent communities should be a matter of conscience and action for all.Morris Habitat welcomes volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds and serves people in need of decent housing regardless of race or religion.

Since 1985 Morris Habitat has served 280 households though home ownership opportunities, home preservation, and international home building programs. Morris Habitat has set a goal of 9 housing starts for 2014, completing 19 homes at 8 different sites during the year. In addition, proceeds from the ReStore, opened May 2007, have built 11 homes and diverted almost 4,000 tons of useable material out of landfills.

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Spruce It Up program will benefit Morris Habitat

Originally published August 15, 2014 at 8:01 PM | Page modified August 15, 2014 at 10:19 PM

Paint your walls a bold color and friends will likely praise your creativity. Invest in a standout piece of furniture or striking work of art and your decorating is bound to earn compliments.

But creating a noteworthy room with subtle, understated elegance is a bit more complicated.

Understated style rides the fine line between too sparse and too cold, says designer Brian Patrick Flynn, creator of the FlynnsideOut design blog. A lack of objects makes a room feel unfinished, and a lack of color can also read as lifeless.

But finding the right, subtle balance can be worth it. Although bold decorating has been in the spotlight for a while, a more neutral room, if well-designed, will never become tired, Flynn says.

Every once in a while, its nice to have a space thats just simple and clean, he says.

Without warm, vibrant colors, you can create warmth in understated rooms by filling them with soft, elegant materials that look and feel appealing.

Think of a camel cashmere sweater, says designer Betsy Burnham of Burnham Design in Los Angeles. Its the simplest thing in the world, but its timelessly beautiful and feels great.

Materials like cashmere, silk and breathable fabrics such as linen or cotton blends bring a sense of warmth and comfort, Flynn agrees.

He also recommends wood surfaces softened by whitewashing, smooth stone surfaces, and broadloom carpet that adds texture and softness underfoot.

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Understated rooms offer beauty through subtlety

Posted: Friday, August 15, 2014 1:47 pm | Updated: 1:53 pm, Fri Aug 15, 2014.

WINDHAM - Just weeks after several families were removed from an apartment house in South Windham, the town of Windham has condemned a single-family home on Anthoine Road, citing unsafe and unsanitary conditions. Four people were living in the home at the time of the eviction.

On Aug. 5, inspectors from the Windham Code Enforcement Office investigated 30 Anthoine Road in response to a request from the Windham Police Department. According to Heather McNally, director of code enforcement, the officials found multiple code violations, including a lack of smoke detectors, egress issues, roof leaks and mold. Anthoine Road is located off Route 302 just south of the intersection of Albion and Windham Center roads.

It was also noted that construction, plumbing and wiring had been performed without obtaining permits, McNally wrote in an Aug. 6 memo. Trash is piled up to 3 feet high throughout the home and includes maggot infestations on discarded food items. There is significant structural stress due to the amount of items that are piled up throughout the home.

According to Windhams assessors database, Eugene and Ruth Bellanceau have owned 30 Anthoine Road, a 2-acre property valued at $240,200, since 1981. The property contains a 1,196-square-foot, one-story ranch home built in 1980, and a 3,200-square-foot garage.

The Bellanceaus could not be reached for comment, and the town would not release any information on where the family is residing.

According to Town Manager Tony Plante, officials condemned the building on Aug. 6. Plante said that the home contained discarded food, insect larvae, excrement and black mold, as well.

This was an instance where emergency responders were called to the house for an incident and when they arrived they discovered the situation, some degree of hoarding and other unsanitary conditions, Plante said. They alerted code enforcement and we got social services involved and we made the decision to order the building vacated because of the unsanitary conditions.

According to McNally, the building conditions also violate the states plumbing, building and energy codes.

The structure has been determined to be uninhabitable until such time as all life safety, building and electrical code violations have been brought into compliance and an occupancy permit has been obtained from the town, McNally wrote, in a letter to the Bellanceaus.

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Another home deemed unfit

The Hindu The benefits of having a home gym are manifold. Photo: R.M. Rajarathinam

Everybody wants to follow a healthy lifestyle but what most people find tough is finding time to exercise. Going to a gym or exercising daily is a constant battle of motivation. Some people think that getting a treadmill, stationary bike or expensive equipment will help. But it takes more than equipment to make a home gym. One has to consider location, flooring, mirrors, a sound system or TV The most important requirement is a key that keeps you motivated.

The right equipment may be different for different people, and you need to find out what works for your workout and lifestyle. So ask for advice from experts before you invest in a home gym.

For cardio workouts, you need a decent treadmill, bike or elliptical. Make sure you choose one that comes with a warranty. Dont go for a second-hand one, as this may not be worth the money you have to invest. Choose your weights according to your workout. Dont try to set up the gym at one go. Keep adding equipment as and when you need.

Space selection is crucial. The room set aside for the gym should not be cluttered with other things. It needs mirrors on the walls so that you can watch your movement to see if youre making a mistake. Those lifting heavy weights should put rubberised mats on the floor.

If listening to music or watching shows helps keep you motivated, then install a sound system and/or television too.

Benefits of a home gym

Flexible workout time

One-time investment can save monthly membership at the gym.

Save time travelling to and from the gym

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Home gym

Iceland Foods reached a significant home delivery vehicle fleet milestone on 13 August 2014 - not a single one of its 420 Mercedes-Benz Vans was off the road no breakdowns, no warranty work, no maintenance required, no accident damage; 100% fleet uptime.

In context, of the Iceland Foods home delivery vehicle fleet of two years ago, made up of vans from another manufacturer, 15% of the total number of vehicles off the road had the same age profile as the Mercedes-Benz fleet now.

Alex McKinlay, Head of Home Delivery, Iceland Foods, commented: This is a fantastic result across both accident and maintenance for our fleet. The 24-hour support of Mercedes-Benz Vans dealers really helps to keep vehicle downtime to a minimum, but to have a fully utilised fleet is virtually unheard of.

We have seen outstanding customer service from Mercedes-Benz and our drivers are clearly enjoying their vehicles. Its a great partnership.

Steve Bridge, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Vans, said: A 100% uptime on any fleet is remarkable. To know that two years ago Iceland Foods home delivery fleet had 15% of its total vehicles off the road with the same age profile as the Mercedes-Benz Vans now, proves how outstanding this achievement is a testament to our product, our Network and our colleagues.

Iceland Foods was the first UK food retailer to offer a nationwide online shopping service as long ago as 1999. Iceland Foods delivery service is now used by up to 200,000 customers every week.

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100% Uptime for Iceland Ileet of Mercedes-Benz Vans

Rain in August in Kansas! Wow! What a welcome relief! If there was ever a question in your mind that water would green up your yard take a look around. Even yards full of weeds are looking good. (This is what drought does to a gardeneranything green looks good.) Some of us have lost grass that just couldnt wait for the summer rains. This means that we need to think about over-seeding our lawns. Make plans now but wait to overseed until about the first of September and be done overseeding by about October 15. For now, assess your yard and measure the square footage in the damaged areas. Next, consider the following when choosing grass seed.

Use - The front lawn is usually ornamental, meant to be attractive and inviting to guests. It makes a statement and can add value to your home. First impressions are important especially if you plan to put your home on the market. It is not normally subject to wear and tear or foot traffic. Kentucky Bluegrasses and tall fescues work well here.

Back yards typically receive a lot more wear and foot traffic. Tougher tall fescues do better than Kentucky bluegrasses especially in hot dry summers or where irrigation and fertilizing are not used to help maintain the turf.

Light Turf grasses need at least 4 hours of direct sun or bright light each day. No turf grass grows well in deep shade. It suffers enormous stress and requires constant attention. Pruning trees can aid in allowing more light to hit the ground. But, if the tree is large and dense, pruning may be a losing battle. The best idea for deep shade areas is to grow another type of groundcover such as pachysandra, ivy, vinca, and liriope or mondo grass.

Full Sun is a site that receives at least 6 hours of direct sun or dappled sunlight (as through tree leaves) almost daily. This is the ideal condition for turf grasses to thrive.

Part Shade is a site that receives at least 4 hours but less than 6 hours of direct or dappled sunlight over the course of the day.

Full Shade is a sited that receives less than 4 hours of bright light each day. Areas under dense tree cover can be in deep shade. Pachysandra or ivy are green, very low maintenance and promote tree health. They, or mulching, would be a better choice than turf.

Maintenance is somewhat related to how you want your turf to look.

Low maintenance turf means different things to different people. To some it means NO maintenance (no water, no fertilizer, no/infrequent mowing, no/little pest control), much like roadside turf. Buffalograss is best in this category. But its drawbacks are: it becomes straw-colored with the first hard frost and doesnt green up until mid- to late May, will not tolerate heavy, constant traffic, prone to weed invasion if over-fertilized or over-watered, and may invade flower beds. It doesnt like to be mowed and therefore can look unkempt.

Kentucky 31 or K-31 can be a low maintenance grass. It is very drought tolerant, but tends to be light green and has a variety of weedy looking grasses in the blend. Thinking it should look better, people over fertilize causing more mowing and they use more weed killers.

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At Home Living: What is the best grass for your yard?

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SAN RAMON (CBS SF) An East Bay homeowner is in a battle with her homeowners association over her drought-resistant yard after she was fined by theHOA for not having sod.

Fran Paxton was trying to be good a citizen when she decided to replace her lawn with the water-savinglandscaping.

Its a variety of mint, it stays close to the ground , it takes very little water and it is green all year,Paxton said.

The newly-planted mint will fill in, she said, giving the appearance of grass in her San Ramon neighborhood of Twin Creeks.

It works for thelocal water district, which gave Paxton a rebate on the landscaping work.

On the other hand, the Twin Creeks Homeowners Association is nothappy. They were demanding that I put in sod, said an exasperated Paxton.

When she refused, the HOA fined her, assessing a $50 a month penalty until the sod is installed.

Meanwhile, many of her neighbors have had their lawns go completely brown during this drought. Other neighbors even have yards without lawns.

Originally posted here:
East Bay Homeowner Fined By HOA For Replacing Lawn With Drought-Resistant Landscaping

Friday, August 15th, 2014 Issue 33, Volume 18.

Hello, fellow gardeners! Even though its not February, I thought this might be a good subject for landscaping this week. I think wed all like a little more romance in our lives, wouldnt we?

I dont recommend planting anything right now. Its a little too warm, but once we get into fall weather assuming we get some fall weather thats an ideal time to get new plants in the ground as they can acclimate well and have plenty of time to get roots established before the spring growth.

Alright then. What do you think of when I say romantic garden? Many people might think of roses or hearts carved into their garden gate, or they might even think of a Jacuzzi spa for two. Those are all romantic of course, but Id like to expand on that as well as give some other possible ideas readers might not have even thought of.

One thing that conjures up romance to me is privacy. This can be accomplished through judicious planning of plant and tree placement as well as hardscaping; hardscaping would be things such as trellises, pergolas and gazebos. All of these structures should be covered with fragrant vines for maximum effect.

Fragrance is one of those elements that add romance to the garden, especially in the evening! Roses (English roses, rugosas, and heirlooms are the most fragrant) and jasmine vines are high on my list, but those are not the only options.

How about lavender, mock orange, heavenly scent, honeysuckle, sweet peas viburnums, wisteria or gardenias? These are all great choices.

Citrus trees are a great addition because they smell great when they flower. Is there anything more scrumptious than the scent of orange blossoms?

Lemon verbena is a great plant because it smells great and can be used for potpourri making also.

Those in the Fallbrook area and west of that may be able to grow some of the more tropical fragrant plants as well. Plumeria would be on the top of my list.

Read more here:
Healthy & Beautiful Gardens

KUCHING: Magnus Flooring Sdn Bhd (Magnus Flooring) is offering Kuchingites German quality laminated flooring made from homogeneous eucalyptus wood.

Business owner Lai Han Siung of Magnus Flooring said that there were two main products that the company was offering namely Eucalyptus flooring and Timber flooring with multiple variants for each of the two.

Our products are original equipment manufacturers (OEM) quality-branded laminated flooring that is manufactured using state-of-the-art German machinery and technology under joint ventured factory in Thailand since 2005 using MASCI IOS9001 and SGS, said Lai.

He added, the floor panels are made using homogeneous Eucalyptus wood, which is 100 per cent eco friendly, to make the high density fiberboard (HDF) core layer which highly resists water absorption.

During the manufacturing process, the wood is covered with a layer of paraffin wax on the edges during the board manufacturing process. It also uses Arch Loc interlocking system acquired from Germany.

Lai explained that the product is highly versatile while also being abrasion resistant, impact resistant, cigarette burn resistant, fade resistant, water resistant, flame resistant, termite resistant, glue free installation, warm on the feet and also relinquishes the need to hack of the existing floor.

For more information regarding the product, please call Magnus Flooring at 082-245027 or visit it at Jalan Ang Cheng Ho.

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