Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

If youre in the middle of designing a new kitchen or you just want to spruce up an old kitchen design, you might be considering a new look for your kitchen cabinets. If you want to save money by not replacing your cabinets with brand new ones, then you have a couple of options available to you refacing cabinets or painting them.

Both cabinet painting and refacing have pros and cons to consider, and you must choose the method which best suits your existing kitchen cabinetry. Ultimately, youre trying to make the most out of your old cabinets, so you need to choose your new kitchen look based around their condition and style.

Our Kitchen Infinity staff is going to help explain the difference between cabinet refacing vs cabinet painting and answer your most common questions!

Cabinet refacing is when you give your kitchen cabinets a new look by replacing the front-facing hardware but leaving the cabinetry framework in place. The cabinets frames and internal shelves remain the same, but you get brand new cabinet doors, hinges, handles, and fixtures.

Basically, youre replacing the parts that people can see.

If youre choosing a very different color scheme to your old cabinets, you might use a wood veneer (or possibly paint) to change the color of the old cabinetry framework so it matches the new cabinet doors design. This way, you can give the illusion of brand new cabinets, even though the core of the refaced cabinets hasnt really changed.

Refaced cabinets are ideal if youre happy with the layout of your kitchen and the storage space you have, but you just want a fresh look. Refaced cabinets might have new doors and drawer fronts, as well as new hinges, door handles, and other pieces of hardware.

Painting

The real difference between painting (or refinishing) and refacing your cabinets is relatively straight forward. Painting your cabinets gives your existing cabinetry a fresh look, whereas refacing them gives your cabinets almost an entirely new look. Cabinets refacing should not be confused with resurfacing or refinishing. A resurface cabinet is an old cabinet which has been sanded down (assuming its wooden) to create a new design, but this is not always possible because lots of existing cabinets will not be thick enough to be sanded down into new styles.

You cant salvage everything!

Refacing

On the other hand, refacing your cabinets is when you replace the doors and drawer fronts entirely you dont try to salvage the old ones. The idea is that youre giving a new face to the existing cabinet framework. However, with refinishing or resurfacing, youre polishing up or sanding down the existing front-facing doors.

Its easy to get this mixed up when every term starts with re.

Basically, you should reface cabinet designs if the front-facing doors are ugly and you want to change them entirely. However, if the cabinet front-facing doors are in good condition and you just want to modify their style, refinishing or resurfacing could be the way to go.

Obviously, cabinet painting is when you repaint your existing cabinet doors with new paint. You can always paint your unfinished cabinets yourself. Although this sounds like the better option, its not always the case. Painted cabinet boxes can easily flake, peel, or fade in a kitchen environment, especially if youre cleaning them frequently. The more you clean them, the easier it is for the paint to fade away over time.

They can also look a little drab if youre not careful, so beware.

Also bear in mind that painted kitchen cabinet naturally attract dust, dirt, and grime, so youre going to need to clean more often and just generally get more maintenance done on them. It becomes a vicious circle because the paint attracts dust, so you need to clean them a lot, but then you remove the paint by cleaning them.

Not ideal.

While its very possible to paint your unfinished kitchen cabinets yourself, especially if youre good with DIY, I wouldnt recommend that most people do this. Although painting cabinet doors and drawer fronts looks easy, its easy to have streaky, splotchy, and uneven finishes if youre not a professional painter.

Its not as easy as it looks!

Painting around the sides of hinges and door handles is very intricate work, as it will look incredibly sloppy if you dont do it right. Also, if youre not careful, its easy to get drips of stray paint on your expensive granite countertops or other pricey pieces of kitchen equipment. In general, its just not worth the risk. Hire a professional if youre going to paint your kitchen cabinets. And if youre going to DIY think about the best finish for your kitchen cabinets.

Replacing cabinets requires you to buy completely new cabinetry from top to bottom, while cabinet refinishing requires some maintenance so its usually cheaper. When you reface cabinets, youre only replacing hardware for the doors (and possibly a veneer for the framework) but when you replace the cabinets, youre buying EVERYTHING new again the doors, the frames, the shelves, everything.

So yes, refacing cabinets is almost always cheaper than replacing them entirely.

The only exception would be if you wanted to replace your old kitchen cabinet with VERY basic and cheap cabinets rather than refacing them with a more luxurious front-facing design. Ultimately, it all depends on the condition of your current kitchen cabinets and how you want them to look when the redesign is complete. Kitchen renovation is an expensive task so if you could save some bucks by refinishing cabinets, then go for it!

Generally speaking, cabinet refacing does add significant value to your home when it comes time to sell. Although the ROI is hard to measure accurately, there are estimates that homes with refaced kitchen cabinets see profits of 50% for the work completed when it comes time to sell.

Quite an impressive way to add value!

On the other hand, people who replaced their kitchen cabinets entirely only see around a 30% profit when it comes time to resell because theyve had to spend a lot more money on installing brand-new cabinets from top to bottom. If your old kitchen cabinets are in a decent condition, refacing just makes more financial sense. We are that by now the difference between cabinet refacing vs painting is becoming more apparent.

If you like your cabinets but you just want to freshen them up or update their color scheme, then painting could be a decent option for you. However, bear in mind that paint will only last so long before it begins to fade, chip, peel, and require maintenance work. The life expectancy of cabinets depends on whether you do them yourself or not.

If you paint the cabinets yourself (assuming that you do a good paint job) then the paint should look decent for at least a couple of years before it might start to need maintenance. Painting cabinet doors not only adds freshness to your kitchen look but also saves the face frames, base cabinets and cabinet boxes from water damage. Its useful to know how to repair water damaged cabinetry. But obviously regarding the paint on your cabinets, this is very subjective and depends on your kitchen and how much you use it regularly.

We dont all have time to cook every night!

On the other hand, if you get a professional team to paint your kitchen cabinets, they could easily last for 8-15 years on average, though they may require maintenance work from time to time. Painted wood cabinets will last for a while, but refaced cabinets will undoubtedly have a longer life expectancy in your kitchen.

So, you dont know whether painting or refacing is right for your cabinets. Well, the choice ultimately comes down to the condition of the cabinetry, the overall feel youre going for, and what youre trying to achieve with the kitchen design.

Here are some tips to help you decide between painting and refacing:

You should reface your kitchen cabinets if they meet the following criteria:

You should be painting your kitchen cabinets if they meet the following criteria:

I know its not always easy to decide, but hopefully these tips have given you some food for thought (no kitchen puns intended).

I hope youve enjoyed this guide to cabinet painting and refacing. Redesigning your kitchen can be difficult at the best of times, so its essential to work with reliable contractors and interior designers who have your best interests at heart, as well as the homes future resale value.

While painting cabinets may seem like the cheaper and easier option, refacing your cabinetry is a very cost-effective way to give your home a significant facelift without breaking the bank in the process. If youre happy with the layout and condition of your existing cabinetry, refacing can be a very sensible idea.

Either way, we wish you luck!

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Cabinet Refacing vs Painting | Which Should You Choose?

Every Friday, SAfms radio anchor Sakina Kamwendo speaks to Martin Creamer, publishing editor of Engineering News & Mining Weekly. Reported here is this Fridays At the Coalface transcript:

Kamwendo: South Africas mining industry is at the ready to make big investments into electricity generation.

Creamer: This was made very clear this week at the ENSafrica conference when the head of Eskom Andre de Ruyter said he would support red tape being removed to allow the private-sector to self-generate 50 MW of electricity unrestricted. At the moment, if you dont want red-tape, you do 1 MW, which is hopelessly inadequate. Now, they want the nod to be given to 50 MW without red tape.

I personally got 12 responses immediately from organisations saying they were ready now to invest and move in with renewable energy, particularly mining companies, because theyre facing higher upcoming Eskom power tariffs. Theyre going to have to pay more for electricity. There are so many mining companies around that want renewable energy on their mine sites.

The mines dont even have to set it up themselves; all they have got to do is agree to buy the electricity from an independent power producer at a certain price, which is always below the Eskom price. So, a huge surge, which could mean about 5000MW of new electricity, is likely, which would help to take the strain off Eskom. This needs to go ahead and were looking to the Cabinet to give the nod, fast.

Kamwendo: The Northern Cape this week received another boost with the announcement of a new mining development.

Creamer: Its amazing that a company with a primary listing in Australia, secondary listing in Joburg, can pave the way for new mine development, junior mining development, like no other company in South Africa. The South Africans seem unable to do it. Now, Orion Minerals has come in with a second big base metals hub.

They are just about to release the Prieska hub, which is a magnificent project for them, because its an existing but closed mine and they found so much new copper and zinc and base metals around it. Now, probably in 18 to 24 months time, they could well come in with a second one. This time at Okiep, near the town of Springbok, 450km away, which is also very rich in available resources information, also has ready-built infrastructure, and also has an existing but closed mine there to build on, and then expand, because there is so much more scope around there.

These two hubs could be a major boost to the economy of the Northern Cape. We know that the Northern Cape is very prospective, but South Africans have been so slow in turning this great mineral endowment to positive account. South Africans dont explore, and here you get Orion Minerals coming in with a primary listing in Australia, showing us the way, how to do these things, because were really not good at junior mining.

Kamwendo: This weeks Mining Indaba saw Botswana going all out to attract new investment in exploration.

Creamer: Its very good that the country next door, Botswana, is also showing us how fast they can move, and how slow we move here. We still havent come out with our exploration strategy, and the President of Botswana Mokgweetsi Masisi was full of life at the Mining Indaba.

He was saying Botswana is ready to go ahead at full steam. Botswana has got new geoscience information, new digitising techniques, and intends using these to attract international investors and local investors, and President Masisi is opening the way for them. Already Botswana has shown that it can attract exploration investment, but it wants to do so even more intensely, because its far too heavily linked to diamonds, and it needs to move into the other metals and minerals.

President Masisi also pointed out that Botswana is endowed with copper, for which there is significant upcoming demand, gold, nickel, soda ash and other metals and minerals. President Masisi also indicated that Botswana has got potential in new-era metals, the rare earths and lithium. We know in Namibia they found lithium. We know that Botswana has already attracted exploration investment and I think that it is setting a very good example for us to follow, with President Masisi determined to attract more foreign investment into Botswana, to do exploration, a low-hanging investment fruit.

Kamwendo: Thanks very much. Martin Creamer is publishing editor of Engineering News & Mining Weekly.

Read the rest here:
On-The-Air (05/02/2021) - Creamer Media's Mining Weekly

Not with this one, though. Designer Valerio Rivellini of Studio Tecnico Rivellini unveiled a new superyacht concept that puts all Transformer cars to shame. Its a shape-shifting, 184-foot (65-meter) vessel thats part superyacht, part explorer, and all pure luxury.

Here is the aptly titled Extended Explorer.

The highlight, though, is the expanding stern. This isnt the first time that Rivellini tries something like this. In fact, back in 2015, the studio penned another concept that had an expanding cockpit. Extended Explorer applies the same idea, but to a more striking effect: thanks to a single lowerable platform on each side, both the upper and the main deck expand outwards at the same time.

The result is nothing to scoff at:

In addition to opening up both decks at the stern and thus erasing physical barriers between guests and the surrounding elements, there is a more practical consequence to this. The available on-deck space nearly doubles, which renders it perfect for a variety of new uses, whether for entertainment or exploring.

For instance, the studio notes, the stern of the upper deck could serve for sunbathing and/or a relaxation area. Chaise-lounges would fit laterally, a conversation area would be located towards the stern, while al fresco dining would be possible in an expansive area in the center. Now expanded, the main deck could fit an outdoor gym and an extra sunbathing area, in addition to the already generous beach club. Stairs leading from the beach club directly into the water would offer easy access to water.

In the end, though, the use of this readily-available space would be entirely up to the owner. Everything about Extended Explorer is customizable, the studio says, depending on individual taste and, of course, the kind of sailing it would be used for. No sense in decking it out with chaise-lounges if youre going to sail it on Arctic adventures.

The interior would have customizable layouts but the same choice of fine, sustainable materials. The overall feel is elegant, relaxed, timeless, and luxurious but in the most simple form. In keeping with the idea of offering an authentic relationship with the sea, the marine inspiration would be obvious in the choice of nubuck leather fabrics in blue shades and white lacquer.

The owners suite occupies most of the entire upper deck and comes with super-panoramic views, including of the wheelhouse. Rivellini does not detail the other suites available or, for that matter, the guest capacity of this new project.

Link:
Extended Explorer Concept With Expanding Deck Is a Different Kind of Transformer - autoevolution

After nearly a year of spending more time at home, are you daydreaming of a new outdoor space to enjoy the fresh air and relax, or to safely congregate with friends and extended family? Wintertime may not seem like the obvious time to start planning such a project, but the months before the weather begins to turn warm provides plenty of time to consider all the optionsfrom layout and style to materials and cost. If youre contemplating a new deck, TimberTech capped polymer and composite decking products check all the boxes: looks, variety, durability, and sustainability.

This penthouse apartment in Chicago comes with a dreamy rooftop that is clad in TimberTech AZEK capped polymer decking. An expansive overhang provides shade for the dining area and outdoor kitchen.

Views from the rooftop also overlook the world-famous Chicago skyline, including sights such as the 100-story skyscraper at 875 North Michigan Avenue, colloquially known as the John Hancock Center.

Thanks to recent product enhancements, the market for composite decking has been growingwith even more interest throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "This was a trend that began even before the pandemic but were continuing to see increased interest in outdoor living design, including decks, as people seek places to escape and, in general, want to spend more time outdoors," says Bethany Sanker, VP of Integrated Marketing at the AZEK Company, the group behind TimberTech decking. "Our contractor partners reported stronger than normal demand throughout 2020 and indicate they expect this to continue in 2021."

Along the opposite side of the rooftop, a seating area is topped by a large pergola. TimberTechs composite boards are manufactured using a multi-stage color blending system that adds subtle highlights and low-lights to convincingly recreate the look and feel of real wood.

Depending on the scale and location, it can sometimes take up to six months to design and build a deck, factoring in time for the initial research and material selection, as well as the extended lead time many contractors and designers now require. "Construction typically occurs in warmer months, which makes winter the perfect time to start the process so you can enjoy your deck as early as spring," Sanker adds.

Whether youre renovating an outdoor space or creating it from scratch, consider this: even a consistently maintained wooden deck has a service life of around 15-20 years. In comparison, TimberTech AZEK's low-maintenance capped polymer deckingwhich bears a striking resemblance to real woodcomes with a lifetime warranty and wont rot, warp, or splinter like traditional pressure-treated wood. All of this is possible even as each decking product is engineered with majority recycled material, which allowed the company to utilize nearly 400 million pounds of scrap and wastesuch as sawdust and plastic bottlesin their manufacturing process just last year.

For this project, the designers selected boards from the TimberTech AZEK Vintage Collection in English Walnut. The Vintage Collection also includes a variety of other sizes and colorsfrom Weathered Teak to Dark Hickorywhile the alternative TimberTech PRO and TimberTech EDGE product lines provide additional options.

Wondering where to get started? Sanker first suggests considering whether you can tackle the project yourself or need to hire a contractor, whom youll want to involve during the design phase as well. "TimberTech offers a project checklist, which covers the major steps from design ideas to scheduling your deck installation," she explains. "Our free online deck design tool also allows you to review 3D plans and templates or create a virtual model from scratch."

TimberTech AZEK products utilize industry-leading technology for better slip resistance and fire safety, as well as exterior finishes that help to keep the boards cooler to the touch.

Other tips from Sanker include considering multi-width boards to mimic wood flooring inside your home or adding a perimeter board in a different color to provide an accent. "Popular trends for the new year also include distressed and weathered finishes that recreate the randomness of wood grain as compared to composite boards in a repeating pattern," she says.

At night, lights along the rooftop create a cozy atmosphere for observing the cityscape.

"Ultimately, its important to remember that youre building an outdoor living area, not just a deck," Sanker adds. With a variety of colors, wood grain finishes, and sizes, TimberTech offers a myriad of options for creating your own dream space. If youre feeling inspired, go ahead and order free samples to see the colors, materials, and textures in person and get a sense of how they look in your space.

Take a Dual-Application ApproachUse TimberTech Composite Boards as Cladding

For those already working on a composite deck installation, the time couldnt be better to integrate deck boards into premium-performance exterior cladding as well. TimberTechs wide range of boardsavailable in various widths, colors, grain patternscan also be used to create durable and eye-catching accent walls along your homes facade. Not only would the cladding be low-maintenance just like your new deck, but the dual-application approach can also boost the overall curb appeal of your home.

Visit the TimberTech website to learn more about their products or locate a contractor.

Read more here:
From Rooftops to Backyards, Now Is the Best Time to Design Your Dream Outdoor Space - Dwell

Actually, I became Captain of Below Deck quite by accident. The boat that I was running, it was a 50-meter Benetti, and my boss calls me up at the Miami Boat Show and he says, Some TV network to do a TV show on the boat, and they want to charter her for six weeks. And all you have to do is go down to Saint Martin and drop the boat off. Theyve got their own captain, theyve got their own crew. And you hang out on the beach and go check the boat out once every three days, and youll get paid double. I said yeah, I can live with that. But then for one reason or another, the captain that they had selected couldnt fulfill his obligations. So they had a conundrum, because were already late into the game and they needed a captain, so they said, Well, I guess well use the old guy.

Read more here:
Why Below Deck's Captain Lee Rosbach Wasn't Originally Meant To Be On The Show - CinemaBlend

Below Deck may have had four captains but at least seven chief stews have graced the franchise thus far.

The series launched in 2013 with Adrienne Gang running the interior on Below Deck. But after one season, Gang was replaced with Kate Chastain, who remained in the position for six seasons. Francesca Rubi took over for Chastain on Below Deck Season 8.

Both Below Deck Mediterranean and Below Deck Sailing Yacht have had two chief stews thus far. Hannah Ferrier did nearly five seasons in the Med but was fired mid-season during season 5. Christine Bugsy Drake replaced Ferrier and finished out the season. Below Deck Sailing Yacht began with Jenna MacGillivray as the chief stew, but the second season has a new chief stew.

Gang may not have realized that she had a target on her back during season 1. Chastain was working with chef Rachel Hargrove at the time and told Hargrove she planned to take Gangs job.

So this first season chief stew [Gang] was from Tampa and the chef [Hargrove] on the yacht I was working on, Rachel, she was like, Im from Tampa, I hate that b*tch! Chastain said on theTaste of Taylorpodcast in 2019.

RELATED: Below Deck: Kate Chastain Revealed That Chef Rachel and Adrienne Gang Got Into a Tampa Style Smackdown in the Past

I was working as a chief stew on a boat, same size, Chastain added. The chief stew from season 1 [Gang], she was really bad. She was bad at her job, she had wet hair on camera. Chastain was also working as a ghostwriter on a book about yachting. Casting agents contacted Chastain and the rest is history.

When that happened I was like, Its happening, she remarked.

Drake worked as a second stew during Below Deck Med Season 2 and had tension with Ferrier. Chef Adam Glick stirred the pot when he suggested that Drake should be chief stew. But Drake ultimately agreed, confronting Ferrier toward the end of the season.

When the second stew position opened up during season 5, Captain Sandy Yawn hired Drake to return. Ferrier looked freaked. Despite the animosity in the past, the two ended up working well together. But their working relationship didnt last very long. During a cabin swap, bosun Malia White busted Ferrier for having unregistered valium and a vape pen in her room.

RELATED: Below Deck Med: Hannah Ferrier Says Bugsy Drake Had Nothing to Do With the Valium Photo

Ferrier was swiftly fired. Drake was quickly moved into the chief stew position, but Ferrier does not blame Drake for what transpired. Hey guys thanks so much for all your kind words and support, Ferrier shared onTwitter. I feel like Bugs has been pulled into this situation so I want to make something clear. I dont believe Bugs had anything to do with the photo being sent to sandy or the subsequent consequences.

MacGillivray launched the newest series, Below Deck Sailing Yacht but was on the receiving end of a lot of fan backlash. Some viewers thought she was too harsh with her stews. Plus fans thought her relationship with Glick, who was the crossover chef, clouded her judgement. Daisy Kelliher moves into the chief stew position for season 2.

MacGillivray found out the hard way that online hate can be overwhelming. She shared a few social media posts about the abuse, trying to remind viewers she was only human.

RELATED: Below Deck Sailing Yacht: Jenna MacGillivray Shares That the Online Hate Has Become Too Much to Handle

I can only be strong for so long, she shared on her Instagram story in May. The amount of sh*t Ive gotten online is getting to me. Please, if you feel the need to write something awful to me, dont. Im a person with feelings and its too much.

Visit link:
'Below Deck': How Many Chief Stews Have Appeared on the Franchise? - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

While she never fired chef Adam Glick, Captain Sandy Yawn from Below Deck Mediterranean shared that she would have fired the chef had she known the number of times he sabotaged a guests meal.

During Below Deck Med Season 2, Glick purposely added onions to the primary guests meal when he specified no onions on his preference sheet. Glick went against the preference sheet not once but three times. Yawn didnt know he ignored the guest more than once and said she would have fired him had she known.

I had no idea it was three times. I only knew about twice, Yawn said during an appearance onWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. So the third time I would have fired Adam. I had no idea until I watched the show.

She added that she ultimately gave Glick another chance because the guy that I saw every morning was really cool, seemed to be on his game, I had no idea he had this other side to him. Yawn also said Glick is a good chef.

RELATED: Below Deck: Who Runs a Tighter Ship? The Queen of Versailles Reveals the Biggest Difference Between Captain Lee and Captain Sandy (Exclusive)

Glick explained why he insisted on going against the preference sheet. At the time I was just trying to make a tasty broth, he said at the reunion. You just cant make a tasty soup. And then it got a little spiteful. He admitted to being angry with chief stew Hannah Ferrier at the time. And said he regretted the onion debacle.

While Glick returned for another season and won over Yawn, the two seemingly drifted after Glick made negative remarks about Yawn. Glick was the crossover chef on Below Deck Sailing Yacht and compared Yawn to Captain Glenn Shephard.

So, it feels really good to work for someone that actually trusts the crew, Glick said in a confessional. I guess the big question is if hell be able to trust us all season long.

RELATED: Below Deck Sailing Yacht: Chef Adam Clarifies His Comments About Captain Sandy

Glick doubled down on his remark made on Below Deck Sailing Yacht. The key difference is that Glenn really allowed me to excel, he said on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. You know, he just let me go. And he trusted me. Host Andy Cohen asked if that meant Yawn held him back. Well no, but Sandy did question my abilities from time to time. Glenn never did and it will show.

Was Yawn disappointed to learn thats how Glick felt? Yepwas sad to hear that from Adam,she tweeted. He got 2 seasons on #BelowDeckMed, one of which was a redemption season. Hope he learned from his BDM experience and brought something special to #BelowDeckSailing. Thanks for your support of BDM!

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'Below Deck Med': Captain Sandy Reveals What It Would Have Taken for Her To Fire Chef Adam - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

ESC President Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen. (29222030)

The latest move follows a series of U-turns by the States over the future of Guernseys secondary education system and seems to confirm that there is no intention to have a two-school system.

The most recent idea was to create a one-school-on-two-sites model, which divided the public and was likely to have been a contributory factor in former Education president Matt Fallaize losing his political seat.

Currently, ESC is meant to be reviewing the three possible secondary education models three 11-18 colleges, two 11-16 colleges and one 11-18 college and finally three 11-16 colleges and a separate sixth form and comparing them to the two-school model.

The review was set to be completed by the end of April.

But the committee has branded this as illogical, as the two-school model was halted in its tracks before going operational. They also highlighted the strong opposition by education staff to the idea.

The committee instead wants to compare the models to what is in operation today three high schools and a non-selective grammar school.

ESC president Andrea Dudley-Owen said they wanted to clear the decks to look at the ideas, without being tied to previous resolutions.

If the States approves our request to rescind these old resolutions, we will continue with the review of secondary education with a more focused scope one that doesnt dedicate time to solutions that cannot be delivered, she said.

We have all the value of the work done so far, keeping the members of our independent oversight panel on board and we will not be going back to square one.

Engaging directly with staff will be a key focus for the committee during the final stages of the review.

We have learned much from the significant feedback from staff, via the survey last summer and the series of workshops run in each school late last year, and we are currently planning our next phase of engagement with them.

She said the committee would shortly be giving more details about the final stages of the review what options were still on the table.

For now though our focus is on seeking States approval to rescind previous resolutions that serve only to impede our work in this important area of our mandate, Deputy Dudley-Owen said.

She has emailed all education staff to explain the committees intentions and confirmed that selection was not back on the table and the Guernsey Institute would continue.

She noted that the committee, like all parts of the States, was working under tighter financial constraints and that was being factored into the secondary school plans.

Work to progress a new Education law has been de-prioritised for now, as the committee listened to feedback that there was too much change happening at the same time. The committee intends to take some time to get up to speed on this important workstream, fully own its direction, with a view of taking it to the States within the next 18 months.

See the rest here:
Education to 'clear the decks' on school models - Guernsey Press

For Sale/Rent

Hop over to MASS MoCA any time from this Florida house.

Photo by Ren Nickson

282 South County RoadPrice: $ 1,400,000Size: 4,076 square feetBedrooms: 4Baths: 3

The doldrums of winter might have you eyeing a relocation to the sunny climes of Florida. If thats not in the cards, how about a new home in Florida, Massachusetts instead?

Designed by a scientist couple who hail from Europe and built it in 2016, the spacious four bedroom and three bath home boasts a kind of scientific precision coupled with an airy European vibe. Maybe its the sleek lines and the angles. Or maybe its the building materials of concrete, copper, and wood. Or it could be the copious windows all framed around the stellar views of the grounds that stretch out over 26 acres.

This modern retreat rests by the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, and nature buffs will want to know that trailheads from the property connect right to Mohawk State Forest. After exploring the grounds, head inside to the main home, where you can defrost by the European woodstove in the spacious living room with its radiant heated floors. The first floor features a mudroom, a library/office with custom shelves, and a guest suite. A unique aspect of the kitchen cuts clutter, too. Tackle the prep work in the scullery kitchen with its long countertop, pantry shelves, and dishwasher, before whipping up meals in the main kitchen. Here, youll spot the same details that sing in other areas of the home: copper pipe detailing, luxe cherry wood walls with planks arranged into maze-like patterns, and exposed steel beams.

When its time to relax, catch some rays on the first-floor patio and sunroom with its huge windows that overlook the propertys pond. And come evening, head up to the serenity offered by the second floor main suite, with its bathroom, wide closet, and separate sitting area. The sitting area leads out to another huge deck that invites for stargazing with a nightcap before lights-out. With the deck-topped home built into the side of a hill, an upper driveway leads right to the entry of the main suite, meaning after soirees at MASS MoCA, you dont have the wander the house and can just about drive to your bed.

The guesthouse, meanwhile, is no afterthought, with a great room, bathroom, and a kitchen decked out in similar wood finishes as the main house. At around 1,000 square feet, you can think of it as your own pied--terre by the main pad.

For information, contact Gladys Montgomery, William Pitt Sothebys International Realty, williampitt.com.

Photo by Ren Nickson

Photo by Ren Nickson

Photo by Ren Nickson

Photo by Ren Nickson

Photo by Ren Nickson

Photo by Ren Nickson

Photo by Ren Nickson

Photo by Ren Nickson

Photo by Ren Nickson

The Boston Home team has curated a list of the best home design and home remodeling professionals in Boston, including architects, builders, kitchen and bath experts, lighting designers, and more. Get the help you need with FindIt/Boston's guide to home renovation pros.

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On the Market: A Berkshires Retreat with the Perfect Stargazing Deck - Boston magazine

After defeating the Washington Capitals, 7-4, we dive into the latest Philadelphia Flyers team news in todays Phlight Deck.

Amidst scoring a touchdown on the Washington Capitals, the Philadelphia Flyers welcomed Sean Couturier back into the lineup. Along with Scott Laughton tallying his first career hat-trick, his effort put the Flyers back into the win column, 7-4. Philadelphia showed resilience on the road, putting together an outstanding third period after overcoming a two-goal deficit. Vitek Vanecek was pulled from the game after James van Riemsdyk scored. Craig Anderson allowed two more goals before Couturier scored an empty-net insurance marker.

Defensively, Justin Braun had a stellar game. It was by far his best performance of the season, tallying an assist with a plus-three rating. He played on the second pair with Philippe Myers, who was not in the lineup during a 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins. Braun, who struggled through most of 2020-2021 to date, was the best defenseman on the ice for the Flyers. As Philadelphia gets ready to play the Capitals for the second time tomorrow, we review the latest in the Flyers Phlight Deck.

Absent from the lineup during yesterdays victory was Travis Sanheim. Before the game, the NHL tested every player for COVID. According to the NHLs press release, all tests returned negative. It is still unconfirmed that Sanheim had a positive test. His absence from that game and todays practice may be an indication of contact tracing.

Sanheim took a rapid test before yesterdays game. Those tests arent as accurate, meaning he could have had a false-positive result. Today, every player practiced, which is a good sign for Sanheims COVID protocol. He is still within the NHL COVID protocol guidelines, which means it is more of a precaution he missed practice with the team. Alain Vigneault did note that Sanheim will not be in tomorrows lineup.

News just broke that this weekends series of games against the New Jersey Devils will be postponed.

The Devils currently have 16 players under COVID protocols. The league has shuffled around a number of their games in the near future, including their two game set against the Flyers on Thursday and Saturday. With the Flyers situation being unknown as well too, this is likely best case scenario given the circumstances. Lets wish all of the players around the league the best as well.

Brian Elliott will start versus Washington tomorrow night. Throughout 2020-2021, he has been Philadelphias most reliable goaltender. This announcement has nothing to do with Carter Harts statistics, however. Hart, who is 5-2-2 this season, has an 89.7% save percentage and allows 3.49 goals-against on average. It has not been the hot start many have predicted for him this season.

Elliott lost his first game of the season against the Bruins on Friday night. In a heartbreaking loss, Boston scored two goals in less than thirty seconds to secure the victory. Owning a 3-1-0 record, Elliott secured a 92.9% save percentage while allowing 2.19 goals-against on average. Hell give Hart a rest, who suffered from back spasms on Friday. Starting Elliott serves as a precaution to Hart while offering another sure hand between the pipes.

He was one of the final players to leave the ice in todays practice. Ever since Vigneault marked him as a healthy scratch versus the New York Islanders, he challenged Konecny to improve his 200-foot game in five-on-five scenarios. He is not known for having a balanced defensive skill set, which he is developing. The trick with Konecny is maintaining his scoring prowess while developing his defense. A combined effort of those two traits will allow him to improve within Vigneaults system.

Over the last seven games, Konecny has mustered four shots without scoring a goal. Growing pains aside, Konecny plays a vital role for the Flyers. Vigneault praised Konecnys work ethic in improving his all-around game. He believes Konecny is working to put it all together. Konecny stated, right now, I am trying to play the right way, even if I dont get on the scoresheet. His focus contributes to the improvement of the team.

Defeating the Capitals yesterday had a lot to do with Philadelphias bottom-six forwards playing quality minutes. Couturier played on the fourth line as he re-entered the lineup. His play provided a boost throughout the bottom-six forwards while totaling three points and a plus-four rating. Michael Raffl turned in a magnificent performance, adding two assists and a plus-four rating as well. Nicolas Aube-Kubel found his way onto the scoresheet with an assist and a plus-one rating, completing an excellent day for the fourth-line.

The cream of the crop was the third-line. Laughton, as previously mentioned, scored his first career hat-trick. En route to his hat-trick, Joel Farabee logged three assists. Continuing his hot start to 2020-2021, van Riemsdyk had a goal and an assist. Every player on the third-line had a plus-two rating or higher. Performances like these from the bottom-six of any lineup will always likely result in a team victory.

Photo Credit: Alex McIntyre

Eric is a University of Delaware graduate with a degree in English. While in school, he began writing for different publications such as The Highlight Network, Amps and Greenscreens, and he did color commentary for the University of Delaware Mens and Womens lacrosse teams throughout the 2013 season as an alumni. Prior to being featured with Philly Sports Network, he began a pro-wrestling podcast with a childhood friend called the Totally Over Podcast. As an avid sports die-hard for all things Philadelphia, Eric is also a proud supporter of West Virginia University.

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Flyers Phlight Deck: Updating the Travis Sanheim News - Philly Sports Network