Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Don Magruder| For the Daily Commercial

COVID-19 and most of its cousins have a Dracula feature of not liking sunshine and fresh air, and Florida has plenty of each. In fact, if you chart the biggest spikes in cases of the virus, they came at times when it was so hot that people stayed indoors under air conditioning or during the peak of Floridas winter when folks stayed indoors with their heaters running. All the science seems to indicate that sunshine, fresh air, and humidity are not friends of this virus and most others.

If you look at homes that were designed prior to the days of air conditioning, it seems home designers figured out a well-ventilated home was both cooler and safer. Most homes had double-hung windows and exterior doors with full screens to allow for full breezes and maximized ventilation. In the evenings, the screen porch was a place where everyone gathered to socialize. Houses of the past were ventilated for comfort and health. That, along with soap and water, is how many people prevented sickness.

Those same lessons can and should be applied to homes in Central Florida. The first thing everyone should consider is trading a little comfort for ventilation. Although air conditioning is great in Florida, homes have become too reliant on them, even in summertime. In the evenings and mornings, many homes could be cooled down comfortably with open windows and fans. Keeping your home aired out and well ventilated will help keep viruses from spreading among family members.

Unfortunately, most of the windows in everyones home will not open because they have been closed for so long that the balancers have frozen in place or the dirt and gunk have built up so much in the frame channels that the windows will not move. Windows are meant to be opened. If your windows are unable to do so, get them repaired. Your windows could be the key to keeping your family healthy as well as reducing your energy bills.

The exterior doors of your home offer the biggest and best form of ventilation. Many homeowners have gotten away from screen doors because of their reliance on air conditioning. In many cases, an investment in a new aluminum screen door can enhance a front door opening as the modern styles are very attractive. Plus, the pets in your home will love you.

A screened lanai or front porch with a brisk operating fan can be a haven for socializing and enjoying the beautiful Florida climate nightly. Although open porch areas are nice and can provide great ventilation, without screens these areas are not fully utilized due to mosquitoes that feast at dusk. Porches or open lanais in Florida should be screened to keep out the bugs.

Another great screen idea is a garage screen that can be used when the garage door is open. For those who work in their garage or use their garage for a smoking area or man cave, a garage screen provides wonderful ventilation and can be a haven for family interactions.

As the COVID-19 vaccine is rolled out, there is real hope that an end to this pandemic is in sight. However, there are other viruses that could potentially infect you and your family. Designing a home and putting features in place that help prevent the spread of disease is a great investment in your familys health.

A lesson learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that a generation now understands the dangers of viruses as well as how to mitigate them. Screens, fans, and fresh air will be the new home remedies.

Don Magruder is the CEO of RoMac Building Supply and host of Around the House, which can be seen at aroundthehouse.tv.

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Around the House: Ventilation helps combat COVID-19 - Daily Commercial

For 45 years, the St. Louis-based band Fanfare has made it's living performing before live audiences. And then the pandemic hit.

"At the very beginning, I book the band, I honestly did panic," says founding member Vincent Golomski. "Because we're not quite ready financially to retire. What are we going to do?"

He jokes that he's made his living playing music and has never had a "real" job.

Fellow band member Kitty Moller, who also happens to be Golomski's wife of 42 years, had an idea early on in the pandemic.

"Hey, let's do a porch concert," she said.

Golomski says they'd been practicing at least every other day in their family room, going through material just to keep things going. Performing for neighbors on their St. Louis Hills block sounded like a good idea. At first it was just the couple, then the rest of the band (socially distanced, with neighbors safely spaced).

"People were pretty generous with the tip jar," jokes Golomski.

The park concerts, festivals and other shows had come to a screeching halt, along with the school concerts. Golomski's two sons helped them put together a video of the kids' program they had been doing--a musical history tour from the big band era up to the current era.

Fanfare kept busy in 2020 with some virtual concerts, including a Christmas concert, and producing their 10th album. But Golomski and Moller are looking forward to performing before a crowd.

"We feed off the audience," says Kitty. "It makes a big difference."

But until live performances are possible once again, Golomski and Moller will keep the music alive together. When asked what it's like to work so closely with one's spouse, Golomski says it's definitely not something every couple could do, but, "We still like each other."

Moller says when they decided to get married after a few years performing together, she figured if it didn't work out, she could always quit the band. Fortunately it never came to that.

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St. Louis band surviving pandemic with porch concerts, tips - KMOX

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) With guns drawn in the middle of a cold winters night, home security video captures armed bounty hunters with their fingers on the trigger, pointing a gun at Seneca Babcock resident Jake Reinhardt on his property on Oakdale Place.

Up until that point I thought there was a mistaken address, he said.

Barefoot and barely clothed, Reinhardt says he was ordered to leave his home. In the surveillance video, you can see him walking out on the porch, visibly shaken. On video, he lets the bounty hunters know his three year old daughter and wife are in the back room sleeping.

The bounty hunters, who Reinhardt says are from out of state point a gun at him as he orders them to put the gun down.

They then ask where his relative is.

The person theyre looking for does not reside here, does not live in this house has never lived here, he said.

Still, the hunters enter the home anyway. Reinhardt can be heard asking if they have a warrant.

Can I see it? He said.

But they ask him to step aside, not producing any paperwork, instead walking through the home with guns drawn.

In the back room, his wife, who is eight months pregnant and their young daughter.

Whats more troubling, Reinhardt says he saw two Buffalo Police Officers looking on, and thinks the search is official police business. He can be heard on video asking the bounty hunters if theyre Buffalo Police.

The raid didnt stop there. Video shows the armed men going upstairs to his tenants apartment where there were other children, including a baby. This time, the armed men were caught on baby camera with their guns drawn, storming the house.

While this is going on, two Buffalo Police Officers stand on Reinhardts porch. They can be heard questioning what agency the bounty hunters are with.

I dont even know what agency that is either, one officer said. Me neither, said the other. I think theyre from PA.

When they dont turn up who theyre looking for, the bounty hunters and police leave.

R. Anthony Rupp III is representing Reinhardt in a civil lawsuit filed in U.S. Federal Court for Civil Rights violations.

This is the absolute worst Ive ever seen Rupp said.

The Buffalo Police Department will not comment because of pending litigation.

Reinhardt says he feels violated and unsafe in his own home. He wants answers from the unidentified men, the police and the city.

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn is investigating this incident.

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Armed out-of-state bounty hunters, assisted by BPD storm the wrong home - WKBW-TV

Address: 2228 Wesley Avenue, Ocean City, NJ 08226VROCNJ Listing #165

The home is between 22nd and 23rd Streets on Wesley Avenue, across the street from the beach. Ocean Citys boardwalk ends at 23rd street with no commercial property south of 14th street.This stunning beach home includes 5 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms plus an entry level shower.

The bright and airy open floor plan boasts 13-foot ceilings, floor to ceiling windows in the living area, comfortable and spacious living room, kitchen, and dining spaces.The fully equipped kitchen features granite countertops (including a large center island with stools), stainless appliances, and upgraded cabinets and fixtures. The comfortable dining area opens to the large front porch and will be great for providing memorable family meals on your vacation. Enjoy the ocean breezes while relaxing or dining on the large, furnished front porch.

For complete details about this rental, including more photos, rates, amenities, availability, interactive map of the exact location, and reviews from previous guests, visit VROCNJ Listing #165 and contact the owner direct to save on booking fees!

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Featured Vacation Rental: Feb 8th - OCNJ Daily

One of these so-called small vessels is the one you see in the cover photo. Its known as the Prestige X70 and it should be ready this year. But I warn you, it may not the only one.

This ravishing creature is created by Prestige-Yachts. This company traces its history back to 1957 when Henri Jeanneau decided to take the powerboating business into his own hands. However, it wasnt until 1989 that the first Prestige vessel, the Prestige 41, was launched.

Since then, this company has embedded itself into the minds and pockets of some of the wealthiest humans on the planet. After all, if youve had a look in the gallery, you understand why. Just look at what over 30 years of yachting experience can achieve.

Now were starting to get an idea of what were in for. The first trait to note about this vessel is its size. Rather than being some gigantic, no-room-to-park-it kind of beast, its a reserved luxurious craft fit for some of the most intimate weekends youll ever experience.

What I enjoy the most about this freshly launched vessel is the actual acquisition experience. More specifically, what happens if you try to buy one. Well, the first thing to note is that this vessel is meant to be mass-produced. As a result, we should see more than one racing around the Bahamas. But not all is lost.

If you check out the manufacturer's website, what happens when you show interest in this vessel is that Prestige will have you run through a configurator so that you can create your own unique X70. For example, you can select the number of staterooms and the woodwork while even being able to select the number of staircases that lead to the flybridge. Even things like upholstery, exterior layout, whether you want a grill or not, and even household appliances are things you can customize from an array of options Prestige puts at your disposal.

However, it seems that this particular yacht Prestige presents in the photos includes several options in order to show potential customers the level of comfort that can be attained with this company. At the rear, we can see the beach club option in full swing, ready with a folding lounge bed and aft platform to kick your feet in the water.

At the bow, we can see a forward-facing lounging area being overlooked by the flybridge up top. It's also on the highest deck that we find space for an outdoor dining area and more lounging aft. The main deck, too, includes an array of options for the floorplan. For example, you can choose to include an interior dining space while offering outdoor lounging or vice versa.

If this boat winks at you and you end up buying one, do let us know how much you ended up spending on it. Weve done a bit of research, and even though its hard to pinpoint an exact price for this highly modular vessel, we find an average rate of 2.1 million, which is the equivalent of about $2.89 million. Now go get one.

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Freshly Announced Prestige X70 Yacht Is the Fully Customizable Boat of the Year - autoevolution

You dont have to be a design professional or style expert to know what some of the biggest decorating trends are for this year. Chances are, youve probably already used one or two of them in your home without even realizing it.

In 2021, thanks in large part to a pandemic that has all of us spending more time at home, people are clamoring for versatility, comfort and a return to tradition. Think of these as anti-trends trends.

Heres what design experts had to say about how the emphasis on comfortable, user-friendly spaces will affect home design in the coming year:

Goodbye, single-use space

At the top of the trend forecast for 2021 is the extinction of the single-use room. The pandemic has transformed our homes into a hub for everything we used to seek elsewhere: gym, movie theater, restaurant, office, classroom, vacation spot. Your dining room or guest room (if you are fortunate enough to have either) is probably doubling as an office, classroom or gym. And this is not a trend that seems to be short-lived.

The big trend is being at home, says Todd Klein, a New York-based decorator. Klein, who has clients all over the world, has been swamped with requests to create multipurpose rooms and, importantly, spaces that can serve multiple generations. Klein says its not uncommon for three generations to be living together as a pod under one roof right now, so versatility has never been more important. Ground-floor family rooms have been transformed into spaces where an elderly parent can sleep, for example, and bedrooms have been rejiggered to house gym equipment and desk setups.

Wall-to-wall comfort

Not surprisingly, comfort is also trending. Alessandra Wood, vice president of style for Modsy, an online interior-design service, predicts that the old-school Pottery Barn vibe, which was popular in the 1990s picture Monica and Rachels apartment on Friends will make a strong comeback.

She says to look for overstuffed furniture with softer curves. Think sofas, sectionals and armchairs that have a comfortable look and feel, something that you could really curl up on and binge-watch TV or read a good book, she says.

Tori Mellott, a longtime design editor and current style director at Schumacher, agrees that comfort is king for 2021. She predicts this will translate into a resurgence of people wanting wall-to-wall carpet.

With everyone spending so much time at home, I think homeowners are desperate to maximize comfort and coziness in their space, and one way to do that is using wall-to-wall. It unifies a space and provides ultimate luxury underfoot, Mellott says. Wall-to-wall got a bad rap years ago because many manufacturers used subpar materials, she says, but there have been so many advancements in stain-resistant fibers and treatments that wall-to-wall has never looked or felt better.

To grandmothers house we go

Mellott also says that traditional furniture is rising in popularity. Mid-century furniture has reached a fever pitch with consumers, and its starting to feel tired and cold, she says. The market is saturated with knockoffs, and that particular style doesnt feel special anymore.

What people want, Mellott says, is classic antique furniture. The pandemic has unwillingly thrust us into a chaotic and manic state, and for right now, brown furniture feels solid, sturdy and stalwart, she says. There is sometimes a comfort attached to something that has been passed down from generation to generation, something that has weathered many storms, so to speak.

The preppy woven furniture associated with the Palm Beach style from the 60s is also back in the form of pieces made from natural materials like cane, jute, wicker and rattan. This is in part thanks to designers including Amanda Lindroth, Celerie Kemble, Aerin Lauder and Sarah Bartholomew, all known for their breezy, island-inspired rooms.

Rattan dining chairs or a woven reed coffee table can give a vacation-like feel to a room a vibe that is very much needed now. Using natural items has a calming effect and gives rooms oodles of texture, Wood says. She also notes that the use of natural materials is in keeping with a rising interest in sustainability. People are starting to think more and more about the environmental impact of home design, and many natural fibers are sustainably produced without leading to deforestation.

Interest in traditional elements started well before the pandemic; wicker, rattan and brown, classic furniture are all primary design elements of the grandmillennial style. Many people find comfort in the familiar elements of their grandparents homes and want to replicate it in their own space. Wood predicts the granny style will be stronger than ever in 2021.

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The hottest decorating trends find comfort in traditional elements - The Keene Sentinel

When the pandemic hit, you started off strong: You nurtured a sourdough starter and baked your first Instagram-worthy loaf, finished the books on your "to-read" list, cleaned out your pantry, reorganized your closet by color, and maybe even indulged your inner interior decorator through hours of Animal Crossing.

Now, my friend, its time to graduate to the big leagues of domestic hobbies and start growing your own edibles. No, not those greenswere talking about herbs and vegetables that will elevate your home-cooked meals for months to come.

Starting an indoor herb garden is such a no-brainer that it often starts as a happy accident. Youre preparing dinner and toss a few scraps of celery or green onion into a cup of water for freshness, only to discover that theyve grown back a few days later. Fennel and baby bok choy are also extremely easy to grow from discarded ends, only requiring water and bright sunlight. Garlic and ginger can also be coaxed back to life: Just plant each piece in potting soilgarlic facing downward, ginger facing upand keep them well lit and lightly watered. In a little over a week, youll have edible green stalks to use as a flavorful garnish.

If you live somewhere temperate and have a little outdoor space to call your own (even if its just a porch or balcony), consider setting up a mini greenhouse. Otherwise, there are several indoor garden kits that can help even the blackest of thumbs reach their green potential. The key here is to start simple and begin with kitchen scraps. You can save the serious gardening for Animal Crossing.

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Dwell On This: Start an Indoor Herb Garden - Dwell

Lighting in a home serves both practical and aesthetic purposes. Its easy to maneuver around a well-lit home, reducing the risk of slips and falls, and the right lighting can help homeowners create their desired ambiance, which typically changes depending on which room youre in.

When choosing lighting for their homes, homeowners must walk a fine line between appearance and functionality. A fixture in the foyer that instantly impresses visitors likely wont prove as awe-inspiring if its installed in the living room. When choosing lighting for a home, some general rules about what works in each room can help homeowners make the most informed decision.

Kitchen

Kitchens are often the busiest room in a home, so lighting here can be especially important. A kitchen often benefits, both practically and aesthetically, from different types of lighting. For example, pendant lighting above kitchen islands can make meal preparation easier and safer, but such lighting likely wont work in breakfast nooks and informal dining areas in the kitchen. Recessed lighting works best in such areas. In kitchens with no island, under-cabinet lighting can be used to illuminate countertops and simplify meal preparation.

Formal dining room

Many people enjoy the look of chandeliers in formal dining rooms, and such fixtures can be installed directly above the dinner table. The interior design experts at Better Homes & Gardens advise hanging chandeliers roughly 33 inches above the table in dining rooms with eight-foot ceilings, adding three inches for each additional foot above eight feet. Darkened dining areas may be ideal in restaurants, but homeowners may want to split the difference at home and choose dimmable chandeliers for their dining rooms. This allows homeowners to dim the lights for romantic dinners but turn them up for family gatherings with lots of people around the table.

Living room

Adaptability also is important in the living room, where homeowners may host anything from movie nights to book clubs to parties for the big game. It can be a tall order to accommodate such a wide range of activities, and many homeowners come down to deciding between recessed lighting and track lighting. If the living room currently has neither style, homeowners should recognize that it will cost considerably less to install track lighting than recessed lighting. Better Homes & Gardens notes that flexible track lighting provides ambient, task or accent lighting, and track lights can even be moved to change lighting schemes at any time, making them a budget-friendly option for homeowners whose living rooms are multi-purpose spaces. Recessed lighting also works well in living rooms, especially ones with low ceilings. Thats because recessed lighting is installed into the ceiling, meaning it does not take up any visual space in the room. That can help living rooms feel bigger.

Bedroom

The home improvement experts at BobVila.com note that bedroom lighting should provide enough light when getting dressed, but also be able to be toned down as residents prepare for their bedtime routines. Both portable and installed lighting can be used in bedrooms to serve these various functions. Recessed fixtures that dim can ensure theres ample light to get dressed in the morning, but they also can be dimmed at night as residents try to get ready to sleep. Portable nightstand lights can make it easier for couples sharing a bedroom, allowing one person to stay up and read while the other goes to sleep.

Homeowners have many options and many needs when choosing lighting for their homes. A professional consultation with a lighting expert or interior decorator can help homeowners find lights that provide both practical and aesthetic appeal.

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How to choose the right lighting inside your home - Daily Herald

Twinkle Khanna shared this post. (courtesy twinklerkhanna)

Twinkle Khanna, in her latest Instagram entry, wrote that "it's not so bad being named after a nursery rhyme after all." What prompted her to say that? Well, let's just say it has something to do with her daughter Nitara. On Monday evening, Twinkle shared a video on her Instagram profile, in which her daughter Nitara can be seen playing the nursery rhyme Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on a guitar. Sharing the video on her profile, Mrs Funnybones wrote in her caption: "And she plays for me... It's not so bad being named after a nursery rhyme after all." The comments section of her post was filled up with heart emojis.

See Twinkle Khanna's post here:

Nitara frequently features on her mom's Instagram profile. Last week, Twinkle posted a picture from her reading session with her daughter and she wrote: "You have a quota-25 pages a day and so do I.' She asks, 'But who gives you the quota mama?' 'That's the tricky part of being an adult. You have to give yourself these tasks and make sure you stick by them.' With brushed teeth and uncombed hair, we begin our mornings in the best way possible. It may not be 25 pages every day, sometimes it's merely 5, but it all adds up eventually."

Twinkle Khanna is a celebrated columnist and the author of bestselling books such as Pyjamas Are Forgiving, The Legend Of Lakshmi Prasad and Mrs Funnybones. She is also an interior decorator, the owner of The White Window, and a film producer. Twinkle Khanna also runs a digital content company called Tweak India.

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Twinkle Khanna Shares The Perks Of "Being Named After A Nursery Rhyme" - NDTV

The Building Industry Association of Washington has announced the winners of its2020 Excellence in Remodeling Awards, and Irons Brothers Construction, Inc.took top honors in two categories.

The Excellence In Remodeling awards program recognizes outstanding remodeling projects across Washington, ranging from additions and historic renovations to kitchen and bath updates to entire home transformations at a variety of price points. This year, remodelers from home builders associations across the state submitted 32 entries in 19 categories.

The Building Industry Association of Washington traditionally honors award winners at a live annual awards ceremony, but COVID-19 restrictions forced the organization to cancel its live event for 2020.

The awards presented to Irons Brothers include:

Parents of two boys, the homeowners in this remodel wanted to be close to their children while also having a private retreat to themselves so Irons Brothers added a master suite using creative reconfiguration of existing space. The remodeling team built an addition to the rear of the home using the familys existing laundry room and expanding into their outside-corner covered patio.

They then filled the bathroom retreat space with luxurious elements to combine modern-day comfort with 1955 architecture, including a curbless, walk-in shower with a wide doorway for accessibility.

Oversized white tiles surround the large shower niche, while marine blue dimensional gloss tiles create a statement at the vanity. The rich walnut custom cabinets with white quartz countertops and silvery-gray plank floor are durable and timeless. A clerestory window at the top of the shower and a large skylight maximizes the use of natural light.

This third-floor master suite is the crowning glory of this redesigned home.Irons Brothers certified aging-in-place design team specified elements for the retired couple and their 120-pound pit bull terrier to age in place.

The team added a new residential elevator to the west side of the home to access the master bedroom from all levels, placing the elevator shaft on the homes exterior to minimize the need for interior structural changes. This move also maximized the couples budget. The shed roof for the addition followed the sites slope, creating tall walls east of the master suite for clerestory windows that allow daylight without sacrificing wall space in the bathroom/closet area.

This design kept western walls low to maximize the bedroom views. The master bathroom includes an easy-access shower, his-and-her wall-mounted vanities with motion-sensor lights, and pops of beachy blue for a spa-like feel. An extensive walk-through closet and indoor sauna completes the suite.

Other universal design features include wider doorways, slip-resistant flooring and reduced transitions, lever handles, and pocket doors for easy use.

You can view these projects in a video here.

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Irons Brothers Construction wins Remodeling Excellence Awards - My Edmonds News