Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site Superintendent H. Tyrone Brandyburg points out holes in the wall at the Sandburg home that will not be repaired currently due to lack of funding. The historic site now has $7.49 million in backlogged projects needing funding and the Blue Ridge Parkway has $247 million in deferred needs.

The Carl Sandburg Home and the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina are facing a $255 million backlog in the upkeep of their facilities, part of $11.49 billion in so-called deferred maintenance reported at the country's national parks in 2014.

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site Superintendent H. Tyrone Brandyburg points out holes in the wall at the Sandburg home that will not be repaired currently due to lack of funding. The historic site now has $7.49 million in backlogged projects needing funding and the Blue Ridge Parkway has $247 million in deferred needs.

Last week, the National Park Service released its list of deferred maintenance needs for its 400-plus park units throughout the U.S.

For North Carolina's seven units, the total was $395 million in 2014, not including $231 million in unmet maintenance needs along the Parkway's Virginia section.

What's happened is just the budget that we've gotten to manage the park, the funds haven't kept pace with the cost of doing business, said Leesa Brandon, public information officer for the Parkway. And every year, that gap just keeps getting bigger.

The Parkway's section in North Carolina has postponed $247.7 million in maintenance, the majority of that along the paved roadway itself. However, the Parkway as a whole has also delayed about $10.2 million in building upkeep and $37 million in upgrades to unpaved roads due to tight budgets in recent years.

We hear from visitors very regularly that they're sad and disappointed with the condition of the road, said Brandon. So many people have connections with the Parkway, through many generations, and they remember it differently.

At the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, $1.3 million of its $7.49 million in deferred maintenance needs were classified in 2014 as critical systems such as trails, pasture fences and the poet's former residence.

Superintendent H. Tyrone Brandyburg said the park was able to address a small portion of its deferred maintenance needs in the current fiscal year, tackling repairs to park's goat barn, house garage and many of its 38 other outbuildings.

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Sandburg Home, Parkway face maintenance backlog

TENNESSEE PASS Federal land managers have embarked on a $30 million project to remake a Colorado mountain valley that during World War II was transformed into an elite military training base.

The ecological restoration along headwaters of the Eagle River home of the famed 10th Mountain Division would require scooping out millions of tons of gravel and sand to turn a straightened waterway back into a river that curves through a floodplain.

It would mean yanking nonnative thistles and other invaders across 2,000 acres, recontouring and revegetating with native flowers and willows.

(Click to enlarge)

"A lot of our pristine headwaters in Colorado have had impacts. This is an opportunity to restore the ecosystem in an area that has historic value and make it better," said Marcus Selig, regional director of the National Forest Foundation, which led creation of a 50-page master plan. "Our goal is to put the area on a trajectory to be natural. We'll engineer the floodplain. We'll design it so that high flows in spring can restore a balance."

But historic preservation of scattered concrete foundations of the Army base looms as a hurdle. And water pressures complicate restoration. Colorado Springs and Aurora own rights to groundwater under the headwaters, within a 30,700-acre watershed, and to snowmelt trickling down surrounding rocky peaks.

A project proposal put forth this month by the U.S. Forest Service preserves the option of cities drilling into a re-engineered valley to reach groundwater and building a reservoir above wetlands to supply residents along Colorado's increasingly populated Front Range.

If the project survives bureaucratic review and gets funding, it would rank among the nation's most ambitious feats of ecological restoration. It reflects a growing interest among restoration ecologists in "novel ecosystems" recognizing that exact replication of nature before it was altered may be unfeasible, while embracing the role of revived natural processes.

"We're restoring it to its current potential," Forest Service fisheries biologist Matt Grove said. "We have to look at the stream we have now. We don't have the unaltered thing."

The plan incorporates post-war recreational uses of the area such as camping and skiing to backcountry huts that 10th Mountain Division war survivors built in memory of slain comrades. And it calls for state-of-the-art historical interpretation at sites around what became Camp Hale, which once had a population of 17,000.

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$30 million may flow into Mountain Valley restoration project

Wellington Better Home & Living Show Largest Ever

Jade Promotions, the largest provider of home, garden and lifestyle shows in New Zealand, announced today that the upcoming Wellington Better Home & Living Show is its largest yet. The event will see a record 200 exhibitors gather at the Westpac Stadium from 10-12 April to show case the latest innovations, trends and products in home improvement.

Director, Daniel Joll says, Our Better Homes section in particular has really grown, but across the whole show Wellingtonians can look forward to more variety and ideas than ever before, along with fantastic show-only bargains that they wont find anywhere else. Its also the only home show in Wellington this autumn and winter, so it really is a must-see event for anyone planning to build or renovate.

Kitchens, bathrooms, solar solutions, indoor and outdoor furniture, roofing, plants, awnings and canopies and beekeeping will be just some of the products and services on display throughout the Shows five eco-sections. Visitors to the Discovery Expeditions stand in the Better Bodies & Minds section can even go in the draw to win a weeks cruise in Fiordland, valued at over $5,000!, said Mr. Joll.

Highlights include a sustainable interior design feature, starring AvantGarde Interiors and Debra DeLorenzo from One Ranfurly Ltd. The display from AvantGarde Interiors will feature a dining room/lounge setting which blends contemporary and traditional styles. The stand-out pieces will be a funky red couch and a rustic dining table, with paint and wallpaper to match.

The Bio Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association will be advising gardeners on how to manage their soil in a sustainable and healthy way. Their stand will be an autumn snap shot of Anne Dodds incredible garden on the Wairarapa coast, which is open to the public. The organic and bio dynamic gardening guru will be onsite most of the three days to answer questions.

Weltec Landscape Construction students will also be creating a sustainable landscape display garden. Inspired by New Zealands natural habitat, it will include a vertical hanging garden, a cave with imitation glow worms and mini putt, where one hole is a 3-metre long tuatara.

The Wellington Floral Art Societys Designer of the Year is a crowd favourite and attracts entries from the regions top floral designers. Its back this year, with the theme Colour as You Like It. Over the three days, industry experts will also give free, comprehensive seminars covering kitchens, bathrooms, restoration, gardening, solar solutions and choosing colour.

The Newstalk ZB Healthy You will be up for grabs again too. The $10,000 home and lifestyle package comprises home insulation comprises a top-of-the-range Fujitsu heat pump from Northern Construction and Cuttance Electrical; home wall insulation for warmer, drier surroundings from Insulmax; a whole home water filter system from HRV; plus 12 months membership (with perks) for two at Snap Fitness Te Aro. To enter, visitors only need supply their contact details on arrival.

Westpac Stadium, Waterloo Quay

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Wellington Better Home & Living Show Largest Ever

NEW YORK (TheStreet) --Restoration Hardware (RH - Get Report) shares rallied in trading today, closing up 4.06% to $96.92, after falling in after-hours trading yesterday following the release of its quarterly results after the closing bell.

The luxury home goods retailer said that the launch of two different businesses in the second half of this year hurt its revenue growth outlook as it guided revenue growth between 14% and 16%, or between $2.13 billion and $2.17 billion, short of analysts $2.24 billion expectations.

CompanyCEO GaryFriedman responded to the stock's swoon yesterday by cautioning against looking at the company's short term prospects as opposed to looking to the growth that it could experience after the company completes its expansion later this year, according to theWall Street Journal.

"We have to look beyond these (trading) bumps... (and) short-term thinking. What we are building here is a really durable building, that will stand the test of time and that will dominate its marketplace," said Friedman.

TheStreet Ratings team rates RESTORATION HARDWARE HLDNGS as a Buy with a ratings score of B-. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:

"We rate RESTORATION HARDWARE HLDNGS (RH) a BUY. This is driven by some important positives, which we believe should have a greater impact than any weaknesses, and should give investors a better performance opportunity than most stocks we cover. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income and expanding profit margins. Although the company may harbor some minor weaknesses, we feel they are unlikely to have a significant impact on results."

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Restoration Hardware (RH) Stock Rebounds From Weak Guidance

The Ayr Gaeity has received a 500,000 loan from the Social Growth Fund and a grant of 90,000.

The planned refurbishment of the B listed theatre, originally built in 1902, is now around 300,000 short of its 2.4m funding target.

The 90,000 comes from the Scottish Government through the People and Communities Fund for 2015/16.

The 500,000 loan is one of the first allocations of funds through the 16m Social Growth Fund, a fund established to provide assistance to charities and social enterprises.

The Gaiety Theatre is an historic venue, a former stage for comedians, singers, variety acts and icons such as Sir Harry Lauder, the jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli, Jimmy Logan and a host of other stars.

Alex Neil, Scotland's social justice secretary, said: "This loan will help the Ayr Gaiety Partnership regenerate its fantastic historic building.

"By renovating the theatre and improving the experience for audiences I'm confident that this will have a knock-on effect on the local economy, encouraging more people to visit and spend money in Ayr.

"This Fund encourages our entrepreneurs and enterprising organisations to think of innovative ways to tackle inequalities and help us to deliver a better Scotland."

Since re-opening the theatre more than two years ago, the Ayr Gaiety Partnership has sold more than 120,000 tickets.

It has also launched a skills and employment initiative, established work with young people across Ayrshire and taken on the programming of four more venues.

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Restoration of landmark theatre in 'home straight' after Government funding boost

By Stephanie Cavanaugh March 27 at 7:25 AM

Its amazing what good lighting can do. Besides making you look more attractive, and dare we say sexier, it can be energizing, relaxing or simply illuminating accentuating a rooms best features, minimizing the unsavory and making your home a more enjoyable living and entertaining space.

With the plethora of lighting gadgets and gizmos available everywhere from Ikea to Home Depot to Restoration Hardware, just about any effect is possible, and can be done with minimal expense.

Judith Capen, an architect at Architrave Architects in Washington, said there are plenty of inexpensive sources of light that are plenty effective.

Fluorescent fixtures, which can be harsh, are great when used indirectly. Put them on top of cabinets where you dont see the fixture, she said.

This is not just a kitchen trick. Consider fluorescents on top of an armoire, or a tall bookcase, anywhere the source is unseen. Puck lights, little round battery- powered LED disks that require no wiring, are also handy for inside cabinets, under shelves and in dark corners. Its not about an expensive fixture, but what you can do with it to shape a space, Capen said.

It is possible to have it all an ambiance that invites pleasure, relaxation, stimulation and charm and even disguise a few of a homes flaws by redirecting the eye to something more pleasing.

What you want to do is layer the light, said San Francisco lighting designer Randall Whitehead. People try to do everything with one fixture, but you want different types of light to successfully illuminate the room. The best rooms use various sources of illumination to create a subtle design.

The language of light is pretty straightforward. Whitehead, who is also a columnist and author of seven books on residential lighting, said there are four lighting terms everyone should know:

Task lighting can brightly illuminate your desk, your closet, your kitchen counter, or your bathroom mirror so you dont slice your throat shaving.

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Designer tricks that will let you see your home in a whole new light

NEW YORK (TheStreet) --Restoration Hardware Holdings (RH - Get Report) shares are rising in after-hours trading today after the home furnishings retailer reported its fourth quarter fiscal results after the closing bell Thursday.

The Corte Madera, CA-based company reported a 19 cent increase in its year over year quarterly EPS, earning $1.02 per share after earning 83 cents per share during the same period last year. Net revenues for the period increased 24% this year after increasing 18% last year to$582.7 million.

Analysts on average were expecting the company to report fourth quarter earnings of $1.01 per diluted share on revenue of $582.5 million.

"While we have been negatively impacted by the West Coast port disruption in the first quarter of this year, we believe at this point, most of the revenue and earnings not recorded in the first quarter of fiscal 2015 should shift forward and have a positive effect on the second quarter," said CEOGary Friedman.

TheStreet Ratings team rates RESTORATION HARDWARE HLDNGS as a Buy with a ratings score of B-. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:

"We rate RESTORATION HARDWARE HLDNGS (RH) a BUY. This is driven by some important positives, which we believe should have a greater impact than any weaknesses, and should give investors a better performance opportunity than most stocks we cover. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income, good cash flow from operations and expanding profit margins. Although no company is perfect, currently we do not see any significant weaknesses which are likely to detract from the generally positive outlook."

Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:

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Restoration Hardware (RH) Stock Rises in After-Hours Trading on Strong Earnings Results

March 25 at 9:38 AM

These sales data, recorded by the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue, were provided by Black Knight Financial Services. For information about other residential real estate transactions, visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/homesales .

Northeast

A St., 1536-David Houdyschell and Jaclyn Reimann to Todd and Sheppard Partners Corp., $577,000.

Benning Rd., 4208, No. 2-Sara C. Holmes to Umang Varma, $67,000.

Cherry Rd., 3102, No. 35-Joann Hood to Andia A. Evans, $330,000.

Girard St., 42-Margaret Tyus to John D. Tomczuk, $410,000.

Jackson St., 1220-Van Hoose Properties Corp. to Jonathan M. Rubin, $640,000.

K St., 331-Joan Hilliard and estate of Eloise B. Hilliard to Neetha Tangirala and Matthew Baker, $605,000.

Kennedy St., 707-Dora Martinez to Willco Properties Corp., $276,179.

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Home sales

Kemeys Folly, near Newport in South Wales, starred in popular property show Grand Designs six years ago Owners Sarah and Dean Berry have now put the unusual six-bedroom home up for sale for1,999,950 The Grade II listed building sits in 23 acres of land and boasts a cinema room, pool house and stables Original building was a hunting lodge built in the 1700s and was at one point owned by the Sheriff of Monmouth

By Keiligh Baker for MailOnline

Published: 06:12 EST, 25 March 2015 | Updated: 11:09 EST, 25 March 2015

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An 18th century folly which was converted into a luxury home and featured on TV property show Grand Designs is on sale for 2 million.

Kemeys Folly, in Langstone, near Newport in South Wales, starred in the popular Channel 4 programme six years ago when it was converted into a six-bedroom luxury house - and now owners Sarah and Dean Berry have put the unusual property up for sale.

The ambitious project saw the couple combine the painstaking restoration of a castellated 18th Century hunting lodge with the construction of a state of-the-art glass extension.

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Luxury 18th Century home goes on the market for 2million

Alpine Home Restoration
Alpine Cleaning and Restoration is your best choice when it comes to disaster restoration in SLC, Ogden, Logan, Park City, Tooele and other major cities in Utah. Visit http://alpinecleaning.com...

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Alpine Home Restoration - Video