Animals who find themselves in the care of the county will soon have a new temporary home, as Animal Care and Enforcement personnel follow up on punch list inspections over the next month.

The finish line is finally in sight, said Gaston County Assistant Public Works Director Dan Ziehm.

All animal services in Gaston County go through Animal Care and Enforcement, currently based in a 64-year-old building at Dallas Park. There, dogs are kept in an enclosed space without climate control and exposed to varying temperatures.

Conversation over a new and improved shelter began about 12 years ago, around the time Ziehm began working for the county.

This is one of the reasons I got into construction, he said. I can see a project go from whats in our minds and on paper to were walking through it, and its an amazing feeling.

Ziehm expects Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement will begin transitioning to the 21,650 square-feet facility located on Business Park Court in Gastonia near the Interstate 85 and U.S. 321 junction in March.

Once we do those inspections and the general contractor corrects any deficiencies that are noted, and the general contractor obtains the certificate of occupancy from the city of Gastonia, we will be able to occupy the facility, Ziehm said.

The county will phase the current shelter out by accepting new animals at the new facility and adopting out the animals at the current shelter, rather than moving all the animals, according to Ziehm.

Animal Care and Enforcements new shelter will feature indoor and climate-controlled cat and dog adoption malls, two cat play rooms, two get acquainted rooms for adoptable dogs, and four large and fenced-in outdoor interaction spaces. Employees will have access to rooms in the back where animals are cleaned and observed upon arrival, and held before theyre adoptable or for quarantine purposes.

Capt. J. Reid Rollins commands the animal enforcement side of Gaston County Police Department, which includes animal-related laws, investigating animal cruelty and neglect cases and reporting animal bites.

Licensed veterinarian Dr. Kristine Blankenship oversees receiving, housing and caring for animals at the shelter brought in by officers or surrendered by Gaston County residents.

A large part of the shelters operations are devoted to receiving animals, caring for them and preparing them for adoption. Luckily, Rollins said animal capacity is no longer a pressing issue because more animals are being adopted than previous years, meaning less animals die of euthanasia.

Our current euthanasia rate of animals that we bring in, this [past] year, is at 9.5 percent, Rollins said. That is considerably down from what it was many, many years ago.

Gaston County reported of the 5,056 cats and 4,930 dogs taken into the shelter in 2001, 4,644 cats and 4,196 dogs were euthanized. Only 21 cats and 127 dogs were adopted, according to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

In 2018, out of the 1,809 dogs and 1,648 cats that were taken into the Gaston shelter, 1,155 dogs and 1,289 cats were adopted. Only 318 dogs and 262 cats were euthanized.

We have come light years, Rollins said.

You can reach Gavin Stewart at 704-869-1819 or on Twitter @GavinGazette.

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Transition to new Gaston animal shelter to begin in March - Gaston Gazette

The Automotive Interior LED Lighting Market research added by Dataintelo.com, offers a comprehensive analysis of growth trends prevailing in the global business domain. This report also provides definitive data concerning market, size, commercialization aspects and revenue forecast of the industry. In addition, the study explicitly highlights the competitive status of key players within the projection timeline while focusing on their portfolio and regional expansion endeavors.

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Major Players included in this report are as follows HellaOsramMagneti MarelliKoito ManufacturingStanley ElectricKoninklijke PhilipsValeoTexas InstrumentsChangzhou Xingyu Automotive Lighting Systems

Automotive Interior LED Lighting Market can be segmented into Product Types as 12V24VOthers

Automotive Interior LED Lighting Market can be segmented into Applications as OEMAftermarket

Automotive Interior LED Lighting Market: Regional analysis includes: Asia-Pacific (Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia) Europe (Turkey, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.) North America (United States, Mexico, and Canada.) South America (Brazil etc.) The Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries and Egypt.)

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An all-inclusive framework of the geographical terrain The research report extensively segments the geographical spectrum of this industry. As per the report, the Automotive Interior LED Lighting Market has established its presence across the regions of United States, China, Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia & India. The report includes insights regarding the industry share acquired by each region. In addition, data concerning growth opportunities for the Automotive Interior LED Lighting Market across every detailed region is included within the report. The anticipated growth rate to be recorded by each region over the estimated years has been correctly specified within the research report.

A brief summary of the segmentation The Automotive Interior LED Lighting Market report exemplifies the bifurcations of this vertical with extreme precision. Data with reference to industry share amassed by each product segment, together with their market value within the industry, have been highlighted in the report. Data pertaining to production growth has also been included in the report. With reverence to the application spectrum, the study comprises details concerning market share, amassed by each application segment. Moreover, the study emphasizes details associated with the product consumption of each application, along with the growth rate to be accounted for by each application segment over the estimation period.

Some of the Major Highlights of TOC covers: Automotive Interior LED Lighting Regional Market Analysis Automotive Interior LED Lighting Production by Regions Global Automotive Interior LED Lighting Production by Regions Global Automotive Interior LED Lighting Revenue by Regions Automotive Interior LED Lighting Consumption by Regions

Automotive Interior LED Lighting Segment Market Analysis (by Type) Global Automotive Interior LED Lighting Production by Type Global Automotive Interior LED Lighting Revenue by Type Automotive Interior LED Lighting Price by Type

Automotive Interior LED Lighting Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Global Automotive Interior LED Lighting Consumption by Application Global Automotive Interior LED Lighting Consumption Market Share by Application (2014-2019)

Automotive Interior LED Lighting Major Manufacturers Analysis Automotive Interior LED Lighting Production Sites and Area Served Product Introduction, Application and Specification Automotive Interior LED Lighting Production, Revenue, Ex-factory Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019) Main Business and Markets Served

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Automotive Interior LED Lighting Market Growth Rate, Demands, Status And Application Forecast To 2025 - Reporting 99

Interior and plant stylist Hilton Carter has a special connection to living things. His carefully curated Instagram account (@hiltoncarter) is a virtual planetarium; every post arouses your senses. His well-lit studio, located in Baltimores historic Whitehall Mill neighborhood, is transformative.

From the moment you enter, you feel at ease. Towering tropical leaves grow wild throughout the open space while petite potted cacti thrive on east-facing windowsills, where they receive the bright, early-morning sun they need. Carter knows exactly what each of his lush beauties requires. He tends to a total of 300 of them, 128 here in his studio and 182 at his home.

He takes being a plant parent seriously. Caring for plants provides the moments to think about how to treat people, he says. Its one of the few times I find myself pulled away from the screen. I get into my zen watering, checking the soil, looking at the leaves, making sure theyre okay. The process makes me more self-aware.

Caring for plants provides the moments to think about how to treat people. I get into my zen making sure theyre okay.

In 2011 while shooting a commercial for a retirement community in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, Carter stumbled onto the greenhouse cafe Terrain. There was glass and plants everywhere, he recalls. I felt so comfortable and relaxed, but also like I was missing out. I said, I want this for my life, a space that feels like this.

This isnt a rich mans situation. And thus, the seed was sown and the journey began. Carters gift of styling and propping plants in office and living spaces is what makes his work distinguishablehis plants bloom amid books and textiles, modern and vintage furniture, light fixtures and art. Wherever they live, they beam.

They descend from high ceilings and propagate in glass and wooden cradles mounted on walls. Its his signature and his forte. Im an artist first, he says. I graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art with a B.F.A. in painting and drawing. I got a masters in film. I love interior styling, and now Im also very into plants.

Use room temperature water, then discard any excess on the base tray. Soil that sits in water will cause the roots to rot.

If youre looking to place a living plant in the middle of your table, go with something that works in the light that you have available in that area. Low-light options include golden pothos, ZZ plant, and ponytail palms. For tabletops, I tend to prefer bouquets.

A lot of people kill plants by over care. I stay on top of things, but I also just let whats going to happen, happen.

Cacti are desert plants and should only be watered every 3 to 4 weeks, but make sure to give them lots of direct light.

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Plant Stylist Hilton Carter Creates Homes That Will Make You Green With Envy - Essence

For the first time this winter, northern Illinois may see subzero temperature lows with an incoming snowstorm.

Gino Izzi, meteorologist for National Weather Service out of Chicago, said the more northern part of the state is looking at a prolonged light snow event starting as early as Wednesday afternoon. The storm will develop from the south and travel north from there, meaning areas around Interstate 80 could be looking at the storm starting between 1 and 3 p.m. Wednesday.

As you get further north to the Wisconsin line, youre looking at a start time of about 6 p.m. or so, Izzi said.

By Thursday morning, Izzi said, it looks like the light snowfall will taper off between late morning and early afternoon, but it's hard to pin down exact stopping times in exact places at this time. He said there may be less snow further north or more snow south of I-80.

By the time its all said and done, were looking at snowfall of 2 to 5 inches, Izzi said.

Will County, La Salle County, and Grundy County are under a winter weather advisory from 2 p.m. Wednesday until noon Thursday.

Izzi said it looks like frigid cold air will start to flood in later Thursday. He said the temperatures will start to fall during the day from the teens to single digits but will most likely stay above zero degrees through sunset.

However, Izzi said a good chunk of northern Illinois and the area will possibly see subzero low temperatures Thursday night and Friday morning is looking pretty cold.

It will likely be the coldest night thus far this winter, Izzi said.

Izzi said it wouldn't be out of the question for the area to get -20 or -25 degree wind chills Thursday night or Friday morning, but it looks like the wind chill should be close to the actual air temperature. He said that's a far cry from the -40 or -60 degree wind chills that the area was facing around this time last year.

That really makes all the difference in the world, Izzi said.

But it doesn't appear that the cold weather will be here to stay for long, Izzi said.

Izzi said this storm system appears to basically be following the typical pattern for this winter, where the area gets a few days of snow or cold temperatures but the mercury will climb to near or above-average temperatures for the area which are low to mid-30s for average highs and the normal lows being upper teens or 20 degrees.

So we're just looking at a couple of days of hard-hitting Chicago type of winter weather, Izzi said.

In the meantime, Izzi said, he wanted to remind people in the area to limit time spent outdoors, bring pets indoors and dress in warm layers for the next couple of days.

The less skin you have exposed, the better, Izzi said.

The rest is here:
Snow, subzero temps on the way for northern Illinois counties - MyWebTimes.com

Vancouver's Olympic cauldron will flame again this morningto mark the 10-year anniversary of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The public is invited to Jack Poole Plaza at the Vancouver Convention Centre for the re-lighting ceremony, which is scheduled to run from 8:45 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Olympic moguls gold and silver medallist Jennifer Heiland four-time Olympic snowboarder Mercedes Nicoll will help lead the celebrations.

Ten years ago today, the 2010 Winter Olympics kicked off with an opening ceremony at B.C. Place Stadium.

Former athletes Wayne Gretzky, Nancy Greene, Steve Nash, Rick Hansen and Catriona Le May Doan were the final torchbearers picked to light the indoor Olympic cauldron at B.C. Place. The moment was marred when one of the four arms of the cauldron failed to lift out of the floor.

In a further twist to the Olympic tradition, Gretzky and his torch were then loaded in a truck and driven through the streets of Vancouver to Jack Poole Plaza where he lit the permanent cauldron.

Onlookers outside the stadium were surprised and amused to see the hockey legend hanging on for dear life in the back of a pickup truck.

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Olympic cauldron lights up to mark 2010 Games anniversary - CBC.ca

In 2018, the market size of Automotive Interior LED Lighting Market is million US$ and it will reach million US$ in 2025, growing at a CAGR of from 2018; while in China, the market size is valued at xx million US$ and will increase to xx million US$ in 2025, with a CAGR of xx% during forecast period.

In this report, 2018 has been considered as the base year and 2018 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Automotive Interior LED Lighting .

This report studies the global market size of Automotive Interior LED Lighting , especially focuses on the key regions like United States, European Union, China, and other regions (Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia).

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This study presents the Automotive Interior LED Lighting Market production, revenue, market share and growth rate for each key company, and also covers the breakdown data (production, consumption, revenue and market share) by regions, type and applications. Automotive Interior LED Lighting history breakdown data from 2014 to 2018, and forecast to 2025.

For top companies in United States, European Union and China, this report investigates and analyzes the production, value, price, market share and growth rate for the top manufacturers, key data from 2014 to 2018.

In global Automotive Interior LED Lighting market, the following companies are covered:

In global market, the following companies are covered: HellaOsramMagneti MarelliKoito ManufacturingStanley ElectricKoninklijke PhilipsValeoTexas InstrumentsChangzhou Xingyu Automotive Lighting Systems

Market Segment by Product Type12V24VOthers

Market Segment by ApplicationOEMAftermarket

Key Regions split in this report: breakdown data for each region.United StatesChinaEuropean UnionRest of World (Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)

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The content of the study subjects, includes a total of 15 chapters:

Chapter 1, to describe Automotive Interior LED Lighting product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market driving force and market risks.

Chapter 2, to profile the top manufacturers of Automotive Interior LED Lighting , with price, sales, revenue and global market share of Automotive Interior LED Lighting in 2017 and 2018.

Chapter 3, the Automotive Interior LED Lighting competitive situation, sales, revenue and global market share of top manufacturers are analyzed emphatically by landscape contrast.

Chapter 4, the Automotive Interior LED Lighting breakdown data are shown at the regional level, to show the sales, revenue and growth by regions, from 2014 to 2018.

Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to break the sales data at the country level, with sales, revenue and market share for key countries in the world, from 2014 to 2018.

You can Buy This Report from Here @ https://www.marketresearchhub.com/checkout?rep_id=2468082&licType=S&source=atm

Chapter 10 and 11, to segment the sales by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2014 to 2018.

Chapter 12, Automotive Interior LED Lighting market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2018 to 2024.

Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Automotive Interior LED Lighting sales channel, distributors, customers, research findings and conclusion, appendix and data source.

Original post:
Automotive Interior LED Lighting Market 2025: Research By Top Manufacturers with Market Size,Market Growth, Competitive Regions with Opportunities in...

Richard Poffenbaugh, In The Garden Published 11:42 a.m. ET Feb. 10, 2020

The gloxinia is a good gift choice for the indoor gardener on Valentine's Day.(Photo: Richard Poffenbaugh Photo)

Valentine's Day is this Friday and it brings back many memories of this special February day.

First are young children making paper valentines to exchange with each other. What a special event.

Next are valentines for children a few years older. This may include some sort of small gift exchange.

As we grow older it may include a special card, flower, candy or other gift. Young adults are in another category with a plant gift, cut flowers, flower arrangement, candy or other timely surprise.

In the plant category, it may be a pot of daffodils, tulips, gloxinia, African violet, moth orchid or other plant of your choice. Special plants are roses and carnations.

As years pass by, you enter the "senior" category where many changes are taking place. As a long time member of that age group, Feb. 14 may include a dinner "date" or gift of a large container of nutritious nuts like almonds or pecans, special candy or other snack food.

Lastly, an invitation to a special home-cooked meal may be the best way to celebrate a long life on Feb 14.

Codes: (L) seed needs light; (D) seed needs dark; CL (cover lightly)

Geranium (CL); lobelia (L) or (D); fibrous begonia (L); verbena (D); dusty miller (L); impatiens (L); salvia (L); vinca (D).

Use indoor light garden with soilless mix. Handle seedlings only by leaf not by stem. Apply water at room temperature, 70 degrees.

A recent column on hedges mention the use of an "orchard ladder." In response to a source of the ladder, they are sold by the A.M. Leonard Co. in Piqua, Ohio. Call 1-800-543-8955 for catalog.

They sell aluminum and wooden ladders in heights of 8, 10 and 12 feet. The third leg in front is a pole; see catalog for photo of ladders. Ladders are shipped by Motor Freight. Prices range from $233 to $345.

More: Marilyn John, Nathan Martin to face off in Republican primary for Ohio House seat

More: GALLERY: Lexington vs Mansfield Senior Girls Basketball

More: Mansfield Art Center moving ahead with major expansion project

The third leg (pole) gives good balance and ability to reach far into a tree to pick fruit or to do some pruning. Such a ladder is ideal for pruning a tall hedge since you can extend the pruning deeper into a taller/wider hedge. While the cost is high, this ladder will last a lifetime and beyond.

A new, expanded catalog with assortment of daylilies, hostas, Siberian iris. Catalog has a large collection of perennials, including Perennial Plants of the Year, Hostas of the Year, Proven Winners, along with the largest choices of perennials I have seen in a catalog this year. For catalog, visit rootsrhizomes.com or call 1-800-374-6120.

When days lengthen and it seems more springlike, bird food supply is low. Birds need not only food, but a source of water. A source of suet helps keep birds warm. Avoid soft fats which are unfavorable for bird health.

Quote for this week: "It's easier to work with Mother Nature than to fight her," Jeff Colombini, chairman of U.S. California Apple Commission.

Richard Poffenbaugh is a retired biology teacher and active home gardener since 1960. He is a member of the Mansfield Men's Garden Club and was editor of the club newsletter (The Greenhorn) for 21 years. He resides in Ontario with his wife, Barbara. Reach him at 419-529-2966.

Read or Share this story: https://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/story/news/local/2020/02/10/garden-give-beautiful-flower-your-valentine-poffenbaugh/4711784002/

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In the Garden | Give a beautiful flower to your valentine - Mansfield News Journal

Adding plants to the house keeps it alive, and is the best way to bring a little aesthetic decor to any apartment. Having plants around helps to make the surrounding feel more alive and brighter. They also add beauty to the room. Often, people think that one can only have house plants that receive sunlight. But that is not the case.

There are several plants like the tropicals that survive the low light. The added advantage is that these plants are usually known to have low-maintenance. Here's the list of plantsto grow in low light areas in the house:

The leaves of this plant have various shades like red, pink, yellow and green. Place this plant in an area that needs some colour. Also, there are no worries about watering the plant as they are very drought-tolerant.

Spider Plant's doe not require much attention and thrive well in low light. The plant also requires occasional watering, only when the soil turns dry. They make a great option for an indoor hanging basket.

ALSO READ |Money Plants Can Improve Your Home's Ambience; Here Are Tips On How To Take Care Of It

This is a low-maintenance tropical plant that requires low-light. Place the plant where it does not get direct sunlight and remember to water it occasionally. Overwatering can harm the growth of the plant.

ALSO READ |Types Of Indoor Plants One Can Grow Easily At Home And Enjoy The Benefits

This indoor plant lends itself to a hanging tray or basket and survives well in the low-light area. Planting in a basket will add beauty to the house. It also makes for a great home decor item.

ALSO READ |Gardening Tips To Successfully Plant And Grow Tomatoes At Home

Maranta leuconeurais a perfect choice for a low light apartment with big foliage that adds a unique colour to the darkroom. This indoor plant needs to be keptaway from direct sunlight so that thepattern on the leaf stays the same. Planting in well-draining soil will prove beneficial.

ALSO READ |Top Air-purifying Indoor Plants To Combat Air Pollution

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Best indoor plants for low light and tips on how to care for them - Republic World - Republic World

Salvini was accused of abusing his powers last July, when as interior minister he prevented 131 migrants from disembarking an Italian coastguard boat at the port of Catania, Sicily, as he waited for European Union states to agree to take them in.

Italy's Senate voted on Wednesday to exceptionally lift the legal immunity Salvini is granted as a member of the chamber, giving magistrates in Catania a green-light to consider a case against him.

If the legal process moves forward and he is found guilty, Salvini could face up to 15 years in jail and a ban on holding elected office. A conviction would scuttle his hopes to become Italy's next prime minister and return his euroskeptic League party back to power.

"Let's let a judge decide, let's leave this hall, and let him decide. Now the emperor is without clothes, you can go forward for the next few months or weeks but in a democracy judgment is given by the people," Salvini said.

"I can no longer pass as a criminal, there is a limit to everything."

Salvini has long said that he was defending Italy's borders with support of the government when he blocked asylum seekers last year. That mantra has played well with supporters of the League, which Salvini has shaped into Italy's most popular party on a message of anti-immigration and law and order.

But Salvini is waiting for the fragile coalition that replaced his to collapse, so he can make another bid to lead Italy.

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Salvini could face trial over treatment of migrants - CNN

National Chrysalis Award. Michael Nash reinvigorated the interior of a circa-1990's home in McLean starting from the front foyer. To endow the flooring with a bright, seamless look, hairline grouting was applied to 20 x 20 crystal marble tiles. On the frotn door, a basket rope wrought iron railing replaced the wooden original on the front door. In the foyer, white staircase risers contrasting with dark stained treads establish the new interior's transitional style. A suspended crystal chandelier at the top of the stairs draws the eye in and up.

George and Rima Bitar had spent years looking for a larger house with a pool their growing family could enjoy long into the future.

After extensive searching, they finally found a property with many of the desired components, explains Sonny Nazemian, president and founder of Michael Nash Kitchens and Homes. Unfortunately, the first floor rooms weren't configured to their needs. The kitchen was dysfunctional and sight lines from family room to pool were blocked; the interior was dark and dated.

After the Bitars met with Nazemian, a vision soon emerged.

There was a great view of the pool from the rear of the house, Rima says. But from the original foyer, one entered a small living room on the left -- which, in turn, revealed a doorway on the back wall linked to a rear office with a bay window. A powder room in between flanked right. Overall, the left side of the house was too dark from front to back. Plus, we didn't want a first-level home office, and the powder room was in the wrong place.

The couple had already spoken with several contractors, but none seemed to see the home's systemic flaws as anything more than several rooms needing a fix-up.

They didn't grasp the big picture, Rima recalls. One wanted to start with the kitchen and leave the powder room for a future date. Another had ideas for the foyer. No one seemed to recognize our requirements. We were looking for someone with seasoned experience who could help us completely reinvigorate the interior.

As such, Nazemian came as a breath of fresh air.

Sonny got our vision, Rima says. For instance -- he recognized immediately that we could easily find a more suitable location for the powder room because we already had plumbing routed to an unused wet-bar situated in the family room.

The build-out of the new powder room footprint would be comparatively simple. More importantly, removing the old one would allow the remodeler to reconfigure the home's entire left side from front to back.

From the start, Nazemian conceived the front-to-back space on the home's left side as a great room that would feature two well-delineated activity zones: up front, a formal salon with a fireplace accessed from the foyer; to the rear, a music room where Rima would keep her classical piano.

To gain more natural light and visual continuum, the remodeler introduced a structural beam mounted on vertical supports mid-room and removed the obstructive bearing wall. The vertical supports are encased in visually-sympathetic recessed paneling.

Meanwhile, the entrance from the foyer has been widened and changed to an arch, which reiterates existing window shapes. Fluted mullions, trimming the arch, provide an elegant profile reinforced by fine detailing throughout. The new flooring is wide-plank cherry wood with espresso finish. In the back half of the room (next to the piano), a built-in cadenza speaks to the room's very particularized design sensibilities.

We found the green onyx, featured in the cadenza backsplash, while shopping for kitchen counters in a stone center, Rima recalls. I told Sonny I'd like to see it incorporated into the interior in some way, and he showed me how it could be designed-in to a new serving station. That's the kind of inspired collaboration that occurred throughout this project.

The fundamental challenge within the two-level, rear-facing family room was several round, fluted pillars, which were used as structural supports. The pillars were 1.5 feet in diameter and topped with florid Corinthian caps. In many parts of the room, they were squarely placed in the middle of the potential sight lines, linking a quiet seating area to the lovely pool. The columns also obstructed views between the kitchen and the family room, which features a dramatic two-level fireplace.

Rima wanted a softer, more cohesive interior, Nazemian says. Finding ways to remove existing columns and open sightlines was part of the solution -- but she also wanted interior elevations that would support a subtler interplay of tones, colors and textures. The stacked stone fireplace couldn't be part of this picture.

To make sense of the new palette, Nazemian installed new structural supports that create views in two directions. The square narrow-gauge columns introduce a discrete design element that is developed throughout the makeover. The fireplace was resurfaced in gray striped porcelain tile; the recessed niche over fireplace was designed to accommodate a flush-mount television.

Throughout, Nazemian advised on interior design fundamentals.

Sonny asked me if I wanted the color undertones to be cool or warm, Bitar remembers. The cooler undertone I chose allowed me to select brighter colors as accents for some accessories -- but the compositional balance is well-maintained.

In the kitchen, problems were manifold. The cooktop island was not only in the wrong place, but also presented a safety hazard in a household with small children. The space was not well-organized relative to work triangles, either. Storage was limited. Overall, the room was too dark; the HVAC bulk heading created the appearance that the ceiling was too low.

As a remedy, the design team moved the cooktop range to a back wall and installed a new exhaust fan hood above. By rerouting the HVAC, the wall surface needed to accommodate taller glass-front cabinets was formed.

With the sink relocated under a bay window, the stovetop put in an L-shaped counter configuration and the foodprep island placed in a pivot from either station, the new kitchen's primary work triangle has greatly facilitated meal preparation and clean-up.

For the interior design, the quartz, top backsplash and white, marble counter-surface offer a balanced contrast to the black, walnut counter-base and espresso-finish flooring.

Back-lit, glass-front cabinets, quartz countertops and JAS lighting pendants hanging from a tray ceiling confer a warmly textured look, consistent with the ambiance throughout the entire makeover.

But a visit to the house begins at the front door.

To set the appropriate welcoming tone, Nazemian began conceptualizing the renovation from the foyer. To assure the flooring with a bright, seamless look, hairline grouting was applied to 20-by-20-inch crystal, marble tiles. A basket rope wrought-iron railing replaced the builder-grade wooden original.

White staircase risers contrasting with dark, stained treads establish the new interior's transitional style. The suspended crystal chandelier at the top of the stairs draws the eye in and up.

There's such a wonderful play of light everywhere, Rima says. Sonny really understood what we wanted, and we're very pleased with the results. The project later received a Chrysalis award for best Whole-House Remodel as well as local and regional Contractor of the Year (COTY) awards from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI).

For more information, call: 703-641-9800 or MichaelNashKitchens.com.

John Byrd has been writing about home improvement for 30 years. He can be reached @ 703-715-8006, http://www.HomeFrontsNews.com or byrdmatx@gmail.com. Send photos of interesting remodeling projects to: b2b@homefrontsnews.com .

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Starting from the front foyer: McLean makeover is national Chrysalis winner - Fairfaxtimes.com