Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) March 25, 2015

Leading building-supply dealers across the U.S.A. now offer the PVC crosshead pediment profile in individually wrapped 16-foot lengths with a smooth matte finish. Like all VERSATEX trim products, its easy to cut, miter and install, and its compatible with standard millwork tools, techniques and materials, said Versatex Vice President of Sales Rick Kapres. And it delivers long-lasting curb appeal with zero painting and minimal maintenance.

Because we specialize in trim and trim alone, we can provide the highest levels of quality, service and expertise in the industry, Mr. Kapres added. Contractors save time and money during installation. And home owners can permanently forget about damage from moisture, weather, or insects.

Contractors, distributors and lumberyard operators can learn more about the VERSATEX PVC crosshead pediment moulding from regional VERSATEX representatives, or by contacting Mr. Kapres.

About VERSATEX Weather-resistant, long-lasting VERSATEX PVC trim materials and systems are manufactured by Versatex Building Products, LLC, of Pittsburgh, Pa., where state-of-the-art facilities produce cellular PVC extrusion products such as VERSATEX trimboards, sheet, bead board, moldings and prefabricated corners; the innovative VERSATEX soffit system; and the new, dimensionally compatible VERSATEX Max nominal 2-by boards. Details are posted at http://www.versatex.com.

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VERSATEX Introduces PVC Crosshead Pediment Moulding Profile

(StatePoint) Time spent in the bathroom can be precious, as it may be your only solo time. When prioritizing home upgrades, consider first transforming a ho-hum, conventional bathroom into an oasis of comfort, style and ultimate relaxation.

Relax

Replace outdated fixtures with new top-quality options that offer greater functionality. Manufacturers such as Mansfield Plumbing, produce fixtures and fittings designed to work in tandem. Such suites of a toilet, sink and bathtub can improve the look of a bathroom setting.

In a toilet, there are certain features to seek. A SmartHeight toilet allows for easier access. For those who are environmentally conscious or looking for a pocketbook-friendly option, seek out a WaterSense rated toilet, signifying greater water conservation.

When it comes to relaxation, the bathtub is king. Luckily, manufacturers are innovating features to go beyond whirlpools. New bathtub offerings include chromatherapy mood light systems, thermotherapy heated backrests and in-line heaters that keep water heated perfectly. Explore your options at http://www.Mansfieldplumbing.com.

Retreat

Make your bathroom the perfect retreat from the rest of the house and the outside world with a few stylish accents that provide greater solitude. For example, privacy decorative glass windows and privacy acrylic block windows offered from Hy-Lite are design elements that dont compromise natural light. Available in four designer frame colors, you can go beyond plain frosted glass with stylish windows that come either operable or fixed in place. Offered in varying shapes and sizes, its easy to match windows to other bathroom elements, such as tiles and countertops. Full details are available at http://www.Hy-Lite.com.

Take your spa retreat a step further by piping music into your bathroom with humidity-resistant speakers unsusceptible to steamy showers and hot baths.

Beauty

On a limited budget you can give the bathroom an elegant long-term facelift by investing in millwork products that resist humidity so you dont experience warping. From crown moulding to trim around showers and bathtubs to ceiling medallions, polyurethane is a more practical material than traditional wood for these design elements. Its lightweight, easy to install, and most importantly, designed to resist the humidity of bathing.

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Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps: is he for real? Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA

Last week, I betrayed the homosexual parenting community. At Elton Johns insistence I tried to boycott Dolce & Gabbana, which was a great sacrifice for me, as other designer underwear makes my testicles look old.

As I have been appearing at a theatre in Dundee it has been difficult to find any Dolce & Gabbana outlets to boycott. Instead, I located a second-hand copy of Joe Dolces Shaddap You Face single in Grouchos records on the Nethergate, and pointedly refused to buy it.

But it has been a troubling week. News events, coupled with the liminal experience of spending time in Dundee, have conspired to make me doubt my own existence. And that of others. And that of all matter. It is the fault of the government.

Earlier this week the Conservative party chair Grant Shapps was revealed to have operated, even while an MP, a variety of ethically translucent internet business funnels under the alias of Michael Green, pseudonymous author of a book called How to Get Stinking Rich. Grant Shapps even wore a badge saying he was Michael Green at a 2004 conference, though apparently this was a joke, but one so subtle that many people took it at face value. Now he knows how I feel writing these columns.

Green, a non-existent man, marketed software that steers Google search engines towards particular information, manipulating our perception of reality. Fittingly, most traces of this Michael Greens HowToCorp company have since been erased from cyberspace, perhaps by his own software, jammed in reverse gear with an imaginary spanner.

How disorientating. Some 25 years ago now, in 1990, a young Grant Shapps hired me as the sole employee of his profitable live bait vending business, House of Maggots, which I didnt over firmly deny in the Observer last March. Grant Shapps and I spent many a moonlit night at popular Suffolk angling spots filling roadside fridges with comatose larvae, discarding maggots that failed to thrive, talking about our dreams. But who was the Grant Shapps that I imagined I knew all those years ago?

In August 1989 Grant Shapps had a car crash near WaKeeney, Kansas, on Interstate 70, his companion probably falling asleep at the wheel. Speaking to the Welwyn Hatfield Times in 2011, at the opening of a refurbished McDonalds in the region, Grant Shapps confessed: I was in a coma for the best part of a week and when I came round I recuperated in a Ronald McDonald home. Ive always been grateful to Ronald McDonald. Could this bizarre incident be significant?

The spring of 1989 saw a surge of UFO sightings in Kansas, clustered principally around the town of Russell, 60 miles west on Interstate 70 of Grant Shappss subsequent accident. The UFO-spotting season closed spectacularly in November 1989 at Goodland, 111 miles east, on the same road, when two women were abducted by aliens, and left unable to account for three hours of their evening. And in between those two spates of alien activity, geographically and temporally, lies Grant Shappss own crash and coma. Could this be the point at which the reality-moulding entity known as Michael Green somehow took possession of the future Conservative party chair? Did Grant Shappss Kansas blackout provide a gateway for the little Green man?

Given this Michael Greens self-professed ability to use software to rewrite our perception of our own history, and our own reality, I wondered if there ever was a Grant Shapps, as we understand him, at all? Grant Shappss Wikipedia entry is known to have been regularly and favourably massaged by unseen hands. But are these hands alien hands? Are they green? Could this Michael Green have inserted a rebooted Grant Shapps character, who never really existed, into our reality by a similarly deft manipulation of online records?

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If Grant Shapps was made by little green aliens, whats left?

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(BPT) - Just as tasteful, well-chosen jewelry can turn an unexciting outfit into a stylish, eye-catching ensemble, carefully applied hardwood mouldings and trimwork can transform a plain-Jane interior into an interesting - even beautiful - space.

Todays newly built houses often lack any sort of carved-wood ornamentation. Many older homes have lost their traditional decorative details through successive modernizing renovations. To transform stripped-down to charming, and ordinary to characterful, homeowners are incorporating decorative millwork to enhance their interior design.

While there is an almost infinite variety of hardwood mouldings and trims, the pros at the American Hardwood Information Center, http://www.Hardwoodinfo.com, and most design experts, recognize the following most basic categories:

* Baseboards, which run at the foot of walls and act as an elongated pedestal, are both aesthetic and practical. They visually anchor the wall to the floor and at the same time protect it from everyday low-impact abuse such as kids scooting around in toy cars.

* Crown mouldings, which run between the walls and the ceiling, soften the abrupt transition between wall and ceiling.

* Casings, the trim surrounding door and window openings, define a wall opening and help connect the spaces being joined.

Our clients are attracted to the enduring quality and ageless appeal of hardwood moulding, says architect Jeff Murphy, principal of Murphy & Co. Design, a Buffalo, Minnesotabased firm. For them, its the heart of the home - something they see and touch each day. Done right, it will last forever and always be in style.

For architect Tim Button of New York Citybased Stedila Design, hardwood mouldings are appropriate in any room in the home, but he also says, I think wood trim often makes its biggest impact in an entry hall where high ceilings allow for large-scale crown mouldings. And hes a fan of using stained-wood mouldings in bathrooms, because it brings warmth to what can be a somewhat clinical space.

Edina, Minnesotabased architect Meriwether Felt agrees, having installed stained-cherry mouldings, trims, and casings in the master bath of a home she renovated. The client asked for a luxurious yet elegant feeling and the cherry fit the bill perfectly. The stained wood warms up the bathroom and provides richness.

The size of the trimwork and the complexity of its profile will be determined by the size and style of the space in which its being installed; the larger and more traditional the room, the bigger and more ornate the trim. Crown mouldings in particular have a profound and sometimes unexpected effect on how people perceive the scale, proportions and character of an interior, so they must be chosen with great care. If too small and plain, theyll look skimpy and undernourished; too large and ostentatious and theyll overwhelm the space. If in doubt, consult a design professional.

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Creating characterful interiors with hardwood moulding

SCRANTON, Pa. AZEK Deck and AZEK Trim, manufactured by CPG Building Products, have been named the number one brand of decking and trim according to Peninsula Publishing's 2014 Brand Survey. For AZEK Trim, this marks the fourth time in recent years that the brand has topped the Millwork/Trim Category. The survey is conducted online to readers of Peninsula's building industry magazines, including Builder Developer, 50 Plus Builder, Options for Today's Fine Homes, Green Homebuilder, and Residential Contractor and Builder Bytes.

The annual Peninsula Publishing Brand Preference Study targets residential builders, architects and contractors who make major buying decisions. Independent survey responses ranking the brands they most recognized and preferred were tallied from the publisher's magazine web sites, social media and three times weekly through its online e-newsletter BuilderBytes.

Made of cellular pvc, AZEK Trim reinvented the trim category in 2001 when it was introduced as a wood trim replacement. Today, AZEK Trim and Moulding products include a variety of exterior trim boards and 29 moulding profiles that save time and labor on the jobsite. These include three, easy-to-install sizes of Column Wrap; Finish Grade Trim which offers a finished surface without visible fasteners; a Universal Skirt Board that works any siding type and architectural mouldings such as crown, casing and sill profiles.

AZEK Deck, a capped pvc product, has set the bar extremely high for performance and aesthetics, including products in the new Vintage Collection that must be seen to be appreciated. With 18 popular colors and textures, AZEK Deck offers an option for every home exterior with the easy workability that contractors appreciate and the beauty and durability consumers demand.

"It speaks volumes to have both AZEK Trim and AZEK Deck selected for the number one brand honor by readers of these western-based magazines," said Jason Grommon, President, CPG Building Products. "It affirms that the AZEK brand quality, which we have always held in the highest regard, resonates with audiences from coast to coast." He added that it is also gratifying to have AZEK Trim and Mouldings recognized as the leading brand for the fourth time by Peninsula's readers.

Survey results were announced at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas, January 20 - 22, 2015, and can be found on Peninsula Publishing's website at http://www.bdmag.com/article/2014-building-products-brand-survey-winners.

About AZEK Building Products: Part of CPG Building Products, the AZEK brand capitalizes on more than 25 years of cellular pvc manufacturing experience to make and market premium, low maintenance exterior building products such as AZEK Deck, the leading brand of low-maintenance decking, and AZEK Trim, the leading brand of low-maintenance trim. Other AZEK products include AZEK Mouldings, AZEK Porch, AZEK Rail, and AZEK Pavers. They offer tangible benefits as ideal replacements for traditional building materials. For information, call 1-877-ASK-AZEK (877-275-2935) or visit the AZEK website at http://www.azek.com.

SOURCE AZEK Building Products CONTACT: Maureen Murray, 973-993-1570, precise2@optonline.net

Web Site: http://www.azek.com

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AZEK Deck and AZEK Trim Chosen # 1 in Brand Survey by Publisher of Builder and Developer Magazine

(StatePoint) Its no secret that home upgrades cost time and money. But certain projects can actually save you money in key areas and improve the resale value of your home, while making it more beautiful and livable now.

When its time to replace worn-out roofing, doors and trim, ensure youre getting good value on your investment. Here are some guidelines for making durable, long-lasting upgrades.

Roofing

The roof is an integral part of a houses curb appeal. Its also a vital protective layer between the elements and your family. Roofing should be impact-, fire- and severe weather-resistant, as well as beautiful -- especially as extreme weather events are growing more common and severe across America.

A new roof can pay off, according to Remodeling" magazine, which cites a 71.6 percent recoup of costs in their 2015 Cost vs. Value study.

Skip over bargain-basement priced roofs, even if youre on a budget. Whats important is finding a roof that will be virtually maintenance free for years to come. You may pay more out of pocket now, but youll save big on repairs, inspection and maintenance in the long run.

Natural slate and shake roofing materials evoke images of traditional charm and long-standing durability. However they have an inherent tendency to degrade as they age.

Check out manmade materials, such as polymer slate and shake roofing tiles, which offer the authentic look of natural materials but are more resistant to chipping, flaking and splintering over time. For example, DaVinci Roofscapes offers 50 colors, which can help you focus on your homes 'top down' curb appeal in order to create a cohesive exterior. And some polymer roofing options can even help you get a break on homeowners insurance.

Trim

Boost curb appeal, as well as interior style, with millwork, moulding and trim. While these elements dont always serve a functional purpose other than to add beauty and value to your home, its important that they resist humidity, moisture and insects all the same, so you dont experience warping or decay.

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Top Home Upgrades that Offer Long-Term Value

(StatePoint) Want to set your home apart? You can add character and beauty to your home by learning more about your houses architectural style and adding design elements to complement the look.

With the right knowledge, its easy to transform any room of your home as well as the exterior, says Niki Decker, senior product and marketing manager with Fypon, which creates synthetic millwork products.

The experts at Fypon are offering some tips and guidelines to achieve an authentic, coordinated look throughout your home -- inside and out.

Proportions matter. If youre going to be adding shutters to your exterior, do a bit of math. The width of shutters used in pairs on a window should be half the width of the window, and should be the same height as the window.

The higher the ceiling, the taller the baseboard should be. Additionally, the height of your baseboard moulding should always be larger than the casing, which is the frame around a door or window.

Make a room feel taller by placing a chair rail -- the moulding used to prevent the backs of chairs from rubbing against the wall -- one-third of the way up from the floor. Chair rails should be 1/2 or one inch narrower than casings.

If you have a classic Georgian style home, characterized by strict symmetry and a centered and paneled front door, cap the front door panel with an elaborate crown supported by decorative pillars.

Enhance your Victorian style home with ornamental spindlework on the porches and patterned shingles on the roof. Offset the complexity with simple surrounds for windows.

For country style cottages, consider clapboard shingles for siding, or wood shake for siding and roofing, and wide white trim or shutters around windows.

Complete the look and feel of your Mediterranean-style home, rich with such decorative accents as round columns, tile and stone, by planting lush gardens and installing an ornate fountain.

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Tips to Add Design Appeal to Your Home

PANDAS ATTACK IN NEW ZEALAND!

The Fiat Panda launches unprecedented attack on the New Zealand car market

Multiple award-winning European small car from just $14,990 plus on road costs

Panda population limited so special $5000 price saving faces imminent extinction.

The Fiat Panda has become New Zealands most affordable European small car with an opening price of just $14,990 plus on roads but with a strictly limited Panda population in New Zealand, its a special offer that is facing extinction.

We have a strictly limited number of Pandas in captivity here in New Zealand and we want to set them free to find them new homes as soon as possible, says David Smitherman, Chief Executive Officer of Fiat Chrysler New Zealand. So for just $14,990 plus on road costs you can welcome one of these friendly, economical and comfortable Pandas into your home.

The new prices of $14,990 plus on road costs for the Fiat Panda Easy and $16,990 plus on road costs for the lavishly equipped Fiat Panda Lounge represent a saving of $5000 compared to the normal prices for Fiats smallest species. The price includes a comprehensive three year/150,000 km warranty.

The Panda is the epitome of what has made Fiat a small car legend, explains Mr Smitherman. On one hand it is an intelligent design that is safe, spacious, economical and intelligently designed, but on the other hand it is also a car that stylish and cute, fun to drive and easy to own. The Panda is both the smart and the fun choice in a world of basic and dull small cars. At $14,990 plus on road costs it is, quite simply, unbeatable.

The multiple award-winning Fiat Panda has set the small car benchmark since Fiat gave birth to the first generation Panda in 1980. The latest Panda has not just taken the European Car of the Year title, its uniquely compact and economical TwinAir engine is the International Engine of the Year.

The Panda secured its Car of the Year title thanks to its big on the inside, small on the outside design as well as its blend of fun, style and functionality. With five doors and an interior that boasts flexibility and high quality materials combined with cutting edge technologies the Panda continues to set a benchmark for small cars

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Pandas Attack In New Zealand!

A year ago, menswear-inspired decorating was wildly popular. Interior designers hung sharply tailored draperies alongside furniture covered in pinstripes. Sophisticated shades of grey were everywhere, as was navy blue.

But since the pendulum always swings, were starting to see fresh feminine spaces, says interior designer Brian Patrick Flynn, regardless of who lives in them.

The trend that designers are calling the new feminine isnt a return to an excess of florals, shabby-chic lace and other cliches of feminine decor from a decade ago. Instead, feminine style has evolved into an esthetic thats classic with a soft, eclectic spin, says Flynn, founder of Flynnside Out Productions.

Pretty is back, but designers are using traditional florals on furniture with edgy, sleek lines to create modern mashups. Even the colour pink has enjoyed a makeover: Pantones colour of the year for 2015 is a sexy, dark pink called marsala (see below).

In this May 14, 2014 file photo, American actress Blake Lively poses for photographers on the red carpet during the opening ceremony and the screening of Grace of Monaco at the 67th international film festival, Cannes, southern France. Marsala, the wine-influenced, red-kissed color of 2015, was chosen by Pantone. Pantones yearly picks can herald a marked presence of a color in fashion, beauty, housewares, home design and consumer packaging, though some years the influence is stronger than others.

There was a period in design when pretty or feminine were considered bad words, says New York-based designer Young Huh. It was considered lightweight and not serious. Ideal rooms were masculine, a bit sombre, devoid of pattern and softness. Recently, there is a return to appreciating traditional design and also pretty rooms.

Believe it or not, Huh says, there is a new generation discovering chintz and florals.

So how do we pull off this new look to give rooms a beautiful, feminine touch without getting too girly?

In this photo provided by Brian Patrick Flynn/HGTV.com, a den designed by Flynn showcases a fresh, feminine drapery fabric by Tilton Fenwick and a less expected feminine color scheme of mint green and fire engine red.

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Designers embrace new feminine trend in home decor