Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

There are a growing number of options to replace the plastic light switch.

When it comes to brutalist functionality, its hard to beat the white plastic rocker switch. Its an inexpensive, ubiquitous 21st-century incarnation of the switch dreamt up by the electrical engineer John Henry Holmes in 1884, which employed quick-break technology that turned lights on and off instantly.

Thirty years later, William J. Newton moved things on again with an elegant, brass toggle switch that replaced the push button.

It was the creeping functionality of light switches that interior designer Serena Herbert sought to address when she launched Forbes & Lomax more than 30 years ago. Its first invisible light switch: a simple, transparent Perspex plate that allowed the wallpaper or paint beneath to show through, with only a metal switch visible. It was an instant hit.

The type of light switch you choose comes down to a question of budget, believes Mrs Herbert. A white plastic light switch costs a few pounds, whereas ours start at 40. However, the effect, we believe, can be quite transformative.

For a relatively little outlay, changing these details can instantly albeit almost unconsciously smarten up a space.

Light switches havent always been utilitarian, notes Mrs Herbert, who remembers that those at her school were made of cast brass in the shape of a friars head.

You would toggle his nose up and down. The Forbes & Lomax collection includes a range of rotary dimmers and momentary switches that come in the form of a toggle, rocker or button. I think the whole idea of a switch is not to notice them, she adds.

Interior decorator Irene Gunter has more forthright views on the matter of white plastic light switches. We never use them, except in functional spaces such as garages. I wouldnt even use them in a utility room.

She turns instead to Forbes & Lomax or Focus SB for more elegant solutions.

The Forbes and Lomax invisible switch

Antique brass and bronze finishes are still very much in fashion, but it depends on the scheme: bronze sockets can look like dark blobs on a cream wall, explains Mrs Gunter. The ideal is to make them so subtle you hardly notice them. Well go as far as to powder-coat switches and sockets in the same colour as the walls, if the budget allows.

Mrs Gunter says that clients arent generally aware of the impact the right switches and sockets will have, until its pointed out. She also adds that our approach to switches is different to that of Europe. In Belgium, they take it very seriously and there is a whole array of brands available that we dont have in the UK.

Heralding that shift is the arrival of the Wiltshire-based Corston Architectural Detail. The online company was born out of a demand for a coherent range of fittings, explains founder Giles Redman.

He sees a further reason for white plastic light switches falling out of favour: customers are demanding more sustainable materials. All our switches and sockets are made from solid brass, a natural material that is also recyclable.

He adds: We also strongly believe that the tactile parts of the home you interact with every day are really important, hence they should be a joy to use.

A generation or two ago, kitchens were routinely re-done in bright colours and there's something in colourful kitchen design even

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Light switch alternatives: Why its time to ditch plastic - Country Life

First, Sidney Carter was laid off from his job as a dishwasher, when the restaurant where he was working lost business as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last month, Carter lost his apartment, after his savings ran out and the states eviction moratorium expired. Since then, he has been living in a tent in Touhy Park, 7348 N. Paulina St., joining a dozen or so homeless men and women who began camping out in the six-acre park in July.

I just came here one day and I saw the tents, and I just started hanging out here, said Carter, 49. Its safer out here than riding the train all night. You do what you have to to survive.

A tent and a sleeping bag donated by neighbors calling themselves the Rogers Park Solidarity Network keeps Carter warm, even as temperatures at night approach freezing. The Night Ministry bus delivers meals and medical care once a week. A Just Harvest and Rogers Park Food Not Bombs also donate food to the homeless.

There have long been homeless jungles in Margate Park, in Uptown, and at Roosevelt Road and Des Plaines Street, alongside the Dan Ryan Expressway. This year, though, tents have been appearing in neighborhood parks, as a result of the economic distress caused by COVID. Homelessness was already on the rise in 2020, and the pandemic has only made the homelessness crisis worse, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge declared earlier this year.

Its hard not to see it as an effect, said 49th Ward Ald. Maria Hadden. Go up Lake Shore Drive. You see more people camping out. Were definitely seeing more people unsheltered during the pandemic. Some of them may previously have been able to crash with a friend, but thats no longer considered safe because of COVID.

Elsewhere in Haddens ward, homeless people are sleeping under the viaduct at the Howard Street L station.

Over the weekend, Hadden held a public meeting outside the Touhy Park Fieldhouse to announce a plan to find permanent housing for the campers. On Thursday, officials from the Department of Family and Support Services will drive the homeless to the Broadway Armory, where theyll be able to sign up for one of 20 available units. Hadden is calling it an Accelerated Housing Event, or Rapid Rehousing. Those who apply should have permanent homes within two weeks to a month. Funds from the federal CARES Act have enabled the city to speed up the process, which previously took as many as 200 days.

Theyre going to take us downtown to get state IDs, said Jerome Smith, a 70-year-old ex-Marine who has been sleeping in the park since the summer. I had one, but Im homeless. I been on the L. They stole my wallet.

Life in the encampment has been pretty good, Smith said. They give us sleeping bags, blankets, food, snack packs. Still, Smith is longing to sleep indoors.

All I want is a one-bedroom or a studio, he said. I got all my stuff in storage by the Red Line. Im gonna have my own little place. Im an interior decorator. I got everything. Get me in. Break that tent down.

Smith said campers use restrooms at Walgreens and Jewels, but during the meeting, Hadden heard from residents who complained that the homeless have been urinating and defecating in alleys. Since the park fieldhouse is usually closed, the alderman is working with the park district to install a portable toilet.

Drinking and drug use are also problems in the encampment. Men sit by the fence at the north end of the park, sipping from Miller High Life tallboys. On Oct. 17, Carter watched as paramedics pulled the body of an overdose victim from a tent an incident confirmed by the alderwomans office.

Some are dope fiends, some are addicts, Carter said. Ive seen a guy OD. Just a bad shot of heroin.

The Rapid Rehousing event does not necessarily mean the end of Touhy Park encampment, Hadden said. Some campers may refuse housing, either because its in a part of town where they dont want to live, or for personal reasons. If they do, the city has a policy of not forcing the homeless out of parks.

It still doesnt mean people might not live in Touhy Park, the alderwoman said.

Carter wont be one of them; he plans to be at the Broadway Armory on Thursday, to sign up for housing.

Im just passing through, he said. Im not going to be in the park when the weather really hits hard. Im hoping I can get some kind of housing the same day, and then go back to work.

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A Rapid Rehousing Event Looks To Help the City's Homeless - Chicagomag.com

The digitization of the art world is in full swing, given a hefty push by the Covid-19 pandemic. Arts professionals accustomed to dealing with traditional mediums, such as painting, struggle to make their material intelligible to digital natives. While digital content should ideally serve as a teaching tool that leads viewers back to the original artwork, the two modes of communication are not always compatible. The dazzle of the newer media can overwhelm the smaller, quieter art of earlier times, as is the case with the two immersive Van Gogh experiences now on view in New York. Such presentations function as autonomous entertainments, effectively superseding their sources.

Google Arts & Culture recently launched an online hub, Klimt vs. Klimt: The Man of Contradictions, devoted to the Austrian Art-Nouveau master Gustav Klimt (1862-1918). It is chock-a-block with features that will be familiar to anyone who spent time in lockdown browsing art-related websites: videos, of course; digital slide shows with seductive zoom features; a virtual Klimt exhibition that could never be duplicated in real life, both because of the cost and because some of the paintings no longer exist. As one would expect from Google, the Klimt site is technologically impressive and easy to navigate. High-resolution images were solicited from the worlds foremost Klimt collections, including those at the Belvedere, Albertina, Leopold Museum and Wien Museum in Vienna and the Neue Galerie in New York. The project was overseen by Franz Smola, curator of 19th- and 20th-century art at the Belvedere. The stories that accompany the artworks were for the most part scripted by the Belvedere, or by the institution responsible for the visuals.

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Klimt vs. Klimt: The Man of Contradictions Review: Exploring an Art-Nouveau Master Online - The Wall Street Journal

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A timeline of the Tory sleaze allegations - The Week UK

Mel is with Molly Bardwell, design consultant from ACME Cabinet Company and she is going to show us the process of taking the kitchen you have and turning it into the kitchen you want.

Molly says an open concept is really popular lately and with the older homes in Buffalo most of the time a wall has to come down in order to do that. She says they start that process by coming into the persons home, assessing the area, talking to them about their needs, how they use their kitchen in their day-to-day life. Then she says we go back to the office and play around with the dimensions and cabinets and find something they love.

Functionality is also really important. Molly says they listen to the customer and figure out how they use they their kitchen. Something like pull-outs in a pantry are a good use of vertical space and they are really accessible for children.

Molly says all of their cabinets come standard with soft-close doors and drawers so there is no slamming your fingers in them or no loud banging of opening and closing. She says you do have the option of glass doors in all three of their lines.

She says trash pull-outs are really popular and another great accessory is the spice pull-out. Molly says it is really handy to have it right by the stove so when you are cooking you can very quickly season as needed and its another great use of vertical storage and nice to have.

Molly says they work very closely with your contractor just to make sure everyone is on the same page. If they do have any questions during the process, Molly says we have our project liaison, who will come in and help out as needed. Molly goes on to say the contractors are the most important part of the job beside from the design. She says it really does take a village but together we can do it.

For more information visit acmebuffalo.com or give them a call at 716-381-8888.

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Tuesday tips for a dream kitchen - The process of remodeling your kitchen - WKBW-TV

DES MOINES, Iowa With the pandemic and the changes in the housing market within the last few years, you probably know someone who has done a renovation or bought a new home.

According to findings from a survey on Houzz.com, a home design and remodeling site, from 2020 to 2021 the amount people have spent on home renovations has gone up about 15 percent.

Lynn Johnson, a local real estate agent, said that renovations run from basic to extreme, but there are a few things you should be evaluating right off the bat depending on whether you want to sell your home or stick around.

If you really are looking to sell your home, what are some things that you know about your house. Things that you already dont like are also going to be things that buyers are not going to like. But if youre looking to stay in your home, make it your own, with a neutral palette, said Johnson.

Kitchen and bath remodels are the most popular and they usually cost the most but have the highest return on investment.

Johnson wants people to know that they can remodel things without breaking the bank. Purchasing new handles and faucets for your bathroom or kitchen areas or painting outdated wood cabinets are good places to start.

As for when to accomplish these projects, now is the time.

When that weather starts to warm up after the first thing, thats when we hit a new market or spring market starts, and sometimes were well into the spring market before we even realize it, said Johnson. Its one of those things where we were in it and weve been in it for two weeks and you dont want to miss out. So do your projects now. But I would also consult with a professional. Sometimes what you have in mind that you like is not what the buyers want. And those are different trends that are really a big deal.

Johnson does recommend consulting someone like a designer or stager for more extreme home projects, especially if someone is trying to increase the value of their home.

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Looking to sell? Or stick around? Home renovation recommendations for any situation - WHO TV 13 Des Moines News & Weather

Your home has become a refuge, a school, an office and more over the last two years.

Whats the best way to make it better and improve your investment?

Replace the roof?

Expand the owners suite?

Add a fancy bathroom?

Remodeling magazine creates an annual cost-versus-value report, comparing the cost of home renovations and the return on investment at resale.

The 2021 report explores which projects add the most value to your home. In Lancaster County and throughout the country, most of the top projects are exterior upgrades. That makes sense. The curb appeal of a garage door and siding can make big impressions. And while decks are popular, they did not make the cut with the increased cost of materials.

The Top 5 in Lancaster County are:

Replacing an old 16-by-7-foot garage door in Lancaster County costs an average of $3,847, one of the cheapest renovations. The return, based on the percent recouped in the sale of the home, is the highest: 96%.

Wrapping the front of a home with stone veneer (an average cost of $10,247) is another project on the lower end for the cost of renovations. The return is 88%.

Replacing 1,250 square feet of siding (an average cost of $15,683) brought a return of 74.8%. In Lancaster County, thats a slightly better return than fiber-cement siding.

Replacing the same amount of siding with fiber-cement will cost about 17% more than vinyl siding (at an average cost of $18,715) but the return is still high at 70.9%.

Only one high-return project came from indoors. Renovating kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms have so many options, its tough to have a wide appeal, according to Remodeling Magazine. However, a minor kitchen remodel still is a top-return project.

With an average cost of $25,302, the return is 70.8%, more than double the major and upscale kitchen renovations.

What is a midrange, minor kitchen remodel? Remodeling magazine defines it as a dated 200-square-foot kitchen with new shaker-style wood cabinet and drawer fronts, including new hardware. Replace cooktop/oven range and slide-in refrigerator with energy-efficient models. Replace laminate countertops; add a mid-priced sink and faucet. Add new resilient flooring and paint.

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Renovating? These home projects have the highest return on investment for Lancaster County - LNP | LancasterOnline

Inwood, Iowa For the first time since the Grand Falls Casino was opened, the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation has held a grant ceremony somewhere other than the casino. And they gave out over $600,000 in grants.

The ceremony was held at the Lake Pahoja Education Center, which was built with the aid of a grant from the foundation. Instead of hor doeuvres from the culinary staff of the casino and resort, they were provided by Sharis Kitchen & Catering in Rock Rapids.

Some of the larger grants given were nearly $220,000 to the Lyon County Fair Association toward the remodeling of the 4-H Building, $100,000 to the City of Rock Rapids toward the extension of the Recreational Trail system, about $52,500 to Rock Rapids Kiwanis toward playground equipment, and $40,000 to the Larchwood Baseball Club toward a new outfield fence. Other organizations receiving funding included Inwood Fire/Rescue, the Rapids Theatre Preservation Society, the Matlock Fire Department, Northwest Iowa Community College, the Little Rock Town & Country Club, the City of Alvord, the City of George, Immanuel Lutheran Church of Rock Rapids, the Larchwood Public Library, the Siouxland Food Bank, and the City of Inwood Recreation Department.

The board has not been awarding any new multi-cycle grants for the last few years, according to foundation president Randy Waagmeester. He says they continue to make payments on two of them from past years, however, including a payment of $75,000 to Rock Rapids Kids Club for their daycare and $100,000 to the Merrill Pioneer Hospital Association toward the hospital that was built in Rock Rapids.

The other side of the grant coin is the money thats given to government subdivisions in Lyon County every quarter. Those present also heard an update about how much has been given out to those entities in 2021, and since the inception of the foundation. Those amounts can be found under the competitive grant table below.

Grants to cities are based on population. Grants given to cities this year ranged from a total of nearly $60,000 for Lyon Countys smallest town of Alvord to a total of nearly $72,000 for the countys largest town of Rock Rapids. Each school district has received about $196,500 in 2021, and Lyon County government has received about $83,000.

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Riverboat Foundation Gives Out Over $600000 In Competitive Grants - KIWARadio.com

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Here we are, close to the end of the year and facing the oncoming holidays. Do you secretly dread the hustle and bustle or are you excitedly anticipating all the sights, sounds, smells, and activities? Whatever holiday you celebrate, this is a busy time of year for everyone. Sometimes life events happen during this busy time, like a move, or a new baby, or even the passing of a loved one that amplifies the intensity of the season.

With that in mind, here are some tips that can help make your home inviting and comfortable and can help you to relax and enjoy the season.

Nows a great time to purge the things you dont need from your closets, in the storage room, stuff piled in the guest room, and in the garage. Get rid of the clutter piling on desks, counters, and corners of the room. Wow, it feels so good to de-clutter.

If you dont want to do it, hire a company to come and get things cleaned up. Particularly the areas you often skip, like baseboards, fans, window tracks, inside the oven, and inside the fridge. This is a great time of year to get the carpets and the windows professionally cleaned.

Easily freshen up the guest room with some new linens, clear a space in the closet or dresser for their things. Make sure there is a night light and a bedside clock. It is a nice touch to place some flowers or a small holiday arrangement in the room.

Generally, when people gather, they end up huddling in or around the kitchen. Clear counter space by putting small appliances in cabinets or in another room and put a diffuser with holiday scent in the corner. This is a great time of year to make sure the oven has been cleaned and the inside of the fridge cleaned out. Make room for the leftovers and the goodie plates from friends and neighbors.

Give yourself permission to hire someone to help with the things that you cant do or just dont want to spend your time on. Some tasks are best done by professionals. Dont push yourself to tackle tasks that may end up causing injury, like getting up on ladders etc.

If you are hosting, remember, people come to visit and renew relationships. The meal does not have to be complicated to be enjoyed and remembered. Set a pretty buffet on the island with a few decorations and let people self serve. This frees up time for you to enjoy the evening also.

A great way to get people talking and reminiscing is to run a continuous slide show on the TV, with some quiet holiday music in the background. People LOVE to see themselves and their loved ones over the years. This also helps people who dont know each other well, interact and inquire about whos in the picture. This is easy to do with various slide show programs available or even a photo DVD set on repeat. I sometimes have added in beautiful holiday scenes randomly placed between the pictures of family and friends that I knew would be there. This sets a warm and festive atmosphere in the room.

What better feeling than to come back to a home that is de-cluttered, clean, and ready for the new year.

With a little effort and a little planning, you can go into the holidays confident that you have created a warm, welcoming, and clean home. If you would like Prescott Maid to Order to help you get ready to relax and check cleaning off your list of things to do, simply call us today at 928-899-8518. For more information visit http://www.prescottmaidtoorder.com.

Articles in Ideal Living are made possible by Ability Remodeling of Prescott, AZ.

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Tips for Creating a Warm and Inviting Home for the Holidays - Signals AZ

LOGAN SQUARE The restoration of the 109-year-old Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, one of the most recognizable buildings in Logan Square, is drawing to a close after months of construction.

Since June, construction crews have been rebuilding the churchs crumbling brick facade and making other structural and cosmetic upgrades to the tune of $725,000. Its the first major renovation of the church since it was completed in 1912. That work is coming to an end later this month, church treasurer Matt Nygaard said.

When crews remove the scaffolding covering the church, theyll unveil a completely restored church facade with mortar original to the 1912 church and updated copper framing around the steeple, among other upgrades, Nygaard said.

Also this month, but likely before construction is complete, church leaders will hold their annual Taste of Norway celebration 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 20 at the church, 2614 N. Kedzie Ave. Like in previous years, the event will feature traditional Norwegian treats and crafts, such as handmade Nyssa hats, Havreflakk cookies and Scandinavian porridge and a rosemaling demonstration. Proceeds will benefit the church.

This years event will double as a celebration of the renovation project. Because there were no unforeseen costs during construction, church leaders were able to make additional improvements that werent part of the original scope of the project, such as rebuilding the parapet wall that flanks the front of the church, Nygaard said.

The event is also momentous because last years gathering had to be canceled because of the pandemic.

Its just a chance to get together and celebrate that the project went as well as it did, Nygaard said.

Before the renovation project, the church was in a state of disrepair. Most notably, its brick facade was falling apart, endangering church-goers and passersby. But the church also suffered from water damage and other forms of structural decay.

Church leaders were worried about the long-term stability of the church ahead of the big changes and heavy construction coming to the square, including thelong-anticipated traffic circle reworkand the construction of theGraces Furniture boutique hotel.

With heavy, earth-moving machinery expected to operate not far from the churchs doorstep, there is an increased sense of urgency to further stabilize the physical structure of Minnekirken, the church leaders said in anonline fundraiserin 2020.

The renovation project was a lifeline for the church, which is a hub for Chicagos Norwegian community and a neighborhood staple. The church has hosted community meetings for decades. Its location on the square makes it highly visible to neighbors and visitors.

Minnekirken was completed in 1912, making it one of the oldest ethnic churches in Logan Square. Its just one of two churches in the United States where Norwegian is the primary language spoken.

The churchs original stained glass windows wererestored in 2016thanks to donations from neighbors and Logan Square Preservation, a neighborhood group dedicated to the preservation and beautification of Logan Square.

Church leaders received a $250,000 grant last year through the citys Adopt-A-Landmark program to bring the renovation project to life. The rest of the funding came from the churchs coffers and more than $100,000 in donations.

As the extensive rehab project nears completion, church leaders have launched a smaller fundraiser for additional restoration work. The fundraiser, which has a goal of $30,000, will pay for a new railing and side gate and repairing and repainting the churchs original windows.

All of the improvements will ensure the church is around for another 100 years, church leaders said in the fundraiser.

To buy cookies and other treats online in advance of the Taste of Norway, go to the churchs online store.

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Massive Restoration Of Logan Square's 109-Year-Old 'Red Church' Nearly Complete - Block Club Chicago