Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Welcome back to The Rundown, our daily breakdown on comic news stories we missed from the previous day. Have a link to share? Email our team at rundown@multiversitycomics.com.

In case you missed it, Marvel announced X-Corp, a new X-Men series by writer Tini Howard and artist Alberto Foche. Plus, we have an exclusive look at next weeks Cable #8, from writer Gerry Duggan and artist Phil Noto.

Cover by Darick Robertson

DC is bringing back a classic Batman title with the return of Legends of the Dark Knight. The series will be available in 10-page digital chapters, beginning April 2, and will be printed as 20-page physical comics beginning May 18 (thus printing two digital chapters per physical issue). The first story will be written and drawn by Darick Roberston (The Boys, Hellblazer: Rise and Fall), and focuses on a new villain supplying Gothams villains with deadly chemicals. Future issues will feature Becky Cloonan, Stephanie Phillips, Matthew Rosenberg, Brandon Thomas, Cian Tormey, Giannis Milonogiannis, Dike Ruan, and more. The first issue of the series will also feature a card stock variant cover by David Marquez, as well as incentive variant covers by Riccardo Federici and Francesco Francavilla.

In other Batman news, DC has retitled an upcoming miniseries from writer Tom Taylor and artist Andy Kubert. The book, originally called Batman: The Dark Knight, will instead be published as Batman: The Detective. While there has not been any official reason given for the change, this new title does distinguish the series from any previous work. DC has never published a series called Batman: The Detective, whereas they have used Batman: The Dark Knight on many occasions, including a pair of books by David Finch. Most famously, The Dark Knight title is associated with the work of Frank Miller, who used the naming convention on The Dark Knight Returns, The Dark Knight Strikes Again, and The Dark Knight III: The Master Race. Batman: The Detective is set to come out on April 13.

DC Comics will honor their first Black superhero this June with the release of Green Lantern: John Stewart A Celebration of 50 Years. The book will be a 368-page hardcover collection of various comics that prominently feature John Stewart, including issues of Green Lantern, Justice League, and Justice League of America. In addition, the book features a series of essays talking about the significance of John Stewart, which will be written by John Ridley, Geoff Johns, actor Phil LaMarr, and John Stewarts original co-creator Neal Adams.

Marvel has announced the full new roster for the Guardians of the Galaxy team through the cover reveals for issues #13-15 of the current series. Doctor Doom, the Super-Skrull, Mantis, and two iterations of Quasar will join Star-Lord, Groot, Nova, and the rest of the current team. Marvel previously announced that Wiccan and Hulkling will be joining the team beginning in issue #13, which doubles as a 175-issue celebration for the beloved space franchise. With all of the new roster additions and the existing members, the Guardians of the Galaxy will now feature 17 members as they protect space in their roles as deputized heroes of the Galactic Council. Writer Al Ewing and artist Juan Frigeri will usher in this new era beginning April in Guardians of the Galaxy #13, with covers by Brett Booth.

The life story of Jack Kirby has been dramatized in King Kirby, a new audio drama podcast that launched this week. The podcast is based on the 2016 play of the same name by writers Fred Van Lente and Crystal Skillman, who also wrote this new adaptation. Steven Rattazzi stars as Jack Kirby, with actors Amy Lee Pearsall, Joseph Mathers, Timothy McCown Reynolds, and Nat Cassidy rounding out the cast in supporting roles as Roz Kirby, Joe Simon, Martin Goodman, and Stan Lee. The series follows Kirbys early days as a child in the Jewish Ghetto of New York Citys Lower East Side, through to his time serving in World War II, and pioneering the medium of comics with the creation of Captain America, the Avengers, the X-Men, and more.

The Vault Comics series Vagrant Queen has been adapted into a series of audiobooks from GraphicAudio. The series is written by Magdalene Visaggio with art by Jason Smith and was previously adapted into a television program on the Syfy channel, which ran for one season in 2020. Vagrant Queen follows Elida, a former child queen who was driven from her throne, and now fights for her life as revolutionary forces hunt her down. The first audiobook, Vagrant Queen and the Bezoar King was released today, while the second, Vagrant Queen and a Planet Called Doom, will be released on April 21.

ShortBox will be publishing a new story titled Gristle by Lily Blakely. The story focuses on an isolated and increasingly paranoid woman and a mysterious, fleshy plant. ShortBox is an independent comic book publisher that publishes their books through a mail-order service facilitated by Patreon. Gristle will be appearing in issue #13 of ShortBox.

Finally, Wonder Woman actress Lynda Carter announced this week the passing of her husband Robert A. Altman. The couple were married for 37 years and had two children together, Jessica and James. He was 73 years old. Altman was a lawyer and video game executive, who co-founded ZeniMax Media, the parent holding company for Bethesda Studios, best known for the Fallout and Doom video game franchises.

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The Rundown: February 12, 2021 Multiversity Comics - Multiversity Comics

In the latest This Week at Bungie blog post, the Destiny 2 development team clarifies its plans for the expansion of the Cosmodrome experience.

This week Bungie launched the second season of Destiny 2 Year 4. It's called Season of the Chosen and brought with it much anticipated features. A fan favorite system from last summer, Umbral Engrams, have returned and they tie into the new activity, Battlegrounds. This is a new playlist activity that sits alongside Strikes. Speaking of Strikes,three have been added this season with one of them being brand new. The other two are there to flesh out the Cosmodrome experience. While this is great news for veterans, Bungie recently clarified the future of this zone.

Cosmodrome was added to the game in Destiny 2:Beyond Light and accompanied Europa, a new zone. In the reveal stream, the studio also announced that future expansions will always feature never-before-seen zones such as Europa. In addition, areas from the Destiny Content Vault also have the potential to return. Cosmodrome was one such zone, and the studio had initially planned to expand the this destination to roughly match its statefrom Destiny 1.

RELATED: Destiny 2: Are the Scorn Returning?

However, the dev team'sgoals have changed since them, andit apologized for not updating the community earlier. Long story short, with the addition of The Devil's Lair and the Fallen S.A.B.E.R. Strikes, the team feels that Cosmodrome has enough content to stand on its own as a zone. Thus, they have halted the process of unvaulting any more Cosmdrome content to be brought into Destiny 2.

While massive add-ons like the Plaguelands were likely never going to happen, some of the possible additions were the remaining original patrols spaces, the subsections of Cosmodrome added in Destiny 1 Year 1 DLCs,and the colony ship that The Taken King players got to explore. In the end, these were deemed not vital in telling the story of the Cosmodrome and most importantly, having a fulfilling New Light experience.

Right now, the team is focusing on bringing back the Vault of Glass and fleshing out the upcoming destination of the game's next expansion,The Witch Queen. They believe that the community values new experiences more, thus, resources have been shifted to developing new areas rather than preparing Cosmodromecontent for Destiny 2. This doesnot mean that noother Destiny 1 content will return to Destiny 2. The team still thinks thatbringing content from the vault is a good way to add variety to the live game. Thus, beyond Year 4, more of the Destiny classics may make a comeback.

Destiny 2is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

MORE:Datamined Destiny 2 Cinematic Shows Zavala at His Most Vulnerable

Source: Bungie

Genshin Impact: How to Take Picture of Suitable Viewing Spot (Iron Ingot Meets Ziwei)

Link:
Destiny 2 Focusing on Witch Queen Content Instead of Expanding Cosmodrome - GameRant

For decades, product licensing was a game of whales, a business dominated by marquee designers signing gargantuan contracts with national brands to launch sweeping, whole-home collections. The general idea being: If youre bothering to set the great wheels of production and promotion in motion, youd better come to market in a big way.

Big-name designers still do sign blockbuster contracts, and High Point sees plenty of star-powered licensed collections making a splash each season. But as barriers to entry have lowered and the rise of social media has shifted incentives, its starting to look more like a game of nimble minnows. The market is increasingly full of small-scope collaborations between designers and regional brands. Instead of a small line, it might be a one-off capsule collection, or maybe just a couple of SKUs, or maybe even one SKU. Call it the era of the micro-collaboration.

In the thick of pandemic last year, interior designer Katie Rosenfeld did what a lot of Americans did: She moved. Crammed into a Boston apartment with her husband and two kids forced home from college by COVID, she went looking, and found an old Tudor in the suburbs (Its our Grey Gardens house, she jokes). First order of business? Restore the kitchen.

I wanted something that felt authentically British, but with [many English kitchen brands], you end up with something thats quite attractive, but doesnt work for Americans. People in Europe dont live like we live. They dont go to Costco. They dont have a 60-inch range, she says. So I started working on making something that has all the asymmetrical charm of these English kitchens, but could work in the U.S.

Excited about the concept, Rosenfeld approached a local high-end kitchen design and millworking shop, Bespoke of Winchester. Rather than just having Bespoke execute her kitchen, Rosenfeld suggested a collaboration: The company would build a model of the kitchen in their showroom, and Rosenfeld would promote it to her 25,000 Instagram followers, many of whom are locals.

Designer Katie Rosenfelds kitchen collaboration with Bespoke of Winchester blends English charm with American storage needs.Courtesy of Katie Rosenfeld Interior Design

Rosenfelds kitchen is a perfect example of a micro-collaboration. It is limited in scope (essentially, one product) and targeted to a specific, regional audience that is reached through social media. Crucially, the objective of the collaboration isnt to make huge amounts of cash, but to generate buzz. Its not going to be a humongous moneymaker for me, says the designer, who will receive a small royalty payment every time Bespoke sells one of her kitchens. But its great exposure.

As part of the promotion, Rosenfeld has been releasing weekly HGTV-style narrative videos about the kitchens design and creation. In an era when so much business is done through social media, collaborations are as much about content as they are about product. That naturally incentivizes smaller collectionsafter all, if the point is to generate attention, you dont need to make a whole homes worth of stuff. It also changes the metrics of success.

If someone goes into the [Bespoke showroom] because they want to see my kitchen, but then they turn around and buy a white kitchen, honestly, thats great! says Rosenfeld. Im helping [Bespokes owner] grow his business, and in the process Im creating a product that is enhancing my brand.

Collaborations are as much about content as they are about product.

Similar logic led to Houston-based designer Marie Flanigans collaboration with Texas-based natural stone showroom Aria. Flanigan has a licensed collection for Visual Comfort that is sold nationally, but she was attracted to the appeal of working with a regional company as a brand and marketing play. I wasnt necessarily focused on generating a large amount of income or huge sales, she tells BOH of the stone line. Its more about marketing and partnering with a brand I believe in.

With just six slabs, Flanigans collection with Aria is small in scope. The material is also strictly limited by the amount of raw stone that was available. Its not an open-ended national endeavor, but rather a regional partnership designed to drum up mutually beneficial excitement around designer and brand.

Of course, theres a danger that in doing too many small, regional collections, designers risk diluting their brands. Flanigan, who is pursuing additional national licensing agreements, says shes mindful to take on only partnerships that fit the high-end aesthetic she has cultivated. You have to be Isaac Mizrahi before you can be Isaac Mizrahi for Target, she says.

However, there are good reasons to pursue small regional partnerships beyond sales and brand buildingthere may be a client lurking in the wings, as well. [Im looking into licensing deals], but the biggest part of my company is working for clients and creating custom homes, says Flanigan. When possible, I like to do that in my own city, and the people who buy Aria slabs are absolutely the people I want to work for.

For showrooms and makers, the rewards of a micro-collection are fairly similar. The risks are a little different.

A selection from Houston designer Marie Flanigans collection for Aria Stone GalleryCourtesy of Marie Flanigan Interiors

Collaborating with a designer has some obvious upsides. Theres the marketing boost. Then theres the fact that youre growing a relationship with one of your customers (never a bad thing). However, for regional brands and showrooms, such collaborations with designersespecially local onescan be politically fraught. Saying yes to one will likely mean having to say no to others. And while the imprimatur of a popular designer can drive sales, it can sometimes present a challenge because of an open secret of the industry: Designers dont always like to spec each others collections.

Stacy Waggoner, the owner of New Yorkbased boutique textile and carpet showroom Studio Four, recalls with a laugh: When I was working for Larsen, there was a furniture collection [architecture and design firm] SheltonMindel did, and I remember showing it to [interior designer] Stephen Sills, and he said, Stacy! Why would I ever buy Lee Mindels furniture? Hes my competitor! Ive always kept that a little in mind.

However, Waggoner is no stranger to the marketing power of a great designer collaboration. Her in-house brand has produced minicollections with designers ranging from Amanda Nisbet to Katie Ridder to Amber Lewis. Some of them sell all right and others dont, but theres always a good reason to keep doing them. Magazines love a collaboration, so theyre always asking, Who are you doing a collaboration with? says Waggoner. The marketing part is really significantits about brand awareness.

That basic equationdesigner collaborations are essential marketing tools, but they can be fraught and dont always sell wellcreates the perfect incentive for brands and showrooms to pursue small one-offs as opposed to big collections. The goal: Maximize the benefits of a collaboration without getting in too deep.

Those incentives have always been there. Whats changed is that the constant churn of social media demands more and more newness, and regional brands now have to compete online in ways they wouldnt have 10 or even five years ago. In 1990, for example, a millworking studio in suburban Massachusetts might have seen limited benefits by collaborating with a nearby designer on a kitchen model. But when that designer brings 25,000 followers to the table and the studio is also looking to fill up its own feed with beautiful images, the equation is different.

Clever showroom and brand owners find ways to work the variables. Waggoner says one of Studio Fours most successful collaborations involved working with designers outside of New York (no local competition!) on a line of wallpaper designs. Those designers were at least partially chosen based on their Instagram savvy and follower count. Shes also had success bringing in fine artists (again, no competition) like Wayne Pate to create small collections.

Grove Citron wallpaper, from Studio Fours line with fine artist Wayne PateCourtesy of Studio Four

Jessica Pinzon, founder of the Dallas-based multiline showroom Pholio Co, is looking to find micro-collaboration success by representing a line of fireplaces, Strike, created by designer Chad Dorsey. For her, the familiar incentives are in place. Dorsey is a friend and client with a rising profile in the Texas design scene, fresh off a buzzy room at the Dallas edition of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House last fall. I knew from an exposure standpoint it was really good for our brand, says Pinzon.

However, she is hoping Strike will be a revenue driver, too. Fireplaces, while somewhat of a niche product category for a collab, are costly and carry a good margin, making them an attractive proposition from a showroom perspective (better to sell one fireplace than make 10 tiny fabric sales). Small designer collections, she says, will help her strategically fill the calendar with newness in between bigger collections from anchor lines. Strike in particular is a deliberate step toward establishing a bigger presence in the residential market (Pinzons background is in contract design).

Even though micro-collaborations are low-key compared with the launch of a major collection, brand owners and showrooms still have to figure out how to stock and sell themtheres a little more risk than there is for designers. As a consequence, savvy showroom owners are generally looking for partnerships that deliver in more than one way. So far, for Pinzon, its been working: Over the past week, a dozen designers have checked in about the collection!

Micro-collaborations work because they have the spark of novelty, and there are limits on how many of them the market can handle. As the practice gets more common, it will seem less fresh, dulling the impact. If every showroom is constantly releasing one-off collabs with designers, itll be harder for any one of them to stand out.

Brands and designers are also limited by bandwidth. It takes time to develop even a small collection and bring it to market (figuring out the sales process for a fireplace, which requires exactingand high stakesmeasurements and specifications, is no easy task, says Pinzon). Theres only so much sweat any company can put into a product thats not likely to become a profit center.

Jessica Pinzons Dallas showroom Pholio Co is representing Strike, a collection of fireplaces by Chad Dorsey.Courtesy of Pholio

However, theres reason to believe that we havent reached peak micro-collaboration yet. As technology makes it easier and easier to develop and market product, more designers will start to get into the game. And as local brandsthe more old-school among them just now getting into social media in earnestlook for ways to stand out in a crowded landscape, collaborations will continue to present a compelling option.

Plus, theyre a weapon the big guys cant use as effectively. The beauty of a bite-sized collection, says Waggoner, is that it works for a boutique showroom in a way that it cant for the giants of the industry. I cut my teeth at David Sutherland, [which carried] huge lines, [where] a line with 10 or 12 SKUs would get lost in the showroom and moved to the back corner, she says. Whereas virtually all of the lines we represent here at Studio Four are small lines, so each one stands out.

The bottom line: Expect more micro. When I asked Pinzon if she was planning on doing more designer collaborations if Dorseys line is a hit, she started to laugh. Just this week Ive had a couple of pretty big designers contact me and ask me about that! she said. Well see.

Homepage photo: Marie Flanigans collection for Aria Stone Gallery | Courtesy of Marie Flanigan Interiors

Link:
The rise of micro-collaborations - Business of Home

Even if black is your color, you can still make your closet the most organized part of your house. InStyle explains that coordinating your items based on their hue can make your search for the perfect top that much easier. So, instead of having a rainbow of colors, you can have a gradually shifting palette; darkest colors go towards the left and the lighter shades stay on the right. "Organizing guru Marie Kondo, whose method I'm certified to teach, says the resulting palette reminds her of the crash of a wave in the sea," Diana Horn, founder of Room to Thrive Home Organizing tells the outlet. "While you might not need ocean-specific imagery for you to love your new wardrobe, we could all use a light and welcoming vibration, like a breath of fresh air, when we go to our closets."

But, if you do go the multi-colored route, organize by the colors of the rainbow ROYGBIV, the Closet Factory explains. This offers the greatest contrast in hues and is easier to remember when you're putting your clothes back in their respective places. And, when you run into your multi-colored sweaters and other items, just go by the main color present on the garment, the outlet recommends. You can even syphon off a section for patterns and prints if you have a lot of them.

Who knew that your closet could be as aesthetically pleasing as your clothes?

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The Color Coordination Tip You Need To Know For A Perfectly Organized Closet - The List

Just about every film and show would not be complete without the furnishings that help bring their fictional worlds to life. Needless to say, there are plenty of individual pieces of decor that stand out to us while watching movies and series alike, to the point where these items stay ingrained in our design-filled minds for years (and maybe even decades!) to come. Below, House Beautiful has rounded up some of the most iconic furnishings in film and TV history, including ones from Game of Thrones, Friends, Knives Out, Emma, and more.

The Orange Velvet Couch From Friends

Warner Bros. Television

Probably the most famous piece of furniture from Friends is the orange velvet couch that sits in the fictional coffeehouse known as Central Perk. This piece is so well-known, in fact, that replica versions of it went on a global tour in 2019 in honor of the shows 25th anniversary, making appearances at various landmarks so that fans could see it up close and personal. The real sofa sold at auction for an estimated $4,000-$6,000 in 2011, but you can still bring the Central Perk aesthetic into your own home thanks to similar couches, which can be found here.

The Knife Display From Knives Out

Lionsgate

We know that the Massachusetts houses that acted as the fictional Harlan Thrombey residence in Knives Out are impressive in their own right, but the most standout piece of decor in the film has to be the massive display of kniveswhich is said to be a mix of real and fake, at least in the world of this film. This knife donut, as Daniel Craigs character calls it, is not only a unique furnishing in the houseit also plays a key role in the many plot twists of the film. As set decorator David Schlesinger told House Beautiful, this piece was custom-made for Knives Outand it was even mentioned in the script.

The Bocca Sofa From Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

New Line Cinema

Ever since Salvador Dal painted a portrait of actress Mae West in 1936titled Face of Mae West Which May Be Used as an Apartmentin which he depicted her lips as a sofa, numerous tangible versions of this furnishing have been created. One of the most notable variations can be seen in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, where it is complemented by multi-colored walls and flooring in vibrant primary colors, and an Andy Warhol-esque serigraph of Austin Powers himself. Dal-inspired lip-shaped sofas exist beyond the film world, of course Christian Diors French chteau was home to one, and Diane von Furstenburg has a pink-and-white version in her Manhattan penthouse.

The Wardrobe From The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Walt Disney Pictures/Walden Media

Although The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is technically a childrens movie, there are numerous reasons for adults to watch it as wellincluding the English manor houses used as filming locations and, of course, the hand-carved wooden wardrobe that the famed story revolves around. In the film, the wardrobe depicts scenes from the sixthand second to lastbook in The Chronicles of Narnia series, The Magicians Nephew.

The Iron Throne From Game of Thrones

Helen Sloan/HBO

It wouldnt be right if we didnt mention the iron throne from Game of Thrones, which is easily the most coveted piece of furniture in the entire eight-season series. Given how sought after this throne was, you might expect it to look a little more comfortablebut this is Game of Thrones, after all, so daunting appearances trump comfort levels. In real life, the iron throne is made of just under 200 swords, but in the show, legend has it that its made of a thousand swords, which were surrendered to Jon Snow (AKA Aegon Targaryen) in the War of Conquest.

The Egg Chairs From Men in Black

Universal Pictures

Given that the fictional government agency in Men in Black first makes contact with aliens in 1961, it only makes sense that the decor of the film pays tribute to this mod eraincluding a black and white, space-age, egg-shaped chair (not to be confused with Arne Jacobsen's famous Egg Chair), which Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones lounge in, in both the film itself and its promotional poster. The chairs seen here are the Ovalia Egg Chairs, which were created by Danish designer Henrik Thor-Larsen in 1968.

The Many Screens of Emma

Universal Studios

Design lovers everywhere rejoiced when Emma hit theaters last year, given its sumptuous filming locations and vibrant interior setsand that includes the brigade of patterned screens that Emma Woodhouses father (played by Bill Nighy) surrounds himself with when he feels even the slightest draft in the air. Firle Placean English manor house that doubles as a museumacted as the Woodhouse residence in this film, which made for the perfect backdrop for Mr. Woodhouses design preferences.

The Thinking Chair From Blue's Clues

Nickelodeon

Its possible that Blues Clues inadvertently helped shape the design aesthetic of millennials and Gen Zers thanks to elements like a striped pink wallpaper and complementary carpeted floors of the same color. But, the most recognizable piece of decor in Blues Clues is, of course, the Thinking Chaira red velvet armchair thats trimmed in black and swathed in a swirly pattern all over. There are even kid-sized versions of the chair for sale through eBay and Walmart! In the show, the Thinking Chair is where the host (Steve, Joe, or Josh) takes a moment to solve a problem, which usually involves writing in their Handy Dandy Notebookand it just so happens that this notebook has an illustration of the Thinking Chair on its front cover.

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The "Game of Thrones" Throne Is Made With 200 Swordsand more Crazy Facts From Famous TV and Film Furniture - HouseBeautiful.com

A newly renovated bathroom is one of the top items on a homebuyer's wish list. But a full bathroom remodel isn't the only way to capture the hearts of would-be buyers. A shower remodel is one way to update the look of a bathroom's aesthetic as well as its function.

It makes sense that homebuyers want the place they bathe to look and feel clean. While a full remodel would be ideal, other updates to a bathroom would also be welcomed. This could mean anything from a new vanity to updated fixtures to a tankless toilet.

But a beautiful new shower -- bonus points for multiple shower heads or a frameless shower door -- could sweeten the deal for potential buyers. And depending on which type of shower you choose, you could change the look of the entire space.

According to HomeAdvisor (NASDAQ: ANGI), the average cost to install a new shower is $4,991, with a range between $1,951 and $8,044. For example, a 32-inch square acrylic stall can range from $750 to $3,000, while a custom-tiled walk-in shower of the same size can run you anywhere from $4,200 to $8,500. Keep in mind that these figures are just for the shower itself, not plumbing, which will cost extra.

Fixing existing plumbing is one thing, but adding plumbing is another. If you plan to upgrade a half bath to a three-quarter, you can expect to pay more to install pipes and drains. Adding a shower to a half bath can cost anywhere between $900 and $12,500, according to HomeAdvisor. A bathroom should be at least 5' x 7' to hold a sink, toilet, and shower. If walls need to be built or removed to make room for these fixtures, your costs will be on the higher side of the range.

As with all home improvement projects, it all depends on size, design, and materials. Suffice it to say, if you want your new shower to resemble something in a hotel spa, you'll be at the higher end of these price ranges.

According to Remodeling's Cost vs. Value Report, a midrange bathroom remodel has a 64% ROI. Even if you don't spring for an entire redo of the bath, it makes sense to update the shower to woo buyers.

While a soaking tub used to be the wow factor for a bathroom, now it's a walk-in shower. Spacious and spa-like, they are as beautiful to bathe in as they are accessible. This is particularly important for buyers with limited mobility, as well as homeowners who wish to age in place and will appreciate the accessibility a walk-in shower offers.

A bathroom renovation is not only a pricey proposition, but it can be a time-consuming one, too. Potential buyers will appreciate having it already done for them -- in fact, some will expect it. That's why a shower remodel, whether on its own or part of a larger bathroom makeover, could be the key to getting more and better offers for your property.

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Shower Remodel: Worth the Investment? - Motley Fool

Self-care is a relatively new buzzword, but the concept is nothing unfamiliar. To practice self-care is to take time to check in with yourself emotionally, spiritually or in whichever way or place you can unwind best.

Its many meanings span from mental and emotional upkeep, to physical upgrades that can benefit a persons overall well-being for a more balanced, healthy life. If you can think of self-care as not just a headspace, but a real space, design experts will tell you it often materializes in the home as a fully renovated bathroom.

With a new focus on health and wellness, bathrooms as sanctuary spaces have become very important, said Caroline Harmon, trend strategy manager for Lowes Home Improvement. Its where most of the time is spent preparing for the day and unwinding at night, so there's an opportunity to elevate the aesthetic, and turn (the bathroom) into an oasis from the hectic everyday.

For as peaceful and relaxing as a bathroom should be, homeowners investing in one must ensure the new design meets other practical needs, like overall flow and function, increasing the homes value and preventing mistakes or surprises in the handiwork.

Sandra Fox, founder and president of Sensory Six Interior Design Firm in Saratoga Springs, said those are just a few of the reasons why she and her team is involved in so many bathroom redesigns. Kevin Gutman, co-founder of Bennett Contracting in Albany, agrees. Bathrooms are among the top two renovation projects Bennett takes on at a rate of around 100 bathrooms per year in the Capital Region.

While the do-it-yourself attitude is one of the quickest ways to complete a project, both experts say bringing a professional into a bathroom remodel from the start makes for a cohesive, creative experience thats more likely to go according to plan.

Bathroom design and construction is complex, and DIY projects can result in costly errors, Fox said. We begin our process by understanding how our clients anticipate functioning in the space.

If Foxs client shares a bathroom with a significant other, its a cue to incorporate double sinks into the design. And when theres a lust (and a budget) for luxury, she can please a person sensitive to the cold with an upgrade to heated floors, or a news hound with a small flat screen television to watch their favorite morning show.

Engaging a professional gives you access to some of the latest materials and technologies on the market, Fox said. We can find the newest and best of whats out there.

Trending today is a bathroom that wholly embodies the meaning of clean, from the simple, timeless aesthetic to its ease of use.

People want cleanliness without sacrificing style, Fox said. And high-traffic areas like bathrooms are top of mind when it comes to hygiene.

Balancing smart design with functional elements is key, such as incorporating antimicrobial fixtures with large-format tiles to reduce the number of grout lines where dirt can pile up. There are modern design elements that do double duty, like a floating vanity, which adds the look of luxury and makes it easier to clean the floors underneath.

Theres no feature more practical in a modern bathroom than the shower, though freestanding soaking tubs are often eyed by homeowners seeking the ultimate self care inspired space.

Large walk-in showers remain a priority, said Sarah McDonald, designer at Bennett Contracting. Were seeing our clients save up to go all out on fixtures and tile features in their showers, from full scale accent tile walls instead of small tile strips from the past, to adding multiple shower heads for an upgraded experience.

At Jessica Mullens mid-century modern home in Clifton Park, a walk-in shower was a must after she and her husband reorganized renovation priorities. The couple scrapped plans to build a new pool to focus on what they believed would be a better long-term investment, remodeling the main bathroom and giving their home gym a face-lift.

I wanted a concrete-looking walk-in shower, but had no idea how to accomplish it, Mullen said.

After doing some research, she found a contractor with experience creating the look she was going for. Much of his work was on display at the rustic and chic June Farms in West Sand Lake, so she felt familiar with and inspired by the style.

We live in an old, funky home, and my vibe is very bohemian and modern, Mullen said. I wanted to take the bathroom from something you mightve seen in Tony Sopranos house to something fresh and clean.

Mullens renovation is still a work-in-progress, but it already incorporates many of the design elements the experts say are hottest right now.

We went with a floating teak vanity, mixed metal fixtures with champagne brass and matte black, and a bold hexagonal tile of varying sizes for the floor and the shower, Mullen said.

Mullen enjoyed using her own background in design to work alongside a professional team that could make sure the complete gut renovation went smoothly, though that doesnt always mean quickly. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has added weeks, sometimes months to renovation schedules due to limited supply, shipping delays and an overall increase in demand.

With the current level of demand, be patient when it comes to a large project like a bathroom remodel, Gutman said. The planning stage can take a month or two before anything is ordered, and then comes the manufacturing and delivery process.

FUNCTION?-? Antimicrobial fixtures?-? Floating vanities?-? Light therapy shower heads?-? White toilets, sinks and showers for a timeless (vs. trendy) investment

STYLE?-? Bold wallpaper and tile choices?-? Back-lit mirrors?-? Classic, natural materials like marble or stone?-? Mixed metals and matte black fixtures?-? Frameless shower door

LUXURY?-? Freestanding soaking tubs?-? Heated floors?-? Heated towel racks?-? European style "wet room"

Gutman said a homeowner should give themselves a four- to six-month head start from when they want the project to be done.

But once a bathroom transformation is complete, theres no time limit to how many hours you can spend in there perfecting your self-care routine whether its picking up a warm towel off a heated rack, applying a face mask in front of a back-lit mirror, or breathing a bit easier knowing your cleaning routine is simpler thanks to the upgrades youve made.

The plaster, concrete-looking finish on our shower goes on in five- to six-layer increments, and each layer takes a day and a half to set, Mullensaid. We spent a lot of time literally just watching paint dry, but my contractor loves his craft and you can tell by the quality of the work. Id do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Taylor Rao is a frequent contributor to the Times Union. Reach her at taylorrao@gmail.com or @whodatgirl_2bd

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Reshape the bathroom into a functional sanctuary - Times Union

.A stalled frontal boundary, near record moisture levels, andadditional waves of low pressure will provide all the ingredientsfor pockets of heavy rainfall through today....FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...The Flash Flood Watch continues for* Portions of southeast Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, includingthe following areas, in southeast Alabama, Henry and Houston.In Florida, Calhoun, Coastal Bay, Coastal Dixie, CoastalFranklin, Coastal Gulf, Coastal Jefferson, Coastal Taylor,Coastal Wakulla, Gadsden, Inland Bay, Inland Dixie, InlandFranklin, Inland Gulf, Inland Jefferson, Inland Taylor, InlandWakulla, Jackson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, andWashington. In Georgia, Baker, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks,Calhoun, Clay, Colquitt, Cook, Decatur, Dougherty, Early,Grady, Irwin, Lanier, Lee, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Quitman,Randolph, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, and Worth.* Through this evening* Pockets of heavy rain will spread into the Florida Big Bend andlower I-75 corridor of Georgia today. Storm total rainfall of 1to 3 inches has already occurred over much of the area outsideof the Southeast Florida Big Bend since Friday evening.Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches with isolatedamounts of 3 to 4 inches are possible.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that leadto flash flooding. Flash flooding is a VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take actionshould Flash Flood Warnings be issued.&&

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Expect slightly higher sod prices this year - The Albany Herald

By Elise Fisch

The Florida Union Free School District Board of Education met for a work session followed by a special meeting on Thu., Feb. 4 in the S.S. Seward Institute cafeteria to hear updates on the capital project and make a decision regarding the grass on the new athletic fields.

Representatives from BBS Architects and Triton Construction, with information provided by Turco, the turf company, compiled and presented before the Board the pros and cons of both sod and seed in consideration for the Golden Hill Elementary athletic fields. The debate between choosing sod or seed has been ongoing in the Board of Education meetings over the past few months as the fields became ready for the grassing stage at the beginning of winter, when frosts and snowstorms threaten the safety of the grass growth.

It is our belief that its in the districts best financial interest to go with the sod, said Ken Schupner, representative from BBS Architects. The cost of the sod lands in the ballpark of $30,000 less than the seed would cost and faces fewer variables when it comes to installation and maintenance.

The usage of seed would produce an outcome more preferable to the members of the Board for reasons of durability and longevity of use, but the complications involved are too many and too risky to feel like a lucrative decision. The type of seed mix utilized for this region, mostly composed of rye and bluegrass, is less inclined to germination in the cold seasons. This would push seeding back to April (or possibly May), and would require several overseeds to ensure sufficient germination, all while fighting weeds, pests, and erosion caused by spring showers. Under these circumstances, the fields wouldnt be ready for use until spring of 2022.

The emotional decision of the Board is to choose seed, began John Redman, President of the Board. But, sod is the best choice for the district and for the community.

Schupner sympathized but reaffirmed his earlier statements by reiterating that the struggles involved with seeding would, he feared, lead the Board members to feel unhappy with the choice, and concluded by maintaining his agreement with their decision to use sod.

The district will spend $27,000 for equipment to maintain the new fields, an acquisition planned regardless of whether the grass came from seed or from sod. The fields at Golden Hill have been ignored from the 1980s until about now, said Howard Cohen, the districts accountant, as he discussed the costs of the update. The equipment will be paid for by the capital project fund.

BBS and Triton are scheduled to install the sod in the early spring of this year, along with Turco, the turf company, who is involved with the acquisition, installation, and initial maintenance of the fields. They are confident the fields will be ready for use by fall of 2021, for the beginning of the next school year.

Next Meeting

The FUFSD will hold its next regular meeting on Thurs., Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. in the SS Seward cafeteria located at 51 N. Main St., Florida.

The Florida Union Free School District, socially distanced in the S. S. Seward Institute cafeteria, held its regular board meeting to discuss the installation of sod for the athletic fields at Golden Hill Elementary School.

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Sod Installation Planned for Golden Hill Athletic Fields The Warwick Valley Dispatch - wvdispatch.com

West Coast Turf has been growing their all-star grass in Thermal for over 30 years.

Weve done eight Super Bowls and were the only one that has done eight Super Bowls so West Coast Turf is still considered the home of Super Bowl sod," marketing director for West Coast Turf Danielle Scardino told News Channel 3.

Because of the pandemic canceling many professional sports games this year, the local company felt a major impact.

One big thing was not doing the Rose Bowl this year so we have this beautiful field of grass out there which could have been a backup for the Super Bowl if they needed it in Tampa as we have done two Super Bowls in Florida before," Scardino said.

The last Super Bowl which featured our local grass was Super Bowl 50 at Levi's stadium.

The NFL is very conscious of their carbon footprint so they went with a local farm which is fine with us but hopefully we get another Super Bowl when its closer on this coast," she said.

Super Bowl 56 will be at SoFi stadium in LA followed by Super Bowl 57 at the Cardinals stadium in Glendale so West Coast Turf has high hopes theirs will be featured in these upcoming Super Bowls closer to home.

Weve worked with the Rams and the Chargers for years and years but theyd decided to go artificial but the NFL's Players Association is making a demand that all the fields go natural so you never know we might have our grass in the Super Bowl next year cross our fingers," Scardino said. "We can lay it right on top of their artificial turf or we go in and put in a natural grass field," she added.

If the NFL decides to go all-natural, West Coast Turf will prepare a field and anticipate a call from the NFL.

Last weekend, West Coast Turf was used at the American Express tournament and this weekend our local turf is being played on at the Phoenix Open golf tournament.

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Turf being grown in Thermal could be used in upcoming Super Bowls - kuna noticias y kuna radio