Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

This lovely bungalow is located on the popular Whitecross estate in Shanklin, which comprises of similar properties, and is not far from the Aldi and Morrisons supermarkets at Lake.

The bungalow benefits from gas-fired central heating and replacement uPVC double-glazed doors and windows and also features updated kitchen and wet room suites and a conservatory extension to the rear.

Scroll through our gallery of pictures above...The bungalow, which is link-detached via the garage only, also has solar roof panels which gives the owner reduced electric charges.The entrance lobby has access to garage and rear garden, as well as a glazed panel inner front door leading into the entrance hall.The lounge has a contemporary electric fire, plus three radiators, dual-aspect windows and a square arch opening into the good-sized kitchen/diner.The kitchen area has laminate worktops with range of cream gloss units, plus an inset electric hob and a built-in electric oven.There is plumbing for a washing machine and a dishwasher, plus space for upright fridge/freezer.The kitchen/diner also features laminate flooring and a contemporary vertical radiator, plus a door to the outside and a sliding patio door to the conservatory.In turn, the sunny conservatory has French doors leading to garden and a solid uPVC insulated roof.

The kitchen/diner has a sliding door leading into the sunny conservatory.

There are two double bedrooms with radiators and front aspect windows, plus a wet room with a shower area featuring an electric shower, plus a wash-basin and low-level WC.Outside, there is an open-plan front garden which is mainly laid to shingle with a shrub border.The concrete driveway provides parking for two cars and leads to a single garage with double doors, power and light, as well as access to the lobby area.There is an enclosed garden to the rear, which is mainly laid to synthetic lawn with shingle borders for easy maintenance and a variety of shrubbery.There is also a timber shed, outside tap and a gated side path.Shanklin town centre is about threequarters-of-a-mile away and has a wide range of shops and amenities, including a medical centre, two pharmacies, a sub Post Office, a railway station and a bus terminus.Shanklin beach is around a mile away and the bungalow is also a short drive from the coastal towns of either Sandown or Ventnor, as well as being about a 15 to 20-minute drive from the county town of Newport.

LOCATION: ShanklinBEDROOMS: TwoPRICE: 285,000AGENT: Arthur WheelerTEL: 868333

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Pictures: Recently upgraded two-bedroom bungalow in Shanklin has all mod-cons - Isle of Wight County Press

On the front patio, the tall grasses provide privacy while John and Maureen relax in red Adirondack chairs. Supplied

For homeowners John Omura and his wife Maureen DeMarco-Omura, an upstairs creative space has been a comforting retreat during this time of isolation and working from home.

My husband did the major renovation of the house in 1990 just before I met him, says Maureen located in the Glebe neighbourhood. John was living two doors down and renovated the house completely, adding the garage, the master bedroom above it and a family room behind the garage.

The third floor was originally the attic and we converted into a real creative space. Its one of the parts I love the most.

Light pours into the third floor, originally the attic.Supplied

Formally trained as an engineer, John currently works at Algonquin College as a user experience research manager, but his hobby and passion is music.

Renovation now mostly complete, the couple turns their attention to how to best use the space. One of the upstairs rooms is a music room, which they painted and decorated during the pandemic.

Johns using it a lot more now that hes working from home. He plays guitar, and daughter Alyssa, 17, sings and plays guitar too.

Maureen took over a part of the creative space in what used to be her husbands office. She dreams of using the space for painting and crafts when she retires from her job as a special education teacher in the Ottawa-Carleton School Board.

The third room upstairs also houses a slot car track where John and their son Tommy raced their miniature race cars together when Tommy was younger.

Now 20, Tommy helped design the race track to accommodate this childhood hobby he shared with his father, who re-lived his slot car days from when he was a kid. John and Tommy were members of a local slot car club that closed down in 2016. John hopes to bring the slot car room back to life after he retires in the near future.

They havent changed the basic house much since the original renovation. The most creative change weve done has been front and rear patios, deck and landscaping, says Maureen. And sorting out whats inside the three-bedroom house. I like less stuff and he likes more.

A small three-person hot tub just off the back deck is the latest addition installed during the pandemic. The yard is an oasis for us, surrounded by four old maples that our son taps for maple syrup every spring, says Maureen. There is a circular patio below the deck with a wrought iron table and chairs, and a fire bowl that we use to warm ourselves on cool COVID evenings when we cant entertain indoors! The front patio is another secluded refuge for us in the spring. The tall grasses begin growing each spring and provide privacy while we enjoy our coffees in our red Adirondack chairs.

The original home was built in the early 1900s. Back then, there was an alley in the back, says John, but now homeowners have moved their fences to the middle of the laneway.

The original home, built in the early 1900s and located in the Glebe neighbourhood, has undergone several transformations.Supplied

John felt that the house he was living in before buying the current property was feeling a little small, and so he decided to buy the one two doors down. I felt that that house was better suited to a renovation. It had a bigger lot.

He was young and frugal back then and he knew it would be long term, adds his wife. He hired a design/build company, and was impressed with the finished quality of the builders houses and the attention to detail.

Being an engineer myself, I did some preliminary floor plans that laid out the functions I wanted, and areas I thought would be nice, he says. I went back and forth with my builder, who suggested some modifications. It ended up quite different from my original floor plans, but in the end, I liked his final design.

When the house was renovated, the main floor was opened up with a look-through island joining the kitchen and dining/living room, with a triangular glassed-in staircase leading to the second level. Maureen is particularly fond of the light wells in the living/dining room that brings in the light from the third floor.

The decor has an Asian flare reflecting Johns Japanese heritage. A red kimono, passed down from Johns mother, is a focal point in the dining area.

Shoji screens provide privacy in front windows, and there are Japanese wooden Kokeshi dolls that Maureen brought back from Japan when she taught English there as an exchange teacher.

The window in the main entrance door is a faux stained glass that Maureen created as a stylized version of Hokusais famous woodblock print, The Wave.

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Design trends: Pandemic attic reno provides a creative space in Glebe home - County Weekly News

Rays and Stark Bar at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is reopening tomorrow after closing its doors in May due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the museum is debuting a free outdoor installation by Los Angeles artist Alex Prager entitled Farewell, Office Holiday Parties that will be on view until January 3, 2021 at the Smidt Welcome Plaza.

To welcome back Angelenos, chef Fernando Darin is serving a newly updated menu of soups, salads, and pizzas, along with cocktails, wine, and beer, for patio dining and for takeout. Advance reservations are required for dining in. C+M, LACMAs coffee shop located on the south side of the restaurant, will be open and brewing Intelligentsia coffee and espresso.

In addition to the new installation from Prager, visitors can also explore the museums existing outdoor sculptures from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, including Chris Burdens Urban Light, Michael Heizers Levitated Mass, and Yoshitomo Naras Miss Forest.

LACMAs reopening comes amid a recent surge in local coronavirus cases that has prompted Los Angeles County officials to mandate restaurants to operate at 50 percent outdoor dining capacity and to instate a 10 p.m. curfew. LACMA is adhering to state and county guidelines for visiting the museums outdoor campus and dining facilities.

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5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036

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LACMA Restaurant Rays Reopens This Weekend With New Outdoor Art Installation - Eater LA

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With coronavirus cases jumping, central Ohio restaurant owners are doing everything they can to carrythe outdoor dining season into winter.

They are erecting tents, hunting down heaters and building igloosto extend the season for patrons who don't want to eat indoors during a pandemic.

But between building codes and a shortage of heaters, they're finding that such moves can be easier said than done.

More: Restaurants turn to heated tents to extend outdoor dining into winter, but doctors worry

According to an Ohio Restaurant Associationsurvey from the end of October, 34% of respondents plan to use portable heaters for outdoor dining and 16% plan to use tents. (For 60% of respondents, outdoor dining simply isn't an option because they lackoutdoor space.)

In Hilliard, the Center Street Market erected a 20-by-60-foot tent on its patio, complete with heaters, a dozen tables and two televisions.

Our inside seating wont be enough this winter, said Rob Fry, one of four partners who opened Center Street Market earlier this year. It hasnt been used much (as of early November), but we think it will be useful in the winter.

The 1,200-square-foot tent, which required a permit, abuts the indoor area of the market, and with the bay doors open, patrons canwalk between the tent and the indoor dining area where the market's several restaurants are located, Fry said.

We will keep it out until it isnt being used anymore, he said.

Fry was one of the lucky ones to get patio heaters, which have been, well, a hot commodity as the temperature dropped.

Sales of outdoor heaters jumped by 1,150% through March and September this year compared to 2019, according to Jonathan Johnson, CEO of Overstock.com,in an interview with Fast Company magazine.

Tory Hricovec, general manager of the First Watch in Worthington, said the restaurant has been searchingfor heaters to extend the life of its four-table patio, but so far hasn't had any luck.

If we cant get heaters, then we close our patio, Hricovec said.

Wolf's Ridge Brewing's restaurant and taproom had plans to install heaters in its outdoor dining spacebut was unable to find any units that meet Columbussafety codes, general manager CoreySchlosser said.

"Most of the heaters you see with patios, they're with propane heaters, and that is something the city said they would not allow," he said.

More: Bartenders and waiters struggle on, eight months into the pandemic

Hen Quarter restaurant in Dublin is taking a different approach: igloos.

The restaurant's owner, Ron Jordan, is awaiting four heated igloos that seat up to eight people each.

"We ordered those three weeks ago, and we're supposed to get them the first or second week of December," he said.

The restaurant's landlord preferred igloos to heated tentsbecause the tents wouldn't havehave a uniform look, Jordan said

The restaurateur said Hen Quarter will require a minimum number of guests in parties that use the igloos, and will put a time limit on the outdoor dining spaces.

The Land Grant Brewing Company taproom in Franklinton also recently bought four heated igloos that it will use in addition to itstwo gas fire pits and wood-burning fire pit in its extensive outdoor beer garden.

More: Ohio businesses say they can live with curfew but still need help

In New Albany, Hudson 29 Kitchen + Drink is preparing for winter in other ways. It plans to continue using as long as possible a "three-seasons room" that has drop-down walls on three sides and overhead heaters, saidJeremy Hughes, acting general manager of the restaurant.

Some guests feel comfortable inthe room even if they do not want to sit in other areas of the restaurant, Hughes said.

Tuccis restaurant in downtown Dublinis installing a winterized tent, featuring a load-bearing roof to withstand the weight of potential snowfall, saidgeneral manager Michael Sharp.

The tent,custom made in Germany, will feature glass walls, noise-reducing sound panels and a heating system. It will cover the entire 43-by-43-foot patio and will be up for the duration of winter, Sharpsaid.

Its time right now where we have to get creative and adapt, he said.

But while some bars and restaurants are erecting tents, others are taking them down because they fail to meet building codes requiring them to hold up under snow.

North High Brewing in downtown Dublin expects to put away its tent inDecember because it does not meet snow codes, saiddirector of operations Christopher Titus.

Instead, he plans to installheaters at patio tables during the winterfor patrons whoprefer to eat outside.

Pies and Pints in Worthington will add heaters to its partially enclosed patio, which has been popular during the pandemic, saidgeneral manager Tanya Varner.

Its benefited our business tremendously, mainly because most of our guests are still enjoying the outdoor weather,"Varner said. "Weve been very fortunate to have that patio.

Scott Boles, owner ofYabo's Tacos in Hilliard, Powell and Westerville, said the patio of the Powell operation is already enclosed, and he plans to enclose the Westerville patio. He's not sure about the Hilliard patio, which would require a lease modification.

I wish I had a better solution (for Hilliard), but I never wrote a business plan for a pandemic, Boles said.

Val Wielezynski, owner ofLa Chatelaine French Bakery & Bistro in Worthington, Dublin and Upper Arlington, said his patios have been helping the restaurants maintain healthy business during the pandemic.

The patios have been very awesome to have," hesaid. "Weve been lucky this year (due to warm weather) because weve extended the (outdoor dining) season for maybe four to five weeks.

Wielezynski, who is from France, where outdoor dining is available year-round, said he's counting on hearty customers to keep the patios open.

As long as its not raining, snowingor a blizzard, well have people out there with coats on, he said.

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Bars, restaurants do whatever it takes to extend outdoor dining - The Columbus Dispatch

The Tinley Beverage Company makes cannabis-infused spirit and cocktail-inspired drinks. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images for HollyShorts)

While Ontarios longest patio season is serving its last calls under well-used heat lamps, industry groups representing the hard-hit restaurant, tourism, and live events sectors are calling on the province to advance talks on selling and consuming cannabis inside public venues. Beth Potter, president and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), wants new pot regulations for lounges, cafes, festivals and concerts established by the spring.

The Ontario government launched a public consultation in February to collect feedback on consumption venues and special occasion permits for events. The feedback period ended on March 10, just as COVID-19 was tightening its grip on the province.

The pandemic hit, and were now at a place where wed like to go back and pick up the conversations with government to get the regulations put in place, especially in time for next patio season, Potter said at a virtual event about on-premise cannabis business opportunities in Ontario earlier this week.

The provinces Ministry of the Attorney General said in February that no changes to the cannabis framework were expected at the time, and there is no timeline for updates informed by the public feedback. Yahoo Finance Canada contacted the ministry regarding timing, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

What the province has made clear is the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, which prohibits smoking and vaping cannabis in enclosed public spaces and patios, will not be changed as a result of the consultation.

Potter, whose organization represents nearly 200,000 businesses, expects the initial rules will focus on selling legal-aged customers packaged products like the chocolates, gummies, mints and drinks currently available from licenced producers. She said the policies could eventually be expanded to include chef-prepared cannabis-infused food and drink items.

Scores of Ontario bars and restaurants have closed their doors since the onset of the pandemic. Many who have held on are barely scraping by. In the heavily populated Toronto and Peel regions, new lockdown measures enforced by the province starting Monday will limit business to take-out only until at least Dec 21.

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Tony Elenis, president and CEO of the Ontario Restaurant and Motel Association, notes the provinces food services industry was operating on thinner margins than any other region in Canada prior to the pandemic. He said the addition of cannabis as a new revenue stream could be an enormous benefit to the food service industry, with gains extending to the hospitality sector through tourists lured by pot-influenced entertainment and dining experiences.

Wait until those chefs in the kitchen start preparing a type of food that weve never seen before, he said at the Nov. 24 event presented by TIAO, JLM Strategic Marketing and pot giant Canopy Growth (WEED.TO)(CGC).

Elenis sees the risk of serving legal cannabis in restaurants no differently than serving beer, wine and spirits. However, the prospect of selling both at the same time raises many questions. Todays regulations explicitly separate cannabis and alcohol. For example, a pot drink is not allowed to contain booze. Molson Coors (TPX-B.TO), which has invested in infused drinks, cant put beer branding on cannabis products. Would restaurants have to ditch alcohol to sell cannabis? Or would patrons be free to chase an infused sparkling water with a glass of wine?

Richard Anderson, executive director of Smart Serve Ontario, is not yet sure if his agency will be tapped to educate workers who serve cannabis for on-premise consumption, as it has done for years with bartenders and restaurant servers. He expects the Ministry of Health to require a one-or-the-other approach, at least when it comes to cannabis and alcohol at events like outdoor festivals.

Do you have a cannabis tent with a blue bracelet and a beer garden with a red bracelet, and you cant go back and forth? How does that work? he asked at the event. Weve had a lot of discussion around the table on that. Clearly the Ministry of Health is [wanting] one or the other, not both.

David MacNeil, chief executive officer of Festival Events Ontario, wants clear rules that will be easy for patrons to follow in potentially chaotic environments like large outdoor events and concerts.

Cannabis has been a part of the festival and event world for a long time, legally and otherwise, he said. I think the big hold up is how that liquor licence and cannabis will combine. Can you do both? Or do you have to isolate, and you dont move from one tent to the other. Theres a lot of questions.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has faced tough questions about his governments approach to establishing a legal cannabis market since taking office in 2018, and hastily transitioning to a more private model than his predecessor had planned.

Then came widespread criticism about the slow roll out of private retail stores. More recently, Ford has been hit with backlash from private retailers for allowing click-and-collect and delivery only at certain times during the pandemic while the province-run Ontario Cannabis Store can sell online permanently.

A survey by the polling and research firm Abacus Data commissioned by Canopy suggests Ford would face minimal opposition if the province were to embrace the sale of certain legal cannabis products in restaurants, bars and lounges. Abacus questioned 2,440 Canadian adults between Sept. 23 and 29, including 500 respondents in Ontario. The results show two-thirds of Ontario respondents either support or accept on-premise consumption of cannabis edibles and beverages.

I see no evidence in this data that this decision would hurt or be very risky for the provincial government right now, said Abacus CEO David Coletto.

Ontarians understand the scale of the challenges that tourism operators, food service operators, live music venues are facing because of the pandemic. They recognize how important that is to the quality of life in their neighbourhoods. Anything that not only gives these businesses an opportunity to diversify, to offer new products, and attract new visitors to the province, I think would find very broad support.

Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist.

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Weed at the bar? The tourism industry wants Ontario pot venues open by spring - Yahoo Lifestyle

(Restaurant News Release) Flhip.com has released its latest restaurant openings report, providing restaurant vendors with a sampling of fresh sales and marketing leads that can be found on their website.

Flhip provides regularly updated lead lists, allowing vendors to check for updates at any time. To see leads in your sales area click here.

Click on the map above to see how Flhip can get you in the door first of new restaurants!

Orlando, FL White CastleThe first-ever White Castle opened in September of 1921. Nearly 100 years later, the chain is bracing to open the doors to its largest free-standing restaurant everand its castle themed. The 4,567-square-foot restaurant will feature a modern industrial-style design with indoor and outdoor seating. Two drive-thru lanes will offer customers speedy and safe ways to enjoy some of the fast-food chains iconic sliders. Construction is currently under way near Walt Disney World in the southwest area of Orlando, with a targeted opening of spring 2021.

Reston, VA MatchboxThe regional wood-fired pizza franchise Matchbox just announced plans to move into Reston early next year. The franchise just signed a lease for 1900 Reston Metro Plaza Drive in Suite 100, according to a statement from a public relations agency representing Matchbox. The space is 5,500 square feet and offers expansive patio dining, the agency said in an email. The veteran D.C. restaurant group is currently focused on regional expansion within the DMV, targeting smaller, neighborhood-focused properties.

Louisville, KY Maple Street Biscuit Co.The vacant Yang Kee Noodle building in the Highlands will be occupied by Louisvilles first Maple Street Biscuit Co., a restaurant serving biscuits, salads, coffee and other comfort food with a modern twist. The building at 1004 Bardstown Road has been vacant since the Asian stir fry concept closed in February 2019.

Hialeah, FL Chick-fil-ASeven new Chick-fil-A restaurants soon will open from West Boca to Miami-Dade, employing 700 people and offering South Floridians plenty of additional sites to get fresh chicken sandwiches. In total, these restaurants will create more than 700 full- and part-time job opportunities in South Florida, the company said in a statement. Chick-fil-A expects to continue this strong growth in the South Florida market for the years to come with a focus on the greater Miami area.

Fort Worth, TX Towne GrillRestaurateur Felipe Armenta, operator of three local restaurants including the Tavern, will open a new bar-and-grill early next year in Alliance Town Center in far north Fort Worth. Towne Grill will be similar to the Tavern, his original Fort Worth restaurant, Armenta said. It will open at 9365 Rain Lily Trail, a former location of the Kansas-based Houlihans chain.

Pensacola, FL Freddys Frozen Custard & SteakburgersFreddys Frozen Custard & Steakburgers announced Wednesday it has signed a multi-unit franchise agreement to develop 50 new restaurants over the next several years across the Southeast. As part of this agreement, Freddys will grow its footprint throughout the Florida west coast and panhandle, with locations currently under development and slated to open next year in Pensacola and Tampa.

For more information or to view the leads in your area, please visitFlhip.com

Contact:Ken Roberts772-231-5826ken@flhip.com

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MORE NEW Restaurants Are Opening Across the Country! - RestaurantNewsRelease.com

The stone and shingle colonial house at 18 Beachside Common sits on a 2.10-acre level property with views of salt marshes and Long Island Sound.

The stone and shingle colonial house at 18 Beachside Common sits on a 2.10-acre level property with views of salt marshes and Long Island Sound.

Photo: Contributed Photo /

The stone and shingle colonial house at 18 Beachside Common sits on a 2.10-acre level property with views of salt marshes and Long Island Sound.

The stone and shingle colonial house at 18 Beachside Common sits on a 2.10-acre level property with views of salt marshes and Long Island Sound.

On the Market: Westport home has beautiful coastal views

WESTPORT One room in the classic stone and shingle colonial house at 18 Beachside Common is adorned with a framed poster of the Cernay Cottage Hotel.

Cernay is a village in northeastern France along the River Thur. The village is beautiful, to be sure, and the poster serves as a daily reminder that this family appreciates beautiful places. Although, visitors to this home need not glimpse the poster to realize that. They need only look out the windows in almost any one of this homes 10 rooms or simply step outside. The view will underscore that point.

This beige house enjoys views of a scenic salt marsh and vistas of Long Island Sound just beyond. And, whereas denizens of Cernay have an abundance of storks, Beachside Common residents can enjoy herons, egrets, cormorants and other waterfowl.

Cernay may have a beautiful setting that welcomes people to stroll and explore, according to the website France-voyage.com. The residents of Beachside Common can stroll in their own beautiful setting along the sands of Burying Hill Beach, just a very short walk from the house. Also within easy walking distance is Greens Farms Academy and the Greens Farms Metro North Railroad train station - making this a dream location for commuters.

No need to wait years for a parking sticker, one former resident said.

The 4,284-square-foot house was built in 1979 in Westports Greens Farms section at the end of a picturesque and friendly, multi-million dollar coastal cul-de-sac, according to the listing agent.

One former, long-time neighbor said Beachside Common offers a real family neighborhood with warm and supportive fellow residents. The residents of this unique community have held annual block parties and a monthly book club, she said.

Aside from the beautiful and peaceful setting, and the welcoming neighbors, the house itself is quite a draw. A fabulous floor plan awaits you - sun-drenched, generously sized living and dining rooms, huge paneled family room with a large stone hearth, as well as an adjacent country kitchen and expansive deck - all overlooking the level, park-like, exceedingly private yard, the enviable (in-ground swimming) pool area and putting green, the agent said.

French doors, flanked by tall sidelights, open into the foyer. The open floor plan and numerous large windows provide views of the peaceful 2.10-acre level property. In the living room there is a built-in window seat. The dining room features wainscoting on the lower walls and sliding doors to the raised deck. There is a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace and paneling on the walls in the spacious family room, a portion of which has a cathedral ceiling. This room also has sliding doors to the deck.

A third set of sliding doors is found in the eat-in section of the country kitchen, which also features oak cabinetry, granite counters, a built-in desk area and high-end appliances.

Upstairs, there are four amply sized bedrooms, including the oversized master suite, which features a vaulted ceiling, ceiling fan, spa bath, dressing room and walk-in closets.

STYLE: Colonial

ADDRESS: 18 Beachside Common

PRICE: $1,399,000

ROOMS: 10

FEATURES: water community, direct waterfront property, views of scenic salt marsh and Long Island Sound, putting green, in-ground swimming pool, easy walking distance to Greens Farms Metro North Railroad train station and Burying Hill Beach, 2.10-acre level property, located on a on tree-lined cul-de-sac, covered deck, patio, exterior lighting, porch, cable - available, one fireplace, zoned central air conditioning, natural gas heat, attic, walk-out lower level, attached three-car garage, circular driveway, stone wall, public water connection, septic system, possible in-law or au pair suite, storage room, four bedrooms, three full and one half baths

SCHOOLS: Greens Farms Elementary, Bedford Middle, Staples High School

ASSESSMENT: $1,451,100

MILL RATE: 16.71 mills

TAXES: $24,248

On the finished walk-out lower level there is a play, recreation or game room, a study, another room and a full bath. The addition of a bath on this level allows for flexibility of use of the space. There could be a fifth bedroom or an au pair or in-law suite, or a home office with a private entrance. All three of the rooms on this level have a slate floor and two of them - the play room and office have sliding doors to the backyard, where there is a gate to the salt marshes.

For more information or to make an appointment to see the house contact Joni Usdan of Coldwell Banker Realty at 203-216-7654 or Joni@JoniHomes.com.

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On the Market: Westport home has beautiful coastal views - Westport News

Since the lockdowns, prospective house buyers have been eyeing up rural destinations like Surrey because they offer more properties with garden space, views and privacy.

According to one Surrey estate agent, the pattern has emerged as people are looking to accommodate working from home long term.

After the first lockdown, figures show that average house prices soared in the county as a result of stamp duty holidays, searches for bigger homes, and pent up demand.

With this uplift in mind, and with the housing market staying open during the second national lockdown, we have shone a spotlight on a selection of the best two-bedroom houses on the market with enviable gardens.

Find out how you can get more news from SurreyLive straight to your inbox HERE.

First off, we are able to take a look inside this Grade II-listed cottage close to Oxted. It is on the market for 650,000.

The home, in The Walk, was originally two of four cottages and is believed to date back to around 1640.

The property is full of period features including exposed beams, latch doors and inglenook fireplaces.

A stable door opens into the sitting room which has a working inglenook fireplace, formerly housing the old bread oven.

Steps lead up to the cottage gardens which have pretty trellis archways and flower beds. There is also a compost area, a wood store and a shed outside.

At the back of the property, the garden is mainly paved and has a terrace featuring a fish pond.

Steps lead down to an office which is ideal for working from home in the pandemic.

Next we look inside this two-bedroom thatched cottage in Farley Green, near to Albury which sits south east of Guildford.

The rural hamlet of Farley Green is situated in the heart of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is well known for its history as one of the largest Romano British settlements in Surrey.

A short distance away, the villages of Shamley Green, Albury and Shere offer convenience shops and post offices, in addition to a farm shop, caf and delicatessen, churches and pubs. It is on the market for 795,000.

The detached thatched cottage is set in beautiful gardens and has planning permission granted to rebuild a four-bedroom house.

The property, called Thatch Cottage, dates back to around 1920. It has a light living room leading to the kitchen which has views over the rear garden.

The larger of the two bedrooms is on the ground floor with a bathroom en-suite. It is south-west facing and has views over the front garden and surrounding countryside.

The gardens which surround the cottage are beautiful and feature trees, hedges and an array of flower and shrub beds.

Third on the list is this two-bedroom home in Weybridge with a garden that backs onto the River Wey.

The house, in Glencoe Road, has an asking price of 650,000. Its location is described as "rare and enviable" on Rightmove - it is in a tranquil spot, being on a no through road, but is still only a few hundred yards away from the town centre, pubs and riverside walks.

The ground floor is largely open plan with a reception area separated from the dining area by a partially open staircase and chimney.

The kitchen has a tiled floor, traditional kitchen units finished with granite work surfaces, a sky light window to one side and folding doors overlooking and leading to the rear garden - which is the property's standout feature.

The lawn widens towards the river and has a timber shed perfect for housing kayaks and paddleboards. The garden finishes with brick steps down to a private mooring.

The next house we can take a look inside is this semi-detached cottage in West Molesey which is currently on the market for 985,000.

The 17th Century and Grade II-listed home has parking for five cars and it situated less than two miles from Hampton Court station which has a twice-hourly service to London Waterloo. A short walk away is Hurst Park and the river.

The kitchen is open plan with a stunning conservatory attached to it. The beamed sitting-room has a wood-burning stove and an old bread oven containing a pull-out wine rack.

Both bedrooms, which have built-in wardrobes, have either an en-suite bathroom or shower room with underfloor heating.

Its garden is secluded and includes a home office, a potting shed, bike storage and lighting. It also has planning permission to extend.

Lastly, we take a look inside this thatched cottage in Portsmouth Road, Esher, on the market for 799,950.

The cottage sits three miles away from Esher train station and 2.7 from Cobham station. Each provide regular services to London Waterloo and have high streets offering an array of amenities.

The thatched cottage has charming features including a feature fireplace in the reception room.

The kitchen has wooden units, a stable door and adjacent is a utility room which leads to a large room with a high ceiling and doors to the garden.

There is a self-contained annexe which has a reception room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom.

The garden is private and secluded thanks to mature trees, shrubs and plants.

There is also a separate courtyard which can be accessed by the sitting room via patio doors. To the front and side of the property there is a lot of space for off-street parking.

Property viewings can still take place during lockdown but the following precautions must be taken to ensure you can be as safe as possible.

Anyone experiencing coronavirus symptoms should stay at home and should neither attend nor host a viewing.

An initial viewing should be done virtually, wherever possible, with the assistance of property agents.

Viewings should be arranged by appointment only and members of the public who are viewing a property in person should wear a suitable face covering unless they are exempt.

For further details, view our dedicated story on house viewings and sales in lockdown 2 here.

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Surrey property: Inside the best two-bedroom houses with a garden - Surrey Live

In case you hadnt noticed, theres a lot going on in the world at the moment. We wont list it all here, but lets just say that for every piece of news that causes stress or anxiety, theres an equal amount of things to be grateful for and appreciative ofbe it time with family during quarantine or the ability to continue working towards a goal. In light of the holiday season, we asked designers and architects what theyre thankful for this Thanksgiving. Heres what they had to say:

These days, especially leading up to Thanksgiving, I find myself feeling newly grateful for the essentialsfood and shelter. In particular, Im thankful that weve been able to continue our collaboration with the San Francisco Marin Food Bank, designing spaces to help them do their excellent work feeding unprecedented numbers of people in the Bay Area. Im also enormously grateful for my co-workers, now spread across California and around the world, and the way theyve continued to do amazing, thoughtful, creative work while sheltering at home.

I am thankful that there are people out there in America these days who believe in the power of design, want to create their own place to live, and are not afraid of a good, daring construction project.

First, being remote and isolated prompted us to increase our inter-office communication about things outside of traditional work, adding new slack channels for pets, cooking, entertainment, and kids. These social channels have not only replaced the water cooler conversations but boosted social connectivity. Employees sharing pictures of their garden yields, or a beautiful sunset from their house, or their cats, or a TV show theyre enjoying. Its a light during a rather dark time.

Also, due to rapidly fluctuating project schedules and scopes, we have been able to loan staff between peer firms, even outside Portland. Given that the work is all remote, the barrier to loan staff to a firm in San Francisco or Bellingham is removed, and these couple month stints that our employees have been able to do at other firms has been such a gift. Its allowed us to minimize staff reductions during this volatile time.

Ive never been so aware of the air I breathe and the wonderful people who inhabit my orbit and have graced me and my business with support and kindness. Its hard to choose just one thing to be grateful for because when more than 250,000 Americans have lost their lives to COVID-19 and life-threatening inequities for Black Americans are front of mind, Im grateful for life and for the people in my life who work so hard every single day for a better world.

I think the thing that Im most grateful for is that we might be on the verge of a global vaccine that can actually save peoples lives. I cant think of anything on my mind that feels more urgent at this point.

Im thankful to still be able to contribute at a creativity level in this world. Thats the challenge of the moment is still being able to work and feel like youre a contributor and we feel fortunate that were in a position to be doing that still.

I am grateful for the love of family, the good cheer of friends, the loyalty of my talented staff, and the opportunity that our great clients have afforded us to work on such varied and interesting projects. I am grateful, too, for the good health of all of the above, which as this insidious COVID-19 pandemic has shown us allis not a given. As an old friend once said, I am happy to be here, to be vertical and still taking nourishment. Happy Thanksgiving all!

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In a rough year, architects share what they're thankful for - The Architect's Newspaper

In the not-too-distant past, standing around a kegerator and staring at the metal siding of a utilitarian warehouse was the extent of a taproom visit. But not so today, where going to a brewery is an experience in which the setting is as much of a draw as the draft selection. Case in point: Central Machine Works, which opened last November on East Cesar Chavez Street. A 1940s-era metal works and machine shop that once built airplane parts during World War II, it was converted into a near-10,000- square-foot brewery complete with a German-style beer garden and live music space. Spearheaded by David Clark of Kartwheel Studio, it includes revolving art installations, overhead lights from New Yorks original JFK International Airport, custom leather booths, and decorative pieces repurposed from the spaces past, including a 110-year-old machine that used to turn metal stock. With much of its faade kept intact, as well as employees well-versed in the history of the building, its like a museum visitalbeit one that serves housemade lagers and sessionable pale ales.

The same could be said for Vista Brewing in Driftwood, which has become as popular on weekends as the original Salt Lick BBQ. Brewmaster Pat Korns traditional, low-ABV beers are now standard-bearers in the field, but much of Vistas foot traffic can be credited to Stephen Oliver of OPA Design Studio. Taking advantage of the bucolic surroundings, Oliver decided to create an indoor-outdoor connection that produced a sense of retreat. Not one mature tree was removed in the fabrication of the companys two main structures (a tasting room and a 5,000-square-foot brewery with underground draft lines running between them), which uses large bi-folding casement windows to frame the view of the Hill Countrys rolling hills. An on-site garden and 16-hive apiary, which provides ingredients for its restaurant, are an easy stroll from an outdoor beer garden complete with an exterior tap wall.

That effort to bring the natural beauty of a site in-doorsas well as to bridge a connection between a brewerys operational aspects and its public interface have become hallmarks of Oliver, whos emerged as the unofficial architect of the Central Texas craft beverage industry. At Live Oak Brewing Company, he used the canvas of its 22,000-square-foot campus near the airport to construct a natural amphitheater within a grove of oaks for a beer garden whose sightline leads directly to the taproom and a bar framing its massive BrauKon brewhouse.

Whether converting an old Tejano nightclub into Oddwood Ales brewery and pizza kitchen or overhauling the former Uncle Billys Brewery & Smokehouse on Barton Springs Road into the aquatic-themed site of Austin Eastciders second facility, Oliver knows how to make the best out of any situationand that has transformed the functional into the fantastic all across the city.

Once, just being a brewery where people could visit and sit around at picnic tables was such a novelty, he says. But now there is so much competition, a cool space factors into a decision where you want to hang out. I love creating places where the city just kind of goes away, and theres room to stretch and play.

Detoxifying is (seriously!) on the agenda.

Disc Golf at Live Oak Brewing Co.The free-to-use nine-hole disc golf course at this urban oasis is just the type of activity to pair with a classic, clove- forward hefeweizen and a cool spring afternoon.

Lotera Brunch at Independence Brewing Co.Cap off an eventful weekend with some Mexican bingo and a bowl of hangover-curing menudo from on-site food truck Margiez Place.

Pints & Poses at Circle Brewing Co.Even if you dont sip your complimentary beer, this $15 classwhere certified yogis guide participants through an hour of detoxifying Hatha yogais well worth the price of admission.

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Taprooms are Turning into Destination Spaces Thanks to Austin's Top Architects - Austin Monthly