Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

When news of the coronavirus hit in early February and businesses starting closing their doors in March M.J. Taylor was worried. Today she is busier than ever.

GREENSBORO, N.C. If you own a business you want to be busy. More calls and customers are better than no calls and customers. While many businesses are thrilled to be operating at 50% capacity, some are doing more work than before.

We are very busy. Every single person I talk to in the business is in the same boat, M.J. Taylor said.

The owner of MJ Design Build does everything from a remodeled bathroom or kitchen, to building a new home from the ground up.

Earlier this year, following the start of the pandemic, Taylor was worried her business would take a hit. Several clients put scheduled jobs on hold as many were worried about job security and uncertainty in the future.

I was really worried, I thought, 'what am I going to do', Taylor said.

Any delay in business she had was short-lived as most clients called back a month or two later wanting to reschedule.

Calls started pouring in as more and more people wanted to refurbish or remodel their homes.

I probably get calls three to five times a day, Taylor said.

Many builders are so busy that sub-contractors are being scheduled for up to 10 weeks out because of high demand. Many sub-contractors are also canceling or delaying some jobs if a bigger one comes along.

Carl LaBonge and his wife recently hired MJ Design Build to remodel some bathrooms and a couple of rooms in their home. The couple is now working from home full-time and figured the timing was right.

LaBonge said now with being home it would be a great time to tackle some at-home projects.

As many people are staying home more than ever before, many are looking to turn a spare bedroom into an office. Other people are looking to remodel the kitchen as more people are eating at home rather than dining out.

The other possible explanation for this sudden remodeling boom is that money not spent traveling this summer can be spent toward home improvements.

We were going on an Alaskan cruise in early August, so the fact we arent going to pay $5,000 or $6,000 (for the cruise) helped, LaBonge said.

How long this sudden rush of businesses will last is anyones guess. Taylor is just trying to do as much work now as she can figuring at some point it is bound to slow down.

More:
Home remodeling business booming during the pandemic - WFMYNews2.com

Instead of sending your old kitchen to he landfill, consider recycling it while aiding a good cause. ... [+]

Steve Feldman was a veteran rock and roll disc jockey who, in 1998, left radio to raise money for addict recovery programs. A self-proclaimed recovering addict, Feldman had one important donor in Greenwich, Connecticut who, in 2001, lost $30 million in that years market crash.

Fortunately, opportunity was literally next door, Feldman says.

My donors neighbor was Farah Pahlavi (the Queen of Iran). I saw a sign in the Queens driveway: Demolition in Progress. So, I drove up to her 10,000 sq. ft. Rockefeller Mansion and it was gone. The idea struck me why not earn the money, rather than asking for it, by selling donated kitchens, fixtures and furniture out of demolished mansions.

Thus, Renovation Angel was born. After a four-year successful pilot project, Feldman established Renovation Angel in 2005 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. In 2012, the organization expanded nationwide.

Our mission is protecting the Earth, creating new recycling jobs, and helping those in need. In 15 years, we have recycled over 7,000 kitchens, diverted over 40 million pounds from the landfills, created over $25 million in jobs, and distributed $2.3 million to charity.

The concept is simple: owners donate unwanted luxury kitchens and other household goods to Renovation Angel, who provides a Net Value Estimate, which shows estimated tax and removal savings. As part of its service, Renovation Angel provides free white-glove removal, without disposal costs. At project completion, the donor receives documentation outlining their tax deduction from a referred 3rd party independent appraiser, required by the IRS for tax deductions of over $5,000.

Renovation Angel sells the donated goods via its network of customers or in its 43,000 square foot retail outlet in Fairfield, New Jersey. Removal, transportation and resale of these items creates numerous construction, logistics and retail jobs. Proceeds earned from selling recycled luxury creates support for outreach programs in the areas of youth-at-risk, addiction recovery, job creation and social entrepreneurship.

A kitchen donor is often the buyer of a property after a real estate transaction, Feldman explains. Sellers usually donate furniture. They feel great because they kept the kitchen and furniture out of landfills, recycled them, and it was for a good cause. Ours is the most financially savvy and sustainable renovation and remodeling solution available.

An average luxury kitchen donor saves $10,000 to $50,000 on their project. A donor contributing a full house of furnishing saves $100,000 or more.

The wasteful, often unnecessary renovation of kitchens fills landfills with metal, ceramics, wood, glass and other materials that do not easily decompose. But, especially at the upper end, new, of-the-moment kitchens are de rigueur when a home changes hands, when styles change, or when new innovations come to the market. Thus, the 100,000 luxury kitchens annually torn out and sent to the landfill are usually quite functional and can have a second lives in other homes.

We have made being green and sustainable financially advantageous, Feldman says.

Since 2016, Renovation Angel has entered into partnerships with the National Kitchen and Bath Association, Walker

Zanger, a tile and stone manufacturer, and with the German appliance giant, Miele. In June 2020, Miele announced a Recycle & Rebate program with Renovation Angel. Through the program, homeowners who donate their qualified kitchens receive an instant discount on new Miele appliances and significant tax and removal savings.

Our ultimate goal, Feldman says, Is to recycle every one of those 100,000 kitchens, and, in the process, to donate kitchens to families in need.

Its a worthy goal, and Renovation Angel is well on its way to realizing it.

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Recycle Your Kitchen To Make The World A Better Place - Forbes

News

NEW YORK Lineadecor USA LLC, a kitchen furniture brand manufactured in Turkey, is hosting a display on the street level of a newly developed luxury condominium in the West SoHo neighborhood of New York,, the company announced.

The displays location, at 570 Broome St., affords viewing of the companys Luna kitchen from pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and is near Lineadecors permanent showroom, at 900 Broadway in the citys Flatiron District, the company said. Viewings at the display and permanent showroom are by appointment only. Online sales to the architecture, design, and kitchen and bath communities continue to be available.

We are thrilled to be opening this display in West SoHo and connecting with the public in this new and exciting way, said Arzu Ertas, U.S. director of Operations. We are confident that this new public view of our innovative lines in the West SoHo location will attract both the public as well as our longstanding clients in the design, architecture and construction trades.

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Lineadecor Hosting NY Condo Display - Kitchen and Bath Design News

The Kitchen Countertop Services Market By Type, By Application and By Region: Global Indust A fundamental outline of the Kitchen Countertop Services niche is presented by the Kitchen Countertop Services report that entails definitions, classifications, applications together with industry chain framework. The Kitchen Countertop Services report provides a far-reaching evaluation of necessary market dynamics and the latest trends. It also highlights the regional market, the prominent market players, as well as several market segments [Product, Applications, End-Users, and Major Regions], and sub-segments with a wide-ranging consideration of numerous divisions with their applications.

Further, the report acknowledges that in these growing and promptly enhancing market circumstances, the most recent advertising and marketing details are very important to determine the performance in the forecast period and make essential choices for profitability and growth of the Kitchen Countertop Services . In addition, the report encompasses an array of factors that impact the growth of the Kitchen Countertop Services in the forecast period. Further, this specific analysis also determines the impact on the individual segments of the market.

Note In order to provide more accurate market forecast, all our reports will be updated before delivery by considering the impact of COVID-19.

(*If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.)

Furthermore, the study assessed major market elements, covering the cost, capacity utilization rate, growth rate, capacity, production, gross, usage, revenue, export, supply, price, market share, gross margin, import, and demand. In addition, the study offers a thorough segmentation of the global Kitchen Countertop Services on the basis of geography [ Latin America, North America, Asia Pacific, Middle & East Africa, and Europe] , technology, end-users, applications, and region.

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The Kitchen Countertop Services report is a collection of pragmatic information, quantitative and qualitative estimation by industry experts, the contribution from industry connoisseurs and industry accomplices across the value chain. Furthermore, the report also provides the qualitative results of diverse market factors on its geographies and segments.

The Kitchen Countertop Services report is an appropriate compilation of all necessary data for the residential, industrial. & commercials buyers, manufacturers, governments, and other stakeholders to implement their market-centric tactics in line with the projected as well as the prevailing trends in the Kitchen Countertop Services . Apart from this, the report also provides insightful particulars of the existing policies, laws, together with guidelines.

Breakdown Data by Type

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Key questions answered in this comprehensive study Global Kitchen Countertop Services Size, Status and Forecast 2026

Detailed TOC of Global Kitchen Countertop Services Market Research Report 2020

1 Kitchen Countertop Services Market Overview

1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Kitchen Countertop Services

1.2 Kitchen Countertop Services Segment by Type

1.2.1 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Sales Growth Rate Comparison by Type (2020-2026)

1.2.2 Organic Kitchen Countertop Services

1.2.3 Inorganic Kitchen Countertop Services

1.3 Kitchen Countertop Services Segment by Application

1.3.1 Kitchen Countertop Services Sales Comparison by Application: (2020-2026)

1.3.2 Organics Dehydration

1.3.3 Organics Recovery

1.3.4 Organics Separation

1.4 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Market Size Estimates and Forecasts

1.4.1 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Revenue 2015-2026

1.4.2 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Sales 2015-2026

1.4.3 Kitchen Countertop Services Market Size by Region: 2020 Versus 2026

2 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Market Competition by Manufacturers

2.1 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Sales Market Share by Manufacturers (2015-2020)

2.2 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2015-2020)

2.3 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Average Price by Manufacturers (2015-2020)

2.4 Manufacturers Kitchen Countertop Services Manufacturing Sites, Area Served, Product Type

2.5 Kitchen Countertop Services Market Competitive Situation and Trends

2.5.1 Kitchen Countertop Services Market Concentration Rate

2.5.2 Global Top 5 and Top 10 Players Market Share by Revenue

2.5.3 Market Share by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3)

2.6 Manufacturers Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans

2.7 Primary Interviews with Key Kitchen Countertop Services Players (Opinion Leaders)

3 Kitchen Countertop Services Market Scenario by Region

3.1 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Market Scenario in Sales by Region: 2015-2020

3.2 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Market Scenario in Revenue by Region: 2015-2020

3.3 North America Kitchen Countertop Services Market Facts & Figures by Country

3.3.1 North America Kitchen Countertop Services Sales by Country

3.3.2 North America Kitchen Countertop Services Sales by Country

3.3.3 U.S.

3.3.4 Canada

3.4 Europe Kitchen Countertop Services Market Facts & Figures by Country

3.4.1 Europe Kitchen Countertop Services Sales by Country

3.4.2 Europe Kitchen Countertop Services Sales by Country

3.4.3 Germany

3.4.4 France

3.4.5 U.K.

3.4.6 Italy

3.4.7 Russia

3.5 Asia Pacific Kitchen Countertop Services Market Facts & Figures by Region

3.5.1 Asia Pacific Kitchen Countertop Services Sales by Region

3.5.2 Asia Pacific Kitchen Countertop Services Sales by Region

3.5.3 China

3.5.4 Japan

3.5.5 South Korea

3.5.6 India

3.5.7 Australia

3.5.8 Taiwan

3.5.9 Indonesia

3.5.10 Thailand

3.5.11 Malaysia

3.5.12 Philippines

3.5.13 Vietnam

3.6 Latin America Kitchen Countertop Services Market Facts & Figures by Country

3.6.1 Latin America Kitchen Countertop Services Sales by Country

3.6.2 Latin America Kitchen Countertop Services Sales by Country

3.6.3 Mexico

3.6.4 Brazil

3.6.5 Argentina

3.7 Middle East and Africa Kitchen Countertop Services Market Facts & Figures by Country

3.7.1 Middle East and Africa Kitchen Countertop Services Sales by Country

3.7.2 Middle East and Africa Kitchen Countertop Services Sales by Country

3.7.3 Turkey

3.7.4 Saudi Arabia

3.7.5 U.A.E

4 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Historic Market Analysis by Type

4.1 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Sales Market Share by Type (2015-2020)

4.2 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Revenue Market Share by Type (2015-2020)

4.3 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Price Market Share by Type (2015-2020)

4.4 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Market Share by Price Tier (2015-2020): Low-End, Mid-Range and High-End

5 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Historic Market Analysis by Application

5.1 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Sales Market Share by Application (2015-2020)

5.2 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Revenue Market Share by Application (2015-2020)

5.3 Global Kitchen Countertop Services Price by Application (2015-2020)

6 Company Profiles and Key Figures in Kitchen Countertop Services Business

6.1.1 Corporation Information

6.1.2 Company Description, Business Overview

6.1.3 Kitchen Countertop Services Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)

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Kitchen Countertop Services Market Globally Expected to Drive Growth through 2026 - Zenit News

Expert Advice

authorsDan Luck| November 20, 2020

Its a dirty word, and I refuse to speak it anymore unless forced. It has disrupted and altered all plans for 2020. Im tired of hearing about it, much less talking about it, regardless of the name: pandemic; coronavirus; COVID-19.

Whatever you choose to call it, this major business disruptor has forced kitchen/bath business owners across the country to learn new skills such as showroom safety, adopting new fashion mandates (masks) and managing personnel remotely. Plans, budgets and dreams for the year have either been placed on hold, cast aside or tossed away completely. The distraction has caused many to lose focus and take their eyes off the prize. The lack of focus is killing momentum and infusing a negative impact on all kitchen and bath operations.

The bright spot through all the dark clouds is consumer demand. Homeowners, isolated in their abodes, see firsthand the inefficiencies of their living spaces. When exposed to it every day, the pain is more acute and increases the desire to seek professional assistance. To that end, dealers should pivot and focus on what is essential now and create action initiatives that make their businesses stronger.

Through years of analyzing financial statements, studying business models and critiquing kitchen and bath business operations onsite, Ive compiled a list of best practices aimed at making kitchen and bath businesses stronger. What follows are my top 10 business practices, presented in reverse order:

#10: Know Your End Game

When it comes to achieving goals, Stephen Covey said it best in his book The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People: Start With The End In Mind. Most well-intentioned owners may very well start with an end-game for their business, but lack the discipline to pull it off. A communicated written vision and a precise roadmap to get there are necessary. Thats what a strategic plan will do for you: planning for tomorrow, today.

#9: Sharpen Your Saw

Theres a compelling need in this industry for saw-sharpening in other words, leveraging self-discipline to gain greater riches. That means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you possess: you. It means having a program for self-renewal in the four key areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental and spiritual. A saw can get dull when repeatedly used; it needs sharpening to work more efficiently. With all the stress in developing, selling and producing kitchens and baths, sales designers must sharpen their saw regularly. Otherwise, mental fatigue leads to poor decision-making which, in turn, leads to an up-and-down, herky-jerky rate of growth.

#8: Motivate through Emotion

In the kitchen and bath industry, most sales designers seem to think that their designs should sell themselves, and that a logical presentation that demonstrates a logical solution to a prospects set of issues should carry the day. But while prospects make decisions intellectually, they buy emotionally. Gaining emotional traction starts with the first meeting and carries throughout. Asking the right questions and discovering the real needs and pains of the prospect must take precedence. Sales designers should use these discoveries to provide a solution whereby prospects are emotionally engaged and locked in.

#7: Collaborate on Price

Research shows that its challenging to convince people of anything. But prospects will convince themselves that a kitchen or bath projects price is right when theyre involved in the process. Too often, designers feel a need or desire to be a hero: swooping down in a red cape and saving the day with an award-winning design for which they take sole credit and ending up losing the sale. Instead, sales designers should assume the role of a guide, working hand in hand with prospects, guiding them and involving them in the process and, in turn, making them the hero. When you collaborate with prospects on developing a budget, they end up owning the price. The result is far less price resistance. This approach will make a transformative difference in sales production.

#6: Bottom-Up Team Development

After the cost of goods sold, personnel payroll is the most significant expense on an income statement. Appropriately organized and armed with unique skill sets and management systems to control all the project details your personnel team can make a major difference in the quality, appearance, function and performance of a new kitchen or bath. Create an in-house strategy to develop a team from the bottom up by building your productive personnel team. Develop a comprehensive training regimen that moves an entry-level team member upwards in your organization, providing opportunities for success across all departments. By giving your team everything they need to be productive training, sales tools, infrastructure, mentoring and leadership youll get what all owners treasure: emotional ownership in your company by your personnel.

#5: Sell More into Every Job

The recession of 2008-2009 taught a lesson that the current pandemic has confirmed. With fewer prospects, its paramount to sell more products and services into every project. Its far less costly to add more products to each project than to attract another lead, especially if COVID-19 fear reduces your prospect base. Todays prospects are short on time and desire a stress-free shopping experience. Kitchen and bath professionals who provide a one-stop showroom experience will best serve todays consumers. Providing buyers with access to everything from cabinetry to tile, lighting to plumbing fixtures, will provide an exceptional customer experience and set the stage for strong revenue growth and enduring financial success.

#4: Account for Burden Expense

One of the main reasons why the majority of kitchen and bath dealers have only marginally profitable operations is that they fail to account for their burden expense in their pricing formula. Left unattended, it spells disaster for any operation, regardless of how well they perform in other areas. Burden is defined as all the indirect costs to a project that are difficult to identify and capture. An expense such as a project managers salary, truck expenses, warehousing, production staff benefits and shop supplies are just a few examples of a burden expense. Each operation should perform a burden calculation exercise and include it in their pricing formula and commission system. Failure to do so will prevent a business from experiencing its full profit potential.

#3: Focus on Gross Profit Dollars

I recall sitting at a roundtable years ago in which the facilitator posed a question about each participants companys size. Everyone shared their revenue achievements (high testosterone levels were on display with each answer). A second question focusing on profitability triggered immediate silence. No one volunteered to go first to share their numbers. Gross margin dollars, or gross profit percentages, are the two most important numbers on your income statement. In other words, its not how much you sell, but how much money you make on each job sold. If you dont mark up your jobs high enough, you wont have enough gross profit dollars to cover your annual overhead, owners salary and desired net profit.

Its a detail everyone on your team should be focused on. Each project you sell needs to generate a gross profit, commensurate with the sales price, which proportionately contributes towards the annual total budgeted expenses and net profit goal. Without this focus, dealers are left with chronically weak bottom lines.

#2: Know Your Numbers

Numbers tell a story. Numbers run a business. If you dont read your financial statements, and understand what theyre saying, youre driving blind. If you know how to read them, but dont leverage the information the numbers reveal, then your business succumbs to underachievement. In short, youll be buying yourself an underpaying owners job with more headaches than working for someone else, while earning higher pay and fewer headaches. The kitchen and bath dealer landscape is dominated by owners who know how to design and sell kitchens successfully, but very few have disciplined themselves to learn the financial side of the business. Until this happens, few owners will realize their full growth and profit potential, develop sufficient reserves to fund a comfortable retirement, nor have others drooling to buy their businesses at premium prices when theyre ready to exit the industry.

#1: Leverage Technology

The number-one practice to make your business stronger is to leverage technology. Technological advances are all around, and yet it appears our industry is a slow adopter. Introduced more than 30 years ago, memories of CAD resistance still linger. Today, most of us cant imagine life without CAD. What have we universally accepted since then? Will it take another 30 years for another tool to be entirely accepted? While each of the 10 best business practices Ive outlined is important, technology by itself is a force multiplier because it amplifies the positive impact from the other nine. Technology, when leveraged correctly, can be that singular throttle that speeds both growth and profitability, zooming your company way past the competition. Thats a goal we should all seek with vigor.

Dan Luck owns Bella Domicile in Madison, WI. He has been a SEN Member since 2002 and has led the SEN Leadership Team since 2018. As senior v.p./education, he will be conducting online Kitchen & Bath Business Roundtables into 2021 entitled 3 Keys for Maximum Profit: Price Formula, Sales Process, & Operating Platform. Dan welcomes questions and comments at [emailprotected]

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10 Ways to Make Your Business Stronger - Kitchen and Bath Design News

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Decorating with MaryAnneand Mark Roethle

MaryAnneand Mark Roethle wont be able to gather all their loved ones together at their home for the holidays this year due to the COVIDcrisis. But that doesnt mean they wont fill their Wauwatosa home with striking holiday decorations.

Decorating makes the house wonderfully cozy and warm, and it celebrates the season, she said. There is nothing more enjoyable and homey to me than sitting in the living room looking around at the garland, the trees and the fireplace. ...

Each year we have a big celebration with my husbands family. This year is our year to host it, but unless the weather is nice and we can stay outside, I dont think well be doing that, she added.

Roethle, an artist and the founder of Rockway Pottery, said this year they are likely to enjoy their decorations with their adult daughter, Maggie, and their son, Michael, who is a sophomore in high school. Mark is a researcher at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Her artwork will be featured at the38thAnnualMonches ArtisansHoliday Open HouseDec.4 to 6.

And her home isa perfect space to decorate.

MaryAnn said the classic Lannon stone colonial they bought in 2003 was built in 1927 and she knew it would look great during the holidays.

MaryAnne Roethle has set up holiday themed planters with birch and berries outside her home.(Photo: Michael Sears / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

When we first saw it, I was charmed with its character and how it would lend itself to the beauty of holiday decorating, she said.

Some amenities in the 2,800-square foot, five bedroom, 2 bath home are textured walls, decorative plaster and wood crown molding, parquet and tile floors in unique patterns, arched doorways, large arched and leaded glass windows, a decorative staircase, a wood-burning fireplace/heater, and a sunroom thats perfect for one of the three artificial Christmas trees they set out each year.

MaryAnne, who does the bulk of the decorating, said she decorates every room on the first floor, including the powder room. She started decorating as a young girl with her mom, the lateMargaret Streff, who lived in Wauwatosa and Elm Grove.

Now, a lot of the pieces we have are pieces my mom made. She was a ceramicist. She would get bisque pieces that had been molded and would paint and glaze and fire them. She loved to make Father Christmases, Santas and little Christmas houses.

Some Santas made by MaryAnne Roethle's mother are whimsical, such as the one with golf clubs (left). Others are religious or themed.(Photo: Michael Sears / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

She made a lot of them for me, I inherited hers, and she also made a lot of them for our children. She also loved to make ornaments, so we have a lot of them on our family Christmas tree, she said.

That tree, which sits in the living room, has multicolored lights, is wide, and reaches about 7 feet.

She said it also has ornaments from when she and her husband were children, and ornaments their children made when they were young.

The other trees in her home include tall, thin pencil trees in the living room and sunroom.

In addition to the trees, she adds string ornaments in the windows in the sunroom that hang at different levels, decorates the fireplace, dining room table, radiator covers, sets out holiday pillows, and decorates the tops of her kitchen cabinets.

After all those pieces are up, she adds more color by putting poinsettias in every room.

I love to do the real big red ones, but sometimes Ill get a collection of smaller ones and group those together, she said.

She recently talked about holiday decorating at her home and the upcoming Monches tour.

Question:What kind of pottery do you make and where is it available?

Answer: I make stoneware pottery. It's wheel-thrown, hand-carved, glazed and fired. Its sold through my website and at craft fairs and art shows such as the Monches tour. At this year's tour Ill be selling a variety of pottery pieces and some holiday pieces.

Q: How do you decorate the other two trees in your home?

A:The one in the sunroom has white lights and very traditional European ornaments that are from a dear friend of mine who remembers them being on her grandmother's tree. She gave them to me and theyre gorgeous. Theyre all old and fragile. We have a cream colored skirt under it with garlands and pinecones.

The tree in the living room has white lights and silver, red and green ornaments that are traditional. It also some whimsical tear drops in silver and whimsical wrapped candy shaped ornaments. They make the tree look like an old-fashioned candy store. That tree gets a red skirt under it, and one of my moms Santas is next to it. Its the largest one she made at 2 feet.

Q:What are some of your favorite accent pieces?

A:Moms Santas and her traditional Father Christmases. I have over a dozen of them. ...There is a Russian Father Christmas holding a unique scepter and a nesting doll. Theres a Father Christmas from Switzerland that has a dog with a barrel under its neck and he is also holding skis. There are also whimsical ones like a Santa holding golf clubs.

Q:Any favorite ornaments?

AWe have some antique ornaments on the family tree from my husbands family. They are very traditional glass ornaments with red on the bottom and silver on the top and some gold glitter. They were pieces his parents treasured. Other favorites are a collection of snow babies my mom made. Theyre ceramic ornaments of babies. One is in pajamas, one has snow boots on, there is one thats holding a bat, one holding a bird, one with a paintbrush, one holding a Christmas tree, and one has a backpack with books.

QCan you describe the pieces over your kitchen cabinets?

A:On some of the cabinets there are the Christmas houses my mom made. They light up. I also put garland up there for a backdrop, artificial snow, votives and a string of lights. The lights on the houses and a string of lights create some depth. On the other cabinets we have a Father Christmas, a ceramic Christmas tree with lights, and my mom made a house with snow babies on it.

The top of the kitchen cabinets hosts a Christmas display at the Roethle home. MaryAnne's mother made the Christmas houses.(Photo: Michael Sears / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Q:Do you decorate your staircase?

A:Its different every year. This year I added ornaments between the spindles, a small wooden Christmas tree on the landing, and there are candles and some pottery on the steps. The radiator alongside the staircase spindles has a vase with ornament, a floral arraignment, and a piece showing the Holy Family that my Mom made.

Q:How do you accent your dining room?

A:This year I have two bowls with pinecones in them in the center of the table and a set of dinnerware I custom made for a client. Its a blue and beige combination and it has pasta bowls. I decided to set it out this year because I wanted to highlight my work in a table scape over these holidays. Some years I just put out the two bowls with the pinecones. I also put garland around the mirror and the sconces are accented with bouquets of berries and holly. All the sconces in the house are decorated.

Q:What kind of garland did you add to the three curved doorways in the living room?

A:Two are magnolia and holly and the other is a gold berry.

Q:Your table settings arent in holiday colors. Do you like to mix your colors this time of year?

A:I like to mix non-holiday colors with holiday colors. It gives more variety. I think certain things should go with the house and dont have to be a part of the holiday dcor. I dont do a holiday table because I feel the place settings should match the vibe of the house, not necessarily the season.

Q:Do you feature your pottery in other areas of the house during the holidays?

A:Yes. I set out mugs I made in the kitchen for anyone who wants coffee.

Q:How do you decorate your powder room?

A:Ive got a glass container with ornaments in it, and my mom made a Santa in an outhouse and hes in there. I also have holiday towels. Its a small room so theres not much we can do in there.

Q:How do you accent the fireplace in your living room?

A:I have stockings on it that we got as wedding gifts, and stockings we bought for the kids.On the mantelweve got sprigs of pine boughs, theres a pretty red vase, candlesand some other holiday pieces. I put the Father Christmas with the St. Bernard up there. We like to spend time together in front of the fireplace this time of year.

Q:How do you decorate the exterior of your home?

A:We keep the exterior clean. We just put up lights on the Japanese maple, then I have two pots on either side of the front door and I put traditional pine boughs, birch branches and ribbons in them.

Q:Where do you store your decorations?

A:In the attic. We have about 18 tubs or boxes.

Q:When do you start decorating?

A:Typically after Thanksgiving. Usually we have a big Thanksgiving and the next day I start decorating. Mark brings all the stuff down and both of the kids enjoy decorating. Our daughter especially likes to come over and help.

Q:How long does it take?

A:Usually a little over a weekend. I have it down to a science.

Q:Whats your style of decorating year round?

A:Arts and crafts and traditional. A lot of our pieces were handed down from family members. Im not the kind that goes out and gets a whole new dining room set when we have functional pieces from great-aunt Sofia or Grandma and Grandpa.

Q:Do the colors you decorate with year round go well with your holiday dcor?

A:Yes, the reds and greens match the dcor. In the living room we painted part of the fireplace green, and that matches the green in the rug and they both pick up the greens in the garland. And the couch and chair are burgundy. In the dining room I also have tablecloths in burgundy and those colors are in the Santas and Father Christmases in there.

Q:Do you plan to have special holiday meals for your immediate family?

A:We will still do a traditional holiday dinner that is unique to the family. Grandma always cooked sauerbraten, so I will get that going shortly after Thanksgiving for Christmas Eve. We will do a traditional turkey for Christmas day.

Q:Have you participated in the Monches tour before?

A:Yes, this is my second year. I will be at the Monches Mill house this year. I was there last year.

*****

What: 38thAnnualMonches ArtisansHoliday Open House. Adriving tour through the historic Monches and scenic Holy Hill areas with sixstops, among them artists studios businesses and restaurants. Each artist location will have unique gift items for sale.

When:9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Dec.4through 6. (Hours may vary at some sites)

Tickets:Free.

For more information: Seewww.monchesartisans.com. From the site you can print out a map of locations. Maps will also beavailable at each of the tour stops as well.

Notes: Only the workshops and galleries of the business will be open to the public.

For the safety of both the artists and patrons, CDC guidelines should be followed. Social distancing is encouraged. Facemasks are required at all stops. Hand sanitizer will be available. Some studios will limitguests to allow for the social distancing recommendation.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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She's an artist, part of the Monches tour, but her home Christmas decor is mostly about Mom - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Lower Decks is a whole new kind of Star Trek series - and these are the characters in it that fans like most... and least.

CBS All Access'sStar Trek: Lower Decksis one of the most uniqueStar Trekshows in the franchise's history. The animated show is centered on the lower deck crew of the USSCerritos, rather than the bridge crew that mostStar Trekshows focus on, This gives the show a loose and fun feel that pairs great with its comedic style.

RELATED:Star Trek: Discovery: 10 Questions Season 3 Needs To Answer

The heart of the show is its cast, which is primarily focused on four of the lower deck crew, along with supporting characters from the bridge. All of these characters are tons of fun and incredibly charming, but that doesn't mean that some of them aren't superior to others.

Ransom is the first officer of the Cerritos, and he's pretty one-dimensional when it comes down to it. That doesn't mean that he isn't good at his job, however. He cares deeply about the Cerritos, and wants to see it succeed in all of its missions. And while he workswell with Captain Freeman, his relationship with some of the crew is pretty negative. He and Mariner are constantly fighting pretty much any time they speak, causing plenty of trouble throughout the ship. Ransom isn't a highlight of the Cerritos crew, but he isn't awful either.

Captain Freeman is an interesting one. She tries herhardest to be as best of a captain as she can be to the Cerritos, but her less thanperfect crew and the ship's low standing in Starfleet makes her one of the most unimportant captains there is. Any mission that the Cerritos gets is one that nobody else wants, much to the chagrin of Freeman. Nevertheless, she persists, even with her daughter Mariner fighting her order with every ounce of her strength. The two eventually figure their problems with one another out, even if it does take them some time.

Rutherford is a very nice guy, and that's about as detailed as you can get about him. He's sort of a blank slate, but he's always happy to go along with whatever plan his friends have cooked up in any given episode. Rutherford aims to please everyone as much as he can, and with the help of his implant, he's incredibly gifted with everything that he attempts to pick up. He might not be the most interesting member of the crew, but nevertheless, he's a great addition to the team.

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Star Trek: Lower Decks - The Main Cast Ranked By Likability - Screen Rant

If youre looking to get into the spirit of the season, Santas elves have been busy dressing up Government House in its holiday finery.

Due to COVID-19, the house cant offer its annual Old-fashioned Victorian Christmas event. But personal festive-themed tours are available. Private tours for groups of six or less people can be pre-booked for Friday evenings on Dec. 11 and 18, or Saturday and Sunday afternoons on Dec. 12, 13, 19 and 20.

During private tours, a period-costumed guide will lead visitors through the museum with a Victorian-styled Christmas in mind.

In addition to the special festive-themed tours, Government House is open to the public Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for private tours of the facility free of charge.

To protect the health and safety of everyone, visitors must pre-book their tour in advance online at https://governmenthousesk.ca/visit-us/admission or by phone at 306-526-7090. Walk-up bookings are not available.

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Government House in Regina decks the halls - Regina Leader-Post

Were less than a day away from the launch of Hearthstones new expansion, Madness at the Darkmoon Faire. That means its almost time to surround ourselves with the sweet aroma of freshly opened virtual card packs.

When youre done busting open your packs, youll probably want a few decks to take for a spin. One of the best parts of any expansion is becoming familiar with the new mechanics that it introduces. Madness at the Darkmoon Faire brings with it a new keyword, Corrupt.

Cards with Corrupt become Corrupted and gain additional benefits after you play a card that costs more than them while theyre still in your hand. If you have a two-cost card with Corrupt, to make it Corrupted, youll have to play a three or higher cost card while the two-cost with Corrupt is still in your hand.

In addition to familiarizing yourself with Corrupt, youll also want to test out some of this expansions new Legendary minions. Old Gods from Hearthstones past have returned in new iterations. Cards like Cthun, the Shattered and Yshaarj, the Defiler are so powerful that theyll likely spawn their own deck archetypes.

But its always dangerous to spend any dust at the start of an expansion. No matter how much a particular Old God may whisper to you, craft with extreme caution this week.

Here are some of the best decks you can try out on the first day of Hearthstones Madness at the Darkmoon Faire expansion. These decks are gathered from multiple sources and arent intended to show any resemblance of a meta.

Copy this code to use this deck on Hearthstone: AAECAf0GCNsG1rkDrMsDs8wDztID/N4Dv+ADzuEDC9qWA+usA8S5A7jOA8zSA83SA5LeA5PeA5XeA8beA/TfAwA=

Copy this code to use this deck in Hearthstone: AAECAaIHBMPhA/HdA+rdA44EDfPdA9/dA80D5N0D590D4t0D5r4D5d0DiNAD4weO1AO54QOWDQA=

Copy this code to use this deck in Hearthstone:AAECAaoIAvDUA5vYAw6m3gOq3gP+0QPhuAPYqQOyBqneA+4GhLYD6LAD3bgD3NsD/tsD1KUDAA==

Copy this code to use this deck in Hearthstone: AAECAQcG47QDxcADqtIDm9gDwN4D9N8DDNitA9qtA92tA/6uA9KvA8C5A7XeA7reA77eA8HeA8TeA7rhAwA=

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Decks to try on day one of Hearthstone's Madness at the Darkmoon Faire - Dot Esports

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. --

Logistics Health Incorporated helps 926th Aerospace Medical Squadron conduct physical health assessments as the migration over to Military Health System Genesis continued during the November Unit Training Assembly, Nov. 7, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

The event, which was hosted in a hangar provided by 926th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, was planned in order to allow the AMDS to continue their integration to the new electronic health record for the Department of Defense, MHS Genesis.

We had a little bit of a bumpy start since its a foreign program to us, said Tech. Sgt. Wyatt Rodriguez, 926AMDS medical technician. MHS Genesis is going to assist in streamlining the process to move along appointments at a more efficient rate.

MHS Genesis went live on Sept. 26, prohibiting PHAs during the October UTA to take place. The November UTA LHI event was a way for AMDS to help increase wing readiness.

The intent of using LHI was to supplement our capability with Genesis limitations during its initial integration, said Lt. Col. Yu, 926AMDS commander.

In order to prepare for the LHI event, AMDS technicians conducted records reviews while LHI handled the physical assessments on the day, allowing 47 members to complete their PHAs.

With it being the first event of its kind for the wing, there were some hurdles that had to be overcome.

With better understanding of what LHIs limitations are, we might be better able to engage with them in the future to provide increased individual medical readiness capability, said Yu.

As the migration to MHS Genesis continues, the 926AMDS has been working with Nellis active duty members to implement the new system.

Our four-member Genesis point-of-contact team has put in over 400 hours into this project, on top of their other duties, said Yu. This does not include the individual sections, like lab, who went above and beyond to sort out their own section of Genesis.

These hours included going through necessary training to try and execute the entire Genesis function, to include labs, PHAs, dental, optometry and occupational health, from initial roll.

We are the largest in the first wave of reserve medical units to train to use Genesis in its full capability from the start, said Yu.

This hasnt come without a few setbacks. They were able to mitigate one foreseeable obstacle by planning a work around to overcome network connectivity issues.

The 926th AMDS made the decision to connect to the same medical network that the hospital and flight medicine use in order to have seamless connectivity and a higher bandwidth, rather than use the web-based portal initially set out for reserve units.

The medical network, Medical Community of Interest, required coordination between active duty and wing leadership in order to get the hard wiring and computer hardware necessary in order to be successful.

I am extremely proud of our team for leading the way such that Air Force Reserve Command wanted to duplicate our strategy for other units, said Yu.

Once running at its full capability, MHS Genesis will provide the advantage of complete visibility for a provider on a member'shealth status and history, as all medical documentation will roll into one system.

All DOD beneficiaries will reside on a single platform. Until then, the medical technicians of the 926th will continue to work and troubleshoot to get the system up and running.

Without the dedicated members of the AMDS, and help from active duty and others in wing leadership, we could have easily failed," said Yu."Its still a work in progress."

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All hands on deck as 926th AMDS rolls out new system - Robins Rev Up