Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

This custom Cape Cod brings East Coast charm to guard-gated Lake Sherwood. Spanning 1.2 acres, the property takes advantage of every square foot with a detached guesthouse, swimming pool, spa and sports court all set among mature trees and manicured lawns with lake, mountain and golf course views as the backdrop. At the center of it all sits a Hamptons-style home full of designer finishes.

The details

Location: 224 W. Stafford Road, Thousand Oaks, 91361

Asking price: $10.75 million

Year built: 1999

Living area: 10,700 square feet, five bedrooms, eight bathrooms

Lot size: 1.2 acres

Features: Landscaped front yard; five-car garage; walnut wood floors; onyx fireplaces; African wood countertops; two-story great room; formal library; wine cellar; gym; billiards room with bar; dramatic owners suite; vegetable garden

About the area: In the 91361 ZIP Code, based on 16 sales, the median price for single-family homes in August was $2.53 million, up 123.7% year over year, according to CoreLogic.

Agents: Jordan Cohen, RE/Max One, (818) 435-5220

To submit a candidate for Home of the Week, send high-resolution color photos via Dropbox.com, permission from the photographer to publish the images and a description of the house to jack.flemming@latimes.com.

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Home of the Week: Chic Hamptons style in Lake Sherwood - Los Angeles Times

A lot of beloved TV shows really need to remain firmly in the past. But there's an exception to that rule: the universally adored British makeover show, Changing Rooms.

BBC's Changing Rooms graced our screens from 1996 until 2003 and though its run was limited, its memory lives on in our minds. After the best part of two decades away, the iconic show is returning to our screens on Channel 4 and will be helmed by the ultra funky designer from the original show Laurence Llewelyn Bowen, alongside presenter Davina McCall.

For those who aren't familiar with this legendary British show, allow me to change your life. A DIY home improvement programme, designers would "transform" and I use that term loosely a member of the public's home. Some of the designs were really and truly out there, and garnered some very dramatic (sometimes painful-to-watch) reactions. And frankly, you couldn't look away from the catastrophic television you were watching.

Take Linda Barker's teapot disaster back in 2000. The designer decided to build a floating shelf unit to house an extensive collection of antique teapots the pride and joy of the owner of the flat. Well, you can probably guess where this is going. After positioning the teapots on the new floating shelves and adding a row of rather heavy books the designer and her team went home. The following morning, they returned to the flat to see an almighty mess all of the teapots were broken into smithereens and strewn across the floor. The shelves had buckled under the weight of the books, destroying the entire collection of teapots. Handy Andy, the show's handiman, walked through the broken mess of teapot pieces and yelled "Jesus Christ" in disappointment. 20 years later, journalist Amelia Tait recently revisited the devastating moment and interviewed Clodagh, the woman whose teapots were destroyed. Time, it would appear, does not always heal.

Keeping the same format as the original show, each episode will see two sets of homeowners in the same neighbourhood renovate each other's homes to whatever design they fancy. Anything goes and I really do mean anything. In the good ol' days, the finished renovations looked pretty, err, out there. We're talking trees suspended upside-down from ceilings, a floor-to-ceiling zebra print room (including zebra print painted ceiling, walls, and a zebra bedspread), and inflatable plastic chairs (which were having a bit of a moment back then).

"Theres no room for beige in our homes and, just as it was in the '90s, Changing Rooms is once more the homestyle antidote to Britains blues (and greys and taupes, and even Magnolia)," said Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen in a statement. "Its taken quite a lot of coaxing to get me under the Changing Rooms banner once more, but nothing like as much coaxing as its going to take for me to squeeze those leather trousers back on."

Naturally people on Twitter (myself included) couldn't contain their enthusiasm for the return of this exceptional show.

At present there's no confirmed air date. But for now, we can just revel in the excitement that Changing Rooms is back!

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This iconic British '90s home makeover show is making a comeback and Twitter is wild for it - Mashable

InYourArea Community

The jackets were made for a spring beach clean however they're proving very useful now that the dark nights of winter are on their way

Submitted to the Thanet Gazette

This autumn, children at Chilton Primary School will be clearly visible in their new bright yellow reflective jackets. The smart new set of safety tops were donated to the school by Millwood Designer Homes, which is building the Bakers Field development in Cliffsend, Kent.

The hi-vis clothing was made by the developers for the beach clean-up at Pegwell Bay on March 25. Year 3 pupils were due to visit the beach to pick up litter as part of The Great British Spring Clean until lockdown stopped the event.

Philip Brown, from Millwood Designer Homes, said:

Year 6 pupils have already used the jackets on a walk to the historic Viking ship site at nearby Pegwell Bay. The childrens visit to the replica boat was to support in-school learning but pupils also carried out a litter pick in the area at the same time.

Deputy head Natalie Barrow said: Hi-vis jackets are an important resource to keep our children safe and to have now a new whole class set is so beneficial.

The developers support the national Walk to School week that runs from October 6 to 10. Chilton continues to operate its own walk to school initiative that has been in operation for several years.

Chilton Primary School in Ramsgate, Kent is part of the Viking Academy Trust with Upton Junior School, Broadstairs, and Ramsgate Arts Primary.

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Ramsgate pupils will be easily seen thanks to new hi-vis vests - In Your Area

PUBLISHED: 10:30 10 October 2020 | UPDATED: 10:46 10 October 2020

Danielle Lett

Lindsey Rendall, left, pictured alongside Helen Wright. The two run Rendall & Wright, a Suffolk-based interior design practice Picture: Nicky West Photography

@Nicky West

From warm hues to chunky textures Lindsey Rendall of Rendall & Wright shares this autumns biggest trends.

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As autumn settles in, its high time to give your home a refresh and switch up your surroundings to help you welcome in the new season.

Sudbury-based interior designer Lindsey Rendall, of Rendall & Wright, shares her top tips to help you nail this years autumn/winter home trends - and explains why this is the year to put a little bit more thought into your homewares.

2020 has seen us all spend far more time in our homes than we ever thought possible whether weve been homeschooling, working, entertaining via Zoom, working out or cooking endless family meals, said Lindsey.

We now expect our interior spaces to provide a multitude of services for us, and deliver more than they ever have before. On this basis, they deserve some TLC. Our homes should be a safe haven to enjoy and take comfort from.

With that in mind, these upcoming months will provide you with ample opportunity to overhaul your interiors and give your surroundings a much-needed revamp.

I love the start of autumn its a time to hunker down and an excuse to enjoy cosy afternoons at home with friends and family.

As with all seasons, our fashions change. We upgrade our wardrobe, invest in a few key seasonal pieces, put away the flip flops and get out our cosy winter attire. Our homes are an extension of this, and they too thoroughly deserve a seasonal spruce up.

So what sort of shades should we all be looking to incorporate into our homes this autumn, to help spruce it up?

Warm terracotta tones are big news for 2020, according to Lindsey. This cosy, natural, sumptuous colour softens the much-loved spring coral that was seen this year, as we move into autumnal burnt amber palettes.

If youre not keen on having one colour dominating your home, terracotta has a number of shades that pair wonderfully with it, including deep olive green, rich caramel, deep charcoal and delicate rose pink. These warm, beautiful colours work effortlessly alongside natural materials so consider using a mixture of finishes within a room to create interest.

In terms of textures, its go big or go home this autumn. As the weather cools and the nights draw in, incorporate heavier textures around the home. Plush velvets, chunky knits and heavy woven linens add depth and richness to any interior scheme.

To be bang on-trend this winter, bring boucl back into your life. This snuggly texture will increase the cosiness factor of any room by 100%. Using these textures as cushions, throws and on occasional pieces of furniture are an inexpensive way of updating your schemes while making it impossible to not snuggle up on the sofa.

If youre someone whos looking to be a bit bolder this autumn, prints are always an option, and there are a number of designs to help you brighten up your home over these coming months with some firm favourites coming back into style time and time again.

Every year Im asked if patterns are fashionable, and this year more than any the answer is yes. Autumn often sees classic, sophisticated country prints such as rich floral designs, faded vintage rose prints, traditional paisleys, tartans and beautiful plaids creeping back into the home, and 2020 is no different. A well-balanced collection of prints and textured weaves provides an interesting feast for the eyes.

With a number of rooms throughout your home, you may be wondering which areas in particular you should focus on this season. Choose areas of the house you spend most of your time in to give your winter transformation. Be brave, embrace change and most importantly, have fun.

Lindseys tips for getting the autumn look without blowing your budget

Sitting pretty

Invest in a statement piece of furniture in a bejewelled tone such as a terracotta, teal or olive green. Depending on your budget, this could be a sofa, armchair or footstool. To complete the look, accessorise with textural cushions and a splash of pattern.

Light up your life

Lighting makes an enormous difference to the ambiance of a room. It creates a mood, enhances textures and highlights architectural features. Overhead lighting can often be harsh and unflattering, so use a variety of light sources to suit the occasion. Introduce table lamps for a warm, cosy glow in the evening - low-level lighting and candles on the table are great for dinner parties while wall lights and floor lights are great to brighten up a dull day. A quick and inexpensive way to update your existing lighting scheme is a change of shades. Introduce pattern and colour confidently, and enjoy the change in ambiance this provides.

Hearth and soul

If you have a fireplace, make it a focal point. Dressing your fireplace transforms your fire from a cold, dark space into a place to congregate. Consider built in-joinery or matching pieces of furniture either side of the fireplace to frame it. Introducing lighting within the joinery or a pair of table lamps on the furniture will add depth to the room, while enhancing the cosy feel. Dress your mantelpiece and draw the eye to the fire with a great mirror or piece of art above. If you have a fireplace no longer in use, a well-chosen large plant can bring life back to the hearth.

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What are the interior trends for Autumn/Winter 2020? - East Anglian Daily Times

Pupils in the hi-vis gifted by Millwood Homes

By Peter Barnett

Be seen and be safe children at Chilton Primary School in Ramsgate have a smart new set of safety tops in time for autumn and winter.

The distinctive bright yellow reflective jackets have been donated to the school by Millwood Designer Homes which is developing its Bakers Field project in Cliffsend.

The branded hi-vis clothing was made by the developers for Chilton earlier in the year when they planned to host a beach clean-up at Pegwell Bay for The Great British Spring Clean Keep Britain Tidy which was due to happen between March 20 and April 13.

Year 3 pupils were going to visit the beach in two groups to pick up any litter along the beach on March 25 but the pandemic lockdown happened before the eco-initiative could take place.

Deputy Head of School Natalie Barrow explained: It was an important community initiative that we were looking forward to but events overtook us.

True to their word Millwood Designer Homes has provided the hi-vis jackets which have boosted our supply and will certainly help keep our boys and girls safe when they are out and about as the mornings and afternoons get darker.

We are extremely grateful for the thoughtful donation of the jackets and they will be very much put to use by all our children aged from four to eleven when going out on local walks and visits.

Hi-vis jackets are an important resource to keep our children safe and to have now a new whole class set is so beneficial. It is such a shame that we were unable to take part in such a worthwhile community project with Millwood Designer Homes in the spring but we sincerely hope that we will be able to do so in the future.

Year 6 pupils have already used the jackets on a walk to the historic Viking Ship site at nearby Pegwell Bay, where Viking brothers Hengist and Horsa are reputed to have landed in AD449. They liked what they saw on the Isle of Thanet so much that they swore allegiance to Vortigern, King of the Britons, and served him as mercenaries.

The childrens visit to the replica historic Viking boat was to support in-school learning; and pupils also carried out their own litter pick clearance in the area at the same time.

The jackets were presented to Chiltons Assistant Head of School Hannah Cheshire, who is also Head of Early Years, by Mark Baker, Senior Site Manager at Millwoods Cliffsend development, Bakers Field.

Philip Brown, Sales and Marketing Director at Millwood Designer Homes, said: We are passionate about giving back to the communities we build in, and we love to support schools that are local to our developments, including Bakers Field in Cliffsend.

We were disappointed that we had to cancel the beach clean-up at Pegwell Bay with Chilton Primary School due to the lockdown, but we hope that the children will be able to make lots of use of the hi-vis jackets.

It is important that children are kept safe on their walk to school, especially as we move into autumn when the evenings get darker earlier.

Millwood Designer Homes supports the national Walk to School week that runs from October 6-10.

Chilton continues to operate its own walk to school initiative that has been in operation for years.

Walk to school benefits include:-

*Being active and getting some exercise in the morning before arriving at school can help set children up for a positive day; improving focus and concentration, and instilling a sense of physical and mental wellbeing.

*Health benefits include helping to develop strong bones and increase muscle strength. Walking gets the heart pumping, which can help improve cognitive function for lessons throughout the school day.

*Walking to school encourages healthy habits for life with a focus on exercise, diet and wellbeing.

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Hi-vis gift for Chilton primary pupils The Isle Of Thanet News - The Isle of Thanet News

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. A decade ago, Janelle BlakelyPhotopoulos was at a bit of a crossroads. A former marketing communications employee for AT&T, she, her husband and their young family had just moved to Rhode Island from New Jersey and she was looking for a way to fulfill her creative drive.

Theres this creative side of me that Ive always wanted to utilize and realize and so when I moved here to Rhode Island, I did a lot of work in my own home and realized I had a passion for it, Photopoulos said. People saw the work that I did in my own home and had asked if I was a professional interior designer, at which point I was encouraged to pursue that.

Describing herself as someone who feels she has to earn (her) stripes and go through the process of learning everything she could about the interior design industry, Photopoulos soon enrolled in the Rhode Island School of Designs ContinuingEducation Program and launched her own business, Blakely Interior Design, in North Kingstown.

Now, Blakely Interior Design has grown from a one woman operation to a team of six and from a few projects in the coastal homes of South County to projects up and down the East Coast, earning the firm the honor of being named the 2020 Rhode Island Small Business Associations Woman-Owned Business of the Year.

Its an honor to be recognized as a woman who has built a business from the ground up and Im so thankful for the acknowledgment, but also for the team that has helped me to get to where I am, Photopoulos said.

Blakely Interior Design isa residential interior design firm that specializes in mostly new home construction projects, but also does full-service interior design from a decorating prospective for already built homes.

We really work in a fashion where we work with our clients from the very beginning of the design process, many times teaming up with the architect and the builder on those projects that do involve construction and help our clients realize their vision for their homes and how they want to live in their homes functionally. But also what that means is aesthetically, and our position is that everyone deserves to live in a place that really uplifts them, so we really design from a place of color, Photopoulos said.

In particular, its color that drives Photopoulos and Blakely Interior Designs.

We use color as the foundation of our designs and so were known for creating very vibrant and colorful interiors, Photopoulos said. Im a believer that color really creates emotions in us and its scientifically proven but it creates emotions in us and so we try to find out which colors resonate with which clients and how do we bring that color into their homes so that it uplifts them and creates a space that feels uniquely them.

Holding a marketing degree from Syracuse University, Photopoulos initially worked for AT&T before leaving to start her family. She did some dcor work back in New Jersey, but really began her career in interior design in Rhode Island, attending night classes at RISD while starting her business and raising three young children.

My business really grew alongside of my journey at RISD, so much that it really just exploded fairly early on and now I never dreamed back then that I would be where I am now in terms of growing a business and having a staff of six employees and really contributing to our local economy and creating beautiful spaces really throughout the East Coast, Photopoulos said.

Blakely Interior Design recently completed projects as far away as New Jersey and Alexandria, Virginia, and Photopoulos said theres been interest in her work from across the country.

We love our Rhode Island coastal homes that we work on, but were also getting some visibility throughout the country, Photopoulos said.

While she says that after finding her passion for interior design she was initially disappointed in having studied marketing, she says the combination of both of her degrees has helped make her a more well-rounded and successful entrepreneur.

I remember thinking to myself, Gosh, why didnt I know back when I was 18 or 19 that this was really what I wouldve wanted to do? It wouldve made it a lot easier to spend hours and hours in the studio doing my design work at 18, 19 years old when I wouldnt have to go and figure out picking my son up at preschool and all of these things related to family life, Photopoulos said. At the time I was kind of kicking myself like, Gosh, why didnt I know this early on, but as I started to build my business, all of the knowledge I had gained through my original degree in marketing and business really helped it to flourish.

Im so thankful for that education because I think if I had just had a design degree, I might be really good at design but I might not know how to grow my business and help build jobs and to do bigger and better things with my business, Photopoulos added.

In addition to her work with Blakely Interior Design, Photopoulos is also active in charity work with Savvy Givings By Design, a nonprofit started in San Diego, California, that rebuilds the interior spaces of children facing a medical crisis at no cost to their families to help strengthen and encourage their recovery.

Photopoulos first became involved with Savvy Givings By Design after hearing an episode of an interior design podcast that featured its founder, Susan Wintersteen.

I had been wanting for a few years to do something to give back to the community and use my talents to do that, and so when I heard about Savvy Giving By Design, I was like, This is what I want to do here and I reached out to her and we started to develop chapters throughout the country and (Rhode Island was) one of the chapters that we created, Photopoulos said.

For Photopoulos, being able to help these children and their families brighten their spirits with her interior design skills is truly rewarding.

When you work with families that are struggling with a medics crisis and many times dont have either the financial wherewithal to do a project like this for their child or the mental or emotional wherewithal to do something like this because theyre in the thick of pediatric cancer treatments and things that really consume them, to be able to come into these families homes and these spaces and really transform them to create a space for these kids to heal, its so rewarding, Photopoulos said. Its very rewarding when we have our reveal with the child and they see the space that is all theirs and they can now have a space that they can heal in and feel creative and play and be like a normal kid.

As with all small businesses, Blakely Interior Design has had to navigate the waters of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its been a tough year for everyone I know, Photopoulos said.

Photopoulos says her firm was fortunate in that theyhad some reserves on hand to avoid major layoffs as well as pivot their approach to more online interactions to better keep with social distancing guidelines and to meet customers comfort levels.

We pivoted a little and started doing virtual design consultations that allowed us to still interact with potential clients and provide design services virtually, Photopoulos said.

As for the projects they were already working on when COVID-19 hit, Photopoulos said understanding and flexibility for both themselves and their customers was key.

We just had to have a lot of flexibility and understanding and hope that our clients did too because the supply chains changed, the workrooms closed down and so I think that everyone in the entire world had to have just a different viewpoint and an extra level of patience through all of it, which fortunately most of our clients have been incredibly understanding, Photopoulos said, adding that business for her has been returning to its normal fall rate after a quieter-than-usual summer.

Now with nearly a decade of experience under her belt, Photopoulos has her eyes set on expanding even further in the decade, with hopes of becoming a national lifestyle brand based around their tagline: Live vibrantly.

We try to inspire our clients to live vibrantly through their home and their interior, Photopoulos said. I want to really inspire the world to live vibrantly in whatever way that means to them.

Photopoulos said shes already began work on developing color-driven products for the home space such as accessories and wallpapers, with fabric textiles on the horizon as well as she hopes to bring Blakely Interior Design into the national spotlight.

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NK firm named RI SBA woman-owned business of the year - The Independent

Sunset is arriving noticeably earlier, meaning less mood-lifting daylight for everyone. The weather is turning colder, so well soon spend even more time cooped up inside the homes where weve huddled, and sometimes completely quarantined, for six months.

Many of us are working and studying at home by day, then trying to shift into relaxation mode in the very same rooms at night. And were doing all of this while battling the many stresses that 2020 keeps on delivering.

If ever there was an autumn when things could be a bit brighter, this is it.

So while better light bulbs or a repositioned lamp wont solve everything, its a great year to reassess the way your home is lit and possibly make some changes.

DIFFERENTIATE NIGHT FROM DAY

Its hard to step away from work or school when youre living in your workspace. One way to shift the mood and tell your body and brain that its time to relax is to change the lighting when day becomes night.

By day, use lightbulbs that mimic daylight (about 5000 Kelvin). Virginia-based architect Warren Ralston says this is usually the lighting we see in offices, because its cool white hue offers plenty of energizing brightness.

Smart LED bulbs can be set to this brightness in the morning and kept there all day.

Another great thing about 5000K daylight LED is how well it works for video conferencing, says Atlanta-based interior designer Brian Patrick Flynn. Anytime Im working from home, I turn on the overhead LEDs and it eliminates yellowy shadows from the videos.

When your workday is over, switch to lamps and fixtures fitted with traditional warm bulbs or set your smart bulbs to a lower intensity (about 3000-3500 Kelvin, or as low as 2500 for very warm light).

Many types of smart lightbulbs can be adjusted easily with a remote control or through an app, Flynn says. This is hugely helpful for creating ambience and warmth versus using pure daylight for work purposes.

You can also set your lights on timers, so your preferred evening lighting comes on automatically.

LIGHT YOUR THINGS, NOT YOUR ROOMS

Brightening up your home may be about repositioning the lights you already have, rather than adding more.

Light has to reflect off of something in order for your eyes to perceive that light, Ralston explains. So you dont really light a space. You light a surface. Youre lighting a wall or a floor or an object.

Try positioning lamps or overhead lights so the light bounces off items you want to highlight, or off surfaces like a glossy tabletop or lustrous fabric.

Consider rearranging furniture and art to make better use of the light coming from ceiling fixtures and sconces.

Ralston sometimes uses virtual reality technology to show clients what a room will look like at different times of day, and how lighting options would look paired with different furnishings. He says theyre often surprised at how different the light looks depending on what surfaces surround it.

WARM YOUR SPACE WITH FIRELIGHT

In the fall, lighting a few logs in a traditional fireplace is a great way to shift the mood in your home. And if you dont have a fireplace, you can still enjoy that same warmth and flickering light, says designer and sculptor Elena Colombo, who creates fire features that range from elaborate outdoor installations to delicate tabletop fire bowls.

A small fire bowl can be used on a coffee table or as a centerpiece on a dining-room table to create a warm, welcoming, flickering light thats a step beyond what candles offer, Colombo says. Many fire bowls burn an alcohol-based gel that requires no ventilation.

As soon as your eye sees the flame, she says, it just changes your mood.

When choosing your source of indoor firelight, just be sure to follow any fire safety restrictions where you live.

And when night falls, Colombo suggests switching on a few low-wattage lights near the door to your deck or patio. Just having a view of your warmly lit outdoor space can keep you from feeling penned in on a dark autumn night. It will make your home feel more expansive, and maybe even inspire you to grab a sweater and sit out under the stars.

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At home: Making the most of lighting can keep moods lifted - Daily Herald

TV Series Finale reports that HGTV confirmed in a press release who will be taking part in the show's sophomore season. Four teams of two will compete to transform a selection of identical three-story properties into an interior designer's dream in just one month. They consist of Mike Holmes, of Holmes On Homes, and Alison Victoria of Windy City Rehab,Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, stars of Nate and Jeremiah: Save My House; David Bromstad (My Lottery Dream Home) and Tiffany Brooks (50K Three Ways); and 100 Day Dream Home stars Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt. Rock the Block will premiere on HGTV in early 2021.

Home renovation hero Ty Pennington is set to host the show, responding to an Instagram announcement with a comment noting, "Whoop! Can't wait!" As the press release advised, "With a $225,000 budget and a whole lot of teamwork, the dueling duos hope to win major bragging rights and their names on a street sign." HGTV president Jane Latman enthused that fans can, "Expect to see impressive displays of strategy, creativity and incredible designs from these top stars." She also promised, "bold build and design challenges; in-show surprises; and appearances from special guest judges."

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Rock the Block season 2 will feature top HGTV stars - The List

You cant underestimate the power of flowers to cheer people up, even ina pandemic.

Its thoughtful, its refreshing, its something bright, natural and healthy, says Jeff Gordon, the owner of Sarasota-based Suncoast Florist. A number of our local customers comment that you just want something bright and fresh in your home.

As more people choose to spruce up their houses or the houses of friends and family members with flower arrangements, some flower-related businesses in the area have gotten a boost during portions of the pandemic. But recent months havent all been rosy florists have seen their share of sales fluctuations. Plus there are new precautions to take when delivering flowers to homes, hospitals, assisted-living facilities and other locations. Throw in a rose shortage, and theyve got a whole bouquet worth of challenges.

April Showers

Gordon says the uncertainty that filled peoples minds in March and April led to a downturn in business. We missed the Easter season, which was a pretty good hit, but we recovered as soon as possible, he says. Mothers Day was just overwhelming. It was astounding.

For his customers and customers nationwide, sending Mom a flower arrangement was still a safe way to mark the occasion during the pandemic. Mothers Day is the big one for sure, he says. Probably close behind that is Valentines Day. We just slipped that in before everything got crazy.

Michael Longo, the owner and designer at Naples Floral Design, says that since closing and then reopening toward the beginning of the pandemic, his store has gone through some changes. He reconfigured the retail area to make space for a designer, so employees were more separated. He also added tables outside, so customers could pick up orders without coming in.

Like at Suncoast Florist, Mothers Day was good for Naples Floral Design, too better than last year even. It was a blessing because we got destroyed in March and April, Longo says.

Courtesy. Michael Longo, owner and designer at Naples Floral Design, says his business offered to bring special items to people who were separated from their loved ones, whether they were at home or in hospitals or nursing homes.

Stephanie Newton, the owner of Tampa-based Posies Flower Truck, seized the moment during stay-at-home orders, delivering more than 600 bouquets. I guess people were just using that to reach out to people they couldnt see and for special occasions they couldnt celebrate together, she says.

Newtons flower truck pops up twice a week at Hyde Park Village, an outdoor shopping area in Tampa, and visits other locations in the area, giving customers the chance to build bouquets. This summer, traffic for the truck has been better than ever at Hyde Park Village. People are spending more time at home, she says. Making a little excursion to the flower truck is a fun outing. Having something beautiful and fragrant at home when youre spending more time at home is a nice thing.

She expects business to pick up even more in the fall, when shell start to visit additional destinations. Plus, she expects her delivery option to continue to be popular with Posies customers. The delivery part of our business is still really big, says Newton. Before it was a small companion piece to the flower truck. Now deliveries are half of the business.

Theres another plus for Posies during the coronavirus pandemic, too the flower truck is an outside business. I dont think people are as concerned about being around a lot of people, Newton says. Theres plenty of space to spread out. Our business model works in a pandemic.

She declines to share 2019 revenuebut says that since she started the business in 2017, its grown each year. We have even with the pandemic exceeded last years revenue, she says. Weve had a 20% increase in revenue year over year since weve been in business.

Special Delivery

One source of complications? Deliveries. Weve implemented all sorts of COVID-sensitive protocols in terms of deliveries, Gordon says.

Suncoast Florist drivers wear masks, and when they drop off an arrangement at a house, they leave it at the door and step back to keep their distance. When Suncoast Florist delivers to a hospital now, instead of going inside, a hospital employee comes out and accepts the arrangement. Im very impressed that they have never stopped accepting floral deliveries, Gordon says.

Courtesy. Jeff Gordon, owner of Sarasota-based Suncoast Florist, says business was overwhelming for Mother's Day.

The company also makes deliveries to assisted-living facilities and nursing homes, though some facilities havent allowed deliveries during the pandemic. Among the facilities allowing floral deliveries, some accept them at the door, and some take drivers temperatures before accepting them.

Suncoast Florist also continues to provide arrangements for funeral homes during the coronavirus. Many families couldnt have any kind of a funeral service but wanted flowers for private viewings, Gordon says. It was busy there for a while for sure.

For walk-in customers, the procedure has changedtoo. We are not allowing them to come in as deep in the store as in the past, Gordon says. And early in the pandemic, the shop only offered curbside pickup.

Bouquet Toss

Flower arrangements are a key part of decor for weddings and events up and down the west coast of Florida. Nowwith many events canceled, postponed or downscaled, the floral industry is feeling the impacts.

Some of Suncoast Florists weddings and events were canceled right away. Then there was a period in the summer with no activity. Events, such as those hosted by area nonprofits, are still not back on the books for the most part. Now were getting back to the point of small weddings, small venues, fewer people in bridal party and fewer centerpieces, Gordon says. Its starting to feel closer to normal, just smaller.

Its thoughtful, its refreshing, its something bright, natural and healthy. A number of our local customers comment that you just want something bright and fresh in your home. Jeff Gordon, Suncoast Florist

Naples Floral Design is experiencing something similar. Normally, the company does 100 weddings a year. In 2020, some have been postponed and others downsized. Last week, we were able to do wedding of 100 people in Estero, says Longo. Most of them are smaller. Theyre downsizing, but people are still getting married.

In normal years, December is a busy month for Suncoast Florist. Gordon expects it to be busy this yeartoo, despite the pandemicand, in some cases, because of it. For friends and relatives who cant gather for holiday celebrations, for example, flower arrangements could become a way to send their thoughts during the season, Gordon says.

For holiday parties and corporate gatherings, demand is harder to gauge, with many events likely canceled this year.

Courtesy. Stephanie Newton, owner of Tampa-based Posies Flower Truck, delivered more than 600 bouquets during the early weeks of the pandemic.

Suncoast Florist reacts to fluctuations in demand fairly quickly, Gordon says, because of Sarasotas proximity to Miami, a major shipping destination for flowers. But despite that proximity, like many industries, floral businesses have had to contend with supply chain issues during the pandemic particularly early on.

Suncoast Florist buys many flowers from Central and South America, and when countries there shut down, their farms shut downtoo. It took weeks for things to get back up and running. We went through a rose shortagethen a lily shortage, Gordon says. A couple of farms closed that didnt reopen. Now, he says, availability has stabilized more.

Newton, with the Posies Flower Truck, was concerned about supplies as well. When the pandemic hit, she thought she might not be able to get any flowers. Then I started getting phone calls from floral farms in California, she says. They offered to get products to her directly, without going through a middleman. Newton is also using logistics services to get products from other parts of the U.S. and Europe, and shes been able to keep her truck stocked with blooms.

With Love

The pandemic has also pushed some florists to innovate. During the pandemic, for instance, Naples Floral Design started something new it offered to bring special items to people who were separated from their loved ones, whether they were at home or in hospitals or nursing homes.

Customers called in with special requests, asking for specific things to be delivered, among them a Chicago-style pizza. Longo and his team also delivered teddy bears, brought people balloons for their birthdays and made up fruit and food baskets with items from the grocery store.

Its one of Longos efforts to keep up with changing demands during the pandemic as sales fluctuate from month to month. But beyond the business implications of the virus, Longo knows better than most about the human toll.

In April, his father died from COVID-19. He didnt get to see him before he died, and he still hasnt been able to get to New York to see his mother because of quarantine restrictions.

That loss and that distance is part of the reason why he puts a great deal of effort into delivering items that express love, from food to flowers. He wants his customers to feel like their moms and dads are taken care of. We just keep moving forward, Longo says. If someone calls me with a request, Ill go get them anything they want.

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Flower-related businesses experience ups and downs during pandemic - Business Observer

School is in session, and today's lesson is brought to you by none other than The Real Housewives of Atlanta's Marlo Hampton. The fashion enthusiast and designer label lover has an honorary degree in diva-hood with a minor in DGAF-a-tude. Marlo's Instagram alone is practically a master class in trendy looks from barely-there, sexy dresses togowns with gold sneakers. And now,we're ready to take notes because Marlo just managed to pull off the unthinkable in luxurious living.

On October 7, Marlo shared a paparazzi-inspired snap on Instagram as she stepped out of a black-and-orangecolor-blocked Rolls Royce. "No I'm not foreign, but I drive em'," Marlo quipped in her captionas she finaglds her massive Herms Birkin bag from the passenger's seat.

There's a lot happening here and we are still trying to process all this amazingness. To start, Marlo's outfit from her white, mod-inspired sunnies to her crisp white shirt and orange pants with white trim and peach Giuseppe Zanotti heels perfectly coordinates with the luxe ride. Hair, nails, lip shade, and even her tan, croc Birkin all match to a tee. Honey, your minivan could never!

Is this two-toned Rolls Marlo's new set of wheels? Well, all evidence (including her matchy-matchy ensemble) point to yes considering that she has hernamescrolled inside the driver door.

It was an education in the art of slayage and we are all under her tutelage.

Want moreThe Real Housewives of Atlanta? Catch up on the latest season through theBravo app.

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Marlo Hampton Has a New Rolls Royce and an Orange Designer Outfit to Match - Bravo