In honor of Black History Month, Manchester Community College is hosting the art exhibit, “Present,” by two local artists, Chotsani E. Dean and Howard el-Yasin, in the Hans Weiss Newspace gallery. Dean grew up in Windsor and now lives in Hartford. Currently a resident of New Haven, el-Yasin lived in Hartford as a teen. At the opening reception on Feb. 2, the artists described their works and the connection they feel to their history.
“A lot of work that I make comes out of my communal ancestry,” said Dean, whose pieces feature ceramic tiles hung on the wall, reminiscent of quilts. She explained that quilting provided an outlet not only for creativity and resourcefulness, but as a way to communicate through the symbols used in the quilts. This was especially important during the antebellum period, when many plantation mistresses taught the women slaves how to quilt. Dean noted that the women sometimes also learned to read and write, which was prohibited, but the men did not pay attention to the women during their quilting bees.
“I’m particularly honored to be part of show for Black History Month,” said el-Yasin, even through he said he does not consider himself as an Afro-American artist. Rather, he likes his forms to give a connection to history both through the discarded materials he uses and through his work process, which often involves, for example, adding color and taking it away. “Things are built up, changed, erased,” he said, much like each person’s individual history.
According to MCC professor Susan Classen-Sullivan, Dean and el-Yasin were selected for this exhibit because they are both important, contemporary artists. She also felt there would be a good conversation between Dean’s and el-Yasin’s pieces, a sentiment with which both artists agreed.
This is the first exhibit specifically for Black History Month, which was first suggested by Dean of Student Affairs G. Duncan Harris more than a year ago, but took some time to coordinate into the exhibit schedule. Harris said he felt is would be important for African-American students to see they can succeed in the arts, “to see that dream become a reality,” he said.
Referring to the multitude of Dean’s ceramic tiles that make up the “quilt” installations, Melissa Steward, an MCC social services student, said, “Her pieces are talking to me.” Steward was looking for inspiration for a Drawing II project that requires her to draw the same subject 50 times.
During el-Yasin’s opening remarks, MCC adjunct professor Anthony Billard observed el-Yasin’s “Verboten” (“Forbidden,” in German), saying, “I was having a dialogue with ‘Verboten’ of the entrapment and cage-like structure.” The hanging piece is made of twigs, twine, nails and hair. According to el-Yasin, that form reminds him that in Africa, the woods is a place where people are forced out into.
“I really like the tiles,” said Linda Bradley, who teaches Drawing I at MCC. “I usually work in black and white, so I admire people who work in color.” She also appreciated the apparent simplicity and spontaneity of the installation. Dean explained that the installations change each time the tiles are hung.
We Wilmoth’s favorite piece was el-Yasin’s “Layer Weight #1,” which features the layers of paint built up and removed. “There’s so many things you can see in it,” said Wilmoth, an MCC general studies student.
2012年2月9日星期四
2012年2月8日星期三
House Hunting in ... Croatia
This eight-bedroom stone villa, built in 2005, was designed to house a large extended family or to function as an owner-occupied vacation rental. In addition to the owner’s two-bedroom unit on the second floor, the four-story structure has a one-bedroom apartment and five studios, each with a bath and a kitchenette. Made of gray stone, with a red-tiled roof, the house has a one-car garage and a gated courtyard with a swimming pool. The one-bedroom apartment is on the first floor; it faces the pool and adjoins an exercise room. The main entrance, which opens onto a patio with a tiled roof, is one flight up. It is reached via a stone staircase.
The entire second floor is taken up by the owner’s two-bedroom apartment. The kitchen has a cream-colored ceramic tiled floor and windows overlooking the patio (also called a gloriette). The wood cabinets are painted white, and the hardware is stainless steel. The living room has an oak floor and pale yellow walls mounted with contemporary rectangular light fixtures. A sliding glass door opens onto a balcony with stucco arches overlooking the garden and the Adriatic Sea. The master bedroom, off the living room, has orange lacquered closet doors. The adjacent hall bath has a tub with a hand-held shower nozzle. The bathroom, its walls lined with yellow and white tile, has a bidet. The other bathroom, near the front door, has a shower stall and glossy turquoise tile.
The property is on a hillside cul-de-sac 15 minutes north of Dubrovnik in the village of Zaton. A small downtown, within walking distance, has restaurants, shops, a newsstand and a post office. The harbor, where you can swim and moor a boat for the day, is a five-minute walk. For longer-term boat moorings, the marina at the Adriatic Croatia International Club is about 10 minutes away.
The property market in Croatia is “generally steady, but coastal areas have slightly picked up since August,” thanks in part to foreign buyers, said Ivo Perkovic, a sales agent for First Property Croatia in Split. Prices in some areas are still off as much as 25 percent from their 2007 peak; Mr. Perkovic believes prices have stabilized at this new lower level. He said that although interest among Croatian buyers was strong, high mortgage interest rates were impeding purchases. Foreign buyers almost always pay cash, he added, because banks in Croatia generally will not lend to them.
“Prices in Dubrovnik are the highest in Croatia,” said Tatjana Tosic, director of property marketing and sales for the Dubrovnik Sun Gardens Resort. And Mr. Perkovic says homes in move-in condition in Old Town Dubrovnik start at 3,000 euros per square meter (about $365 per square foot, at 0.76 euros to the dollar).
Ms. Tosic says prices in the Dubrovnik region can go as high as 6,000 euros per square meter. The home profiled here is priced at 4,375 euros per square meter.
Before the financial crisis hit Europe, Dubrovnik was a popular second-home destination for residents of Britain. There are still some British buyers, Ms. Tosic said, but now the market is dominated by expatriate Croats who want vacation or retirement homes in Croatia. There are also many buyers from former Soviet bloc countries like Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, Ms. Tosic said.
Mr. Perkovic cited the area’s popularity in recent years with buyers from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and Austria. He has also noticed an increase in the number of Americans, encouraged by a stronger dollar and a perception that property in Croatia will hold its value.
If a foreigner’s home country welcomes Croatian property buyers, Croatia will reciprocate. “This depends on bilateral agreements between Croatia and that particular country,” said Vedrana Kelleher, sales director for Savills Croatia.
“At this point in time, besides Croatian citizens, all citizens of E.U. can also buy without any restrictions,” she said.
Transaction costs include a 5 percent transfer tax paid by the buyer, and legal fees of about 1 percent of the purchase price, Ms. Kelleher noted. Legal fees cover the cost of obtaining government approval, which for American buyers is typically a straightforward process. Some agencies charge buyers a real estate agent commission of up to 2 percent, though Ms. Kelleher said that was not routinely the case.
Foreign buyers are urged to make sure the agent they use is licensed, as there are otherwise few legal protections, Mr. Perkovic said.
Real estate prices are advertised in euros, but the transaction takes place in kunas, according to Ms. Kelleher. The final exchange rate is determined on the day of sale.
The entire second floor is taken up by the owner’s two-bedroom apartment. The kitchen has a cream-colored ceramic tiled floor and windows overlooking the patio (also called a gloriette). The wood cabinets are painted white, and the hardware is stainless steel. The living room has an oak floor and pale yellow walls mounted with contemporary rectangular light fixtures. A sliding glass door opens onto a balcony with stucco arches overlooking the garden and the Adriatic Sea. The master bedroom, off the living room, has orange lacquered closet doors. The adjacent hall bath has a tub with a hand-held shower nozzle. The bathroom, its walls lined with yellow and white tile, has a bidet. The other bathroom, near the front door, has a shower stall and glossy turquoise tile.
The property is on a hillside cul-de-sac 15 minutes north of Dubrovnik in the village of Zaton. A small downtown, within walking distance, has restaurants, shops, a newsstand and a post office. The harbor, where you can swim and moor a boat for the day, is a five-minute walk. For longer-term boat moorings, the marina at the Adriatic Croatia International Club is about 10 minutes away.
The property market in Croatia is “generally steady, but coastal areas have slightly picked up since August,” thanks in part to foreign buyers, said Ivo Perkovic, a sales agent for First Property Croatia in Split. Prices in some areas are still off as much as 25 percent from their 2007 peak; Mr. Perkovic believes prices have stabilized at this new lower level. He said that although interest among Croatian buyers was strong, high mortgage interest rates were impeding purchases. Foreign buyers almost always pay cash, he added, because banks in Croatia generally will not lend to them.
“Prices in Dubrovnik are the highest in Croatia,” said Tatjana Tosic, director of property marketing and sales for the Dubrovnik Sun Gardens Resort. And Mr. Perkovic says homes in move-in condition in Old Town Dubrovnik start at 3,000 euros per square meter (about $365 per square foot, at 0.76 euros to the dollar).
Ms. Tosic says prices in the Dubrovnik region can go as high as 6,000 euros per square meter. The home profiled here is priced at 4,375 euros per square meter.
Before the financial crisis hit Europe, Dubrovnik was a popular second-home destination for residents of Britain. There are still some British buyers, Ms. Tosic said, but now the market is dominated by expatriate Croats who want vacation or retirement homes in Croatia. There are also many buyers from former Soviet bloc countries like Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, Ms. Tosic said.
Mr. Perkovic cited the area’s popularity in recent years with buyers from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and Austria. He has also noticed an increase in the number of Americans, encouraged by a stronger dollar and a perception that property in Croatia will hold its value.
If a foreigner’s home country welcomes Croatian property buyers, Croatia will reciprocate. “This depends on bilateral agreements between Croatia and that particular country,” said Vedrana Kelleher, sales director for Savills Croatia.
“At this point in time, besides Croatian citizens, all citizens of E.U. can also buy without any restrictions,” she said.
Transaction costs include a 5 percent transfer tax paid by the buyer, and legal fees of about 1 percent of the purchase price, Ms. Kelleher noted. Legal fees cover the cost of obtaining government approval, which for American buyers is typically a straightforward process. Some agencies charge buyers a real estate agent commission of up to 2 percent, though Ms. Kelleher said that was not routinely the case.
Foreign buyers are urged to make sure the agent they use is licensed, as there are otherwise few legal protections, Mr. Perkovic said.
Real estate prices are advertised in euros, but the transaction takes place in kunas, according to Ms. Kelleher. The final exchange rate is determined on the day of sale.
2012年2月7日星期二
Birmingham developer plans luxury apartments near Winchester
A Birmingham developer plans to erect 328 luxury apartments near the southwest corner of Winchester and Forest Hill-Irene.
The $29 million plan for Miller Creek Apartments has started making its way through the regulatory process.
The project will require a change to the 16-year-old Forest Hill Heights Planned Development for commercial and office uses to allow multifamily housing.
Red Mountain Development has a contract to buy the 20 acres.
The firm builds townhouses, apartments and condos throughout the South, including Birmingham, Charleston, S.C., Huntsville, Ala., Chattanooga and Little Rock.
Finishes and amenities for Miller Creek’s dozen buildings will include granite countertops, ceramic tile in the bathrooms, faux wood floors, resort-style pool, fitness center with cardio and theater equipment, a bocce ball court, garden space for residents, a recycling center, a yoga and spinning room, a cyber cafe and coffee bar, three to four acres of green space, and a community grilling area with outdoor kitchen and fireplace.
“This property will definitely raise the bar for the quality of multifamily housing in the Memphis area,” Red Mountain Development president Robb Crumpton said.
Red Mountain wants to build in Memphis because there’s been a lack of a new supply of apartments and because it feels it has found an ideal spot.
The Winchester/Forest Hill-Irene intersection is surrounded by jobs, Crumpton said, including Southwind office park, FedEx World Headquarters, FedEx Technology Center in Collierville, and Nonconnah Corporate Center.
The site is in unincorporated Shelby County, but within Memphis annexation reserve area.
Blake Pera, who analyzes the multihousing market as vice president for CB Richard Ellis Memphis, agrees it’s a good time to build these apartments.
“Market fundamentals have been improving in the Memphis market for the last few years, and operations at Class “A” properties have shown strong growth,” Pera said.
“This has been a compelling story nationally for the last 12-24 months, and apartments will continue to perform very well against the stagnant single family market,’’ he said. “Red Mountain builds a beautiful product, one that should be well received by the market.”
The site is on Winchester, 1,165 feet west of Forest Hill-Irene Road.
The Memphis/Shelby County Office of Planning and Development staff recommends approval, but with some conditions.
Multifamily housing is compatible in an area that already has major apartment developments just west on Winchester, the staff report states.
The $29 million plan for Miller Creek Apartments has started making its way through the regulatory process.
The project will require a change to the 16-year-old Forest Hill Heights Planned Development for commercial and office uses to allow multifamily housing.
Red Mountain Development has a contract to buy the 20 acres.
The firm builds townhouses, apartments and condos throughout the South, including Birmingham, Charleston, S.C., Huntsville, Ala., Chattanooga and Little Rock.
Finishes and amenities for Miller Creek’s dozen buildings will include granite countertops, ceramic tile in the bathrooms, faux wood floors, resort-style pool, fitness center with cardio and theater equipment, a bocce ball court, garden space for residents, a recycling center, a yoga and spinning room, a cyber cafe and coffee bar, three to four acres of green space, and a community grilling area with outdoor kitchen and fireplace.
“This property will definitely raise the bar for the quality of multifamily housing in the Memphis area,” Red Mountain Development president Robb Crumpton said.
Red Mountain wants to build in Memphis because there’s been a lack of a new supply of apartments and because it feels it has found an ideal spot.
The Winchester/Forest Hill-Irene intersection is surrounded by jobs, Crumpton said, including Southwind office park, FedEx World Headquarters, FedEx Technology Center in Collierville, and Nonconnah Corporate Center.
The site is in unincorporated Shelby County, but within Memphis annexation reserve area.
Blake Pera, who analyzes the multihousing market as vice president for CB Richard Ellis Memphis, agrees it’s a good time to build these apartments.
“Market fundamentals have been improving in the Memphis market for the last few years, and operations at Class “A” properties have shown strong growth,” Pera said.
“This has been a compelling story nationally for the last 12-24 months, and apartments will continue to perform very well against the stagnant single family market,’’ he said. “Red Mountain builds a beautiful product, one that should be well received by the market.”
The site is on Winchester, 1,165 feet west of Forest Hill-Irene Road.
The Memphis/Shelby County Office of Planning and Development staff recommends approval, but with some conditions.
Multifamily housing is compatible in an area that already has major apartment developments just west on Winchester, the staff report states.
2012年2月6日星期一
Regency imports ceramic tiles to sustain brand equity
Hyderabad-based Regency Ceramics Limited has started importing ceramic tile products, besides sourcing in part from
Indian manufacturers to ensure continuity in terms of market share and its brand name in the aftermath of the closure
of its factory at Yanam in Puducherry.
The company has declared lockout of the manufacturing facility, along with ancillary units, after it was subjected to
large-scale vandalism on January 27.
“We are importing the products from countries like Italy as well as sourcing them from domestic manufacturers to
sell under our brand name. We have built our brand in the marketplace by putting in a lot of efforts, commitment
towards quality and money over the decades. We cannot afford to lose any of these, including our market share,” GN
Naidu, chairman of Regency Ceramics, told reporters here on Monday.
While the company maintains that the lockout was a temporary measure to facilitate the ongoing police investigation
into the attack and destruction of factory premises, assessment of the damage done to plant and machinery apart from
allowing the situation to get back to normalcy, it is yet to get a clear picture on how much time will it require for
a possible revival of operations at Yanam.
“We have no clue as to whether the machinery can be brought back to original shape and the conditions prevailed in
Yanam are far from normal even today. We are bringing technical experts from Europe to evaluate the status of the
assets at Yanam as the equipment and machinery in the plant were imported from countries like Italy and Spain,”
Naidu said.
Responding to a question, he said the government of Puducherry had not approached the company with any concrete
proposal for facilitating the revival of the plant.
Stating that the hand of outsiders in the attack on the factory and even the killing of the company president
(operations) KC Chandrasekhar on the fateful night was established beyond any doubt, the collusion of a section of
the factory employees in this destruction was also needed to be investigated before restarting the operations,
according to the company chairman.
While reiterating his demand for a CBI probe into the incident, he said that some of the workers were recruited
without their antecedents being thoroughly verified and this had to be rectified. He alleged that the attack was
planned one year ahead.
Though the company initially said that the loss would be about Rs 150 crore, a detailed assessment of damage for
claiming insurance has still been under way.
The production came to a halt ever since about 1,200-odd workers joined the tool-down strike on December 5. Efforts
to arriving at a negotiated settlement under the supervision of Yanam collector fell through on January 3, leading to
a complete stalemate between the management and the workers on demands such as announcement of an interim increment
culminating into large-scale violence on January 27, according to the company management.
The company is suffering Rs 8-10 crore net loss a month due to loss of production, Naidu said. The factory was
running at 60 per cent of its installed capacity of 44,000 square metre a day on account of natural gas shortage
during the past couple of years.
Indian manufacturers to ensure continuity in terms of market share and its brand name in the aftermath of the closure
of its factory at Yanam in Puducherry.
The company has declared lockout of the manufacturing facility, along with ancillary units, after it was subjected to
large-scale vandalism on January 27.
“We are importing the products from countries like Italy as well as sourcing them from domestic manufacturers to
sell under our brand name. We have built our brand in the marketplace by putting in a lot of efforts, commitment
towards quality and money over the decades. We cannot afford to lose any of these, including our market share,” GN
Naidu, chairman of Regency Ceramics, told reporters here on Monday.
While the company maintains that the lockout was a temporary measure to facilitate the ongoing police investigation
into the attack and destruction of factory premises, assessment of the damage done to plant and machinery apart from
allowing the situation to get back to normalcy, it is yet to get a clear picture on how much time will it require for
a possible revival of operations at Yanam.
“We have no clue as to whether the machinery can be brought back to original shape and the conditions prevailed in
Yanam are far from normal even today. We are bringing technical experts from Europe to evaluate the status of the
assets at Yanam as the equipment and machinery in the plant were imported from countries like Italy and Spain,”
Naidu said.
Responding to a question, he said the government of Puducherry had not approached the company with any concrete
proposal for facilitating the revival of the plant.
Stating that the hand of outsiders in the attack on the factory and even the killing of the company president
(operations) KC Chandrasekhar on the fateful night was established beyond any doubt, the collusion of a section of
the factory employees in this destruction was also needed to be investigated before restarting the operations,
according to the company chairman.
While reiterating his demand for a CBI probe into the incident, he said that some of the workers were recruited
without their antecedents being thoroughly verified and this had to be rectified. He alleged that the attack was
planned one year ahead.
Though the company initially said that the loss would be about Rs 150 crore, a detailed assessment of damage for
claiming insurance has still been under way.
The production came to a halt ever since about 1,200-odd workers joined the tool-down strike on December 5. Efforts
to arriving at a negotiated settlement under the supervision of Yanam collector fell through on January 3, leading to
a complete stalemate between the management and the workers on demands such as announcement of an interim increment
culminating into large-scale violence on January 27, according to the company management.
The company is suffering Rs 8-10 crore net loss a month due to loss of production, Naidu said. The factory was
running at 60 per cent of its installed capacity of 44,000 square metre a day on account of natural gas shortage
during the past couple of years.
2012年2月5日星期日
Solvay house built in 1845 has 4,362 square feet
Paul Salvatore bought the 1845 Tudor Revival house at 400 Scarboro Drive in 1997. It was a fixer-upper he's been fixing ever since, he said.
"There is still a little bit of work to be done, but a lot has already been done," he said.
Salvatore and his wife, Michelle Salvatore, are temporarily merging their households in the six-bedroom, 3 1/2-bath home in the Piercefield section of Solvay. Once they sell the 4,362-square-foot home, on the market for $279,900, they plan to build on land they purchased in Pompey.
The Piercefield neighborhood is known for mansions built in the late 1800s on the former Hazard family estate. Frederick Hazard, former president of the Solvay Process Co., contributed land and resources to the village of Solvay, including the lot for the Solvay Public Library.
The home, on a corner lot, has two asphalt driveways that intersect. The lower, straight driveway ends at the attached two-car garage, and the upper, circular driveway allows passengers to be dropped off at the covered main entrance. Behind the house, with its stucco and half-timber exterior, there is an asphalt basketball court and a fenced area, ideal for a play yard or garden.
The covered double front door is a mover's dream with its level approach and combined opening -- 8 feet high and nearly 5 feet wide. The doors have leaded glass insets, as do the sidelights, and open to a spacious foyer with a triple-width coat closet.
Double French doors in the foyer open to the front-to-back living room which has a leaded glass bay window, a wood-burning fireplace, crown molding and an oak parquet floor.
On the other side of the foyer, another set of double French doors open to the formal dining room. The room has hardwood floors beneath wall-to-wall carpet, a chair rail, crown molding and a built-in Arts & Crafts-style china cabinet.
A third pair of French doors divide a small workout room from the foyer. Beyond the workout room, a glass pocket door slides open to a three-season Florida room with jalousie windows, perched above the garage.
Paul gutted and updated the eat-in kitchen with lots of raised-panel maple cabinets; solid surface, bevel-edged counter tops and new appliances, which will stay in the home. The ceramic tile floor has a rectangular border of river rock outlining the large island. There is a powder room adjacent to the kitchen and the dining room.
The first floor also has a TV room, which could be a home office, between the kitchen and the foyer. There is also a large room with a wood-burning fireplace at the back of the house that the Salvatores use as a gaming room.
The main oak staircase has an Arts & Crafts-style chandelier overhead as well as a leaded glass skylight. There is a second staircase in the back of the house.
There are two master suites in separate wings on the second floor. The suite the Salvatores use has hardwood floors, a walk-in closet and an adjoining sitting room. The sitting room has a generous walk-in cedar closet with access to the unfinished attic. The attic has a brick fireplace, exposed brick walls and a vaulted ceiling. Paul calls that part of the attic the "someday room" because he had hoped to someday remodel and annex the space and incorporate it into a stunning master suite.
The master sitting room also has access to an outdoor deck on the roof above the Florida room and to a full bath with a combination tub and shower.
There are two other full bathrooms on the second floor, one with seafoam green glass wall tiles and another with black and white glass tiles.
The second-floor bedrooms include a petite nursery, decorated and ready to accommodate a child or grandchild.
All windows have been replaced and the home has a security system. Paul replaced the steam heat boiler, powered by natural gas, a month ago. The home is on public water and sewers.
"There is still a little bit of work to be done, but a lot has already been done," he said.
Salvatore and his wife, Michelle Salvatore, are temporarily merging their households in the six-bedroom, 3 1/2-bath home in the Piercefield section of Solvay. Once they sell the 4,362-square-foot home, on the market for $279,900, they plan to build on land they purchased in Pompey.
The Piercefield neighborhood is known for mansions built in the late 1800s on the former Hazard family estate. Frederick Hazard, former president of the Solvay Process Co., contributed land and resources to the village of Solvay, including the lot for the Solvay Public Library.
The home, on a corner lot, has two asphalt driveways that intersect. The lower, straight driveway ends at the attached two-car garage, and the upper, circular driveway allows passengers to be dropped off at the covered main entrance. Behind the house, with its stucco and half-timber exterior, there is an asphalt basketball court and a fenced area, ideal for a play yard or garden.
The covered double front door is a mover's dream with its level approach and combined opening -- 8 feet high and nearly 5 feet wide. The doors have leaded glass insets, as do the sidelights, and open to a spacious foyer with a triple-width coat closet.
Double French doors in the foyer open to the front-to-back living room which has a leaded glass bay window, a wood-burning fireplace, crown molding and an oak parquet floor.
On the other side of the foyer, another set of double French doors open to the formal dining room. The room has hardwood floors beneath wall-to-wall carpet, a chair rail, crown molding and a built-in Arts & Crafts-style china cabinet.
A third pair of French doors divide a small workout room from the foyer. Beyond the workout room, a glass pocket door slides open to a three-season Florida room with jalousie windows, perched above the garage.
Paul gutted and updated the eat-in kitchen with lots of raised-panel maple cabinets; solid surface, bevel-edged counter tops and new appliances, which will stay in the home. The ceramic tile floor has a rectangular border of river rock outlining the large island. There is a powder room adjacent to the kitchen and the dining room.
The first floor also has a TV room, which could be a home office, between the kitchen and the foyer. There is also a large room with a wood-burning fireplace at the back of the house that the Salvatores use as a gaming room.
The main oak staircase has an Arts & Crafts-style chandelier overhead as well as a leaded glass skylight. There is a second staircase in the back of the house.
There are two master suites in separate wings on the second floor. The suite the Salvatores use has hardwood floors, a walk-in closet and an adjoining sitting room. The sitting room has a generous walk-in cedar closet with access to the unfinished attic. The attic has a brick fireplace, exposed brick walls and a vaulted ceiling. Paul calls that part of the attic the "someday room" because he had hoped to someday remodel and annex the space and incorporate it into a stunning master suite.
The master sitting room also has access to an outdoor deck on the roof above the Florida room and to a full bath with a combination tub and shower.
There are two other full bathrooms on the second floor, one with seafoam green glass wall tiles and another with black and white glass tiles.
The second-floor bedrooms include a petite nursery, decorated and ready to accommodate a child or grandchild.
All windows have been replaced and the home has a security system. Paul replaced the steam heat boiler, powered by natural gas, a month ago. The home is on public water and sewers.
2012年2月2日星期四
Backsplashes - How to get started.
Backsplashes are one of the easiest ways to add pizzazz to your kitchen or bathroom, yes I said bathroom, most people don't do this but, if you can afford it do it. It would make a big impact with buyers, because you don't see it done much. Kitchens and bathrooms still sell homes, make yours as great as it can be with your budget. Beware though backsplashes are not that easy to install and can cost you time, frustration and most of all money. If you aren't very handy but want to try and put up a backsplash, their are new products on the market like Bondera that make the process easier and quicker. Again planning and research are the first items on your list to tackle. You first have to take measurements of the area you would like to tile, then choose your tile, decide how you are going to install your tile and choosing a grout colour.
When taking you measurements be sure to measure the entire surface of the wall that you would like to cover, right up to the bottom of the upper cabinets. Another area that people have a question about is how far do I install that tile behind the stove. I suggest that you end the tile between the top height of your countertops backsplash and the stove top surface, this will finish the area so that the untiled area isn't showing. If you don't have a backsplash attached to your countertop, then just tile from the countertop surface.
Choosing your tile for your backsplash is the next task, and will probably not be easy due to the selection and types of tile available. In Peterborough, I can think of at least 10 different places to purchase tile. So take a good look around, know your budget and stick to it, tile is the one part of the project that you can go overboard. Obviously you need to think about what type of tile would go well with you decor in your kitchen or bathroom. Try and bring all the colours in your room together, use those colours to choose your tile. Remember that the light in the stores will not be the same as at home, purchased some tiles, bring them home and look there. You don't have to purchased ceramic tiles, there are other options, such as: peel and stick tiles or tiles in a sheet. These options have their advantages and disadvantages, peel and stick tiles are small and put on individually. They can give you a different effect but you have to know where you are putting them, they are permanent. As for the sheet variety, they glue to the wall and you caulk the joints between panels. These panels don't come in many colours, so look at all the options available to you.
After you purchase your tiles, installing them is the next task. There are two different methods that are affordable. The first is the old traditional method of using mastic (adhesive), trowels, grout and a grout float. The other affordable method is a product system called Bondera. Its new to the market in Peterborough, its an adhesive backed roll of mastic, comes in different sizes and can be used for backsplahes, countertops or showers. I will go into more detail on both methods in my next blog.
Choosing your grout colour is of the utmost importance, the colour could make or break you tile project. I suggest to my customers that they choose a colour that complements the tile selection. Making the tiled area seem more continuous and streamlined, if it was a different colour your focus would be on the grout and not the tile. Don't forget to budget for grout and tile sealer if necessary, depending on the type of tile it could cost a small sum.
This is only a short guide to the steps of choosing and installing a backsplash, as always if you aren't comfortable with the labour aspect of this project, please seek the help of a professional contractor. Do your research in all aspects of your projects, not just this one and make sure the contractor knows what he/she is doing, a bad installation makes the project look bad.
When taking you measurements be sure to measure the entire surface of the wall that you would like to cover, right up to the bottom of the upper cabinets. Another area that people have a question about is how far do I install that tile behind the stove. I suggest that you end the tile between the top height of your countertops backsplash and the stove top surface, this will finish the area so that the untiled area isn't showing. If you don't have a backsplash attached to your countertop, then just tile from the countertop surface.
Choosing your tile for your backsplash is the next task, and will probably not be easy due to the selection and types of tile available. In Peterborough, I can think of at least 10 different places to purchase tile. So take a good look around, know your budget and stick to it, tile is the one part of the project that you can go overboard. Obviously you need to think about what type of tile would go well with you decor in your kitchen or bathroom. Try and bring all the colours in your room together, use those colours to choose your tile. Remember that the light in the stores will not be the same as at home, purchased some tiles, bring them home and look there. You don't have to purchased ceramic tiles, there are other options, such as: peel and stick tiles or tiles in a sheet. These options have their advantages and disadvantages, peel and stick tiles are small and put on individually. They can give you a different effect but you have to know where you are putting them, they are permanent. As for the sheet variety, they glue to the wall and you caulk the joints between panels. These panels don't come in many colours, so look at all the options available to you.
After you purchase your tiles, installing them is the next task. There are two different methods that are affordable. The first is the old traditional method of using mastic (adhesive), trowels, grout and a grout float. The other affordable method is a product system called Bondera. Its new to the market in Peterborough, its an adhesive backed roll of mastic, comes in different sizes and can be used for backsplahes, countertops or showers. I will go into more detail on both methods in my next blog.
Choosing your grout colour is of the utmost importance, the colour could make or break you tile project. I suggest to my customers that they choose a colour that complements the tile selection. Making the tiled area seem more continuous and streamlined, if it was a different colour your focus would be on the grout and not the tile. Don't forget to budget for grout and tile sealer if necessary, depending on the type of tile it could cost a small sum.
This is only a short guide to the steps of choosing and installing a backsplash, as always if you aren't comfortable with the labour aspect of this project, please seek the help of a professional contractor. Do your research in all aspects of your projects, not just this one and make sure the contractor knows what he/she is doing, a bad installation makes the project look bad.
2012年2月1日星期三
Mob-hit Regency Ceramics says revival uncertain
Regency Ceramics, floor tiles major, whose unit in Yanam, Puducherry, was turned into ashes by workers, is now facing uncertainty over the revival of the company.
While the loss is estimated to be at Rs150-200 crore, it is still not known if the Rs450-crore insurance cover the company has for the factory bails it out.
“I am not sure if we can revive the operations. We are still undecided. We are assessing the loss and the top management has still not visited the factory since the burning down of the unit,” GN Naidu, Regency’s chairman and managing director, said.
Though there was no formal union activity in Regency in its three decades of existence, the setting up of a union a year back is believed to have spoiled the bonhomie between the workers and the management.
The continued friction between the management and the union resulted in a non-agreement on several issues including reinstatement of some of the ousted workers and paying out of interim increments.
“We had agreed to pay a bonus of Rs5,000 to all the employees though the union demanded Rs6,000. However, the Rs5,000 proposal was approved by the union as well. Though we had paid an increment for 2011-12, the union was insisting on interim increment for the current year. That was not acceptable to us since the company is facing tough times in terms of profitability,” he said. The Yanam facility is Regency’s sole unit.
With the employee-management negotiations hitting a dead-end, the management was trying to ensure continuity in production by seeking police protection. Agitated by this, on January 27, the workers resorted to violence by torching the factory, warehouse and the vehicles owned by the company. In this free-for-all situation, a mob attacked the residence of K C Chandrasekhar, the company’s president (operations), and hit him with sticks and rods. Chandrasekhar, also Naidu’s niece’s husband, succumbed to injuries at a hospital in Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh after battling for life for about three hours.
“The mob looted everything from the factory including cows and buffalos from the Goshala (cowshed). We had invested about Rs1.5 crore on the cowshed and the cattle. Tile inventory worth Rs20 crore was either looted or burnt down,” he said.
Regency had revenues of Rs200 crore for the last fiscal and has been running in losses due to lower capacity utilisation.
“The gas supply from ONGC was inadequate and we were not able to operate at full capacity. Currently, we have an accumulated loss of about Rs35 crore and a debt of about Rs80 crore. We were pinning hopes on the fourth quarter to break even and start booking profits. Now, the situation is back to square one,” Satyendra Prasad Narala, Regency’s executive director, said.
According to him, with the availability of gas improving, the company was moving towards value-added products, including vitrified tiles, duro and large-format wall tiles. “Next financial year, we would have turned around,” he said.
Regency is a leading player in floor tiles market and is said to be one of the top three exporters of tiles from the country. Though a ceramic tiles major, the company currently gets about 60% of its revenue from vitrified tiles.
While the loss is estimated to be at Rs150-200 crore, it is still not known if the Rs450-crore insurance cover the company has for the factory bails it out.
“I am not sure if we can revive the operations. We are still undecided. We are assessing the loss and the top management has still not visited the factory since the burning down of the unit,” GN Naidu, Regency’s chairman and managing director, said.
Though there was no formal union activity in Regency in its three decades of existence, the setting up of a union a year back is believed to have spoiled the bonhomie between the workers and the management.
The continued friction between the management and the union resulted in a non-agreement on several issues including reinstatement of some of the ousted workers and paying out of interim increments.
“We had agreed to pay a bonus of Rs5,000 to all the employees though the union demanded Rs6,000. However, the Rs5,000 proposal was approved by the union as well. Though we had paid an increment for 2011-12, the union was insisting on interim increment for the current year. That was not acceptable to us since the company is facing tough times in terms of profitability,” he said. The Yanam facility is Regency’s sole unit.
With the employee-management negotiations hitting a dead-end, the management was trying to ensure continuity in production by seeking police protection. Agitated by this, on January 27, the workers resorted to violence by torching the factory, warehouse and the vehicles owned by the company. In this free-for-all situation, a mob attacked the residence of K C Chandrasekhar, the company’s president (operations), and hit him with sticks and rods. Chandrasekhar, also Naidu’s niece’s husband, succumbed to injuries at a hospital in Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh after battling for life for about three hours.
“The mob looted everything from the factory including cows and buffalos from the Goshala (cowshed). We had invested about Rs1.5 crore on the cowshed and the cattle. Tile inventory worth Rs20 crore was either looted or burnt down,” he said.
Regency had revenues of Rs200 crore for the last fiscal and has been running in losses due to lower capacity utilisation.
“The gas supply from ONGC was inadequate and we were not able to operate at full capacity. Currently, we have an accumulated loss of about Rs35 crore and a debt of about Rs80 crore. We were pinning hopes on the fourth quarter to break even and start booking profits. Now, the situation is back to square one,” Satyendra Prasad Narala, Regency’s executive director, said.
According to him, with the availability of gas improving, the company was moving towards value-added products, including vitrified tiles, duro and large-format wall tiles. “Next financial year, we would have turned around,” he said.
Regency is a leading player in floor tiles market and is said to be one of the top three exporters of tiles from the country. Though a ceramic tiles major, the company currently gets about 60% of its revenue from vitrified tiles.
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