'Hameln' fountain grass lends a soft texture to the planting bed. Other perennials include: 'Goldsturm' rudbeckia, 'Blue Fortune' agastache, 'Skyracer' molinia, and 'Ruby Star' echinacea. Westhauser Photography

I have been a custom window treatment professional for sixteen years, have fabricated lots of draperies, valances and Roman shades and sold a lot of Hunter Douglas blinds, shades and shutters. I thought of pillows as accessories, as a sort of add on or didn't think about them much at all until I started to update the decor in my own home. We built our house 22 years ago, and after two decades of kids, dogs and elderly parents, things were starting to look a little shabby. I'm very fortunate to have accounts with a number of decorator fabric distributors and fortunate to work with my upholsterer, the Custom Shoppe in Ansonia CT and with my designer friend, Lynda Reid. At a charity fund raiser event I fell in love with a multi-colored kilim. Didn't get it but found another; that was the first piece in our decor update for our family room. We put it on top of an old berber rug, and of course. it didn't go with the furniture, which was getting pretty Old. My upholsterer, Andy Apuzzo, suggested it look for vintage pieces of furniture at a Goodwill Super Store in Bridgeport CT. Over time I found three pieces, a sofa, loveseat and ottoman. I was determined to have a purple couch and. after ordering several samples and half yards, found just the one I wanted; very durable. With the help of my friend, designer Lynda Reid of Lynda Reid Designs in Shelton CT, I chose a teal velvet, also very durable and also from Kasmir for the loveseat. I upholstered the ottoman in the purple fabric, partly in an effort to make the sofa look bigger (Lynda's suggestion). Next I looked for fabric for pillows. I found some fabulous fabrics from Vervain (purchased from Fabricut, and also used a Romo fabric for the bolsters. Eventually, we had the ugly old berber replaced with a hardware floor. Next years project in her: new paint, draperies and wall art.

Painting by Bella Tucker Decorative Finishes- Photos by Geinger Hill
Inspiration for an eclectic porch remodel in Nashville

Fusion of artistry, elegance and playfulness, the bespoke vanity transforms a once-ordinary space into a luminous immersive experience. Designed to reflect the client's love for Chinoiserie: glowing architectural glass and bamboo substrate elements bring the vanity to life. The onyx vessel, symbolizing “good fortune, creates drama and depth. Crafted with ergonomic precision and thoughtful materiality, it perfectly balances tradition with innovation, delivering an extraordinary vanity piece designed to dazzle like a jewel box! An onyx vessel sink, sourced from Arizona, was selected for its grounding energy and symbolism of good fortune. The warm veining complements the hand-applied metal leaf sconces and opulent Indian-inspired wallcovering—an embroidered silk with metallic gold threads that shimmer in low light. These elements work in concert to create a layered, immersive environment rich in texture and light play. Finishing touches include curated gold metal legs that elevate the vanity—literally and figuratively—enhancing the jewel box effect. Every detail, from the selected stone to the plumbing fixtures and material finishes, contributes to a one-of-a-kind composition that celebrates artistry, intimacy, and global inspiration

Painting by Bella Tucker Decorative Finishes- Photos by Geinger Hill
Eclectic porch idea in Nashville

Painting by Bella Tucker Decorative Finishes- Photos by Geinger Hill
Inspiration for an eclectic porch remodel in Nashville

Front Porch Makeover by Bella Tucker Decorative Finishes with Modern Masters non-fading Front Door Paint in the color Fortunate. Project was featured in Apartment Therapy and This Old House magazine.

Painting by Bella Tucker Decorative Finishes- Photos by Geinger Hill
Eclectic porch idea in Nashville

I have been a custom window treatment professional for sixteen years, have fabricated lots of draperies, valances and Roman shades and sold a lot of Hunter Douglas blinds, shades and shutters. I thought of pillows as accessories, as a sort of add on or didn't think about them much at all until I started to update the decor in my own home. We built our house 22 years ago, and after two decades of kids, dogs and elderly parents, things were starting to look a little shabby. I'm very fortunate to have accounts with a number of decorator fabric distributors and fortunate to work with my upholsterer, the Custom Shoppe in Ansonia CT and with my designer friend, Lynda Reid. At a charity fund raiser event I fell in love with a multi-colored kilim. Didn't get it but found another; that was the first piece in our decor update for our family room. We put it on top of an old berber rug, and of course. it didn't go with the furniture, which was getting pretty Old. My upholsterer, Andy Apuzzo, suggested it look for vintage pieces of furniture at a Goodwill Super Store in Bridgeport CT. Over time I found three pieces, a sofa, loveseat and ottoman. I was determined to have a purple couch and. after ordering several samples and half yards, found just the one I wanted; very durable. With the help of my friend, designer Lynda Reid of Lynda Reid Designs in Shelton CT, I chose a teal velvet, also very durable and also from Kasmir for the loveseat. I upholstered the ottoman in the purple fabric, partly in an effort to make the sofa look bigger (Lynda's suggestion). Next I looked for fabric for pillows. I found some fabulous fabrics from Vervain (purchased from Fabricut, and also used a Romo fabric for the bolsters. Eventually, we had the ugly old berber replaced with a hardware floor. Next years project in her: new paint, draperies and wall art.

Painting by Bella Tucker Decorative Finishes- Photos by Geinger Hill
Eclectic porch idea in Nashville

Painting by Bella Tucker Decorative Finishes- Photos by Geinger Hill
Eclectic porch photo in Nashville

Painting by Bella Tucker Decorative Finishes- Photos by Geinger Hill
Eclectic porch photo in Nashville

Painting by Bella Tucker Decorative Finishes- Photos by Geinger Hill
Eclectic porch photo in Nashville

I have been a custom window treatment professional for sixteen years, have fabricated lots of draperies, valances and Roman shades and sold a lot of Hunter Douglas blinds, shades and shutters. I thought of pillows as accessories, as a sort of add on or didn't think about them much at all until I started to update the decor in my own home. We built our house 22 years ago, and after two decades of kids, dogs and elderly parents, things were starting to look a little shabby. I'm very fortunate to have accounts with a number of decorator fabric distributors and fortunate to work with my upholsterer, the Custom Shoppe in Ansonia CT and with my designer friend, Lynda Reid. At a charity fund raiser event I fell in love with a multi-colored kilim. Didn't get it but found another; that was the first piece in our decor update for our family room. We put it on top of an old berber rug, and of course. it didn't go with the furniture, which was getting pretty Old. My upholsterer, Andy Apuzzo, suggested it look for vintage pieces of furniture at a Goodwill Super Store in Bridgeport CT. Over time I found three pieces, a sofa, loveseat and ottoman. I was determined to have a purple couch and. after ordering several samples and half yards, found just the one I wanted; very durable. With the help of my friend, designer Lynda Reid of Lynda Reid Designs in Shelton CT, I chose a teal velvet, also very durable and also from Kasmir for the loveseat. I upholstered the ottoman in the purple fabric, partly in an effort to make the sofa look bigger (Lynda's suggestion). Next I looked for fabric for pillows. I found some fabulous fabrics from Vervain (purchased from Fabricut, and also used a Romo fabric for the bolsters. Eventually, we had the ugly old berber replaced with a hardware floor. Next years project in her: new paint, draperies and wall art.

Painting by Bella Tucker Decorative Finishes- Photos by Geinger Hill
Eclectic porch photo in Nashville

Painting by Bella Tucker Decorative Finishes- Photos by Geinger Hill
Eclectic porch idea in Nashville

Painting by Bella Tucker Decorative Finishes- Photos by Geinger Hill
Inspiration for an eclectic porch remodel in Nashville

I received an enquiry from a property in Crowthorne to come and survey an unknown Flagstone Floor in a converted barn that was ready to be rented out. The owners where concerned the stone was letting the rest of the property down due to it being dirty and heavily stained, particularly around the kitchen and entrance areas. If your selling or renting out a property it really needs to look its best if you want to achieve a good price. Having spoken over the phone we agreed a date for me to pop over to complete a survey. From further inspection I confirmed the stone was in fact a Sandstone, it was also clear that the sealer protecting the stone from ingrained dirt had worn away and was now allowing dirt and staining to ruin the appearance of the flagstones. It was a large floor so I measured up so I could work out the quantities of cleaning and sealing products needed and then walked the customer through the cleaning process. Later that day I sent over a detailed quotation which was accepted, and a date agreed for my return. I should mention this work took place during the Covid restrictions, fortunately being a rental property, I was able to work in the property alone. To deep clean the floor and remove the ingrained dirt and staining I used a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. It is sprayed onto the floor and left to soak in for five minutes before agitating with a Black scrubbing pad fitted to a weighted buffing machine. The resultant slurry was then wet extracted away using a powerful high-pressure van mounted extracting system. This action cleaned up most of the stone nicely however certain areas where heavily stained, particularly in the kitchen area where food and drink stains were more apparent. To tackle this, I applied a stronger cleaner/stripper product called Tile Doctor Remove and Go this time allowing ten minutes for it to soak in before scrubbing the surface with a very coarse 100-grit soft milling pad. This took quite a few attempts each time extracting the slurry away and then inspecting the floor to see if more work was needed. Happy the stains have been removed, I then focused on renovating the surface Sandstone after the application of the coarse pad. This involves the application of several finer grit burnishing pads which close the pores and adds a subtle polish to the Sandstone. As I started with 100-grit pad it was necessary to gradually refine the surface with an incremental series of pads that included 200, 400 and finally 800-grit pads. Then to ensure a uniform finish across the floor I continued the 400 and 800 grit pads throughout the property. Water is used to lubricate the process and this turns into a fine slurry that is rinse extracted as before. The cleaning process took up the whole of the first day and I am pleased to say the Sandstone floor looked very clean after I had finished. The stone was then allowed dry off overnight with the aid of an industrial air mover and I returned later the next day to apply a new protective seal. In the meantime, my customer had been over to check out the floor and were over the moon with how it looked and wanted to keep the finish as natural as possible. With this in mind, I applied Tile Doctor Ultra-Seal sealer to the Sandstone throughout, only two coats were needed. This is a premium sealer that is almost invisible and works by penetrating the stone thus preventing dirt from becoming ingrained. Once done the floor looked very clean and much brighter than before, it now had that wow factor which will help it attract a good yield in the rental market. The trouble with rental properties of course is making sure the tenant uses the right product to maintain the floor and not a typical supermarket tile cleaner that are only designed for use on Ceramic and Porcelain tiles. In fact, these types of cleaning product can slowly strip the sealer off the floor so it’s always worth checking the label before purchasing. Fortunately Tile Doctor sells a product called Neutral Cleaner that is ideal for maintaining sealed stone floors, so I left them with a complimentary bottle and recommended they get some more to leave under the sink for the new tenant. Dennis Buckland Berkshire Tile Doctor

Custom fireplace mantel and tile work with electric fireplace . 30 Years of Construction Experience in the Bay Area | Best of Houzz! We are a passionate, family owned/operated local business in the Bay Area, California. At Lavan Construction, we create a fresh and fit environment with over 30 years of experience in building and construction in both domestic and international markets. We have a unique blend of leadership combining expertise in construction contracting and management experience from Fortune 500 companies. We commit to deliver you a world class experience within your budget and timeline while maintaining trust and transparency. At Lavan Construction, we believe relationships are the main component of any successful business and we stand by our motto: “Trust is the foundation we build on.” “Licensed, Bonded and Insured”. Our service is unlike anything in the industry, we cover all your needs, from project conception, design, build to turn-key and move-in ready status. Services Provided Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), Architectural Design, Architectural Drawings, Bathroom Design, Bathroom Remodeling, Custom Home, Home Additions, Home Extensions, Home Remodeling, Home Restoration, Kitchen Design, Kitchen Remodeling, New Home Construction, Outdoor Kitchen Construction, Outdoor Kitchen Design, Project Management, Structural Engineering, Sunroom Design & Construction, Tiny House Construction, Universal Design, Concrete Construction, General Contracting, Custom Homes 30 Years of Construction Experience in the Bay Area | Best of Houzz! We are a passionate, family owned/operated local business in the Bay Area, California. At Lavan Construction, we create a fresh and fit environment with over 30 years of experience in building and construction in both domestic and international markets. We have a unique blend of leadership combining expertise in construction contracting and management experience from Fortune 500 companies. We commit to deliver you a world class experience within your budget and timeline while maintaining trust and transparency. At Lavan Construction, we believe relationships are the main component of any successful business and we stand by our motto: “Trust is the foundation we build on.” “Licensed, Bonded and Insured”. Our service is unlike anything in the industry, we cover all your needs, from project conception, design, build to turn-key and move-in ready status. Services Provided Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), Architectural Design, Architectural Drawings, Bathroom Design, Bathroom Remodeling, Custom Home, Home Additions, Home Extensions, Home Remodeling, Home Restoration, Kitchen Design, Kitchen Remodeling, New Home Construction, Outdoor Kitchen Construction, Outdoor Kitchen Design, Project Management, Structural Engineering, Sunroom Design & Construction, Tiny House Construction, Universal Design, Concrete Construction, General Contracting, Custom Homes