Nick Sargent of Sargent Photography Interior Design by Insignia Design Group
Inspiration for a transitional u-shaped kitchen remodel in Miami with recessed-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, beige backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Trendy white tile and subway tile corner shower photo in Other with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige walls and a vessel sink

There are many different borer insects around the world that come in many different sizes and colors. But one thing they all have in common is the danger they pose to trees. These insects tunnel their way deep into trees and feed on the heartwood. Symptoms of infestation differ depending on the type of borer insect, but you can usually tell by the holes left behind in the bark. You may also notice sap or sawdust gathered around the tree or even sudden discoloration of the leaves. If left untreated, borers can kill the tree. Five Star Tree Services has put together a simple guide that will help you identify infestations so they can be treated ASAP. 4 Common Borer Species We are going to go over four of the most common wood boring insects that attack a wide variety of tree species in a range of climates. Many native borer insects will seek out already sick trees or trees under stress as opposed to strong healthy ones. But, even healthy trees are susceptible to infestation, especially from non-native borers. Locust Borer This type or borer attacks black locust trees; other types of locust trees are not in danger. They can be found in any place that black locust trees grow. Symptoms of an LB infestation are mainly localized swollen areas on the trunk or branches. These areas will look like a full knot. Other common signs are broken branches, thinness along the crown, and holes in the bark accompanied by sawdust. If you happen to see any of these signs, give our team of arborists a call as soon as possible. These borers weaken branches so that they break, which poses an additional hazard to your property and family. Emerald Ash Borer This type of borer usually feeds on ash trees but can also be found in rare cases in other types. They are commonly found in over states in the US but can be found in any location where ash trees grow. Symptoms of an EAB infestation are easy to spot. In the early stages, trees will exhibit cracks along the main branches of the canopy. As the stages progress, these cracks will turn into slits and holes that look like a “D” on the bark. The canopy of the tree will also start to think as the tree progresses towards failure. As soon as you notice any of these signs, you should contact an arborist as soon as possible. Treatment is more effective when applied early on in an infestation. Bronze Birch Borer This species usually attacks grey birch, paper birch, and yellow birch trees. Though they mostly attack stressed or sick trees, but again even healthy birch trees can become infested. River birch thankfully is not susceptible to this particular borer. They are found in any place white bark birch trees grow. Common signs of BBB infestations are winding tunnels along the out layer of the tree bark. They look bumpy or wrinkled. In some cases, you may also notice “D” shaped holes along the bark or leaves they have lost their color. Another common symptom is thinning along the crown and top of the tree. If found early enough, our professional arborists can apply an insecticide treatment and save the tree. Longhorned Beetles This species attacks a wide assortment of trees but tends to only attack those which are under a high amount of stress. They are found all over the world and are not specific to any one area. Common signs that an LB infestation is present is sawdust under the tree, round holes, and discolored leaves. It is important to contact a specialist as soon as you notice any signs of infestation. Quick action is key to slowing and defeating these harmful insects. How We Can Help Infestations can destroy the health of your trees, but with quick action, most can be saved. Five Star Tree Services offers a range of tree care services in Toronto including diagnosis and treatment of borer infestations. Give us a call at (416) 990-3355 to find out more.

The Pros and Cons of Fix and Flip Real Estate Investment Last week, we covered The Pros and Cons of Buy and Hold Real Estate Investment for rental property investors. This week, we want to talk about the other most common type of real estate investment: “fix and flip.” The Appeal of House Flipping We all love the house flipping shows on HGTV and other reality channels. They’re great and they make the prospect of buying, renovating and flipping homes for big profits seem super sexy and fun. However, any experienced real estate investor will tell you it’s not quite as easy as they make it look. There’s a lot of work that goes into a successful fix and flip investment. The basic premise of a fix and flip investment is pretty simple. You buy a property, usually one that needs some work and is available at a great price. You renovate the property, making the necessary repairs and upgrades to maximize its resale value. Then, you sell the property on the open market for the highest possible price. You get in and out as quickly as possible. Full-time flippers will move from property to property or will have multiple properties being worked on at the same time. Rather than the “buy and hold” strategy where you keep the house while earning rental income and equity over time, you are looking for the quick sale to earn your profits. If you are going to explore house flipping—whether as a full-time career or just a side hustle—you will want to know exactly what you are getting into. That is why we are going to cover the pros and cons of fix and flip real estate investment in this article. The Pros of Fix and Flip Here are some of the pros of fix and flip investing: Faster Return on Investment—The biggest appeal of fix and flip investing is that it gives you a quicker return on investment. Buy and hold will take you longer to see your ROI. House flipping allows you to see your full profit (hopefully) as soon as the house sells. The average house flip for an experienced investor is around six months. It may take longer for a first-timer who is just learning how to do certain things. Fairly Safe Investment—As long as you do all your projections and calculations carefully and avoid any major problems along the way, house flipping is a relatively safe investment strategy compared to something as turbulent as the stock market. Real estate markets are generally predictable and the short time frame of a flip helps you avoid losses if the property happens to depreciate over a longer period of time. Exciting—There is a reason why there are so many reality shows based around flipping and none based on buy and hold investing. It’s an exciting process to buy a home, gut it and completely renovate it. Then, you get the ultimate reward of selling it and collecting the profits—as long as you do things right. The Cons of Fix and Flip Here are some of the cons of fix and flip investing: Upfront Expenses—A house flip will require a lot of upfront expenses. We’re not only talking about financing the house itself, but all the renovation costs and other expenses involved in the flip. You are laying out all that money at the beginning and only seeing your returns when the property sells. This can create cash flow issues and stress if you fall being schedule or go above your initial budget. Taxes—House flips will usually create dramatic swings in income year over year, and that can increase your tax bill. You have to pace things correctly to take advantage of specific capital gains tax rules. Capital gains taxes are higher on any property owned less than a year, so you have to find that balance of how long you own any specific investment properties and how long it takes to complete the renovation and sale. Before you get too deep into fix and flip investing, you will want to talk with your tax advisor to make sure you have the right plan in place. Surprises—All real estate investment is susceptible to surprises. You don’t always know what lies behind the walls until you start the renovation process. You cannot plan for everything as a real estate investor, but you have to be prepared for anything. It is a good idea to add some wiggle room in your budget and overestimate your renovation expenses/timeline to cover any surprises that may come up. These are some of the biggest pros and cons of fix and flip real estate investment. Of course, there are other things you need to know as an investor, so be sure and do your homework in order to get the most out of your investment portfolio. Both fix and flip and buy and hold strategies can be highly lucrative if you do things right. There are no wrong answers, but there are wrong ways of doing things if you truly want to be successful in this field. If you are looking for great investment properties to fix and flip, join the exclusive PropertyLark home buyers’ network. If you qualify, you’ll have access to our exclusive off-market deals and analytics tools that will help you identify the best investments and get the highest possible ROI. Fill out the contact form and questionnaire on the PropertyLark buyer’s site to apply!

A front porch and rear deck merge indoor/outdoor living. Columns and ceiling treatments define rooms without enclosing space, adding to the open, airy floorplan. A bay window expands the breakfast nook, while a serving bar connects the kitchen to the great room, providing a place for quick meals and conversation.

The brick color featured on this home is Autumn Lane. This brick comes in King Size and is available at the Oklahoma City Plant. Please visit brick.com for availability in your area. © 2017 Acme Brick Company

This young couple in Glendale loved their home and their neighborhood, but with three growing children they felt they were running out of space. They began a list of needs which quickly grew after a couple of years. This list helped them to see how they used their current space, but also helped them identify what was lacking. Their needs list quickly revealed that a two-story addition would be needed to fit all the family’s requirements. With much thought and discussion, a design was created by the Roeser Team in collaboration with Ann Begemann, architect. It was important to the homeowner that the design fit the look of the house. This is always a top priority for Roeser Home Remodeling. We pride ourselves in our finish product appearing as if it had always been there and especially in this remodel, we think we succeeded. On the list of this family’s needs were to have ample storage space for the three children’s school and sporting equipment. A wider entrance hallway from the garage and the backyard provided a unique place to build custom locker spaces, along with a communication station that will close nice and neat when company is expected. Drawer units also give extra storage and allow for a filing system to keep track of all the paper work that comes home. Extra cabinets above the lockers provide much needed additional storage for out of season belongings. A 12 X 24 S140 tile floor laid in a broken joint pattern provides for easy cleaning of this space and keeps dirty shoes or boots from finding its way into the main living quarters. The kitchen was at the top of the priority list for this family as well. The existing kitchen was just too small and narrow and did not allow for an eat-in kitchen, or an adequate workspace for the family. Since the homeowner loves to cook, our Roeser Home Remodeling designer came up with a beautiful design plan that allowed for both. The kitchen was moved to the addition, and the existing kitchen was remodeled with a breakfast nook, housing both a custom bench and a table with chairs, along with a pantry and dry bar. This was the perfect plan and now allows the homeowner to have seating and storage for the family and entertaining. The custom bench was built to match a picture the homeowner had and was custom produced in our own little mill shop. A drawer on both sides of the bench is handy for any extra storage items that the family may need seasonally. The kitchen quickly became a favorite with the Roeser Home Remodeling Team. With the mix of metals and the many extra features in this space, this kitchen is full of interest as well as function. The perimeter cabinets are Wellborn Cabinet’s Premier Line, Charleston maple door style with glacier pewter finish. A Kohler Apron Front smart divide sink adds to the design and function of this beautiful kitchen. A wall mount pot filler hovers above a Wolfe five-burner stove top. The Wellborn hood unit passes the cabinet depth of the upper cabinets and compliments the Wellborn drawer unit underneath. Deeper drawers housed the 36” Wolf, five-burner professional gas stove top and added more storage. The addition of feet to the bottom of the drawer unit along with pushing back the toe kick gives an added detail and look of a furniture piece. Flanking each end of the perimeter of cabinets are high end appliances. The 42” built-in French Door Sub-Zero Refrigerator/Freezer is left of the sink and concealed by Wellborn appliance panels. The Bosch 800 Series Dishwasher next in line is also concealed by a Wellborn appliance panel. However, the 30” Professional Wolf Oven and the 30” M Series Wolf Professional Convection Steam Oven sparkle with their stainless-steel finishes complimenting the Kohler Artifacts pull-down kitchen faucet, the Kohler Artifacts Pot Filler and the Top Knobs Hardware (Normandy Appliance Pulls in Polished Nickel, Button Faced Knob in Polish Nickel and the Tuscany Small D- Pull in Pewter Antique). A 30” Kitchen-Aid electric warming drawer is concealed by a Wellborn Drawer front and Top Knob hardware. The Quartzite counter top in Taj Mahal is always an eye-catching feature for this beautiful kitchen. The large space of the island shows off its remarkable beauty. The island stands on its own with a custom design using Wellborn Cabinets Premier Line, Charleston maple door style in a Pebble Java finish, a darker finish cabinet not only serves as a focal point, but also warms the room against its starker contrast. The island houses a Sharp microwave drawer and its hardware is the same Tuscany small D-Pull as the rest of the kitchen, but in a German Bronze finish to compliment the island’s Hudson Valley Orchard Park light in an Aged Brass Finish. The original half bath was the only bathroom on this floor of the house and the expense to move it was not an option. The location of the bathroom in the middle of the house was problematic. Roeser Home Remodeling solved the problem by creating an opening between the living room and new family room, along with giving the illusion of a small hallway behind the dry bar in the breakfast room. This created a nice space going into the living room and gave the feeling of an open floor plan, providing and a nice private entry to the existing half bath. Updating the bath with wallpaper, a new Barclay- Stanford Pedestal Sink, a new Portsmouth wide-spread faucet in polished nickel, a new Devonshire comfort height toilet, new towel ring, paper holder, lighting and mirror made this cute little powder room a jewel in its own right! The family room was also housed in the addition as a family hang-out place for homework, games and movie watching. Two sets of Sierra Pacific 6’0” X 6’8” aluminum clad wood French Sliding Patio Doors were installed to invite the outdoors in. This allowed for natural lighting and an open spacious feel to the room. A Custom Entertainment Unit built by Roeser Home Remodeling in our mill shop, is the perfect space to house all the family’s television and gaming needs, keeping them neatly stored, but also close at hand. Opposite of the French Doors is the original opening to the backyard. By keeping the opening and installing beautiful glass doors, it opened the flow of the house to the formal living room. By adding the glass doors, it provided a cozy area for quiet adult conversation while keeping an eye on the children as they play or watch TV.

Example of a trendy kitchen design in Singapore

This young couple in Glendale loved their home and their neighborhood, but with three growing children they felt they were running out of space. They began a list of needs which quickly grew after a couple of years. This list helped them to see how they used their current space, but also helped them identify what was lacking. Their needs list quickly revealed that a two-story addition would be needed to fit all the family’s requirements. With much thought and discussion, a design was created by the Roeser Team in collaboration with Ann Begemann, architect. It was important to the homeowner that the design fit the look of the house. This is always a top priority for Roeser Home Remodeling. We pride ourselves in our finish product appearing as if it had always been there and especially in this remodel, we think we succeeded. On the list of this family’s needs were to have ample storage space for the three children’s school and sporting equipment. A wider entrance hallway from the garage and the backyard provided a unique place to build custom locker spaces, along with a communication station that will close nice and neat when company is expected. Drawer units also give extra storage and allow for a filing system to keep track of all the paper work that comes home. Extra cabinets above the lockers provide much needed additional storage for out of season belongings. A 12 X 24 S140 tile floor laid in a broken joint pattern provides for easy cleaning of this space and keeps dirty shoes or boots from finding its way into the main living quarters. The kitchen was at the top of the priority list for this family as well. The existing kitchen was just too small and narrow and did not allow for an eat-in kitchen, or an adequate workspace for the family. Since the homeowner loves to cook, our Roeser Home Remodeling designer came up with a beautiful design plan that allowed for both. The kitchen was moved to the addition, and the existing kitchen was remodeled with a breakfast nook, housing both a custom bench and a table with chairs, along with a pantry and dry bar. This was the perfect plan and now allows the homeowner to have seating and storage for the family and entertaining. The custom bench was built to match a picture the homeowner had and was custom produced in our own little mill shop. A drawer on both sides of the bench is handy for any extra storage items that the family may need seasonally. The kitchen quickly became a favorite with the Roeser Home Remodeling Team. With the mix of metals and the many extra features in this space, this kitchen is full of interest as well as function. The perimeter cabinets are Wellborn Cabinet’s Premier Line, Charleston maple door style with glacier pewter finish. A Kohler Apron Front smart divide sink adds to the design and function of this beautiful kitchen. A wall mount pot filler hovers above a Wolfe five-burner stove top. The Wellborn hood unit passes the cabinet depth of the upper cabinets and compliments the Wellborn drawer unit underneath. Deeper drawers housed the 36” Wolf, five-burner professional gas stove top and added more storage. The addition of feet to the bottom of the drawer unit along with pushing back the toe kick gives an added detail and look of a furniture piece. Flanking each end of the perimeter of cabinets are high end appliances. The 42” built-in French Door Sub-Zero Refrigerator/Freezer is left of the sink and concealed by Wellborn appliance panels. The Bosch 800 Series Dishwasher next in line is also concealed by a Wellborn appliance panel. However, the 30” Professional Wolf Oven and the 30” M Series Wolf Professional Convection Steam Oven sparkle with their stainless-steel finishes complimenting the Kohler Artifacts pull-down kitchen faucet, the Kohler Artifacts Pot Filler and the Top Knobs Hardware (Normandy Appliance Pulls in Polished Nickel, Button Faced Knob in Polish Nickel and the Tuscany Small D- Pull in Pewter Antique). A 30” Kitchen-Aid electric warming drawer is concealed by a Wellborn Drawer front and Top Knob hardware. The Quartzite counter top in Taj Mahal is always an eye-catching feature for this beautiful kitchen. The large space of the island shows off its remarkable beauty. The island stands on its own with a custom design using Wellborn Cabinets Premier Line, Charleston maple door style in a Pebble Java finish, a darker finish cabinet not only serves as a focal point, but also warms the room against its starker contrast. The island houses a Sharp microwave drawer and its hardware is the same Tuscany small D-Pull as the rest of the kitchen, but in a German Bronze finish to compliment the island’s Hudson Valley Orchard Park light in an Aged Brass Finish. The original half bath was the only bathroom on this floor of the house and the expense to move it was not an option. The location of the bathroom in the middle of the house was problematic. Roeser Home Remodeling solved the problem by creating an opening between the living room and new family room, along with giving the illusion of a small hallway behind the dry bar in the breakfast room. This created a nice space going into the living room and gave the feeling of an open floor plan, providing and a nice private entry to the existing half bath. Updating the bath with wallpaper, a new Barclay- Stanford Pedestal Sink, a new Portsmouth wide-spread faucet in polished nickel, a new Devonshire comfort height toilet, new towel ring, paper holder, lighting and mirror made this cute little powder room a jewel in its own right! The family room was also housed in the addition as a family hang-out place for homework, games and movie watching. Two sets of Sierra Pacific 6’0” X 6’8” aluminum clad wood French Sliding Patio Doors were installed to invite the outdoors in. This allowed for natural lighting and an open spacious feel to the room. A Custom Entertainment Unit built by Roeser Home Remodeling in our mill shop, is the perfect space to house all the family’s television and gaming needs, keeping them neatly stored, but also close at hand. Opposite of the French Doors is the original opening to the backyard. By keeping the opening and installing beautiful glass doors, it opened the flow of the house to the formal living room. By adding the glass doors, it provided a cozy area for quiet adult conversation while keeping an eye on the children as they play or watch TV.

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Example of a large kitchen design in Philadelphia with flat-panel cabinets and stainless steel appliances

Four Brothers LLC
Doorless shower - large industrial master gray tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and gray floor doorless shower idea in DC Metro with a trough sink, dark wood cabinets, solid surface countertops, gray walls, open cabinets, a two-piece toilet and a hinged shower door

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Fresh colors and textures make this great room inviting
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IN 2021, PETE AND BECKY MEIER HIRED LANDSCAPE DESIGN WEST, LLC, TO CREATE AN EXTRAORDINARY RENOVATION DESIGN FOR THE CANYON PASS HOUSE LOCATED IN THE GATED COMMUNITY OF CANYON PASS AT THE PINNACLE OF DOVE MOUNTAIN, IN TUCSON, ARIZONA. EXISTING LANDSCAPE DID NOT COMPLIMENT THE OUTSTANDING ADJACENT DESERT NOR THE UNIQUE MARK SOLOWAY ARCHITECTURE. GOAL WAS TO CREATE A BEAUTIFUL DIALOGUE WITH THE ADJACENT DESERT AND RESIDENCE. DESIRED OUTCOME: INCREASE VISUAL APPEAL/LOWER WATER USE WITH NUMEROUS SPECIMEN SUCCULENTS AND A PLANTING DESIGN THAT IS INVITING, COLORFUL AND GRACIOUS, INCREASE YEAR AROUND COLOR AND BLOOMS TO ATTRACT NATIVE POLLINATORS SUCH AS BIRDS, BATS, HUMMINGBIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES MITIGATE DAMAGE TO PORTIONS OF THE PROPERTY PREVIOUSLY USED AS CONSTRUCTION STAGING AREAS LOWER WATER USAGE REPLACING EXISTING FAULTY IRRIGATION LOWER ENERGY/INCREASED NIGHTTIME LIGHTING AESTHETICS WITH A PROFESSIONAL DESIGN AND USING HUNTER/FX LED LIGHTING CHALLENGES: HILLSIDE/SLOPE WILDLIFE ROCKY SOILS DIFFICULT ACCESS Robin Stancliff Photography

High Res Media
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Beach contemporary design featuring custom succulent wall planters, drought tolerant plants, permeable paving, fruit trees and outdoor rooms
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary partial sun backyard brick landscaping in Orange County.